A compact and inexpensive mobile weighing device for water relations studies of container-grown trees

2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G. McKeon ◽  
Daryl C. Joyce ◽  
Robert H. Frith
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Relations ◽  
Water Depth ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Corrosion Resistant ◽  
Maximum Resolution ◽  
Load Cells ◽  
Commercial Sources

A low-cost mobile load cell-based weighing device is described for use in experiments that involve measuring water use by container-grown trees. The relatively lightweight (~30 kg) mobile weighing device was constructed from strong, corrosion-resistant materials readily available from commercial sources. The device has a total weighing capacity of 500 kg on the basis of rated capacity of 250 kg from each of two load cells and a maximum resolution of 0.020 kg. On the basis of a soil surface area of 825 cm2 for the containers used in the proving study, this sensitivity corresponded to an equivalent water depth of 0.23 mm.

Ti3C2-MXene/Bismuth Ferrite Nanohybrids for Efficient Degradation of Organic Dye and Colorless Pollutant

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayesha Tariq ◽  
M. Abdullah Iqbal ◽  
S. Irfan Ali ◽  
Muhammad Z. Iqbal ◽  
Deji Akinwande ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Bismuth Ferrite ◽  
Organic Dye ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Electron Hole ◽  
Photocatalytic Application ◽  
Electron Hole Pair ◽  
Pair Generation ◽  
Photocatalytic Applications

<p>Nanohybrids, made up of Bismuth ferrites/Carbon allotropes, are extensively used in photocatalytic applications nowadays. Our work proposes a nanohybrid system composed of Bismuth ferrite nanoparticles with two-dimensional (2D) MXene sheets namely, the BiFeO<sub>3</sub> (BFO)/Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub> (MXene) nanohybrid for enhanced photocatalytic activity. We have fabricated the BFO/MXene nanohybrid using simple and low cost double solvent solvothermal method. The SEM and TEM images show that the BFO nanoparticles were attached onto the MXene surface and in the inter-layers of two-dimensional (2D) MXene sheets. The photocatalytic application is tested for the visible light irradiation which showed the highest efficiency among all pure-BFO based photocatalysts, i.e. 100% degradation in 42 min for organic dye (Congo Red) and colorless aqueous pollutant (acetophenone) in 150 min, respectively. The present BFO-based hybrid system exhibited the large surface area of 147 m<sup>2</sup>g<sup>-1</sup>measured via Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) sorption-desorption technique, and is found to be largest among BFO and its derivatives. Also, the photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicate large electron-hole pair generation. Fast and efficient degradation of organic molecules is supported by both factors; larger surface area and lower electron-hole recombination rate. The BFO/MXene nanohybrid presented here is a highly efficient photocatalyst compared to other nanostructures based on pure BiFeO<sub>3</sub> which makes it a promising candidate for many future applications.</p>

HOUSEHOLD WATER BALANCE AND ASSESSMENT OF WATER VOLUME FOR IRRIGATION IN AGRO LANDSCAPES OF THE KYZYLSU-YUZHNAYA BASIN

2020 ◽  
pp. 102-109
Author(s):  
D.KH. DOMULLODZHANOV ◽  
◽  
R. RAHMATILLOEV
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Storage Systems ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Water Volume ◽  
Land Productivity ◽  
Household Water ◽  
And Storage

The article presents the results of the field studies and observations that carried out on the territory of the hilly, low-mountain and foothill agro landscapes of the Kyzylsu-yuzhnaya (Kyzylsu-Southern) River Basin of Tajikistan. Taking into account the high-altitude location of households and the amount of precipitation in the river basin, the annual volumes of water accumulated with the use of low-cost systems of collection and storage of precipitation have been clarified. The amount of water accumulated in the precipitation collection and storage systems has been established, the volume of water used for communal and domestic needs,the watering of livestock and the amount of water that can be used to irrigate crops in the have been determined. Possible areas of irrigation of household plots depending on the different availability of precipitation have been determined. It has been established that in wet years (with precipitation of about 10%) the amount of water collected using drip irrigation will be sufficient for irrigation of 0.13 hectares, and in dry years (with 90% of precipitation) it will be possible to irrigate only 0.03 ha of the household plot. On the basis of the basin, the total area of irrigation in wet years can be 4497 ha, and in dry years only 1087 ha. Taking into account the forecasts of population growth by 2030 and an increase in the number of households, the total area of irrigation of farmlands in wet years may reach 5703 hectares,and in dry years – 1379 hectares. Growing crops on household plots under irrigation contributes to a significant increase in land productivity and increases the efficiency of water use of the Kyzylsu-yuzhnaya basin.

scholarly journals Kinetics and isotherm modeling of Pb(II) and Cd(II) sequestration from polluted water onto tropical ultisol obtained from Enugu Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa C. Umeh ◽  
John K. Nduka ◽  
Kovo G. Akpomie
Keyword(s):  
Metal Ions ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Standard Technique ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Polluted Water ◽  
Batch Adsorption ◽  
Lead And Cadmium ◽  
Pseudo Second Order

AbstractDeterioration in soil–water environment severely contributed by heavy metal bioavailability and mobility on soil surface and sub-surface due to irrational increase in wastewater discharge and agrochemical activities. Therefore, the feasibility of adsorption characteristics of the soil is paramount in curbing the problem of micropollutant contamination in the farming vicinity. Soil from a farming site in a populated area in Enugu, Nigeria was collected and tested to measure the lead and cadmium contents using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The adsorption potency of the ultisol soil was estimated for identifiable physicochemical properties by standard technique. The mean activity concentration of Pb2+ and Cd2+ was 15.68 mg/kg and 3.01 mg/kg. The pH, temperature, metal concentration and contact time adsorptive effect on the Pb2+ and Cd2+ uptake was evaluated by batch adsorption technique. The Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models were fitted into equilibrium adsorption data and the calculated results depict a better and satisfactory correlation for Langmuir with higher linear regression coefficients (Pb2+, 0.935 and Cd2+, 0.971). On the basis of sorption capacity mechanism of the soil, pseudo-second-order model best described the kinetics of both metal ions retention process. The results of the present study indicated that the soil being a low cost-effective adsorbent can be utilized to minimize the environmental risk impact of these metal ions.

scholarly journals Monitoring of Khorasan (Triticum turgidum ssp. turanicum) and Modern Kabot Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Varieties by UAV and Sensor Technologies under Different Soil Tillage

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1348
Author(s):  
Kristýna Balážová ◽  
Jan Chyba ◽  
Jitka Kumhálová ◽  
Jiří Mašek ◽  
Stanislav Petrásek
Keyword(s):  
Triticum Aestivum ◽  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Triticum Turgidum ◽  
Soil Analysis ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Wheat Variety ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Thermal Cameras

Khorasan wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. turanicum (Jakubz.)) is an ancient tetraploid spring wheat variety originating from northeast parts of Central Asia. This variety can serve as a full-fledged alternative to modern wheat but has a lower yield than modern varieties. It is commonly known that wheat growth is influenced by soil tillage technology (among other things). However, it is not known how soil tillage technology affects ancient varieties. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different soil tillage technologies on the growth of the ancient Khorasan wheat variety in comparison to the modern Kabot spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) variety. The trial was arranged in six small plots, one half of which was sown by the Khorasan wheat variety and the other half of which was sown by the Kabot wheat variety. Three soil tillage methods were used for each cultivar: conventional tillage (CT) (20–25 cm), minimum tillage (MTC) with a coulter cultivator (15 cm), and minimization tillage (MTD) with a disc cultivator (12 cm). The soil surface of all of the variants were leveled after tillage (harrows & levelling bars). An unmanned aerial vehicle with multispectral and thermal cameras was used to monitor growth during the vegetation season. The flight missions were supplemented by measurements using the GreenSeeker hand-held sensor and plant and soil analysis. The results showed that the Khorasan ancient wheat was better suited the conditions of conventional tillage, with low values of bulk density and highvalues of total soil porosity, which generally increased the nutritional value of the yield in this experimental plot. At the same time, it was found that this ancient wheat does not deplete the soil. The results also showed that the trend of developmental growing curves derived from different sensors was very similar regardless of measurement method. The sensors used in this study can be good indicators of micronutrient content in the plant as well as in the grains. A low-cost RGB camera can provide relevant results, especially in cases where equipment that is more accurate is not available.

scholarly journals Nanocomposite Materials Based on Electrochemically Synthesized Graphene Polymers: Molecular Architecture Strategies for Sensor Applications

Chemosensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 149
Author(s):  
André Olean-Oliveira ◽  
Gilberto A. Oliveira Brito ◽  
Celso Xavier Cardoso ◽  
Marcos F. S. Teixeira
Keyword(s):  
Conducting Polymers ◽  
Specific Surface ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Specific Surface Area ◽  
Electrochemical Sensors ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Large Specific Surface Area ◽  
Molecular Architecture ◽  
Sensor Applications

The use of graphene and its derivatives in the development of electrochemical sensors has been growing in recent decades. Part of this success is due to the excellent characteristics of such materials, such as good electrical and mechanical properties and a large specific surface area. The formation of composites and nanocomposites with these two materials leads to better sensing performance compared to pure graphene and conductive polymers. The increased large specific surface area of the nanocomposites and the synergistic effect between graphene and conducting polymers is responsible for this interesting result. The most widely used methodologies for the synthesis of these materials are still based on chemical routes. However, electrochemical routes have emerged and are gaining space, affording advantages such as low cost and the promising possibility of modulation of the structural characteristics of composites. As a result, application in sensor devices can lead to increased sensitivity and decreased analysis cost. Thus, this review presents the main aspects for the construction of nanomaterials based on graphene oxide and conducting polymers, as well as the recent efforts made to apply this methodology in the development of sensors and biosensors.

scholarly journals A Low-Cost Water Depth and Electrical Conductivity Sensor for Detecting Inputs into Urban Stormwater Networks

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 3056
Author(s):  
Baiqian Shi ◽  
Stephen Catsamas ◽  
Peter Kolotelo ◽  
Miao Wang ◽  
Anna Lintern ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Water Depth ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Urban Drainage ◽  
Urban Stormwater ◽  
High Resolution Data ◽  
Conductivity Sensor ◽  
Level Sensor

High-resolution data collection of the urban stormwater network is crucial for future asset management and illicit discharge detection, but often too expensive as sensors and ongoing frequent maintenance works are not affordable. We developed an integrated water depth, electrical conductivity (EC), and temperature sensor that is inexpensive (USD 25), low power, and easily implemented in urban drainage networks. Our low-cost sensor reliably measures the rate-of-change of water level without any re-calibration by comparing with industry-standard instruments such as HACH and HORIBA’s probes. To overcome the observed drift of level sensors, we developed an automated re-calibration approach, which significantly improved its accuracy. For applications like monitoring stormwater drains, such an approach will make higher-resolution sensing feasible from the budget control considerations, since the regular sensor re-calibration will no longer be required. For other applications like monitoring wetlands or wastewater networks, a manual re-calibration every two weeks is required to limit the sensor’s inaccuracies to ±10 mm. Apart from only being used as a calibrator for the level sensor, the conductivity sensor in this study adequately monitored EC between 0 and 10 mS/cm with a 17% relative uncertainty, which is sufficient for stormwater monitoring, especially for real-time detection of poor stormwater quality inputs. Overall, our proposed sensor can be rapidly and densely deployed in the urban drainage network for revolutionised high-density monitoring that cannot be achieved before with high-end loggers and sensors.

scholarly journals Antioxidant Determination with the Use of Carbon-Based Electrodes

Chemosensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Aurelia Magdalena Pisoschi ◽  
Aneta Pop ◽  
Florin Iordache ◽  
Loredana Stanca ◽  
Liviu Bilteanu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Oxidation Process ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Oxidative Enzymes ◽  
Adaptation Mechanisms ◽  
Chain Breaking ◽  
Nanomolar Range ◽  
Quench Singlet Oxygen ◽  
Carbon Based

Antioxidants are compounds that prevent or delay the oxidation process, acting at a much smaller concentration, in comparison to that of the preserved substrate. Primary antioxidants act as scavenging or chain breaking antioxidants, delaying initiation or interrupting propagation step. Secondary antioxidants quench singlet oxygen, decompose peroxides in non-radical species, chelate prooxidative metal ions, inhibit oxidative enzymes. Based on antioxidants’ reactivity, four lines of defense have been described: Preventative antioxidants, radical scavengers, repair antioxidants, and antioxidants relying on adaptation mechanisms. Carbon-based electrodes are largely employed in electroanalysis given their special features, that encompass large surface area, high electroconductivity, chemical stability, nanostructuring possibilities, facility of manufacturing at low cost, and easiness of surface modification. Largely employed methods encompass voltammetry, amperometry, biamperometry and potentiometry. Determination of key endogenous and exogenous individual antioxidants, as well as of antioxidant activity and its main contributors relied on unmodified or modified carbon electrodes, whose analytical parameters are detailed. Recent advances based on modifications with carbon-nanotubes or the use of hybrid nanocomposite materials are described. Large effective surface area, increased mass transport, electrocatalytical effects, improved sensitivity, and low detection limits in the nanomolar range were reported, with applications validated in complex media such as foodstuffs and biological samples.

Corrosion resistant metal-ceramic composite coatings for tribological applications

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-34
Author(s):  
Peter Renner ◽  
Swarn Jha ◽  
Yan Chen ◽  
Tariq Chagouri ◽  
Serge Kazadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ceramic Composite ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Composite Coatings ◽  
Salt Spray ◽  
Extreme Environments ◽  
Safe Procedure ◽  
Corrosion Resistant ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Metal Ceramic ◽  
Corrosion Resistant Coatings

Abstract Effective design of corrosion-resistant coatings is critical for the protection of metals and alloys. Many state-of-the-art corrosion-resistant coatings are unable to satisfy the challenges in extreme environments for tribological applications, such as elevated or cryogenic temperatures, high mechanical loads and impacts, severe wear, chemical attack, or a combination of these. The nature of challenging conditions demands that coatings have high corrosion and wear resistance, sustained friction control, and maintain surface integrity. In this research, multi-performance metal-ceramic composite coatings were developed for applications in harsh environments. These coatings were developed with an easy to fabricate, low-cost, and safe procedure. The coating consisted of boron nitride, graphite, silicon carbide, and transition metals such as chromium or nickel using epoxy as vehicle and bonding agent. Salt spray corrosion tests showed that 1010 carbon steel (1/4 hard temper) substrates lost 20-100× more mass than the coatings. The potentiodynamic polarization study showed better performance of the coatings by seven orders of magnitude in terms of corrosion relative to the substrate. Additionally, the corrosion rates of the coatings with Ni as an additive were five orders of magnitude lower than reported. The coefficient of friction of coatings was as low as 0.1, five to six times lower than that of epoxy and lower than a wide range of epoxy resin-based coatings found in literature. Coatings developed here exhibited potential in applications in challenging environments for tribological applications.

scholarly journals Engineering Mesoporous NiO with Enriched Electrophilic Ni3+ and O− toward Efficient Oxygen Evolution

Catalysts ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiu Liu ◽  
Zhi-Yuan Zhai ◽  
Zhou Chen ◽  
Li-Zhong Zhang ◽  
Xiu-Feng Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Oxygen Evolution ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Large Surface Area ◽  
Nucleophilic Attack ◽  
Title Reaction ◽  
Highly Active ◽  
Decomposition Of Water ◽  
Uniform Mesopores

Tremendous efforts have been devoted to develop low-cost and highly active electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Here, we report the synthesis of mesoporous nickel oxide by the template method and its application in the title reaction. The as-prepared mesoporous NiO possesses a large surface area, uniform mesopores, and rich surface electrophilic Ni3+ and O− species. The overpotential of meso-NiO in alkaline medium is 132 mV at 10 mA cm−1 and 410 mV at 50 mA cm−1, which is much smaller than that of the other types of NiO samples. The improvement in the OER activity can be ascribed to the synergy of the large surface area and uniform mesopores for better mass transfer and high density of Ni3+ and O− species favoring the nucleophilic attack by OH− to form a NiOOH intermediate. The reaction process and the role of electrophilic Ni3+ and O− were discussed in detail. This results are more conducive to the electrochemical decomposition of water to produce hydrogen fuel as a clean and renewable energy.

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