The Pleistocene history of Wales and the borderland

The Pleistocene rock-stratigraphic record is accorded more or less traditional time-stratigraphic interpretation which was held widely before application of an Irish developmental model in 1960. The following sequence of events are recognised: (1) Complete glaciation, of indeterminate age, which antedated the raised beach interglacial. (2) The raised beach episode which is shown to be the last (Ipswichian) interglacial. (3) The last (Devensian/Weichselian) glaciation, followed by possible readvance in northwest and northeast Wales; prior and subsequent to glaciation periglacial conditions obtained. It is shown that the Irish model, relying heavily as it does on the equation of rock and time stratigraphy, is inapplicable in Wales.     

Caledonian metamorphism in part of northwest County Mayo,Ireland

Lewisian gneisses, Moinian and Dalradian sediments, and dolerites have been deformed and metamorphosed under Amphibolite Fades conditions. The metamorphic climax, with the growth of kyanite and staurolite, occurred after the cessation of the second deformational episode and before the onset of the third. Plagioclase growth ceased at or about the time of kyanite and staurolite nucleation. Metamorphic effects become less to the south and southeast while the most advanced stages occur around Inver. A single heat pulse appears to be not directly related to any structure.     

Extraction and recovery of precious metals from electronic waste printed circuit boards by bioleaching acidophilic fungi

Printed circuit boards contain precious metals. They are produced in large volumes, rendering them an important component of the electronic waste. In view of the heterogeneity of the metals present, reprocessing of electronic waste is a heinous task. The present study focused on leaching of valuable metals from electronic waste printed circuit boards using Aspergillus niger DDNS1. The adaptation phases began at 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0% of fine powder of printed circuit boards with 10% inoculum and were optimized with three effective factors, viz. initial pH, particle size and pulp density, to achieve the maximum simultaneous recovery of the valuable metals. The interactions of these metals were also deciphered using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrum and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results indicated that extraction of the precious metals was accomplished mainly through the unique organic acids originating from A. niger DDNS1. The initial pH played an important role in the extraction of the precious metals and the metals precipitate formation. The leaching rate of the metals was generally higher at low powder dosage of printed circuit boards. The toxicity of the printed circuit boards had little effect on two-step bioleaching at the pulp density of 0.1% compared to one-step bioleaching. The two-step bioleaching process was followed under organic acid-forming conditions for the maximum mobilization of metals. Thus, the precious metals from printed circuit boards could be mobilized through fungal bioleaching which promises an important industrial application in recycling of electronic wastes.     

Copper(II) humate mobility in kaolinite soil

An investigation of the influence of humate on the mobility of copper(II) ions in a kaolinite soil using leaching tests and electrokinetic experiments is reported. The data are interpreted in terms of humate–copper–clay interactions and humate electrical charge. Humate is mostly immobile below pH8 but is more mobile in alkaline conditions (sorption to kaolinite reduces its mobility in neutral conditions). Copper humate complexes are mobile in both acidic and alkaline conditions, but not in neutral conditions where they are sorbed. The dissolved copper humate complexes that form in acidic conditions are positively charged. The net effect of humate is to increase cupric ion mobility in kaolinite soil, especially in alkaline conditions.