The Chemical Industries: Polyester Manufacturing
Most people commonly associate polyester with clothing but, in fact, the bulk of polyester resins is used to make reinforced plastic products. Polyester is a vital component in plastics which require strength and durability. Polyester not only mak...
Physical Treatment Technologies: Flocculation
The use of gravity is often the most economical method of separating solids from a liquid. In a sedimentation tank, heavier particles sink to the bottom and are collected in a trough. When particles, like clay, are too small to settle on their own...
The Food and Agriculture Industries: The Everglades: Resources and Regulations
At the South Florida Water Management District, engineers and scientists try to balance the needs of development, agriculture and urban areas with water supply, flood control and conservation. One ongoing source of concern is the presence of excess...
The Food and Agriculture Industries: Sugar Production, Fertilizer and Phosphate Levels
About one quarter of U.S. sugar is produced in Florida. Intensive agricultural production in this environmentally sensitive region requires careful waste management. For example, one of the main issues threatening the Everglades is the amount of p...
The Food and Agriculture Industries: Sugar Production, Pests and Pesticides
With the realization that pesticides pose a serious danger to local ecosystems and, therefore, do not represent the best approach to pest control, researchers began looking for alternative tactics. One approach they came up with was biological cont...
The Chemical Industries: The Chemical Industry and the Environment
Waste minimization and recycling are two of the techniques commonly used to improve environmental quality. They reflect the chemical industry's acknowledgement of its growing responsibility toward the environment and communities in which it conduc...
Petroleum Refining and Waste Minimization: Waste Minimization
Environmental professionals constantly monitor, analyze and audit the treatment and disposal of both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes--a challenging assignment given the number of solid, liquid and gaseous waste streams created at a refinery.
Physical Treatment Technologies: Centrifuges and the Baghouse
Centrifuges, such as the baghouse, possess several environmental advantages over surface filtration. As an enclosed unit, it can contain volatile or toxic fumes and mists. Additionally, the fixed barrier used in a centrifuge may simply be back flu...
The Paint and Surface Coating Industries: Architectural Coatings
The dangers of lead-based paints were essentially unknown to the public until the 1970's. At that time, over four million children were found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood as a result of breathing dust from deteriorating lead-based...
The Metal Plating and Finishing Industry: Electroplating: An Overview
Chrome plating is known for its bright silver, metallic appearance and is used as a decorative finish for hub caps, door knobs and water faucets. Nickel cadmium and zinc provide a protective finish that is used on building materials like nails and ...