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- Gao, Qiuju, et al.
(författare)
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Formation of PCDDs and PCDFs in the torrefaction of biomass with different chemical composition
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis. - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. - 0165-2370 .- 1873-250X. ; 123, s. 126-133
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Torrefaction is a thermal pre-treatment technology used to refine biomass, mainly for energy production purposes. However, there is currently a lack of information on the potential formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in the torrefaction process. In this study, torrefaction was conducted using five different types of feedstock: stemwood, bark, wood from a discarded telephone pole, cassava stems and particle board. The feedstock as well as the torrefied biomass (chars) and the volatiles (non-condensable and condensable) generated during torrefaction were analyzed for PCDDs and PCDFs. PCDD concentrations in the torrefaction products were about 2-5 fold of those in the feedstocks. Torrefaction of particle board resulted in extensive formation of PCDDs (7200 ng kg(-1)) compared to the other four feedstocks (13-27 ng kg(-1)). Examination of the homologue profiles suggested that the observed PCDDs in the torrefaction products partly originated from new formation and partly physical transformation from volatilization and re-condensation of PCDDs present in the feedstock. Dechlorination of highly chlorinated compounds (HpCDD and OCDD) in the feedstock to form less chlorinated PCDDs was also observed. Compared to PCDDs, the net formation of PCDFs in the torrefaction process was low, except for the telephone pole sample, for which a dramatic increase (44-fold) of PCDFs was observed. PCDDs and PCDFs were mainly retained in the chars, accounting for 76-96% and 39-74% of the total concentration, respectively. It was also found that the highly chlorinated congeners tended to be retained in the chars, whereas the less chlorinated ones were predominantly volatilized into the gas phase.
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| 2. |
- Librado, P., et al.
(författare)
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The origins and spread of domestic horses from the Western Eurasian steppes
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 598, s. 634-640
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Analysis of 273 ancient horse genomes reveals that modern domestic horses originated in the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region. Domestication of horses fundamentally transformed long-range mobility and warfare(1). However, modern domesticated breeds do not descend from the earliest domestic horse lineage associated with archaeological evidence of bridling, milking and corralling(2-4) at Botai, Central Asia around 3500 bc(3). Other longstanding candidate regions for horse domestication, such as Iberia(5) and Anatolia(6), have also recently been challenged. Thus, the genetic, geographic and temporal origins of modern domestic horses have remained unknown. Here we pinpoint the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region, as the homeland of modern domestic horses. Furthermore, we map the population changes accompanying domestication from 273 ancient horse genomes. This reveals that modern domestic horses ultimately replaced almost all other local populations as they expanded rapidly across Eurasia from about 2000 bc, synchronously with equestrian material culture, including Sintashta spoke-wheeled chariots. We find that equestrianism involved strong selection for critical locomotor and behavioural adaptations at the GSDMC and ZFPM1 genes. Our results reject the commonly held association(7) between horseback riding and the massive expansion of Yamnaya steppe pastoralists into Europe around 3000 bc(8,9) driving the spread of Indo-European languages(10). This contrasts with the scenario in Asia where Indo-Iranian languages, chariots and horses spread together, following the early second millennium bc Sintashta culture(11,12).
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