http://netedu.xauat.edu.cn/jpkc/netedu/jpkc2009/szylyybh/content/wlzy/1/Review%20of%20Arsenic%20in%20natural%20water%20-%20Smedly.pdf

A review of the source, behaviour and distribution of arsenic in natural waters

Arsenic removal from water/wastewater using adsorbents—A critical review

One century of arsenic exposure in Latin America: a review of history and occurrence from 14 countries

Arsenic is a widely dispersed element in the Earth's crust and exists at an average concentration of approximately 5 mg/kg. There are many possible routes of human exposure to arsenic from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Arsenic occurs as a constituent in more than 200 minerals, although it primarily exists as arsenopyrite and as a constituent in several other sulfide minerals. The introduction of arsenic into drinking water can occur as a result of its natural geological presence in local bedrock. Arsenic-containing bedrock formations of this sort are known in Bangladesh, West Bengal (India), and regions of China, and many cases of endemic contamination by arsenic with serious consequences to human health are known from these areas. Significant natural contamination of surface waters and soil can arise when arsenic-rich geothermal fluids come into contact with surface waters. When humans are implicated in causing or exacerbating arsenic pollution, the cause can almost always be traced to mining or mining-related activities. Arsenic exists in many oxidation states, with arsenic (III) and (V) being the most common forms. Similar to many metalloids, the prevalence of particular species of arsenic depends greatly on the pH and redox conditions of the matrix in which it exists. Speciation is also important in determining the toxicity of arsenic. Arsenic minerals exist in the environment principally as sulfides, oxides, and phosphates. In igneous rocks, only those of volcanic origin are implicated in high aqueous arsenic concentrations. Sedimentary rocks tend not to bear high arsenic loads, and common matrices such as sands and sandstones contain lower concentrations owing to the dominance of quartz and feldspars. Groundwater contamination by arsenic arises from sources of arsenopyrite, base metal sulfides, realgar and orpiment, arsenic-rich pyrite, and iron oxyhydroxide. Mechanisms by which arsenic is released from minerals are varied and are accounted for by many (bio)geochemical processes: oxidation of arsenic-bearing sulfides, desorption from oxides and hydroxides, reductive dissolution, evaporative concentration, leaching from sulfides by carbonate, and microbial mobilization. Arsenic enrichment also takes place in geothermally active areas; surface waters are more susceptible than groundwater to contamination in the vicinity of such geothermal systems, and evidence suggests that increased use of geothermal power may elevate risks of arsenic exposure in affected areas. Past and current mining activities continue to provide sources of environmental contamination by arsenic. Because gold- and arsenic-bearing minerals coexist, there is a hazard of mobilizing arsenic during gold mining activities. The Ashanti region of central Ghana currently faces this as a real risk. Historical arsenic contamination exists in Cornwall, UK; an example of a recent arsenic pollution event is that of Ron Phibun town in southern Thailand, where arsenic-related human health effects have been reported. Other important sources of arsenic exposure include coal burning in Slovakia, Turkey, and the Guizhou Province of China; use of arsenic as pesticides in Australia, New Zealand, and the US; and consumption of contaminated foodstuffs (China) and exposure to wood preserving arsenicals (Europe and North America).

Arsenic pollution sources.

Arsenic associations in sediments from the loess aquifer of La Pampa, Argentina

Natural contamination with arsenic and other trace elements in ground waters of Argentine Pampean Plain.

This paper presents an approach to efficiency optimization in digitally controlled flyback dc-dc converters over wide ranges of operating conditions. Efficiency is characterized and optimized based on power loss modeling and multivariable nonlinear constrained optimization over power-stage and controller parameters. A valley switching technique is adopted to reduce MOSFET turn-on switching loss in discontinuous conduction mode. An optimization procedure is formulated to minimize power loss weighted over a range of operating points, under a cost constraint. A lookup table-based digital controller is applied to achieve on-line efficiency optimization by programming switching frequencies and operating modes based on the efficiency optimization processes. The proposed on-line efficiency optimization approach is verified by experimental results on a low cost 65 W flyback dc-dc prototype.

Efficiency Optimization in Digitally Controlled Flyback DC–DC Converters Over Wide Ranges of Operating Conditions

A synchronous rectifier is switched in accordance with a primary switch transition and a reference signal representing current in a current storage device to which the synchronous rectifier is coupled. A current emulator provides a signal representing current in the current storage device as a volt-second product so that current stored in the current storage device while the primary switch is on is discharged by the synchronous rectifier. The use of a current emulator provides an inexpensive solution for controlling synchronous rectifier transitions without resorting to more expensive current sensing solutions that are commercially impracticable. Blanking intervals are provided for avoiding false transitions of the synchronous rectifier when the primary switch turns on and after the synchronous rectifier turns off. The disclosed system and method can be applied to flyback converters for a synchronous rectifier on the secondary side of a transformer, or the inductor of buck converters.

System and method for synchronous rectifier drive that enables converters to operate in transition and discontinuous mode

A system and method for power conversion synchronizes multiple phases at a desired phase angle difference. The power conversion involves variable frequency switching, fixed on-time and provides power factor correction. A relative measure of a phase angle difference between two phases permits each phase to be controlled to obtain the desired phase angle difference. The power conversion involves transition mode switching to help reduce switching losses. A phase angle difference detector may be provided for each phase. The various phases may have different inherent frequencies that vary with switching frequency, and are synchronized to an average frequency. Current measures can be taken with a single component, such as a resistor. A maximum frequency control limits period width to avoid high frequency switching. An added switch on time improves input voltage crossover distortion. One or more phases can be deactivated in light load conditions.

Method and apparatus for multi-phase power conversion

Disclosed examples include flyback converters, control circuits and methods to facilitate secondary side regulation of the output voltage. A primary side control circuit operates a primary side switch to independently initiate power transfer cycles to deliver power to a transformer secondary winding in a first mode. A secondary side control circuit operates a synchronous rectifier or secondary side switch to generate a predetermined cycle start request signal via a transformer auxiliary winding to assume secondary side regulation and to cause the primary side controller to initiate new power transfer cycles.

Isaac Cohen

Papers

Natural contamination with arsenic and other trace elements in ground waters of Argentine Pampean Plain.

Efficiency Optimization in Digitally Controlled Flyback DC–DC Converters Over Wide Ranges of Operating Conditions

System and method for synchronous rectifier drive that enables converters to operate in transition and discontinuous mode

Method and apparatus for multi-phase power conversion

Flyback converter with secondary side regulation