This study has demonstrated the preparation of NaOH-FBC and investigated its potential application as an adsorbent to remove MB from aqueous solution. Adsorption Experiments of MB removal were carried out based on the parameters of initial pH, initial MB concentration, temperature and contact time. Results showed that the specific surface area of the NaOH-FBC reached up to 61.13m2/g. The experimental adsorption data were analyzed with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The kinetic adsorption models were also studied. By fitting the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, the qmax of the NaOH-FBC was highly achieved as 605.82±9.09 mg/g, compared to 70.42±1.34 mg/g produced by the untreated FBC. The MB adsorption process using the untreated FBC was a non-spontaneous and endothermic process, which was well fitted with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and Freundlich adsorption isotherm model. However, the MB adsorption process of the NaOH-FBC was a spontaneous and endothermic process, which was in accordance with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich adsorption isotherm model. Furthermore, with the increase of pH, temperature and contact time, the adsorption capacity of MB onto the FBC and NaOH-FBC were both increased. The adsorption results suggest the efficiency and potential of NaOH-FBC as a MB adsorbent.
Past air sampling detection (ASD) systems had no definitive positioning; most allocation of sampling points was based on experience. This research discovered that sampling points inside the electrical rooms were significantly affected by the ambient airflow, causing the detection system to have difficulties in fire detection. Fire dynamics simulator (FDS) was used to simulate very early smoke detection apparatus (VESDA) effectiveness within the protection area of an electrical room. Results showed that ASD sampling points in electrical rooms should be placed above high-voltage transformers and capacitors, while rearranging the high risk machines together to avoid long detection pipelines, which increases the transportation time of the gas, thus hindering early detection by the ASD system. Field tests using a smoke detector tester yielded transportation times of 33 s, which was in very good agreement with the simulated results of 35 s by ASPIRE, showing the accuracy of using software to simulate transportation times. Therefore, this research combined FDS with the transportation times of different pipeline designs to conduct performance assessment of VESDA. After appropriate rearrangement of machines, VESDA detection times dropped from 106.0–171.0 s during the original setup to 21.0–31.7 s, assuring the facility to have more time for emergency response. However, it was noticed that FDS software did not have the estimation tool for VESDA transportation times; therefore software such as ASPIRE should be used to calculate the gas transportation times inside the detection pipelines, and then compiled with FDS results to avoid underestimation of actuation times.
International collaborations in the context of Disaster Resilience (DR) is pivotal due to several reasons. It helps to propose ways to create more coherent international approaches on disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and resilience strengthening; it helps to enhance risk management capabilities by bridging the gap between science and legal/policy issues; it helps to address the issue of efficient management of trans-boundary crises. The need to optimise international cooperation in relation to resourcing research, capacity building to undertake research and facilitating its uptake is mentioned throughout the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction 2015-2030 (SFDRR). Given their different capacities, as well as the linkage between the level of support provided to them and the extent to which they will be able to implement the SFDRR, developing countries require an enhanced provision of means of implementation, including adequate, sustainable and timely resources, through international cooperation and global partnerships for development, and continued international support, so as to strengthen their efforts to reduce disaster risk. The purpose of this paper is to examine the level of engagement of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in developing countries in Asia in international collaborations to improve their Research and Innovation (R&I) capacities in DR. Based on a project entitled ASCENT (Advancing Skills Creation and Enhancement), the findings of the paper focuses on three Asian countries, i.e. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Other than an extant literature review, the paper findings are drawn from a questionnaire survey carried out in eight HEIs from the said countries. There are already several regional initiatives that promote collaboration among HEIs towards building resilience. These networks should be supported and encouraged to grow. These global networks should collaborate with existing bodies to ensure that the role of higher education is understood and can be made use of. Findings of this paper supports the need for an enhanced international partnership to improve the science-policy interface in DR and to achieve the objectives of the SFDRR.
The landslide is a universal term covering a wide variety of mass movements and processes involved in downward movement of masses of rock, earth or debris under the influence of gravity. Landslides are among the natural disasters that are often experienced in Sri Lanka. Approximately 20,000 km2 (30.7%) of the land area of the country is highly susceptible to landslides. With the increasing demand for development and expansion of human settlements, landslides have become a major concern in the mountainous regions of the country. Therefore, identification of landslide potential associated with the terrain is important for ensuring the sustainability of developments while minimizing the possible disasters due to landslides. The study was focused on landslide susceptibility mapping in Badulla District using logistic regression model. Slope, aspect, lithology, land cover, distance from the rivers and roads were selected as the causative factors for the analysis. According to the study, 20.5% area of the district is highly and extremely highly susceptible to the occurrence of landslides, 39.3% area is moderately susceptible to landslide occurrences and 40.2% area is low susceptible to the occurrence of landslides.
