The Arctic region appears as a pristine remote environment, yet there is increasing evidence that it is greatly impacted by pollution such as lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg). In this environment deposition of Hg has increased threefold since the last industrial revolution. In this study five cryosolic soil profiles within non-sorted circles (NSC) in the Abisko region, northwest of Sweden, has been analyzed to improve our understanding regarding how pollutants are distributed within such type of soil. The soil samples have been analyzed with the use of X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), for the measurements of the total concentrations of e.g. lead (Pb) and zirconium (Zr).

This Master?s Thesis aims to illustrate in what ways the two Swedish environmental assessment tools, the Environmental Load Profile and EcoEffect differ and if performed valuations gives different results and environmental goals.The built urban environment causes about half the environmental loading in Sweden. The society?s ambition towards sustainable development has resulted in demands reducing the environmental load. One way to accomplish this change is with the assistance of tools for environmental assessment of the built environment.

Over the past decade, the fashion industry has experienced a relatively high rate of consumption with material and clothing becoming increasingly subject to waste and disposal. As a result of the increased awareness within the industry the interest in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) amongst retailers has increased substantially in an attempt to shy away from the critically amplified media attention. In addition the underlying demand from external stakeholders has forced companies to ensure they focus and act upon each stage of the product life cycle.This study provides a further in depth analysis of the fashion industry and conveys the key messages and steps that firms are taking in response to the external pressures and requirements based on four different merged process areas. This research paper examines the impact of CSR on two Swedish fashion retailers Åhléns and JC and shows how accountability relates to the external expectations and norms that prevail in society. The result shows that the firms do meet the demands within each sub category as a response to market demands.

Determination of serum thymidine kinase 1 (TK-1) activity is used as a tumour marker in both human and veterinary medicine. TK-1 is an intracellular enzyme involved in a salvage pathway of DNA synthesis. The expression of TK-1 is cell cycle dependent and the activity increases markedly after the G1 to S transition in the cell cycle and then declines rapidly in G2. The pronounced proliferative activity in tumour cells result in a higher TK-1 enzyme activity within the cell. The fact that the increased TK-1 activity can be measured in serum makes TK-1 a useful marker in diagnostics of neoplastic diseases and it provides information regarding prognosis and treatment effectiveness. In human medicine a radioactive based test is used to determine the TK-1 serum activity.

A one-cylinder research engine has been used for studies with a Diesel Dual Fuel concept (DDF). DDF is a concept that utilizes a pilot diesel injection to ignite a homogenous natural gas/air mixture. Emissions and engine efficiency have been analyzed in an emission cycle called European Stationary Cycle (ESC) and the knock/pre-ignition problems with this type of engine have been investigated.At low and mid torque levels, an early diesel injection around 60 crank angles degrees (CAD) before top dead center (TDC) was used. At these loads raw NOxemissions was below EURO 6 level (0.2 g/kWh). NOxwas at EURO 5 level over the complete ESC without after treatment and with SCR at high loads it should be possible to reach EURO 6.One issue with DDF is the high HC emission levels.

The objective of this M. Eng. Diploma work was to validate the new version, CASMO-5M, and compare the results with CASMO-4E, by using the same input in both programs. The tasks that were included in this work was to compare TIP-measures, k-effective curves (warm), k-effective curves (cold), the effect of void on k-effective, the isothermal temperature coefficient (ITC), the moderator temperature coefficient (MTC), damping ratio calculations, internal effect in a fuel bundle of a BA-rod, the speed of BA-out burn, impact of xenon, falling control rod, margins and isotopes.The TIP-measures showed that the differences were small for all reactors, at most, 6% nodal improvement by C5M (Casmo-5M) for Oskarshamn 3. The warm measurements of k-effective showed that C5M had a higher value for all cycles of Oskarshamn 1, 2 and 3 in comparison to C4E (Casmo-4E).

Every year, pesticides are found in surface and ground waters in Sweden. Fungicides are in common usage and applied in high amounts against potato late blight. The present thesis examined the possible removal of four fungicides (metalaxyl, cyprodinil, propamocarb and mandipropamid) from water using the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. Microorganisms are capable of decomposing a range of organic pollutants and the main focus in previously published studies has been on bacteria and fungi. Microalgae are mostly studied due to their high capacity in biosorbing heavy metals.

The milk production per cow has increased considerably during the last 50 years and due to the breeding for higher milk production also brings decreased reproduction efficiency. In a Swedish study 1996 it was shown that on average only half of all estruses were detected. Every time a farmer fails to detect oestrus it costs the farmer about 1200 Swedish crones and the need of means of detecting oestrus is therofore large. With this study we wanted to investigate if heart rate respectively crystallisation of vaginal mucus (arborisation) could be useful means of detecting oestrus. We monitored two oestrus cycles in four heifers.

In organic animal production, synthetic amino acids are not allowed. Therefore, a higher level of crude protein is needed in the diet to pigs, which lead to more nitrogen (N) excreted in the faeces and urine. N can be emitted to the air in the form of e.g. ammonia (NH3), which contributes to eutrophication and acidification and as nitrous oxide (N2O), which is a very potent greenhouse gas. The emission of N can be reduced by e.g.

Introduction: Studies have shown that women are not always satisfied with the effects of contraception and that contraceptive advice is perceived as non-specific. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate what contraceptive women have chosen to use in the different phases of their reproductive lives, and what they felt had influenced their choice. Method: A retrospective cross-sectional comparative study with a quantitative approach. A survey with fixed and multiple-choice options was sent to five hundred 45-year old women. Result: The study shows that various birth controls are different in the normal reproductive life.

This thesis was performed as assignment from Fazer Food Services. The aim was to survey which food additives that were present in the products in the quotation list of one of their suppliers to the Education and Nursing segment. The aim also was to perform a theoretical analysis of these food additives and to make recommendations which food additives are acceptable and which should be excluded from the products in the future. The recommendations are not published in this report, for more information Fazer Food Services can be contacted. Food additives which have already been approved are regarded as safe according to the safety evaluation methods available at the time of approval.

Presently Sjöfartsverket do their maintenance according to a standard program, which means that every maintenance task will be done when the task limit occurs. This leads to a very long downtime for the aircraft in some occasions and very short downtime in others. The goal with this work is to reach a higher regularity of the aircraft operation. To reach a higher regularity for the operational needs, this work will present a hypothetic better maintenance concept for Swedish Maritime Administration. The concept is based on equalized maintenance structure, which means that every maintenance occasions are meant to take the same time to perform.

Allt fler konsumenter väljer att göra ekologiska val, detta på grund av en ökad medvetenhet samt ett intresse för miljön. Bomull är en av de fibrer som används mest i kläder, trots detta så är bomullsproduktionen väldigt påfrestande för miljön. Mycket giftiga kemikalier, konstgödsel samt stora mängder vatten används vid dessa odlingar. Då bomullsodlingar är så pass resurskrävande måste alla klädföretag visa sitt engagemang i denna fråga. Detta kan göras på olika sätt, att välja ekologisk bomull framför konventionell bomull är då ett steg i riktning då den ekologiska bomullen är helt befriad från kemikalier och andra farliga medel.Syftet är att denna rapport ska verka som ett underlag för klädföretag som i dagsläget inte använder sig av ekologisk bomull.

Oestrus in dairy cattle has changed over the last decades, the duration has decreased and the intensity of oestrus has declined. A possible explanation can be their high and increasing milk production. Heifers ability to show oestrus is probably not affected to the same extent. The aim of this study was to estimate and compare oestrus duration and strength in heifers of the Swedish Red and Holstein breeds. Standing oestrus has been the primary oestrus sign during many years.

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of environmental contaminants that have gained increasing attention due to their potential to bioaccumulate, environmental persistence and potential toxicity. PFASs have been found in surface water, sediment, air, soil, sludge and ice caps globally, as well as in wildlife and humans. Furthermore, PFASs have also been detected in drinking water, leading to raised concerns for human health, since drinking water is one of the most significant sources of PFASs for the general population. Conventional water treatment techniques have shown to be ineffective removing PFASs, highlighting the importance for further research to develop efficient removal techniques. The aim of this study was to investigate the removal efficiency of PFASs in water using two treatment techniques; granular activated carbon (GAC), type Filtrasorb 400®, and anion exchange (AE), type Purolite A-600. Additionally, the effect of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on removal efficiency was studied.