Little bugs can cost big dollars.Greater Sudbury Greater Sudbury (2006 census population 157,857) is a city in Northern Ontario, Canada. Greater Sudbury was created in 2001 by amalgamating the cities and towns of the former Regional Municipality of Sudbury, along with several previously unincorporated geographic townships. -- The mere mention of bacteria, viruses or fungi Fungi (fŭn`jī), kingdom of heterotrophic single-celled, multinucleated, or multicellular organisms, including yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. The organisms live as parasites, symbionts, or saprobes (see saprophyte). would have some people running for medical masks, but not Dr. Vasu Appanna, chair and professor of biochemistry at Laurentian University Laurentian University, main campus at Sudbury, Ont., Canada; bilingual, coeducational; founded 1960. Among its faculties are those in astronomy, commerce, computer science, education, engineering, law, mathematics, music, native studies, nursing, physics, and social . The professor will be using such micro-organisms in his study methods to reduce or eliminate the deterioration of fuels and to extract high-grade minerals from mine tailing ponds Tailing ponds are areas of refused mining tailings that are covered with water to prevent dust from blowing away. Tailings ponds are often a somewhat dangerous because the wastes deposited into the ponds are often very toxic or corrosive or both to human life. . Appanna, along with colleagues from the Russian Federal Nuclear Research Centre, Moscow State University Moscow State University, at Moscow, Russia, officially M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State Univ.; founded 1755 as Moscow Univ. by the Russian scientist M. V. Lomonosov, renamed Moscow State Univ. after the Russian Revolution, and renamed after its founder in 1940. and the Museum d'Histiore Naturelle de Paris, are examining various ways to preserve fuels over time. He has worked with Russian colleagues for some years and this new study promises to shed more light on fuel properties. With close to $750,000 from the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC ISTC International Science and Technology Center ISTC International Student Travel Confederation ISTC Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (UK) ISTC Independent Sector Treatment Centre (UK) ), scientists will examine particle separation in fuels such as petroleum. The separation brought on by bacteria causes the ignition of the fuel. That's a bad thing. "Combustion happens spontaneously," Appanna says, adding ships, submarines and members can be the unfortunate victims in such accidents. Every country has a set of fuel storage regulations. Understanding what bacteria are growing in the fuel can lead to the prevention of fuel combustion, he explains. It will also help to identify which anti-bacterial agent may be used to reduce or eliminate the spontaneous ignition. The Russian scientists are working with ultra-violet rays to eliminate the bacteria, while PhD and master students at Laurentian's lab are examining how viruses can act as an anti-bacterial agents. One option is to "coat tanks with preventative agents." This is all part of the non-proliferation program set up by ISTC, of which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs foreign affairs pl.n. Affairs concerning international relations and national interests in foreign countries. is a member under the Global Partnership Program. Appanna frequents Russia to stay in touch with collaborating scientist Oleg Kuznetnov. All have signed Intellectual Property agreements should they discover tools that could be commercially marketable worldwide. As the project matures, Appanna expects other ministries and private sector oil companies to become more interested. Often private companies are reluctant to disclose their preservation methods but are eager to find new ways of keeping their investments intact. "It is like putting 100 dollars into an investment, coming back 10 years later to find only one dollar is left." www.laurentian.ca BY KELLY LOUISEIZE Northern Ontario Business Northern Ontario Business is a Canadian magazine, which publishes monthly in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. The magazine covers business news and issues in Northern Ontario. |
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