This article by Evans M N Chirwa, Associate Professor, Pulane E Molokwane, PhD student and Simphiwe Chabalala, MSc student, all of the Water and Environmental Division, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria, talks about hazardous metals and radionuclides that are released into the environment through contaminated wastes produced from industrial activities such as mining, electroplating, metal finishing and electricity generation in nuclear reactors. The authors go on to discuss the fact that more countries are considering nuclear power as an interim solution for energy resources. If implemented, nuclear power generation activities will contribute significantly towards further increase in the radioactive waste pollution of the environment. 

Start-ups (or initial start-ups, to be exact) occur when feedstocks are fed to a process plant for the first time, with the express purpose of generating a product. They can be considered the ‘coronation’ of the entire project effort and the transition from the construction phase to the production phase. In fact, the initial start-up is itself the final phase of a more complex process, called initial operations.

Start-ups can be quick and painless (sometimes proudly referred to as “textbook start-ups”) or can be a lingering nightmare. It could be said that some startups are clear examples of Murphy’s Law at work. 

The author discusses the most common causes of problems in later sections of his article.

This article provides an overview of fuel cell technology and renewable sources for hydrogen production. It outlines various pathways and overall efficiencies for hydrogen production and usage in fuel cells. A South African approach towards development and an introduction to the hydrogen economy is provided as well as a perspective on the short-term possibilities of on-site hydrogen production from renewable sources.