Soil contamination by Pb can result from different anthropogenic sources such as lead-based paints, gasoline, pesticides, coal burning, mining, among others. This work aimed to evaluate the potential of P-loaded biochar (Biochar-based slow-release P fertilizer) to remediate a Pb-contaminated soil. In addition, we aim to propose a biomonitoring alternative after soil remediation. First, rice husk-derived biochar was obtained at different temperatures (450, 500, 550, and 600 °C) (raw biochars). Then, part of the resulting material was activated. Later, the raw biochars and activated biochars were immersed in a saturated KH2PO4 solution to produce P-loaded biochars. The ability of materials to immobilize Pb and increase the bioavailability of P in the soil was evaluated by an incubation test. The materials were incorporated into doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0%. After 45 days, soil samples were taken to biomonitor the remediation process using two bioindicators: a phytotoxicity test and enzyme soil activity. Activated P-loaded biochar produced at 500 °C has been found to present the best conditions for soil Pb remediation. This material significantly reduced the bioavailability of Pb and increased the bioavailability of P. The phytotoxicity test and the soil enzymatic activity were significantly correlated with the decrease in bioavailable Pb but not with the increase in bioavailable P. Biomonitoring using the phytotoxicity test is a promising alternative for the evaluation of soils after remediation processes.

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Based on the solution of the quantum Boltzmann equation, in the linear transport approximation for an isotropic low-dimensional system, the thermoelectric power coefficient, Q, in a quantum well structure was determined. These calculations are based on variational methods, taking into account especial functions which include important parameters being varied at the time of evaluating the thermoelectric power, e.g. height and width barrier. Values of Q are carried out by using a computer code written in Mathematica, which allows one to depict them easily and in this way to compare different behaviors of Q against temperature according to the scattering mechanism (phonons).

Polycrystalline CdSxTe1-x thin films deposited using a novel procedure based on the close spaced sublimation (CSS) method were characterized through thermoelectric power (α) measurements. The results revealed that these types of compounds present mixed conductivity and that their net conductivity becomes n-type for S concentrations greater than 50% (x>0.5) and p-type when the S content is less than 50%. The results were interpreted with the help of theoretical calculations of α versus T, carried out using a model which includes scattering processes inside the grain and in the grain boundaries as well as dimensional effects. Comparing experimental values of α versus T with the theoretical calculation, it was found that the electrical transport in the CdSxTe1-x thin films is mainly affected by the interaction of electrons and holes with acoustic phonons and by scattering processes in the intergrain regions. The surface and bulk thermal conductivity also influence the electrical transport of the CdSxTe1-x films.

En este trabajo se estudia la velocidad de ascenso, expansión de un termal y fuerza boyante con convección libre considerándolo como un fluido incompresible y estacionario. El análisis del termal se dará para diferentes valores del número de Grashof considerando una aproximación lineal de temperatura. Para esto se utiliza el método de diferencias finitas unidimensional, y se soluciona la ecuación dinámica de Navier-Stokes en la aproximación de Boussinesq, con el propósito de obtener la velocidad de la partícula de fluido como función de la altura y el radio del termal.