A Metal-Organic Framework (MOF), iron-benzenetricarboxylate (Fe(BTC)), has been studied for the adsorptive removal of azo-dye Orange II from aqueous solutions, where the effect of various parameters was tested and isotherm and kinetic models were suggested. The adsorption capacities of Fe(BTC) were much higher than those of an activated carbon. The experimental data can be best described by the Langmuir isotherm model (R2 > 0.997) and revealed the ability of Fe(BTC) to adsorb 435 mg of Orange II per gram of adsorbent at the optimal conditions. The kinetics of Orange II adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating the coexistence of physisorption and chemisorption, with intra-particle diffusion being the rate controlling step. The thermodynamic study revealed that the adsorption of Orange II was feasible, spontaneous and exothermic process (−25.53 kJ·mol−1). The high recovery of the dye showed that Fe(BTC) can be employed as an effective and reusable adsorbent for the removal of Orange II from aqueous solutions and showed the economic interest of this adsorbent material for environmental purposes.

Based on the information available in databases from relevant national and international organizations from 1967 to 2010, an Aviation Weather Accidents Database (AWAD) was built. According to the AWAD, the weather is the primary cause in a growing percentage of annual aircraft accidents: from about 40% in 1967 to almost 50% in 2010. While the absolute number of fatalities and injured people due to aircraft accidents has decreased significantly, the percentage of fatalities and injured people in accidents attributed to the weather shows a slight increase in the studied period. The influence of turbulence, clear air turbulence, wind shear, low visibility, rain, icing, snow and storms on aircraft accidents was analysed, considering the different phases of flight, the meteorological seasons of the year and the spatial distribution over four zones of the Earth. These zones were defined following meteorological and climatological criteria, instead of using the typical political criteria. A major part of the accidents and accidents attributed to the weather occur in latitudes between 12 ∘ and 38 ∘ in both hemispheres. It is concluded that actions aimed at reducing the risk associated with low visibility, rain and turbulence, in this order, should have priority to achieve the most significant improvements in air transport safety.

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