F. den Hond

Preferred uptake of Cu(II) and Cd(II) by novel pyrazole-functionalized chelating polymers

Abstract The synthesis and characterization of two novel pyrazole-functionalized chelating polymers are reported. Functionalization of p-aminomethyl substituted poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) was effected by treatment with 3,5-dimethyl-1-hydroxymethylpyrazole (product: LDp) and 1-hydroxymethylpyrazole (product: LPz), respectively. For LDp a chelating group with one dimethylpyrazole per amine nitrogen resulted; in the case of LPz both amine hydrogen atoms were substituted by pyrazole groups. The capacities for Cu2+ and for Cd2+ and their distribution coefficients appeared to be substantially larger than those for Ca2+, Co2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+ for both chelating polymers in the pH range 3.5–5.5. These results were confirmed by competitive experiments between pairs of metal ions. Regeneration (stripping) of Cu2+-loaded LPz with strong mineral acids resulted in the decomposition of the chelating ligand. In contrast, the capacity of LDp was unchanged after several cycles of consecutive loading (with Cu2+) and stripping. Sulphuric acid (0.5 M) was the most suitable stripping reagent.

Industrial ecology: A review

Abstract Industrial ecology is both a vision, a research field, and a source of inspiration for practical work. Its proponents aim to contribute to sustainable development by closing materials cycles and realising a fundamental paradigm shift in the thinking concerning industry–ecology relations. Dominant research lines in industrial ecology focus on industrial metabolism and life cycle tools. The underlying assumption is that the flow and transformation of materials can be managed through the correcting of market and regulatory failures which are causes of environmental degradation. This literature review suggests, on the one hand, that the manageability of the flow of materials is currently limited by market and regulatory failures which inhibit the implementation of the principles of industrial ecology and, on the other hand, that the flow and transformation of materials are only partly affected by prices, information and laws.

The similarity and heterogeneity theses in studying innovation: Evidence from the end-of-vehicle case

The paper seeks to understand how eight companies in the European car industry responded to changing business conditions under the threat of regulation on the waste problem of end-of-life vehicles. It was observed that the companies pursued diverging innovation tracks in dealing with the regulatory pressure, although competing in the same markets and subject to similar regulatory pressure. The case is interesting to consider in the light of recent discussions of differences in styles of innovation. The question then is whether any sort of style of innovation may be distinguished in the diverging innovation tracks. The objective of the paper is to add to these discussions by considering the results of this case study in the light of “similarity” and heterogeneity hypotheses that may be advanced around “styles” of innovation.

Globalization of pesticide technology and meeting the needs of low-input sustainable agriculture

The focus of this paper is the challenge to technology development in the international pesticide industry. We address these challenges within the context of debates on how to achieve an environmentally and economically sustainable world food production system. Forces acting within and upon both pesticide manufacturers and the agri-food system are moving toward globalization and standardization. Main issues on sustainability in agriculture are protecting and improving agricultural resources (e.g., preserving and restoring soil and water quality). This places greater emphasis on diversity, regional self-reliance, reduced chemical dependence, and greater community involvement. A small but rapidly growing movement in local food systems is evolving in parallel with globalized agribusiness. It offers new opportunities for private sector developments of technologies and services. These opportunities could be interesting for companies that are struggling to retain profitability in a stagnant and commodity-oriented pesticide market. Our question is whether the pesticide industry is structurally capable of developing innovations in products and services for these new local/regional markets to ensure more diversified and sustainable agriculture. Our conclusion is probably not, but if the industry were capable of doing so it would first need to acquire a thorough understanding of how organic farming systems function.

Aligning Adverse Activities? Corporate Social Responsibility and Political Activity

Abstract Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate political activity (CPA) are two important components of firms’ nonmarket strategies, oriented toward shaping the firm’s political and social conditions. Although this is acknowledged in the literature, there are contradictory arguments and evidence, concerning, first, whether and under which conditions firms align their CPA and CSR activities, and second, what the impacts might be if they do align these activities. In light of this, this chapter draws from earlier reviews of nonmarket strategies, to explore the factors at multiple levels, macro and micro, that may drive a firm’s alignment of CPA and CSR. In doing so, we draw from management research to identify the macro- and micro-level factors that shape CPA and CSR alignment as CSR and CPA alignment research mostly focuses on outcomes rather than identifying the drivers of alignment. We develop a general model that integrates the macro- and micro-level discussions to make suggestions about where future research needs to go to increase understanding of when corporations will combine their CPA and CSR efforts and the merits of these efforts.