TY - JOUR A1 - Schulze-Makuch, D. A1 - Lipus, D. A1 - Arens, F. L. A1 - Baque, M. A1 - Bornemann, T. L. V. A1 - de Vera, J. P. A1 - Flury, M. A1 - Froesler, J. A1 - Heinz, J. A1 - Hwang, Y. A1 - Kounaves, S. P. A1 - Mangelsdorf, K. A1 - Meckenstock, R. U. A1 - Pannekens, M. A1 - Probst, A. J. A1 - Saenz, J. S. A1 - Schirmack, J. A1 - Schloter, M. A1 - Schmitt-Kopplin, P. A1 - Schneider, Beate A1 - Uhl, J. A1 - Vestergaard, G. A1 - Valenzuela, B. A1 - Zamorano, P. A1 - Wagner, D. T1 - Microbial hotspots in lithic microhabitats inferred from DNA fractionation and metagenomics in the Atacama Desert N2 - The existence of microbial activity hotspots in temperate regions of Earth is driven by soil heterogeneities, especially the temporal and spatial availability of nutrients. Here we investigate whether microbial activity hotspots also exist in lithic microhabitats in one of the most arid regions of the world, the Atacama Desert in Chile. While previous studies evaluated the total DNA fraction to elucidate the microbial communities, we here for the first time use a DNA separation approach on lithic microhabitats, together with metagenomics and other analysis methods (i.e., ATP, PLFA, and metabolite analysis) to specifically gain insights on the living and potentially active microbial community. Our results show that hypolith colonized rocks are microbial hotspots in the desert environment. In contrast, our data do not support such a conclusion for gypsum crust and salt rock environments, because only limited microbial activity could be observed. The hypolith community is dominated by phototrophs, mostly Cyanobacteria and Chloroflexi, at both study sites. The gypsum crusts are dominated by methylotrophs and heterotrophic phototrophs, mostly Chloroflexi, and the salt rocks (halite nodules) by phototrophic and halotolerant endoliths, mostly Cyanobacteria and Archaea. The major environmental constraints in the organic-poor arid and hyperarid Atacama Desert are water availability and UV irradiation, allowing phototrophs and other extremophiles to play a key role in desert ecology. KW - Desert ecology KW - Extremophile KW - Hyperarid PY - 2021 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-527959 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9051038 SN - 2076-2607 VL - 9 IS - 5 SP - 1038 PB - MDPI CY - Basel AN - OPUS4-52795 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Daus, Lars-Hendrik A1 - Schartel, Bernhard A1 - Wachtendorf, Volker A1 - Mangelsdorf, R. A1 - Korzen, Manfred T1 - A chain is no stronger than its weakest link: Weathering resistance of water-based intumescent coatings for steel applications N2 - A systematic approach was used to investigate the weathering-induced degradation of a common water–based intumescent coating. In this study, the coatings are intended for humid indoor applications on steel substrates. The coating contains ammonium polyphosphate, pentaerythritol, melamine, and polyvinyl acetate. By replacing each ingredient with a less water-soluble substance, the most vulnerable substances, polyvinyl acetate and pentaerythritol, were identified. Furthermore, the weathering resistance of the system was improved by exchanging the ingredients. The coatings were stressed by artificial weathering tests and evaluated by fire tests. Thermogravimetry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to study the thermal decomposition. This study lays the foundation for the development of a new generation of water-based intumescent coatings. KW - Intumescence KW - Fire resistance KW - Fire protective coatings KW - Weathering KW - Thermogravimetric analyses PY - 2021 DO - https://doi.org/10.1177/0734904120961064 SN - 0734-9041 SN - 1530-8049 VL - 39 IS - 1 SP - 72 EP - 102 PB - SAGE AN - OPUS4-52015 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -