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OECD Prüfrichtlinie zur Bestimmung der Partikelgröße und Anzahlgrößenverteilung von Nanomaterialien
(2021)
Abschlusspräsentation des Projektes "OECD Prüfrichtlinie zur Bestimmung der Partikelgröße und Anzahlgrößenverteilung von Nanomaterialien" - Projektteil Nanopartikel.
Es hat sich gezeigt, dass alle Methoden zur Bestimmung der Partikelgrößenverteilung Vor- und Nachteile haben. Es wird dringend empfohlen Größenverteilungen immer mit mindestens zwei unterschiedlichen Methoden zu bestimmen: Bildgebend und mit gute Anzahlstatistik.
Verschiedene Durchmesser wurden in der TG-PSD mit einem Indexsystem versehen, welches zukünftig Verwechslungen zwischen unterschiedlichen Durchmessern vermeiden soll.
Wird ein bestimmter Durchmesser benötigt (z.B. hydrodynamisch, aerodynamisch), muss die Methode passend gewählt werden. Eine Umrechnung von einem Durchmesser in einen anderen ist in der Regel fehlerbehaftet.
Es wurde ein einheitliches Reporting-System in der TG-PSD eingeführt.
Vorstellung der Ergebnisse bei der Entwicklung einer neuen OECD Prüfrichtlinie zur Bestimmung der Partikelgröße und Anzahlgrößenverteilung von Nanomaterialien. (Projektteil Fasern.)
Ergebnisse:
Abweichungen zwischen SEM and TEM insbesondere bei langen Fasern
Die Anwendung von TEM auf kurze Fasern < 5 µm beschränkt
Für SEM wurde keine signifikante Abhängigkeit der Bestimmung der Faserdurchmesser von der Pixelgröße der Aufnahmen festgestellt
Für TEM wurde eine Abhängigkeit der Bestimmung der Faserdurchmesser von der Pixelgröße festgestellt
Der Einfluss der Bildauswertenden auf die Varianz der Ergebnisse ist klein im Vergleich zu der gesamten Varianz.
Nanofasern können mit TEM und SEM bestimmt werden!
Vorstellung der Ergebnisse bei der Entwicklung einer neuen OECD Prüfrichtlinie zur Bestimmung der Partikelgröße und Anzahlgrößenverteilung von Nanomaterialien.
Ergebnisse:
Ideal sphärische Partikel sind gut und verlässlich mit vielen Methoden charakterisierbar.
Reale (Nicht ideale) Materialien sind gut charakterisierbar, wenn eine gewisse Homogenität und Stabilität vorliegt.
Stark inhomogene und stark agglomerierende Partikel liefern deutlich unterschiedliche Ergebnisse für verschiedene Methoden.
Partikel mit geringen Größenunterschieden lassen sich mit allen Methoden gut charakterisieren.
Partikel mit sehr deutlichen Größenunterschieden führen häufig zu einer Unterbewertung der kleineren Partikel.
Vollautomatische Partikeldetektion bei elektronenmikroskopischen Aufnahmen ist z.Zt. noch stark fehleranfällig und kann daher nicht empfohlen werden.
Es hat sich gezeigt, dass alle Methoden zur Bestimmung der Partikelgrößenverteilung Vor- und Nachteile haben. Es ist dringend zu empfehlen Größenverteilungen immer mit mindestens zwei unterschiedlichen Methoden zu bestimmen: Bildgebend und mit gute Anzahlstatistik.
Verschiedene Durchmesser wurden in der TG-PSD mit einem Indexsystem versehen, welches zukünftig Verwechslungen zwischen unterschiedlichen Durchmessern vermeiden soll.
Wird ein bestimmter Durchmesser benötigt (z.B. hydrodynamisch, aerodynamisch), muss die Methode passend gewählt werden. Eine Umrechnung von einem Durchmesser in einen anderen ist in der Regel fehlerbehaftet.
Es wurde ein einheitliches Reporting-System in der TG-PSD eingeführt.
In 1981 the OECD published the Test Guideline on Particle size and size distribution. This TG is still a valid document for the measurement of particles all over the world.
When nanomaterials gained importance, ISO set up a technical commitee for Nanotechnologies in 2005 and the OECD followed this step in 2006 with the Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials.
In the following years ISO and OECD published several documents about nanomaterials and the systematisation developed.
In 2017 it was finally clear that nanomaterials need to be adressed in another way than chemicals and in 2020 ECHA revised the REACH-Annexes accordingly and included nanomaterials.
Unfortunately there is a little problem with this: Only a few applicable test guidelines exit for the measurement of the nanomaterials. Several test guidelines date from 1981 and do not address nanomaterials.
The logical next step for the OECD would be to publish a series of test guidelines which are indeed currently prepared and will be shown in this talk.
Finally there is an additional need for the future of NM standardisation: Digitalisation.
Phosphorus (P) fertilizers from secondary resources became increasingly important in the last years. However, these novel P-fertilizers can also contain toxic pollutants. Chromium in its hexavalent state (Cr(VI)) is regulated with low limit values for agricultural products due to its high toxicity, but the determination of Cr(VI) in these novel fertilizer matrices can be hampered by redox processes that lead to false results. Thus, we applied the passive sampler technique Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT) for the determination of Cr(VI) in fertilizers and compared the results with the standard wet chemical extraction method (German norm DIN EN 15192) and Cr K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. We determined an overall good correlation between the wet chemical extraction and the DGT method. DGT was very sensitive and in most cases selective for the analysis of Cr(VI) in P-fertilizers. However, hardly soluble Cr(VI) compounds cannot be detected with the DGT method since only mobile Cr(VI) is analyzed. Furthermore, Cr K-edge XANES spectroscopy showed that the DGT binding layer also adsorbs small amounts of mobile Cr(III) compounds which leads to overestimated Cr(VI) values. The results of certain types of P-fertilizers containing mobile Cr(III) or partly immobile Cr(VI), showed that optimization of the DGT method is required to avoid over- or underestimation of Cr(VI).
The aim of this study was to investigate the passive sampler method Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT) for ammonium and nitrate in amended soils. Therefore, we used soils from a pot experiment with maize where nitrogen (N) was supplied as ammonium sulfate nitrate (ASN), without and with a nitrification inhibitor (NI). The additional use of a NI can delay the nitrification in the soil and making the ammonium available for a longer period in the soil solution after its application. Homogenized soil samples were collected directly from each pot after one week of incubation before sowing and after harvesting the maize. Nitrate and ammonium in these soil samples were extracted using DGT devices equipped with a Putolite A520E (for nitrate) and Microlite PrCH (for ammonium) binding layer. Ammonium DGT which determined the mobile and labile ammonium forms based on diffusion and the resupplies from the solid soil phase, only showed a significantly higher amount of extractable ammonium with NI compared to that without NI for some samples. However, significantly lower values were found for nitrate of treatments with NI compared to without NI after harvest. Thus, the lower nitrate amounts for treatments with NI compared to the treatments without NI after harvest indicated the delay of the nitrification process by the NI. Furthermore, we compared also the ammonium and nitrate
DGT results to chemical extraction with KCl solutions. The results demonstrated that the trends of DGT results and chemical extraction were complimentary through all the treatments.
Gypsum is widely used in the construction sector, and its worldwide consumption has been increasing now for several decades. Currently, the gypsum demand is met up to 60% by FGD gypsum (a by-product from coal-fired power plants) in Germany. The natural gypsum deposits cover the remaining gypsum demand. Due to national climate protection goals and the related shutdown of coal-fired power plants, the FGD gypsum supply will decrease significantly in the coming years and, therefore, other gypsum sources must be found.
Depending on the lifetime of the used gypsum products in the construction sector, an increase of gypsum in construction and demolition waste is to be expected. With regard to an upcoming shortage of gypsum, several approaches are being tested to recover gypsum from construction and demolition waste. Gypsum plasterboard recycling is already implemented on an industrial scale. Furthermore, new processes to recycle different types of gypsum products from construction and demolition waste are being examined. Of particular interest are different types of gypsum boards because they are well suited for selective dismantling. Therefore, they can be recovered comparatively free of impurities which is most important for the gypsum recycling.
In the research project “GipsRec 2.0”, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, recycling methods for gypsum fiberboards are being investigated. Additionally, the suitability of different types of synthetic gypsum as substitutes for FGD gypsum is being considered. Currently, the quantities of recycled gypsum are not sufficient with regard to the reduction of FGD gypsum. An increase of gypsum recycling should be achieved to narrow the future gypsum gap that will occur in the near future.
Antimicrobial surfaces have broad use in multiple settings including touch surfaces in hospitals, implanted devices, or consumer products. Their aim is to support existing hygiene procedures, and to help combat the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance. However, concerns have been raised over the potential selection pressure exerted by such surfaces, which might drive the evolution and spread of antimicrobial resistance. In my presentation, I will highlight the risks and knowledge gaps associated with resistance on antimicrobial surfaces by different processes including evolution by de novo mutations and horizontal gene transfer, and species sorting of inherently resistant bacteria dispersed onto antimicrobial surfaces. The latter process has the potential to select for antibiotic resistance via cross-resistance between traits that confer resistance to both the antimicrobial surface coating and antibiotics. Conditions in which antibiotics and antimicrobial coatings are present simultaneously (e.g. implants) will lead to more complex interactions that can either result in the selection for or against antibiotic resistance. We mapped these interactions between several antimicrobials and antibiotics on growth and selection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We find prevalent physiological (i.e. synergy and antagonism) and evolutionary (i.e. cross-resistance and collateral sensitivity) combination effects. Understanding these interactions opens the door to tailor therapeutic interventions to select against resistance. In additions, we need new methods and translational studies that investigate resistance development to antimicrobial surfaces under realistic conditions. Therefore, I will present recent developments in our lab on the development of such a method based on existing efficacy standards.
A wide range of analytical methods are used to estimate the plant-availability of soil phosphorus (P). Previous investigations showed that analytical methods based on the Diffusive Gradients in Thin films (DGT) technique provide a very good correlations to the amount of bioavailable nutrients and pollutants in environmental samples (Davison 2016, Vogel et al. 2017). However, the DGT results do not identify which P compound of the soil has the high bioavailability. But there are various spectroscopic techniques (infrared, Raman, P K-edge and L-edge XANES and P NMR spectroscopy) available to characterize P species in soils. Therefore, spectroscopic investigation of DGT binding layers after deployment allow us to determine the specific compounds. Nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen are often, together with other elements, present as molecules in the environment. These ions are detectable and distinguishable by infrared, P K- and L-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and NMR spectroscopy, respectively. Additionally, microspectroscopic techniques make it also possible to analyze P compounds on the DGT binding layer with a lateral resolution down to 1 μm2. Therefore, species of elements and compounds of e.g. a spatial soil segment (e.g. rhizosphere) can be mapped and analyzed, providing valuable insight to understand the dynamics of nutrients in the environment.
Die Untersuchung altlastverdächtiger Flächen umfasst viele einzelne Schritte von der Probenahme über die Probenvorbehandlung bis hin zur eigentlichen Analyse, die zur Ergebnisunsicherheit beitragen. Beim Vergleich der Ergebnisse mit Bewertungsmaßstäben, um Entscheidungen zur Bewertung von Altlasten zu treffen, sind diese Faktoren zu berücksichtigen. Die Rolle von verschiedenen Unsicherheitskomponenten wird mit Blick auf Elutionsverfahren diskutiert.
Quantitative chemical analysis of airborne particulate matter (PM) is vital for the understanding of health effects in indoor and outdoor environments and required by EU air quality regulations. Typically, airborne particles are sampled on filters, followed by lab-based analysis, e.g., with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Within the EURAMET EMPIR AEROMET project, cascade impactor aerosol sampling was combined with on-site total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectroscopy. The study aimed at a proof of principles for this new mobile and on-size tool for the quantification of aerosol element compositions and element mass concentrations within short time intervals of less than 12 h. In a field campaign the method’s technical feasibility could be demonstrated. The TXRF results were traced back to a stationary, reference-free XRS setup in the laboratory of the German national metrology institute PTB at the BESSY II electron storage ring in Berlin, Germany. Simultaneous PM10-filter sampling, followed by standardized lab-based analysis, allowed for a comparison of the field campaign data of both methods. As Fig. 1 shows, the correspondence between PM10 filter sampling and ICP-MS, and on the other hand, cascade impactor sampling and TXRF is quite encouraging. However, for some of the analysed elements, e.g. V and Pb, the observed deviations are higher than expected and this highlights the fact, that spectral deconvolution strategies for TXRF on cascade impactor samples still need some improvement.
This work was supported by the EMPIR programme, co-financed by the Participating States and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, through grant agreements 16ENV07 AEROMET and 19ENV08 AEROMET II
CF Pyro: Stofflich-energetische Verwertung von carbonfaserhaltigen Abfällen in der Pyrometallurgie
(2021)
Despite its contribution to tackling climate change by lightweight design, growing CFRP production also results in a global waste generation of 62 kt/a. Accordingly, the energy-intensive production process of carbon fibers (CF) necessitates sustainable recycling solutions.
Herein we will give an overview of current recycling processes, discuss their limitations and present a novel approach for safe treatment of CF unsuitable for material recovery . Our project CF Pyro examines feedstock recycling in pyrometallurgical processes, focusing on reactivity of CF, process stability and prevention of hazardous WHO fiber release. Besides fundamental experimental breakthroughs, their broader impact on circular economy will be presented.
The ISO 16000-6 standard describes a method for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor and test chamber air by sorbent-based active sampling, thermal desorption and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). It also gives directions to adapt this methodology to very volatile organic compounds (VVOCs). Indeed, toxicologically based guideline values are being implemented for these compounds and it becomes necessary to measure them. But a comprehensive and robust measurement method is lacking. Investigations on the use of gaseous standards, the suitability of chromatography columns, the suitable sorbent combinations and the water removal are required. The talk will highlight the points that need to be explored towards the standardisation of a suitable procedure and provide appropriate preliminary results.
Basic oxygen furnace slag (BOFS) is a by-product of the steelmaking process, of which about 10.4 Mt are produced annually in the European Union. Besides its predominant use in road construction, earthwork, and hydraulic engineering, it is also possible to use BOFS as a source material for Portland cement clinker.
The main difference in the chemical composition of BOFS from the chemical composition of Portland cement clinker is its high content of iron oxides (7-50 wt.%). In recent decades, many researchers have investigated the production of both Portland cement clinker and crude iron from BOFS via thermochemical reductive treatment. Carbothermal treatment of liquid BOFS causes reduction of iron oxides to metallic iron, which separates from the mineral phase due to its higher density.
In this study, German BOFS was reduced in a small-scale electric arc furnace using petrol coke as reducing agent. The produced low-iron mineral product was chemically similar to Portland cement clinker and contained the most important Portland cement mineral alite (Ca3SiO5) as main component. Besides alite, the mineral product contained other Portland cement clinker constituents such as belite (β-Ca2SiO4) and tricalcium aluminate (Ca3Al2O6).
The production of Portland cement clinker and crude iron from BOFS has economic and ecological benefits for both the cement and steel industry. Cement clinker from reduced BOFS may be used as a substitute for cement clinker from conventional cement production, thereby CO2 emissions will be reduced. The steel industry benefits from a high-value application for its by-products that avoids cost expensive landfilling and may even bring economic advantages. However, reductive treatment requires high temperatures and, for economic reasons, has to be carried out immediately after casting of the liquid BOFS, which is a logistical challenge for most steel plants. A cost-benefit analysis is therefore essential.
Basic oxygen furnace slags (BOFS) are a by-product of steel production. In 2016, 10.4 Mt of BOFS were produced in the European Union (EU). The main part of BOFS is used in road construction, earthwork and hydraulic engineering. A smaller part is returned to the metallurgical circle, used as fertilizer or landfilled. However, it is also possible to produce higher value products from BOFS. For example, many researchers have investigated the possibility of producing Portland cement clinker and crude iron from BOFS by a carbothermal post-treatment.
In this study, German BOFS was reduced in a small-scale electric arc furnace using petrol coke as reducing agent. The carbothermal treatment reduces the iron oxides in the BOFS to metallic iron, which accumulates at the bottom of the furnace by density separation. In addition to metallic iron, the process generates a mineral product rich in the tricalcium silicate solid solution alite. As the main constituent of Portland cement clinker, the hydraulic reactive mineral alite is of high economic importance.
In previous studies, the hydraulic reactivity of the mineral product was investigated by testing the compressive strength of blends with 70 wt.% ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Recent investigations focused on the hydraulic properties of the pure mineral product from the reduced BOFS. The heat of hydration of the mineral product was measured by isothermal calorimetry and compared with the heat of hydration of a synthetic low-iron slag and OPC. In addition, the formation of hydration products was investigated with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) on freeze-dried samples after defined curing times. The results of the calorimetric measurements indicate that the mineral product produced less heat of hydration and its reaction was delayed compared to the synthetic low-iron slag and OPC. Hydration products such as portlandite and calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) formed later and in lower amounts.
The production of a hydraulic material from BOFS by reductive treatment is of great interest to both the cement and steel industries. The substitution of cement clinker in OPC with a hydraulic material such as reduced BOFS leads to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from cement production. The steel industry benefits from an application for its by-products that avoids cost expensive landfilling and may even bring economic advantages. Furthermore, it may be possible to return the recovered crude iron to production.
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) is a phenomenon that is increasingly becoming a problem
for the society. MIC describes the negative effects a material can experience due to the presence of
microorganisms. In Europe, several research groups/ other industrial stakeholders are already dealing with
MIC. Unfortunately, the discussions are fragmented and the exchange of information is limited. A true
transdisciplinary approach is hardly ever experienced, although this would be logical for this
material/biology related challenge.
USA, Canada and Australia have strong networks, and develop methods, prevention measures and
standards, which Europe is forced to use, since nothing similar exists for a network and combined
knowledge to design them according to european standards. This makes Europe extremely dependent and,
in some cases, the potential measures or standards cannot been used because the suggested solutions
are prohibited by European laws (e.g. use of biocides).
Therefore, it is important to initiate a new European MIC-network. Europe needs to combine the efforts as
experts in different fields and develop prevention measures according to the European rules, in close
cooperation with industry and plant operators and owners of critical infrastructure. This COST Action will
provide the necessary interaction and communication, knowledge sharing, training of personnel and of
researchers of different disciplines. This will bring Europe to a leading role in this process, bringing ideas on
an equal level with other nations, considering the values which are important for Europe and attitudes (e.g.environmental protection) and representing greater protection for people, property and the environment.
The main aim and objective of the Action is to , in the context of MIC-research/control, encourage a
fluent/synergistic collaboration/communication, closing the gap between materials scientists, engineers,
microbiologists, chemists and integrity managers to encourage sufficient interaction between academia and
industry. This Action will create a common MIC-Network, including the important stakeholders.
In recent years, the fabrication of laser-generated surface structures on metals such as titanium surfaces have gained remarkable interests, being technologically relevant for applications in optics, medicine, fluid transport, tribology, and wetting of surfaces.
The morphology of these structures, and so their chemistry, is influenced by the different laser processing parameters such as the laser fluence, wavelength, pulse repetition rate, laser light polarization type and direction, angle of incidence, and the effective number of laser pulses per beam spot area.
However, the characterization of the different surface structures can be difficult because of constraints regarding the analytical information from both depth and the topographic artifacts which may limit the lateral and depth resolution of elemental distributions as well as their proper quantification. A promising technique to investigate these structures even at the nano-scale is Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), a very surface sensitive technique that at the same time allows to perform depth-profiling, imaging and 3D-reconstruction of selected ion-sputter fragment distributions on the surface.
In this study we combine chemical analyses such as Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses with ToF-SIMS to fully characterize the evolution of various types of laser-generated micro- and nanostructures formed on Ti and Ti alloys at different laser fluence levels, effective number of pulses and at different pulse repetition rates (1 – 400 kHz), following irradiation by near-infrared ultrashort laser pulses (925 fs, 1030 nm) in air environment or under argon gas flow.
We show how this combined surface analytical approach allows to evaluate alteration in the surface chemistry of the laser-generated surface structures depending on the laser processing parameters and the ambient environment.
The latest ICP-MS technology - ICP-ToF (time of flight)-MS – enables the analysis of the multi-element fingerprint of individual cells. The interface between material and environmental analysis thus receives special attention, e.g., when considering corrosion processes. Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is a highly unpredictable phenomenon due to the influence of the environment, microbial communities involved and the respective electron source. However, the interaction pathway between cells and the metal surface remains unclear. The development of the MIC-specific ICP-ToF-MS analytical method presented here at the single cell level, in combination with the investigation of steel-MIC interactions, contributes significantly to progress in instrumental MIC analysis and will enable clarification of the processes taking place. For this, a MIC-specific staining procedure was developed. It allows the analysis of archaea at a single cell level and provides information about the interaction of the cells with the staining agent which is extremely scarce compared to other well characterized organisms. Additionally, the single cell ICP-ToF-MS is used for the analysis of archaea involved in MIC of steel. Hence, the possible uptake of individual elements from different steel samples is investigated - the information obtained will be used in the future to elucidate underlying mechanisms and develop possible material protection concepts, thus combining modern methods of analytical sciences with materials.
During iron and steel production, several by-products such as slags, dusts and sludges are generated in addition to pig iron and steel as primary products. While established recycling routes exist for slags, there are still considerable recycling problems for other residual materials, especially for filter dusts and sludges containing zinc and lead from waste gas purification. However, the high heavy metal contents make landfilling these dusts and sludges cost-intensive and ecologically problematic. In addition, the relatively high zinc and iron loads represent a valuable material potential, which can make reprocessing of the material with recovery of the zinc and iron loads as secondary raw materials ecologically as well as economically attractive. Against this background, a process is being developed in a cooperative project between Ferro Duo GmbH and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), in which the heavy metals (zinc, lead, cadmium, etc.) contained in the filter dusts and sludges are selectively converted into chlorides in a thermochemical process after the addition of a chlorine donor and evaporated at temperatures between 650 and 1100 °C. This process can be used to recover zinc and iron as secondary raw materials.
Experiments to date in a batch reactor show that >99% of the zinc and lead can be removed from the treated material. However, a continuous process is necessary for an economical process, which is why this process is transferred to a rotary kiln and relevant process parameters are identified and optimized. The results of these investigations will be presented here.
Using nanofiber-like cell appendages, secreted proteins and sugars, bacteria can establish initial surface contact followed by irreversible adhesion and the formation of multicellular biofilms, often with enhanced resistance towards antimicrobial treatment and established cleaning procedures. On e.g. medical implants, in water supply networks or food-processing industry, biofilms can be a fertile source of bacterial pathogens and are repeatedly associated with persisting, nosocomial and foodborne infections. Nowadays, the emergence of resistances because of extensive usage of antibiotics and biocides in medicine, agriculture and private households have become one of the most important medical challenges with considerable economic consequences. In addition, aggravated biofilm eradication and prolonged cell-surface interaction can lead to increased biodeterioration and undesired modification of industrial and medical surface materials. Various strategies are currently developed, tested, and improved to realize anti-bacterial surface properties through surface functionalization steps avoiding antibiotics.
In this study, contact-less and aseptic large-area short or ultrashort laser processing is employed to generate different surface structures in the nanometer- to micrometer-scale on technical materials such as titanium-alloy and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The laser processed surfaces were subjected to bacterial colonization studies with Escherichia coli test strains and analyzed with reflected-light and epi-fluorescence microscopy. Depending on the investigated surfaces, different bacterial adhesion patterns were found, ranging from bacterial-repellent to bacterial-attractant effects. The results suggest an influence of size, shape and cell appendages of the bacteria and – above all – the laser-processed nanostructure of the surface itself, emphasizing the potential of laser-processing as a versatile tool to control bacterial surface adhesion.
Several thousand PFAS are in circulation and the current challenge lies in detection of these compounds. Wheter environmental contamination occurs via industrial emission or direct PFAS exposure, as through the use of AFFF fire fighting foams. Wheter PFAS need to be detected in consumer products or agricultral soil, or wheter human and wildlife exposure to PFSA needs to be evaluated, suitable analytical methods are required to identifiy the target class within a hugh variety of matrices. At the same time it is critical to detect trace amounts of compounds within various matrices, we want to make sure that we consider very volatile and mobile species, simultaneously want to assure that we do not overlook less and insoluble compounds. We require methods that allow both single and multi target analysis and want to have an ideal overview with the help of sum parameters.
Fungi that share light-flooded habitats with phototrophs may profit from their excess photosynthetic products. Sunlight-associated stresses are however multiple: high temperatures, UV radiation with associated DNA damage, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), desiccation and osmotic stresses. Ascomycota dominating light-flooded habitats accurately sense and respond to changes in light using it as a cue to coordinate growth, stress responses as well as to establish pathogenic or symbiotic relationships. Two species from two light-flooded habitats – phyllosphere and sun-exposed solid surfaces – were analysed for their photoreceptor distribution.
In both habitats phototroph-associated and black [dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) melanin-containing] fungi are prevalent. This diversity was sampled with the plant-associated fungus Botrytis cinerea (Leotiomycetes), while Knufia petricola (Eurotiomycetes) was included as a typical biofilm-former on sun-exposed solid surfaces e.g. rocks, building facades, roofs, and solar panels. The analysis has shown that genomes of black fungi contain more photoreceptors than animal pathogens and saprophytes such as Aspergillus nidulans and Neurospora crassa1,2. B. cinerea that causes the grey mould disease by infecting the above-ground parts of more than 200 dicots has a highly sophisticated photosensory and signalling system that helps to avoid light and to locate susceptible hosts1.
Rock-inhabiting Dothideomycetes and Eurotiomycetes including Knufia petricola possess equal numbers of photoreceptors along with the same set of protective metabolites i.e. melanin, carotenoids and mycosporines2. This similarity between black fungi from plant and rock surfaces suggests that photoperception and -regulation are important for sun-stressed fungi that receive nutrients through cooperation with phototrophs. CRISPR/Cas9-based genetic tools for manipulating K. petricola were established3 and are currently used for elucidating the functions of the different photoreceptors in the biology of rock-inhabiting fungi.
This work was supported by the grant SCHU 2833/4-1 from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and internal funds of the BAM.
Development of a laboratory method to assess resistance development of microorganisms to biocides
(2021)
Bacteria are exposed to biocides through surface disinfection or by antimicrobial surfaces. These stressful environments provide a strong selective pressure for bacteria to adapt. Here, we describe the development of a laboratory method to assess adaption of bacteria by resistance development in response to surface disinfection and antimicrobial surfaces.
Development of a laboratory method to assess resistance development of microorganisms to biocides
(2021)
Bacteria are exposed to biocides through surface disinfection or by antimicrobial surfaces. These stressful environments provide a strong selective pressure for bacteria to adapt. Here, we describe the development of a laboratory method to assess adaption of bacteria by resistance development in response to surface disinfection and antimicrobial surfaces.
Antimicrobials can exert specific physiological effects when used in combination that are different from those when applied alone. These effects include physiological effects (i.e. synergy, antagonism and suppression) as well as evolutionary effects on the selection of resistant strains (i.e. cross-resistance and collateral sensitivity). While combination effects have been extensively mapped for antibiotic-antibiotic combinations, the combination effects of antibiotics with antimicrobials used as biocides or antiseptics have not been systematically investigated.
Here, we investigated the physiological and evolutionary consequences of combinations of antibiotics (meropenem, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin) and substances used as biocides or antiseptics (octenidine, benzalkonium chloride, cetrimonium bromide, chlorhexidine, povidone-iodine, silver) on growth and selection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We find prevalent physiological combination effects with synergy occurring 6 times and antagonism occurring 10 times. The effects are specific to the antibiotic-biocide combination with meropenem showing a tendency for antagonism with biocides (6 of 7), while gentamicin has a tendency for synergy (5 of 7). A particular strong antagonism is apparent for the meropenem-chlorhexidine combination, for which we conducted an in-depth study on the underlying molecular mechanism using RNASeq. Moreover, we find widespread effects of the biocide-antibiotic combinations on selection of P. aeruginosa strains resistant to the antibiotics, including cross-resistance and collateral sensitivity.
In conclusion, antibiotics and biocides or antiseptics exert physiological and evolutionary combination effects on the pathogen P. aeruginosa. These effects have consequences for the efficacy of both types of substances and for the selection of antimicrobial resistant strains in clinical applications with combined exposure (e.g. wound care, coated biomaterials).
In Europe, nearly 19 Mt/y of bottom ash (BA) are produced. Of this quota, only 46 %wt. was treated, often in poorly performing plants, leaving behind 10 Mt of untreated and unrecovered BA, destined to landfill. The resulting 2.14 Mt loss of valuable materials included 1 Mt mineral fraction and 0.97 Mt ferrous metals, mostly from untreated BA, and 0.18 Mt non-ferrous metals, mostly from unrecovered BA. For the coarser fractions, the main obstacle to BA being used as recycling aggregate is the content of salts and potential toxic elements (PTEs), concentrated in a layer that coats BA particles. For the fine BA fractions, usually underexploited and landfilled, it is estimated that up to 0.95 Mt/y of ferrous and non-ferrous metals are not recovered in Europe.
During the workshop, the key results of BASH Treat project will be presented: the results of 2 industrial tests performed in BA treatment plants in Germany and Sweden; a novel dry treatment for the removal of salts and PTEs from BA coarse particles; a wet process for the recovery of heavy metal compounds from the fine fraction; a technical-economic assessment of the EU potential for the optimization of BA management.
Despite its contribution to tackling climate change by lightweight design, growing CFRP production also results in a global waste generation of 62 kt/a. Accordingly, the energy-intensive production process of carbon fibers (CF) necessitates sustainable recycling solutions.
Herein we will give an overview of current recycling processes, discuss their limitations and present a novel approach for safe treatment of CF unsuitable for material recovery . Our project CF Pyro examines feedstock recycling in pyrometallurgical processes, focusing on reactivity of CF, process stability and prevention of hazardous WHO fiber release. Besides fundamental experimental breakthroughs, their broader impact on circular economy will be presented.
With the latest ICP-MS technology - ICP-ToF (time of flight)-MS - it is possible to analyze the multi-element fingerprint of individual cells. The interface between material and environmental analysis thus receives special attention, e.g. when considering corrosion processes. Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is highly unpredictable due to the diversity of microbial communities involved. The development of the MIC-specific ICP-ToF-MS analytical method presented here at the single cell level, in combination with the investigation of steel-MIC interactions, contributes significantly to progress in instrumental MIC analysis and will enable clarification of the processes taking place.
The supplied document shows the basis of a four minutes lightning talk.
As more industrial interests focusing on using salt caverns and repurposed gas or petroleum reservoirs for alternative fuel storage, i.e. CO2/H2, the question raises whether microorganisms may impact the infrastructure, gas purity and storage condition over time.
Environments with high salinity (> 1.5 Meq of NaCl) are resided by halophiles (salt-loving microorganisms). To compensate for the intensive osmotic stress, they have resorted to two main adaptation strategies: 1) production of compatible solutes and 2) accumulation of intracellular KCl. Microbial community analysis of several high salinity environments revealed a number of recurring genera, including Halomonas and Halanaerobium. However, the impact of halophiles on the overall integrity and stability of the storage facilities remain largely unknown.
To evaluate the suitability and stability of saline storage facilities, several model halophilic microorganisms, such as members of Halomonas, will be selected as testing subjects. First, the impact of halophiles on the infrastructure will be determined using an integrative approach by combining a number of techniques, including electrochemistry, TOF-SIMS, SEM/FIB/EDS and FIB-TEM. Second, the abilities of halophiles to alter the fuel composition (i.e. increase/decrease the fractions of H2) will be monitored using gas chromatography by growing them under high pressure.
As a result of climate change and the accompanying mandatory shift to renewable energy resources, microorganisms will continue to play an important role in the energy sector, both to their benefit and detriment. Thus, it is important to achieve a certain level of understanding regarding the activities and mechanisms of halophiles prior to large-scaled excursions.
Previous studies have shown that desktop 3D printers (Fused Filament Fabrication) emit high numbers of particulate matter, mainly as ultrafine particles (UFP, particle diameter less than 100 nm). However, the chemical composition of emitted particles has been less extensively investigated. In this study, we therefore focused on the chemical composition of particles emitted from 3D printing. The measurements were conducted in a 1 m³ emission test chamber. Emitted particles were sampled by a 13-stage low-pressure cascade impactor onto aluminum foils and then analyzed by TD-GC/MS to identify their organic compounds. Nine commercial filaments made from basic polymers such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA), Polycarbonate (PC), Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), Nylon, High Performance Polystyrene (HIPS) and a copper-filled Polylactide (PLA) were investigated. The results show that the organic components of the particles are primarily plastic additives such as plasticizer, antioxidant agents, lubricants, UV-absorbers and UV-stabilizers from the filaments.
In many late-breaking research fields as in photovoltaics, microelectronics, nuclear waste glasses or at least mirror glasses silver diffusion in glasses is relevant to the issues of high-level functionality and recycling. The present study is focused on silver diffusion in innovative, low-melting alkali zinc borate glasses (X2O-ZnO-B2O3, X = Li, Na, K, Rb) potentially usable for silver metallization-pastes in solar cells. The glasses were coated with a thin metallic silver layer and heat treatments in air and nitrogen close to Tg at 470 °C for 2 h were performed. After heat treatment under air and nitrogen atmospheres the coating thickness, measured by a white light interferometer, was about 1.8 µm thick. Silver depth profiles determined by means of secondary neutral mass spectrometry (SNMS) indicate the fastest silver diffusion to a depth of 3.5 µm for Li2O-ZnO-B2O3 (LZB) glass. Nevertheless, the influence of the different alkali ions on the silver diffusion is small. The oxygen availability determines the silver diffusion into the glasses. The oxygen promotes the oxidation of the silver layer enabling Ag+ to diffuse into the glass and to precipitate as Ag0. Both species were detected by x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The precipitated metallic silver particles in Na2O-ZnO-B2O3 (NZB) glass have a mean size of 5.9 nm ± 1.2 nm diameter, which was determined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Phase separation in zinc-rich and zinc-poor phases with a mean diameter of 75 nm ± 20 nm occurred in NZB glass after heat treatment. Ion diffusion of the glasses into the silver layer was suggested by EDX-line scans.
Monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles as reference material candidate for particle size measurements
(2020)
In order to utilize and rationally design materials at the nanoscale the reliable characterization of their physico-chemical properties is highly important, especially with respect to the assessment of their environmental or biological impact. Furthermore, the European Commission’s REACH Regulations require the registration of nanomaterials traded in quantities of at least 1 ton. Powders or dispersions where 50% (number distribution) of the constituent particles have sizes ≤ 100 nm in at least one dimension are defined as nanomaterials. This creates a need for industrial manufacturers and research or analytical service facilities to reliably characterize potential nanomaterials. Currently, BAM is developing reference nanoparticles, which shall expand the scarce list of worldwide available nano reference materials certified for particle size distribution and will also target other key parameters like shape, structure, porosity or functional properties. In this respect, materials like iron oxide or titanium dioxide are considered as candidates to complement the already available silica, Au, Ag, and polystyrene reference nanoparticles.
The thermal decomposition of iron oleate precursors in high boiling organic solvents can provide large quantities of iron oxide nanoparticles that can be varied in size and shape.[1, 2] The presence of oleic acid or other hydrophobic ligands as capping agents ensures stable dispersion in nonpolar solvents. Such monodisperse, spherical particles were synthesized at BAM and pre-characterized by electron microscopy (TEM, SEM including the transmission mode STEM-in-SEM) and dynamic light scattering comparing cumulants analysis and frequency power spectrum.
1. REACH regulations and nanosafety concerns create a strong need for nano reference materials with diverse properties.
2. Iron oxide nanoparticles are under development as new candidate reference material at BAM.
3. Narrow particle size distribution confirmed by light scattering and electron microscopy.
For centuries, churches, secular buildings and museums have been furnished with valuable works of art. Many works of art are UV- and light-sensitive. It is well known that especially UV radiation causes damage and discoloration in paintings, textiles, plastics, wood and other materials. In particular, the wavelengths between 280 and 410 nm cause color changes, embrittlement or destruction of e.g. plastics over time. Therefore, strongly UV-absorbing glasses are advantageous for architecture and are necessary for the protection of cultural assets. As restorers in all disciplines become more and more aware, the demands placed on buildings and their furnishings in terms of climate are becoming increasingly detailed and precise. The aim in each case is to preserve the valuable artwork.
For some years now, the industry has been offering the protection of cultural objects by installing special UV-protective glasses. Currently, UV protection for church buildings is realized by laminated safety glass equipped with appropriate UV-protective plastic films. Technically, this always means a second pane of glass in front of the windows, which is installed outside the building. This creates climatic gaps that are difficult to control and deterioration due to ageing effects can be expected. At the same time, this protective glazing is not invisible and has a considerable aesthetic influence on the interior and exterior appearance of the building. Meanwhile, the preservation of historical monuments accepts such aesthetic cuts on buildings in order to protect the artwork in the interior from UV light. To this day, however, the long-term durability of UV protection provided by inserted plastic films is still controversial.
To date the only available alternative on the market is a mouth-blown UV protection glass which uses a so-called overlay to provide UV protection. This shows that UV protection can also be achieved by glasses without plastic films thus realizing an exclusive inorganic protection which normally is more stable than a polymeric one. So far there are not enough studies to prove long-term durability.
The aim of this project is to provide existing glazing or new glazing to be created with a highly transparent layer that ensures this UV-protective filter function below 400 nm. The glass coating is to be applied to the glass over a large area and fired into the surface like a classic ceramic enamel paint with the same technics. In addition, it should be long-term durable in its function. It means, that the glass has to be fused at temperatures below 630 °C during the firing process, its chemical durability has to be high, its coefficient of thermal expansion has to be as close as the one of the substrate (usually float glass) and the glass has to absorb the UV-radiation within a thin thickness (thinner as 100 µm).
In this project, the long-term durability of commercial UV-protective glasses is examined. New low melting glasses containing UV-absorbing ions are being developed. Their UV-absorption as a thin layer is analyzed as well as their chemical durability and their thermal properties.
We are grateful to BMWI for the financial support in the frame of the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM).
Formaldehyd gilt als krebserregend und wird von Spanplatten und Sperrholz emittiert, die bei der Spielzeugherstellung verwendet werden. Die Untersuchungsänter benötigen eine wirtschaftliche und zuverlässige Methode. Die Anwendung miniaturisierter Emissionsprüfkammern wurde getestet und mit größeren Emissionsprüfkammern und die Flaschenmethode verglichen. Eine Expositionsabschätzung wird auch vorgestellt.
Here, we describe a fast and simple extraction method for the determination of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) utilizing extractable organic fluorine (EOF) sum parameter analysis and high resolution-continuum source-graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-GFMAS) in soil samples. After extraction and separation of inorganic and organic fluorinated compounds, organically bound fluorinated compounds were indirectly determined via the molecular absorption of gallium mono-fluoride at 211.248 nm. The implementation of the decisions of the “Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants” as well as the “Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution” of the UNECE include the reduction respectively the elimination of PFASs in the environment. Currently, regulations aim to target single compounds (mostly C8-PFAS). But the PFAS group includes over 4700 substances, which are potentially persistent and toxic, thus target analytical approaches are not suitable for a holistic approach investigating the PFAS pollutant situation. Furthermore, forbidden PFASs are substituted by short-chain PFASs, thus the number of unknow substances is steadily increasing. For this reason, sum parameter approaches are more suitable to investigate and assess the pollution situation as well as derive exposure limits. Our developed analytical method was successfully applied to determine PFASs in soil samples from a polluted site. In view of steadily increasing numbers of PFAS substances, our method will make an important contribution in assessing the pollution situation as well as support policy makers in deriving exposure limits for PFAS in the future.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been used extensively in the past because of their inert chemical character and resistance to degradation by environmental influences. Since the beginning of their commercial use, PFAS have been widely exposed to the environment by application of PFAS in consumer products or as foaming agent in firefighting foams, thus several cases of contaminated soils sites have been reported. Since the number of known PFAS already exceeds 4700, their characterization and direct analysis is challenging given the current available techniques. Here, we introduce the novel fluorine (F) K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy as a tool to analyze PFAS and inorganic fluorine compounds in contaminated soils and sewage sludges. While F K-edge bulk-XANES spectroscopy provide us information on the overall fluorine bonding in a sample micro X-ray fluorescence (XRF) in combination with F K-edge micro-XANES spectroscopy can also detect minor fluorine compounds and PFAS hotspots in investigated soils and sludges. Additionally, we used the combustion ion chromatography (CIC) to analyze the total amount of all PFAS as a sum parameter (extractable organic fluoride: EOF) in soils and sewage sludges. During combustion in the CIC, the PFAS in the sample get destroyed at temperatures of approx. 1000 °C and converted in inorganic fluorides that subsequently gets quantified by ion chromatography. Thus, for the first time we successfully combined F K-edge XANES spectroscopy and CIC as analytical tools to detect and quantify PFAS contaminants in soils and sewage sludges.
Rock-EATING FUNGI - Genetic Dive into the Biology of the Microcolonial Black Fungus Knufia petricola
(2021)
Microcolonial black fungi are a group of ascomycetes that exhibit high stress tolerance, yeast‑like growth and constitutive melanin formation. They dominate a range of hostile natural and man‑made environments, from desert rocks and salterns to dishwashers, roofs and solar panels. Due to their slow growth and a lack of genetic tools, the underlying mechanisms of black fungi’s phenotypic traits have remained largely unexplored. We chose to address this gap by genetically engineering the rock‑inhabiting fungus Knufia petricola (Eurotiomycetes, Chaetothyriales), a species that exhibits all characteristics of black fungi. The state‑of‑the‑art genetic toolkit, together with the annotated genome sequence of strain A95, firmly established K. petricola as a model for exploring microcolonial black fungi.
Antimon (Sb) wird in Industrieprodukten hauptsächlich als Flammschutzmittel in Kunststoff verwendet. Aufgrund solcher Zusätze in Kunststoffen landet etwa die Hälfte von Sb am Ende der Lebensdauer in der Verbrennung fester Siedlungsabfälle und folglich in relevanten Mengen in der erzeugten Bodenasche. Bei Kontakt mit Wasser ist die anfängliche Auslaugbarkeit gering, da Antimonat mit Ca2+ schwerlösliche Verbindungen bilden. Nach der Carnonatisierung der Verbrennungsasche (IBA) während der fortschreitenden Alterung nimmt der pH-Wert in den Sickerwasser ab. Mit abnehmender Ca-Konzentration im Eluat ändert sich das Lösungsgleichgewicht und Antimonate lösen sich auf.
In Deutschland ist beabsichtigt, Sb in IBA mit der geplanten Umsetzung der sogenannten Mantelverordnung (MantelVO, die Bestimmungen zur Verwertung von Mineralabfällen enthält) in naher Zukunft zu regulieren. Die im Entwurf festgelegten Grenzwerte können für IBA kritisch sein und stellen daher ein Risiko für die Verwendung der Mineralfraktion von IBA in den gut etablierten Recyclingwegen dar.
Geokunststoffe werden im Wasserbau häufig eingesetzt, beispielsweise bei Maßnahmen für den Küstenschutz oder in Ballastschichten für Windenergieanlagen. Eine zunehmende Anwendung von Geokunststoffen wird aufgrund der Ausweitung der Offshore-Windenergieerzeugung und des Schutzes auf steigende Wasserspiegel und extremere Wetterbedingungen infolge des Klimawandels beobachtet. Die Anwendung von Geokunststoffen in Wasserbauprojekten bietet zwar verschiedene wirtschaftliche und technische Vorteile, wurde jedoch kürzlich in Frage gestellt, da sich diese Materialien während ihrer Lebensdauer verschlechtern und langfristig gefährliche Auswirkungen auf die aquatische Umwelt haben können, insbesondere als Ursprung von Kunststoffabfällen oder als Quelle / Senke für Chemikalien wie Weichmacher und Stabilisatoren, die bei der Herstellung von Geokunststoffen verwendet werden, um deren Leistung zu verbessern. Der Vortrag geht auf diese Bedenken ein.
A brief perspective of BAM on nanocarriers is presented including examples with special emphasis on the characterization of such materials and underlying challenges. In this respect, also ongoing activities at BAM on different types of core/shell nanomaterials and related systems are briefly summarized.
Formaldehyde is considered as carcinogenic and is emitted from particleboards and plywood used in toy manufacturing. Currently, the flask method is frequently used in Europe for market surveillance purposes to assess formaldehyde release from toys, but its concordance to levels measured in emission test chambers is poor. Surveillance laboratories are unable to afford laborious and expensive emission chamber testing to comply with a new amendment of the European Toy Directive; they need an alternative method that can provide reliable results. Therefore, the application of miniaturised emission test chambers was tested. Comparisons between a 1 m3 emission test chamber and 44 mL microchambers with two particleboards over 28 days and between a 24 L desiccator chamber and the microchambers with three puzzle samples over 10 days resulted in a correlation coefficient r2 of 0.834 for formaldehyde at steady state. The correlation between the results obtained in microchambers vs. flask showed a high variability over 10 samples (r2: 0.145), thereby demonstrating the error-proneness of the flask method in comparison to methods carried out under ambient parameters. An exposure assessment was also performed for three toy puzzles: indoor formaldehyde concentrations caused by puzzles were not negligible (up to 8 μg/m3), especially when more conservative exposure scenarios were considered.
Test chamber measurements are an important tool to improve indoor air quality and occupational safety. Test chamber measurements are possible for a wide range of materials, products and technologies. Determination of concerning contaminants is important to ensure good indoor air quality. The detection of concerning contaminants depends on the approriate sampling and analysis.
Recycled fertilizers produced using processes for the recovery of phosphate from residual materials such as wastewater, sewage sludge and sewage sludge ashes show very good bioavailability, but it is still a product largely unknown to the market. The aim of CLOOP is therefore to document the properties and effects of such fertilizers through chemical, mineralogical and ecological analyses as well as analytical method development and pot and field plant growth trials.
Outotec focused on 3 points in CLOOP: Experimental campaigns, process simulations as well as economic analyses with focus on the AshDec process, respectively the design of a large-scale AshDec plant for phosphorus recovery. The laboratory scale trials as well as the semi-industrial scale campaign provided valuable insights into the operating parameters of the process and the plant. As a result, for example, the temperature range could be significantly lowered, and the additive addition reduced by approx. 20 %. They have further shown that the AshDec process is not susceptible to operating fluctuations and that the product can be consistently produced at high quality. With the selection of suitable operating parameters, heavy metals (As, Pb, Cd, (Zn)) can be removed. Within the campaign, about 1.5 t of fertilizer for the plant trials in CLOOP could be produced. An AshDec plant process was digitally created in simulation software, allowing valuable process parameters to be simulated at various operating parameters. On this basis, a full-scale plant was designed. The data obtained in the project were used for a detailed economic analysis including a sensitivity analysis. It was possible to show under which conditions this plant can be operated economically.
At BAM, the AshDec fertilizer was synthesized with different additives and then applied to plant experiments at Uni Bonn. The goal hereby was to check differences in plant uptake. Because of the promising results of AshDec synthesized with sodium-carbonate and because this AshDec version does not require special off gas treatment for sulfur recovery (compared to AshDec synthesized with sodium-sulfate), all project partners agreed on continuing working with this AshDec variation. It was then used as a raw P-source for formulating it into NPK-fertilizers, by granulation with ammonium-sulfate and straw ash as potassium source. These recycling fertilizers were applied to plant- and field experiments by project partners in Brazil (University of Sao Paulo) and Australia (University of Queensland). Furthermore, in leaching experiments, the solubility of phosphorus in AshDec was compared to triple super phosphate. The experiments were carried out on soils with a varying phosphorus buffering index. Results show, that the phosphorus form in AshDec is way less soluble in water. This indicates that AshDec has the potential for a so-called next generation fertilizer – a fertilizer which’s nutrients remain in the soil and supply the plant according to its needs. At the moment, this behavior gets examined more in depth in lysimeter experiments in cooperation with University of Technology Berlin.
The focus of KWB is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of different NextGen fertilizers to evaluate the entire process chain from recovery to fertilizer application. The NextGen fertilizer is credited by the amount of plant available nutrients in the product, which replace nutrients from conventional fertilizer. The LCA covers N-struvite precipitation from municipal wastewater, K-struvite precipitation from industrial wastewater and the AshDec-product from sewage sludge. The LCA task is almost complete. It could be shown that struvite precipitation has comprehensive environmental benefits, mainly since positive side effects occur in sewage sludge treatment (e.g. reduced sludge volume). In principle, the energetic and ecological profile of the AshDec process compared to direct use of sewage sludge ash cannot be assessed as being generally beneficial or negative. Regarding the global warming potential, the Ashdec process shows that the expenses (e.g. energy, chemicals) cannot be covered by the P fertilizer credit. In contrast, the impact categories “terrestrial acidification potential”, and “freshwater eutrophication potential” show positive results as the credits for conventional fertilizer are higher than the burdens for the process.
At University Bonn, the standardized pot experiments were conducted with several AshDec variations, using ryegrass, soybean, and spinach on a slightly acidic sandy soil and an organic-free standard substrate. P-uptake and biomass production of different AshDec variations were generally like those of triple super phosphate and struvite, and clearly outperformed untreated sewage sludge ash and rock phosphate. Field trials in Australia and Brazil with sugarcane on acidic soils are still ongoing and results are expected by the end of 2021.
Das Jahr 2020 war vor allen Dingen von der Pandemie geprägt, die alle Bereiche des Lebens und Arbeitens beeinflusst hat und immer noch beeinflusst. Dies hat sich auch auf verschiedene Maßnahmen im Zusammenhang mit zugelassenen Produkten ausgewirkt. In diesem Zusammenhang sollen die Punkte kurz aufgeführt werden. Des Weiteren soll aufgezeigt werden, wie bei der Bearbeitung der Richtlinien, der Zulassungstätigkeit und Beurteilung der Produkte an der BAM und im Fachbeirat vorgegangen wird. Darüber hinaus soll noch einmal kurz auf die Entlassung aus der Nachsorgephase eingegangen werden. Am Ende sollen verschiedene aktuelle Fragestellungen des Fachbeirat aufgezeigt werden.
This study shows that formaldehyde Emission results in micro-scale emission chambers are comparable with results in bigger chambers both for particle boards and wooden toys. On the contrary, the WKI flask method was leading to more variable results depending on sample geometry. Thus, microchambers could be used for reliable routine market surveillance. An exposure assessment led to noticeable formaldehyde indoor air concentration values, pointing out the need for an effective Surveillance of such samples.