Sanitär- und Kommunaltechnik; Umwelttechnik
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- 4 Material und Umwelt (33)
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- 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien (15)
- 6.6 Physik und chemische Analytik der Polymere (15)
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- 1.1 Anorganische Spurenanalytik (5)
A systematic series of industrial-relevant polystyrene-based anion exchange resins that are functionalized with hydro- or fluorocarbon chains are compared regarding their adsorption behavior toward perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA) in respect to their charge, chain length, and type of chain. The results clearly show the dominance of electrostatic interactions in the adsorption process as uncharged adsorber materials showed no adsorption at all. In contrast, the charged adsorber materials showed in general a PFCA removal of 80% to 30% over the experiment depending on effluent fraction.
Unexpectedly, for perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) the highest removal rate is found with consistently >90%. Despite observing significant benefits in the adsorption of PFCA for fluoroalkylated adsorbers in comparison to their non-fluorinated counterparts, this effect of fluoroalkylation is comparatively small and can not be clearly attributed to fluorophilic interactions between the fluoroalkyl chains. These findings help clarifying that the introduction of fluorocarbon moieties in adsorber materials is not necessary in order to remove fluorocarbon molecules from the environment.
AbstractMicroplastics (MP) can be detected in all environmental systems. Marine and terrestrial aquatic systems, especially the transported suspended solids, have often been the focus of scientific investigations in the past. Sediments of aquatic river systems, on the other hand, were often ignored due to the time‐consuming sample preparation and analysis procedures. Spectroscopic measurement methods counting particle numbers are hardly suitable as detection methods, because there are plenty of natural particles next to a small number of MP particles. Integral methods, such as thermoanalytical methods are determining the particle mass independently of the inorganic components.In this study, a workflow for sample preparation via density separation and subsequent analysis by thermal extraction desorption‐gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is presented, which leads to representative and homogeneous samples and allows fast and robust MP mass content measurements suitable for routine analysis. Polymers were identified and quantified in all samples. Polyethylene and styrene‐butadiene rubber are the dominant polymers, besides polypropylene and polystyrene. Overall, total polymer masses between 1.18 and 337.0 µg/g could be determined. Highest MP concentrations in riverbed sediment are found in sites characterized by low flow velocities in harbors and reservoirs, while MP concentrations in sandy/gravelly bed sediments with higher flow velocities are small.
Wet-mechanical treatment: Processing of bituminous road construction waste in a jigging machine
(2023)
Jigging machines are used in processing technology in many areas. Examples are the processing of coal, ores, and primary and secondary raw and waste materials. Even small differences in density are offen sufficient for successful sorting. In the work presented here, milled material from road construction waste contaminated with bitumen is to be separated from uncontaminated material. In this way, scarce landfill space could be saved and mineral material be returned to the material cycle.
LIBS‐ConSort: Development of a sensor‐based sorting method for construction and demolition waste
(2023)
AbstractA joint project of partners from industry and research institutions approaches the challenge of construction and demolition waste (CDW) sorting by investigating and testing the combination of laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with near‐infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and visual imaging. Joint processing of information (data fusion) is expected to significantly improve the sorting quality of various materials like concrete, main masonry building materials, organic components, etc., and may enable the detection and separation of impurities such as SO3‐cotaining building materials (gypsum, aerated concrete, etc.)Focusing on Berlin as an example, the entire value chain will be analyzed to minimize economic / technological barriers and obstacles at the cluster level and to sustainably increase recovery and recycling rates.The objective of this paper is to present current progress and results of the test stand development combining LIBS with NIR spectroscopy and visual imaging. In the future, this laboratory prototype will serve as a fully automated measurement setup to allow real‐time classification of CDW on a conveyor belt.
High polarity analyte(s) in aqueous media: determination of L-PFOA and L-PFOS in ground water
(2022)
The CCQM-K156 comparison was coordinated by TUBITAK UME on behalf of the Organic Analysis Working Group (OAWG) of the Comité Consultatif pour la Quantité de Matière (CCQM) for National Measurement Institutes (NMIs) and Designated Institutes (DIs) which provide measurement services in organic analysis under the 'Comité International des Poids et Mesures' Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Perfluoro alkyl substances (PFAS) such as PFOS and PFOA have been used in numerous industrial applications and products. Because of their high stability and resistance to biodegradation, atmospheric photooxidation, direct photolysis and hydrolysis, they are extremely persistent in the environment. The European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive lists PFOS as a priority hazardous substance that poses a significant risk to the aquatic environment. The use of PFOS-containing Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFFs) has been banned since June 2011 in the EU. As relatively water-soluble, effectively non-degradable compounds, PFOS and PFOA migrate to ground water. They are not removed in the conventional drinking water treatment, and therefore cause health risks in polluted areas. The EU Drinking Water Directive and the European Commission has proposed a limit value of 100 ng/L for the sum of 20 PFAS, including PFOS and PFOA.
This study provides the means for assessing measurement capabilities for determination of high polarity measurands in a procedure that requires extraction, clean-up, analytical separation and detection. Successful participation in CCQM-K156 demonstrates measurement capabilities in determining mass fraction of organic compounds, with a molecular mass of 200 g/mol to 700 g/mol, having high polarity pKow -2, in a mass fraction range from 0.5 ng/kg to 500 ng/kg in aqueous media.
Nine NMIs and DIs participated in the CCQM-K156 key comparison. Seven institutes reported their results. SPE was applied in the sample pre-treatment and LC-MS was applied for detection. All participating laboratories applied isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) techniques for quantification. Participants established the metrological traceability of their results using certified reference materials (CRMs) from NMIs with stated traceability; where commercially available high purity materials were used the purity was determined in-house. The CCQM-K156 results for L-PFOA and L-PFOS range from 2.75 ng/kg to 5.50 ng/kg with a % RSD of 19.5 % for L-PFOA and from 2.04 ng/kg to 4.45 ng/kg with a % RSD of 21.3 % for L-PFOS. The KCRV was assigned using a Hierarchical Bayesian Random Effects Model (HB REM) estimator from the values reported by six of the participants. One participant result of L-PFOS and one result of L-PFOA were excluded from the KCRV for technical reasons. The KCRV was 4.9 ng/kg ± 0.4 ng/kg for L-PFOA and 3.8 ng/kg ± 0.4 ng/kg for L-PFOS. The six institutes that were included in the assignment of consensus KCRV all agreed within their standard uncertainties.
To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.
The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Inputs of plastic impurities into the environment via the application of fertilizers are regulated in Germany and the EU by means of ordinances. Robust and fast analytical methods are the basis of legal regulations. Currently, only macro- and large microplastic contents (>1 mm) are measured. Microplastics (1–1,000 µm), are not yet monitored. Thermal analytical methods are suitable for this purpose, which can determine the mass content and can also be operated fully automatically in routine mode. Thermal extraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) allows the identification of polymers and the determination of mass contents in solid samples from natural environments. In accordance with the German or European Commission (EC) Fertiliser Ordinance, composting plants should be monitored for microplastic particles with this method in the future. In this context a compost plant was sampled. At the end of the rotting process, the compost was sieved and separated in a coarse (>1 mm) and a fine fraction (<1 mm). The fine fraction was processed using density separation comparing NaCl and NaI as possible salt alternative and screened for microplastic masses by TED-GC/MS with additional validation and quality assurance experiments. With TED-GC/MS total microplastics mass contents of 1.1–3.0 μg/mg in finished compost could be detected with polyethylene mainly. What differs much to the total mass of plastics in the coarse fraction with up to 60 μg/mg, which were visually searched, identified via ATR-FTIR and gravimetrically weighted.
Kaltwasserzirkulationssysteme haben sich in diversen Bereichen (Kliniken, Hotels, Schiffsbau usw.) etabliert. Die hydraulische Funktionsweise und das Berechnungsverfahren orientieren sich an der bewährten Warmwasser-Zirkulation, dennoch besteht für dieses „neue System“ eine gewisse Einführungsskepsis. Die elementare Anforderung der Trinkwasserverordnung (TrinkwV) besteht darin, dass „Trinkwasser […] so beschaffen sein [muss], dass durch Genuss oder Gebrauch eine Schädigung der menschlichen Gesundheit […] nicht zu besorgen ist.“ Diese Anforderung gilt als erfüllt, wenn mindestens die allgemein anerkannten Regeln der Technik (a.a.R.d.T.) bei Planung, Bau und Betrieb einer Trinkwasser-Installation eingehalten werden, das Trinkwasser den mikrobiologischen, chemischen, radiologischen Anforderungen der TrinkwV entspricht und es rein und genusstauglich ist. Da die Kaltwasserzirkulation aktuell noch dem Stand der Technik zuzuschreiben ist und die Einhaltung chemischer Anforderungen in Bezug auf erhöhte Schwermetallmigration in der Diskussion steht, wurden entsprechende chemische Parameter in Bestandsanlagen untersucht. Die Ergebnisse werden nachfolgend vorgestellt und sollen Betreibern, Fachplanern und ausführenden Fachunternehmen die Vorteile des Systems aufzeigen und Unsicherheiten ausräumen.
Une transition mondiale vers des systèmes énergétiques plus durables, abordables et fiables a été initiée par l’accord de Paris et l’Agenda 2030 des Nations unies pour un développement durable. Il s’agit là d’un défi industriel majeur car les systèmes et infrastructures énergétiques résilients au changement climatique exigent de se positionner pour le long terme. Se pencher sur le comportement dans la durée des matériaux structurels - principalement des métaux et des alliages - s’impose alors comme une nécessité. Dans cette optique, « La corrosion : un défi pour une société durable »présente une série de cas montrant l’importance de la tenue à la corrosion et de la protection anticorrosion des métaux et des alliages pour le développement de systèmes durables, économiques et fiables de production d’énergie.
Wie können industriell synthetisierte Schadstoffe aus einer Stoffklasse quantifiziert werden, deren genauer Umfang unbekannt ist und auf mehrere tausend Verbindungen geschätzt wird? Im Falle der per- und polyfluorierten alkylierten Substanzen (PFAS) stellen sich Wissenschaftler*innen weltweit seit über zehn Jahren diese Frage. Neben der etablierten Methodik der Einzelstoffanalytik (engl. target analytic) existieren Summenparameteranalysen zur Quantifizierung
organisch gebundener fluorierter Verbindungen in Umweltmedien und Konsumprodukten. An der Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) beschäftigen wir uns mit der Weiterentwicklung von Summenparametermethoden am Beispiel von PFAS-belasteten Umweltkompartimenten wie Böden, Klärschlämmen und Gewässerproben sowie PFAS-haltigen Konsumgütern. In diesem Beitrag stellen wir zwei ausgewählte Fallbeispiele vor und diskutieren die Vor- und Nachteile der Methoden im Vergleich zur Einzelstoffanalytik.
A new concept for the ecotoxicological assessment of plastics under consideration of aging processes
(2023)
Microplastics are widely distributed in aquatic and terrestrial environments, but up to now less is known about (eco)toxicological impacts under realistic conditions. Research so far has focused mainly on impacts on organisms by fresh, single‐origin plastic fragments or beads. However, plastics found in the environment are complex in composition, this means different polymer types and sources, with and without additives and in all stages of age, and therefore, in a more or less advanced stage of degradation. For oxidized degradation products that might be released from plastic materials during aging, there is a lack of information on potentially adverse effects on aquatic biota. The latter is of particular interest as oxidized degradation products might become more water soluble due to higher polarity and are more bioavailable, therefore. The present study focused on plastic leachates of polystyrene (PS) and polylactic acid (PLA), which were derived from alternating stress by hydrolysis and ultraviolet (UV) radiation—representing a realistic scenario in the environment. Test specimens of PS, PLA, or a PLA/PS layer (each 50%) were alternately exposed to UV radiation for 5 days followed by hydrolysis for 2 days, for several weeks alternating. Ecotoxicological effects of the storage water (artificial freshwater) of the test specimens and additionally, in a second experimental setup, the effects of five potential polymer degradation products were detected by 72 h algae growth inhibition tests with Desmodesmus subspicatus. Results clearly indicate inhibitory effects on algae growth by contaminants in the storage water of stressed plastics with increasing growth inhibition of proceeding hydrolysis and UV stress times. Different polymers caused variable inhibitions of algae growth with stronger inhibitions by PS and less effects by PLA and the mixed layer of both. Moreover, not microplastic particles but the resulting dissolved degradation products after aging caused the ecotoxicological effects—with strong effects by the oxidized degradation products. The existing data highlight the relevance of plastic aging as a framework for microplastic ecotoxicity evaluation and allow a proof of concept.
The interaction of microcroplastics (MP) with dissolved organic matter, especially humic substances, is of great importance in understanding the behavior of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems. Surface modification by humic substances plays an essential role in transport and interaction of MP with abiotic and biotic components. Previous studies on the interaction between MP and humic substances were largely based on a model compound, humic acid (Sigma-Aldrich). In our work, we therefore investigated the interaction of natural organic matter (NOM) sampled from a German surface water with low-density polyethylene particles (LDPE). Highpressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and UV/vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the incubation solutions after modifications due to the presence of LDPE, and Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize the incubated microplastics. While the studies of the solutions generally showed only very small effects, Raman spectroscopic studies allowed clear evidence of the binding of humic fractions to MP. The comparison of the incubation of NOM and a lignite fulvic acid which also was tested further showed that specific signatures of the humic substances used could be detected by Raman spectroscopy. This provides an elegant opportunity to conduct broader studies on this issue in the future.
A fast method for microplastic detection is thermal extraction desorption‐gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED‐GC/MS), which uses polymer‐specific thermal decomposition products as marker compounds to determine polymer mass contents in environmental samples. So far, matrix impacts of different environmental matrices on TED‐GC/MS performance had not yet been assessed systematically. Therefore, three solid freshwater matrices representing different aquatic bodies with varying organic matter contents were spiked with a total of eight polymers. Additionally, for the first time, the two biodegradable polymers polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) and polylactide (PLA) were analysed using TED‐GC/MS. The methodological focus of this work was on detectability, quality of signal formation as well as realisation of quantification procedures and determination of the limit of detection (LOD) values. Overall, TED‐GC/MS allowed the unambiguous detection of the environmentally most relevant polymers analysed, even at low mass contents: 0.02 wt% for polystyrene (PS), 0.04 wt% for the tyre component styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and 0.2 wt% for polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and PBAT. Further, all obtained LOD values were increased in all matrices compared to the neat polymer without matrix. The LOD of the standard polymers were increased similarly (PS: 0.21–0.34 μg, SBR: 0.27–0.38 μg, PP: 0.32–0.36 μg, PMMA: 0.64–1.30 μg, PET: 0.90–1.37 μg, PE: 3.80–6.99 μg) and their decompositions by radical scission processes were not significantly influenced by the matrices. In contrast, matrixspecific LOD increases of both biodegradable polymers PBAT (LOD: 1.41–7.18 μg) and PLA (0.84–20.46 μg) were observed, probably due to their hetero‐functional character and interactions with the matrices. In conclusion, the TED‐GC/MS performance is not solely determined by the type of the polymers but also by the composition of the matrix.
Microplastic particles with sizes between 1 to 1000 μm are widely distributed worldwide. Origin, transport pathways and fate are poorly known, as sampling, sample preparation and detection methods are major challenges. In addition, reference materials that mimic environmental particles are lacking. Most challenging is the yield of MP particle production and the need for resource-intensive grinding with liquid nitrogen. In this paper, a machine is designed to produce aged microplastic particles as reference material candidates with high yield. The machine is based on ultraviolet aging of a thin foil and mechanical fragmentation using clean air. An example of aging and fragmentation of high density polyethylene with additional physical and chemical characterization of shape, size, aging state by carbonyl index and density is presented.
Showcasing research from the Federal Institute for Material Research and Testing Berlin and Fraunhofer Institute for Celltherapy and Immunology Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses Potsdam.
Bio-SAXS of single-stranded DNA-binding proteins: Radiation protection by the compatible solute ectoine.
We aimed to increase the possible undisturbed exposure time during bio-SAXS measurements of single-stranded DNA-binding proteins. Therefore small angle X-ray scattering was performed on Gene-V Protein (G5P/GVP), which is involved in DNA repair processes. To achieve this, irradiations were performed in presence and absence of the hydroxyl-radical scavenger and osmolyte Ectoine, which showed efficient radiation protection and prevented protein aggregation, thus allows for a non-disturbing way to improve structure-determination of biomolecules.
Permanente und nachhaltige Deckung von Grundbedürfnissen der Nahrungs- und Materialversorgung, aber auch das Ausnutzen von Arbeitshilfen, der Gebrauch von Versuchstieren in der Wissenschaft und die Freude an tierischer Begleitung in der Freizeit waren Beweggründe für die Domestikation von Tieren. Haustiere gehen auf eine zu ihrer Art gehörige Stammform einer Wildtierart zurück. Haustier und Wildtier sind somit Angehörige einer biologischen Spezies. Bei der Domestikation von Tieren spielte zwischenartliche Introgression keine Rolle. Die Domestikation von Haustieren durch Separation von kleinen Gruppen von Wildtieren erfolgte nur wenige Male an wenigen Orten (primäre Domestikationszentren). Haustiere bilden artübergreifend auffällig ähnliche morphologische und ethologische Merkmale aus (Domestikationssyndrom). Domestikation bei Wirbeltieren erfolgt primär über Selektion auf zutrauliches und zahmes Verhalten und unterliegt einem sehr komplexen pleiotropen Netzwerk von Regelkreisen. Die Domestikation ist ein koevolutiver Prozess und das Resultat eines bilateralen wechselseitigen Zusammenfindens von Prädispositionen und reziproken Valenzen der jeweiligen Partner von Haustier und Mensch.
This study reflects typical consumer textile washing behaviour while taking into account existing standards in the household appliance and garment industries. Two garments were washed repeatedly with artificial dirt and detergent 30 times. The collected washing water was separated using fractional filtration. Textile physical tests were used to follow property changes of the garments, the microplastic release is determined using thermoextraction/desorbtion–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and the total organic carbon was measured as a sum parameter for the organic bonded carbon. This article shows the importance of a reality‐based approach when investigating microplastics of textile origin in the laundry care process. Deposits of detergent and dirt on the textiles were detected. The total mass of sieve residues was much higher than the release of synthetic polymers. The cotton content of the garments causes a much higher fibre release than synthetic fibres. Both will lead to false results by purely gravimetric analysis because nonpolymer fibres will be included microplastic mass. The results cannot be generalised only by the main polymer type, knowledge of the textile construction must be included for final evaluation.
In recent years, thermoextraction/desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) has been developed as a rapid detection method for the determination of microplastics (MP) mass contents in numerous environmentally relevant matrices and, in particular, for the measurement of polymers in water samples without time-consuming sample preparation. The TED-GC/MS method was applied to investigate a typical European municipal wastewater system for possible MP masses. Such investigations are important in view of the recent revision of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Four different representative sampling sites were selected: greywater (domestic wastewater without toilet), combined sewer, and influent and effluent of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). All samples were collected by fractional filtration. Filtration was carried out over mesh sizes of 500, 100, 50, and in some cases, 5 µm. Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) were detected in all samples, with the PE fraction dominating in all cases. Styrene-butadiene rubber which serves as an indication of tire abrasion, was only found in the influent of the WWTP. The highest MP mass contents were found in the combined sewer, so MP can become a source of pollution during heavy rain events when the capacity limits of the effluent are reached, and the polluted effluent is released uncontrolled into the environment. Based on the studies, MP retention from the WWTP could be estimated to be approximately 96%. Few trends in polymer type or mass contents were detected within the different fractions of the samples or when comparing samples to each other.
Tracking waterborne microplastic (MP) in urban areas is a challenging task because of the various sources and transport pathways involved. Since MP occurs in low concentrations in most wastewater and stormwater streams, large sample volumes need to be captured, prepared, and carefully analyzed. The recent research in urban areas focused mainly on MP emissions at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), as obvious entry points into receiving waters. However, important transport pathways under wet-weather conditions are yet not been investigated thoroughly. In addition, the lack of comprehensive and comparable sampling strategies complicated the attempts for a deeper understanding of occurrence and sources. The goal of this paper is to (i) introduce and describe sampling strategies for MP at different locations in a municipal catchment area under dry and wet-weather conditions, (ii) quantify MP emissions from the entire catchment and two other smaller ones within the bigger catchment, and (iii) compare the emissions under dry and wet-weather conditions. WWTP has a high removal rate of MP (>96%), with an estimated emission rate of 189 kg/a or 0.94 g/[population equivalents (PEQ · a)], and polyethylene (PE) as the most abundant MP. The specific dry-weather emissions at a subcatchment were ≈30 g/(PEQ · a) higher than in the influent of WWTP with 23 g/(PEQ · a). Specific wet-weather emissions from large sub-catchment with higher traffic and population densities were 1952 g/(ha · a) higher than the emissions from smaller catchment (796 g/[ha · a]) with less population and traffic. The results suggest that wet-weather transport pathways are likely responsible for 2–4 times more MP emissions into receiving waters compared to dry-weather ones due to tire abrasion entered from streets through gullies. However, more investigations of wet-weather MP need to be carried out considering additional catchment attributes and storm event characteristics.
Estrogens are endocrine disrupting chemicals and of high concerns due to demonstrated harmful effects on the environment and low effect levels. For monitoring and risk assessment, several estrogens were included in the "watch list" of the EU Water Framework Directive which sets very low environmental quality standard (EQS) levels for Estrone (E1) and 17β-Estradiol (E2) of 0.4 ng L−1 and for 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2) of 0.035 ng L−1 requiring sensitive detection methods, as well as extensive sample preparation. A sensitive, derivatization-free, isotope dilution calibration HPLC-MS/MS method for a panel of 5 selected estrogens (including the 3 estrogens of the EU WFD watchlist), and a procedure for the reproducible preparation of a representative whole water matrix including mineral water, humic acids and solid particulate matter are presented. These are used in a diligent comparison of classical solid phase extraction (SPE) on hydrophilic-lipophilic balanced (HLB) phase to SPE on an estrogen-specific molecularly imprinted polymer phase (MISPE) for ultra-trace levels of the analytes (1–10 ng L−1). Additionally, a two-step procedure combining HLB SPE disks followed by MISPE is evaluated. The tow-step procedure provides superior enrichment, matrix removal and sample throughput while maintaining comparable recovery rates to simple cartridge SPE. Estimated method quantification limits (MQLs) range from 0.109–0.184 ng L−1 and thus meet EQS-levels for E1 and E2, but not EE2. The representative whole water matrix provides a reproducible comparison of sample preparation methods and lays the foundation for a certified reference material for estrogen analysis. The presented method will serve as the basis for an extended validation study to assess its use for estrogen monitoring in the environment.
Flexible, niedrigdichte Schäume aus Biokunststoffen im Extrusionsverfahren herzustellen war bisher industriell noch nicht möglich. Im Verarbeitungstechnikum Biopolymere des Fraunhofer IAP wurde in einem Projekt die Eignung von PBS-basierten Biokunststofftypen für Schaumanwendungen erforscht und weiterentwickelt.
Water treatment with activated carbon (AC) is an established method for the removal of organic micropollutants and natu ral organic matter. However, it is not yet possible to predict the removal of individual pollutants. An appropriate material characterization, matching adsorption processes in water, might be the missing piece in the puzzle. To this end, this study examined 25 diferent commercially available ACs to evaluate their material properties. Frequently reported analyses, including N2 adsorption/desorption, CHNS(O), point of zero charge (PZC) analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, were conducted on a selected subset of powdered ACs. Inorganic elements examined using X-ray fuorescence and X-ray difraction spectroscopy revealed that relative elemental contents were distinctive to the individual AC’s raw material and activation procedure. This study also is the frst to use thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled to Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to conduct quantitative analyses of functional surface oxygen groups (SOGs: carboxylic acid, anhydride, lactone, phenol, carbonyl, and pyrone groups) on such a large number of ACs. The comparably economical TGA method was found to provide good surrogates for the PZC by pyrolytic mass loss up to 600 ◦C (ML600), for the oxygen content by ML1000 and for the carbon content by oxidation. Mass loss profles depict the AC’s chemistry like fngerprints. Furthermore, we found that SOG contents determined by TGA-FTIR covered a wide individual range and depended on the raw material and production process of the AC. TGA and TGA-FTIR might therefore be used to identify the suitability of a particular AC for a variety of target substances in diferent target waters. This can help practitioners to control AC use in waterworks or wastewater treatment plants.
Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a promising candidate for low-cost, nondestructive, and highthroughput mass quantification of microplastics in environmental samples. Widespread application of the technique is currently hampered mainly by the low sensitivity of NIR spectroscopy compared to thermoanalytical approaches commonly used for this type of analysis. This study shows how the application of NIR spectroscopy for mass quantification of microplastics can be extended to smaller analyte levels by combining it with a simple and rapid microplastic enrichment protocol. For this purpose, the widely used flotation of microplastics in a NaCl solution, accelerated by centrifugation, was chosen which allowed to remove up to 99 % of the matrix at recovery rates of 83–104 %. The spectroscopic measurements took place directly on the stainless-steel filters used to collect the extracted particles to reduce sample handling to a minimum. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) models were used to identify and quantify the extracted microplastics in the mass range of 1–10 mg.
The simple and fast extraction procedure was systematically optimized to meet the requirements for the quantification of microplastics from common PE-, PP-, and PS-based packaging materials with a particle size < 1 mm found in compost or soils with high natural organic matter content (> 10 % determined by loss on ignition). Microplastics could be detected in model samples at a mass fraction of 1 mg g-1. The detectable microplastic mass fraction is about an order of magnitude lower compared to previous studies using NIR spectroscopy without additional enrichment. To emphasize the cost-effectiveness of the method, it was implemented using some of the cheapest and most
compact NIR spectrometers available.
An investigation of microplastic (MP) occurrence in a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent with tertiary treatment was carried out. Representative sample volumes of 1 m3 were taken by applying a fractionated filtration method (500, 100, and 50 µm mesh sizes). The detection of MP mass fractions by thermal extraction desorption–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) was achieved without the previously required additional sample pretreatment for the first time. Different types of quantification methods for the evaluation of TED-GC/MS data were tested, and their accuracy and feasibility have been proven for real samples. Polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene were identified in effluent samples. The polymer mass content varied significantly between 5 and 50 mg m−3. A correlation between the MP load and the quantity of suspended matter in the WWTP effluents, particle size distribution, particle type, and operation day (i.e., weekday, season, and capacity) was not found. It can be concluded that a meaningful assessment of WWTPs requires a comprehensive sampling campaign with varying operation conditions.
Rechtliche Vorgaben der Klärschlammverordnung und deren Auswirkungen auf die Phosphor-Rückgewinnung
(2022)
Im Abfalltechnik-Ausschuss der Bund/Länder-Arbeitsgemeinschaft Abfall (LAGA) wurde eine Vollzugshilfe zur Klärschlammverordnung erarbeitet, die nach Verabschiedung durch die Umweltministerkonferenz Mitte Mai 2020 als LAGA-Merkblatt M-39 veröffentlicht wurde. Im vorliegenden vierten Arbeitsbericht der DWA-Arbeitsgruppe KEK-1.1 werden verschiedene Aspekte der ab dem Jahr 2029 geltenden Regelungen aufgegriffen und damit einige Punkte des LAGA M-39 hinsichtlich der technischen Auswirkungen für den Kläranlagenbetreiber konkret ausgeführt.
Zur Weiterentwicklung der Probenpräsentation wurde ein Adapter entwickelt, der Emissionsprüfkammer und Bewertungstrichter miteinander verbindet und dadurch eine der direkten Messung vergleichbare Geruchsbewertung ermöglicht. Die analytischen Messungen zeigen, dass es kaum Unterschiede in der Zusammensetzung der Probenluft in der Kammer im Vergleich zum Probenbehälter gibt. Bei den olfaktorischen Messungen kam es jedoch bei der Bewertung der Probenluft mit Hilfe des Adapters zu Minderbefunden. Anschließende Untersuchungen zeigten, dass beim Ausschalten des Geräts Umgebungsluft über den Trichter in den Adapter strömt und zu einer Verdünnung der Probenluft führt. Um dies zu vermeiden, werden derzeit weitere Messungen durchgeführt.
Eine weitere Versuchsreihe wurde durchgeführt, um den Messaufwand bei der Bewertung der empfundenen Intensität zu reduzieren. Die entwickelte „größer-oder-kleiner/gleich“ Abfrage kann hier hilfreich sein. Die Untersuchungen im Luftqualitätslabor und im Rahmen eines Ringversuches mit verschiedenen Laboren, zeigen, dass die Abfrage in fast allen Fällen zu den gleichen Ergebnissen führt, wie die normgerechte aber aufwendigere Ermittlung der empfundenen Intensität mithilfe des Vergleichsmaßstabes.
Warum eine Kreislaufwirtschaft ohne Abfallverbrennung nicht funktionieren wird, beschreibt die Dechema im Positionspapier „Abfallverbrennung in der Zukunft“. Experten der Fachgruppe „Abfallbehandlung und Wertstoffrückgewinnung“ von ProcessNet, einer gemeinsamen Initiative der Dechema und der VDI-Gesellschaft Verfahrenstechnik und Chemieingenieurwesen, haben es erstellt.
Per- und polyfluorierte Alkylsubstanzen (PFAS) bilden eine sehr komplexe Schadstoffgruppe mit über 6300 Einzelsubstanzen, die in vielfältiger Form in die Umwelt eingetragen werden. Für ein effektives Monitoring dieser Schadstoffklasse benötigt es ein Zusammenspiel aus Summenparameter-Analytik zur hot-spot-Identifizierung und Klassifizierung von Belastungssituationen sowie einer nachgeschalteten target-Analytik zur Identifizierung von Eintragswegen, die zugleich ein tieferes Verständnis von Transformationsprozessen ermöglicht. In diesem Beitrag präsentieren wir eine optimierte Extraktions-Methode für die PFAS-Summenparameteranalytik. Mit Hilfe dieser können bisher verwendete zeit- und kostenintensive Festphasenextraktionen (SPE) umgangen und PFAS-Extraktionseffizienzen gesteigert werden. Die methodische Bestimmungsgrenze (LOQ) war mit 10,30 μg/kg (Fluor pro Bodenprobe) ausreichend für alle 9 untersuchten Realbodenproben.
Plants and microorganisms, besides the climate, drive nitrogen (N) cycling in ecosystems. Our objective was to investigate N losses and N acquisition strategies along a unique ecosystem-sequence (ecosequence) ranging from arid shrubland through Mediterranean woodland to temperate rainforest. These ecosystems differ in mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperate, and vegetation cover, but developed on similar granitoid soil parent material, were addressed using a combination of molecular biology and soil biogeochemical tools. Soil N and carbon (C) contents, δ15N signatures, activities of N acquiring extracellular enzymes as well as the abundance of soil bacteria and fungi, and diazotrophs in bulk topsoil and rhizosphere were determined. Relative fungal abundance in the rhizosphere was higher under woodland and forest than under shrubland. This indicates toward plants' higher C investment into fungi in the Mediterranean and temperate rainforest sites than in the arid site. Fungi are likely to decompose lignified forest litter for efficient recycling of litter-derived N and further nutrients. Rhizosphere—a hotspot for the N fixation—was enriched in diazotrophs (factor 8 to 16 in comparison to bulk topsoil) emphasizing the general importance of root/microbe association in N cycle. These results show that the temperate rainforest is an N acquiring ecosystem, whereas N in the arid shrubland is strongly recycled. Simultaneously, the strongest 15N enrichment with decreasing N content with depth was detected in the Mediterranean woodland, indicating that N mineralization and loss is highest (and likely the fastest) in the woodland across the continental transect. Higher relative aminopeptidase activities in the woodland than in the forest enabled a fast N mineralization. Relative aminopeptidase activities were highest in the arid shrubland. The highest absolute chitinase activities were observed in the forest. This likely demonstrates that (a) plants and microorganisms in the arid shrubland invest largely into mobilization and reutilization of organically bound N by exoenzymes, and (b) that the ecosystem N nutrition shifts from a peptide-based N in the arid shrubland to a peptide- and chitin-based N nutrition in the temperate rainforest, where the high N demand is complemented by intensive N fixation in the rhizosphere.
Die große Herausforderung in der Detektion von Mikroplastik (MP)‑Partikeln (1-1000 µm) besteht darin, sie neben Millionen von natürlichen Partikeln in Umweltproben nachzuweisen. Zum Aufspüren von Senken, Eintragspfaden und für Monitoring-Kampagnen ist ein schnelles, automatisiertes Verfahren unerlässlich. Ein solches Verfahren wurde an der Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) mit der ThermoExtraktion/Desorption-Gaschromatographie-Massenspektrometrie (TED-GC/MS) in den letzten Jahren entwickelt.
Schwarze mikrokoloniale Pilze besiedeln zunehmend von Menschen geschaffene Habitate, wie schadstoffbelastete Böden, Statuen, Gebäudefassaden und Dächer. Sie verfärben und zersetzen die Oberflächen von anfälligen Materialien oder reduzieren die Lichtausbeute von Solaranlagen. Die Biologie dieser Pilze und ihre Relevanz für die Materialforschung stehen im Fokus unserer Studien an der Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM). Mit einer Kollektion schwarzer Pilze, die von Solaranlagen isoliert wurden, bringen wir klima- und materialrelevante Biodiversität in den Stammbaum des Lebens. Die Überlebensstrategien dieser Organismen versuchen wir mit molekularbiologischen und genetischen Untersuchungsansätzen zu entschlüsseln.
Portable, antikörperbasierte Analysenverfahren für die Schadstofferfassung im Wasserkreislauf
(2021)
Die Wasseranalytik wird bestimmt von zwei Hauptbedarfen, einerseits der Erfassung der Gewässergüte und Grundwassergüte als Basis für die Bereitstellung einwandfreien Trinkwassers und zum anderen des Monitorings der Wasserqualität in den Prozessen der Wasseraufbereitung und der Abwasserreinigung. Für beide Anwendungsbereiche ist eine laborbasierte Analytik eher hinderlich, werden die Analysenergebnisse doch eigentlich vor Ort benötigt, um etwa Beprobungskampagnen rasch anpassen zu können. Des Weiteren werden die Daten auch schnell benötigt, um zeitnah in die technischen Prozesse einzugreifen. Organische Kontaminanten werden meist über chromatographische Verfahren, häufig gekoppelt mit einer massenspektrometrischen Detektion, in instrumentellen Labormethoden erfasst, und die hochauflösende Massenspektrometrie und die Non-target-Analytik haben viel zum Wissen über das Vorkommen, insbesondere von sogenannten „Emerging Contaminants“, beigetragen, sowie zum Verständnis der beteiligten Eintragspfade und Abbauwege. Moderne, portable Analysenmethoden und insbesondere Sensoren werden zukünftig aber ihren Platz in der Schadstofferfassung im Wasserkreislauf einnehmen. Dies gilt insbesondere für antikörperbasierte Analysenverfahren, da erst diese oft die nötige Selektivität und Sensitivität in die Detektionsmethoden einbringen.
Due to its large mineral fraction, incineration bottom ash (IBA) from municipal solid waste incineration is an interesting raw material that can be used for road construction or to produce secondary building materials. However, leaching chloride, sulfate, and potentially harmful heavy metals may cause problems in using IBA in civil engineering. Investigating leaching behavior is crucial for the assessment of the environmental compatibility of IBA applications. Various test procedures are available for that purpose. In the present study, a long-term leaching test of a wet-mechanically treated IBA was performed in a lysimeter for almost six years.
While concentrations of chloride, sulfate and the majority of the heavy metals started to decrease rapidly with progressive liquid-to-solid ratio (L/S), antimony (Sb) and vanadium (V) behaved differently. At the beginning of the lysimeter test, the Sb and V concentrations were low, but after approximately one year of operation at an L/S ratio of around 0.8 L/kg, a steady increase was observed. It was shown that this increase is the result of low Ca concentrations due to the formation of CaCO3.
With the data, the solubility products from Ca-antimonate and Ca-vanadate were calculated. The unusual leaching behavior of Sb and V should be kept in mind when considering field scenarios and evaluating the impact on the environment.
Viele Menschen erfreuen sich an Schmetterlingen. Besonders die farbfrohen Tagfalter lösen angenehme Gefühle aus. In der kulturellen Entomologie haben Schmetterlinge daher einen hohen Stellenwert, so auch in der schöngeistigen Literatur. Eine aktuelle stichprobenartige Untersuchung von 54 Büchern der deutschsprachigen Belletristik mit Insektenbezug im Titel oder auf dem Cover zeigte, dass sich zwei Drittel von ihnen des Schmetterlingnarrativs bedienten. Die folgende Analyse setzte das Ergebnis in einen historischen Bezug zur Verwendung von Insektenvorbildern in der Unterhaltungsliteratur und in Autorenbiografien. Die besondere Stellung der Schmetterlinge wird dabei geschichtlich als Relikt einer kulturellen Genese mit mythologisch-religiösen Wurzeln interpretiert. Im antiken Griechenland wurde die Bezeichnung Psyche mit bewusster Doppelbedeutung für Schmetterling und Seele verwendet. Im Hellenismus wurden die Seele und Seelenwesen wie z. B. die Daimons (Genien) oftmals mit Schmetterlingsflügeln dargestellt. Auch in den levantinischen Religionen wurden einzelne Gottheiten und Schutzgeister mit Flügeln nach Schmetterlingsart, jedoch aus Vogelfedern bestehend, abgebildet. Mit der Entstehung und Verbreitung der monotheistischen Lehren gingen viele dieser geflügelten Glaubenswesen dann in die Engelschöre über. Auch wenn die Flügel der Engel letztendlich wahrscheinlich von denen der Vögel abzuleiten sind, bleibt ein starker emotionaler Bezug zu den Schmetterlingen, der weit über den rein ästhetischen ausstrahlt.
Ein wesentliches Ziel der deutschen Industriepolitik besteht darin, Rahmenbedingungen zu schaffen, welche die Positionierung nachhaltiger Produkte und Prozesse innerhalb globaler Wertschöpfungsketten ermöglichen und ökoeffiziente Fertigungsprozesse langfristig sichern. In diesem Beitrag werden aktuelle Forschungsarbeiten zur Bewertung der Umweltwirkungen der schweißtechnischen Fertigungskette anhand ausgewählter Schmelzschweißverfahren unter Berücksichtigung vor- sowie nachgelagerter Fertigungsschritte dargestellt. Eine weit verbreitete und standardisierte Methode zur Abschätzung der Umweltwirkungen eines Produkts oder Prozesses ist die Ökobilanzierung. Hierbei stellen die Sachbilanzierung, das heißt die Ermittlung sämtlicher relevanter Energie- und Ressourcenverbräuche
während der schweißtechnischen Fertigung, aufgrund des hohen Dokumentationsaufwands, sowie die Ableitung assoziierter Wirkkategorien das größte Hindernis für eine Etablierung und Akzeptanz der Ökobilanzierung in der Praxis dar. Gleichwohl wird seitens Unternehmen, welche als Zulieferer von OEM’s (engl.: original equipment manufacturer) agieren, die Dokumentation des fertigungsspezifischen CO2-Verbrauches gefordert.
Ein weiterer Aspekt der Arbeiten beinhaltet Methoden zur automatisierten Erfassung von schweißtechnischen Produktionsdaten sowie deren Nachverfolgbarkeit. Anhand unterschiedlicher Schweißverfahren werden die aus den Produktionsdaten abgeleiteten Energie- und Ressourcenverbräuche automatisiert in die relevanten Umweltwirkungen überführt. Die analysierten Schweißprozesse umfassen dabei ein breites für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen (KMU) relevantes Spektrum. Durch die softwareseitige Bereitstellung der aufgestellten Umweltprofile ist der Anwender in der Lage, Schweißprozesse unter ökologischen Aspekten zu bewerten und die effizienteste Variante zu identifizieren.
Der Bedarf nach schnellen und kostengünstigen Analysemethoden in der (Trink-)Wasseranalytik steigt mit dem zunehmenden Eintrag pharmazeutisch aktiver Substanzen in die Umwelt.
Insbesondere die Kontamination mit Antibiotika erscheint neben ökotoxikologischen Effekten vor allem in Hinblick auf die Evolution resistenter Keime im Wasser besorgniserregend.
Wir berichten hier über die Entwicklung eines magnetpartikelbasierten Immunoassays (MBBA) zur Detektion des Breitbandantibiotikums Amoxicillin (AMX) in Wasserproben, der im Vergleich zum entsprechenden Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) eine wesentlich kürzere Analysendauer sowie einen breiteren Messbereich mit niedrigerer Nachweisgrenze aufweist. Das angewendete Assayprinzip ist dabei leicht auf weitere Analyten übertragbar und ermöglicht die Implementierung in einen Immunosensor.
The scientific and practical challenge of detecting microplastics (MPs) in the environment in a targeted and rapid manner is solved by innovative coupling of thermogravimetric analysis with mass spectrometric methods.
Fast identification and quantitative determination of most thermoplastic polymers and elastomers is possible by using thermal extraction Desorption gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TED-GC–MS).
Die Thermische Abfallbehandlung in Abfallverbrennungsanlagen sorgt für eine Inertisierung des Restmülls bei gleichzeitiger Minimierung von abgas- und abwasserseitigen Emissionen. Da der Großteil der Rückstände in verwertbare Sekundärprodukte überführt wird, fördert die thermische Abfallbehandlung die Verwirklichung einer Circular Economy in Europa.
The influence of interfacial pH between AISI 4135 steel and seawater under different polarization potentials on the formation of calcareous deposits has been studied. An interfacial pH of 9.61 at −0.9 V vs. SCE using state of the art iridium oxide microelectrode was found to be the critical pH for the precipitation of magnesium hydroxide. Calcareous deposits with a double-layer structure comprising an inner-brucite layer and an outer-aragonite layer were found to form at potentials between −1.0 V and −1.2 V vs. SCE. Furthermore, the facilitation of hydrogen permeation into steel induced by the formation of calcareous deposits was verified using the Devanathan-Stachurski electrochemical test. The mechanism of calcareous deposits facilitates hydrogen permeation into steel is related to its inhibition on hydrogen recombination and escape processes.
Microbial communities in the immediate environment of socialized invertebrates can help to suppress pathogens, in part by synthesizing bioactive natural products. Here we characterized the core microbiomes of three termite species (genus Coptotermes) and their nest material to gain more insight into the diversity of termite-associated bacteria.
Sampling a healthy termite colony over time implicated a consolidated and highly stable microbiome, pointing toward the fact that beneficial bacterial phyla play a major role in termite fitness. In contrast, there was a significant shift in the composition of the core microbiome in one nest during a fungal infection, affecting the abundance of wellcharacterized Streptomyces species (phylum Actinobacteria) as well as less-studied bacterial phyla such as Acidobacteria. High-throughput cultivation in microplates was implemented to isolate and identify these less-studied bacterial phylogenetic group.
Amplicon sequencing confirmed that our method maintained the bacterial diversity of the environmental samples, enabling the isolation of novel Acidobacteriaceae and expanding the list of cultivated species to include two strains that may define new species within the genera Terracidiphilus and Acidobacterium.
Museumsvitrinen sollen Kunst- und Kulturgut „ins rechte Licht“ setzen und vor Diebstahl oder Vandalismus schützen. Vergleicht man historische Schauvitrinen, die zumeist aus einfachen Glasscheiben in Holzrahmungen bestehen, mit heutigen Konstruktionen, lässt sich eine Entwicklung zu hochtechnisierten Gebilden ablesen, die deutlich mehr Ansprüchen genügen müssen als in der Vergangenheit.
Zahlreiche Beispiele verdeutlichen, dass Kunstwerke nicht nur außerhalb, sondern auch innerhalb von Museen oder Archiven ungünstigen Umwelteinflüssen ausgesetzt sind. So können Einbauten bzw. Dekorationen in Ausstellungsräumen, Aufbewahrungsbehältnisse in Depoträumen oder Ausstellungsvitrinen flüchtige Substanzen, sogenannte VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) freisetzen, die zu irreversiblen Veränderungen an den Objekten führen und diese schädigen. Hierzu zählen organische Säuren, wie Ameisen- oder Essigsäure, aber auch Verbindungen, die Sulfide enthalten. Hier wird die an der BAM entwickelte BEMMA-Bewertungsmethode vorgestellt, die von Museen verwendet werden kann Materialien mit einem geringeren Emissionspotential auszusuchen.
Fluorides are well-known as wood preservatives. One of the limitations of fluoride-based wood preservatives is their high leachability. Alternative to current fluoride salts such as NaF used in wood protection are low water-soluble fluorides. However, impregnation of low water-soluble fluorides into wood poses a challenge. To address this challenge, low water-soluble fluorides like calcium fluoride (CaF2) and magnesium fluoride (MgF2) were synthesized as nanoparticles via the fluorolytic sol−gel synthesis and then impregnated into wood specimens. In this study, the toxicity of nano metal fluorides was assessed by termite mortality, mass loss and visual analysis of treated specimens after eight weeks of exposure to termites, Coptotermes formosanus. Nano metal fluorides with sol concentrations of 0.5 M and higher were found to be effective against termites resulting in 100% termite mortality and significantly inhibited termite feeding. Among the formulations tested, the least damage was found for specimens treated with combinations of CaF2 and MgF2 with an average mass loss less than 1% and visual rating of “1”. These results demonstrate the efficacy of low water-soluble nano metal fluorides to protect wood from termite attack.
In this work the flexural rigidity of individual large diameter multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated. The bending modulus were obtained by detecting the resonance frequencies of mechanically excited cantilevered carbon nanotubes using the so-called dynamic scanning electron microscopy technique, and applying the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. For the nanotubes studied, we determined a modulus of up to 160 GPa. This agrees with values reported by other authors for MWCNTs produced by catalytic chemical vapor deposition, however, it is 6-8 times smaller than values reported for single and multi-walled carbon nanotubes produced by arc-discharge synthesis. Toxicological studies with carbon nanotubes have been showing that inhaled airborne nanofibers that reach the deep airways of the respiratory system may lead to serious, asbestos-like lung diseases. These studies suggested that their toxicity critically depends on the fiber flexural rigidity, with high rigidity causing cell lesions. To complement the correlation between observed toxicological effects and fiber rigidities, reliable and routinely applicable measurement techniques for the flexural rigidity of nanofibers are required.
A simple and fast prediction scheme is presented for train induced ground and building vibrations. Simple models such as (1-dimensional) transfer matrices are used for the vehicle-track-soil interaction and for the building-soil interaction. The wave propagation through layered soils is approximated by a frequency-dependent homogeneous half-space. The prediction is divided into the parts “emission” (excitation by railway traffic), “transmission” (wave propagation through the soil) and “immission” (transfer into a building). The link between the modules is made by the excitation force between emission and transmission, and by the free-field vibration between transmission and immission. All formula for the simple vehicle-track, soil and building models are given in this article. The behaviour of the models is demonstrated by typical examples, that is the mitigation of train vibrations by elastic track elements, the low- and high-frequency cut-offs characteristic for layered soils, and the interacting soil, wall and floor resonances of multi-storey buildings. It is shown that the results of the simple prediction models can well represent the behaviour of the more time-consuming detailed models, the finite-element boundary-element models of the track, the wavenumber integrals for the soil, and the three-dimensional finite-element models of the building. In addition, measurement examples are given for each part of the prediction confirming that the methods provide reasonable results. As the prediction models are fast in calculation, many predictions can be done, for example to assess the environmental effect along a new railway line. The simple models have the additional advantage that the user needs to know only a minimum of parameters. So, the prediction is fast and user-friendly, but also theoretically and experimentally well-founded.
Der Verwertung von Bodenmaterialien wird auf Grund des Volumens dieses Stoffstromes eine hohe umweltpolitische Bedeutung beigemessen. Dabei ist unter Gewährleistung des Vorsorge- und Nachhaltigkeitsprinzips eine möglichst hochwertige Verwertung anzustreben, um natürliche Ressourcen zu schonen und die Beseitigung von Abfällen weitestgehend zu vermeiden.
Die vorgesehene Novelle der BBodSchV enthält in den Paragraphen 6 bis 8 neue Vorgaben hinsichtlich des Auf- und Einbringens von Bodenmaterialien unterhalb oder außerhalb einer durchwurzelbaren Bodenschicht. So soll die Möglichkeit eingeräumt werden, Bodenmaterialien mit Feststoffgehalten von regulierten Stoffen zwischen dem einfachen und doppelten Vorsorgewert einer weiteren Verwertung zuzuführen unter der Voraussetzung, dass die Eluatwerte eingehalten werden.
Im Rahmen eines Forschungsvorhabens des Umweltbundesamtes (FKZ: 3716 74 203 0) wurden unterschiedliche Bodenmaterialien (Baggergut, Bankettschälgut, Stadt- und Auenböden, Bergematerial), die unter diese Kriterien fallen, mit besonderem Fokus auf PAK hinsichtlich ihres Verwertungspotentials untersucht.
Dabei wurden auch die Auswirkungen der Umstellung des Elutionsverfahrens von einem Wasser-Feststoffverhältnis (W/F) von 10 l/kg auf ein W/F von 2 l/kg auf die Einstufung von Bodenmaterialien betrachtet.
Insbesondere für die Stoffgruppe der PAK konnte gezeigt werden, dass sich mit Verabschiedung der neuen Regelungen zusätzliche Verwertungsmöglichkeiten von Bodenmaterialien außerhalb der durchwurzelbaren Bodenschicht eröffnen und deren Deponierung teilweise vermieden werden kann.
Indonesien gilt aufgrund seiner vielen Vulkane als einer der Hotspots für Geothermie. Doch Salz und Hitze setzen den Geothermie‐Anlagen zu und gefährden ihre Sicherheit und Wirtschaftlichkeit. Ein Team an der BAM hat günstigen, lokal verfügbaren Baustahl jetzt so beschichtet, dass ein nachhaltiger und sicherer Betrieb der Geothermie‐Kraftwerke möglich ist ‐ auch unter Extrembedingungen.
Das BAM‐Team will das Beschichtungssystem nun den Anwendern in Indonesien zur Verfügung stellen, damit es unter Realbedingungen in einem Geothermie‐Kraftwerk getestet werden kann. Der Schutz vor Korrosion ist mitentscheidend, weil sie die Lebensdauer dieser Kraftwerke bestimmt. Unsere Arbeit könnte die Effizienz der Energieproduktion mit Geothermie wesentlich verbessern.
Gegenstand dieser Arbeit ist die Untersuchung eines bestehenden pyrometallurgischen Prozesses zur Rückgewinnung von Tantal und Niob aus metallurgischen Reststoffen mit vorwiegend niedriger Wertstoffkonzentration.
Zur näheren Erforschung der im vorliegenden Stoffsystem ablaufenden Reduktionsprozesse wurden in einem Elektrolichtbogenofen Schmelzversuche im Pilotmaßstab durchgeführt. Als Reduktionsmittel diente Koks, welcher mithilfe einer Argon-gespülten Eisenlanze in die flüssige mineralische Schmelze eingebracht wurde. Während der Reduktionsbehandlung werden Refraktärmetalle wie Tantal und Niob in ihre Carbide überführt und anschließend in der erschmolzenen eisenbasierten Metallphase am Boden des Reaktors angereichert. Neben Tantal und Niob gelangt auch ein Teil des im Einsatzmaterial enthaltenen Titans als unerwünschtes Begleitelement in die Metallphase.
Sein Großteil verbleibt jedoch als Oxid in der Schlacke und wird dort hauptsächlich im Mineral Perowskit (CaTiO3) gebunden. Die erstarrten Schlackeproben wurden mit verschiedenen Methoden wie Röntgenfluoreszensanalyse, Röntgenbeugung und Rasterelektronenmikroskopie mit gekoppelter energiedispersiver Röntgenanalyse untersucht, um die Bildung tantalhaltiger Mineralphasen zu verschiedenen Stadien des Reduktionsprozesses zu verfolgen.
Die hier gewonnenen Erkenntnisse zeigen, dass weniger die durch das Einblasen von Koks verursachte Reduktionsreaktion, sondern das Absinken der tantalreichen Eisentröpfchen in der flüssigen mineralischen Schmelze, gefolgt von ihrer Anreicherung in die Metallphase, für die Kinetik ausschlaggebend ist.
Das Element Phosphor ist für alle Lebewesen essenziell und wird beispielsweise von Pflanzen in Form von Phosphaten aufgenommen.
In der landwirtschaftlichen Produktion werden dem Boden die Phosphate durch Wachstum und Ernte der Pflanzen entzogen und müssen ihm in Form von Phosphatdüngemitteln wieder zugeführt werden, um die Nahrungsmittelproduktion zu sichern. Rohphosphat stellt die Grundlage unserer derzeitigen Phosphatdüngemittel dar, ist aber gleichzeitig ein endlicher Rohstoff.
Des Weiteren sind insbesondere sedimentäre Rohphosphate oftmals mit erheblichen Konzentrationen toxischer Schadstoffe wie Cadmium, Uran und Thorium belastet. Eine Kreislaufführung des Phosphats sollte erfolgen, um natürliche Rohstoffvorkommen zu schonen und den Eintrag von Schadstoffen auf unsere Böden zu unterbinden.
Da das Recycling von tantalhaltigen Post-Consumer-Abfällen praktisch nicht existiert, stellen metallurgische Reststoffe eine äußerst wichtige Rohstoffquelle für das Tantalrecycling dar. Die meisten Zinnerze enthalten von Natur aus erhebliche Mengen an Refraktärmetallen. Diese Elemente werden in den Schlacken der pyrometallurgischen Primärzinngewinnung angereichert. Aufgrund ihrer vergleichsweise hohen Wertstoffkonzentration und ihrer Funktion als zusätzlicher Schlackenbildner stellen diese Schlacken einen wertvollen Rohstoff für die Verhüttung tantalhaltiger Reststoffe dar. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein existierendes Verfahren zur Tantalrückgewinnung diskutiert, dem hauptsächlich pyrometallurgische Rückstände geringer Wertstoffkonzentration als Einsatzstoff dienen. Mit Hilfe des Verfahrens sollte dasoxidisch vorliegende Tantal vollständig reduziert und in der Metallphase angereichert werden. Weiterhin sollte vermieden werden, dass unerwünschte Elemente wie Titan in die Metallphase überführt werden. Ziel der Untersuchung war es, die ablaufenden Reduktionsprozesse besser zu verstehen, um so Ansätze für die Prozessoptimierung identifizieren zu können.
Bei den von der Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und ‐prüfung (BAM) zugelassenen Kunststoff‐Dränelementen sind drei verschiedene Varianten von überlappenden Querstößen nach den Einbauanleitungen zulässig. Das Wasserableitvermögen innerhalb dieser Querstöße wurde vom SKZ – Das Kunststoffzentrum und von der KIWA Deutschland GmbH in Abstimmung mit der BAM gemessen. Dabei zeigte sich bei den gewählten Prüfbedingungen (einem hydraulischer Gradienten i = 1, Auflasten von 20 und 50 kPa sowie den Bettungen hart/weich und weich/weich) praktisch keine Verringerung gegenüber dem Wasserableitvermögen im Kunststoff‐Dränelement selbst. Eine solche war insbesondere dann nicht zu beobachten, wenn die Dränkerne im Überlappungsbereich direkt aufeinandergelegt wurden (Variante A). Werden die Kunststoff‐Dränelemente als Ganzes entweder dachschindelartig hinsichtlich der Strömungsrichtung (Variante B) oder in einer gerade umgekehrten Anordnung (Variante C) übereinandergelegt, so genügt dabei eine Überlappungslänge von 20 cm, damit ausreichend Wasser durch die zwischen den Dränkernen liegende Trennschicht aus Filter‐ und Trägergeotextil strömt. Der bisher in der GDA‐Empfehlung E2‐20 für die Bemessung angesetzte Abminderungsfaktor von 1,2 für Querstöße kann daher für die hier untersuchten, zugelassenen Produkte bei einer genügend großen Überlappung entfallen. Entsprechende Hinweise werden zukünftig in den Zulassungsscheinen gegeben.
Antifoulingmittel im Wasser
(2019)
Elementanalytische Verfahren werden heute zu mehr eingesetzt als bloß zur Bestimmung von Metallgesamtgehalten in diversen Probenmatrizes. Sie stellen heute ein wichtiges Werkzeug zur Beantwortung lebenswissenschaftlicher Fragen aus Umwelt, Medizin und Biologie dar. In der vorliegenden Arbeit kommt die single-cell-ICP-Flugzeitmassenspektrometrie (single-cell-ICP-TOF-MS) zur Multielementanalytik in einzelnen Kieselalgen (Diatomeen) zum Einsatz und wird zukünftig ein wichtiges Werkzeug z.B. bei der Beantwortung
ökotoxikologischer Fragestellung sein.
Die P-Rückgewinnung aus Teilströmen mit erhöhten P-Gehalten kann direkt in den Kläranlagenbetrieb integriert werden und führt dort in vielen Fällen zu betrieblichen und ökonomischen Vorteilen. Sie ist in der Regel auf Bio-P-Kläranlagen beschränkt, da hier die anaerobe P-Rücklösung initiiert und genutzt werden kann. Durch die reine P-Rücklösung durch Schaffung anaerober Bedingungen ist allerdings das Potential der Rückgewinnung auf 5 bis 15 Prozent der Zulauffracht limitiert.
Die meisten Kläranlagen in Deutschland werden mit einer chemischen Phosphor-Fällung betrieben. Diese Anlagen können aus dem Klärschlamm Phosphat in ausreichend hoher Konzentration nur zurückgewinnen, indem zusätzlich anorganische Säuren wie Schwefelsäure zugeführt werden oder ein Aufschluss mit flüssigem Kohlendioxid stattfindet. Es wird angenommen, dass sich mit diesen Verfahren mehr als 50 Prozent der Zulauffracht einer Kläranlage zurückgewinnen lassen. Der Aufschluss von Klärschlamm mit Schwefelsäure geht aber mit vergleichsweise hohen Umweltwirkungen sowie mit höheren Kosten im Vergleich zu anderen Phosphor-Rückgewinnungsverfahren einher. Ein sehr hohes Potential der Rückgewinnung von Phosphor (P) ist bei allen Verfahren gegeben, die als Rohstoff die Asche aus der Monoverbrennung verwerten. Der Aufschluss mit anorganischen Säuren ermöglicht die sichere Phosphor-Rückgewinnung von mehr als 80% Prozent des Kläranlagenzulaufs. Die Verfahren sind zum Teil großtechnisch umgesetzt oder es befinden sich großtechnische Anlagen im Bau. Auch thermochemische Verfahren wurden entwickelt und deren Einsatzbereitschaft im großtechnischen Maßstab erfolgreich demonstriert. In dem nachfolgenden Beitrag werden unterschiedliche praxiserprobte Verfahren zur Phosphor-Rückgewinnung unter technischen und wirtschaftlichen Aspekten vorgestellt.
Die agronomische Effizienz von Düngemitteln wird üblicherweise in Vegetationsversuchen geprüft. Diese erlauben die es, unterschiedliche Kulturpflanzen und deren Strategien der Nährstoffmobilisierung und -aneignung zu betrachten und verschiedene Substrattypen und deren Eigenschaften im Hinblick auf Nährstofffixierung und -freisetzung zu berücksichtigen. Solche Versuche, selbst wenn sie nicht im Feld, sondern nur im Gefäß durchgeführt werden, sind jedoch sowohl zeit- als auch kostenintensiv. In erster Näherung wird die Pflanzenverfügbarkeit insbesondere von Phosphor (P)-Düngemitteln daher in der Regel mit Hilfe standardisierter chemischer Extraktionsmethoden abgeschätzt, deren Durchführung in der deutschen ebenso wie in der europäischen Düngemittelverordnung normiert ist. Diese Methoden werden auch bei der staatlichen Düngemittelverkehrskontrolle genutzt, um zu überprüfen, ob die düngemittelrechtlichen Vorgaben eingehalten werden. Wie jüngere Arbeiten gezeigt haben, ist es jedoch schwierig, herkömmliche Standardextraktionsmethoden auf neue Dünger aus Recyclingmaterialien wie Klärschlamm zu übertragen. Korrelationen zwischen P-Aufnahme im Vegetationsversuch und chemischer Löslichkeit im Standardextrakt sind oft nur mäßig bis schwach oder überhaupt nicht signifikant. Die vorliegende Literaturübersicht gibt einen Überblick zum aktuellen Stand des Wissens über die chemische Löslichkeit von klärschlammbasierten P-Recyclingdüngern, deren Effizienz im Vegetationsversuch und statistische Relationen zwischen beiden Parametern. Anschließend werden alternative Methoden zur Abschätzung der P-Verfügbarkeit von Recyclingdüngern vorgestellt, die derzeit Gegenstand der wissenschaftlichen Diskussion sind.
Mykotoxine in Lebensmitteln stellen weltweit Probleme dar, Zearalenon in Speiseöl ist ein solches. Neue Hydrazinbasierte Analyseverfahren können jetzt helfen, den EU-Grenzwert besser zu kontrollieren. Aber auch die Strukturaufklärung von Transformationsprodukten und verlässliche Kalibrierstandards sind aktuelle Herausforderungen.
While today, engineers can choose from a wide range of rheology modifying admixtures, in some parts of the world, these are difficult to access, due to their complex processing. However, alternatives can be bio‐based polymers such as polysaccharides from various sources. These are easily accessible all over the world, do not demand for complicated processing, and typically they are more sustainable than many established materials, which are crude oil‐based.
The paper presents the effects of acacia gum, cassava starch and the gum of triumfetta pendrata A. Rich on the rheological performance of cementitious systems. It is shown that acacia gum can be as efficient as polycarboxylate based superplasticisers, cassava starch can reduce the yield stress slightly with little effect on the plastic viscosity, and the gum of triumfet ta pendrata A. Rich increases the thixotropy of cement pastes with plasticizing polymers significantly.
Jährlich entstehen in Brasilien ca. 2 bis 10 Millionen Tonnen Aschen aus der Verbrennung von Zuckerrohrbagasse. Die Aschen enthalten schwankende Zusammensetzungen an mineralischen Nährelementen und könnten daher zu Düngezwecken verwendet werden.
Allerdings ist (i) die Nährstoffverfügbarkeit gering, (ii), die entsprechende Nährstoffzusammensetzung nicht optimal für die Nutzung der Aschen als Düngemittel für die Hauptanbaukulturen in Brasilien und (iii) weisen die Aschen aufgrund häufig schlechter Verbrennungsqualitäten hohe organische Kohlenstoffgehalte auf. Im Rahmen des Forschungsprojekts ASHES („Rückführung von Nährstoffen aus Aschen von thermochemischen Prozessen mit Bagasse bzw. Zuckerrohrstroh“), arbeiten 7 deutsche und 4 brasilianische Partner an der Optimierung der thermochemischen Verwertung von Rückständen aus der Zuckerproduktion in Brasilien, inklusive der Formulierung von optimierten Düngemischungen auf Basis der generierten Aschen. In dieser Veröffentlichung wird die Verarbeitung dieser optimierten Mischungen zu Pellets und Granulaten unter Verwendung verfügbarer regionaler Reststoffe wie Filterkuchen (Vinasse-Presskuchen) sowie Hühnertrockenkot beschrieben. Zur Untersuchung der Handlingeigenschaften wurden die produzierten Pellets und Granulate hinsichtlich ihrer mechanischen Stabilität und des Wasseraufnahmevermögens untersucht. Dafür wurden geeignete Prüfverfahren angepasst und entsprechende Versuche durchgeführt.
Treatment and reusing of hazardous wastes have become significant issues of modern societies. Blast furnace sludge (BFS) and electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) are such typical wastes, because they usually contain high amounts of undesirable elements such as zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb).
These elements can cause operational problems in reusing of BFS and EAFD. In this study, the Ferro Duo GmbH and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing have investigated a novel approach for eliminating and/or recovering Zn and Pb from both wastes. Applied was a selective chlorination and volatilization of Zn and Pb as chlorides at temperatures between 500 °C and 1100 °C. Both product obtained, Zn and Pb in the form of ZnCl2 and PbCl2 and the purified solid mineral compound are attractive materials for further use. Hydrochloric acid and iron(II) chloride were used as chlorination agents. Exceptionally high Zn and Pb removal efficiencies of >99.5 % could be achieved with both chlorination agents, whereby iron(II) chloride exhibited better performance.
Wie Länder mit ihren Abfällen umgehen, hängt nicht nur von der Wirtschaftskraft eines Landes ab. Selbst in einem reichen Land wie Australien werden unbehandelte Abfälle einfach deponiert. Im Rahmen der Travelling Conference, einer vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) geförderten Vortragsreihe, besuchten Fachleute die Länder Südkorea, Vietnam und Australien, um mit Experten vor Ort Fragestellungen aus der Abfallwirtschaft zu diskutieren. Zu den Schwerpunktthemen zählte die Steigerung der Ressourceneffizienz im Spannungsfeld von ökonomischen und umweltpolitischen Interessen. Eine Frage war beispielsweise die Bewertung der Umweltverträglichkeit von mineralischen Abfällen, wenn diese als Ersatzbaustoffe eingesetzt werden. In diesem Beitrag werden Ähnlichkeiten und Unterschiede bei der Entsorgung von Siedlungsabfällen, beim Recycling und bei der Bewertung der Umweltverträglichkeit der Wiederverwertung von Abfällen in den drei besuchten Ländern im Vergleich zu Deutschland aufgezeigt. Dabei ist man sich in Deutschland und den drei besuchten Ländern einig, dass die Abfallbeseitigung auf Deponien ohne Rückgewinnung von Ressourcen oder Energie die schlechteste Abfallentsorgungsoption ist. Einigkeit besteht auch darin, dass die Ziele einer nachhaltigen Abfallwirtschaft der Schutz der menschlichen Gesundheit und der Umwelt sowie die Schonung von Ressourcen sind. In allen drei Ländern werden große Mengen an mineralischen Abfällen erzeugt, die bei Nachweis der Umweltverträglichkeit einen Teil von natürlichem Sand und Kies für die Bauindustrie ersetzen könnten. Ähnlich wie in Deutschland werden recycelte Abfälle im Tiefbau jedoch nur in geringem Maße eingesetzt. Gründe dafür sind fehlende Behandlungsanlagen für mineralische Abfälle und Bedenken im Hinblick auf die Umweltverträglichkeit.
Normativ ist der Holzschutz in Deutschland durch die DIN 68800-Reihe geregelt. Die Normungsarbeit in CEN/TC 38 bildet dafür den Rahmen, der national angepasst und fachspezifisch erweitert wurde. Zusammen mit dem Kommentar ergeben beide ein in Europa einzigartiges Regelkompendium im Holzschutz. In Zukunft wird die Regelsetzung noch stärker durch internationale Zusammenarbeit bestimmt sein. Der interkontinentalen Marktöffnung sollten Verständigungen auf gemeinsame Qualitätsstandards vorausgehen.
For several applications involving multirotor aircraft, it is crucial to know both the direction and speed of the ambient wind. In this paper, an approach to wind vector estimation based on an equilibrium of the principal forces acting on the aircraft is shown. As the thrust force generated by the rotors depends on their rotational speed, a sensor to measure this quantity is required. Two concepts for such a sensor are presented: One is based on tapping the signal carrying the speed setpoint for the motor controllers, the other one uses phototransistors placed underneath the rotor blades. While some complications were encountered with the first approach, the second yields accurate measurement data. This is shown by an experiment comparing the proposed speed sensor to a commercial non-contact tachometer.
Wyciek metanu (CH4) z infrastruktury takiej jak rurociągi czy zbiorniki magazynowe ma kluczowe znaczenie dla środowiska oraz stwarza zagrożenie dla bezpieczeństwa ludzi i mienia. Obecnie, po okresie bezawaryjnej eksploatacji, można zaobserwować wzrost liczby incydentów spowodowanych nieszczelnościami rurociągów przesyłowych.
W Polsce szczególnie problematyczne okazują się gazociągi, które powstały dekady temu. W tamtym czasie normy techniczne i przepisy budowlane były łagodniejsze niż obecnie obowiązujące. Integralność tych gazociągów jest trudna do skontrolowania, gdyż na etapie budowy nie zostały one przystosowane do badania tłokami pomiarowymi. Aby sprostać temu wyzwaniu, UDT poszukuje metod umożliwiających szybkie i niezawodne wykrywanie oraz lokalizowanie nieszczelności gazociągów na duże odległości.
Die Ressourcen der Erde sind nicht nur endlich, sondern werden zudem ineffizient genutzt. Mit dem im Dezember 2015 verabschiedeten Aktionsplan zur Kreislaufwirtschaft fördert die Europäische Kommission den Übergang zur stärker kreislauforientierten Wirtschaft. So werden Anforderungen an Reparaturfähigkeit, Lebensdauer und Recyclingfähigkeit von Produkten zukünftig in der Ökodesign-Richtlinie gesetzt. Die Ökodesign-Richtlinie regelt momentan die Energieeffizienz von energieverbrauchsrelevanten Produkten. Um Anforderungen an den nachhaltigen Einsatz von Ressourcen zu formulieren, fehlen jedoch Normen und Definitionen. Diese Normen werden Momentan geschaffen - erst danach können gesetzliche Anforderungen folgerichtig umgesetzt werden.
Small grain size fractions of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash (BA) contain elemental and chemically bonded metals in appreciable amounts, especially copper. Investigations with a centrifugal concentrator were carried out using samples, which had been treated with different impact devices. Partly the impacts of single devices were visible in outlines, but mostly the surfaces of the metals were still covered with mineral residues. To generate copper rich fractions, parameters of the separation process should ensure mass yields <2%, best between 0.5 and 1%. The density of the concentrates is then generally >3.2 g/cm3. Best results were achieved with material from a special treatment train which is adapted to grain sizes <2 mm. Reliable copper contents between 20 and 40% (single runs >50%) could be realised.
However, considering the required mass yields, referred to this subset only 150–170 g copper would be recovered from 1 Mg MSWI BA. Furthermore, this copper is only in parts present in elemental form. A
dependable added value of such treatment step seems to be given only, if that enables a recycling of the mineral aggregates (tailings) in parallel to avoid landfill costs.
The antimicrobial photodynamic approach has been demonstrated as an efficient and sustainable process for the eradication of microbial pathogens. In this work, silica-coated Magnetite nanoparticles (NPs) were used as carriers of glycosylated porphyrins and phthalocyanines. Their subsequent cationization
resulted in the production of stable antimicrobial photosensitizing materials, effective against E. coli. Suspensions of the photocatalysts in water present bimodal size distributions formed by big clusters and small NPs with hydrodynamic diameters between 8 and 38 nm. The presence of small NPs in the suspensions is related to an effective photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of E. coli cells. Glycosylation of the PS showed a positive effect on the PDI performance, which could be related to a higher accumulation of the photocatalyst over the bacterial cell membrane. In addition, these biocidal agents proved to be photostable and their photoactive performance decreased only between 23% and 28% upon 5 PDI cycles, mostly because of the loss of material between cycles, which makes them promising materials for water disinfection purposes.
Subaerial biofilms (SAB) are an important factor in weathering, biofouling, and biodeterioration of bare rocks, building materials, and solar panel surfaces. The realm of SAB is continually widened by modern materials, and the settlers on these exposed solid surfaces always include melanized, stress-tolerant microcolonial ascomycetes. After their first discovery on desert rock surfaces, these melanized chaetothyrialean and dothidealean ascomycetes have been found on Mediterranean monuments after biocidal treatments, Antarctic rocks and solar panels. New man-made modifications of surfaces (e.g., treatment with biocides or photocatalytically active layers) accommodate the exceptional stress-tolerance of microcolonial fungi and thus further select for this well-protected ecological group. Melanized fungal strains were isolated from a microbial community that developed on highly photocatalytic roof tiles after a long-term environmental exposure in a maritime-influenced region in northwestern Germany. Four of the isolated strains are described here as a novel species, Constantinomyces oldenburgensis, based on multilocus ITS, LSU, RPB2 gene phylogeny. Their closest relative is a still-unnamed rock-inhabiting strain TRN431, here described as C. patonensis. Both species cluster in Capnodiales, among typical melanized microcolonial rock fungi from different stress habitats, including Antarctica. These novel strains flourish in hostile conditions of highly oxidizing material surfaces, and shall be used in reference procedures in material testing.
Direct and indirect effects (DIERec) of the recovery of secondary resources are in the range of 500 million tons per year in Germany; energy savings are 1.4 million TJ. These savings are between 10 and 20% of the total. The effects of materials recovery exceed those of energy recovery by far except for secondary plastic material, where DIERec from energy recovery is higher by factor of 2.7. Untapped potential for the recovery of secondary resources exists in the fine fraction of bottom ash from municipal solid waste incineration, mainly Cu and precious metals, and in urban mining.
Advanced wastewater treatment with powdered activated carbon (PAC) leads to a spread of PAC into different purification stages of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) due to recirculation and filter back-wash. Currently, no methods for quantification of PAC in activated sludge are available. In this study, PAC containing activated sludge from four WWTP were examined by two-step thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) with heating up to 600°C in N2 and subsequently in synthetic air. Direct quantification of PAC according to temperature specific weight losses was possible for one WWTP. Quantification by combining specific mass losses was found to be an alternative direct method, with a detection limit of 1.2% PAC in dry sample mass.
Additionally, evolved gas analysis (EGA) by infrared-spectroscopy (FTIR) during TGA revealed interaction mechanisms between PAC and activated sludge. Aliphatic compounds from activated sludge were identified as major substances influenced by PAC. In derivative thermogravimetry (DTG), a typical double peak at approximately 300°C was found to be related to carbonylic species with increased evolution of acetic acid in aged activated sludge. TGA and EGA are promising tools to understand, control and optimise the application of PAC in advanced wastewater treatment.
Wood treated with nano metal fluorides is found to resist fungal decay. Sol−gel synthesis was used to synthesize MgF2 and CaF2 nanoparticles. Electron microscopy images confirmed the localization of MgF2 and CaF2 nanoparticles in wood. Efficacy of nano metal fluoride-treated wood was tested against brown-rot fungi Coniophora puteana and Rhodonia placenta. Untreated wood specimens had higher
mass losses (∼30%) compared to treated specimens, which had average mass loss of 2% against C. puteana and 14% against R. placenta, respectively. Nano metal fluorides provide a viable alternative to current wood preservatives.
2,4-D ist ein in der Landwirtschaft weitverbreitetes Pflanzenschutzmittel, das Grundwasser kontaminiert, sich innerhalb der Nahrungskette anreichert und Umwelt- und Gesundheitsprobleme verursachen kann. Hier stellen die Autoren ein mikrofluidisches Nachweissystem für die Echtzeitdetektion von 2,4-D in Grund- oder Oberflächenwasser vor. Es basiert auf der Kombination 2,4-D-selektiver, fluoreszierender, molekular geprägter Polymer-(MIP-)Mikropartikel mit einem 3D-mikrofluidischen Extraktions- und Detektionssystem. Messungen vor Ort sollen damit künftig möglich sein.
In this paper, a comparative study on the initial shear strength of
masonry with earth mortars is presented. Triplet tests were carried out to characterise the shear bond strength of five different types of earth mortar, three purely mineral and two with vegetable additives (wood and straw chaff), using calcium silicate blocks. In spite of their lower bulk densities, mortars with chaffs reached a value of compressive strength comparable to the values shown by the purely mineral mortars. The characteristic initial shear strengths of all the tested earth mortars were between two and five times higher than the minimum values for initial shear strengths required by standards.
To assess the influence of blocks pre-wetting, a comparison between calcium silicate blocks and earth blocks was performed to evaluate the results obtained from the standard test procedure compared to the more common practice of using earth mortars in combination with earthen blocks.
Two novel species of the fungal genus Ochroconis, O. lascauxensis and O. anomala have been isolated from the walls of the Lascaux Cave, France. The interest in these fungi and their melanins lies in the formation of black stains on the walls and rock art which threatens the integrity of the paintings. Here we report solid-state cross polarization magic-angle spinning 13C and 15N nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) of the melanins extracted from the mycelia of O. lascauxensis and O. anomala in order to known their chemical structure. The melanins from these two species were compared with those from other fungi. The melanins from the Ochroconis species have similar SERS and 13C and 15N NMR spectra. Their chemical structures as suggested by the data are not related to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, 5,6-dihydroxyindole or 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene precursors and likely the building blocks from the melanins have to be based on other phenols that react with the N-terminal amino acid of proteins. The analytical pyrolysis of the acid hydrolysed melanin from O. lascauxensis supports this assumption.
Efficiency Evaluation of Extraction Methods for Analysis of OCPs and PCBs in Soils of Varying TOC
(2017)
Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls are toxic, carcinogenic, and have a high potential for bioaccumulation. Due to their stability, they are still considered an environmental problem even though the use of most of them has been phased out several decades ago. Soil is a matrix which can retain these contaminants to a great extent. This ability is often associated with the total organic carbon content (TOC). In order to judge the pollution status of soil and to make monitoring data more easily comparable a simple, yet robust extraction method is needed. Agitation solid-liquid-extraction is well suited for this purpose. However, the influence of TOC on the analyte recovery has to be known. For the presented study, 12 organochlorine pesticides and 7 polychlorinated biphenyls were spiked into four model soils with organic carbon contents between 1.6% - 13.3%. The matrices were extracted using solid-liquid extraction between 45 minutes and 16 hours. For comparison, all soils were also extracted using pressurised liquid extraction and Soxhlet extraction. After clean-up the extracts were measured using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) system. Statistical analysis of the results implied that the TOC content of the soils did not have significant influence on the extraction efficiency. A longer solid-liquid extraction time did not necessarily increase analyte recovery: Extraction for one hour resulted in 88% recovery while 16 hour extraction led to 89%. Thus, the efficiency of all the methods was comparable for all model soils. Additional investigations regarding GC liner performance highlighted the need for isotopically labelled standards during the analysis of thermolabile pesticides.
Decision makers for waste management are confronted with the problem of selecting the most economic, environmental, and socially acceptable waste treatment process. This paper elucidates evaluation methods for waste treatment processes for the comparison of ecological and economic aspects such as material flow analysis, statistical entropy analysis, energetic and exergetic assessment, cumulative energy demand, and life cycle assessment.The work is based on the VDI guideline 3925. A comparison of two thermal waste treatment plants with different process designs and energy recovery systems was performed with the described evaluation methods. The results are mainly influenced by the type of energy recovery, where the waste-to-energy plant providing district heat and process steam emerged to be beneficial in most aspects. Material recovery options from waste incineration were evaluated according to sustainability targets, such as saving of resources and environmental protection.
Nebulizing of polymer solutions, in a high-voltage field under atmospheric conditions by electrospray ionization (ESI), is a comfortable way to deposit ultra-thin layers of polar or ionic polymers onto any conductive substrate materials. The substrate is grounded and the polymer solution is sprayed through a powered capillary. The formed charged droplets shrink by solvent evaporation during their way to the grounded substrate, the charges close ranks and the droplets collapse consecutively by charge repulsion, thus forming finally charged single macromolecules. After their discharging at the grounded substrate, an ultrathin ‘quasi-monomolecular’ polymer layer is formed. It could be shown by imaging of scratches through the polymer layer by atomic force microscopy that the deposited polymer layers are dense at a thickness of about 10 nm. Carbon fibre bundles were coated with poly (allylamine) (PAAm) or poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as potential adhesion-promoting layers in fibre–polymer composites. The polymer deposition is self-inhibiting after formation of a continuous coverage of about 200 nm for PAAm and 30 nm for PAA as result of surface charging. Continuous deposition onto such isolating layers or polymers without charging can be achieved by using current of alternating polarity. The film formation is self-healing because of the electrophoretic effect, i.e. the ion discharging occurs preferentially at noncoated areas. This electrophoretic effect of ESI was demonstrated by completely enwrapping all the carbon fibres of the roving within a distance of about 100 μm far from its outside and also at the backside of the fibre bundle with about 80% of the topside coverage, as measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and visualized using scanning electron microscopy.
Der Fänger im Spülgas
(2015)
n order to determine the relevance of microplastic particles in various environmental media, comprehensive investigations are needed. However, no analytical method exists for fast identification and quantification. At present, optical spectroscopy methods like IR and RAMAN imaging are used. Due to their time consuming procedures and uncertain extrapolation, reliable monitoring is difficult. For analyzing polymers Py-GC-MS is a standard method. However, due to a limited sample amount of about 0.5 mg it is not suited for analysis of complex sample mixtures like environmental samples. Therefore, we developed a new thermoanalytical method as a first step for identifying microplastics in environmental samples. A sample amount of about 20 mg, which assures the homogeneity of the sample, is subjected to complete thermal decomposition. The specific degradation products of the respective polymer are adsorbed on a solid-phase adsorber and subsequently analyzed by thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry. For certain identification, the specific degradation products for the respective polymer were selected first. Afterwards real environmental samples from the aquatic (three different rivers) and the terrestrial (bio gas plant) systems were screened for microplastics. Mainly polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) were identified for the samples from the bio gas plant and PE and PS from the rivers. However, this was only the first step and quantification measurements will follow.
Der Zugversuch ist ein wichtiges Prüfverfahren für die Qualitätssicherung von Kunststoffdichtungsbahnen, die in der Geotechnik (Deponiebau, Tunnelbau usw.) verwendet werden. Für die Vergleichbarkeit und Beurteilung der Ergebnisse ist ein standardisiertes Verfahren erforderlich. Da sich Kunststoffe durch ihr ausgeprägtes viskoelastisches Verformungsverhalten von anderen Baumaterialien unterscheiden, werden die ermittelten Kennwerte sowie deren Bedeutung und Verwendbarkeit für die Praxis diskutiert. Die Einsatzmöglichkeiten und -grenzen von Extensometern werden erläutert. Am Beispiel des Zugversuchs werden zudem die Schwierigkeiten bei der Normungsarbeit aufgezeigt: Angefangen vom Einfluss unterschiedlicher Normungsorganisationen und -komitees sowie der Hersteller auf den Entstehungsprozess der Normen bis hin zu Übersetzungsfehlern. Dabei zeigt sich, dass es durchaus sinnvoll sein kann, für bestimmte Arten von Produkten, wie z. B. PEHD-Dichtungsbahnen, eine eigene Norm zu erarbeiten.
Sewage sludge has one of the highest phosphorus (P) recovery potentials of all waste materials.
Therefore, P-recycling from sewage sludge could contribute to closing the P-cycle. Recently, various thermal processes for P-recovery have been developed, but there is still a demand for information on the effect of different process parameters (e.g. additives and temperature) on P-speciation and especially on the fertilization performance. In the present study, two common methods (low-temperature conversion at 400–500° C and thermochemical treatment at 950° C) were investigated and combined to produce highly bioavailable P-fertilizers from two different types of sewage sludge based on chemical phosphorus precipitation (Chem-P) and enhanced biological phosphorus removal (Bio-P). The results of P-fractionation, X-ray diffraction analysis, and pot experiments with maize showed that Bio-P sludges attain high P-plant-availability after treatment at low temperatures (400° C). In contrast, Chem-P sludges can adequately be treated at higher temperatures under reductive conditions with sodium additives to form highly bioavailable calcium-sodium-phosphate. Additionally, also highly heavy-metal contaminated sludges can be thermochemically treated at high temperatures to achieve the legal requirements for fertilizers.
A first pilot study on the sorption of environmental pollutants on various microplastic materials
(2017)
With the drastic increase in plastic production, the input of plastic particles into the environment has become a recognised problem.
Xenobiotics are able to sorb to polymer materials, and this process is further enhanced where they Encounter microplastics (plastic fragments <5 mm). In this work we studied the sorption of metformin, a type-2 diabetes drug, and difenoconazole, a fungicide, onto the virgin polymer materials polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). Additionally, PP was cryo-milled and PA was treated with acid to investigate the influence of an increase in surface area and chemical modification. The material properties were also studied by dynamic scanning calorimetry (DSC), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Sorption experiments were performed on the basis of a full factorial design examining the effect of agitation, pH value, and salinity. Experimental results showed that difenoconazole sorbs readily to all microplastics, whereas the more polar analyte metformin did not show any affinity to the materials used. For difenoconazole the governing factor in all cases is agitation, while both pH and salinity exhibited only a slight influence. The modification of polymers leads to enhanced sorption, indicating that an increase in surface area (cryo-milled PP) or inner volume (acid-treated PA) strongly favours adsorption. Moreover, long-term experiments demonstrated that the time until equilibrium is reached depends strongly on the particle size.
Bereits im Jahre 1989 wurde die erste Zulassung einer Kunststoffdichtungsbahn (KDB)für Deponieabdichtungen von der BAM erteilt. Mit dem Inkrafttreten der neuen Deponieverordnung (DepV) am 16. Juli 2009 hat die BAM eine neue gesetzliche Grundlage für die Zulassung von Geokunststoffen, Polymeren und Dichtungskontrollsystemen erhalten. Die DepV sieht dabei einen weitreichenden Anforderungskatalog an die Produkte vor, der durch die Zulassungsrichtlinien der BAM in technische Spezifikationen für die Produkte umgesetzt wird.
Only a few myxobacteria are known to date that are classified as marine, owing to their salt dependency. In this study, the salt tolerance mechanism of these bacteria was investigated. To this end, a growth medium was designed in which the mutated Escherichia coli strain BKA13 served as sole food source for the predatory, heterotrophic myxobacteria. This enabled measurement of the osmolytes without any background and revealed that the closely related strains Enhygromyxa salina SWB007 and Plesiocystis pacifica SIR-1 developed different strategies to handle salt stress. Ple. pacifica SIR-1, which was grown between 1 and 4% NaCl, relies solely on the accumulation of amino acids, while Enh. salina SWB007, which was grown between 0.5 and 3% NaCl, employs, besides betaine, hydroxyectoine as the major compatible solute. In accordance with this analysis, only in the latter strain was a locus identified that codes for genes corresponding to the biosynthesis of betaine, ectoine and hydroxyectoine.
Biocide leaching was investigated for acrylate and vinyl acetate based coatings containing biocides either as liquid formulations or microcapsules. Laboratory and field tests indicate similar relations of results on carbendazim, diuron, terbutryn and OIT from different coatings in laboratory and field experiments. Emissions were higher in EN 16105 laboratory tests than from vertically installed test specimens exposed to weathering, and slower for microencapsulated biocides. Competing processes that cause losses of active substances can occur in both tests, but to a higher degree in field experiments. Emission curves related to runoff water were similar in repeated field experiments. Relative humidity, temperature and global radiation were identified as meteorological factors that affect leaching by complex interaction besides the amount of driving rain.
The vibrations of soil and foundations are demonstrated for different types of loading. Train-induced ground vibrations are studied in a measurement campaign where a test train has run with regularly varied speeds. The measured train-induced soil vibration at 2 to 100 m distance from the track is compared with the wave propagation due to hammer excitation and with the theoretical wave field. The strong influence of the soil and the train speed on the amplitudes and frequencies of the vibration has been analysed for passages of the locomotive and the carriages. - The generation of ground vibration by strong explosions has been studied on a large testing area with sandy soil. The propagating waves were measured in a regular grid of measuring points in 10 to 1000 m. Therefore, the dominance of certain waves at certain distances and the changes of compressional waves and Rayleigh waves could clearly be observed. The results are compared with impulse hammer measurements in the range of 5 to 50 m. - A drop test facility has been built on the testing area of the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing (BAM). Heavy masses (containers) of up to 200 t can be dropped from 10 m height on a big reinforced concrete foundation. The foundation was instrumented by accelerometers, strain gauges and pressure cells to give information about the loading condition and by geophones to measure the vibration of the surrounding soil and building. Both excitation processes, the release of the mass and the impact, produce high vibration amplitudes. On a smaller drop foundation, the influence of the drop height and the target stiffness has been studied more systematically.
Im Rahmen des EU-Forschungsvorhabens [H]house wurden Holz, Lehm und Naturfasern in Bezug auf Feuchtesorption und Schadstoffe untersucht und mit konventionellen Materialien verglichen. Weiter entwickelte Innenwandsysteme und Innendämmungen wurden ebenfalls untersucht. Auf dieser Basis wurden Holz- und Lehm-Bausysteme ohne Lüftungsanlage entwickelt und angewendet.
Per Online-RFA und -LIBS Elementgehalte in Böden bestimmen.
Die ortsspezifische Steuerung der Bodenfruchtbarkeit durch angepasste Düngung und andere Maßnahmen hilft die Bodenfunktionen zu verbessern und Umweltbelastungen zu vermindern. Dabei zeigt das Beispiel die hohe Relevanz schneller, robuster Vor-Ort-Analysen für viele umweltrelevante Fragestellungen.
A reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (HPLC-ICP-MS) approach in combination with isotope dilution analysis (IDA) for the separation and parallel quantification of nanostructured and ionic silver (Ag) is presented. The main focus of this work was the determination of the ionic Ag concentration. For a sufficient stabilization of the ions without dissolving the nanoparticles (NPs), the eluent had to be initially optimized. The determined Ag ion concentration was in a good agreement with results obtained using ultrafiltration. Further, the mechanism of the NP separation in the HPLC column was investigated. Typical size exclusion effects were found by comparing results from columns with different pore sizes. Since the recovery rates decreased with increasing Ag NP size and large Ag NPs did not elute from the column, additional interactions of the particles with the stationary phase were assumed. Our results reveal that the presented method is not only applicable to Ag NPs, but also to gold and polystyrene NPs. Finally, IDA-HPLC-ICP-MS experiments in single particle mode were performed to determine the particle cut-off size. The comparison with conventional spICP-MS experiments resulted in a similar diameter and particle size distribution.
Sulfamethoxazol (SMX),a sulfonamide, is a widely used bacteriostatic antibiotic and therefore a promising marker for the entry of anthropogenic Pollution in the environment. SMX is frequently found in wastewater and surface water. This study presents the production of high affinity and selective polyclonal antibodies for SMX and the development and Evaluation of a direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)for the quantification of SMX in environmental watersamples. The crystal structures of the cross-reacting compounds sulfamethizole, N4-acetyl-SMX andsuccinimidyl-SMX were determined by x-ray diffraction aiming to explain their high cross-reactivity. These crystal structures are described for the first time. The quantification range of the ELISA is 0.82–63 µg/L. To verify our results, the SMX concentration in 20 environmental samples,including wastewater and surfacewater,was determined by ELISA and tandem mass spectrometry(MS/MS).A good Agreement of the measured SMX concentrations was found with average recoveries of 97–113%for the results of ELISA compared to LC-MS/MS.
Biofilms living on gold (Au) grains play a key role in the biogeochemical cycle of Au by promoting the dispersion of Au via the formation of Au nanoparticles as well as the formation of secondary biomorphic Au. Gold grains from Queensland, Australia, are covered by a polymorphic, organic-inorganic layer that is up to 40 μm thick. It consists of a bacterial biofilm containing Au nanoparticles associated with extracellular polymeric substances as well as bacterioform Au. Focused ion beam (FIB) sectioning through the biofilm revealed that aggregates of nanoparticulate Au line open spaces beneath the active biofilm layer. These aggregates (bacterioform Au type 1) resulted from the reprecipitation of dissolved Au, and their internal growth structures provide direct evidence for coarsening of the Au grains. At the contact between the polymorphic layer and the primary Au, bacterioform Au type 2 is present. It consists of solid rounded forms into which crystal boundaries of underlying primary Au extend, and is the result of dealloying and Ag dissolution from the primary Au. This study demonstrates that (1) microbially driven dissolution, precipitation, and aggregation lead to the formation of bacterioform Au and contribute to the growth of Au grains under supergene conditions, and (2) the microbially driven mobilization of coarse Au into nanoparticles plays a key role in mediating the mobility of Au in surface environments, because the release of nanoparticulate Au upon biofilm disintegration greatly enhances environmental mobility compared to Au complexes only.
Among the borates in the Middle European Zechstein Salt Succession boracite Mg3[B7O13Cl] is the most common mineral in quantity and local distribution. An exceptional enrichment is observed in Stassfurt Serie Z2) in the Stassfurth seam K2H. Boracite is to be found in two varieties: individual crystals in cubic, tetrahedral or dodecahedral habit on the one hand and fibrous crystals so-called “stassfurtite” on the other hand. The formation conditions such widely spread borates in the salt succession are ambiguous in two respects. First of all the synthetic formation of boracites is to be made by hydrothermal or melt conditions. Both processes can be suspended for the salt succession. Furthermore the cubic modification is stable above 265°C for the Mg-boracite. The cubic, tetrahedral or dodecahedral habit could be used as a geothermometer, but such conditions can be exclude by the paragenetic minerals, esp. carnallite (MgKCl3 x 6H2O). The chemical composition of orthorhombic, pseudo-cubic boracite depends on the location. Pure Mg-boracite in hexahedral habit and in fibrous habit, so-called “stassfurtite”, occurs in the North Harz region, whereas the Fe-, Mn-, Mg-boracite appears in the South Harz region. Until now the source of boron, the time of formation of crystals, but also the reasons for the differences in habit of the single hexahedral crystals are still unclear. The formation during a diagenetic/metamorphic process is evident. However, the preferred formation in Stassfurt seam could be an indication for the boron enrichment in an early diagenetic process. Furthermore permit the determination of the thermal stability and the volatile content of crystals conclusions to the chemical composition of the fluid. The observed variation suggests that the condition of crystal growth as well as the chemical composition of fluid repeatedly changed over the time. Randomly occuring xenomorpheous anhydrite and magnesite inclusions within single boracite crystals have been interpreted as an indication to factors of chemical milieu during the formation of crystals. The reversible phase transition temperature of the boracite is a linearly function of the iron and manganese content and varies from 265°C for Mg-boracite to 330°C for Fe(Mn)-boracite. The thermal decomposition of boracite is determined by two processes. The decomposition started with a boron-chlorine release (BOCl?), having a maximum rate at 1050°C. Additionally to this release one observes a simultaneous emission of H2O, HCl, HF, CO2 , N2 , SO2 , H2 , and hydro carbons. The results give evidence for the aged approach of a secondary formation of boracite within the complete Stassfurt seam, possibly in connection with the formation of salt diapirs in the Jura and Cretaceous period. The wider environmental distribution of borates is an indication of chemical transport processes within the salt succession. This should be a more important issue in the discussion about the utilisation of salt diapirs for the storage of nuclear waste.
Industrial production of the cell protectant ectoine: protection mechanisms, processes, and products
(2014)
Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya can adapt to Saline environments by accumulating compatible solutes in order to maintain an osmotic equilibrium. Compatible solutes are of diverse chemical structure (sugars, polyols, amino acid derivatives) and are beneficial for bacterial cells not only as osmoregulatory solutes, but also as protectants of proteins by mitigating detrimental effects of freezing, drying and high temperatures. The aspartate derivative ectoine is a wide spread compatible solute in Bacteria and possesses additional protective properties compared with other compatible solutes, and stabilizes even whole cells against stresses such as UV radiation or cytotoxins. The protective properties of ectoine for proteins can be explained by its strong (kosmotropic) interaction with water and subsequent exclusion from Protein surface, the decrease of the solubility of the peptide backbone and the strengthening of intramolecular hydrogen bonds (secondary structures). The stabilizing and UV-protective properties of ectoine attracted industry, which saw the potential to market ectoine as a novel active component in health care products and cosmetics. In joint efforts of industry and research large-scale fermentation procedures have been developed with the halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata used as a producer strain. The two key technologies that allow for the annual production of ectoine on a scale of tons are the bacterial milking procedure and the development and application of ectoine-excreting mutants (“leaky” mutant). The details of these two procedures including the strain development and Fermentation processes will be introduced and current and future applications of ectoine will be discussed.