Sanitär- und Kommunaltechnik; Umwelttechnik
Filtern
Erscheinungsjahr
- 2016 (284) (entfernen)
Dokumenttyp
- Vortrag (107)
- Zeitschriftenartikel (73)
- Posterpräsentation (46)
- Beitrag zu einem Tagungsband (39)
- Dissertation (5)
- Forschungsbericht (5)
- Sonstiges (4)
- Buchkapitel (2)
- Beitrag zu einem Sammelband (2)
- Monografie (1)
Sprache
- Englisch (197)
- Deutsch (85)
- Mehrsprachig (2)
Schlagworte
- Building materials (9)
- ELISA (8)
- Fluorescence (8)
- Phosphorus recovery (7)
- Recycling (6)
- Resource recovery (6)
- Sewage sludge ash (6)
- Wastewater (6)
- Baustoffe (5)
- Biofilm (5)
Eingeladener Vortrag
- nein (107)
In this study, bulked adhesives were examined regarding changes in properties for their use in the restoration of stained-glass windows. Two epoxy adhesives commonly used in the restoration of flat glass, Araldite® 2020 and Hxtal NYL-1™, were investigated. The adhesives were mixed with various silica-based micro- and nano-particles as fillers. Different tests were carried out on the adhesives with and without fillers in order to characterise their chemical and mechanical properties. The tests included colorimetry, dynamic-mechanical methods of analysis and tests on bending strength. No property changes could be ascertained in the bulked adhesives that would be negative for the restoration of delicate flat glass.
Single wire Gas Metal Arc Welding (SGMAW) and high power Tandem GMAW (TGMAW) are evaluated with respect to energy efficiency. The key performance indicator Electrical Deposition Efficiency is applied to reflect the energy efficiency of GMAW in different material transfer modes. Additionally, the wall-plug efficiency of the equipment is determined in order to identify the overall energy consumption. The results show that energy efficiency as well as economic process performance can be significantly increased by application of tandem processes. A comparative Life Cycle Assessment of a 30 mm thick weld is conducted to investigate the influences of the energy efficiency on the environmental impacts. Environmental burdens in the categories Global Warming Potential, Acidification Potential, Eutrophication Potential and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential can be reduced up to 11% using an energy efficient TGMAW process
In diesem Beitrag soll in Kürze darüber informiert werden, welche Themen und Fragestellun-gen den Fachbeirat der BAM, seine Arbeitsgruppen und die BAM beschäftigt haben. Bereits in den letzten Jahren wurde an dieser Stelle über die Anforderungen an Kunststoff Drän-elemente berichtet. Vor dem Hintergrund unserer Beiträge zu diesem Thema, kam eine in-tensive Fachdiskussion im Fachbeirat der BAM und in weiteren Fachgremien in Gang. So wurden die Bemessungsgrundsätze der DGGT (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geotechnik), die GDA (Geotechnik der Deponien und Altlasten) E (Empfehlung) 2-20 (Entwässerungsschich-ten in Oberflächenabdichtungssystemen), in einigen Punkten angepasst. Eine Musterverle-geanleitung für Kunststoff Dränelemente wurde erarbeitet. Der aktuelle Bearbeitungsstand soll hier vorgestellt werden. In diesem Zusammenhang wurde ein Untersuchungsprogramm zum Einfluss von Überlappstößen auf das Wasserableitvermögen von Kunst-stoff Dränelementen angestoßen. Die Ergebnisse sollen hier in Kürze vorgestellt und die Bedeutung für die Abminderungsfaktoren und damit für die Bemessung erläutert werden. Zu welchem Zeitpunkt muss ein Kunststoff Dränelement überbaut werden und welche weiteren Regelungen müssen hier beachtet werden? Was steckt eigentlich hinter diesen strengen Regelungen? Diese Fragen sollen im Folgenden diskutiert werden.
Die Deponieverordnung (DepV) fordert eine Akkreditierung der fremdprüfenden Stellen nach verschiedenen Normen. Die fachlichen Anforderungen an den „Fremdprüfer-Kunststoff“ legt die Richtlinie Fremdprüfer der BAM fest. Um diese Anforderungen im Akkreditierungsprozess ausreichend berücksichtigen zu können, wurde nun eine sogenannte DAkkS Regel erarbeitet, die die Anforderungen der Richtlinie spiegelt. Über den aktuellen Bearbeitungsstand soll berichtet werden.
Auch über die aktuelle Arbeit in Zusammenhang mit den Kunststoffdichtungsbahnen (KDB) soll berichtet werden. Der Prüfhinweis B14 (Bestimmung der Maßhaltigkeit von geosyntheti-schen Dichtungsbahnen aus Polyethylen hoher Dichte (PEHD)) wurde überarbeitet. Voran-gegangen war eine intensive Entwicklung der Prüfeinrichtung sowie ausgiebige Ringversuche im AK GWS (Arbeitskreis Grundwasserschutz). In diesem Zusammenhang wurden neue Anforderungen an die Produkte gestellt. Die Hintergründe dazu sollen kurz vorgestellt werden. Die DVS (Deutscher Verband für Schweißen und verwandte Verfahren) Richtlinie 2225-4 regelt das Schweißen der KDB auf der Deponiebaustelle. Werden KDB im strukturierten Bereich miteinander verschweißt, werden die Strukturen in der Regel vorher abgetragen. Die DVS Richtlinie 2225-4 sieht unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen von einem Abtragen der Strukturen ab. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde ein Untersuchungsprogramm initiiert, das die Auswirkungen aufzeigen soll. Der Bearbeitungsstand wird vorgestellt.
An approach to achieve “zero leakage” is discussed with respect to the experience in Germany, where strict regulations for landfill lining and capping systems have been developed and issued because of large environmental problems related to landfills that accumulated in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Using a thick, high quality HDPE geomembrane (GMB), which is installed free of residual waves and wrinkles in intimate contact with a compacted clay liner (CCL) or geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) of very low permeability, by a qualified, experienced, well equipped and properly third-party controlled installer and which are protected by heavy protection layers designed with respect to long-term performance of the GMB, may result in a liner or capping system of practically no leakage. This is demonstrated by analyzing results of measurements obtained from permanently installed leak detection systems in combination with HDPE GMBs. The survey is based on 32 German landfills with 1,276,500 m² of installed HDPE GMB.
In diesem Beitrag soll in Kürze darüber informiert werden, welche Themen und Fragestellun-gen den Fachbeirat der BAM, seine Arbeitsgruppen und die BAM beschäftigt haben. Bereits in den letzten Jahren wurde an dieser Stelle über die Anforderungen an Kunststoff Drän-elemente berichtet. Vor dem Hintergrund unserer Beiträge zu diesem Thema, kam eine in-tensive Fachdiskussion im Fachbeirat der BAM und in weiteren Fachgremien in Gang. So wurden die Bemessungsgrundsätze der DGGT (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geotechnik), die GDA (Geotechnik der Deponien und Altlasten) E (Empfehlung) 2-20 (Entwässerungsschich-ten in Oberflächenabdichtungssystemen), in einigen Punkten angepasst. Eine Musterverle-geanleitung für Kunststoff Dränelemente wurde erarbeitet. Der aktuelle Bearbeitungsstand soll hier vorgestellt werden. In diesem Zusammenhang wurde ein Untersuchungsprogramm zum Einfluss von Überlappstößen auf das Wasserableitvermögen von Kunst-stoff Dränelementen angestoßen. Die Ergebnisse sollen hier in Kürze vorgestellt und die Bedeutung für die Abminderungsfaktoren und damit für die Bemessung erläutert werden. Zu welchem Zeitpunkt muss ein Kunststoff Dränelement überbaut werden und welche weiteren Regelungen müssen hier beachtet werden? Was steckt eigentlich hinter diesen strengen Regelungen? Diese Fragen sollen im Folgenden diskutiert werden.
Die Deponieverordnung (DepV) fordert eine Akkreditierung der fremdprüfenden Stellen nach verschiedenen Normen. Die fachlichen Anforderungen an den „Fremdprüfer-Kunststoff“ legt die Richtlinie Fremdprüfer der BAM fest. Um diese Anforderungen im Akkreditierungsprozess ausreichend berücksichtigen zu können, wurde nun eine sogenannte DAkkS Regel erarbeitet, die die Anforderungen der Richtlinie spiegelt. Über den aktuellen Bearbeitungsstand soll berichtet werden.
Auch über die aktuelle Arbeit in Zusammenhang mit den Kunststoffdichtungsbahnen (KDB) soll berichtet werden. Der Prüfhinweis B14 (Bestimmung der Maßhaltigkeit von geosyntheti-schen Dichtungsbahnen aus Polyethylen hoher Dichte (PEHD)) wurde überarbeitet. Voran-gegangen war eine intensive Entwicklung der Prüfeinrichtung sowie ausgiebige Ringversuche im AK GWS (Arbeitskreis Grundwasserschutz). In diesem Zusammenhang wurden neue Anforderungen an die Produkte gestellt. Die Hintergründe dazu sollen kurz vorgestellt werden. Die DVS (Deutscher Verband für Schweißen und verwandte Verfahren) Richtlinie 2225-4 regelt das Schweißen der KDB auf der Deponiebaustelle. Werden KDB im strukturierten Bereich miteinander verschweißt, werden die Strukturen in der Regel vorher abgetragen. Die DVS Richtlinie 2225-4 sieht unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen von einem Abtragen der Strukturen ab. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde ein Untersuchungsprogramm initiiert, das die Auswirkungen aufzeigen soll. Der Bearbeitungsstand wird vorgestellt.
Phosphor ist ein für alle Lebewesen essentielles Element und in seinen Funktionen nicht zu ersetzen. Der Bedarf wird aus der Nahrung gedeckt, daher wird Phosphor letztendlich durch Ackerbau den Böden entzogen. Der Nährstoff muss ersetzt werden, um dauerhafte Landwirtschaft zu ermöglichen. Das geschieht zum einen durch den Einsatz von Wirtschaftsdüngern, aber zu einem großen Teil auch durch Mineraldünger. Das hierfür benötigte Rohphosphat wird bergmännisch aus fossilen Lagerstätten gewonnen. Die entsprechende Reichweite wird auf über 300 Jahre geschätzt. Daher besteht zwar keine unmittelbare Gefahr, dass dieser lebenswichtige Nährstoff zu Neige geht, es bestehen jedoch erhebliche Versorgungsrisiken. Zum einen ist Europa nahezu vollständig von Importen abhängig und damit auch Schwankungen der Weltmarktpreise ausgesetzt. Darüber hinaus liegen Förderung und Reserven von Rohphosphaten entweder in Ländern mit hohem Eigenbedarf (USA, China) oder in politisch instabilen Regionen (Marokko, West Sahara). Außerdem sind viele Rohphosphate mit Schwermetallen wie Uran, Thorium und Cadmium belastet. Das Umweltbundesamt schätzt, dass jährlich mehr als 160 t Uran durch Mineraldünger auf deutsche Ackerflächen ausgebracht werden. Rückgewinnung von Phosphor könnte helfen, diese Probleme zu reduzieren. Ein bedeutendes Potential dafür stellt der Abwasserstrom dar. Die Menge an Phosphor darin wird deutschlandweit auf etwa 70.000 t jährlich geschätzt. Das entspricht etwa der Hälfte der Menge an Phosphor, die derzeit für Mineraldünger benötigt wird. Der Vortrag würde sich mit möglichen Prozessen der Rückgewinnung, deren Wirtschaftlichkeit und Herausforderungen der Analytik befassen:
- in den letzten Jahren wurden zahlreiche Verfahren zur Rückgewinnung von Phosphor aus verschiedensten Phasen der Abwasserreinigung entwickelt (wässrige Phase, Klärschlamm, Klärschlammasche). Ausgewählte Verfahren würden vorgestellt und bewertet.
- für einen Einsatz der so gewonnenen Recyclingphosphate als Düngemittel muss die Schadstofffreiheit und Pflanzenverfügbarkeit der Nährstoffe sichergestellt werden. Dazu ist zu prüfen, ob die zurzeit gängigen Verfahren der Probenvorbereitung und Analytik auch auf Recyclingphosphate anwendbar sind. Das gilt neben der Bioverfügbarkeit von Phosphor besonders für Schadstoffe, da die Recyclingdünger aus Abfallmaterialien gewonnen werden, die stark belastet sein können. Das gilt besonders für die speziesspezifische Analytik von Chrom (Chrom (VI) vs. Chrom (III)) in verschiedenen Matrices.
Polybromierte Flammschutzmittel (PBFSM) werden seit den 1960er Jahren zur Herabsetzung der Entflammbarkeit von Polymeren verwendet. Diese stehen auf Grund ihrer potentiell persistenten, bioakkumulierenden sowie toxischen Eigenschaften bis heute im Fokus der Wissenschaft und Gesetzgebung. In den letzten Jahren kam es verstärkt zum Einsatz neuer („emerging“) sowie neuartiger („novel“) PBFSM. Diese Verbindungen wurden bereits in der Umwelt bzw. oberhalb von 0,1 Gew.-% in Bedarfsgegenständen nachgewiesen. Zwei Vertreter, über deren Vorkommen, physikochemischen Eigenschaften und Umwelt-verhalten nur wenig bekannt ist, wurden daher ausgewählt, um das Abbau- und Transformationsverhalten näher zu untersuchen. Um eine Einschätzung über das Umweltverhalten bzw. die Metabolisierung dieser Verbindungen vornehmen zu können, werden sowohl Untersuchungen der cyto-chromabhängigen Biotransformation (Phase I/II) anhand mikrosomaler Ansätze als auch die Simulation oxidativer/reduktiver Abbauprozesse durch die Kopplung aus elektrochemischer Zelle (EC) und massenspektrometrischer Detektion (MS) herangezogen. Ziel der präsentierten Arbeit ist es, ein erstes Verständnis des Umweltverhaltens dieser neuartigen Kontaminanten zu entwickeln, um so eine Bewertung über die toxikologische Relevanz dieser Verbindungen bzw. deren Umwelt-/Bio-Transformationsprodukte geben zu können.
An approach to achieve “zero leakage” is discussed with respect to the experience in Germany, where strict regulations for landfill lining and capping systems have been developed and issued because of large environmental problems related to landfills that accumulated in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Using a thick, high quality HDPE geomembrane (GMB), which is installed free of residual waves and wrinkles in intimate contact with a compacted clay liner (CCL) or geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) of very low permeability, by a qualified, experienced, well equipped and properly third-party controlled installer and which are protected by heavy protection layers designed with respect to long-term performance of the GMB, may result in a liner or capping system of practically no leakage. This is demonstrated by analyzing results of measurements obtained from permanently installed leak detection systems in combination with HDPE GMBs. The survey is based on 32 German landfills with 1,276,500 m² of installed HDPE GMB.
The recent experience of Italian seismic events provided wide observational information about typical behaviour, damage patterns and intrinsic vulnerability of monumental buildings. Evidence indicates that historical constructions are by far the most vulnerable from the seismic point of view. As a consequence, they demand for the definition of urgent strategies for the protection of cultural heritage from seismic hazard. The main goal of an in-depth knowledge of the structure should help to avoid inadequate, unsuitable or dangerous rehabilitation operations, as well as to select non-invasive and reversible techniques for the best exploitation of material and technology features. The definition of reliable models and methods for seismic risk assessment of historical constructions is today a very important topic. Typical problems of masonry structures concern aspects like inherent structural lacks, material degradation, geotechnical problems, buckling behaviour of slender elements and dynamic loading vulnerability. Modelling the mechanical behaviour of masonry may play an important role, due to both inherent material complexity and great scatter in mechanical properties. Effective procedures for the identification of the structural parameters from static and dynamic testing are thus required. In particular, dynamic measurements may be very useful for the identification of mechanical properties and soil restraints and, consequently, for the calibration of advanced numerical finite element models. The paper addresses two case studies of structural monitoring and seismic assessment of medieval masonry towers in Italy: the bell tower of Aversa and the bell tower of Capua. These monuments, placed in the Campania region, were monitored by means of full-scale environmental vibration testing. Measured responses are then used for modal identification with a typical finite element model updating technique based on vibration test results. Parameters optimization is carried out on the basis of a criterion which minimises a weighted error on modal properties. A satisfactory improvement in the determination of modal parameters is thus obtained, resulting in a close agreement between the modal properties observed in dynamic tests and those calculated from numerical model. Seismic assessment is finally performed based on nonlinear static analysis of the tower under multimodal distributions of lateral loads. Results from nonlinear analysis indicate the potential collapse mechanisms and evidence dangerous structural weakness which may play a role in the seismic vulnerability of the towers.
Advanced oxidation processes have become an important part of research due to their capacity to degrade many environmental pollutants during water treatment. Especially the heterogeneous photocatalysis is a promising method because it often results in a full mineralization of many hazardous compounds. Incomplete degradation reactions can result in transformation products due to oxidative conditions. The transformation products may have a higher toxicity than the precursor substances and are often only partly removed during water treatment. Since a lot of these compounds are still unknown, transformation products are not detected by target analysis used in sewage treatment plants and are often released into the aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, extensive and effective non-target analytical methods are necessary for the monitoring and identification of the transformation products which can be generated during waste water treatment.
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is the most frequently used photocatalyst because of its inexpensiveness, non-toxicity, chemical stability and its high photocatalytic activity. If TiO2 is irradiated electron-hole pairs are generated on the surface of the TiO2, resulting in the formation of active oxidized species such as hydroxyl radicals which can react with environmental pollutants.
A model system has been developed to simulate photocatalytic reactions in a laboratory scale. The commonly used pharmaceuticals metformin and gabapentin were selected as model substances because of their high input in waste water and the little information about their fate during water treatment. Metformin is the drug of choice for treating type 2 diabetes. More than half of the total amount of pharmaceuticals in the environment are the antidiabetic agent metformin and its major transformation product guanylurea. Gabapentin is used as antiepileptic drug and for the treatment of neuropathic pain. It is found in waste water influent in the high ng/L range.
First results of the optimization of the photocatalyst and its application are shown.
In the beginning of the 1980s earth building has undergone a renaissance, which nowadays leads to an increasing use of load-bearing earth constructions and in particular, earth block masonry. At present there are no common structural standards according to the semi-probabilistic calculation concept, which is the state-of-the-art in European standards. A solid database is needed for the determination of the materials partial safety factor. Therefore, compressive strength tests were carried out with two types of earth blocks and two types of prefabricated earth mortar. The evaluation showed that the variation of the compressive strength was remarkably less than expected, which seems to indicate high quality standards of the components earth block and mortar with regard to industrial production. On the basis of these results and together with the reliability method, a partial safety factor for earth block masonry subjected to compression was determined. The main aim of the research was the development of a first valid database for material parameters of earth block masonry with particular regard to statistical characteristics. The results showed that a common calculation method for earth block masonry based on partial safety factors following the valid masonry construction standard is feasible.
The paper investigates the dynamic characterisation, the numerical model tuning and the seismic risk assessment of two monumental masonry towers located in Italy: the Capua Cathedral bell tower and the Aversa Cathedral bell tower. Full-scale ambient vibration tests under environmental loads are performed. The modal identification is carried out using techniques of modal extraction in the frequency domain. The refined 3D finite element model (FEM) is calibrated using the in situ investigation survey. The FEM tuning is carried out by varying the mechanical parameters and accounting for the restraint offered by the neighbouring buildings and the role of soil–structure interaction. The assessment of the seismic performance of the bell towers is carried out through a nonlinear static procedure based on the multi-modal pushover analysis and the capacity spectrum method. Through the discussion of the case studies, the paper shows that the modal identification is a reliable technique that can be used in situ for assessing the dynamic behaviour of monumental buildings. By utilising the tuned FEM of the towers, the theoretical fundamental frequencies are determined, which coincide with the previously determined experimental frequencies. The results from seismic performance assessment through a pushover analysis confirm that the masonry towers in this study are particularly vulnerable to strong damage even when subjected to seismic events of moderate intensity.
Beton ist als Massenbaustoff vielseitig einsetzbar. Eine der neuesten Entwicklungen ist Ultrahochleistungsbeton (UHPC). Seine besonderen Eigenschaften ermöglichen eine zusätzliche Funktionalisierung der Oberflächen, da annähernd beliebige Mikrostrukturen exakt abgeformt werden können. So lassen sich beispielsweise Fassadenelemente aus UHPC bereits bei ihrer Herstellung im Betonfertigteilwerk mit selbstreinigenden Oberflächen ausrüsten. Eine andere Möglichkeit ist eine Anwendung als Datenspeicher. Wie das Beispiel der Schallplatte aus UHPC zeigt, lassen sich Muster, die hier die Schallinformationen enthalten, exakt von einer Matrize kopieren.
Earth, timber, fibre boards and insulation materials based on wooden and other natural fibres offer a variety of properties beneficial for eco innovative constructions that are able to improve the energy and resource efficiency of buildings.
Due to their porosity, natural building materials are vapour active and are able to buffer moisture. In combination with highly insulated and airtight but vapour permeable building envelopes, modern earth-timber constructions provide stable indoor humidity levels and can therefore be naturally ventilated while achieving highest energy efficiency standards. Experimental evidence suggests that monitored pilot buildings in Berlin do show healthy indoor air humidity levels (around 50%) in wintertime, while mechanically ventilated buildings demonstrate significantly lower values (around 25%), which have to be considered as uncomfortable and unhealthy.
The application of building materials being poor in chemical emissions, particularly volatile organic compounds (VOC) and radon, improves the indoor air quality further, so that intermittent ventilation twice a day will be sufficient to provide healthy indoor air quality. The air quality in critical rooms (e.g. small bedrooms), demonstrating a smaller air volume, should be monitored if appropriate ratios of room size to occupancy level cannot be realised.
Through night time ventilation in summer, vapour active earth-timber constructions provide evaporative cooling (humidity adsorption at night time and desorption during the day). As a result, indoor temperatures of earth-timber buildings range around 8 °C below the outside temperature peak, when an appropriate glazing ratio is reflected. The EU funded research project H-house is investigating various construction materials regarding water vapour adsorption as well as emission and absorption of harmful substances. Based on this investigation new wall constructions are designed to provide a healthier indoor environment.
This study presents diagnostic techniques to assess the structural vulnerability of earthen buildings. Medieval structures at Ambel (near Zaragoza, Spain), once a preceptory or monastic house belonging to the Military Orders, provide a useful case study. After more than a thousand years of construction, failure and repair from the 10th century to the present day, Ambel preceptory today is characterised by marked inhomogeneities: construction materials and structural typologies are juxtaposed, with structural discontinuities at the interfaces between construction phases. This paper argues that, while static analysis is an essential prerequisite before a suitable maintenance program can be defined, no evaluation of the structural behaviour of any historic building can ignore an understanding of the building’s history.
We have studied the influence of gamma rays on physical properties of different commercially available silica optical fibers stepwise irradiated up to a total dose of 100 kGy. The detection of radiation-induced changes in silica glass offers the possibility of using selected optical fibers as distributed radiation sensors. The measurements performed by us were based on optical backscatter reflectometry and Brillouin distributed sensing. The measurement methods enable an analysis of radiation-induced modification of the group refractive index and density of the optical fibers. The most distinct physical effect observed by us concerns the increase of the optical attenuation with rising total radiation doses. Quantitative measurement results indicate a crucial impact of fiber dopants on radiation-induced physical and sensory characteristics of silica optical fibers affected by differences in fiber fabrication techniques. Based on the obtained results, the suitability of distributed Brillouin sensing for dosimetry applications seems to be improved by modifying the refractive index profile of the fiber core.
Fungal secondary metabolites such as phomopsin A (PHO-A) produced by the fungus Diaporthe toxica are referred to as “emerging” mycotoxins. Recently, we developed a biosynthetic approach to gain access to 15N-isotopically labelled PHO-A as internal standard (IS) for PHO-A matrix independent quantification of PHO-A in various commodities. Aim of the present work was to elucidate the applicability of the new IS for accurate quantification and to investigate the phomopsin formation on various legume seeds as well as plant material. In summary, the applicability of the SIDA-HPLC-MS/MS method could be proven and the potential of D. toxica to produce high amounts of phomopsins under unfavorable conditions on lupins and other legume seeds could be shown. Moreover, a novel toxic methylated PHO-A derivative was unveiled in natural samples infested with D. toxica.
Neue Trends & Alte Probleme: Das Leguminosenmykotoxin Phomopsin A in einer "worst case"-Betrachtung
(2016)
Leguminosen wie z.B. Bohnen, Erbsen, Soja und zunehmend auch die Samen der Süßlupine liefern aufgrund ihres hohen Proteingehaltes einen wertvollen Beitrag zu einer veganen oder vegetarischen Ernährung. Jedoch sind Lupinen anfällig für Infektionen mit dem Pilz Diaporthe toxica, der u.a. Phomopsin A als hepatotoxischen Sekundärmetaboliten bildet. Ziel der Arbeiten waren die Gewinnung und Anwendung eines 15N-isotopenmarkierten internen Standards für die HPLC-MS/MS-Analyse dieses Toxins sowie die Quantifizierung der Toxinbildung in einem „worst case“-Szenario.
Leguminosen wie z.B. Bohnen, Erbsen, Soja und zunehmend auch die Samen der Süßlupine liefern aufgrund ihres hohen Proteingehaltes einen wertvollen Beitrag zu einer veganen oder vegetarischen Ernährung. Jedoch sind Lupinen anfällig für Infektionen mit dem Pilz Diaporthe toxica, der u.a. Phomopsin A als hepatotoxischen Sekundärmetaboliten bildet. Ziel der Arbeiten waren die Gewinnung und Anwendung eines 15N-isotopenmarkierten internen Standards für die HPLC-MS/MS-Analyse dieses Toxins sowie die Quantifizierung der Toxinbildung in einem „worst case“-Szenario.
UHPC-AAC/CLC composite panels with self-cleaning properties. Materials and production technology
(2016)
The aim of this study is to show the development of a façade composite panel combining either an autoclaved aerated concrete or a cellular lightweight concrete insulation layer with a box-type external ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) supporting layer. The paper presents the materials characteristics of the different components and the production technology of the panel. The efficiency of surface modifications of the materials forming the external shell of the panel is reported. The activation of self-cleaning properties is described. The test results showed that the most efficient way to use the water-repellent agent is its application on the substrate before the concrete cast.
Concerning the production technology, the preliminary studies showed more advantages of a two-step manufacturing procedure of the UHPC boxes than a one-step procedure.
The goal of the present study is to assess the feasibility to develop a first reliable database of materials parameters for Earth Block Masonry (EBM). The database is crucial when defining the materials safety factors. In the first part an experimental campaign of compressive tests were carried out on two types of earth block and two types of earth mortar. The results showed that the mean variation of the compressive strength was remarkably less than expected. This low variation is related to a production with high quality standards of the materials employed. In the second part a partial safety factor for EBM under uniaxial compression was determined through the reliability method. The results proved the reliability of a common calculation method for EBM based on partial safety factors following the current standards.
Vielzahl unterschiedlicher VOC kann aus Bauprodukten freigesetzt werden. In den meisten Bauproduktgruppen gibt es sowohl emissionsarme als auch emissionsreiche Produkte. Manche VOC sind produktgruppenspezifisch, z.B. Siloxane/Silikon, andere VOC unspezifisch wie Formaldehyd und Essigsäure. VOC-Analytik und Gerüche zeigen im Allgemeinen keinen Zusammenhang. Schwerflüchter zeigen Langzeitemission und ausgeprägte Senken-/Memoryeffekte. Drucker/Kopierer emittieren neben VOC auch Fein- und Ultrafeinpartikel. Radon kann aus manchen Bauprodukten abgegeben werden und bei luftdichten Gebäuden in radonarmen Gebieten Haupt-Radonquelle sein. Radonexhalation kann grundsätzlich (statisch/dynamisch?) mit VOC-Kammern - ergänzt mit geeigneten Messgeräten - bestimmt werden. Es existiert eine Vielzahl von Labels für emissionsarme Bauprodukte. Gerade bei modernen, dichten Bauten mit geringem natürlichen Luftwechsel sind hohe Schadstoffkonzentrationen zu erwarten, wenn nicht emissionsarme Materialien und Produkte zum Einsatz kommen.
The surface chemistry / functionalization of nanomaterials and microparticles largely controls the stability of these materials as well as their solubility and subsequent biofunctionalization and their interactions with biological systems. Moreover, in the case of some nanomaterials like semiconductor quantum dots or lanthanide-based upconversion nanocrystals, the ligand shell strongly affects their optical properties, e.g., via passivation of surface states and traps that favor luminescence quenching or the protection of surface atoms from quenching water molecules. This renders analytical methods for the quantification of surface groups like functionalities very important. Targets of broad interest are here amino, carboxyl, alkine and maleimide groups used for common bioconjugation reactions and typical ligands like thiols and polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules of varying length, used for the tuning of material hydrophilicity and biocompatibility, minimization of unspecific interactions, prevention of biofouling, and enhancement of blood circulation times as well as surface-bound biomolecules like streptavidin or other biomolecules relevant e.g., for diagnostic assays. Here, we focus on simple optical methods relying on standard laboratory instrumentation, validated by method comparison and/or mass balances and present examples for their use for the characterization of different types of nanomaterials and microparticles.
Luminescence-based detection methods, ranging from fluorescence spectroscopy for photophysical and mechanistic studies over sensing applications, chromatographic separation techniques and the microarray technology with fluorescence detection to fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, single molecule spectroscopy, and molecular imaging to integrating sphere spectroscopy, are among the most widely used methods in the life and material sciences. This is due to e.g., their unique sensitivity enabling the detection of single molecules, potential for multiplexing, ease of combination with spatial resolution, and suitability for remote sensing. Many of these advantages are closely linked to the choice of suitable molecular and nanoscale fluorescent reporters, typically required for signal generation. This includes organic dyes without and with sensor function, fluorophore-encoded polymeric and silica nanoparticles as well as nanocrystalline systems like semiconductor quantum dots and upconversion phosphors, emitting in the visible (vis), near-infrared (NIR), and IR (infrared). Current challenges present the environment sensitivity of most fluorophores, rendering fluorescence spectra, measured intensities/fluorescence quantum yields, and fluorescence decay kinetics matrix-dependent, and instrument-specific distortions of measured fluorescence signals that need to be considered for quantification and comparability of data, particularly fluorescence spectra.
Here, current applications of luminescence-based methods and different types of reporters will be presented. In this context, suitable spectroscopic tools for the characteri-zation of the optical properties of fluorescent reporters and fluorophore-encoded microparticles, analytical tools for the determination of the surface chemistry of different types of particles, and different multiplexing strategies will be discussed.
In order to provide nutrition for a growing world population pesticides are a necessary tool. Crop protection agents may be considered safe, if handled correctly. Nevertheless, they are subject to transformation processes and metabolization in the environment and technical installations. Transformation products (TP) and metabolites may be more harmful than the mother substance and thereby pose a threat to environmental and human health.
With 19 % market share in 2014, triazole pesticides are the class of organic fungicides which are most commonly used in Germany. However, only little data is available concerning their TP and metabolites. In this study the fate of the triazole fungicides propiconazole and difenoconazole in soil and water using model reaction systems mimicking their pathway in the environment and the industrial water treatment is investigated.
During application the substances may directly contaminate soil as well as surface waters. In these compartments, transformation by global irradiation needs to be considered. Due to their moderate mobility both pesticides may also end up in ground water from which drinking water is produced. Owing to the vigorous conditions during drinking water production the formation of a variety of technical TP can be expected. Additionally, for all compartments the degradation by bacteria is a factor which needs to be taken into account. For this survey, the potential for metabolization by model organisms is investigated.
In this work degradation and transformation of the fungicides is monitored using quantitative target analysis. Major components in the reaction mixtures are identified by non-target analysis. GC-EI-MS-spectra, HR-MS-measurements, or the comparison with native standards are utilised for structural elucidation. For identification, products will be isolated and characterized by NMR. Toxicity assessment of these TP is essential to define threshold values in the environment.
The model reaction systems will be presented and possible TP will be shown.
Flame retardants are increasingly used in consumer products as e.g. electronics and furniture as well as in construction. Along with the increased usage, concerns about negative effects of flame retardants on human health and the environment have been raised. Concerning construction products one application for flame retardants is the furnishing of steel structures with reactive flameproof coatings. These coatings consist of a complex mixture of different chemicals, additives and solvents. For the evaluation of the risk possibly posed by their application to the environment, this whole mixture should be tested.
Two different leaching tests were applied according to DIN/TS 16637-2 (sample permantly submerged in water) and DIN EN 16105 (immersion and drying cycles), respectively, which can be used for plate-like products. Eluates were divided into subsamples for the measurement of different parameters: pH-value, conductivity, total organic carbon (TOC), cation and anion concentration. For screening of organic compounds, aqueous samples were liquid/liquid extracted using three solvents with different polarity (toluene, hexane and ethylacetate). GC-MS chromatograms were recorded in the SCAN mode and mass spectra of the peaks were compared with spectras stored in the NIST library.
Eluates of leaching test accroding to DIN CEN TS 16637-2 showed low electrical conductivity (20 to 150 µS/cm) and low release of cation and anions often near the LOQ. Diffferences could be observed for plates treated with the reactive coating at both sides and plates coated only at one side, while the other side is only furnished by the corrosive protection layer. Release of TOC and Zn was approx twice or 10 fold higher in the case of plates coated on one side. Furthermore, the comparison of the results for both types of plates showed that a large portion of the released compounds originate rather from the corrosion protection layer than from the reactive coating itself. Leaching tests according to DIN EN 16105 have not been finished yet, but first results show that the conductivity is much lower (1-4 µS/cm) than for the tests according to DIN/TS 16637-2 leading to the assumption that the release of compounds is lower.
By comparison of the mass spectra with library data, mainly organic solvents as xylene, 1-methoxy-2-propanol acetate and n-btuyl carbamate have been tentatively identified so far in the first test fraction done by DIN CEN TS 16637-2.
Several restoration projects of stained-glass windows have been performed in Lower Silesia (Poland) since 2010. The aim of the projects was to protect stained-glass windows against environmental impact of industial pollutants and acid rain by installing a protective glazing. The usefulness of protective glazing has been proved by climate measurements and determination of environmental impact before and after installation.
X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) patterns of the high-temperature (HT) cristobalite form of SiO2 and its isoelectronic AlPO4 analogue are essentially influenced by the dynamic disorder of these crystal structures. The nature of this disorder and of the phase transition between the α- and β-form has been the subject of intensive research during the last four decades [1]. By 1989 it became possible to stabilize the HT-form of cristobalite SiO2 at room temperature in laboratory and engineering ceramic industries by applying solid solution forming techniques [2]. However, for the HT-form of cristobalite AlPO4 nothing similar has been known until 2014 when it was discovered that nanocrystalline and stacking-disordered β-cristobalite AlPO4 is the major component of the fly ash of a large incineration facility operated by the waste water treatment authorities of Frankfurt/M. [3]. Previous comprehensive investigations of this fly ash failed to interpret its complex XRD pattern – presumably mainly due to the lack of a matching experimental digital pattern in the Powder Diffraction Database. The present paper reports on a synthesis route that facilitates the crystallization of nanocrystalline and stacking-disordered β-cristobalite AlPO4 that is free of crystalline impurity phases and long-term stable at ambient. Its room temperature XRD pattern is presented with parameters traced back to certified reference materials.
[1] Yuan F. and Huang L., Phys. Rev, B, 2012, 85, 134114. [2] Perrotta J.A., Grubbs D.K., Martin E.S., Dando N.R., McKinstry H.A. and Huang C.-Y., J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1989, 72, 441. [3] Peplinski B., Adam C., Adamczyk B., Müller R., Michaelis M., Krahl Th. and Emmerling F., Powder Diffraction Journal, 2015, 30, 2, Supp. 1, S31.
Durch den stetig steigenden Einsatz von Plastikprodukten sind unerwünschte Kunststofffunde in verschiedenen Umweltmatrices mittlerweile allgegenwärtig. Bereits seit Jahren werden die Funde in aquatischen Bereich kommentiert, mittlerweile erfahren auch terrestrische Kompartimente erhöhte Aufmerksamkeit.
Besonderes Interesse erfahren Kunststoffpartikel von einer Größe kleiner 5 mm, sogenannte Mikroplastik (MP) Partikel.
The canister for the permanent storage of spent nuclear fuel used by SKB in Sweden consists of a cast iron insert surrounded by a five centimetre thick shell of copper. It is a safety critical component and in order to secure long-term structural integrity non-destructive methods are used to inspect 100% of the volume of each canister, before it is disposed of in the repository. One of the critical components that requires inspection is a sealing weld, joining the copper tube and the lid. The friction stir weld is inspected using an ultrasonic phased array system. The area of the weld is inspected with several inspection channels with different angles and varying coverage. To make sure that no defects that might occur in the weld are overseen, the reliability of the inspection must be quantified. The reliability of NDT is usually quantified with the probability of detection curves. The influence of the parameters that might influence the POD of the flaws in the weld is investigated analysing the experimental results, as well as with a help of a numerical simulation of the inspection.
The canister for the permanent storage of spent nuclear fuel used by SKB in Sweden consists of a cast iron insert surrounded by a five centimetre thick shell of copper. It is a safety critical component and in order to secure long-term structural integrity non-destructive methods are used to inspect 100% of the volume of each canister, before it is disposed of in the repository. One of the critical components that requires inspection is a sealing weld, joining the copper tube and the lid. The friction stir weld is inspected using an ultrasonic phased array system. The area of the weld is inspected with several inspection channels with different angles and varying coverage. To make sure that no defects that might occur in the weld are overseen, the reliability of the inspection must be quantified. The reliability of NDT is usually quantified with the probability of detection curves. The influence of the parameters that might influence the POD of the flaws in the weld is investigated analysing the experimental results, as well as with a help of a numerical simulation of the inspection.
A bead suspension array for measuring emerging pollutants and anthropogenic markers in wastewater
(2016)
Background: The assessment of water quality demands for high-throughput and multi-target compatible analytical methods. On the one hand, the influence of sewage on natural surface waters must be routinely monitored - according to the European Water Framework Directive. On the other hand, estimation of removal efficiencies of pollutants, such as drug residues, is in the focus of industrial and public wastewater treatment. Immunoassays, such as ELISA, are often applied in this area owing to their cost-efficiency and high-throughput capability. However, it is only possible to measure a single analyte in one measurement. In contrast, array technology is capable for measuring multiple substances in parallel. Here we present a four-plex bead-based flow cytometric assay for measuring three drugs (carbamazepine, an anti-epileptic drug, diclofenac, an antiphlogistic and caffeine, a psychoactive substance) and the bile acid isolithocholic acid, which is proposed to be used as a fecal marker. The drugs can be detected from 1 to 4 µg/L and the bile acid can be detected up to 72 µg/L in wastewater, requiring a highly sensitive detection method.
Methods: We use core-shell particles as the spherical platform, consisting of a polystyrene core and a silica shell. Such beads can easily be encoded with an organic fluorophore in the core and functionalized with amino groups on the silica shell surface for creating binding sites for antibodies: Therefore, the marker substances are bound to the amino groups via NHS chemistry. The hybrid particles were synthesized in house. Polystyrene was chosen as core material because of its low density and high refractive index, both important requirements for the use in suspension arrays. Easy surface modifications using silane chemistry are accessible on the silica shell. For the determination of the pollutants, the beads are incubated with a mixture of the analyte-specific antibodies. The antibodies undergo a competitive reaction to bind the immobilized molecules on the surface of the beads or the free analyte in the solution, respectively. Bound antibodies can then be visualized via fluorophore-labelled secondary antibodies. For read-out a flow cytometer is used to virtually separate the different dye encoded beads and to measure the resulting Signal intensity of the immunoassay. A four-parametric function was used as calibration curve.
Results: In order to obtain highly selective binding of the antibodies, we investigated different types of silica shell surface modifications to overcome unspecific binding, finding that a PEG-modified surface is suitable to support our immunoassay format. Multiplexed small molecule detection can therefore be realized in a simple mix and read procedure without washing steps.
Conclusion: We presented a multiplexing suspension array for the detection of four marker substances in wastewater samples, based on an indirect immunoassay format with polystyrene core-silica shell microbeads. The resulting multiplexing assay is appropriate to detect the marker substances in the low µg/L range. Therefore, wastewater samples can be measured without further preconcentration.
A bead suspension array for measuring emerging pollutants and anthropogenic markers in wastewater.
(2016)
The assessment of water quality demands for high-throughput and multi-target compatible analytical methods. On the one hand, the influence of sewage on natural surface waters must be routinely monitored - according to the European Water Framework Directive. On the other hand, estimation of removal efficiencies of pollutants, such as drug residues, is in the focus of industrial and public wastewater treatment. Immunoassays, such as ELISA, are often applied in this area owing to their cost-efficiency and high-throughput capability. However, it is only possible to measure a single analyte in one measurement.
In contrast, array technology is capable for measuring multiple substances in parallel. Here we present a four-plex bead-based flow cytometric assay for measuring three drugs (carbamazepine, an anti-epileptic drug, diclofenac, an antiphlogistic and caffeine, a psychoactive substance) and the bile acid isolithocholic acid, which is proposed to be used as a fecal marker.
In this suspension array core-shell particles, consisting of a polystyrene core and a silica shell are used. They can be easily encoded with a fluorophore which is introduced to the core and functionalized with amino groups on the surface for creating binding sites for antibodies: Therefore, the marker substances are bound to the amino groups via NHS chemistry.
For the determination of the pollutants, the beads are incubated with a mixture of the analyte-specific antibodies. The antibodies undergo a competitive reaction to bind the immobilised molecules on the surface of the beads or the free analyte in the solution, respectively. Bound antibodies can then be visualized via fluorophore-labelled secondary antibodies. For read-out a flow cytometer is used to virtually separate the different encoded beads and to measure the resulting signal intensity of the immunoassay. In order to obtain highly selective binding of the antibodies, we investigated different types of surface modifications to overcome unspecific binding, finding that a PEG-based surface is suitable to support our immunoassay format. The resulting multiplexing assay is appropriate to detect the marker substances in the low µg/L range.
Diclofenac is a widely used drug against fever, inflammation, pain, and rheumatic diseases. An average of 70 % of the ingested diclofenac is excreted in the urine. Thus, 63 tons are introduced into the water cycle in Germany. Due to insufficient removal of diclofenac in wastewater treatment plants, residues of diclofenac can be found in surface water and sometimes in drinking water It exist a polyclonal against diclofenac and monoclonal antibodies against diclofenac and it`s metabolites. There all based on direct couling of diclofenac on proteins via carboxylic functions. However it was imagined advantageous to introduce a heterobifunctional spacer between the analyte and the carrier protein.
Aceclofeac is commercial available. All other spacers can only be introduced with solid phase synthesis.
A wide variety of fungi and bacteria are known to contaminate fuels and fuel systems. These microbial contaminants have been linked to fuel system fouling and corrosion. The fungus Hormoconis resinae, a common jet fuel contaminant, is used in this study as a model for developing innovative risk assessment methods. A novel qPCR protocol to detect and quantify H. resinae in, and together with, total fungal contamination of fuel systems is reported. Two primer sets, targeting the markers RPB2 and ITS, were selected for their remarkable specificity and sensitivity. These primers were successfully applied on fungal cultures and diesel samples demonstrating the validity and reliability of the established qPCR protocol. This novel tool allows clarification of the current role of H. resinae in fuel contamination cases, as well as providing a technique to detect fungal outbreaks in fuel systems. This tool can be expanded to other well-known fuel-deteriorating microorganisms.
Sub-aerial biofilms (SAB) are ubiquitous, self-sufficient microbial ecosystems found on mineral surfaces at all altitudes and latitudes. SABs, which are the principal causes of weathering on exposed terrestrial surfaces, are characterized by patchy growth dominated by associations of algae, cyanobacteria, fungi and heterotrophic bacteria. A recently developed in vitro system to study colonization of rocks exposed to air included two key SAB participants - the rock-inhabiting ascomycete Knufia petricola (CBS 123872) and the phototrophic cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme ATCC29133. Both partners are genetically tractable and we used them here to study weathering of granite, K-feldspar and plagioclase. Small fragments of the various rocks or minerals (1–6 mm) were packed into flow-through columns and incubated with 0.1% glucose and 10 μM thiamine-hydrochloride (90 μL min−1) to compare weathering with and without biofilms. Dissolution of the minerals was followed by: (i) analysing the degradation products in the effluent from the columns via Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy and (ii) by studying polished sections of the incubated mineral fragments/grains using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analyses. K. petricola/N. punctiforme stimulated release of Ca, Na, Mg and Mn. Analyses of the polished sections confirmed depletion of Ca, Na and K near the surface of the fragments. The abrupt decrease in Ca concentration observed in peripheral areas of plagioclase fragments favored a dissolution-reprecipitation mechanism. Percolation columns in combination with a model biofilm can thus be used to study weathering in closed systems. Columns can easily be filled with different minerals and biofilms, the effluent as well as grains can be collected after long-term exposure under axenic conditions and easily analyzed.
Biological erosion is a key process for the recycling of carbonate and the formation of calcareous sediments in the oceans. Experimental studies showed that bioerosion is subject to distinct temporal variability, but previous long-term studies were restricted to tropical waters. Here, we present results from a 14-year bioerosion experiment that was carried out along the rocky limestone coast of the island of Rhodes, Greece, in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, in order to monitor the pace at which bioerosion affects carbonate substrate and the sequence of colonisation by bioeroding organisms. Internal macrobioerosion was visualised and quantified by micro-computed tomography and computer-algorithm-based segmentation procedures. Analysis of internal macrobioerosion traces revealed a dominance of bioeroding sponges producing eight types of characteristic Entobia cavity networks, which were matched to five different clionaid sponges by spicule identification in extracted tissue. The morphology of the entobians strongly varied depending on the species of the producing sponge, its ontogenetic stage, available space, and competition by other bioeroders. An early community developed during the first 5 years of exposure with initially very low macrobioerosion rates and was followed by an intermediate stage when sponges formed large and more diverse entobians and bioerosion rates in-creased. After 14 years, 30 % of the block volumes were occupied by boring sponges, yielding maximum bioerosion rates of 900 g m.
Sewage sludge ashes (SSA) contain up to 13% P and are thus promising raw materials for fertilizer production. However, SSAs also contain heavy metals and the main P-bearing mineral phases whitlockite and aluminium phosphate are poorly bioavailable. We developed and patented a process that produces fertilizers from SSA addressing the above mentioned challenges. SSA is thermo-chemically treated at ~950°C under reducing conditions (reductive: dry sewage sludge) in a rotary kiln together with an alkali compound such as sodium or potassium sulfate, hydroxide or carbonate. Some undesired trace elements such as As, Hg, Pb and Cd are evaporated and separated via off gas treatment system. The poorly soluble phosphates are transformed into calcium alkali phosphates (CaNaPO4 or CaKPO4) that are not water soluble but completely soluble in neutral ammonium citrate solution (NAC). Pot experiments showed that the fertilizer performance of the treated SSA containing calcium alkali phosphates as the single P-bearing mineral phase was comparable to the performance of triple superphosphate. The PNAC-solubility of fertilizer products correlated very well with the resulting contents of calcium alkali phosphates and the P-uptake of plants in pot experiments. The effect of the ratio alkali/P on the PNAC-solubility was investigated by crucible experiments and trial series with a medium scale rotary kiln using different SSAs and alkali phosphates. The effects of operational parameters such as the temperature and the retention time were investigated as well as concurring side reactions of the alkali compounds e.g. with SiO2 present in SSA. The alkali/P ratio must be roughly adjusted at 2 to achieve 100% PNAC-solubility for a common type of SSA. A demonstration trial with an output of 2 t recycling fertilizer was carried out in an industrial rotary kiln (product output 30 kg/h). The PNAC-solubility of the product varied between 60% and 80% during the 4 days campaign showing that the transformation of the mineral P-phases to calcium alkali phosphates was not complete. This was observed although the amount of Na2SO4 additive was dosed according to the results of the pre-investigations. Structure analysis by XRD showed that besides the target compound CaNaSO4 also some Ca3(PO4)2 remained in the SSA as well as some unreacted Na2SO4 additive. Obviously, the conditions in the industrial rotary kiln were not optimal for the process showing that some process aspects have to be reconsidered for the scale-up.
Pot experiments are often performed to analyze the plant-availability of phosphorus (P) in P-fertilizers. However, these experiments do not determine the P compounds present in the soil which are responsible for the yield increase. In order to better understand the results of pot experiments we analyzed the soils by P K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy to determine the P species and unravel transformation processes. We carried out pot experiments with maize testing different waste water derived recycling P-fertilizers on an acidic and a neutral soil. Soils samples before sowing and after harvest were collected and prepared for analysis. A combination of macro- and µ-XANES spectroscopy was used to determine the chemical state of the overall soil P and to identify P compounds in P-rich spots localized by micro-X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF). P K-edge macro-XANES spectroscopy detected organic P and/or P sorbed onto organic matter or other substrates in the unfertilized and fertilized soils. In addition, µ-XRF mapping in combination with P K-edge µ-XANES spectroscopy evidenced that some P phases present in recycling P-fertilizers (magnesium phosphate and calcium sodium phosphate) react with co-fertilized ammonium nitrate and form highly plant-available ammonium phosphates in the soil. In opposite, apatites were not affected by the presence of ammonium. Thus, for a boost of the plant-availability of P in recycling P-fertilizers these fertilizers should be directly co-fertilized with nitrogen (N) sources that contain a high amount of ammonium instead of nitrate. Possibly, a specific preparation of NP-fertilizers by granulation of recycling P-fertilizers with ammonium compounds and a nitrification inhibitor could enhance the plant-availability of the produced fertilizer whereby they become more competitive to commercially available NP-fertilizers based on phosphate rock.
The widespread use of antibiotics in livestock farming leads to trace residues in food products and wastewater, potentially entailing antimicrobial resistance in food-borne pathogens. The determination of antibiotics in aqueous environments and foodstuff is thus of major concern.
Analytical assays based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have emerged as a valuable tool in this field due to the low production costs, stability, format adaptability and the possibility to imprint and thus their ability to recognize a wide variety of target analytes. With regard to optical sensing technologies, however, MIPs have only been used in considerably few applications, especially in fluorescence sensors. This limitation is basically due to the fact that the incorporation of a fluorescently responding moiety into a polymer matrix is challenging. One way to overcome this limitation is to use tailor-made fluorescent indicator monomers for direct transfer of the binding event into an optical signal. If such a monomer is integrated into a thin MIP-shell on microspheres such core/shell particles can be readily used in advanced multiplexing sensory fiber-optic microarrays.
Here, we propose such a fiber-optic microarray based on fluorescent MIP microspheres for antibiotics. The binding behavior and the selectivity of a microarray using these MIP were examined and compared with a non-imprinted polymer (NIP) control, employing the target molecules and other structurally closely related antibiotics.
The interface between materials and the environment is populated by microorganisms which organize on surfaces to form specially adapted and resistant microbial associations, so-called biofilms. Surface-bound biofilm growth is associated with substantial secretion of metabolic products that can significantly influence material corrosion. Here, a group of material-inhabiting fungi are presented, which colonize and weather air-exposed materials such as building façades, roofs and solar systems. A selected model fungus is used to carry out genetic and molecular biology experiments, which are microbiologically cutting-edge and allow for the development of novel time-saving techniques for material testing. The degree of material damage under the influence of this model fungus shows a measure of the aggressiveness of the biofilm under defined environmental conditions - and thus explores fundamental components of the interaction between material and biofilm.
The worldwide produced plastic amount was about 314 m tones in 2013. A content of about 5-12 m tones of plastic products is estimated to attain to the environment. There, they are exposed to environmental aging conditions like UV light, abrasion, water, oxidation etc. and degrade to small particles. If the particles reach a dimension < 5 mm they are called microplastic. Today microplastic is almost ubiquitary and was found in the aquatic as well as in the terrestrial environment. The main representatives are polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalat (PET).
Analyzing microplastics in environmental samples turned out to be very challenging, due to the fact that there are only a few synthetic particles beside a huge number of natural. Furthermore, the different polymers particles vary in their shape, their density and their chemical characteristics. Until now, there is no standard procedure for sampling, concentration and analyzing. We developed a thermal decomposition method for analyzing micro plastics in environmental samples. The method is a combination of a thermal extraction on solid-phase adsorption agents with a subsequent analysis of the decomposition products by thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry. In contrast to more established methods, such as IR or Ramen spectroscopy, our method enables measurements within few hours and gives an integration result of polymer specific decomposition products. Therefore, it is possible to identify and to quantify polymers in environmental matrices.
The use of the method is demonstrated for various polymers (PE, PP, PS, PET) in spiked and first time also in real environmental samples.
Es wurde ein Online-Analysenverfahren zur Bestimmung von Elementgehalten in Klär-schlammaschen und deren Produkten aus einem thermochemischen Verfahren entwickelt. Durch das thermochemische Verfahren können Wertstoffe aus den Aschen wieder für die Kreislaufwirtschaft nutzbar gemacht und Schadstoffe sicher entfernt werden. Das Analysensystem ist eine Methodenkombination von Online-Laser induzierter Plasma Spektroskopie (LIBS) und Online-Röntgenfluoreszenzanalyse (RFA). Robustheit und modulare Bauweise des Verfahrens sind wichtige Anforderungen um auch für andere Anwendungen nutzbar zu sein.
The annual demand of phosphorus (P) for fertilizer use is more than 550,000 t in Germany. Several of the input streams like mineral fertilizer produced from phosphate rock or sewage sludge are problematic due to contamination with heavy metals and organic pollutants and/or supply risks. Phosphorus recovery from the wastewater stream might help to diminish these problems. Several procedures have been developed to recover P from either sewage sludge ash (SSA) or wastewater via precipitation or crystallization as struvite. This study determined the elemental composition and trace metal mass fractions of 252 SSA samples and 17 struvite samples from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) to see whether there are differences related to the source of the sludge (municipal/industrial) or the stage of the WWTP where the struvite is produced. Results indicated that there is no clear trend of the elemental mass fractions related to the source of the sludge. All struvite samples show very low heavy metal contents, even though the struvite precipitated from the sludge shows slightly elevated heavy metal mass fractions compared to struvite crystallized from sludge liquor. Struvite is a clean and plant available material for fertilizer production from wastewater streams and has some advantages for the wastewater treatment plant. However, since the P recovery rate of struvite processes is low (7–11%) compared to that from SSA processes (90%), recovery from SSA is necessary for a substantial P recovery from the wastewater stream.
Phosphorrecycling sollte nicht isoliert praktiziert werden, sondern im Kontext der spezifischen Abwasserbehandlung und der Betrachtung weiterer Nährstoffe wie Stickstoff und Kalium.
Hohe Rückgewinnungsquoten um jeden Preis sind nicht immer zielführend und u.U. sogar schädlich für die Kreislaufwirtschaft. Es sollte eine Kombination verschiedener Ansätze je nach vorhandener Infrastruktur verfolgt werden. Fällungsverfahren (Struvit) sind geeignet kostengünstig kleine Mengen Phosphor zurückzugewinnen. Für ein umfassendes P-Recycling muss die Rückgewinnung aus der Asche erfolgen.
Die Auswaschung von Bioziden wurde für eine Reihe von behandelten Materialien in Labor- und Freilandversuchen untersucht. Beobachtungen aus Freilanduntersuchungen und Ergebnisse aus Regressionsanalysen zum Einfluss von Witterungsfaktoren werden dargestellt. Verschiedene Untersuchungen zu Materialeigenschaften, die Einfluss auf die Auswaschbarkeit von Bioziden haben können, werden für zwei Farben verglichen. Ein Modellansatz zur Beschreibung von Laborversuchsdaten wird kurz erläutert.
Small-arm shooting ranges often receive a significant input of lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and antimony (Sb) from ammunition. The goal of the present study was to investigate the mobility, distribution and speciation of Pb and Sb pollution under field conditions in both untreated and sorbent-amended shooting range soil. Elevated Sb (19–349 μg L⁻¹) and Pb (7–1495 μg Pb L⁻¹) concentrations in the porewater of untreated soil over the four-year test period indicated a long-term Sb and Pb source to the adjacent environment in the absence of remedial measures. Mixing ferric oxyhydroxide powder (CFH-12) (2%) together with limestone (1%) into the soil resulted in an average decrease of Sb and Pb porewater concentrations of 66% and 97%, respectively. A similar reduction was achieved by adding 2% zerovalent iron (Fe°) to the soil. The remediation effect was stable over the four-year experimental period indicating no remobilization. Water- and 1 M NH₄NO₃-extractable levels of Sb and Pb in field soil samples indicated significant immobilization by both treatments (89–90% for Sb and 89–99% for Pb). Results from sequential extraction analysis indicate fixation of Sb and Pb in less accessible fractions like amorphous iron oxides or even more crystalline and residual mineral phases, respectively. This work shows that amendment with Fe-based sorbents can be an effective method to reduce the mobility of metals both in cationic and anionic form in polluted shooting range soil.
A monitoring method is introduced that creates twodimensional (2D) maps of the soil gas distribution. The method combines linear gas sensing technology for in-situ monitoring of gases in soil with the mapping capabilities of Computed Tomography (CT) to reconstruct spatial and temporal resolved gas distribution maps. A weighted iterative algebraic reconstruction method based on Maximum Likelihood with Expectation Maximization (MLEM) in combination with a source-by-source reconstruction approach is introduced that works with a sparse setup of orthogonally-aligned linear gas sensors. The reconstruction method successfully reduces artifact production, especially when multiple gas sources are present, allowing the discrimination between true and non-existing so-called ghost source locations. Experimental validation by controlled field experiments indicates the high potential of the proposed method for rapid gas leak localization and quantification with respect to Pipeline or underground gas storage issues.
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) have contributed significantly to the current biodiversity crisis, leading to widespread epidemics and population loss. Owing to genetic variation in pathogen virulence, a complete understanding of species decline requires the accurate identification and characterization of EIDs. We explore this issue in the Western honeybee, where increasing mortality of populations in the Northern Hemisphere has caused major concern. Specifically, we investigate the importance of genetic identity of the main suspect in mortality, deformed wing virus (DWV), in driving honeybee loss. Using laboratory experiments and a systematic field survey, we demonstrate that an emerging DWV genotype (DWV-B) is more virulent than the established DWV genotype (DWV-A) and is widespread in the landscape. Furthermore, we show in a simple model that colonies infected with DWV-B collapse sooner than colonies infected with DWV-A. We also identify potential for rapid DWV evolution by revealing extensive genome-wide recombination in vivo. The emergence of DWV-B in naive honeybee populations, including via recombination with DWV-A, could be of significant ecological and economic importance. Our findings emphasize that knowledge of pathogen genetic identity and diversity is critical to understanding drivers of species decline.
Interactions between waste paper sludge ashes and superplasticizers based on polycarboxylates
(2016)
In many industrial nations, about two third of the paper demand is covered by recovered paper. A major process step within the treatment of waste paper is the de-inking. It is a floating process yielding paper sludge as a waste product. About 50 % of this residue is used as a fuel. In several cases it is burnt at temperature of about 850 °C and thereafter the accrued ashes are collected in the flue gas filter. During the combustion, kaolinite and calcium oxide generate gehlenite and larnite. Calcite is the main component of waste paper sludge ash (PA).The chemical and mineralogical composition of PA suggests using it as a supplementary cementitious material.
In modern construction materials technology, workability aspects gain importance, since for most modern materials the rheology and compaction ability are relevant for the operation at a hardened state. It was observed that PA significantly increases the water demand of powder systems, which can cause serious problems during the casting of mineral binder systems containing PA. It is therefore obvious that binder systems containing PA might demand for the use of superplasticizers. Superplasticizers are polymers with anionic backbone that cause electrostatic and steric repulsion effects upon adsorption on surfaces of particles and hydration phases.
In this paper interactions between superplasticizers and waste paper sludge ashes are discussed and analysed. Based on observations of changes in the zeta potential and the dispersion of the particle system, the influence of the charge density of superplasticizers is observed and time dependent effects are demonstrated.
There is a wide range of research worldwide on supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash and slag for substituting pure cement. Such materials are suitable to be considered in a cementitious system with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) due to their high pozzolanic properties. In addition, majority of the SCMs are said to significantly improve concrete properties especially in terms of increased strength and durability. Unfortunately, the production of such SCMs is not entirely eco-friendly and also limited to certain parts of the world, hence one has to look at alternative options.
The issue of availability of resources is a strong concept that is ever-increasing, and the use of more eco-friendly SCMs in a cementitious system is furthermore attractive. Hence this paper addresses the use of eco-friendly SCMs in concrete such as rice husk ash (RHA). Despite the fact that extensive research has been done on this material, its application in a cementitious system to obtain sufficient concrete properties is still rather limited. In a country like Tanzania, high strength concrete construction is applicable in special construction cases but certainly not a high priority. Majority of construction is still undertaken using normal strength concrete. In a ternary cementitious system consisting of OPC, RHA and other readily available resources such as limestone filler (LSF), normal strength concrete can still be produced having good performance and suitable for regular on-site construction. This paper explains a possible application of obtaining sufficient concrete properties from the available resources.
A variety of new analytical approaches have been proposed in order to develop fast and reliable pollen identification using specific molecular information. The combination of the obtained patterns of pollen mass spectra (MADLI-TOF MS (Autoflex III, Bruker)) and multivariate statistics provide a powerful tool for the investigation of structural correlations within pollen grain mixtures.
Both commercially available lyophilized pollen (Sigma, Germany) and fresh pollen acquired from biological samples collected in parks and in the Botanic Garden Berlin-Dahlem, were utilized. The samples were extracted based on a modified biotyper protocol (Bruker) by formic acid extraction in the gas phase and spotted with HCCA matrix. This presentation show results from the newly developed MALDI target setup, with conductive tape. The spectral data were investigated by principal component analysis (PCA).
Pollen represent one major cause for human allergic diseases. Currently the characterization and identification of pollen is time-consuming since it mainly relies on the microscopic determination of the genus-specific pollen morphology. A variety of new analytical approaches, like Raman - and fluorescence spectroscopy have been proposed in order to develop fast and reliable pollen identification. Recently matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was initially applied for the rapid investigation of such complex biological samples. Taxonomic differences and relations of single pollen grains could be identified.
Both commercially available lyophilized pollen and fresh pollen acquired from biological samples collected in parks and in the Botanical Garden Berlin in the years 2013-2015 were investigated. The samples were prepared by formic acid extraction in the gas phase and spotted with HCCA matrix. A variety of new approaches, like a newly developed MALDI target with micrometer sample spots sizes, were tested for their suitability. The obtained mass spectral data were investigated by principal component analysis (PCA).
The applicability of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for the classification of pollen according to their taxonomic relationships was proven. Specifically, chemical differences in the mass spectra at the levels of plant order, genus and in many cases even of species could be identified. Based on these results, further investigations have been undertaken to optimize the sample preparation for the classification of single pollen grains in mixtures of pollens. A novel MALDI-target design was developed to enhance the phenotypic information of pollens in their mass spectra. The combination of mass spectral patterns and multivariate statistics provide a powerful tool for the investigation of structural correlations within mixtures. The results can be used to improve the reconstruction of taxonomic relations of single species in various mixtures and might be useful for the development of a fast routine method to identify pollen based on mass spectrometry.
Durch den stetig steigenden Einsatz von Plastikprodukten sind unerwünschte Kunststofffunde in verschiedenen Umweltmatrices mittlerweile allgegenwärtig. Besonderes Interesse erfahren die Kunststoffpartikel von einer Größe kleiner 5 mm, sogenannte Mikroplastik (MP) Partikel. Es werden aktuell Risiken für Mensch und Umwelt diskutiert, die von diesen Partikeln ausgehen.
Durch den stetig steigenden Einsatz von Plastikprodukten sind unerwünschte Kunststofffunde in verschiedenen Umweltmatrices mittlerweile allgegenwärtig. Besonderes Interesse erfahren die Kunststoffpartikel von einer Größe kleiner 5 mm, sogenannte Mikroplastik (MP) Partikel und deren ausgehende Risiken auf Mensch und Umwelt
Radiation damage to DNA is one of the main causes for cancer and likewise a major tool in its treatment. One of the dogma of the classical radiochemistry and physics involves the opinion that radicals such as OH° produced by ionizing radiation are the most lethal agents. This scenario is increasingly disputed as secondary low-energy electrons are emerging [1] as important, if not predominant, reductive pathway in ionizing damage of biomolecules. These electrons are generated in copious amount in aqueous environment as secondary scattering products. But until now all research concerning the quantification of the effects of low energy electrons on the biomolecular damage was either performed in vacuum with low energy electron sources or with DNA plasmids on metallic surfaces in humid environment. In this work we present detailed experimental and simulation microdosimetry data on electron damage to plasmid DNA in liquid environment: Well-defined electron energy and dosage irradiation was achieve by using an EM and the irradiation through a nanomembrane. The results are analyzed in terms of single- and double-strand break probabilities in the dependence of dose, energy, number of primary and secondary electrons. The results are important not only from the basic scientific point of view but also for the development of effective radiosensitizers, either as protecting or enhancing (radiotherapy) cofactors.
Electrocoalescence of aqueous droplets in oil emulsions is commonly contemplated for enhancing separation.
High voltage electric fields can induce charges to Drops evoking merging of adjacent droplets. The newly formed larger Drops then sink faster in gravitational common settlers. Therefore, separation performance of an electrostatic coalescer is strictly linked to characteristics of the electric field and properties of the liquid−liquid system. In this work, the coalescence Performance of water droplets sinking in dodecane at a pulsed DC electric field is investigated. An experimental setup allowing the simultaneous injection of similar sized drops, setting of voltage and pulsation frequency, and particle tracking at high frame rate and resolution is designed. The generated data are used to check the validity of modeling approaches for drag, dipole−dipole forces, and film-thinning. Furthermore, CFD simulations are carried out using a volume of fluid method tracking the interfaces between the two phases.
Analytische Verfahren zur On-Line-Bestimmung von Elemementkonzentrationen in Pulvern und Aschen
(2016)
Die Aufbereitung kommunaler Abwässer leistet einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Schutz der Umwelt und der Reinhaltung der Gewässer. Im Zuge der Abwasserreinigung entstehen deutschlandweit jährlich ca. 2,4 Millionen Tonnen Klärschlamm. Diese Massen stellen für die Anlagenbetreiber oft eine Herausforderung bei der Entsorgung dar. Es sind jedoch neben zahllosen Schadstoffen auch anorganische Wert- und Nährstoffe enthalten deren Nutzung zunehmend attraktiv wird. Ein essenzieller und in Lagerstätten begrenzt vorhandener Nährstoff ist Phosphor. Dieser ist in Klärschlämmen enthalten und erreicht in Klärschlammaschen Konzentrationen von bis zu 10 %. Eine Verwertung als Düngemittel in der Landwirtschaft ist jedoch nur für schadstoffarme Materiale mit guter Pflanzenverfügbarkeit der Nährstoffe zulässig. Für die Aufbereitung von Klärschlämmen und Schadstoffentfrachtung von Klärschlammaschen existieren verschiedene technologische Ansätze. Für jeden Prozess ist eine analytische Überwachung der Nährstoffwerte sowie der Schadstoffgrenzwerte erforderlich. Im Vortrag werden die Ergebnisse eines Projektes zur on-line Analytik thermisch aufbereiteter Klärschlammaschen vorgestellt. Es werden die Methoden der Röntgenfluoreszenz (RFA) und der Laserplasmaspektroskopie (LIBS) parallel angewendet und verglichen.
In recent years advanced oxidation processes have become an important part of research due to their capacity to degrade many environmental pollutants during water treatment. Especially the heterogeneous photocatalysis is a promising method because it often results in a full mineralization of many hazardous organic compounds. However incomplete degradation reactions during this process can result in transformation products due to the oxidative conditions. The transformation products may have a higher toxicity than the precursor substances and are often only partly removed during the waste water treatment. Since a lot of these compounds are still unknown, the transformation products are not detected by target analysis used in sewage treatment plants and are often released into the aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, extensive and effective non-target analytical methods are necessary for the monitoring and identification of the transformation products which can be generated during waste water treatment. Among various semiconductors, titanium dioxide (TiO2) is the most frequently used photocatalyst because of its inexpensiveness, non-toxicity, chemical stability and its high photocatalytic activity. If TiO2 is irradiated with light of an energy higher than the band gap of the semiconductor, electron-hole pairs are generated on the surface of the TiO2, resulting in the formation of active oxidized species such as hydroxyl radicals which can react with environmental pollutants. To study photocatalytic reactions, a model system has been developed to simulate environmental relevant conditions for photocatalytic reactions of organic substances on a laboratory scale. The commonly used pharmaceuticals metformin and gabapentin were selected as model substances because of their high input in waste water and the little information about their occurrence, behavior and fate in the environment. Metformin is the drug of choice for treating type 2 diabetes. The drug therapy for diabetes mellitus has increased significantly in recent years. More than half of the total amount of pharmaceuticals in the environment are the antidiabetic agent metformin and its major transformation product guanylurea. Gabapentin is an analogon of the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which is used as antiepileptic drug and for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Gabapentin is found in waste water influent in the high ng/L range.
First results of the optimization of the photocatalyst and its application are shown.
In order to provide nutrition for a growing world population pesticides are a necessary tool. Crop protection agents may be considered safe, if handled correctly. Nevertheless, they are subject to transformation processes and metabolisation in the environment and technical installations. Transformation products (TP) and metabolites may exhibit properties other than those of the mother substance. They can be more harmful and thereby pose a threat to environmental and human health. With 19 % market share in 2014, triazole pesticides are the class of organic fungicides which are most commonly used in Germany.1 However, only little data is available concerning their TP and metabolites. During this study the fate of the triazole fungicides propiconazole and difenoconazole in soil and water using model reaction systems mimicking their pathway in the environment and the industrial water treatment is investigated. During application the substances may directly contaminate soil as well as surface waters. Both pesticides are considered persistent in soil and very stable towards aqueous photolysis.2 In this case however, the role of natural organic matter has not yet been examined. Since both pesticides also show moderate mobility in soils they may end up in ground water from which drinking water is produced. During this process, waters are treated with chlorine agents, ozone, and energy-rich UV radiation. Owing to the vigorous conditions the formation of a variety of technical TP can be expected. Additionally, for all environmental compartments the degradation of the fungicides by bacteria is a factor which needs to be taken into account. For this survey, iron-oxidising bacteria of the leptothrix variety were chosen as model organisms. Their potential for the metabolisation of the analytes is investigated. In this work degradation and transformation of the fungicides is monitored using quantitative target analysis. Major components in the reaction mixtures are identified by non-target analysis. GC-EI-MS-spectra, HR-MS-measurements, or the comparison with native standards are utilised for structural elucidation. For identification, products will be isolated and characterised by NMR. Toxicity assessment of these TP is essential to define threshold values in the environment. The model reaction system considering the interaction with organic matter will be presented and possible TP will be shown.
In the last years, secondary low-energy electrons (LEE) emerged as important, if not predominant, reductive pathway in ionizing damage of biomolecules. These electrons are created in copious amount as result of inelastic scattering of high energy radiation at water. Until now, all experiments the quantification of the effects of LEEs on the biomolecular damage was either performed in vacuum with LEE sources or with DNA on surfaces in humid atmosphere.
We present a new experimental setup to irradiate biomolecules with electrons under physiological conditions. In combination with monte carlo simulations this setup makes it possible to determine microdosimetric quantities for biomolecules in liquid environment under electron irradiation.
This opens up new possibilities in radiation research to access the LEE damage under well defined physiological condition, for more complex systems, such as DNA-Protein complexes and even living cells.
Waste disposal of carbon nanotube (CNT) containing products is expected to be the most important pathway for release of CNTs into the environment. In the present work, the use of radiolabelled CNTs (14C-CNT) for polycarbonate polymer nanocomposites with 1 wt% 14C-CNT content allowed for the first time to quantify and differentiate the CNT release according to the type of impact along the materials' ageing history. After an initial exposure of the nanocomposite by solar-like irradiation, further environmental impacts were applied to composite material. They aimed at mimicking disposal site conditions that may induce further ageing effects and CNT release. This study included shaking in water, rapid temperature changes, soaking in humic acid solution as well as waste water effluent, and, finally, gentle mechanical abrasion. All ageing impacts were applied sequentially, both on pristine (control) and on solar-irradiated nanocomposites. All experiments were accompanied by absolute quantification of radioactive release as well as chemical and morphological analyses of the nanocomposite surfaces using infra-red (IR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphological analysis showed that spectral irradiation can uncover CNT networks on the outer nanocomposite surface layers by polymer degradation. After having subjected the solar-irradiated nanocomposite to all studied disposal site effect, the total radioactive release was quantified to amount to 64 mg CNT/m2, whereas only 0.8 mg CNT/m2 were found for the un-irradiated control sample. Solar degradation of polymers was thus found to significantly increase the propensity of the studied polymer nanocomposites to release CNTs during ageing effects at the product's end-of-life typical for disposal sites.
Die Grenzen der Oberflächentemperaturen von Proben, die der natürlichen oder einer künstlichen Globalstrahlung ausgesetzt sind, können grob mit sog. Schwarzstandard Thermometern BST oder Weißstandard Thermometern WST ermittelt werden [ 1a) ].
Um einige Mängel der aktuellen Konstruktion zu beseitigen, wird ein neues Konzept dieser Thermometer vorgeschlagen, das sie weniger träge und ihre physikalischen Eigenschaften ähnlicher denen einer 5 mm dicken Polymerplatte macht. Es wird auch gezeigt, dass eine Anforderung an die Reaktionszeit von weniger als 1 min in EN 513 unrealistisch ist.
Carbon fiber based felt materials are widely used as gas diffusion layer (GDL) in fuel cells. Their transport properties can be adjusted by adding hydrophobic agents such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). We present a synchrotron X-ray tomographic study on the felt material Freudenberg H2315 with different PTFE finishing. In this study, we analyze changes in microstructure and shape of GDLs at increasing degree of compression which are related to their specific PTFE load. A dedicated compression device mimicking the channel-land pattern of the flowfield is used to reproduce the inhomogeneous compression found in a fuel cell. Transport relevant geometrical parameters such as porosity, pore size distribution and geometric tortuosity are calculated and consequences for media transport discussed. PTFE finishing results in a marked change of shape of compressed GDLs: surface is smoothed and the invasion of GDL fibers into the flow field channel strongly mitigated. Furthermore, the PTFE impacts the microstructure of the compressed GDL. The number of available wide transport paths is significantly increased as compared to the untreated material. These changes improve the transport capacity liquid water through the GDL and promote the discharge of liquid water droplets from the cell.
Beton ist als Massenbaustoff vielseitig einsetzbar. Eine der neuesten Entwicklungen ist Ultrahochleistungsbeton (UHPC). Seine besonderen Eigenschaften ermöglichen eine zusätzliche Funktionalisierung der Oberflächen, da annähernd beliebige Mikrostrukturen exakt abgeformt werden können. So lassen sich beispielsweise Fassadenelemente aus UHPC bereits bei ihrer Herstellung im Betonfertigteilwerk mit selbstreinigenden Oberflächen ausrüsten. Eine andere Möglichkeit ist eine Anwendung als Datenspeicher. Wie das Beispiel der Schallplatte aus UHPC zeigt, lassen sich Muster, die hier die Schallinformationen enthalten, exakt von einer Matrize kopieren.
Here, we present an overview of the research activities of division Biophotonics concerning the design and (bio)analytical application of molecular and nanoscale functional chromophores for e.g., biomarker analysis including methods for the reliable determination of their application relevant properties. This includes the absolute determination of their brightness and photoluminescemce quantum yield, determining the signal size from the material side, as well as the development of fluorescence standards for such measurements and instrument calibration strategies, thereby providing important prerequisites for the comparison of material performance, the mechanistic understanding of nonradiative decay channels, and the rational design of new optical reporters. Moreover, for particle-based systems, ranging from nm-sized semiconductor quantum dots to m-sized polymeric and silica beads, simple optical methods and assays for the assessment of their surface chemistry are presented, which enable the quantification of the number of total and derivatizable surface functionalities, ligands per particle and particle-bound biomolecules. In addition, validation concepts for such methods are introduced utilizing method comparisons, multimodal and cleavable probes.
Amphibians are undergoing a global decline. One poorly investigated reason could be the pollution of aquatic habitats by endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). We tested the susceptibility to the synthetically stabilized estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) in three deeply diverged anuran species, differing in sex determination systems, types of gonadogenesis and larval ecologies. To understand whether data from the amphibian model Xenopus laevis (Pipidae) are analogous and applicable to only distantly related non-model amphibians, tadpoles of X. laevis, Hyla arborea (Hylidae) and Bufo viridis (Bufonidae) were simultaneously exposed to 50, 500 and 5000 ng/L EE2 from hatching until completion of metamorphosis, using a flow-through-system under identical experimental conditions. Comparing molecularly established genetic with histologically assessed phenotypic sex in all species, we have recently shown that EE2 provoked numerous genetic-male-to-phenotypic-female sex reversals and mixed sex individuals, confirming overall its expected feminizing effect. In the present study, we focus on the influence of EE2 on gonadal and somatic development. Anatomy and histology revealed several species-specific effects. In both non-model species, H. arborea and B. viridis, high numbers of anatomically impaired gonads were observed. In H. arborea, exposed to 5000 ng/L EE2, numerous underdeveloped gonads were detected. Whereas EE2 did not alter snout-to-vent length and body weight of X. laevis metamorphs, H. arborea showed a treatment-dependent decrease, while B. viridis exhibited an increase in body weight and snout-to-vent length. Apart from a concentration-dependent occurrence of yellowish skin color in several H. arborea, no organ-specific effects were detected. Since EE2 ubiquitously occurs in many aquatic ecosystems and affects sexual and somatic development, among EDCs, it may indeed contribute to amphibian decline. The inter-species variation in developmental EE2-effects corroborates species-specific vulnerability differences towards EDCs between deeply diverged amphibian groups
Sortierrückstände, Faserreststoffe und Schlämme aus der Altpapieraufbereitung und dem Deinking werden gegenwärtig entweder deponiert oder einer energetischen Verwertung zugeführt. Es gibt Bemühungen, die Reststoffe kontrolliert bei Temperaturen zwischen 700 °C und 800 °C zu calcinieren, um dadurch direkt einen metakaolinhaltigen puzzolanisch wirkenden Zementbestandteil oder Beton-zusatzstoff herzustellen. Üblicherweise erfolgt die Verbrennung der Papier-reststoffe aber beim Papierrecycler bzw. –hersteller in dezentralen Heizkraftwerken, in denen mittels Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung Strom, Wärme und Dampf erzeugt werden. Der auf die Strom- und Wärmeerzeugung optimierte Prozess verläuft bei Temperaturen von 950°C bis 1000 °C. Dabei bilden sich aus dem amorphen Metakaolin bereits wieder inerte Verbindungen. Pro Tonne verbranntem Papierrest-stoff fallen etwa 240 kg Papierasche (PA) in Form einer Mischung aus Kessel- und Elektrofilteraschen an. Die Papierasche wird etwa zu 16 % in der Ziegel-herstellung und zu 52 % in der Rohmehlproduktion der Zementindustrie kostenpflichtig entsorgt. Mit 26 % werden große Anteile der Papierasche deponiert. Mit den Zielen der Anhebung der Verwertungsquote der Papierasche, der Re-duzierung der Entsorgungskosten und einer qualitativ höherwertigen Verwendung der Asche unter Ausnutzung ihrer spezifischen Eigenschaften, stehen Papieraschen im Mittelpunkt verschiedener Forschungsarbeiten.
Die in den Untersuchungen verwendete Papierasche liegt als feinkörniges Material in einem breiten Kornband mit Partikelgrößen zwischen 0,5 µm und 100 µm vor. In Abhängigkeit von der Materialcharge beträgt die Feststoffdichte der Asche 2,63-2,67 g/cm³ und ihre spezifische Oberfläche liegt bei 2,6-5,0 m²/g. Die Papierasche kommt mit den Anteilen der Hauptoxide von 49-59 M.-% CaO, 22-28 M.-% SiO2 und 13-14 M.-% Al2O3 der Zusammensetzung eines Portlandzements nahe, sie ist jedoch etwas kalkärmer und tonerdereicher. In Abhängigkeit von der Herstellungs- und Lagerungshistorie enthält sie zwischen 3 M.-% und 15 M.-% Freikalk (CaO). Mittels Röntgenbeugungsanalyse werden Calcit (CaCO3), Gehlenit (Ca2Al(AlSi)O7), Portlandit (Ca(OH)2) und Belit (Ca2SiO4), Quarz (SiO2) und Talk Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 als Hauptmineralphasen der Papierasche identifiziert. In einigen PA-Chargen werden zusätzlich Freikalk (CaO), Tricalciumaluminat (Ca3Al2O6) und geringe amorphe Anteile gefunden. Aufgrund dieser Eigenschaften werden von der Papierasche auch hydraulische Eigenschaften erwartet, die eine Verwendung als Bindemittel allein oder Bindemittelkomponente im Gemisch mit Portlandzement oder anderen Zusatzstoffen nahe legen.
Erste Untersuchungen an der Papierasche dienten der mineralogischen, chemischen, umweltanalytischen und betontechnologischen Charakterisierung der Papierasche, von Zement-PA- und Flugasche-PA-Gemischen sowie der PA als Bodenverfestigungsmittel. Eine umfangreiche Studie befasste sich mit dem Einsatz von Papierasche als Bindemittel. Untersucht wurde die Mineralphasen- und Festigkeitsentwicklung nach einer Aktivierung mit Wasser oder 2 mol/l NaOH- bzw. KOH-Lösungen.
In einer Arbeit zur Herstellung eines zementfreien reststoffbasierten Bindemittels wurde unter anderem die CaO-reiche Papierasche als Ausgangsmaterial ausgewählt. Durch eine hydrothermale Behandlung von PA-Wasser-Gemischen mit anschließender Calcinierung wird die Asche hydraulischen aktiviert. Dabei bildet sich als Zwischenprodukt Calciumsilcathydrat (CSH), das durch die nachfolgende Calcinierung zu hydraulisch aktivem Belit dehydratisiert.
In einem anderen Anwendungspfad dient die Papierasche als alleiniger Ausgangsstoff oder als Kalklieferant im Gemisch Papierasche/Mauerwerkbruch zur Herstellung leichter Granulate mit Rohdichten von 1,5-2,0 g/cm³. Dabei erfolgt nach einer Granulierung des Ausgangsmehls eine Erhärtung in einem Autoklav bei 200 °C und 1,6 MPa in gesättigter Wasserdampfatmosphäre. Während des hydrothermalen Prozesses bilden sich CSH-Phasen, die die beim Granulieren vorgeprägte Mikrostruktur der Granulate weiter beeinflussen. Neben der Verwendung als leichte Gesteinskörnung wird auch eine Anwendung als Speicher-medium, Filtermaterial oder Adsorptions- bzw. Puffermittel getestet.
Im Vortrag werden die wesentlichen Ergebnisse der Forschungsarbeiten vorgestellt und die Einsatzmöglichkeiten der Papierasche als Baustoff im Hinblick auf ihre technologische und nachhaltigkeitsbezogene Eignung bewertet.
Mit einer langfristigen Forschungsstrategie begleiten die für die Sicherheit von Mensch und Umwelt zuständigen Bundesoberbehörden (Umweltbundesamt, Bundesinstitut für Risikobe-wertung, Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin, Bundesanstalt für Materialfor-schung und -prüfung und Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) die rasch voranschreiten-de Entwicklung neuer Materialien unter den Gesichtspunkten des Arbeits-, Verbraucher- und Umweltschutzes. Die Strategie steht daher in enger Verbindung zu den öffentlichen Förder-programmen für Nanomaterialien und andere innovative Werkstoffe, z. B. des BMBF („Vom Material zur Innovation“) und der EU („Horizon 2020“).
Die Forschungsstrategie baut auf den bisherigen Ergebnissen der 2008 begonnenen und 2013 erstmals bilanzierten gemeinsamen Forschungsstrategie der Bundesoberbehörden „Nanotechnologie - Gesundheits- und Umweltrisiken von Nanomaterialien"1 auf und erweitert den Blickwinkel auch auf andere Materialinnovationen, bei denen vergleichbare Risiken für Mensch und Umwelt bestehen oder abgeklärt werden müssen. Darüber hinaus greift sie die Idee „anwendungssichere chemische Produkte“2 aus der Initiative „Neue Qualität der Arbeit“ (INQA) des Bundesministeriums für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS) und das Konzept der nach-haltigen Chemie3 auf, das vom Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, Bau und Reak-torsicherheit (BMUB) unterstützt wird. Durch eine anwendungssichere und umweltverträgli-che Gestaltung innovativer Materialien und ihrer Folgeprodukte sollen nicht akzeptable Risi-ken für Mensch und Umwelt von Anfang an weitgehend ausgeschlossen werden. Dies kann erreicht werden durch
1.
die Verwendung sicherer Materialien ohne Gefahreneigenschaften für Mensch und Umwelt (direkte Anwendungssicherheit) oder
2.
eine Produktgestaltung, die über den gesamten Lebenszyklus emissionsarm und umweltverträglich ist (integrierte Anwendungssicherheit) oder
3.
eine Unterstützung des Anwenders (product stewardship) durch den Hersteller bei technischen, organisatorischen und persönlichen Schutzmaßnahmen zur sicheren Verwendung und Entsorgung des Produktes (unterstützte Anwendungssicherheit).
Die Fortschreibung der Forschungsstrategie soll als Bestandteil des Nanoaktionsplans 2020 der Bundesregierung Beiträge der Ressortforschung zu folgenden Schwerpunkten leisten:
•
Charakterisierung und Bewertung der Risiken von Materialinnovationen
•
Unterstützung von Forschungseinrichtungen und Unternehmen
•
Fortschreiben von Rechtsvorschriften und Praxisempfehlungen
1
http://www.baua.de/nn_47716/de/Themen-von-A-Z/Gefahrstoffe/Nanotechnologie/pdf/Forschungsstrategie.pdf
2 http://www.baua.de/de/Themen-von-A-Z/Gefahrstoffe/Nachhaltige-Chemie/Nachhaltige-Chemie.html
3
http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/chemikalien/chemikalien-management/nachhaltige-chemie
2
•
Gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz
Die Forschungsstrategie soll mit Projekten und anderen forschungsnahen Aktivitäten umge-setzt werden. Dies umfasst die eigene Forschung der Häuser, die extramurale Ausschrei-bung und Vergabe von Forschungsdienstleistungen sowie die Beteiligung an vorwiegend öffentlich geförderten Drittmittelprojekten. Hinzu kommen Aktivitäten im Rahmen der Politik-beratung und der hoheitlichen Aufgaben. Mit inter- und transdisziplinären Ansätzen soll die Risiko- und Sicherheitsforschung enger mit der Innovationsforschung und Materialentwick-lung verknüpft werden. Die Forschungsstrategie ist aufgrund der raschen Entwicklungen auf diesem Gebiet für den Zeitraum bis 2020 angelegt. Die Forschungsziele adressieren die in diesem Zeitraum voraussichtlich umsetzbaren Forschungsansätze. Die Forschungsstrategie wird durch einen Arbeitskreis begleitet und spätestens mit Ablauf des Nanoaktionsplans 2020 evaluiert und angepasst.
Most microorganisms live in environments where nutrients are limited and fluctuate over time. Cells respond to nutrient fluctuations by sensing and adapting their physiological state. Recent studies suggest phenotypic heterogeneity in isogenic populations as an alternative strategy in fluctuating environments, where a subpopulation of cells express a function that allows growth under conditions that might arise in the future. It is unknown how environmental factors such as nutrient limitation shape phenotypic heterogeneity in metabolism and whether this allows cells to respond to nutrient fluctuations. Here, we show that substrate limitation increases phenotypic heterogeneity in metabolism, and this heterogeneity allows cells to cope with substrate fluctuations. We subjected the N2-fixing bacterium Klebsiella oxytoca to different levels of substrate limitation and substrate shifts, and obtained time-resolved single-cell measurements of metabolic activities using nanometre-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). We found that the level of NH4+ limitation shapes phenotypic heterogeneity in N2 fixation. In turn, the N2 fixation rate of single cells during NH4+ limitation correlates positively with their growth rate after a shift to NH4+ depletion, experimentally demonstrating the benefit of heterogeneity. The results indicate that phenotypic heterogeneity is a general solution to two important ecological challenges - nutrient limitation and fluctuations - that many microorganisms face. Currently, we use NanoSIMS to develop a new approach that defines functionally-relevant, phenotypic biodiversity in microbial systems.
Populations of genetically identical cells that share the same environment can differ markedly in their phenotypes. This phenomenon has been termed phenotypic heterogeneity. While a few molecular mechanisms that lead to heterogeneity in gene expression have been elucidated, it remains unclear how heterogeneity in gene expression is transmitted to heterogeneity in activity; especially in metabolism. Metabolic activity of single bacterial cells can be quantified by labeling the substrate with stable isotopes and by measuring label uptake with nanometer-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). Here we combined NanoSIMS with single-molecule mRNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) to link heterogeneity in gene expression and metabolism in nitrogen fixing bacteria. We find that gene expression and metabolic activity are decoupled in single cells. However, heterogeneity in gene expression is correlated with heterogeneity in metabolic activity on the population level. Gene expression kinetics can provide insights into the molecular mechanisms that lead to heterogeneity in metabolism.
The industrial sector of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) treatment from municipal solid waste (MSW) is currently changing. Since established techniques are not yet suitable for fine grain sizes, pollutants are enriched and the effort for the treatment increases exponentially it is nowadays generally landfilled. Innovative treatment trains for the recovery of minerals and metals from the fine fraction will be presented and discussed. In fresh IBA this fraction < 2 mm amounts to around 25 % and contains different precious elemental and chemically bonded metals, especially copper. All copper species have higher densities compared to the bulk minerals. Investigations for the enrichment of copper carried out with a centrifugal classifier will be introduced.
Microcolonial fungi (MCF) are able to survive extreme environmental conditions. This study is focusing on responses to oxidative stress - using the rock fungus Knufia petricola strain A95. Comparative gene expression analyses of a wild type and a PKS mutant are used to identify genes which are especially regulated under oxidative stress conditions to help elucidate mechanisms of cell wall maturation and oxidative stress defence strategies.
Genetic manipulation of protective pigments in a rock-inhabiting model fungus Knufia petricola A95
(2016)
Black ascomycetous microcolonial fungi are persistent inhabitants of rock surfaces, but are especially conspicuous in hostile environments like cold and hot deserts. The unique robustness of MFCs is supported by protective pigments, like melanin and carotenoids. We study the role of these pigments in the stress resistance of the model rock fungus Knufia petricola (Chaetothyriales) strain A95.
Microcolonial fungi (MCF) are the most stress-resistant eukaryotes known to date. Black fungi are an interesting object to study mechanisms of stress resistance and to perform applied research to prevent material colonization and biodeterioration. Pigments, like melanin and carotenoids, have been proven to contribute to the unique robustness of MFCs. We study how these pigments ameliorate oxidative stress responses - one of the most significant environmental challenges encountered by MCF - using the model rock fungus Knufia petricola (Chaetothyriales) strain A95.
Microbiological biofilms on rocks are ubiquitous in nature and their influence on soil formation through rock weathering has been shown (Gorbushina 2007). However, most previous studies on rock weathering are limited to understanding the physical and chemical aspects overlooking the impact of biota. Due to the enormous amounts of variables that come with a biological process, the quantification of its influence is only possible by using well-controlled and simplified laboratory models. Thereby gaining more insight on the impact of rock inhabiting biofilms on mineral weathering. This presentation will show the impact of biotic weathering in terms of olivine dissolution rates
Natural forsterite was incubated in batch reactor flasks with and without a model consortium consisting of the phototrophic cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme and the rock-inhabiting ascomycete Knufia petricola, and submerged in a growth solution (pH 6). The flasks were incubated for 30 days under 25°C, 90 µmol photons/m2s and were shaken at 150 rpm. qPCR was performed to quantify the cell number of both organisms, BET to gather the specific surface of the used olivine and ICP-OES to follow up the change of concentration of the leached out metals.
Our results show that our model consortium, especially K. petricola does increase the dissolution rate of olivine. The pH increased from the initial 6 to around 7.2 for all setups. Initially Mg was preferentially released over Si (Mg/Si of 3.5), until after two days the ratio starts equilibrating around stoichiometric dissolution. During this timeframe the dissolution rate drops by nearly two orders of magnitude, just as observed by Daval et al., (2011). The difference in dissolution rates between the different setups is initially non-existent, but increases over time. After 30 days the setup with K. petricola gives a dissolution rate of 1.08 10-13 moles/cm2s, compared to 9.23 10-14 moles/cm2s for the abiotic setup.
We expect this study to cause awareness on the impact of microbiology on mineral weathering. Additionally it is a starting point for other, more complicated experiments using for instance flow through or drip flow reactors or other minerals.
The role of c-di-GMP in biofilm formation of the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme
(2016)
The signaling molecule c-di-GMP is a ubiquitous second messenger in bacterial species including cyanobacteria. C-di-GMP stimulates the biosynthesis of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in biofilms and regulates the transition between a motile and a sessile life style in many bacteria. In our study we focus on c-di-GMP function and EPS production associated with biofilm Formation in Nostoc punctiforme, which is known to produce EPS in biofilms and liquid culture.
Messungen bei Fern- und Hochgeschwindigkeitsbahnen aus verschiedenen Ländern (Portugal, Spanien, Belgien, Großbritannien, Deutschland, Schweiz, China, Japan u.a.) sollen die besondere Wichtigkeit eines mittelfrequenten Erschütterungsanteils zeigen. Relativ einheitlich werden dabei drei zusammenhängende Terzen mit angehobenen Amplituden beobachtet. Dieser Erschütterungsanteil dominiert mit zunehmender Entfernung vom Gleis das Frequenzspektrum der Erschütterungen. Die hochfrequenteren Anteile nehmen aufgrund der Materialdämpfung des Bodens stärker ab, die tieffrequenteren Anteile aus der sogenannten Quasistatik, der Vorbeifahrt der statischen Achslasten, verschwinden innerhalb der ersten zehn Meter vom Gleis fast vollständig. Die Frequenzcharakteristik des mittelfrequenten Erschütterungsanteils wird durch die Achsfolge des Zuges bestimmt. Im Terzmaßstab ist die Achsfolge im Drehgestell maßgeblich für die Ausprägung von zwei Amplitudenminima, die den Frequenzbereich eingrenzen. Diese Achsfolgespektren sind auch bei Brückenschwingungen von Bedeutung. Sie können die schwächere oder stärkere Anregung einzelner Brückeneigenschwingungen regeln. Die Ursachen der Boden- oder Brückenschwingungen sind mit den Achsfolgespektren noch nicht geklärt. Bei der Brücke und beim Boden können kurzwelligere Gleislagefehler (auch Radunrundheiten 1. Ordnung) Fahrzeugbeschleunigungen und damit dynamische Kräfte auf das Gleis erzeugen. Bei der Brücke ist die diskontinuierliche Auf- und Abfahrt der Achsen ebenfalls eine relevante Anregung, während die Kraftimpulse auf das Gleis, die durch die Achsüberfahrten entstehen, für die Wellenausbreitung im Boden von Bedeutung sind. Heterogene Böden oder Gleise ergeben einen Zerstreuanteil der Achsüberfahrtimpulse. Fallbeispiele mit verschiedenen Böden und verschiedenen Fahrgeschwindigkeiten werden ausgewertet, um die Ursachen und Gesetzmäßigkeiten des mittelfrequenten Erschütterungsanteils zu erkennen.
Die Bedeutung von Eisenbahn-Achsüberfahrten für die Bodenerschütterungen und Brückenschwingungen
(2016)
Messungen bei Fern- und Hochgeschwindigkeitsbahnen aus verschiedenen Ländern (Portugal, Spanien, Belgien, Großbritannien, Deutschland, Schweiz, China, Japan u.a.) sollen die besondere Wichtigkeit eines mittelfrequenten Erschütterungsanteils zeigen. Relativ einheitlich werden dabei drei zusammenhängende Terzen mit angehobenen Amplituden beobachtet. Dieser Erschütterungsanteil dominiert mit zunehmender Entfernung vom Gleis das Frequenzspektrum der Erschütterungen. Die hochfrequenteren Anteile nehmen aufgrund der Materialdämpfung des Bodens stärker ab, die tieffrequenteren Anteile aus der sogenannten Quasistatik, der Vorbeifahrt der statischen Achslasten, verschwinden innerhalb der ersten zehn Meter vom Gleis fast vollständig. Die Frequenzcharakteristik des mittelfrequenten Erschütterungsanteils wird durch die Achsfolge des Zuges bestimmt. Im Terzmaßstab ist die Achsfolge im Drehgestell maßgeblich für die Ausprägung von zwei Amplitudenminima, die den Frequenzbereich eingrenzen. Diese Achsfolgespektren sind auch bei Brückenschwingungen von Bedeutung. Sie können die schwächere oder stärkere Anregung einzelner Brückeneigenschwingungen regeln. Die Ursachen der Boden- oder Brückenschwingungen sind mit den Achsfolgespektren noch nicht geklärt. Bei der Brücke und beim Boden können kurzwelligere Gleislagefehler (auch Radunrundheiten 1. Ordnung) Fahrzeugbeschleunigungen und damit dynamische Kräfte auf das Gleis erzeugen. Bei der Brücke ist die diskontinuierliche Auf- und Abfahrt der Achsen ebenfalls eine relevante Anregung, während die Kraftimpulse auf das Gleis, die durch die Achsüberfahrten entstehen, für die Wellenausbreitung im Boden von Bedeutung sind. Heterogene Böden oder Gleise ergeben einen Zerstreuanteil der Achsüberfahrtimpulse. Fallbeispiele mit verschiedenen Böden und verschiedenen Fahrgeschwindigkeiten werden ausgewertet, um die Ursachen und Gesetzmäßigkeiten des mittelfrequenten Erschütterungsanteils zu erkennen.
Biofilm formation on materials leads to high costs in industrial processes, as well as in medical applications. This fact has stimulated interest in the development of new materials with improved surfaces to reduce bacterial colonization. Standardized tests relying on statistical evidence are indispensable to evaluate the quality and safety of these new materials. We describe here a flow chamber system for biofilm cultivation under controlled conditions with a total capacity for testing up to 32 samples in parallel. In order to quantify the surface colonization, bacterial cells were DAPI (4‘,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole)-stained and examined with epifluorescence microscopy. More than 100 images of each sample were automatically taken and the surface coverage was estimated using the free open source software g’mic, followed by a precise statistical evaluation. Overview images of all gathered pictures were generated to dissect the colonization characteristics of the selected model organism Escherichia coli W3310 on different materials (glass and implant steel). With our approach, differences in bacterial colonization on different materials can be quantified in a statistically validated manner. This reliable test procedure will support the design of improved materials for medical, industrial, and environmental (subaquatic or subaerial) applications.
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) have contributed significantly to the current biodiversity crisis, leading to widespread epidemics and population loss. Owing to genetic variation in pathogen virulence, a complete understanding of species decline requires the accurate identification and characterization of EIDs. We explore this issue in the Western honeybee, where increasing mortality of populations in the Northern Hemisphere has caused major concern. Specifically, we investigate the importance of genetic identity of the main suspect in mortality, deformed wing virus (DWV), in driving honeybee loss. Using laboratory experiments and a systematic field survey, we demonstrate that an emerging DWV genotype (DWV-B) is more virulent than the established DWV genotype (DWV-A) and is widespread in the landscape. Furthermore, we show in a simple model that colonies infected with DWV-B collapse sooner than colonies infected with DWV-A. We also identify potential for rapid DWV evolution by revealing extensive genome-wide recombination in vivo. The emergence of DWV-B in naive honeybee populations, including via recombination with DWV-A, could be of significant ecological and economic importance. Our findings emphasize that knowledge of pathogen genetic identity and diversity is critical to understanding drivers of species decline.
Insects with complete metamorphosis (holometaboly) are extremely successful, constituting over 60% of all described animal species. Complete metamorphosis confers significant advantages because it enables organisms to optimise life-history components through temporal partitioning, and thereby to exploitmultiple ecological niches. Yet holometaboly can also impose costs, and several lineages have evolved life cycle modifications to avoid complete metamorphosis.
In this review, we discuss different strategies that have evolved that result in the loss of complete metamorphosis (type I and type II paedomorphosis). In addition, the ecological pressures and developmental modifications that facilitate this avoidance are considered, as well as the importance of life cycle complexity in life-history evolution. Interestingly, only female holometabolous insects have entirely avoided complete metamorphosis, and it is always the ancestrally juvenile morphology that is retained. These findings point to a strong sex-biased trade-off between investment in reproduction and development. While the loss of complete metamorphosis in females has occurred independently on several occasions across holometabolous insects, only a small number of species possessing this ability have been described.
Thus, complete metamorphosis, which originated only once in insects, appears to have been almost fully retained. This indicates that significant modifications to the holometabolan metamorphic ground plan are highly constrained, and suggests that the transition to complete metamorphosis is evolutionarily irreversible.
Diverse animal species consume toxins, minerals or secondary compounds as an adaptive response to pathogen infection – a process termed self-medication. Recent studies have also shown that macronutrients can play an important role in an individual’s infection response. For instance African army worm caterpillars select a diet rich in protein and low in carbohydrate upon baculovirus infection. Here we investigate whether dietary choice of macronutrients also plays a role in immunity in the omnivorous cockroach: Blatta orientalis. After challenging individual cockroaches with a common entomopathogenic soil bacterium, Pseudomonas entomophila, we conducted food-choice experiments using two artificial diets differing in their relative protein to carbohydrate ratio. We show for the first time that cockroaches are able to self-select a protein-enriched diet as a response to bacterial infection. This is driven by a sharp decline in carbohydrate intake rather than an increase in protein intake. Additionally, infected cockroaches reduced their overall nutrient intake, which is consistent with an illness-induced anorexia-like response. The feeding pattern of bacteria-challenged individuals returned to normality approx 4 days after challenge. We also investigate whether cockroach survival and hemolymph immunity are enhanced in individuals when restricted to a protein-rich vs. carbohydrate-rich diet. Overall, our findings demonstrate that macronutrient preferences follow a general pattern independent of pathogen type. Furthermore, we show that interactions between nutrition and immunity are highly conserved in evolution, highlighted by the fact that caterpillars and cockroaches diverged some 386 million years ago.
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) have contributed significantly to the current biodiversity crisis, leading to widespread epidemics and population loss. Owing to genetic variation in pathogen virulence, a complete understanding of species decline requires the accurate identification and characterization of EIDs. We explore this issue in the Western honeybee, where increasing mortality of populations in the Northern Hemisphere has caused major concern. Specifically, we investigate the importance of genetic identity of the main suspect in mortality, deformed wing virus (DWV), in driving honeybee loss. Using laboratory experiments and a systematic field survey, we demonstrate that an emerging DWV genotype (DWV-B) is more virulent than the established DWV genotype (DWV-A) and is widespread in the landscape. Furthermore, we show in a simple model that colonies infected with DWV-B collapse sooner than colonies infected with DWV-A. We also identify potential for rapid DWV evolution by revealing extensive genome-wide recombination in vivo. The emergence of DWV-B in naive honeybee populations, including via recombination with DWV-A, could be of significant ecological and economic importance. Our findings emphasize that knowledge of pathogen genetic identity and diversity is critical to understanding drivers of species decline.
Zur Speicherung überschüssiger erneuerbarer Energie kann Wasserstoff verwendet werden. Durch Elektrolyse wird mit Hilfe der elektrischen Energie aus Wasser Wasserstoff erzeugt. Dieser Wasserstoff kann dann direkt eingesetzt oder aber in das bestehende Erdgasnetz eingespeist werden. Hier steht er als Energieträger zur Verfügung.
Die BAM hat für den Explosionsschutz solcher Erdgas-Wasserstoff-Gemische die sicherheitstechnischen Eigenschaften bestimmt. Es zeigte sich, dass bis zu einen Anteil von 10% Wasserstoff im Erdgas sich die sicherheitstechnischen Kenngrößen nur wenig ändern. So verbleibt das Gemisch in der Explosionsgruppe IIa. Die Explosionsgrenzen, der KG-Wert und der max. Explosionsdruck ändern sich nur wenig. Zudem zeigen Berechnungen der explosionsgefährdeten Bereiche bei der Simulation von Leckagen, dass diese Gemische ähnliche Ausbreitungseigenschaften besitzen wie das reine Erdgas.
Genetic manipulation of protective pigments in a rock-inhabiting model fungus Knufia petricola A95
(2016)
Sub-aerial biofilms typically form on bare rock. They consist of 99% cell material and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) metabolising at low water availability. Rock-inhabiting melanised fungi represent an important part of the microbial community in these environments, playing important roles in the colonisation of mineral surfaces, rock weathering and soil formation in the ecological/geochemical context. Different cellular stress responses make rock-inhabiting ascomycetes fit for survival under extremely changing irradiation, as well as water, energy sources and nutrient availability. Melanised, rock-inhabiting fungi possess multiple protective pigments, form facultative symbiotic associations with photobionts and weather minerals. Melanised fungi build a protective layer around the cell that is critical in adhesion to other living partners, for the colonisation of the substrate and in the subsequent damage of the colonised surface. We chose Knufia petricola (Chaetothyriales) as a model species to analyse colonisation of surfaces. The basic physiology of K. petricola strain A95 is studied, its full genome sequence has been prepared for annotation and methods for deleting specific genes have been established. Unique features of K. petricola including the protective pigments (melanin and carotenoids) and EPS/cell wall properties are now being dissected genetically. As K. petricola strain A95 is in the basic clade of Chaetothyriales, it is an ancestor of both important human pathogens including Exophiala and lichens from the Verrucariaceae family. For this reason studies with A95 can help clarify the basis of fungal pathogenicity – as well as explain interactions with microscopic phototrophic partners like unicellular green algae and cyanobacteria. With Knufia petricola we will establish a canon of experimental approaches to characterise and quantify fungi that actively contact inanimate solid materials. The set of methods developed for Knufia will be adapted to heavily melanised and EPS-producing ascomycetes and can be broadly applied to medically important as well as material-colonising fungi.
Populations of genetically identical cells that share the same environment can differ markedly in their phenotypes. This phenomenon has been termed phenotypic heterogeneity. While a few molecular mechanisms that lead to heterogeneity in gene expression have been elucidated, it remains unclear how heterogeneity in gene expression is transmitted to heterogeneity in activity; especially in metabolism. Metabolic activity of single bacterial cells can be quantified by labeling the substrate with stable isotopes and by measuring label uptake with nanometer-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). Here we combined NanoSIMS with single-molecule mRNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) to link heterogeneity in gene expression and metabolism in nitrogen fixing bacteria. We find that gene expression and metabolic activity are decoupled in single cells. However, heterogeneity in gene expression is correlated with heterogeneity in metabolic activity on the population level. Gene expression kinetics can provide insights into the molecular mechanisms that lead to heterogeneity in metabolism.
Recovery of rare earth elements - optimized elemental analysis of fluorescent lamp shredder waste
(2016)
Rare earth elements (REE) are a crucial component of fluorescence lamps. Several procedures have been developed to recovery these technological important elements. Nevertheless, actual REE recycling from fluorescence lamps is scarce so far (recovery rate of less than 1 %), with current recycling approaches concentrating on glass recovery. Since most recycling processes include several, also wet-chemical steps, a complete knowledge of the actual elemental composition of the respective mass flows is necessary for an efficient REE recovery. We tested seven different reagent mixtures for microwave-assisted digestion of fluorescent lamp shredder, including HF, HClO4, and H2O2. We determined the concentrations of 25 of the most relevant rare earth and other trace elements in the respective dilutions. Two independent digestions, one a mixture of perchlorid/nitric/hydrofluoric acid and the other aqua regia, showed the highest concentrations of 23 of these elements, excluding only Sn and Tb. The REE concentrations in the tested lamp shredder sample (stated in g/kg) were 10.2 (Y), 12.1 (La), 7.77 (Ce), 6.91 (Eu), 1.90 (Gd), and 4.11 (Tb).
Recovery of rare earth elements - optimized elemental analysis of fluorescent lamp shredder waste
(2016)
Rare earth elements (REE) are a crucial component of fluorescence lamps. Several procedures have been developed to recovery these technological important elements. Nevertheless, actual REE recycling from fluorescence lamps is scarce so far (recovery rate of less than 1 %), with current recycling approaches concentrating on glass recovery. Since most recycling processes include several, also wet-chemical steps, a complete knowledge of the actual elemental composition of the respective mass flows is necessary for an efficient REE recovery. We tested seven different reagent mixtures for microwave-assisted digestion of fluorescent lamp shredder, including HF, HClO4, and H2O2. We determined the concentrations of 25 of the most relevant rare earth and other trace elements in the respective dilutions. Two independent digestions, one a mixture of perchlorid/nitric/hydrofluoric acid and the other aqua regia, showed the highest concentrations of 23 of these elements, excluding only Sn and Tb. The REE concentrations in the tested lamp shredder sample (stated in g/kg) were 10.2 (Y), 12.1 (La), 7.77 (Ce), 6.91 (Eu), 1.90 (Gd), and 4.11 (Tb).