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Application of a hybrid mechanistic/machine learning model for prediction of nitrous oxide (N2O) production in a nitrifying sequencing batch reactor
PublicationNitrous oxide (N2O) is a key parameter for evaluating the greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants. In this study, a new method for predicting liquid N2O production during nitrification was developed based on a mechanistic model and machine learning (ML) algorithm. The mechanistic model was first used for simulation of two 15-day experimental trials in a nitrifying sequencing batch reactor. Then, model predictions...
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Ranking of Heterogeneous Catalysts Metals by Their Greenness
PublicationCatalysis is very important process in industry and laboratory practice, especially from the point of green chemistry principles. However, eco-friendly character of heterogeneous catalysts, containing transition metal components has not been evaluated, yet. Therefore, we perform a comprehensive assessment of 18 heterogeneous metal catalysts (Pd, Pt, V, Co, Ni, Mo, Ru, Mn, Au, Cu, Cd, Zr, Fe, Rh, Ir, Sn, Zn, Ag) using multicriteria...
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Multi-Analytical Techniques for the Study of Burial Clothes of Polish King Sigismund III Vasa (1566–1633) and His Wife Constance Habsburg (1588–1631)
PublicationThe subjects of this research are the burial clothes of Polish King Sigismund III Vasa and his wife Constance, which were woven and embroidered with silk and metal threads. Fragments of the textiles underwent spectroscopic, spectrometric, and thermogravimetric analyses. The hydrofluoric acid extraction method was improved to isolate various classes of dyes from the textile samples that had direct contact with human remains. High-performance...
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Recent developnents in wastewater treatment in constructed wetlands in Poland
PublicationNowadays more than 100 constructed wetlands are in operation in Poland. Most of them are one stage wetland systems with horizontal subsurface flow. Such constructed wetlands ensure efficient removal of organic matter (BOD5, CODCr) and suspended solids but efficiency of nitrogen compounds removal in many cases is insufficient.In the period from 1995 to 2003 measurements of removal of contaminations in 11 individual pilot household...
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Polysaccharide nanocomposites in wastewater treatment: A review
PublicationIn modern times, wastewater treatment is vital due to increased water contamination arising from pollutants such as nutrients, pathogens, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical residues. Polysaccharides (PSAs) are natural, renewable, and non-toxic biopolymers used in wastewater treatment in the field of gas separation, liquid filtration, adsorption processes, pervaporation, and proton exchange membranes. Since addition of nanoparticles...
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Nanoparticle-assisted biohydrogen production from pretreated food industry wastewater sludge: Microbial community shifts in batch and continuous processes
PublicationBiohydrogen production from industrial waste has gained a significant attention as a sustainable energy source. In this study, the enrichment of biohydrogen production from pretreated dissolved air flotation (DAF) sludge, generated from food industry wastewater treatment plants, was investigated using SiO2@Cu-Ag dendrites cor- e–shell nanostructure (NS). The effect of NS on the changes of the microbial community and biohydrogen...
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Relationship between the betalain composition in Opuntia ficus indica and Beta vulgaris varieties and biological activity of their extracts
PublicationBetalains are a class of pigments that are much less com- monly found in nature than anthocyanins or carotenoids. They occur only in a few edible plants such as red beetroot (Beta vulgaris), prickly pears (Opuntia ficus indica), amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) and some mushrooms. This group of pig- ments can be divided into two major groups: yellow vulgax- anthins and red betanins. Despite their structural similarity to compounds from...
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A modern solid waste management strategy – the generation of new by-products
PublicationTo benefit the environment and society, EU legislation has introduced a ‘zero waste’ strategy, in which waste material should be converted to resources. Such legislation is supported by the solid waste hierarchy concept, which is a set of priorities in waste management. Under this concept, municipal solid waste plants (MSWPs) should be equipped with sorting and recycling facilities, composting/incineration units and landfill prisms...
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Phytoplankton communities of polar regions–Diversity depending on environmental conditions and chemical anthropopressure
PublicationThe polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic) constitute up to 14% of the biosphere and offer some of the coldest and most arid Earth's environments. Nevertheless several oxygenic phototrophs including some higher plants, mosses, lichens, various algal groups and cyanobacteria, survive that harsh climate and create the base of the trophic relationships in fragile ecosystems of polar environments. Ecosystems in polar regions are characterized...
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Comparison of the Effects of Conventional and Alternative External Carbon Sources for Enhancing of the Denitrification Process
PublicationFood industry effluents are considered a potential alternative for methanol when seeking external carbon sources to enhance denitrification in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The aim of this study was to determine the immediate effects of dosing different carbon sources on the denitrification capability of process biomass from the "Wschod" WWTP in Gdansk (northern Poland). Five carbon sources, including settled wastewater,...
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Phosphorus removal by application of natural and semi-natural materials for possible recovery according to assumptions of circular economy and closed circuit of P
PublicationIn the last fewyears the idea of circular economy has become essential. Thus, designing methods of nutrients removal should be based on usingmaterials that make it possible to recover those nutrients. Recently,methods applied in wastewater treatment plants cannot provide optimal results; moreover, the application of commercial coagulants like ferric chloride and polyaluminumchloride can cause difficulties in potential recovery...
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Environmental characteristics of a tundra river system in Svalbard. Part 1: Bacterial abundance, community structure and nutrient levels
PublicationThe Arctic hosts a set of unique ecosystems, characterised by extreme environmental conditions and undergoing a rapid change resulting from the average temperature rising. We present a study on an aquatic ecosystem of the Revelva catchment (Spitsbergen), based on samples collected from the lake, river and their tributaries, in the summer of 2016. The landscape variety of the study site and the seasonal change in the hydrological...
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Influence of steam cooking on pro-health properties of Small and Large variety of Momordica charantia
PublicationSteam cooking is one of the most common preparations of Momordicacharantia dishes. This method improved the tastiness of the fruits but at the same time, some changes occurred in the volatile and non-volatile parts of their food matrices. In this study, for the first time these properties were correlated with the found substances affecting the bioactivity of this fruit. Two varieties of Momordicacharantia were analysed and compared....
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DETERMINATION OF SURFACTANTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES - PART I. CATIONIC COMPOUNDS = Oznaczanie Surfaktantów W Próbkach Środowiskowych. Część I. Związki Kationowe
PublicationCompounds from the group of cationic surfactants are widely applied in household, industrial, cleaning, disinfectant, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products as their specific properties (antimicrobial, emulsifying, anticorrosion, softening). After use, cationic surfactants are disposed to wastewater-treatment plants and finally with effluent water to surface waters due to their incomplete degradation. Moreover, they can freely circulate...
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The influence of phosphorus fractions in bottom sediments on phosphate removal in semi-natural systems as the 3rd stage of biological wastewater treatment
PublicationThe research was carried out in two semi-natural systems (the polishing ponds in Swarzewo and the free water surface constructed wetland in Zarnowiec) in Poland. They were built as the 3rd stage of a conventional mechanical–biological wastewater treatment plant. These systems were built to improve the quality of the effluent of treated wastewater. In the polishing ponds and FWS wetland system, suspended solids, organic matter as...
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Effect of MgSO4 nutrition on Theobroma cacao L. susceptibility to Phytophthora megakarya infection
PublicationA new strategy to reduce the severity of black pod disease (BPD) in T. cacao plants using MgSO4 nutrition was investigated. The dynamics of the tolerance to BPD of 18 susceptible T. cacao plantlets coming from the cross (♀SNK64 × ♂UPA14) was monitored during weekly (8 weeks) supply of MgSO4 into the soil. Prior to MgSO4 application, disease scores of the 18 plantlets (in six sets of three plantlets per set) were varying between...
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A Systematic Review for Establishing Relevant Environmental Parameters for Urban Lighting: Translating Research into Practice
PublicationThe application of lighting technologies developed in the 20th century has increased the brightness and changed the spectral composition of nocturnal night-time habitats and night skies across urban, peri-urban, rural, and pristine landscapes, and subsequently, researchers have observed the disturbance of biological rhythms of flora and fauna. To reduce these impacts, it is essential to translate relevant knowledge about the potential...
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An Overview of Treatment Approaches for Octahydro-1, 3, 5, 7-tetranitro-1, 3, 5, 7-tetrazocine (HMX) Explosive in Soil, Groundwater, and Wastewater
PublicationOctahydro-1, 3, 5, 7-tetranitro-1, 3, 5, 7-tetrazocine (HMX) is extensively exploited in the manufacturing of explosives; therefore, a significant level of HMX contamination can be encountered near explosive production plants. For instance, up to 12 ppm HMX concentrations have been observed in the wastewater effluent of a munitions manufacturing facility, while up to 45,000 mg/kg of HMX has been found in a soil sample taken from...
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Model-based identification of the dominant N2O emission pathway in a full-scale activated sludge system
PublicationActivated sludge models (ASMs), extended with an N2O emission module, are powerful tools to describe the operation of full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Specifically, such models can investigate the most contributive N2O production pathways and guide towards N2O and carbon footprint (CF) mitigation measures. A common practice is to develop and validate models using data from a single WWTP. In this study, a successfully...
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From the pills to environment – Prediction and tracking of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug concentrations in wastewater
PublicationThe extend of environment pollution by pharmaceuticals is in a stage that required more automatic and integrated solutions. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most popular pharmaceutical in the world and emerging pollutants of natural waters. The aim of the paper was to check the correlation of the sales data of selected NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac) and their concentration in the WWTP...
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Maximizing Bio-Hydrogen and Energy Yields Obtained in a Self-Fermented Anaerobic Bioreactor by Screening of Different Sewage Sludge Pretreatment Methods
PublicationEgypt faces significant challenges in managing its sewage sludge generated in large quantities from wastewater treatment plants. This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing sewage sludge as a renewable resource for hydrogen production through anaerobic digestion at the 100 L bioreactor level. Hydrogen is considered a promising alternative energy source due to its high energy content and environmental benefits. To optimize...
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Functional safety and human factors
PublicationRozdział przedstawia istotny problem uwzględnienia czynników ludzkich (H&OF) w analizie bezpieczeństwa funkcjonalnego, które wpływają istotnie na bezpieczeństwo przemysłowych obiektów podwyższonego ryzyka, nie ujęty jednak w normach bezpieczeństwa funkcjonalnego. Przedstawia się metody analizy niezawodności człowieka (HRA) w kontekście tych czynników, które wpływają na błędy człowieka. Czynniki ludzkie i organizacyjne powinny być...
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A review of phosphorus recovery methods at various steps of wastewater treatment and sewage sludge management. The concept of “no solid waste generation” and analytical methods
PublicationPhosphorus deposits around the world are rapidly depleting, therefore phosphorus recovery methods are gaining more and more interest both in science and industry. This article presents the main methods of phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge. The described approaches are divided in two groups: phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge and leachate, and recovery of phosphorus from sewage sludge ashes. The latter seems to have more...
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Unlocking the Secrets of River Pollution: Analyzing Organic Pollutants in Sediments—Experimental Study
PublicationUntreated wastewater released into rivers can result in water pollution, the spread of waterborne diseases, harm to ecosystems, contamination of soil and groundwater, as well as air pollution and respiratory problems for nearby humans and animals due to the release of greenhouse gases. The current study aims to investigate the recent input of anthropogenic loads into the rivers using linear alkylbenzene (LAB), which is one of the...
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Effects of beach wrack on the fate of mercury at the land-sea interface – A preliminary study
PublicationSince the 1970s, the amount of aquatic plants and algae debris, called beach wrack (BW), has increased along the shores of industrialised regions. The strong ability of primary producers to accumulate pollutants can potentially result in their deposition on the beach along with the BW. Despite that, the fate and impact of such pollutants on sandy beach ecosystems have not been investigated so far. This study examines the fate...
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Partial characterization of indigo (Polygonum tinctorium Ait.) plant seeds and leaves
PublicationThe aim of this study was to assess the contents of indigo's bioactive compounds, its antioxidant and anticancer activities in acetone, hexane and DMSO extracts and to compare the overall bioactivity with another more used medicinal plant named prolipid. It was found that the contents of the bioactive compounds in the studied extracts from different parts of indigo plant varied (P < 0.05): the significantly highest content of polyphenols...
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Flavones in cocoa defence against Phytophthora megakarya
PublicationCross-pollination of suitable genotypes and earlier selection of elite offspring using adequate plants-associated defence markers in plantlets leaves are decisive for development of T. cacao genotypes tolerant to black pods disease (BPD). T. cacao plantlets from manual cross-pollination of ♀SNK64 × ♂UPA143 were analyzed for their susceptibility to BPD using leaf disc test. Subsequently, leaves (healthy, wounded and wound+infected)...
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Uptake, accumulation, and translocation of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr by P. australis seedlings in an urban dredged sediment mesocosm: impact of seedling origin and initial trace metal content
PublicationThe study presents results from 6 months of phytoremediation of sediments dredged from three urban retention tanks carried out in a mesocosm setup with the use of P. australis. Two kinds of P. australis seedlings were considered: seedlings originating from natural (uncontaminated - Suncont) and anthropogenically changed environments (contaminated – Scont); this distinction was reflected in the baseline concentrations of trace metals...
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Seaweed utilization issues in biogas production
PublicationMacroalgae can be seen as a renewable feedstock for the production of biofuels in many coastal areas around the World and especially in Baltic Sea region where the eutrophication is particularly troublesome. The investigation of anaerobic digestion technologies for extracting inexhaustible bioenergy from seaweed was conducted in many research institutions mainly in laboratory scale. Although seaweeds seem to have a great potential...
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Evaluation of Sicilian landraces of broccoli (B. oleracea var. italica Plenck) for quality traits
PublicationBrassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck is one of the most popular vegetables which belong to Brassicaceae family. It is getting attention as an important source of bioactive compounds such as glucosinolates, and many other phytochemicals. In the frame of the H2020 BRESOV project, we evaluated three landraces (‘Broccolo nero', ‘Ramoso calabrese' and ‘Sparaceddu') and two commercial F1 hybrid cultivars (‘Marathon' and ‘Naxos')....
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Chemical characterization of wild populations of Brassica oleracea complex species (n=9) for the content of their bioactive compounds
PublicationThe wild species belonging to Brassica oleracea complex species (n=9) are widespread in the Mediterranean basin and represent the relative species of several vegetable crops, such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage. They are characterized by the high level of bioactive compounds, such as glucosinolates (GLSs), known for their benefits for human health. Four accessions were evaluated: B. macrocarpa (BM) from Favignana (Trapani),...
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Identification of novel halogenated naturally occurring compounds in marine biota by high-resolution mass spectrometry and combined screening approaches
PublicationMarine animals, plants or bacteria are a source of bioactive naturally-occurring halogenated compounds (NHCs) such as bromophenols (BPs), bromoanisoles (BAs) and hydroxylated or methoxylated analogues of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (HO-PBDEs, MeO-PBDEs) and bromobiphenyls (HO-BBs, MeO-BBs). This study applied a comprehensive screening approach using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry and combining target,...
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Structure and evolution of the 4-helix bundle domain of Zuotin, a J-domain protein co-chaperone of Hsp70
PublicationThe J-domain protein Zuotin is a multi-domain eukaryotic Hsp70 co-chaperone. Though it is primarily ribosome-associated, positioned at the exit of the 60S subunit tunnel where it promotes folding of nascent polypeptide chains, Zuotin also has off-ribosome functions. Domains of Zuotin needed for 60S association and interaction with Hsp70 are conserved in eukaryotes. However, whether the 4-helix bundle (4HB) domain is conserved remains...
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Technical solutions and benefits of introducing rain gardens – Gdańsk case study
PublicationNowadays, Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) are developing as innovative multifunctional tools to maximize urban ecosystem services such as storm water preservation, reduction of runoff and flood protection, groundwater pollution prevention, biodiversity enhancement, and microclimate control. Gdańsk is one of the first Polish cities to widely introduce rain gardens (one example of an NBS) in different areas such as parks, city center,...
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Remediation of soils on municipal rendering plant territories using Miscanthus × giganteus
PublicationPhytoremediation, as a cost-effective, highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and green approach, gained attention to the removal of metals, including heavy metals, from contaminated soils. The toxic nature of heavy metals can have an adverse effect on human health and the ecosystem, and their removal remains a worldwide problem. Therefore, in this study, a field experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential of Miscanthus × giganteus...
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Innovations in Wastewater Treatment: Harnessing Mathematical Modeling and Computer Simulations with Cutting-Edge Technologies and Advanced Control Systems
PublicationThe wastewater treatment landscape in Central Europe, particularly in Poland, has undergone a profound transformation due to European Union (EU) integration. Fueled by EU funding and rapid technological advancements, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have adopted cutting-edge control methods to adhere to EU Water Framework Directive mandates. WWTPs contend with complexities such as variable flow rates, temperature fluctuations,...
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Covalent DNA modification by products of myrosinase catalysed glucosinolate degradation in cell-free system
PublicationThe bioactive phytochemicals found in Brassica vegetables belonging to glucosinolates (GLS) and especially the products of their degradation isothiocyanates (ITC) and indoles are regarded as the most promising cancer chemopreventive compounds. These secondary metabolites constitute defence system repelling or preventing the development of agrophages attacking brassica plants. The antibiological properties of these compounds suggest...
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The potential of raw sewage sludge in construction industry – A review
PublicationExcess sewage sludge produced in any municipal or industrial wastewater treatment plant becomes a serious problem due to its increasing amount. This increase is related to the improvement of treatment technologies, expansion of sewage systems and the development of new industrial plants. The implementation and development of new technologies related to the utilization of sewage sludge is currently based on treating it as a substrate....
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Use of a wastewater recovery product (struvite) to enhance subtropical seagrass restoration
PublicationSeagrasses are in decline worldwide, and their restoration is relatively expensive and unsuccessful compared to other coastal systems. Fertilization can improve seagrass growth in restoration but can also release nutrients and pollute the surrounding ecosystem. A slow-release fertilizer may reduce excessive nutrient discharge while still providing resources to the seagrass's rhizosphere. In this study, struvite (magnesium ammonium...
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Cadmium accumulation by Phragmites australis and Iris pseudacorus from stormwater in floating treatment wetlands microcosms: Insights into plant tolerance and utility for phytoremediation
PublicationEnvironmentally sustainable remediation is needed to protect freshwater resources which are deteriorating due to severe industrial, mining, and agricultural activities. Treatment by floating wetlands could be a sustainable solution to remediate water bodies. The study aimed to examine the effects of Cd on Phragmites australis and Iris pseudacorus growth (height, biomass, root length and chlorophyll contents), anatomy, Cd accumulation...
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Radar with rotary head
PublicationNowadays usage of radars is no longer reserved only for the military purpose. It finds many applications in various areas of science and industry. It may be used in order to obtain extended information about the state of critical infrastructure, like shipyards or petrochemical plants. Furthermore, it may be applied in vision denied environments. The aim of this project...
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Preliminary Results from the Removal of Phosphorus Compounds with Selected Sorption Material
PublicationDue to the resources of phosphorous are limited and are exhausted in the next 30 years the management of the resources is become current issue. Most of the phosphorus compounds is lost forever, because it is discharged with sewage into surface waters, causing eutrophication and in this way causing a further problem and challenge. On the other hand, there is a considerable need for phosphorus compounds, primarily in bioavailable...
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DETERMINATION OF SURFACTANTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES. PART II. ANIONIC COMPOUNDS
PublicationSurfactants (SAA) with negative charge of polar group are named as anionic compounds. They are main constituent of most products containing synthetic surfactants. The linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), alkyl ethoxysulfates (AES) and alkyl sulfates (AS) are typically applied from this class of compounds. Those surfactants are ingredients of household detergents and cleaners, laundry detergents, cosmetic. Moreover they can be...
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Application of Eco-innovative Technologies of Nutrients Removal in Wastewater – Case Study BARITECH Project
PublicationEco-innovative technologies in wastewater treatment should provide not only stringent standards for the quality of treated wastewater but also ensure maximum recovery of energy and raw materials from wastewater. One of the ways to improve the removal efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in existing conventional wastewater treatment plants is pretreatment of reject water generated during the mechanical...
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Cathodic Activation of Titania-Fly Ash Cenospheres for Efficient Electrochemical Hydrogen Production: A Proposed Solution to Treat Fly Ash Waste
PublicationFly ash (FA) is a waste product generated in huge amounts by coal-fired electric and steam-generating plants. As a result, the use of FA alone or in conjunction with other materials is an intriguing study topic worth exploring. Herein, we used FA waste in conjunction with titanium oxide (TiO2) to create (FA-TiO2) nanocomposites. For the first time, a cathodic polarization pre-treatment regime was applied to such nanocomposites...
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Golden artefacts, resin figurines, body adhesives and tomb sediments from the pre-Columbian burial site El Caño (Gran Coclé, Panamá): tracing organic contents using molecular archaeometry
PublicationThis research aimed to determine the origin of organic residues from funerary contexts in the El Ca~no settlement (Gran Cocl�e area, Panam�a, Central America) by means of multiple molecular probing techniques (GC-MS of organic solvent extracts and pyrolysis-GC-MS, THM-GC-MS and FTIR of solid samples). The samples include particles of precious resin figurines, fillings of golden objects, tomb sediments, plant exudates from extant...
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Improving Thermal Insulation Properties for Prefabricated Wall Components Made of Lightweight Aggregate Concrete with Open Structure
PublicationPorous concrete is commonly used in civil engineering due to its good thermal insulation properties in comparison with normal concrete and high compression strength in comparison with other building materials. An extremely porous concrete, called ‘lightweight aggregate concrete with open structure’ (LAC), is used in some German plants to produce prefabricated wall components. They are used mainly in hall buildings, e.g. supermarkets....
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Phytoavailability of potentially toxic elements from industrially contaminated soils to wild grass
PublicationTopsoil and grass samples from 14 sites located in different distances from three copper mining factories and a copper smelter were collected in Srednogorie, Bulgaria. The paper discusses results of studies on the mobility of potentially toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) from contaminated soils to wild grass Cynodon dactylon in terms of transfer (TF: soil to plant) and phytoavailability (PF: EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic...
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Denitrification Process Enhancement and Diversity of the Denitrifying Community in the Full Scale Activated Sludge System after Adaptation to Fusel Oil
PublicationImplementation of anaerobic digestion of primary sludge in modern wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) limits the availability of organic carbon for denitrification in conventional nitrification-denitrification (N/DN) systems. In order to ensure efficient denitrification, dosage of the external carbon source is commonly undertaken. However, application of commercial products, such us ethanol or acetate, greatly increases operational...
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Stable indirect adaptive control based on discrete-time T-S fuzzy model
PublicationThis paper presents an indirect adaptive fuzzy control scheme for uncertain nonlinear asymptotically stable plants.A discrete-time T-S fuzzy input-output model is employed to approximate the unknown plant dynamics. The T-S fuzzy model is fed with its own states, which are indeed its past outputs, rather than the measurements from the plants. Entirely based on this model, a feedback linearization control law is designed by using...