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Search results for: DEGRADATION
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Tolerance-Aware Optimization of Microwave Circuits by Means of Principal Directions and Domain-Restricted Metamodels
PublicationPractical microwave design is most often carried out in the nominal sense. Yet, in some cases, performance degradation due to uncertainties may lead to the system failing to meet the prescribed specifications. Reliable uncertainty quantification (UQ) is therefore important yet intricate from numerical standpoint, especially when the circuit at hand is to be evaluated using electromagnetic (EM) simulation tools. Tolerance-aware...
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Structure and Stability Characterization of Natural Lake Pigments Made from Plant Extracts and Their Potential Application in Polymer Composites for Packaging Materials
PublicationNatural dyes were extracted from various plant sources and converted into lake pigments based on aluminum and tin. Three different plants (weld, Persian berries, and Brazilwood) were chosen as representative sources of natural dyes. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (QqQ MS) were used to identify dyestuffs in the raw extracts. The natural dyes and lake pigments were further characterized...
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Rethinking Sustainable Cities at Night: Paradigm Shifts in Urban Design and City Lighting
PublicationSince the establishment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, various perspectives on sustainable cities have been developed and adopted in order to achieve a better and more sustainable future. However, background research has revealed that these goals and targets are limited because they do not take into account the growing body of lighting-related research in diverse fields...
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Implementation of Solute Transport in the Vadose Zone into the “HYDRUS Package for MODFLOW”
PublicationThe “HYDRUS package for MODFLOW” is an existing MODFLOW package that allows MODFLOW to simultaneously evaluate transient water flow in both unsaturated and saturated zones. The package is based on incorporating parts of the HYDRUS‐1D model (to simulate unsaturated water flow in the vadose zone) into MODFLOW (to simulate saturated groundwater flow). The coupled model is effective in addressing spatially variable saturated‐unsaturated...
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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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The effect of groyne field on trapping macroplastic. Preliminary results from laboratory experiments
PublicationMacroplastic, a precursor of microplastic pollution, has become a new scope of research interest. However, the physical processes of macroplastic transport and deposition in rivers are poorly understood, which makes the decisions of where to locate macroplastic trapping infrastructure difficult. In this research, we conducted a series of experiments in a laboratory channel, exploring the impact of groynes and flexible artificial...
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Screening stability, thermochemistry, and chemical kinetics of 3-hydroxybutanoic acid as a bifunctional biodiesel additive
PublicationThe thermo-kinetic aspects of 3-hydroxybutyric acid (3-HBA) pyrolysis in the gas phase were investigated using density functional theory (DFT), specifically the M06-2X theoretical level in conjunction with the cc-pVTZ basis set. The obtained data were compared with benchmark CBS-QB3 results. The degradation mechanism was divided into 16 pathways, comprising 6 complex fissions and 10 barrierless reactions. Energy profiles were calculated...
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PLA–Potato Thermoplastic Starch Filament as a Sustainable Alternative to the Conventional PLA Filament: Processing, Characterization, and FFF 3D Printing
PublicationThe growing popularity of the fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing technology in science, industry, and in-home use is associated with an increased demand for high-quality polymer filaments. This study presents an in-depth characterization and analysis of a self-made bio-based polylactide (PLA)/thermoplastic potato starch (TPS) filament dedicated for the FFF 3D printing technology. The obtained results were compared with...
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Two bacterial small heat shock proteins, IbpA and IbpB, form a functional heterodimer
PublicationSmall heat shock proteins (sHsps) are a conserved class of ATP-independent chaperones which in stress conditions bind to unfolded protein substrates and prevent their irreversible aggregation. Substrates trapped in sHsps-containing aggregates are efficiently refolded into native structures by ATP-dependent Hsp70 and Hsp100 chaperones. Most γ-proteobacteria possess a single sHsp (IbpA), while in a subset of Enterobacterales, as...
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Constrained multi-objective optimization of compact microwave circuits by design triangulation and pareto front interpolation
PublicationDevelopment of microwave components is an inherently multi-objective task. This is especially pertinent to the design closure stage, i.e., final adjustment of geometry and/or material parameters carried out to improve the electrical performance of the system. The design goals are often conflicting so that the improvement of one normally leads to a degradation of others. Compact microwave passives constitute a representative case:...
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A review on recent advances in the application of biosurfactants in wastewater treatment
PublicationMicroorganisms produce a variety of non-conventional surface-active molecules, known as biosurfactants. The biosurfactants find diverse applications in the oil industry, agriculture, emulsifiers, and wastewater treatment, to name a few. Since they are produced from microbes, advantages such as biodegradability, lower toxicity, and environmental compatibility can be leveraged compared to the chemical surfactants. Recently, biosurfactants...
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Enhancing Resilience of FSO Networks to Adverse Weather Conditions
PublicationOptical wireless networks realized by means of gigabit optical wireless communication (OWC) systems are becoming, in a variety of applications, an important alternative, or a complementary solution, to their fiber-based counterparts. However, performance of the OWC systems can be considerably degraded in periods of unfavorable weather conditions, such as heavy fog, which temporarily reduce the effective capacity of the network....
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PVA-Based Films with Strontium Titanate Nanoparticles Dedicated to Wound Dressing Application
PublicationBioactive materials may be applied in tissue regeneration, and an example of such materials are wound dressings, which are used to accelerate skin healing, especially after trauma. Here, we proposed a novel dressing enriched by a bioactive component. The aim of our study was to prepare and characterize poly(vinyl alcohol) films modified with strontium titanate nanoparticles. The physicochemical properties of films were studied,...
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Low-Cost Yield-Driven Design of Antenna Structures Using Response-Variability Essential Directions and Parameter Space Reduction
PublicationQuantifying the effects of fabrication tolerances and uncertainties of other types is fundamental to improve antenna design immunity to limited accuracy of manufacturing procedures and technological spread of material parameters. This is of paramount importance especially for antenna design in the industrial context. Degradation of electrical and field properties due to geometry parameter deviations often manifests itself as, e.g.,...
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Self-Organization of Graft Copolymers and Retortable iPP-Based Nanoporous Films Thereof
PublicationPolyolefins might become inexpensive alternatives to the existing membranes based on polyethersulfone. Here we disclose the production of retortable, well-defined PP-based nanoporous membranes derived from amphiphilic graft copolymer precursors. The graft copolymers, containing a polypropylene backbone and polyester grafts, were obtained by grafting lactones, specifically δ-valerolactone and ε-caprolactone, from well-defined randomly...
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Assessment of toxic and endocrine potential of substances migrating from selected toys and baby products
PublicationAnalysis of literature data shows that there is limited information about the harmful biological effects of mixture of compounds from the EDC group that are released from the surface of toys and objects intended for children and infants. One of the tools that can be used to obtain such information is appropriate bioanalytical tests. The aim of this research involved determining whether tests that use living organisms as an active...
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IN VITRO PROPAGATION OF RHODODENDRON TOMENTOSUM - AN ENDANGERED ESSENTIAL OIL BEARING PLANT FROM PEATLAND
PublicationRhododendron tomentosum Harmaja (formerly Ledum palustre L.) is a medicinal peat bog plant native to northern Europe, Asia and North America. This plant has a distinctive aroma thanks to the presence of essential oil, to which it also owes its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial and insecticidal properties. However, in Europe R. tomentosum is classified as an endangered species, mainly due to degradation of peatlands. In...
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Stable and degradable microgels linked with cystine for storing and environmentally triggered release of drugs
PublicationEnvironmentally sensitive, degradable microgels based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPA) crosslinked with the diacryloyl derivative of cystine (BISS) were synthesized by applying surfactant-free emulsion polymerization. pNIPA contributed the sensitivity to temperature to the microgels and the cross-linker made them degradable and sensitive to pH. The morphology of the microgels was investigated by using scanning and transmission...
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Structural, mechanical and thermal behavior assessments of PCL/PHB blends reactively compatibilized with organic peroxides
PublicationThe efficiency of two commercially available organic peroxides, dicumyl peroxide (DCP) and di-(2-tert-butyl-peroxyisopropyl)-benzene (BIB), during reactive processing of poly (ε-caprolactone)/poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PCL/PHB) blends was investigated. The changes in chemical structure of PCL/PHB blends, as a function of organic peroxide type (DCP/BIB) and content (in range: 0–1.0 parts by weight - pbw), were characterized by Fourier...
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Knowledge-Based Expedited Parameter Tuning of Microwave Passives by Means of Design Requirement Management and Variable-Resolution EM Simulations
PublicationThe importance of numerical optimization techniques has been continually growing in the design of microwave components over the recent years. Although reasonable initial designs can be obtained using circuit theory tools, precise parameter tuning is still necessary to account for effects such as electromagnetic (EM) cross coupling or radiation losses. EM-driven design closure is most often realized using gradient-based procedures,...
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Rapid Antenna Optimization with Restricted Sensitivity Updates by Automated Dominant Direction Identification
PublicationMeticulous tuning of geometry parameters turns pivotal in improving performance of antenna systems. It is more and more often realized using formal optimization methods, which is demonstrably the most efficient way of handling multiple design variables, objectives, and constraints. Although in some cases a need for launching global search arises, a typical design scenario only requires local optimization, especially when a decent...
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Influence of CeO2 and TiO2 Particles on Physicochemical Properties of Composite Nickel Coatings Electrodeposited at Ambient Temperature
PublicationThe Ni-TiO2 and Ni-CeO2 composite coatings with varying hydrophilic/hydrophobic characteristics were fabricated by the electrodeposition method from a tartrate electrolyte at ambient temperature. To meet the requirements of tight regulation by the European Chemicals Agency classifying H3BO3 as a substance of very high concern, Rochelle salt was utilized as a buffer solution instead. The novelty of this study was to implement a...
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The effects of the IM1-12Br ionic liquid and the oxytetracycline mixture on selected marine and brackish microorganisms
PublicationThe number of applications and commercialized processes utilizing ionic liquids has been increasing, and it is anticipated that this trend will persist and even intensify in the future. Ionic liquids possess desirable characteristics, such as low vapor pressure, good water solubility, amphiphilicity, and stability. Nevertheless, these properties can influence their environmental behavior, resulting in resistance to biotic and abiotic...
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Microcrack monitoring and fracture evolution of polyolefin and steel fibre concrete beams using integrated acoustic emission and digital image correlation techniques
PublicationThe use of polymer and steel fibres in plain concrete appears to be an excellent solution for limiting crack propagation and improving the post-ductility performance of concrete structures. Based on this premise, this study investigated the fracture evolution of polyolefin fibre-reinforced concrete (PFRC) and steel fibre-reinforced concrete (SFRC) specimens through the integrated application of two diagnostic techniques, acoustic...
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Wpływ przechyłki na zjawisko postępowania zużycia bocznego szyn kolejowych w łukach poziomych
PublicationDegradacja elementów nawierzchni kolejowej jest zagadnieniem bardzo złożonym, w które uwikłane jest wiele czynników związanych między innymi z układem geometrycznym toru kolejowego, właściwościami trybologicznymi poszczególnych elementów nawierzchni, jak również z parametrami podłoża gruntowego, a także z właściwościami samych pojazdów szynowych. W artykule omówiono jeden z powyższych problemów, tj. wpływ ukształtowania toru kolejowego...
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Processing of Polyester-Urethane Filament and Characterization of FFF 3D Printed Elastic Porous Structures with Potential in Cancellous Bone Tissue Engineering
PublicationThis paper addresses the potential of self-made polyester-urethane filament as a candidate for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)-based 3D printing (3DP) in medical applications. Since the industry does not provide many ready-made solutions of medical-grade polyurethane filaments, we undertook research aimed at presenting the process of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filament formation, detailed characteristics, and 3DP of specially...
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An Aqueous Exfoliation of WO3 as a Route for Counterions Fabrication—Improved Photocatalytic and Capacitive Properties of Polyaniline/WO3Composite
PublicationIn this paper, we demonstrate a novel, electrochemical route of polyaniline/tungsten oxide (PANI)/WO3) film preparation. Polyaniline composite film was electrodeposited on the FTO (fluorine-doped tin oxide) substrate from the aqueous electrolyte that contained aniline (monomer) and exfoliated WO3 as a source of counter ions. The chemical nature of WO3 incorporated in the polyaniline matrix was investigated using X-ray photoelectron...
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Synergistic effect of TiO2 photocatalytic advanced oxidation processes in the treatment of refinery effluents
PublicationDifferent types of photolytic and photocatalytic advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) were used for treatment of refinery effluents from bitumen production. The treatment efficiency was evaluated by analyzing chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and sulfide ions concentration. The studies revealed a synergistic effect of application of external oxidants (O3, H2O2, O3/H2O2)...
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Advanced Oxidation Processes for the Treatment of Contaminants of Emerging Concern
PublicationThe application of contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), pesticides, plasticizers, endocrine disruptors, surfactants, flame retardants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) became an indispensable requirement of the current era. Although the CEC are useful for wide-spectrum purposes, they can also result in undesirable effects on human health and other animals....
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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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Biopolyols obtained via crude glycerol-based liquefaction of cellulose: their structural, rheological and thermal characterization
PublicationIn this work lignocellulose biomass liquefaction was used to produce biopolyols suitable for the manufacturing of rigid polyurethane foams. In order to better evaluate the mechanism of the process, pure cellulose was applied as a raw material. The effect of time and temperature on the effectiveness of liquefaction and the parameters of resulting biopolyols were characterized. The prepared materials were analyzed in terms of their...
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Conversion of waste biomass into activated carbon and evaluation of environmental consequences using life cycle assessment
PublicationIn this article, activated carbon was produced from Lantana camara and olive trees by H3PO4 chemical activation. The prepared activated carbons were analyzed by characterizations such as scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. H3PO4 is used as an activator agent to create an abundant pore...
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Transport of Particles in Intestinal Mucus under Simulated Infant and Adult Physiological Conditions: Impact of Mucus Structure and Extracellular DNA
PublicationThe final boundary between digested food and the cells that take up nutrients in the small intestine is a protective layer of mucus. In this work, the microstructural organization and permeability of the intestinal mucus have been determined under conditions simulating those of infant and adult human small intestines. As a model, we used the mucus from the proximal (jejunal) small intestines of piglets and adult pigs. Confocal...
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Bioactive polyurethanes applied as a surgical implants
PublicationSynthetic materials are applied in many branches of the industry, i.a. in medicine as a casing of apparatus, elements of artificial organs (hearts, blood vessels), catheters, wound healings, intra aortic balloons, mammary implants to mention but a few. Polymeric material used in such applications must be distinguished by a good biocompatybility. Since many years extensive research are employed to develop a new polymers that can...
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Chitosan, Collagen and Gelatin in the design of novel materials with antimicrobial acticity
PublicationMedical devices containing and releasing antiinfective agents directly on the site of injury are a common group of materials available and widely used in treating difficult to heal wounds. Sustained contact of the active agent to the damaged tissue, needed to inhibit infection and preservation of microbiological purity of the wound, is provided by the immobilization antimicrobial agents on the surface of the matrix material or...
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Similarities and differences in the production of renewable energy in Central and Eastern Europe countries
PublicationResearch background: In the era of climate change, environmental degradation, but also growing pub-lic awareness, there is a need to look for new ecological energy sources. This condition can be met by renewable energy sources (RES). The EU seeks to have a 32% share of its gross final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030. While the EU as a whole is on course to meet its...
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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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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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Low-Cost Design Optimization of Microwave Passives Using Multi-Fidelity EM Simulations and Selective Broyden Updates
PublicationGeometry parameters of contemporary microwave passives have to be carefully tuned in the final stages of their design process to ensure the best possible performance. For reliability reasons, the tuning has to be to be carried out at the level of full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulations. This is because traditional modeling methods are incapable of quantifying certain phenomena that may affect operation and performance of these...
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Bio‑derived polyurethanes obtained by non‑isocyanate route using polyol‑based bis(cyclic carbonate)s—studies on thermal decomposition behavior
PublicationNon-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) constitute one of the most prospective groups of eco-friendly materials based on their phosgene-free synthesis pathway. Moreover, one of the steps of their obtaining includes the use of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), which allows for the promotion of the development of carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies. In this work, non- isocyanate polyurethanes were obtained via three-step synthesis...
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Hydrothermal modification of TiO2 nanotubes in water and alkali metal electrolytes (LiNO3, NaNO3, KNO3) – Direct evidence for photocatalytic activity enhancement
PublicationThe influence of hydrothermal annealing (HA) of TiO2 nanotubes (TiO2-NTs) in various baths (H2O, LiNO3, NaNO3, KNO3 performed for 4 h, 24 h, 64 h), on their photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic properties, was studied. The use of electrolytes was to enable the monitoring of photoactivity changes as a result of the expected impact on the population of hydroxyl groups on the surface. The assumption turned out to be correct and...
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The impact of thermomechanical and chemical treatment of waste Brewers’ spent grain and soil biodegradation of sustainable Mater-Bi-Based biocomposites
PublicationDue to the massive plastic pollution, development of sustainable and biodegradable polymer materials is crucial to reduce environmental burdens and support climate neutrality. Application of lignocellulosic wastes as fillers for polymer composites was broadly reported, but analysis of biodegradation behavior of resulting biocomposites was rarely examined. Herein, sustainable Mater-Bi-based biocomposites filled with thermomechanically-...
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Assessment of River Water Quality and Pollution Status Using Physicochemical and Biometrics, Awetu River, Ethiopia
PublicationThe surface water is contaminated by a variety of synthetic organic and inorganic compounds, chemicals, and nutrients; due to this reason, the quality of the water resources of Ethiopia is declining at an alarming rate, resulting in severe environmental degradation. The main objective of the study was to recognize the pollution status river for the study area by physicochemical parameters and the extent of microbial environmental...
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The ILs-assisted solvothermal synthesis of TiO2 spheres: the effect of ionic liquids on morphology and photoactivity of TiO2
PublicationEffect of the ionic liquid (IL) structure (chain length in the imidazolium cation) on morphology and photoactivity of TiO2 particles has been systematically investigated. The TiO2 microspheres have been successfully synthesized via facile solvothermal method assisted by ionic liquids, such as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [BMIM][Cl] and 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [DMIM][Cl] using tetra-tert-butyl orthotitanate...
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Landscape Rurality: New Challenge for The Sustainable Development of Rural Areas in Poland
PublicationThe standard of country living was a matter of Polish elites’ concern from the eighteenth century. In different historical conditions different concepts of the rural renewal were formed. Today in rural areas of Poland some spatial processes that threaten the quality of life occur. The disadvantageous changes are the result of national or local governments spatial policy and they are an inhabitants’ response to it. The political...
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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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Estimation and modeling hydrolysis of slowly biodegradable substrate based on the batch respirometric tests in activated sludge systems
PublicationNowadays, appropriate determination of chemical oxygen demand (COD) fractionation together with degradation kinetics of organic compounds have a prime importance on the design and operation of activated sludge systems. Batch respirometric tests based on the oxygen uptake rates (OUR) and corresponding COD is accepted method to reflect the consumption of biodegradable substrates. The influence of the readily biodegradable (Ss) fraction...
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Damage-involved response of two colliding buildings under non-uniform earthquake loading
PublicationPounding between insufficiently separated buildings, which may result in considerable damage or may even lead to the total collapse of colliding structures, has been repeatedly observed during earthquakes. Earthquake-induced collisions of buildings has been intensively studied applying various structural models. It was assumed in the analyses, however, that the seismic excitation is identical for all structural supports; whereas,...
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Selected anionic and cationic surface active agents: case study on the Kłodnica sediments
PublicationSurface active agents (surfactants) are a group of chemical compounds, which are used as ingredients of detergents, cleaning products, cosmetics and functional products. After use, wastes containing surfactants or their degradation products are discharged to wastewater treatment plants or directly into surface waters. Due to their specific properties of SAAs, compounds are able to migrate between different environmental compartments...
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Comparison of hydrochemistry and organic compound transport in two non-glaciated high Arctic catchments with a permafrost regime (Bellsund Fjord, Spitsbergen)
PublicationAn increase in air temperature related to climate change results in the retreat of glaciers, the degradation of permafrost, and the expansion of glacier-free areas in the polar regions. All these processes lead to changes in the Arctic landscape. They influence the hydrochemistry of streams and rivers fed by glaciers and thawing permafrost. In this study, we examine eighty two water samples from two non-glaciated catchments with...