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Search results for: heavy metal
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Ce site dilution effects in the antiferromagnetic heavy fermion CeIn3
PublicationLa-doped intermetallic single crystals of Ce1−xLaxIn3 were synthesized via an In self-flux method throughout the entire range (x = 0–1). The prototypical heavy-fermion compound CeIn3 shows an antiferromagnetic phase transition at 10.1 K and becomes superconducting near a critical pressure where TN is completely suppressed. As the La concentration increases, Ce moments are diluted, and the lattice constant increases linearly, satisfying Vegard’s...
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The Analysis of Working Parameters Decrease in Photovoltaic Modules as a Result of Dust Deposition
PublicationThe aspect of dust accumulation on the surface of photovoltaic (PV) modules should be thoroughly understood in order to minimize possible obstacles affecting energy generation. Several elements affect the amount of pollutant gathered on the surface of a solar device, mainly its localization, which is irreversibly linked to factors such as annual rainfall, occasional snow coverage, or, in a dry climate, increased blow of dust during...
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Expedited EM-Driven Design of Miniaturized Microwave Hybrid Couplers Using Surrogate-Based Optimization
PublicationMiniaturization of microwave hybrid couplers is important for contemporary wireless communication engineering. Using standard computer-aided design methods for development of compact structures is extremely challenging due to a general lack of computationally efficient and accurate simulation models. Poor accuracy of available equivalent circuits results from neglecting parasitic cross-couplings that greatly affect the performance...
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LS-DYNA simulations of the impacts of a 38-ton Heavy Goods Vehicle into a road cable barrier
PublicationNowadays, more and more attention is being paid to safety on roads and motorways. It is due to the continuous development of road and motorway network and a significant increase of the number of vehicles on roads. To meet the expectations of improving road safety in Poland, the Road Innovations Development (RID) research programme was implemented in 2016. The aim of the RID 3A - Road Safety Equipment (RoSE) project is a comprehensive...
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Integrated dewatering and stabilization system as an environmentally friendly technology in sewage sludge management in Poland
PublicationSludge treatment reed beds (STRBs) are an environmentally friendly technology which provides integrated dewatering and stabilization of sewage sludge. STRBs do not require the use of chemicals to improve the dewatering process. STRB is both, a low-emission and a low-energy-consuming method. After the stabilization process, sludge is characterized by the chemical composition similar to that of humus. The aim of the paper is to present...
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Reduction of CO2 Emissions from Offshore Combined Cycle Diesel Engine-Steam Turbine Power Plant Powered by Alternative Fuels
PublicationDiverse forms of environmental pollution arise with the introduction of materials or energy that exert adverse effects on human health, climate patterns, ecosystems, and beyond. Rigorous emission regulations for gases resulting from fuel combustion are being enforced by the European Union and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), directed at maritime sectors to mitigate emissions of SOx, NOx, and CO2. The IMO envisions...
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Green and Sustainable Membranes: A review
PublicationMembranes are ubiquitous tools for modern water treatment technology that critically eliminate hazardous materials such as organic, inorganic, heavy metals, and biomedical pollutants. Nowadays, nano-membranes are of particular interest for myriad applications such as water treatment, desalination, ion exchange, ion concentration control, and several kinds of biomedical applications. However, this state-of-the-art technology suffers...
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A Robust Random Forest Model for Classifying the Severity of Partial Discharges in Dielectrics
PublicationPartial Discharges (PDs) are a common source of degradation in electrical assets. It is essential that the extent of the deterioration level of insulating medium is correctly identified, to optimize maintenance schedules and prevent abrupt power outages. Temporal PD signals received from damaged insulation, collected through the IEC-60270 method is the gold standard for PD detection. Temporal signals may be transformed to the frequency...
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Enhanced acceptor concentration, proton conductivity, and hydration in multicomponent rare‐earth ortho‐niobates
PublicationThe structural properties of (La0.2Nd0.2Sm0.2Gd0.2Eu0.2)1−xCaxNbO4−δ (x = 0–0.05) series have been studied by X-ray powder diffraction at room temperature. The thermal properties were investigated using thermogravimetry, from which the concentration of proton defects was determined. Additionally, dilatometry studies were carried out, from which the thermal expansion coefficients and the phase transition temperature between low-...
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Wastewater reuse in agriculture: Prospects and challenges
PublicationSustainable water recycling and wastewater reuse are urgent nowadays considering water scarcity and increased water consumption through human activities. In 2015, United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (UN SDG6) highlighted the necessity of recycling wastewater to guarantee water availability for individuals. Currently, wastewater irrigation (WWI) of crops and agricultural land appears essential. The present work overviews...
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An application for a new type of pneumatic engine concept
PublicationHeavy trucks are often equipped with loading and unloading systems like dock levellers with swing lip or telescopic lip. Most of these devices require hydro-electrical energy supply systems (eg. the pump that presses the working substance to the actuators must be propelled by electric engine.) The space taken by pump with electric engine can be reduced on condition that a new type of pneumatic drive will be considered. It is possible...
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Development of Intelligent Road Signs with V2X Interface for Adaptive Traffic Controlling
PublicationThe objective of this paper is to present a practical project of intelligent road signs, under which a series of new products for the regulation of traffic is being created. The engineering part of the project, described in this paper, was preceded by a series of experimental studies, the results of which were described in another paper accepted for publication at the MTS-ITS conference 2019, entitled "Comparative study on the effectiveness...
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Challenges and opportunities related to the use of sewage sludge ash in cement-based building materials – A review
PublicationDue to the increasingly demanding legal regulations, regarding both sewage sludge (SS) and solid residues obtained during its thermal utilization processes, new solutions to limit their negative impact on the environment are sought. One approach that eliminates the risk of sewage sludge ash (SSA) is its use in cement building materials. The article contains a detailed literature review regarding the use of SSA in mortars and concretes,...
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Manufacturing and Recycling Impact on Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Innovative Wind Power Plant Part 1/2
PublicationWind power plants are considered as ecologically-clean source of energy. However, manufacturing processes cannot be treated that way. Manufacturing processes consume huge amount of electrical and thermal energy and significant amount of materials, e.g. steel, polymers, oils and lubricants. All of the above could be potentially harmful for environment. There are not many works and publications regarding life-cycle analysis of wind...
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Electrodes criticality: the impact of CRMs in the leachate electrochemical oxidation
Publication. Landfill leachate possesses high concentrations of ammonia, micropollutants, and heavy metals, and are characterised for low biodegradability. For this reason, conventional treatment technologies may result ineffective for complete pollutant removal. Electrochemical oxidation allows most of the of recalcitrant pollutants to be oxidised effectively within an easy operational and acceptable retention time, without the need to provide...
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Reduced-cost optimization-based miniaturization of microwave passives by multi-resolution EM simulations for internet of things and space-limited applications
PublicationStringent performance specifications along with constraints imposed on physical dimensions, make the design of contemporary microwave components a truly onerous task. In recent years, the latter demand has been growing in importance, with the innovative application areas such as Internet of Things coming into play. The need to employ full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simu-lations for response evaluation, reliable yet CPU heavy, only...
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Conductive printable electrodes tuned by boron-doped nanodiamond foil additives for nitroexplosive detection
PublicationAn efficient additive manufacturing-based composite material fabrication for electrochemical applications is reported. The composite is composed of commercially available graphene-doped polylactide acid (G-PLA) 3D printouts and surface- functionalized with nanocrystalline boron-doped diamond foil (NDF) additives. The NDFs were synthesized on a tantalum substrate and transferred to the 3D-printout surface at 200 °C. No other electrode...
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Characterization and Filtration Efficiency of Sustainable PLA Fibers Obtained via a Hybrid 3D-Printed/Electrospinning Technique
PublicationThe enormous world demand for personal protective equipment to face the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic has revealed two main weaknesses. On one hand, centralized production led to an initial shortage of respirators; on the other hand, the world demand for single-use equipment has had a direct and inevitable effect on the environment. Polylactide (PLA) is a biodegradable, biocompatible, and renewable thermoplastic polyester, mainly...
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Polish experience in operation of sludge treatment reed beds
PublicationSludge Treatment Reed Beds (STRBs) is the technology of sludge treatment, which is based on natural processes occurring in the environment, in specially designed and operated facilities to achieve benefits for the environment. Integrated dewatering and stabilization occur in reed systems. For economic and environmental reasons it is an attractive solution, especially in rural areas where there are no appropriate facilities. In...
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Modal Analysis of a Steel Radial Gate Exposed to Different Water Levels
PublicationWith the increase in water retention needs and planned river regulation, it might be important to investigate the dynamic resistance of vulnerable elements of hydroelectric power plants, including steel water locks. The most frequent dynamic loads affecting hydroengineering structures in Poland include vibrations caused by heavy road and railway traffic, piling works and mining tremors. More destructive dynamic loads, including...
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Multiprocessor Implementation of Parallel Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm for Optimized Allocation of Chlorination Stations in Drinking Water Distribution System a New Water Quality Model Approach
PublicationThe Critical Infrastructure Systems (CISs) have received in recent years a considerable attention due to their heavy impact on sustainable development of modern societies. Most CISs may be classied as large scale complex systems of network structure, in uenced by strong interactions form the surrounding environment, internal and external interconnections. The later is a result of inter-CIS dependencies. The control, monitoring...
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MXene-based materials as adsorbents, photocatalysts, membranes and sensors for detection and removal of emerging and gaseous pollutants: A comprehensive review
Publication2D materials have garnered significant attention as potential solutions to various environmental challenges. Graphene, molybdenum disulfide, MXenes, and boron nitride have emerged as the most popular candidates among these materials. This article presents a comprehensive review and discussion on the emerging applications of MXenes in environmental engineering. MXenes have demonstrated immense potential as future materials for adsorption...
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Sources of contamination in sediments of retention tanks and the influence of precipitation type on the size of pollution load
PublicationDensification of cities and urban population contributes to increased runoff and suspended solids and alteration of the urban water cycle. Nowadays, Blue-Green Infrastructure is promoted to increase a city’s resilience to floods; however, stormwater drainage systems, supported with retention tanks are still important in protecting urban areas against floods. Sediment accumulation in stormwater infrastructure relates to an issue...
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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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Influence of Cement Replacement with Sewage Sludge Ash (SSA) on the Heat of Hydration of Cement Mortar
PublicationThe amount of fly ash from the incineration of sewage sludge is increasing all over the world, and its utilization is becoming a serious environmental problem. In the study, a type of sewage sludge ash (SSA) collected directly from the municipal sewage treatment plant was used. Five levels of cement replacement (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% and 20%) and unchanged water-to-binder (w/b) ratio (0.55) were used. The purpose of the study was...
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Machining process sequencing and machine assignment in generative feature-based CAPP for mill-turn parts
PublicationProcess selection and sequencing, as one of the most complex issues when evaluated from a mathematical point of view and crucial in CAPP, still attract research attention. For the current trend of intelligent manufacturing, machining features (MFs) are the information carriers for workpiece geometry and topology representation. They are basically derived from CAD models and are used by downstream engineering applications. A feature-based...
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Mechanical properties of two-stage concrete modified by silica fume
PublicationAbstract. Two-stage concretes, despite the fact that they have proven themselves in various types of construction, have not been studied to the same extent as traditional heavy concretes. Therefore, the article developed the composition of frame concrete with various additives in the composition of the cement-sand mortar. A comparison of the mechanical characteristics of the developed compositions with the addition of silica fume...
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Physicochemical and Mechanical Performance of Freestanding Boron-Doped Diamond Nanosheets Coated with C:H:N:O Plasma Polymer
PublicationThe physicochemical and mechanical properties of thin and freestanding heavy boron-doped diamond (BDD) nanosheets coated with a thin C:H:N:O plasma polymer were studied. First, diamond nanosheets were grown and doped with boron on a Ta substrate using the microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique (MPECVD). Next, the BDD/Ta samples were covered with nylon 6.6 to improve their stability in harsh environments and...
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Mathematical modelling of gasification process of sewage sludge in reactor of negative CO2 emission power plant
PublicationSewage sludge is a residue of wastewater processing that is biologically active and consists of water,organic matter, including dead and alive pathogens, as well as organic and inorganic contaminants suchas polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals. Due to the nature of sewage sludge and itspossible influence on human health and wellbeing, it is a subject of various regulations. Currently,sewage sludge is considered...
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Elastic scattering of electrons by water: An ab initio study
PublicationIn this work we devise a theoretical and computational method to compute the elastic scattering of electrons from a non-spherical potential, such as in the case of molecules and molecular aggregates. Its main feature is represented by the ability of calculating accurate wave functions for continuum states of polycentric systems via the solution of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation, including both the correlation effects and multi-scattering...
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Contribution of dynamic vehicle loads to pavement failure
PublicationPavement surfaces are not ideally even, which causes dynamic loads of vehicle axles. Distribution of dynamic loads of a given axle is similar to normal distribution and can be described by static load and dynamic load coefficient. The dynamic load coefficient depends on road profile, vehicle speed, properties of suspensions and static load of axle. While for a given road section road profile remains constant, vehicle speed and...
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Grey wolf optimizer integrated within boosting algorithm: Application in mechanical properties prediction of ultra high-performance concrete including carbon nanotubes
PublicationNowadays, the construction industry has increasingly recognized the superior performance characteristics of ultra high-performance concrete (UHPC). Known for its exceptional durability and high tensile strength, UHPC material is revolutionizing structure standards subjected to extreme environmental conditions and heavy loads. This paper explores the enhancement of UHPC with nano- and micromaterials, employing advanced machine-learning...
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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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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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Influence of selected WMA additives on viscoelastic behaviour of asphalt mixes and pavements
PublicationWarm mix asphalt additives are effective in decreasing production, laying and compaction temperatures of asphalt mixes. However, there are still questions concerning influence of warm mix additives on properties of asphalt mixes and pavement performance. This paper presents results of the comprehensive research of viscoelastic behaviour of asphalt mixes and pavement structures with layers made with warm mix asphalt additives at...
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Folate/homocysteine metabolism and lung cancer risk among smokers
PublicationBackground: Folate and homocysteine are involved in DNA synthesis and methylation processes, which are deregulated during carcinogenesis. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between folate/homocysteine concentrations, the functional polymorphisms of folate/homocysteine genes and lung cancer risk among cigarette smokers. Study design: The study included 132 lung cancer patients and 396 controls from...
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FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN URBAN BASINS OF THE CITY OF GDAŃSK
PublicationOver the last years, the City of Gdańsk suffers twice from flash floods. Both events were caused by intense storms which produced significant surface runoff and caused inundation private and cities properties. The first case of July 2001 flood [3], [9] was the turning point for the city authorities, who decide to look close on the flood management in small urban catchments. The aim of research projects was to establish technical...
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FeS-based nanocomposites: A promising approach for sustainable environmental remediation – Focus on adsorption and photocatalysis – A review
PublicationPopulation expansion, industrialization, urban development, and climate changes increased the water crisis in terms of drinking water availability. Among the various nanomaterials for nanoremediation towards water treatment, FeS-based nanocomposites have emerged as promising candidates in the adsorptive and photocatalytic removal of contaminants. This paper, therefore, evaluates the potential of FeS-based nanocomposites for environmental...
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Shore Construction Detection by Automotive Radar for the Needs of Autonomous Surface Vehicle Navigation
PublicationAutonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) are becoming more and more popular for performing hydrographic and navigational tasks. One of the key aspects of autonomous navigation is the need to avoid collisions with other objects, including shore structures. During a mission, an ASV should be able to automatically detect obstacles and perform suitable maneuvers. This situation also arises in near-coastal areas, where shore structures like...
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Technological solutions to landfill management: Towards recovery of biomethane and carbon neutrality
PublicationInadequate landfill management poses risks to the environment and human health, necessitating action. Poorly designed and operated landfills release harmful gases, contaminate water, and deplete resources. Aligning landfill management with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reveals its crucial role in achieving various targets. Urgent transformation of landfill practices is necessary to address challenges like climate change,...
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Two-body dissociation of isoxazole following double photoionization – an experimental PEPIPICO and theoretical DFT and MP2 study
PublicationThe dissociative double photoionization of isoxazole molecules has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The experiment has been carried out in the 27.5–36 eV photon energy range using vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) synchrotron radiation excitation combined with ion time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometry and photoelectron–photoion–photoion coincidence (PEPIPICO) technique. Five wellresolved two-body dissociation channels have...
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Machine-learning-based precise cost-efficient NO2 sensor calibration by means of time series matching and global data pre-processing
PublicationAir pollution remains a considerable contemporary challenge affecting life quality, the environment, and economic well-being. It encompasses an array of pollutants—gases, particulate matter, biological molecules—emanating from sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial activities, agriculture, and natural occurrences. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a harmful gas, is particularly abundant in densely populated urban areas. Given its...
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A novel concept of negative CO2 emission power plant for utilization of sewage sludge
PublicationCarbon Capture and Storage (CSS) technology is considered an important “bridge technology”, allowing effective abatement of CO2 emissions for power units using fossil fuels. However, if biomass is used in a power plant, equipped with CCS system, negative CO2 emissions can be achieved. In practice, wide development of such technologies would enable not only reduction of CO2 emissions, but also reversal of the harm done so far. In...
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Machine-Learning-Powered EM-Based Framework for Efficient and Reliable Design of Low Scattering Metasurfaces
PublicationPopularity of metasurfaces has been continuously growing due to their attractive properties including the ability to effectively manipulate electromagnetic (EM) waves. Metasurfaces comprise optimized geometries of unit cells arranged as a periodic lattice to obtain a desired EM response. One of their emerging application areas is the stealth technology, in particular, realization of radar cross section (RCS) reduction. Despite...
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Towards a modification of a regulatory framework aiming at bunker oil spill prevention from ships - A design aspect of bunker tanks vents location guided by CFD simulations
PublicationAlthough accidental bunker oil spills at seaway are relatively rare events, they can be pose real threat to the natural marine environment. One of the reasons for the bunker spill to occur is a design failure; one of the ways it can demonstrate is an improper location or height of vent heads, leading to a bunker oil discharge during heavy rolling, due to sloshing phenomenon. Design of a ship and her systems is guided by various...
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Design and Preparation of Magnetically-Oriented Poly(styr-co-MMA)-3MPS Capped Fe(ZnO) Hybrid Microspheres for Ion Exchange Removal of Toxic Pollutants from Wastewater
PublicationIn this work, polymeric microspheres derived from polystyrene-co-methyl methacrylate embedded with magnetic ZnO nanoparticles (poly(styrene-co-MMA)-3MPS-Fe (ZnO)) were synthesized using the suspension polymerization method. The surfaces of polymeric Fe(ZnO) microspheres were improved by functionalization with amino and sulphonate groups. The physicochemical analysis indicated a large number of positively charged (anion exchange)...
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Charge separation control in organic photosensitizers for photocatalytic water splitting without sacrificial electron donors
PublicationPhotocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (photoHER) is one of the most promising approaches towards production of “green” hydrogen. Currently, the state-of-the-art photoHER systems require the use of sacrificial electron donors (SED), because of inefficient charge separation in photosensitizers and thermodynamically challenging water oxidation by the same catalyst. Here, we present a molecular design approach for all-organic...
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Recent advances on magnetic carbon-related materials in advanced oxidation processes of emerging pollutants degradation
PublicationRecently, carbon-related materials have been proposed to improve the charge separation of the photogenerated carriers in the semiconductor matrices’ and surface properties. Carbon-related materials may act as co-catalysts, enhancing the pollutants adsorption on the surface, improving the charge carriers separation and photocatalyst stability and providing more active centres for photocatalytic reactions. This review summarizes...
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Cost-Efficient Globalized Parameter Optimization of Microwave Components through Response-Feature Surrogates and Nature-Inspired Metaheuristics
PublicationDesign of contemporary microwave devices predominantly utilizes computational models, including both circuit simulators, and full-wave electromagnetic (EM) evaluation. The latter constitutes the sole generic way of rendering accurate assessment of the system outputs that considers phenomena such as cross-coupling or radiation and dielectric losses. Consequently, for reliability reasons, the final tuning of microwave device parameters...
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Removal of nitrogen from wastewater: Unsolved problems and possible solutions with partial denitrification/anammox systems
PublicationAbstract Nitrate (NO3−) is more stable than ammonia (NH4+) and nitrite (NO2−) among the majority of emerging pollutants in wastewater that can harm the ecosystem by depleting oxygen and water quality, thereby posing environmental and human health risks. Despite anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) being a common method for nitrogen (N) removal from wastewater, it leaves behind residual NO3− of around 11 %. Maintaining the stability...