Search results for: SUSTAINABLE VALUE
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Vernacular and low-tech technologies in humanitarian architecture on the example of Senegal
PublicationHumanitarian architecture belongs to the broader trend of socially engaged architecture, whose main goal is to introduce new values to the quality of life of particular communities. Specifically, humanitarian architecture deals with aid to poverty-stricken communities. The context of economic constraints poses a particular challenge to architects and builders. It is a matter of natural necessity to look for cheap, locally available...
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Greencoin - educational information system for eco-inclusion and empowering urban adaptability.
PublicationSARS-CoV19 pandemic exposed a broad spectrum of challenges for modern cities, societies and the environment at large. The post-Covid transformation requires new social and ecological solutions, adjusted to modern challenges, but also equipped with technological advances that allow for digital inclusion and sustainable urban development to benefit the local economy and society. Many information systems are designed to enable...
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Smartphones as tools for equitable food quality assessment
PublicationBackground: The ubiquity of smartphones equipped with an array of sophisticated sensors, ample processing power, network connectivity and a convenient interface makes them a promising tool for non-invasive, portable food quality assessment. Combined with the recent developments in the areas of IoT, deep learning algorithms and cloud computing, they present an opportunity for advancing wide-spread, equitable and sustainable food...
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Process Control of Biogas Purification Using Electronic Nose
PublicationNowadays, biogas produced from landfills and wastewater treatment plants or lignocellulosic biomass is important sustainable and affordable source of energy. Impurities from biogas stream can cause a serious odor problem, especially for residents of areas immediately adjacent to production plants. Therefore, biogas pre-treatment is necessary to protect engines that convert biogas into energy and in order to increase the specific...
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Modele ruchu w nowoczesnym zarządzaniu transportem drogowym
PublicationWdrożenie i rozwijanie wielopoziomowego modelu podróży i sieci transportowej (MST), w ramach Systemu Planowania Ruchu (SPR), usprawniającego zarządzanie transportem w systemach transportowych z wykorzystaniem usług oferowanych przez Inteligentne Systemy Transportu, może stanowić wsparcie naukowe dla krajowych, regionalnych lub lokalnych administracyjnych jednostek planistycznych i operacyjnych w usprawnieniu systemowego zarządzania...
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Cycling as a Sustainable Transport Alternative in Polish Cittaslow Towns
PublicationIt is well known that growing motor traffic in urban areas causes air pollution and noise which affects the environment and public health. It is hardly surprising then that cycling should be used as an alternative mode of transport, not just in major cities but also in smaller ones including those that are members of the Cittaslow network. Their approach is based on sustainable development, care for the environment and transport...
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Experiences and Challenges in Fatality Reduction on Polish Roads
PublicationAccording to the UN, road safety is the key to achieving sustainable development goals, yet the complexity of how road accidents happen makes this a difficult challenge leaving many countries struggling with the problem. For years, Poland has infamously been one of the EU’s top countries for road-accident fatality rates. Despite that, it has made significant progress in the last thirty years with a fatality reduction of more than...
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State of the Art in Open Platforms for Collaborative Urban Design and Sharing of Resources in Districts and Cities
PublicationThis work discusses recent developments in sharing economy concepts and collaborative co-design technology platforms applied in districts and cities. These developments are being driven both by new technological advances and by increased environmental awareness. The paper begins by outlining the state of the art in smart technology platforms for collaborative urban design, highlighting a number of recent examples. The case of peer-to-peer...
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Optimization of Train Energy Cooperation Using Scheduled Service Time Reserve
PublicationThe main aim of the paper was to develop an innovative approach to the preliminary estimation possibility of train energy cooperation based on data from timetables, without traction calculations. The article points out the need to strive for sustainable and environmentally friendly transport. It was pointed out that rail transport using electric traction is one of the more ecological branches of transport. It also offers a number...
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Ground tire rubber functionalization as a promising approach for the production of sustainable adsorbents of environmental pollutants
PublicationWaste tires management and further utilization are currently one of the biggest concerns regarding the environment and human health protection. At present, shredding, grinding, or pulverization of waste tires are the most popular options for industrial recycling. Although many solutions for ground tire rubber (GTR) applications were checked and verified so far, their further implementation at an industrial scale is still very limited....
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Investigation on Mode I Fracture Behavior of Hybrid Fiber-Reinforced Geopolymer Composites
PublicationRecent reports in the literature have shown that fber-reinforced geopolymer composites (FRGC) made with monofbers exhibit a signifcant enhancement in fracture energy. However, many aspects of the fracture performance of hybrid fberreinforced geopolymer composites (HFRGC) remain largely unexploited, and these are predominant for the structures. For the frst time, the mode I fracture energy of HFRGC is investigated. The mode I behavior...
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Pre-treatment of bio fraction waste prior to fermentation processes
PublicationCurrent efforts are taken to increase resource efficiency, close material loops, and improve sustainable waste and by-products management. Thus, networking agro-food by-products and converting them into valuable products completely exhausting the potential of the raw material becomes significant. Model lignocellulosic and starch based biomass were subjected to pre-treatment with the application of acidic compounds, i.e. sulphuric...
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Investigating the sustainability, utilisation, consumption and conservation of sea mammals – A systematic review
PublicationAlmost 80 % of the oceans, especially the Arctic and Subarctic are primarily inhabited by marine mammals. Marine species depend mostly on sea ice for food, raising their young ones and safeguarding themselves from predators. Consumption of marine mammals has always been recommended as healthy, but the truth is that it can be detrimental for human health because of sea water pollution from trash and chemicals. This systematic review...
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The influence of bio-based monomers on the structure and thermal properties of polyurethanes
PublicationMost polyurethanes (PU) are currently produced through the polyaddition reaction of polyisocyanates with polyols and chain extenders, using components of petrochemical origin. From an environmental and geopolitical point of view, and with regard to the problems of oil supply and processing, the replacement of petrochemical PU raw materials with renewable resources is highly desirable. It is also one of the principles of sustainable...
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From creative writing, virtual environments to nature-based solutions: linking research and education to facilitate transition from sustainable to regenerative cities
PublicationChallenges related to the climate crisis and its consequences, such as rising sea levels, urban heat islands or floods, engender pressure on architectural education. Sustainable design often inclines to regenerative one - an emerging trend focused on the restorative power of architecture. The question appears upon the tools and methods that would facilitate both students and academics to address new challenges. This article offers...
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Light pollution from illuminated bridges as a potential barrier for migrating fish–Linking measurements with a proposal for a conceptual model
PublicationIlluminated bridges have become important assets to navigable aquatic systems. However, if artificial light at night (ALAN) from illuminated bridges reaches aquatic habitats, such as rivers, it can threaten the river's natural heterogeneity and alter the behavioural responses of migratory fish. Here, via a pilot study, we quantified levels of ALAN at illuminated bridges that cross a river and, propose a conceptual model to estimate...
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Innovative Urban Blue Space Design in a Changing Climate: Transition Models in the Baltic Sea Region
PublicationWaterfront areas in cities are subject to constant changes. The desire to integrate the transformed waterside areas with the urban fabric involves shaping high-quality public spaces related to water, which are often referred to as urban blue spaces (UBS). The aim of the research was to examine the transformation processes of urban waterfront areas in the Baltic Sea Region and identify emerging transition models and types of blue...
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New light on the photocatalytic performance of NH4V4O10 and its composite with rGO
PublicationSolar-driven photocatalysis has shown great potential as a sustainable wastewater treatment technology that utilizes clean solar energy for pollutant degradation. Consequently, much attention is being paid to the development of new, efficient and low-cost photocatalyst materials. In this study, we report the photocatalytic activity of NH4V4O10 (NVO) and its composite with rGO (NVO/rGO). Samples were synthesized via a facile one-pot...
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Structural insights, biocatalytic characteristics, and application prospects of lignin-modifying enzymes for sustainable biotechnology
PublicationLignin modifying enzymes (LMEs) have gained widespread recognition in depolymerization of lignin polymers by oxidative cleavage. LMEs are a robust class of biocatalysts that include lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP), versatile peroxidase (VP), laccase (LAC), and dye-decolorizing peroxidase (DyP). Members of the LMEs family act on phenolic, non-phenolic substrates and have been widely researched for valorization...
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Baltic Sea climate fever. Creative solutions for waterfront cities in the context of climate change
PublicationThe goal of the research is to recognize climate change impact on Baltic Sea cities and description of strengths and weaknesses of cities strategies and activities. The range of research has been limited to 3 cities in the Baltic Sea (Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Tallinn) and Tricity as an area for which recommendations will be proposed actions in the field of adaptation to climate change. Recommendations for Tricity as a unique group...
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Providing Public Space Continuities in Post-Industrial Areas through Remodelling Land/Water Connections
PublicationThis article examines the problem of urban transformation strategies applied in recent years which are based on the creation of new water areas and modification of existing ones. The research is an attempt to prove that modifications of plans of water areas and forms of their borders may play an important role in achieving the best quality public spaces in post-industrial territories. The basis for demonstrating the importance...
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Implementing Sustainable Development Goals with Digital Government – Aspiration-capacity gap
PublicationSustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a commitment by all United Nations Member States to pursue development efforts, including ending poverty and hunger, promoting well-being and education, reducing inequalities, fostering peace, and protecting the planet. Member States and their governments are supposed to take ownership of the SDGs, strengthen the implementation means, and improve public governance as both the means...
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End-Of-Life Management of Photovoltaic Solar Modules
PublicationThe PV industry continues to push its credentials as a technology that addresses one of the fundamental challenges of our times – climate change. There are however two major concerns about this technology: first, the potential negative environmental impacts of energy used in the production stage and second, the possible shortage of the valuable materials in the future. The currently dominant semiconductor used in photovoltaic modules...
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Biomass-Derived Nitrogen Functionalized Carbon Nanodots and Their Anti-Biofouling Properties
PublicationThe prevalence of the antibiotic resistant bacteria remains a global issue. Cheap, sustainable and multifunctional antibacterial membranes are at the forefront of filtrating materials capable of treating multiple flow streams, such as water cleansing treatments. Carbon nanomaterials are particularly interesting objects shown to enhance antibacterial properties of composite materials. In this article, amino-functionalized, photoluminescent...
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Morphology, Thermo-Mechanical Properties and Biodegradibility of PCL/PLA Blends Reactively Compatibilized by Different Organic Peroxides
PublicationReactive blending is a promising approach for the sustainable development of bio-based polymer blends and composites, which currently is gaining more and more attention. In this paper, biodegradable blends based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were prepared via reactive blending performed in an internal mixer. The PCL and PLA content varied in a ratio of 70/30 and 55/45. Reactive modification of PCL/PLA...
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POLDER AND CITY: SUSTAINING WATER LANDSCAPES ON AN URBAN EDGE
PublicationThe question investigated in this paper is how to maintain the environmental quality of the polder landscape encompassing the city in the condition of urban pressure on this landscape. On the basis of theoretical approaches, historical surveys and introductory study models new ideas are tested on the case study of Gdansk, a city located in the Vistula River delta in northern Poland. Research shows that the city was created as a...
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Waste management in the mining industry of metals ores, coal, oil and natural gas - A review
PublicationWaste generated due to mining activity poses a serious issue due to the large amounts generated, even up to 65 billion tons per year, and is often associated with the risk posed by its storage and environmental management. This work aims to review waste management in the mining industry of metals ores, coal, oil and natural gas. It includes an analysis and discussion on the possibilities for reuse of certain types of wastes generated...
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Application of Aqueous Biphasic Systems Extraction in Various Biomolecules Separation and Purification: Advancements Brought by Quaternary Systems
PublicationAqueous biphasic systems (ABS) extraction is a simple, selective, efficient and easy to scale-up technology that, over the years, has attracted a considerable attention from the researcher community as an alternative methodology in downstream processing of a wide variety of biomolecules. This review summarizes and discusses the fundamental features of ABS, as well as its advantages and disadvantages, as a separation and purification...
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Personalized nutrition in ageing society: redox control of major-age related diseases through the NutRedOx Network (COST Action CA16112)
PublicationA healthy ageing process is important when it is considered that one-third of the population of Europe is already over 50 years old, although there are regional variations. This proportion is likely to increase in the future, and maintenance of vitality at an older age is not only an important measure of the quality of life but also key to participation and productivity. So, the binomial “nutrition and ageing” has different aspects...
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Towards azeotropic MeOH-MTBE separation using pervaporation chitosan-based deep eutectic solvent membranes
PublicationDeep eutectic solvents (DESs) are a new class of solvents that can offset some of the major drawbacks of common solvents and ionic liquids. When dealing with the preparation of dense membranes, the use of DESs is still challenging due to their low compatibility with the polymer phase. In this research, a novel L-proline:sulfolane (molar ratio 1:2) DES was synthesized and used for the preparation of more sustainable bio-based membranes...
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Microplastics in water resources: Global pollution circle, possible technological solutions, legislations, and future horizon
PublicationBeneath the surface of our ecosystems, microplastics (MPs) silently loom as a significant threat. These minuscule pollutants, invisible to the naked eye, wreak havoc on living organisms and disrupt the delicate balance of our environment. As we delve into a trove of data and reports, a troubling narrative unfolds: MPs pose a grave risk to both health and food chains with their diverse compositions and chemical characteristics....
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Silver nanoparticles incorporated with superior silica nanoparticles-based rice straw to maximize biogas production from anaerobic digestion of landfill leachate
PublicationTreating hazardous landfill leachate poses significant environmental challenges due to its complex nature. In this study, we propose a novel approach for enhancing the anaerobic digestion of landfill leachate using silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) conjugated with eco-friendly green silica nanoparticles (Si NPs). The synthesized Si NPs and Ag@Si NPs were characterized using various analytical techniques, including transmission electron...
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Study the impact of design method preference on the usefulness of concrete and on CO2 emissions
PublicationPurpose – The research investigates the impact of concrete design methods on performance, emphasizing environmental sustainability. The study compares the modified Bolomey method and Abrams’ law in designing concretes. Significant differences in cement consumption and subsequent CO2 emissions are revealed. The research advocates for a comprehensive life cycle assessment, considering factors like compressive strength, carbonation...
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A total scoring system and software for complex modified GAPI (ComplexMoGAPI) application in the assessment of method greenness
PublicationEvaluating analytical methods with innovative metrics is essential to ensure the effectiveness of analytical procedures. Various approaches have been proposed to assess the performance of an analytical method and its environmental consequences, as sustainable environment and green chemistry ideology are of high importance nowadays. Considering greenness evaluation of developed analytical procedures, Green Analytical Procedure Index...
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Chromium (III) removal by perennial emerging macrophytes in floating treatment wetlands
PublicationFloating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are a sustainable solution to treat polluted water, but their role in chromium (Cr(III)) removal under neutral pH conditions remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the potential of FTWs planted with two perennial emergent macrophytes, Phragmites australis and Iris pseudacorus, to remove Cr(III) and nutrients (N and PO4-P) from water containing 7.5 mg/L TN, 1.8 mg/L PO4-P, and Cr(III)...
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A Case Study of Electric Vehicles Load Forecasting in Residential Sector Using Machine Learning Techniques
PublicationElectric vehicles (EVs) have been widely adopted to prevent global warming in recent years. The higher installation of Level-1 and Level-2 chargers in residential areas soon poses challenges to the distributed network. However, such challenges can be mitigated through the adoption of smart charging or controlled charging schemes. To facilitate the implementation of smart charging, accurate forecasting of EV charging demand in residential...
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Challenges and Perspectives of Nature-Based Wastewater Treatment and Reuse in Rural Areas of Central and Eastern Europe
Publicationn Central and Eastern Europe, about one-third of the population lives in small settlements (<2000 PE). Since the current European Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) does not clearly regulate the collection and treatment of wastewater from these settlements, countries solve the problem individually. Simple and robust technologies such as nature-based treatment systems could be the solution and are widely applied in...
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Climate change impact on groundwater resources in sandbar aquifers in southern Baltic coast
PublicationShallow coastal aquifers are vulnerable hydrosystems controlled by many factors, related to climate, seawater‑freshwater interactions and human activity. Given on‑going climate change, sea level rise and increasing human impact, it is especially true for groundwater resources situated in sandbars. We developed numerical models of unsaturated zone water flow for two sandbars in northern Poland: the Vistula Spit and the Hel Spit...
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Green and sustainable hydrogels based on quaternized chitosan to enhance wound healing
PublicationHydrogel-based biomaterials applied as wound dressings provide the wound with a moist environment, which facilitates tissue regeneration through granulation and re-epithelialization. The inherent flexibility and adjustable architecture of hydrogels enables incorporation of cells, antimicrobial drugs, growth factors, and bioactive compounds, which leads to expediting wound contraction and enhancing the regeneration process. The...
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Synthesis of Trehalose by the Erythritol-Producing Yeast Yarrowia lipolytica Co-Displaying Maltooligosyltrehalose Synthase and Maltooligosyltrehalose Trehalohydrolase
PublicationIndustrial trehalose production faces economic challenges with costly enzyme preparations, prompting the exploration of eco-friendly alternatives. Here, we established a coupled functional sugar production line leveraging erythritolproducing cells as an innovative enzyme preparation for trehalose synthesis. The erythritol-producing Yarrowia lipolytica was modified to express a fusion protein consisting of maltooligosyltrehalose synthase...
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Enzyme-linked carbon nanotubes as biocatalytic tools to degrade and mitigate environmental pollutants
PublicationA wide array of organic compounds have been recognized as pollutants of high concern due to their controlled or uncontrolled presence in environmental matrices. The persistent prevalence of diverse organic pollutants, including pharmaceutical compounds, phenolic compounds, synthetic dyes, and other hazardous substances, necessitates robust measures for their practical and sustainable removal from water bodies. Several bioremediation and...
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The possibility of use by-products for synthesis of emulsifiers
PublicationIn the last years the interest in use of materials originated from natural sources, e.g. vegetables to produce attractive products still grows. According to that, also the synthesis of these products should be adequate to the green chemistry requirements. The typical example observed in recent years focuses on utlization of bioglycerol - the by - product of global biodiesel manufacturing. The still growing production of biodiesel...
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Recent developments and future trends in solid phase microextraction techniques towards green analytical chemistry
PublicationSolid phase microextraction find increasing applications in the sample preparation step before chromatographic determination of analytes in samples with a complex composition. These techniques allow for integrating several operations, such as sample collection, extraction, analyte enrichment above the detection limit of a given measuring instrument and the isolation of analytes from sample matrix. In this work the information about...
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Sustainability of Civil Structures through the Application of Smart Materials: A Review
PublicationEvery year, structural flaws or breakdowns cause thousands of people to be harmed and cost billions of dollars owing to the limitations of design methods and materials to withstand extreme earthquakes. Since earthquakes have a significant effect on sustainability factors, there is a contradiction between these constraints and the growing need for more sustainable structures. There has been a significant attempt to circumvent...
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Linear revitalization - problems and challenges. Discursive article
PublicationThe aim of the article, defined by the author as discursive, is to give the answer as to whether within ‘revitalization’ we should distinguish the notion of ‘linear revitalization’ – not yet defined in Polish and English-language literature. The author presents the thesis that we should do so by presenting the idea, its specific character and its role. This kind of action seems to have, in the author’s opinion, a positive influence...
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Experiencing historic waterways and water landscapes of the Vistula River Delta
PublicationThe paper gives insights into the characteristics of Vistula River Delta water landscapes, referring to the process of creating land out of water by Polish, Dutch and German settlers. Based on this, the paper presents an integrated strategy formed upon studies in cultural geography and aesthetics, and focused on enhancing the unique characteristics of the region and its rediscovery by tourism. The long process of constructing Vistula...
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The need for linear revitalization. Gdynia case
PublicationThe aim of the article is to discuss the need of defining and implementation of the linear revitalization - the new approach related to the revitalization processes. The results of the preliminary investigations indicate that this kind of revitalization seems to be an important tool supporting city management and planning, especially in cases of cities fragmentation - causing lack of physical, social, economic and ecological cohesion....
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Social Convergence in Nordic NUTS-3 Regions
PublicationGeographical proximity, common historical roots and collaboration within the Nordic Council make the Nordic countries, often wrongly treated as monoliths. However, in reality, Nordic regions differ in terms of broadly defined social and economic development. Issues concerning the standard of living are one of the priorities of the Helsinki Treaty signed by Nordic countries. The main goal of this paper is to analyze the existence...
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Stannates, titanates and tantalates modified with carbon and graphene quantum dots for enhancement of visible-light photocatalytic activity
PublicationMost efforts in heterogeneous photocatalysis are focused on development of new and stable photoactive materials efficient in degradation of various pollutants under visible-light irradiation. In this regard, the wide-bandgap perovskite semiconductors, i.e., SrTiO3 (titanate), SrSnO3 (stannate) and AgTaO3 (tantalate), were prepared by a solvothermal method, and then modified with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) or graphene quantum dots...
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Interrelations between Travel Patterns and Urban Spatial Structure of the Largest Russian Cities
PublicationThe study presented within this dissertation involves the analysis of the relationship between urban spatial structure and travel patterns in the largest Russian cities. It is an empirical investigation of how the spatial structure, formed during the Soviet and post-Soviet periods, affects the travel patterns in the largest cities of contemporary Russia. It aims to determine what measures, both urban structure and transportation...