scholarly journals A Review of Photocatalytic Materials for Urban NOx Remediation

Catalysts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 675
Author(s):  
Hugo Savill Russell ◽  
Louise Bøge Frederickson ◽  
Ole Hertel ◽  
Thomas Ellermann ◽  
Steen Solvang Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Photocatalytic Oxidation ◽  
Urban Air Pollution ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Nox Removal ◽  
Removal Efficiencies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
By Products ◽  
Photocatalytic Materials

NOx is a pervasive pollutant in urban environments. This review assesses the current state of the art of photocatalytic oxidation materials, designed for the abatement of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the urban environment, and typically, but not exclusively based on titanium dioxide (TiO2). Field trials with existing commercial materials, such as paints, asphalt and concrete, in a range of environments including street canyons, car parks, tunnels, highways and open streets, are considered in-depth. Lab studies containing the most recent developments in the photocatalytic materials are also summarised, as well as studies investigating the impact of physical parameters on their efficiency. It is concluded that this technology may be useful as a part of the measures used to lower urban air pollution levels, yielding ∼2% NOx removal in the immediate area around the surface, for optimised TiO2, in some cases, but is not capable of the reported high NOx removal efficiencies >20% in outdoor urban environments, and can in some cases lower air quality by releasing hazardous by-products. However, research into new material is ongoing. The reason for the mixed results in the studies reviewed, and massive range of removal efficiencies reported (from negligible and up to >80%) is mainly the large range of testing practices used. Before deployment in individual environments site-specific testing should be performed, and new standards for lab and field testing should be developed. The longevity of the materials and their potential for producing hazardous by-products should also be considered.

scholarly journals Potential of Industrial By-Products as Liming Materials and Digestate as Organic Fertilizer and Their Effect on Soil Properties and Yield of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 11016
Author(s):  
Vladimir Ivezić ◽  
Vladimir Zebec ◽  
Brigita Popović ◽  
Meri Engler ◽  
Tihana Teklić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blast Furnace ◽  
Blast Furnace Slag ◽  
Organic Fertilizer ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Wood Ash ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Furnace Slag ◽  
By Products

Acid soils with pH values below 5.5 have a negative effect on agricultural production. For this reason, liming is applied as a measure to raise the soil pH to the optimum (pH = 6–7). The aim of our research was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of four liming materials (wood ash from biomass powerplant, filter dust from cement factory, blast furnace slag from iron factory, and carbocalk (limestone, a by-product from a sugar factory)) in combination with and without solid digestate (a by-product from biogas plant) as organic fertilizer. Two field trials were set up to determine the effect of the studied materials to neutralize the acidity, and the impact on soil fertility and nutrient status in the soil. The results showed that all four liming materials raised the pH of the soil. Out of these four, wood ash showed to be the best while blast furnace slag was the worst. The yield of alfalfa increased with the application of all four lime materials. Application of liming materials with solid digestate increased soil organic matter and had slightly higher yields compared to liming materials without solid digestate. The highest yields were achieved with the application of wood ash, probably due to somewhat higher concentrations of potassium and phosphorus in wood ash. Further research on the financial aspects of investigated by-products application is necessary to exploit their potential as a liming material.

scholarly journals Photocatalytic oxidation of TCE and MTBE in the Gas phase

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-240
Keyword(s):  
Gas Phase ◽  
Photocatalytic Oxidation ◽  
Methyl Tert Butyl Ether ◽  
Inlet Concentration ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Butyl Ether ◽  
Tert Butyl ◽  
The Impact ◽  
By Products ◽  
Mtbe Decomposition

Photocatalysis is a promising method for eliminating the volatile organic compounds emitted from various industrial processes because mild or ambient conditions are used. Titanium dioxide is commonly used as photocatalyst and ultraviolet light is utilized for decomposing gas phase pollutants. In the present work, the photocatalytic oxidation of methyl tert butyl ether (MTBE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) in the gas phase was studied. The impact of residence time, TCE/MTBE concentration and oxygen concentration on TCE/MTBE conversion and byproduct formation was examined. Acetone and tert-butyl formate were detected at the reactor outlet from MTBE decomposition, whereas dichloroacetyl chloride (DCAC) and phosgene were found as by-products of TCE oxidation. The residence time affected dramatically both TCE and MTBE photo-oxidation as well as by-products existence and configuration. In contrast, the variation of oxygen inlet concentration affected significantly only MTBE conversion. Finally, the increase in MTBE and TCE inlet concentration had as a result decreased conversions observed.

Hydrogen Cyanide Polymers from the Impact of Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter

1997 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 179-187
Author(s):  
Clifford N. Matthews ◽  
Rose A. Pesce-Rodriguez ◽  
Shirley A. Liebman
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Hydrogen Cyanide ◽  
Nitrogen Heterocycles ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Heterogeneous Solids ◽  
The Many ◽  
Comet Halley ◽  
The Impact ◽  
By Products

AbstractHydrogen cyanide polymers – heterogeneous solids ranging in color from yellow to orange to brown to black – may be among the organic macromolecules most readily formed within the Solar System. The non-volatile black crust of comet Halley, for example, as well as the extensive orangebrown streaks in the atmosphere of Jupiter, might consist largely of such polymers synthesized from HCN formed by photolysis of methane and ammonia, the color observed depending on the concentration of HCN involved. Laboratory studies of these ubiquitous compounds point to the presence of polyamidine structures synthesized directly from hydrogen cyanide. These would be converted by water to polypeptides which can be further hydrolyzed to α-amino acids. Black polymers and multimers with conjugated ladder structures derived from HCN could also be formed and might well be the source of the many nitrogen heterocycles, adenine included, observed after pyrolysis. The dark brown color arising from the impacts of comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter might therefore be mainly caused by the presence of HCN polymers, whether originally present, deposited by the impactor or synthesized directly from HCN. Spectroscopic detection of these predicted macromolecules and their hydrolytic and pyrolytic by-products would strengthen significantly the hypothesis that cyanide polymerization is a preferred pathway for prebiotic and extraterrestrial chemistry.

THE IMPACT OF MINERAL FERTILIZERS ON THE BIOLOGICAL YIELD OF SUGAR BEET CROP (BETA VULGARIS L. VAR. SACCHARIFERA)

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 1281-1284
Author(s):  
Petar Petrov ◽  
Bojan Mitrovski
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Qualitative Properties ◽  
New Production ◽  
Economic Significance ◽  
Random Block ◽  
Biological Yield ◽  
Sugar Beet Crop ◽  
The Impact

Due to the great economic significance of the sugar beet, the new production trends are aimed at improving the quantitative and qualitative properties and one of the basic agro technical measures that is directly dependent on the yield and quality of the turnip is the properly conducted plant nutrition. Exporting high quantities of nutrients from the soil, the sugar beet requires application of advanced agro-technology, primarily application of adequate and controlled nutrition and irrigation. Application of this measure, in combination with soil processing, has sustained influence over the following cultures in the crop rotation in terms of nutrients regiment and fight against weeds.In order to determine the effects of mineral fertilizers on sugar beet, field experiment was conducted on fluvisol soil. The experiment is set according to a random block system, following the standard methods of agricultural chemistry for conducting field trials. The experiment includes eight variants, as follows: 1. Control (non-fertilized), 2. NP, 3. NK, 4. PK, 5. NPK, 6. N2PK, 7. N2P2K, 8. N3PK.In the phase of technological maturity of sugar beet, collection of the vegetative material and measurement of the height of the biological yield of the turnips was carried out. Based on the survey results, it can be concluded that the variant N2P2K has achieved the highest yield of swollen roots, i.e. 69.330 kg/ha. The highest yield of leafy greens was achieved in the variant N3PK, i.e. 41.920 kg/ha, which indicates the fact that nitrogen has direct influence over the vegetation mass of sugar beet.

scholarly journals Consumption of Enriched Yogurt with PAF Inhibitors from Olive Pomace Affects the Major Enzymes of PAF Metabolism: A Randomized, Double Blind, Three Arm Trial

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 801
Author(s):  
Maria Detopoulou ◽  
Agathi Ntzouvani ◽  
Filio Petsini ◽  
Labrini Gavriil ◽  
Εlizabeth Fragopoulou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Activating Factor ◽  
Lipid Mediator ◽  
Olive Pomace ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Catabolic Enzymes ◽  
Platelet Activating Factor Acetylhydrolase ◽  
The Impact ◽  
By Products ◽  
Apparently Healthy

Platelet-activating factor (PAF), a proinflammatory lipid mediator, plays a crucial role in the formation of the atherosclerotic plaque. Therefore, the inhibition of endothelium inflammation by nutraceuticals, such as PAF inhibitors, is a promising alternative for preventing cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of a new functional yogurt enriched with PAF inhibitors of natural origin from olive oil by-products on PAF metabolism. Ninety-two apparently healthy, but mainly overweight volunteers (35–65 years) were randomly allocated into three groups by block-randomization. The activities of PAF’s biosynthetic and catabolic enzymes were measured, specifically two isoforms of acetyl-CoA:lyso-PAF acetyltransferase (LPCATs), cytidine 5′-diphospho-choline:1-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol cholinephosphotransferase (PAF-CPT) and two isoforms of platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase in leucocytes (PAF-AH) and plasma (lipoprotein associated phospholipase-A2, LpPLA2). The intake of the enriched yogurt resulted in reduced PAF-CPT and LpPLA2 activities. No difference was observed in the activities of the two isoforms of lyso PAF-AT. In conclusion, intake of yogurt enriched in PAF inhibitors could favorably modulate PAF biosynthetic and catabolic pathways.

scholarly journals Urban Heat Islands and Thermal Comfort: A Case Study of Zorrotzaurre Island in Bilbao

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6106
Author(s):  
Irantzu Alvarez ◽  
Laura Quesada-Ganuza ◽  
Estibaliz Briz ◽  
Leire Garmendia
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Urban Heat Islands ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Physiological Equivalent Temperature ◽  
Heat Islands ◽  
The North ◽  
The Impact

This study assesses the impact of a heat wave on the thermal comfort of an unconstructed area: the North Zone of the Island of Zorrotzaurre (Bilbao, Spain). In this study, the impact of urban planning as proposed in the master plan on thermal comfort is modeled using the ENVI-met program. Likewise, the question of whether the urbanistic proposals are designed to create more resilient urban environments is analyzed in the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather events, especially heat waves. The study is centered on the analysis of temperature variables (air temperature and average radiant temperature) as well as wind speed and relative humidity. This was completed with the parameters of thermal comfort, the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) and the Universal Temperature Climate Index (UTCI) for the hours of the maximum and minimum daily temperatures. The results demonstrated the viability of analyzing thermal comfort through simulations with the ENVI-met program in order to analyze the behavior of urban spaces in various climate scenarios.

scholarly journals Polyphenol Profiling of Chestnut Pericarp, Integument and Curing Water Extracts to Qualify These Food By-Products as a Source of Antioxidants

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 2335
Author(s):  
Gabriella Pinto ◽  
Sabrina De Pascale ◽  
Maria Aponte ◽  
Andrea Scaloni ◽  
Francesco Addeo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Time Of Flight ◽  
The Other ◽  
Curing Process ◽  
Flight Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Water Curing ◽  
The Impact ◽  
By Products

Plant polyphenols have beneficial antioxidant effects on human health; practices aimed at preserving their content in foods and/or reusing food by-products are encouraged. The impact of the traditional practice of the water curing procedure of chestnuts, which prevents insect/mould damage during storage, was studied to assess the release of polyphenols from the fruit. Metabolites extracted from pericarp and integument tissues or released in the medium from the water curing process were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and electrospray-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (ESI-qTOF-MS). This identified: (i) condensed and hydrolyzable tannins made of (epi)catechin (procyanidins) and acid ellagic units in pericarp tissues; (ii) polyphenols made of gallocatechin and catechin units condensed with gallate (prodelphinidins) in integument counterparts; (iii) metabolites resembling those reported above in the wastewater from the chestnut curing process. Comparative experiments were also performed on aqueous media recovered from fruits treated with processes involving: (i) tap water; (ii) tap water containing an antifungal Lb. pentosus strain; (iii) wastewater from a previous curing treatment. These analyses indicated that the former treatment determines a 6–7-fold higher release of polyphenols in the curing water with respect to the other ones. This event has a negative impact on the luster of treated fruits but qualifies the corresponding wastes as a source of antioxidants. Such a phenomenon does not occur in wastewater from the other curing processes, where the release of polyphenols was reduced, thus preserving the chestnut’s appearance. Polyphenol profiling measurements demonstrated that bacterial presence in water hampered the release of pericarp metabolites. This study provides a rationale to traditional processing practices on fruit appearance and qualifies the corresponding wastes as a source of bioactive compounds for other nutraceutical applications.

scholarly journals Damage Evolution of Granodiorite after Heating and Cooling Treatments

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 779
Author(s):  
Mohamed Gomah ◽  
Guichen Li ◽  
Salah Bader ◽  
Mohamed Elkarmoty ◽  
Mohamed Ismael
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Tensile Strength ◽  
Failure Mode ◽  
Physical And Mechanical Properties ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Slow Cooling ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Natural Rock ◽  
The Impact

The awareness of the impact of high temperatures on rock properties is essential to the design of deep geotechnical applications. The purpose of this research is to assess the influence of heating and cooling treatments on the physical and mechanical properties of Egyptian granodiorite as a degrading factor. The samples were heated to various temperatures (200, 400, 600, and 800 °C) and then cooled at different rates, either slowly cooled in the oven and air or quickly cooled in water. The porosity, water absorption, P-wave velocity, tensile strength, failure mode, and associated microstructural alterations due to thermal effect have been studied. The study revealed that the granodiorite has a slight drop in tensile strength, up to 400 °C, for slow cooling routes and that most of the physical attributes are comparable to natural rock. Despite this, granodiorite thermal deterioration is substantially higher for quick cooling than for slow cooling. Between 400:600 °C is ‘the transitional stage’, where the physical and mechanical characteristics degraded exponentially for all cooling pathways. Independent of the cooling method, the granodiorite showed a ductile failure mode associated with reduced peak tensile strengths. Additionally, the microstructure altered from predominantly intergranular cracking to more trans-granular cracking at 600 °C. The integrity of the granodiorite structure was compromised at 800 °C, the physical parameters deteriorated, and the rock tensile strength was negligible. In this research, the temperatures of 400, 600, and 800 °C were remarked to be typical of three divergent phases of granodiorite mechanical and physical properties evolution. Furthermore, 400 °C could be considered as the threshold limit for Egyptian granodiorite physical and mechanical properties for typical thermal underground applications.

scholarly journals Testing the Effect of Hedge Height on Perceived Safety—A Landscape Design Intervention

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5063
Author(s):  
Katinka H. Evensen ◽  
Helena Nordh ◽  
Ramzi Hassan ◽  
Aslak Fyhri
Keyword(s):  
Field Study ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Landscape Design ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Space Management ◽  
Perceived Safety ◽  
Urban Green Spaces ◽  
Outdoor Spaces ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
The Impact

Access to safe, green urban environments is important for quality of life in cities. The objective of this study is to explore the impact of a safety-enhancing landscape design measure on visitors’ experiences in an urban park. Additionally, this paper combines the use of field and virtual reality (VR) experiments, contributing methodological insights into how to evaluate safety measures in green space management and research on perceived safety. In a field experiment (n = 266), we explored whether the height of a hedge along a pathway influenced perceived safety among users. The field study showed that cutting down the hedge improved the perceived prospect of the immediate surrounding areas for female users, which again made them feel safer in the park. We developed a VR experiment for an evening scenario in the same environment (n = 19) to supplement the field study and test the effect of the intervention further. The VR experiment also found a gender effect on perceived safety, with females reporting lower perceived safety, but no effect was shown for the height of the hedge. The results in this study show that environmental attributes such as perceived prospect and concealment should be considered in the design and management of urban green spaces. Additionally, this research demonstrates an approach to conducting field experiments to test the effects of actual design interventions and then further developing these experiments using VR technology. Further research on perceived safety in outdoor spaces is needed to make use of this combined method’s potential.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic in Mediterranean urban air pollution and mobility

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Sifakis ◽  
Maria Aryblia ◽  
Tryfon Daras ◽  
Stavroula Tournaki ◽  
Theocharis Tsoutsos
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Urban Air Pollution ◽  
Urban Air ◽  
The Impact
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