1. Virome analysis of irrigation water sources provides extensive insights into the diversity and distribution of plant viruses in agroecosystemsOlivera Maksimović, Katarina Bačnik, Mark Paul Selda Rivarez, Ana Vučurović, Nataša Mehle, Maja Ravnikar, Ion Gutiérrez-Aguirre, Denis Kutnjak, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Plant viruses pose a significant threat to agriculture. Several are stable outside their hosts, can enter water bodies and remain infective for prolonged periods of time. Even though the quality of irrigation water is of increasing importance in the context of plant health, the presence of plant viruses in irrigation waters is understudied. In this study, we conducted a large-scale high-throughput sequencing (HTS)-based virome analysis of irrigation and surface water sources to obtain complete information about the abundance and diversity of plant viruses in such waters. We detected nucleic acids of plant viruses from 20 families, discovered several novel plant viruses from economically important taxa, like Tobamovirus and observed the influence of the water source on the present virome. By comparing viromes of water and surrounding plants, we observed presence of plant viruses in both compartments, especially in cases of large-scale outbreaks, such as that of tomato mosaic virus. Moreover, we demonstrated that water virome data can extensively inform us about the distribution and diversity of plant viruses for which only limited information is available from plants. Overall, the results of the study provided extensive insights into the virome of irrigation waters from the perspective of plant health. It also suggested that an HTS-based water virome surveillance system could be used to detect potential plant disease outbreaks and to survey the distribution and diversity of plant viruses in the ecosystem.
Keywords: plant viruses, environmental water testing, high-throughput sequencing, agroecosystems, irrigation water, virome
Published in DiRROS: 29.03.2024; Views: 96; Downloads: 42
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2. Treatment of condensation in sandwich panels without known vapour resistance of sealantGregor Vidmar, 2020, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: In order to calculate amount of interstitial condensation in a building envelope, water vapour resistance of each layer is of importance. Once having it, 1D calculation according to ISO 13788 with monthly average vapour pressures can be applied. In EN 14509 sandwich panels are considered to be impermeable for water vapour, thus (according to the standard) water vapour cannot enter from outside and condensate in the panels. But it is not always true for real sandwich panels, because joints between neighbouring panels can cause non-neglecting water vapour bridges. Although in measurements of linear water vapour transmittance of the joints (Ψv) stationary boundary vapour pressures can be applied, the measurements can be long lasting. We shortened time needed to get Ψv performing simulations in Delphin6.0. We simulated panels and steel sheets with joints using constant boundary vapour pressures and compared the results with the results of measurements on the equivalent systems.
In systems under consideration a sealant in built-in-state, located at a joint of a sandwich panel, is a compressed EPDM tube. It is impossible to directly measure its effective μ according to ISO 12572. In the paper we study to which precision it is possible to determine it using measurements and simulations. Once having effective μ of the sealant (if all other necessary material parameters available) one can simulate condensation in envelopes including sandwich panels in 2D according to EN 15026 using hourly climatic data. Another goal of the study was determination of differences in resulting Ψv values when varying narrowest part of the gap dGAP at the joint in the panels without any sealant. Results confirm significant sensibility of Ψv to variations of dGAP.
Keywords: water vapour condensation, water vapour diffusion, numerical simulations, water vapour resistance, linear water vapour transmittance, sendwich panels
Published in DiRROS: 05.03.2024; Views: 115; Downloads: 71
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3. Experimental carbonation study for durability assessment of novel cementitious materialsSebastijan Robič, Aljoša Šajna, Lucija Hanžič, Alisa Machner, Marie Helene Bjørndal, Klaartje De Weerdt, Yushan Gu, Benoit Bary, Rosamaria Lample, 2021, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: The design process of concrete structures is carried out using standards and guidelines, while the durability predictions of concrete structures is supported only with exposure classes and experience-based requirements. To improve durability predictions of the carbonation resistance of concrete, a numerical model is being developed within the Horizon 2020 project EnDurCrete, coupling the rate of carbonation, and the drying rate. To verify the numerical model, an accelerated carbonation study was carried out. Experiments were conducted on mortars incorporating a novel CEM II/C (S-LL) cement, developed within the EnDurCrete project, and a commercially available reference cementCEM II/A-S. EnDurCrete mortars (EnM) and reference mortars (RefM) were prepared with water-cement ratios of 0.6 and 0.5 (denoted with label extensions -06 and -05). Visual assessments and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to measure the carbonation rates, which were found to be ~1.0 mm day-0.5 in EnM-06 and ~0.6 mm day-0.5 in RefM-06, while in EnM-05 and RefM-05 the values were ~0.7 and ~0.2 mm day-0.5 respectively. Additionally, TGA shows that the initial portlandite (CH) content is ~1.5 wt% in EnM-06 as opposed to ~3.0 wt% in RefM-06. The difference in the initial CH content in the two hydrated binders might explain the difference in their carbonation rate. During the moisture transport experiments a gravimetric method was used to determine mass changes as specimens underwent drying and resaturation with and without CO2 present. The drying led to a decrease in mass, but in the presence of CO2 this mass loss was compensated by the mass gain due to uptake of CO2 during carbonation. The resaturation experiments indicate an increase in the suction porosity in the carbonated samples compared to the non-carbonated samples.
Keywords: concrete, absorption of water, carbonation, durability assessment, model verification
Published in DiRROS: 25.01.2024; Views: 148; Downloads: 106
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4. Influence of structural parameters of nonwoven geotextiles on separation and filtration in road constructionŠpela Bezgovšek, Dunja Šajn Gorjanc, Boštjan Pulko, Stanislav Lenart, 2020, original scientific article Abstract: Nonwoven geotextiles are often used in road construction as a separation layer. They consist of the web of fibers with different orientations. The orientation of fibers has an important influence on physical and mechanical properties of nonwoven geotextiles. The production of nonwoven geotextiles is cheaper in comparison to woven or knitted fabrics which can also be used as separation geotextiles. The purpose of this research was to study the influence of structural properties of nonwoven geotextiles, namely the diameter of fibers and mass and thickness of nonwoven geotextiles, on their mechanical and hydraulic properties. Six types of nonwoven geotextiles were used in the research. They were produced by the drylaid process (carded) using mechanical bonding technique and also with the combination of mechanical and thermal bonding technique. The research confirmed that the bonding technique and structural properties significantly influence the separation and filtration properties of nonwoven geotextiles, such as opening size and water permeability. It was also found that there are no significant differences in mechanical properties, such as viscoelastic properties and compression creep, between the samples in the dry and wet conditions.
Keywords: nonwoven geotextiles, bonding techniques, opening size, water permeability
Published in DiRROS: 16.11.2023; Views: 334; Downloads: 137
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5. Water - the future source of forestry income?Marek Trenčiansky, Martina Štěrbová, Jozef Výbošťok, Zuzana Dobsinska, Klára Báliková, 2023, published scientific conference contribution Keywords: water quality, forestry, forest ecosystem services, valuation of forest ecosystem services
Published in DiRROS: 05.10.2023; Views: 262; Downloads: 84
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6. Depassivation and repassivation of stainless steels by stepwise pH changeEmir Mujanović, Bojan Zajec, Andraž Legat, Tadeja Kosec, Janez Kovač, Gregor Mori, Stefan Hönig, Gerald Zehethofer, 2020, original scientific article Abstract: Immersion tests with different stainless steels have been performed, while the pH was stepwise decreased and then increased again. During 8.5-day exposure, the depassivation and repassivation pH values as a function of pitting resistance equivalent number were determined. There is always a gap between both pH values (depassivation and repassivation), indicating that for every steel, there are conditions where an existing passive layer can be maintained but cannot be rebuilt after depassivation. In such environments, the passive layer is thicker, consisting mainly of molybdenum and iron rich oxides, while chromium is dissolved. Usually, depending on conditions, the passive layer is more chromium-rich, especially the inner layer. This is relevant, for example, for acidizing jobs in oil and gas industry, proving that repassivation after acidizing will happen promptly, when the pH is increased again.
Keywords: stress corrosion cracking, surface finish impact, tapered tensile specimen, autoclave, accelerated testing, light water nuclear reactor, critical threshold stress
Published in DiRROS: 30.08.2023; Views: 294; Downloads: 151
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7. Stress corrosion crack initiation testing with tapered specimens in high-temperature water - results of a collaborative research projectRik-Wouter Bosch, Stefan Ritter, Matthias Herbst, Renate Kilian, Grace Burke, Jonathan Duff, Fabio Scenini, Yuchen Gu, Alice Dinu, Ulla Ehrnsten, Aki Toivonen, Radek Novotny, Oliver Martin, Francisco Javier Perosanz, Andraž Legat, Bojan Zajec, 2020, original scientific article Abstract: The applicability of an accelerated test technique using tapered tensile specimens for investigating the stress corrosion crack (SCC) initiation behaviour of structural materials in high-temperature water was assessed in the framework of a European collaborative research project (MICRIN – MItigation of CRack INitiation). The main advantage of using a tapered geometry is, that in a single test a stress gradient is obtained through the gauge length, and therefore a stress threshold for SCC initiation can be determined in a reasonable timeframe. This method was used to investigate two different materials that were known to be susceptible to SCC in light water reactor environment: a high-Si stainless steel and a Ni-base weld metal (Alloy 182). The results of the international test programme confirmed that the tapered specimen test methodology could be used to identify a SCC initiation stress threshold, albeit that significant scatter was present in the data.
Keywords: stress corrosion cracking, surface finish impact, tapered tensile specimen, autoclave, accelerated testing, light water nuclear reactor, critical threshold stress
Published in DiRROS: 28.08.2023; Views: 271; Downloads: 143
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8. Corrosion behavior of steel in pore solutions extracted from different blended cementsMiha Hren, Tadeja Kosec, Andraž Legat, 2020, original scientific article Abstract: Mortar specimens made from four different types of cement, CEM I, CEM II, CEM III, and CEM IV, were prepared and pore solutions extracted. Three different types of exposure were studied: noncarbonated without chlorides, noncarbonated with chlorides, and carbonated with chlorides. Various electrochemical methods (linear polarization, potentiodynamic polarization measurements) were implemented to characterize the processes of corrosion on steel in these solutions. The type and extent of corrosion products were evaluated by means of various spectroscopic techniques. Specific differences in the type and extent of corrosion damage were determined and compared for each of the extracted pore solutions from the different blended cements. An attempt was made to classify these differences in comparison with the reference cement (CEM I) and in relation to the different types of exposure.
Keywords: corrosion, steel in pore water, blended cements, Raman Spectroscopy
Published in DiRROS: 22.08.2023; Views: 258; Downloads: 120
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9. Distribution of chemical elements in surface waters from the Strumica River Basin, North MacedoniaKaterina Trajanova, Robert Šajn, Trajče Stafilov, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: In this work, the distribution of chemical elements in samples of surface water from the Strumica River Basin, North Macedonia, was studied. The water samples were collected from a total of twelve sites. In addition to the Strumica River, samples were collected from its tributaries: Bansko, Dabile, Turija, Vodoča, Radoviška, and Injevska. The determination of the concentration of 21 elements (Ag, Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr, V, and Zn) was performed by inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). All detailed information on the studied items was statistically processed using Stat Soft, 11.0 software. Using the obtained data on the concentration of the studied elements, descriptive statistical analysis of the values for the concentration of the elements was performed. A map of spatial distribution was obtained for each element. The obtained results show that the concentrations of the studied elements in the surface water samples are relatively low and the distribution of most of the elements follows the lithology of the study area.
Keywords: rivers, surface water, heavy metals, Strumica River Basin, North Macedonia
Published in DiRROS: 20.07.2023; Views: 327; Downloads: 103
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10. Experimental carbonation study for a durability assessment of novel cementitious materialsLucija Hanžič, Sebastijan Robič, Alisa Machner, Marie Helene Bjørndal, Klaartje De Weerdt, Yushan Gu, Benoit Bary, Rosa Maria Lample Carreras, Aljoša Šajna, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: Durability predictions of concrete structures are derived from experience-based require- ments and descriptive exposure classes. To support durability predictions, a numerical model related to the carbonation resistance of concrete was developed. The model couples the rate of carbonation with the drying rate. This paper presents the accelerated carbonation and moisture transport exper- iments performed to calibrate and verify the numerical model. They were conducted on mortars with a water-cement ratio of either 0.6 or 0.5, incorporating either a novel cement CEM II/C (S-LL) (EnM group) or commercially available CEM II/A-S cement (RefM group). The carbonation rate was determined by visual assessment and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Moisture transport experi- ments, consisting of drying and resaturation, utilized the gravimetric method. Higher carbonation rates expressed in mm/day−0.5 were found in the EnM group than in the RefM group. However, the TGA showed that the initial portlandite (CH) content was lower in the EnM than in the RefM, which could explain the difference in carbonation rates. The resaturation experiments indicate an increase in the suction porosity in the carbonated specimens compared to the non-carbonated specimens. The study concludes that low clinker content causes lower resistance to carbonation, since less CH is available in the surface layers; thus, the carbonation front progresses more rapidly towards the core.
Keywords: mortar, absorption of water, carbonation, durability assessment, model verification
Published in DiRROS: 05.07.2023; Views: 270; Downloads: 169
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