1. Proximity to riverbed influences physiological response of adult pedunculate oak treesLazar Kesić, Matjaž Čater, Saša Orlović, Bratislav Matović, Marko Stojanović, Mirjana Bojović, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: The pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) is economically and ecologically one of the most significant tree species in Serbia, however, little is known about the influence of the riverbed distance and its water supply on ecophysiological responses of this species. Given the limited information on the light-response curve of photosynthesis for oaks in southwest Srem, Serbia, the aim of this paper is to enhance understanding of their ecophysiological responses in this context. Maximum assimilation rate (Amax), the quantum yield (Ф), and light compensation point (LCP) were compared in adult trees situated along the transect from the river: (1) close to the river, (2) intermediate, (3) farthest from the river, and (4) forest reserve (second closest), with the first three transects being managed forests and the last one being an unmanaged forest reserve. The measurements were conducted in July during the first evidence of drought. The highest Amax rates were measured in all light intensities on the site closest to the river and the smallest on the site that was most distant to the water source. The most efficient were trees close to the river and the ones in the forest reserve. No significant difference between compensation points was confirmed for the studied groups of trees, although the forest reserve trees showed slightly higher values. The results demonstrated clear response between transects, which followed the distance from the riverbed. Pedunculate oak's reliance on groundwater is in tight relation with ecophysiological processes in trees; groundwater depletion may threaten its survival in areas distant from the river.
Keywords: Quercus robur L., floodplain forest, drought, light-response curves, transects
Published in DiRROS: 05.06.2024; Views: 1105; Downloads: 83
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2. Response of beech and fir to different light intensities along the Carpathian and Dinaric MountainsMatjaž Čater, Pia Caroline Adamič, Eva Dařenová, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Predicting global change mitigations based on environmental variables, like temperature and water availability, although yielding insightful hypothesis still lacks the integration of environmental responses. Physiological limits should be assessed to obtain a complete representation of a species’ fundamental niche. Detailed ecophysiological studies on the response of trees along the latitudinal gradient are rare. They could shed light on the behaviour under different light intensities and other studied traits. The forests of the Dinaric Mountains and the Carpathians represent the largest contiguous forest complexes in south-eastern Europe. In uneven-aged Carpathian (8 plots) and Dinaric Mountain (11 plots) forests, net assimilation (Amax) and maximum quantum yield (Φ) were measured for beech and fir in three predefined light intensity categories according to the indirect site factor (ISF%) obtained by the analysis of hemispherical photographs in managed and old growth forests, all located above 800 m a.s.l. The measurements were carried out under fixed environmental conditions in each light category per plot for three consecutive years. Data from the last 50-year average period from the CRU TS 4.01 dataset were used for the comparison between Amax, Φ, and climate. The highest Φ for beech were observed in the central part of the Dinaric Mountains and in the south westernmost and northwesternmost part of the Carpathians for both beech and fir, while they were highest for fir in the Dinaric Mountains in the northwesternmost part of the study area. The Φ-value of beech decreased in both complexes with increasing mean annual temperature and was highest in the open landscape. For fir in the Carpathians, Φ decreased with increasing mean annual temperature, while in the Dinaric Mountains it increased with higher temperature and showed a more scattered response compared to the Carpathians. Short-term ecophysiological responses of beech and fir were consistent to long-term radial growth observations observed on same locations. The results may provide a basis and an indication of the future response of two tree species in their biogeographical range to climate change in terms of competitiveness, existence and consequently forest management decisions.
Keywords: silver fir, beech, light response, Carpathian Mountains, Dinaric Mountains, temperature, precipitation
Published in DiRROS: 08.05.2024; Views: 186; Downloads: 400
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3. Small cellular particles from European spruce needle homogenateMarko Jeran, Anna Romolo, Vesna Spasovski, Matej Hočevar, Urban Novak, Roman Štukelj, Vid Šuštar, Matic Kisovec, Apolonija Bedina Zavec, Ksenija Kogej, Aleš Iglič, Polonca Trebše, Veronika Kralj-Iglič, 2023, original scientific article Keywords: Picea abies, spruce needles, extracellular particles, extracellular vesicles, small cellular particles, interferometric light microscopy, exosomes, cell-to-cell communication, drug delivery
Published in DiRROS: 07.02.2024; Views: 319; Downloads: 182
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4. Effects of a 2-year exercise training on neuromuscular system health in older individuals with low muscle functionElena Monti, Sara Tagliaferri, Sandra Zampieri, Fabio Sarto, Giuseppe Sirago, Martino V. Franchi, Andrea Ticinesi, Yari Longobucco, Elisa Adorni, Marco Vicenzo Narici, 2023, original scientific article Keywords: skeletal muscles, C-terminal agrin fragment, neurofilament light chain, exercise interventions, sarcopenia, elderly
Published in DiRROS: 15.12.2023; Views: 396; Downloads: 155
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5. Hydrothermal synthesis of rare-earth modified titania : influence on phase composition, optical properties, and photocatalytic activityNejc Rozman, David Maria Tobaldi, Uroš Cvelbar, Harinarayanan Puliyalil, Joao Antonio Labrincha, Andraž Legat, Andrijana Sever Škapin, 2019, original scientific article Abstract: In order to expand the use of titania indoor as well as to increase its overall performance, narrowing the band gap is one of the possibilities to achieve this. Modifying with rare earths (REs) has been relatively unexplored, especially the modification of rutile with rare earth cations. The aim of this study was to find the influence of the modification of TiO2 with rare earths on its structural, optical, morphological, and photocatalytic properties. Titania was synthesized using TiOSO4 as the source of titanium via hydrothermal synthesis procedure at low temperature (200 °C) and modified with selected rare earth elements, namely, Ce, La, and Gd. Structural properties of samples were determined by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and the phase ratio was calculated using the Rietveld method. Optical properties were analyzed by ultraviolet and visible light (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) was used to determine the morphological properties of samples and to estimate the size of primary crystals. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to determine the chemical bonding properties of samples. Photocatalytic activity of the prepared photocatalysts as well as the titania available on the market (P25) was measured in three different setups, assessing volatile organic compound (VOC) degradation, NOx abatement, and water purification. It was found out that modification with rare earth elements slows down the transformation of anatase and brookite to rutile. Whereas the unmodified sample was composed of only rutile, La- and Gd-modified samples contained anatase and rutile, and Ce-modified samples consisted of anatase, brookite, and rutile. Modification with rare earth metals has turned out to be detrimental to photocatalytic activity. In all cases, pure TiO2 outperformed the modified samples. Cerium-modified TiO2 was the least active sample, despite having a light absorption tail up to 585 nm wavelength. La- and Gd-modified samples did not show a significant shift in light absorption when compared to the pure TiO2 sample. The reason for the lower activity of modified samples was attributed to a greater Ti3+/Ti4+ ratio and a large amount of hydroxyl oxygen found in pure TiO2. All the modified samples had a smaller Ti3+/Ti4+ ratio and less hydroxyl oxygen
Keywords: TiO2, photocatalytic activity, rare earths, modification, visible light activity
Published in DiRROS: 22.11.2023; Views: 414; Downloads: 191
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6. UV light causes structural changes in microplastics exposed in bio-solidsS. S. Alavian Petroody, Seyed Hossein Hashemi, Luka Škrlep, Branka Mušič, Cornelis A. M. van Gestel, Andrijana Sever Škapin, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: Bio-solids (biological sludge) from wastewater treatment plants are a significant source of the emission of microplastics (MPs) into the environment. Weakening the structure of MPs before they enter the environment may accelerate their degradation and reduce the environmental exposure time. Therefore, we studied the effect of UV-A and UV-C, applied at 70 °C, on three types of MPs, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), that are commonly found in sewage sludge, using three shapes (fibers, lines, granules). The MPs were exposed to UV radiation in bio-solid suspensions, and to air and water as control. The structural changes in and degradation of the MPs were investigated using Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (ATR-FTIR) and surface morphology was performed with SEM analysis. UV exposure led to the emergence of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups in all of the PP samples. In PE and PET, these groups were formed only in the bio-solid suspensions. The presence of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups increased with an increasing exposure time. Overall, UV radiation had the greatest impact on the MPs in the bio-solids suspension. Due to the surface-to-volume ratio of the tested samples, which influences the degradation rate, the fibers were more degraded than the other two plastic shapes. UV-A was slightly more effective at degrading the MPs than UV-C. These findings show that ultraviolet radiation in combination with an elevated temperature affects the structure of polymers in wastewater bio-solids, which can accelerate their degradation.
Keywords: microplastics, degradation, hydroxyl, carbonyl, ultraviolet light
Published in DiRROS: 14.11.2023; Views: 480; Downloads: 220
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7. 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: 412; Downloads: 223
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8. 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: 407; Downloads: 213
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9. Photo, thermal and photothermal activity of ▫$TiO_2$▫ supported Pt catalysts for plasmon-driven environmental applicationsGregor Žerjav, Zafer Say, Janez Zavašnik, Matjaž Finšgar, Christoph Langhammer, Albin Pintar, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: TiO2+Pt plasmonic solids with 1 wt% Pt and different TiO2 supports (anatase nanoparticles (TNP), polycrystalline nanorods (a-TNR) and single-crystal anatase nanorods (TNR)) were synthesized using the wet impregnation technique and tested as photo, thermal and photothermal catalysts in gas-solid and gas-liquid-solid reactions. Due to the different charges of the TiO2 support surfaces, Pt particles with different sizes, crystallinities and degrees of interaction with the TiO2 supports were formed during the synthesis. The heights of the Schottky barrier (SBH) were 0.38 eV for the a-TNR+Pt, 0.41 eV for the TNP+Pt, and 0.50 eV for the TNR+Pt samples, respectively. The low visible-light-triggered photocatalytic activity of the TNR+Pt catalyst toward the oxidation of water-dissolved bisphenol A (BPA) is attributed to its high SBH and active site deactivation due to the adsorption of BPA and/or BPA oxidation products. The highest photothermal catalytic H2-assisted NO2 reduction rate was expressed by the TNR+Pt catalyst. This can be ascribed to the presence of a narrow particle size distribution of small Pt particles, the absence of the Pt catalysed reduction of the TNR support at higher temperatures, and the lower rate of re-injection of “hot electrons” from the TNR support to the Pt particles.
Keywords: heterogeneous photocatalysis, titanium dioxide, plasmonic noble metal, platinum particles, visible light illumination, Schottky barrier height, bisphenol A, wastewater treatment, NOx abatement, air cleaning, microreactor, thermal catalysis, photothermal catalysis
Published in DiRROS: 23.06.2023; Views: 558; Downloads: 296
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10. Microstructural characterization of alkali-activated composites of lightweight aggregates (LWAs) embedded in alkali-activated foam (AAF) matricesKatja Traven, Wolfgang Wisniewski, Mark Češnovar, Vilma Ducman, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: Alkali-activated composites of lightweight aggregates (LWAs, with beneficial insulating properties) and alkali-activated foams (AAFs, higher added value products due to their production from waste materials at well below 100 ◦C) allow for the expectation of superior properties if a chemical bonding reaction or mechanical interlocking occurs during production. However, the interfaces between LWAs and an AAF have not been studied in detail so far. Chemical reactions are possible if the LWA contains an amorphous phase which can react with the alkaline activators of the AAF, increase the bonding, and thus, also their mechanical strengths. These, in turn, allow for an improvement of the thermal insulation properties as they enable a further density reduction by incorporating low density aggregates. This work features a first-detailed analyses of the interfaces between the LWAs’ expanded polystyrene, perlite, expanded clay and expanded glass, and the alkali-activated foam matrices produced using industrial slags and fly ash. Some are additionally reinforced by fibers. The goal of these materials is to replace cement by alkali-activated waste as it significantly lowers the environmental impact of the produced building components.
Keywords: alkali activated materials/geopolymers, light weight aggregates, SEM
Published in DiRROS: 20.06.2023; Views: 530; Downloads: 236
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