Suchergebnisse

Two microalgae species (marine Nannochloropsis gaditana, and freshwater Scenedesmus almeriensis) were subjected to pyrolysis followed by a catalytic hydrotreatment of the liquid products with the objective to obtain liquid products enriched in hydrocarbons. Pre-dried microalgae were pyrolyzed in a mechanically stirred fluidized bed reactor (380 and 480 degrees C) with fractional condensation. The heavy phase pyrolysis oils were hydrotreated (350 degrees C and 15 MPa of H-2 pressure for 4 h) using a NiMo on alumina catalyst. The pyrolysis liquids after pyrolysis and those after catalytic hydrotreatment were analyzed in detail using GC-MS, GC x GC-MS, and 2D HSQC NMR. The liquid products are enriched in aromatics and aliphatic hydrocarbons and, as such have a considerably lower oxygen content (1.6-4.2% w/w) compared to the microalgae feeds (25-30% w/w). The overall carbon yield for the liquid products was between 15.6 and 19.1% w/w based on the initial carbon content of the algae feedstock. ; The authors would like to acknowledge Leon Rohrbach from the University of Groningen for help with the GC-TCD and GC x GC-FID analyses; H.H. van de Bovenkamp, Fenna Heins, and Monique Bernardes Figueiredo from the University of Groningen, for technical and practical assistance. The Multidisciplinary Research Platform "Ghent Bio-economy" is acknowledged for providing access to the lignin feedstock. The LOTUS Programme of the European Union is acknowledged for providing a doctoral scholarship to Neil Priharto. ; Heeres, HJ (correspond, ng author), Univ Groningen, Dept Chem Engn, ENTEG, Nijenborgh 4, NL-9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands. h.j.heeres@rug.nl

The presence of explosives in soils and the interaction with drought stress and nutrient limitation are among the environmental factors that severely affect plant growth on military soils. In this study, we seek to isolate and identify the cultivable bacteria of a 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) contaminated soil (DS) and an adjacent grassland soil (GS) of a military training area aiming to isolate new plant growth-promoting (PGP) and 2,4-DNT-degrading strains. Metabolic profiling revealed disturbances in Ecocarbon use in the bare DS; isolation of cultivable strains revealed a lower colony-forming-unit count and a less diverse community associated with DS in comparison with GS. New 2,4-DNT-tolerant strains were identified by selective enrichments, which were further characterized by auxanography for 2,4-DNT use, resistance to drought stress, cold, nutrient starvation and PGP features. By selecting multiple beneficial PGP and abiotic stress-resistant strains, efficient 2,4-DNT-degrading consortia were composed. After inoculation, consortium UHasselt Sofie 3 with seven members belonging to Burkholderia, Variovorax, Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Ralstonia species was capable to successfully enhance root length of Arabidopsis under 2,4-DNT stress. After 9 days, doubling of main root length was observed. Our results indicate that beneficial bacteria inhabiting a disturbed environment have the potential to improve plant growth and alleviate 2,4-DNT stress. ; This study was supported by a PhD grant to ST from the Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders, Belgium (FWO-Vlaanderen) and the UHasselt Methusalem project 08M03VGRJ.

The presence of explosives in soils and the interaction with drought stress and nutrient limitation are among the environmental factors that severely affect plant growth on military soils. In this study, we seek to isolate and identify the cultivable bacteria of a 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) contaminated soil (DS) and an adjacent grassland soil (GS) of a military training area aiming to isolate new plant growth-promoting (PGP) and 2,4-DNT-degrading strains. Metabolic profiling revealed disturbances in Ecocarbon use in the bare DS; isolation of cultivable strains revealed a lower colony-forming-unit count and a less diverse community associated with DS in comparison with GS. New 2,4-DNT-tolerant strains were identified by selective enrichments, which were further characterized by auxanography for 2,4-DNT use, resistance to drought stress, cold, nutrient starvation and PGP features. By selecting multiple beneficial PGP and abiotic stress-resistant strains, efficient 2,4-DNT-degrading consortia were composed. After inoculation, consortium UHasselt Sofie 3 with seven members belonging to Burkholderia, Variovorax, Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Ralstonia species was capable to successfully enhance root length of Arabidopsis under 2,4-DNT stress. After 9 days, doubling of main root length was observed. Our results indicate that beneficial bacteria inhabiting a disturbed environment have the potential to improve plant growth and alleviate 2,4-DNT stress.

Hybrid materials are being developed to add organic functionalities to inorganic materials. Here, titanium dioxide is modified with organophosphonic acids (PAs). In several applications, the surface properties of the material play a key role in their performance (e.g. separation, sorption, catalysis). Hence, the surface properties of these materials need to be specifically adjusted to meet the requirements of each application (e.g. in membrane separation or chromatography). As the synthesis conditions have an important influence on the obtained surface properties, it is necessary to understand the impact and differences introduced by altering synthesis conditions. Different solvents are being applied for modification, but a comparative study of the impact of this change in environments is missing in literature. Therefore, our aim is to study the impact of concentration, temperature and pH in water and toluene on the properties of TiO2 modified with propylphosphonic acid (3PA). By combining complementary techniques (DRIFT, TGA and P-31/CP MAS NMR), clear differences induced by the solvent can be found. Moreover, in toluene a lower concentration of 3PA is required to obtain closed packed monolayers than in water. Furthermore, both solvent and concentration are influencing the modification degree and binding type formed on the surface. Moreover, only in water, next to the concentration, also the temperature and pH have a strong impact on the binding type of 3PA. A clear difference in thermal stability of 70 degrees C was found between both binding types. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. ; The FWO (Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek) is gratefully acknowledged for the financial support granted in project GO12712N. Thanks a lot to Walter Dorinee and Gert Nuyts for the SEM EDX measurements. The Quanta 250 FEG microscope at the University of Antwerp was funded by the Hercules foundation of the Flemish Government.

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) are being handled in various types of companies. Currently the European Commission is recasting the basic safety standards (BSS). The new BSS contains a broad list of NORM industries and requires the determinations of the activity concentration of the used NORM. The new BSS also contains an indicative list of types of building materials considered for control measures with regard to their emitted gamma radiation. In order to prepare the non-nuclear industry for the arrival of the new European legislation the XIOS Hogeschool Limburg has started up three NORM projects supported by EFRO (40 %) and the ministry of the Flemish community (45 %): (1) In the recently completed NuTeC NORM project (Dec 2008 – Dec 2010) a database of the NORM traffic that passes through the port of Antwerp was constructed. Though measurements in the port of Antwerp and case studies at NORM processing companies a new user-friendly method for the determination of the activity concentration was developed. By means of training on the job and practical workshops workers at several companies were assisted in working with NORM. (2) By means of the B-NORM project (Dec 2010 - Dec 2011), NuTeC is preparing the Flemish building sector for the arrival of the new European Regulations. (3) In close collaboration with the European ALARA Network for NORM (EAN-NORM), NuTeC is organizing the 4th EAN-NORM workshop that will take place at Hasselt (Nov 29th – Dec 1st 2011). The 4th EAN-NORM workshop will focus on transportation of NORM, NORM Measurements and strategies and building materials. More information regarding the workshop can be found at: http://www.ean-norm.net/. The organisation of this workshop is a part of the EUR-NORM project (dec 2010 – dec 2011) in which NuTeC will also perform several prospection's at European companies and organisations. The projects and experiences acquired throughout the projects are implemented in the education and research of the XIOS and the UHasselt and open up new master and PhD topics. Next to topics directly related to the NORM projects also topics related to the treatment of NORM contaminated waste are being explored. ; EFRO, the ministry of the Flemish community (Hermes) and LRM

Military activities have worldwide introduced toxic explosives into the environment with considerable effects on soil and plant-associated microbiota. Fortunately, these microorganisms, and their collective metabolic activities, can be harnessed for site restoration via in situ phytoremediation. We characterized the bacterial communities inhabiting the bulk soil and rhizosphere of sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) in two chronically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) polluted soils. Three hundred strains were isolated, purified and characterized, a majority of which showed multiple plant growth promoting (PGP) traits. Several isolates showed high nitroreductase enzyme activity and concurrent TNT-transformation. A 12-member bacterial consortium, comprising selected TNT-detoxifying and rhizobacterial strains, significantly enhanced TNT removal from soil compared to non-inoculated plants, increased root and shoot weight, and the plants were less stressed than the un-inoculated plants as estimated by the responses of antioxidative enzymes. The sycamore maple tree (SYCAM) culture collection is a significant resource of plant-associated strains with multiple PGP and catalytic properties, available for further genetic and phenotypic discovery and use in field applications.

Remarkably well-preserved soft tissues in Mesozoic fossils have yielded substantial insights into the evolution of feathers(1). New evidence of branched feathers in pterosaurs suggests that feathers originated in the avemetatarsalian ancestor of pterosaurs and dinosaurs in the Early Triassic(2), but the homology of these pterosaur structures with feathers is controversial(3,4). Reports of pterosaur feathers with homogeneous ovoid melanosome geometries(2,5) suggest that they exhibited limited variation in colour, supporting hypotheses that early feathers functioned primarily in thermoregulation(6). Here we report the presence of diverse melanosome geometries in the skin and simple and branched feathers of a tapejarid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous found in Brazil. The melanosomes form distinct populations in different feather types and the skin, a feature previously known only in theropod dinosaurs, including birds. These tissue-specific melanosome geometries in pterosaurs indicate that manipulation of feather colour-and thus functions of feathers in visual communication-has deep evolutionary origins. These features show that genetic regulation of melanosome chemistry and shape(7-9) was active early in feather evolution. ; This work was funded by a Fonds National pour la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S.-FNRS) FRIA grant (F3/5/5-MCF/ROI/BC-2319784), an Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship (GOIPD/2018/768) awarded to A.C. and an ERC Starting Grant H2020-2014-StG-637691-ANICOLEVO and an ERC Consolidator Grant H2020-2020-CoG-101003293-PALAEOCHEM awarded to M.N. We thank M. Benton for providing the original data and code used in the phylogenetic reconstruction2, Z. Yang for providing raw melanosome measurements used to compare melanosome geometry in pterosaurs and J. Cillis for assistance with SEM. MCT.R.1884 was photographed by T. Hubin (RBINS).