Hasil untuk "math-ph"

J. Zhai, J. Zhai, J. Zhai et al.

<p>Aerosol acidity plays a crucial role in multiphase atmospheric chemistry, influencing aerosol composition, gas-particle partitioning, and the oxidative capacity of atmosphere. However, the mechanisms governing aerosol acidity in coastal areas under extreme weather remains challenging due to the complexity of atmospheric transport. Here, we investigate aerosol pH in Shenzhen, a coastal megacity in China, by integrating field observations with multiphase buffer theory and ISORROPIA simulations. Our observations captured both a typhoon episode and typical non-typhoon periods with two contrasting regimes: during non-typhoon periods, aerosols were consistently buffered by the <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow class="chem"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">NH</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">4</mn><mo>+</mo></msubsup><mo>/</mo><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">NH</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="50pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="c15d8a97c09fdbd515e474ed6a4d529e"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-26-623-2026-ie00001.svg" width="50pt" height="15pt" src="acp-26-623-2026-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> pair, with relative humidity serving as the primary driver of pH variability, enabling reliable predictions using multiphase buffer theory. In contrast, during a typhoon episode, nonvolatile cations derived from sea salts emerged as the dominant drivers, violating the charge balance for <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow class="chem"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">NH</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">4</mn><mo>+</mo></msubsup><mo>/</mo><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">NH</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="50pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="b2a2415879fe27eec0a40dd7b0707630"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-26-623-2026-ie00002.svg" width="50pt" height="15pt" src="acp-26-623-2026-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> buffering and leading to poor performance of buffer theory. ISORROPIA simulations under the assumption of constant aerosol water content reproduced the observed pH more reliably, highlighting a compositional rather than meteorological control. Our results provide direct field-based evidence for regime shifts in aerosol acidity regulation in coastal regions and underscore the need for chemical transport models to account for composition-meteorology interactions to improve acidity predictions under extreme weather events.</p>

Qi Zhang, Biao Wu

We analyze the power of the recently proposed Lorentz quantum computer (LQC), a theoretical model leveraging hyperbolic bits (hybits) governed by complex Lorentz transformations. We define the complexity class BLQP (bounded-error Lorentz quantum polynomial-time) and demonstrate its equivalence to the complexity class <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">P</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>♯</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">P</mi></mrow></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the class of problems solvable by a deterministic polynomial-time Turing machine with access to a <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mo>♯</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">P</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> oracle). LQC algorithms are shown to solve NP-hard problems, such as the maximum independent set (MIS), in polynomial time, thereby placing NP and co-NP within BLQP. Furthermore, we establish that LQC can efficiently simulate quantum computing with postselection (PostBQP), while the reverse is not possible, highlighting LQC’s unique “super-postselection” capability. By proving BLQP <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mo>=</mo><msup><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">P</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>♯</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">P</mi></mrow></msup></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, we situate the entire polynomial hierarchy (PH) within BLQP and reveal profound connections between computational complexity and physical frameworks like Lorentz quantum mechanics. These results underscore LQC’s theoretical superiority over conventional quantum computing models and its potential to redefine boundaries in complexity theory.

Norman Pfeiffer, Martin Bach, Alice Steiner et al.

The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a measurement method for characterizing bio-recognition events of a sensor, such as field-effect transistor-based biosensors (BioFETs). Due to the lack of portable impedance spectroscopes, EIS applies mainly in laboratories preventing application-oriented use in the field. This work presents a portable impedance analyzer (PIA) providing a 4-channel EIS of BioFETs. It performs the analysis of the recorded spectra by determining the charge transfer resistance <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mi>ct</mi></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> with a power-saving algorithm. Therefore, a circle is fitted into the Nyquist representation of the Randles circuit, from whose zero crossings <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mi>ct</mi></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> can be determined. The introduced algorithm was evaluated on 100 simulated spectra of Randles circuits. To analyze the overall system, an adjustable reference circuit was developed that simulates configurable Randles circuits. Additional measurements with pH-sensitive ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs) demonstrate the application of the measurement system with electrochemical sensors. Using simulated spectra, the circular fitting is able to detect <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mi>ct</mi></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> with a median accuracy of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>1.2</mn><mo>%</mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> at an average nominal power of 40 mW and 3054 µs computing time. The PIA with the embedded implementation of the circuit fitting achieves a median error for R_ct of 4.2% using the introduced Randles circuit simulator (RCS). Measurements with ISFETs show deviations of 6.5 ± 2.8% compared to the complex non-linear least squares (CNLS), but is significantly faster and more efficient. The presented system allows a portable, power-saving performance of EIS. Future optimizations for a specific applications can improve the presented system and enable novel low-power and automated measurements of biosensors outside the laboratory.

Mathala Juliet Gupta, C. Igathinathane, Jyoti Nishad et al.

Cashew apples, a byproduct of the cashew nut industry with an estimated global production of 38 million tonnes, are rich in several essential nutrients and are widely processed into juice, syrup, wine, pickles, and other value-added products. However, their morphological and physicochemical properties vary significantly across varieties, complicating in-field characterization, maturity assessment, and biochemical analysis. These challenges originate from the reliance on costly chemicals, skilled manpower, limited time, and sophisticated equipment. This study employed a user-developed computer vision-based ImageJ 1.x batch processing plugin to assess 15 physicochemical properties across six diverse cashew apple varieties from the images of slices and whole samples. Five methodologies—color grid, surface morphology, gray level co-occurrence matrix, local binary pattern, and color indices—generated image-based metrics rapidly (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>2.87</mn><mo>±</mo><mn>0.79</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> s/image). The correlation of wet chemistry with image-based parameters, linear modeling, and wet chemistry parameters prediction with an independent dataset were successfully performed, and the successfully modeled properties include acidity, antioxidants, carbohydrates, carotenoids, crude fat, flavonoids, pH, phenolics, proteins, tannins, vitamin C, and total soluble solids. The results demonstrated the feasibility of predicting 11 out of 15 physicochemical properties of cashew apples (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>R</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>></mo><mn>0.5</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>). This methodology offers a faster, safer, and cost-effective alternative to wet chemistry and can be extended to other horticultural crops.

Maria Eckardt, Christina Surulescu

AbstractStarting from a mesoscopic description of cell migration and intraspecific interactions, we obtain by upscaling an effective reaction–diffusion–taxis equation for the cell population density involving spatial nonlocalities in the source term and biasing its motility and growth behavior according to environmental acidity. We prove global existence, uniqueness, and boundedness of a nonnegative solution to a simplified version of the coupled system describing cell and acidity dynamics. A 1D study of pattern formation is performed. Numerical simulations illustrate the qualitative behavior of solutions.

Yurav Singh, Tom Walingo

Traditional laboratory-based water quality monitoring and testing approaches are soon to be outdated, mainly because of the need for real-time feedback and immediate responses to emergencies. The more recent wireless sensor network (WSN)-based techniques are evolving to alleviate the problems of monitoring, coverage, and energy management, among others. The inclusion of the Internet of Things (IoT) in WSN techniques can further lead to their improvement in delivering, in real time, effective and efficient water-monitoring systems, reaping from the benefits of IoT wireless systems. However, they still suffer from the inability to deliver accurate real-time data, a lack of reconfigurability, the need to be deployed in ad hoc harsh environments, and their limited acceptability within industry. Electronic sensors are required for them to be effectively incorporated into the IoT WSN water-quality-monitoring system. Very few electronic sensors exist for parameter measurement. This necessitates the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) sensory techniques for smart water-quality-monitoring systems for indicators without actual electronic sensors by relating with available sensor data. This approach is in its infancy and is still not yet accepted nor standardized by the industry. This work presents a smart water-quality-monitoring framework featuring an intelligent IoT WSN monitoring system. The system uses AI sensors for indicators without electronic sensors, as the design of electronic sensors is lagging behind monitoring systems. In particular, machine learning algorithms are used to predict <i>E. coli</i> concentrations in water. Six different machine learning models (ridge regression, random forest regressor, stochastic gradient boosting, support vector machine, k-nearest neighbors, and AdaBoost regressor) are used on a sourced dataset. From the results, the best-performing model on average during testing was the AdaBoost regressor (a <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mover accent="true"><mrow><mi>M</mi><mi>A</mi><mi>E</mi></mrow><mo>¯</mo></mover></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> of 14.37 counts/100 mL), and the worst-performing model was stochastic gradient boosting (a <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mover accent="true"><mrow><mi>M</mi><mi>A</mi><mi>E</mi></mrow><mo>¯</mo></mover></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> of 42.27 counts/100 mL). The development and application of such a system is not trivial. The best-performing water parameter set (Set A) contained pH, conductivity, chloride, turbidity, nitrates, and chlorophyll.

Camilo Andrés Guerrero-Martin, Angie Natalia Rojas-Sanchez, David Fernando Cruz-Pinzón et al.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an important step in waste recovery. In Colombia, the production of citrus food significantly contributes to environmental impact via waste generation. In 2021, the waste produced, specifically citrus rind, amounted to 725,035 tons/year. During degradation, wastes generate leachate and greenhouse gases (GHGs), which negatively impact water sources (leachate), soil, and human and animal health. This article describes the design of a two-phase biodigestion system for the degradation of organic matter and biogas production. The system uses citrus waste to produce biogas with neutral emissions. The biodigestion process begins with the stabilization of the methanogenesis reactor (UASB), which takes approximately 19 days. During this period, the biogas produced contains approximately 60% methane by volume. Subsequently, the packed bed reactor operates for 7 days, where hydrolytic and acetogenic bacteria decompose the citrus waste, leading to the production and accumulation of volatile fatty acids. The final step involves combining the two phases for 5 days, resulting in a daily biogas production ranging from 700 to 1100 mL. Of this biogas, 54.90% is methane (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">C</mi><msub><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>4</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) with a yield of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.51</mn><mo> </mo><mi mathvariant="normal">L</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">C</mi><msub><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>4</mn></mrow></msub><msup><mrow><mfenced separators="|"><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">g</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">S</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">V</mi></mrow></mfenced></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>. This study assesses the methane production capacity of citrus waste, with the process benefiting from the pH value of the leachate, enhancing its degradability. Consequently, this approach leads to a notable 27.30% reduction in solids within the digestion system. The two-phase anaerobic biodigestion system described in this article demonstrates a promising method to mitigate the environmental impact of citrus waste while concurrently producing a renewable source of energy.

Nuno Jorge, Ana R. Teixeira, Sérgio Silva et al.

The winery industry generates large volumes of wastewater which can be toxic if released to the environment without proper treatment. The aim of this work was to treat two winery wastewaters (from red and white wine production) using Fenton-based processes. With the application of the best operational conditions, namely, pH = 3.0, [ferrocene] = [FeSO₄•7H₂O] = 0.50 g/L, [H₂O₂] = 155 mM, temperature = 298 K, and radiation UV (254 nm), to the treatment of a red WW, a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of 98.9 and 84.5% for the homogeneous and heterogeneous photo-Fenton processes, respectively, was achieved. The same conditions were applied in the treatment of a white WW and a 98.9 and 84.5% COD removal was achieved. Based on the results, it can be deduced that homogeneous and heterogeneous Fenton-based processes are effective in organic carbon removal, UV-C radiation is essential in hydroxyl radical (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>HO</mi></mrow><mrow><mtext>•</mtext></mrow></msup></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) generation, and the multiple addition of H₂O₂ reduces <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>HO</mi></mrow><mrow><mtext>•</mtext></mrow></msup></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> scavenging. Finally, it is concluded that both the homogeneous and heterogeneous photo-Fenton processes are effective for red and white WW treatment.

Kathleen Pele, Jean Baccou, Loïc Daridon et al.

This paper is devoted to the construction of a new fast-to-evaluate model for the prediction of 2D crack paths in concrete-like microstructures. The model generates piecewise linear cracks paths with segmentation points selected using a Markov chain model. The Markov chain kernel involves local indicators of mechanical interest and its parameters are learnt from numerical full-field 2D simulations of cracking using a cohesive-volumetric finite element solver called XPER. This model does not include any mechanical elements. It is the database, derived from the XPER crack, that contains the mechanical information and optimizes the probabilistic model. The resulting model exhibits a drastic improvement of CPU time in comparison to simulations from XPER.

Johan J. Estrada-López, Javier Vázquez-Castillo, Andrea Castillo-Atoche et al.

Intelligent sensing systems based on the edge-computing paradigm are essential for the implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) and Agriculture 4.0 applications. The development of edge-computing wireless sensing systems is required to improve the sensor’s accuracy in soil and data interpretation. Therefore, measuring and processing data at the edge, rather than sending it back to a data center or the cloud, is still an important issue in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The challenge under this paradigm is to achieve a sustainable operation of the wireless sensing system powered with alternative renewable energy sources, such as plant microbial fuel cells (PMFCs). Consequently, the motivation of this study is to develop a sustainable forage-grass-power fuel cell solution to power an IoT Long-Range (LoRa) network for soil monitoring. The <i>stenotaphrum secundatum</i> grass plant is used as a microbial fuel cell proof of concept, implemented in a 0.015 m<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow></mrow><mn>3</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula>-chamber with carbon plates as electrodes. The BQ25570 integrated circuit is employed to harvest the energy in a 4 F supercapacitor, which achieves a maximum generation capacity of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>1.8</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> mW. The low-cost pH SEN0169 and the SHT10 temperature and humidity sensors are deployed to analyze the soil parameters. Following the edge-computing paradigm, the inverse problem methodology fused with a system identification solution is conducted, correcting the sensor errors due to non-linear hysteresis responses. An energy power management strategy is also programmed in the MSP430FR5994 microcontroller unit, achieving average power consumption of 1.51 mW, ∼19% less than the energy generated by the forage-grass-power fuel cell. Experimental results also demonstrate the energy sustainability capacity achieving a total of 18 consecutive transmissions with the LoRa network without the system’s shutting down.

M. Liaskoni, P. Huszar, L. Bartík et al.

<p>Wind-blown dust (WBD) emitted by the Earth’s surface due to sandblasting can potentially have important effects on both climate and human health via interaction with solar and thermal radiation, reducing air quality. Apart from the main dust “centres” around the world, like deserts, dust can be emitted from partly vegetated mid- and high-latitude areas like Europe if certain conditions are suitable (strong winds, bare soil, reduced soil moisture, etc.). Using a wind-blown dust model (WBDUST) along with a chemical transport model (Comprehensive Air-quality model with Extensions, CAMx) coupled to a regional climate model (Weather Research and Forecasting, WRF), this study is one of the first to provide a model-based estimate of such emissions over Europe as well as the long-term impact of WBD emissions on the total particulate matter (PM) concentrations for the 2007–2016 period.</p> <p>We estimated average WBD emissions of about 0.5 and 1.5 <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow class="unit"><mi mathvariant="normal">Mg</mi><mspace linebreak="nobreak" width="0.125em"/><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">yr</mi><mrow><mo>-</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">1</mn></mrow></msup><mspace linebreak="nobreak" width="0.125em"/><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">km</mi><mrow><mo>-</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="64pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="95778ba531c6ce95e24c1544fc861932"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-3629-2023-ie00001.svg" width="64pt" height="15pt" src="acp-23-3629-2023-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> in fine and coarse modes. Maximum emissions occur over Germany, where the average seasonal fine- and coarse-mode emission flux can reach 0.5 and 1 <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow class="unit"><mi mathvariant="normal">g</mi><mspace linebreak="nobreak" width="0.125em"/><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">s</mi><mrow><mo>-</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">1</mn></mrow></msup><mspace width="0.125em" linebreak="nobreak"/><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">km</mi><mrow><mo>-</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="7f5ee0fba2a98ea2607a52713ad017e5"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-3629-2023-ie00002.svg" width="52pt" height="15pt" src="acp-23-3629-2023-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>, respectively. Large variability is seen in the averaged daily emissions with values of up to 2 <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow class="unit"><mi mathvariant="normal">g</mi><mspace width="0.125em" linebreak="nobreak"/><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">s</mi><mrow><mo>-</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">1</mn></mrow></msup><mspace linebreak="nobreak" width="0.125em"/><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">km</mi><mrow><mo>-</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52pt" height="15pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="e72243dbb1e801eed55d100d0010dd20"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-23-3629-2023-ie00003.svg" width="52pt" height="15pt" src="acp-23-3629-2023-ie00003.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> for the coarse-mode aerosol on selected days.</p> <p>The WBD emissions increased the modelled winter PM<span class="inline-formula">_2.5</span> and PM<span class="inline-formula">₁₀</span> concentrations by up to 10 and 20 <span class="inline-formula">µg m⁻³</span>, respectively, especially over Germany, where the highest emissions occur. The impact on other seasons is lower. Much higher impacts are modelled, however, on selected days when occasionally the urban PM<span class="inline-formula">_2.5</span> and PM<span class="inline-formula">₁₀</span> concentrations are increased by more than 50 and 100 <span class="inline-formula">µg m⁻³</span>. The comparison with measurements revealed that if WBD is considered, the summer biases are reduced; however, the winter PM is overestimated even more greatly (so the bias increases). We identified a strong overestimation of the modelled wind speed (the maximum daily wind is almost 2 times higher in WRF than the measured ones) suggesting that WBD emissions are also overestimated – hence the enhanced winter PM biases.</p> <p>Moreover, we investigated the secondary impacts of the crustal composition of fine WBD particles on secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA): sulfates (PSO<span class="inline-formula">₄</span>), nitrates (PNO<span class="inline-formula">₃</span>) and ammonium (PNH<span class="inline-formula">₄</span>). Because the water pH value, and thus the uptake of the gaseous precursors of SIA, is perturbed and because the increased aerosol surface serves as an oxidation site, we modelled seasonal PSO<span class="inline-formula">₄</span> and PNO<span class="inline-formula">₃</span> concentrations increased by up to 0.1 <span class="inline-formula">µg m⁻³</span> and PNH<span class="inline-formula">₄</span> ones decreased by up to <span class="inline-formula">−0.05</span> <span class="inline-formula">µg m⁻³</span>, especially during winter. In terms of average daily impact, these numbers can, however, reach much larger values of up to 1–2 <span class="inline-formula">µg m⁻³</span> for sulfates and nitrates, while the decrease in ammonium due to WBD can reach <span class="inline-formula">−1</span> <span class="inline-formula">µg m⁻³</span> on selected days. The sensitivity test on the choice of the inorganic equilibrium model (ISORROPIA vs. EQuilibrium Simplified Aerosol Model V4, EQSAM) showed that if EQSAM is used, the impact on SIA is slightly stronger (by a few 10 %) due to larger number of cations considered for water pH in EQSAM.</p> <p>Our results have to be regarded as a first estimate of the long-term WBD emissions and the related effects on PM over Europe. Due to the strong positive wind bias and hence strong WBD emissions, we should consider<span id="page3630"/> these results as an upper bound. More sensitivity studies involving the impact of the driving meteorological fields, WBD model choice and the input data used to describe the land surface need to be carried out in future to better constrain these emissions.</p>

Josiane D. Costa, Arthur F. Almeida, Renato A. C. Santana et al.

The effect of current density and bath temperature in the electroplating process on resistance to corrosion of Zn-Ni alloys was evaluated in this work. The electrolytic bath consisted of nickel sulfate, zinc sulfate, sodium sulfate, boric acid, and sodium citrate at pH 7.0. The current density was varied in the range 20–80 mA/cm² and the bath temperature in the range 30–60 °C. Increasing, independently, the current density or the bath temperature increased the nickel content in the obtained alloy, which affected the alloy microstructure, with a predominant γ phase and cauliflower-like morphology. The nickel content in the alloys was in the range 20–42%wt. A synergistic effect between the current density and bath temperature was observed from a design of experiments and response surface models. The maximum resistance to corrosion occurred for the alloy containing 42%wt. nickel. This alloy was obtained at upper levels of current density and bath temperature, presenting a corrosion potential of −0.789 V and polarization resistance of 4136 <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi mathvariant="sans-serif">Ω</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>.cm².

H. Yin, J. Dou, L. Klein et al.

<p>Iodine and carbonate species are important components in marine and dust aerosols, respectively. The non-ideal interactions between these species and other inorganic and organic compounds within aqueous particle phases affect hygroscopicity, acidity, and gas–particle partitioning of semivolatile components. In this work, we present an extended version of the Aerosol Inorganic–Organic Mixtures Functional groups Activity Coefficients (AIOMFAC) model by incorporating the ions <span class="inline-formula">I⁻</span>, <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow class="chem"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">IO</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="f65f4e887cabea2ebafb5f7dab0ec269"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-973-2022-ie00001.svg" width="20pt" height="16pt" src="acp-22-973-2022-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>, <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow class="chem"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">HCO</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="33pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="9e43ca72024f369b556f82b69154cc14"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-973-2022-ie00002.svg" width="33pt" height="16pt" src="acp-22-973-2022-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>, <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow class="chem"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">CO</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mrow><mn mathvariant="normal">2</mn><mo>-</mo></mrow></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="30pt" height="17pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="708cc15e926e2e8b80b13fc009ea14ba"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-973-2022-ie00003.svg" width="30pt" height="17pt" src="acp-22-973-2022-ie00003.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>, <span class="inline-formula">OH⁻</span>, and <span class="inline-formula">CO_2(aq)</span> as new species. First, AIOMFAC ion interaction parameters for aqueous solutions were determined based on available thermodynamic data, such as water activity, mean molal activity coefficients, solubility, and vapor–liquid equilibrium measurements. Second, the interaction parameters for the new ions and various organic functional groups were optimized based on experimental data or, where data are scarce, alternative estimation methods such as multiple linear regression or a simple substitution by analogy approach. Additional bulk water activity and electrodynamic balance measurements were carried out to augment the database for the AIOMFAC parameter fit. While not optimal, we show that the use of alternative parameter estimation methods enables physically sound predictions and offers the benefit of a more broadly applicable model. Our implementation of the aqueous carbonate–bicarbonate–<span class="inline-formula">CO_2(aq)</span> system accounts for the associated temperature-dependent dissociation equilibria explicitly and enables closed- or open-system computations with respect to carbon dioxide equilibration with the gas phase. We discuss different numerical approaches for solving the coupled equilibrium conditions and highlight critical considerations when extremely acidic or basic mixtures are encountered.</p> <p>The fitted AIOMFAC model performance for inorganic aqueous systems is considered excellent over the whole range of mixture compositions where reference data are available. Moreover, the model provides physically meaningful predictions of water activity under highly concentrated conditions. For organic–inorganic mixtures involving new species, the model–measurement agreement is found to be good in most cases, especially at equilibrium relative humidities above <span class="inline-formula">∼</span> 70 %; reasons for deviations are discussed. Several applications of the extended model are shown and discussed, including the effects of ignoring the auto-dissociation of water in carbonate systems, the effects of mixing bisulfate and bicarbonate compounds in closed- or open-system scenarios on pH and solution speciation, and the prediction of critical cloud condensation nucleus activation of <span class="inline-formula">NaI</span> or <span class="inline-formula">Na₂CO₃</span> particles mixed with suberic acid.</p>

Yaqin Song, Ying Zeng, Ting Jiang et al.

Ciprofloxacin (CIP), an important emerging contaminant, has been frequently detected in water, and its efficient removal has become an issue of great concern. In this study, a nanocomposite material nZVI/PA was synthesized by impregnating nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) inside a millimeter-sized porous host (polystyrene-based anion exchange resin (PA)) for CIP removal. The nZVI/PA composite was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and it was confirmed that nZVI was uniformly dispersed in PA with a small particle size. Furthermore, several key factors were investigated including initial solution pH, initial CIP concentration, co-existing ions, organic ligands, and dissolved oxygen. The experimental results indicated that the nZVI/PA composites exhibited a high removal efficiency for CIP under the conditions of initial pH 5.0, and initial CIP concentration 50 mg L⁻¹ at 25 °C, with the maximum removal rate of CIP reaching 98.5%. Moreover, the nZVI/PA composites exhibited high efficiency even after five cycles. Furthermore, quenching tests and electron spin resonance (ESR) confirmed that CIP degradation was attributed to hydroxyl (·OH) and superoxide radicals (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mo>⋅</mo><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">O</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>−</mo></msubsup></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>). Finally, the main degradation products of CIP were analyzed, and degradation pathways including the hydroxylation of the quinolone ring, the cleavage of the piperazine ring, and defluorination were proposed. These results are valuable for evaluating the practical application of nZVI/PA composites for the removal of CIP and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

Matthieu Hamel

Radiological detection where Cherenkov residual background can be prominent requires scintillators with increased emission wavelength. Cherenkov residual background precludes the use of UV-emitting sensors such as plastic scintillators. However, the literature is scarce in red-emitting plastic scintillators and only one commercial scintillator is currently available (BC-430, from Saint-Gobain Crystals and Detectors). In addition, X-ray imaging or time-of-flight positron emission tomography (ToF-PET) applications are also demanding on this type (color) of scintillators, but such applications also require that the material displays a fast response, which is not particularly the case for BC-430. We present herein our latest developments in the preparation and characterization of fast and red plastic scintillators for this application. Here, ‘fast’ means nanosecond range decay time and ‘red’ is an emission wavelength shifted towards more than 550 nm. At first, the strategy to the preparation of such material is explained by decomposing the scintillator to fundamental elements. Each stage is then optimized in terms of decay time response, then the elemental bricks are arranged to give plastic scintillator formulations that are compatible with the abovementioned characteristics. The results are compared with the red-emissive BC-430 commercial plastic, and the ultra-fast, violet-emitting BC-422Q 1% plastic. In particular, the first-time use of <i>trans</i>-4-dimethylamino-4′-nitrostilbene in the scintillation field as a red wavelength shifter allowed preparing plastic scintillators with the following properties: <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msubsup><mi mathvariant="sans-serif">λ</mi><mrow><mi>em</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>max</mi></mrow></msubsup></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> 554 nm, photoluminescence decay time 4.2 ns, and light output ≈ 6100 ph/MeV. This means a scintillator almost as bright as BC-430 but at least three times faster. This new sensor might provide useful properties for nuclear instrumentation.

Katarzyna Grabowska, Janusz Grabowski, Marek Kuś et al.

We consider some natural (functorial) lifts of geometric objects associated with statistical manifolds (metric tensor, dual connections, skewness tensor, etc.) to higher tangent bundles. It turns out that the lifted objects form again a statistical manifold structure, this time on the higher tangent bundles, with the only difference that the metric tensor is pseudo-Riemannian. What is more, natural lifts of potentials (called also divergence or contrast functions) turn out to be again potentials, this time for the lifted statistical structures. We propose an analogous procedure for lifting statistical structures on Lie algebroids and lifting contrast functions which are defined on Lie groupoids. In particular, we study in detail Lie groupoid structures of higher tangent bundles of Lie groupoids. Our geometric constructions of lifts are illustrated by explicit examples, including some important statistical models and potential functions on Lie groupoids.

Ignatius Leopoldus van Rooyen, Hendrik Gideon Brink, Willie Nicol

Aquatic nitrogen pollution is one of the most urgent environmental issues requiring prevention and mitigation. Large quantities of high-ammonium wastewaters are generated by several industrial sectors, such as fertilizer and anaerobic-digestion plants. Nitrification of these wastewaters is commonly carried out, either to remove nitrogen or produce liquid fertilizers. Standard control methodologies for the efficient nitrification of high-ammonium wastewaters to produce liquid fertilizers have not yet been established and are still within their early stages of development. In this paper, novel pH-based control algorithms are presented that maintain operation at the microbial maximum reaction rate (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>υ</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) in batch and continuous reactors. Complete conversion of ammonium to nitrate was achieved in a batch setup, and a conversion of 93% (±1%) was achieved in a continuously-stirred-tank-reactor. The unparalleled performance and affordability of the control schemes proposed offer a steppingstone to the future of sustainable fertilizer production.

T. Sanders, T. Sanders, J. Thomsen et al.

<p>The Baltic Sea has a salinity gradient decreasing from fully marine (<span class="inline-formula">&gt;</span> 25) in the west to below 7 in the central Baltic Proper. Habitat-forming and ecologically dominant mytilid mussels exhibit decreasing growth when salinity <span class="inline-formula">&lt;</span> 11; however, the mechanisms underlying reduced calcification rates in dilute seawater are not fully understood. Both [HCO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="0aaab3ee324d7a9ba8e4b96f67d8036e"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="bg-18-2573-2021-ie00001.svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" src="bg-18-2573-2021-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>] and [Ca<span class="inline-formula">²⁺</span>] also decrease with salinity, challenging calcifying organisms through CaCO<span class="inline-formula">₃</span> undersaturation (<span class="inline-formula">Ω≤1</span>) and unfavourable ratios of calcification substrates ([Ca<span class="inline-formula">²⁺</span>] and [HCO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M8" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="7de8959157e6c258409d4c11688ca166"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="bg-18-2573-2021-ie00002.svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" src="bg-18-2573-2021-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>]) to the inhibitor (H<span class="inline-formula">⁺</span>), expressed as the extended substrate–inhibitor ratio (ESIR). This study combined in situ monitoring of three southwest Baltic mussel reefs with two laboratory experiments to assess how various environmental conditions and isolated abiotic factors (salinity, [Ca<span class="inline-formula">²⁺</span>], [HCO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M11" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="fa1148a5a7ab62133104fb46bf612014"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="bg-18-2573-2021-ie00003.svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" src="bg-18-2573-2021-ie00003.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>] and pH) impact calcification in mytilid mussels along the Baltic salinity gradient. Laboratory experiments rearing juvenile Baltic <i>Mytilus</i> at a range of salinities (6, 11 and 16), HCO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M12" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="ee54bb0fff66afdafaf51bed1fde360d"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="bg-18-2573-2021-ie00004.svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" src="bg-18-2573-2021-ie00004.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> concentrations (300–2100 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>mol kg<span class="inline-formula">⁻¹</span>) and Ca<span class="inline-formula">²⁺</span> concentrations (0.5–4 mmol kg<span class="inline-formula">⁻¹</span>) reveal that as individual factors, low [HCO<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M17" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msubsup><mi/><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="5a2143864edd3f7cf8f1639018917994"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="bg-18-2573-2021-ie00005.svg" width="9pt" height="16pt" src="bg-18-2573-2021-ie00005.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>], pH and salinity cannot explain low calcification rates in the Baltic Sea. Calcification rates are impeded when <span class="inline-formula">Ω_aragonite</span> <span class="inline-formula">≤</span> 1 or ESIR <span class="inline-formula">≤</span> 0.7 primarily due to [Ca<span class="inline-formula">²⁺</span>] limitation which becomes relevant at a salinity of ca. 11 in the Baltic Sea. Field monitoring of carbonate chemistry and calcification rates suggest increased food availability may be able to mask the negative impacts of periodic sub-optimal carbonate chemistry, but not when seawater conditions are permanently adverse, as observed in two Baltic reefs at salinities <span class="inline-formula">&lt;</span> 11. Regional climate models predict a rapid desalination of the southwest and central Baltic over the next century and potentially a reduction in [Ca<span class="inline-formula">²⁺</span>] which may shift the distribution of marine calcifiers westward. It is therefore vital to understand the mechanisms by which the ionic composition of seawater impacts bivalve calcification for better predicting the future of benthic Baltic ecosystems.</p>

Jessica Nover, Renate Zapf-Gottwick, Carolin Feifel et al.

This study identifies unstable and soluble layers in commercial photovoltaic modules during 1.5 year long-term leaching. Our experiments cover modules from all major photovoltaic technologies containing solar cells from crystalline silicon (c-Si), amorphous silicon (a-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), and copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS). These technologies cover more than 99.9% of the world market. We cut out module pieces of 5 × 5 cm<inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> in size from these modules and leached them in water-based solutions with pH 4, pH 7, and pH 11, in order to simulate different environmental conditions. Unstable layers open penetration paths for water-based solutions; finally, the leaching results in delamination. In CdTe containing module pieces, the CdTe itself and the back contact are unstable and highly soluble. In CIGS containing module pieces, all of the module layers are more or less soluble. In the case of c-Si module pieces, the cells’ aluminum back contact is unstable. Module pieces from a-Si technology also show a soluble back contact. Long-term leaching leads to delamination in all kinds of module pieces; delamination depends strongly on the pH value of the solutions. For low pH-values, the time dependent leaching is well described by an exponential saturation behavior and a leaching time constant. The time constant depends on the pH, as well as on accelerating conditions such as increased temperature and/or agitation. Our long-term experiments clearly demonstrate that it is possible to leach out all, or at least a large amount, of the (toxic) elements from the photovoltaic modules. It is therefore not sufficient to carry out experiments just over 24 h and to conclude on the stability and environmental impact of photovoltaic modules.

Daniel Żmudziński, Urszula Goik, Paweł Ptaszek

A protein isolate (85.5%) was obtained from the <i>Vicia faba</i> L. seeds. The main protein fraction, typical for the seeds of this plant, was found to be most numerous: Legumin (35 kDa) and Vicilin (45 kDa). The hydrodynamic and surface properties of isolate aqueous solutions were studied with the help of dynamic light scattering, <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>ζ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>-potential, and tensometry in a wide range of concentrations and pH conditions. Selected functional properties, like foaming and emulsifying abilities, were studied. An increase of water solubility was shown with a raising pH, as well as a water holding capacity (WHC). The protein isolate showed a tendency to decrease the surface tension of water solutions, with high hydrophobicity and a negative charge of the isolate enhancing the foaming and emulsifying properties. The analysis of the concentration and the pH influence on selected functional properties indicated alkaline conditions as favorable for good foaming and emulsifying properties of the isolate and affected on their rheological properties.