1. Characterization of PM10 sources in a pre-alpine valley with traffic, biomass burning and industrial sourcesKristina Glojek, Thuy Vy Dinh Ngoc, Manousos Ioannis Manousakas, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Andre S. H. Prevot, Griša Močnik, 2024, published scientific conference contribution abstract Abstract: The contribution of traffic and wood burning to particulate matter (PM) across the Alps is widely recognized and studied (Herich et al., 2014 and references therein; Glojek et al., 2021). However, studies on valleys with cement production are scarce despite its large PM emissions and potential toxic properties (Kim et al., 2003; Rovira et al., 2018; Ervik et al., 2022; Weinbruch et al., 2023). In this study, we aim to identify and chemically characterize PM10 sources in a pre-alpine valley influenced by cement industry. A comprehensive SA study on the local and regional PM sources and their size-segregated elemental fraction will be presented.
PM10 was sampled daily on quartz filters from November 2020 to November 2021 and analyzed for a large array of chemical species. Equivalent black carbon (eBC) measurements were taken with the Aethalometer AE33. Hourly elemental PM10 and PM2.5 composition was measured in parallel with two Xact 625i from February until May 2021. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) was used to determine the sources of PM10 (off-line PMF) with 24-hour time resolution, and of the elemental fraction of PM (on-line PMF) with 1-hour time resolution for the overlapping time period.
A combination of the different PMF models with various instrument data resulted in improved SA in terms of number of identifies sources and their uncertainties. The off-line PMF resolved ten PM10 sources (Fig. 1, left), while the on-line elemental PM10 and the combined elemental PM2.5+coarse PMF recognized 6 and 7 factors, respectively (Fig. 1, right).
Due to large number of samples, we were able to separate between the sources with strong seasonality and sources featuring stability throughout the year. The study disclosed two rarely encountered factors, i.e., chloride-rich (chlorine-rich in case of on-line PMF) and cement dust. We associate these two factors to different processes in the cement plant. The high-resolution on-line PMF enabled us to distinguish between regional and local sources. Furthermore, the size-segregated on-line PMF provided more speciated sources (traffic separation into heavy-duty and light-duty vehicles).
The outputs of the study provide vital information about the influence of cement production on PM10 concentrations and OP in complex environments and are useful for PM control strategies and actions. Further work involves more detailed comparison of offline and online PMF factors and additional sampling and analysis of the samples around the cement industry. Keywords: positive matrix factorization, PM10 composition, metals, Xact, HVS digitel Published in RUNG: 24.01.2025; Views: 332; Downloads: 2
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2. Comparison of on- and off-line source apportionment with wood-burning, traffic and industrial sourcesKristina Glojek, Thuy Vy Dinh Ngoc, M. Manousakas, Sylvain Weber, Gaëlle Uzu, Rhabira Elazzouzi, Katja Džepina, Markus Furger, Sophie Darfeuil, Griša Močnik, 2024, published scientific conference contribution abstract Abstract: Recent studies show that combining data with different time resolutions results in more detailed and likely more accurate source apportionment (SA) (Hopke et al., 2020; Manousakas et al., 2022; Via et al., 2023). Despite the advantages, SA studies, combining 24-hour filters and highly time-resolved analyses, are limited. This research aims to compare on- and off-line SA results in a pre-Alpine valley with a variety of sources. A comprehensive SA study of the local and regional PM sources and their size-segregated elemental fraction will be presented.
PM10 was sampled daily on quartz filters from November 2020 to November 2021 and analyzed for a large array of chemical species. Equivalent black carbon (eBC) measurements were taken with the Aethalometer AE33. Hourly elemental PM10 and PM2.5 composition was measured in parallel with two Xact 625i from February until May 2021. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) was used to determine the sources of PM10 (off-line PMF) with 24-hour time resolution, and of the elemental fraction of PM (on-line PMF) with 1-hour time resolution for the overlapping time period. For off-line PMF, chemical species together with the source-specific eBC (Sandradewi et al., 2008) were used. For on-line PMF, two analyses were performed on the elemental composition: using PM10, and using a combination of PM2.5 and PMcoarse (PM10-PM2.5). The final off-line PM10 PMF results were compared to on-line elemental PM PMF and assessed accordingly.
A combination of the different PMF models with various instrument data resulted in improved SA in terms of the number of identified sources and their uncertainties. The off-line PMF resolved ten PM10 sources (Fig. 1, left), while the on-line elemental PM10 and the combined elemental PM2.5+coarse PMF recognized 6 and 7 factors, respectively (Fig. 1, right).
Due to large number of samples, we were able to separate between the sources with strong seasonality and sources featuring stability throughout the year. The study disclosed two rarely encountered factors, i.e., chloride-rich (chlorine-rich in case of on-line PMF) and cement dust. Introduction of source-specific eBC in the off-line PMF model resulted in more stable factor solutions.The high-resolution on-line PMF enabled us to distinguish between regional and local sources (see mineral dust factors). Furthermore, the size-segregated on-line PMF provided more speciated sources (traffic separation into heavy-duty and light-duty vehicles). A very good regression (R2 > 0.7, slopes = 0.05–0.35, p < 0.001) between the compared off-line PM10 and on-line elemental PM10 (daily averages) factors’ concentrations confirmed the adequacy of the SAs. Further work involves a direct comparison of fractions of the elements in the sources’ chemical profiles.
The study clearly shows the advantages and limitations of the different PMF models. A combined use of various SA approaches appears to be a promising way towards a comprehensive analysis of the PM sources in complex environments. Keywords: positive matrix factorization, PM10 composition, metals, Xact, HVS digitel Published in RUNG: 24.01.2025; Views: 320; Downloads: 7
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3. Comparison of offline and online measurements of particulate matter in Sarajevo during SAAERO field campaignPetra Makorič, Kristina Glojek, E. Krečinić, E. Omerčić, I. Ahmović, D. Smajić, A. Bijedić, Ranka Godec, Griša Močnik, Katja Džepina, 2024, published scientific conference contribution abstract Keywords: positive matrix factorization, PM10 composition, metals, Xact, HVS digitel Published in RUNG: 24.01.2025; Views: 236; Downloads: 2
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4. Effect of shell thickness on the exchange bias blocking temperature and coercivity in Co-CoO core-shell nanoparticlesSenoy Thomas, K. Reethu, Thanveer Thajudheen, M. T. Z. Myint, S. H. Al-Harthi, 2017, original scientific article Abstract: The exchange bias blocking temperature distribution of naturally oxidized Co-CoO core-shell nanoparticles exhibits two distinct signatures. These are associated with the existence of two magnetic entities which are responsible for the temperature dependence of an exchange bias field. One is from the CoO grains which undergo thermally activated magnetization reversal. The other is from the disordered spins at the Co-CoO interface which exhibits spin-glass-like behavior. We investigated the oxide shell thickness dependence of the exchange bias effect. For particles with a 3 nm thick CoO shell, the predominant contribution to the temperature dependence of exchange bias is the interfacial spin-glass layer. On increasing the shell thickness to 4 nm, the contribution from the spin-glass layer decreases, while upholding the antiferromagnetic grain contribution. For samples with a 4 nm CoO shell, the exchange bias training was minimal. On the other hand, 3 nm samples exhibited both the training effect and a peak in coercivity at an intermediate set temperature Ta. This is explained using a magnetic core-shell model including disordered spins at the interface. Keywords: exchange interactions, magnetic ordering, ferromagnetic materials, magnetic materials, polycrystalline material, thin films, nanoparticle, nuclear structure models, oxides, transition metals Published in RUNG: 13.12.2024; Views: 422; Downloads: 4
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5. Towards a better understanding of fine PM sources : online and offline datasets combination in a single PMFMarta Via, Jesús Yus-Díez, Francesco Canonaco, Jean-Eudes Petit, Philip Hopke, Cristina Reche, Marco Pandolfi, Matic Ivančič, Martin Rigler, Andre S. H. Prevot, 2023, original scientific article Keywords: multi-time resolution, source apportionment, submicronic particulate matter, positive matrix factorisation, PMF, multilinear engine, SoFi, ME2, organic sources, metals Published in RUNG: 24.10.2023; Views: 1941; Downloads: 8
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6. Unraveling the Role of Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) Transporters in Plant Abiotic Stress ToleranceChristina Paparokidou, 2014, final research report Abstract: The yields of worldwide crop production are negatively affected by adverse environmental conditions, such as drought, salinity, heavy metal contamination and nutrient depletion in cultivated soils (Yan et al., 2013; Golldack et al., 2011; Yadav, 2010; Kobayashi and Nishizawa, 2012). This reduced crop production constitutes a major problem for food sustainability world-wide (Spiertz, 2013). Indeed, one of the major challenges for plant biotechnology will be to satisfy the increased demand for food on one hand, and to compensate for the loss of crop production on the other. Thus, the discovery of new plant genes that are able to cope with these conditions is critical and expected not only to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying crop abiotic stress, but also to pioneer genetic engineering strategies for improved crop productivity.
The goal of this project was to identify novel genes belonging to the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) of plant membrane transporters with potential major roles in conferring abiotic stress tolerance, namely to heavy metal, osmotic and iron deficiency stress. We selected three Arabidopsis thaliana MFS transporter genes, provisionally called MFS10, MFS11 and MFS12, which based on publicly available microarray data display specific expression patterns suggesting roles in plant tolerance to different abiotic stresses.
RT-PCR analyses showed that in fact the MFS10 gene is highly induced by cadmium (Cd), selenium (Se), salt and mannitol, while the MFS11 gene is upregulated by abscisic acid (ABA) and glucose, and the MFS12 gene by iron (Fe) deficiency, ABA and glucose. Furthermore, subcellular localization of fluorescent reporter fusions indicated that the MFS10 and MFS11 gene products are both plasma membrane localized transporters, while the encoded product of the MFS12 gene appears to be an endoplasmic reticulum localized transporter. Finally, reverse genetics using a null mutant allele for the MFS10 gene demonstrated that it functions as a regulator of plant responses to hyperosmotic (drought and salt) stress. Keywords: Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS), abiotic stress tolerance, heavy metals, osmotic stress, ABA stress, iron deficiency, T-DNA insertion lines, RT-PCR, confocal microscopy. Published in RUNG: 03.05.2022; Views: 2453; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
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8. Estimation of atmospheric deposition utilizing lichen Hypogymnia physodes, moss Hypnum cupressiforme and soil in Bosnia and HerzegovinaS. Adžemović, S. Aliefendić, E. Mehić, A. Ranica, I. Vehab, N. Alagić, Š. Delibašić, K. Herceg, M. Karić, Katja Džepina, 2022, original scientific article Keywords: air pollution, biomonitoring, enrichment factors, heavy metals Published in RUNG: 11.04.2022; Views: 2633; Downloads: 28
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9. Analysis of PM[sub](10), Pb, Cd, and Ni atmospheric concentrations during domestic heating season in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 2010 to 2019Jasna Huremović, Sabina Žero, Erna Bubalo, Minela Dacić, Amila Čeliković, Irma Musić, Midheta Bašić, Nudžeima Huseinbašić, Katja Džepina, Merjema Cepić, 2020, original scientific article Abstract: This paper examines atmospheric concentrations of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 μm (PM10) and related particle-phase toxic heavy metals Cd, Ni, and Pb during domestic heating seasons from 2010 to 2019 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In total, 242 daily PM10 samples were collected using medium and high volume air samplers. The mean daily PM10 mass concentration for all measurements is 75.16 μg/m3 (with the range of 28.77–149.00 μg/m3). Variation of ambient PM10 was observed throughout the study in different years. Hourly values for PM10 measurements during two heating seasons are also presented. Metal concentrations in PM10 were analyzed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). Quantities of atmospheric mass concentrations of studied trace metals were observed in the following order: Pb > Ni > Cd. The mean concentrations of metals varied with Pb showing the highest concentration (ranging from 1.38 to 234.00 ng/m3), Ni ranging from 0.87 to 42.43 ng/m3, and Cd showing the lowest concentration ranging from 0.26 to 10.09 ng/m3. The concentration of Pb and Cd in PM10 was strongly correlated, suggesting a common source or dependence of these metals in PM10 in Sarajevo. Bioaccessibility of metals in the synthetic gastric juice was also estimated. The quantities of average bioaccessible metal fractions in PM10 samples showed the following trend: Cd > Pb > Ni. The health risk assessment shows that the population of Sarajevo is at increased lifetime risk of experiencing cancer because of exposure to these Cd concentrations in PM10. In addition, parallel PM10 sampling on two samplers showed that obtained results are highly comparable. Keywords: air, PM10, heavy metals, Sarajevo Published in RUNG: 09.04.2021; Views: 3213; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
10. OBJECTIVE AND PERCEIVED ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN THE TOWNS OF ZENICA AND MARIBOR : GROUP PROJECT FINAL REPORTIvana Pandža, Katja Belec, Matjaž Žvokelj, Merima Vrškić, Tajda Huber, Ula Urbas, 2020, treatise, preliminary study, study Abstract: In this study, we measured the concentrations of specific heavy metals in the soil and sediment samples taken on different locations of the cities of Maribor (Slovenia), and Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The report also includes a questionnaire regarding the residents’ views about the environmental quality of the city they live in. Keywords: Soil, sediments, heavy metals, AAS, pollution, questionnaire, environmental quality. Published in RUNG: 11.09.2020; Views: 3910; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |