11. Rolling vs. seasonal PMF : real-world multi-site and synthetic dataset comparisonMarta Via, Gang Chen, Francesco Canonaco, Kaspar Rudolf Daellenbach, Benjamin Chazeau, Hasna Chebaicheb, Jianhui Jiang, Hannes Keernik, Chunshui Lin, Nicolas Marchand, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: Abstract. Particulate matter (PM) has become a major concern in terms of human health
and climate impact. In particular, the source apportionment (SA) of organic
aerosols (OA) present in submicron particles (PM1) has gained relevance
as an atmospheric research field due to the diversity and complexity of its
primary sources and secondary formation processes. Moreover, relatively
simple but robust instruments such as the Aerosol Chemical Speciation
Monitor (ACSM) are now widely available for the near-real-time online
determination of the composition of the non-refractory PM1. One of the
most used tools for SA purposes is the source-receptor positive matrix
factorisation (PMF) model. Even though the recently developed rolling PMF technique has
already been used for OA SA on ACSM datasets, no study has assessed its
added value compared to the more common seasonal PMF method using a practical
approach yet. In this paper, both techniques were applied to a synthetic
dataset and to nine European ACSM datasets in order to spot the main output
discrepancies between methods. The main advantage of the synthetic dataset
approach was that the methods' outputs could be compared to the expected
“true” values, i.e. the original synthetic dataset values. This approach
revealed similar apportionment results amongst methods, although the
rolling PMF profile's adaptability feature proved to be advantageous, as it
generated output profiles that moved nearer to the truth points. Nevertheless,
these results highlighted the impact of the profile anchor on the solution,
as the use of a different anchor with respect to the truth led to
significantly different results in both methods. In the multi-site study,
while differences were generally not significant when considering year-long
periods, their importance grew towards shorter time spans, as in intra-month
or intra-day cycles. As far as correlation with external measurements is
concerned, rolling PMF performed better than seasonal PMF globally for the ambient
datasets investigated here, especially in periods between seasons. The results of this
multi-site comparison coincide with the synthetic dataset in terms of
rolling–seasonal similarity and rolling PMF reporting moderate improvements. Altogether, the
results of this study provide solid evidence of the robustness of both
methods and of the overall efficiency of the recently proposed rolling PMF
approach.
Keywords: particulate matter, synthetic dataset comparison, source apportionment, organic aerosols
Published in RUNG: 10.05.2024; Views: 99; Downloads: 4
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12. Increase in secondary organic aerosol in an urban environment : Increase in secondary organic aerosol in an urban environmentMarta Via, Maria Cruz Minguillon, Cristina Reche, Xavier Querol, Andrés Alastuey, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: The evolution of fine aerosol (PM1) species as well as the contribution of potential sources to the total organic aerosol (OA) at an urban background site in Barcelona, in the western Mediterranean basin (WMB) was investigated. For this purpose, a quadrupole aerosol chemical speciation monitor (Q-ACSM) was deployed to acquire real-time measurements for two 1-year periods: May 2014–May 2015 (period A) and September 2017–October 2018 (period B). Total PM1 concentrations showed a slight decrease (from 10.1 to 9.6 μgm�3 from A to B), although the relative contribution of inorganic and organic compounds varied significantly. Regarding inorganic compounds, SO42- , black carbon(BC) and NH4+ showed a significant decrease from period
A to B (21 %, 18% and 9 %, respectively), whilst NO3- concentrations were higher in B (8 %). Source apportionment
revealed OA contained 46% and 70% secondary OA (SOA) in periods A and B, respectively. Two secondary oxygenated OA sources (OOA) were differentiated by their oxidation status (i.e. ageing): less oxidized (LO-OOA) and more oxidized (MO-OOA). Disregarding winter periods, when LO-OOA production was not favoured, LO-OOA transformation into MO-OOA was found to be more effective in
period B. The lowest LO-OOA-to-MO-OOA ratio, excluding winter, was in September–October 2018 (0.65), implying an accumulation of aged OA after the high temperature and solar radiation conditions in the summer season. In addition to temperature, SOA (sum of OOA factors) was enhanced by exposure to NOx-polluted ambient and other pollutants, especially to O3 and during afternoon hours. The anthropogenic primary OA sources identified, cooking-related
OA (COA), hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA), and biomass burning OA (BBOA), decreased from period A to B in both absolute concentrations and relative contribution (as a whole, 44% and 30 %, respectively). However, their concentrations and proportion to OA grew rapidly during highly polluted episodes. The influence of certain atmospheric episodes on OA sources was also assessed. Both SOA factors were boosted with long- and medium-range circulations, especially those coming from inland Europe and the Mediterranean (triggering mainly MO-OOA) and summer breeze-driven regional circulation (mainly LO-OOA). In contrast, POA was
enhanced either during air-renewal episodes or stagnation anticyclonic events.
Keywords: aerosol, organic aerosol, source apportionment, PM1, particulate matter
Published in RUNG: 10.05.2024; Views: 111; Downloads: 3
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13. Exhaled volatile organic compounds and respiratory disease : recent progress and future outlookMaria Chiara Magnano, Waqar Ahmed, Ran Wang, Martina Bergant Marušič, Stephen J. Fowler, Iain R. White, 2024, review article Abstract: The theoretical basis of eVOCs as biomarkers for respiratory disease diagnosis is described, followed by a review of the potential biomarkers that have been proposed as targets from in vitro studies. The utility of these targets is then discussed based on comparison with results from clinical breath studies. The current status of breath research is summarised for various diseases, with emphasis placed on quantitative and targeted studies. Potential for bias highlights several important concepts related to standardization, including practices adopted for compound identification, correction for background inspired VOC levels and computation of mixing ratios. The compiled results underline the need for targeted studies across different analytical platforms to understand how sampling and analytical factors impact eVOC quantification. The impact of environmental VOCs as confounders in breath analysis is discussed alongside the potential that eVOCs have as biomarkers of air pollution exposure and future perspectives on clinical breath sampling are provided.
Keywords: breath analysis, disease diagnosis, exhaled volatile organic compounds, respiratory disease, environmental exposure analysis, breath analysis
Published in RUNG: 06.05.2024; Views: 170; Downloads: 3
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14. Effective microorganisms technology applied to sewage sludge and tested in short exposure on Lepidium sativumTanja Buh, Leja Goljat, Darian Rampih, Petra Makorič, Sara Pignattelli, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Sewage sludge has fertilizer properties and can supply a large amount of necessary nutrients to the crops, because it is full of
organic matter, carbon, nitrogen and other nutrients, but on the other hand, it also contains a lot of toxic compounds, derived
from its origin, such as heavy metals, antibiotics and microplastics. Effective microorganisms are a collection of naturally
occurring beneficial microorganisms that are able to coexist and are commonly used in agriculture and gardening to improve
plant performance and production. In this study, increasing concentrations of sewage sludge alone and added with effective
microorganisms were evaluated in a short exposure on Lepidium sativum L. Parameters that were evaluated are: (i) percentage
inhibition of germination, (ii) root length, (iii) biomass, (iv) soil pH, (v) total organic carbon and nitrogen both at soil and
at root level. Results carried out from our experiment highlighted that effective microorganisms when coupled with sludge
are able to restore biometric parameters by resetting seeds germinability inhibition and improving root elongation more than
50% when compared with plants added only with sludge, restoring the values almost of those to the control plants, as well
as for soil pH values. Total organic carbon and total nitrogen are boosted at soil level almost at 50% when compared with
the same concentrations added only with sludge, while at root level they appear decreased only in plants directly added with
sludge treated with effective microorganisms
Keywords: sewage sludge, effective microorganism, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, germinability, short plants exposure, acute toxicity, biomass, pH
Published in RUNG: 12.04.2024; Views: 342; Downloads: 1
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15. High charge carrier mobility in thin films of quasi-two-dimensional polyacetylenes with sulphuric inter-chain linkersNadiia Pastukhova, Gvido Bratina, Egon Pavlica, 2023, published scientific conference contribution abstract Abstract: Quasi-two-dimensional conjugated polymers (q2DCP) have been described and recognised as crystalline, one- or two-layer polymer nanosheets prepared by arranging linear conjugated polymer chains in a 2D plane via non-covalent interchain interactions.[1,2] The extension of polymer dimensionality to two dimensions improves the alignment of individual polymer layers and overcomes the limitations associated with charge carrier hopping between polymer chains in one-dimensional and crosslinked polymers [3] Compared to other two-dimensional materials such as graphene or transition metal dichalcogenides, q2DCPs offer a high degree of flexibility in chemical design and are compatible with liquid-based processing methods. Various q2DCPs have been synthesized by surface active monolayer-assisted interfacial synthesis (SMAIS) [5]
The photoreaction of these materials is of particular interest due to their tunable properties such as band gap and associated wavelength-dependent photoexcitation, which enables a wide range of applications in optoelectronic devices. Using time-of-flight photoconductivity measurements (TOF-PC) [4], we investigate the charge transport properties of 2D polyacetylene prepared by the SMAIS method. A typical TOFP measurement of q2D polyacetylene is shown in Figure 1, using a focused nanosecond pulse laser at 325 nm and an electrode spacing of 250 µm. From the polarity of the bias voltage and the duration of the photocurrent, we can determine the polarity, velocity, and mobility of the photo-excited carriers as a function of the applied bias voltage and excitation wavelength. and observed electron mobility of 250 cm2/Vs, which is in the range of the most advanced organic single-crystal small-molecule semiconductors and almost an order of magnitude higher than linear polymeric semiconductors. We investigated the optical absorption and transmission on a lateral scale using scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM).
Keywords: 2D polymers, organic semiconductors, q2DPA, SNOM, time-of-flight photoconductivity
Published in RUNG: 25.03.2024; Views: 367; Downloads: 1
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17. Organic and flexible : lecture at Ženske v znanosti in za znanost, Ljubljana, 12. 2. 2024Nadiia Pastukhova, 2024, unpublished conference contribution Abstract: The development of organic semiconductors (OS) opens a new perspective and possibilities for novel device architectures including flexible and wearable electronics. One of the key parameters is the charge carriers' mobility. In OSs, it is affected by many factors, including molecular stacking, chemical impurities, temperature, pressure, electric field, and charge carrier density. These factors can affect the structural or energetic disorder. To overcome limitations, new polymers that extend the π-conjugation to two dimensions were developed. The two-dimensional network structure provides a high degree of structural stability and tunability of properties, while the organic molecules can be engineered to exhibit specific chemical and physical properties such as large surface area, pore size, and electronic properties. I will present our recent research, where quasi-2D polyacetylene (q2DPA) demonstrates high electron mobility along the direction of the layer, measured by the lateral time-of-flight photoconductivity (TOF) method.
Keywords: 2D polymers, time-of-flight photoconductivity, TOF, organic semiconductors
Published in RUNG: 22.03.2024; Views: 362; Downloads: 2
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18. Fluorescent covalent organic frameworks : promising bioimaging materialsChimatahalli Santhakumar Karthik, Tina Škorjanc, Dinesh Shetty, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Fluorescent covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as promising candidates for imaging living cells due to their unique properties and adjustable fluorescence. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of recent advancements in fluorescent COFs for bioimaging applications. We discuss the strategies used to design COFs with desirable properties such as high photostability, excellent biocompatibility, and pH sensitivity. Additionally, we explore the various ways in which fluorescent COFs are utilized in bioimaging, including cellular imaging, targeting specific organelles, and tracking biomolecules. We delve into their applications in sensing intracellular pH, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and specific biomarkers. Furthermore, we examine how functionalization techniques enhance the targeting and imaging capabilities of fluorescent COFs. Finally, we discuss the challenges and prospects in the field of fluorescent COFs for bioimaging in living cells, urging further research in this exciting area.
Keywords: covalent organic frameworks, fluorescent materials, imaging, bioimaging, biosensors
Published in RUNG: 05.03.2024; Views: 442; Downloads: 3
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20. An in situ proton filter covalent organic framework catalyst for highly efficient aqueous electrochemical ammonia productionKayaramkodath C. Ranjeesh, Sukhjot Kaur, Abdul K. Mohammed, Safa Gaber, Divyani Gupta, Khaled Badawy, Mohamed Aslam, Nirpendra Singh, Tina Škorjanc, Matjaž Finšgar, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) driven by renewable electricity provides a green synthesis route for ammonia (NH3) production under ambient conditions but suffers from a low conversion yield and poor Faradaic efficiency (F.E.) because of strong competition from hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the poor solubility of N2 in aqueous systems. Herein, an in situ proton filter covalent organic framework catalyst (Ru-Tta-Dfp) is reported with inherent Ruthenium (Ru) sites where the framework controls reactant diffusion by suppressing proton supply and enhancing N2 flux, causing highly selective and efficient catalysis. The smart catalyst design results in a remarkable ammonia production yield rate of 2.03 mg h−1 mgcat−1 with an excellent F.E. of ≈52.9%. The findings are further endorsed with the help of molecular dynamics simulations and control COF systems without in situ proton filter feasibility. The results point to a paradigm shift in engineering high-performance NRR electrocatalysts for more feasible green NH3 production.
Keywords: covalent organic frameworks, ammonia, electrochemical synthesis, electrochemistry, nitrogen reduction reaction, ruthenium
Published in RUNG: 11.12.2023; Views: 627; Downloads: 6
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