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Author Alvarado-Alvarado, A.A.; Smets, W.; Irga, P.; Denys, S. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Engineering green wall botanical biofiltration to abate indoor volatile organic compounds : a review on mechanisms, phyllosphere bioaugmentation, and modeling Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2024 Publication Journal of hazardous materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 465 Issue Pages 133491-16  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Indoor air pollution affects the global population, especially in developed countries where people spend around 90% of their time indoors. The recent pandemic exacerbated the exposure by relying on indoor spaces and a teleworking lifestyle. VOCs are a group of indoor air pollutants with harmful effects on human health at low concentrations. It is widespread that plants can remove indoor VOCs. To this day, research has combined principles of phytoremediation, biofiltration, and bioremediation into a holistic and sustainable technology called botanical biofiltration. Overall, it is sustained that its main advantage is the capacity to break down and biodegrade pollutants using low energy input. This differs from traditional systems that transfer VOCs to another phase. Furthermore, it offers additional benefits like decreased indoor air health costs, enhanced work productivity, and well-being. However, many disparities exist within the field regarding the role of plants, substrate, and phyllosphere bacteria. Yet their role has been theorized; its stability is poorly known for an engineering approach. Previous research has not addressed the bioaugmentation of the phyllosphere to increase the performance, which could boost the system. Moreover, most experiments have studied passive potted plant systems at a lab scale using small chambers, making it difficult to extrapolate findings into tangible parameters to engineer the technology. Active systems are believed to be more efficient yet require more maintenance and knowledge expertise; besides, the impact of the active flow on the long term is not fully understood. Besides, modeling the system has been oversimplified, limiting the understanding and optimization. This review sheds light on the field’s gains and gaps, like concepts, experiments, and modeling. We believe that embracing a multidisciplinary approach encompassing experiments, multiphysics modeling, microbial community analysis, and coworking with the indoor air sector will enable the optimization of the technology and facilitate its adoption.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-01-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0304-3894 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202311 Serial 9030  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Faust, V.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Ganigué, R.; Udert, K.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Influence of pH on urine nitrification : community shifts of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and inhibition of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2024 Publication ACS ES&T engineering Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 4 Issue 2 Pages 342-353  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Urine nitrification is pH-sensitive due to limited alkalinity and high residual ammonium concentrations. This study aimed to investigate how the pH affects nitrogen conversion and the microbial community of urine nitrification with a pH-based feeding strategy. First, kinetic parameters for NH3, HNO2, and NO2– limitation and inhibition were determined for nitrifiers from a urine nitrification reactor. The turning point for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), i.e., the substrate concentration at which a further increase would lead to a decrease in activity due to inhibitory effects, was at an NH3 concentration of 12 mg-N L–1, which was reached only at pH values above 7. The total nitrite turning point for nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) was pH-dependent, e.g., 18 mg-N L–1 at pH 6.3. Second, four years of data from two 120 L reactors were analyzed, showing that stable nitrification with low nitrite was most likely between pH 5.8 and 6.7. And third, six 12 L urine nitrification reactors were operated at total nitrogen concentrations of 1300 and 3600 mg-N L–1 and pH values between 2.5 and 8.5. At pH 6, the AOB Nitrosomonas europaea was found, and the NOB belonged to the genus Nitrobacter. At pH 7, nitrite accumulated, and Nitrosomonas halophila was the dominant AOB. NOB were inhibited by HNO2 accumulation. At pH 8.5, the AOB Nitrosomonas stercoris became dominant, and NH3 inhibited NOB. Without influent, the pH dropped to 2.5 due to the growth of the acid-tolerant AOB “Candidatus Nitrosacidococcus urinae”. In conclusion, pH is a decisive process control parameter for urine nitrification by influencing the selection and kinetics of nitrifiers.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2023-11-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:203306 Serial 9048  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhang, L.; Quinn, B.K.; Hui, C.; Lian, M.; Gielis, J.; Gao, J.; Shi, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title New indices to balance α-diversity against tree size inequality Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2024 Publication Journal of forestry research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 35 Issue 1 Pages 31-39  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract The number and composition of species in a community can be quantified with alpha-diversity indices, including species richness (R), Simpson's index (D), and the Shannon-Wiener index (HGREEK TONOS). In forest communities, there are large variations in tree size among species and individuals of the same species, which result in differences in ecological processes and ecosystem functions. However, tree size inequality (TSI) has been largely neglected in studies using the available diversity indices. The TSI in the diameter at breast height (DBH) data for each of 999 20 m x 20 m forest census quadrats was quantified using the Gini index (GI), a measure of the inequality of size distribution. The generalized performance equation was used to describe the rotated and right-shifted Lorenz curve of the cumulative proportion of DBH and the cumulative proportion of number of trees per quadrat. We also examined the relationships of alpha-diversity indices with the GI using correlation tests. The generalized performance equation effectively described the rotated and right-shifted Lorenz curve of DBH distributions, with most root-mean-square errors (990 out of 999 quadrats) being < 0.0030. There were significant positive correlations between each of three alpha-diversity indices (i.e., R, D, and H') and the GI. Nevertheless, the total abundance of trees in each quadrat did not significantly influence the GI. This means that the TSI increased with increasing species diversity. Thus, two new indices are proposed that can balance alpha-diversity against the extent of TSI in the community: (1 – GI) x D, and (1 – GI) x H'. These new indices were significantly correlated with the original D and HGREEK TONOS, and did not increase the extent of variation within each group of indices. This study presents a useful tool for quantifying both species diversity and the variation in tree sizes in forest communities, especially in the face of cumulative species loss under global climate change.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001131698000001 Publication Date 2023-12-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1007-662x; 1993-0607 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:201972 Serial 9061  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Peeters, H.; Raes, A.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Plasmonic photocatalytic coatings with self-cleaning, antibacterial, air and water purifying properties tested according to ISO standards Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2024 Publication Journal of photochemistry and photobiology: A: chemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 451 Issue Pages 115529-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract ISO 10678:2010, ISO 22197–1 and 2, ISO 27447:2019 and ISO 27448:2009 for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes (methylene blue), air pollution (NOx and acetaldehyde), bacteria (E. coli and S. aureus) and solid organic fouling (oleic acid) are performed on plasmon-embedded TiO2 thin films on Borofloat® glass, as well as the commercially available titania-based self-cleaning glass PilkingtonActivTM. These standardised protocols measure the performance for the four main applications of photocatalytic materials: water purification, air purification, antibacterial and self-cleaning activity, respectively. The standards are performed exactly as prescribed to measure the activity under UV irradiation, and also in a slightly adapted manner to measure the performance under simulated solar light or visible light. Performing experiments according to ISO standards, enables an objective comparison amongst samples tested here, as well as with results from literature. This is a major asset compared to the myriad of customised setups used in laboratories worldwide that hinder a fair comparison. We point at the importance of meticulously following the ISO instructions, as we have noticed that multiple published studies adopting the ISO standards too often deviate from these protocols, thereby nullifying the added value of standardized testing. Following the ISO tests to the letter, we have demonstrated the superior performance of a previously developed plasmonic titania coating with fully embedded gold-silver nanoparticles towards all four application areas. Furthermore, our empirical data strongly support the need for a nuanced understanding of standardized testing, to ensure accurate assessment of photocatalytic materials. An examination of the ISO standards used in this work reveals notable drawbacks, including concerns about the reliability of the methylene blue degradation protocol, the issues of HNO3 accumulation in the NOx removal test, and limitations in assessing antibacterial activity and water contact angles.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-02-15  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1010-6030 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:203203 Serial 9075  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Minja, A.C.; Ag, K.R.; Raes, A.; Borah, R.; Verbruggen, S.W. doi  openurl
  Title Recent progress in developing non-noble metal-based photocathodes for solar green hydrogen production Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2024 Publication Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 43 Issue Pages 101000  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Photocathodes play a vital role in photoelectrocatalytic water splitting by acting as catalysts for reducing protons to hydrogen gas when exposed to light. Recent advancements in photocathodes have focused on addressing the limitations of noble metal-based materials. These noble metal-based photocathodes rely on expensive and scarce metals such as platinum and gold as cocatalysts or ohmic back contacts, respectively, rendering the final system less sustainable and costly when applied at scale. This mini-review summarizes the important recent progress in the development of non-noble metal-based photocathodes and their performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction during photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. These advancements bring non-noble metal-based photocathodes closer to their noble metal-based counterparts in terms of performance, thereby paving the way forward toward industrial-scale photoelectrolyzers or PEC cells for green hydrogen production.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-01-20  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2211-3398 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202625 Serial 9080  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Van Tendeloo, M.; Baptista, M.C.; Van Winckel, T.; Vlaeminck, S.E. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Recurrent multi-stressor floc treatments with sulphide and free ammonia enabled mainstream partial nitritation/anammox Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2024 Publication The science of the total environment Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 912 Issue Pages 169449-12  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Selective suppression of nitrite-oxidising bacteria (NOB) over aerobic and anoxic ammonium-oxidising bacteria (AerAOB and AnAOB) remains a major challenge for mainstream partial nitritation/anammox implementation, a resource-efficient nitrogen removal pathway. A unique multi-stressor floc treatment was therefore designed and validated for the first time under lab-scale conditions while staying true to full-scale design principles. Two hybrid (suspended + biofilm growth) reactors were operated continuously at 20.2 ± 0.6 °C. Recurrent multi-stressor floc treatments were applied, consisting of a sulphide-spiked deoxygenated starvation followed by a free ammonia shock. A good microbial activity balance with high AnAOB (71 ± 21 mg N L−1 d−1) and low NOB (4 ± 17 % of AerAOB) activity was achieved by combining multiple operational strategies: recurrent multi-stressor floc treatments, hybrid sludge (flocs & biofilm), short floc age control, intermittent aeration, and residual ammonium control. The multi-stressor treatment was shown to be the most important control tool and should be continuously applied to maintain this balance. Excessive NOB growth on the biofilm was avoided despite only treating the flocs to safeguard the AnAOB activity on the biofilm. Additionally, no signs of NOB adaptation were observed over 142 days. Elevated effluent ammonium concentrations (25 ± 6 mg N L−1) limited the TN removal efficiency to 39 ± 9 %, complicating a future full-scale implementation. Operating at higher sludge concentrations or reducing the volumetric loading rate could overcome this issue. The obtained results ease the implementation of mainstream PN/A by providing and additional control tool to steer the microbial activity with the multi-stressor treatment, thus advancing the concept of energy neutrality in sewage treatment plants.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2023-12-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0048-9697; 1879-1026 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202286 Serial 9083  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Broos, W.; Wittner, N.; Dries, J.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Gunde-Cimerman, N.; Cornet, I. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Rhodotorula kratochvilovae outperforms Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum in the valorisation of lignocellulosic wastewater to microbial oil Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2024 Publication Process biochemistry (1991) Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 137 Issue Pages 229-238  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Biochemical Wastewater Valorization & Engineering (BioWaVE)  
  Abstract Rhodotorula kratochvilovae has shown to be a promising species for microbial oil production from lignin-derived compounds. Yet, information on R. kratochvilovae’s detoxification and microbial oil production is scarce. This study investigated the growth and microbial oil production on the phenolic-containing effluent from poplar steam explosion and its detoxification with five R. kratochvilovae strains (EXF11626, EXF9590, EXF7516, EXF3697, EXF3471) and compared them with Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum. The R. kratochvilovae strains reached a maximum growth rate up to four times higher than C. oleaginosum. Furthermore, all R. kratochvilovae strains generally degraded phenolics more rapidly and to a larger extent than C. oleaginosum. However, the diluted substrate limited the lipid production by all strains as the maximum lipid content and titre were 10.5% CDW and 0.40 g/L, respectively. Therefore, future work should focus on increasing lipid production by using advanced fermentation strategies and stimulating the enzyme excretion by the yeasts for complex substrate breakdown.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-01-13  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1359-5113 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202365 Serial 9087  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Verbeelen, T.; Fernandez, C.A.; Nguyen, T.H.; Gupta, S.; Aarts, R.; Tabury, K.; Leroy, B.; Wattiez, R.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Leys, N.; Ganigué, R.; Mastroleo, F. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Whole transcriptome analysis highlights nutrient limitation of nitrogen cycle bacteria in simulated microgravity Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2024 Publication NPJ microgravity Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 3-19  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Regenerative life support systems (RLSS) will play a vital role in achieving self-sufficiency during long-distance space travel. Urine conversion into a liquid nitrate-based fertilizer is a key process in most RLSS. This study describes the effects of simulated microgravity (SMG) on Comamonas testosteroni, Nitrosomonas europaea, Nitrobacter winogradskyi and a tripartite culture of the three, in the context of nitrogen recovery for the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA). Rotary cell culture systems (RCCS) and random positioning machines (RPM) were used as SMG analogues. The transcriptional responses of the cultures were elucidated. For CO2-producing C. testosteroni and the tripartite culture, a PermaLifeTM PL-70 cell culture bag mounted on an in-house 3D-printed holder was applied to eliminate air bubble formation during SMG cultivation. Gene expression changes indicated that the fluid dynamics in SMG caused nutrient and O2 limitation. Genes involved in urea hydrolysis and nitrification were minimally affected, while denitrification-related gene expression was increased. The findings highlight potential challenges for nitrogen recovery in space.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001140007100001 Publication Date 2024-01-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2373-8065 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202285 Serial 9113  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Papini, G.; Muys, M.; Van Winckel, T.; Meerburg, F.A.; Van Beeck, W.; Vermeir, P.; Vlaeminck, S.E. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Boosting aerobic microbial protein productivity and quality on brewery wastewater : impact of anaerobic acidification, high-rate process and biomass age Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 368 Issue Pages 128285  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Consortia of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (AHB) are appealing as sustainable alternative protein ingredient for aquaculture given their high nutritional qualities, and their production potential on feed-grade industrial wastewater. Today, the impacts of pre-treatment, bioprocess choice and key parameter settings on AHB productivity and nutritional properties are unknown. This study investigated for the first time AHB microbial protein production effects based on (i) raw vs anaerobically fermented brewery wastewater, (ii) high-rate activated sludge (HRAS) without vs with feast-famine conditions, and (iii) three short solid retention time (SRT): 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 d. High biomass (4.4–8.0 g TSS/L/d) and protein productivities (1.9–3.2 g protein/L/d) were obtained while achieving COD removal efficiencies up to 98 % at SRT 0.50 d. The AHB essential amino acid (EAA) profiles were above rainbow trout requirements, excluding the S-containing EAA, highlighting the AHB biomass replacement potential for unsustainable fishmeal in salmonid diets.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000902092100009 Publication Date 2022-11-09  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0960-8524 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 11.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 11.4; 2023 IF: 5.651  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191780 Serial 7133  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Wittner, N.; Slezsák, J.; Broos, W.; Geerts, J.; Gergely, S.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Cornet, I. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Rapid lignin quantification for fungal wood pretreatment by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Spectrochimica acta: part A: molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 121912  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Biochemical Wastewater Valorization & Engineering (BioWaVE)  
  Abstract Lignin determination in lignocellulose with the conventional two-step acid hydrolysis method is highly laborious and time-consuming. However, its quantification is crucial to monitor fungal pretreatment of wood, as the increase of acid-insoluble lignin (AIL) degradation linearly correlates with the achievable enzymatic saccharification yield. Therefore, in this study, a new attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy method was developed to track fungal delignification in an easy and rapid manner. Partial least square regression (PLSR) with cross-validation (CV) was applied to correlate the ATR-FTIR spectra with the AIL content (19.9%–27.1%). After variable selection and normalization, a PLSR model with a high coefficient of determination (  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000985309100010 Publication Date 2022-09-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1386-1425 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.4; 2023 IF: 2.536  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:190328 Serial 7201  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Baetens, D.; Schoofs, K.; Somers, N.; Denys, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title A brief review on Multiphysics modelling of the various physical and chemical phenomena occurring in active oxidation reactors Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Current opinion in green and sustainable chemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 40 Issue Pages 100764-100766  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Heterogeneous photocatalysis can be used as an advanced oxidation technology frequently studied for application in photoreactors for air and water treatment. Extensive experimental investigation entails high costs and is also time consuming. Multiphysics modelling, a relatively new numerical method, provides a cost-effective and valuable alternative. By reconstructing the reactor geometry in dedicated software, meshing it and solving for occurring physical and chemical phenomena, Multiphysics models can be used to evaluate the performance of different reactor designs, increase insight into the occurring phenomena and study the influence of operational parameters on reactor performance. Finally, Multiphysics models are also developed for various applications like optimising the operational parameters, creating the ideal reactor design or scaling up a lab-scale reactor to a realistic prototype.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000947344000001 Publication Date 2023-02-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2452-2236 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 9.3 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 9.3; 2023 IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:195208 Serial 7278  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Shi, P.; Wang, L.; Quinn, B.K.K.; Gielis, J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title A new program to estimate the parameters of Preston's equation, a general formula for describing the egg shape of birds Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Symmetry Abbreviated Journal Symmetry-Basel  
  Volume 15 Issue 1 Pages 231-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Preston's equation is a general model describing the egg shape of birds. The parameters of Preston's equation are usually estimated after re-expressing it as the Todd-Smart equation and scaling the egg's actual length to two. This method assumes that the straight line through the two points on an egg's profile separated by the maximum distance (i.e., the longest axis of an egg's profile) is the mid-line. It hypothesizes that the photographed egg's profile is perfectly bilaterally symmetrical, which seldom holds true because of photographic errors and placement errors. The existing parameter estimation method for Preston's equation considers an angle of deviation for the longest axis of an egg's profile from the mid-line, which decreases prediction errors to a certain degree. Nevertheless, this method cannot provide an accurate estimate of the coordinates of the egg's center, and it leads to sub-optimal parameter estimation. Thus, it is better to account for the possible asymmetry between the two sides of an egg's profile along its mid-line when fitting egg-shape data. In this paper, we propose a method based on the optimization algorithm (optimPE) to fit egg-shape data and better estimate the parameters of Preston's equation by automatically searching for the optimal mid-line of an egg's profile and testing its validity using profiles of 59 bird eggs spanning a wide range of existing egg shapes. We further compared this method with the existing one based on multiple linear regression (lmPE). This study demonstrated the ability of the optimPE method to estimate numerical values of the parameters of Preston's equation and provide the theoretical egg length (i.e., the distance between two ends of the mid-line of an egg's profile) and the egg's maximum breadth. This provides a valuable approach for comparing egg shapes among conspecifics or across different species, or even different classes (e.g., birds and reptiles), in future investigations.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000927531000001 Publication Date 2023-01-13  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2073-8994 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.7; 2023 IF: 1.457  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:195347 Serial 7279  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Orozco-Jimenez, A.J.; Pinilla-Fernandez, D.A.; Pugliese, V.; Bula, A.; Perreault, P.; Gonzalez-Quiroga, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Angular momentum based-analysis of gas-solid fluidized beds in vortex chambers Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 457 Issue Pages 141222-21  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Gas-solid vortex chambers are a promising alternative for reactive and non-reactive processes requiring enhanced heat and mass transfer rates and order-of-milliseconds contact time. The conservation of angular momentum is instrumental in understanding how the interactions between gas, particulate solids, and chamber walls influence the formation of a rotating solids bed. Therefore, this work applies the conservation of angular momentum to derive a model that gives the average angular velocity of solids in terms of gas injection velocity, wall-solids bed drag coefficient, gas and particle properties, and chamber geometry. Three datasets from published studies, comprising 1 g-Geldart B- and d-type particles in different vortex chambers, validate the model results. Using a sensitivity analysis, we assessed the effect of input variables on the average angular velocity of solids, average void fraction, and average bed height. Results indicate that the top and bottom end-wall boundaries exert the most significant braking effect on the rotating solids bed compared with the cylindrical outer wall and gas injection boundaries. The wall-solids bed drag coefficient appears independent of the gas injection velocity for a wide range of operating conditions. The proposed model is a valuable tool for analyzing and comparing gas–solid vortex typologies, unraveling improvement opportunities, and scale-up.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000951011600001 Publication Date 2022-12-29  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1385-8947; 1873-3212 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 15.1 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 15.1; 2023 IF: 6.216  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:192868 Serial 7282  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Peeters, H.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbruggen, S.W. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Benchmarking the photocatalytic self-cleaning activity of industrial and experimental materials with ISO 27448:2009 Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Materials Abbreviated Journal Materials  
  Volume 16 Issue 3 Pages 1119-13  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Various industrial surface materials are tested for their photocatalytic self-cleaning activity by performing the ISO 27448:2009 method. The samples are pre-activated by UV irradiation, fouled with oleic acid and irradiated by UV light. The degradation of oleic acid over time is monitored by taking water contact angle measurements using a contact angle goniometer. The foulant, oleic acid, is an organic acid that makes the surface more hydrophobic. The water contact angle will thus decrease over time as the photocatalytic material degrades the oleic acid. In this study, we argue that the use of this method is strongly limited to specific types of surface materials, i.e., only those that are hydrophilic and smooth in nature. For more hydrophobic materials, the difference in the water contact angles of a clean surface and a fouled surface is not measurable. Therefore, the photocatalytic self-cleaning activity cannot be established experimentally. Another type of material that cannot be tested by this standard are rough surfaces. For rough surfaces, the water contact angle cannot be measured accurately using a contact angle goniometer as prescribed by the standard. Because of these limitations, many potentially interesting industrial substrates cannot be evaluated. Smooth samples that were treated with an in-house developed hydrophilic titania thin film (PCT/EP2018/079983) showed a great photocatalytic self-cleaning performance according to the ISO standard. Apart from discussing the pros and cons of the current ISO standard, we also stress how to carefully interpret the results and suggest alternative testing solutions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000930734100001 Publication Date 2023-01-30  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1996-1944 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.4; 2023 IF: 2.654  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193337 Serial 7284  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Alloul, A.; Blansaer, N.; Cabecas Segura, P.; Wattiez, R.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Leroy, B. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Dehazing redox homeostasis to foster purple bacteria biotechnology Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Trends in biotechnology : regular edition Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 41 Issue 1 Pages 106-119  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) show great potential for environmental and industrial biotechnology, producing microbial protein, biohydrogen, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), pigments, etc. When grown photoheterotrophically, the carbon source is typically more reduced than the PNSB biomass, which leads to a redox imbalance. To mitigate the excess of electrons, PNSB can exhibit several ‘electron sinking’ strategies, such as CO2 fixation, N2 fixation, and H2 and PHA production. The lack of a comprehensive (over)view of these redox strategies is hindering the implementation of PNSB for biotechnology applications. This review aims to present the state of the art of redox homeostasis in phototrophically grown PNSB, presenting known and theoretically expected strategies, and discussing them from stoichiometric, thermodynamic, metabolic, and economic points of view.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000923198400001 Publication Date 2022-07-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1879-3096;0167-7799 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 17.3 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 17.3; 2023 IF: 11.126  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:192944 Serial 7294  
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Author Muys, M.; González Cámara, S.J.; Derese, S.; Spiller, M.; Verliefde, A.; Vlaeminck, S.E. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Dissolution rate and growth performance reveal struvite as a sustainable nutrient source to produce a diverse set of microbial protein Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication The science of the total environment Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 866 Issue Pages 161172-161179  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract To provide for the globally increasing demand for proteinaceous food, microbial protein (MP) has the potential to become an alternative food or feed source. Phosphorus (P), on the other hand, is a critical raw material whose global reserves are declining. Growing MP on recovered phosphorus, for instance, struvite obtained from wastewater treatment, is a promising MP production route that could supply protein-rich products while handling P scarcity. The aim of this study was to explore struvite dissolution kinetics in different MP media and characterize MP production with struvite as sole P-source. Different operational parameters, including pH, temperature, contact surface area, and ion concentrations were tested, and struvite dissolution rates were observed between 0.32 and 4.7 g P/L/d and a solubility between 0.23 and 2.22 g P-based struvite/L. Growth rates and protein production of the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and Limnospira sp. (previously known as Arthrospira sp.), and the purple non‑sulfur bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris on struvite were equal to or higher than growth on conventional potassium phosphate. For aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, two slow-growing communities showed decreased growth on struvite, while the growth was increased for a third fast-growing one. Furthermore, MP protein content on struvite was always comparable to the one obtained when grown on standard media. Together with the low content in metals and micropollutants, these results demonstrate that struvite can be directly applied as an effective nutrient source to produce fast-growing MP, without any previous dissolution step. Combining a high purity recovered product with an efficient way of producing protein results in a strong environmental win-win.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000922040000001 Publication Date 2022-12-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0048-9697; 1879-1026 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.8 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 9.8; 2023 IF: 4.9  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:192943 Serial 7297  
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Author Xie, Y.; Jia, M.; De Wilde, F.; Daeninck, K.; De Clippeleir, H.; Verstraete, W.; Vlaeminck, S.E. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Feasibility of packed-bed trickling filters for partial nitritation/anammox : effects of carrier material, bottom ventilation openings, hydraulic loading rate and free ammonia Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 373 Issue Pages 128713-128719  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract This study pioneers the feasibility of cost-effective partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) in packed-bed trickling filters (TFs). Three parallel TFs tested different carrier materials, the presence or absence of bottom ventilation openings, hydraulic loading rates (HLR, 0.4–2.2 m3 m−2 h−1), and free ammonia (FA) levels on synthetic medium. The inexpensive Argex expanded clay was recommended due to the similar nitrogen removal rates as commercially used plastics. Top-only ventilation at an optimum HLR of 1.8 m3 m−2 h−1 could remove approximately 60% of the total nitrogen load (i.e., 300 mg N L-1 d−1, 30 °C) and achieve relatively low NO3–-N accumulation (13%). Likely FA levels of around 1.3–3.2 mg N L-1 suppressed nitratation. Most of the total nitrogen removal took place in the upper third of the reactor, where anammox activity was highest. Provided further optimizations, the results demonstrated TFs are suitable for low-energy shortcut nitrogen removal.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000945892500001 Publication Date 2023-02-07  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0960-8524 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 11.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 11.4; 2023 IF: 5.651  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193652 Serial 7306  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Blommaerts, N.; Lenaerts, S.; Cool, P.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Recent trends in plasmon‐assisted photocatalytic CO₂ reduction Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Chemsuschem Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 16 Issue 5 Pages e202201647-25  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Direct photocatalytic reduction of CO2 has become an highly active field of research. It is thus of utmost importance to maintain an overview of the various materials used to sustain this process, find common trends, and, in this way, eventually improve the current conversions and selectivities. In particular, CO2 photoreduction using plasmonic photocatalysts under solar light has gained tremendous attention, and a wide variety of materials has been developed to reduce CO2 towards more practical gases or liquid fuels (CH4, CO, CH3OH/CH3CH2OH) in this manner. This Review therefore aims at providing insights in current developments of photocatalysts consisting of only plasmonic nanoparticles and semiconductor materials. By classifying recent studies based on product selectivity, this Review aims to unravel common trends that can provide effective information on ways to improve the photoreduction yield or possible means to shift the selectivity towards desired products, thus generating new ideas for the way forward.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000926901300001 Publication Date 2023-01-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1864-5631 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 8.4; 2023 IF: 7.226  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193633 Serial 7335  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Borah, R.; Ag, K.R.; Minja, A.C.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title A review on self‐assembly of colloidal nanoparticles into clusters, patterns, and films : emerging synthesis techniques and applications Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Small methods Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-32  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract The colloidal synthesis of functional nanoparticles has gained tremendous scientific attention in the last decades. In parallel to these advancements, another rapidly growing area is the self-assembly or self-organization of these colloidal nanoparticles. First, the organization of nanoparticles into ordered structures is important for obtaining functional interfaces that extend or even amplify the intrinsic properties of the constituting nanoparticles at a larger scale. The synthesis of large-scale interfaces using complex or intricately designed nanostructures as building blocks, requires highly controllable self-assembly techniques down to the nanoscale. In certain cases, for example, when dealing with plasmonic nanoparticles, the assembly of the nanoparticles further enhances their properties by coupling phenomena. In other cases, the process of self-assembly itself is useful in the final application such as in sensing and drug delivery, amongst others. In view of the growing importance of this field, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent developments in the field of nanoparticle self-assembly and their applications. For clarity, the self-assembled nanostructures are classified into two broad categories: finite clusters/patterns, and infinite films. Different state-of-the-art techniques to obtain these nanostructures are discussed in detail, before discussing the applications where the self-assembly significantly enhances the performance of the process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000940393200001 Publication Date 2023-03-01  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2366-9608 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 12.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 12.4; 2023 IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:194597 Serial 7336  
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Author Khan, S.U. openurl 
  Title Singlet oxygen-based photoelectrocatalysis : from photosensitizer structures to plasmonic enhancement Type Doctoral thesis
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 182 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Singlet molecular oxygen (1O2) has continuously attracted researchers' interest because of its involvement in various processes, such as in photodynamic reactions in biological and chemical systems. 1O2 is an effective electrophile and potent oxidizing agent and can be easily generated by photosensitization via the illumination of organic dyes with visible light. As described in Chapter 1, 1O2 has gained prominence in various applications such as wastewater treatment, photodynamic therapy of cancer, organic synthesis, and recently developed 1O2-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing of phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds are a potential source of contaminants that originates from industrial effluents and waste products of chemical and pharmaceutical industries. These phenolic compounds pose severe threats to humans and aquatic life after reaching the environment. Therefore, it is imperative to develop photoactive materials that efficiently generate 1O2 and oxidize phenolic compounds and antibiotics. The existing 1O2 generating photosensitizers (PSs) include porphyrins, phthalocyanines (Pcs), subphthalocyanines (SubPcs), and other dyes such as derivatives of xanthene (e.g., Rose Bengal (RB)), and fluorinated boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPYs), and phenothiazinium dyes (e. g. Methylene Blue (MB)) which display long-lived triplet excited state and can be used in 1O2-based applications. This thesis focuses on preparing efficient hybrid materials based on newly synthesized Pcs, different surface area titanium dioxide (TiO2) and plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for their use in the PEC detection of phenolic compounds. The first focus was on developing a fast amperometric method to test the photo-electrocatalytic activity of 1O2 producing PSs dissolved in MeOH based on the redox cycling of an electroactive phenolic compound, hydroquinone (HQ) (Chapter 2). This method of testing PSs does not require the accumulation of a reaction product since the amperometric signal develops near instantly when the light is on, which enables dynamic monitoring of a PSs activity at varying conditions in a single experiment. This method was crucial to measure high 1O2 quantum yield and low yield in the same experimental conditions. Moreover, the obtained results revealed a range of working parameters affecting the PEC activity of PSs. The next goal was to immobilize tert-butyl substituted aluminum Pc (t-BuPcAlCl) on the solid support, which showed a high 1O2 quantum yield. However, before immobilizing Pc on a solid support such as TiO2, it is essential to know the electronic energy level of Pcs for the possible electron transfers from Pcs to TiO2. Therefore, Chapter 3 explored the (spectro)electrochemical properties of t-BuPcAlCl Pc. Next, in Chapter 4, t-BuPcAlCl Pc and other tert-butyl substituted Pcs with Zn central metal, t-BuPcZn, and its metal-free derivative t-BuPcH2 were immobilized on different surface area TiO2. The PEC activity of immobilized Pcs on TiO2 toward different phenols and antibiotics was studied, and the action mechanism was revealed and compared with sterically hindered fluorinated Pc F64PcZn. In the final part of this thesis plasmonic AuNPs were introduced combined with trimethylsilane-protected acetylene functionalized ZnPc (TMSZnPc) to study the synergistic effect that boosts the overall activity toward the detection of phenols under visible light illumination (Chapter 5) . The TMSZnPc was coupled with AuNPs via a click chemistry approach. The 1O2 quantum yield of TMSZnPc improved significantly after conjugating with AuNPs, and, subsequently, the PEC activity for detecting HQ. The theoretical and experimental investigation demonstrated that the plasmonic enhancement of TMSZnPc is driven by the near-field mechanism. This shows the importance of plasmonic AuNPs with other photoactive species for their use in 1O2-based applications. The fundamental knowledge obtained in this doctoral study will ultimately deepen the understanding of developing 1O2-based PEC sensors for detecting phenolic compounds and pharmaceuticals in the wastewater stream, helping to choose efficient materials and, in the last instance, a more sustainable future especially access to clean water for everyone.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193342 Serial 7337  
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Author Borms, L.; Brusselaers, J.; Vrancken, K.C.M.; Deckmyn, S.; Marynissen, P. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Toward resilient organizations after COVID-19 : an analysis of circular and less circular companies Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Resources, conservation and recycling Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 188 Issue Pages 106681-15  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Economics; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Engineering Management (ENM)  
  Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic had large repercussions for our economy and organizations. Improved resilience can give organizations the ability to withstand crises and build back better and faster. This article assesses resilience of organizations and sole proprietorships in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic with eight circular strategies as explanatory variables. Furthermore, these eight circular strategies are also used to assess the organizations' and sole proprietorships' resilience outside of the COVID-19 pandemic. This analysis is conducted to explain how circular strategies can help companies and sole proprietorships maintain stability. The analysis was performed by means of a survey conducted between May and June 2020 in Flanders (Belgium), using a sample of 542 respondents. After performing a regression analysis combined with expert opinions collected through interviews, we find that companies and sole proprietorships with a higher circularity score have a significantly higher resilience score during crises and during normal times, compared to less circular companies. Furthermore, we find that the size of the company does not matter during a crisis to adapt and react flexibly, while it is important when there is no crisis. Finally, we argue that it is the combination of different circular strategies which yields to the highest results for the organizations' resilience and we provide policy recommendations based on the most asked support measures.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000867675200008 Publication Date 2022-09-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0921-3449 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 13.2 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 13.2; 2023 IF: 3.313  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191513 Serial 7344  
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Author Voordeckers, D. openurl 
  Title Design to breathe : understanding and altering wind patterns in street canyons to reduce human exposure to air pollution Type Doctoral thesis
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages xxii, 303 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Research Group for Urban Development; Intelligence in PRocesses, Advanced Catalysts and Solvents (iPRACS)  
  Abstract Air pollution is proclaimed by the World Health Organiaation (WHO) as the biggest environmental threat to human health. Street canyons, or urban roads flanked by a continuous row of high buildings on both sides, are perceived as typical bottleneck areas for air quality due to their lack of natural ventilation. This doctoral thesis aims to integrate expert knowledge on in-canyon flow fields and pollution dispersion in street canyons from the specialized field of (bio)engineering into the field of urban planning and vice versa. In Chapter 1, a Geospatial Information System (GIS) method was developed to detect exposure zones and hotspot street canyons. A critical combination between aspect ratio (AR > 0.65) and traffic volume (TVmax > 300) was detected and subsequently used to detect hotspot street canyons in three major European cities (Antwerp, London and Paris). Chapter 2 focusses on acquiring in-depth knowledge on flow and concentration fields in street canyons by conducting an extensive literature review on over 200 studies and translates this knowledge into nineteen guidelines and eleven spatial tools, comprised in a toolbox for urban planning. Subsequently, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used into a research trough design process (Chapter 4) to illustrate how the design tools can be applied to a specific case study (Belgiëlei, Antwerp). Alternations to traffic lanes (traffic lane reduction and lateral displacement) combined with low boundary walls (LBWs), were found to reduce NO2 levels in the entire pedestrian area up to – 3.6 % and peak pollutions were reduced by -8 %. A maximum NO2 reduction was reached by combining a traffic lane displacement with hedges, adjustments to the tree planting pattern and an increased ground-level permeability, leading to reductions up to – 4.5 % in the pedestrian areas. In conclusion, urban design was found to be a valuable tool to enhance the effect of emission reduction strategies and draw in-canyon concentrations closer to the value of the background concentration. However, the background concentration seemed to dominate the efficiency of the urban design interventions and therefore, additional measures should be taken to reduce background pollution levels. This dissertation aims to contribute to the awareness of air pollution in street canyons, as well as support local governments in taking action by delivering spatial tools and guidelines applicable for urban planning and represents a framework for the dissemination of expert information on air quality in street canyons to the field of urban planning.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196399 Serial 7767  
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Author Vingerhoets, R.; Spiller, M.; De Backer, J.; Adriaens, A.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Meers, E. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Detailed nitrogen and phosphorus flow analysis, nutrient use efficiency and circularity in the agri-food system of a livestock-intensive region Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Journal of cleaner production Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 410 Issue Pages 137278-13  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract The agri-food value chain is a major cause of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) emissions and associated environmental and health impacts. The EU's farm-to-fork strategy (F2F) demands an agri-food value chain approach to reduce nutrient emissions by 50% and fertilizer use by 20%. Substance flow analysis (SFA) is a method that can be applied to study complex systems such as the agri-food chain. A review of 60 SFA studies shows that they often lack detail by not sufficiently distinguishing between nodes, products and types of emissions. The present study aims to assess the added value of detail in SFAs and to illustrate that valuable indicators can be derived from detailed assessments. This aim will be attained by presenting a highly-detailed SFA for the livestock-intensive region of Flanders, Belgium. The SFA distinguishes 40 nodes and 1827 flows that are classified into eight different categories (e.g. by-products, point source emissions) following life cycle methods. Eight novel indicators were calculated, including indicators that assess the N and P recovery potential. Flanders has a low overall nutrient use efficiency (11% N, 18% P). About 55% of the N and 56% of the P embedded in recoverable streams are reused providing 35% and 37% of the total N and P input. Optimized nutrient recycling could replace 45% of N and 48% of P of the external nutrient input, exceeding the target set by the F2F strategy. Detailed accounting for N and P flows and nodes leads to the identification of more recoverable streams and larger N and P flows. More detailed flow accounting is a prerequisite for the quantification of technological intervention options. Future research should focus on including concentration and quality as a parameter in SFAs.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000991013600001 Publication Date 2023-04-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0959-6526 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 11.1 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 11.1; 2023 IF: 5.715  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196227 Serial 7770  
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Author Niklas, K.J.; Shi, P.; Gielis, J.; Schrader, J.; Niinemets, U. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Editorial: leaf functional traits : ecological and evolutionary implications Type Editorial
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Frontiers in plant science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 14 Issue Pages 1169558-5  
  Keywords Editorial; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000964122500001 Publication Date 2023-03-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1664-462x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.6 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.6; 2023 IF: 4.298  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196076 Serial 7834  
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Author Chinnabathini, V.C.; Dingenen, F.; Borah, R.; Abbas, I.; van der Tol, J.; Zarkua, Z.; D'Acapito, F.; Nguyen, T.H.T.; Lievens, P.; Grandjean, D.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Janssens, E. doi  openurl
  Title Gas phase deposition of well-defined bimetallic gold-silver clusters for photocatalytic applications Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Nanoscale Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 15 Issue 14 Pages 6696-6708  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Cluster beam deposition is employed for fabricating well-defined bimetallic plasmonic photocatalysts to enhance their activity while facilitating a more fundamental understanding of their properties. AuxAg1-x clusters with compositions (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 and 1) spanning the metals' miscibility range were produced in the gas-phase and soft-landed on TiO2 P25-coated silicon wafers with an optimal coverage of 4 atomic monolayer equivalents. Electron microscopy images show that at this coverage most clusters remain well dispersed whereas EXAFS data are in agreement with the finding that the deposited clusters have an average size of ca. 5 nm and feature the same composition as the ablated alloy targets. A composition-dependant electron transfer from Au to Ag that is likely to impart chemical stability to the bimetallic clusters and protect Ag atoms against oxidation is additionally evidenced by XPS and XANES. Under simulated solar light, AuxAg1-x clusters show a remarkable composition-dependent volcano-type enhancement of their photocatalytic activity towards degradation of stearic acid, a model compound for organic fouling on surfaces. The Formal Quantum Efficiency (FQE) is peaking at the Au0.3Ag0.7 composition with a value that is twice as high as that of the pristine TiO2 P25 under solar simulator. Under UV the FQE of all compositions remains similar to that of pristine TiO2. A classical electromagnetic simulation study confirms that among all compositions Au0.3Ag0.7 features the largest near-field enhancement in the wavelength range of maximal solar light intensity, as well as sufficient individual photon energy resulting in a better photocatalytic self-cleaning activity. This allows ascribing the mechanism for photocatalysis mostly to the plasmonic effect of the bimetallic clusters through direct electron injection and near-field enhancement from the resonant cluster towards the conduction band of TiO2. These results not only demonstrate the added value of using well-defined bimetallic nanocatalysts to enhance their photocatalytic activity but also highlights the potential of the cluster beam deposition to design tailored noble metal modified photocatalytic surfaces with controlled compositions and sizes without involving potentially hazardous chemical agents.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000968631100001 Publication Date 2023-03-15  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2040-3364; 2040-3372 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 6.7 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 6.7; 2023 IF: 7.367  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196040 Serial 7988  
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Author Wang, Y.-T.; Wu, S.-M.; Luo, G.-Q.; Tian, G.; Wang, L.-Y.; Xiao, S.-T.; Wu, J.-X.; Wu, A.; Wu, K.-J.; Lenaerts, S.; Yang, X.-Y. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title A core-shell confined Pd@TS-1 @meso-SiO2 catalyst and its synergy effect on styrene oxidation Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Applied catalysis : A : general Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 650 Issue Pages 119016-6  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Dual active sites from acidic zeolite and Pd are not only capable of catalyzing multiple type of reactions, but could also generate unique functions owing to the synergy between metals and acidic sites. However, there are only a few reports on the investigation of the synergy of acid/Pd dual sites in TS-1. Herein, TS-1 confined Pd catalyst with mesoporous silica shell (Pd@TS-1 @meso-SiO2) has been successfully synthesized and its synergy effect contributes to the enhanced conversion rate (19.2%) and selectivity (74.7%) on styrene oxidation. The interaction between Pd and TS-1 has been investigated by EPR and 1H NMR techniques, the experimental measurements show an obvious change in the signal distribution of weakly acidic terminal hydroxyls and hydrogen-bonding silanols. The schematic illustration of selective styrene oxidation in the model of Pd@TS-1 @meso-SiO2 is proposed to clarify the synergistic effect on styrene oxidation between TS-1 and Pd nanoparticles at an atomic-/nanoscale.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001015700000001 Publication Date 2022-12-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0926-860x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.5 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.5; 2023 IF: 4.339  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:197805 Serial 8826  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Shi, P.; Chen, L.; Quinn, B.K.; Yu, K.; Miao, Q.; Guo, X.; Lian, M.; Gielis, J.; Niklas, K.J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title A simple way to calculate the volume and surface area of avian eggs Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 1524 Issue 1 Pages 118-131  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Egg geometry can be described using Preston's equation, which has seldom been used to calculate egg volume (V) and surface area (S) to explore S versus V scaling relationships. Herein, we provide an explicit re-expression of Preston's equation (designated as EPE) to calculate V and S, assuming that an egg is a solid of revolution. The side (longitudinal) profiles of 2221 eggs of six avian species were digitized, and the EPE was used to describe each egg profile. The volumes of 486 eggs from two avian species predicted by the EPE were compared with those obtained using water displacement in graduated cylinders. There was no significant difference in V using the two methods, which verified the utility of the EPE and the hypothesis that eggs are solids of revolution. The data also indicated that V is proportional to the product of egg length (L) and maximum width (W) squared. A 2/3-power scaling relationship between S and V for each species was observed, that is, S is proportional to (LW2)(2/3). These results can be extended to describe the shapes of the eggs of other species to study the evolution of avian (and perhaps reptilian) eggs.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000975679400001 Publication Date 2023-04-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0077-8923; 1749-6632 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.2 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.2; 2023 IF: 4.706  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196724 Serial 8827  
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Author Saeumel, I.; Ramirez, L.R.; Santolin, J.; Pintado, K. url  doi
openurl 
  Title A step to disentangle diversity patterns in Uruguayan grasslands : climatic seasonality, novel land-uses, and landscape context drive diversity of ground flora Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Conservation Science and Practice Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 5 Issue 9 Pages 1-20  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract South American grasslands contain extraordinary biodiversity and play a central role in the subsistence of regional agroecosystems. In recent decades, afforestation, followed by the soybean planting boom, have led to drastic land-use changes at the expense of grasslands. Impacts on local biodiversity have remained understudied. We explored the taxonomic richness and ss-diversity of plants of ground layer (excluding trees and shrubs) at different land uses, its interplay at regional scale with environmental heterogeneity, and at local scale with novel land cover types and landscape configurations. We conducted correlation, principal component, NDMS, and SDR analysis to explore variation of taxonomic richness, richness difference, replacement, and similarity of ground flora as response to environmental filters and land use change across Uruguay. We surveyed 160 plots distributed in 10 land cover types, that is, closed and open native forests, different grasslands, crops, orchards, and timber plantations. We observed overlaying regional patterns driven by seasonality of temperature and precipitation, and land cover shaping taxonomic richness at local scale. Landscape configuration affects diversity patterns of native ground flora, which seems to be sustained mainly by the “old growth grassland” species pool. Taxonomic richness of native species decreases with an increase of distance to grassland. Crops and grasslands harbor a higher number of native species in the ground flora than native forests and timber plantations. The introduction of exotics is driven mostly by crops or highly modified pastures. Diversity patterns only partially reflect the ecoregion concept. Expanding the perspective from conservation in purely natural ecosystems to measures conserving species richness in human-modified landscapes is a powerful tool against species loss in the Anthropocene.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001034673500001 Publication Date 2023-07-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2578-4854 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198300 Serial 8828  
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Author Kummamuru, N.B.; Watson, G.; Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Cool, P.; Van Der Voort, P.; Perreault, P. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Accelerated methane storage in clathrate hydrates using mesoporous (Organo-) silica materials Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Fuel Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 354 Issue Pages 129403-129418  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Methane (CH4) clathrate hydrates have gained much attention in the ever-growing search for novel energy storage methods; however, they are currently limited due to their poor water-to-hydrate conversions and slow formation kinetics. To surmount these bottlenecks, significant research has been centered on the design of novel methods (porous media). In this vein, the present work explores two hydrophobic mesoporous solids, an alkyl-grafted mesoporous silica (SBA-15 C8) and a periodic mesoporous organosilica (Ring-PMO), in their ability to promote CH4 clathrates. Both materials have shown to facilitate CH4 clathrate formation at mild operating conditions (6 MPa and 269–276 K). The study revealed that the maximal CH4 storage capacities are strongly linked to the critical/optimal quantity of water in the system which was determined to be at 130% and 200% of the pore volume for SBA-15 C8 and Ring-PMO, respectively. Up to 90% and 95% of the maximum water-to-hydrate conversions were achieved in 90 min at the lowest experimental temperature and critical water content for SBA-15 C8 and Ring-PMO, respectively. At these conditions, SBA-15 C8 and Ring-PMO showed a maximum gas uptake of 98.2 and 101.2 mmol CH4/mol H2O, respectively. Both the materials exhibited no chemical or morphological changes post-clathrate formations (characterized using FT-IR, N2 sorption, XRD, and TEM), inferring their viability as clathrate promoters for multiple cycles. An integrated multistep model was considered adequate for representing the hydrate crystallization kinetics and fits well with the experimental kinetic data with a low average absolute deviation in water-to-hydrate conversions among the three distinct kinetic models analyzed. Overall, the results from this study demonstrate hydrophobic porous materials as effective promoters of CH4 clathrates, which could make clathrate-based CH4 storage and transport technology industrially viable.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001059413200001 Publication Date 2023-08-07  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0016-2361 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 07.02.2024  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.4; 2023 IF: 4.601  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:197987 Serial 8829  
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Author Xie, Y.; Van Tendeloo, M.; Zhu, W.; Peng, L.; Vlaeminck, S.E. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Autotrophic nitrogen polishing of secondary effluents : Alkaline pH and residual nitrate control S0-driven denitratation for downstream anammox treatment Type A1 Journal article
  Year (down) 2023 Publication Journal of Water Process Engineering Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 56 Issue Pages 104402-104409  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Energy-lean nitrogen removal technologies, such as partial nitritation/anammox, often encounter effluent issues due to elevated nitrate and ammonium levels. This study proposed a novel autotrophic polishing strategy coupling sulfur-driven denitratation with anammox. To explore the denitratation potential in obtaining stable and sufficient nitrite accumulation, the effects of pH, residual nitrate level, and biomass-specific nitrate loading rate (BSNLR) were investigated in an S0-packed bed reactor at low hydraulic retention time (i.e., 0.2 h). Implementing pH and residual nitrate control strategies would be easier in practice than BSNLR control to polish secondary effluent. Alkaline pH values could realize successful nitrite accumulation without residual nitrate, and further intensify the accumulation under increased residual nitrate levels. The nitrate level was positively correlated with the nitrite accumulation efficiency. At pH 8.5 and nitrate concentration of 1.0 ± 0.8 mg N L−1, sulfur-driven denitratation could successfully maintain nitrite accumulation of 6.4 ± 1.0 mg NO2−-N L−1, ideally for the downstream anammox in case of residual ammonium levels of around 5 mg N L−1. Since Thiobacillus members play a key role in managing nitrite accumulation, their abundance should be guaranteed in the practical application.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001103341400001 Publication Date 2023-10-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2214-7144 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 7 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 18.04.2024  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7; 2023 IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:200036 Serial 8835  
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