|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Peng, L.; Lou, W.; Xu, Y.; Yu, S.; Liang, C.; Alloul, A.; Song, K.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Regulating light, oxygen and volatile fatty acids to boost the productivity of purple bacteria biomass, protein and co-enzyme Q10 Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication The science of the total environment Abbreviated Journal Sci Total Environ
Volume 822 Issue Pages 153489
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Purple non‑sulfur bacteria (PNSB) possess significant potential for bioresource recovery from wastewater. Effective operational tools are needed to boost productivity and direct the PNSB biomass towards abundant value-added substances (e.g., protein and co-enzyme Q10, CoQ10). This study aimed to investigate the impact of light, oxygen and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) on PNSB growth (i.e., Rhodobacter sphaeroides) and productivity of protein and CoQ10. Overall, the biomass yields and specific growth rates of PNSB were in the ranges of 0.57–1.08 g biomass g−1 CODremoved and 0.48–0.71 d−1, respectively. VFAs did not influence the biomass yield, yet acetate and VFA mixtures enhanced the specific growth rate with a factor of 1.2–1.5 compared to propionate and butyrate. The most PNSB biomass (1.08 g biomass g−1 CODremoved and 0.71 d−1) and the highest biomass quality (protein content of 609 mg g−1 dry cell weight (DCW) and CoQ10 content of 13.21 mg g−1 DCW) were obtained in the presence of VFA mixtures under natural light and microaerobic (low light alternated with darkness; dissolved oxygen (DO) between 0.5 and 1 mg L−1) conditions (vs. light anaerobic and dark aerobic cultivations). Further investigation on VFAs dynamics revealed that acetate was most rapidly consumed by PNSB in the individual VFA feeding (specific uptake rate of 0.76 g COD g−1 DCW d−1), while acetate as a co-substrate in the mixed VFAs feeding might accelerate the consumption of propionate and butyrate through providing additional cell metabolism precursor. Enzymes activities of succinate dehydrogenase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase as well as the concentration of photo pigments confirmed that light, oxygen and VFAs regulated the key enzymes in the energy metabolism and biomass synthesis to boost PNSB growth. These results provide a promising prospect for utilization of fermented waste stream for the harvest of PNSB biomass, protein and CoQ10.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000766801800010 Publication Date 2022-02-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0048-9697 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
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:185706 Serial 7202
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Alloul, A.; Moradvandi, A.; Puyol, D.; Molina, R.; Gardella, G.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; De Schutter, B.; Abraham, E.; Lindeboom, R.E.F.; Weissbrodt, D.G.
Title A novel mechanistic modelling approach for microbial selection dynamics : towards improved design and control of raceway reactors for purple bacteria Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 390 Issue Pages 129844-129849
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) show an underexplored potential for resource recovery from wastewater. Raceway reactors offer a more affordable full-scale solution on wastewater and enable useful additional aerobic processes. Current mathematical models of PPB systems provide useful mechanistic insights, but do not represent the full metabolic versatility of PPB and thus require further advancement to simulate the process for technology development and control. In this study, a new modelling approach for PPB that integrates the photoheterotrophic, and both anaerobic and aerobic chemoheterotrophic metabolic pathways through an empirical parallel metabolic growth constant was proposed. It aimed the modelling of microbial selection dynamics in competition with aerobic and anaerobic microbial community under different operational scenarios. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to identify the most influential parameters within the model and calibrate them based on experimental data. Process perturbation scenarios were simulated, which showed a good performance of the model.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001094606700001 Publication Date 2023-10-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0960-8524 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
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:200035 Serial 8905
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Agrawal, S.; Weissbrodt, D.G.; Annavajhala, M.; Jensen, M.M.; Arroyo, J.M.C.; Wells, G.; Chandran, K.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Terada, A.; Smets, B.F.; Lackner, S.
Title Time to act–assessing variations in qPCR analyses in biological nitrogen removal with examples from partial nitritation/anammox systems Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Water Research Abbreviated Journal Water Res
Volume 190 Issue Pages 116604
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is broadly used as the gold standard to quantify microbial community fractions in environmental microbiology and biotechnology. Benchmarking efforts to ensure the comparability of qPCR data for environmental bioprocesses are still scarce. Also, for partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) systems systematic investigations are still missing, rendering meta-analysis of reported trends and generic insights potentially precarious. We report a baseline investigation of the variability of qPCR-based analyses for microbial communities applied to PN/A systems. Round-robin testing was performed for three PN/A biomass samples in six laboratories, using the respective in-house DNA extraction and qPCR protocols. The concentration of extracted DNA was significantly different between labs, ranged between 2.7 and 328 ng mg−1 wet biomass. The variability among the qPCR abundance data of different labs was very high (1−7 log fold) but differed for different target microbial guilds. DNA extraction caused maximum variation (3–7 log fold), followed by the primers (1–3 log fold). These insights will guide environmental scientists and engineers as well as treatment plant operators in the interpretation of qPCR data.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000632807700001 Publication Date 2020-11-05
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0043-1354; 1879-2448 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.942 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 6.942
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:173838 Serial 8672
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Chen, J.; Ying, J.; Xiao, Y.; Dong, Y.; Ozoemena, K., I; Lenaerts, S.; Yang, X.
Title Stoichiometry design in hierarchical CoNiFe phosphide for highly efficient water oxidation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Science China : materials Abbreviated Journal Sci China Mater
Volume 65 Issue 10 Pages 2685-2693
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Rational composition design of trimetallic phosphide catalysts is of significant importance for enhanced surface reaction and efficient catalytic performance. Herein, hierarchical CoxNiyFezP with precise control of stoichiometric metallic elements (x:y:z = (1-10):(1-10):1) has been synthesized, and Co1.3Ni0.5Fe0.2P, as the most optimal composition, exhibits remarkable catalytic activity (eta = 320 mV at 10 mA cm(-2)) and long-term stability (ignorable decrease after 10 h continuous test at the current density of 10 mA cm(-2)) toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER). It is found that the surface P in Co1.3Ni0.5Fe0.2P was replaced by 0 under the OER process. The density function theory calculations before and after long-term stability tests suggest the clear increasing of the density of states near the Fermi level of Co1.3Ni0.5Fe0.2P/ Co1.3Ni0.5Fe0.2O, which could enhance the OH- adsorption of our electrocatalysts and the corresponding OER performance.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000805530000001 Publication Date 2022-05-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2095-8226; 2199-4501 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 8.1 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 8.1
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189074 Serial 7212
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Voordeckers, D.; Lauriks, T.; Denys, S.; Billen, P.; Tytgat, T.; Van Acker, M.
Title Guidelines for passive control of traffic-related air pollution in street canyons : an overview for urban planning Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Landscape And Urban Planning Abbreviated Journal Landscape Urban Plan
Volume 207 Issue Pages 103980-20
Keywords A1 Journal article; Economics; Law; Engineering sciences. Technology; Art; Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings (EMIB); Research Group for Urban Development; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Intelligence in PRocesses, Advanced Catalysts and Solvents (iPRACS)
Abstract (up) Recent studies indicate the necessity of addressing traffic-related air pollution in urban environments, as street canyons are known for their lack of natural ventilation and increased pollution levels. To address this issue, numerous studies have been conducted on different aspects (e.g. aspect ratio, orientation and height variation) and their impact on ventilation and pollution dispersion/dilution performance in street canyons. Despite the numerous studies, the information remains fragmented and the results and applications are fairly unknown in urban planning. Broad review studies on numerous street canyon aspects are also quite scarce. In this study, over 200 studies were collected and reviewed across various parameters and on different configuration levels (street canyon configuration / building configuration / in-canyon configuration). Hereby, the study aims to give a comprehensive overview and to formulate spatial guidelines to improve the application of the reviewed studies for the purpose of urban planning. In total, 19 general guidelines were formulated, and an implementation strategy for the purpose of urban planning was developed. Despite the usability of these guidelines for urban planning, a high number of limitations and variabilities were detected. The broad literature review also revealed knowledge gaps, indicating the potentials for further research.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000604739400006 Publication Date 2020-11-26
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0169-2046 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.563 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.563
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:173811 Serial 8014
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Shi, P.; Gielis, J.; Niklas, K.J.
Title Comparison of a universal (but complex) model for avian egg shape with a simpler model Type Editorial
Year 2022 Publication Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Abbreviated Journal Ann Ny Acad Sci
Volume 1514 Issue 1 Pages 34-42
Keywords Editorial; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Recently, a universal equation by Narushin, Romanov, and Griffin (hereafter, the NRGE) was proposed to describe the shape of avian eggs. While NRGE can simulate the shape of spherical, ellipsoidal, ovoidal, and pyriform eggs, its predictions were not tested against actual data. Here, we tested the validity of the NRGE by fitting actual data of egg shapes and compared this with the predictions of our simpler model for egg shape (hereafter, the SGE). The eggs of nine bird species were sampled for this purpose. NRGE was found to fit the empirical data of egg shape well, but it did not define the egg length axis (i.e., the rotational symmetric axis), which significantly affected the prediction accuracy. The egg length axis under the NRGE is defined as the maximum distance between two points on the scanned perimeter of the egg's shape. In contrast, the SGE fitted the empirical data better, and had a smaller root-mean-square error than the NRGE for each of the nine eggs. Based on its mathematical simplicity and goodness-of-fit, the SGE appears to be a reliable and useful model for describing egg shape.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000803394100001 Publication Date 2022-06-01
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
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188470 Serial 7139
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Blommaerts, N.; Dingenen, F.; Middelkoop, V.; Savelkouls, J.; Goemans, M.; Tytgat, T.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Ultrafast screening of commercial sorbent materials for VOC adsorption using real-time FTIR spectroscopy Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Separation and purification technology Abbreviated Journal Sep Purif Technol
Volume 207 Issue 207 Pages 284-290
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Recovery of valuable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from waste streams is of great industrial importance. Adsorption on zeolites offers an economically and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional activated carbon. When evaluating the suitability of a given zeolite for a particular adsorption application, its adsorption capacity has to be determined. This is traditionally achieved using gas chromatography as an analysis tool, yielding only a few discrete sampling points that constitute the adsorption profile. Meanwhile, only low flow rates and low concentrations of volatile organics can be used, rendering the procedure troublesome and time consuming. Herein, we propose a tool for the fast screening of a large amount of zeolites using on-line and quasi real-time Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The technique was used to determine the adsorption capacity of three different commercial zeolites and two silica gels, for five industrially relevant VOCs: acetone; methanol; isohexane; isopentane; and toluene. A series of rapid measurements of the individual adsorption capacities were carried out to obtain a detailed overview of the versatility of the proposed method for the characterization of multi-component and multi-sorption bed systems.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000445987500032 Publication Date 2018-06-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1383-5866 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.359 Times cited 5 Open Access
Notes ; We would like to thank Vlaams Agenschap Innoveren & Ondernemen (VLAIO) for financial support. The authors would also like to thank Kureha GmbH, Germany for kindly supplying us with their BAC (R) (bead-shaped activated carbon) samples. ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.359
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:154694 Serial 6000
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.
Title Whole transcriptome analysis highlights nutrient limitation of nitrogen cycle bacteria in simulated microgravity Type A1 Journal article
Year 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 (up) 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 Not_Open_Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202285 Serial 9113
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Van Hal, M.; Campos, R.; Lenaerts, S.; De Wael, K.; Verbruggen, S.W.
Title Gas phase photofuel cell consisting of WO₃- and TiO₂-photoanodes and an air-exposed cathode for simultaneous air purification and electricity generation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Applied Catalysis B-Environmental Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal B-Environ
Volume 292 Issue Pages 120204
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Research has shown the potential of photofuel cells (PFCs) for waste water treatment, enabling the (partial) recovery of the energy released from the degraded compounds as electricity. Literature on PFCs targeting air pollution on the other hand is extremely scarce. In this work an autonomously operating air purification device targeting sustainable electricity generation is presented. Knowledge on gas phase operation of PFCs was gathered by combining photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical measurements, both for TiO2 and WO3-based photocatalysts. While TiO2-based photocatalysts performed better in direct photocatalytic experiments, they were outperformed by WO3-based photoanodes in all-gas-phase PFC operation. Not only do WO3-based photocatalysts generate the highest steady state photocurrent, they also achieved the highest fuel-to-electricity conversion (>65 %). The discrepancies between gas phase photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical processes highlight the difference in driving material properties. This study serves as a proof-of-concept towards development of an autonomous, low-cost and widely applicable waste gas-to-electricity PFC device.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000663216500001 Publication Date 2021-04-06
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0926-3373 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 9.446 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 9.446
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:177075 Serial 7989
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Firmansyah, I.; Carsjens, G.J.; de Ruijter, F.J.; Zeeman, G.; Spiller, M.
Title An integrated assessment of environmental, economic, social and technological parameters of source separated and conventional sanitation concepts : a contribution to sustainability analysis Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Journal Of Environmental Management Abbreviated Journal J Environ Manage
Volume 295 Issue Pages 113131
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Resource recovery and reuse from domestic wastewater has become an important subject for the current development of sanitation technologies and infrastructures. Different technologies are available and combined into sanitation concepts, with different performances. This study provides a methodological approach to evaluate the sustainability of these sanitation concepts with focus on resource recovery and reuse. St. Eustatius, a small tropical island in the Caribbean, was used as a case study for the evaluation. Three source separation-communityon-site and two combined sewerage island-scale concepts were selected and compared in terms of environmental (net energy use, nutrient recovery/reuse, BOD/COD, pathogens, and GHG emission, land use), economic (CAPEX and OPEX), social cultural (acceptance, required competences and education), and technological (flexibility/ adaptability, reliability/continuity of service) indicators. The best performing concept, is the application of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (UASB) and Trickling Filter (TF) at island level for combined domestic wastewater treatment with subsequent reuse in agriculture. Its overall average normalised score across the four categories (i. e., average of average per category) is about 15% (0.85) higher than the values of the remaining systems and with a score of 0.73 (conventional activated sludge – centralised level), 0.77 (UASB-septic tank (ST)), 0.76 (UASB-TF – community level), and 0.75 (ST – household level). The higher score of the UASB-TF at community level is mainly due to much better performance in the environmental and economic categories. In conclusion, the case study provides a methodological approach that can support urban planning and decision-making in selecting more sustainable sanitation concepts, allowing resource recovery and reuse in small island context or in other contexts.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000681105800003 Publication Date 2021-06-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0301-4797 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.01 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.01
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:180488 Serial 7437
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Paepe, J.; De Paepe, K.; Gòdia, F.; Rabaey, K.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Clauwaert, P.
Title Bio-electrochemical COD removal for energy-efficient, maximum and robust nitrogen recovery from urine through membrane aerated nitrification Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Water Research Abbreviated Journal Water Res
Volume 185 Issue Pages 116223
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Resource recovery from source-separated urine can shorten nutrient cycles on Earth and is essential in regenerative life support systems for deep-space exploration. In this study, a robust two-stage, energy-efficient, gravity-independent urine treatment system was developed to transform fresh real human urine into a stable nutrient solution. In the first stage, up to 85% of the COD was removed in a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC), converting part of the energy in organic compounds (27-46%) into hydrogen gas and enabling full nitrogen recovery by preventing nitrogen losses through denitrification in the second stage. Besides COD removal, all urea was hydrolysed in the MEC, resulting in a stream rich in ammoniacal nitrogen and alkalinity, and low in COD. This stream was fed into a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) in order to convert the volatile and toxic ammoniacal nitrogen to non-volatile nitrate by nitrification. Bio-electrochemical pre-treatment allowed to recover all nitrogen as nitrate in the MABR at a bulk-phase dissolved oxygen level below 0.1 mg O2 L-1. In contrast, feeding the MABR directly with raw urine (omitting the first stage), at the same nitrogen loading rate, resulted in nitrogen loss (18%) due to denitrification. The MEC and MABR were characterised by very distinct and diverse microbial communities. While (strictly) anaerobic genera, such as Geobacter (electroactive bacteria), Thiopseudomonas, a Lentimicrobiaceae member, Alcaligenes and Proteiniphilum prevailed in the MEC, the MABR was dominated by aerobic genera, including Nitrosomonas (a known ammonium oxidiser), Moheibacter and Gordonia. The two-stage approach yielded a stable nitrate-rich, COD-low nutrient solution, suitable for plant and microalgae cultivation.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000580639800035 Publication Date 2020-07-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0043-1354 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 12.8 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 12.8; 2020 IF: 6.942
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:170524 Serial 6461
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vingerhoets, R.; Brienza, C.; Sigurnjak, I.; Buysse, J.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Spiller, M.; Meers, E.
Title Ammonia stripping and scrubbing followed by nitrification and denitrification saves costs for manure treatment based on a calibrated model approach Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal
Volume 477 Issue Pages 146984-14
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Resource-efficient nitrogen management is of high environmental and economic interest, and manure represents the major nutrient flow in livestock-intensive regions. Ammonia stripping/scrubbing (SS) is an appealing nitrogen recovery route from manure, yet its real-life implementation has been limited thus far. In nutrient surplus regions like Flanders, treatment of the liquid fraction (LF) of (co–)digested manure typically consists of nitrification/denitrification (NDN) removing most N as nitrogen gas. Integrating SS before NDN in existing plants would expand treatment capacity and recover N while maintaining low N effluent values, yet cost estimations of this novel approach after process optimisation are not yet available. A programming model was developed and calibrated to minimise the treatment costs of this approach and find the balance between N recovery versus N removal. Four crucial operational parameters (CO2 stripping time, NH3 stripping time, temperature and NaOH addition) were optimised for 18 scenarios which were different in terms of technical set-up, influent characteristics and scrubber acid. The model shows that SS before NDN can decrease the costs by 1 to 56% under optimal conditions compared to treatment with NDN only, with 1 to 8% reduction for the LF of manure (22–29% recovered of N treated), and 11 to 56% reduction for the LF of co-digested manure (42–67% recovered of N treated), primarily dependent on resource pricing. This study shows the power of modelling for minimum-cost design and operation of manure treatment yielding savings while producing useful N recovery products with SS followed by NDN.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001108935900001 Publication Date 2023-10-28
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
Impact Factor 15.1 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 15.1; 2023 IF: 6.216
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:200649 Serial 9003
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Coppens, J.; Meers, E.; Boon, N.; Buysse, J.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Follow the N and P road : high-resolution nutrient flow analysis of the Flanders region as precursor for sustainable resource management Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Resources, conservation and recycling Abbreviated Journal
Volume 115 Issue Pages 9-21
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Resource-efficient nutrient management is key to secure food production in the context of a growing global population, rising resource scarcity and increasing pressure on the environment. To map the potential towards increasing nutrient use efficiencies and reduce environmental losses, a high-resolution insight of the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) nutrient streams is pivotal. In this study, a substance flow analysis for N and P is presented for the nutrient intensive region of Flanders (6,211,065 inhabitants) in Belgium for the year 2009. A set of 160 nutrient fluxes was quantified throughout 21 economic and environmental compartments, with a particular focus on 10 waste management processes. A total nutrient load of 20 kg N cap(-1) yr(-1) (ca. 73% to the air and 28% to surface waters) and 0.53 kg P cap(-1) yr(-1) (to surface waters) is emitted to the environment; with crop and livestock production as the main contributors (49% of N and 36% of P). The food supply chain revealed a fertilizer-to-consumer efficiency of 14% for N as well as for P, with important losses embedded in waste streams such as excess manure. Advanced manure and waste processing facilities nevertheless offer the opportunity for enhanced nutrient recycling to increase the nutrient use efficiencies and reduce the dependency of inorganic fertilizers. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000384852500002 Publication Date 2016-08-30
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 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:137229 Serial 7977
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Fret, J.; Roef, L.; Diels, L.; Tavernier, S.; Vyverman, W.; Michiels, M.
Title Combining medium recirculation with alternating the microalga production strain : a laboratory and pilot scale cultivation test Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Algal Research-Biomass Biofuels And Bioproducts Abbreviated Journal Algal Res
Volume 46 Issue Pages 101763
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Intelligence in PRocesses, Advanced Catalysts and Solvents (iPRACS)
Abstract (up) Reuse of growth medium after biomass harvesting is a cost-saving approach to improve the economic feasibility of algae mass cultivation. Algal exudates, cell debris and varying amounts of residual nutrients, impose challenges to the recycling of spent medium. In this study, the potential of combining reused medium from different algae species for growing monocultures of other algal strains was evaluated by making use of three successive cultivation setups with increasing volume; 400 mL in turbidostat mode, 2.6 L and 220 L in semi-continuous mode. Cultivation on replenished medium derived from Nannochloropsis sp. and Tisochrysis lutea, had no adverse effect on the productivity of either of the strains, regardless of whether they were grown in their own recycled medium or that of the other alga. Microfiltration of the reused medium proved to be sufficient to avoid cross-contamination. Moreover, a substantial average reduction in water footprint (77%) and nutrient cost (68% or 9 (sic).kg(-1) dry biomass) was achieved. Extension and validation of the medium recycling approach to other economically interesting algae species can contribute to improving the economic feasibility of large scale microalgae production systems.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000512364900013 Publication Date 2020-01-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2211-9264 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.1 Times cited 4 Open Access
Notes ; This work was financially supported by the Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology, Flanders (IWT Baekeland mandatory Jorien Fret, project no. 100678). We thank Kayawe Valentine Mubiana from the Systemic Physiological and Ecotoxicological Research group, University of Antwerp, for the assistance in the analysis of the trace elements. ; Approved Most recent IF: 5.1; 2020 IF: 3.994
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:167742 Serial 6471
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Broos, W.; Wittner, N.; Dries, J.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Gunde-Cimerman, N.; Cornet, I.
Title Rhodotorula kratochvilovae outperforms Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum in the valorisation of lignocellulosic wastewater to microbial oil Type A1 Journal article
Year 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 (up) 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 4.4 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.4; 2024 IF: 2.497
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202365 Serial 9087
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Spacova, I.; Ahannach, S.; Breynaert, A.; Erreygers, I.; Wittouck, S.; Bron, P.A.; Van Beeck, W.; Eilers, T.; Alloul, A.; Blansaer, N.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Hermans, N.; Lebeer, S.
Title Spontaneous riboflavin-overproducing Limosilactobacillus reuteri for biofortification of fermented foods Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Frontiers in Nutrition Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue Pages 916607-916619
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Riboflavin-producing lactic acid bacteria represent a promising and cost-effective strategy for food biofortification, but production levels are typically insufficient to support daily human requirements. In this study, we describe the novel human isolate Limosilactobacillus reuteri AMBV339 as a strong food biofortification candidate. This strain shows a high natural riboflavin (vitamin B2) overproduction of 18.36 mu g/ml, biomass production up to 6 x 10(10) colony-forming units/ml (in the typical range of model lactobacilli), and pH-lowering capacities to a pH as low as 4.03 in common plant-based (coconut, soy, and oat) and cow milk beverages when cultured up to 72 h at 37 degrees C. These properties were especially pronounced in coconut beverage and butter milk fermentations, and were sustained in co-culture with the model starter Streptococcus thermophilus. Furthermore, L. reuteri AMBV339 grown in laboratory media or in a coconut beverage survived in gastric juice and in a simulated gastrointestinal dialysis model with colon phase (GIDM-colon system) inoculated with fecal material from a healthy volunteer. Passive transport of L. reuteri AMBV339-produced riboflavin occurred in the small intestinal and colon stage of the GIDM system, and active transport via intestinal epithelial Caco-2 monolayers was also demonstrated. L. reuteri AMBV339 did not cause fecal microbiome perturbations in the GIDM-colon system and inhibited enteric bacterial pathogens in vitro. Taken together, our data suggests that L. reuteri AMBV339 represents a promising candidate to provide riboflavin fortification of plant-based and dairy foods, and has a high application potential in the human gastrointestinal tract.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000814856600001 Publication Date 2022-06-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2296-861x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189011 Serial 7211
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Baere, K.; Verstraelen, H.; Lemmens, L.; Lenaerts, S.; Dewil, R.; Van Ingelgem, Y.; Potters, G.
Title A field study of the effectiveness of sacrificial anodes in ballast tanks of merchant ships Type A1 Journal article
Year 2014 Publication Journal of marine science and technology Abbreviated Journal J Mar Sci Tech-Japan
Volume 19 Issue 1 Pages 116-123
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Sacrificial anodes have become a standard practice for the protection of ballast tanks of merchant vessels against corrosive damage. A well protected tank should extend the life span of a ship and consequently enhances its economic value. An in situ survey comprising more than 100 merchant vessels provided the opportunity to measure the impact of these anodes on the life expectancy of these vessels. Contrary to the general belief of these anodes beneficial effect, no significant difference was found in our observations in terms of corrosion occurrence between ship populations with and without sacrificial anodes, across all ship ages. This may be explained by the highly variable conditions and the complex geometry in a ballast tank severely impede optimal and straightforward installation of these anodes in these tanks. Also, poorly placed anodes in it may harm the integrity of the coating of the tank. We therefore plead for uniform and clear rules on anode installation and inspection.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000332693300008 Publication Date 2013-07-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0948-4280 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 0.838 Times cited 3 Open Access
Notes ; This work was financed by a BOF Academisation grant of the University of Antwerp and the Antwerp Maritime Academy. ; Approved Most recent IF: 0.838; 2014 IF: 0.805
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:109348 Serial 5953
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Roefs, I.; Meulman, B.; Vreeburg, J.H.G.; Spiller, M.
Title Centralised, decentralised or hybrid sanitation systems? Economic evaluation under urban development uncertainty and phased expansion Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Water research Abbreviated Journal
Volume 109 Issue Pages 274-286
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Sanitation systems are built to be robust, that is, they are dimensioned to cope with population growth and other variability that occurs throughout their lifetime. It was recently shown that building sanitation systems in phases is more cost effective than one robust design. This phasing can take place by building small autonomous decentralised units that operate closer to the actual demand. Research has shown that variability and uncertainty in urban development does affect the cost effectiveness of this approach. Previous studies do not, however, consider the entire sanitation system from collection to treatment. The aim of this study is to assess the economic performance of three sanitation systems with different scales and systems characteristics under a variety of urban development pathways. Three systems are studied: (I) a centralised conventional activated sludge treatment, (II) a community on site source separation grey water and black water treatment and (III) a hybrid with grey water treatment at neighbourhood scale and black water treatment off site. A modelling approach is taken that combines a simulation of greenfield urban growth, a model of the wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure design properties and a model that translates design parameters into discounted asset lifetime costs. Monte Carlo simulations are used to evaluate the economic performance under uncertain development trends. Results show that the conventional system outperforms both of the other systems when total discounted lifetime costs are assessed, because it benefits from economies of scale. However, when population growth is lower than expected, the source-separated system is more cost effective, because of reduced idle capacity. The hybrid system is not competitive under any circumstance due to the costly double piping and treatment. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000392788900028 Publication Date 2016-11-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0043-1354; 1879-2448 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:143853 Serial 7587
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kim, E.; Spooren, J.; Broos, K.; Horckmans, L.; Quaghebeur, M.; Vrancken, K.C.
Title Selective recovery of Cr from stainless steel slag by alkaline roasting followed by water leaching Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Hydrometallurgy Abbreviated Journal
Volume 158 Issue Pages 139-148
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Selective chromium (Cr) leaching from stainless steel slag (SS slag) by alkali roasting followed by water leaching was investigated. The efficiency of the alkali roasting process for Cr leaching was increased by optimizing the mass ratio of alkaline agents (NaOH, and NaOH-NaNO3) to the slag, roasting temperature and time. At the optimum condition (0.67 mass ratio of NaOH to SS slag, 400 degrees C, 2 h) of NaOH roasting, chromium leaching was around 83%, while the matrix material was dissolved only to a limited extent (Si 8.0%). Mechanical activation of the SS slag prior to roasting reduced the optimum NaOH to SS slag mass ratio to 0.4. The addition of NaNO3 as an oxidant to the NaOH salt increased Cr leaching to 89% after roasting at 400 degrees C for 2 h. The remaining Cr phases in the residue were almost exclusively FeCr alloys. Further chromium dissolution from these alloys is prevented by a passivation layer of Fe oxides as shown by SEM/EDS images. Based on these results, a SS slag recycling process is suggested in which roasting-water leaching followed by water washing to remove Cr yields a residue which has potential for application as a construction material. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000366768000019 Publication Date 2015-11-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0304-386x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:130223 Serial 8504
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Van Tendeloo, M.; Baptista, M.C.; Van Winckel, T.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Recurrent multi-stressor floc treatments with sulphide and free ammonia enabled mainstream partial nitritation/anammox Type A1 Journal article
Year 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 (up) 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 9.8 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 9.8; 2024 IF: 4.9
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202286 Serial 9083
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kim, E.; Horckmans, L.; Spooren, J.; Vrancken, K.C.; Quaghebeur, M.; Broos, K.
Title Selective leaching of Pb, Cu, Ni and Zn from secondary lead smelting residues Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Hydrometallurgy Abbreviated Journal
Volume 169 Issue Pages 372-381
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Several HNO3-based leaching approaches were tested and optimized to selectively recover Pb and other minor metals (Cu, Ni, Zn) from secondary lead smelter residues (i.e., slag and matte). Firstly, the leaching behaviors of Pb and the matrix element Fe were studied at atmospheric pressure in the temperature range 25-70 degrees C. These elements were present in both materials studied as sulfide and oxide phases. For the sulfur-rich matte residue, the Pb leaching increased from 63% to 69% upon increasing the HNO3 concentration from 0.2 M to 0.5 M. However, by adding Fe(III) as an oxidation agent, Pb leaching from the matte amounted to 90% at 25 degrees C. At a higher temperature, Pb leaching was reduced due to PbSO4 precipitation. In this process, Cu, Zn and Ni leaching was insignificant. For the slag residue, HNO3 could not leach Pb (0.03% Pb leached), while Fe leaching was 19.8% due to a galvanic effect. However, Pb leaching of the slag was 82% in the presence of additional Fe(III). Secondly, to enhance leaching of the other base metals (Cu, Zn and Ni) from the matte, roasting followed by water leaching and (microwave assisted or autoclave) pressurized leaching in 0.5 M HNO3 were applied. During roasting, the FeS phase converted to Fe2O3 above 500 degrees C, and PbS and Pb phases were transformed into insoluble PbSO4 above 400 degrees C. Cu, Ni and Zn leaching was drastically enhanced by a roasting step at 600 degrees C followed by leaching with 0.5 M HNO3 at 50 degrees C, or by pressurized HNO3 leaching above 130 degrees C, whereby Pb leaching almost ceased due to PbSO4 precipitation. During the roasting above 600 degrees C, or microwave assisted extraction (MAE) at 160 degrees C for 15 min, FeS was completely converted to iron oxides that can be used as raw material for pig iron production. Based on the results, the methods investigated can be combined as process steps of two possible routes for the selective recovery of valuable metals and the production of a clean source of Fe oxides from the secondary lead smelting residues studied. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000401878200045 Publication Date 2017-03-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0304-386x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:144299 Serial 8503
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Sfez, S.; De Meester, S.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Dewulf, J.
Title Improving the resource footprint evaluation of products recovered from wastewater : a discussion on appropriate allocation in the context of circular economy Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication Resources, conservation and recycling Abbreviated Journal
Volume 148 Issue Pages 132-144
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Shifting from a linear to a circular economy has consequences on how the sustainability of products is assessed. This is the case for products recovered from resources such as sewage sludge. The “zero-burden” assumption is commonly used in Life Cycle Assessment and considers that waste streams are burden-free, which becomes debatable when comparing waste-based with virgin material-based products in the context of the growing circular economy. If waste streams are considered as resources rather than waste, upstream burdens should be partly allocated to all products to allow a fair comparison with their virgin material-based equivalents. In this paper, five allocation approaches are applied to allocate the resource use of upstream processes (consumer goods production) to products recovered from the processing of sewage sludge in the Netherlands, which produces biogas, (phosphorus-based) chemicals and building materials. Except for the approach which allocates 100% of the impact from resource recovery processes to the preceding consumer goods, the allocation approaches show a resource use 27 to 80% higher than with the “zero-burden” assumption. In this particular case, using these allocation approaches is likely to find little support from recyclers. The producers of household products, recyclers and policy makers should find a consensus to consider the shift from a linear to a circular economy in sustainability assessment studies while avoiding discouraging the implementation of recovery technologies. This paper suggests starting the discussion with the approach which allocates the impacts from upstream processes degressively to the downstream products as it best translates the industrial ecology principles.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000472242800012 Publication Date 2019-05-28
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 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:159887 Serial 8072
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Asapu, R.; Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Claes, N.; Blommaerts, N.; Minjauw, M.; Ahmad, T.; Dendooven, J.; Cool, P.; Bals, S.; Denys, S.; Detavernier, C.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbruggen, S.W.
Title Plasmonic Near-Field Localization of Silver Core–Shell Nanoparticle Assemblies via Wet Chemistry Nanogap Engineering Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter
Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 41577-41585
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Silver nanoparticles are widely used in the field of plasmonics because of their unique optical properties. The wavelength-dependent surface plasmon resonance gives rise to a strongly enhanced electromagnetic field, especially at so-called hot spots located in the nanogap in-between metal nanoparticle assemblies. Therefore, the interparticle distance is a decisive factor in plasmonic applications, such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). In this study, the aim is to engineer this interparticle distance for silver nanospheres using a convenient wet-chemical approach and to predict and quantify the corresponding enhancement factor using both theoretical and experimental tools. This was done by building a tunable ultrathin polymer shell around the nanoparticles using the layer-by-layer method, in which the polymer shell acts as the separating interparticle spacer layer. Comparison of different theoretical approaches and corroborating the results with SERS analytical experiments using silver and silver−polymer core−shell nanoparticle clusters as SERS substrates was also done. Herewith, an approach is provided to estimate the extent of plasmonic near-field enhancement both theoretically as well as experimentally.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000417005900057 Publication Date 2017-11-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.504 Times cited 29 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes financial support through a research fellowship. C.D. wishes to thank the Hercules foundation for the financial support (SPINAL). P.C. and R.-G.C. acknowledge financial support by FWO Vlaanderen (project no. G038215N). N.C. and S.B. acknowledge the financial support from the European Research Council (ERC starting grant #335078-COLOURATOM). (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); saraecas; ECAS_Sara; Approved Most recent IF: 7.504
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:147243 Serial 4804
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Claes, N.; Asapu, R.; Blommaerts, N.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Lenaerts, S.; Bals, S.
Title Characterization of silver-polymer core–shell nanoparticles using electron microscopy Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Nanoscale Abbreviated Journal Nanoscale
Volume 10 Issue 10 Pages 9186-9191
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Silver-polymer core–shell nanoparticles show interesting optical properties, making them widely applicable in the field of plasmonics. The uniformity, thickness and homogeneity of the polymer shell will affect the properties of the system which makes a thorough structural characterization of these core–shell silver-polymer nanoparticles of great importance. However, visualizing the shell and the particle simultaneously is far from straightforward due to the sensitivity of the polymer shell towards the electron beam. In this study, we use different 2D and 3D electron microscopy techniques to investigate different structural aspects of the polymer coating.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000437007700028 Publication Date 2018-04-16
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2040-3364 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.367 Times cited 11 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes N. C. and S. B. acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOMS) and from the FWO through project funding (G038116N). R. A. and S. L. acknowledge the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) for financial support. (ROMEO:yellow; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 7.367
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:151290UA @ admin @ c:irua:151290 Serial 4959
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gielis, J.
Title Simon Stevin as a central figure in the development of abstract algebra and generic programming Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Symmetry : culture and science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 34 Issue 2 Pages 155-168
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Simon Stevin (1548-1620) is mainly known for the decimal system and his Clootkrans proof. His influence is also profound in infinitesimal calculus, mechanics, and even in abstract algebra and today’s conception of polynomials, algorithms, and generic programming. Here we review his influence as assessed in generic programming. According to Dr. Stepanov, one of the most influential researchers in generic programming, Stevin’s work on polynomials can be regarded as the essence of generic programming: an algorithm from one domain can be applied in another similar domain.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001068714100003 Publication Date 2023-07-11
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0865-4824 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 08.02.2024
Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198000 Serial 8929
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Mishra, V.K.; Kumar, P.; Van Poppel, M.; Bleux, N.; Frijns, E.; Reggente, M.; Berghmans, P.; Int Panis, L.; Samson, R.
Title Wintertime spatio-temporal variation of ultrafine particles in a Belgian city Type A1 Journal article
Year 2012 Publication The science of the total environment Abbreviated Journal
Volume 431 Issue Pages 307-313
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Simultaneous measurements of ultrafine particles (UFPs) were carried out at four sampling locations situated within a 1 km(2) grid area in a Belgian city, Borgerhout (Antwerp). All sampling sites had different orientation and height of buildings and dissimilar levels of anthropogenic activities (mainly traffic volume). The aims were to investigate: (i) the spatio-temporal variation of UFP within the area, (ii) the effect of wind direction with respect to the volume of traffic on UFP levels, and (iii) the spatial representativeness of the official monitoring station situated in the study area. All sampling sites followed similar diurnal patterns of UFP variation, but effects of local traffic emissions were evident. Wind direction also had a profound influence on UFP concentrations at certain sites. The results indicated a clear influence of local weather conditions and the more dominant effect of traffic volumes. Our analysis indicated that the regional air quality monitoring station represented the other sampling sites in the study area reasonably well; temporal patterns were found to be comparable though the absolute average concentrations showed differences of up to 35%. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000306887900037 Publication Date 2012-06-14
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 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:101123 Serial 8759
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Sui, Y.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Exploring Dunaliella salina as single cell protein (SCP) : the influence of light/dark regime on the growth and protein synthesis Type A2 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Communications in agricultural and applied biological sciences Abbreviated Journal
Volume 82 Issue 1 Pages 6-11
Keywords A2 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Single cell protein (SCP), or originally named microbial protein, is the edible microbial biomass derived from e.g. microalgae, bacteria and fungi, which can be used as protein sources replacing conventional protein sources for animal feed or human food such as fishmeal and soybean (Anupama & Ravindra 2000). SCP presents great potential as protein supplement to alleviate the problem of food scarcity in the future (Nasseri et al. 2011). In general, microalgae as SCP contains above 50% protein over dry weight and specifically for the marine microalgae Dunaliella salina the amount stays around 57% (Becker 2007). Commercially the most common system for Dunaliella sp. production is the outdoor open pond, thus the microalgal cells are subjected to a natural light/dark cycle (Hosseini Tafreshi & Shariati 2009). Being photo-autotrophic microorganisms, the lack of light energy sources is a risk leading to night biomass loss (Ogbonna & Tanaka 1996). On the other hand, for some microalgae species cell division occurs primarily during the night suggesting its night protein synthesis (Cuhel et al. 1984). As a consequence, day and night metabolisms of microalgae introduced by light/dark cycles potentially will have big impacts on the biomass development, both in growth and biochemical composition. In this study, the effect of the light/dark cycle on the growth and protein synthesis of Dunaliella salina was explored in comparison with continuous light cultivation.
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 1379-1176 ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:151148 Serial 7950
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Smits, M.; Vanpachtenbeke, F.; Horemans, B.; De Wael, K.; Hauchecorne, B.; Van Langenhove, H.; Demeestere, K.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Effect of operating and sampling conditions on the exhaust gas composition of small-scale power generators Type A1 Journal article
Year 2012 Publication PLoS ONE Abbreviated Journal Plos One
Volume 7 Issue 3 Pages e32825-e32825,10
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (up) Small stationary diesel engines, like in generator sets, have limited emission control measures and are therefore responsible for 44% of the particulate matter (PM) emissions in the United States. The diesel exhaust composition depends on operating conditions of the combustion engine. Furthermore, the measurements are influenced by the used sampling method. This study examines the effect of engine loading and exhaust gas dilution on the composition of small-scale power generators. These generators are used in different operating conditions than road-transport vehicles, resulting in different emission characteristics. Experimental data were obtained for gaseous volatile organic compounds (VOC) and PM mass concentration, elemental composition and nitrate content. The exhaust composition depends on load condition because of its effect on fuel consumption, engine wear and combustion temperature. Higher load conditions result in lower PM concentration and sharper edged particles with larger aerodynamic diameters. A positive correlation with load condition was found for K, Ca, Sr, Mn, Cu, Zn and Pb adsorbed on PM, elements that originate from lubricating oil or engine corrosion. The nitrate concentration decreases at higher load conditions, due to enhanced nitrate dissociation to gaseous NO at higher engine temperatures. Dilution on the other hand decreases PM and nitrate concentration and increases gaseous VOC and adsorbed metal content. In conclusion, these data show that operating and sampling conditions have a major effect on the exhaust gas composition of small-scale diesel generators. Therefore, care must be taken when designing new experiments or comparing literature results.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000303836500012 Publication Date 2012-03-19
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-6203 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.806 Times cited 5 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.806; 2012 IF: 3.730
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:96545 Serial 5581
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Smits, M.; Huygh, D.; Craeye, B.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Effect of process parameters on the photocatalytic soot degradation on self-cleaning cementitious materials Type A1 Journal article
Year 2014 Publication Catalysis today Abbreviated Journal Catal Today
Volume 230 Issue Pages 250-255
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings (EMIB)
Abstract (up) Soot deposition has the negative ability to devalue the aesthetic appearance of buildings. Titanium dioxide applied on the building material is one way to counteract this problem as it provides air-purifying and self-cleaning properties due to its photocatalytic activity. In literature, photocatalytic soot oxidation was described, but until now, little information was available about the influence of process parameters on the photocatalytic degradation efficiency. The influence of three process parameters was tested in this study, namely TiO2 concentration, soot concentration and water-to-cement ratio (WIC-ratio) of the mortar substrates. The results revealed 50 mu gTiO(2) cm(-2) is better to use on the cementitious materials than 250 mu gTiO(2) cm(-2). The soot concentrations occurring in real-world situations will not inhibit the photocatalyst to be activated by light. Furthermore, the photonic efficiency increases slightly for lower WIC-ratios. This can be of interest for structural building applications, since a lower WIC-ratio results in a lower porosity of the samples and consequently in an increase in mortar strength. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000333800300039 Publication Date 2013-10-31
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0920-5861 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.636 Times cited 14 Open Access
Notes ; This work was supported by a PhD grant (M. Smits) from the University of Antwerp. We would like to thank T. Tytgat for the scientific discussion and Evonik for delivering the materials used in the experiments. ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.636; 2014 IF: 3.893
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:117142 Serial 5946
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Saeumel, I.; Ramirez, L.R.; Santolin, J.; Pintado, K.
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 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 (up) 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
Permanent link to this record