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Author Van Echelpoel, R.; Kranenburg, R.; van Asten, A.; De Wael, K. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Electrochemical detection of MDMA and 2C-B in ecstasy tablets using a selectivity enhancement strategy by in-situ derivatization Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Forensic chemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 27 Issue Pages 100383  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Forensic drug laboratories are confronted with increasing amounts of drugs and a demand for faster results that are directly available on-site. In addition, the drug market is getting more complex with hundreds of new psychoactive substances (NPS) entering the market in recent years. Rapid and on-scene presumptive drug testing therefore faces a shift from manual colorimetric tests towards approaches that can detect a wider range of components and process results automatically. Electrochemical detection offers these desired characteristics, making it a suitable candidate for on-site drug detection. In this study, a two-step electrochemical sensor is introduced for the detection of MDMA and 2C-B. Firstly, a direct electrochemical analysis was performed to detect MDMA. Validation experiments on over 70 substances revealed that 2C-B was the only frequently encountered drug that gave a false positive result for MDMA in this first analysis. A second step using in-situ derivatization was subsequently introduced. To this end, formaldehyde was used for N-methylation of 2C-B thereby enhancing its electrochemical profile. The enriched electrochemical fingerprint in the second step allowed for clear differentiation between MDMA and 2C-B. The applicability of this approach was demonstrated with 71 ecstasy tablets seized by the Amsterdam Police. The MDMA/2C-B sensor correctly identified all 39 MDMA-containing tablets and 10 out of 11 tablets containing 2C-B. Most notably, correct results were also obtained for dark colored tablets in which both spectroscopic analysis and colorimetric tests failed due to obscured signals.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000725708200002 Publication Date 2021-11-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2468-1709 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  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:183340 Serial 7149  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Osorio-Tejada, J.; van't Veer, K.; Long, N.V.D.; Tran, N.N.; Fulcheri, L.; Patil, B.S.; Bogaerts, A.; Hessel, V. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Sustainability analysis of methane-to-hydrogen-to-ammonia conversion by integration of high-temperature plasma and non-thermal plasma processes Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Energy Conversion And Management Abbreviated Journal Energ Convers Manage  
  Volume 269 Issue Pages 116095  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The Covid era has made us aware of the need for resilient, self-sufficient, and local production. We are likely willing to pay an extra price for that quality. Ammonia (NH3) synthesis accounts for 2 % of global energy production and is an important point of attention for the development of green energy technologies. Therefore, we propose a thermally integrated process for H2 production and NH3 synthesis using plasma technology, and we evaluate its techno-economic performance and CO2 footprint by life cycle assessment (LCA). The key is to integrate energy-wise a high-temperature plasma (HTP) process, with a (low-temperature) non-thermal plasma (NTP) process and to envision their joint economic potential. This particularly means raising the temperature of the NTP process, which is typically below 100 ◦ C, taking advantage of the heat released from the HTP process. For that purpose, we proposed the integrated process and conducted chemical kinetics simulations in the NTP section to determine the thermodynamically feasible operating window of this novel combined plasma process. The results suggest that an NH3 yield of 2.2 mol% can be attained at 302 ◦ C at an energy yield of 1.1 g NH3/kWh. Cost calculations show that the economic performance is far from commercial, mainly because of the too low energy yield of the NTP process. However, when we base our costs on the best literature value and plausible future scenarios for the NTP energy yield, we reach a cost prediction below 452 $/tonne NH3, which is competitive with conventional small-scale Haber-Bosch NH3 synthesis for distributed production. In addition, we demonstrate that biogas can be used as feed, thus allowing the proposed integrated reactor concept to be part of a biogas-to-ammonia circular concept. Moreover, by LCA we demonstrate the environmental benefits of the pro­posed plant, which could cut by half the carbon emissions when supplied by photovoltaic electricity, and even invert the carbon balance when supplied by wind power due to the avoided emissions of the carbon black credits.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000880662100007 Publication Date 0000-00-00  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0196-8904 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes European Research Council; European Commission, 810182 ; The authors acknowledge support from the ERC Synergy Grant “Surface-COnfined fast modulated Plasma for process and Energy intensification” (SCOPE), from the European Commission, with Grant No. 810182. Approved Most recent IF: 10.4  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:191785 Serial 7103  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Montiel, F.N.; Parrilla, M.; Sleegers, N.; Van Durme, F.; van Nuijs, A.L.N.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Electrochemical sensing of amphetamine-type stimulants (pre)-precursors to fight against the illicit production of synthetic drugs Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Electrochimica acta Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 436 Issue Pages 141446-11  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Toxicological Centre; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract The illicit drug precursor market for the manufacture of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), mainly amphetamine, methamphetamine and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), has emerged quickly in the last years. The evidence of a more complex and sophisticated drug market underlines the pressing need for new on-site methods to quickly detect precursors of synthetic drugs, with electrochemical analysis as a promising technique. Herein, the electrochemical fingerprints of ten common ATS precursors-3-oxo-2-phenylbutanenitrile (APAAN), 3-oxo-2-phenylbutanamide (APAA), methyl 3-oxo-2-phenylbutanoate (MAPA), benzyl methyl ketone (BMK), 1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)propan-2-one (PMK), ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, safrole, sassafras oil and piperonal- are reported for the first time. The electrochemical screening disclosed the redox inactivity of BMK, which is an essential starting material for the production of ATS. Therefore, the local derivatization of BMK at an electrode surface by reductive amination is presented as a feasible solution to enrich its electrochemical fingerprint. To prove that, the resulting mixture was analyzed using a set of chromatographic techniques to understand the reaction mechanism and to identify possible electrochemical active products. Two reaction products (i.e. methamphetamine and 1-phenylpropan-2-ol) were found and characterized using mass spectrometry and electrochemical methods. Subsequently, the optimization of the reaction parameters was carefully addressed to set the portable electrochemical sensing strategy. Ultimately, the analysis concept was validated for the qualitative identification of ATS precursors in seizures from a forensic institute. Overall, the electrochemical approach demonstrates to be a useful and affordable analytical tool for the early identification of ATS precursors to prevent trafficking and drug manufacture in clandestine laboratories.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000914833800003 Publication Date 2022-10-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0013-4686 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191622 Serial 8858  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Joosten, F.; Parrilla, M.; van Nuijs, A.L.N.; Ozoemena, K.Id; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Electrochemical detection of illicit drugs in oral fluid : potential for forensic drug testing Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Electrochimica acta Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 2022 Issue 436 Pages 141309-141315  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; Engineering sciences. Technology; Toxicological Centre; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Illicit drugs continue to pose a serious threat to society and public health. Drug (ab)use is linked to organised crime and violence. Therefore, to fight the so-called war on drugs, police and law enforcement agencies need to be equipped with accurate and efficient sensors for the detection of illicit drugs and drug use. Even though colour tests (for powders) and lateral flow immunoassays (for biological samples) lack accuracy, they are relied upon for fast and easy on-site detection. Alternatively, in recent years, there has been an increasing interest in electrochemical sensors as a promising technique for the rapid and accurate on-site detection of illicit drugs. While a myriad of literature exists on the use of electrochemical sensors for drug powder analysis, literature on their use for the detection of drug use in biological samples is scarce. To this end, this review presents an overview of strategies for the electrochemical detection of illicit drugs in oral fluid. First, pharmacokinetics of drugs in oral fluid and the legal limit dilemma regarding the analytical cut-offs for roadside drug detection tests are elaborated to present the reader with the background knowledge required to develop such a test. Subsequently, an overview of electrochemical strategies developed for the detection of illicit drugs in oral fluid is given. Importantly, key challenges to address in the development of roadside tests are highlighted to improve the design of the next electrochemical devices and to bring them to the field. Overall, electrochemical sensors for illicit drugs detection in oral fluid show promise to disrupt current strategies for roadside testing.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000882442300001 Publication Date 2022-10-13  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0013-4686 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191107 Serial 8855  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Van Putte, N.; Meire, P.; Seuntjens, P.; Joris, I.; Verreydt, G.; Hambsch, L.; Temmerman, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Solving hindered groundwater dynamics in restored tidal marshes by creek excavation and soil amendments : a model study Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Ecological engineering: the journal of ecotechnology Abbreviated Journal Ecol Eng  
  Volume 178 Issue Pages 106583-15  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Ecosphere  
  Abstract Groundwater fluxes in tidal marshes largely control key ecosystem functions and services, such as vegetation growth, soil carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling. In tidal marshes restored on formerly embanked agricultural land, groundwater fluxes are often limited as compared to nearby natural marshes, as a result of historical agricultural soil compaction. To improve the functioning of restored tidal marshes, knowledge is needed on how much certain design options can optimize soil-groundwater interactions in future restoration projects. Based on measured data on soil properties and tidally induced groundwater dynamics, we calibrated and evaluated a 2D vertical model of a creek-marsh cross-section, accounting for both saturated and unsaturated groundwater flow and solute transport in a variably saturated groundwater flow model. We found that model simulations of common restoration practices such as soil amendments (increasing the depth of porous soil on top of the compact layer) and creek excavation (increasing the creek density) increase the soil aeration depth and time, the drainage depth and the solute flux, and decrease the residence time of solutes in the porewater. Our simulations indicate that increasing the depth to the compact layer from 20 cm to 40 cm, or increasing the creek density from 1 creek to 2 creeks along a 50 m marsh transect (while maintaining the total creek cross-sectional area), in both cases more than doubles the volume of water processed by the marsh soil. We discuss that this may stimulate nutrient cycling. As such, our study demonstrates that groundwater modelling can support the design of marsh restoration measures aiming to optimize groundwater fluxes and related ecosystem services.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000795478200005 Publication Date 2022-03-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0925-8574 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.8 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.8  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:186605 Serial 7210  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Idrissi, H.; Carrez, P.; Cordier, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title On amorphization as a deformation mechanism under high stresses Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Current opinion in solid state and materials science Abbreviated Journal Curr Opin Solid St M  
  Volume 26 Issue 1 Pages 100976-17  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract In this paper we review the work related to amorphization under mechanical stress. Beyond pressure, we highlight the role of deviatoric or shear stresses. We show that the most recent works make amorphization appear as a deformation mechanism in its own right, in particular under extreme conditions (shocks, deformations under high stresses, high strain-rates).  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000779433300002 Publication Date 2022-01-13  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1359-0286 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 11 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 11  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188014 Serial 7064  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Pankratova, G.; Bollella, P.; Pankratov, D.; Gorton, L. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Supercapacitive biofuel cells Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Current opinion in biotechnology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 73 Issue Pages 179-187  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Supercapacitive biofuel cells' (SBFCs) most recent advancements are herein disclosed. In conventional SBFCs the biocomponent is employed as the pseudocapacitive component, while in self-charging biodevices it also works as the biocatalyst. The performance of different types of SBFCs are summarized according to the categorization based on the biocatalyst employed: supercapacitive microbial fuel cells (sMFCs), supercapacitive biophotovoltaics (SBPV) and supercapacitive enzymatic fuel cells (s-EFCs). SBFCs could be considered as promising 'alternative' energy devices (low-cost, environmentally friendly, and technically undemanding electric power sources etc.) being suitable for powering a new generation of miniaturized electronic applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000760339100024 Publication Date 2021-09-01  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0958-1669 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187287 Serial 8937  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Omranian, S.R.; Geluykens, M.; Van Hal, M.; Hasheminejad, N.; Rocha Segundo, I.; Pipintakos, G.; Denys, S.; Tytgat, T.; Fraga Freitas, E.; Carneiro, J.; Verbruggen, S.; Vuye, C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Assessing the potential of application of titanium dioxide for photocatalytic degradation of deposited soot on asphalt pavement surfaces Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Construction and building materials Abbreviated Journal Constr Build Mater  
  Volume 350 Issue Pages 128859-13  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract It is known that pollutants and their irreparable influence can considerably jeopardize the environment and human health. Such disastrous, growing, hazardous particles urged researchers to find effective ways and diminish their destructive impacts and preserve our planet. This study evaluates the potential of incorporating Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) semiconductor nanoparticles on asphalt pavements to degrade pollutants without compromising bitumen performance. Accordingly, the Response Surface Method (RSM) was employed to develop an experimental matrix based on the central composite design. Image Analysis (IA) was used to determine the rate of soot degradation (as pollutant representative) using MATLAB and ImageJ software. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) were finally carried out to estimate the effects of adding different percentages of TiO2 on the micro -structural features and dispersion of the TiO2, chemical fingerprinting, and rheological performance of the bituminous binder. The results showed a promising potential of TiO2 to degrade soot (over 50%) during the conducted experiments. In addition, the RSM outcomes showed that applying a higher amount of TiO2 is more efficient for pollutant degradation. Finally, no negative impact was observed, neither on the rheological behavior nor on the aging susceptibility of the bitumen, even though the homogenous dispersion of the TiO2 was clearly captured via CLSM.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000848227000001 Publication Date 2022-08-20  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0950-0618 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.4  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189820 Serial 7128  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Borah, R.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Effect of size distribution, skewness and roughness on the optical properties of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Colloids and surfaces: A: physicochemical and engineering aspects Abbreviated Journal Colloid Surface A  
  Volume 640 Issue Pages 128521  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract It is a generally accepted idea that the particle size distribution strongly affects the optical spectra of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles. It is often quoted as one of the main reasons while explaining the mismatch between the theoretical and experimental optical spectra of such nanoparticles. In this work, these aspects are critically analyzed by means of a bottom up statistical approach that considers variables such as mean, standard deviation and skewness of the nanoparticle size distribution independently from one another. By assuming normal and log-normal distributions of the particle size, the effect of the statistical parameters on the Mie analytical optical spectra of colloidal nanoparticles was studied. The effect of morphology was also studied numerically in order to understand to what extent it can play a role. It is our finding that the particle polydispersity, skewness and surface morphology in fact only weakly impact the optical spectra. While, the selection of suitable optical constants with regard to the crystallinity of the nanoparticles is a far more influential factor for correctly predicting both the plasmon band position and the plasmon bandwidth in theoretical simulations of the optical spectra. It is shown that the mean particle size can be correctly estimated directly from the plasmon band position, as it is the mean that determines the resonance wavelength. The standard deviation can on the other hand be estimated from the intensity distribution data obtained from dynamic light scattering experiments. The results reported herein clear the ambiguity around particle size distribution and optical response of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Elservier Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000765946900002 Publication Date 2022-02-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0927-7757 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 DuEL @ duel @c:irua:185704 Serial 6908  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Perreault, P.; Kummamuru, N.B.; Gonzalez Quiroga, A.; Lenaerts, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title CO2 capture initiatives : are governments, society, industry and the financial sector ready? Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering Abbreviated Journal Curr Opin Chem Eng  
  Volume 38 Issue Pages 100874  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract The deployment of CCUS plants does not match the enormous requirements to meet the CO2 emission reductions fixed during the Paris agreement, and we must ask ourselves what is refraining the technology deployment, especially in light of the recent high CO2 prices. Owing to the higher costs than their fossil counterparts, Carbon Capture & Utilization represents a long-term solution. In addition to a gigantic scale-up effort even for the most mature Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) technologies, various factors are responsible for the slow roll-out of CCS projects. Luckily, the financial sector and governments are playing their role. Support from the public is however key, and an open communication is required to convert social tolerance into social acceptance.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000885329800001 Publication Date 2022-10-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2211-3398 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 6.6 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 6.6  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191272 Serial 7137  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Van Everbroeck, T.; Wu, J.; Arenas-Esteban, D.; Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Mertens, M.; Bals, S.; Dujardin, C.; Granger, P.; Seftel, E.M.; Cool, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title ZnAl layered double hydroxide based catalysts (with Cu, Mn, Ti) used as noble metal-free three-way catalysts Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Applied clay science Abbreviated Journal Appl Clay Sci  
  Volume 217 Issue Pages 106390  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)  
  Abstract  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000795870100004 Publication Date 2022-01-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0169-1317 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.6 Times cited 6 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors acknowledge financial support by theEuropean Union’s Horizon 2020 Project Partial-PGMs (H2020-NMP-686086). R-G C. and P.C. acknowledge the FWO-Flanders (project no. G038215N) for financial support. S⋅B and D.A.E thank the financial support of the European Research Council (ERC-CoG-2019 815128). The authors are grateful to Johnson Matthey, UK, for supplying the commercial benchmark catalysts; realnano; sygmaSB Approved Most recent IF: 5.6  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:186956 Serial 6955  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kelly, S.; Verheyen, C.; Cowley, A.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Producing oxygen and fertilizer with the Martian atmosphere by using microwave plasma Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Chem Abbreviated Journal Chem  
  Volume 8 Issue 10 Pages 2797-2816  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract We explorethepotentialofmicrowave(MW)-plasma-based in situ

utilizationoftheMartianatmospherewithafocusonthenovelpos-

sibilityoffixingN2 forfertilizerproduction. Conversioninasimulant

plasma (i.e., 96% CO2, 2% N2, and 2% Ar),performedunderen-

ergyconditionssimilartothoseoftheMarsOxygen In Situ Resource

UtilizationExperiment(MOXIE),currentlyonboardNASA’sPerse-

verancerover,demonstratesthatO/O2 formedthroughCO2 dissociation

facilitatesthefixationoftheN2 fractionviaoxidationtoNOx.

PromisingproductionratesforO2, CO,andNOx of 47.0,76.1,and

1.25g/h,respectively,arerecordedwithcorrespondingenergy

costs of0.021,0.013,and0.79kWh/g,respectively.Notably,O2

productionratesare 30 timeshigherthanthosedemonstrated

by MOXIE,whiletheNOx production raterepresentsan 7% fixa-

tionoftheN2 fraction presentintheMartian atmosphere.MW-

plasma-basedconversionthereforeshowsgreatpotentialasan in

situ resourceutilization(ISRU)technologyonMarsinthatitsimulta-

neouslyfixesN2 and producesO2.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000875346600005 Publication Date 2022-08-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2451-9294 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 23.5 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes the Euro- pean Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship ‘‘PENFIX’’ within Horizon 2020 (grant no. 838181), the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program (grant no. 810182; SCOPE ERC Synergy project), and the Excellence of Science FWO-FNRS project (FWO grant no. GoF9618n and EOS no. 30505023). C.V. was supported by a FWO aspirant PhD fellowship (grant no. 1184820N). The calculations were per- formed with the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Univer- siteit Antwerpen (Uantwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Centre VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish government (department EWI), and Uantwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 23.5  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:192174 Serial 7243  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Van Winckel, T.; Ngo, N.; Sturm, B.; Al-Omari, A.; Wett, B.; Bott, C.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; De Clippeleir, H. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Enhancing bioflocculation in high-rate activated sludge improves effluent quality yet increases sensitivity to surface overflow rate Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemosphere Abbreviated Journal Chemosphere  
  Volume 308 Issue 2 Pages 136294-11  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract High-rate activated sludge (HRAS) relies on good bioflocculation and subsequent solid-liquid separation to maximize the capture of organics. However, full-scale applications often suffer from poor and unpredictable effluent suspended solids (ESS). While the biological aspects of bioflocculation are thoroughly investigated, the effects of fines (settling velocity < 0.6 m3/m2/h), shear and surface overflow rate (SOR) are unclear. This work tackled the impact of fines, shear, and SOR on the ESS in absence of settleable influent solids. This was assessed on a full-scale HRAS step-feed (SF) and pilot-scale HRAS contact-stabilization (CS) configuration using batch settling tests, controlled clarifier experiments, and continuous operation of reactors. Fines contributed up to 25% of the ESS in the full-scale SF configuration. ESS decreased up to 30 mg TSS/L when bioflocculation was enhanced with the CS configuration. The feast-famine regime applied in CS promoted the production of high-quality extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). However, this resulted in a narrow and unfavorable settling velocity distribution, with 50% ± 5% of the sludge mass settling between 0.6 and 1.5 m3/m2/h, thus increasing sensitivity towards SOR changes. A low shear environment (20 s−1) before the clarifier for at least one min was enough to ensure the best possible settling velocity distribution, regardless of prior shear conditions. Overall, this paper provides a more complete view on the drivers of ESS in HRAS systems, creating the foundation for the design of effective HRAS clarifiers. Tangible recommendations are given on how to manage fines and establish the optimal settling velocity of the sludge.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000863979600006 Publication Date 2022-09-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0045-6535; 1879-1298 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 8.8 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 8.8  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:190187 Serial 7154  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Brienza, F.; Van Aelst, K.; Devred, F.; Magnin, D.; Tschulkow, M.; Nimmegeers, P.; Van Passel, S.; Sels, B.F.; Gerin, P.; Debecker, D.P.; Cybulska, I. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Unleashing lignin potential through the dithionite-assisted organosolv fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemical Engineering Journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J  
  Volume 450 Issue 3 Pages 138179-14  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM); Intelligence in PRocesses, Advanced Catalysts and Solvents (iPRACS)  
  Abstract The development of biomass pretreatment approaches that, next to (hemi)cellulose valorization, aim at the conversion of lignin to chemicals is essential for the long-term success of a biorefinery. Herein, we discuss a dithionite-assisted organosolv fractionation (DAOF) of lignocellulose in n-butanol and water to produce cellulosic pulp and mono-/oligo-aromatics. The study frames the technicalities of this biorefinery process and relates them to the features of the obtained product streams. We comprehensively identify and quantify all products of interest: solid pulp (acid hydrolysis-HPLC, ATR-FTIR, XRD, SEM, enzymatic hydrolysis-HPLC), lignin derivatives (GPC, GC-MS/FID, 1H-13C HSQC NMR, ICP-AES), and carbohydrate derivatives (HPLC). These results were used for inspecting the economic feasibility of DAOF. In the best process configuration, a high yield of monophenolics was reached (~20%, based on acid insoluble lignin in birch sawdust). Various other lignocellulosic feedstocks were also explored, showing that DAOF is particularly effective on hardwood and herbaceous biomass. Overall, this study demonstrates that DAOF is a viable fractionation method for the sustainable upgrading of lignocellulosic biomass.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000888204900005 Publication Date 2022-07-20  
  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  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189322 Serial 7373  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Wang, Y.; Chen, Y.; Harding, J.; He, H.; Bogaerts, A.; Tu, X. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Catalyst-free single-step plasma reforming of CH4 and CO2 to higher value oxygenates under ambient conditions Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemical Engineering Journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J  
  Volume 450 Issue Pages 137860  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Direct conversion of CH4 and CO2 to liquid fuels and chemicals under mild conditions is appealing for biogas conversion and utilization but challenging due to the inert nature of both gases. Herein, we report a promising plasma process for the catalyst-free single-step conversion of CH4 and CO2 into higher value oxygenates (i.e., methanol, acetic acid, ethanol, and acetone) at ambient pressure and room temperature using a water-cooled dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor, with methanol being the main liquid product. The distribution of liquid products could be tailored by tuning the discharge power, reaction temperature and residence time. Lower discharge powers (10–15 W) and reaction temperatures (5–20 ◦ C) were favourable for the production of liquid products, achieving the highest methanol selectivity of 43% at 5 ◦ C and 15 W. A higher discharge power and reaction temperature, on the other hand, produced more gaseous products, particularly H2 (up to 26% selec­tivity) and CO (up to 33% selectivity). In addition, varying these process parameters (discharge power, reaction temperature and residence time) resulted in a simultaneous change in key discharge properties, such as mean electron energy (Ee), electron density (ne) and specific energy input (SEI), all of which are essential determiners of plasma chemical reactions. According to the results of artificial neural network (ANN) models, the relative importance of these process parameters and key discharge indicators on reaction performance follows the order: discharge power > reaction temperature > residence time, and SEI > ne > Ee, respectively. This work provides new insights into the contributions and tuning mechanism of multiple parameters for optimizing the reaction performance (e.g., liquid production) in the plasma gas conversion process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000830813300004 Publication Date 0000-00-00  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1385-8947 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 15.1 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie SklodowskaCurie grant agreement No. 813393. Approved Most recent IF: 15.1  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:189502 Serial 7100  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lang, X.; Ouyang, Y.; Vandewalle, L.A.; Goshayeshi, B.; Chen, S.; Madanikashani, S.; Perreault, P.; Van Geem, K.M.; van Geem, K.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Gas-solid hydrodynamics in a stator-rotor vortex chamber reactor Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J  
  Volume 446 Issue 5 Pages 137323-12  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract The gas-solid vortex reactor (GSVR) has enormous process intensification potential. However the huge gas consumption can be a serious disadvantage for the GSVR in some applications such as fast pyrolysis. In this work, we demonstrate a recent novel design, where a stator-rotor vortex chamber (STARVOC) is driven by the fluid's kinetic energy, to decouple the solids bed rotation and gas. Gas-solid fluidization by using air and monosized aluminum balls was performed to investigate the hydrodynamics. A constructed fluidization flow regime map for a fixed solids loading of 100 g shows that the bed can only be fluidized for a rotation speed between 200 and 400 RPM. Below 200 RPM, particles settle down on the bottom plate and cannot form a stable bed due to inertia and friction. Above 400 RPM, the bed cannot be fluidized with superficial velocities up to 1.8 m/s (air flow rate of 90 Nm(3)/h). The bed thickness shows some non-uniformities, being smaller at the top of the bed than at the bottom counterpart. However by increasing the air flow rate or rotation speed the axial nonuniformity can be resolved. The bed pressure drop first increases with increasing gas flow rate and then levels off, showing similar characteristics as conventional fluidized beds. Theoretical pressure drops calculated from mathematical models such as Kao et al. model agree well with experimental measurements. Particle velocity discrepancies between the top and bottom particles reveal that the impact of gravity cannot be completely neglected. Design guidelines and possible applications for further development of STARVOC concept are proposed based on fundamental data provided in this work.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000833418100006 Publication Date 2022-06-01  
  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  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189283 Serial 7167  
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Author Van Alphen, S.; Ahmadi Eshtehardi, H.; O'Modhrain, C.; Bogaerts, J.; Van Poyer, H.; Creel, J.; Delplancke, M.-P.; Snyders, R.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Effusion nozzle for energy-efficient NOx production in a rotating gliding arc plasma reactor Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemical Engineering Journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J  
  Volume 443 Issue Pages 136529  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma-based NOx production is of interest for sustainable N2 fixation, but more research is needed to improve its performance. One of the current limitations is recombination of NO back into N2 and O2 molecules immediately after the plasma reactor. Therefore, we developed a novel so-called “effusion nozzle”, to improve the perfor­mance of a rotating gliding arc plasma reactor for NOx production, but the same principle can also be applied to other plasma types. Experiments in a wide range of applied power, gas flow rates and N2/O2 ratios demonstrate an enhancement in NOx concentration by about 8%, and a reduction in energy cost by 22.5%. In absolute terms, we obtain NOx concentrations up to 5.9%, at an energy cost down to 2.1 MJ/mol, which are the best values reported to date in literature. In addition, we developed four complementary models to describe the gas flow, plasma temperature and plasma chemistry, aiming to reveal why the effusion nozzle yields better performance. Our simulations reveal that the effusion nozzle acts as very efficient heat sink, causing a fast drop in gas tem­perature when the gas molecules leave the plasma, hence limiting the recombination of NO back into N2 and O2. This yields an overall higher NOx concentration than without the effusion nozzle. This immediate quenching right at the end of the plasma makes our effusion nozzle superior to more conventional cooling options, like water cooling In addition, this higher NOx concentration can be obtained at a slightly lower power, because the effusion nozzle allows for the ignition and sustainment of the plasma at somewhat lower power. Hence, this also explains the lower energy cost. Overall, our experimental results and detailed modeling analysis will be useful to improve plasma-based NOx production in other plasma reactors as well.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000800010600003 Publication Date 0000-00-00  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1385-8947 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 15.1 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This research was supported by the Excellence of Science FWO-FNRS project (FWO grant ID GoF9618n, EOS ID 30505023), the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project), and through long-term structural funding (Methusalem). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (depart­ment EWI) and the UAntwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 15.1  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:188283 Serial 7057  
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Author Girard-Sahun, F.; Biondo, O.; Trenchev, G.; van Rooij, G.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Carbon bed post-plasma to enhance the CO2 conversion and remove O2 from the product stream Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemical Engineering Journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J  
  Volume 442 Issue Pages 136268  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract CO2 conversion by plasma technology is gaining increasing interest. We present a carbon (charcoal) bed placed after a Gliding Arc Plasmatron (GAP) reactor, to enhance the CO2 conversion, promote O/O2 removal and in­ crease the CO fraction in the exhaust mixture. By means of an innovative (silo) system, the carbon is constantly supplied, to avoid carbon depletion upon reaction with O/O2. Using this carbon bed, the CO2 conversion is enhanced by almost a factor of two (from 7.6 to 12.6%), while the CO concentration even increases by a factor of three (from 7.2 to 21.9%), and O2 is completely removed from the exhaust mixture. Moreover, the energy ef­ ficiency of the conversion process drastically increases from 27.9 to 45.4%, and the energy cost significantly drops from 41.9 to 25.4 kJ.L− 1. We also present the temperature as a function of distance from the reactor outlet, as well as the CO2, CO and O2 concentrations and the temperature in the carbon bed as a function of time, which is important for understanding the underlying mechanisms. Indeed, these time-resolved measurements reveal that the initial enhancements in CO2 conversion and in CO concentration are not maintained in our current setup. Therefore, we present a model to study the gasification of carbon with different feed gases (i.e., O2, CO and CO2 separately), from which we can conclude that the oxygen coverage at the surface plays a key role in determining the product composition and the rate of carbon consumption. Indeed, our model insights indicate that the drop in CO2 conversion and in CO concentration after a few minutes is attributed to deactivation of the carbon bed, due to rapid formation of oxygen complexes at the surface.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000797716700002 Publication Date 0000-00-00  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1385-8947 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 15.1 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions; European Research Council; This research was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme (grant agreement No 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project) and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Inno­vation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 813393 (PIONEER). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Approved Most recent IF: 15.1  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:188286 Serial 7052  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Girard-Sahun, F.; Biondo, O.; Trenchev, G.; van Rooij, G.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Carbon bed post-plasma to enhance the CO2 conversion and remove O2 from the product stream Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemical Engineering Journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J  
  Volume 442 Issue Pages 136268  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract CO2 conversion by plasma technology is gaining increasing interest. We present a carbon (charcoal) bed placed after a Gliding Arc Plasmatron (GAP) reactor, to enhance the CO2 conversion, promote O/O2 removal and in­ crease the CO fraction in the exhaust mixture. By means of an innovative (silo) system, the carbon is constantly supplied, to avoid carbon depletion upon reaction with O/O2. Using this carbon bed, the CO2 conversion is enhanced by almost a factor of two (from 7.6 to 12.6%), while the CO concentration even increases by a factor of three (from 7.2 to 21.9%), and O2 is completely removed from the exhaust mixture. Moreover, the energy ef­ ficiency of the conversion process drastically increases from 27.9 to 45.4%, and the energy cost significantly drops from 41.9 to 25.4 kJ.L− 1. We also present the temperature as a function of distance from the reactor outlet, as well as the CO2, CO and O2 concentrations and the temperature in the carbon bed as a function of time, which is important for understanding the underlying mechanisms. Indeed, these time-resolved measurements reveal that the initial enhancements in CO2 conversion and in CO concentration are not maintained in our current setup. Therefore, we present a model to study the gasification of carbon with different feed gases (i.e., O2, CO and CO2 separately), from which we can conclude that the oxygen coverage at the surface plays a key role in determining the product composition and the rate of carbon consumption. Indeed, our model insights indicate that the drop in CO2 conversion and in CO concentration after a few minutes is attributed to deactivation of the carbon bed, due to rapid formation of oxygen complexes at the surface.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000797716700002 Publication Date 0000-00-00  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1385-8947 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 15.1 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions; European Research Council; This research was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme (grant agreement No 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project) and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Inno­vation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 813393 (PIONEER). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Govern­ment (department EWI) and the UAntwerpen. We also thank R. De Meyer, K. Leyssens and S. Defossé for performing the charcoal characterizations. Approved Most recent IF: 15.1  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:188286 Serial 7053  
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Author Veronesi, S.; Pfusterschmied, G.; Fabbri, F.; Leitgeb, M.; Arif, O.; Esteban, D.A.; Bals, S.; Schmid, U.; Heun, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title 3D arrangement of epitaxial graphene conformally grown on porousified crystalline SiC Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Carbon Abbreviated Journal Carbon  
  Volume 189 Issue Pages 210-218  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000760358800008 Publication Date 2021-12-17  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0008-6223 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10.9 Times cited 3 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Horizon 2020; European Commission; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme; European Research Council, 128 731 019 ; European Research Council, REALNANO 815 128 ; sygmaSB Approved Most recent IF: 10.9  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:186583 Serial 6952  
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Author Parrilla, M.; Vanhooydonck, A.; Watts, R.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Wearable wristband-based electrochemical sensor for the detection of phenylalanine in biofluids Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Biosensors and bioelectronics Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 197 Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Product development; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Wearable electrochemical sensors are driven by the user-friendly capability of on-site detection of key biomarkers for health management. Despite the advances in biomolecule monitoring such as glucose, still, several unmet clinical challenges need to be addressed. For example, patients suffering from phenylketonuria (PKU) should be able to monitor their phenylalanine (PHE) level in a rapid, decentralized, and affordable manner to avoid high levels of PHE in the body which can lead to a profound and irreversible mental disability. Herein, we report a wearable wristband electrochemical sensor for the monitoring of PHE tackling the necessity of controlling PHE levels in PHE hydroxylase deficiency patients. The proposed electrochemical sensor is based on a screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with a membrane consisting of Nafion, to avoid interferences in biofluids. The membrane also consists of sodium 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulphonate for the in situ derivatization of PHE into an electroactive product, allowing its electrochemical oxidation at the surface of the SPE in alkaline conditions. Importantly, the electrochemical sensor is integrated into a wristband configuration to enhance user interaction and engage the patient with PHE self-monitoring. Besides, a paper-based sampling strategy is designed to alkalinize the real sample without the need for sample pretreatment, and thus simplify the analytical process. Finally, the wearable device is tested for the determination of PHE in saliva and blood serum. The proposed wristband-based sensor is expected to impact the PKU self-monitoring, facilitating the daily lives of PKU patients toward optimal therapy and disease management.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000719366400003 Publication Date 2021-11-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0956-5663 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:183086 Serial 8957  
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Author Thiruvottriyur Shanmugam, S.; Trashin, S.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Singlet oxygen-based photoelectrochemical detection of DNA Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Biosensors and bioelectronics Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 195 Issue Pages 113652  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract The current work, designed for the photoelectrochemical detection of DNA, evaluates light-responsive DNA probes carrying molecular photosensitizers generating singlet oxygen (1O2). We take advantage of their chromophore’s ability to produce 1O2 upon photoexcitation and subsequent photocurrent response. Type I, fluorescent and type II photosensitizers were studied using diode lasers at 406 nm blue, 532 nm green and 659 nm red lasers in the presensce and absence of a redox reporter, hydroquinone (HQ). Only type II photosensitizers (producing 1O2) resulted in a noticeable photocurrent in 1–4 nA range upon illumination, in particular, dissolved DNA probes labeled with chlorin e6 and erythrosine were found to give a well-detectable photocurrent response in the presence of HQ. Whereas, Type I photosensitizers and fluorescent chromophores generate negligible photocurrents (<0.15 nA). The analytical performance of the sensing system was evaluated using a magnetic beads-based DNA assay on disposable electrode platforms, with a focus to enhance the sensitivity and robustness of the technique in detecting complementary DNA targets. Amplified photocurrent responses in the range of 70–100 nA were obtained and detection limits of 17 pM and 10 pM were achieved using magnetic beads-captured chlorin e6 and erythrosine labeled DNA probes respectively. The presented novel photoelectrochemical detection can further be optimized and employed in applications for which enzymatic amplification such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is not applicable owing to their limitations and as an effective alternative to colorimetric detection when rapid detection of specific nucleic acid targets is required.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000705223300003 Publication Date 2021-09-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0956-5663 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:181796 Serial 8930  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Blansaer, N.; Alloul, A.; Verstraete, W.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Smets, B.F. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Aggregation of purple bacteria in an upflow photobioreactor to facilitate solid/liquid separation : impact of organic loading rate, hydraulic retention time and water composition Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal Bioresource Technol  
  Volume 348 Issue Pages 126806-126809  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) form an interesting group of microbes for resource recovery from wastewater. Solid/liquid separation is key for biomass and value-added products recovery, yet insights into PNSB aggregation are thus far limited. This study explored the effects of organic loading rate (OLR), hydraulic retention time (HRT) and water composition on the aggregation of Rhodobacter capsulatus in an anaerobic upflow photobioreactor. Between 2.0 and 14.6 gCOD/(L.d), the optimal OLR for aggregation was 6.1 gCOD/(L.d), resulting in a sedimentation flux of 5.9 kgTSS/(m2.h). With HRT tested between 0.04 and 1.00 d, disaggregation occurred at the relatively long HRT (1 d), possibly due to accumulation of thus far unidentified heat-labile metabolites. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) to nitrogen ratios (6–35 gCOD/gN) and the nitrogen source (ammonium vs. glutamate) also impacted aggregation, highlighting the importance of the type of wastewater and its pre-treatment. These novel insights to improve purple biomass separation pave the way for cost-efficient PNSB applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000800442200008 Publication Date 2022-02-04  
  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  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:185843 Serial 7123  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhu, W.; Van Tendeloo, M.; Alloul, A.; Vlaeminck, S.E. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Towards mainstream partial nitritation/anammox in four seasons : feasibility of bioaugmentation with stored summer sludge for winter anammox assistance Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal Bioresource Technol  
  Volume 347 Issue Pages 126619-11  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract The strong effect of low temperatures on anammox challenges its mainstream application over the winter in temperate climates. Winter bioaugmentation with stored summer surplus sludge is a potential solution to guarantee sufficient nitrogen removal in winter. Firstly, the systems for which nitrogen removal deteriorated by the temperature decrease (25 °C → 20 °C) could be fully restored bioaugmenting with granules resp. flocs stored for 6 months at 118 resp. 220% of the initial biomass levels. Secondly, the reactivation of these stored sludges was tested in lower temperature systems (15.3 ± 0.4/10.4 ± 0.4 °C). Compared to the activity before storage, between 56% and 41% of the activity of granules was restored within one month, and 41%–32% for flocs. Additionally, 85–87% of granules and 50–53% of flocs were retained in the systems. After reactivation (15.3 ± 0.4/10.4 ± 0.4 °C), a more specialized community was formed (diversity decreased) with Candidatus Brocadia still dominant in terms of relative abundance. Capital and operating expenditures (CAPEX, OPEX) were negligible, representing only 0.19–0.36% of sewage treatment costs.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000781730900001 Publication Date 2021-12-25  
  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  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:185210 Serial 7220  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Segura, P.C.; De Meur, Q.; Alloul, A.; Tanghe, A.; Onderwater, R.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Vande Wouwer, A.; Wattiez, R.; Dewasme, L.; Leroy, B. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Preferential photoassimilation of volatile fatty acids by purple non-sulfur bacteria : experimental kinetics and dynamic modelling Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Biochemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal Biochem Eng J  
  Volume 186 Issue Pages 108547-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) are known for their metabolic versatility and thrive as anoxygenic photoheterotrophs. In environmental engineering and resource recovery, cells would grow on mixtures of volatile fatty acids (VFA) generated by anaerobic fermentation of waste streams. In this study, we aim to better understand the behavior of Rhodospirillum rubrum, a model PNSB species, grown using multiple VFA as carbon sources. We highlighted that assimilation of individual VFA follows a sequential pattern. Based on observations in other PNSB, this seems to be specific to isocitrate lyase-lacking organisms. We hypothesized that the inhibition phenomenon could be due to the regulation of the metabolic fluxes in the substrate cycle between acetoacetyl-CoA and crotonyl-CoA. Developed macroscopic dynamic models showed a good predictive capability for substrate competition for every VFA mixture containing acetate, propionate, and/or butyrate. These novel insights provide valuable input for better design and operation of PNSB-based waste treatment solutions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000891992900005 Publication Date 2022-07-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1369-703x; 1873-295x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.9 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.9  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:192741 Serial 7332  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Idrissi, H.; Béché, A.; Gauquelin, N.; Ul-Haq, I.; Bollinger, C.; Demouchy, S.; Verbeeck, J.; Pardoen, T.; Schryvers, D.; Cordier, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title On the formation mechanisms of intragranular shear bands in olivine by stress-induced amorphization Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Acta materialia Abbreviated Journal Acta Mater  
  Volume 239 Issue Pages 118247-118249  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Intragranular amorphization shear lamellae are found in deformed olivine aggregates. The detailed trans-mission electron microscopy analysis of intragranular lamella arrested in the core of a grain provides novel information on the amorphization mechanism. The deformation field is complex and heteroge-neous, corresponding to a shear crack type instability involving mode I, II and III loading components. The formation and propagation of the amorphous lamella is accompanied by the formation of crystal defects ahead of the tip. These defects are geometrically necessary [001] dislocations, characteristics of high-stress deformation in olivine, and rotational nanodomains which are tentatively interpreted as disclinations. We show that these defects play an important role in dictating the path followed by the amorphous lamella. Stress-induced amorphization in olivine would thus result from a direct crystal-to -amorphous transformation associated with a shear instability and not from a mechanical destabilization due to the accumulation of high number of defects from an intense preliminary deformation. The pref-erential alignment of some lamellae along (010) is a proof of the lower ultimate mechanical strength of these planes.(c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Acta Materialia Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000861076600004 Publication Date 2022-08-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1359-6454 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.4 Times cited 5 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The QuanTEM microscope was partially funded by the Flemish government. The K2 camera was funded by FWO Hercules fund G0H4316N 'Direct electron detector for soft matter TEM'. A. Beche acknowledges funding from FWO project G093417N ('Compressed sensing enabling low dose imaging in transmission electron microscopy'). H. Idrissi is mandated by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FSR-FNRS). This work was supported by the FNRS under Grant PDR – T011322F and by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 787,198 Time Man. J-L Rouviere is acknowledged for his support with the GPA softawre. Approved Most recent IF: 9.4  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191432 Serial 7186  
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Author Choisez, L.; Ding, L.; Marteleur, M.; Kashiwar, A.; Idrissi, H.; Jacques, P.J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Shear banding-activated dynamic recrystallization and phase transformation during quasi-static loading of β-metastable Ti – 12 wt % Mo alloy Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Acta materialia Abbreviated Journal Acta Mater  
  Volume 235 Issue Pages 118088-13  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Dynamic recrystallization (DRX) within adiabatic shear bands forming during the fracture of TRIP-TWIP β−metastable Ti-12Mo (wt %) alloy was recently reported. The formation of 1-3 µm thick-adiabatic shear bands, and of dynamic recrystallization, was quite surprising as their occurrence generally requires high temperature and/or high strain rate loading while these samples were loaded in quasi-static conditions at room temperature. To better understand the fracture mechanism and associated microstructural evolution, thin foils representative of different stages of the fracture process were machined from the fracture surface by Focused Ion Beam (FIB) and analyzed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Automated Crystal Orientation mapping (ACOM-TEM). Complex microstructure transformations involving severe plastic deformed nano-structuration, crystalline rotation and local precipitation of the omega phase were identified. The spatial and temporal evolution of the microstructure during the propagation of the crack was explained through dynamic recovery and continuous dynamic recrystallization, and linked to the modelled distribution of temperature and strain level where TEM samples were extracted.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000814729300005 Publication Date 2022-06-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1359-6454 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 9.4  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188505 Serial 7096  
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Author Neven, L.; Barich, H.; Sleegers, N.; Cánovas, R.; Debruyne, G.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Development of a combi-electrosensor for the detection of phenol by combining photoelectrochemistry and square wave voltammetry Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Analytica chimica acta Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 1206 Issue Pages 339732  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract The high toxicity, endocrine-disrupting effects and low (bio)degradability commonly attributed to phenolic compounds have promoted their recognition as priority toxic pollutants. For this reason, the monitoring of these compounds in industrial, domestic and agricultural streams is crucial to prevent and decrease their toxicity in our daily life. To confront this relevant environmental issue, we propose the use of a combi-electrosensor which combines singlet oxygen (1O2)-based photoelectrochemistry (PEC) with square wave voltammetry (SWV). The high sensitivity of the PEC sensor (being a faster alternative for traditional COD measurements) ensures the detection of nmol L−1 levels of phenolic compounds while the SWV measurements (being faster than the color test kits) allow the differentiation between phenolic compounds. Herein, we report on the development of such a combi-electrosensor for the sensitive and selective detection of phenol (PHOH) in the presence of related phenolic compounds such as hydroquinone (HQ), bisphenol A (BPA), resorcinol (RC) and catechol (CC). The PEC sensor was able to determine the concentration of PHOH in spiked river samples containing only PHOH with a recovery between 96% and 111%. The SWV measurements elucidated the presence of PHOH, HQ and CC in the spiked samples containing multiple phenol compounds. Finally, the practicality of the combi-electrosensor set-up with a dual SPE containing two working electrodes and shared reference and counter electrodes was demonstrated. As a result, the combination of the two techniques is a powerful and valuable tool in the analysis of phenolic samples, since each technique improves the general performance by overcoming the inherent drawbacks that they display independently.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000793070200016 Publication Date 2022-03-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-2670; 1873-4324 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187499 Serial 8848  
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Author Oliveira, M.C.; Yusupov, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Cordeiro, R.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Distribution of lipid aldehydes in phase-separated membranes: A molecular dynamics study Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Archives Of Biochemistry And Biophysics Abbreviated Journal Arch Biochem Biophys  
  Volume 717 Issue Pages 109136  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract It is well established that lipid aldehydes (LAs) are able to increase the permeability of cell membranes and induce their rupture. However, it is not yet clear how LAs are distributed in phase-separated membranes (PSMs), which are responsible for the transport of selected molecules and intracellular signaling. Thus, we investigate here the distribution of LAs in a PSM by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Our results reveal that LAs derived from mono-unsaturated lipids tend to accumulate at the interface between the liquid-ordered/liquiddisordered domains, whereas those derived from poly-unsaturated lipids remain in the liquid-disordered domain. These results are important for understanding the effects caused by oxidized lipids in membrane structure, properties and organization.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000767632000001 Publication Date 2022-01-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-9861 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.9 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes We thank the University of Antwerp and the Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement (CAPES, Brazil) for the scholarship granted. The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UAntwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 3.9  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:185874 Serial 6905  
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Author De Weerdt, L.; De Jaeger, S.; Compernolle, T.; Van Passel, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title How an incineration tax changes waste management practices among firms Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2022 Publication Resources Conservation And Recycling Abbreviated Journal Resour Conserv Recy  
  Volume 180 Issue Pages 106172  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Engineering Management (ENM) ;  
  Abstract Sustainable management of industrial plastic waste is crucial in the transition to a circular economy. Today, most industrial plastic waste is incinerated, whereas it could be recycled. As a consequence, governments increasingly make use of incineration taxes to improve current waste management practices. This paper presents an econometric panel analysis that studies the effects of an incineration tax on industrial plastic waste in Flanders (Belgium). Not only is this study the first econometric analysis on industrial plastic waste management in which firm heterogeneity is explicitly taken into account by including firm-specific characteristics, but this study also provides policymakers with insights into the effectiveness of an incineration tax to change current waste management practices. Empirical estimates imply that heterogeneous firms generate industrial plastic waste in different ways and that heterogeneous firms reduce their waste generation in different ways after the incineration tax rate increases. The estimates also show that the unique decrease of the incineration tax in 2007, did not change waste management practices. These estimates show that firms do not disinvest or indicate that loss aversion theory, i.e. a preference for avoiding losses over acquiring equivalent gains, might apply to firms that are faced with environmental taxation in a waste management context.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2022-01-19  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0921-3449 ISBN Additional Links  
  Impact Factor 13.2 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 13.2  
  Call Number ENM @ enm @ Serial 7256  
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