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Author Grunert, O.; Reheul, D.; Van Labeke, M.-C.; Perneel, M.; Hernandez-Sanabria, E.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.
Title Growing media constituents determine the microbial nitrogen conversions in organic growing media for horticulture Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Microbial Biotechnology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue 3 Pages 389-399
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy food diet, however, the eco-sustainability of the production of these can still be significantly improved. European farmers and consumers spend an estimated Euro15.5 billion per year on inorganic fertilizers and the production of N-fertilizers results in a high carbon footprint. We investigated if fertilizer type and medium constituents determine microbial nitrogen conversions in organic growing media and can be used as a next step towards a more sustainable horticulture. We demonstrated that growing media constituents showed differences in urea hydrolysis, ammonia and nitrite oxidation and in carbon dioxide respiration rate. Interestingly, mixing of the growing media constituents resulted in a stimulation of the function of the microorganisms. The use of organic fertilizer resulted in an increase in amoA gene copy number by factor 100 compared to inorganic fertilizers. Our results support our hypothesis that the activity of the functional microbial community with respect to nitrogen turnover in an organic growing medium can be improved by selecting and mixing the appropriate growing media components with each other. These findings contribute to the understanding of the functional microbial community in growing media and its potential role towards a more responsible horticulture.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000374662600009 Publication Date 2016-03-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1751-7907 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:133617 Serial 8013
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Author Coppens, J.; Lindeboom, R.; Muys, M.; Coessens, W.; Alloul, A.; Meerbergen, K.; Lievens, B.; Clauwaert, P.; Boon, N.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Nitrification and microalgae cultivation for two-stage biological nutrient valorization from source separated urine Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 211 Issue Pages 41-50
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Urine contains the majority of nutrients in urban wastewaters and is an ideal nutrient recovery target. In this study, stabilization of real undiluted urine through nitrification and subsequent microalgae cultivation were explored as strategy for biological nutrient recovery. A nitrifying inoculum screening revealed a commercial aquaculture inoculum to have the highest halotolerance. This inoculum was compared with municipal activated sludge for the start-up of two nitrification membrane bioreactors. Complete nitrification of undiluted urine was achieved in both systems at a conductivity of 75 mS cm−1 and loading rate above 450 mg N L−1 d−1. The halotolerant inoculum shortened the start-up time with 54%. Nitrite oxidizers showed faster salt adaptation and Nitrobacter spp. became the dominant nitrite oxidizers. Nitrified urine as growth medium for Arthrospira platensis demonstrated superior growth compared to untreated urine and resulted in a high protein content of 62%. This two-stage strategy is therefore a promising approach for biological nutrient recovery.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000375186700006 Publication Date 2016-03-06
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 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:139913 Serial 8307
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Author Kim, E.; Spooren, J.; Broos, K.; Nielsen, P.; Horckmans, L.; Vrancken, K.C.; Quaghebeur, M.
Title New method for selective Cr recovery from stainless steel slag by NaOCl assisted alkaline leaching and consecutive BaCrO4 precipitation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal
Volume 295 Issue Pages 542-551
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract A new hydrometallurgical method was investigated for selective leaching of chromium from stainless steel slag (SS slag) consisting of temperature controlled extraction with NaOH in the presence of NaOCl, followed by water leaching. After parameter optimization of the NaOCl-NaOH extraction step, a selective Cr leaching of 68% was reached, while dissolution of matrix materials was low (Al 0.3%, Ca 2.0%, Si 0.4%). The optimum conditions for the investigated system are: 105 degrees C, 6 h, SS slag particle size <63 mu m, mass ratio of NaOH to SS slag 0.13, and 3.3 mmol NaOCl to 1 g SS slag. The described oxidative alkaline leaching process by hypochlorite enables selective recovery of Cr at a significantly lower temperature and required amount of alkaline agent than molten salt or alkaline roasting processes. BaCrO4 was precipitated to purify and concentrate Cr from the leachate in which also minor amounts of Mn and V were present. This method allowed for a 99.9% Cr recovery rate. The obtained leaching residue shows no alterations of the SS slag's mineralogy with respect to untreated material. Therefore, a known carbonation treatment of the slag can be applied to prepare novel construction materials with a lowered Cr content. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000375507300059 Publication Date 2016-03-22
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 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:133632 Serial 8302
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Author Sóti, V.; Jacquet, N.; Apers, S.; Richel, A.; Lenaerts, S.; Cornet, I.
Title Monitoring the laccase reaction of vanillin and poplar hydrolysate Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Journal of chemical technology and biotechnology Abbreviated Journal J Chem Technol Biot
Volume 91 Issue 6 Pages 1914-1922
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Biochemical Wastewater Valorization & Engineering (BioWaVE)
Abstract BACKGROUND Laccase is an intensively researched enzyme for industrial use. Except for decolorisation measurements, HPLC analysis is the conventional method for monitoring the phenolic removal during laccase enzyme reaction. This paper reports an investigation of the continuous UV absorbance follow-up of the laccase reaction with steam pretreated poplar hydrolysate. RESULTS Vanillin was used as a model substrate and lignocellulose xylose rich fraction (XRF) as a biologically complex substrate for laccase detoxification. The reaction was followed by HPLC-UV as well as by UV spectrometric measurements. Results suggest that the reaction can be successfully monitored by measuring the change of UV absorbance at 280 nm, without previous compound separation. In case of XRF experiments the spectrophotometric follow-up is especially useful, as HPLC analysis takes a long time and provides less information than in case of single substrates. The method seems to be suitable for optimization and process control. CONCLUSION The obtained results can help to construct a fast, easy and straightforward monitoring system for laccase-phenolic substrate reactions.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000375768300040 Publication Date 2015-07-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0268-2575; 1097-4660 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.135 Times cited 3 Open Access
Notes ; This research is financed by the University of Antwerp (project number 15 FA100 002). ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.135
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:127694 Serial 5972
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Author Seuntjens, D.; Bundervoet, B.L.M.; Mollen, H.; De Mulder, C.; Wypkema, E.; Verliefde, A.; Nopens, I.; Colsen, J.G.M.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Energy efficient treatment of A-stage effluent : pilot-scale experiences with short-cut nitrogen removal Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Water science and technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 73 Issue 9 Pages 2150-2158
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000376285300013 Publication Date 2016-02-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0273-1223; 1996-9732 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:130442 Serial 7908
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhang, Q.; De Clippeleir, H.; Su, C.; Al-Omari, A.; Wett, B.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Murthy, S.
Title Deammonification for digester supernatant pretreated with thermal hydrolysis : overcoming inhibition through process optimization Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Applied microbiology and biotechnology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 100 Issue 12 Pages 5595-5606
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The thermal hydrolysis process (THP) has been proven to be an excellent pretreatment step for an anaerobic digester (AD), increasing biogas yield and decreasing sludge disposal. The goal of this work was to optimize deammonification for efficient nitrogen removal despite the inhibition effects caused by the organics present in the THP-AD sludge filtrate (digestate). Two sequencing batch reactors were studied treating conventional digestate and THP-AD digestate, respectively. Improved process control based on higher dissolved oxygen set-point (1 mg O-2/L) and longer aeration times could achieve successful treatment of THP-AD digestate. This increased set-point could overcome the inhibition effect on aerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AerAOB), potentially caused by particulate and colloidal organics. Moreover, based on the mass balance, anoxic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB) contribution to the total nitrogen removal decreased from 97 +/- A 1 % for conventional to 72 +/- A 5 % for THP-AD digestate treatment, but remained stable by selective AnAOB retention using a vibrating screen. Overall, similar total nitrogen removal rates of 520 +/- A 28 mg N/L/day at a loading rate of 600 mg N/L/day were achieved in the THP-AD reactor compared to the conventional digestate treatment operating at low dissolved oxygen (DO) (0.38 +/- A 0.10 mg O-2/L).
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000376456700033 Publication Date 2016-02-19
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0175-7598; 1432-0614 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:134166 Serial 7755
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Verstraete, W.; Clauwaert, P.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Used water and nutrients : recovery perspectives in a 'panta rhei' context Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 215 Issue Pages 199-208
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract There is an urgent need to secure global supplies in safe water and proteinaceous food in an eco-sustainable manner, as manifested from tensions in the nexus Nutrients-Energy-Water-Environment-Land. This paper is concept based and provides solutions based on resource recovery from municipal and industrial wastewater and from manure. A set of decisive factors is reviewed facilitating an attractive business case. Our key message is that a robust barrier must clear the recovered product from its original status. Besides refined inorganic fertilizers, a central role for five types of microbial protein is proposed. A resource cycling solution for the extremely confined environment of space habitation should serve as an incentive to assimilate a new user mindset. To achieve the ambitious goal of sustainable food security, the solutions suggested here need a broad implementation, hand in hand with minimizing losses along the entire fertilizer-feed-food-fork chain. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000377935100022 Publication Date 2016-04-29
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 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:134591 Serial 8726
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Meerburg, F.A.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Roume, H.; Seuntjens, D.; Pieper, D.H.; Jauregui, R.; Vilchez-Vargas, R.; Boon, N.
Title High-rate activated sludge communities have a distinctly different structure compared to low-rate sludge communities, and are less sensitive towards environmental and operational variables Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Water research Abbreviated Journal
Volume 100 Issue Pages 137-145
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract High-rate activated sludge processes allow for the recovery of organics and energy from wastewaters. These systems are operated at a short sludge retention time and high sludge-specific loading rates, which results in a higher sludge yield and better digestibility than conventional, low-rate activated sludge. Little is known about the microbial ecology of high-rate systems. In this work, we address the need for a fundamental understanding of how high-rate microbial communities differ from low-rate communities. We investigated the high-rate and low-rate communities in a sewage treatment plant in relation to environmental and operational variables over a period of ten months. We demonstrated that (1) high-rate and low-rate communities are distinctly different in terms of richness, evenness and composition, (2) high-rate community dynamics are more variable and less shaped by deterministic factors compared to low-rate communities, (3) sub-communities of continuously core and transitional members are more shaped by deterministic factors than the continuously rare members, both in high-rate and low-rate communities, and (4) high-rate community members showed a co-occurrence pattern similar to that of low-rate community members, but were less likely to be correlated to environmental and operational variables. These findings provide a basis for further optimization of high-rate systems, in order to facilitate resource recovery from wastewater.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000378448800014 Publication Date 2016-05-08
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:139914 Serial 8035
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Smets, W.; Moretti, S.; Denys, S.; Lebeer, S.
Title Airborne bacteria in the atmosphere : presence, purpose, and potential Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Atmospheric environment : an international journal Abbreviated Journal
Volume 139 Issue Pages 214-221
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Numerous recent studies have highlighted that the types of bacteria present in the atmosphere often show predictable patterns across space and time. These patterns can be driven by differences in bacterial sources of the atmosphere and a wide range of environmental factors, including UV intensity, precipitation events, and humidity. The abundance of certain bacterial taxa is of interest, not only for their ability to mediate a range of chemical and physical processes in the atmosphere, such as cloud formation and ice nucleation, but also for their implications -both beneficial and detrimental-for human health. Consequently, the widespread importance of airborne bacteria has stimulated the search for their applicability. Improving air quality, modelling the dispersal of airborne bacteria (e.g. pathogens) and biotechnological purposes are already being explored. Nevertheless, many technological challenges still need to be overcome to fully understand the roles of airborne bacteria in our health and global ecosystems.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000379093900021 Publication Date 2016-05-24
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1352-2310 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:133711 Serial 7432
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Cagnetta, C.; Coma, M.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Rabaey, K.
Title Production of carboxylates from high rate activated sludge through fermentation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 217 Issue Pages 165-172
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The aim of this work was to study the key parameters affecting fermentation of high rate activated A-sludge to carboxylates, including pH, temperature, inoculum, sludge composition and iron content. The maximum volatile fatty acids production was 141 mg C g−1 VSSfed, at pH 7. Subsequently the potential for carboxylate and methane production for A-sludge from four different plants at pH 7 and 35 °C were compared. Initial BOD of the sludge appeared to be key determining carboxylate yield from A-sludge. Whereas methanogenesis could be correlated linearly to the quantity of ferric used for coagulation, fermentation did not show a dependency on iron presence. This difference may enable a strategy whereby A-stage sludge is separated to achieve fermentation, and iron dosing for phosphate removal is only implemented at the B-stage.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000380226300023 Publication Date 2016-03-22
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 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:139912 Serial 8421
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Han, M.; De Clippeleir, H.; Al-Omari, A.; Wett, B.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Bott, C.; Murthy, S.
Title Impact of carbon to nitrogen ratio and aeration regime on mainstream deammonification Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Water science and technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 74 Issue 2 Pages 375-384
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract While deammonification of high-strength wastewater in the sludge line of sewage treatment plants has become well established, the potential cost savings spur the development of this technology for mainstream applications. This study aimed at identifying the effect of aeration and organic carbon on the deammonification process. Two 10 L sequencing bath reactors with different aeration frequencies were operated at 25 degrees C. Real wastewater effluents from chemically enhanced primary treatment and high-rate activated sludge process were fed into the reactors with biodegradable chemical oxygen demand/nitrogen (bCOD/N) of 2.0 and 0.6, respectively. It was found that shorter aerobic solids retention time (SRT) and higher aeration frequency gave more advantages for aerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AerAOB) than nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in the system. From the kinetics study, it is shown that the affinity for oxygen is higher for NOB than for AerAOB, and higher dissolved oxygen set-point could decrease the affinity of both AerAOB and NOB communities. After 514 days of operation, it was concluded that lower organic carbon levels enhanced the activity of anoxic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB) over denitrifiers. As a result, the contribution of AnAOB to nitrogen removal increased from 40 to 70%. Overall, a reasonably good total removal efficiency of 66% was reached under a low bCOD/N ratio of 2.0 after adaptation.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000380765500011 Publication Date 2016-04-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0273-1223; 1996-9732 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:135032 Serial 8062
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Meire, M.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Lenaerts, S.; Lommens, P.; Van Der Voort, P.; Van Driessche, I.
Title Microwave-assisted synthesis of mesoporous titania with increased crystallinity, specific surface area, and photocatalytic activity Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Journal of materials science Abbreviated Journal J Mater Sci
Volume 51 Issue 21 Pages 9822-9829
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Mesoporous titanium dioxide is a material finding its use in a wide range of applications. For many of these, it is important to achieve a high degree of crystallinity in the material. It is generally accepted that the use of the soft templating approach to synthesize mesoporous titania, results in a compromise between crystallinity and specific surface area due to thermal instability of the used templates. In this paper, we explore how the use of microwave irradiation can influence the crystallinity, specific surface area, and the electronic properties of mesoporous titania. Therefore, we combined microwave radiation with an evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) synthesis. We show that additional microwave treatment at carefully chosen synthesis steps can enhance the crystallinity with 20 % without causing significant loss of surface area (>360 m2/g). Surface photovoltage measurements were used to investigate the electronic properties. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated in aqueous media by following the degradation of an industrial dye, methylene blue, and the herbicide isoproturon under UV irradiation and in gaseous media looking at the degradation of acetaldehyde, a common indoor pollutant under UVA irradiation. In all cases, the microwave treatment results in more active materials.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000381182200023 Publication Date 2016-07-18
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-2461 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.599 Times cited 8 Open Access
Notes ; M. Meire and S. W. Verbruggen acknowledge the FWO-Flanders (Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders) for financial support. We want to thank T. Planckaert for the N<INF>2</INF> sorption measurements, J. Watte for the XRD measurements, and professor K. De Buysser for the quantitative Rietveld refinements. ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.599
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:140098 Serial 5970
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Author Meerburg, F.A.; Boon, N.; Van Winckel, T.; Pauwels, K.T.G.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Live Fast, Die Young: Optimizing Retention Times in High-Rate Contact Stabilization for Maximal Recovery of Organics from Wastewater Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Environmental science and technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 50 Issue 17 Pages 9781-9790
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Wastewater is typically treated by the conventional activated sludge process, which suffers from an inefficient overall energy balance. The high-rate contact stabilization (HiCS) has been proposed as a promising primary treatment technology with which to maximize redirection of organics to sludge for subsequent energy recovery. It utilizes a feast famine cycle to select for bioflocculation, intracellular storage, or both. We optimized the HiCS process for organics recovery and characterized different biological pathways of organics removal and recovery. A total of eight HiCS reactors were operated at 15 degrees C at short solids retention times (SRT; 0.24-2.8 days), hydraulic contact times (t(c); 8 and 15 min), and stabilization times (t(s); 15 and 40 min). At an optimal SRT between 0.5 and 1.3 days and t(c) of 15 min and t(s) of 40 min, the HiCS system oxidized only 10% of influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) and recovered up to 55% of incoming organic matter into sludge. Storage played a minor role in the overall COD removal, which was likely dominated by aerobic biomass growth, bioflocculation onto extracellular polymeric substances, and settling. The HiCS process recovers enough organics to potentially produce 28 kWh of electricity per population equivalent per year by anaerobic digestion and electricity generation. This inspires new possibilities for energy-neutral wastewater treatment.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000382805800097 Publication Date 2016-08-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0013-936x; 1520-5851 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:138270 Serial 8176
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Spooren, J.; Kim, E.; Horckmans, L.; Broos, K.; Nielsen, P.; Quaghebeur, M.
Title In-situ chromium and vanadium recovery of landfilled ferrochromium and stainless steel slags Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal
Volume 303 Issue Pages 359-368
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract A novel heap leaching method was investigated for selective removal of chromium (Cr) and-vanadium (V) from ferrochromium (FeCr) and stainless steel (SS) slags. In particular, alkaline oxidative heap leaching was simulated on lab-scale by batch and column leaching tests. The results show a selective leaching of Cr (11-19%) and V (7.0-7.5%) after 64 days of column leaching, with a very low dissolution (<2.2% (FeCr slag) and <0.15% (SS slag)) of matrix elements (e.g. Al, Fe, Si, Mg, Ca), when NaOCl is applied as oxidation agent and NaOH as alkaline agent. Furthermore, the used leaching liquor is reactive for a longer period of time, indicating that circulation of leaching liquor could be possible. Finally, the experimental results were fed into a first-order model which predicts that Cr will continue to leach from the tested slags for 4-5 years at a chosen infiltration rate of 73,000 l/(y m(2)). (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000383522800036 Publication Date 2016-05-27
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 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:137104 Serial 8074
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Schneidewind, U.; van Berkel, M.; Anibas, C.; Vandersteen, G.; Schmidt, C.; Joris, I.; Seuntjens, P.; Batelaan, O.; Zwart, H.J.
Title LPMLE3: A novel 1-D approach to study water flow in streambeds using heat as a tracer Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Water resources research Abbreviated Journal
Volume 52 Issue 8 Pages 6596-6610
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract We introduce LPMLE3, a new 1-D approach to quantify vertical water flow components at streambeds using temperature data collected in different depths. LPMLE3 solves the partial differential equation for coupled water flow and heat transport in the frequency domain. Unlike other 1-D approaches it does not assume a semi-infinite halfspace with the location of the lower boundary condition approaching infinity. Instead, it uses local upper and lower boundary conditions. As such, the streambed can be divided into finite subdomains bound at the top and bottom by a temperature-time series. Information from a third temperature sensor within each subdomain is then used for parameter estimation. LPMLE3 applies a low order local polynomial to separate periodic and transient parts (including the noise contributions) of a temperature-time series and calculates the frequency response of each subdomain to a known temperature input at the streambed top. A maximum-likelihood estimator is used to estimate the vertical component of water flow, thermal diffusivity, and their uncertainties for each streambed subdomain and provides information regarding model quality. We tested the method on synthetic temperature data generated with the numerical model STRIVE and demonstrate how the vertical flow component can be quantified for field data collected in a Belgian stream. We show that by using the results in additional analyses, nonvertical flow components could be identified and by making certain assumptions they could be quantified for each subdomain. LPMLE3 performed well on both simulated and field data and can be considered a valuable addition to the existing 1-D methods.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000383684400051 Publication Date 2016-08-05
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0043-1397; 0043-137x 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:144678 Serial 8189
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Vrieze, J.; Smet, D.; Klok, J.; Colsen, J.; Angenent, L.T.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Thermophilic sludge digestion improves energy balance and nutrient recovery potential in full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 218 Issue Pages 1237-1245
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The conventional treatment of municipal wastewater by means of activated sludge is typically energy demanding. Here, the potential benefits of: (1) the optimization of mesophilic digestion; and (2) transitioning to thermophilic sludge digestion in three wastewater treatment plants (Tilburg-Noord, Land van Cuijk and Bath) in the Netherlands is evaluated, including a full-scale trial validation in Bath. In Tilburg-Noord, thermophilic sludge digestion covered the energy requirements of the plant (102%), whereas 111% of sludge operational treatment costs could be covered in Bath. Thermophilic sludge digestion also resulted in a strong increase in nutrient release. The potential for nutrient recovery was evaluated via: (1) stripping/absorption of ammonium; (2) autotrophic removal of ammonium via partial nitritation/anammox; and (3) struvite precipitation. This research shows that optimization of sludge digestion may lead to a strong increase in energy recovery, sludge treatment costs reduction, and the potential for advanced nutrient management in full-scale sewage treatment plants. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000384710500155 Publication Date 2016-07-02
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 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:137236 Serial 8666
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Asapu, R.; Claes, N.; Bals, S.; Denys, S.; Detavernier, C.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbruggen, S.W.
Title Silver-polymer core-shell nanoparticles for ultrastable plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Applied catalysis : B : environmental Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal B-Environ
Volume 200 Issue 200 Pages 31-38
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Affordable silver-polymer core-shell nanoparticles are prepared using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. The metallic silver core is encapsulated with an ultra-thin protective shell that prevents oxidation and clustering without compromising the plasmonic properties. The core-shell nanoparticles retain their plasmonic near field enhancement effect, as studied from finite element numerical simulations. Control over the shell thickness up to the sub-nanometer level is there for key. The particles are used to prepare a plasmonic Ag-TiO2 photocatalyst of which the gas phase photocatalytic activity is monitored over a period of four months. The described system outperforms pristine TiO2 and retains its plasmonic enhancement in contrast to TiO2 modified with bare silver nanoparticles. With this an important step is made toward the development of long-term stable plasmonic (photocatalytic) applications.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000384775600004 Publication Date 2016-06-28
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 45 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes CD, SL and SWV acknowledge the Research Foundation − Flanders (FWO) for financial support. CD further acknowledges BOF-UGent (GOA 01G01513) and the Hercules Foundation (AUGE/09/014). SB acknowledges the European Research Council for the ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOM.; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 9.446
Call Number c:irua:134384 c:irua:134384UA @ admin @ c:irua:134384 Serial 4104
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Author van Walsem, J.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Modde, B.; Lenaerts, S.; Denys, S.
Title CFD investigation of a multi-tube photocatalytic reactor in non-steady-state conditions Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J
Volume 304 Issue Pages 808-816
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract A novel multi-tube photoreactor is presented with a high efficiency (over 90% conversion) toward the degradation of acetaldehyde in air under UV conditions with an incident intensity of 2.1 mW cm−2. A CFD model was developed to simulate the transient adsorption and photocatalytic degradation processes of acetaldehyde in this reactor design and to estimate the corresponding kinetic parameters through an optimization routine using the experimentally determined outlet concentration profiles. The CFD model takes into account the entire reactor geometry and all relevant flow parameters, in contrast to analytical methods that often oversimplify the physical and chemical process characteristics. Using CFD, we show that both adsorption and desorption rate constants increase by respectively one and two orders of magnitude when the UV light is switched on, which clearly affects the transient behavior. The agreement of the experimental and modelled concentration profiles is excellent as evidenced by a coefficient of determination of at least 0.965. To demonstrate the reliability and accuracy of all parameters obtained from the modelling approach, an ultimate validation test was performed using other conditions than the ones used for estimating the kinetic parameters. The model was able to accurately simulate simultaneous adsorption, desorption and photocatalytic degradation.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000384777200089 Publication Date 2016-07-08
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 6.216 Times cited 10 Open Access
Notes ; J.V.W. acknowledges the Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen for a PhD fellowship. S.W.V. acknowledges the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) for a postdoctoral fellowship. ; Approved Most recent IF: 6.216
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:139620 Serial 5933
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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 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 (up) 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
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Author Van Eynde, E.; Hu, Z.-Y.; Tytgat, T.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Watte, J.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Van Driessche, I.; Blust, R.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Diatom silica-titania photocatalysts for air purification by bio-accumulation of different titanium sources Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Environmental science : nano Abbreviated Journal Environ Sci-Nano
Volume 3 Issue 5 Pages 1052-1061
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract We present a green, biological production route for silica-titania photocatalysts using diatom microalgae. Diatoms are single-celled, eukaryotic microalgae (2-2000 mu m) that self-assemble soluble silicon (Si(OH)(4)) into intricate silica cell walls, called frustules. These diatom frustules are formed under ambient conditions and consist of hydrated silica with specific 3D morphologies and micro-meso or macroporosity. A remarkable characteristic of diatoms is their ability to bioaccumulate soluble titanium from cell culture medium and incorporate them into their nanostructured silica cell wall. Controlled cultivation of the diatom Pinnularia sp. on soluble titanium in a batch process resulted in the biological immobilisation of titanium dioxide in the porous 3D architecture of the frustules. Six different titanium sources are tested. The silica-titania frustules were isolated by treating the harvested Pinnularia cells with nitric acid (65%) or by high temperature treatment. Thermal annealing converted the amorphous titania into crystalline titania. The produced silica-titania material is evaluated towards photocatalytic activity for acetaldehyde (C2H4O) abatement. Frustules cultivated with TiBaldH showed the highest photocatalytic performance. Comparison of the photocatalytic activity with P25 reveals that P25 has a 4 fold higher photocatalytic activity, but when photocatalytic activity is normalized for titania content, the frustules show double activity. Further material characterization (morphology, crystallinity, surface area and elemental distribution) of the TiBaldH silica-titania frustules provides additional insight into their structure-activity relationship. These natural biosilicatitania materials have excellent properties for photocatalytic purposes, including high surface area (108 m(2) g(-1)) and good porosity, and show reliable immobilization of TiO2 in the ordered structure of the diatom frustule.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Royal Society of Chemistry Place of Publication Cambridge Editor
Language Wos (up) 000385257900011 Publication Date 2016-07-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2051-8153; 2051-8161 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.047 Times cited 7 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 6.047
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:144751 Serial 4644
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Author Lin, S.; Zhang, L.; Reddy, G.V.P.; Hui, C.; Gielis, J.; Ding, Y.; Shi, P.
Title A geometrical model for testing bilateral symmetry of bamboo leaf with a simplified Gielis equation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Ecology and evolution Abbreviated Journal
Volume 6 Issue 19 Pages 6798-6806
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The size and shape of plant leaves change with growth, and an accurate description of leaf shape is crucial for describing plant morphogenesis and development. Bilateral symmetry, which has been widely observed but poorly examined, occurs in both dicot and monocot leaves, including all nominated bamboo species (approximately 1,300 species), of which at least 500 are found in China. Although there are apparent differences in leaf size among bamboo species due to genetic and environmental profiles, bamboo leaves have bilateral symmetry with parallel venation and appear similar across species. Here, we investigate whether the shape of bamboo leaves can be accurately described by a simplified Gielis equation, which consists of only two parameters (leaf length and shape) and produces a perfect bilateral shape. To test the applicability of this equation and the occurrence of bilateral symmetry, we first measured the leaf length of 42 bamboo species, examining >500 leaves per species. We then scanned 30 leaves per species that had approximately the same length as the median leaf length for that species. The leaf-shape data from scanned profiles were fitted to the simplified Gielis equation. Results confirmed that the equation fits the leaf-shape data extremely well, with the coefficients of determination being 0.995 on average. We further demonstrated the bilateral symmetry of bamboo leaves, with a clearly defined leaf-shape parameter of all 42 bamboo species investigated ranging from 0.02 to 0.1. This results in a simple and reliable tool for precise determination of bamboo species, with applications in forestry, ecology, and taxonomy.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000385626100003 Publication Date 2016-09-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2045-7758 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:144547 Serial 7998
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Author Han, M.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Al-Omari, A.; Wett, B.; Bott, C.; Murthy, S.; De Clippeleir, H.
Title Uncoupling the solids retention times of flocs and granules in mainstream deammonification : a screen as effective out-selection tool for nitrite oxidizing bacteria Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 221 Issue Pages 195-204
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract This study focused on a physical separator in the form of a screen to out-select nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) for mainstream sewage treatment. This separation relied on the principle that the NOB prefer to grow in flocs, while anammox bacteria (AnAOB) reside in granules. Two types of screens (vacuum and vibrating) were tested for separating these fractions. The vibrating screen was preferred due to more moderate normal forces and additional tangential forces, better balancing retention efficiency of AnAOB granules (41% of the AnAOB activity) and washout of NOB (92% activity washout). This operation resulted in increased NOB out-selection (AerAOB/NOB ratio of 2.3) and a total nitrogen removal efficiency of 70% at influent COD/N ratio of 1.4. An effluent total nitrogen concentration <10 mg N/L was achieved using this novel approach combining biological selection with physical separation, opening up the path towards energy positive sewage treatment. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000386241000025 Publication Date 2016-09-08
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 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:138157 Serial 8705
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Author Courtens, E.N.P.; Spieck, E.; Vilchez-Vargas, R.; Bode, S.; Boeckx, P.; Schouten, S.; Jauregui, R.; Pieper, D.H.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.
Title A robust nitrifying community in a bioreactor at 50 degrees C opens up the path for thermophilic nitrogen removal Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication The ISME journal : multidisciplinary journal of microbial ecology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 10 Issue 9 Pages 2293-2303
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The increasing production of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is crucial to meet the global food demand, yet high losses of reactive nitrogen associated with the food production/consumption chain progressively deteriorate the natural environment. Currently, mesophilic nitrogen-removing microbes eliminate nitrogen from wastewaters. Although thermophilic nitrifiers have been separately enriched from natural environments, no bioreactors are described that couple these processes for the treatment of nitrogen in hot wastewaters. Samples from composting facilities were used as inoculum for the batch-wise enrichment of thermophilic nitrifiers (350 days). Subsequently, the enrichments were transferred to a bioreactor to obtain a stable, high-rate nitrifying process (560 days). The community contained up to 17% ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOAs) closely related to 'Candidatus Nitrososphaera gargensis', and 25% nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOBs) related to Nitrospira calida. Incorporation of C-13-derived bicarbonate into the respective characteristic membrane lipids during nitrification supported their activity as autotrophs. Specific activities up to 198 +/- 10 and 894 +/- 81 mg N g(-1) VSS per day for AOAs and NOBs were measured, where NOBs were 33% more sensitive to free ammonia. The NOBs were extremely sensitive to free nitrous acid, whereas the AOAs could only be inhibited by high nitrite concentrations, independent of the free nitrous acid concentration. The observed difference in product/substrate inhibition could facilitate the development of NOB inhibition strategies to achieve more cost-effective processes such as deammonification. This study describes the enrichment of autotrophic thermophilic nitrifiers from a nutrient-rich environment and the successful operation of a thermophilic nitrifying bioreactor for the first time, facilitating opportunities for thermophilic nitrogen removal biotechnology.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000386664600019 Publication Date 2016-02-19
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1751-7362 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:138184 Serial 7397
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Liao, L.; Heylen, S.; Sree, S.P.; Vallaey, B.; Keulemans, M.; Lenaerts, S.; Roeffaers, M.B.J.; Martens, J.A.
Title Photocatalysis assisted simultaneous carbon oxidation and NOx reduction Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Applied catalysis : B : environmental Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal B-Environ
Volume 202 Issue Pages 381-387
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Photocatalysis assisted oxidation of carbon black was performed using TiO2 photocatalyst under UV illumination in an atmosphere with NO, O-2 and water vapor at 150 degrees C. Carbon is oxidized mainly to CO2 while NO is selectively converted to N-2. Enhanced O-2 and NO concentrations have a positive effect on the carbon oxidation rate. At a concentration of 3000 ppm NO and 13.3% O-2 in the gas phase the carbon oxidation rate reaches 2.3 mu g(carbon)/mg(TiO2) h, at a formal electron/photon quantum efficiency of 0.019. HR SEM images reveal uniform gradual reduction of the carbon particle size irrespective of the distance to TiO2 photocatalyst particles in the presence of NO, O-2 and H2O. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000388052100038 Publication Date 2016-09-23
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 11 Open Access
Notes ; This work was supported by long-term structural funding by the Flemish government (Methusalem). M. Keulemans acknowledges the agency for Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT) for financial support (PhD. Grant). M. Roeffaers thanks the ERC for financial support (ERC Starting Grant No. 307523). ; Approved Most recent IF: 9.446
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:139156 Serial 5976
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Author Smets, W.; Wuyts, K.; Oerlemans, E.; Wuyts, S.; Denys, S.; Samson, R.; Lebeer, S.
Title Impact of urban land use on the bacterial phyllosphere of ivy (Hedera sp.) Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Atmospheric environment : an international journal Abbreviated Journal
Volume 147 Issue Pages 376-383
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The surface of the aerial parts of the plant, also termed the phyllosphere, is a selective habitat for microbes. The bacterial composition of the phyllosphere depends on host plant species, leaf characteristics, season, climate, and geographic location of the host plant. In this study, we investigated the effect of an urban environment on the bacterial composition of phyllosphere communities. We performed a passive biomonitoring experiment in which leaves were sampled from ivy (Hedera sp.), a common evergreen climber species, in urban and non-urban locations. Exposure to traffic-generated particulate matter was estimated using leaf biomagnetic analyses. The bacterial community composition was determined using 16S rRNA gene sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq. The phyllosphere microbial communities of ivy differed greatly between urban and non-urban locations, as we observed a shift in several of the dominant taxa: Beijerinckia and Methylocystaceae were most abundant in the non-urban phyllosphere, whereas Hymenobacter and Sphingomonadaceae were dominating the urban ivy phyllosphere. The richness, diversity and composition of the communities showed greater variability in the urban than in the non-urban locations, where traffic-generated PM was lower. Interestingly, the relative abundances of eight of the ten most dominant taxa correlated well with leaf magnetism, be it positive or negative. The results of this study indicate that an urban environment can greatly affect the local phyllosphere community composition. Although other urban-related factors cannot be ruled out, the relative abundance of most of the dominant taxa was significantly correlated with exposure to traffic-generated PM.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000388543600033 Publication Date 2016-10-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1352-2310 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:136110 Serial 8066
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Author Desmet, N.; Touchant, K.; Seuntjens, P.; Tang, T.; Bronders, J.
Title A hybrid monitoring and modelling approach to assess the contribution of sources of glyphosate and AMPA in large river catchments Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication The science of the total environment Abbreviated Journal
Volume 573 Issue Pages 1580-1588
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Large river catchments with mixed land use capture pesticides from many sources, and degradable pesticides are converted during downstream transport. Unravelling the contribution of pesticide source and the effect of degradation processes is a challenge in such areas. However, insight and understanding of the sources is important for targeted managen-lent, especially when water is abstracted from the river for drinking water production. The river Meuse is such a case. A long-term monitoring data set was applied in a modelling approach for assessing the contribution of waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) and tributaries (sub-basins) to surface water contamination, and to evaluate the effect of decay on the downstream concentrations of glyphosate and AMPA at the point of drinking water abstraction. The results show that WWTPs are important contributors for glyphosate and AMPA in large river catchments with mixed land uses. In the studied area, the river Meuse in the Netherlands, the relative contribution of WWTP effluents is above 29% for glyphosate and around 12% for AMPA. Local industries are found to be potentially big contributors of AMPA. Glyphosate entering the river system is gradually converted to AMPA and other degradation-productions, which results in downstream loads that are considerably lower than the sum of all influxes. In summer when the travel time is longer due to lower discharge, the first order decay of glyphosate in the river Meuse is estimated to result in about 50% reduction of the downstream glyphosate concentrations over a river stretch of 250 km. The contribution of glyphosate decay to the observed AMPA concentrations ranges between 2% and 10%. Contributions are sensitive to seasonal variations in discharge that influence the concentrations through dilution and degradation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000390071000153 Publication Date 2016-10-08
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:140296 Serial 7391
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Author Keulemans, M.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Hauchecorne, B.; Martens, J.A.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Activity versus selectivity in photocatalysis : morphological or electronic properties tipping the scale Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Journal of catalysis Abbreviated Journal J Catal
Volume 344 Issue Pages 221-228
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract In this paper a structure-activity and structure-selectivity relation is established for three commercial TiO2 sources (P25, P90, and PC500). Morphological and electronic parameters of the photocatalysts are determined using widely applicable and inexpensive characterization procedures. More specifically, the electronic properties are rigorously characterized using an electron titration method yielding quantitative information on the amount of defect sites present in the catalyst. Surface photovoltage measurements on the other hand provide complementary information on the charge carrier recombination process. As model reaction, the degradation of a solid layer of stearic acid is studied using an in situ FTIR reaction cell that enables to investigate the catalyst surface and possible formation of reaction intermediates while the reactions are ongoing. We show that the order of photocatalytic conversion is PC500 > P90 > P25, matching the order of favorable morphological properties. In terms of selectivity to CO2 formation (complete mineralization), however, this trend is reversed: P25 > P90 > PC500, now matching the order of advantageous electronic properties, i.e. low charge carrier recombination and high charge carrier generation. With this we intend to provide new mechanistic insights using a wide variety of physical, (wet) chemical and operando analysis methods that aid the development of performant (self-cleaning) photocatalytic materials.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000390182800022 Publication Date 2016-10-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0021-9517 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.844 Times cited 10 Open Access
Notes ; M.K. acknowledges Flemish Agency for Innovation & Entrepreneurship for the doctoral scholarship. S.W.V. acknowledges the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO) for a post-doctoral fellowship. J.A.M. acknowledges the Flemish government for long-term structural funding (Methusalem). ; Approved Most recent IF: 6.844
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:136339 Serial 5926
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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 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 (up) 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 De Baere, K.; Verstraelen, H.; Willemen, R.; Smet, J.-P.; Tchuindjang, J.T.; Lecomte-Beckers, J.; Lenaerts, S.; Meskens, R.; Jung, H.G.; Potters, G.
Title Assessment of corrosion resistance, material properties, and weldability of alloyed steel for ballast tanks Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Journal of marine science and technology Abbreviated Journal J Mar Sci Tech-Japan
Volume 22 Issue 1 Pages 176-199
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Ballast tanks are of great importance in the lifetime of modern merchant ships. Making a ballast tank less susceptible to corrosion can, therefore, prolong the useful life of a ship and, thereby, lower its operational cost. An option to reinforce a ballast tank is to construct it out of a corrosion-resistant steel type. Such steel was recently produced by POSCO Ltd., South Korea. After 6 months of permanent immersion, the average corrosion rate of A and AH steel (31 samples) was 535 g m(-2) year(-1), while the Korean CRS was corroding with 378 g m(-2) year(-1). This entails a gain of 29 %. Follow-up measurements after 10, 20, and 24 months confirmed this. The results after 6 months exposure to alternating wet/dry conditions are even more explicit. Furthermore, the physical and metallurgical properties of this steel show a density of 7.646 t/m(3), the elasticity modulus 209.3 GPa, the tensile strength 572 MPa, and the hardness 169HV10. Microscopically, the metal consists of equiaxed and recrystallized grains (ferrite and pearlite), with an average size of between 20 and 30 A mu m (ASTM E 112-12 grain size number between 7 and 8) with a few elongated pearlitic grains. The structure is banded ferrite/pearlite. On the basis of a series of energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer measurements the lower corrosion rate of the steel can be attributed to the interplay of Al, Cr, their oxides, and the corroding steel. In addition, the role of each element in the formation of oxide layers and the mechanisms contributing to the corrosion resistance are discussed.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000395006400015 Publication Date 2016-07-21
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 paper is published with the explicit permission of POSCO Ltd., original source of the corrosion resistant steel. Due to the creativity of the POSCO engineers and scientists, we could have our challenge, presented in this manuscript. The authors wish to thank the BOF funding received from the University of Antwerp and the Maritime Academy. We also wish to express our gratitude towards to the American Bureau of Shipping for their assistance in procuring the CRS plates, their moral and financial support, as well as to OCAS (Arcelor Mittal, Zelzate, Belgium) for their assistance in a number of measurements. ; Approved Most recent IF: 0.838
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:142509 Serial 5928
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Christis, M.; Geerken, T.; Vercalsteren, A.; Vrancken, K.C.M.
Title Improving footprint calculations of small open economies : combining local with multi-regional input-output tables Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Economic systems research Abbreviated Journal
Volume 29 Issue 1 Pages 25-47
Keywords A1 Journal article; Economics; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract In a small, open and resource-poor economy, import and export dependency have an ever-growing impact on local policy decisions, which makes local (environmental) policy-makers increasingly depend on global data. This increases the interest in models that link local production and consumption data to global production, trade and environmental data. The recent increase in availability of global environmentally extended multi-regional input-output tables (EE-MRIO tables) provides an opportunity to link them with existing local environmentally extended input-output tables (EE-RIO tables). These combined tables make it possible (1) to analyse the links between local and global production and consumption and (2) to study global value chains, material use and environmental impacts simultaneously. However, estimations using input-output (I-O) analyses contain errors due to imperfect databases. In this article the magnitude of specification, aggregation and time errors are estimated and compared. The results show the need to combine local datasets with multi-regional ones and show that highest detailed (country and sector levels) as well as time series of I-O tables are the way forward for using I-O analyses in local policy-making. The paper provides guidance on trading off investments in model adoption and/or extension and the reliability of estimation results.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (up) 000395062800002 Publication Date 2016-11-01
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0953-5314 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:142012 Serial 8071
Permanent link to this record