Flux Values Research Articles

Supplementary Far-Red Light for Photosynthetic Active Radiation Differentially Influences the Photochemical Efficiency and Biomass Accumulation in Greenhouse-Grown Lettuce.

Adding far-red (FR, 700-800 nm) light to photosynthetic active radiation (400-700 nm) proved to be a possible approach to increasing plant biomass accumulation for lettuce production in indoor vertical farms with artificial lighting as a sole-source lighting. However, how FR light addition influences plant growth, development, and metabolic processes and the optimal value of FR photon flux density for greenhouse-grown lettuce under sunlight are still unclear. This work aims to quantify the value of supplementary FR light with different intensities on lettuce morphological and physiological characteristics in a greenhouse. Lettuce 'Dasusheng' (Lactuca sativa L.) was grown in a greenhouse under seven light treatments, including white plus red LEDs with FR photon flux density at 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 µmol m-2 s-1 (WR, WR + FR10, WR + FR30, WR + FR50, WR + FR70, and WR + FR90, respectively), and lettuce grown with sunlight only was marked as natural light (NL). FR light addition improved the electron transport flux per cross section and performance index (PIabs, PItotal) and decreased the changes in relative variable fluorescence of lettuce leaves compared to plants under NL. Specifically, the PIabs of lettuce leaves were 41%, 41%, 38%, 33%, 26%, and 25% lower under control than in plants under treatments WR + FR90, WR + FR70, WR + FR50, WR + FR30, WR + FR10, and WR, respectively. Leaf number, leaf area, and biomass accumulation of lettuce followed a quadratic function with increasing FR light intensity and were the highest under treatment WR + FR50. The shoot fresh weight and dry weight of lettuce were increased by 111% and 275%, respectively, under treatment WR + FR50 compared to NL. The contents of vitamin C, reducing sugar, total soluble sugar, and starch in lettuce showed a similar trend with biomass accumulation. In conclusion, with commonly used photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD, 400-700 nm) around 200 μmol m-2 s-1, supplementary FR light intensity of 30~50 μmol m-2 s-1 was suggested to enhance the photochemistry efficiency, biomass accumulation, and carbohydrates' contents in greenhouse-grown lettuce.

Investigation of the macro performance and mechanism of biochar modified ultra-high performance concrete

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), an extraordinary category of cementitious composites, showcases unparalleled mechanical and durability properties. Given the current disparity in carbon levels and the environmental hazards associated with cement production, various types of biochar materials have been incorporated into cement composites. This approach offers a mutually advantageous solution, effectively reducing CO2 emissions while simultaneously preserving natural resources. This study aims to evaluate the use of palm shells, a waste biomass, as a substitute for aggregate in the UHPC matrix. The investigation focused on replacing 1–40 % of sand, specifically considering apricot, date, and peach shells biochar at an 8 % replacement. A comprehensive analysis was carried out on a total of 12 combinations, encompassing a control group. For biochar-mortar admixtures, a decrease in workability and density were observed. Replacing 1 % of sand with biochar in UHPC mortar improved compressive strength, but increasing biochar dosage weakened it. Biochar-mortar was demonstrated a dual impact on drying shrinkage. Mixtures with higher biochar dosages showed a slight increase in permeability. Incorporating 1 % biochar into UHPC led to a slightly lower electrical flux value. SEM images were obtained, highlighting the compact morphological structure seen in both the control and the 1 % biochar mortar. MIP test showed nearly 1.6 times increase in the 2-dimensional porosity, from 10.49 % (control) to 16.83 % for sample which had 30 % biochar. Based on the results obtained, it could be concluded that biochar possesses the capability, which enhances the properties of UHPC mortar when used as a partial replacement for conventional fine aggregate in minor fractions.

Modeling fission gas release at the mesoscale using multiscale DenseNet regression with attention mechanism and inception blocks

Mesoscale simulations of fission gas release (FGR) in nuclear fuel provide a powerful tool for understanding how microstructure evolution impacts FGR, but they are computationally intensive. In this study, we present an alternate, data-driven approach, using deep learning to predict instantaneous FGR flux from 2D simulated nuclear fuel microstructure images. Four convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures with multiscale regression are trained and evaluated on simulated FGR data generated using a hybrid phase field/cluster dynamics model. All four networks show high predictive power, with R2 values above 98%. The best performing network combines a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) and InceptionNet mechanisms to provide superior accuracy (mean absolute percentage error of 4.4%), training stability, and robustness on very low instantaneous FGR flux values. The trained model demonstrates the utility of deep learning in this context, but has no validity outside the 2D model and conditions used to generate the training data.

Surface Modification of a Zeolite Microfiltration Membrane: Characterization and Application to the Treatment of Colored and oily Wastewaters

Membrane-based technologies used for water treatment can be an excellent alternative to handle wastewater including both conventional and emerging pollutants as they can provide technological (e.g., high quality of treated water) and economic (e.g., small footprint and low unit cost of production) advantages over other water treatment processes. Recently, low cost ceramic membranes fabricated from natural resources like kaolinitic clay, bentonite clay, phosphate are increasingly used owing to their low-cost starting materials, low sintering temperature and their excellent additional properties. Moreover, the modification of the surface by grafting process provides membranes appropriate for low UF process (dp < 10 nm) and suitable for micropollutants removal at relatively high permeate flux value which can be maintained during filtration due to antifouling characteristics of the UF active layer. In this work, the surface of microfiltration membranes made from natural zeolite was chemically modified by grafting with 1 H, 1 H, 2 H, 2 H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane molecule named PFAS. Various characterization methods and techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mercury porosimetry, FTIR, TGA, and contact angle, were used to check the properties of the membranes surface before and after grafting. The grafted membranes pore size and porosity were reduced, as proved by SEM images. The determination of the water permeability shows a reduction from 1218 L.h−1.m−2.bar −1 to 204 L.h−1.m−2.bar −1 which confirm the surface densification. The application of the grafted membrane to the treatment of Indigo Blue (IB) colored solution and oily wastewater was investigated to evaluate the performances of this membrane in terms of permeate flux and pollutants retention. The filtration results revealed a good retention of color and oil, exceeding 95% for both parameters. Therefore, it is interesting to recommend this new low-cost membrane for the treatment of industrial wastewater containing recalcitrant pollutants such as color. The study of the effect of the treated colored solution on plant growth, shows that the presence of some residual nutrients required for crops growth, might make the IB treated water beneficial for irrigation purposes.

Advancing Sustainable Direct Contact Membrane Distillation: Performance and Stability of Novel Polymer Inclusion Membranes

Novel hydrophobic membranes for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) were developed using poly(1,1-difluoroethylene) (PVDF) loaded with the ionic liquid methyltrioctylammonium bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (MTOA-DEHP). These polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) were fabricated via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS). Detailed characterization revealed that MTOA-DEHP significantly enhances the morphological and physicochemical properties of the PIMs. Through a series of DCMD experiments, the membrane’s flux, salt rejection, and stability under varying conditions, including different feed solutions (i.e., synthetic NaCl solution and real seawater from the Atlantic Ocean), were assessed. Our results demonstrate that the PVDF/20 %MTOA-DEHP membrane exhibits superior performance, maintaining consistent transmembrane flux values (8.98 ± 0.61 kg·m−2·h−1) over multiple cycles and achieving high salt rejection rates (>99.9 %). Furthermore, the membrane demonstrates excellent stability, with minimal degradation observed even after prolonged operation. The results affirm the viability of PIMs as a promising avenue for achieving sustainable and efficient desalination via DCMD, particularly in real-world operational scenarios.

In situ measurement of electron emission yield at Si and SiO2 surfaces exposed to Ar/CF4 plasmas

Abstract Plasma simulations require accurate yield data to predict the electron flux that is emitted when plasma-exposed surfaces are bombarded by energetic particles. One can measure yields directly using particle beams, but it is impractical to create a separate beam of each particle produced by typical plasmas. In contrast, measurements made in situ, during plasma exposure, provide useful values for the total emitted flux and effective yield produced by all incident particles. Here, in situ measurements were made at thermally oxidized and bare silicon wafers placed on the radio-frequency (rf) biased electrode of an inductively coupled plasma system. The rf current and voltage across the sheath at the wafer were measured, along with Langmuir probe measurements of ion current density and electron temperature. The measurements are input into a numerical sheath model, which allows the emitted electron current to be distinguished from other currents. The effective yield, i.e. the ratio of the total emitted electron flux to the incident ion flux, was determined at incident ion energies from 40 eV to 1.4 keV, for Si and SiO2 surfaces in Ar, CF4, and Ar/CF4 mixtures at 1.33 Pa (10 mTorr). Yields for Ar plasmas are compared with previous work. For SiO2 surfaces in Ar/CF4 mixtures and pure CF4, the yield is dominated by ion kinetic emission, which is the same for all mixtures, and, presumably, for all ions. For Si surfaces in Ar/CF4 and CF4, the yield at high energies can be explained in part by fragmentation of molecular ions, and the yield from Ar+ can be distinguished from the other ionic species. Analytic fits of the yields are provided for use in plasma simulations.

Impact of Diafiltration Media and Filtration Modes on Fouling and Performance in Skim Milk Microfiltration: A Comparative Study

This research utilized a customized laboratory setup to compare the filtration performance and fouling buildup during microfiltration with polymeric membranes of skim milk using 2 diafiltration media: ultrafiltration permeate and ultrapure water. Two filtration modes were evaluated: in stage 1, the diafiltration media was added in a 1:1 ratio, with the collection of permeate continuing until the initial protein concentration was restored. In stage 2, retentates and permeates were recycled to simulate fouling accumulation in a steady-state without altering the retentate composition. Utilizing water as the diafiltration medium resulted in higher flux and lower resistance values compared with using ultrafiltration permeate, irrespective of the filtration mode. The concentration had a significant impact on membrane resistance, with no noticeable time-dependent effect on fouling layer development after 60 min of filtration when the retentate composition remained constant. The protein composition of the permeate and extracted foulants were comparable between the 2 media, with caseins predominating in the fouling layer.

Reconciling Rapid Glacial Erosion and Steady Basin Accumulation Rates in the Late Cenozoic Through the Effect of Glacial Sediment on Fluvial Erosion

AbstractThe onset of glaciation in the late Cenozoic caused rapid bedrock erosion above the snowline; however, whether the influx of eroded sediment is recorded in continental weathering and basin accumulation rates is an ongoing debate. We propose that the transport of glacially eroded bedrock through the fluvial system damps the signal of rapid headwater erosion and results in steady basin‐integrated sediment flux. Using a numerical model with integrated glacial and fluvial erosion, we find that headwater bedrock erosion rates increase rapidly at the onset of glaciation and continue to fluctuate with climatic oscillation. However, bedrock erosion rates decrease in the downstream fluvial system because larger grain sizes from glaciers result in an increase in sediment cover effect. When erosion and sediment flux rates are averaged, long‐term sediment flux is similar to nonglacial flux values, while localized bedrock erosion rates in the glaciated landscape are elevated 2–4 times compared to nonglacial values. Our simulated values are consistent with field measurements of headwater bedrock erosion, and the pattern of sediment flux and fluvial erosion matches paraglacial theory and terrace aggradation records. Thus, we emphasize that the bedload produced from glacial erosion provides a missing link to reconcile late Cenozoic erosion records.

OPTIMIZATION OF INCIDENT FLOWS ON THE WALLS OF A HABITAT FOR A TYPICAL CLIMATE IN THE UPPER REGION IN REPUBLIC OF GUINEA

The aim of this work is to develop a mathematical model of the solar radiation incident on the walls of an inclined roof habitat for a typical climate of Guinea and to highlight the influence of the variation in the angle of inclination of the roof. Thereafter, we set up a program for the determination of all its parameters under the Fortran Language and plot our curves through the Origin software. This work allowed us to know, the amount of solar flux that each wall of a habitat receives, the importance of the orientation of the main facade of the habitat to the south, how often the roof is exposed to radiation solar and the influence of the variation of the angle of inclination of the roof compared to the horizontal. For example, for an angle of 15 ° the maximum value of the solar flux received is 547 W / m2 and for that of 75 ° is 995 W / m2. Thus, the optimal angle obtained from analyzes of the variation of solar radiation with respect to the inclination of the roof through Figure 7 is 60 °.

NUMERICAL COMPUTATION OF ONE- AND TWO-LAYER SHALLOW FLOW MODEL

In this research, we study a proficient computational model designed to simulate shallow flows involving one- and two-layer shallow flow. This numerical model is built upon the Saint Venant equations, which are widely used in hydraulics to depict the behavior of shallow water flow. The numerical scheme used here is constructed based on the conventional leapfrog technique implemented on a staggered grid framework, referred to as MCS. The primary objective of this research is to re-examine and implement the MCS in accurately modelling the free surface and interface waves produced by different flows passing through irregular geometries. Unlike the conventional MCS, we modify the momentum conservation principle to be more general, accommodating a non-negative wet cross-sectional area due to irregular geometry. We successfully conduct numerous numerical simulations by examining various scenarios involving one-layer and two-layer flow through irregularly shaped channels or structures. Our results show that the correct surface wave profile generated by a one-dimensional dam break through the triangular obstacle in the open channel can be simulated very well. Comparison with the existing experimental data seems promising although some disparities are being found due to dispersive phenomena with RMSE less than 5%. Furthermore, our scheme is successfully extended to simulate the steady sub-maximal exchange in two-layer flows using specific boundary conditions. The alignment between the submaximal numerical results with exchange flow theory is noticeable in the interface profile, characteristics of flow conditions and the flux values achieved when the steady situation occurs. These satisfying results indicate that our proposed numerical model can be used for practical needs involving various flow situations both one and two-layer cases

Modeling the settling and resuspension of microplastics in rivers: Effect of particle properties and flow conditions

Microplastics have numerous different shapes, affecting the fate and transport of these particles in the environment. However, theoretical models generally assume microplastics to be spherical. This study aims to develop a modeling approach that incorporates the shapes of microplastics to investigate the vertical transport of microplastics in rivers and simulate the effect of particle and flow characteristics on settling and resuspension. To achieve these aims, a mechanistic model was developed utilizing the mass-balance and hydrodynamic equations. Scenario analysis was implemented assigning different values to model parameters, such as bed shear stress, shape factor and particle size to simulate the effect of flow patterns and particle properties. The model outcomes revealed that the residence time of microplastics in the water column was longest in medium bed shear stress, whilst it was shortest in low bed shear stress. This suggests that the influence of turbulence is not unidirectional; it can both increase and decrease microplastic concentrations and residence time in the water column. According to the scenario analysis, the settling flux of microplastics was the highest for near-spherical particles and increased with the size of the particles, as well as with increasing bed shear stress. However, the resuspension of particles was primarily influenced by increasing bed shear stress, but the ranking of resuspension flux values for different shaped and sized microplastics exhibited alterations with changing flow patterns. Turbulent conditions predominantly influenced the resuspension of near-spheres and large microplastics. On the contrary, the settling of fibers and small microplastics were significantly influenced by changing flow patterns, whereas near-spheres and largest particles were least affected. The model results were sensitive to changes in shape factor developed for this model, therefore this parameter should be improved in future studies.

Effect of mass ratio on flame propagation behaviors and thermal radiation performance of Al–AlH3 composite dust

Aluminum (Al) is a high-energy density fuel additive commonly used in solid composite propellants. However, Al dust will form a dense oxide layer, which will reduce activity. Aluminum hydride (AlH3) can release hydrogen, destroying the oxide film structure and releasing more energy. In this paper, the flame and thermal radiation characteristics of Al–AlH3 composite dust explosion with different mass ratios were studied experimentally. The results indicate that under the same mass ratio, the propagation height, velocity, and flame surface temperature of the composite system show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. With the decrease of Al, the propagation height, velocity, and flame surface temperature increase gradually, with maximum values of 420 mm, 17.9 m⋅s−1, and 2033 °C, respectively. With the increase of AlH3 content, the composite system releases more H2, which lead to the enhancement of reaction intensity. Based on experimental and semi-empirical static models, the heat radiation flux is calculated. Compared with the quasi-static process on the tube side, the experimental value of vertical heat flux is greater than the calculated value. Therefore, the model is modified by introducing λ. It provides a theoretical basis for the flame and thermal radiation of dust explosions confined by vertical tubes.

Possibility of Concentrating Milk Enriched with Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) as a Preservative using Ultrafiltration Technology

Background: This study aimed at the possibility of concentrating milk in the laboratory using ultra-filtration technology instead of the traditional evaporation method that is still used in Iraq. Methods: Therefore, 5 litres of raw, cow milk were taken from a reliable source and two different concentrations of lemongrass were added as a preservative to observe the changes occurring during concentration, chemically and microbial. The best conditions were found to concentrate the milk 2.7 once and improve it over many days with the addition of lemongrass extract as a preservative. A material with a flat membrane polyethyle-solphen with a measurement of 10 kdalton (Snyder USA) was selected. Throughout the duration of the more than three-hour experiment, the measurements were taken. Two sets of data were examined: in the first set, the flow rate was varied between 0.15 and 0.25 L/min while the trans membrane pressure (TMP) was kept constant at 2 bar. The value of 0.15 L/min was determined to be the ideal flux. In the second group, the trans membrane pressure was varied between 0.5 and 1,2 bar while the flow rate was kept constant at 0.15 L/min. At TMP 2 bar, the ideal flux value was discovered at 35°C, the permeate flux was around 5-7 L/m2.hr. Result: It was found the change of the total solid and protein were excellent percentages with time of filtration. The total number of bacteria at both concentrations decreased significantly (p less than 0.05) in the biological test results.

Atmospheric bulk depositions: state-of-the-art and European legislative framework with focus on Italy.

The determination of total atmospheric deposition (bulk) is an essential tool to assess the state of environmental contamination and the consequent exposure of the population to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) through the intake of contaminated food. Over the past 20years, international authorities and the European Union through various pieces of legislation have emphasised the importance of conducting monitoring and studies on depositions to better understand their impact on the environment and human health without setting reference values. Despite the absence of such values, several European countries, through national laws, have adopted limit values and/or guideline values for the deposition fluxes of some organic (dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and inorganic persistent pollutants (metals). The aim of this review is both to summarise the present European legislation on depositions both to discuss the different legislations adopted by the various member states. Furthermore, a focus of this paper will be dedicated to the Italian legislation, where there is currently no specific guideline values for POPs in atmospheric deposition. In any case, some national authorities in Italy, such as the National Institute of Health (ISS) and the Regional Environmental Protection Agencies (ARPA), have conducted numerous monitoring activities on depositions, providing the scientific community and policymakers with numerous data on which to establish national reference values.

Preparation and application of highly oriented MFI zeolite membranes for efficient pervaporation recovery of organic solvents

Membrane-based pervaporation (PV) is highly efficient and energy-saving, and is poised to emerge as a promising technology for recovering biofuels from aqueous solutions. In this study, we prepared two versions of zeolite membranes, randomly oriented and highly (h0h)-oriented silicalite-1, with similar thicknesses on α-alumina tubes, and performed the first-reported systematic comparison of their PV performances in recovering organic solvents such as methanol, ethanol, acetone, n-propanol, isopropanol, and n-butanol from water. The contribution of the intrinsic properties of these membranes to PV was explored through permeance and selectivity analysis. The highly (h0h)-oriented membrane exhibited a significantly higher level of PV performance. In addition, the permeation behavior of PV and single-gas molecules through the highly (h0h)-oriented membranes was investigated, along with the influence that operating conditions (feed temperature and concentration) exert on PV. The results suggest that the PV permeation mechanism of organic solvent/water systems through the (h0h)-oriented silicalite-1 membranes involves a combination of adsorption-diffusion and molecular sieving. Furthermore, compared with other MFI-based membranes reported in the literature, the highly (h0h)-oriented silicalite-1 membrane demonstrated outstanding comprehensive separation performance due to its highly hydrophobic, preferentially oriented, and uniform silicalite-1 layer. For example, the separation factors for 10 wt% binary aqueous solutions of methanol, ethanol, acetone, and n-propanol were 12 at 50 °C, 32 at 70 °C, 145 at 70 °C, and 37.7 at 50 °C, respectively, with corresponding total flux values of 4.18, 2.63, 2.5, and 0.29 kg/(m2 h), respectively. These unique properties suggest its potential for PV recovery of organic solvents in sustainable chemical engineering.

PEMPS: a phylogenetic software tool to model the evolution of metabolic pathways

BackgroundMetabolic pathways support the enzyme flux that converts input chemicals into energy and cellular building blocks. With a constant rate of input, steady-state flux is achieved when metabolite concentrations and reaction rates remain constant over time. Individual genes undergo mutation, while selection acts on higher level functions of the pathway, such as steady-state flux where applicable. Modeling the evolution of metabolic pathways through mechanistic sets of ordinary differential equations is a piece of the genotype–phenotype map model for interpreting genetic variation and inter-specific differences. Such models can generate distinct compensatory changes and adaptive changes from directional selection, indicating single nucleotide polymorphisms and fixed differences that could affect phenotype. If used for inference, this would ultimately enable detection of selection on metabolic pathways as well as inference of ancestral states for metabolic pathway function.ResultsA software tool for simulating the evolution of metabolic pathways based upon underlying biochemistry, phylogenetics, and evolutionary considerations is presented. The Python program, Phylogenetic Evolution of Metabolic Pathway Simulator (PEMPS), implements a mutation-selection framework to simulate the evolution of the pathway over a phylogeny by interfacing with COPASI to calculate the steady-state flux of the metabolic network, introducing mutations as alterations in parameter values according to a model, and calculating a fitness score and corresponding probability of fixation based on the change in steady-state flux value(s). Results from simulations are consistent with a priori expectations of fixation probabilities and systematic change in model parameters.ConclusionsThe PEMPS program simulates the evolution of a metabolic pathway with a mutation-selection modeling framework based on criteria like steady-state flux that is designed to work with SBML-formatted kinetic models, and Newick-formatted phylogenetic trees. The Python software is run on the Linux command line and is available at https://github.com/nmccloskey/PEMPS.

X-ray emission spectrum for axion–photon conversion in magnetospheres of strongly magnetized neutron stars

Detecting axionic dark matter (DM) could be possible in an X-ray spectrum from strongly magnetized neutron stars (NSs). We examine the possibility of axion–photon conversion in the magnetospheres of strongly magnetized NSs. In the current work, we investigate how the modified Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff (TOV) system of equations (in the presence of a magnetic field) affects the energy spectrum of axions and axions-converted-photon flux. We have considered the distance-dependent magnetic field in the modified TOV system of equations. We employ three different equations of states (EoSs), namely APR, FPS, and SLY, to solve these equations. We obtain the axions emission rate by including the Cooper-pair-breaking formation process and Bremsstrahlung process in the core of NSs using the NSCool code. We primarily focus on Magnificient seven (M7) star RXJ 1856.5-3754. We further investigate the impact of the magnetic field on the actual observables, such as axion energy spectrum and axion-converted-photon flux at an axion mass in meV range by assuming mass MNS∼1.4M⊙.\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$M_{NS} \\sim 1.4M_{\\odot }.$$\\end{document} We compare our calculated axion-converted-photon flux from all available archival data sets from PN+MOS+Chandra. We also study the variation of the energy spectrum at a fixed energy with varying central magnetic fields. Our predicted axion-converted-photon flux values as a function of axion energy closely follow the experimentally archival data, which allows us to put bounds on the axion mass for the three EoS.

Effect of Nanophotocatalyst WO3 Addition on PVDF Membrane Characteristics and Performance

The addition of photocatalyst materials in the membrane has great potential to increase membrane performance and characteristics. In this study, nano photocatalysts WO3 were added to the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane for process water treatment from rubber industry. The results of SEM and XRD showed the presence of nano photocatalyst WO3, indicating the successfully embedded nano photocatalyst in PVDF membranes. The addition of nano photocatalyst materials has increased hydrophilicity by increasing the membrane's water uptake ability and decreasing the membrane's contact angle. The PVDF-WO3-2%wt membrane showed the highest flux value at 64.29 L m−2 h−1 with 96.40%, 85.61%, and 93.88% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solid (TDS), and ammonia rejection, respectively. The photocatalytic degradation effect of PVDF-WO3 is proven by a significant difference in the filtration results under vis-light irradiation. Membrane resulted in a better performance in photo-filtration (visible light) than in the dark condition. The PVDF-WO3-2%wt membrane also showed an excellent reusability after being used for 8 hours of the photo-filtration process. This research is promising to increase the use of photocatalytic membranes in rubber wastewater treatment into clean water.

Temperature Variations in Deep Thermal Well LZT-1 in Lądek-Zdrój (Bohemian Massif; SW Poland)—Evidence of Geothermal Anomaly and Paleoclimatic Changes

The thermal water deposit in Lądek-Zdrój (SW Poland) occurs in fractured reservoir rocks, and its hydrogeological regime is controlled by the features of the local geology and lithology of the hosting crystalline complexes, mainly impermeable high-grade metamorphosed mica schists and gneisses. The fractured thermal water aquifer is confined by a thrust fault-type aquitard that creates artesian pressure and, therefore, the water intakes and natural springs in Lądek Zdrój provide spontaneous outflow. Classical geothermometers yield an estimation of reservoir temperatures that ranges from 50 to 70 °C, with a maximum of 88 °C. The heat flux (HF) value of the Lądek-Zdrój region is 64 mW/m2. The new borehole, LZT-1, is in the border zone of a local thermal anomaly with a geothermal degree of 25–27 m/°C. The estimated temperature at the bottom of the LZT-1 borehole, under thermal equilibrium conditions, ranges between 70 °C and 80 °C. A stream of heated waters from the deep system flows from the recharge areas, shaping the local geothermal anomaly and thus influencing the thermal conditions in the Lądek-Zdrój area. The activation of this water circulation system occurred in the Pleistocene.

Urban air PCDD/Fs: Dry deposition fluxes and mass transfer coefficients determined using a water surface sampler

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) cause significant environmental concerns. Atmospheric PCDD/Fs permeate water bodies and other ecosystems through wet and dry deposition. In an urban site, dry deposition flux samples of gaseous phase PCDD/Fs were collected by a water surface sampler (WSS) operated between June 2022 and June 2023. There is a conspicuous absence of literature on the direct measurement of dry deposition flux levels in the gaseous phase of PCDD/Fs. In the study, PCDD/Fs in the gas phase reaching the WSS dissolved in the water according to Henry's Law. The PCDD/Fs in the water were transferred to an XAD-2 resin column, sorbing the dissolved PCDD/Fs. The average monthly gas phase dry deposition flux was 34.07 ± 9.35 pg/m2-day (7.35 ± 2.16 pg I-TEQ/m2-day). The highest flux was measured in March (49.53 pg/m2-day), and the lowest was in August (18.64 pg/m2-day). These values indicated the direct flux from air to water. The atmospheric concentration of the gas-phase ranged from 68.38 to 126.88 fg/m3 (13.22–25.01 fg I-TEQ/m3). Dry deposition fluxes and concentrations of atmospheric PCDD/Fs were bigger in the colder months than in the warmer months. This was probably due to a significant increase in residential heating during the colder months, decreased photochemical reactions, and lower mixing heights. Regarding congeners in the dry deposition flux and concentration values in I-TEQ units, 2,3,7,8-TCDD compound predominated with the proportions of 31.61 ± 7.76% and 29.09 ± 12.34%, respectively. Concurrently measured dry deposition flux (Fg) and ambient air concentration (Cg) of PCDD/Fs were considered in the determination of mass transfer coefficient (MTC = Fg/Cg) calculation for each PCDD/F congener. The average MTC for targeted 17 PCDD/Fs was 0.45 ± 0.15 cm/s, and it fluctuated between 0.89 ± 0.30 cm/s for 2,3,7,8-TCDF and 0.2 ± 0.16 cm/s for OCDD.