Production Of Raw Materials Research Articles

The Nutritional Value of Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), its Breeding and its Perspective Application in Nutrition

Summary Ensuring a high‐protein diet in the human population and important farm animals is closely related to looking for new protein sources intended for food and feed production. Quantitative and qualitative proteins are one of the basic components for human nutrition and farm animal nutrition. Under European conditions, there is a lack of production of protein raw material, especially those intended for livestock nutrition. Therefore, the European Agriculture policy also focuses on looking for and producing local non‐traditional protein components. One possibility for animal protein production is producing invertebrate proteins. There are currently a number of invertebrate taxa that can be used in human and animal nutrition, as illustrated by the study conducted in 2017 on the “Nutritional Value of Invertebrates and Their Application in Nutrition (present and perspectives)”. Currently, the larval stage of the Tenebrio molitor species seems to be promising, with fast use time. The presented study deals with the nutrition values of the produced biomass of Tenebrio molitor.

Feasibility and sustainable development of the medicinal plant sector in the Republic of Moldova

The medicinal plants sector is one of perspective in the Republic of Moldova, which in the past had a good development (1980-1995) and which is currently in a recovery phase with increased interest from agricultural producers and regional markets. The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the international trade in medicinal plants, budgeting of income and expenses for their cultivation, which allows understanding the main players in the target markets and being able to integrate domestic products emerging from international trends. Based on the research and analyses conducted, prominent deficiencies have been identified that extend to the modernization of production and processing technologies of raw materials, marketing strategies for products derived from medicinal plants, the creation of added value, the implementation of ecological systems for production and processing, as well as the practical management of business operations. These are essential for the development of an efficient operational management system, the increased competitiveness of products and enterprises to ensure access to markets. Additionally, strategic conclusions have been formulated for the sustainable development of the medicinal plant sector, necessary for implementation by value chain actors in the industry.

Biomanufacturing for a Sustainable Future: Unleashing the Potential of Biotechnology in Pharmaceutical Raw Material Production

The pharmaceutical industry relies heavily on raw materials for drug development, with Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and excipients forming the fundamental components of pharmaceutical formulations. Traditional methods of pharmaceutical raw material production are plagued by inefficiencies, environmental concerns, and limitations in producing complex molecules. In contrast, biotechnology offers a promising alternative with its capacity for efficient, sustainable, and precise synthesis of pharmaceutical raw materials. This article explores the potential of biotechnology in pharmaceutical raw material production, focusing on techniques such as recombinant DNA technology, microbial fermentation, biocatalysis, and cell culture technology. These methods enable the production of complex molecules with high specificity, purity, and scalability, addressing the shortcomings of traditional approaches. Furthermore, biotechnology facilitates the development of novel drugs, personalized medicine strategies, and innovative treatments, offering hope for previously untreatable conditions. Despite the transformative potential of biotechnology, challenges such as high initial investment, regulatory considerations, and safety concerns need to be addressed for its widespread adoption. In conclusion, embracing biotechnology represents a paradigm shift in pharmaceutical production, promising a more sustainable, personalized, and effective healthcare future. Collaboration between stakeholders is essential to navigate challenges and ensure the responsible advancement of biotechnological applications in healthcare, ultimately improving the quality of life for millions worldwide

Mineral Reporting Standards: PERC’s Role in CRIRSCO and Its Relevance to the European Mining Sector

Modern society is heavily reliant on minerals to support current lifestyles and requires continued investment in the exploration, evaluation, development, and production of mineral raw materials. Potential investors and their advisors require reliable information to support decisions on investments in minerals projects. To address these needs, international guidelines and reporting standards have been developed. The Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO) is an international association of fifteen regional organisations from around the world, which promotes best standards in international minerals reporting. The Pan-European Reserves and Resources Reporting Committee (PERC), the European member of CRIRSCO, is an association of six Europe-based professional organisations, including the Geological Society of London (GSL). CRIRSCO-aligned reporting standards, such as the PERC Reporting Standard, are based on common principles, rules and guidance, and include sixteen common definitions of key terms. A description of the CRIRSCO International Reporting Template, which provides the basis for the development and periodic updating of individual standards such as the PERC Reporting Standard, is provided. The different elements of the 2019 version of the CRIRSCO Template are described, together with a discussion of changes and additions made in the PERC Reporting Standard 2021 which is based on it. The need for continual development and enhancement of the CRIRSCO-aligned standards to address investor concerns such as the need for information on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects of mineral projects, as well as greater rigour in defining competency requirements, is discussed. Reference is also made to the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and its relationship with the CRIRSCO-aligned standards, including the proposed use of the UNFC in the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and how the two systems could be used in a complementary manner to support the needs of both governments and investors in mineral companies.

Determination of some fuel properties of binary biodiesel and binary biodiesel – diesel blend fuels obtained from camelina oil and waste frying oils

In today's studies on liquid biofuels, it is observed that many of them focus on blends of single biodiesel with diesel. These studies have shown that biodiesel produced from different feedstocks exhibits similar properties to traditional diesel fuel in terms of fuel characteristics and engine performance, indicating the potential of biodiesel to replace diesel fuel. However, recent research has shown limited studies involving the blending of dual biodiesel with traditional diesel fuel.
 In this study, high oil content camelina plant, which has an important place in ensuring sustainability in human food production, in other words, it is not suitable for human food and has the potential to significantly increase our domestic biofuel production, and domestic waste frying oil, which significantly reduces the cost of biodiesel raw material production, were selected as biodiesel feedstock. Binary biodiesel fuels (D0C50WF50, D0C75WF25, and D0C25WF75) were obtained by mixing the biodiesel fuels produced from camelina and domestic waste frying oil by transesterification method in the ratio of 1:1 and 1:3 by volume. Binary biodiesel-diesel blend fuels were obtained by blending binary biodiesel fuels (D75C12.5WF12.5, D50C25WF25 and D25C37.5WF37.5) with conventional diesel fuel (diesel) after blending at 1:1 ratio by volume. As a result of the research, the physicochemical properties (density, kinematic viscosity, flash point, water content, calorific value, cold filter plugging point, cloud and pour point, copper strip corrosion) of the prepared binary biodiesel and binary biodiesel+diesel blend fuels were determined. The results of the analyses of the blend fuels were determined in accordance with the relevant biodiesel standards (EN 14214, ASTM D-6751) and the results were also compared with the reference fuel, diesel fuel.

Investigation of Surface Marble Quarry Enterprises in Marmara Island with Different Risk Methodologies in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety

Since our country is located on the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt, both surface and underground mining sectors have developed. Occupational health and safety have gained importance as the developing mining sector, the increase in raw material production and the increase in the workforce. In this study, considering the geological structure of the marble quarry operating areas and the activities carried out in the quarry on Marmara Island, the second largest island of Turkey in Balıkesir province, 59 hazards and risks from 26 activity areas were determined.These hazards and risks were compared using 5x5 L-type Matrix, Fine-Kinney and Potential Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) quantitative risk methods.In the 5x5 L type Matrix method, 25 are high risk, 1 is medium risk, in the Fine-Kinney method, 16 are very high risk, 8 are high risk, 2 are in the important risk group, and in the FMEA method, 13 "precautions need to be taken" according to RÖS values, 11 “precautions can be taken” and 2 “no precautions needed” risks were identified. Among these methods, it has been determined that the Fine-Kinney method is a suitable method to be used in the operation of surface marble quarries, as it provides safer results by analyzing the hazards and risks specific to the environmental conditions, work areas and employees in a more detailed, comprehensive and more sensitive manner.

Solar energy for societal decarbonisation: a perspective on emerging opportunities in utility-scale solar electricity and solar in the built environment

The solar resource presents almost limitless opportunities for creating clean energy – not just in the form of solar-derived electricity, but also to drive heating and cooling cycles, create solar fuels, or indeed to promote chemical and biochemical pathways for the production of food, clean water and raw materials. There is an ever-expanding plethora of applications for solar energy as a critical contributor to global decarbonization. This short Perspective is focused on two of the largest opportunities for solar energy to make major emissions reduction and deliver societal fairness and economic impacts: notably utility-scale electricity generation and the more local opportunities of the built environment. We examine the two dominant forms of solar energy – the direct generation of electrical power via the photovoltaic effect, and the indirect generation of electricity (and indeed heating and cooling energy) through solar thermal cycles. As a Perspective, it provides necessary background for the general reader, but also seeks to emphasise the specific challenges and opportunities for the interested specialist.

Utilization of steel slag as coarse aggregate and filler in stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mixture: Engineering performance, environmental impact and economic benefits analysis

The unquantified environmental impact and economic benefits of steel slag based asphalt mixture, as well as the difficulty in directly utilizing steel slag fine aggregate (SSFA) due to solidification, limit the utilization of steel slag in asphalt mixture. This research proposed an innovative method of using steel slag coarse aggregate (SSCA) and steel slag powder (SSP) filler prepared by grinding solidified SSFA to replace ordinary natural resources to prepare stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mixture. The feasibility of the proposed utilization method of steel slag was determined based on the analysis results of main engineering performance, environmental impact and economic benefits of steel slag SMA mixture (SSSM). The ordinary SMA mixture (OSM) was functioned as a control group. The investigated main engineering performance included fatigue performance, moisture stability, high-temperature deformation resistance and low-temperature crack resistance. Environmental impact was evaluated based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) method, and the relationship between the transportation distance of steel slag, common basalt and the emission characteristics was deeply analyzed. In addition, economic benefits were determined based on the cost calculation results. Results showed that SSSM was superior to OSM in terms of these main engineering performance. The emissions from SMA mixtures increased with the extension of transportation distance of steel slag or basalt. From the perspective of reducing emissions, choosing steel slag aggregate had advantages when the transportation distance was less than 365 km, otherwise, it was recommended to choose basalt. Under three different transportation distances (short, medium and long distance transportation), the introduction of steel slag in SMA mixture reduced the greenhouse gas emissions by 1.1%–8.6%, of which the raw material production stage contributed the most. Furthermore, SSSM exhibited higher economic benefits, with a functional unit of SSSM pavement saving the cost by 14.4%–19.8%. Therefore, using steel slag as a substitute for coarse aggregate and filler in SMA mixture can promote the reuse of solidified SSFA, reduce the environmental impact and total cost of all stages of constructing SMA pavement.

Legal problems of the production of agricultural raw materials for baby food

The article analyzes modern legal problems of the production of agricultural raw materials for baby food in Ukraine, taking into account the latest legislative changes in the field of baby food production, organic agricultural production, state control over the use of genetically modified organisms in the manufacture of food products.
 It has been established that the improvement of the legislation in the field of child nutrition should be carried out by making amendments and additions to the Law of Ukraine «On Child Nutrition» in order to bring its prescriptions into line with EU requirements, and not to cancel the specified special Law. Given the specifics of baby food and the importance of guaranteeing its quality and safety, replacing a separate special law with one article in the Law of Ukraine «On Basic Principles and Requirements for the Safety and Quality of Food Products» is hardly expedient.
 Taking into account the specific legal nature of a personal peasant economy, the author proves that persons who run such an economy can produce raw materials for baby food products, subject to compliance with legal requirements for the quality and safety of such raw materials. Based on the latest legislative changes in the field of legal provision of biosafety of Ukraine, the article proposes to legislate the possibility and necessity of using organic agricultural products as raw materials for baby food before creating an effective system of state control in the field of use and circulation of genetically modified organisms.
 In order to ensure the constitutional right of the child to sufficient, high-quality and safe nutrition, the author considers it expedient to conduct in-depth scientific research on these issues and make appropriate scientific conclusions and recommendations on improving the current legislation in this area, taking into account the requirements of EU legislation on the adaptation of the national agricultural, food, environmental and other legislation regarding the production of agricultural products for baby food.

Applications of Life Cycle Assessment in the Chocolate Industry: A State-of-the-Art Analysis Based on Systematic Review.

Chocolate is a popular food for its unique flavor and taste, rich nutritional value, and the psychological values brought to people. The raw material production of chocolate, product manufacturing, sales and transportation have different degrees of environmental impact. This review explores the environmental hot spots in the life cycle of chocolate and puts forward corresponding suggestions for the improvement. By applying a systematic review method, this paper collected 25 articles on life cycle assessment (LCA) of the environmental impact of the chocolate industry. It is found that the life cycle of chocolate has the highest environmental impact in the raw material production and chocolate manufacturing stages (accounting for 77-97% of total impacts), among which milk powder, sugar and cocoa derivatives are the important contributors to significant environmental burden. Dark chocolate generates the lowest carbon emissions (1.67 kg CO2 eq/kg product) among existing chocolate categories, while the chocolate confectionery products release the highest carbon emissions (6.76 kg CO2 eq/kg product) among chocolate-containing products. Improvement measures are proposed for reducing environmental impacts and for selecting environmentally friendly product formulae. This study can provide benchmarking for the chocolate industry and improves the understanding of life cycle environmental impacts of chocolate products.

Compressive strength of manganese fine-grained material and molasses briquettes regarding binder content and curing time

In the production of raw materials for the manufacture of ferroalloys, up to 50% of the material mined is discarded as fine-grained tailings. Those tailings are deposited in dams, which are considered an environmental liability. To avoid this, an alternative would be to agglomerate the tailing dam materials using the briquetting process. Therefore, this work aims to evaluate the compressive strength of briquettes made of manganese fine-grained material (with particle size < 2.00 mm) and molasses regarding curing time and percentage of binder. To achieve the objective, 45 briquettes were made with fine-grained manganese ore, with 3 different molasses content (binder), these were put into 3 weeks of curing, to analyze the impact of binder content and curing time. The result was that the longer the curing time, the better the compressive strength and that increasing binder content reduces its compressive strength. Finally, the best results were obtained with 5 % binder and 3 weeks of curing time, in which the agglomerate produced had a compressive strength of 9,0 MPa.

Phenotypic, genotypic, and resistome of mesophilic spore-forming bacteria isolated from pasteurized liquid whole egg

The production of whole-liquid eggs is of significant economic and nutritional importance. This study aimed to assess the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of mesophilic aerobic spore-forming bacteria (n = 200) isolated from pasteurized whole liquid egg and liquid egg yolk. The majority of the isolates were identified as belonging to the genera Bacillus (86 %), followed by Brevibacillus (10 %) and Lysinibacillus (4 %). For the phenotypic characterization, isolates were subjected to various heat shocks, with the most significant reductions observed at 80 °C/30 min and 90 °C/10 min for isolates recovered from raw materials. On the other hand, the decrease was similar for isolates recovered from raw material and final product at 100 °C/5 min and 110 °C/5 min. Genotypic genes related to heat resistance (cdnL, spoVAD, dacB, clpC, dnaK, and yitF/Tn1546) were examined for genotypic characterization. The dnaK gene showed a positive correlation with the highest thermal condition tested (110 °C/5 min), while 100 °C/5 min had the highest number of positively correlated genes (clpC, cdnL, yitF/Tn1546, and spoVAD). Whole Genome Sequencing of four strains revealed genes related to sporulation, structure formation, initiation and regulation, stress response, and DNA repair in vegetative cells. The findings of this study indicate that these mesophilic aerobic spore-forming bacteria may adopt several strategies to persist through the process and reach the final product. As the inactivation of these microorganisms during egg processing is challenging, preventing raw materials contamination and their establishment in processing premises must be reinforced.

Environmental Assessment of Lithium-Ion Battery Lifecycle and of Their Use in Commercial Vehicles

This review analyzed the literature data about the global warming potential (GWP) of the lithium-ion battery (LIB) lifecycle, e.g., raw material mining, production, use, and end of life. The literature data were associated with three macro-areas—Asia, Europe, and the USA—considering common LIBs (nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP)). The GWP (kgCO2eq/kg) values were higher for use compared to raw material mining, production, and end of life management for hydrometallurgy or pyrometallurgy. Considering the significant values associated with the use phase and the frequent application of secondary data, this study also calculated the GWP of LIBs applied in public urban buses in Turin, Italy. The 2021 fleet (53% diesel, 36% natural gas, and 11% electric buses) was compared to scenarios with increasing shares of hybrid/electric. The largest reduction in CO2eq emissions (−41%) corresponded to a fleet with 64% electric buses. In conclusion, this review highlighted the bottlenecks of the existing literature on the GWP of the LIB lifecycle, a lack of data for specific macro-areas for production and use, and the key role of public transportation in decarbonizing urban areas.

Embodied carbon emissions of buildings: Taking a step towards net zero buildings

As global concerns about climate change and environmental sustainability escalate, the construction industry is shifting significantly towards eco-resilient and sustainable building practices. This paper comprehensively explores integrating Building Information Modelling (BIM) with eco-resilient principles to create a framework for designing and constructing sustainable buildings. This research introduced a practical approach for evaluating the embodied carbon from building construction, drawing insights from a residential building in Yangon City, Myanmar. The method developed in this study aims to assess the carbon footprints associated with distinct stages of the construction process, including raw material production and material transportation. Additionally, the proposed method compares the material embodied carbon, transportation embodied carbon, and total cost in the residential building, considering two cases of traditional and low-carbon materials. The results indicate that material embodied carbon contributes merely 84% to the overall, while material transportation makes up the remaining 16% for both cases. Utilising low-carbon materials yields remarkable reductions, with a 40% decrease in material embodied carbon and a 39% decrease in transportation carbon footprint compared to conventional materials. However, adopting low-carbon materials incurs a modest increase of approximately 6.7% in total cost. This study underscores the imperative of integrating low-carbon materials into the design of future passive buildings, advancing the pursuit of a net-zero strategy. This research underlines the potential for BIM-driven eco-resilient practices in mitigating carbon emissions and the need for continued innovation and collaboration in sustainable building design and construction.

The potential for cascading failures in the international trade network.

In our study, we introduce indicators that quantify the influence of each country in complex trade scenarios involving the exchange of raw materials, intermediate goods, and final products across multiple countries. We systematically employ an agent-based model to simulate the propagation of failures from one node to the entire network. This approach allows for the assessment of the impact of each country and the identification of patterns of interaction in the multi-step trade network. Unlike conventional analyses of trade networks, which depict straightforward single-step import/export transactions, our approach captures the intricate realities of processes like raw material procurement, production, and sales in numerous countries from a macroscopic perspective. The findings of our analysis of trade data spanning from 1990 to 2022 reveal several key insights. Firstly, sensitivity to changes in trade volume leading to global failures within interconnected networks has intensified over time. The potential of failure propagation across countries has increased over time, as has the interconnectedness of countries in the global trade landscape. Secondly, despite the increased sensitivity to changes in global trade volume, many countries have become less vulnerable to the influence of others within their multi-step trade networks. This trend aligns with deglobalization, which is evidenced by events such as Brexit and the surge in protectionist measures; these changes indicate a shift in the balance of influence within global trade networks. Thirdly, the results of our analysis of the relationship between load changes and global failures from a regional perspective reveal an intriguing phenomenon: despite limited direct trade connectivity, the interaction between the Latin American and Sub-Saharan African regions is considerable. This suggests the existence of hidden connections between intermediary countries, such that one region's actions can alter the load sensitivity of another, impacting them in unforeseen ways. Furthermore, intra-regional interactions are diminishing in East Asia, while Europe is experiencing a gradual increase in interactions. These trends reflect evolving regional influence, the dynamics of geographic proximity, and the results of economic integration efforts. Additionally, even though the observed period was not long enough to confirm a long-term trend, the previous trend direction was affirmed to persist despite a temporary decrease in trading and reduced sensitivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study highlights the complexity of global trade dynamics and the need to consider multi-step trade networks and their potential cascading effects when analyzing trade patterns and vulnerabilities.

Near-infrared spectroscopy combined with fuzzy fast pseudoinverse linear discriminant analysis to discriminate mee tea grades

Mee tea, one of the major types of green tea in China, is often used for export because of its elegant appearance, high fragrance and strong taste. However, the quality of tea differs greatly due to the difference in raw material selection and production technology level. In order to accurately and quickly differentiate different grades of Mee tea, fuzzy fast pseudoinverse linear discriminant analysis (FFPLDA) was proposed based on fast pseudoinverse linear discriminant analysis (FPLDA) for extracting discriminant information from near-infrared (NIR) spectra. Firstly, NIR spectra of Mee tea samples were acquired, and then they were preprocessed by multiplicative scatter correlation (MSC). Secondly, the compression of data was achieved by principal component analysis (PCA). Thirdly, linear discriminant analysis (LDA), FPLDA, FFPLDA and fuzzy Foley-Sammon transformation (FFST) were respectively performed to retrieve discriminant information from NIR data. Finally, the K-nearest neighbor (KNN) was utilized to classify Mee tea grades. In this study, experimental results showed that the accuracy of FFPLDA was higher than that of LDA, FFST and FPLDA. Therefore, NIR spectroscopy coupled with FFPLDA and KNN has a good effect in discrimination of Mee tea grades and also a great application potential.

Municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash recycling assessment: Carbon emission analysis of bottom ash applied to pavement materials

Inspired by the concept of conserving resources, bottom ash has been increasingly utilized in road construction as a readily available waste material. This study sought to address this gap by quantifying the carbon benefits associated with bottom ash application. Through a comprehensive analysis grounded in life cycle theory, author evaluated the changes in energy consumption and carbon emissions before and after the integration of bottom ash into the road construction process. The analysis employed the raw material production stages of different pavement materials as the system boundary. By determining the optimal amount of bottom ash and calculating the associated values, the study proposed an efficient application scheme for utilizing bottom ash in urban engineering construction projects. The results showed that bottom ash had the least carbon reduction effect in permeable bricks, followed by cement concrete and cement stabilized macadam mixture. The most significant effect was observed in asphalt mixtures. However, energy consumption increased with the addition of bottom ash in asphalt mixtures, whereas it decreased in the other three products. The carbon reduction after applying bottom ash was predicted based on the annual growth rate of urban road construction. Under the premise of maintaining the non-destructive application performance of asphalt mixtures, the optimal carbon reduction benefit for a 20% addition of bottom ash was approximately 17,369.9 tons. In cement-stabilized crushed stone mixtures, the optimal carbon reduction benefit ws achieved with a bottom ash content of 30%, approximately 15,797.7 tons. The practice of utilizing bottom ash in road works was significant in terms of maximising the benefits of carbon reduction.

Improvement of the methods for determining ore losses when designing cement raw material deposit mining by surface miner combines

Relevance. The need to optimize production of cement raw materials and reduce the cost of processing raw materials. A surface miner combine allow high selective mining of a deposit, which helps to reduce moisture content of cement raw materials and reduce energy costs in a cement plant. In open-cast mining of cement raw materials deposits with the use of the surface miner combines, the increase in economic efficiency of mining operations can be achieved by determining the rational values of ore losses and dilution. Aim. To determine rational level of cement raw material losses during field development by surface miners. Objects. Cement industry quarries excavated with of the surface miner combines. Methods. Technical and economic analysis of the cement plant Beočin (Serbia), summation and synthesis of materials, sources and data available in the public domain, as well as calculations to determine the amount of loss and dilution of mineral resources at ore–rock contact for mining conditions of the quarry for extracting cement raw materials. Results. The main problems that arise during mining quarries for extracting cement raw materials have been identified. It concerns the determination of the volume of losses and dilution of mineral resources at the ore–rock contact for mining conditions of the quarry for extraction of cement raw materials. The authors present and substantiate conclusions about further effective application of optimal mining technology, with the use of the surface miner combines, which allows reducing the cost of production of minerals and specific operating costs of transporting carbonate rocks compared to the traditional technology of mining works at 50–60%.

How To Get Isocyanate?

Isocyanate, a pivotal chemical intermediate to synthesize polyurethane with widespread applications in household appliances, automobiles, and construction, is predominantly produced via the phosgene process, which currently holds a paramount status in industrial isocyanate production. Nonetheless, concerns arise from the toxicity of phosgene and the corrosiveness of hydrogen chloride, posing safety hazards. The synthesis of isocyanate using nonphosgene methods represents a promising avenue for future development. This article primarily focuses on the nonphosgene approach, which involves the formation of carbamate through the reaction of nitro-amino compounds with carbon monoxide, dimethyl carbonate, and urea, among other reagents, subsequently leading to the thermal decomposition of carbamate to get isocyanate. This paper emphasizes the progress in catalyst development during the carbamate decomposition process. Single-component metal catalysts, particularly zinc, exhibit advantages such as high activity, cost-effectiveness, and compatibility with a wide range of substrates. Composite catalysts enhance isocyanate yield by introducing a second component to adjust the active metal composition. The central research direction aims to optimize catalyst adaptation to reaction conditions, including temperature, pressure, time, and solvent, to achieve high raw material conversion and product yield.

Earthen stories. Cross-craft strategies in raw material procurement and production at the tell site of Arslantepe (Türkiye) during the 4th millennium BCE

Arslantepe, located in south-eastern Turkey, is a multi-period settlement with a rich history of habitation dating back to at least the late 5th millennium BCE and spanning into the Medieval period. Over millennia, the site underwent drastic cultural, socio-economic and political transformations, resulting in its current form as a 30-m-high artificial mound. This mound predominantly consists of earth, encompassing clay-based construction materials, assorted objects and discarded materials. This paper consolidates research on various earthen objects and fixtures from the site, investigating their material properties through X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), sediment micromorphology and ceramic petrography. The focus is on characterising the diverse earthen products as well as assessing differences and similarities in the procurement and manipulation of raw materials during the Late Chalcolithic period. Earth emerged as a pivotal resource for Arslantepe communities, showcasing diverse strategies of collection, manipulation and utilisation-a compelling example of cross-crafting strategies. The findings reveal a multifaceted body of knowledge intertwined with the exploitation of this resource, emphasising distinct technological expertise, environmental considerations, as well as cultural preferences and socio-economic factors. Ultimately, the integrated examination of cross-craft strategies in the 4th millennium BCE Arslantepe settlement provides a unique glimpse into communities of practice and social networks centred around the utilisation of earth, contributing to a deeper understanding of past societies.