Effects of heavy rare earth element (yttrium) on partial-nitritation process, bacterial activity and structure of responsible microbial communities.

Yttrium (Y(III)) is mined commercially for industrial purposes due to its excellent physical properties. However, the effects of Y(III) in mining-wastewater on the performance of partial-nitritation process and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) have not been explored. To elucidate Y(III) effects on biological mechanisms, kinetics was conducted to establish a correlation between Y(III) dosage and specific-oxygen-uptake-rate (SOUR).

Variation of indoor minimum mortality temperature in different cities: Evidence of local adaptations.

Epidemiological studies on the impact of outdoor temperature to human health have demonstrated the capability of humans to adapt to local climate. However, there is limited information on the association between indoor temperature and human health, despite people spending most of their time indoors. The problem stems from the lack of sufficient indoor temperature measurement in the population.

Applications of low-cost sensing technologies for air quality monitoring and exposure assessment: How far have they gone?

Over the past decade, a range of sensor technologies became available on the market, enabling a revolutionary shift in air pollution monitoring and assessment. With their cost of up to three orders of magnitude lower than standard/reference instruments, many avenues for applications have opened up. In particular, broader participation in air quality discussion and utilisation of information on air pollution by communities has become possible.