Effect of Temperature and Photoperiod on Development, Survival, and Growth Rate of Mealworms, .

Insects are a potential substitute for conventional meat and can be part of a sustainable human diet due to their valuable nutrients and relatively low environmental production impact. One species that is already produced for human consumption and livestock feed is the mealworm, i.e.

Pore Development during the Carbonization Process of Lignin Microparticles Investigated by Small Angle X-ray Scattering.

Application of low-cost carbon black from lignin highly depends on the materials properties, which might by determined by raw material and processing conditions. Four different technical lignins were subjected to thermostabilization followed by stepwise heat treatment up to a temperature of 2000 °C in order to obtain micro-sized carbon particles. The development of the pore structure, graphitization and inner surfaces were investigated by X-ray scattering complemented by scanning electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy.

Recent developments in using the molecular decay dating method: a review.

The dating of organic findings is a fundamental task for many scientific fields. Radiocarbon dating is currently the most commonly used method. For wood, dendrochronology is another state-of-the-art method.

Molecular Recalcitrance of Hair Passing the Digestive System of a Canid.

Hair is an important component in scat that is commonly used for prey analyses in carnivores. Chemically, hair predominately consists of keratin. The recalcitrant fiber protein is degraded in nature only by a few insects and soil microorganisms.

Straw in Clay Bricks and Plasters-Can We Use Its Molecular Decay for Dating Purposes?

Dating of clay bricks (adobe) and plasters is a relevant topic not only for building historians in the Pannonian region. Especially in vernacular architecture in this region, clay with straw amendments is a dominant construction material. The paper presents the potential of the molecular decay of these amendments to establish prediction tools for age based on infrared spectroscopic measurements.

The potential of Mid-Infrared spectroscopy for prediction of wood density and vulnerability to embolism in woody angiosperms.

Xylem resistance to embolism formation determines the species-specific drought tolerance and the survival prospects of plants under extreme climatic conditions. Fourier Transform-Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a cost-effective and rapid analytical tool with potential beyond its current use in plant physiology. We tested the use of FTIR spectroscopy as a method for estimating wood density (WD) and xylem resistance to embolism formation (P50) in 24 angiosperm species.

Risk assessment of an old landfill regarding the potential of gaseous emissions--a case study based on bioindication, FT-IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis.

Risk assessment of two sections (I and II) of an old landfill (ALH) in Styria (Austria) in terms of reactivity of waste organic matter and the related potential of gaseous emissions was performed using conventional parameters and innovative tools to verify their effectiveness in practice. The ecological survey of the established vegetation at the landfill surface (plant sociological relevés) indicated no relevant emissions over a longer period of time. Statistical evaluation of conventional parameters reveals that dissolved organic carbon (DOC), respiration activity (RA(4)), loss of ignition (LOI) and total inorganic carbon (TIC) mostly influence the variability of the gas generation sum (GS(21)).

Modeling the final phase of landfill gas generation from long-term observations.

For waste management, methane emissions from landfills and their effect on climate change are of serious concern. Current models for biogas generation that focus on the economic use of the landfill gas are usually based on first order chemical reactions (exponential decay), underestimating the long-term emissions of landfills. The presented study concentrated on the curve fitting and the quantification of the gas generation during the final degradation phase under optimal anaerobic conditions.

How to enhance humification during composting of separately collected biowaste: impact of feedstock and processing.

Conventional parameters (loss on ignition, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, C/N-ratio, respiration activity (RA₄), compost status (= 'Rottegrad'), NH₄-N and NO₃-N) are not correlated to humification. At best, they provide information on the biological stability (status of degradation) of composts. Humic substances which are a source of stable organic matter and nutrients are discussed as a parameter describing compost quality.

Evaluation of old landfills--a thermoanalytical and spectroscopic approach.

Abandoned landfills and dumps, where untreated waste materials were deposited in the past, are a main anthropogenic source of relevant gaseous emissions. The determination of stability is a crucial target in the context of landfill risk assessment. FTIR spectroscopy and simultaneous thermal analysis in association with multivariate statistical methods were applied to landfill materials in order to get information on the kind of waste and its reactivity.

Scrutinizing compost properties and their impact on methane oxidation efficiency.

Methane emissions from active or closed landfills can be reduced by means of microbial methane oxidation enhanced by properly designed landfill covers and engineered biocovers. Composts produced using different waste materials have already been proven to support methane oxidation, and may represent a low-cost alternative to other suitable substrates such as sandy or humic-rich soils, which are frequently not available in sufficient amounts or are too costly. In the present study a data set of 30 different compost materials (different age and input materials) and mixtures, as well as seven soils and mineral substrates were tested to assess methane oxidation rate under similar conditions in a laboratory column set-up.

Determination of humic acids content in composts by means of near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy and partial least squares regression models.

Humic acids are part of the stable organic matter fraction in soils and composts. Due to their favorable properties for soils and plants, and their role in carbon sequestration, they are considered a quality criterion of composts. Time-consuming chemical extraction of humic acids and the inherent source of errors require alternative approaches for humic acids quantification.