Effects of compost and digestate on environment and plant production – results of two research projects

A yearly amount of 9.3x106t compost and digestate derived from separately collected organic waste is produced in the 25 European Union member states. The improvement of soil properties is a major benefit of compost application. However, little is known about the occurrence of organic pollutants in compost. In order to estimate the potential of Swiss composts and digestates to influence soil fertility and plant health, one hundred products representative for the different composting systems and qualities available on the Swiss market were analyzed in two research projects. In the first study, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), ortho substituted and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, DL PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), pesticides, chlorinated paraffins (CPs), phthalates and nonylphenol (NP) were analyzed. All compound classes were detected except for NP. PFAS, HBCD, TBBPA, some compounds out of PBDEs and pesticides were found in compost and digestate for the first time. Concentrations of most compounds were in the low ppb range. Contents of PAHs were between 600 and 12473 μg/kg dry weight (dw) and contents of HBCD and CPs between 17 and 384 μg/kg dw. Tests with springtails (Folsomia candida) have been shown to be a versatile tool for ecotoxicological assessment. Within these tests, inhibiting and stimulating effects due to compost application were observed. Except for high PAHs contents, no major problem with regard to contamination of compost and digestate was identified. In the second study, the physical, chemical and biological properties of the composts and digestats, and their influence on soil fertility and plant growth, were characterized. The organic substance and the nutrient content of the composts varied largely between the composts with the feedstock materials as major influencing factors. The respiration rate and enzyme activities exhibited large variations as well, particularly in the youngest composts. These differences decreased when the composts became more mature. Maturity, the degradation stage of the organic matter, depended not only on the age of the compost, but also on the management of the process. The N-mineralization potential of compost added to soil showed that a high proportion of young composts immobilized the nitrogen in the soil. Two compost parameters allowed to predict the risk of nitrogen immobilization in soil: the NO3- and the humic acids contents. The phytotoxicity of the composts varied largely even in mature composts, showing that the storage of the compost plays a decisive role. While the majority of composts protected cucumber plants against Pythium ultimum, only a few composts suppressed Rhizoctonia solani in basil. With respect to disease suppression, the management of the maturation process seems to play a major role. In field experiments, some biologically immature composts immobilized nitrogen in soil and reduced growth of maize. With additional fertilization, however, it was possible to compensate this effect. Digestates and composts increased the pH-value and the biological activity of soil. These effects were observable also one maize season after compost application. In conclusion, the management of the composting process seems to influence the biological quality of the composts and digestats to a higher extent than the feedstock materials or the composting system. More attention should be paid to this biological quality, in order to produce composts with more beneficial effects on crops

Stickstoffeffizienz von unterschiedlich aufbereiteten Misten in einer Ackerbaufruchtfolge auf Lösslehm

Schlussfolgerungen Unter der Einschränkung, dass die alleinige Betrachtung der N-Wirkung nur einen Teil des N-Haushaltes ausmacht (z.B. Einbau von N in den Humuskörper), können aus den vorliegenden Ergebnissen folgende Schlussfolgerungen gezogen werden: • Bei der aeroben Rotte bzw. Kompostierung von Mist wurden im Vergleich zur anaeroben Lagerung von Mist grössere N-Verluste gemessen, d.h. es wurde bei diesen Verfahren folglich weniger Stickstoff auf die Parzellen ausgebracht. • Bei der Anwendung auf dem Feld erzielten Rottemist und Mistkompost im Vergleich zu Stapelmist jedoch eine bessere N-Wirkung. Dies macht deutlich, dass bei der Beurteilung unterschiedlicher Mistformen neben N-Verlusten und N-Gehalten insbesondere die N-Wirkung (Mineralisierungseigenschaften) berücksichtigt werden muss. • Mit qualitativ hochwertigem Grünabfallkompost kombiniert mit Güllegaben konnten vergleichbare Erträge wie bei den ausschliesslich mit Hofdüngern gedüngten Parzellen erzielt werden. Die N-Wirkung ist dabei aber aufgrund des Holzanteils der Grünabfallkomposte deutlich tiefer als bei Rottemist und Mistkompost. • Mit Vollgülle wurden – bei leicht höherer N-Wirkung – ähnliche Entzüge wie mit Rottemist und Mistkompost erreicht

Critical Parameters in Dynamic Network Modeling of Sepsis

In this work, we propose a dynamical systems perspective on the modeling of sepsis and its organ-damaging consequences. We develop a functional two-layer network model for sepsis based upon the interaction of parenchymal cells and immune cells via cytokines, and the coevolutionary dynamics of parenchymal, immune cells, and cytokines. By means of the simple paradigmatic model of phase oscillators in a two-layer system, we analyze the emergence of organ threatening interactions between the dysregulated immune system and the parenchyma. We demonstrate that the complex cellular cooperation between parenchyma and stroma (immune layer) either in the physiological or in the pathological case can be related to dynamical patterns of the network. In this way we explain sepsis by the dysregulation of the healthy homeostatic state (frequency synchronized) leading to a pathological state (desynchronized or multifrequency cluster) in the parenchyma. We provide insight into the complex stabilizing and destabilizing interplay of parenchyma and stroma by determining critical interaction parameters. The coupled dynamics of parenchymal cells (metabolism) and nonspecific immune cells (response of the innate immune system) is represented by nodes of a duplex layer. Cytokine interaction is modeled by adaptive coupling weights between nodes representing immune cells (with fast adaptation timescale) and parenchymal cells (slow adaptation timescale), and between pairs of parenchymal and immune cells in the duplex network (fixed bidirectional coupling). The proposed model allows for a functional description of organ dysfunction in sepsis and the recurrence risk in a plausible pathophysiological context.Peer Reviewe

Tunable self-assembly of one-dimensional nanostructures with orthogonal directions

High-temperature exposure of a Mo(110) surface to borazine (HBNH)3leads to the formation of two distinctly different self-assembling nanostructures. Depending on the substrate temperature during preparation, either well-aligned, ultra-thin boron nanowires or a single-layer stripe structure of hexagonal boron nitride forms. Both structures show one-dimensional (1D) characteristics, but in directions perpendicular to each other. It is also possible to grow the two phases in coexistence. The relative weights are controlled by the sample temperature during preparation

On the search for the vernalization locus in caraway (Carum carvi) using genotyping by sequencing data

Kümmel (Carum carvi) kann in zweijährige und einjährige Blühtypen unterteilt werden. Zweijährige benötigen einen Kältereiz für die Blühinduktion, während Einjährige keinen Vernalisationsbedarf haben. Aufgrund der besseren Integration in die Fruchtfolge und der geringeren Produktionskosten wird der Anbau Einjähriger als vorteilhaft angesehen. Die verfügbaren einjährigen Sorten weisen jedoch ein unzureichendes Ertragspotential und einen zu geringen Ätherischölgehalt auf. Der zweijährige Genpool enthält wertvolle genetische Diversität, die durch Kreuzungen auf den einjährigen Genpool übertragen werden kann. Laut Literatur zeigen F1-Pflanzen aus Kreuzungen zwischen ein- und zweijährigen Blühtypen ein uniform einjähriges Blühverhalten. Resultierende F2-Populationen zeigen ein Mendelsches 3:1-Verhältnis zwischen einjährigen und zweijährigen Blühtypen. Dies deutet auf eine monogenetische Vererbung der Vernalisation beim Kümmel mit dominanter Einjährigkeit hin. Nach Kreuzungen zwischen ein- und zweijährigen Blühtypen kann das rezessive Allel für die zweijährige Blüte über mehrere Generationen im Zuchtmaterial verbleiben. Daher wäre ein genetischer Marker, der mit dem Vernalisations-Locus assoziiert ist, vorteilhaft, um das rezessive Allel in einem Selektionsschritt zu entfernen. Um Marker zu identifizieren, die mit dem Vernalisations-Locus assoziiert sind, wurden Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS)-Daten zu 70 zweijährigen und 67 einjährigen Blühtypen genutzt. Case-Control-Studien und populationsgenetische Studien wurden durchgeführt. Insgesamt wurden 60 gemeinsame Marker gefunden, die signifikant mit dem Vernalisationsbedarf assoziiert waren. Für 19 Marker wurden diagnostische Marker entwickelt. Diese könnten in Zukunft genutzt werden, um rezessive Allele in segregierenden Populationen zu detektieren.Caraway (Carum carvi) can be divided into biennial and annual flowering types. Biennials require a cold stimulus for initiation of flowering, whereas annuals lack any vernalization requirement. Cultivation of annuals is considered advantageous due to better integration into crop rotation and reduced production costs. However, available annual varieties lack a sufficient yield potential and essential oil content. Valuable genetic diversity exists within the biennial genepool, which can be transferred to the annual genepool by crossbreeding. According to literature, F1 plants from crosses between annual and biennial flowering types uniformly show annual flowering. Resulting F2 populations show a Mendelian 3:1 ratio between annual and biennial flowering types. This indicates a monogenetic inheritance of vernalization requirement in caraway with dominant annual flowering. After crossbreeding annual and biennial flowering types, the recessive allele for biennial flowering can remain within the breeding material over multiple generations. Thus, a genetic marker associated with the vernalization locus would be beneficial to remove the recessive allele in one selection step. To identify markers associated with vernalization requirement, we used genotyping by sequencing (GBS) data of 70 biennial and 67 annual flowering types. We conducted case-control studies and population differentiation-based tests. In total, 60 common markers were found that were significantly associated with vernalization requirement. Out of these, we developed 19 diagnostic markers. In future, these diagnostic markers might be used to detect recessive alleles in segregating populations

First Operation of a Resistive Shell Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber -- A new Approach to Electric-Field Shaping

We present a new technology for the shaping of the electric field in Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) using a carbon-loaded polyimide foil. This technology allows for the minimisation of passive material near the active volume of the TPC and thus is capable to reduce background events originating from radioactive decays or scattering on the material itself. Furthermore, the high and continuous electric resistivity of the foil limits the power dissipation per unit area and minimizes the risks of damages in the case of an electric field breakdown. Replacing the conventional field cage with a resistive plastic film structure called 'shell' decreases the number of components within the TPC and therefore reduces the potential points of failure when operating the detector. A prototype liquid argon (LAr) TPC with such a resistive shell and with a cathode made of the same material was successfully tested for long term operation with electric field values up to about 1.5 kV/cm. The experiment shows that it is feasible to successfully produce and shape the electric field in liquefied noble-gas detectors with this new technology.Comment: 13 page

GEM-Selektor geochemical modeling package: revised algorithm and GEMS3K numerical kernel for coupled simulation codes

Reactive mass transport (RMT) simulation is a powerful numerical tool to advance our understanding of complex geochemical processes and their feedbacks in relevant subsurface systems. Thermodynamic equilibrium defines the baseline for solubility, chemical kinetics, and RMT in general. Efficient RMT simulations can be based on the operator-splitting approach, where the solver of chemical equilibria is called by the mass transport part for each control volume whose composition, temperature, or pressure has changed. Modeling of complex natural systems requires consideration of multiphase-multicomponent geochemical models that include nonideal solutions (aqueous electrolytes, fluids, gases, solid solutions, and melts). Direct Gibbs energy minimization (GEM) methods have numerous advantages for the realistic geochemical modeling of such fluid-rock systems. Substantial improvements and extensions to the revised GEM interior point method algorithm based on Karpov's convex programming approach are described, as implemented in the GEMS3K C/C+ + code, which is also the numerical kernel of GEM-Selektor v.3 package ( http://gems.web.psi.ch ). GEMS3K is presented in the context of the essential criteria of chemical plausibility, robustness of results, mass balance accuracy, numerical stability, speed, and portability to high-performance computing systems. The stand-alone GEMS3K code can treat very complex chemical systems with many nonideal solution phases accurately. It is fast, delivering chemically plausible and accurate results with the same or better mass balance precision as that of conventional speciation codes. GEMS3K is already used in several coupled RMT codes (e.g., OpenGeoSys-GEMS) capable of high-performance computin

Der internationale Weiterbildungsstudiengang „International Construction: Practice and Law“ an der Universität Stuttgart

Das Institut für Baubetriebslehre der Universität Stuttgart bietet seit dem Jahr 2015 einen Weiterbildungsstudiengang zum internationalen Bauen und Baurecht an. Das englischsprachige Bildungsangebot mit dem Ziel eines Master of Business Engineering zieht internationale Studierende aus der ganzen Welt an und ist ein interessantes Beispiel dafür, wie wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung mit internationalem Bezug funktionieren kann. Der Beitrag erläutert nach einführenden Worten zur verantwortlichen Bildungseinrichtung die Motivation zur Einrichtung des Studiengangs, die Historie und die Entwicklung sowie inhaltliche Fragestellungen. Vorgestellt wird auch das Distance Learning Angebot, das den Studierenden eine Teilnahme an den Veranstaltungen über das Internet ermöglicht. Zudem wird aufgezeigt, welcher Austausch und welche Lernmöglichkeiten auf wissenschaftlicher Ebene bereits stattfinden und künftig möglich sind