GENIUS project, neutrino oscillations and cosmology : neutrinos reveal their nature?.

The neutrinoless double beta decay as well as any other laboratory experiment has not been able to answer the question of the neutrino’s nature. Hints on the answer are available when neutrino oscillations and (/3/3)qv are considered simultaneously. In this case phenomenologically interesting neutrino mass schemes can lead to non-vanishing and large values of (mv). As a consequence, some schemes with Majorana neutrinos can be ruled out even now. If we assume that in addition neutrinos contribute to Hot Dark Matter then the window for Majorana neutrinos is even more restricted, e.g. GENIUS experiment will be sensitive to scenarios with three Majorana neutrinos[…

In Quest of Neutrino Masses at O{\cal{O}}(eV) Scale

Neutrino oscillation and tritium beta decay experiments taken simultaneously into account are able to access the so far imperceptible absolute neutrino masses at the electronvolt level. The neutrino mass spectrum derived in this way is independent of the nature of neutrinos (Dirac or Majorana). Furthermore, the lack of neutrinoless double beta decay gives additional constraints on the Majorana neutrino mass spectrum. A case of three neutrinos is examined. Influence of different solutions to the solar neutrino deficit problem on the results is discussed. Apart from the present situation, four qualitatively distinct experimental situations which are possible in the future are investigated: when the two decay experiments give only upper bounds on effective neutrino masses, when either one of them gives a positive result, and when both give positive results. The discussion is carried out by taking into account the present experimental errors of relevant neutrino parameters as well as their much more precise expected estimations (e.g. by $\nu$ factories). It is shown in which cases the upgraded decay experiments simultaneously with neutrino oscillation data may be able to fix the absolute scale of the neutrino mass spectrum, answer the question of the neutrino nature and put some light on CP phases in the lepton sector.Comment: 30 pages, 6 figs, to appear in PR

Amino polyphosphonates - chemical features and practical uses, environmental durability and biodegradation

Growing concerns about the quality of the environment led to the introduction of complex system of safety assessment of synthetically manufactured and commonly applied chemicals. Sometimes, however, our knowledge of consequences that result from the usage of these substances, appears far later, than at the beginning of their application. Such situation is observed in the case of aminopolyphosphonates being an important subgroup of organophosphorus compounds. The increasing industrial and household applications, led to introduce thousand tons of polyphosphonates every year into the environment. These substances are difficult to determine in environmental samples because of lack of appropriate analytical procedures. On the other hand they are suspected to influence the ecological equilibrium in aquatic ecosystems. Thus, studies on their fate in the environment, especially on the routes of their degradation seem to be of interest to both industrial and environmental chemistry. Wherefore this review contains recent available data on the impact of aminophosphonates on environment, microbial degradation methods and evaluation of the possibility for using microorganisms to remove aminophosphonates from wastewater

The biotechnological potential of cyanobacteria forming blue-green algal blooms

Zdolności adaptacyjne cyjanobakterii związane ze swoistym, „plastycznym” metabolizmem cechującym te mikroorganizmy sprawiły, że możliwe jest ich wykorzystanie jako biokatalizatorów w procesach biotransformacji związków naturalnych i połączeń syntetycznych. Inne cechy sinic umożliwiają ich zastosowanie w procesach bioremediacji jonów metali, w których równocześnie wytwarzane są nanocząstki tych pierwiastków. Wspomniane możliwości wskazują na znaczący potencjał biotechnologiczny cyjanobakterii.Cyanobacteria adaptability related to their specific „flexible” metabolism that characterizes these microorganisms enables their use as biocatalysts in biotransformation processes of natural and synthetic compounds. Other qualities of blue-green algae allow to use them in bioremediation of metal ions, during which nanoparticles of these elements are also produced. Mentioned possibilities indicate significant biotechnological potential of cyanobacteria