Reallabore in Theorie und Praxis: Reflexion des Forschungsdesigns im Hinblick auf die nachhaltige Transformation urbaner Räume

In diesem Beitrag werden Reallabore als kooperatives Instrument zur nachhaltigen Transformation urbaner Räume anhand dreier Forschungsprojekte reflektiert. Im Rahmen der nachhaltigen Transformation von Kommunen werden Reallabore seit 2015 vermehrt als Instrument in Forschungsprojekten eingesetzt, deren Umsetzung bis jetzt jedoch nur wenig in der Wissenschaft reflektiert wurde. An dieser Stelle knüpft der vorliegende Artikel an. Im Beitrag werden die Projekte "Bottrop 2018+", "KuDeQua" und "ProUrban" verglichen, die das Reallabor-Konzept auf Basis der von Schäpke et al. (2017) eingeführten Charakteristika angewandt haben. Trotz des gemeinsamen theoretischen Hintergrunds weisen die Projekte wesentliche Unterschiede in der Thematik, räumlichen Reichweite, Einbeziehung der Praxisakteure sowie der Prozesse und Vorgehensweisen auf. Basierend auf dem Vergleich werden Chancen, Herausforderungen und mögliche Probleme anhand zentraler Charakteristika bei der Umsetzung von Reallaboren herausgearbeitet.As part of sustainable transformation of municipalities, real-world laboratories have been increasingly used as instruments in research projects since 2015. However, the academic reflection of their implementation has so far been scarce. This paper views real laboratories as a cooperative instrument for the sustainable transformation of urban spaces. It investigates the research question, to what extend real-world laboratories work as a theoretical concept in practice. The paper undertakes a comparative analysis of the projects "Bottrop 2018+", "KuDeQua" and "ProUrban", where real-world laboratories present the central methodology. Despite their common theoretical background, the projects show significant differences in the subject matter, spatial scope, practitioners' involvement, processes and procedures. Through the comparison, opportunities, challenges and possible problems in implementing real-world laboratories are worked out

From Solvent-Free Microspheres to Bioactive Gradient Scaffolds

A solvent-free microsphere sintering technique was developed to fabricate scaffolds with pore size gradient for tissue engineering applications. Poly(D,L-Lactide) microspheres were fabricated through an emulsification method where TiO2 nanoparticles were employed both as particulate emulsifier in the preparation procedure and as surface modification agent to improve bioactivity of the scaffolds. A fine-tunable pore size gradient was achieved with a pore volume of 30±2.6%. SEM, EDX, XRD and FTIR analyses all confirmed the formation of bone-like apatite at the 14th day of immersion in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) implying the ability of our scaffolds to bond to living bone tissue. In vitro examination of the scaffolds showed progressive activity of the osteoblasts on the scaffold with evidence of increase in its mineral content. The bioactive scaffold developed in this study has the potential to be used as a suitable biomaterial for bone tissue engineering and hard tissue regeneration

Ambition Meets Reality: Mission-Oriented Innovation Policy as a Driver for Participative Governance

As a response to the grand societal challenges reflected in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the transition towards sustainability has gained momentum in recent years, as has the debate on mission-orientation in innovation policy. Harnessing the positive transformation potential for innovation, is about collaboratively exploring complex and uncertain pathways, especially when the goal is sustainable local economic development. Nevertheless, the demand for participatory approaches posed by the re-emergence of mission-orientated innovation policy, and the conditions for their successful implementation at the local level, particularly in the framework of economic development, are poorly understood and not yet in the focus of the current debate. This article conceptualises participation as a new mode of governance for sustainable local economic development, and links it to mission-orientation in innovation policy. We differentiate forms, degree of involvement and target groups, as well as highlight the underlying rationales and modes of interactions. Based on action-research carried out over three years in the city of Bottrop, Germany, we conceptualise an ideal-typical practice of participatory governance. Our findings show that firms are willing to participate in sustainable local economic development, only if they can internalise at least part of the value-added

Chemical speciation of inorganic pollutants in river - Estuary - Sea water systems

Monitoring studies and thermodynamic modeling were used to reveal the changes of inorganic chemical species of some water pollutants (nutrients and trace metals such as Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb) in the river - estuary - sea water system. The case studies were two rivers, Kamchiya and Ropotamo, representing part of the Bulgarian Black Sea water catchment area, and having different flow characteristics. There were no major differences in inorganic chemical species of the two river systems. NO3- and NO2- chemical species showed no changes along the river - estuary - sea water system. Concerning phosphates six different species were calculated and differences between the three parts of the systems were established. The HPO42- and H2PO4- species were found to be dominant in river waters. The H2PO4- species quickly decreased at the expense of HPO42- and Ca, Mg and Na phosphate complexes in estuary and seawater. Trace metals showed a great variety of chemical species. Fe(OH)2+ species prevailed in river waters, and Fe(OH)3 0 species - in sea waters. Me2+ and MeCO30 (Me = Cu, Pb) and PbHCO3+ were dominant in river waters, while Cu(CO3)22- and PbCl- species appear also in sea waters. Cd2+ species prevailed in river and estuary waters, and CdCln2-n (n = 1 - 3) species, in seawater. Free Zn2+ species predominated in all systems but downstream their percentage decreased at the expense of Zn phosphates, carbonates, sulfates and chlorides complexes. Only free Mn2+ species were dominant along the systems. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008

METHOD FOR PREPARATION OF ION-MODIFIED CALCIUM ORTHOPHOSPHATE FINE POWDERS AND THEIR USE IN COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Ion-modified calcium orthophosphate fine powders were prepared by a method consisting of seven steps (biomimetic precipitation, suspension gelation, lyophilization, calcination, washing, gelation, and sintering at 1000°C). They were used as the main ingredient for preparation of composite materials including various combinations of different natural polymers. The best composite material consisted of Zn-modified β-tricalcium phosphate powder/gelatin/xanthan gum/carrageenan/water in proportions 73.89/0.12/0.12/2.46/1.23/22.17 (mass %). One-month storage of the sample in SBF led to the generation of a new phase and to partial dissolution of the polymers

Chemical speciation in natural and brine sea waters

A combined approach consisting of monitoring and thermodynamic modeling was used in order to calculate the concentration of trace element species in water samples of a broad salinity range and to explain their chemical behaviour. The study was performed on water samples (fresh, marine, hyper-saline) taken from the area of Burgas Bay, Bulgaria. The ion association model based on Debye-Hückel theory using the sst2008.dat database and the ion interaction model based on Pitzer theory using a new pit2010.dat database were compared and combined for the purposes of this study. The new pit2010.dat database combines the sst2008.dat database and the pitzer.dat database of the PHREEQCI computer program as well as the thermodynamic data for the elements Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb and their Pitzer ion interaction parameters. The results showed that: (1) the predominant species in fresh waters were free ions of Mn2+ (73.6%), Zn2+ (58.0%) and Cd2+ ions (78.3%) as well as carbonate species CuCO3 0(81.8%), PbCO3 0(77.2%) and hydroxy species Fe(OH) 3 0 (55.2%) and Fe(OH) 2 + (35.6%); (2) an increase in chloride species MeCln 2-n(n = 1-4, Me = Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd) and of the hydroxy species Fe(OH)2 + for Fe was calculated for sea and hyper-saline water. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

Chemical speciation of inorganic pollutants in river - Estuary - Sea water systems

Monitoring studies and thermodynamic modeling were used to reveal the changes of inorganic chemical species of some water pollutants (nutrients and trace metals such as Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb) in the river - estuary - sea water system. The case studies were two rivers, Kamchiya and Ropotamo, representing part of the Bulgarian Black Sea water catchment area, and having different flow characteristics. There were no major differences in inorganic chemical species of the two river systems. NO3- and NO2- chemical species showed no changes along the river - estuary - sea water system. Concerning phosphates six different species were calculated and differences between the three parts of the systems were established. The HPO42- and H2PO4- species were found to be dominant in river waters. The H2PO4- species quickly decreased at the expense of HPO42- and Ca, Mg and Na phosphate complexes in estuary and seawater. Trace metals showed a great variety of chemical species. Fe(OH)2+ species prevailed in river waters, and Fe(OH)3 0 species - in sea waters. Me2+ and MeCO30 (Me = Cu, Pb) and PbHCO3+ were dominant in river waters, while Cu(CO3)22- and PbCl- species appear also in sea waters. Cd2+ species prevailed in river and estuary waters, and CdCln2-n (n = 1 - 3) species, in seawater. Free Zn2+ species predominated in all systems but downstream their percentage decreased at the expense of Zn phosphates, carbonates, sulfates and chlorides complexes. Only free Mn2+ species were dominant along the systems. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008