The influence of pyrolysis conditions on hydrocarbons composition of the shale oil (Aleksinac oil shale, Serbia)

The amount and the composition of liquid hydrocarbons (HCs) obtained by pyrolysis of oil shale depend on kerogen type, as well as pyrolytic system and conditions [1]. The aim of this study was to compare HCs composition of bitumen isolated from raw oil shale samples (osh) and shale oils obtained by pyrolysis of oil shales in an open system (os) and close system (cs) (Table 1). Investigation has been made on immature outcrop oil shale samples (vitrinite reflectance of 0.41 % Rr) from the Aleksinac deposit (Serbia). Pyrolysis experiments were performed on the two selected samples, which have shown the highest quantity of total organic carbon (TOC > 13 %) and high HCs generation potential (Hydrogen Index, HI > 615 mg HCs/g TOC) in the studied sample set [2]. The HCs composition of the shale oils obtained by open system pyrolysis indicates low maturity. They are similar to distributions of HCs in bitumens isolated from raw (initial) oil shales (Table 1). Therefore open system pyrolysis can be useful for assessment of source and depositional environment of organic matter. On the other head, shale oils obtained by pyrolysis in the close system have distributions of HCs which correspond to higher maturity and they are similar to composition of HCs in crude oil, generated in early stage of “oil window” (Table 1). Therefore, for artificial generation of shale oil (from immature oil shale), having composition comparable to crude oil, the close system pyrolysis is required. CPI – Carbon Preference Index, calculated from distributions of n-alkanes; Rc – calculated vitrinite reflectance = 0.49 x C29ααα20S/20R + 0.33; / – Not determined due to the absence of C29 αββ 20Rsterane in these samples

The review of some novel biomarkers in sedimentary organic matter

A series of novel C33-C35 hexacyclic benzohopanes have been identified in coals and crude oils of different ages from all over the world [1]. They differ from regular benzohopanes by the presence of methyl group in position C-31. These compounds are more abundant in coals and terrestrial oils. The investigation also showed that mature samples have distributions of benzohopanes distinct from immature ones, which are characterised by a greater number of benzohopane isomers. Although exact structures of the additional isomers were not determined, it seems they were formed by an isomerisation of alkyl groups attached to the aromatic ring. Two novel monoaromatic hydrocarbons (MW = 270; basic fragment ions m/z 255 and 146) were identified in coals, mudstones and crude oils. Their structures were determined as cis- and transicetexa-8,11,13-trienes (or dehydroicetexanes) using NMR spectroscopy. Dehydroicetexanes are potential biomarkers of Cupressaceae (cypress conifers). Benzo[b]naphtho[d]furans (BNFs) have been identified in oils, condensates, source-rocks, coals and coaly shales, being more abundant in the latter. We detected BNFs (m/z 218) in relatively high amounts in the aromatic fractions of pyrolysates of brown coals which attained the maturity corresponding to vitrinite reflectance of 1.80 %Rr [2]. This result suggests that BNFs can be attractive for investigations of mature fluids that originate from gas/condensate prone sources, rich in type III kerogen, which are usually depleted in biomarkers. Recently, it was observed that [2,1]/[1,2]BNF ratio can be used to describe lithofacies [3]. This ratio is much lower in sediments from fluvial-deltaic systems than in clay-depleted sediments from marine environments. 1-Chloro-n-alkanes (m/z 91) have been identified in saltmarsh vegetation, recent sediments from estuarine setting and freshwater lake sediments [4]. Despite their absence in the investigated crude oils, we identified a series of 1-chloro-n-alkanes in pyrolysates of the corresponding asphaltenes, obtained at 250 oC. This result indicates very good preservation of biomarkers occluded inside asphaltenes and announces a possible application of 1-chloro-n-alkanes in correlation studies.Invited Lectur

Photochemistry of methyl hypobromite (CH₃OBr): excited states and photoabsorption spectrum

The singlet and triplet excited states of CH3OBr with excitation energies up to ∼9.5 eV are studied using the multi-reference configuration interaction with singles and doubles method (MRCI-SD) and several single-reference methods, including time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT), coupled-cluster (linear-response CC2 and equation-of-motion CCSD and CCSD(T)), and algebraic diagrammatic construction (ADC(2)). Among the single-reference methods, coupled-cluster gives vertical excitation energies and oscillator strengths comparable to the MRCI-SD values for the majority of excited states. The absorption cross section in the gas phase in the region between 2 and 8.5 eV was simulated with CCSD using the nuclear ensemble approach. The computed spectrum predicts two intense absorption bands. The first band, peaked at ∼7.0 eV, is induced by Rydberg excitation. The second band has a strong overlap between a broad σσ* transition and three Rydberg transitions, resulting in two peaks at 7.7 and 7.9 eV. The spectrum also features a low-intensity band peaking at ∼4.6 eV due to nσ* excitation. The intensity of this band is influenced by spin–orbit coupling effects. We analyzed the dissociation pathways along the O–Br and C–O coordinates by computing rigid potential energy curves of the ground and the lowest-lying singlet and triplet excited states, and discussed the possible dissociation products. Due to the specific electronic structure of the excited states, characterized by multireference, double excitations, and Rydberg states occurring in the low-energy region, their correct description along dissociation coordinates is feasible only with MRCI-SD

Influence of dietary mannanoligosaccharides on histological parameters of the jejunal mucosa and growth performance of broiler chickens

The trial involved 480 Hubbard Classic broiler chicks which were from either mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) fed breeder flock (Bio-Mos, Alltech Inc. USA at level of 1 kg/t) or control fed breeder flock (without MOS). Three groups with four replicates per treatment were formed: control fed breeders/control fed broilers (C/C); MOS fed breeders/control fed broilers (BM/C) and MOS fed breeders/MOS fed broilers (BM/BM). All chicks were fed the same basal diet, except for the inclusion of Bio-Mos (1, 0.75 and 0.5 kg/t in the starter, grower and finisher diet, respectively). The results showed a significant improvement (p<0.05) in the body weight gain with the addition of Bio-Mos in broiler feed. Feed conversion ratio was improved by 0.03 points, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). The gut morphology examination showed that chick origin (chicks that originated from Bio-Mos fed breeders or control fed breeders) did not influence the morphological parameters of the jejunum in the broiler chickens, but addition of Bio-Mos directly to the broiler feed had a significant influence on the gut morphology and played an important role in processes of digestion and absorption, leading to improved performance.Key words: Broiler, mannanoligosaccharides, growth, jejunum, histology

Genetički resursi u svinjarstvu - Moravka

Objective of the paper was to present characteristics of native/autochthonous pig breed Moravka, reared in the previous century, as well as results relating to activities such as collection, selection, identification and production performance of investigated heads in 2004. Moravka is one of three pig breeds in Serbia included in the programme of preservation of animal genetic resources.U našoj zemlji su evidentirane tri autohtone rase svinja: mangulica, moravka i resavka. Moravka i resavka su dve autohtone rase svinja koje su u opasnosti da nestanu, te su obuhvaćene programom očuvanja i održivog korišćenja. U radu su prikazane karakteristike autohtone rase svinja moravka gajene u prošlom veku (Tabela 1 i 2) kao i rezultati rada na sakupljanju, odabiranju, identifikaciji i proizvodnim osobinama grla rase moravka od 2004. godine (Tabela 3 i 4). Prosečna telesna masa krmača (u jednom zapatu) starosti od 3 do 5 godina, bila je 77,67 kg a visina grebena 63,83 cm. Krmače su oprasile prosečano 7,20 prasadi sa variranjem od 5 do 14. U tovu od 31,92 do 94,33 kg prosečan dnevni prirast je bio 385g/dan a konverzija hrane 3,74 kg kukuruza za kilogram prirasta telesne mase. Prosečan dnevni prirast je bio najveći izmedju 3. i 4. merenja (514 g/dan) što odgovara uzrastu od 253 do 283 dana

The galvanostatic reduction on modified platinum electrode and determination of trinitrotoluene in neutral solution

The study of the electrochemical reduction on acetonitrile modified platinum electrode and determination of trinitrotoluene (TNT) in neutral solution by simple galvanostatic technique is presented here. The obtained potential-time responses on the applied constant cathodic current pulses showed two potential transitions before achieving the steady-states, referring to the multi-step reduction process of nitro groups in TNT molecule. The calibration curves of the dependence of the square root of the first transition time (τ 0.5) on the TNT concentration were linear in the ranges 4.4 – 303.8 μM and 0.09 – 4.40 μM for applied constant current of 0.1 mA. The detection limit was 0.09 μM. The method was tested in the river water. The results indicated the sensitivity of the galvanostatic method for TNT determination in the environmental samples. From the first transition on the E-t curves the characteristics important for the understanding the mechanism of the reduction process were obtained. It was found that four electrons are involved in the reduction process of the first nitro group, indicating that the reduction product in a neutral electrolyte is hydroxylamine.\ud Keywords

Electron-phonon coupling in graphene antidot lattices: an indication of polaronic behavior

We study graphene antidot lattices -- superlattices of perforations (antidots) in a graphene sheet -- using a model that accounts for the phonon-modulation of the $\pi$-electron hopping integrals. We calculate the phonon spectra of selected antidot lattices using two different semi-empirical methods. Based on the adopted model, we quantify the nature of charge carriers in the system by computing the quasiparticle weight due to the electron-phonon interaction for an excess electron in the conduction band. We find a very strong phonon-induced renormalization, with the effective electron masses exhibiting nonmonotonic dependence on the superlattice period for a given antidot diameter. Our study provides an indication of polaronic behavior and points to the necessity of taking into account the inelastic degrees of freedom in future studies of transport in graphene antidot lattices.Comment: Selected PRB Editors' Suggestio

A Vernacular for Coherent Logic

We propose a simple, yet expressive proof representation from which proofs for different proof assistants can easily be generated. The representation uses only a few inference rules and is based on a frag- ment of first-order logic called coherent logic. Coherent logic has been recognized by a number of researchers as a suitable logic for many ev- eryday mathematical developments. The proposed proof representation is accompanied by a corresponding XML format and by a suite of XSL transformations for generating formal proofs for Isabelle/Isar and Coq, as well as proofs expressed in a natural language form (formatted in LATEX or in HTML). Also, our automated theorem prover for coherent logic exports proofs in the proposed XML format. All tools are publicly available, along with a set of sample theorems.Comment: CICM 2014 - Conferences on Intelligent Computer Mathematics (2014

Localized modes in two-dimensional octagonal-diamond lattices

Two-dimensional octagonal-diamond (OD) atomic lattices have been explored in recent times to study phenomena related to topological phase transitions induced by spin-orbit interaction and gauge fields [1], and magnetic phases and metal-insulator transitions with Hubbard interaction [2, 3]. It can lead to the appearance of nontrivial nearly flat band states with particular topological properties [4]. Here we study the octagonal-diamond photonic lattice formed of linearly coupled waveguides, proposed by [4] as a possible experimental realization of an artificial flat-band system. We investigated analytically and numerically the existence and stability of linear and nonlinear localized modes in a two-dimensional OD lattice. The primitive cell consists of four sites, linearly coupled with each other with the same coupling constant, including two diagonal couplings. The eigenvalue spectrum of the linear lattice consists of two flat bands and two dispersive bands [4]. The upper dispersive band intersects the upper flat band in the middle of the Brillouin zone, as well as the second flat band at the end of the Brillouin zone. In the linear case, there are two types of localized linear solutions, which are composed of eight sites each, having either monomer (+ - + - + - + -) or dimer (+ + - - + + - -) staggered phase structure [4]. In the presence of Kerr nonlinearity, both focusing and defocusing, compacton-like solutions [5] may exhibit instabilities due to intersections of the upper dispersive band and the flat bands. We also discuss the possibility of finding soliton solutions in the frequency gaps occurring between the flat bands and the isolated dispersive bands.VII International School and Conference on Photonics : PHOTONICA2019 : Abstracts of Tutorial, Keynote, Invited Lectures, Progress Reports and Contributed Papers; August 26-30; Belgrad

Optical interconnects and filters based on waveguide arrays

Rapidly increasing demand for higher data bandwidths has motivated exploration of new communication channels based on spatially multiplexed in-fibre and on-chip coupled light guides [1]. However, the conventionally used periodically arranged coupled waveguides display complicated light propagation patterns, ranging from quasiperiodic to nearly chaotic. Taking a different approach, we spectrally engineer interwaveguide coupling to instigate self-imaging of the input light state at the array output and thus enable construction of novel high-fidelity interconnects [2]. Simple implementation via modulation of the interwaveguide separations makes these interconnects realizable in all fabrication platforms. Moreover, the wavelength dependent self-imaging opens up possibilities for construction of new multiplexing devices [3]. Here, we present designs of band-pass filters and dichroic splitters for VIS and NIR and propose the strategies for selection of their central wavelengths and bandwidths.IX International School and Conference on Photonics : PHOTONICA2023 : book of abstracts; August 28 - September 1, 2023; Belgrad