Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2023
Authors
Ingunn ØvsthusAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Ritter Atoundem GuimapiAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Kalle Kärhä Niko Purmonen Christian Kanzian Nikolaus Nemestothy Philippe Ruch Andrea Hauck Raffaele Spinelli Natascia Magagnotti Simon Berg Eduardo Tolosana Mikael LundbäckAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Dafni Foti Stephen Amiandamhen Dinesh Fernando Adrien Letoffe Stergios AdamopoulosAbstract
Polystyrene (PS) is a synthetic polymer widely used as a packaging material and in thermal insulation of buildings. At end-of-life, there are not many recycling management options of PS because of the reduced incentive and high cost. PS is non-biodegradable, and consequently, the disposal of this product causes serious health and environmental concerns. This study discusses the application of thermal treatment to modify the properties of PS waste foams. Both expanded and extended polystyrene were collected from building demolitions and subjected to different temperature treatments and duration. The effect of the treatment was investigated on the density, structure, glass transition temperature, mechanical properties (hardness, compression strength), thermal conductivity, and sound absorption of treated PS. The results showed that density increased with treatment temperature, which had a corresponding effect on the evaluated properties. The study concluded that thermal treatment is a beneficial way to improve the mechanical properties of PS waste from buildings. However, a trade-off between application and relevance still needs to be ascertained, as the thermal and acoustic insulation properties of PS decreased with the treatment.
Authors
Martina Paponov Juanita Flåte Jörg Ziegler Cathrine Lillo Ivan PaponovAbstract
Plants have evolved complex mechanisms to adapt to nutrient-deficient environments, including stimulating lateral root proliferation into local soil patches with high nutrient content in response to heterogeneous nutrient distribution. Despite the widespread occurrence of this phenomenon in soil, the effect of heterogeneous nutrient distribution on the accumulation of secondary compounds in plant biomass and their exudation by roots remains largely unknown. This study aims to fill this critical knowledge gap by investigating how deficiency and unequal distributions of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and iron (Fe) affect plant growth and accumulation of the antimalarial drug artemisinin (AN) in leaves and roots of Artemisia annua, as well as AN exudation by roots. Heterogeneous N and P supplies strongly increased root exudation of AN in half of a split-root system exposed to nutrient deficiency. By contrast, exposure to a homogeneous nitrate and phosphate deficiency did not modulate root exudation of AN. This indicates that a combination of local and systemic signals, reflecting low and high nutritional statuses, respectively, were required to enhance AN exudation. This exudation response was independent of the regulation of root hair formation, which was predominantly modulated by the local signal. In contrast to the heterogeneous supply of N and P, heterogeneous Fe supply did not modulate AN root exudation but increased AN accumulation in locally Fe-deficient roots. No modulation of nutrient supply significantly changed the accumulation of AN in A. annua leaves. The impact of a heterogeneous nitrate supply on growth and phytochemical composition was also investigated in Hypericum perforatum plants. Unlike in A. annue, the uneven N supply did not significantly influence the exudation of secondary compounds in the roots of H. perforatum. However, it did enhance the accumulation of several biologically active compounds, such as hypericin, catechin, and rutin isomers, in the leaves of H. perforatum. We propose that the capacity of plants to induce the accumulation and/or differential exudation of secondary compounds under heterogeneous nutrient supply is both species- and compound-specific. The ability to differentially exude AN may contribute to A. annua’s adaptation to nutrient disturbances and modulate allelopathic and symbiotic interactions in the rhizosphere.
Abstract
Modifying natural polymers with silicones gives new possibilities for packaging products and waste management. In this study, the innovative papers produced were altered following the reaction of polysaccharides and organosilicon compounds. The susceptibility of the studied material to biodegradation caused by a brown-rot fungus was assessed. Strength properties by tensile strength and dynamic mechanical analysis and hydrophobic properties by water uptake test and water contact angle analysis were evaluated. Moreover, elemental analysis by ICP method was controlled. The durability against fungi and the hydrophobic properties were increased by the modification. The fungal decay resistance of the silanized paper was reduced by water storage, which allows for managing paper waste. Cellulose-based paper treated with starch-modified methyltrimethoxysilane showed potential as a packaging material due to its reduced water uptake. Possible application areas could be corrugated boxes, cellulose thermoformed products for electronics, and food packaging. However, the water-repellent effect is limited to short-term exposure in humid conditions.
Authors
Paulina Paluchowska Zhimin Yin Erik Lysøe Simeon Rossmann Mirella Ludwiczewska Marta Janiszewska May Bente Brurberg Jadwiga ŚliwkaAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
The resilience of global food security is a critical concern. Facing limited access to land and potential disruption of the food markets, alternative, scalable, and efficient production systems are needed as a complementary buffer for maintenance of food production integrity. The purpose of this study was to introduce an alternative hydroponic potato growing system where potatoes are grown in bare wood fiber as a growing medium. A system utilizing drip irrigation and plastic bags as containers was tested for three different types of wood fiber, two cultivars and two fertigation strategies. Implementation of the system resulted in ~300% higher tuber production when compared to the local conventional farming. Mineral composition of the tubers obtained from hydroponic system was similar to the composition of tubers grown in the field and revealed potential for biofortification. In addition, a fertigation strategy where the two application points were separated across the root zone resulted in tubers with dry matter content comparable to the potatoes grown in soil. The recyclability, reusability, and simplicity of this solution may encourage its application for improving security of food production in selected areas of the world as well as its utilization in urban agriculture.
Authors
Trygve S. AamlidAbstract
No abstract has been registered