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The knowledge-based bioeconomy has been prioritized through European Union (EU) research and innovation policies. In December 2017, the government approved the Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy 2030, which set the horizontal strategic goal of achieving -research excellence in traditional bioeconomy industries and efficient transfer of knowledge-. Therefore, the aim of the present research is to examine one of the submeasures -promoting research excellence and efficient knowledge transfer within traditional bioeconomy in...

Today, humanity must deal with the consequences of ongoing climate change. The most observed manifestations of climate change include increasing temperatures, as well as increasing monthly and annual average temperatures. In the present work, the change in the number of days with temperatures between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius and above 35 degrees Celsius was compared. Meteorological data from 21 climatic stations on the territory of the Kosice and Presov self-governing regions (Slovakia) were provided by the Slova...

An essential part of the development of municipalities is an investment in a properly functioning technical infrastructure. In addition to today's standard connection to the development of electricity, new investments in technical infrastructure related to the aquatic environment are also required concerning the interests of nature and especially the ecological hairline of water components. Many smaller municipalities are still not solved by sewerage of residential houses and other buildings, especially agricultur...

Nymphoides peltata is a typical representative of higher aquatic plants. Despite its wide geographical distribution, N. peltata is a rather rare species. The development of effective measures to protect a species in any territory is possible only if there is complete information on the status of its populations. Study of the size and morphological structure of plants plays an important role in the system of population studies. The purpose of this publication is to characterise the dimensional values of N. peltata ...

The article delves into the prevalent misconceptions surrounding animals and their interactions with humans in Romania, with the primary goal of fostering a more accurate understanding and dispelling commonly held myths. A widespread misconception among many individuals is the erroneous belief that all animals inherently pose harm or threats when encountering humans. Our aim is to illuminate the reality that animals exhibit diverse behaviors and intentions, and in most cases, they prefer to avoid confrontations wi...

Subway construction in the central parts of cities requires the implementation of the latest technological advances in underground construction. These achievements relate to the construction of the main road arteries of the metro. Despite the implemented technical innovations in mass construction, problems need to be solved that require a creative approach for unique cases in technology and security. Risk cases along the subway route are most often concentrated in areas in contact with existing facilities and cont...

Ponicka Cave, situated in central Slovakia, is a natural wonder, known for its stunning stalagmites, stalactites, and underground lakes. This unique cave system has a hydrological connection to the Earth's surface, representing a very vulnerable habitat. Long-lasting intensive livestock grazing in the aquifer area of Ponicka cave and insufficiently insulated manure dump were the main reasons for the contamination of this cave. Soil nematodes are the most abundant multicellular organisms on Earth with respect to bo...

Drosophila as a model for toxicological study is a simple and effective test-system owing to (i) availability of a wide range of accessible methods allowing the integral assessment of the negative effect of the factor under study on the vital characteristics at all levels of the organism vital activity (from molecular to population), (ii) possibility of obtaining results within a relatively short period of time (from 2 days to 2 weeks); (iii) low price of working methods, (iv) absence of specific requirements as t...

The study aimed to identify the influence of the altitudinal difference on the fertility characteristics of grasslands soils and implicitly on the production and quality of plant associations intended for grazing with animals. For that, the study material was represented by the soils of the grasslands in the region of the ?ureanu Mountains, part of the Southern Carpathians of Romania. From a geographical point of view, distinct formations were identified in the studied area with altitudes between 250 m and 1800/18...

The paper considers processes of ore formation. This concerns complex dynamic natural objects, depending on polygenic geological phenomena, mutually interacting and forming a single mineral formation environment. Development of ore-forming systems is connected not only with the natural evolution of thermodynamic parameters, but also with physical-chemical properties and composition of ore-bearing deposits, state and character of manifestation of tectonic structures, such as field strength, degree of tectonic trans...

Bogs of Darwin Biosphere reserve (southern NW Russia) represent sustain ecosystem balance on an outstandingly large scale. Dynamics of the bog metabolism and structure should be estimated both under the influence of the Rybinsk reservoir and beyond it (in terms of natural evolution), although these cannot always be distinguished clearly. Forested bog areas are most sensible ecosystems to trace decadal or centennial dynamics of the landcover. Longstanding observations of the geobotanical and forest structure have b...

Intercropping increases biodiversity in vegetable fields. It affects both above-ground and soil communities. The aim of the research was to study and analyze the soil microbiological and enzymatic activity in intercropping of cabbage with leek, green bean, tagetes, flower mix, and dill. The studies were carried out in two directions: 1) of microflora, as a sensitive indicator of the microbiological status of soils; 2) enzyme research, such as functional characterization and expression of microbial activity. Soil b...

The extrusion process is recognized as the most versatile processing technology, and it can be used to produce food with higher nutritional, functional, and sensory qualities. The extrusion process involves forcing a mixture of ingredients through a small die under controlled conditions of temperature, pressure, and shear. This review highlights the main effects of the process parameters (feed rate, feed moisture, screw speed, barrel temperature, raw material characteristics, etc.) and system parameters (specific ...

White sweet clover (Melilotus albus Medik.) is a plant species from the group of legumes, and this is why it has a capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen on the basis of symbiosis with bacteria of the genus Rhizobium that is not available for most plants.The species is used primarily for the production of biomass and for soil remediation. Biomass of white sweet clover can be used in biogas plants. It is also one of important producers of nectar for pollinators. The aim of the experiment was to find out whether the a...

In 2021, a field experiment was conducted with white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) the seed of which is an interesting raw material in agriculture, industry and food production. Stands of tested plants were established without tillage into a freezing catch crop from the Fabaceae family within regenerative agriculture. The stand of clovers was used as a tool of bio-drilling to work the soil and as a source of nitrogen required by the subsequent crop, and the frozen biomass was applied as mulch onto the soil surface. Th...

The increasing economic activity reinforces the importance of climate change on a global scale. Together with the development of the economy and the increase in people's well-being, the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) which are released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities, also increase. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is one of the main greenhouse and ozone (O3) depleting gases. Seven percent of the anthropogenic greenhouse effect is nitrous oxide. From a molecular perspective, N2O has a 310-fold greater ...

Recently, nanotechnology has attracted a considerable scientific interest due the potential new uses of non-particles, which can improve the properties of cement mortars or concretes, such as Nanosilica. Nanoparticles, like those of nanosilica, have been shown to have unique physical and chemical properties different from those of conventional cement additions. Nanosilica was used either to replace part of the cements or as an addition to improve the performance of the cement such as accelerating the hydration of ...

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is one of important greenhouse gas (GHG) whose main sources are agricultural soils. N2O forms in soil as a result of microbial processes, reinforced by the use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. This study will look at how the formation of N2O in soil is affected by soil moisture and soil granulometric composition. Soil N2O isotopes of ?15N? (central nitrogen position) and ?15N? (end nitrogen position) which could help to identify natural and anthropogenic sources of N2O emissions and the invo...

The aim of the study was to compare variable rate (VRA) and uniform (UNI) application of mineral nitrogen fertilizers in winter wheat and to evaluate the effect on the achieved yields, nitrogen balance and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). For these purposes, a field experiment with an area of 16.98 ha of winter wheat was established in 2022 at farm Agra Risuty s.r.o. (Czech Republic, EU). Variable nitrogen topdressing was realized twice during the vegetation period based on yield potential (YP) maps. The evaluation ...

Climate change, marked by rising temperatures, poses significant health risks to indoor- bound individuals. This paper stresses the need for proactive public health measures, especially for vulnerable groups like the elderly and economically disadvantaged who lack access to air conditioning. As heatwaves worsen, traditional solutions, like energy- intensive air conditioning, are problematic due to increased energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and cost issues. Instead, this paper proposes an affordable solution: ...

In the western part of Romania, Helicoverpa armigera larvae cause significant damage to several types of agricultural and horticultural crops leading to considerable economic losses, so the purpose of this paper was the use of some ecofrendly agricultural practices, namely the use of entomopathogenic microorganisms. The field experiment was conducted at the Research farm of West Land Company SRL, Jimbolia, (Timis County). The trial was laid out during 2022 vegetation season, in randomized block design with seven t...

Today, more than in the past, water is considered a very valuable resource. Efforts to use it efficiently are growing. One method of using water efficiently is wastewater treatment. Well-treated water minimises negative impacts after discharge into a watercourse, i.e., within or adjacent to aquatic ecosystems, or can be reused, for example, in the form of drinking water. This study focuses on the possibility of treating food industry water using biochar as a sorption medium. Biochar from wood pulp (100%) was used ...

The paper presents a new approach to the design and development of textile woven structures with copper yarn content intended for heating systems. Copper is known for its high electrical conductivity, meaning it can easily transfer electrical energy through its surface. This makes copper yarns ideal for heating applications, as they can quickly and efficiently transfer heat to the surrounding environment. In addition to their electrical properties, copper yarns also have good thermal conductivity, which means that...

The influence of the ultrasound on corrosion resistance of chromium-dioxide silicon nano-composition electrolytic coatings (nano-CEC) in solutions of the different concentrations of nano-particles of silicon dioxide at temperatures 293, 303, 313 K has been investigated. The research showed that the electroplating of chromium-dioxide silicon nano-CEC on steel St.3 enlarges its corrosion resistance tenfold. The least corrosion resistance has nano-CEC, which got under constant ultrasound influence, and the most - whi...

The highly diversified structure of the vegetal carpet in permanent grasslands, made up of numerous plant species from various botanical families, also influences a strong differentiation in the consumption of nutrients by these plant species. Thus, species with high fodder value, are high consumers of nitrogen, and meadow leguminous species require higher consumption of phosphorus, calcium, and potassium. The area of permanent grasslands studied is located in the Banat Plain Romania, more precisely at the contact...

Recent years have seen an increase in microbial resistance, which has led to great challenges for the medical community in terms of treating diseases and the food industry in terms of contamination and the loss of shelf life. This research aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Elettaria cardamomum against the following reference strains: Streptococcus pyogenes (ATCC 19615), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Shigella flexneri (ATCC 12022), Pseudomonas aerugi...

Nowadays, there is increased interest in valuing energies that are often unused. This phenomenon is called energy harvesting. Thermoelectric generators are often used to -harvest- thermal energy and to transform it into electrical energy. In the preliminary study presented in this paper have the purpose to use thermoelectric elements to capitalize thermal energy release outdoor by the air conditioning equipment. The results of experimental research showed a mean temperature difference (?t) of 50-C between the hot ...

The issue of energy self-sufficiency is currently crucial. The concept of energy selfsufficiency is closely related to the concept of energy security; yet, there are many definitions for the term energy security. The essence of all of them is for a country to secure enough energy resources to cover its needs. If a country can secure these resources on its own without depending on imports from other countries, one refers to energy self-sufficiency. Energy self-sufficiency can be achieved in a number of ways such as...

Organic farming has a future, but a significant obstacle to its application is the need for more organic fertilisers and the imbalance of macronutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. We set the following working hypothesis: whether the simultaneous application of natural zeolites and diatomaceous earth, in combination with a compost mixture, optimises the nutrient elements in two types of soils, taking into account their agrochemical and physicochemical parameters. The research includes experiments with Ve...

Chamomile flower, a well-known medicinal plant, possesses significant antioxidant properties attributed to its diverse array of bioactive compounds, including antioxidant proteins. These proteins are vital in combating oxidative stress and neutralizing harmful free radicals. To fully harness the antioxidant potential of chamomile, it is imperative to optimize the extraction methods. This study evaluates the effectiveness of nonconventional mechanical extraction methods using ultrasound to extract antioxidant compo...

The objective of the circular economy is to definitively change the way in which we produce and consume, it consists of doing more with less, and it brings us back to simplicity, trying to break the dependence: production-consumption of raw materials, making the most of each material and extending its useful life. Through eco-design, it seeks to generate circular products that allow the easy separation of all materials, providing new ways of their management and processing to avoid elimination at the end of their ...

This study quantifies the elemental composition of soil, vegetation, and the level of trace elements in coals to identify the impacts associated with coal mining practices in the Longyearbyen and Barentsburg settlements, the Svalbard archipelago. The analysis is based on a data set that includes 26 chemical elements measured in 74 soil, 29 vegetation, and 4 coal samples provided by a catena-based survey strategy. The concentrations of lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), and vanadium (V) ...

The use of secondary waste from municipal solid waste incineration plant in concrete has been studied for its potential to reduce the carbon footprint and abiotic depletion associated with traditional concrete production. Fly ash is a hazardous waste and it can be used as a substitute for cement in the production of concrete. Bottom ash can be used as a substitute for light natural aggregate, which was previously soaked in water for internal treatment of concrete. The composition of concrete includes: CEM I 42.5R,...

This paper analyses the environmental impact produced by fish and meat canneries. The TULCO SA factory in Tulcea County is presented as a case study. Located on the Danube banks, it has a guaranteed and permanent source of fish and meat; fish from the Danube and fish farmers and pork and beef meat from a nearby breeding complex. Some specific analyzes of the impact on wastewater, air, and soils are illustrated. Impact on wastewater is detailed for the production of canned fish and pork and cattle meat, at differen...

Environmental problem-solving as a factor of sustainable and balanced development is an integral part of every country in the world, based on the interaction of man, nature, society, and the overcoming of crisis factors in an imbalanced world. That is why today it is necessary to move from the economics of aggressive expansion to the economics of sustainable development in order to promote the formation of a stable identity and social sustainability, which requires a fundamentally new development paradigm. The new...

The Mushroom Training and Resource Centre (MTRC) is an organization aimed at helping to improve the standard of living for current and future generations of rural residents in Uganda through mushroom cultivation and sales. This community organization was established in 2007 with the primary objective of teaching people from marginalized rural areas how to cultivate the oyster mushroom in a simple and sustainable manner. The fungi are grown on agricultural plant waste, which is transformed into valuable food. The p...

The issue of environmentally conditioned conflicts is extremely topical in the current geopolitical situation. The current, in many cases, uneven and unregulated economic and population growth, together with the ever-increasing global consumption, causes many countries to face a growing shortage of vital renewable resources, such as drinking water, arable land, pastures, forests, fish resources, etc. Depletion and excessive use of natural resources, combined with environmental degradation and climate change, is on...

The article presents the creation of an experimental model of a hybrid vehicle intended to work both in conventional environments, in which the use of a diesel engine is permitted, and in environments with pollution restrictions (noxious emissions), in which an electric motor powered by batteries is used. At the level of the experimental model, the chassis of the drive train was made and tested, and the results were compared with those obtained by simulation with AMESim. The equipment in the NRMM (non-road mobile ...

The agricultural area of the town of Sanicolau Mare is 18,836 ha, where the following types of soil were identified: aluviosols, 2,335.66 ha; chernozems, 7,553.24 ha; vertosols, 4,407.62 ha; gleysols, 94.18 ha; solonetz, 659.26 ha; and soil associations, such as aluviosols, chernozems, vertosols and solonetz, 3,786.04 ha. The town is in the low plain of the Aranca Canal. The plain is generally plane, but slightly fragmented as a result of water erosion during flooding by the River Mure? (no longer possible nowaday...

The circular economy implementation demands following sustainability principles. Any degraded area, including brownfields and dumps, needs planning and assessment for primary reuse in future, whether it is green space, residential area or newly developed industrial center. Brownfields usually are associated with environmental pollution, surrounding contamination, and lost-to-economy abandoned resources. Responsible environmental and social governance principles include evaluation criteria of reclamation options. E...

A mathematical model was developed, which is based on a multivariate regression dependence and establishes the relationship between the critical pitting temperature (CPT) of the 06KhN28MDT alloy (similar to AISI 904L steel) and its chemical composition and structural components in model circulating waters with pH 4...8 and chloride concentration from 350 up to 600 mg/liter, which correspond to industrial circulating water during the operation of heat exchangers. Based on the results of the analysis of the develope...

The current orientation towards a healthy, calorie-free, high nutritional diet requires the identification and study of new ingredients with high nutritional properties, which introduced into the bread consumed daily, contribute to a suitable diet both for people with special diet needs and for healthy people. In this regard, the use of vegetal matrices such as konjac flour and psyllium bran in the bakery products represents a new idea that could be implemented in the food industry in order to diversify the range ...

In this study, we conducted the plant population investigations in the Goettingen forest, located in Low Saxony, Germany, from 2022 to 2023. Our research focused on six distinct populations of Stellaria holostea L. across six plots within the forest. These plots encompassed varying tree species and forest management conditions, including a young beech managed forest (Plot #1), a virgin beech forest (Plot #2), and four managed old beech forest plots (Plots #3-6) subjected to different anthropogenic influences. To a...

The technology for producing gluten-free products based on grains flour continues to improve, which appreciably increases the nutritional importance of these products and expands the assortment of inexpensive gluten-free food products of domestic production. The aim of the addressed topic was to characterize the mineral composition and total antioxidant capacity of millet, flax and buckwheat flours and to identify some potential characteristics to help create healthier products with specific fingerprints. The case...

Increasing resistance of microorganisms to conventional drugs has required scientists to discover new sources of biocides with a broad spectrum of action. Since ancient times, plants and plant derivatives such as essential oils have been used in traditional medicine. In the present study, the ethanolic extracts of the aerial parts (leaves and stem) of Thymus pulegioides were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against some pathogenic bacteria, Gram+ bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes...

Different oleogels were obtained from olive oil (OL), grape seed oil (GO), sunflower oil (SO), walnut oil (WO) and hemp oil (HO) using carnauba wax as a gelling at different concentrations of 5%, 7%, and 9% (w/w). The physical characteristics of the oleogels obtained, such as oil binding capacity (OBC), peroxide index (IP) and color, were determined. From a structural point of view, the oleogels were further investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). It was found that a higher concentration o...

Surfactants play an important role in enhanced oil recovery by creating an oil-water emulsion that will be easier to recover from the reservoir. It is known that sulfatereducing bacteria (SRB) can use surfactants as a carbon source, which can increase the biological accumulation of sulfides and, accordingly, the corrosion of oil production equipment. Thus, all new surfactants used in oil production need to be pre-tested for SRB. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of four new groups of synthesized sur...

Waste from the food industry is of considerable value and is a valuable raw material, containing proteins, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids, etc. Large quantities of fruit kernels are currently wasted every year from processing plants all over the world, including Romania. This not only means the loss of a potentially valuable resource, but also creates serious problems regarding their storage and logistics in terms of environmental pollution. In order to value such by-products, the aim of this work was to study an...

The main aim of the paper was to obtain a chicken meat pate in which different proportions of goji berries were added in order to increase its functionality and protect it against lipid oxidation. The biofunctional properties of goji berries were initially evaluated by determining total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and total antioxidant activity using the DPPH method. The values obtained allowed estimation of the amount of goji fruit that could successfully replace the synthetic antioxid...

The paper-s purpose is to quantify the measurement consequences in the purge test of equipment protected with the -p- type of protection. In order to achieve this objective, the authors involved a simulation process for a pressurization enclosure. The simulation was conducted, in the first stage, without measurement to obtain a reference after that simulation was conducted for scenarios involving sampling separately for each measurement point. The first part of the paper presented the risks of explosion and pressu...