Browse

Modern educational technologies offer great opportunities for teachers of general education institutions to develop key competencies in students in the geography and ecology classes. Curriculum guidelines in geography pay great attention to improving the skills of unsupervised activities, including using the resources of geographic information systems. The outcomes of mastering the main educational program should reflect the knowledge of geoinformation technologies as a tool for collecting and processing research ...

The use of a total station for carrying out high-precision work on the alignment of the stands of a continuous casting machine is an urgent task that directly affects the quality of steel. Modern devices such as laser trackers are used to carry out such work, but their use is limited due to the high cost of equipment, the need for knowledge and experience with such equipment. The use of classical techniques and equipment is subject to a huge influence of the human factor, thereby reducing the quality of work. Simi...

A significant seismic sequence started on 13 Feb. 2023 at 14:58 GMT with a mainshock of 5.2 ML located at 17 km depth and at 14 km distance NW from Targu Jiu city. The first shock was followed by 16 aftershocks with magnitudes between 2.1 and 3.4 after which a second mainshock of magnitude 5.7 was triggered next day, 14 Feb., at 13:16 GMT. The largest acceleration at the second shock (105.25 cm/s2) was recorded at Gura Zlata station as well. The seismic events hypocenters are established by several methods. First ...

The continuous development of human society from a technical-economic point of view is closely related to the increase in energy consumption. However, this implies the rapid depletion of existing fossil fuels and an accelerated increase in global pollution. At the moment, to counteract these impediments, one of the most important sources that can be used for the purpose of energy production, without having a negative impact on the environment, is hydrogen. Due to the fact that, when mixed with air, hydrogen can ge...

This publication evaluates the yield of waste biomass from wheat and sunflower for the period 2008-2019. The method of regional factor analysis (RFSA) is applied, through which it is tracked in which direction and to what extent the raw material potential of straw is changing and sunflower stalks necessary for the development of the regional bioeconomy in the six planning regions of the country. It is emphasized that the use of waste biomass from plant substances does not lead to climate deterioration, which is a ...

In the case of road routes in natural and urban environments, a problem arises with a weak foundation at the boundaries of the easement of the facilities. The weak foundation is in the form of landslides, unstable varieties and ravines on which an embankment is built. In an urban environment, the weak base usually covers a much wider area than the easement of the roadways and streets to be strengthened. In order to avoid stabilization of the entire affected city infrastructure and to limit the strengthening activi...

We present a study on the responses of plants from three functional groups: grasses, forbs, and legumes, deriving from a coal mining waste heap, to changes in environmental stress factors. The aim of this work is to identify plant responses to environmental stress resulting from the transfer of plants from the waste heap to the waste substrate and an extensive green roof with a thickness of 15 cm. After one year of growth, selected functional traits were analysed: including height, specific leaf area (SLA), and ch...

Airborne particulate matter (APM), and in particular its fine fraction PM2.5, is well known as an important pollutant in the urban atmosphere worldwide. The health effects of APMs depend not only on their size but also on their chemical composition. Black carbon (BC), heavy metals and other constituents can impact human health and climate. The main sources of BC are the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biomass burning and other organic materials. Resuspension of soil and road materials, secondary aerosol for...

The subject this research is presentation of the seismic processing procedure focused on creating and validating interval velocity models typically used in PreStack Depth Migration (PreSDM). For the validation of interval velocity, simultaneous inversion has been applied. All geophysical and geological data were used as constraints. The survey area is located in the Carpathian overthrust in close proximity to well-known hydrocarbon deposits. In the research, the method of simultaneous inversion (SJI) of gravity an...

Georgia is a mountain country, located in the Caucasus region, where carbonate rocks are frequent and geographically well-distributed across the country. The aim of this paper is to introduce the main results of speleo-geomorphological and geophysical investigation conducted in the southern part of the Askhi Limestone Massif (namely Turchu Limestone Polje). Based on the complex studies, karst forms such as sinkholes and ponors were identified, the width of the Quaternary deposits located on the limestones was dete...

The largest aluminum factory in Eastern Europe is located near Slatina. Before Romania acceded to the EU in 2007, many environmental protection rules were omitted in this area. The paper analyzes the water table pollution along the Olt River for about 15 km. There are considered the tributary flows on the river, the concentration of discharged pollutants, and the pumping regime from the catchment front. It is built at about 500 m from the river, on the left bank, parallel to the river, and consists of 44 wells, of...

Albania is part of one of the most active seismic regions in Europe with dozens of devastating earthquakes throughout history. In this study, we will present an investigation of the earthquakes of the Elbasani region, in terms of the location accuracy and analysis of the features of the seismoactive layers. The distribution of focal depth shows the activation of a lithospheric zone, which extends in depth between 0 and 40 km. Accurate assessment of seismoactive layers of the Elbasani zone is of great interest in t...

The execution of the blasting works involves the management of the problem of storage of explosive materials. This aspect is easier to solve in the case of mines activities with long exploitation time and where storage capacities are arranged, according to the legislation that provides constructive and safety criteria depending on the type and quantity of explosive materials stored. In the case of isolated blasting works, those for road construction, building demolition, underwater or forestry, etc., storage facil...

This research aimed to determine the occurrence of different Staphylococcus spp., in three types of Romanian traditional cheeses made of raw milk, and to establish their antimicrobial resistance profile. Additionally, we have also screened the biofilm forming capacity of the S. aureus isolates. Thus, 25 samples (cow telemea n = 10, sheep telemea n = 5, and cow ca? n = 10) were collected from local small producers that sell in urban fresh markets in Timi? county. A total of 64% (16/25) of the examined samples were ...

A comparative assessment of the amount of protein and anti-nutritional substances in the green mass of amaranth during the growth and development of the crop was carried out. It has been established that the content of nutritional and anti-nutritional components depends on the phase of plant development. The largest amount of oxalic and phytic acids, mg%: 79 and 156, respectively, was contained at the beginning of flowering of amaranth, tannins 75 mg% - at the beginning of budding, nitrates 7.4 mg% - at the beginn...

The energy sector is particularly important in the Romanian economy, both in terms of its size and in terms of the impact of developments in this sector on other branches of the economy. Developments in the energy sector, particularly in the electricity sector, also have social implications. As a result, the energy regulation institutions have been heavily involved in this area, using all the instruments at its disposal, both from a competition and a state aid perspective: investigation of possible infringements o...

Fires in road tunnels pollute the ventilation air of the underground space and create unfavorable conditions for life. International recommendations for the design of emergency ventilation share the statement that the critical velocity (specifically its numerical value of 3.0 m/s) can be used to predict the spread of toxic substances in underground space and to exclude backflow for the majority of tunnels. Nowadays, it is advisable to supplement this point of view with the results of new studies, which notes that ...

For the most risky sections in the metro construction, the postulates of the mining methods using steel structures have to be used. With the classic settings of these methods, innovative technical solutions can be achieved, to which this report is dedicated. It is necessary to search for simplified, safe and durable tunnels and shafts when crossing existing subway lines. On this basis, the statements of the specific geomechanical tasks were formulated. In the case of shafts, the fundamental differences in the appl...

This paper presents an electro-acoustic instrument, used in geophysical (seismic) prospecting, for the reception of sound waves, namely the geophone. The geophone is a transducer which transforms the displacement of the soil particles into electrical signals. The article aims at presenting the functioning of a standard electromagnetic geophone and of the newer geophone models, built using the MEMS (micro-electro mechanical systems) technology. Below, a scheme for amplifying the original signal generated by a SM-24...

The article considers opportunities for using Environmental Performance Levels associated with Best Available Techniques (BAT-AEPL) as the supply chain criteria for the environmental and sustainability assessment of construction industry. Organisations in various countries have been using the Environmental and Sustainability Standard BES 6001 to foster greening of the construction sector for over 15 years. Key requirements of BES 6001 address major management systems of suppliers: quality management (QMS), environ...

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...

The implementation of the necessary studies to assess the potential for local socioeconomic development must be directly linked to the realization of the valorization of the landscape. On the one hand, by applying the valorization of the landscape, the potential opportunities for increasing the labor potential of the region can be discovered, and on the other hand, this process can lead to a decrease in the income of the local population, attracting a new economically active population. Stimulating the management ...

The study of the effect of blasting on bench stability is indispensable for the overall mine-s safety, in this perspective, we conducted a study in the limestone quarry, which is characterized by a highly fractured rock mass. While the quarry presents a steep topographic profile, the extraction is carried out on a single operating edge. The blasting operations in the quarry offer an unsatisfying fragmentation (high percentage of oversized boulders), important overbreak, and deformation to the bench-s face; these i...

The challenges of economic growth in today's economy are to create optimistic cooperation between industries and the state, local authorities and to maintain sustainability by balancing economic, environmental and social interests. The transition to a circular economy is in many cases understood only as an unnecessary barrier rather than as a new business model. Production based on a linear "take, make, dispose" model is no longer feasible on the grounds of environmental degradation. The aim of the study is to dev...

Floods are one of the most devastating hazardous events often causing destruction of infrastructure and loss of lives. In order to mitigate negative flood impact a reliable hydrological forecast is of great importance. Thus using trustworthy information on the meteorological elements that mostly contribute to the occurrence of floods - precipitation and temperatures, is essential. Although the accuracy of the global forecasting models like ECMWF, GFS etc. has improved a lot, still sometimes there are extreme meteo...

A healthy indoor environment is becoming an increasingly important issue. As the use of various materials in inhabited interiors increases, so does the concentration of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in these spaces. The actual trend of reducing energy consumption in buildings, such as by using perfectly sealing windows and doors, contributes to this increase. Consequently, people moving around in these interiors experience a rise in health problems due to the elevated concentrations of VOCs. This study...

In this study, magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) mortars reinforced with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and graphene were prepared and analyzed. The lower CO2 footprint of MOC in comparison with the production of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) predestines MOC-based materials to be an environmentally sustainable alternative to OPC. However, the wider spread of MOC is hindered by its low water resistance. The combined influence of MWCNT and graphene as 1D and 2D carbon nanomaterials on properties of MOC morta...

Dispersion areas are one of the essential elements determining the convenient coming and departure of buildings with a large number of users. However, in the legislation and normative base of the Czech Republic, they are a neglected element without clearly defined parameters. Although the legislation defines the term "dispersion area", it does not further specify it. Here again, the different environment of large and small cities in the Czech Republic is reflected. Individual large towns or cities, for example, Pr...

Poultry meat and eggs are considered as one of the most popular food items all over the world due to their content of high quality nutrients including protein, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. During the past decade, many countries have increased their commercial production of these essential products to meet the increased demand by consumers, especially with the increasing populations all over the world. However, there is an urgent need to ensure sustainable poultry production for the local consumer. Using native ...

In chemical processes, fire and explosion prevention is crucial, especially when flammable liquids or gases are present because they can create explosive atmospheres of gas or vapour in the air. These include oil-based products and organic solvents. It is essential to understand these compounds' characteristics as well as the size of an explosive atmosphere. Explosion hazards as well as the locations where explosive atmospheres are present can be identified and assessed. Safety data sheets also contains crucial in...

21 strains of E. coli isolated from wild partridge birds - P. Perdix from the western part of Romania were studied. Through laboratory examination, the phenotypic characters of the isolated E. coli strains were highlighted. 21/70 (30%) of E. coli strains isolated from Perdix perdix fixed Congo Red, all isolated strains fermented lactose 21/21 (100%). Hemolytic activity was highlighted in a single strain of E. coli 1/21 (0.21%). The final identification of E. coli strains isolated from wild birds was done using the...

Two-photon pulsed terahertz (THz) emission from a GaAs/AlAs double-barrier resonant tunneling diode biased into regime of self-oscillations of current has been detected. The two THz pulses are triggered at two critical points in period of current self-oscillations due to the periodic process of charge accumulation and drain in quantum well. The internal mechanism of relaxation self-oscillations, which controls the trapping and release time of electrons tunneling through the miniband, is responsible for the time de...

This article deals with the development of intellectual abilities of students in the process of using geoinformation technology. Digital technologies, in particular geographic information technologies, are increasingly introduced in the educational process of modern schools. They contribute to the learning of mapping skills, the formation of skills to compare, specify, abstract, summarize, establish cause-effect relationships, draw conclusions, develop critical thinking, contributing to the formation of key compet...

Nanomaterials are materials with new properties that interact through complex processes at the nanometric scale that include reactions in the quantum field and which still represent an unknown for many researchers. Improving the performance of cement mortar is generally achieved with the help of various additions. Nanoparticles have recently become a material very often used in the additive of various recipes of cementitious materials and not only, because at such a size their properties change surprisingly and th...

In the previous research by author conducted in 2016 [1], the indicators characterizing natural resources in Latvian rural municipalities were analysed, looking for connections with the overall territorial development and growth. The study concluded that there are significant differences in the development of municipalities, using the complex territorial development index (TDI) and analysing the available natural resources, such as forests, agricultural land areas, receiving EU funding, etc. The municipalities wit...

Several organizations warn of the increase in temperature and the associated extreme climatic conditions for life on Earth. The aim of this article is to point out the influence of climatic conditions on the development of walnut (Juglans regia L.) in the spring months (11.5. - 18.6.) in the years 2018 - 2019, which were above-normal to temperature-normal (compared to the climatic normal 1991 - 2020) and in the years 2021 - 2022, which were below normal temperatures. The impact of the amount of precipitation was a...

The stability analysis of underground excavations is a crucial part of the design of underground excavations. One of the most common collapse hazards derives from rock mass cracking which creates potential wedge blocks falling or sliding into the tunnel. Many researchers have addressed this subject and are trying to resolve this critical issue for the safety of underground tunnels. The most extensive research involves implementing finite or discrete element numerical algorithms to analyze wedges. However, this ana...

In order to reduce the brain drain (outflow of intellectual capital) from the regions and promote a more even population distribution, entrepreneurship development in the regions, and subsequently ensure sustainable development of regions, it is necessary to create and implement business development strategies in the regions and, first of all, to ensure that university graduates stay to live and work in the region. The aim of the research is to find the answer to the question of how to retain graduates in the regi...

Agricultural activity accounts for two-thirds of the total anthropogenic nitrogen oxide (N2O) emissions worldwide. Most of the N2O emissions from agricultural soils come from the use of inorganic fertilizers and/or manure. As agricultural activity intensifies worldwide, N2O emissions are currently increasing by 0.25% per year. In order to investigate the feedback of soil N2O emissions with changes in environmental conditions, an improved understanding based on the wider use of isotopic tracer methods is needed. Th...

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...

Bilberries selected from U.P. V. Higigel were investigated for their antioxidative potential using 2,2-dyphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging. In order to determine the total content of polyphenols, the method described by Tamas-Krumpe Octavia and collaborators in 2010 [1] was chosen, consisting in the use of Folin-Ciocalteu reagent 0.2 N and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and the use of gallic acid in different concentrations as a standard. The spectrophotometric determination method based on the formation of the...

Water erosion is one form of physical soil degradation. As a result of climate change, global warming and changes in the distribution of atmospheric precipitation are also taking place in Slovakia. In the southern, warmer regions, snowfall decreases during the winter at the expense of rain precipitation. During the winter period outside the main crop growing season, arable land is often without a vegetation cover to protect the soil structure from the action of the kinetic energy of falling rain. For this reason, ...

This paper focuses on the experimental testing of hydrated lime-, natural hydraulic lime-, and lime-cement-based mortars with improved salt accumulation capacity. Moreover, the effect of varying content of non-hydrophobised expanded perlite (EP) in the mortars on their durability was investigated. The substation of silica sand by expanded perlite was 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% by volume. A modified method based on the adsorption of free salt ions from solution was used to measure the chloride binding isotherms. The sa...

In recent years GNSS studies play an increasing role in studding of natural risk hazards and active tectonics. The area of Sofia is part of the broad South-Balkan Extensional Tectonic System. This highly populated area of economic significance, even showing to be not so active as other parts of the System is also affected by natural hazards, as active seismicity, landslides, rock falls, debris, etc. GNSS studies are extremely important for understanding of natural hazards and recent geodynamics of the area, especi...

Safety culture and the environment are closely linked. In companies, they are very often managed together within the HSE department. In most major industrial accidents that have had a catastrophic impact on the environment one of the causes has been a poor safety culture. The very definition of safety culture originated in the investigation of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986. Another example of an accident caused by a poor safety culture was the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster in 2010, which ...

In temperate climates, fruit crop yields are primarily determined by environmental conditions, especially during dormancy and in the early stages of their phenological development. Climate anomalies, with both warmer spring temperatures and greater temperature fluctuation, have altered phenology, leading to a greater risk of spring frost damage to orchards. The sweet cherry (Prunus avium), like other fruit species in the temperate climate, needs to accumulate a cultivar-specific quantity of chilly units during the...

Lithium ion batteries are widely used in portable electronic devices, electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. They can be harmful to the environment if disposed of improperly. Recycling lithium ion batteries is an important solution to reduce their impact on the environment. Currently, there are several methods of recycling lithium ion batteries, including chemical recycling and physical recycling. Chemical recycling involves dismantling batteries and separating the components through chemical reactions su...

In 2021, economic growth in Latvia recovered slowly after the Covid-19 crisis. At the beginning of 2022, energy and food prices increased significantly, intensifying inflationary pressure. The volume of foreign direct investments decreased, lending to companies decreased. A new approach to business promotion is needed. An industrial park is a territory set aside for economic activity, which has one manager who takes care of its infrastructure, performs construction or renovation or repair of premises according to ...

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...

Concrete is a building material composed of aggregate, cement and water. Aggregate forms a filler, cement, after mixing with water, creates crystals that connect the aggregate with a firm and flexible bond. Cement slurry gradually loses its plasticity and begins to solidify and harden, until it finally turns into cement stone. Quartz sand is most often used as aggregate. Concrete is a building material composed of aggregate, cement and water. Aggregate forms a filler, cement, when mixed with water, forms crystals ...