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The concentrations of constituent elements were determined in soil samples collected from different parts of the Maritza Basin, Edirne, Turkey. Neutron activation analysis, an extremely accurate technique, and the comparator method (using a standard) were applied for the first time in this region. After preparing the soil samples for neutron activation analysis, they were activated with thermal neutrons in a nuclear reactor, TRIGA-MARK II, at Istanbul Technical University. The activated samples were analyzed using a high-efficiency high-purity germanium detector, and gamma spectrometry was employed to determine the elemental concentration in the samples. Eight elements (chromium, manganese, cobalt, zinc, arsenic, molybdenum, cadmium, and barium) were qualitatively and quantitatively identified in 36 samples. The concentrations of some elements in the soil samples were high compared with values reported in the literature.

Magnéli phase titanium oxides (MPTOs), possess high electrical conductivity and chemical stability, are promising support materials for the development of novel electrocatalyst in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Despite MPTO's extremely low specific surface area (1 m2/g or less), high Pt loading (40 wt%) and excellent Pt particle-size distribution were obtained by the modified borohydride method. The reasons were discussed and compared with polyol method. Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) performance of those Pt/MPTO catalysts were found to be 169.7 and 366.2 mA/cm2 at 0.7 V for H2/air and H2/O2, respectively. The accelerated stress tests (ASTs) showed superior durability of the Pt/MPTO catalyst as a cathode electrode. After 10,000 cycles of high-voltage cycling test from 0.9 V and 1.3 V RHE, no significant performance degradation of the Pt/MPTO electrode was observed comparing with Pt/C. Thus, MPTOs can be considered as a good substitute of carbon supports in fuel cells.

A fluorescence-based electro-optical high-throughput method and setup for testing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and electrochemical stability of 60 materials in parallel is described. We present thus a quantitative method for activity measurements for ORR-catalysts by optical fluorescence data acquisition. The fluorescence behavior of fluorescein, phloxine B, and umbelliferone as indicators is presented. The effect of oxygen concentration, saturation, and supply on electrochemical response is presented. Corrections for internal resistance differences and intensity differences are described. The final method allowed position independent determination of activities on the working-electrode library, containing up to 60 different electrocatalysts. A total of 378 selected mixed oxides have been studied. Cu/Ni/Mn and Co/Ni/Mn oxides proved electrochemically most active and comparable to a Pt-containing reference catalyst.

Supportless Pt catalysts have several advantages over conventional carbon-supported Pt catalysts in that they are not susceptible to carbon corrosion. However, the need for high Pt loadings in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) to achieve state-of-the-art fuel cell performance has limited their application in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Herein, we report a new approach to the design of a supportless Pt catalyst in terms of catalyst layer architecture, which is crucial for fuel cell performance as it affects water management and oxygen transport in the catalyst layers. Large Pt hollow spheres (PtHSs) 100 nm in size were designed and prepared using a carbon template method. Despite their large size, the unique structure of the PtHSs, which are composed of a thin-layered shell of Pt nanoparticles (ca. 7 nm thick), exhibited a high surface area comparable to that of commercial Pt black (PtB). The PtHS structure also exhibited twice the durability of PtB after 2000 potential cycles (0-1.3 V, 50 mV/s). A MEA fabricated with PtHSs showed significant improvement in fuel cell performance compared to PtB-based MEAs at high current densities (800 mA/cm

High hydrostatic pressure kinetics (D, z and k values) of aerobic bacteria (AB) and Listeria monocytogenes inactivation were determined in brain heart infusion broth (BHIB) and foods. The D and k values of L. monocytogenes ranged from 12.1 to 1.14 min and from 0.1907 to 2.0202 min−1, respectively in BHIB at a pressure range 200–700 MPa. D values were about 3.04 and 2.43 min for AB and L. monocytogenes, respectively, in milk at 600 MPa, 2.13 and 1.52 min, respectively, in peach juice, and 1.24 and 0.87 min, respectively, in orange juice. The k values for L. monocytogenes in orange juice (ranged from 0.8024 to 2.6471 min−1) were greater than BHIB (ranged from 0.1907 to 2.0202 min−1), peach juice (ranged from 0.3733 to 1.5151 min−1) and milk (ranged from 0.2096 to 0.0.9477 min−1) at same pressure. The z values of L. monocytogenes were 578, 480, 506 and 576 for L. monocytogenes in milk, BHIB, peach juice and orange juice, respectively. There were significant (p

Summary Listeria monocytogenes was subjected to ultra high hydrostatic pressure (UHHP) treatments from 200 to 700 MPa at 25 °C in broth, raw milk, peach juice and orange juice. Survivor curves showed that cell death increased as pressure increased. After 10 min pressure treatment at 400 MPa reductions of about 2.09 and 2.76 log CFU mL−1 in aerobic bacteria and L. monocytogenes, respectively, were produced in raw milk, this increased to 5.09 and 6.47 log CFU mL−1, respectively, at 600 MPa. Death of bacteria at UHHP treatment was greater in orange juice than peach juice, and in peach juice than milk. Listeria monocytogenes was more sensitive to increased pressure than increased pressurization time. Injury of L. monocytogenes occurred from 0 to 100%. Factors effecting the rate of microbial inactivation are: pressure, age of cell, composition of medium, and pressurization time. UHHP inactivation can be used to extend shelf life and increase food quality during storage, and may also contribute to inactivation of L. monocytogenes.

Inactivation of Escherichia coli by high hydrostatic pressure (UHHP) was determined in broth, milk and orange and peach juices inoculated with the bacteria. HHP ranged from 200 to 700 MPa at 25 C and different treatment times. No cell growth occurred in broth after 60, 25, 15, 10 and 7 min at 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 MPa, respectively. Reduction of aerobic bacteria in milk and peach juice were 3.08 and 6.07 log units after 15 min at 400 MPa, respectively, while all bacterial cells were inactivated in orange juice. Sterilisation of raw milk contaminated with E. coli occurred at 600 MPa for 30 min, while peach and orange juices needed 12 and 10 min, respectively. The injury of cells in broth at 300 MPa ranged from 8.8 to 100% depending on magnitude of pressure and treated time. In general, inactivation of aerobic bacteria and E. coli was enhanced significantly (P

Shot peening was used for improving the fatigue properties of Fe–2Cu–0·5C PM steel. The steel is generally used for production of high performance sintered parts such as small connecting rods for cooling system compressors. To distinguish the effects of each alloying element, Fe, Fe–2Cu, and Fe–0·5C were also investigated. Optimum shot peening intensities are: 25A for pure iron and Fe–2Cu, 30A for Fe–0·5C, and 35A for Fe–2Cu–0·5C. For these intensities, improvements of the fatigue strengths of the materials investigated are as follows: 31% for pure iron, 48% for Fe–0·5C, 46% for Fe–2Cu, and 38% for Fe–2Cu– 0·5C. From the experimental results it could be concluded that both of the alloying additions, carbon and copper, are contributing to the fatigue strength improvements by shot peening.