The purpose of this study is to investigate RF or Radio Frequency energy as a viable alternative to traditional heating methods for the purpose of curing resins used in resin infusion molding, a molding system for polymeric composites. Traditional heating/curing methods include technologies such as room temperature, oven, microwave, infrared, and ultraviolet. Although RF curing provides far more advantages than disadvantages, its implementation into a manufacturing process can be challenging. Specifically, three critical elements must be present in order for RF to function in a manner that is profitable to the manufacturer. Those elements are: (1) the proper generator (voltage and frequency), (2) the correct electrode configuration, and (3) the appropriate material sensitizer (amount and type). There is also the consideration of initial capital investment; which is by no means insignificant. However, if all 3 elements are present, the benefits can be immediate and numerous. Potential advantages include the following: improved part quality through penetrating and uniform heating; competitive, if not superior, material physical properties; and drastically reduced curing times. Other potential advantages include floor space savings, high energy efficiency, and increased operational flexibility. For the purpose of this thesis, experimentation will be conducted to first confirm and then, if successful, quantitatively capture the reduction in curing time. Physical properties will also be measured using tensile testing to determine whether or not RF curing can facilitate minimal loses in the material's physical properties.

Vid gjutning av bostadsbjälklag är formbyggnad och stämprivning ett viktigt moment. Inombyggbranschen råder vissa tveksamheter angående när och hur stämpen skall rivas. Instruktioner förhur det skall gå till finns att tillgå men de är ofta svårtolkade och i viss mån utdaterade. Det leder tillatt de i många fall inte följs. Hjälpmedel som mätinstrument och simuleringsprogram för detta finnsmen används sparsamt. För att undvika olyckor och säkerställa att betongens hållfasthet är tillräckligutan hjälpmedel används överdrivna tidsmarginaler och detta leder sannolikt till att stämp blirståendes längre än vad som krävs.Under arbetets gång studeras stämp och gjutningsprocessen i detalj för att kunna skapa en tydligbild över hur de ingående faktorerna vid valvgjutningar påverkar varandra. Syftet är att föreslå enlämplig tidpunkt för stämprivning vid valvkonstruktioner. Detta utförs för att kunna avgöra ifall detfinns någon större förbättringspotential, dels när det gäller att motverka slösaktighet av resurser ochförbättra arbetsmiljön men även för att se över instruktionerna för tillvägagångssättet vidformrivning.De metoder som används för att nå resultatet är:● Litteraturstudie av de dokument som beskriver tillvägagångssättet vid stämprivning.● Mätningar med instrument som beräknar hållfasthet vid gjutningar av bostadsbjälklag.● Simuleringar av hållfasthet i programmet Hett 11.● Intervjuer av sakkunniga inom branschen.Resultatet av studien visar på stora skillnader mellan hur länge stämpen står i praktiken och hurlänge de enligt teorin behöver stå. En anledning till detta är att uttorkningstiderna är styrande underproduktionen. Detta medför att högre betongkvaliteter och snabbare härdningstider än de somprojekterades används i byggandet, speciellt vid låga temperaturer. Slutsatsen är att det finnsförbättringspotential inom området. Säkerhetsstämpning kan utföras endast ett par dagar eftergjutning vid goda förhållanden. Fördelarna med detta är att antalet stämp kan minskas, vilket ledertill minskade hyror, samt att framkomligheten för kommande yrkesgrupper och arbetsmoment kanförbättras. / When casting a residential floor, formwork and shore removal is an important element. There aresome doubts in the industry about when and how to remove the shores. There are instructionsavailable but they are often outdated and difficult to interpret. As a result, they are often notfollowed. Appliances such as measuring equipment and simulation software are available but areused sparingly. To avoid accidents and to ensure that the strength of the concrete is sufficientwithout appliances, excessive time margins are used. This will most likely result in unnecessarily longshoring times.During the course of the work, the subject will be studied in detail to create a clear picture of howthe many different factors of the casted floor influence each other. The purpose is to propose asuitable time to remove the shores. This is done in order to determine if there is improvementpotential, partly to improve the working environment, but also to review the instructions of theapproach.The methods used to reach the result are:• Study of the documents describing the procedure of shoring and reshoring• Calculate the compressive strength of the concrete with the device “BI Distant”• Simulate the compressive strength of the concrete in the program Hett 11.• Interviews by experts in the industry.The results show that the shores could theoretically be removed earlier compared to when they areusually removed in practice. One reason for this is that drying times are governing during theproduction. This means that increased concrete qualities and faster curing times than those thatwere planned, were used in construction, particularly at low temperatures. The conclusion is thatthere is an improvement potential in this area. Reshoring can be done only a few days after castingunder good conditions. The advantages of this are that the number of shores can be reduced. Thisleads to reduced rents, and the accessibility for the subsequent professionals and operations can beimproved.

One hundred billion tons of mine solid waste are estimated to be produced worldwide each year. In Canada, the mining and oil industries produce the most solid and semi-solid waste in the country, with more than a billion tons each year. In the earlier days of mining, the initial practices that were used to contain these waste materials consisted of surface storage, river dumping or just simple abandonment, while the more recent practices include dam impoundment and underground waste fill. These methods however can potentially cause environmental hazards and geotechnical problems. Against this context and as a result of stricter environmental regulations, cemented paste backfilling has been developed as a solution. This relatively new technology uses the produced waste tailings to backfill the mine stopes, greatly reducing their environmental impact while offering proper structural support in an efficient manner. However, the cost of cemented paste backfill (CPB) is greatly impacted by the binder content which can constitute up to 75% of its total cost. Additionally, the binder is usually mostly composed of ordinary Portland cement, and its production is highly energy-intensive and generates a large volume of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Indeed, it is estimated that the cement industry accounts for approximately 7% of the global anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, which is expected to increase on an annual basis. All of these factors have compelled the mining industry to seek alternatives for cement to enhance CPB strength, in hopes of reducing its carbon footprint. Against this context, this study investigates the effect of the addition of nanoparticles, namely nano silica (SiO₂) and nano-calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), on the strength development of CPB cured at a constant room temperature and in non-isothermal conditions. Nanoparticles have been studied and used as chemical admixtures in different cementitious materials with promising results; non-isothermal curing conditions better reflect the in-situ thermal curing conditions of CPB. Thus, numerous different laboratory tests and analyses, including uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests, thermogravimetric/derivative thermogravimetric (TG/DTG) analyses and electrical conductivity monitoring, have been conducted on CPB samples with or without nanoparticles, and cured at room temperatures or under non-isothermal conditions. The non-isothermal conditions replicate the development of temperature in two different sizes of CPB structures in the field. The results show that CPB that contains nanoparticles show a higher UCS over the entire period of curing in all of the tested conditions. The mechanical performance is further enhanced when tested under higher temperatures in non-isothermal temperature profiles. Most of the strength increase takes place at the early ages (3 days) of the testing. The reason for the improvement in the mechanical strength is linked to accelerated binder hydration and the nucleating and filler effects of the nano-material, which is corroborated by results obtained through microstructural analyses and EC monitoring. The use of natural gold tailings affects the mechanical performance of CPB and the accelerating effect of the nanoparticles due to sulphate attacks. Overall, these promising findings can help to contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of mining activities, and improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of mine backfilling processes.

Microwave curing has become a trend in composite processing due to its efficiency in energy consumption compared to the traditional curing method. However, as commonly found in every composite processing, controlling the microwave curing process remains challenging. The most feasible control method is to build a numerical model. In this report, the numerical model was developed to simulate the microwave heating of cured and uncured glass/epoxy samples. The objective of cured sample simulation was to obtain the average electric field intensity generated in the composite, which was then used in the uncured sample simulation. Meanwhile, three methods of microwave heating to the uncured samples were suggested, i.e. heating with constant electric field intensity, heating with non-constant electric field intensity, and heating with concentrated electric field intensity. The simulation was further expanded by combining microwave heating with contact heating to improve the curing state on the corner section. The simulation showed a reasonable temperature evolution trend for all three microwave-heated methods of an uncured sample. However, they are all different from the experiment result. Meanwhile, a high temperature in the core layer was observed in all simulations with a gradual temperature decline toward the outer layer, as expected from a microwave heated object. Finally, a decent degree of cure was obtained by employing additional contact heating without involving microwaves. / Mikrovågsbaserad härdning har blivit en trend inom komposittillverkning på grund av dess energieffektivitet jämfört med den traditionella härdningsmetoden. Men precis som i all komposittillverkning är det fortfarande utmanande att kontrollera mikrovågshärdningsprocessen. Den mest genomförbara kontrollmetoden är att bygga en numerisk modell. I den här rapporten utvecklades en numerisk modell för att simulera mikrovågvärmning av härdat och ohärdat glas/epoxiprover. Målet med simuleringen av de härdade proven var att få fram den genomsnittliga intensiteten av det elektriska fältet som genereras i kompositen, vilket sedan användes i simuleringen av de ohärdade proven. Samtidigt föreslogs tre metoder för mikrovågshärdning av de ohärdade proven, nämligen uppvärmning med konstant intensitet av det elektriska fältet, uppvärmning med varierande intensitet av det elektriska fältet och uppvärmning med koncentrerad intensitet av det elektriska fältet. Simuleringen utökades sedan genom att kombinera mikrovågshärdning med kontaktuppvärmning för att förbättra härdningsgraden i hörnsektionen. Simuleringen visade en rimlig temperaturutveckling för alla tre metoder för mikrovågsuppvärmda ohärdade prov. Dock skiljer de sig alla från experimentresultatet. Samtidigt observerades en hög temperatur i kärnskiktet i alla simuleringar med gradvis temperatursänkning mot ytterlagret, vilket förväntas hos ett mikrovågsuppvärmt objekt. Slutligen uppnåddes en acceptabel härdningsgrad genom mot sluret addera kontaktuppvärmning utan mikrovågor.

Det elektriska isolationssystemet för stora roterande maskiner består av ett kompositmaterial av glimmertejp och ett värmehärdande harts. Hartset hjälper till att mekaniskt stabilisera lindningsstrukturen i statorn samt ersätter luftinneslutningar i isolationssystemet för att undertrycka bildandet av elektriska urladdningar. Vakuumtryckimpregneringsprocessen (VPI) är den föredragna tekniken för att impregnera glimmerisolationen med det värmehärdande hartset. Hartset som används i VPI-processen är sammansatt av flera nyckelkomponenter, inklusive den härdbara polymeren, härdare som deltar i tvärbindning, reaktiva utspädningsmedel för förbättrade processegenskaper och ytterligare tillsatser som katalysatorer och stabilisatorer. Olika hartskemier har använts under åren för VPI-processen. Det finns dock betydande farhågor när det gäller påverkan på miljö- och arbetshälsa för några av dessa komponenter. Den ökade medvetenheten om de skadliga effekterna av olika kemikalier har drivit på arbetet med att utveckla hartser med reducerade flyktiga organiska föreningar som kan vara skadliga för såväl miljön som de som hanterar hartset i stora mängder. Dessutom har stränga EU-regler klassificerat vissa härdare och reaktiva utspädningsmedel som ’substances of very high concern’, vilket har lett till ett stort behov av att hitta alternativ för dessa föreningar. Detta examensarbete består av en litteraturstudie som har genomförts med hänsyn till de önskade egenskaperna för VPI-hartser för att utvärdera potentiella kandidater som alternativ till härdare och reaktiva utspädningsmedel. Fyra olika impregneringshartser har tagits i beaktande som alternativ. Olika härdningskinetikparametrar har uppmätts med olika karakteriseringstekniker såsom infraröd spektroskopi av Fouriertransform i realtid, reologi och differentiell scanningkalorimetri. Eftersom de termiska, elektriska och mekaniska egenskaperna är nödvändiga för att säkerställa långvarig livslängd för industriellt nyttjade roterande maskiner, har olika egenskaper studerats genom att utföra dynamisk mekanisk analys, drag- och böjningstestning samt dielektrisk spektroskopi, genom att härda hartserna under lämpliga tids- och temperaturförhållanden. Alla de fyra hartserna visade varierande härdningskinetikparametrar och egenskaper som har korrelerats till hartskemin samt att hartsernas egenskaper har utvärderats i jämförelse med varandra. / The electrical insulation system for large rotating machines consists of a composite material of mica tape and a thermosetting resin. The resin helps in mechanically stabilizing the winding structure in the stator as well as replaces air inclusions in the insulation system to suppress the formation of discharges. Vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) is the preferred technique to impregnate this mica tape with the thermosetting resin. The resin used in VPI process is composed of several key components, including the thermoset polymer, a hardener that participates in crosslinking, reactive diluents for improved processability and and additional additives like catalysts and stabilizers. Different chemistries have been used over the years for the VPI process. However, there are significant concerns regarding the environmental and occupational health and safety of some of these components.  The increasing awareness of the harmful effects of various chemicals has driven efforts to develop resins with reduced volatile organic compounds which can be detrimental to both the environment as well as those who are handling the resin in large quantities. Furthermore, stringent EU regulations have classified some hardeners and reactive diluents as substances of very high concern which has resulted in pressing need to find alternatives for these compounds.  This thesis, thus, consists of a literature study which has been performed taking the desired properties for VPI resins into consideration to evaluate potential candidates as alternatives for hardeners, and reactive diluents. Four different chemistries of impregnation have been taken into consideration as alternatives. Different curing kinetics parameters have been measured by different characterization techniques such as real time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, rheology, and differential scanning calorimetry. As the thermal, electric, and mechanical factors are necessary to ensure long term lifespan of industrial machines, different properties have been studied by performing dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile and flexural testing as well as dielectric spectroscopy by curing the resins under appropriate time and temperature conditions. All the four resins showed varied curing kinetics parameters and properties which have been correlated to the chemistry involved in the resin as well as evaluated in comparison to each other.

Det elektriska isolationssystemet för stora roterande maskiner består av ett kompositmaterial av glimmertejp och ett värmehärdande harts. Hartset hjälper till att mekaniskt stabilisera lindningsstrukturen i statorn samt ersätter luftinneslutningar i isolationssystemet för att undertrycka bildandet av elektriska urladdningar. Vakuumtryckimpregneringsprocessen (VPI) är den föredragna tekniken för att impregnera glimmerisolationen med det värmehärdande hartset. Hartset som används i VPI-processen är sammansatt av flera nyckelkomponenter, inklusive den härdbara polymeren, härdare som deltar i tvärbindning, reaktiva utspädningsmedel för förbättrade processegenskaper och ytterligare tillsatser som katalysatorer och stabilisatorer. Olika hartskemier har använts under åren för VPI-processen. Det finns dock betydande farhågor när det gäller påverkan på miljö- och arbetshälsa för några av dessa komponenter. Den ökade medvetenheten om de skadliga effekterna av olika kemikalier har drivit på arbetet med att utveckla hartser med reducerade flyktiga organiska föreningar som kan vara skadliga för såväl miljön som de som hanterar hartset i stora mängder. Dessutom har stränga EU-regler klassificerat vissa härdare och reaktiva utspädningsmedel som ’substances of very high concern’, vilket har lett till ett stort behov av att hitta alternativ för dessa föreningar. Detta examensarbete består av en litteraturstudie som har genomförts med hänsyn till de önskade egenskaperna för VPI-hartser för att utvärdera potentiella kandidater som alternativ till härdare och reaktiva utspädningsmedel. Fyra olika impregneringshartser har tagits i beaktande som alternativ. Olika härdningskinetikparametrar har uppmätts med olika karakteriseringstekniker såsom infraröd spektroskopi av Fouriertransform i realtid, reologi och differentiell scanningkalorimetri. Eftersom de termiska, elektriska och mekaniska egenskaperna är nödvändiga för att säkerställa långvarig livslängd för industriellt nyttjade roterande maskiner, har olika egenskaper studerats genom att utföra dynamisk mekanisk analys, drag- och böjningstestning samt dielektrisk spektroskopi, genom att härda hartserna under lämpliga tids- och temperaturförhållanden. Alla de fyra hartserna visade varierande härdningskinetikparametrar och egenskaper som har korrelerats till hartskemin samt att hartsernas egenskaper har utvärderats i jämförelse med varandra. / The electrical insulation system for large rotating machines consists of a composite material of mica tape and a thermosetting resin. The resin helps in mechanically stabilizing the winding structure in the stator as well as replaces air inclusions in the insulation system to suppress the formation of discharges. Vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) is the preferred technique to impregnate this mica tape with the thermosetting resin. The resin used in VPI process is composed of several key components, including the thermoset polymer, a hardener that participates in crosslinking, reactive diluents for improved processability and and additional additives like catalysts and stabilizers. Different chemistries have been used over the years for the VPI process. However, there are significant concerns regarding the environmental and occupational health and safety of some of these components.  The increasing awareness of the harmful effects of various chemicals has driven efforts to develop resins with reduced volatile organic compounds which can be detrimental to both the environment as well as those who are handling the resin in large quantities. Furthermore, stringent EU regulations have classified some hardeners and reactive diluents as substances of very high concern which has resulted in pressing need to find alternatives for these compounds.  This thesis, thus, consists of a literature study which has been performed taking the desired properties for VPI resins into consideration to evaluate potential candidates as alternatives for hardeners, and reactive diluents. Four different chemistries of impregnation have been taken into consideration as alternatives. Different curing kinetics parameters have been measured by different characterization techniques such as real time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, rheology, and differential scanning calorimetry. As the thermal, electric, and mechanical factors are necessary to ensure long term lifespan of industrial machines, different properties have been studied by performing dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile and flexural testing as well as dielectric spectroscopy by curing the resins under appropriate time and temperature conditions. All the four resins showed varied curing kinetics parameters and properties which have been correlated to the chemistry involved in the resin as well as evaluated in comparison to each other.

Les véhicules de demain, (2020), devront diminuer leurs émissions globales de CO2 de 30% selon les directives européennes. Une solution qui apparait aujourd’hui comme inévitable est la substitution des métaux présents dans les châssis de véhicules par des matériaux composites plus légers et tout aussi performants. Pour généraliser cette approche à tout le secteur automobile, un temps court de fabrication des pièces est exigé pour satisfaire les cadences de production allant jusqu’à 1000 véhicules par jour. La production automatisée et robotisée de ces matériaux, basée sur la technologie de photo-polymérisation au moyen de rayonnements UV, répond à ces exigences. Le procédé de fabrication élaboré se décompose en deux phases : une phase de fabrication automatisée de pré-imprégnés (prépregs), produits semi-finis, et une phase de mise en forme et d’obtention du produit final (composite UV). La première étape consiste en l’imprégnation d’un renfort fibreux sec par une résine liquide photo-polymérisable, puis l’irradiation de celle-ci par des rayonnements UV, de manière à ce que la résine ne soit pas totalement polymérisée. On obtient alors un prépreg collant. La seconde étape de fabrication impose que les pré-imprégnés soient conditionnés parfaitement sous forme de bobines pour qu’ils soient intégrés dans un dispositif robotisé de dépose. D’où la nécessité de concevoir et de réaliser une machine automatisée de production des pré-imprégnés (objet de cette thèse). Cette machine a nécessité une automatisation se caractérisant par l'utilisation d'outils d'instrumentation et de pilotage modernes (servomoteurs Brushless, IHM, capteurs, …). Les essais réalisés sur cette machine ont permis de réaliser des premiers prépregs, dont les résultats ont conduit à des pistes de réflexion pour approfondir l'automatisation de la machine en vue d'améliorer le procédé de fabrication de ces prépregs. / The overall CO2 emission of the future vehicles, (2020), must be reduced by 30%, according to European directives. A solution that seems inevitable nowadays is the substitution of metals present in the vehicle chassis by lighter and equally efficient composite-materials. To generalize this approach throughout the automotive sector, a short manufacturing time of these materials is required to meet the high required production rates, of up to 1000 vehicles per day. The automated and robotic production of these materials, depending on the photo polymerization technology by UV radiation, meets these requirements. The developed automated manufacturing process consists of two phases: the phase of automated manufacturing of semi-finished composite (prepreg), and the phase of shaping and obtaining the final composite (UV composite). The first phase depends on the impregnation of fibrous reinforcement with a photo-polymerizable and liquid resin, then, on the partial irradiation of impregnated reinforcement with UV rays, in such a way that the resin is not completely cured. Thereby, a tacky prepreg is obtained. The second phase of automated manufacturing process requires that the prepregs must be perfectly reeled up in a form of coils, so that they can be incorporated in a robotic lay-up placement head. Hence, the need to design and produce a machine of automated prepreg production (subject of this thesis) is absolutely necessary. This machine requires automation, characterized by the use of modern instrumentations and control tools (Brushless Servo, Human–computer interface HCI, sensors...). The tests performed by this machine have enabled the production of the first prepregs, of which the results led to further approaches to develop the automation of this machine in order to improve the prepregs manufacturing process.

Le point clé des polymérisations radicalaires et/ou cationiques réside dans la génération des radicaux et/ou des cations qui amorcent la réaction. Ces derniers sont formés par transformation, via absorption de lumière, d’un composé photosensible. Puisque la majorité des réactions de polymérisation se produisent en système ouvert, on conçoit l’importance de trouver des solutions aux inconvénients liés à la présence de l’air lors de la réticulation. Durant ce travail, de nouvelles séries de molécules de type silanes, germanes, complexes boranes ... ont été examinées. On va s’intéresser aussi aux systèmes d’amorçage de type I et II. Nous nous intéresserons aussi à la polymérisation induite par la lumière visible ou solaire. Notre objectif consiste à développer des systèmes dont la sensibilité spectrale s’étend vers de grandes longueurs d’onde. Les molécules étudiées au cours de ce travail semblent être très favorables en tant que photoamorceurs ou co-amorceurs pour la polymérisation radicalaire ainsi que pour la polymérisation cationique. La plupart de ces structures se sont montrées plus efficaces que les références utilisées. Le travail de cette thèse s’articule autour de deux grandes parties : La première partie relative à la polymérisation radicalaire contient également une étude bibliographique et se divise en trois chapitres. La deuxième partie relative à la polymérisation cationique se divise en sept chapitres. Une annexe sera donnée à la fin de ce manuscrit et regroupe les différentes techniques expérimentales. / The key point of radical and/or cationic polymerization is the generation of radicals and/or cations that initiate the reaction. These are formed by transformation via light absorption of a photosensitive compound. Since the majority of polymerization reactions occur in an open system, we can understand the importance of finding solutions to the disadvantages associated with the presence of air during the crosslinking. During this work, new series of molecules of silanes, germanes, boranes ... were examined. Were also interested by the polymerization induced by visible light. Our objective is to develop systems whose spectral sensitivity extends to longer wavelengths. This work consists in two main parts: The first part on the radical polymerization also contains a literature review and is divided into three chapters. The second part on the cationic polymerization is divided into seven chapters. An appendix will be given at the end of this manuscript and includes the various experimental techniques.

共著者あり。共著者名: 亘理文夫，今井徹，山方秀一，小林雅博. 日本歯科理工学会, 豊泉裕，亘理文夫，今井徹，山方秀一，小林雅博 = TOYOIZUMI, Hiroshi ; WATARI, Fumio ; IMAI, Tohru ; YAMAGATA, Shuichi ; KOBAYASHI, Masahiro, 光重合法による曲げおよびねじり剛性を有する審美性矯正ワイヤーの試作 = Fabrication of Aesthetic Wires with Flexural and Torsional Stiffness by Photo Curing Method, 歯科材料・器械 = The Journal of the Japanese Society for Dental Materials and Devices, 18(6), 1999 NOV, pp.429-440 / Hokkaido University (北海道大学) / 博士 / 歯学

Today, thermophilic Campylobacter spp. (besides Salmonella) represent one of the most common sources of human bacterial gastrointestinal infection. The main source of human C. jejuni infections is the consumption of insufficient heated chicken meat. Quantitative data on the occurrence of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. on poultry carcasses and poultry meat are needed to perform quantitative risk assessments and to verify the effect of different intervention strategies. The aims of the investigations presented here were (i) to generate accurate qualitative and quantitative data on the occurrence of Campylobacter spp. on within the primary production stage in at the abattoir and food, (ii) to study the behaviour of nine genotypically different C. jejuni strains in chicken meat juice supplemented with different concentrations of sodium chloride, curing salt and sodium nitrite, (iii) to detect the Campylobacter genotype distribution in poultry flocks by applying AFLP analysis and to describe a potential carry-over of Campylobacter strains among sequential and adjacent poultry flocks. For the above mentioned purposes, a number of samples (171 neck skin samples, 1047 samples of different turkey meat products and 112 turkey minced meat samples from an abattoir) were investigated in accordance with themethod of ISO / TS 10272-2: 2006 and ISO10272-1: 2006 to the quantitative and qualitative presence of Campylobacter spp.. The Campylobacter-strains were inoculated in chicken juice at initial concentrations of 102 and 104 CFU/ml and incubated for 24h at 42°C. Furthermore, 18 flocks of four poultry species were monitored to investigate the distribution and spread of Campylobacter genotypes between sequential and adjacent flocks. Caecal and liver samples were obtained at frequent intervals from birds of all flocks and these samples were examined for Campylobacter. The amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was performed to genotype Campylobacter isolates. The prevalence of Campylobacter on neck skin was 83.0 % and the mean number was 2.00 log10 cfu/g. For turkey meat samples with skin (wings and thighs) the detected prevalence was 68.2 % and mean number 1.73 log10 cfu/g, respectively. Turkey meat samples without skin (breast filet) showed a prevalence of 79.0 % and a mean number of 1.58 log10 cfu/g. No Campylobacters were detectable in the turkey minced meat samples. Large variations between the detectable numbers of Campylobacter spp. were observed (maximum number up to 3.98 log10 cfu/g for turkey meat with skin) and confirm the importance of an early detection (before or during slaughter and processing) of these heavily contaminated slaughter lots. Whereas the strains multiplied in the media supplemented without additional of NaCl or with 1% NaCl, the bacterial population was significantly reduced when 2% NaCl was added. Growth did not occur and the cell number gradually decreased in chicken meat juice containing 3% NaCl. Significant differences in the survival potential among the different strains were only visible in the extreme condition of 3% NaCl supplementation. There was no different behaviour of the strains under the influence of NaCl compared with the behaviour in meat juice containing curing salt. The addition of sodium nitrite did not alter the survival. Of the 1643 caecal and liver samples investigated, 452 (27.5%) caecal samples and 11 (0.7%) liver samples contained Campylobacter. Of the caecal isolates 76.3% were identified as C. jejuni and 23.7% were identified as C. coli. Poultry flocks were largely colonized by more than one AFLP type and an intense exchange of Campylobacter genotypes between different poultry flocks occurred. The results show clearly that poultry and poultry meat are regarded as one of the main sources of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. infection in humans in the food chain. This is evident not only from the high rate of occurrence of these pathogens, but also from the often-high quantitative exposure samples. The risk of a foodborne infection is also enhanced by the comparatively very low minimum infectious dose for humans. At present, a complete elimination of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. from the food chain appears practically unreachable. This difficulty is reduced by the results of genetic strain diversity, because they suggest the existence of a variety of input sources. / hermophile Campylobacter (C.) spp. stellen heute neben den Salmonellen eine der häufigsten Ursachen für bakteriell bedingte Magen-Darm-Erkrankungen beim Menschen dar. Unzureichend erhitztes Geflügelfleisch und Geflügelfleischprodukte stellen eine der Hauptinfektionsquellen für humane C. jejuni-Infektionen dar. Quantitative Daten über die Belastung von Geflügelkarkassen und Geflügelfleisch mit thermophilen Campylobacter spp. werden benötigt, um einerseits quantitative Risikobewertungen durchführen zu können, andererseits aber auch den Erfolg verschiedener Interventionsmaßnahmen messen zu können. Zur Minderung der Zahl alimentär bedingter humaner Campylobacter-Infektionen spielt neben der Senkung der Campylobacter-Belastung von Nutztieren und der Vermeidung von Kreuzkontaminationen auch die Reduktion des Vorkommens des Erregers in der Lebensmittelkette durch technologische Prozesse eine große Rolle. Campylobacter spp. sind während der Be- und Verarbeitung von Lebensmitteln verschiedensten Stressoren ausgesetzt. Ziele der hier vorgestellten Untersuchungen waren, (i) Exakte qualitative und quantitative Daten zum Vorkommen von Campylobacter spp. in der Primärproduktion, auf dem Schlachthof und in Lebensmitteln zu ermitteln. (ii) Die Tenazität ausgewählter, genetisch unterschiedlicher C. jejuni-Stämme gegenüber verschiedenen Natriumchlorid-, Pökelsalz- und Natriumnitrit-Konzentrationen im Geflügelfleischsaftmodell zu untersuchen. (iii) Die Verwandtschaftsgrade der isolierten Stämme mit Hilfe einer molekularbiologischen Fingerprintingmethode (AFLP-Typisierung) darzustellen sowie das Vorkommen von thermophilen Campylobacter in verschiedenen Geflügelarten in einem Betrieb zu ermitteln. Dazu wurden 171 Halshautproben, 783 Proben verschiedener Putenfleischerzeugnisse und 233 Putenhackfleischproben aus einem Schlacht- und Zerlegebetrieb in Anlehnung an die Methode ISO/TS 10272-2: 2006 und ISO10272-1:2006 auf das quantitative und qualitative Vorkommen von Campylobacter spp. untersucht. Der Keimzahlverlauf wurde in experimentell kontaminiertem Geflügelfleischsaft (Zusatz von C. jejuni: 102 und 104 KbE/ml) über einen Zeitraum von 24 h (Bebrütungstemperatur 37°C) untersucht. 19 verschiedene Wirtschaftsgeflügel-Herden wurden untersucht, um die Verteilung und Ausbreitung von Campylobater-Genotypen zwischen sequentiellen und angrenzenden Herden festzustellen. Blinddarm- und Leber-Proben wurden in kurzen Abständen von Vögeln aller Herden gewonnen und untersucht . Für die Genotypisierung von Campylobacter spp. wurde die AFLP-Methode eingesetzt. Im Ergebnis wurden auf 83,0 % der Halshautproben Campylobacter spp. nachgewiesen, wobei der Mittelwert der quantitativen Belastung von Putenhalshautproben bei 2,00 log10 KbE/g lag. Putenfleischproben mit Haut waren zu 54,8 % Campylobacter positiv. Hier betrug die quantitative Belastung 1,79 log10 KbE/g. Bei Putenfleisch ohne Haut lagen die Nachweisraten bei 52,2,% bzw. 2,03 log10 KbE/g. In keiner der Putenhackfleischproben war Campylobacter nachweisbar. Große Schwankungen in der quantitativen Belastung (Maximalwerte bis 4,0 log10 KbE/g bei Putenfleisch mit Haut) bestätigen die Notwendigkeit, vor allem die stark belasteten Schlachtpartien schon vor bzw. während der Schlachtung und Verarbeitung identifizieren zu können. In Geflügelfleischsaft ohne bzw. mit Zusatz von 1% NaCl konnten sich alle Stämme vermehren, während das Wachstum bei 2% NaCl-Zusatz gehemmt wurde. Darüber hinaus konnte bei höherer NaCl-Konzentration (3%) eine Reduktion der Keimzahl nach 6 h Bebrütung bzw. ein Absterben von C.jejuni nach 24 h festgestellt werden. Dabei zeigten die Stämme im Geflügelfleischsaft mit 3% NaCl-Zusatz signifikante Unterschiede in ihrer Absterberate. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass unterschiedlich ausgeprägte Salztoleranzen innerhalb der untersuchten Stämme mit unterschiedlichem Genotyp existieren, diese jedoch nur unter Extremsituationen signifikant ausgeprägt waren. Durch die Zugabe von praxisüblichen Pökelsalzkonzentrationen anstelle von Kochsalz und von Natriumnitrit konnte das Verhalten von C. jejuni in keinem Versuchsansatz beeinflusst werden. 452 Caecalproben (27,5%) und 11 Leberproben (0,7%) von insgesamt 1643 Caecal- und Leberproben wurden positiv auf Campylobacter spp. getestet. Von den 1643 aus dem Caecum stammenden getesteten Isolaten wurden 76,3% der Isolate als C. jejuni und (23,7%) der Isolate als C. coli identifiziert. Die AFLP- Analyse zeigte einen signifikanten Unterschied in der Diversität der AFLP-Typen aus den individuellen Herden und Proben aus unterschiedlichen Herden. Dies deutet auf eine große Zahl von Infektionsquellen hin. Die Ergebnisse belegen insgesamt sehr deutlich, dass Geflügel- Geflügelfleisch eine bedeutsame Quelle des Eintrags von Campylobacter-Keimen in die Nahrungskette ist. Das geht nicht nur aus der hohen Rate des Vorkommens dieser Erreger hervor, sondern auch aus der oftmals hohen quantitativen Belastung der Proben. Das Risiko einer Lebensmittelinfektion wird zudem durch die vergleichsweise sehr geringe minimale Infektionsdosis für den Menschen erhöht. Eine vollständige Elimination von thermophilen Campylobacter spp. aus der Lebensmittelkette erscheint derzeit praktisch nicht erreichbar. Diese Schwierigkeit wird durch die Ergebnisse zur genetischen Stammdiversität untersetzt, denn sie legen die Existenz einer Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Eintragsquellen nahe.