The work presented in this thesis consists of two distinct parts. The first years of my work focused on the development and improvement of a new equipment built to study magnetic and electrical properties, particularly applying microwaves in reflection and transmission conditions. The sample space in conventional cryostats with superconducting magnets is usually smaller than 10-mm-diameter. Our equipment consists of a hollow cylindrical cryostat having a 33-mm-diameter hole all along its vertical axis. These characteristics enable the measurement of large samples and the use of big resonant cavities to get to a wider microwave (MW) range, particularly in transmission measurements. The cryostat has a superconducting magnet made of a solenoid that applies a magnetic field from -5 T to 5 T, and a temperature controller that works in the range 1.8 - 300 K. The system is cooled down with nitrogen and helium and the temperature can be controlled with the precision required by each experiment using a heater and a needle valve. Different probes for a wide range of experiments in our cryostat have been developed in order to be as versatile as possible. Following this idea each one has been divided in two halves that can be combined as it is preferred in each experiment. Each probe is made of a 8-to-10-mm-diameter stainless steel tube that is used to protect and give some stiffness to the measuring device. A coaxial cable and different waveguides are added to these stainless steel jackets, so we end up having nine halves, four upper parts that can be combined with five lower parts. There are three waveguides working in the frequency ranges 33-50 GHz (WR22), 50-75 GHz (WR15) and 75-110 GHz (WR10), and a coaxial cable that maintains the fundamental mode at a frequency of 60 GHz. In the extra lower part a 16-pin Fischer connector is added at the bottom in order to be able to perform more resistance experiments. Once the probes have been built, they have been tested to make sure the system is able to reach high vacuum and to be cooled down. Problems found along the way have been solved and at the end all the probes work properly. Different sample holders have been designed and built according to the needs in each experiment. The system has been tested by reproducing experimental results with Mn12-acetate, as quantum tunneling and magnetic avalanches, and by obtaining new results on microwave transmission in thin TiN films. The second part of the thesis focuses on the measurements of thin TiN films in a dilution refrigerator working with a mixture of 3He and 4He that enables experiments at a few tens of millikelvins. The cryostat also contains a superconductor magnet which can apply a magnetic field up to 5 T. Low-temperature transport properties of nanoperforated superconducting TiN films have been experimentally studied. Resistance measurements have been performed in the critical region of the superconductor-insulator transition (SIT), applying the magnetic field perpendicular to the plane of the structure or the dc current through the sample. SIT is a transition from a superconductor to an insulator state by localizing the Cooper pairs. The evolution of the SIT with temperature, magnetic field and dc current has been investigated in detail. Characteristic parameters have been determined for as-cast thin films using the theory of quantum corrections to conductivity. Disorder-driven and field-induced SITs have been measured. Commensurability effects have been observed down to the lowest experimental temperature, and are emphasized in the more disordered samples. The SIT has been observed for a dc current applied across the sample as changes in the curvature at zero bias current. Experiments prove that electronic transport in the nanoperforated samples is mediated by Andreev conversion. Finally, the existence of the superinsulator state has been experimentally proved. / El treball que es presenta en aquesta tesi consta de dues parts ben diferenciades. La primera pretén el desenvolupament d’un equip experimental concebut per a l’estudi de propietats magnètiques i elèctriques en materials diversos i, en especial, el treball amb radiació de microones en condicions de reflexió i transmissió. La segona s’ha centrat en les mesures de transport d’una capa fina superconductora de nitrur de titani (TiN) de 5 nm de gruix en un criòstat de dilució.

During the summer 2007 was a scrubber tested at Gruvön papper mill in Grums. The scrubber reduced NOx with 90 % in flue gas. NOx was transferred from the flue gas to a scrubber liquid as nitrate and nitrite. The scrubber liquid needs to be purified from nitrate and nitrite.   One possible solution is to clean the scrubber liquid in Gruvön biologic cleaning construction. Microorganisms in the biologic cleaning construction need to assimilate nitrogen. There are environments free from oxygen in the cleaning construction. Microorganisms can reduce nitrate in environments free from oxygen.      At the implementation was a labmodel built of the two first steps from Gruvön papper mill. Wastewater was collected from Gruvön papper mill. The wastewater was dosed with salts of nitrate and nitrite and pumped into the labmodel. The results showed that nitrate and nitrite can be reduced in content with help of the biological cleaning construction.

No description available.

The chemistry of a stream is the result of different transport routes of the precipitation and the processes it undergoes in the catchment area to the stream. The transport route can involve natural processes in the ground, called diffuse sources, or some more anthropogenic sources titled point sources. In the stream, this chemistry is affected by dilution and different sources and sinks of substances. From Hovgårdens waste facility, a point source situated in Tomtaåns water catchment (20 km NE of Uppsala), waste water is released in the nearby Hovgårdsbäcken stream, bringing various metals, salts and nutrient salts. This is then transported to Lissån stream and further on to Tomtaån stream. Before connecting to Lissån, Tomtaån flows through a rural landscape without known larger point sources. This project has two purposes, one is to investigate if substance concentrations in the water changes on its transport along Hovgårdsbäcken, Lissån and Tomtaån streams and why. The other is to determine whether the mass transport from Tomtaån stream is significant for the water chemistry compared to Lissån stream. This project is based on substance concentrations measured by Uppsala Vatten AB from 2009-2014 and the writers’ own measurements from spring of 2016. The substances concerned in this project are N-tot, P-tot, NH4+, PO43-, Fe, SO42-, NO3-. The samplings made by Uppsala Vatten AB does not include Tomtaån upstream the inflow from Lissån. To obtain the size of the mass transport of Tomtaån, modelled substance concentrations along with surface types from GIS have been used. A mass balance was then calculated. The reliability of these values are then discussed. The own measurements included discharge measurements and water sampling to carry out analysis of pH, alkalinity as well as anions Cl-, SO42- and NO3-. The results showed that for Fe, P-tot and PO43-, the values were peaking after the inflow of Lissån to Tomtaån, meaning that these ones come in higher values from Tomtaån than Hovgården. N-tot, NH4+ and SO42- decrease in concentration along the transport which indicates the opposite for Fe, P-tot and PO43-. The mass transport calculated with the modelled values indicates an absurd deficit, which brings the conclusion that these are not reliable. / Ett vattendrags kemi är ett resultat av nederbördens olika transportvägar och dess processer i avrinningsområdet. Transportvägen kan innefatta naturliga processer i mark, så kallade diffusa utsläpp, och mer antropogena källor som har en bestämd utsläppspunkt, vilka benämns som punktkällor. Väl i vattendraget påverkar utspädning, källor och sänkor ämnenas halter. Från Hovgårdens avfallsanläggning, en punktkälla som ligger i Tomtaåns avrinningsområde (2 mil nordost om Uppsala), rinner avfallsvatten ut i den närliggande Hovgårdsbäcken med en rad olika typer av metaller, salter och närsalter. Detta transporteras vidare till Lissån vars flöde går ihop med Tomtaån. Tomtaån rinner innan sammanflöde med Lissån genom ett jordbrukslandskap utan större kända punktkällor men där diffusa utsläppskällor kommer till uttryck. Projektet har två syften, det ena är att undersöka om ämneshalterna i vattnet på sin transport längsmed Hovgårdsbäcken, Lissån och Tomtaån förändras och varför. Det andra är att slå fast om masstransporten från Tomtaån är betydande för vattenkemin jämfört med Lissån. Till grund för projektet ligger ämneshalter tagna vid olika punkter av Uppsala Vatten AB år 2009-2014 respektive prover tagna av författarna våren 2016. Ämnen som ligger i fokus är; N-tot, P-tot, NH4+, PO43-, Fe, SO42-, NO3-. Uppsala Vattens provtagningar innefattar inte Tomtaån uppströms. För att få fram storleken på Tomtaåns masstransport, har istället schablonvärden och markanvändningsareor tagna ur GIS använts. Med dessa schablonvärden och de empiriskt uppmätta halterna från Uppsala Vatten har massbalansberäkningen sedan gjorts. Vi kommer föra en diskussion om denna metod var tillförlitlig eller ej. Av författarna mättes vattenföring och vattenprover togs, vilka analyserades för pH och alkalinitet såväl som anjonerna: Cl-, SO42- and NO3-. Resultatet visade att ämneshalterna för Fe, P-tot and PO43- var högst efter Lissåns inflöde med Tomtaån. Vilken betyder att vattenkemin påverkas mer av Tomtaån än Hovgården. Resterande ämnen minskar i halt längsmed transporten, Hovgården bidrar med högst ämneshalt och Tomtaån påverkar vattenkemin genom utspädning. Masstransporten beräknad med schablonvärden indikerar ett massivt orimligt underskott, bedömningen är att schablonhalter ej är tillförlitliga.

Lustgas är en växthusgas, ca 300 gånger mer potent än koldioxid och som har potential att bryta ned ozonlagret med sin livslängd på 120 år i atmosfären. Lustgasutsläppen beräknas ha ökat med mellan 20–30% sedan förindustriell tid vilket tros bero på en ökad användning av konstgödsel i jordbrukssektorn men en del av all lustgas som bildas kommer från avloppsreningsverk vilka står för ca 1,6% av lustgasavgången till atmosfären där Henriksdals reningsverk bidrar med lustgasproduktion. Under 2021 beräknade man en lustgasavgång från Henriksdals reningsverk på ca 37 ton, vilket kan jämföras med klimatavtrycket på 10 000 nyregistrerade bilar vid körningar på ca 1500 mil/år. Syftet med rapporten var att undersöka om det gick att beräkna mängden kväve i avgående lustgas och jämföra det med hur mycket av den beräknade lustgasen som avgår till luft av andelen renat ammonium, samt att undersöka olika strategier för minimering av lustgasproduktion. Det finns flera vägar till lustgasbildning i de biologiska reningsprocesserna i verket. Tre huvudspår finns dock till lustgasbildning varav autotrof nitrifikation var aktuell för detta examensarbete. Flera driftsstrategier finns att tillgå för att undersöka hur lustgasproduktion påverkas av olika faktorer. Under detta examensarbete undersöktes en av dessa, syrebörvärden, där ett fast syrevärde i den luftade bassängen antingen skulle minska eller öka lustgasproduktionen beroende på luftningsintensitet och ammoniumkoncentration i vattnet. Lustgasavgången beräknades bestå till 0,19% av kväve renat från ammoniumbelastningen. Resultatet visade att vid låga syrehalter i vattnet fanns en lägre andel lustgasbildning jämfört med högre luftningsintensitet. Nackdelen blev dock att andelen renad ammonium sjönk i blocket. Vid högre luftningsintensitet var lustgasavgången högre i ett av huvudscenariona. I det andra scenariot med hög luftning var andelen renat ammonium lägre än i första scenariot, men med låga lustgashalter. Slutsatsen blev att lustgas kan bildas under olika förutsättningar men att under just den här studien var lustgasproduktionen som högst när nitrifikationen var som mest effektiv. / Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas, almost 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and which has the potential to deplete the ozone layer with its lifetime of 120 years in the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide emissions are estimated to have increased between 20–30% since pre-industrial times, which is believed to be due to increased use of artificial fertilizers in the agricultural sector, but part of all nitrous oxide that is formed comes from wastewater treatment plants, which account for approx. 1.6% of nitrous oxide emissions to the atmosphere where Henriksdals treatment plants contribute to nitrous oxide production. In 2021, nitrous oxide emissions from Henriksdal's treatment plant were calculated to be approximately 37 tons, which can be compared to the climate footprint of 10,000 newly registered cars driven approximately 15 000 km per year. The aim of the report was to investigate whether it was possible to calculate the amount of nitrogen in outgoing nitrous oxide to compare it with how much of the calculated nitrous oxide is emitted to air from the proportion of purified ammonium, as well as to investigate different strategies for minimizing nitrous oxide production. There are several routes to the formation of nitrous oxide in the biological purification process in the plant. There are, however, three main tracks for nitrous oxide formation, of which autotrophic nitrification was relevant for this degree project. Several operational strategies are available to investigate how nitrous oxide production is affected by various factors. During this thesis, one of these, oxygen set-point, was investigated, where a fixed oxygen value in the aerated basin would either decrease or increase nitrous oxide production depending on aeration intensity and ammonium concentration in the water. The nitrous oxide discharge was calculated to consist of 0.19% nitrogen purified from the ammonium load. The result showed, that at low oxygen levels in the water, there was a lower proportion of nitrous oxide formation compared to higher aeration intensity. The disadvantage, however, was that the proportion of purified ammonium decreased in the block. At higher aeration intensity, nitrous oxide emissions were higher in one of the main scenarios. In the second scenario with high aeration, the proportion of purified ammonium was lower than in the first scenario, but with low levels of nitrous oxide. The conclusion was that nitrous oxide can be formed under different conditions, but during this study, nitrous oxide production was highest when nitrification was most efficient.

No description available.

La salinidad y el estrés hídrico son los factores más importantes que limitan la producción de trigo duro, sobre todo en regiones áridas y semiáridas, como la región Mediterránea. El trigo duro es uno de los principales cultivos en el sur y este de la Cuenca Mediterránea, donde se cultiva frecuentemente en condiciones de secano y si es posible con riego deficitario, a menudo con agua de poca calidad, que junto a una elevada evapotranspiración, puede provocar una progresiva salinización del terreno. En este sentido, la mejora genética de trigo duro para una mejor adaptación a estas condiciones de estrés es una de las pocas alternativas viables. El objetivo general de esta Tesis es estudiar las bases fisiológicas y moleculares de las diferencias genotípicas en crecimiento potencial y tolerancia a la salinidad y el estrés hídrico. En un primer estudio (Experimento 1) publicado en “Functional Plant Biology” se investigó qué criterio fenotípico de selección era el más adecuado para seleccionar genotipos de trigo duro que crecieran mejor en condiciones de salinidad continuada. De esta forma se determinó la importancia de los isótopos estables como criterios eficientes para seleccionar genotipos tolerantes y susceptibles a la salinidad. Posteriormente, se realizó un segundo estudio (Experimento 2) donde se evaluó el efecto de la salinidad en la composición isotópica del carbono (δ13C) y el nitrógeno (δ15N) de genotipos de trigo duro y de dos amfiploides (un tritordeo y un triticale). Este trabajo está publicado en la revista “Journal of Experimental Botany”. En este segundo ensayo, la salinidad se aplicó durante la floración y el llenado del grano durante unas pocas semanas. Los resultados de este trabajo representaron la puesta a punto del estudio del comportamiento fisiológico del trigo duro durante la fase reproductiva y bajo diferentes combinaciones de salinidad y riego. Como continuación de los dos Experimentos (1 y 2) y en vista de los resultados obtenidos en el uso de las firmas isotópicas como criterio de evaluación bajo condiciones salinas, se planteó evaluar el uso combinado de la composición isotópica del carbono (δ13C), oxígeno (δ18O) y el nitrógeno (δ15N) en materia seca para observar las respuestas genotípicas de plantas de trigo duro sometidas a diferentes combinaciones de salinidad. Como contribución original, se elaboró un modelo conceptual de las tres firmas isotópicas juntas (δ13C, δ18O, δ15N) junto con características del metabolismo nitrogenado para explicar las diferencias genotípicas en tolerancia a distintas condiciones de salinidad y estrés hídrico. También se evaluaron las características fotosintéticas en relación con las firmas isotópicas y las actividades de enzimas clave del metabolismo nitrogenado. (Trabajo Publicado en la revista “New Phytologist”). Además de los resultados anteriores obtenidos, en esta Tesis se comparó la eficiencia de las firmas isotópicas del carbono, oxígeno y nitrógeno mediante dos vías: muestras de materia seca y muestras de fracción soluble en genotipos de trigo duro para la evaluación de diferencias genotípicas en tolerancia a diferentes condiciones de salinidad y regimenes hídricos. Posteriormente se analizó la respuesta genética de plantas de trigo duro a la salinidad evaluando el nivel de transcripción de genes específicos asociados a tolerancia a salinidad y estrés hídrico, junto a otros que codifican para enzimas claves del metabolismo nitrogenado. También se han estudiado las relaciones entre estas tasas de transcripción, las diferencias genotípicas en crecimiento, firmas isotópicas y actividades de enzimas del metabolismo nitrogenado. El trabajo ha mostrado la eficacia de los isótopos estables de carbono y del nitrógeno como herramientas de evaluación de la respuesta del trigo duro frente a la salinidad. / Inadequate irrigation for long term and under conditions of high evapotranspiration demand, combined with the use of poor water quality and the lack of adequate drainage frequently induces the salinization of arable land causing a significant increase in the area affected by salinity. Salinity is an environmental factor that limits in a remarkable manner the production of crops in many parts of the world, but especially in arid and semiarid regions like the Mediterranean. Under these conditions, which is often grown durum wheat improvement for tolerance to salinity under irrigation deficit may be one of the strategies to alleviate this problem. This Thesis shows that isotope compositions of carbon (δ13C), oxygen (δ18O), and nitrogen (δ15N) and the concentration of nitrogen in dry matter are potentially and effective criteria for discriminating between different growing conditions and between genotypes tolerant or susceptible to salt. Furthermore, the results of this study reflect the importance of nitrogen metabolism in tolerance to salinity. Additionally, this thesis develops a model relating genotypic tolerance to different conditions of salinity and drought with the signatures of the three isotopes (C, O, N), together with photosynthetic and transpiration exchanges and parameters key of nitrogen metabolism such as nitrogen concentration and activities of the glutamine synthetase and nitrate reductase. Finally, we study the relationship between the expression of genes potentially key in the tolerance to salinity and drought and genotypic variability in response to different combinations of these stresses.

No description available.

<p style="text-align: justify; ">Reactions of 3,5-dimethylpyrazole-1-carboxamidinium&nbsp;nitrate (dpca∙HNO3) and 4-acetyl-3-amino-5-methylpyrazole (aamp) with transition metals under different reaction conditions are presented. The template reaction of aamp with triethyl orthoformate (teof) in the presence of metal ion is described. Besides, condensation of aamp with thiosemicarbazide (tsc) and the coordination of its product to copper(II) ion is also described. Twelve new complex compounds are synthesized and fully characterized. The characterization of two other, already known complexes is significantly enriched. The influence of HSAB interactions between the metal ions and ligators on the structures of obtained compounds is studied. The influence of the reaction conditions on the composition, structure and quality of crystals obtained in the reactions is investigated. Compounds are characterized by structural&nbsp;analysis, elemental analysis, molar conductivity data, infrared spectrometry and thermal analysis. Some selected complexes are characterized by UV-Vis spectra, magnetic measurements and biological activity tests, too.</p> / <p> Reactions of 3,5-dimethylpyrazole-1-carboxamidinium&nbsp;nitrate (dpca∙HNO3) and 4-acetyl-3-amino-5-methylpyrazole (aamp) with transition metals under different reaction conditions are presented. The template reaction of aamp with triethyl orthoformate (teof) in the presence of metal ion is described. Besides, condensation of aamp with thiosemicarbazide (tsc) and the coordination of its product to copper(II) ion is also described. Twelve new complex compounds are synthesized and fully characterized. The characterization of two other, already known complexes is significantly enriched. The influence of HSAB interactions between the metal ions and ligators on the structures of obtained compounds is studied. The influence of the reaction conditions on the composition, structure and quality of crystals obtained in the reactions is investigated. Compounds are characterized by structural<br /> analysis, elemental analysis, molar conductivity data, infrared spectrometry and thermal analysis. Some selected complexes are characterized by UV-Vis spectra, magnetic measurements and biological activity tests, too</p>