Orientador: Edson Aparecido Abdul Nour / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-11T10:11:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Zanella_Luciano_D.pdf: 4352969 bytes, checksum: 2352f4e65f647af687892fb6b3d50391 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: Sistemas de pós-tratamento de efluentes de reatores anaeróbios possibilitam a melhoria na qualidade do esgoto tratado de forma simplificada nas mais diversas condições, incluindo o atendimento local de pequenas comunidades não servidas por sistemas convencionais de coleta e tratamento. A opção pelo sistema de wetlands-construídos possibilita tirar proveito de condições secundárias do sistema de tratamento de efluentes como o efeito paisagístico do maciço vegetal, diminuição nos índices de rejeição do sistema pela população e, com a introdução de espécies de interesse comercial, a possibilidade de geração de trabalho e renda para a população circunvizinha. São várias as espécies de interesse ornamental que podem ser adaptadas aos sistemas de pós-tratamento de esgoto dentre elas a Zantedeschia aethiopica (copo de leite), Cyperus papyrus (papiro), Canna x generalis (biri) e Cyperus isocladus (mini papiro) e a mesma versatilidade pode ser aplicada aos materiais utilizados como meio-suporte como, por exemplo, o bambu, testado em comparação à brita no sistema avaliado em Campinas, SP, para pós-tratamento de efluente de reator compartimentado anaeróbio. As espécies ornamentais se adaptaram bem ao sistema de pós-tratamento mostrando-se viáveis para sistemas de wetlands-construídos. a bambu mostrou-se como uma alternativa aos meiossuportes tradicionais embora com resultados inferiores àqueles obtidos quando do uso da brita. Análises estatísticas indicam que, para as condições impostas ao sistema testado, o meio s~porte tem maior significância que a espécie vegetal na eficiência do sistema. Embora operado com tempo de detenção hidráulico significativamente inferior ao ideal, o sistema de póstratamento foi responsável, em média, por cerca de 30% da remoção tanto dos sólidos em suspensão totais quanto da DOa em relação ao total obtido no sistema: reator compartimentado e wetlands-construídos. a wetland-construído de leito de brita e vegetado com papiro alcançou valores médios de remoção de fósforo total de 27,7%. a r~sultado médio obtido para a remoção de coliformes totais e para a remoção de coliformes termotolerantes foi de cerca de 1 log de decaimento, abaixo do desejável. a uso de sistemas vegetados faz com que ocorra significativa perda de água por evapotranspiração e incorporação na massa vegetal, em média, 44,8% durante o período de acompanhamento / Abstract: Anaerobic reactor's effluent post-treatment systems make possible the improvement of anaerobic-treated wastewater characteristics in diverse conditions in a simple way. This posttreatment design flexibility will be able to support small communities to have better environmental conditions even if they did not have a traditional wastewater plant previously. The option for a constructed-wetland wastewater treatment system takes in consideration another advantages, as such as the effect on the landscape, that may change the main focus of the treatment plant from the wastewater, decreasing the plant rejection. The vegetal specie may be used to attend commercial and ornamental interests, and they might improve the income of people and create new places of job in the neighborhood as well. Several species with ornamental ar economic'al value can be adapted to wastewater post-treatment systems like Zantedeschia aethiopica (calla IiIly), Cyperus papyrus (papyrus), Canna x generalis (canna lilly) and Cyperus isocladus (dwarf papyrus). As it occurs to vegetation, many different materiais can be used as substrates in constructed-wetlands systems like bamboo rings, material that was selected to be compared with a gravei bed constructed-wetland located at UNICAMP in Campinas, SP, Brazil, as an anaerobic baffled reactar post-treatment system. The ornamental species were well adapted to the wastewater post-treatment system. Bamboo rings can be used as' substrate, but when gravei is used the system efficiency reached better results. Statistical tests show that, for the conditions imposed to the tested system, the substrate material is more important than the vegetal species to obtain better treatment efficiency. Although the used hydraulic detention time was considerabíy smaller than desirable, the post-treatment system contributed with about 30% of the wastewater treatment system COD and suspended solids removal efficiency results. The best medium total phosphorous removal efficiency value was 27.7% for the gravei and papyrus constructed wetland. The efficiency of total and thermotolerant coliforms removal was about 1 log decay. The use of a vegetated system caused an intense loss of water by evapotranspiration, in average, 44.8%, during research period. This loss covers up the system real capacity in regard to the removal of several parameters, when only compared the affluent and effluent concentrations. The evaluation of the system's efficiency must be verified considering the load removal, instead "of the current methods of analysis based on concentration / Doutorado / Saneamento e Ambiente / Doutor em Engenharia Civil

Este trabalho apresenta uma avaliação dos parâmetros cinéticos, hidrodinâmicos e de transferência de massa de um reator radial aeróbio-anóxico de leito fixo, em escala piloto, com biomassa imobilizada em espuma de poliuretano e alimentado com efluente de um reator anaeróbio horizontal de leito fixo que tratava esgoto sanitário. Os parâmetros estimados demonstraram que as resistências líquido-sólido e intraparticular afetam significativamente a velocidade global de consumo de oxigênio no sistema de leito fixo e que a agitação mecânica pode minimizar essas resistências. Os valores de (KLA), para velocidades superficiais de ar entre 0,14 e 0,95 cm.s-1, variaram na faixa de 20,8 e 58,8 h-1 para água do sistema de abastecimento público, e 16,8 a 53,0 h-1 para esgoto pré-tratado anaerobiamente. A velocidade intrínseca de consumo de oxigênio foi estimada em 19,9 mgO2.g SSV-1.h-1. A velocidade de remoção de DQO pôde ser representada pelo modelo cinético de primeira ordem com residual e a conversão de nitrogênio seguiu modelo de reações em série, de pseudo-primeira ordem, com valores das constantes cinéticas k1 e k2 iguais a 0,251 h-1 e 6,624 h-1, respectivamente. O comportamento hidrodinâmico pôde ser representado pelo modelo de 3 e 4 tanques de mistura completa em série. Foi possível promover a nitrificação e desnitrificação no reator radial aeróbio-anóxico mantido parcialmente aerado, com tempos de detenção hidráulica de 3,3 horas na zona aeróbia e 2,7 horas na zona anóxica, e com adição de etanol como fonte externa de carbono. O efluente apresentou valor médio da DQOf de 52 mg O2.l-1, e concentrações de 2 mg N.l-1, 1,24 mg N.l-1 e 3,46 mg N.l-1, respectivamente, para nitrogênio amoniacal, nitrito e nitrato. / The assessment of hydrodynamics, mass transfer and kinetic parameters of a pilot fixed bed reactor containing immobilized biomass in polyurethane matrices and fed with the effluent of a horizontal-flow fixed bed anaerobic reactor that treated domestic sewege is presented. For oxygen, the estimated parameters showed that the liquid-solid and intra-particles resistances significantly affected the global substrate consumption velocity. It was also found that mechanical agitation can minimize such resistances. The KLA values for superficial velocities between 0.14 and 0.95 cm.s-1 varied from 20.8 to 58.8 h-1 for tap water, and 16.8 to 53.0 h-1 for the anaerobic pre-treated effluent. The oxygen consumption intrinsic velocity was estimated in 19.9 mgO2.gSSV-1.h-1. The COD removal velocity could be represented by a first order kinetic model with residual, while nitrogen conversion followed an also a first order reactions in series model, with kinetic constants k1 and k2 of 0.25 h-1 and 6.62 h-1, respectively. The hydrodynamics behavior could be represented by the model of three to four completely mixed reactors in series. It was possible to promote nitrification and the denitrification in the radial reactor kept partially aerated and operated at hydraulics detention times of 3.3 hours and 2.7 hours in the aerobic and anoxic zones, respectively. The radial reactor effluent presented COD of 52 mg.l-1, based on filtered samples, and concentrations of 2 mg N.l-1, 1.24 mg N.l-1, and 3,46 mg N.l-1 for ammonia nitrogen, nitrite and nitrate, respectively.

O principal objeto desta pesquisa foi aprimorar a eficiência de remoção de DQO, DBO, SST e conversão de nitrogênio amoniacal de biofiltro aeróbio submerso (BF), aplicado no pós-tratamento do efluente de um reator anaeróbio compartimentado (RAC). O BF, em escala piloto, foi construído em tubos de PVC, com 0,40 m de diâmetro externo e volume útil de 190,6 L. Para a imobilização celular foram utilizadas, como material suporte, matrizes cúbicas de espuma de poliuretano, em um período total de operação de 180 dias e tempos de detenção hidráulica de 6, 4 e 12 horas, respectivamente. O trabalho de investigação foi dividido em duas fases: na fase I o BF operou por 55 dias com TDH de 6 horas, para a transferência de OD para o sistema foi utilizado uma câmara de saturação não pressurizada; na fase II, o BF operou por 28 dias com TDH de 6 horas; por 30 dias com TDH de 4 horas e no período restante por 67 dias com TDH de 12 horas. Nessa fase a câmara de saturação foi inicialmente removida por não atender à demanda de OD necessária para manter condições aeróbias no interior do BF; foi injetado ar comprimido diretamente no sistema. Foram alcançadas eficiências médias de remoção de DQOb, DBOb e SST; na fase I 32,4%, 39,2% e 62% com concentrações médias no efluente bruto de 143,7 mg DQOb/L, 101,2 mg DBOb/L e 25,1 mg SST/L, respectivamente. Nessa fase, não foi detectada eficiência de conversão de nitrogênio amoniacal. Na fase II, operando com TDH de 6 horas, o BF alcançou eficiências médias de remoção de DQOb, DBOb e SST de 74%, 85% e 85% com concentrações médias no efluente bruto de 63 mg DQOb/L, 15 mg DBOb/L e 13 mg SST/L, respectivamente. Nesse período também não foi detectado processo de nitrificação. Para TDH de 4 horas, as eficiências média de remoção de DQOb, DBOb e SST foram 77%, 70% e 71%, com concentrações médias no efluente bruto de 57 mg DQOb/L, 27 mg DBOb/L e 17 mg SST/L, respectivamente. Durante esse período também não ocorreu conversão de nitrogênio amoniacal. Na fase final, em que o BF operou com TDH de 12 horas, foram encontradas eficiências médias de remoção de DQOb, DBOb e SST de 83%, 73% e 86% com concentrações médias no efluente bruto de 42 mg DQOb/L, 36 mg DBOb/L e 9 mg SST/L, respectivamente. Nesse período a eficiência média de conversão de nitrogênio amoniacal foi de 57,8% com concentração média de 10 mg N-amoniacal/L no efluente bruto. A espuma de poliuretano foi adequada para imobilização da biomassa aeróbia, porém, a lavagem do leito foi dificultada pela mesma devido à sua alta capacidade de absorção. A injeção direta de ar no sistema resultou em considerável aumento da eficiência, produzindo efluente bastante clarificado. / The main object of this research was the removal efficiency improvement of COD, BOD, TSS and ammonia nitrogen conversion in a Submerged Aerated Biofilter (BF), used in the effluent post-treatment of an Anaerobic Baffed reactor (ABR). The BF, was built in pilot scale by PVC tubes with 0,40 m of external diameter and useful volume of 190,6 L. Cubic matrices of polyurethane foam with were used as support for cellular immobilization in an operation period of 180 days with HDT of 6, 4 and 12 hours, respectively. The investigations period was shared in two phases: BF in the phase I operated for 55 days with HDT of 6 hours and the oxygen transferring was done using a chamber not pressured; BF in the phase II operated for 28 days with HDT of 6 hours, 30 days with HDT of 4 hours and on the rest of the investigation period (67 days) with HDT of 12 hours. In this phase the chamber was initially removed due to not attending the DO demand necessary to keep aerobic condition into the BF and, compressed air was directly injected at the system. The removal averages efficiencies of CODr, BODr and SST in the phase I were 32,4%, 39,2% and 62% with average concentrations in the raw effluent of 146 mg CODr/L, 101,2 mg BODr/L and 25,1 mg TSS/L, respectively. Ammonia nitrogen conversion efficiency wasn\'t detected in this. In the phase II, operating with HDT of 6 hours, BF reached averages efficiencies of CODr, BODr and SST of 74%, 85% and 85% with averages concentrations in the raw effluent of 63 mg CODr/L, 15 mg BODr/L and 13 mg TSS/L, respectively. Nitrification process wasn\'t detected in this period too. For HDT of 4 hours, the removal averages efficiencies of CODr, BODr and SST were 77%, 70% and 71% with average concentrations in the raw effluent of 57 mg CODr/L, 27 mg BODr/L and 17 mg TSS/L, respectively. During this period ammonia nitrogen conversion also not occurred. In the ending phase, where BF operated with HDT of 12 hours, removal averages efficiencies found of CODr, BODr and TSS were 83%, 73% and 86% with averages concentrations in the raw effluent of 42 mg CODr/L, 36 mg BODr/L and 9 mg TSS/L, respectively. In this period the ammonia nitrogen conversion medium efficiency was 57,8% with medium concentration in the raw effluent of 10 mg N-ammonia/L. The polyurethane foam was appropriated for aerobic biomass immobilization however the bed washing was harmed by the same one due to its high absorption capacity. The direct air injection into the system resulted in a considerable efficiency increase producing a sufficiently clearly effluent.

Um Reator com Aeração Intermitente e Leito Estruturado (RAILE) foi testado como pós- tratamento de UASB tratando efluente doméstico. O RAILE foi submetido a ciclos de uma hora de aeração e duas de anoxia, visando obtenção de Nitrificação e Desnitrificação Simultâneas (NDS) para remoção de nitrogênio. A recirculação aplicada foi de 3 vezes a vazão de entrada, para equalização da qualidade do efluente. O reator tem formato cilíndrico e seu meio suporte é espuma de poliuretano na forma de cilindros dispostos verticalmente, suportados por hastes de cloreto de polivinila (PVC) presas nas extremidades. O estudo foi dividido em duas fases em que o RAILE recebeu efluentes de UASB com diferentes relações de DQO/N-Total. Na primeira fase a relação foi 2,44 e na segunda fase a relação foi 4,01. As remoções de N-Total foram 23,7% e 65,3%, respectivamente para primeira e segunda fase. As remoçôes de DQO para todo o sistema foram 94,8%, para a primeira fase, e 93,4%, para a segunda fase. A alcalinidade se mostrou um parâmetro efetivo pra monitorar a ocorrência de NDS. Embora tenha se mostrado viável como pós-tratamento de UASB em sistemas tratando efluente doméstico, a relação DQO/N-Total precisa ser controlada para garantir o processo de NDS / A Structured Bed Intermittently Aerated reactor (SBIA) was tested as post-treatment for UASB treating domestic wastewater. The SBIA underwent cycles of one hour of aeration and two hour of anoxia to obtain Simultaneous Nitrification and Denitrification (SND) for the removal of nitrogen. The recirculation flow applied was 3 times the input flow to equalize the effluent quality. The reactor had a cylindrical shape and its support medium is polyurethane foam in the form of cylinders arranged vertically, supported by polyvinyl chloride (PVC) rods attached at the ends. The study was divided into two stages in which the SBIA received the UASB reactor effluent with different COD/Total-N ratios. The first COD/Total-N ratio was 2,44 and the second was 4,01. The removal of N-total were 23.7% and 65.3% respectively for the first and second stages. The removal of COD, in all the system, was 94.8% for the first stage and 93.4% for the second stage. The alkalinity proved to be an effective parameter to monitor the occurrence of SND. Although the SBIA proved to be feasible as post-treatment of UASB systems treating domestic wastewater the ratio COD/N-total must be controlled to ensure the process of SND

Este trabalho teve como finalidade a avaliação da viabilidade técnica e econômica da utilização do processo de ozonização seguido de biofiltro aerado submerso, para melhoria da qualidade de efluente de reator anaeróbio compartimentado, para atender a legislação ambiental no que se refere ao padrão de emissão e para o reúso. A pesquisa foi dividida em três etapas. Na primeira etapa avaliou-se a concentração de ozônio aplicada e o seu tempo de contato através de um planejamento experimental, composto por planejamento fatorial e metodologia de superfície de resposta. Na segunda etapa realizou-se ensaios de isotermas utilizados como critério de escolha para o tipo de carvão ativado granular utilizado como meio suporte do biofiltro aerado submerso. Na terceira etapa operou-se o sistema de pós-tratamento composto por ozônio - biofiltro aerado submerso para avaliação de sua eficiência e comparação com os padrões e critérios de reúso. Na primeira etapa foram encontradas duas condições de maior eficiência para dosagens de 10 mg O3/L em 30 minutos e 30 mg O3/L em 10 minutos. A segunda etapa ficou prejudicada em função do efluente ozonizado ter floculado, com isso interferindo no ensaio de isoterma. Na terceira etapa foram construídos dois biofiltros aerados submersos, um com meio suporte de carvão ativado granular e outro com cubos de espuma de poliuretano. Os dois BFs apresentaram efluente com excelente qualidade final. O BFs com meio suporte de CAG demonstrou ser o mais eficiente entre os dois, teve estabilização mais rápida e produziu efluente final com DQO da ordem de 14,3 mg/L e SST de 6,8 mg/L. O custo do pós-tratamento ficou em torno de R$ 0,25 por metro cúbico para população de 10.000 habitantes e de R$ 0,16 para população de 200.000 habitantes, demonstrando com isso que é um processo viável técnica e economicamente. O reúso agrícola torna-se interessante, visto que, o efluente final apresenta fósforo e nitrato que podem ser consumidos pelas plantas. / This work had as purpose the assessment of the technical and economical viability of ozonization process\' use followed by submerged aerated biofilter, for improvement of the quality of effluent of anaerobic baffed reactor, to attend the environmental legislation in what it refers to the emission pattern and reuse guidelines. The research was divided in three faces. In the first face it was evaluated the concentration of ozone applied and its time of contact through a factorial planning and response surface methodology. In the second face, tests of isotherms were made as choice criterion for the type of granulate activated carbon used as material support of the submerged aerated biofilter. In the third face the post-treatment system composed by ozone - submerged aerated biofilter was operated for assessment of your performance and a comparison with the patterns and reuse criteria. In the first face two conductions of greater performance were found: one with 10 mg O3/L and 30 min and other with 30 mg O3/L and 10 min. The second face was prejudiced in function of the effluent ozonizated to have floculated, with that interfering in the isotherm test. In the third faces two submerged aerated biofilters were built, one with granulate activated carbon and other with polyurethane foam as material supports. The BFs presented effluent with excellent final quality. The BFs with GAC demonstrated to be the most efficient among the two, it had faster stabilization and it produced final effluent with COD of the order of 14,3 mg/L and TSS of 6,8 mg/L. The cost of the post-treatment was around in R$ 0,25 for cubic meter for 10.000 persons and R$ 0,16 for 200.000 persons, demonstrating viable technique and economically of process. The agricultural reuse becomes interesting, because the final effluent presents phosphorus and nitrate that can be consumed by the plants.

Women treated for a gynecological cancer report longstanding post-treatment difficulties for which they rarely seek or receive help. Few intervention studies have successfully improved global sexual health within this population. Research in this domain is challenging due to inconsistent measurements of sexuality, low response rates and high attrition rates. The overarching study objectives were: (a) To contribute to the advancement of research on supportive care needs (including sexual health needs), desire for help, and predictors of needs; and, (b) To inform the development of services for gynecological cancer survivors. In Study 1, a qualitative interview study explored the experiences of 15 gynecological cancer survivors. Interviews were conducted and analysed based on the Interpretive Description approach . In Study 2 (for which results were analyzed in two parts), a descriptive, cross-sectional needs assessment was conducted to measure supportive care needs, desire for help, sexual health and vaginal changes, and service format preferences in 113 patients. In Part 1 of Study 2, descriptive and regression analyses explored patient needs, desire for help and potential predictors of these variables. In Part 2, a descriptive analysis explored sexual health needs and vaginal changes, desire for help with sexual health needs, and their associations with sociodemographic and medical variables. Qualitative results from Study 1 suggested that psychological, emotional and relational aspects of sexuality were as important to the participants as physiological sexual response. In the needs assessment, the strongest predictors of greater unmet needs and increased readiness for help were younger age and shorter time since treatment. Moderate to high sexual and social needs were equally prevalent in women recently treated and those treated several years prior to the study, suggesting that sexual and social needs may remain unaddressed over time. Further, many women who reported a need did not desire help, demonstrating the subjectivity of needs and distress, as well as the potential presence of barriers to seeking help. Both studies revealed a common finding, where sexual health needs were a product of the discordance between participants’ current sexual experiences and their perceptions of ideal sexual health. Overall, the two studies indicate that a significant subgroup of patients experience unmet needs in cancer survivorship, most of which are non-physical; also, while some needs were higher following treatment, unmet social and sexual health needs show little relationship with time since treatment. Ambivalence about receiving help with unmet needs is related to beliefs about the role of the health care team in meeting non-physical needs, as well as other perceived barriers. Patient’s perceived sexual health needs and barriers to receiving help should be evaluated within a comprehensive framework of needs and discussed one-on-one. Future research should explore the added predictive value of other groups of medical and psychological variables.

Bakgrund: Lungcancer är en av de dödligaste cancersjukdomarna. Fysisk aktivitet är en viktig del hos patienter med avancerad lungcancer eftersom fysisk aktivitet kan lindra symtom som uppstår efter en lungcancerbehandling. Syfte: Var att belysa faktorer som påverkar fysisk aktivitet hos patienter med avancerad lungcancer efter genomgången lungcancerbehandling. Metod: Studien är genomförd som en allmän systematisk litteraturstudie och baseras på sju resultatartiklar som har genomgått en granskning för att kunna fastställa ett resultat. Artiklarna var refereegranskade och publicerade mellan 2011–2021. Resultat: Brist på motivation är en bidragande faktor till varför fysisk aktivitet minskar hos patienter med avancerad lungcancer. Motivationen saknas på grund av de olika symtom och biverkningar som uppkommer efter en lungcancerbehandling. För att stärka motivationen krävs det stöd från sjuksköterskan eller utföra fysisk aktivitet tillsammans med vänner och familj. Gruppträning med andra människor som är i en liknande situation har visat sig vara hjälpsamt. Patienter som har avancerad lungcancer och som kan vara fysiskt aktiva i sin vardag upplever mer hopp inför framtiden. Trots att patienterna lider av avancerad lungcancer så känner de ändå hopp inför framtiden. Konklusion: Det som framkom i denna litteraturstudie var att fysisk aktivitet kan hjälpa till öka välbefinnandet och lindra lidande. Stöd från sjuksköterskan har visat sig vara hjälpsamt för patienter med en lungcancerdiagnos. / Background: Lung cancer is a cancer disease known to have a high mortality rate. Physical activity have a vital part in decreasing the symptoms of advanced lung cancer that occurs in connection with lung cancer treatment. Aim: To illustrate factors that effect physical activity in patients with advanced lung cancer after treatment. Method: This is a general literature review covering seven peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2011-2021. The articles chosen have been reviewed in order to establish a result. Result: Lack of motivation is a contributing factor to why physical activity decreases in patients with advanced lung cancer. The absence of motivation is caused by symptoms and reactions that occurs in connection with the lung cancer treatment. The nurse can help increase motivation by empowering the patient to improve the level of exercise. Friends and family can encourage and offer support. Group training with other people who are in a similar situation has proven to be helpful. Patients who have advanced lung cancer and who can be physically active in their everyday lives experience more hope for the future. Conclusion: What emerged in this literature study was that physical activity can increase comfort and ease suffering. Support from the nurse has proven to be helpful for patients with a lung cancer diagnosis.

The present investigation examined characteristic, symptomatic, and familial predictors of long-term symptom severity of eating disorders. The purpose of the study was to determine if, after accounting for a number of known predictors of outcome, familial variables explained a significant amount of additional variance in disordered eating and general well-being scores measured at post-treatment follow-up. The sample included 398 women, ages 13 to 56, who had completed eating disorder treatment at an inpatient facility. Hierarchal multiple regression analysis demonstrated that familial predictors at admission to treatment did significantly predict long-term outcomes, while changes from admission to treatment in symptoms and perceptions of parents did not predict recovery. Patients' relationships with their fathers significantly contributed to the regression model. Recommendations for future investigations are discussed.

No description available.

<p>The pore-size dependence of liquid diffusivity in mesopores has been a controversial topic. It is especially meaningful in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) because the triiodide ion diffusivity is closely related to the cell performance. By applying electrochemical measurements, the pore-size dependence of ion diffusivity in DSSCs was investigated based on TiO₂ thin films of variable pore diameters. The alternation of pore-size was achieved by the epitaxial growth of TiO₂ after TiCl₄ post-treatments. From the trend of normalized diffusivities, the respective valid regimes of pore-size dependent and independent diffusion were determined, which were separated by the transition point located at 5-7 nm. In addition, my results have showed that the DSSC fabrication processes, e.g., dye loading, TiCl₄ post-treatment will not lead to the transition of diffusion behaviors. Furthermore, the unexpected drop of diffusivity after one TiCl₄ treatment is attributed to the involvement of surface diffusion in untreated TiO₂ matrix.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)