Biomass energy is currently the largest renewable contributor to global energy supply and there is increasing demand for bioenergy feedstock. Consequently, the production of purpose-grown woody bioenergy crops, such as short rotation coppice (SRC) willow, is expected to proliferate. Although the economic and environmental benefits associated with SRC willow production are well documented, systematic assessments of nutrient cycling within these plantations are rare. The objective of this study was to examine biomass production and biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) during an initial four-year rotation of six willow varieties grown at four plantations along a 500 km north-south pedoclimatic gradient within Saskatchewan, Canada. Nutrient budgets were also calculated after quantifying various nutrient inputs (e.g., atmospheric deposition, soil mineral weathering, and organic matter mineralization), outputs (e.g., above- and below-ground biomass, leaching, and denitrification), and transfers (e.g., canopy exchange, leaf litter decomposition, and fine root turnover) affecting the plant available soil nutrient pool. Total stem, leaf litter, and below-ground (primarily fine roots) biomass production after four years averaged 19.0, 7.1, and 12.5 Mg ha-1, respectively, with corresponding soil nutrient budget deficits of 17, 39, 112, 271, and 74 kg ha-1 of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg, respectively, but a soil S surplus of 60 kg ha-1. Despite willow’s relatively low nutrient-demanding nature, negligible leaching and denitrification losses, and substantial nutrient cycling from leaf litter, the nutrient export in harvested biomass over multiple rotations will require soil nutrient amendments, particularly N and P, to maintain plantation productivity. Given the apparent eventual need for supplemental fertility to support adequate willow growth over the 22-yr plantation life span, the fate of broadcast 15N-labelled fertilizer was also examined. Though the willow accumulated less than ⅓ of the applied fertilizer N after one year, the majority of the residual fertilizer N (51%) remained available for willow uptake in subsequent years. Further research is needed to track the fate of applied fertilizers over multiple rotations to better understand fertilizer dynamics for optimizing SRC willow agronomy; thus helping to promote its viability as a biomass energy feedstock option.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This thesis is based on the study of electropolymerization and electrochromism of poly(4,7- dithien-2-yl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole) (P(DTBT) and its copolymer with 3-methoxythiophene (MOT) in imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimbf4) hydrophilic, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (bmimpf6) and 1- butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (bmimtnf2) hydrophobic ILs. Traditional organic solvents acetonitrile and dichloromethane in the presence of 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (n-Bu4NClO4) as a supportive electrolyte was also used as a medium for comparison. Besides, a more hydrophobic ionic liquid, 1-octyl-3- methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (octmimtnf2) was also used for the electrodeposition of poly(3-methoxythiophene) (PMOT). The techniques employed are cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), uv-visible spectroelectrochemistry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). 4,7-Dithien-2-yl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (DTBT) a type of donor –acceptor monomer and 3- methoxythiophene (MOT) has been electropolymerized using ionic liquids as growth and supportive electrolytes.

L’objectif de ce travail consiste à étudier, d’une part, les réactions des nitrates d’alkyles avec OH qui ont un intérêt atmosphérique, et d’autre part, les réactions des radicaux OH avec les alcanes et des atomes d’oxygène avec les oléfines qui ont un intérêt pour la combustion. Toutes les réactions ont été étudiées dans des réacteurs à écoulement à basse pression, y compris le réacteur à écoulement à haute température mis en place dans le cadre de la thèse, couplés à un spectromètre de masse quadripolaire à ionisation par impact électronique. Pour les réactions OH + nitrate d’alkyle, la dépendance en température de la constante de vitesse a été mesurée pour dix nitrates d'alkyles, dont pour huit nitrates pour la première fois, sur une large plage de température. Pour six nitrates, les produits de la voie réactionnelle menant au recyclage direct de NO₂, arrachement d’atome H de carbone α, ont été observés et leur rendements mesurés. La grande quantité de données obtenues dans ce travail a été utilisée pour une mise à jour de la relation structure-activité (SAR) pour les réactions d'alkyles nitrates avec OH et a permis d'améliorer les modèles atmosphériques actuels. Les études de réactions de radicaux OH avec les trois alcanes et de l'atome O avec l’éthylène et le propène ont permis de déterminer les constantes de vitesse respectives sur une large gamme de température allant de 220 à 900 K. De plus, la distribution des produits de réactions multivoies O + oléfine en fonction de la température a été déterminée pour la première fois. Ces résultats permettront d’améliorer les modèles de combustion actuellement utilisés. / The objective of this work was to study the reactions of alkyl nitrates with OH radicals relevant to atmosphere and reactions of OH radical with alkanes and oxygen atoms with olefins of interest for combustion chemistry. All reactions were studied in low pressure flow reactors (including high temperature flow reactor developed during the thesis) coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer with electron impact ionization. For OH reaction with nitrates, the temperature dependence of the rate constant was measured in an extended temperature range for ten alkyl nitrates, for eight of them for the first time. For six nitrates, the products of reaction pathway leading to direct recycling of NO₂ (H atom abstraction from α carbon) were observed and their yields were measured. The large amount of data obtained in this work has been used for an update of the structure-activity relation (SAR) for the reactions of alkyl nitrates with OH and will improve existing atmospheric models. For the reactions of OH radicals with three alkanes and O atoms with ethene and propene the rate constants were measured over a wide temperature range, 220-900 K. Moreover, the distribution of the products of the multichannel reactions O + olefin was determined as a function of temperature for the first time. These results are expected to improve current combustion models.

L’importante augmentation de fluage des plaques de plâtre en milieu humide est un vieux problème dans l’industrie du bâtiment, dont l’origine n’est pas encore établie. Afin d’en comprendre le mécanisme une étude à trois échelles (macro : réponse mécanique, micro : cinétique de dissolution et nano : observation atomique) a été réalisée. Une corrélation forte existe entre le fluage du plâtre en immersion et la cinétique de dissolution du gypse. La concordance de cette corrélation avec une loi de déformation par dissolution sous contrainte, très utilisés en géologie, permet de proposer la dissolution sous contrainte comme un des mécanismes responsables du fluage du plâtre en immersion. L’évolution de la topographie de la surface du cristal de gypse immergé dans une solution aqueuse de gypse est observée par microscopie à force atomique (AFM). La cinétique de migration des marches atomiques est très dépendante de la sous-saturation de la solution, de la force d’appui de la pointe de l’AFM ainsi que des additifs utilisés. L’étude de l’influence de la force d’appui sur les vitesses des marches met en évidence la présence de deux mécanismes complètement différents. A fortes forces (> 15 nN) on observe un mécanisme d’usure de la surface, tandis qu’à faibles forces (< 10 nN) le mécanisme observé semble être la dissolution sous contrainte. L’évolution des vitesses des marches atomiques avec la force appliquée par la pointe est concordante avec une loi connue de dissolution sous contrainte. / The huge enhancement of the creep of plasterboard by humid environments is an old problem in the building industry, but its origin remains unknown. To understand this mechanism a three scales study (macro : mechanical behavior, micro : dissolution kinetics, nano : atomic observation) has been done. There is a strong correlation between wet plaster creep and gypsum dissolution kinetics. The concordance between this correlation and the law of deformation by pressure solution, well-known in geology, permits to propose pressure solution as one of the mechanisms responsible of wet plaster creep. The topological evolution of the cleaved surface of a gypsum single crystal during its dissolution in a flowing under-saturated aqueous solution has been observed with an atomic force microscope. The kinetics of step migration strongly depends on the saturation state of the solution, the force applied by the tip on the surface, as well as the used additives. The study of the influence of the force applied by the tip on the step velocity evidence two different dissolution enhancement regimes. At high forces (> 15 nN) a corrosive wear behavior is observed, while at low forces (< 10 nN) pressure solution is the observed mechanism. The step velocity evolution with the force obeys the known kinetic law of pressure solution.

Les espèces réactives de l'oxygène sont générées dans l'environnement biologique dans le cadre du métabolisme, mais elles peuvent aussi être produites en excès dans le cas de stress oxydatif provoqué par exemple par une exposition aux rayons UV. Dans le travail présenté ici, nous sommes intéressés par l'oxydation des protéines par deux de ces espèces réactives de l'oxygène : le peroxyde d'hydrogène, oxydant plutôt faible avec un temps de vie long, et l'oxygène singulet, oxydant fort avec un temps de vie court. L'action de ce dernier sur les protéines est étudiée en utilisant la spectroscopie de phosphorescence résolue en temps et l'oxydation des protéines par le peroxyde d'hydrogène est suivie par spectroscopie Raman. Dans ce cas, un travail préliminaire a été nécessaire afin d'attribuer de manière précise les bandes Raman des chaînes latérales des résidus d'acides aminés. Pour les deux types d'oxydations, les constantes de vitesse des réactions ont été déterminées pour trois protéines modèles. La stratégie suivie est d'utiliser de petits fragments de protéines tels que des acides aminés libres et des tripeptides pour comprendre ce qui se passe à l'échelle de la protéine. Cela nous aide à souligner l'importance de l'environnement protéique. Dans le cas de l'étude par spectroscopie Raman, l'influence du nombre de liaisons peptidiques sur les spectres obtenus depuis l'acide aminé libre, au tripeptide, jusqu'à la protéine est aussi mis en évidence. / Reactive species of oxygen are generated in biological environment as part of metabolism but they can also be produced in excess in case of oxidative stress provoked by UV exposure for example. In the present work we are interested in the oxidation of proteins by two of those reactive species of oxygen : hydrogen peroxide, rather weak oxidant with a long life time, and singlet oxygen, a strong oxidant with a short life time. The action of the latter one on the proteins is studied by using time-resolved phosphorescence spectroscopy and oxidation of the proteins by hydrogen peroxide is monitored by using Raman spectroscopy. In this case a preliminary work was necessary to attribute accurately the Raman bands of amino-acid residues side chains. For both oxidations, reaction rate constants of the reactions were determined for three model proteins. The strategy followed is to use small fragments of proteins such as free amino-acids and tripeptides to understand what is happening at the protein scale. This helps us underlining the importance of the proteic environment. In the case of Raman spectroscopy study, it also shows the influence of the number of peptidic bonds on the spectra obtained from free amino-acid to tripeptide and then to protein.Keywords : Raman Spectroscopy, protein, oxidation, hydrogen peroxide, singlet oxygen, time-resolved phosphorescence spectroscopy, reaction rate constant.

This work aims at modelling and evaluating a new type of photocatalytic reactors, named fixed-bed photocatalytic membrane reactor (FPMR). Such reactors are based on the deposition of a thin layer of photocatalysts on a permeable substrate by filtration. This layer serves as a photocatalytic membrane, named fixed-bed photocatalytic mem-brane (FPM), which is perpendicularly passed by the reactant solution and illuminated by a suitable light source. One advantage of FPMs is their renewability. The model, which was developed for this reactor, relates the overall reaction rate in the FPM with the intrinsic reaction kinetic at the catalyst surface and accounts for light intensity, structural and optical layer properties as well as the mass transfer in the pores. The concept of FPMR was realised by using a flat sheet membrane cell. It facilitated principal investigations into the reactor performance and the validity of the model. For this purpose, the photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds, such as meth-ylene blue and diclofenac sodium, was conducted at varying conditions. Pyrogenic ti-tania was used as a photocatalyst. The experimental data support the developed mod-el. They also indicate a significant impact of the flow conditions on the overall photo-catalytic activity, even though the Reynolds number in the FPM was very small; the to-tal mass transfer rate in the FPM amounted to more than 1.0 s−1. The experiments also showed a sufficient structural strength of the FPM and photocatalytic stability. In addi-tion, the renewal and regeneration of FPMs was successfully demonstrated. Furthermore, another FPMR was designed by means of submerged ceramic mem-branes. This reactor was mainly used to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of FPMRs at the example of the photocatalytic degradation of oxalic acid. The correspond-ing reactor was run closed loop and in continuous mode. The effectiveness of the reac-tor was evaluated based on common descriptors, such as apparent quantum yield, photocatalytic space-time yield and light energy consumption. The results showed that the FPMR based on submerged ceramic membrane had a higher efficiency than other reported photocatalytic reactors. The comparison of the different modes of operation revealed that the closed loop FPMR is most efficient with regard to light energy con-sumption. Finally, this work discusses the up-scaling of FPMRs for industrial applications and proposes a solution, which can e.g. be employed for wastewater treatment or CO2 conversion.:Abstract iii Kurzfassung v Acknowledgment vii Contents ix Nomenclature xiii 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Motivation 1 1.2 Aim and objectives of the work 3 1.3 Thesis outline 3 2 Heterogeneous photocatalytic reactors 5 2.1 Introduction to photocatalysis 5 2.2 Processes in heterogeneous photocatalysis 6 2.2.1 Optical phenomena 7 2.2.2 Mass transfer 8 2.2.3 Adsorption and desorption 9 2.2.4 Photocatalytic reactions 10 2.2.5 Factors affecting heterogeneous photocatalysis 12 2.3 Photocatalytic reactor systems towards water treatment 16 2.3.1 Introduction to photocatalytic reactors 16 2.3.2 Development of photocatalytic reactor designs 17 2.3.3 Quantitative criteria for evaluating photocatalytic reactor designs 21 2.4 Cake layer formation in membrane microfiltration 22 2.4.1 Suspension preparation 22 2.4.2 Cake layer formation 23 2.5 Fluid flow through a fixed bed of particles 25 2.5.1 Pressure drop through a fixed-bed 25 2.5.2 Liquid-solid mass transfer correlation in fixed-bed 25 3 Concept and mathematical modelling of FPMRs 29 3.1 Concept of fixed-bed photocatalytic membrane reactors 29 3.2 Modelling of fixed-bed photocatalytic membrane reactors 31 3.3 Model sensitivity analysis 37 3.4 Chapter summary 39 4 FPMR realised with flat sheet polymeric membrane 41 4.1 Introduction 41 4.2 Materials and set-up 41 4.2.1 Materials 41 4.2.2 Experimental set-up 43 4.3 Experiments and methods 48 4.3.1 Formation of fixed-bed photocatalytic membrane 48 4.3.2 Reactor performance 50 4.3.3 Parameters study and model verification 53 4.3.4 Catalyst layer characterisation 56 4.3.5 Measurement and evaluation of photocatalytic activity of FPM 59 4.4 Results and model verification 60 4.4.1 Reactor performance 60 4.4.2 Influence parameters 71 4.4.3 Model verification 79 5 FPMR realised with submerged ceramic membrane 92 5.1 Introduction 92 5.2 Materials and reactor set-up 93 5.2.1 Reactor set-up 93 5.2.2 Chemicals 97 5.3 Experiments and methods 97 5.3.1 Formation of fixed-bed photocatalytic membranes 97 5.3.2 Photocatalytic performance 97 5.3.3 Parameter study 98 5.3.4 Reactor model for calculating reaction rate constant of FPM 99 5.3.5 Comparison of different reactor schemes 102 5.4 Results and discussions 105 5.4.1 Reactor performance 105 5.4.2 Consistency of CPMR and LPMR data 107 5.4.3 Influence of catalyst loading 108 5.4.4 Influence of permeate flux and light intensity 109 5.4.5 Reactor efficiency 111 5.4.6 Comparison of different reactor schemes 113 5.5 Proposed up-scaled FPMR systems 113 5.6 Concluding remarks 116 6 Conclusion and outlook 118 6.1 Summary of thesis contributions 118 6.2 Discussion and outlook 120 References 122 List of Figures 134 List of Tables 138 Appendix A Calibration 139 A.1 Distribution of light intensity on the surface of catalyst layer 139 A.2 Concentration and absorbance of diclofenac 141 A.3 TOC concentration and electrical conductivity of oxalic acid 141 A.4 Concentration and absorbance of methylene blue 142 Appendix B Mathematical modelling 143 B.1 Influence of axial dispersion on the reaction rate 143 B.2 Special case 146 Appendix C Comparison the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 and ZnO 147 Appendix D Mathematical validation of model for LPMR and CPMR 148 D.1 Model for LPMR (cf. Eq. (5 12)):148 D.2 Model for CPMR (cf. Eq. (5 17)) 149 Appendix E Particle size distribution 151

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Целью выпускной квалификационной работы является разработка нового потенциометрического подхода к исследованию антирадикальных свойств соединений с учетом кинетических особенностей взаимодействия антиоксидантов с пероксильными радикалами. В работе рассмотрены причины возникновения окислительного стресса, система антиоксидантной защиты и существующие методы исследования антиоксидантных/антирадикальных свойств соединений. Разработан новый потенциометрический подход к исследованию антирадикальных свойств соединений, учитывающий кинетические особенности реакции антиоксидантов с генерируемыми пероксильными радикалами. Предложенным способом оценена константа взаимодействия с пероксильными радикалами (k3) растворов индивидуальных антиоксидантов «быстрого» и «медленного» действия. Предложен новый потенциометрический способ исследования антирадикальных свойств соединений, заключающийся в расчете площади над кривой кинетической зависимости Exp(∆E). Предложенным способом рассчитаны площади SАРЕ для «быстрых» и «медленных» антиоксидантов, в том числе с особенностью кинетики превращения. / The aim of the final qualifying work is to develop a new potentiometric approach to the study of the antiradical properties of compounds, taking into account the kinetic features of the interaction of antioxidants with peroxyl radicals. The paper considers the causes of oxidative stress, the system of antioxidant protection and existing methods for studying the antioxidant/antiradical properties of compounds. A new potentiometric approach to the study of the antiradical properties of compounds has been developed, taking into account the kinetic features of the reaction of antioxidants with generated peroxyl radicals. The proposed method estimates the constant of interaction with peroxyl radicals (k3) of solutions of individual antioxidants of "fast" and "slow" action. A new potentiometric method for studying the antiradical properties of compounds is proposed, which consists in calculating the area above the kinetic dependence curve Exp(∆E). By the proposed method, the SARE areas for "fast" and "slow" antioxidants are calculated, including those with a feature of the kinetics of transformation.

The widespread pollution of mercury motivates research into its atmospheric chemistry and transport. Gaseous elemental mercury (Hg(0)) dominates mercury emission to the atmosphere, but the rate of its oxidation to mercury compound (Hg(II)) plays a significant role in controlling where and when mercury deposits to ecosystems. Atomic bromine is regarded as the main oxidant for Hg(0) oxidation, known to initiate the oxidation via a two-step process in the atmosphere – formation of BrHg (R1) and subsequent reactions of BrHg with abundant free radicals Y, i.e., NO2, HOO, etc. (R2), where the reaction of BrHg +Y could also lead to the reduction of Hg(I) to Hg(0) (R3). A different oxidation pathway of BrHg + O3 (R4) is currently regarded as the dominant Hg(II) oxidation pathway in the atmosphere. Hg + Br + M → BrHg + M (R1) BrHg + Y + M → BrHgY + M (R2) BrHg + Y → BrY +Hg (R3) BrHg + O3 → BrHgO + O2 (R4) While the rate constants of R1 have been experimentally measured a decade ago, this research focuses on the experimental kinetic studies on the reaction of R2-R4 to better assist the efforts to predict how emission reductions impact the spatial distribution of mercury entry into ecosystems. The kinetic studies of BrHg redox chemistry are conducted by utilizing laser photolysis-laser induced fluorescence-cavity ringdown spectroscopy (LP-LIF-CRDS) systems, where BrHg radicals are generated via laser photolysis and monitored in the reaction via LIF and CRDS measurements. We report mainly on our experimental kinetic studies of the redox reactions of BrHg with relatively abundant trace gases such as NO2, NO, O3, O2, and VOCs, especially on the temperature and pressure dependence of the reaction rate constants using our LP-LIF system. We present the development and the characterization of a novel LP-CRDS system, which is a powerful tool to study reactions during which fluorescence quenching interferes with LIF measurement, and to study the spectroscopy of Hg(I) and Hg(II) compounds.

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