1. Investigation of the influencing parameters of the ▫$H_2O_2-assisted$▫ photochemical treatment of waste liquid from the hydrothermal carbonization process in a microreactor flow systemAleksandra Petrovič, Tjaša Cenčič, Silvo Hribernik, Andreja Nemet, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Due to its complex composition and toxicity, the waste liquid from hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) poses a serious environmental challenge that must be addressed before disposal. In this study, the photochemical treatment of HTC liquid in a microreactor flow system was investigated. The effects of wavelength, the presence of atmospheric oxygen, oxidizing agent (H2O2) and catalyst (FeSO4), residence time and pH on the efficiency of the photo-treatment were investigated. In addition, the influence of the addition of deep eutectic solvent (DES) on photo-treatment was studied. The results showed that the photochemical treatment was more efficient at 365 nm than at 420 nm, and that the acidic conditions gave better results than the basic ones. UV365 treatment in the presence of H2O2 (at a dosage of 1 vol%) resulted in removal efficiencies of 31.6% for COD, 17.6% for TOC, 16.9% for NH4-N and 17.2% for PO4-P. The addition of FeSO4 caused coagulation/flocculation effects, but improved phosphorus removal. The addition of DES resulted in slight discolouration of the liquid and proved unsuccessful in COD removal. The GC-MS analysis and 3D-EEM spectra showed significant changes in the fate of organics and in the fluorescence intensity of aromatic proteins and humic acid-like substances. Photochemical treatment in a microreactor flow system in the presence of H2O2 under the selected operating conditions reduced the content of organics and nutrients in the HTC liquid, but the process liquids still showed toxic effects on the organisms V. fischeri and Daphnia magna.
Ključne besede: hydrothermal treatment, waste process liquid, photochemical treatment, hydrogen peroxide, microreactor flow system
Objavljeno v DKUM: 25.09.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 3
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2. From waste to hydrogen: utilizing waste as feedstock or catalysts for hydrogen generationDavid Tian Hren, Andreja Nemet, Danijela Urbancl, 2025, pregledni znanstveni članek Opis: With the world facing the twin pressures of a warming climate and an ever-increasing amount of waste, it is becoming increasingly clear that we need to rethink the way we generate energy and use materials. Despite growing awareness, our energy systems are still largely dependent on fossil fuels and characterized by a linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model. This leaves us vulnerable to supply disruptions, rising greenhouse gas emissions, and the depletion of critical raw materials. Hydrogen is emerging as a potential carbon-free energy vector that can overcome both challenges if it is produced sustainably from renewable sources. This study reviews hydrogen production from a circular economy perspective, considering industrial, agricultural, and municipal solid waste as a resource rather than a burden. The focus is on the reuse of waste as a catalyst or catalyst support for hydrogen production. Firstly, the role of hydrogen as a new energy carrier is explored along with possible routes of waste valorization in the process of hydrogen production. This is followed by an analysis of where and how catalysts from waste can be utilized within various hydrogen production processes, namely those based on using fossil fuels as a source, biomass as a source, and electrocatalytic applications.
Ključne besede: hydrogen production, waste-derived catalysts, renewable energy, biomass conversion
Objavljeno v DKUM: 25.09.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 6
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3. Exploitation of microbial activities at low pH to enhance planetary healthMerve Atasoy, Avelino Álvarez Ordóñez, Adam Cenian, Aleksandra Djukić-Vuković, Peter A. Lund, Fatih Özogul, Janja Trček, Carmit Ziv, Daniela De Biase, 2024, pregledni znanstveni članek Opis: Awareness is growing that human health cannot be considered in isolation but is inextricably woven with the health of the environment in which we live. It is however under-recognised that the sustainability of human activities strongly relies on preserving the equilibrium of the microbial communities living in/on/around us. Microbial metabolic activities are instrumental for production, functionalization, processing and preservation of food. For circular economy, microbial metabolism would be exploited to produce building blocks for the chemical industry, to achieve effective crop protection, agri-food waste revalorization or biofuel production, as well as in bioremediation and bioaugmentation of contaminated areas. Low pH is undoubtedly a key physical-chemical parameter that needs to be considered for exploiting the powerful microbial metabolic arsenal. Deviation from optimal pH conditions has profound effects on shaping the microbial communities responsible for carrying out essential processes. Furthermore, novel strategies to combat contaminations and infections by pathogens rely on microbial-derived acidic molecules that suppress/inhibit their growth. Herein, we present the state-of-the-art of the knowledge on the impact of acidic pH in many applied areas and how this knowledge can guide us to use the immense arsenal of microbial metabolic activities for their more impactful exploitation in a Planetary Health perspective.
Ključne besede: antimicrobial, bio-hydrogen, phytopathogen, organic acids, food preservation, waste valorisation
Objavljeno v DKUM: 28.08.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 2
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4. Gamified learning for sustainability : an innovative approach to enhance hydrogen literacy and environmental awareness through simulation-based educationUroš Kramar, Matjaž Knez, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The transition to sustainable energy systems presents a critical challenge for the 21st century, necessitating both technological advancements and transformative educational strategies to foster awareness and knowledge. Hydrogen technologies are pivotal for decarbonization, yet public understanding and acceptance remain limited. This study introduces and evaluates a novel gamified educational framework, uniquely integrating simulationbased learning, collaborative problem-solving, and adaptive instructional scaffolding to enhance hydrogen literacy and sustainability awareness. Unlike traditional pedagogical approaches, this method actively engages learners in real-world decision-making scenarios, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical applications. This study involved adolescents aged 13–15 from two distinct educational and cultural contexts, one in Europe and one in the Middle East. A pre–post study design assessed knowledge acquisition, gamification engagement, and environmental awareness shifts. Findings reveal statistically significant improvements in technical knowledge and strong positive perceptions of gamified learning as an effective sustainability education tool across both cultural groups (Europe and the Middle East). Variations in engagement across cultural contexts suggest the need for adaptive, context-sensitive educational frameworks. While the findings indicate significant short-term knowledge gains, this study does not assess long-term knowledge retention, which remains an important area for future research. This research contributes to sustainability education by demonstrating how strategically designed gamification can foster behavioral engagement, enhance environmental literacy, and support the global energy transition agenda. This study offers a pioneering perspective on integrating interactive learning methodologies to cultivate sustainability competencies among younger generations.
Ključne besede: sustainability education, gamification, hydrogen literacy, energy transition, simulation-based learning, hydrogen supply chain, environmental awareness, cross-cultural education, educational innovation, serious games
Objavljeno v DKUM: 01.07.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 3
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5. The numerical analysis of flame stability in case of premixed hydrogen-air combustionMarc Jaeger, Matjaž Hriberšek, Niko Samec, Yang Guo, Xuebin Wang, Filip Kokalj, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: This study addresses the urgent need for decarbonization of heating sector, focusing on the potential of hydrogen-air combustion in gas condensing boilers. In the field of gas condensing boilers, groups of holes or slits can be used in perforated burner surfaces, providing a possible solution to the challenge of hydrogen air combustion. Real burners are always adjacent to an area with non-existent combustion, which can lead to a disturbed flame pattern. For this reason, a comparison between single-slit and multi-slit perforated flame holders with a significantly reduced structure temperature with a hydrogen-air premix is carried out as part of this study. Using Ansys Fluent, a 2D simulation approach is employed to analyze laminar flame stability behind a perforated flame holder. Inlet conditions consider fully premixed and homogenous distributed mixtures as well as nonhomogeneous premixed mixtures, with variations in pressure, velocity, and mixing degree. The model examines various slit-burner configurations and flashback behaviors based on an actual geometric shape used in a gas heating device. It has been found that with finite multi-slit burners, the bulk flow rates at the critical flashback point are 30–50% higher compared to infinitely symmetrical burners. A further deterioration of 32% is to be expected due to real mixture quality fluctuations and inhomogeneous inflow conditions. Finally, the findings demonstrate the model’s potential for designing efficient surface-stabilized burners and lay the groundwork for future 3D simulations in the pursuit of sustainable heating solutions.
Ključne besede: hydrogen combustion, flashback, flame stability, perforated flame holder, gas condensing boiler
Objavljeno v DKUM: 19.05.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 6
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6. Deactivation of copper electrocatalysts during CO [sub] 2 reduction occurs via dissolution and selective redeposition mechanismBlaž Tomc, Marjan Bele, Mohammed Azeezulla Nazrulla, Primož Šket, Matjaž Finšgar, Angela Šurca Vuk, Ana Rebeka Kamšek, Martin Šala, Jan Šiler Hudoklin, Matej Huš, Blaž Likozar, Nejc Hodnik, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: As electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECR) nears industrialisation levels, addressing the uncontrolled stability, restructuring, and deactivation of copper (Cu) catalysts during operation becomes as crucial as achieving high activity and selectivity for a single product. This study used a high-surface area Cu catalyst that exhibited changes in ECR product selectivity over prolonged operation. The detection of dissolved Cu species during electrolysis confirmed an intermediates-mediated Cu dissolution mechanism at ECR potentials (−0.8 to −1.1 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode). The findings suggest that the electrodeposition of dissolved Cu species is biased towards Cu catalyst sites with lower reaction intermediates coverage, e.g. adsorbed CO (*CO). A dynamic equilibrium between dissolution and subsequent selective redeposition gradually led to morphological restructuring, resulting in a shift in selectivity away from ECR and towards hydrogen production. With the obtained extensive experimental results, theoretical modelling, and literature data, four interconnected parameters governing restructuring and selectivity shifts were recognised: (i) size and (ii) crystallographic orientation of facets rsc.li/materials-a Introduction of the nanoparticles, (iii) *CO coverage and (iv) CObridge vs. COatop ratio.
Ključne besede: elektrokemija, katalizatorji, baker, proizvodnja vodika, electrochemistry, catalysts, copper, hydrogen production
Objavljeno v DKUM: 20.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 4
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7. Ozonation of amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin in model hospital wastewater to increase biotreatabilitySeverina Aleksić, Andreja Žgajnar Gotvajn, Katarina Premzl, Mitja Kolar, Sonja Šostar-Turk, 2021, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Amoxicillin (AMX) and Ciprofloxacin (CIP) are antibiotics commonly used in human medicine with high environmental toxicity and poor biodegradability. They have been found in various hospital effluents and groundwater, and their environmental impact is still not fully understood. In this work, we investigated the possibility of treating model wastewaters containing the antibiotics AMX and CIP using ozonation, with the addition of H$_2$O$_2$ under various conditions, including different pH values, H$_2$O$_2$, and ozone dosages. The quantification of and treatment efficacy for antibiotic removal were determined via solid phase extraction followed by chromatographic separation by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). This analytical system is quite efficient for the detection of all major antibiotic classes, even if they are present at very low concentrations. The efficiency of ozonation was determined by measuring the TOC (Total Organic Carbon) changes after ozonation of the model wastewater and by measuring the concentration of the two antibiotics. In a sequential activated sludge process of ozone-treated model wastewater, almost complete TOC removal and an overwhelming decrease in antibiotic concentrations (up to 99%) were observed. Ozonation resulted in complete removal of AMX and CIP in less than 30 and 120 min, respectively. The results of this work indicate that ozonation could be a suitable pretreatment method to reduce the toxicity of contaminants (AMX and CIP) and improve the biodegradability of hospital wastewater.
Ključne besede: antibiotics, amoxicillin, AMX, ciprofloxacin, CIP, hospital wastewater, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, sludge, water treatment
Objavljeno v DKUM: 06.08.2024; Ogledov: 75; Prenosov: 16
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8. Hydrogen production, storage and transport for renewable energy and chemicals : An environmental footprint assessmentRobert Hren, Annamaria Vujanović, Yee Van Fan, Damjan Krajnc, Jiri Klemeš, Lidija Čuček, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Ključne besede: hydrogen producing technologies, hydrogen storage, hydrogen transport, life cycle assessment, different electricity sources, energy and environmental footprints, eco-benefit and eco-cost, comparative impact assessment
Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.05.2024; Ogledov: 240; Prenosov: 112
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9. Mechanistic insights of polyphenolic compounds from rosemary bound to their protein targets obtained by molecular dynamics simulations and free-energy calculationsSamo Lešnik, Marko Jukič, Urban Bren, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Ključne besede: rosemary, carnosic acid, carnosol, rosmanol, rosmarinic acid, polyphenols, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, linear interaction energy calculations, water-mediated hydrogen-bonds, HIV-1 protease, K-RAS protein, factor X
Objavljeno v DKUM: 22.04.2024; Ogledov: 185; Prenosov: 28
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10. Preharvest treatments with low-risk plant protection products can help apple growers fulfill the demands of supermarket chains regarding pesticide residues and marketing apples under 0-residue brandsAndrej Paušič, Mihaela Roškarič, Mario Lešnik, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: As a result of worried consumer pressure, European supermarket chains (ESC) have developed very strict rules about the number and concentration of pesticide active substance residues (AS) accepted in fruits. So-called fruit quality toxicological burden indicators were developed. If fruit suppliers do not comply with ESC requirements, their fruit is often rejected. It is becoming increasingly difficult for apple producers to meet all the requirements of the ESC, so they need new residue reduction tools. One of the options to lower the concentrations of residue on apples is a preharvest application of low-risk preparations (LRP) based on potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) = PBC, coconut di-ethanol amide ((CH3(CH2)nC(=O)N(CH2CH2OH)2) = DEA, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) = HP, and a mixture of microbes (EM) that have the ability to dissolve or disintegrate the AS residue. Trials were carried out to test the concept mentioned above. The application of LRP during the last four weeks of preharvest significantly reduced the residue concentration of pesticide AS in apples. Reduction rates among 25 active substances ranged from 0 to 100%, depending on the combination of LRP and AS. HP had the highest capacity to accelerate AS degradation, PB was the second most efficient, and DEA and EM displayed a low residue disintegration ability. The application of the tested LRP can enable apple growers to produce fruits with significantly lower residue concentrations and allows them to comply more successfully with strict ESC rules based on the calculations of toxicological burden indicators.
Ključne besede: hydrogen peroxide, potassium bicarbonate, effective microbes, detergent, pesticide residues, fruit marketing rules
Objavljeno v DKUM: 19.04.2024; Ogledov: 253; Prenosov: 4
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