Ústav chemie a technologie ochrany životního prostředí

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Poly(lactide) Upcycling Approach through Transesterification for Stereolithography 3D Printing
(AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2024-10-02) Figalla, Silvestr; Jašek, Vojtěch; Fučík, Jan; Menčík, Přemysl; Přikryl, Radek
The legislature determines the recycled and waste contents in fabrication processes to ensure more sustainable production. PLA's mechanical recycling and reuse are limited due to the performance decrease caused by thermal or hydrolytic instability. Our concept introduces an upcycling route involving PLA depolymerization using propylene glycol as a reactant, followed by the methacrylation, assuring the liquid systems' curability provided by radical polymerization. PLA-containing curable systems were studied from a rheological and thermomechanical viewpoint. The viscosity levels varied from 33 to 3911 mPas at 30 degrees C, giving a wide capability potential. The best system reached 2240 MPa storage modulus, 164.1 degrees C glass-transition temperature, and 145.6 degrees C heat-resistant index, competitive values to commercial systems. The printability was verified for all of the systems. Eventually, our concept led to SLA resin production containing PLA waste content up to 51 wt %.
Transesterification of Lactic Acid Oligomers with Ethanol, a Way to Anhydrous Ethyl Lactate: A Kinetic Study
(MDPI, 2018-08-15) Figalla, Silvestr; Petrůj, Jaroslav; Tulková, Tereza
A new method for the preparation of anhydrous ethyl ester of lactic acid was studied. The selected method is based on catalytic transesterification of lactic acid oligomers, which were prepared for this purpose by autocatalytic oligomerization of lactic acid. In this work, a kinetic model for the case of catalytic alcoholysis of oligoesters was derived assuming a first-order reaction and equimolar content of reactants in the reaction mixture. The model makes it possible to obtain the values of the reaction rate and equilibrium constants and the equilibrium alcohol concentration by regression analysis at one time. The model was verified by measuring the rate of consumption of ethanol over the time at various reaction temperatures with anhydrous FeCl3 as the catalyst. The reaction was studied at overpressure under autogenous conditions in the temperature range of 100–180 °C. For the catalyst concentration of 1 mol %, the activation energy value was 64.35 kJ·mol1. The dependence of equilibrium composition and rate constant on the temperature was obtained. The derived model is generally applicable to all first-order equilibrium reactions. The presumption is that the forward and reverse reactions are of the same order and have the same stoichiometry and equivalent amounts of reactants at the beginning of the reaction.
Fotovoltaika, zvyšování její efektivity a trendy do roku 2030
(GIVERSDON s.r.o., 2016-07-04) Levek, Petr
Článek o současném trendech fotovoltaiky, informace o výhodách a nevýhodách fotovoltaických panelů
Assessing Earthworm Exposure to a Multi-Pharmaceutical Mixture in Soil: Unveiling Insights through LC-MS and MALDI-MS Analyses, and Impact of Biochar on Pharmaceutical Bioavailability
(Springer-Verlag, 2024-07-19) Fučík, Jan; Jarošová, Jana; Baumeister, Andreas; Rexroth, Sascha; Navrkalová, Jitka; Sedlář, Marian; Zlámalová Gargošová, Helena; Mravcová, Ludmila
In the European circular economy, agricultural practices introduce pharmaceutical (PhAC) residues into the terrestrial environment, posing a potential risk to earthworms. This study aimed to assess earthworm bioaccumulation factors (BAFs), the ecotoxicological effects of PhACs, the impact of biochar on PhAC bioavailability to earthworms and their persistence in soil and investigate earthworm uptake mechanisms along with the spatial distribution of PhACs. Therefore, earthworms were exposed to contaminated soil for 21 days. The results revealed that BAFs ranged from 0.0216 to 0.329, with no significant ecotoxicological effects on earthworm weight or mortality (p>0.05). Biochar significantly influenced the uptake of 14 PhACs on the first day (p<0.05), with diminishing effects over time, and affected significantly the soil-degradation kinetics of 16 PhACs. Moreover, MALDI-MS analysis revealed that PhAC uptake occurs through both the dermal and oral pathways, as pharmaceuticals were distributed throughout the entire earthworm tissue without specific localization. In conclusion, this study suggests ineffective PhAC accumulation in earthworms, highlights the influence of biochar on PhAC degradation rates in soil, and suggests that uptake can occur through both earthworm skin and oral ingestion.
Assessing Lettuce Exposure to a Multipharmaceutical Mixture under Hydroponic Conditions: Findings through LC-ESI-TQ Analysis and Ecotoxicological Assessments
(AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2024-11-28) Mravcová, Ludmila; Jašek, Vojtěch; Hamplová, Marie; Navrkalová, Jitka; Amrichová, Anna; Zlámalová Gargošová, Helena; Fučík, Jan
The escalating global water scarcity demands innovative solutions, one of which is hydroponic vegetable cultivation systems that increasingly use reclaimed wastewater. Nevertheless, even treated wastewater may still harbor various emerging organic contaminants, including pharmaceuticals. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the impact of pharmaceuticals, focusing on bioconcentration factors (BCFs), translocation factors (TFs), pharmaceutical persistence in aqueous environment, ecotoxicological end points, and associated environmental and health risks. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) was cultivated hydroponically throughout its entire growth cycle, exposed to seven distinct concentration levels of contaminants ranging from 0 to 500 mu gL-1 over a 35-day period. The findings revealed a diverse range of BCFs (2.3 to 880 Lkg(-1)) and TFs (0.019-1.48), suggesting a high potential of pharmaceutical uptake and translocation by L. sativa. The degradation of 20 pharmaceuticals within the water-lettuce system followed first-order degradation kinetics. Substantial ecotoxicological effects on L. sativa were observed, including increased mortality, alterations in root morphology and length, and changes in biomass weight (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the estimated daily intake of pharmaceuticals through L. sativa consumption suggested considerable health risks, even if lettuce would be one of the many vegetables consumed. It is hypothetical, as the values were calculated. Moreover, this study assessed the environmental risk associated with the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in aquatic environments, revealing a significantly high risk of AMR emergence. In conclusion, these findings emphasize the multifaceted challenges posed by pharmaceutical contamination in aquatic environments and the necessity of proactive measures to mitigate associated risks to both environmental and human health.

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