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SO2 IN AIR

Das Projekt "SO2 IN AIR" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Messer-Griesheim GmbH durchgeführt. Community Directive 80/779/EEC specifies maximum permissible levels of sulphur dioxide in the ambient air. Intercomparisons organized by DG XI in support of the implementation of this Directive have shown differences in excess of 10 percent between central laboratories and in excess of 30 percent between network monitors. The aim of the project was to improve the analytical technique and agreement between results. STATUS: In the first intercomparison the values obtained ranged from 78 to 94 nmol/mol. In the final stage the sampling procedure had been improved (dead volume minimised, length of sampling line minimised, sufficient equilibration time). All laboratories agreed to within a range of 4 nmol/mol. Prime Contractor: L'Air Liquide Belge, Schelle, BE.

Establishment and exploration of a gas ion source for micro-scale radiocarbon dating of glaciers and groundwater

Das Projekt "Establishment and exploration of a gas ion source for micro-scale radiocarbon dating of glaciers and groundwater" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Heidelberg, Institut für Umweltphysik durchgeführt. Recent progress in the operation of CO2 gas ion sources for accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) 14C analysis on microgram-size samples opens a wide range of new applications in dating studies, e.g. for environmental and archeological applications. This proposal aims at implementing a gas ion source at the AMS system MICADAS at the Klaus-Tschira Laboratory of the Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum für Archäometrie (CEZA) in Mannheim and to use this new capability for cutting-edge applications in environmental studies, namely the dating of small amounts of organic carbon contained in glacier ice and of specific organic compounds in ground water. Cold glaciers hold unique records on past climate and atmospheric composition. Mid-latitude ice cores furthermore enable reconstructions of recent ice chemistry changes, but cannot be dated by stratigraphic methods. For such ice bodies, only radiometric dating based on 14C analysis of organic matter contained in the ice matrix presently offers a reasonable dating potential in the late Holocene and beyond. The challenge of this approach lies in the very restricted availability of this matter, but the ability to analyse microgram samples of organic carbon from ice via a gas ion source should now enable reliable 14C dating of ice. Ground water constitutes an important water resource worldwide, especially in semi-arid regions, and in addition constitutes a useful climate archive. Dating of ground water by 14C in the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) is standard but problematic due to the complex carbonate geochemistry. Dating of ground water based on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) has been attempted with mixed success, but now the new analytical developments enable compound-specific 14C analyses of the various DOC components, offering the chance to identify compounds suitable for dating. This project is based on the extensive experience of the collaborating scientists in 14C analytics and applications as well as in the use of glacier ice and ground water as archives, including the development and application of 14C dating methods for these systems. It will establish 14C-measurements at the MICADAS AMS of the CEZA via a gas ion source on a routine base to analyse CO2-samples in the range of 5 to 40 microgram C at a precision down to 0,5 Prozent. By improving existing sample preparation techniques for glacier ice samples, reliable 14C values of the particulate and dissolved organic fractions from small (some 100 g) ice samples shall be obtained. This capability will be applied to constrain ages of cold, sedimentary glaciers as well as of small scale, cold Alpine congelation ice bodies. The project will further develop and test the tools required for micro-scale, compound-specific radiocarbon dating of ground water via its organic fraction. For this purpose, ground water samples from the Upper Rhine Graben area will be analysed, where extensive isotopic data, including DIC 14C values, are available for comparison.

Driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol and medicine (DRUID)

Das Projekt "Driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol and medicine (DRUID)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt) durchgeführt. Objective: As consumption of psychoactive substances such as alcohol, drugs and certain medicines are likely to endanger the drivers aptitude and impaired driving is still one of the major causes for road accidents, some active steps have to be taken to reach the goal of a 50% reduction in the number of road deaths in the EU. The objective of DRUID is to give scientific support to the EU transport policy to reach the 2010th road safety target by establishing guidelines and measures to combat impaired driving. DRUID will - conduct reference studies of the impact on fitness to drive for alcohol, illicit drugs and medicines and give new insights to the real degree of impairment caused by psychoactive drugs and their actual impact on road safety - generate recommendations for the definition of analytical and risk thresholds - analyse the prevalence of drugs and medicines in accidents and in general driving, set up a comprehensive and efficient epidemiological database.

Towards DNA chip technology as a standard analytical tool for the identification of marine organisms in biodiversity and ecosystem science (FISH & CHIPS)

Das Projekt "Towards DNA chip technology as a standard analytical tool for the identification of marine organisms in biodiversity and ecosystem science (FISH & CHIPS)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bremen, Zentrum für Umweltforschung und Umwelttechnologie, Abteilung 7 Biotechnologie und Molekulare Genetik durchgeführt. Sustainable development is a fundamental goal of the European Union and loss of biodiversity is emphasised as one of the main threats to it. However, biodiversity and ecosystems of European Seas are under human impact, such as pollution, eutrophication, and overfishing. Therefore it is necessary to monitor changes in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The aim of the project is the development of DNA chips for the identification of marine organisms in European Seas as a cost effective, reliable and efficient technology in biodiversity and ecosystem science. Many marine organisms, such as eggs and larvae of fishes, plankton, and benthic invertebrates, are difficult to identify by morphological characters. The classical methods are extremely time consuming and require a high degree of taxonomie expertise. Consequently, the basic step of identifying such organisms is a major bottleneck in biodiversity and ecosystem science. Therefore, the project seeks to demonstrate that DNA chips can be a new powerful and innovative tool for the identification of marine organisms. Three DNA chips for the identification of fishes, phytoplankton, and invertebrates of European Seas will be developed. These chips will facilitate research on dispersal of ichthyoplankton, monitoring of phytoplankton, and identification of bioindicators as well as prey in gut contents analysis. To achieve this goal a combined biological and technical approach has been initiated: The biological material will be sampled by marine biologists. The next step is the sequencing of suitable molecular markers for probe design. The technical part consists mainly in constructing gene probe libraries and determining their specificity. This will be done by biotech research centres in connection with SMEs engaged in bioinformatics and DNA chip technology. Therefore the project has the potential to bring Europe's marine biotechnology to the forefront of this field.

Forschergruppe (FOR) 1806: The Forgotten Part of Carbon Cycling: Organic Matter Storage and Turnover in Subsoils (SUBSOM)

Das Projekt "Forschergruppe (FOR) 1806: The Forgotten Part of Carbon Cycling: Organic Matter Storage and Turnover in Subsoils (SUBSOM)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Bochum, Geographisches Institut, Arbeitsgruppe Bodenkunde und Bodenökologie durchgeführt. We are currently facing the urgent need to improve our understanding of carbon cycling in subsoils, because the organic carbon pool below 30 cm depth is considerably larger than that in the topsoil and a substantial part of the subsoil C pool appears to be much less recalcitrant than expected over the last decades. Therefore, small changes in environmental conditions could change not only carbon cycling in topsoils, but also in subsoils. While organic matter stabilization mechanisms and factors controlling its turnover are well understood in topsoils, the underlying mechanisms are not valid in subsoils due to depth dependent differences regarding (1) amounts and composition of C-pools and C-inputs, (2) aeration, moisture and temperature regimes, (3) relevance of specific soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilisation mechanisms and (4) spatial heterogeneity of physico-chemical and biological parameters. Due to very low C concentrations and high spatio-temporal variability of properties and processes, the investigation of subsoil phenomena and processes poses major methodological, instrumental and analytical challenges. This project will face these challenges with a transdisciplinary team of soil scientists applying innovative approaches and considering the magnitude, chemical and isotopic composition and 14C-content of all relevant C-flux components and C-fractions. Taking also the spatial and temporal variability into account, will allow us to understand the four-dimensional changes of C-cycling in this environment. The nine closely interlinked subprojects coordinated by the central project will combine field C-flux measurements with detailed analyses of subsoil properties and in-situ experiments at a central field site on a sandy soil near Hannover. The field measurements are supplemented by laboratory studies for the determination of factors controlling C stabilization and C turnover. Ultimately, the results generated by the subprojects and the data synthesized in the coordinating project will greatly enhance our knowledge and conceptual understanding of the processes and controlling factors of subsoil carbon turnover as a prerequisite for numerical modelling of C-dynamics in subsoils.

Soil colour spectra of prehistoric pit fillings as a new analytical tool to measure changing soil characteristics over time on a regional scale

Das Projekt "Soil colour spectra of prehistoric pit fillings as a new analytical tool to measure changing soil characteristics over time on a regional scale" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Institut für Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften und Ressourcenschutz (INRES), Bereich Bodenwissenschaften, Allgemeine Bodenkunde und Bodenökologie durchgeführt. Prehistoric pits are filled with ancient topsoil material, which has been preserved there over millennia. A characteristic of these pit fillings is that their colour is different depending on the time the soil material was relocated. Soil colour is the result of soil forming processes and soil properties, and it could therefore indicate the soil characteristics present during that specific period. To the best of our knowledge, no investigation analysed and explained the reasons for these soil colour changes over time. The proposed project will investigate soil parameters from pit fillings of different archaeological periods in the loess area of the Lower Rhine Basin (NW-Germany). It aims to implement the measurement of colour spectra as a novel analytical tool for the rapid analyses of a high number of soil samples: the main goal is to relate highresolution colour data measured by a spectrophotometer to soil parameters that were analysed by conventional pedogenic methods and by mid infrared spectroscopy (MIRS), with a main focus on charred organic matter (BPCAs). This tool would enable us to quantify the variation of soil properties over a timescale of several millennia, during different prehistoric periods at regional scale and for loess soils in general. Detailed information concerning changing soil properties on a regional scale is necessary to determine past soil quality and it helps to increase our understanding of prehistoric soil cultivation practices. Furthermore, these information could also help to increase our understanding about agricultural systems in different archaeological periods.

Profilierende Methanmessung in der Ostsee: Cryptophan als chemischer in situ sensor

Das Projekt "Profilierende Methanmessung in der Ostsee: Cryptophan als chemischer in situ sensor" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde (IOW), Sektion Meereschemie durchgeführt. To overcome the limitation in spatial and temporal resolution of methane oceanic measurements, sensors are needed that can autonomously detect CH4-concentrations over longer periods of time. The proposed project is aimed at:- Designing molecular receptors for methane recognition (cryptophane-A and -111) and synthesizing new compounds allowing their introduction in polymeric structure (Task 1; LC, France); - Adapting, calibrating and validating the 2 available optical technologies, one of which serves as the reference sensor, for the in-situ detection and measurements of CH4 in the marine environments (Task 2 and 3; GET, LAAS-OSE, IOW) Boulart et al. (2008) showed that a polymeric filmchanges its bulk refractive index when methane docks on to cryptophane-A supra-molecules that are mixed in to the polymeric film. It is the occurrence of methane in solution, which changes either the refractive index measured with high resolution Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR; Chinowsky et al., 2003; Boulart et al, 2012b) or the transmitted power measured with differential fiber-optic refractometer (Boulart et al., 2012a; Aouba et al., 2012).- Using the developed sensors for the study of the CH4 cycle in relevant oceanic environment (the GODESS station in the Baltic Sea, Task 4 and 5; IOW, GET); GODESS registers a number of parameters with high temporal and vertical resolution by conducting up to 200 vertical profiles over 3 months deployment with a profiling platform hosting the sensor suite. - Quantifying methane fluxes to the atmosphere (Task 6); clearly, the current project, which aims at developing in-situ aqueous gas sensors, provides the technological tool to achieve the implementation of ocean observatories for CH4. The aim is to bring the fiber-optic methane sensor on the TRL (Technology Readiness Level) from their current Level 3 (Analytical and laboratory studies to validate analytical predictions) - to the Levels 5 and 6 (Component and/or basic sub-system technology validation in relevant sensing environments) and compare it to the SPR methane sensor, taken as the reference sensor (current TRL 5). This would lead to potential patent applications before further tests and commercialization. This will be achieved by the ensemble competences and contributions from the proposed consortium in this project.

Indicators and tools for restoration and sustainable management of closed-deciduous forests in East Africa

Das Projekt "Indicators and tools for restoration and sustainable management of closed-deciduous forests in East Africa" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Freiburg, Waldbau-Institut durchgeführt. Objectives: The study links East African and European re-searchers into strategic alliances so as to contribute to resolving conflicts prevailing between the needs of different forest stakeholders and the need to sustain the remaining forest and its biodiversity. The project will develop a scientific basis and directly applicable tools for forest ecosystem restoration and sustainable management. The particular objectives are to: - Establish and validate ecological & socio-economic criteria against which status and pro-cesses of forest and its management can be assessed - Assess indicators that permit inference of the status of a particular criterion and to formulate appropriate verifiers - Design and validate nature-based silvicultural tools to gear operations so as to improve local livelihoods and sustain forest resources - Integrate results into appropriate technology packages and disseminate to target-groups. Activities: Establishment of country-specific tandems of local and European institutions. Identification of locally applicable C&I for sustainable forest management and standardisation of research methods. Together with stakeholders, joint development of a framework in which C&I can be verified locally, based on prevailing information and complementary research. Participating NGOs to facilitate establishment of socio-economic context, research institutions to investigate status and dynamics of forests. In parallel, research will commence on silviculturally relevant ecosystem characteristics. Mid-project evaluation of descriptive-analytical 1st project phase so as to formulate the experimental, predictive 2nd phase of the study. Definition of research approaches to calibrate verifiers for indicators and to test silvicultural tools suited to guide the forest ecosystem into the desired direction or status. Research on the management of invasive species, natural establishment of desirable species and on stand improvement treatments. The continuous input and evaluation through an NGO moderator will help to fine-tune and ensure the client-orientated approach of the silvicultural research. A specific communication module serves to translate scientific findings into technological packages relevant to stakeholders. Expected Outcome: Regional framework to assess sustainability of forest management. Silvicultural tools for forest restoration and sustainable forest management. Research findings translated into formats appropriate to the target group, including extension, policy advice and management guidelines.

Aliphatische Amine in der tropischen marinen Umwelt: Quellen, Budget und Phasenverteilung Phase II

Das Projekt "Aliphatische Amine in der tropischen marinen Umwelt: Quellen, Budget und Phasenverteilung Phase II" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Leibniz-Institut für Troposphärenforschung e.V. durchgeführt. Das Vorkommen aliphatischer Amine in sub-mikrometer Partikeln in der marinen Umwelt lässt vermuten, dass diese Verbindungen eine wichtige Rolle bei sekundären Aerosolbildungsprozessen (engl. secondary aerosol formation, SOA) Prozessen spielen. Diese kleinen, sehr flüchtigen Verbindungen haben weiterhin einen wesentlichen Anteil am Stickstoff und Kohlenstoffkreislauf. Jedoch sind die genaue Bedeutung der aliphatischen Amine in der Atmosphärenchemie sowie ihr biogener Ursprung und ihre Bildungsprozesse noch weitestgehend unbekannt.Ziel des ALAMARE Projektes ist es, aliphatische Amine in der marinen Umwelt zu detektieren, weitergehende Informationen bezüglich ihres Ursprungs zu erhalten, sowie ein besseres Verständnis für ihren Transfer zwischen Gas- und Partikelphase zu erlangen. Außerdem soll die Beziehung zwischen der biologischen Produktivität im Meerwasser und der Emission von Aminen untersucht werden. Dafür werden diese Verbindungen im Rahmen von Feldmesskampagnen auf den kapverdischen Inseln sowohl im Meerwasser als auch in der Gas- und Partikelphase chemisch analysiert. Weiterhin erfolgt die Analyse von aminspezifischen Algenpigmenten im Meerwasser.Während des ALAMARE Projektes konnten Amine in marinen Aerosolpartikeln erfolgreich nachgewiesen werden. Dabei wurde ein großer Datensatz generiert, der Messungen über insgesamt 2 Jahre (2012 und 2013) enthält. Eine positive Korrelation zwischen Algenpigmenten und Aminen in der Atmosphäre konnte während ALAMARE festgestellt werden. Diese Ergebnisse erfordern nun eine umfassende Interpretation der Amine in Bezug auf biologische, chemische und meteorologische Parameter, die während ALAMARE II durchgeführt werden soll. Während des ALAMARE Projektes konnte allerdings keine Methode für die Aminbestimmung im Meerwasser etabliert werden. Der hohe Salzgehalt sowie das Vorkommen dieser Verbindungen im Spurenbereich erfordern eine weitere analytische Methodenentwicklung. Die Etablierung einer geeigneten analytischen Methode für die Bestimmung von Aminen in salinen Matrizes ist das Hauptziel von ALAMARE II. Drei vielversprechende Methoden stehen zur Verfügung und die geeignetste Methode soll für die Analyse der Meerwasserproben, die während der Feldmesskampagnen genommen wurden, zum Einsatz kommen.Die umfassende Interpretation der Aminkonzentrationen in Meerwasserproben (Meerwasser und mariner Oberflächenfilm) und in der Aerosol- und Gasphase wird einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Verständnis der Phasenverteilung dieser Verbindungen leisten und neue Einblicke in ihre Rolle in der marinen Umwelt geben.

CO2-Fußabdrücke im Alltagsverkehr - Datenauswertung auf Basis der Studie Mobilität in Deutschland

Das Projekt "CO2-Fußabdrücke im Alltagsverkehr - Datenauswertung auf Basis der Studie Mobilität in Deutschland" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von infas Institut für angewandte Sozialwissenschaft GmbH durchgeführt. Die dieser Studie zugrundeliegende Sekundärauswertung erfolgt auf Basis der Ergebnisse aus 'Mobilität in Deutschland' und zielt darauf ab, im alltäglichen Personenverkehr Faktoren und Zusammenhänge aufzuzeigen, die besonders stark zu den CO2-Emissionen beitragen, um Ansatz-punkte zu identifizieren, politische Maßnahmen zielgerichteter und dabei den Mitteleinsatz effizienter zu gestalten. Dazu werden zum einen das Emissionsberechnungsmodell TREMOD (Transport Emission Model) in der Version 6.03 (01/2020) verwendet und zum anderen die Datensätze der Verkehrserhebung Mobilität in Deutschland (MiD) der Erhebungsjahre 2002, 2008 und 2017. In dieser Studie werden ausschließlich CO2-Emissionen betrachtet. Unter Berücksichtigung dieser Festlegungen und Definitionen wurde auf Grundlage von TREMOD 6.03 eine Liste spezifischer Emissionswerte inklusive Vorkette nach Fahrzeugtyp und Verkehrsmittel in Gramm pro Personenkilometer bzw. pro Kilometer bereitgestellt. Jedem berichteten Weg innerhalb der MiD wird anhand dieser Liste ein CO2-Wert zugeordnet, der sich aus den verkehrsmittelspezifischen Emissionswerten multipliziert mit der Länge des Weges ergibt. Hierzu werden die Angaben für die Bezugsjahre 2002, 2008 und 2017 ausschließlich nach TREMOD 6.03 verwendet. Auf dieser Grundlage lassen sich anhand des Verkehrsaufkommens genaue Emissionsberechnungen durchführen, da in den CO2-Emissionswerten pro Weg die zugehörigen Distanzen und durchschnittliche Auslastungen als Information enthalten sind. Mit den beschriebenen Verfahren lassen sich nun differenzierte Analysen der Emissionsmengen durchführen, um die Emissionsquellen und -ursachen zu benennen. Dabei werden drei analytische Perspektiven unterschieden: Längsschnittanalyse zum Vergleich der Erhebungsjahre und damit der zeitlichen Entwicklung, eine Betrachtung der Wegeebene und nach Personen im Querschnitt.

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