Das Projekt "Identification of groundwater nitrogen point source contribution through combined distribute temperature sensing and in-situ UV photometry" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Gießen, Institut für Landschaftsökologie und Ressourcenmanagement, Professur für Landschafts-, Wasser- und Stoffhaushalt durchgeführt. Agriculture is the major contributor of nitrogen to ecosystems, both by organic and inorganic fertilizers. Percolation of nitrate to groundwater and further transport to surface waters is assumed to be one of the major pathways in the fate of this nitrogen. The quantification of groundwater and associated nitrate flux to streams is still challenging. In particular because we lack understanding of the spatial distribution and temporal variability of groundwater and associated NO3- fluxes. In this preliminary study we will focus on the identification and quantification of groundwater and associated nitrate fluxes by combining high resolution distributed fiber-optic temperature sensing (DTS) with in situ UV photometry (ProPS). DTS is a new technique that is capable to measure temperature over distances of km with a spatial resolution of ca1 m and an accuracy of 0.01 K. It has been applied successfully to identify and quantify sources of groundwater discharge to streams. ProPS is a submersible UV process photometer, which uses high precision spectral analyses to provide single substance concentrations, in our case NO3-, at minute intervals and a detection limit of less than 0.05 mg l-1 (ca.0.01 mg NO3--Nl-1). We will conduct field experiments using artificial point sources of lateral inflow to test DTS and ProPS based quantification approaches and estimate their uncertainty. The selected study area is the Schwingbach catchment in Hessen, Germany, which has a good monitoring infrastructure. Preliminary research on hydrological fluxes and field observations indicate that the catchment favors the intended study.
Das Projekt "Plant Molecular Farming - Opportunities and Challenges" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Klagenfurt, Institut für Technik- und Wissenschaftsforschung (STS) durchgeführt. In plant molecular farming (PMF) plants are genetically modified for the production of single substances, mostly biopharmaceuticals but also other substances of industrial interests such as food supplements, food and feed additives, diagnostics, fine chemicals. PMF offers production of pharmaceuticals that would be needed in high-volumes at lower costs than presently used production systems applying mammalian cell lines and microbial fermentation. The fact that economic benefits would be greatest if using food crops in the open field cultivation has sparked a fierce debate in the USA and Canada. In recent years a considerable increase in R & D activities and interest in this technology could be observed in the EU. The study will review technical, policy and socio-economic aspects of PMF. It will identify the companies active and the products in the pipeline, drivers of and possible obstacles to plant molecular farming will be investigated. The scope of the study is not limited to but focussing on R & D and policy activities in the USA, Canada and the EU.