Photocatalytic Degradation of Anthracene in Closed System Reactor

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent a large class of persistent organic pollutants in an environment of special concern because they have carcinogenic and mutagenic activity. In this paper, we focus on and discuss the effect of different parameters, for instance, initial concentration of Anthracene, temperature, and light intensity, on the degradation rate. These parameters were adjusted at pH 6.8 in the presence of the semiconductor materials (TiO2) as photocatalysts overUVlight. The main product of Anthracene photodegradation is 9,10-Anthraquinone which isidentified and compared with the standard compound by GC-MS. Our results indicate that the optimum conditions for the best rate of degradation are 25 ppm concentration of Anthracene, regulating the reaction vessel at 308.15 K and 2.5 mW/cm(2) of light intensity at 17 5mg/100 mL of titanium dioxide (P25).

Student, school, and country differences in sustained test-taking effort in the 2009 PISA reading assessment

In this article, the change in examinee effort during an assessment, which we will refer to as persistence, is modeled as an effect of item position. A multilevel extension is proposed to analyze hierarchically structured data and decompose the individual differences in persistence. Data from the 2009 Program of International Student Achievement (PISA) reading assessment from N = 467,819 students from 65 countries are analyzed with the proposed model, and the results are compared across countries. A decrease in examinee effort during the PISA reading assessment was found consistently across countries, with individual differences within and between schools. Both the decrease and the individual differences are more pronounced in lower performing countries. Within schools, persistence is slightly negatively correlated with reading ability; but at the school level, this correlation is positive in most countries. The results of our analyses indicate that it is important to model and control examinee effort in low-stakes assessments. (DIPF/Orig.)

Role of Platinum Deposited on TiO2 in Photocatalytic Methanol Oxidation and Dehydrogenation Reactions

Titania modified nanoparticles have been prepared by the photodeposition method employing platinum particles on the commercially available titanium dioxide (Hombikat UV 100). The properties of the prepared photocatalysts were investigated by means of the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV-visible diffuse spectrophotometry (UV-Vis). XRD was employed to determine the crystallographic phase and particle size of both bare and platinised titanium dioxide. The results indicated that the particle size was decreased with the increasing of platinum loading. AFM analysis showed that one particle consists of about 9 to 11 crystals. UV-vis absorbance analysis showed that the absorption edge shifted to longer wavelength for 0.5% Pt loading compared with bare titanium dioxide. The photocatalytic activity of pure and Pt-loaded TiO2 was investigated employing the photocatalytic oxidation and dehydrogenation of methanol. The results of the photocatalytic activity indicate that the platinized titanium dioxide samples are always more active than the corresponding bare TiO2 for both methanol oxidation and dehydrogenation processes. The loading with various platinum amounts resulted in a significant improvement of the photocatalytic activity of TiO2. This beneficial effect was attributed to an increased separation of the photogenerated electron-hole charge carriers.

A competence model for environmental education

The goal of environmental education is ultimately to enable a person to strive for and to attain a more ecological way of life. In this article, we begin by distinguishing three forms of environmental knowledge and go on to predict that people's attitude toward nature represents the force that drives their ecological behavioral engagement. Based on data from 1,907 students, we calibrated previously established instruments to measure ecological behavior, environmental knowledge, and attitude toward nature with Rasch-type models. Using path modeling, we corroborated our theoretically anticipated competence structure. While environmental knowledge revealed a modest behavioral effect, attitude toward nature turned out to be, as expected, the stronger determinant of behavior. Overall, we propose a competence model that has the potential to guide us into more evidence-based ways of promoting the overall ecological engagement of individuals. (DIPF/Orig.)

Durability of Ag-TiO(2) Photocatalysts Assessed for the Degradation of Dichloroacetic Acid

The stability of Ag-TiO(2) photocatalysts was examined for the photocatalytic degradation of dichloroacetic acid (DCA) as a function of the recycling times. The photocatalytic activity was investigated by measuring the rate of H(+) ions released during the photodegradation of DCA and confirmed by measuring the total organic carbon removal. The photodegradation reactions were studied at pH 3 and pH 10 for a series of Ag-TiO(2) photocatalysts as different with Ag loadings. All the Ag-TiO(2) and bare TiO(2) photocatalysts showed a decrease in photocatalytic activity on recycling for the DCA photodegradation reaction. The decrease in activity can be attributed to poisoning of active sites by Cl(-) anions formed during the photocatalytic DCA degradation. The photocatalytic activity was, however, easily recovered by a simple washing technique. The reversibility of the poisoning is taken as evidence to support the idea that the recycling of Ag-P25 TiO(2) photocatalysts does not have a permanent negative effect on their photocatalytic performance for the degradation of DCA. The choice of the preparation procedure for the Ag-TiO2 photocatalysts is shown to be of significant importance for the observed changes in the photocatalytic activity of the Ag-TiO2 particles. Copyright (C) 2008 Victor M. Menendez-Flores et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Keeping the promise? Contextualizing inclusive education in developing countries

Inclusive education became a global promise corroborated by international declarations such as the Salamanca Statement (1994) and the Incheon Declaration (2015). Most countries worldwide have committed to the goal of inclusive education, putting a lot of pressure on so-called developing countries. Against this backdrop the threefold purpose of this book is to: 1. Generate research evidence on the development and implementation of inclusive education in developing countries, 2. Contextualize inclusive education in specific developing countries and contexts, and 3. Reflect on the future of inclusive education in developing countries. (DIPF/Orig.)

Reduced graphene oxide and Ag wrapped TiO2 photocatalyst for enhanced visible light photocatalysis

A well-organised reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and silver (Ag) wrapped TiO2 nano-hybrid was successfully achieved through a facile and easy route. The inherent characteristics of the synthesized RGO-Ag/TiO2 were revealed through crystalline phase, morphology, chemical composition, Raman scattering, UV-visible absorption, and photoluminescence analyses. The adopted synthesis route significantly controlled the uniform formation of silver nanoparticles and contributed for the absorption of light in the visible spectrum through localized surface plasmon resonance effects. The wrapped RGO nanosheets triggered the electron mobility and promoted visible light shift towards red spectrum. The accomplishment of synergised effect of RGO and Ag well degraded Bisphenol A under visible light irradiation with a removal efficiency of 61.9%.

Reduced graphene oxide wrapped Cu2O supported on C3N4: An efficient visible light responsive semiconductor photocatalyst

Herein, Cu 2O spheres were prepared and encapsulated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The Cu 2O–rGO–C3N4 composite covered the whole solar spectrum with significant absorption intensity. rGO wrapped Cu 2O loading caused a red shift in the absorption with respect to considering the absorption of bare C3N4. The photoluminescence study confirms that rGO exploited as an electron transport layer at the interface of Cu 2O and C3N4 heterojunction. Utmost, ∼2 fold synergistic effect was achieved with Cu 2O–rGO–C3N4 for the photocatalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol in comparison with Cu 2O–rGO and C3N4. The Cu 2O–rGO–C3N4 photocatalyst was reused for four times without loss in its activity.

Research Update: Photoelectrochemical water splitting and photocatalytic hydrogen production using ferrites (MFe2O4) under visible light irradiation

The utilization of solar light for the photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic production of molecular hydrogen from water is a scientific and technical challenge. Semiconductors with suitable properties to promote solar-driven water splitting are a desideratum. A hitherto rarely investigated group of semiconductors are ferrites with the empirical formula MFe2O4 and related compounds. This contribution summarizes the published results of the experimental investigations on the photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic properties of these compounds. It will be shown that the potential of this group of compounds in regard to the production of solar hydrogen has not been fully explored yet.

Schule, Lehrerschaft und Bildungspolitik um 1800. Neue Studien im Umfeld der Helvetischen Stapfer-Enquête von 1799

Dieser zweite Sammelband im Rahmen der Reihe „Studien zur Stapfer-Schulenquête von 1799“ beinhaltet [...] Beiträge zu der 1799 durch den Helvetischen Bildungsminister Philipp Albert Stapfer initiierten großangelegten Schulumfrage. Gegenüber den Beiträgen im ersten Sammelband „Volksschule um 1800“ konnten diese hier versammelten Studien auf die komplette Edition der rund 2400 überlieferten Antwortbögen der Stapfer-Enquête zurückgreifen (www. stapferenquete.ch). Der nun vollständig mögliche Zugriff auf die Daten hat dementsprechend umfassendere Forschungsresultate zur Folge und erlaubt repräsentativere Tiefenbohrungen. Noch deutlicher als beim ersten Band vermögen diese Beiträge ein gegenüber der traditionellen Schulgeschichte wesentlich differenzierteres, in vielen Fällen auch korrigiertes Bild der Volksschule um 1800 zu zeichnen. (DIPF/Orig.)

Gerhart Hauptmann liest Leopardi

Gerhart Hauptmann beschäftigte sich über einen längeren Zeitraum mit dem italienischen Dichter Giacomo Leopardi. Anhand von Tagebuchnotizen und Lesespuren in zwei deutschprachigen Leopardi-Ausgaben der nachgelassenen Bibliothek Hauptmanns rekonstruiert der Aufsatz Hauptmanns Leopardi-Rezeption (vor allem im Zeitraum 1929 und 1938), die mehr der Selbstbespiegelung im Lesen als kritischer oder produktiver Auseinandersetzung dient. Ein weiterer Abschnitt betrachtet Hauptmanns Interesse an Leopardis Biographie, das u.a. die Lesespuren im Vorwort zur Auswahl-Ausgabe von Leopardis Werken durch Ludwig Wolde bezeugen, aber auch die Anteilnahme an der biographischen Leopardi-Skizze in Herbert Eulenbergs populärem Büchlein 'Schattenbilder und Lichtbilder' (1926).

Unterricht aus Sicht der Lehrerinnen und Lehrer. Subjektive Theorien zur Unterrichtsgestaltung und ihre Veränderung durch ein Training zu neuen Unterrichtsmethoden

Guter Schulunterricht bildet eine wichtige Basis für die Entwicklung unserer Gesellschaft. Ein zentraler Aspekt guten Unterrichts ist das Wissen und Denken der Lehrerinnen und Lehrer. In dieser Arbeit werden dazu die subjektiven Theorien zur Unterrichtsgestaltung erforscht. Dabei wird auch überprüft, welche Effekte ein Training auf die Veränderung dieser Unterrichtstheorien hat. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die untersuchten Lehrkräfte sehr differenzierte Vorstellungen davon haben, wie sie im Unterricht vorgehen. Diese Vorstellungen lassen sich als subjektive Theorien rekonstruieren, die ähnlich wie wissenschaftliche Theorien aufgebaut sind und vergleichbare Funktionen erfüllen. Diese subjektiven Theorien stimmen auch inhaltlich in vielen Punkten mit wissenschaftlichen Theorien überein. Es ist daher kaum verwunderlich, dass Trainingsprogramme, die von einem defizitären Wissen bei Lehrkräften ausgehen, nur geringe Effekte aufweisen. Fazit: Lehrerinnen und Lehrer sind klüger als mancher Wissenschaftler (und vielleicht auch die Öffentlichkeit) denkt! Der Autor verdeutlicht, dass wir in Zukunft mehr auf den Erfahrungsschatz der Lehrkräfte schauen und diesen als Fundus wissenschaftlicher Theorienbildung nutzen sollten. (DIPF/Orig.)

"Last-Mile" preparation for a potential disaster - Interdisciplinary approach towards tsunami early warning and an evacuation information system for the coastal city of Padang, Indonesia

Extreme natural events, like e.g. tsunamis or earthquakes, regularly lead to catastrophes with dramatic consequences. In recent years natural disasters caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, destruction of infrastructure, disruption of economic activity and loss of billions of dollars worth of property and thus revealed considerable deficits hindering their effective management: Needs for stakeholders, decision-makers as well as for persons concerned include systematic risk identification and evaluation, a way to assess countermeasures, awareness raising and decision support systems to be employed before, during and after crisis situations. The overall goal of this study focuses on interdisciplinary integration of various scientific disciplines to contribute to a tsunami early warning information system. In comparison to most studies our focus is on high-end geometric and thematic analysis to meet the requirements of smallscale, heterogeneous and complex coastal urban systems. Data, methods and results from engineering, remote sensing and social sciences are interlinked and provide comprehensive information for disaster risk assessment, management and reduction. In detail, we combine inundation modeling, urban morphology analysis, population assessment, socioeconomic analysis of the population and evacuation modeling. The interdisciplinary results eventually lead to recommendations for mitigation strategies in the fields of spatial planning or coping capacity. © Author(s) 2009.

[(3-Chlorobenzamido)methyl]triethylammonium chloride

We report the synthesis of [(3-chlorobenzamido)methyl]triethylammonium chloride in a reaction of N-(chloromethyl)-3-chlorobenzamide and triethylamine in dry acetone. The structure of the newly synthesized compound was characterized with1H-NMR,13C-NMR, FTIR and Mass spectroscopy. © 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Über die Kritik interkultureller Ansätze zu uneindeutigen Zugehörigkeiten – kunstpädagogische Perspektiven

Gleichwohl hat sich seit Beginn des neuen Jahrtausends in Deutschland das Selbstverständnis durchgesetzt, dass die Anwesenheit von Migrantinnen und Migranten weder marginal noch vorübergehend, sondern konstitutiv für gesellschaftliche Wirklichkeit ist. Die öffentlichen Diskurse, die politischen Debatten und Anstrengungen sowie die Ergebnisse der empirischen Bildungsforschung der letzten Jahre in Deutschland verweisen darauf, dass Migration zu den wichtigsten gesellschaftlichen Auseinandersetzungen der Gegenwart und Zukunft avanciert ist. Dies bestätigt auch das Feld, das sich aus pädagogischer Perspektive mit Kunst und Ästhetik befasst. [...] Der Autor möchte seinen Beitrag zu Fragen ästhetischer Bildung in der Migrationsgesellschaft mit einer kurzen Kritik der Besonderung durch die interkulturelle Perspektive einleiten (ausführlicher Mecheril u.a., 2010), um vom Brett dieser Kritik in eine alternative Perspektive zu springen, die er Migrationspädagogik nennt. (DIPF/Orig.)