Simple method of measuring a variable heat flux

A method of measuring a time-dependent heat flux is described and results of a verification are presented.Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 111–115, July, 1977.     

Studying the active layer of oligotrophic bogs in the Taiga zone of Western Siberia

In this paper, we identify and describe the active and inert horizons of oligotrophic bogs. These often appear to be a fire risk to oil and gas extraction industries, but these bogs are a complex biological system also. We describe three structural layers for the active horizon. These are the turf layer, the porous layer, the intermediate layer. We have investigated the morphological characteristics of these layers. For each layer, we gave the measurement of physical parameters – pH, general mineralisation, conductivity, coefficient of ash and moisture. In each selected layer we study microbiological parameters – microbial biomass, the carbon of microbial biomass, basal respiration and microbial metabolic quotient. Microbiological studies have established the boundary between the aerobic and anaerobic conditions in active layer of oligotrophic bogs. In each layer, we have established the biochemical characteristics of layers studying enzymes catalase and invertase. The obtained data make it possible to assess the functional processes in the active horizon of the wetland’s ecosystem.     

Sterilization of Ground Prepacked Indian Spices by Gamma Irradiation

Prepacked ground Indian spices which included pepper. turmeric, chilli, and coriander were found to be heavily contaminated with bacteria and molds. The total bacterial counts ranged between 10⁵–10⁷. whereas total fungal counts ranged between 10²–10⁶. Red chilli was found to be the most contaminated spice. The bacterial population consisted mainly of spores. A dose of 10 kGy was found to be effective in destroying these microbes in prepacked spices without affecting their quality attributes. To eliminate mold contamination a dose of 5 kGy was sufficient. During a six-month storage study of irradiated and unirradiated spices, the irradiated spices were found to retain their quality.     

Formation of Extended Covalently Bonded Ni Porphyrin Networks on the Au（lll） Surface

The growth and ordering of {5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-bromophenyl)porphyrinato}nickel(II) (NiTBrPP) molecules on the Au(111) surface have been investigated using scanning tunnelling microscopy, X-ray absorption, core-level photoemission, and microbeam low-energy electron diffraction. When deposited onto the substrate at room temperature, the NiTBrPP forms a well-ordered close-packed molecular layer in which the molecules have a flat orientation with the porphyrin macrocycle plane lying parallel to the substrate. Annealing of the NiTBrPP layer on the Au(111) surface at 525 K leads to dissociation of bromine from the porphyrin followed by the formation of covalent bonds between the phenyl substituents of the porphyrin. This results in the formation of continuous covalently bonded porphyrin networks, which are stable up to 800 K and can be recovered after exposure to ambient conditions. By controlling the experimental conditions, a robust, extended porphyrin network can be prepared on the Au(111) surface that has many potential applications such as protective coatings, in sensing or as a host structure for molecules and clusters.