This book presents the first comprehensive, interdisciplinary review of the rapidly developing field of air lasing. In most applications of lasers, such as cutting and engraving, the laser source is brought to the point of service where the laser beam is needed to perform its function. However, in some important applications such as remote atmospheric sensing, placing the laser at a convenient location is not an option. Current sensing schemes rely on the detection of weak backscattering of ground-based, forward-propagating optical probes, and possess limited sensitivity. The concept of air lasing (or atmospheric lasing) relies on the idea that the constituents of the air itself can be used as an active laser medium, creating a backward-propagating, impulsive, laser-like radiation emanating from a remote location in the atmosphere. This book provides important insights into the current state of development of air lasing and its applications.

This book advances the use of biodiesel-more environmentally friendly than traditional fossil fuels-by showing how it can be synthesized at a lower cost, with greater efficiency and as a more pure and stable product. It presents methods based on fluorescence spectroscopy, which are less time-consuming than the traditional Rancimat analysis for monitoring stability, and are therefore less prone to allowing oxidative decay in the biofuel. Biodiesel exploits a variety of raw materials, from freshly harvested cottonseed to recycled cooking oil. These are cheap to produce and generate fuel lower in polluting sulphur and aromatic compounds than its petroleum-based equivalent. Beginning by addressing different protocols for synthesis based on fatty acids, methyl and ethyl esters, it then describes chemical analyses essential to establishing the purity of the biodiesel. It highlights in detail the use of multifunctional and synthetic antioxidants, and investigates the impact of synthetic chalcones and their derivatives on the oxidative stability of biodiesel. The author goes on to explain how to ameliorate various influences - UV irradiation and metal contaminants for example - which increase the hazards of oxidation, such as degradation and instability. New pre-treatment procedures performed using ultrasonic energies, thermostatic bath and vortex stirring are not only more environmentally friendly, but cut down on the time-consuming process of determining metal content, and allow for the use of more environmentally friendly aqueous reagents. The book investigates and demonstrates these techniques on the basis of real-world results. Further, it suggests the practical uses of byproducts of biodiesel production, for example, using glycerol as a source of energy and high valuable chemicals. These useful techniques aid any researcher exploring the production process of biodiesel and its stabilization and characteristics.

This edition contains carefully selected contributions by leading scientists in high-resolution laser spectroscopy, quantum optics and laser physics. Emphasis is given to ultrafast laser phenomena, implementations of frequency combs, precision spectroscopy and high resolution metrology. Furthermore, applications of the fundamentals of quantum mechanics are widely covered. This book is dedicated to Nobel prize winner Theodor W. Hansch on the occasion of his 75th birthday. The contributions are reprinted from a topical collection published in Applied Physics B, 2016. Selected contributions are available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license via link.springer.com. Please see the copyright page for further details.

This book fills a gap between many of the basic solid state physics and materials sciencebooks that are currently available. It is written for a mixed audience of electricalengineering and applied physics students who have some knowledge of elementaryundergraduate quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics. This book, based on asuccessful course taught at MIT, is divided pedagogically into three parts: (I) ElectronicStructure, (II) Transport Properties, and (III) Optical Properties. Each topic is explainedin the context of bulk materials and then extended to low-dimensional materials whereapplicable. Problem sets review the content of each chapter to help students to understandthe material described in each of the chapters more deeply and to prepare them to masterthe next chapters.

This book draws on the latest research to discuss the history and development of high-entropy alloys and ceramics in bulk, film, and fiber form. High-entropy materials have recently been developed using the entropy of mixing and entropy of configuration of materials, and have proven to exhibit unique properties superior to those of conventional materials. The field of high-entropy alloys was born in 2004, and has since been developed for both scientific and engineering applications. Although there is extensive literature, this field is rapidly transforming. This book highlights the cutting edge of high-entropy materials, including their fundamentals and applications. Above all, it reflects two major milestones in their development: the equi-atomic ratio single-phase high-entropy alloys; and the non-equi-atomic ratio dual-phase high-entropy alloys.

This book summarizes recent progress in cellulose chemistry. The last 10 years have witnessed important developments, because sustainability is a major concern. Biodegradable cellulose derivatives, in particular esters and ethers, are employed on a large scale. The recent developments in cellulose chemistry include unconventional methods for the synthesis of derivatives, introduction of novel solvents, e.g. ionic liquids, novel approaches to regioselective derivatization of cellulose, preparation of nano-particles and nano-composites for specific applications. These new developments are discussed comprehensively. This book is aimed at researchers and professionals working on cellulose and its derivatives. It fills an important gap in teaching, because most organic chemistry textbooks concentrate on the relatively simple chemistry of mono- and disaccharides. The chemistry and, more importantly, the applications of cellulose are only concisely mentioned.

This book presents an overview of fundamental aspects of surface-based biosensors and techniques for enhancing their detection sensitivity and speed. It focuses on rapid detection using miniaturized sensors and describes the physical principles of nanoscale transducers, surface modifications, microfluidics and reaction engineering, diffusion and kinetics. A key challenge in the field of bioanalytical sensors is the rapid delivery of target biomolecules to the sensing surface. While various nanostructures have shown great promise in sensitive detection, diffusion-limited binding of analyte molecules remains a fundamental problem. Recently, many researchers have put forward novel schemes to overcome this challenge, such as nanopore channels, electrokinetics, and dielectrophoresis, to name but a few. This book provides the readers an up-to-date account on these technological advances.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the field of spin dynamics and magnetic damping. It discusses the various ways to tune damping, specifically, dynamic and static control in a ferromagnetic layer/heavy metal layer. In addition, it addresses all optical detection techniques for the investigation of modulation of damping, for example, the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect technique.

This book presents the first experiment revealing several unexplored non-equilibrium properties of quantum many-body states, and addresses the interplay between the Kondo effect and superconductivity by probing shot noise. In addition, it describes in detail nano-fabrication techniques for carbon nanotube quantum dots, and a measurement protocol and principle that probes both equilibrium and non-equilibrium quantum states of electrons. The book offers various reviews of topics in mesoscopic systems: shot noise measurement, carbon nanotube quantum dots, the Kondo effect in quantum dots, and quantum dots with superconducting leads, which are relevant to probing non-equilibrium physics. These reviews offer particularly valuable resources for readers interested in non-equilibrium physics in mesoscopic systems. Further, the cutting-edge experimental results presented will allow reader to catch up on a vital new trend in the field.

This book, now in its second edition, introduces readers to quantum rings as a special class of modern high-tech material structures at the nanoscale. It deals, in particular, with their formation by means of molecular beam epitaxy and droplet epitaxy of semiconductors, and their topology-driven electronic, optical and magnetic properties. A highly complex theoretical model is developed to adequately represent the specific features of quantum rings. The results presented here are intended to facilitate the development of low-cost high-performance electronic, spintronic, optoelectronic and information processing devices based on quantum rings. This second edition includes both new and significantly revised chapters. It provides extensive information on recent advances in the physics of quantum rings related to the spin-orbit interaction and spin dynamics (spin interference in Rashba rings, tunable exciton topology on type II InAs/GaAsSb quantum nanostructures), the electron-phonon interaction in ring-like structures, quantum interference manifestations in novel materials (graphene nanoribbons, MoS2), and the effects of electrical field and THz radiation on the optical properties of quantum rings. The new edition also shares insights into the properties of various novel architectures, including coupled quantum ring-quantum dot chains and concentric quantum rings, topologic states of light in self-assembled ring-like cavities, and optical and plasmon m.odes in Moebius-shaped resonators.

This book describes the rational design, development and application of nucleic acid amplification strategies for biosensing, bioimaging and biomedicine. It consists of fifteen chapters demonstrating the use of these strategies in various areas, including fluorescence techniques, Chemiluminescence biosensors, electrochemiluminescence biosensors, colorimetric assays, surface plasmon resonance technologies, electrochemical DNA sensors, photoelectrochemical biosensor, nanopore sensors, quartz crystal microbalance, fluorescence imaging, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, in vitro and in vivo metal ions detection, theranostics and microdroplet chips. Offering a collection of reviews illustrating the latest advances in biochemical analysis and therapeutics, the book shares valuable insights into current challenges and future prospects, making it a valuable resource for a wide readership in the various fields of biosensing, bioimaging and biomedicine.

This book explores the use of biomass as an energy source and its application in energy conversion technologies. Focusing on the challenges of, and technologies related to, biomass conversion, the book is divided into three parts. The first part underlines the fundamental concepts that form the basis of biomass production, its feasibility valuation, and its potential utilization. This part does not consider only how biomass is generated, but also methods of assessment. The second part focuses on the clarification of central concepts of the biorefinery processes. After a preliminary introduction with industrial examples, common issues of biochemical reaction engineering applications are analysed in detail. The theory explained in this part demonstrates that the chemical kinetics are the core focus in modelling biological processes such as growth, decay, product formation and feedstock consumption. This part continues with the theory of biofuels production, including biogas, bioethanol, biodiesel and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of hydrocarbons. The third part of this book gives detailed explanations of preliminary notions related to the theory of thermodynamics. This theory will assist the reader when taking into account the concepts treated in the previous two parts of the book. Several detailed derivations are given to give the reader a full understanding of the arguments at hand. This part also gives literature data on the main properties of some biomass feedstock. Fundamentals of Biofuels Engineering and Technology will be of interest not only to academics and researchers working in this field but also to graduate students and energy professionals seeking to expand their knowledge of this increasingly important area.

This book emphasizes the use of four complex plane formalisms (impedance, admittance, complex capacitance, and modulus) in a simultaneous fashion. The purpose of employing these complex planes for handling semicircular relaxation using a single set of measured impedance data (ac small-signal electrical data) is highly underscored. The current literature demonstrates the importance of template version of impedance plot whereas this book reflects the advantage of using concurrent four complex plane plots for the same data. This approach allows extraction of a meaningful equivalent circuit model attributing to possible interpretations via potential polarizations and operative mechanisms for the investigated material system. Thus, this book supersedes the limitations of the impedance plot, and intends to serve a broader community of scientific and technical professionals better for their solid and liquid systems. This book addresses the following highlighted contents for the measured data but not limited to the: - (1) Lumped Parameter/Complex Plane Analysis (LP/CPA) in conjunction with the Bode plots; (2) Equivalent circuit model (ECM) derived from the LP/CPA; (3) Underlying Operative Mechanisms along with the possible interpretations; (4) Ideal (Debye) and non-ideal (non-Debye) relaxations; and (5) Data-Handling Criteria (DHC) using Complex Nonlinear Least Squares (CNLS) fitting procedures.

This book is a manual of measurement of colloids and interfaces designed especially for new researchers who have just begun research on these topics. The book is written by active researchers in the field of colloids and interfacial chemistry, based on the practical experience of the authors. In each chapter, the key points of measurement, how to analyze data correctly, points to be careful about, and merits of a particular method are concisely explained from the point of view of the readers. Not only in industries such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals but also in academic studies of nanotechnology, correct understanding of colloid and interface phenomena is vital because the properties of these items, however small, are affected by the nature of interfaces. This book will be particularly useful for researchers who are not yet fully confident of the measurement techniques that are clearly explained here.

The indiscriminate use of medications and their inadequate disposal have resulted in them being released into the environment via municipal, hospital and industrial discharges. This volume critically examines the presence of pharmaceuticals in aquatic ecosystems, the hazards they entail, and how to minimize their impact on the environment. The topics covered include: historical findings that have made the development of the discipline ecopharmacovigilance possible; the main exposure routes, fate and life cycle of pharmaceuticals in water; occurrence data and the impact on biodiversity; methods used for the detection, analysis and quantification of pharmaceuticals in water and for their removal; current legislation on the presence of emerging contaminants in water; biosensors for environmental analysis and monitoring; and the measures needed to reduce the existing problems. This book is aimed at students, academics and research workers in the fields of toxicology, ecology, microbiology and chemistry, as well as those in the pharmaceutical industry, health sector professionals, and members of government bodies involved in environmental protection and legislation.

This book gives an overview of recent developments in RS and SERS for sensing and biosensing considering also limitations, possibilities and prospects of this technique. Raman scattering (RS) is a widely used vibrational technique providing highly specific molecular spectral patterns. A severe limitation for the application of this spectroscopic technique lies in the low cross section of RS. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy overcomes this problem by 6-11 orders of magnitude enhancement compared with the standard RS for molecules in the close vicinity of certain rough metal surfaces. Thus, SERS combines molecular fingerprint specificity with potential single-molecule sensitivity. Due to the recent development of new SERS-active substrates, labeling and derivatization chemistry as well as new instrumentations, SERS became a very promising tool for many varied applications, including bioanalytical studies and sensing. Both intrinsic and extrinsic SERS biosensing schemes have been employed to detect and identify small molecules, nucleic acids and proteins, and also for cellular and in vivo sensing.

Reviews in Fluorescence 2015, the eighth volume of the book serial from Springer, serves as a comprehensive collection of current trends and emerging hot topics in the field of fluorescence and closely related disciplines. It summarizes the year's progress in fluorescence and its applications, with authoritative reviews specialized enough to be attractive to professional researchers, yet also appealing to the wider audience of scientists in related disciplines of fluorescence. Reviews in Fluorescence offers an essential reference material for any research lab or company working in the fluorescence field and related areas. All academics, bench scientists, and industry professionals wishing to take advantage of the latest and greatest in the continuously emerging field of fluorescence will find it an invaluable resource.

This book provides readers with in-depth insights into the changes in the Pantanal wetland from its formation to the actual and likely future states. It reveals that today's Pantanal is an evolutionary consequence of geological, ecological and, more recently, man-made events taking place at distinct space-time intervals. Topics include geotectonics and sun-earth interactions, which largely dictate the rate of drastic changes that eventually disrupt ecological stability and radically rebuild the regional landscape. Furthermore, the biota-climate system is discussed as a major driver reshaping the ecohydrology functioning of the landscape on an intermediate timescale. Also covered are major changes in the landscape ecohydrology and biodiversity due to recent land-use and climate changes induced by humankind in the Anthropocene. The ability to recognize how those temporal scales impact the Pantanal wetland provides the opportunity for wise management approaches and the sustainable development of the region.

This volume offers a review of measures taken at different levels to prevent oil inputs to the North Sea from sources such as shipping and oil installations. A range of data from satellites, remote sensing, aerial surveillance, in-situ monitoring, oil spill sampling and beached bird surveys presents a comprehensive portrait of trends in oil pollution over many years. Topics include Bonn Agreement-based actions to eliminate illegal and accidental pollution from ships, OSPAR monitoring of oil installations, EMSA CleanSeaNet activities, and an internationally approved common standard for oil spills presented by the Bonn-OSINet. A chapter on the role of the IMO in preventing oil pollution from ships provides an international context, while others discuss efforts being made at the national level. A decadal review of the state of the North Sea prepared by OSPAR supports the view that there has been a significant reduction of oil inputs to the sea. This thorough review addresses national and international agencies and government bodies, as well as policymakers and practitioners in the fields of shipping, ports and terminals, oil extraction and marine management. Further, it provides researchers with essential reference material on tools and techniques for monitoring oil pollution and offers a valuable resource for undergraduate and post-graduate students in the field of marine oil pollution.

This book illustrates the practical workings of environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) from history and instrument design through to solving practical problems. Aspects of instrument design, performance, and operating procedures are covered, together with common problems and pitfalls of the technique. Not only will a properly operated instrument and a carefully set up experiment provide new insight into your specimen, but the ability to observe the specimen in its natural habitat will be essential to meeting specific design criteria for the development of the next generation of materials. Over the past five decades, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) under environmental conditions relevant to a particular sample has been of increasing interest. Symposia dealing with the topic are now among the best attended at international microscopy conferences. Since typical operating modes for the ETEM require the sample be subjected to a harsh environment consisting of corrosive gases and high temperatures, the challenges of adapting and operating the instrument for observation under dynamic operating conditions are numerous. However, careful consideration of the interaction of the electrons with the gases and sample, as well as the gases with the microscope components, can lead to highly rewarding results. In Controlled Atmosphere Transmission Electron Microscopy, leading experts help you to perform successful experiments using the ETEM, and to interpret and understand the results.

This book focuses on scientific and technological aspects of groundwater-resources assessment and surveillance. It describes relevant risks and investigates selected techniques for the monitoring and mitigation of the individuated threats to groundwater quality. The authors discuss the concepts of groundwater-resources protection and offer examples of both geogenic and anthropogenic degradation of groundwater quality, such as heavy metals from mining activities and natural water-rock interactions, as well as risk of contamination due to geological CO2 storage practices etc. The volume also covers non-invasive monitoring techniques and briefly addresses innovative sensor technologies for the online assessment of water quality. Furthermore, the role played by geochemical techniques, the potential of environmental isotopes and the support provided by physical modelling are highlighted. The chapters guide the reader through various viewpoints, according to the diverse disciplines involved, without aiming to be exhaustive, but instead picking representative topics for their relevance in the context of groundwater protection and control. This book will be of interest to advanced students, researchers, policy-makers and stakeholders at various levels.

This book discusses capital separation processes of industrial interest and explores the potential for substantial improvement offered by a promising class of substances: ionic liquids. These low melting point salts, with their unique characteristics, have been gaining relevance in the field of separation through a variety of approaches. The chapters are structured from an application perspective, and cover the utilisation of ionic liquids in different unit operation contexts (distillation, liquid-liquid extraction, and solid-liquid extraction), giving an idea of their remarkable versatility. The final chapters focus on the use of ionic liquids in analytical applications based on separation procedures. This volume combines the review of the main advances to date with the analysis of the potential future use of ionic liquids in separation processes across a variety of fields, ranging from enhancement of state-of-the-art technologies to a revolution in the technological bases currently in use. It provides a valuable resource for engineers and scientists working in the field of separation, as well as for all readers generally interested in ionic liquids, in particular from an application standpoint. Hector Rodriguez is a faculty member of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

In this book, the author provides expert analysis on naturally occurring iridoids, their chemistry and their distribution in plants and insects. Particular attention is given to the pharmacology of iridoids and their prospective applications in pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Iridoids are found in a wide variety of plants and some insects, and they are structurally derived from monoterpenoid natural products. In the first two chapters of this book, the author describes the iridoids classification, occurrence and distribution in plants and insects. The following chapters cover different chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques that can be used to identify and quantify iridoids in herbal formulations, and also the biosynthesis of iridoids, in which the reader will discover a metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis to identify the genes involved in the biosynthesis. The final chapters provide insights on several pharmacological activities of iridoids, their physiological role in insects, pharmacokinetics in mammals, insects and microorganisms, and their applications in medicine and agriculture. This book will engage students and researchers interested in the chemistry of natural products, and it will also appeal to medicinal chemists and practitioners working in the design of new herbal drugs with bioactive pure iridoids.

This book is an introduction to a rapidly developing field of modern theoretical physics - the theory of quantum transport at nanoscale. The theoretical methods considered in the book are in the basis of our understanding of charge, spin and heat transport in nanostructures and nanostructured materials and are widely used in nanoelectronics, molecular electronics, spin-dependent electronics (spintronics) and bio-electronics. The book is based on lectures for graduate and post-graduate students at the University of Regensburg and the Technische Universitat Dresden (TU Dresden). The first part is devoted to the basic concepts of quantum transport: Landauer-Buttiker method and matrix Green function formalism for coherent transport, Tunneling (Transfer) Hamiltonian and master equation methods for tunneling, Coulomb blockade, vibrons and polarons. The results in this part are obtained as possible without sophisticated techniques, such as nonequilibrium Green functions, which are considered in detail in the second part. A general introduction into the nonequilibrium Green function theory is given. The approach based on the equation-of-motion technique, as well as more sophisticated one based on the Dyson-Keldysh diagrammatic technique are presented. The main attention is paid to the theoretical methods able to describe the nonequilibrium (at finite voltage) electron transport through interacting nanosystems, specifically the correlation effects due to electron-electron and electron-vibron interactions.

This volume offers a comprehensive review of the chemical, biological and hydromorphological quality of the Danube. The first part examines the chemical pollution of surface waters, focusing on organic compounds (with special emphasis given to EU WFD priority substances and Danube River Basin specific pollutants), heavy metals and nutrients. Attention is also given to pollution of groundwater and drinking water resources by hazardous substances and to radioactivity in the Danube. The second part highlights the biology and hydromorphology of the Danube. It focuses on benthic macroinvertebrates, phytobenthos, macrophytes, fish, phytoplankton as well as microbiology, with chapters dedicated to gaps and uncertainties in the ecological status assessment and to invasive alien species. Further chapters dealing with the hydromorphology, sediment management and isotope hydrology complete the overall picture of the status of the Danube.