We describe the fabrication of roll-to-roll (R2R) printed organic photovoltaic (OPV) modules using gravure printing and rotary screen-printing processes. These two-dimensional printing techniques are differentiating factors from coated OPVs enabling the direct patterning of arbitrarily shaped and sized features into visual shapes and, increasing the freedom to connect the cells in modules. The inverted OPV structures comprise five layers that are either printed or patterned in an R2R printing process. We examined the rheological properties of the inks used and their relationship with the printability, the compatibility between the processed inks, and the morphology of the R2R-printed layers. We also evaluate the dimensional accuracy of the printed pattern, which is an important consideration in designing arbitrarily-shaped OPV structures. The photoactive layer and top electrode exhibited excellent cross-dimensional accuracy corresponding to the designed width. The transparent electron transport layer extended 300 µm beyond the designed values, whereas the hole transport layer shrank 100 µm. We also examined the repeatability of the R2R fabrication process when the active area of the module varied from 32.2 cm(2) to 96.5 cm(2). A thorough layer-by-layer optimization of the R2R printing processes resulted in realization of R2R-printed 96.5 cm(2) sized modules with a maximum power conversion efficiency of 2.1% (mean 1.8%) processed with high functionality.

In order to reduce food waste and meet the needs of the demanding modern consumer regarding the quality of food items, it is crucial to monitor the supply chain and storage conditions of perishable food products. Considering this scenario, temperature plays an important role on food safety and quality during storage and supply. In this work, a critical temperature indicator (CTI) based on a solvent melting point is developed. Furthermore, the present CTI working principle is improved by the use of microfluidics technology. As final result, a novel and functional CTI-smart sensor which combines irreversible visual color changes and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies is achieved. Such CTI integrated to a RFID tag provides a unique advantage to monitor the supply chain in real time by the simple use of a RFID reader in strategic points.

High-volume samples of ambient air were collected by glass-fiber filter (particulate) and XAD-2 resin (vapor) from three locations in Finland: two cities and a rural area. Samples were analyzed for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and selected other polynuclear compounds. Genotoxicity of the samples was assayed in the Ames Salmonellalmicrosome test and sister chromatid exchange assay before and after fractionation into four fractions of increasing polarity. The ratio of PAH in the vapor and particulate phases of the samples varied considerably with the season, and the scavenging effect of snow and rain was as well clearly demonstrated. The rural samples showed minimal or no genotoxic activity, whereas at the urban sites not only the particulate-phase but also the vapor-phase samples were mutagenic. The genotoxicity was mainly associated with the most polar fractions of both phases. Studies with the nitroreductase-deficient Salmonella strain TA98NR indicated that, in the urban air samples collected in winter, a considerable part of the mutagenicity detected in the Ames test was due to NO2-substituted compounds. Traffic is suggested to be the major determinant for the genotoxic activity in the ambient air.

Concern about the health effects of passive smoking and exposure of a large population to environmental tobacco smoke have generated the need for a quantitative tracer of environmental tobacco smoke. Solanesol, a trisesquiterpenoid alcohol, has been shown to be present in environmental tobacco smoke. Results from the determination of particulate-phase solanesol in environmental tobacco smoke in both chamber and indoor environments show that solanesol is a suitable tracer for the particulate phase of environmental tobacco smoke.

The degradation of pesticides atrazine and terbutryn was investigated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions in the northern boreal region subsurface deposits and sterilized controls from the depths of 6.3-21.0 m below the surface and 1.2-16.9 m below the groundwater table. During 1.3-1.7 years of laboratory incubation, atrazine degradation under aerobic conditions varied from rapid (half-live 38 days) to no degradation. Anaerobically, atrazine half-lives were 430-829 days. Organic matter, nitrogen, and lead in deposits correlated positively with the atrazine concentration in groundwater. Aerobic and anaerobic terbutryn half-lives were 193-644 and 266-400 days, respectively. Microbial aerobic atrazine and terbutryn degradation was confirmed in the deep deposits near the water table. Under aerobic conditions, the high amounts of Cr, Mn, Ni, and Zn in deposits decreased the chemical degradation of terbutryn.