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- Ardo, Shane, et al.
(author)
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Pathways to electrochemical solar-hydrogen technologies
- 2018
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In: Energy & Environmental Science. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 1754-5692 .- 1754-5706. ; 11:10, s. 2768-2783
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Solar-powered electrochemical production of hydrogen through water electrolysis is an active and important research endeavor. However, technologies and roadmaps for implementation of this process do not exist. In this perspective paper, we describe potential pathways for solar-hydrogen technologies into the marketplace in the form of photoelectrochemical or photovoltaic-driven electrolysis devices and systems. We detail technical approaches for device and system architectures, economic drivers, societal perceptions, political impacts, technological challenges, and research opportunities. Implementation scenarios are broken down into short-term and long-term markets, and a specific technology roadmap is defined. In the short term, the only plausible economical option will be photovoltaic-driven electrolysis systems for niche applications. In the long term, electrochemical solar-hydrogen technologies could be deployed more broadly in energy markets but will require advances in the technology, significant cost reductions, and/ or policy changes. Ultimately, a transition to a society that significantly relies on solar-hydrogen technologies will benefit from continued creativity and influence from the scientific community.
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3. |
- Müller, Alexandra, et al.
(author)
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Building surface materials as sources of micropollutants in building runoff : A pilot study
- 2019
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 680, s. 190-197
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Control of diffuse pollution is critical for achieving good surface water quality status. In this context, pollutant contributions from building materials have received increased attention in recent decades. This study examined the releases of metals, nonylphenols and phthalates from ten common building surface materials (installed in triplicates) into rainwater runoff from six rain events. The highest releases of metals were from copper and zinc sheets (average concentrations of 3090 μg/L Cu and 7770 μg/L Zn respectively), while other metal materials, e.g., Corten weathering steel, exhibited lower releases. PVC roofing released high concentrations of nonylphenols and phthalates (average concentrations of up to 26 μg/L nonylphenols and 455 μg/L Diisononyl phthalate, DINP) which have not been investigated in the earlier studies. Pollutant releases varied between events, likely because of weather conditions and rainfall characteristics. Study findings should be valuable for environmentally responsible applications of the existing building materials and the development of new ones, as well as the investigations and risk assessment of specific pollutants in stormwater.
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4. |
- Müller, Alexandra
(author)
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Urban Surfaces as Sources of Stormwater Pollution : An Evaluation of Substances Released from Building Envelopes
- 2019
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Stormwater is an important transport pathway for pollutants from the urban environment into receiving water bodies, and, thus, it contributes to the deterioration of urban surface waters. The aim of this Licentiate thesis was to advance the understanding of the contributions of urban stormwater pollutants from building surface materials, and evaluate the implications for stormwater quality. Furthermore, this thesis also aims to (i) identify which pollutants can be expected to be released from building surface materials that are commonly used in the urban environment and (ii) estimate the magnitude of released pollutant concentrations in comparison to those from other important sources (e.g., those related to transportation, industries or atmospheric deposition). The material presented in the thesis includes a critical literature review of the sources of stormwater pollution, as well as laboratory and outdoor pilot studies of the pollutants released from commonly used building surface materials. It was identified in the literature review that the current state of knowledge varies between source categories. Metallic building envelopes were early recognised as one of the major sources of metals in stormwater and, in many larger cities, they were identified as one of the main contributors of e.g., Cu, Pb and Zn to stormwater. Many building surface materials are also important contributors of pesticides. Recent research suggested that building surface materials (roofing membranes, plastic materials, concrete, paints and coatings, etc.) were important sources of organic micropollutants, but relatively few studies reported on such micropollutant releases from specific materials, or their concentrations in runoff. Results from the outdoor pilot study indicate that several of the 10 materials studied may contribute environmentally relevant concentrations of chemical substances commonly found in stormwater. Specific building surface materials were shown to be important sources of such metals as Cu and Zn: in the outdoor pilot study copper roofing sheets released Cu into rainwater at average concentrations of 3090 µg/L, zinc sheets released average Zn concentrations of 7770 µg/L, and galvanised steel released average Zn concentrations of 3530 µg/L. These concentrations exceed those measured from other sources (e.g., road runoff) by more than an order of magnitude. Moreover, nonylphenols (NPs) were released from PVC membranes, and bitumen shingles and felt. One of the PVC materials tested released, on average, NP concentrations of 26 µg/L, which were of the same order of magnitude as concentrations measured in road runoff. The same PVC also released an average concentration of 455 µg/L Diisononyl phthalate, DINP, but too little of data was available for comparisons to others sources. When comparing the laboratory leaching and outdoor pilot experiments, laboratory studies were efficient in identifying pollutant sources, and studying the effects of specific influential factors, but only the outdoor study produced realistic approximations of the released concentrations and loads of pollutants.
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5. |
- Padula, William V., et al.
(author)
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Cost-effectiveness of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Treatment Strategies for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Chronic Phase After Generic Entry of Imatinib in the United States
- 2016
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In: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0027-8874 .- 1460-2105. ; 108:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: We analyzed the cost-effectiveness of treating incident chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) with generic imatinib when it becomes available in United States in 2016. In the year following generic entry, imatinib's price is expected to drop 70% to 90%. We hypothesized that initiating treatment with generic imatinib in these patients and then switching to the other tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs), dasatinib or nilotinib, because of intolerance or lack of effectiveness ("imatinib-first") would be cost-effective compared with the current standard of care: "physicians' choice" of initiating treatment with any one of the three TKIs. Methods: We constructed Markov models to compare the five-year cost-effectiveness of imatinib-first vs physician's choice from a US commercial payer perspective, assuming 3% annual discounting ($US 2013). The models' clinical endpoint was five-year overall survival taken from a systematic review of clinical trial results. Per-person spending on incident CML-CP treatment overall care components was estimated using Truven's MarketScan claims data. The main outcome of the models was cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). We interpreted outcomes based on a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100 000/QALY. A panel of European LeukemiaNet experts oversaw the study's conduct. Results: Both strategies met the threshold. Imatinib-first ($277 401, 3.87 QALYs) offered patients a 0.10 decrement in QALYs at a savings of $88 343 over five years to payers compared with physician's choice ($365 744, 3.97 QALYs). The imatinibfirst incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was approximately $883 730/QALY. The results were robust to multiple sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: When imatinib loses patent protection and its price declines, its use will be the cost-effective initial treatment strategy for CML-CP.
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- Saussele, Susanne, et al.
(author)
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Discontinuation of tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in chronic myeloid leukaemia (EURO-SKI) : a prespecified interim analysis of a prospective, multicentre, non-randomised, trial
- 2018
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In: The Lancet Oncology. - : Elsevier. - 1470-2045 .- 1474-5488. ; 19:6, s. 747-757
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have improved the survival of patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia. Many patients have deep molecular responses, a prerequisite for TKI therapy discontinuation. We aimed to define precise conditions for stopping treatment. Methods: In this prospective, non-randomised trial, we enrolled patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia at 61 European centres in 11 countries. Eligible patients had chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukaemia, had received any TKI for at least 3 years (without treatment failure according to European LeukemiaNet [ELN] recommendations), and had a confirmed deep molecular response for at least 1 year. The primary endpoint was molecular relapse-free survival, defined by loss of major molecular response (MMR; >0·1% BCR-ABL1 on the International Scale) and assessed in all patients with at least one molecular result. Secondary endpoints were a prognostic analysis of factors affecting maintenance of MMR at 6 months in learning and validation samples and the cost impact of stopping TKI therapy. We considered loss of haematological response, progress to accelerated-phase chronic myeloid leukaemia, or blast crisis as serious adverse events. This study presents the results of the prespecified interim analysis, which was done after the 6-month molecular relapse-free survival status was known for 200 patients. The study is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01596114. Findings: Between May 30, 2012, and Dec 3, 2014, we assessed 868 patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia for eligibility, of whom 758 were enrolled. Median follow-up of the 755 patients evaluable for molecular response was 27 months (IQR 21–34). Molecular relapse-free survival for these patients was 61% (95% CI 57–64) at 6 months and 50% (46–54) at 24 months. Of these 755 patients, 371 (49%) lost MMR after TKI discontinuation, four (1%) died while in MMR for reasons unrelated to chronic myeloid leukaemia (myocardial infarction, lung cancer, renal cancer, and heart failure), and 13 (2%) restarted TKI therapy while in MMR. A further six (1%) patients died in chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukaemia after loss of MMR and re-initiation of TKI therapy for reasons unrelated to chronic myeloid leukaemia, and two (<1%) patients lost MMR despite restarting TKI therapy. In the prognostic analysis in 405 patients who received imatinib as first-line treatment (learning sample), longer treatment duration (odds ratio [OR] per year 1·14 [95% CI 1·05–1·23]; p=0·0010) and longer deep molecular response durations (1·13 [1·04–1·23]; p=0·0032) were associated with increasing probability of MMR maintenance at 6 months. The OR for deep molecular response duration was replicated in the validation sample consisting of 171 patients treated with any TKI as first-line treatment, although the association was not significant (1·13 [0·98–1·29]; p=0·08). TKI discontinuation was associated with substantial cost savings (an estimated €22 million). No serious adverse events were reported. Interpretation: Patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia who have achieved deep molecular responses have good molecular relapse-free survival. Such patients should be considered for TKI discontinuation, particularly those who have been in deep molecular response for a long time. Stopping treatment could spare patients from treatment-induced side-effects and reduce health expenditure. Funding: ELN Foundation and France National Cancer Institute.
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7. |
- Viklander, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Kunskapssammanställning : Dagvattenkvalitet
- 2019
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Reports (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- Rapporten sammanställer internationella forskningsresultat om källor till dagvattenföroreningar samt föroreningarnas koncentration, mängd och variation mellan platser och årstider. Den beskriver vad man bör tänka på vid utformning av provtagningsprogram och vid val av modellverktyg, och den diskuterar effekter på hälsa, miljö och samhälle samt vilka regelverk och riktlinjer som finns.
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