The purpose of this paper was to identify the elements and the alloys that five objects found in Birka consist of and to examine whether there are any significant differences between the presumably imported and domestic objects. The material was analyzed using a scanning Electron microscope (SEM) which was equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) in order to identify the elements that are present and the alloys that the objects are made of. Then the SEM results were compared with the results of previous analyzes that have been performed on finds from Birka in order to investigate how the objects differ in elemental composition and to find out if there are any significant differences between them. The results showed that the objects? content of the elements analyzed varies as the copper alloys the objects are made of.

The tribo system ice-curling stone was investigated in order to understand the mechanisms behind the stones' behavior on the ice sheet. The problem with non-identical stones should also be addressed.The stone curls, that is, its sliding path deviates from a straight line to the right for a clock-wise rotation and to the left for a anti-clock-wise rotation. Several mechanisms to explain this behavior have been proposed over the years but none has been successful.By carrying out experiments at the local curling rink and studying silicon castings of ice- and stone-surfaces with scanning Electron microscopy and vertical scanning interferometry, it has been decided that the curl is not due to dry friction, ice-debris or the difference in friction on the left and right side of the stone. The side force comes from the fact that the friction is higher at the back of the stone than at the front.The contact between stone and ice is never completely dry, nor in the hydrodynamic lubrication regime. It is probably a combination of hydrodynamic lubrication and a contribution from mechanical scratching of the ice.

Future emission legislation puts great emphasis on increasing the efficiency of the engine, thereby reducing fuel consumption. The tribological contact between cylinder liner and piston ring is where an great amount of energy is lost due to friction, and by reducing these losses an reduction in fuel consumption can be achieved.The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the tested piston ring coatings against a plasma sprayed cylinder liner and rank these combinations of materials for friction and wear resistance. The coatings that were tested was Cr + Al2O3, (Al,Cr)N, two types of CrN and WC / C.The experimental tests were performed with a so-called pin-plate, where used oil with addition of an acidic mixture of sulfuric and nitric acid to mimic the acidic condensate formed when exhausts recirculate, were added with a continuous flow. The results were then analyzed by weighing, studies by optical microscopy and scanning Electron microscopy (SEM) and profile measurements.The results from each material combination were that the plasma coated cylinder liner wears too aggressively in order to yield a ranking of the piston ring coatings based on the parameters of friction and wear resistance. It is therefore proposed that an alternative coating on the cylinder liner should be developed, lacking the large abrasive wear on piston rings and that can withstand the corrosive environment resulting in engines equipped with EGR.

PSI-N is one of the subunits in eukaryotic Photosystem I (PSI) and is located on the lumenal side of the thylakoid membrane. It is known to interact in the Electron transport chain between plastocyanin and PSI, but the mechanism behind the interaction is still unclear. To achieve a better understanding of PSI-N´s role in the photosynthesis it is necessary to develop a method for purification of PSI-N. The goal with this project was to design a plasmid that encodes a fusion protein containing PSI-N. With use of proteases the fusion protein can be cleaved into purified PSI-N.

PSI-N is one of the subunits in eukaryotic Photosystem I (PSI) and is located on the lumenal side of the thylakoid membrane. It is known to interact in the Electron transport chain between plastocyanin and PSI, but the mechanism behind the interaction is still unclear. To achieve a better understanding of PSI-N´s role in the photosynthesis it is necessary to develop a method for purification of PSI-N. The goal with this project was to design a plasmid that encodes a fusion protein containing PSI-N. With use of proteases the fusion protein can be cleaved into purified PSI-N.

Future emission legislation puts great emphasis on increasing the efficiency of the engine, thereby reducing fuel consumption. The tribological contact between cylinder liner and piston ring is where an great amount of energy is lost due to friction, and by reducing these losses an reduction in fuel consumption can be achieved.The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the tested piston ring coatings against a plasma sprayed cylinder liner and rank these combinations of materials for friction and wear resistance. The coatings that were tested was Cr + Al2O3, (Al,Cr)N, two types of CrN and WC / C.The experimental tests were performed with a so-called pin-plate, where used oil with addition of an acidic mixture of sulfuric and nitric acid to mimic the acidic condensate formed when exhausts recirculate, were added with a continuous flow. The results were then analyzed by weighing, studies by optical microscopy and scanning Electron microscopy (SEM) and profile measurements.The results from each material combination were that the plasma coated cylinder liner wears too aggressively in order to yield a ranking of the piston ring coatings based on the parameters of friction and wear resistance. It is therefore proposed that an alternative coating on the cylinder liner should be developed, lacking the large abrasive wear on piston rings and that can withstand the corrosive environment resulting in engines equipped with EGR.

Oxochlorates are anions with a partially naturally occurrence in nature but are also spread by human activities, including the paper industry. These compounds are harmful to both nature and humans, which makes it necessary to find a good way for their degradation. There are two different kinds of bacteria that can use oxochlorates as Electron acceptors in their metabolism, bacteria that break down perchlorate and bacteria that break down both perchlorate and chlorate. A bacterium that can break down chlorate under anaerobic conditions is Ideonella dechloratans which holds the genes for chlorite dismutase and chlorate reductase which are enzymes for the degradation of chlorate. Gene expression and enzyme activity of chlorite dismutase are induced under anaerobic conditions, which makes it interesting to find out how this regulation functions in order to better exploit these bacteria in biological wastewater treatment.

The main aim of this research is to survey the general colour scheme for private dwellings inVisby, built 1860?1930. During this period the visual appearance of the town of Visby changedsubstantially, since the increased local production of lime led to the plastering of many woodenbuildings. Which colour schemes were chosen for the different building types of the historic centreof Visby, and which colours came to dominate the time period? The methods used for answeringthese questions have partly been field studies on site and sampling of selected buildings, andpartly critical reading and observation of iconographic material (paintings, drawings, aquarelles,postcards and photographs).

Lake Bornsjön is situated 30 km southwest of Stockholm in a rift valley lake and consist three basins outstretched in northwest-southeast direction. The surface area is 6,7 km2 with a maximum depth of 18,3 meters, a mean depth of 9,8 meters and a retention time of the water of 6,5 years. The drainage area is 42 km2 and consists mainly of arable land (ca 1000 ha) and productive forestry land (2500 ha), but in the drainage area there are also restored and fairly newly constructed wetlands.Today the Stockholm area receives its drinking water from Lake Mälaren, but if there would be any pollution of this source, Lake Bornsjön would act as the water source. The area surrounding the lake was bought already in 1899 by Stockholm Stad for protection of the lake and was taken over 1993 by Stockholm Vatten AB. It has been a water protection area from 1988 and it was also accepted as a nature reserve in 1995.

Introduktion: Dental erosion definieras som förlust av tandens hårdvävnad genom en kemisk process som inte involverar bakterier. Dagens förändrade livsstil och kosthållning medför att våra tänder oftare utsätts för kemisk påverkan som kan leda till erosion. Det är flera faktorer som samverkar och dental erosion har en multifaktoriell etiologi.Syfte: Syftet är att beskriva olika registreringsmetoder för dental erosion.Frågeställningar: Vilka metoder kan användas för registrering av initial erosion? Vilka metoder kan användas för registrering av avancerad erosionsskada? Vilka metoder är kliniskt beprövade på patient?Metod: LitteraturstudieResultat: Ett flertal registreringsmetoder fanns beskrivna i litteraturen, merparten var inte applicerbara kliniskt. Registeringsmetoderna som framgick i den beskrivande litteraturstudien var: 3D scanning microscope (IFM), Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), Digital photography (DP), Focus-variation 3D microscopy (FVM), Longitudinal microradiography (LMR), Non-contact confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), Optical assessment, Optical profilometry (OP), Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF), Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM), Stylus profilometry (SP), Ultrasound, White light interferometry (WLI) och X-ray diffraction (XRD).Konklusion: Vid registrering av initial erosion krävs analys av tandytans mineralinnehåll samt optiska analyser med hjälp av instrument.

An excessive input of nutrients to lakes and other water bodies has created a problem with eutrophication in Sweden. Untreated, or partially treated, domestic sewage is a major source for discharge of phosphorus (P), which is the nutrient most frequently responsible for eutrophication of most fresh waters and the Baltic Sea. The waste water can be cleaned by filter materials, which have a high P-retention ability and which after saturation may be used as fertilizers. Four potentially suitable filter materials were tested in batch- and column experiments in this study. In the batch experiments, the following materials were shaken with waste water in time series ranging from 5 seconds to 60 minutes: coarse (1-4 mm) and fine (0-2 mm) Polonite® (heated bedrock from Poland); Filtralite® (light expanded clay aggregates with limestone added before burning); water cooled blast furnace slag (BF-slag) and BF-slag mixed with 10% burned limestone.

Increased understanding of the mechanisms that operate in conjunction with the welding of metal surfaces may help to improve existing manufacturing processes, and to enable new products and combinations of materials. The purpose of the project has therefore been to acquire a deeper understanding of what is happening in the bond for steel and for the factors that form the basis for a bond to develop between metals in the production of laminates by pressing. The merge has been done by pressing and the surfaces after the experiments have been studied in detail in the scanning Electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and with interferenceprofilometry in Wyko, to provide a greater understanding of the mechanisms that influence the bonding in the interface between metals. The project was limited to contain the materials Docol 1000, HyTens 1200, Aluminum AA3003 and a commercial steel. The parameters varied in the experiments to study their influence closer are temperature, pressure, heat treatment and pretreatment. This has been implemented by pressing with varying temperature and pressure.

This diploma work was performed at the department for radiation physics at the Health University in Linköping. Its aim was to develop a method to retrospectively quantify the absorbed dose in coral. Coral is a material which suites well as a retrospective dosimeter because when exposed to radioactivity its induced free radicals are stable in time. The number of radicals is proportional to the accumulated dose so the dose can be calculated by quantifying the radicals. Therefore, coral can tell us something about the past environment and also be used in dating purposes.A young, modern coral from the Red Sea was studied and also a fossil one which I was given from the Natural History Museum in Stockholm.

From embankment dams is something that has long been noticed and given rise to different questions. The most serious question is if the sludge is a result of inner erosion through the dam, and thus consists of material transported from the dam. Concerns have also been raised whether the sludge could interfere with the systems drainage capacity and thereby lead to high pore pressure in the dam, or if the measurement of seepage is disturbed, as the measuring is usually made via Thomson weirs, which could risk being blocked. The result of this investigation shows that the sludge is a result of the oxidation of iron by iron bacteria, and to the greater part consists of these oxides as well as the bacteria?s own structures. The iron oxidizing bacteria, FeOB, oxides ferrous iron to ferric as a part of their metabolism, and thereby create large quantities of iron(oxy)hydroxides.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) has for many years been used in products to reduce their flammability, mainly in Electronic products, textiles and construction materials. In 2003, Sweden imported 300 tons of brominated flame retardants. Leakage of these compounds has polluted natural environments. Fishes has shown increased contents of these substances, especially fat fish, since brominated flame retardants tends to accumulate in fatty tissues. They are also regarded as persistent and that gives them the ability to travel long distances. What also is really scary is that increased levels of brominated flame retardants have been detected in human breast milk. The knowledge of the brominated flame retardants is limited and not so much research has been done in this field. There are many reasons though, to keep the research going. Partly their structural resemblance to well-known toxics as PCB, but also their ability to accumulate in biological systems and enrich in food chains. In which way they affect humans we really don?t know yet.