Ana Mladenovic

• Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute

Every year around 1.2 Mt of Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) dust and around 50 kt of Cupola Furnace (CF) dusts are generated in Europe. Both materials are classified as hazardous waste due to significant concentration of Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb, which burden the metallurgical industry, albeit their possibility to be considered as an alternative source of...

Citation: Ðurić, M.; Zalar Serjun, V.; Mladenovič, A.; Mauko Pranjić, A.; Milačič, R.; Ščančar, J.; Urbanc, J.; Mali, N.; Pavlin, A.; Turk, J.; et al. Environmental Acceptability of Geotechnical Composites from Recycled Materials: Comparative Study of Laboratory and Field Investigations. Int. J. Environ. Res. Abstract: The environmental properties...

Temperature control is the primary concern during the design and construction process of mass concrete structures. As the concrete production has an enormous negative environmental impact, the development of green mass concretes will eventually become as important as the thermal characteristics. Therefore, this paper investigates the use of Electri...

Anion-exchange high performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) was used for simultaneous speciation of chromate, molybdate and arsenate. The repeatability of measurement tested for multielemental standard solution of chromate, molybdate and arsenate (50 ng mL⁻¹ of Cr, Mo and As, pH 12) was ± 0.9%, ±...

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the compressive behavior of high-strength self-compacting concrete exposed to temperatures up to 600 °C. Ten different concrete compositions were tested, in which part of the cement (by weight) was replaced by three different mineral additives (5–15% metakaolin, 20–40% fly ash and 5–15% limestone...

Old metallurgical dumps across Europe represent a loss of valuable land and a potential threat to the environment, especially to groundwater (GW). The Javornik electric arc furnace (EAF) and ladle slag heap, situated in Slovenia, was investigated in this study. The environmental impact of the slag heap was evaluated by combining leaching characteri...

The treated sewage sludge under consideration is a hygienized biodegradable waste in the form of pellets. It can be used as a fertilizer, but only for spreading on non-agricultural land. Regarding “waste to energy” philosophy, the specification of pellets as an alternative solid fuel according to EN 15359 resulted in “NCV4; Cl1; Hg3-4” class. The m...

Paper-ash is used for remediation of heavily contaminated soils with metals, but remediation efficiency after longer periods has not been reported. To gain insights into the mechanisms of immobilization of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and znic (Zn), a study was performed in the laboratory experiment in uncontaminated, artificially contaminated, and rem...

This study introduces a novel geotechnical composite material comprising two types of fill material sourced from the paper industry—deinking paper sludge ash (DPSA) and deinking paper sludge (DPS). Five composites with different DPSA and DPS contents were investigated. Two composites were selected for further analyses. The technology and procedure...

New sources of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are needed to meet the future de-mand. A potential new source of SCM is spent pot lining, a residue from aluminum production. The present work showed that the refined aluminosilicate part of spent pot lining (SPL) has a moderate chemical reactivity in a cementitious system measured in the R...

By using recycled waste in construction, natural materials are being replaced, thus establishing a circular economy at the local level. An important aspect is also the conservation of natural resources. This is especially important in case of earthworks (embankments, backfills), which are large consumers of materials. Compared to natural aggregates...

Each tonne of aluminium produced in aluminium smelters generates approximately 20 kg of hazardous waste, known as spent pot lining (SPL)`which is a mix of the carbon lining and the refractory lining. The waste contains high levels of leachable cyanides and fluorides, as well as components that form combustible gases (mainly CH4). The current practi...

Ammonium and selected anions were determined in wastewater samples with highly complex matrices by spectrophotometry using the reagent-kit method. For this purpose, the interferences of coloured compounds and S2-, SO32-, CO32- and Cl-, which are often present in wastewater samples, were systematically investigated in spectrophotometric determinatio...

During carbon steel manufacturing, large amounts of electric arc furnace (EAF) slag are generated. EAF slag, if properly treated and processed into aggregate, is an alternative source of high-quality material, which can substitute the use of natural aggregates in most demanding applications in the construction sector, mostly for wearing asphalt cou...

Background: Coronary collateral circulation exerts protective effects on myocardial ischaemia due to coronary artery disease and can be promoted by exercise with heparin co-administration. Whether this arteriogenetic effect is accompanied by functional improvement of left ventricle during stress and lessening of angina symptoms remains unknown. A...

Remediation of contaminated soil can be performed by using various techniques, which must be adequately tailored for each specific case. The aim of this research is to critically evaluate the potential use of red mud and paper ash and a combination of the two as immobilization additives for the remediation of contaminated soil from one of the most...

Background Coronary collateral circulation (CCC) exerts protective effects on myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery disease (CAD), but the anti-ischemic, pro-CCC effects of exercise (E) with or without heparin (H) co-administration remain unclear. Purpose To establish the anti-ischemic functional efficacy of 2-week cycle of E-to-ischemia twic...

Background Coronary collateral circulation exerts protective effects on myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery disease (CAD) and can be promoted by exercise (E) with heparin (H) co-administration. Whether this arteriogenetic effects is accompanied by functional improvement of left ventricle (LV) during stress remains unknown. Purpose To establ...

Drenov Grič black limestone is considered to be one of the most beautiful Slovenian natural stones due to its black colour interwoven with white veins. Over the centuries, it has been extracted from two major quarries located west of Ljubljana. One of these quarries has been declared a valuable natural feature of national importance and is protecte...

Reverse osmosis is a promising method for the treatment of landfill leachate, which results into permeate and concentrate fractions. Concentrate represents 25% to 50% of the total volume of treated leachate and is highly loaded with refractory organic pollutants and inorganic salts. Due to its environmental toxicity it is necessary to remove the po...

Heavy metal abundance and potential environmental risks are reported for surface sediments (n = 21) from the Port of Koper area, Republic of Slovenia. The enrichment factor (EF) indicates minor enrichment in arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), and zinc (Zn), moderately to severely enriched with nickel...

Within the frame of the EIT Raw Materials, STORM (Industrial Symbiosis for the Sustainable Management of Raw Materials) is a Network of Infrastructures project aiming at establishing an excellence network dedicated to provide services and tools to external customers for the implementation of innovative, sustainable business and cooperation models,...

This study reports on the assessment of the environmental sustainability of different management practices for an environmentally degraded site in Slovenia: the Old Zinc-Works in the town of Celje. Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) were applied in order to evaluate possible trade-offs by comparing a proposed in situ remediation scenario with two other...

Zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) exhibit great potential for the removal of metal contaminants from wastewater. After their use, there is a risk that nZVI will remain dispersed in remediated water and represent potential nano-threats to the environment. Therefore, the behaviour of nZVI after remediation must be explored. To accomplish this, we...

Stratigraphically, the oldest layer of paint which was applied to the facade walls of the Novo Celje Baroque Mansion contains substantial amounts of gypsum, as well as calcium carbonate and iron pigment. Microstructural, isotopic, and thermal analyses of facade samples were performed in order to exclude the possibility of an anthropogenic source of...

Three cementitious composites containing different natural fibres (flax, hemp and sea-grass) were evaluated from an environmental perspective by means of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method applying the cradle-to-gate approach. The environmental impact of these composites was compared to that of cementitious composites reinforced with conventional s...

Nanoremediation procedures are usually designed so that only one contaminant or similar class of contaminants is being considered. In the present work, a holistic approach was applied towards processes which simultaneously occur after the treatment of real effluent water from a small biological wastewater treatment plant (SBWTP) with different nano...

The aim of this study was to clarify the micro-scale processes which control the fresh and hardened properties of hydrating cement pastes containing up to 10 wt% of α-Al2O3 submicron particles and a polycarboxylate-type superplasticizer. The main factor controlling the changes in the microstructure and properties of the fresh pastes with increasing...

The environmental acceptability of geotechnical composites made of treated municipal sewage sludge (SwS) and paper ash (PA) after two different curing periods has been investigated. The mineral composition of such composites, including their content of major oxides, is mainly influenced by the PA. The content of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in...

http://authors.elsevier.com/a/1S~UA3O1E14rqH Detailed characterization of calcium aluminate rich secondary steel slag derived from two different refining processes of stainless steel production has been performed in order to gain generic knowledge about this by-product, and its behaviour as a supplementary cementitious material. Additionally, slag...

In this study, the leachability of freshly produced ladle slag derived from both austenitic and ferritic stainless steel production, and from electrical and structural steel production, was investigated, in order to determine whether variations in the chemical and mineralogical composition of these slags affect their leaching behaviour. The effect...

During capital and/or maintenance dredging operations, large amounts of material are produced. Instead of their discharge, dredged sediments may be a valuable natural resource if not contaminated. One of the possible areas of application is civil engineering. In the present work, the environmental status of seaport dredged sediment was evaluated in...

Based on a road reconstruction case study, the advantages and disadvantages of two alternative road pavement rehabilitation techniques, a hypothetically defined comparable traditional approach and an actually used cold-in-place-recycling approach, both of which enable a comparable extension of road service life of about 20 years, were investigated...

This study evaluates how elevated temperatures can affect the properties of concrete prepared with steel slag as a coarse aggregate. Four slag-based concrete mixtures were studied, using different types of cement pastes prepared with portland cement, fly ash as a 20% replacement of portland cement, and polypropylene fibers at 0.1% by volume, respec...

SUMMARY Granodiorite from the Pohorje Mountains (northeastern Slovenia) is considered the highest quality natural stone in Slovenia. Pohorje granodiorite is a grey, calc-alkaline igneous rock of Miocene age (18.7 Ma) that is distinguished by thick white aplite−pegmatite veins. It mainly consists of plagioclase, quartz, and K-feldspar, subsidiary bi...

TIn the present study the differences in the mineralogical composition and microstructure of various types of EAF stainless steel (EAF S) slag with regard to the cooling path, the operation practice in an EAF (electric arc furnace) and environmental ageing reactions were evaluated. It was shown that the mineralogy of the investigated EAF S slags va...

The risk stratification of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major objective for the clinicians, and it can be achieved by coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) or with coronary artery calcium score (CS). CS evaluates underlying coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden and CFVR estimates both presence of coronary artery stenosis and microvasc...

A number of green concrete mixes having similar basic properties were evaluated from the environmental point of view by means of the Life Cycle Assessment method, and compared with a corresponding conventional concrete mix. The investigated green concrete mixes were prepared from three different types of industrial by-products, i.e. (1) foundry san...

In the present work compact and ground cement composites in which 30% of cement by mass was replaced by ladle slag were investigated for their chemical and physico-mechanical properties. To evaluate long-term environmental impacts, leachability test based on diffusion, which combined both, diffusion and dissolution of contaminants, was performed in...

Granodiorite from the Pohorje Mountains (northeastern Slovenia) is considered the highest quality natural stone in Slovenia. Pohorje granodiorite is a grey, calc-alkaline igneous rock of Miocene age (18.7 Ma) that is distinguished by thick white aplite-pegmatite veins. It mainly consists of plagioclase, quartz, and K-feldspar, subsidiary biotite an...

Podpeč Limestone is characterized by its dark grey or nearly black colour, contrasting with white fossil shells of the mollusc Lithiotis. This formation, which has been dated as Lower Jurassic, occurs in southern and southwestern Slovenia and is particularly conspicuous in areas SW of Ljubljana. The main quarry, which is not active, is located near...

Carbon steel slag is quite commonly used in road construction to replace natural aggregate. Since it is important to evaluate such a replacement from the environmental point of view, a Life Cycle Assessment was carried out in order to compare the environmental impacts of the construction of asphalt wearing courses with the use of siliceous aggregat...

Background: In this study, we analyzed epidemiologic characteristics and morphologic differences between Asian and European population in patients with abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA). Method: We conducted concomitant study in Japan and Europe , in 31 Asian patients (AP) with AAA and 130 control subjects of the same population, and in 30 European pa...

Aim: The aim of this study was to present the original idea of intervention radiology procedure treating ireversible cholestasis with intrahepatic pneumobilia due to choledoho-enteric fistula in inoperable carcinoma of pancreatic head, in the only possible way. Material and methods: We treated 3 patients with choledocho-enteric fistula using origin...

The purpose of this study was to develop a compatible repair mortar for two lithotypes of Peračica tuff (Slovenia): fine-grained and coarse-grained. Mineralogical–petrographic characterization of tuff was carried out via optical microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, and the relevant physical–mechanical properties of tuff and repair mortars were...

Detailed studies of cave sediments in the Divje babe I cave, in western Slovenia, have revealed both fossil hairs and the imprints of such hairs present within phosphate aggregates in the clastic sediments. These aggregates consist of fine rock and bone fragments, as well as hairs cemented by phosphate precipitated from pore water. The hairs and th...

Background: The aim of this study was to present an original technique of low-dose coronary computerized tomographyangiography (CCTA) for the evaluation and early diagnosis of coronary occlusive disease (COD) and to compare from this technique of CCTA with those resulting from the latest conventional angiography and multidetector computerized tomog...

This study deals with the mineralogical and chemical characterization of archaeometallurgical material from the Roman archaeological site of Castra (Ajdovščina, western Slovenia). Samples were initially analysed via optical microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, with the composition of individual phases then determined using scanning electron mic...

The aim of this research was to determine how best to utilize two environmentally challenging types of waste: sewage sludge, and a particular type of waste ash, biomass ash, which is obtained from biomass combustion processes. The results of the performed research have shown that liquid sewage sludge can, in fact, be successfully stabilized with bi...

The parameters which influence the removal of different zinc (Zn) species: Zn(2+), Zn(II)-EDTA and Zn(II)-citrate from aqueous solutions by nanoparticles of zero-valent iron (nZVI) were investigated at environmental relevant pH values. Untreated, surface modified and silica-fume supported nZVI were applied at different iron loads and contact times...

Aim of this study is to judge effectiveness of new design, temporary, cover, metal selective urethral Allium stents in lower urinary tract symptoms treatment concerning all peri and post procedural complications. Material and methods: We observed group of 40 patients with longstanding history of lower urinary tract symptom, in which outflow obstruc...

1000Purpose: Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) represents progressive heterotopic ossification of unclear pathogenesis. The aim of this report is to present OPLL associated with arcuate foramina, which has not been reported in the literature before. Materials and methods: 32-year old female patient presented with occipital...

Aortic stenosis (AS) is an important cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) therapy is obvious choice in symptomatic severe AS patients, because it improves symptoms, LV function and survival. Therefore, the accurate diagnosis of the disease, determination of its severity and precise evaluation of patients'...

In this paper electric arc furnace (EAF) steel slag as by-products from the steel production industry is considered as an aggregate which could improve post-fire properties of concrete due to the fact that it is the material that is made at the temperatures of up to 1650 °C. For this purpose five high-strength concrete (HSC) mixtures were prepared:...

In the present study the dry end of the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) was used to estimate the specific surface area (SSA) of 90 engineering soil samples, using the Tuller and Or (2005) model. The results of SSA obtained by measurements using a WP4-T dew point potentiometer were compared with those obtained by means of traditional BET (Bru...

At the Port of Koper soft marine clayey sediments (dredged mud) are continually excavated from the sea bottom in order to maintain safe navigation for ships, as well as to deepen the seabed to permit the entrance of large ships into the port. This dredged mud is highly plastic, with a liquid limit of over 70 %. The mixture of dredged mud and sea wa...

Aim: A novel Left Ventricular (LV) partitioning device (PARACHUTE™) has been developed to treat patients with apical dysfunction after post-anteroapical Myocardial Infarction (MI) and with Heart Failure (HF) symptoms. The goal of the LV partitioning is to partition dysfunctional myocardium and decrease LV size while improving the efficacy of LV mec...

In order to make a complete characterization of ladle furnace slag (LF slag, LFS), as nonhazardous industrial waste, and to solve its permanent disposal and/or recovery, bearing in mind both the volumes formed in the Croatian steel industry and experiences of developed industrial countries, a study of its properties was undertaken. For this purpose...

The Port of Koper, one of the biggest and the most important ports in the Northern Adriatic Sea, is constantly faced with the problems caused by the accumulation of marine sediments inside the port, disturbing some of the port's crucial operations. However, these sediments can be viewed as a potential raw material and, in order to define the best w...

By mixing the sewage biodegradable sludge and biomass ash a stable composite is formed. A study showed that, in this way, a building material with a compressive strength of about 2 MPa is produced, which can be used mainly for landfill covers, road-shoulder management, road-base stabilization and rehabilitation of degraded areas.An analysis of the...

Aim: NT-proBNP has been shown to be a reliable biochemical marker for left ventricular wall stress. The relationship between NT-proBNP and coronary flow reserve (CFR) was evaluated in patients with significant asymptomatic aortic stenosis (AS). Methods: A total of 74 patients with moderate or severe AS, mean age 66.68 ± 10.02 years (56.75% males...

Podpeč limestone is characterized by its dark grey, or nearly black colour, with white fossil shells of the Lithiotis. These beds, which have been dated as Lower Jurassic, occur in southern and south-western Slovenia, and are particularly common in areas southwest of Ljubljana. The main quarry, which is not active, is located next to the village of...

An important step in the secondary metallurgy of stainless steel is ladle metallurgy. Ladle slag is a by-product of ladle refining, and is typically specific for each steelmaking plant. Industrial secondary materials can be used for different applications, including construction and civil engineering. The use of industrial by-products requires know...

At the Port of Koper soft marine clayey sediments (dredged mud) are continually excavated from the sea bottom in order to maintain safe navigation for ships, as well as to deepen the seabed to permit the entrance of large ships into the port. This dredged mud is highly plastic, with a liquid limit of over 70 %. The mixture of dredged mud and sea wa...

received: 2012-10-02; accepted for publication: 2012-11-08 The Port of Koper, one of the biggest and the most important ports in the Northern Adriatic Sea, is constantly faced with the problems caused by the accumulation of marine sediments inside the port, disturbing some of the port's crucial operations. However, these sediments can be viewed as...

A patient presented with a large pericardial tumor of uncertain etiology. Five years earlier, she had been treated for myxoid liposarcoma of the thigh. For pre-surgical evaluation, conventional radiography, positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT of the heart, transthoracic echocardiography (T...

Roman pottery excavated from the remains of a villa rustica near Mošnje (Slovenia) was analyzed in terms of its mineralogical and basic geochemical characteristics, to elucidate the technologies of manufacture. Selected samples were examined with optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, SEM–EDS and ICP-OES. Results show that the studied potter...

The black limestone from Drenov Grič quarry (Central Slovenia) is considered one of the most beautiful Slovenian natural stones due to its typical color. The limestone was characterized from mineralogical, chemical, and petrophysical points of view. Furthermore, deterioration phenomena of the limestone from two monuments exposed to indoor and outdo...

This study deals with the characterization of mortars collected from bath complex of the Roman villa rustica from an archeological site near Mošnje (Slovenia). The mortar layers of the mosaics, wall paintings and mortar floors were investigated. A special aggregate consisting of brick fragments was present in the mortars studied. The mineralogical...

Electric arc furnace (EAF) steel slag can be used as an alternative high-quality material in road construction. Although asphalts with slag aggregates have been recognized as environmentally acceptable, there is a lack of data concerning the potential leaching of toxic Cr(VI) due to the highly alkaline media of EAF slag. Leaching of selected water...

Electric arc furnace (EAF) steel slag, generated from carbon steel production process, is the most interesting from the asphalt technology point of view. This paper aims to explore the feasibility of utilizing steel slag as aggregates in asphalt mixtures. Characterization of EAF slag was carried out through examination of its physical and chemical...

In this paper steel slag is considered as an aggregate which could improve fire resistance of concrete due to the fact that it is a material that occurs at high temperatures. For this purpose, three concrete mixtures were prepared; concrete mixture with dolomite (reference mixture) and one concrete mixture with each of slags available in Croatia. T...

Irreversible obstruction of urine flow due to stricture of the distal ureter is one of the most frequent reasons for uroradiological intervention. Using new technologies and with appropriate stents applied at the right time, it is possible to release the stricture and avoid external drainage of urine. Our case series consists of six patients (four...

Abstract preview not available - see full-text PDF article.

Application of the metallic stents in the interventional uroradioligy is the result of continous development of the new generation methods percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN), ballon catheter dilatation (BCD), methal and covered stent application. Application of metal stents in the renal canal system was attempted in order to eliminate BCD and PCN--rela...

Confocal microscopy offers several advantages over conventional light optical microscopy, including the ability to control depth of field, elimination or reduction of background information away from the focal plane and the capability to collect serial optical sections and three dimensional imaging from thick specimens. Although the technique is wi...

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is a method for the three-dimensional visualization of the structure of various types of materials, and can be applied in all cases where the investigated material has sufficient transparency. It is widely used in medicine and biology to determine the characteristics of cells and molecules. In the case of o...

In the study, mortar bars containing three different types of silica aggregate and aged according to ASTM C 1260 were examined in order to investigate the characteristics of the reaction rims which occur between individual grains of these aggregates and the cement paste due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR). Three silica aggregates were used: well-cr...

Authors present rarely and unusual original methods for billiary drainage type as combination of exsternal drainage and percutaneus gastrostomy. Method used in four patients with irreversibile obstruction during the last 3 years in Inteventional Radiology Dept. Clinical Center of Serbia. In all cases we have satisfactory results with survival time...

At the current level of stent application in urology each irreversible urostasis contraindicated for surgical therapy implies consideration of indications for metal stent insertion. Stent incrustation which leads directly into a new uroobstruction is a characteristic complication of this method. Available experience in different uroobstructive cond...

Authors present rarely and unusual original methods for billiary drainage type as combination of exsternal drainage and percutaneus gastrostomy. Method used in four patients with irreversibile obstruction during the last 3 years in Inteventional Radiology Dept. Clinical Center of Serbia. In all cases we have satisfactory results with survival time...

At the current level of stent application in urology each irreversible urostasis contraindicated for surgical therapy implies consideration of indications for metal stent insertion. Stent incrustation which leads directly into a new uroobstruction is a characteristic complication of this method. Available experience in different uroobstructive cond...

Electric arc filter dust (EAF dust) is a waste by-product which occurs in the production of steel. Instead of being disposed of, it can be used in cement composites for civil engineering, and for balances in washing machines. To estimate the environmental impact of the use of EAF dust in cement composites leachability tests based on diffusion were...

Porosity is one of the key characteristics of natural stone, which influences ondurability as well as functionalityof stone as building material. Further, deterioration processes themselves are also characterized by change of porosity. Different direct and indirect techniques can be used for porosity determination. In the following paper overview o...