Curtin University

About: Curtin University is a education organization based out in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Zircon. The organization has 14257 authors who have published 48997 publications receiving 1336531 citations. The organization is also known as: WAIT & Western Australian Institute of Technology.

A review of synergistic effect of photocatalysis and ozonation on wastewater treatment

Abstract: For the treatment of wastewater that contain recalcitrant organic compounds, such as organo-halogens, organic pesticides, surfactants, and colouring matters, wastewater engineers are now required to develop advanced treatment processes. A promising way to perform the mineralization of this type of substance is the application of an advanced oxidation process (AOP). Photocatalytic oxidation and ozonation appear to be the most popular treatment technologies compared with other advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) as shown by the large amount of information available in the literature. The principal mechanism of AOPs function is the generation of highly reactive free radicals. Consequently, combination of two or more AOPs expectedly enhances free radical generation, which eventually leads to higher oxidation rates. The use of combine photocatalysis and ozonation is an attractive route because of the enhancement of the performance for both agents by means of the hydroxyl radical generation, a powerful oxidant agent that can oxidize completely the organic matter present in the aqueous system. The scope of this paper is to review recently published work in the field of integrated photocatalysis and ozonation on wastewater treatment. In this review the chemical effects of various variables on the rate of degradation of different pollutants are discussed. The mechanism and kinetics has also been reported. It can be concluded that photocatalytic oxidation in the presence of ozone is a process that is qualitatively and quantitatively different from the well-known photocatalytic oxidation with oxygen and the ozonation without photocatalyst. The reason for the higher oxidation rate is probably a photocatalytic induced decay of ozone, initiated by the combination of titanium dioxide and UV-A radiation.

Gravitational waves from binary supermassive black holes missing in pulsar observations

Abstract: Gravitational waves are expected to be radiated by supermassive black hole binaries formed during galaxy mergers. A stochastic superposition of gravitational waves from all such binary systems would modulate the arrival times of pulses from radio pulsars. Using observations of millisecond pulsars obtained with the Parkes radio telescope, we constrained the characteristic amplitude of this background, A(c,yr), to be <1.0 × 10(-15) with 95% confidence. This limit excludes predicted ranges for A(c,yr) from current models with 91 to 99.7% probability. We conclude that binary evolution is either stalled or dramatically accelerated by galactic-center environments and that higher-cadence and shorter-wavelength observations would be more sensitive to gravitational waves.

Leadership, creativity, and innovation: A critical review and practical recommendations

Abstract: Leadership is a key predictor of employee, team, and organizational creativity and innovation. Research in this area holds great promise for the development of intriguing theory and impactful policy implications, but only if empirical studies are conducted rigorously. In the current paper, we report a comprehensive review of a large number of empirical studies (N = 195) exploring leadership and workplace creativity and innovation. Using this article cache, we conducted a number of systematic analyses and built narrative arguments documenting observed trends in five areas. First, we review and offer improved definitions of creativity and innovation. Second, we conduct a systematic review of the main effects of leadership upon creativity and innovation and the variables assumed to moderate these effects. Third, we conduct a systematic review of mediating variables. Fourth, we examine whether the study designs commonly employed are suitable to estimate the causal models central to the field. Fifth, we conduct a critical review of the creativity and innovation measures used, noting that most are sub-optimal. Within these sections, we present a number of taxonomies that organize extant research, highlight understudied areas, and serve as a guide for future variable selection. We conclude by highlighting key suggestions for future research that we hope will reorient the field and improve the rigour of future research such that we can build more reliable and useful theories and policy recommendations.