Air Pollutant Emissions Research Articles

Spatial and Temporal Variation of GPP and Its Response to Urban Environmental Changes in Beijing

The carbon sequestration capacity of vegetation is the key to the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. It is significant to analyze the spatiotemporal variation and influencing factors of vegetation carbon sequestration ability to improve territorial carbon sink and optimize its spatial pattern. However, there is a lack of understanding of the impact of environmental conditions and human activity on the vegetation’s carbon sequestration ability, especially in highly urbanized areas. For example, effective vegetation management methods can enhance vegetation Gross Primary Productivity, while emissions of air pollutants like O3, CO, NO2, and PM2.5 can suppress it. This paper mainly explores the factors influencing vegetation carbon sequestration capacity across different regions of Beijing. Based on remote sensing data and site observation data, this paper analyzed the spatiotemporal variation trend of Annual Gross Primary Production (AGPP) and the influence of environmental factors and human activity factors on GPP in Beijing from 2000 to 2020 by using the Theil−Sen’s slope estimator, Mann−Kendall trend test, and comparing Geographically Weighted Regression method (GWR) and Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression method (GTWR). GWR is a localized multiple regression technique used to estimate variable relationships that vary spatially. GTWR extends GWR by adding temporal analysis, enabling a comprehensive examination of spatiotemporal data variations. Besides, we used land use cover data to discuss the influence of land use cover change on AGPP. The results showed that the spatial distribution pattern of GPP in Beijing was higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast, and it showed an overall upward trend from 2000 to 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 14.39 g C·m−2·a−1. From 2000 to 2020, excluding the core urban areas, the GPP of 95.8% of Beijing increased, and 10.6% of Beijing showed a trend of significant increase, concentrated in Mentougou, Changping, and Miyun. GPP decreased in 4.1% of the regions in Beijing and decreased significantly in 1.4% of the areas within the sixth ring. The areas where AGPP significantly decreased were concentrated in those where land use types were converted to Residential land (impervious land), while AGPP showed an upward trend in other areas. CO and NO2 are the main driving forces of GPP change in Beijing. O3 and land surface temperature (LST) also exert certain influences, while the impact of precipitation (PRE) is relatively minor. O3 and CO have a positive impact on AGPP as a whole, while LST and NO2 generally exhibit negative impacts. PRE has a positive impact in the central area of Beijing, while it has a negative impact in the peripheral areas. This study further discusses opinions on future urbanization and environmental management policies in Beijing, which will promote the carbon peak and carbon neutrality process of ecological space management in Beijing. Besides, this study was conducted at the urban scale rather than at ecological sites, encompassing a variety of factors that influence vegetation AGPP. Consequently, the results also offer fresh insights into the intricate nexus between human activities, pollutants, and the GPP of vegetation.

The benefits and burdens of wind power systems in reaching China’s renewable energy goals: Implications from resource and environment assessment

Recognizing the economy’s growing reliance on global energy landscape transformation on wind power deployment, as well as the general reality that renewable facilities require lower operational but higher up-front inputs than fossil-based power systems, this paper focuses on the life-cycle burdens of wind power systems and their substitution benefits compared with coal-fired power systems. The estimation considers the consumption of nonrenewable sources of energy, emissions of greenhouse gases, and other environmental resource factors that have received significantly less research attention, such as industrial land use, water use, PM2.5, SO2, NOX, and Hg emissions. The scope of this study differs from earlier ones in that it includes a comprehensive description of all the equipment, materials, and services used, as opposed to earlier studies that either omit crucial supporting infrastructure or just focus on the plant’s physical structure as its primary materials. Results based on a typical plant in China show that the state-of-the-art onshore wind power systems can provide significant reductions in nonrenewable energy use (9.2 MJ/kWh) and GHG emissions (782.8 GtCO2/kWh). To produce an equivalent amount of electricity, wind power systems require more than three times industrial land use and almost one-third of industrial water use of that for traditional coal-fired power systems. The avoided SO2, Hg, PM2.5, and NOX emissions per unit of electricity generation account for 60.6%-89.3% of the total air pollution emissions induced by supercritical coal-fired power systems. By integrating 3797 operating plant-specific data and fixed-point wind energy information, this study scales up results of the single plant to a country level. The macro picture implies different opportunities born by wind power systems in easing multiple resource and environmental pressures, highlighting the significance of designing hierarchical strategies to improve penetration levels of wind power. By 2050, cumulative climate benefits obtained from onshore wind power technology are predicted to reach 74.2 Gt CO2, achieving around 17.2%-45.5% of the national carbon-neutral goal.

Tourism activities significantly contributed toatmospheric pollutants in a remote town of Tianshan revealed by the continuous observation of two years

The large reduction in tourism activities in 2020 provided a unique opportunity to investigate their contribution on atmospheric pollutants in Bayanbulak, a remote town in Tianshan, China. In this scenic and sensitive region, we measured total suspended particulates (TSP) along with concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) during the lockdown in 2020 and compared these to levels in the pre-pandemic period of 2019. The study revealed significant reductions in PAHs, OC, EC, and some WSIIs concentrations during the tourist season (May–October) of 2020 compared with 2019, whereas variations between non-tourist seasons were less pronounced. Furthermore, by comparing pollutant characteristics in tourist seasons of these two years, we found that 5- and 6-ring groups were main PAH constituents in 2019, while 5- and 3-ring groups contributed more to total PAHs in 2020. OC/EC ratio increased from 2019 to 2020, indicating an increase of biomass burning contribution after the lockdown. Using positive matrix factorization, we determined that emissions from tourism-related transportation and combustion of natural gas and coal (mainly for cooking) contributed 21.9% and 46.6%, respectively, to certain atmospheric pollutants in 2019, whereas they decreased significantly to 3% and 19.4% in 2020 with dust and biomass contributions increased substantially. The levels of PAHs, OC, and EC from tourism-related sources were as high as 9.31 ng m−3, 1.28 μg m−3 and 0.11 μg m−3 and decreased by 54.37%, 25.16%, and 9.54%, respectively, compared to 2019. Hence, the impact of tourism must be considered during the assessment of local air pollutant emissions, particularly in remote areas.

The Synergy Between CO2 and Air Pollution Emissions in Chinese Cities by 2060: An Assessment Based on the Emissions Inventory and Dynamic Projection Model

Synergizing air pollution control and climate change mitigation has been of significant academic and policy concern. The synergy between air pollution and carbon emissions is one of the measures to understand the characteristics and process of the air pollution–carbon synergistic control, which will also provide valuable information for collaboratively achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (such as SDGs 11 and 13). This study establishes a systematic framework integrating emissions inventory and projection models, correlation mining and typology analysis methods to predictively evaluate the synergy and comprehensive coordination between air pollution and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Chinese cities by 2030, 2050, and 2060 under different policy scenarios for air pollution and CO2 emissions control. The results reveal the significant effects of synergistically implementing clean air and aggressive carbon-reducing policies on mitigating air pollution and CO2 emissions. Under the On-time Peak-Net Zero-Clean Air and Early Peak-Net Zero-Clean Air scenarios, the total reduction and synergy for air pollution and CO2 emissions will be more significant, particularly by 2050 and 2060. This study is the first to integrate scenario projection and synergy evaluation in air pollution and CO2 research, providing a novel supplement to the air pollution–climate change synergy methodology based on co-benefit estimation. The methods and findings will also contribute to measuring the achievement and analyzing the interaction of the SDGs.

Air Pollutant Emissions of Passenger Cars in Poland in Terms of Their Environmental Impact and Type of Energy Consumption

The increasing number of vehicles operating in Poland, especially passenger vehicles, justifies the need to conduct air pollution emission tests in the context of the impact of vehicles on the natural environment. Firstly, this article reviews the publications related to air pollutant emissions and passenger vehicles traveling on Polish roads. However, it presents a special method using advanced research equipment to determine air pollutant emissions. The above research methods are justified in implementing clean transport zones. Real Driving Emissions represent an essential procedure in the implementation of clean transport zones in Poland, verifying the actual emissions of air pollutants and modeling this phenomenon using the results of real air pollutant emissions. The results of this research state that establishing a link between a vehicle’s air pollutant emissions and its age can support making transport or delivery planning more sustainable and choosing less carbon-intensive means of transport to reduce the negative impact of transport on the environment. The scientific novelty of the proposed solutions is the verification of the actual emissions of Euro 6 vehicles and the modeling of air pollutant emissions as a function of speed and acceleration. The research results are included in this article and will become input data for further analysis in examining the impact of vehicle operating age on air pollution emissions. Consequently, the novelty of the present research also lies in its focus on the verification of the impact of operating age, particularly in the context of vehicles exceeding 15 years of age, on air pollutant emissions. By establishing a correlation between a vehicle’s air pollutant emissions and its operating age, it becomes possible to make transport or delivery planning more sustainable. Furthermore, the selection of less carbon-intensive means of transport can contribute to reducing the negative impact of transport on the environment.

Using EEA environment and health data to communicate with the public: the European Environment and Health Atlas

Abstract The EEA European Environment and Health Atlas presents information on how pollution and other environmental risks affect the health and well-being of Europeans. It is almost exclusively built on the datasets that the EEA collects from its network, and it summarizes only environmental information of relevance to public health, as well as health impacts from key environmental risks like air pollution, noise and industrial emissions.

EEA data streams of public health relevance: the examples of air pollution, environmental noise and industrial emissions

Abstract The knowledge work of the European Environment Agency relies on high-quality data from our network and other institutional partners across 38 European countries. We collect, quality-assure and quality-check data on the environment, climate and sustainability, many of which are of high public health relevance. This presentation will summarize the most importance EEA datasets of public health relevance, including on air pollution, noise, industrial emissions, and others.

Urban transformation interventions for the promotion of active home-school mobility: overview

Abstract Background Active home-school mobility can contribute to a series of benefits, both for the health of children and adolescents (higher levels of physical activity, better cardio-metabolic profile, better school performance), and for the health of the general population and of environment (reduction of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions). An overview of systematic reviews (RS) was conducted in order to evaluate mainly the effectiveness of interventions promoting active home-school mobility on physical activity, overweight/obesity, well-being and reduction of road accidents in children and adolescents. Methods The bibliographic search was carried out on the following databases: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL, without any limits. Endnote software was used for the systematic reviews (SRs) selection. Data relating to the main characteristics and results of the SRs were extracted. The assessment of the methodological quality of the SRs was carried out using the “Health Evidence™ Quality Assessment Tool”. Results On the basis of the relevance and adherence to the research PICO, n. 12 systematic literature reviews evaluating effects of interventions of interest in the study population. The strategies took multiple levels into consideration, i.e. they aimed at organizing the home-school journey to encourage active mobility, as well as training and information aimed at the population under study for the promotion of physical activity. Conclusions Combined interventions appear more effective in promoting active home-school mobility with a better impact on increasing physical activity levels. Further high quality studies are necessary to investigate the impact of these interventions also on the reduction of incidence of overweight/obesity and in terms of school performance. Key messages • Policy makers should promote programs to increase active home-school transport. • Further high quality studies are necessary to investigate the impact of these interventions also on the reduction of incidence of overweight/obesity and in terms of school performance.

Air Pollution Reduces the Individuals’ Life Satisfaction Through Health Impairment

Abstract Background The impact of air pollution on individuals’ happiness and life satisfaction (LS), and its relationship to other factors became the focus of recent research. Though, the underlying mechanism of how air pollution impacts LS remains unclear. In this study, we examined the direct and indirect effect of air pollution on individuals’ LS through health mediation. Methods We used longitudinal individual-level data from “Understanding-Society: the UK Household-Longitudinal Study” on 59,492 individuals with 347,377 repeated responses across 11 years (2009-2019) that was linked to yearly concentrations of NO2, SO2, and particulate-matter (PM10, PM2.5) pollution. Generalized structural equation models with multilevel ordered-logistic regression were used to examine the direct effect of air pollution on LS and the indirect effect from health impairment. Results Higher concentrations of NO2 (coefficient = 0.009, 95%CI = 0.007,0.012, p < 0.001), SO2 (coefficient = 0.025, 95%CI = 0.017,0.034, p < 0.001), PM10 (coefficient = 0.019, 95%CI = 0.013, 0.025, p < 0.001), and PM2.5 (coefficient = 0.025, 95%CI = 0.017,0.033, p < 0.001) pollutants were associated with poorer health, while poorer health was associated with reduced LS (coefficient = -0.605, 95%CI = -0.614,-0.595, p < 0.001). Mediation path analysis showed that air pollution impacted individuals’ LS directly and indirectly. The percent of total effect mediated through health was 44.03% for NO2, 73.95% for SO2, 49.88% for PM10, and 45.42% for PM2.5 and the ratio of indirect to direct effect was 0.79 for NO2, 2.84 for SO2, 0.99 for PM10, and 0.83 for PM2.5. Conclusions Health plays a major mediating role in the relationship between air pollution and LS. To alleviate the impact of air pollution on LS, future strategies should focus on health promotion besides reducing air pollution emissions. Key messages • Air pollution is related to lower life satisfaction directly and indirectly through health impairment. • Strategies and policies aiming at reducing air pollution emissions and better health would improve the individual’s life satisfaction and lower the mental health burden.

Multisectoral Emission Impacts of Electric Vehicle Transition in China and India.

Transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) is a central strategy for reducing carbon dioxide and air pollutant emissions. Although the emission impacts of reduced gasoline combustion and increased power generation are well recognized, the impacts of growing EV manufacturing activities remain understudied. Here, we focus on China and India, two of the fastest-growing EV markets. Compared to a 2030 baseline scenario, we find that national emissions of air pollutants could increase in certain high EV penetration scenarios as a result of the emission-intensive battery material production and manufacturing processes. Notably, national sulfur dioxide emissions could increase by 16-20% if all batteries have nickel- and cobalt-based cathodes and are produced domestically. Subnational regions that are abundant in battery-related minerals might emerge as future pollution hotspots. Our study thus highlights the importance of EV supply chain decisions and related manufacturing processes in understanding the environmental impacts of the EV transition.

Quantifying particulate matter emission rates from naturally ventilated dairy buildings by considering roof opening contributions

Roof openings are typically fitted to naturally ventilated dairy building (NVDB) for better ventilation but their impact on air pollutant emission calculations has not been fully considered. Particulate matter (PM) emission rate (ER) for NVDB rely on the total ventilation rate (VR), outdoor PM concentration and average indoor PM concentration sampled either under the roof (Roof Sampling) or in the cubicle area (Cubicle Sampling), which may show large deviations due to its spatiotemporal variation of PM concentrations and complex airflow patterns. This study utilised a novel ER calculation method (Joint Sampling) that computes the respective emission from the roof and sidewall openings by matching each outlet's VR and PM concentration. By year-round field measurements of PM2.5 and the total suspended particulates (TSP), results showed that annual average ERs of PM2.5 and TSP were 10.8 mg h−1 cow−1 and 45.7 mg h−1 cow−1 for Roof Sampling, 12.7 mg h−1 cow−1 and 40.7 mg h−1 cow−1 for Cubicle Sampling, and 11.7 mg h−1 cow−1 and 45.9 mg h−1 cow−1 for Joint Sampling. Considering the Joint Sampling results were relatively true, Roof Sampling exhibited a maximum underestimate of PM2.5 emissions of 20.8% when sidewall curtains were fully opened, whilst Cubicle Sampling demonstrated a maximum overestimate of TSP of 10.2% when the aperture was closed. Using Joint Sampling, the roof opening contributed 39.3% and 24.4% of the annual PM2.5 and TSP emissions. When sidewall openings are partially or fully closed, the Joint Sampling calculation is preferable to estimate the ER of PM.

Development of 1 ×1 km gridded emission inventory for air quality assessment and mitigation strategies from open biomass burning in Karnataka, India

In this work, we have developed a high-resolution (1 ×1 km grid) emission inventory of greenhouse gases and air pollutants from open biomass burning (OBB) in Karnataka for 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2022. Secondary and field datasets were used to validate the emission inventories. The GIS-based statistical model and activity data were used to estimate greenhouse and air pollutant gas emissions from OBB (Forest, grassland, and crop fires). The uncertainty analysis of the emissions were done using the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) model and Low Emission Analysis Platform (LEAP) tool was used for projecting the emissions to 2050 based on the annual average growth rate. According to our results, the total OBB burned areas (%) in Karnataka during the aforementioned years were 24.43, 15.69, 15.95, 11.41, 26.73, and 5.78. The results showed that total annual average OBB emissions in Karnataka for 2000–2022 in Gg were SO2 (6.67), NOx (9.48), NH3(9.80), CO (670.12), OC (59.78), BC (5.09), CO2 (11071 .11), CH4(33.68), PM10(84.29), PM2.5(81.08), NMVOC (74.13), and NO2 (4.80) respectively. The districts of Kalburgi, Raichur, Bagalkot, Uttara Kannada, and Shivamogga have the highest emissions from OBB in Karnataka from 2000 to 2022. The emission uncertainty results showed ±26.92, ±28.17, and ±30.27 % for the crop, grassland, and forest fires, respectively. Under the business-as-usual (BAU) scenarios, the CH4 emissions from forest, grassland, and crop fires are projected at 8823, 2.64, and 5262 metric tonnes by 2030 and 58046, 10, and 30700 metric tonnes by 2050, respectively. The developed high-resolution inventories are the most up-to-date surface emission datasets with hotspots in Karnataka from OBB emission. National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and India’s Net-Zero Emission target by 2070, our high-resolution emission inventories and mitigation strategies may be helpful for air quality monitoring, health benefits analysis, and policy-making studies in Karnataka, India.

Synergistic environmental benefits from copper slag recycling in China: Pollutant mitigation and carbon reduction

In response to the dual challenges of climate change and environmental degradation, China is prioritizing efforts to manage both pollution and carbon emissions. Given China's leadership in global copper smelting, recycling substantial amounts of copper slag is considered a key strategy for environmental improvement. This study applies life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental benefits of three copper slag recycling strategies. Building on the LCA results, we introduced a synergistic reduction index system that assesses the combined effects of pollution mitigation and carbon reduction. Findings indicate that utilizing recycled copper slag in building materials not only significantly reduces local industry emissions but also demonstrates substantial synergistic effects. This strategy optimally reduces both air pollution and carbon emissions, largely due to the substitution of high-pollution materials with recycled copper slag. Based on these insights, we propose targeted recycling strategies tailored to regional needs and capacities, thereby offering practical suggestions for the sustainable management of copper slag.

Spring Water pH in Forest Catchments Is Modified through Fluctuating Discharge under Climate Change

Over the course of industrialization in the 20th century, vast emissions of air pollutants have occurred. The exhaust gasses contain sulfur and nitrogen oxides, which are converted to sulfuric acid and nitric acid in the atmosphere. This causes acid rain to enter aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, the most serious consequence of which is large-scale forest dieback across Europe and North America. However, through various political measures, the exhaust gasses have been reduced and, thus, acid rain and forest dieback were stopped. Nevertheless, the lingering effects of this pollution are still present today and are reflected in hydrochemistry. More recently, fluctuating precipitation regimes are causing additional stress to ecosystems in Central Europe. Climatic extremes are becoming more pronounced with climate change. Substantial differences between drought years and years with regular precipitation are directly altering the discharge of springs. Now, two overlapping and interacting syndromes of environmental pressures can be studied in these small catchments at a landscape scale: (1) acidification and (2) climate change. In this long-term study, the waters of 102 forest springs, located in two neighboring forest landscapes in north-eastern Bavaria, Germany (Frankenwald and Fichtelgebirge), were investigated over 24 years (1996 to 2020). By linking changes in pH values with changes in precipitation and spring discharge, we found that pH increases with decreasing discharge and decreasing precipitation. This effect was strongest in the Frankenwald compared to the Fichtelgebirge. We hypothesize that this temporal pattern reflects the longer residence time and, in consequence, the increased buffering of acidic interflow in small catchments during periods of drought. However, this should not be misinterpreted as rapid recovery from acidification because this effect fades in times of enhanced precipitation. We recommend that fluctuations in weather regimes be considered when investigating biogeochemical patterns throughout forest landscapes.

Estimates of Air Pollutant Emissions by Vehicle Fleet in the State of Pará, Brazil: Impacts and Trends

Objective: aims to estimate emissions of the main atmospheric pollutants from vehicular sources in the state of Pará, to continue the environmental agenda of monitoring air quality. Theoretical Framework: The growing global concern about air quality in urban areas is driven by the environmental and public health impacts caused by air pollution. The concentration of pollutants from vehicle sources represents one of the main challenges, especially in densely populated regions such as the capital and other major cities in the state of Pará, where the automotive fleet has increased significantly. Method: The methodology used combined "bottom-up" and "top-down" methods to calculate emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO) and total hydrocarbons (HC) for different vehicle categories and fuel types. Data on licensed vehicle fleets and fuel consumption obtained from DETRAN-PA and ANP were used. Results and Discussion: The results revealed that gasoline-powered vehicles are responsible for the majority of CO and HC emissions, while diesel vehicles emit the largest amounts of NO into the atmosphere. Motorcycles were identified as the largest source of emissions due to their larger number in the circulating fleet. Our results also highlight the importance of assessing and monitoring vehicle emissions to develop effective air pollution control strategies. Research Implications: The information obtained in this study is unprecedented for the study area, and can therefore support the formulation of environmental policies aimed at reducing emissions of atmospheric pollutants in the state of Pará, thus promoting an improvement in air quality and public health. Originality/Value: This paper makes an unprecedented contribution to national and international literature on environmental pollution in large urban centers. On the eve of the largest climate and environment conference on the planet (COP30) to be held in Pará, Amazonas, this research joins efforts in relation to the monitoring, forecasting and mitigation of air pollution, considered one of the main environmental problems of today.

Energy-water-carbon system management in response to climate change in China under uncertainties (2026–2050)

Climate change has seriously affected the resource utilization of the energy-water-carbon system, while the system carbon emissions continuously act on climate change. Given the interaction between the two, there is an urgent need to facilitate the rational allocation of system resources to realize the positive feedback between climate change and energy-water-carbon system development. In this study, an interval stochastic fuzzy integer programming (ISFIP) model is developed to support resource planning and management of the energy-water-carbon system in response to climate change in China. The developed model has advantages in characterizing the complexity and uncertainty of the energy-water-carbon system and providing optimal system decision-making options under multiple climate change scenarios. The results show that the SSP126-NZE scenario power system would reduce carbon emissions by 16.23 %, air pollutant emissions by 19.31 %, water consumption by 30.96 %, and increase economic benefits by 10.97 %, respectively, compared to the SSP585-STEPS baseline scenario.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on greenhouse gas and criteria air pollutant emissions from the San Pedro Bay Ports and future policy implications

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, collectively known as the San Pedro Bay Ports, serve as vital gateways for freight movement in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic and other influencing factors disrupted freight movement and led to unprecedented cargo surge, vessel congestion, and increased air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from seaport and connected freight system operations beginning in June 2020. In this study, we conducted the first comprehensive monthly assessment of the excess particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions due to the heightened congestion and freight transport activity from ocean-going vessels (OGVs), trucks, locomotives, and cargo handling equipment (CHE) supporting seaport operations. Excess emissions peaked in October 2021 at 23 tons of NOx per day and 2001 tons of CO2 per day. The strategic queuing system implemented in November 2021 significantly reduced the number of anchored and loitering OGVs and their emissions near the ports, even during continued high cargo throughput until Summer 2022. Looking forward, we analyzed projected emissions benefits of adopted California Air Resources Board regulations requiring cleaner and zero-emission trucks, locomotives, and CHE over the next decade. If a repeated port congestion event were to occur in 2035, NOx emissions from land-based freight transport should be lessened by more than 80%. Our study underscores the potential emissions impacts of disruptions to the freight transport network and the critical need to continue reducing its emissions in California and beyond.

Critical review on effective utilization of 5R technique in life cycle management of lithium ion battery

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are essential elements of electric vehicles and many energy storage systems. Automobile industry has leaded the way to the growth of the transportation industry. This growth has been greatly hampered due to environmental pollution, fossil fuel crisis, and growing injurious effects on individual wellbeing. The environment, and particularly air quality, is worsening as a result of uncontrolled urban growth and development Its utilization is increasing day-by-day with more number of battery-powered vehicles on road. Vehicle electrification has been studied as a possible solution to the problem of climate change for decades. Electrification of transportation is supported all over the world to reduce atmospheric air pollutant emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, and depletion of fossil fuels. Many predictions in recent years have expected widespread adoption of electric vehicles which would mostly be fuelled by lithium-ion batteries due to their high energy and power density and extended cycle life. In present work is, critical review on recycling techniques of LIBs extraction of precious material content and 5R technique has been discussed along with systematic approach for life cycle management of LIBs.

Impacts of urban block form on carbon and pollutant emissions from urban life in China from the perspective of regional differences

Air pollution emissions (PE) and carbon emissions (CE) pose significant challenges to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally. The intensity of urban block development and spatial form can influence the relationship between PE and CE. This study analyzed 11,228 neighborhood samples from various climate zones across China using spatial statistics and an optimized random forest model to examine the impact of block spatial form on PE and CE. The findings reveal that: (1) The PE–CE correlation in non-first-tier city blocks in southern China is stronger than in those in northern China. The correlation is strongest in urban neighborhoods located in temperate climates. Additionally, the PE–CE correlation is weakest in Beijing and Shanghai. (2) The variation in explanatory power of different driving factors is more pronounced for CE than for PE, with PR, NDVI, and AH emerging as the most significant factors. (3) The synergy between PE and CE is strongest when BD is in the 20 %-30 % range. Similarly, the synergy is strongest when PR is in the 2–3 range. (4) BD in the 40 %-60 % range is most effective in reducing PE and CE, with 40 %-50 % range favoring CE reduction and 50 %-60 % range favoring PE reduction.

Life Cycle Fluoropolymer Management in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis

Concerns over the life cycle impacts of fluoropolymers have led to their inclusion in broad product restriction proposals for per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), despite their non-bioavailable properties and low exposure potential in complex, durable goods such as non-consumer electrical products. Based on the hypothesis that manufacturers are most able to manage the environmental impacts of their products, practical engineering approaches to implementing life cycle fluoropolymer stewardship are evaluated to bridge the ongoing debate between precautionary and risk-based approaches to PFAS management. A life cycle thinking approach is followed that considers product design and alternatives, as well as the product life cycle stages of material sourcing, manufacturing, field deployment, and end-of-life. Over the product life cycle, the material sourcing and end-of-life stages are most impactful in minimizing potential life cycle PFAS emissions. Sourcing fluoropolymers from suppliers with fluorosurfactant emissions control and replacement minimizes the potential emissions of bio-available PFAS substances. A stack-as-service approach to electrolyzer operations ensures a takeback mechanism for the recycling of end-of-life fluoropolymer materials. Retaining electrolytic hydrogen’s license to operate results in over USD 2 of environmental and health benefits per kilogram of hydrogen produced from reduced greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions compared to conventional hydrogen production via steam methane reforming.