Annual Usage Research Articles

Assessment of Stormwater Harvesting Potential: The Case Study of South Korea

Stormwater harvesting (SWH) is emerging as a vital adaptive strategy for urban climate resilience. In South Korea, different types of storage facilities have been constructed under different regulations and laws. Each type of storage facility has its own original purpose of construction. Although these facilities have better outcomes, we aim to investigate the potential use of these facilities as additional water resources. In this study, we assess the stormwater harvesting (SWH) potential of different types of already-constructed storage facilities. Five different types of storage facilities and three different cases are considered in the present study. Case 1 excludes SWH volume during the flood and winter seasons, while in Case 2, only winter season SWH volume is excluded. In Case 3, the winter season and combined sewer overflows (CSOs) facilities are excluded. The Rainwater Utilization Facility is considered as a baseline for comparison in the present study. The results show that, in Case 2, the Sewage Storage Facility, Stormwater Runoff Reduction Facility, Nonpoint Pollution Reduction Facility, and Buffer Storage Facility has 53.5, 4, 2.4, and 1.2 times more stormwater average annual usage potential, respectively. The findings suggest that these facilities can be utilized as additional water resources. It should be mentioned that the primary objective for which each facility was constructed will remain unaffected. Nevertheless, forthcoming research should focus on a detailed exploration of the quality of the collected stormwater and the energy required to supply the stormwater for the end usage.

Exploring the filtration performance and usage cost of commercial fiber air filters for capturing moxa smoke aerosols

Traditional moxibustion treatments plays a role in preventing and treating COVID-19 while aggravating indoor air pollution. Therefore, commercial fiber air filters (CFAF) are widely used to improve indoor air quality to reduce the risk of people being exposed to moxa smoke aerosols (MSA). Considering that there were few reports on the performance of CFAF for capturing MSA, we explored in detail the effects of face velocity and MSA particle size on the filtration performance of CFAF to fill this gap. Then, we analyzed the deposition characteristics of MSA on fibers in combination with SEM images. In addition, the long-term stability, cleaning performance and MSA holding capacity of the CFAF were further characterized by tests of continuous operation, clean air delivery rate (CADR) and MSA loading. The results indicated that the CFAF had the potential to efficiently capture MSA in indoor air at an acceptable annual usage cost (AUC). Specifically, the pristine CFAF had high classification counting efficiency (CCE) (99.1 %-100 %), medium pressure drop (150.3 Pa), and low quality factor (0.04 Pa−1) at the face velocity of 0.3 m·s−1. Note that increasing face velocity not only decreased CCE and quality factor but also significantly increased pressure drop. Furthermore, the CFAF maintained excellent CCE (99.5 %-100 %) after 24-h of continuous operation at high concentrations of MSA (100 mg·m−3), while the pressure drop increased to 203.7 Pa. Obviously, the deposited MSA severely clogged the inter-fiber pores, which explained the fact of the rapid increase in the pressure drop of the CFAF. Of course, the high CADR value (66.6 m3·h−1) also demonstrated that the CFAF had the ability to efficiently remove MSA from confined place. Moreover, a total of 216.3 g MSA can be captured by the CFAF when the final pressure drop reached 300 Pa, which meant that further increasing the MSA holding capacity would be the focus of future research by filter media manufacturers. Finally, through the established mathematical model, we successfully predicted the service life (86 days) and the total AUC (276 $·year−1) of using the CFAF to capture MSA. This work is expected to provide a useful reference for routine maintenance and design optimization of existing CFAF.

Decomposition and Driving Factors of Total Factor Productivity of Food Crops in the Yellow River Basin, China

The urgency of enhancing agricultural productivity within the Yellow River Basin cannot be overstated, given its critical role in ensuring food security amidst the challenges posed by climate change, natural disasters, and the increasing demand for food crops. Utilizing panel data from nine provinces within the Yellow River Basin for the period 2001 to 2020, this study examines the temporal characteristics and spatial distribution of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) for key grain crops—namely wheat, corn, and soybean—through the application of the Malmquist index which can be decomposed through the DEA-Malmquist index methodology. The empirical results demonstrate that TFP growth rates for these crops have exhibited significant phase variations, with soybean recording the highest TFP growth rate in the basin. Additionally, this study underscores marked regional disparities in soybean productivity. TFP decomposition reveals that the primary drivers of TFP improvement across these crops are attributed to technical progress, with gains in overall technical efficiency largely due to scale efficiency enhancements, whereas pure technical efficiency has shown limited progress. Regional analysis indicates that Inner Mongolia leads in TFP growth for all crops, while Ningxia, Sichuan, and Shaanxi lag behind in wheat, corn, and soybean. Additionally, our analysis delineates natural disasters as a significant barrier to Total Factor Productivity (TFP), notably obstructing technological advancements in wheat cultivation. The investigation further reveals a positive relationship between regional per capita income and the growth of wheat TFP, in contrast to a negative relationship with the TFP growth of corn and soybeans. Moreover, investing in agriculture, forestry, water management, and road infrastructure supports the growth of wheat TFP, while urbanization levels pose constraints. Conclusively, an uptick in annual rural electricity usage, along with improved per capita postal and telecommunication services, exerts a favorable influence on TFP for corn and soybeans.

Should pipeline nitrous oxide be discontinued in secondary care: A cost-benefit analysis.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) has seen a marked decline in its usage in recent years due to its adverse clinical effects. We audited the practice in our department to evaluate the N2O consumption and cost-effectiveness of its supply. Electronic anesthesia records of all patients anesthetized in our main operating rooms in a typical month were reviewed retrospectively, and utilization of N2O was noted in addition to the patient demographics, surgical procedure, and specialty. A total of 950 patients were anesthetized, and 3.1% received N2O. The annual usage was estimated to be 72,871 liters, with a leakage of 3,883,105 liters to the environment, posing a safety hazard and wasting 149,612.50 SAR. Notable costs and environmental benefits may be achieved by substituting a piped supply of N2O with portable E-cylinders on demand in operating rooms for rational use.

Optimal selection of healthcare waste treatment devices using fuzzy-rough approach.

The escalating volume of healthcare waste (HCW) generated by healthcare facilities poses a pressing challenge for all nations. Adequate management and disposal of this waste are imperative to mitigate its adverse impact on human lives, wildlife, and the environment. Addressing this issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina involves the establishment of a regional center dedicated to HCW management. In practice, there are various treatments available for HCW management. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the priority for procuring different treatments during the formation of this center. To assess these treatment devices, expert decision-making employed the fuzzy-rough approach. By leveraging extended sustainability criteria, experts initially evaluated the significance of these criteria and subsequently assessed the devices for HCW treatment. Employing the fuzzy-rough LMAW (Logarithm Methodology of Additive Weights), the study determined the importance of criteria, highlighting "Air emissions" and "Annual usage costs" as the most critical factors. Utilizing the fuzzy-rough CoCoSo (the Combined Compromise Solution) method, six devices employing incineration or sterilization for HCW treatment were ranked. The findings indicated that the "Rotary kiln" and "Steam disinfection" emerged as the most favorable devices for HCW treatment based on this research. This conclusion was validated through comparative and sensitivity analyses. This research contributes by proposing a solution to address Bosnia and Herzegovina's HCW challenge through the establishment of a regional center dedicated to HCW management.

Abstract 49: 15-Year Trends in Age and Sex-Specific Utilization of Carotid Revascularization Procedures in the United States

Background: In July 2023, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed broader coverage for carotid artery stenting (CAS) for patients with symptomatic (Sx) and asymptomatic carotid disease (Asx) in the United States (US) Objectives: This study provides a 15-year snapshot of current CAS and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) use in various age and sex groups of the US. Methods: We identified all Sx and Asx CAS and CEA admissions in adults (≥18 years) from the 2006-2020 National Inpatient Sample using International Classification of Diseases codes. We calculated the age and sex-specific proportions of revascularizations that were CAS and combined annual CAS/CEA counts with census data to determine annual utilization rate per 100,000 population. We used Joinpoint regression to estimate annualized percentage change (APC) in usage over time. Results: Of 1,591,651 weighted procedures over the study period, 30% were done in 60-69 year olds and 20% in ≥80 year olds. This age distribution was constant over time. 15.1% of all procedures were CAS but this proportion doubled over time such that in 2020, 29.6% of all procedures were CAS. CAS proportion increased in all age groups including those >70 years and in women, even after excluding patients with tandem occlusions (Figure 1). 22.5% of CAS and 11.7% of CEA were done in Sx patients but this proportion increased over time in both CAS and CEA (p-trend <0.001). Annual usage of CEA declined from 51.6 to 22.5 cases/100,000 population in both sexes combined (APC -5.4%, 95%CI -6.0 to -4.8), while CAS use declined from 2006-2016 but increased significantly over 2016-2020 in both men (APC 16.5%, 95%CI 10.0 to 23.3) and women (APC 15.2%, 95%CI 10.2 to 20.4) (Figure 1). Conclusion: Despite uncertain benefit in selected age and sex groups including those > 70years, CAS use has continued to increase in all age and sex groups and now accounts for one-third of carotid revascularizations . With the CMS change CAS use could increase further.

Recycling, Material Flow, and Recycled Content Demands of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Bottles towards a Circular Economy in Korea

The recycling and proper management of PET bottles is needed to avoid plastic pollution, as well as to achieve a plastic circular economy. In this study, we examined the recycling system of PET bottles and their material flows by life cycle, from production to recycling and disposal under different scenarios with reduced consumption for PET bottles. In Korea, PET bottle recycling has been managed by the extended producer responsibility system since 2003. As of 2021, annual usage of PET bottles per capita in Korea was estimated to be approximately 6.5 kg. The recycling rate of PET bottles after collection was determined to be 79% in 2021. However, recycled PET (or r-PET) from mechanical recycling is mostly used in low-grade PET applications such as short fibers, bands, and sheets. More than 112 thousand tons of r-PET chips would be needed to meet the 30% recycled content requirement in PET bottles in 2030 by regulation. Thus, there is an urgent need for high-quality secondary raw materials (i.e., food-grade) by adopting advanced sorting and recycling technologies for PET bottles with recycled content. PET bottle-to-bottle recycling practices can ensure the production of high-quality recycled materials and move Korea toward a plastic circular economy.

Studies of tractor maintenance and replacement strategies of Wonji Shoa Factory, Ethiopia

This study mainly focuses on tractor maintenance and replacement strategies to assess the impact of various parameters on the economic life of tractors in order to improve the value of a profitable management choice on selected tractor samples. Considering the preventive replacement policy, the total annual costs were estimated taking into account the repair and depreciation costs. At a 95% level of confidence for each approach, the statistical analysis program “IBM SPSS Statistics 26” was used. An empirical relation based on multiple regression analysis has been generated to predict the economic operational life of a tractor using per-unit repair cost and annual usage (hours). From the analysis, John Dear 333, SAME 130, New Holland 80, and Massy Ferguson 150 are not supposed to be used economically in the field after the fifth, seventh, sixth, and eighth years respectively at Wonji Shoa Sugar Factory due to increasing maintenance cost in present condition.

Temporal assessment of emission inventory model for Indian heavy commercial vehicle segment – A top-down approach

Heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs) are pivotal to India's economy but are also significant sources of air pollution. To address this issue, the Indian government implemented Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission standards in 2020. Research gap regarding realistic inputs for annual vehicle kilometres and survival rate of heavy commercial vehicles has been identified. The HCV sector is categorized into long-haul vehicles (32 tonnes and above, with higher annual vehicle usage and survival rates) and pick-up and delivery HCV trucks (16–32 tonnes, with relatively lower annual vehicle usage and survival rates). Based on the primary research by taking into account the inputs from various stakeholders regarding annual vehicle kilometres and survival rates subject to vehicle type and emission standards, an HCV emission inventory for India has been developed for regulated pollutants (NOx, PM2.5, and CO) till 2035. We assume no additional external technological or policy interventions, except the anticipated shift to Bharat Stage VII (BS-VII) standards by 2027. Key findings reveal that the on-road HCV population is projected to marginally increase (6.5%) by 2035 compared to 2020. However, there is a notable 97% surge in goods transport tonnage by 2035, indicating more efficient commercial vehicle usage, especially in the heavier category (32 tonnes and above). Crucially, annual emissions of NOx, PM2.5, and CO from the HCV segment are expected to peak in 2020 and decline significantly by 2035. Emissions are projected to decrease by 91.5% (NOx), 96.6% (PM2.5), and 97.6% (CO) compared to 2020 levels due to the introduction of BS-VI standards in 2020 and the anticipated adoption of BS-VII standards in 2027. This study is instrumental in defining base emission inventory till 2035 for any further policy evaluation for heavy commercial vehicle segment for reducing air pollution and enhancing environmental sustainability.

Data-Driven Approach for Defining Demand Scenarios for Shared Autonomous Cargo Bike Fleets

Bike sharing systems have become a sustainable alternative to motorized private transport in urban areas. However, users often face high costs and availability issues due to the operational effort required to redistribute bicycles between stations. For addressing those issues, the AuRa (Autonomes Rad, Eng. Autonomous Bicycle) project introduces a new mobility offer in terms of an on-demand, shared-use, self-driving cargo bikes service (OSABS) that enables automated redistribution. Within the project, we develop different order management and rebalancing strategies and validate them using simulation models. One prerequisite for this is sound demand scenarios. However, due to the novelty of OSABS, there is currently no information about its utilization. Consequently, the objective of this study was to develop an approach for defining OSABS demand scenarios in a temporally and spatially disaggregated manner as an input for simulation models. Therefore, we first derived city-wide usage potentials of OSABS from a survey on mobility needs. We then spatially and temporally disaggregated the determined usage likelihood using travel demand matrices and usage patterns from a conventional bike-sharing system, respectively. Finally, we performed cluster analyses on the resulting annual demand to summarize sections of the yearly profile into representative units and thus reduce the simulation effort. As we applied this approach as a case study to the city of Magdeburg, Germany, we could show that our methodology enables the determination of reasonable OSABS demand scenarios from scratch. Furthermore, we were able to show that annual usage patterns of (conventional) bike sharing systems can be modeled by using demand data for only eight representative weeks.

Generalization of second law efficiency for next-generation cooling and dehumidification systems

Dehumidification plays a significant role in space conditioning energy use. Conventional vapor compression cooling systems employ dewpoint condensation to deal with latent loads. In contrast, separate sensible latent cooling (SSLC) and other advanced alternative dehumidification systems can significantly reduce the electricity usage for dehumidification. The second law efficiency can be used as a benchmark to evaluate thermodynamic performance of alternative dehumidification systems. However, limitations exist in previous studies that define the thermodynamic reversible limits and second law efficiency for cooling and dehumidification systems. This work presents a new physics-based definition for the reversible limit and the second law efficiencies for cooling and dehumidification systems with air recirculation. The new framework is then extended to define a novel performance metric, the seasonal second law efficiency, to form a universal benchmark for assessing various cooling and dehumidification systems. Five cooling and dehumidification systems including magnetocaloric cooling, solid desiccant dehumidification, and membrane dehumidification are evaluated using this benchmark. Steady-state thermodynamic models are constructed for each system. Second law efficiency for each system under various outdoor temperatures and indoor sensible heat ratios (SHR) are calculated. The annual electricity usage of the five systems is used to justify the seasonal second law efficiency definition. The results show that compared to conventional vapor compression systems with mechanical dehumidification, the membrane-based AMX-R cycle can reduce annual electricity use by 12.2%–22.2% and increase the seasonal second law efficiency by up to 36%.

Scalable investigation of energy usage patterns and saving potential in hotel guestrooms: Focused on occupancy states and electrical installations

In hotel guestrooms, under the category of non-stationary-operated building, energy usage patterns can vary significantly depending on occupant behaviors and preferences, making it challenging to formulate feasible energy-saving strategies. To address the challenge, this study proposes a scalable approach to investigate energy usage patterns and saving potential in hotel guestrooms, in which endogenous parameters (occupancy states and electrical installations) are comprehensively considered. The data was collected over a year from three guestrooms of Hotel “I” in Hong Kong, including energy usage for different electrical installations, indoor temperature and humidity, and check-in or check-out information. The main findings can be summarized as follows. First, energy usage patterns revealed that the average 15-minute interval energy usage during the check-in state was 56.49 Wh, while during the check-out state, it was 44.03 Wh (77.94% compared to the check-in state). Second, the proposed energy-saving strategies can be applied to the case study room, leading to a reduction of 247.53 kWh, which corresponds to 13.79% of the current annual energy usage (1,794.55 kWh) in the case study room. The proposed scalable approach is expected to contribute to enabling occupant-centric appliance control strategies in hotel guestrooms, depending on occupancy states, which leads to cost savings and promises various benefits, such as enhanced guest services and promotional advantages, such as “Green Hotel”.

The water footprint of hydraulic fracturing for shale gas extraction in China

The rapid expansion of shale gas extraction worldwide has raised significant concerns about its impact on water resources. China is expected to undergo a shale revolution following the U.S. Most of the information on water footprint of shale gas exploration and hydraulic fracturing has been focused on the U.S. Here, we addressed this knowledge gap by establishing a comprehensive database of shale gas extraction in China, utilizing operational data from over 90 % of shale gas wells across the country. We present systematic analysis of water usage and flowback and produced water (FP water) production from all the major shale gas fields in China. Between 2012 and 2022, a total of 2740 shale gas wells were hydraulically fractured in China, primarily located in Sichuan and Chongqing Province. About 113 million m3 water was used for hydraulic fracturing, resulting in a cumulative shale gas production of 116 billion m3. As of 2022, the annual water use for hydraulic fracturing exceeded 20 million m3, and the annual FP water production reached 8.56 million m3. Notably, 80 % ~ 90 % of the FP water has been reused for hydraulic fracturing since 2020, accounting for 29 % to 35 % of the annual water usage for hydraulic fracturing. Water use per well in China varies primarily between 21,730 m3 to 61,070 m3 per well, and water use per horizontal length ranges primarily between 20 m3/m and 35 m3/m. The average ultimate FP water production per well in China was estimated to be 22,460 m3. The water use intensity (WUI) for shale gas extraction in China mainly ranges from 7 to 25.4 L/GJ, which is significantly higher than that of the U.S. This disparity is largely due to the lower Estimated Ultimate Recovery (EUR) of shale gas wells in China. Despite the considerable water consumption during the hydraulic fracturing process, shale gas has a relatively low water footprint compared to other conventional energy resources in China. The Produced water intensity (PWI) for shale gas extraction in China ranges from 3.9 to 7.3 L/GJ, which is consistent with the previously reported PWI values for shale gas extraction in the U.S. This study predicts water usage and FP production spanning the period 2023 to 2050 under two scenarios to assess the potential impact of shale gas extraction on water resources in the Longmaxi shale region in Sichuan Basin. The first scenario assumed a constant drilling rate, while the second assumed a yearly 10 % increase in drilling rate. With an assumed FP water reuse rate of 85 % for hydraulic fracturing, the estimated annual freshwater consumption for the two scenarios is 10.4 million m3 and 163 million m3, respectively. This accounts for only 0.28‱ and 4.4‱ of the total annual surface water resources in Sichuan and Chongqing Province. Our findings suggest that freshwater usage for hydraulic fracturing in humid Southern China is small relative to available surface water resources. However, prospective large-scale shale gas extraction in other arid and semi-arid regions may enhance the regional water scarcity. It is necessary to develop new hydraulic fracturing technologies that can use saline groundwater or other types of marginal water, and explore alternative management and treatment strategies for FP water.

Usage trends of colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection according to hospital types based on nationwide claims data.

Although the use of colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for colorectal lesions has increased, there is a lack of analysis of the recent usage trends of ESD. Thus, this study aimed to identify changes in the annual utilization of ESD and determine the proportion of surgeries after ESD according to hospital types. Using Health Insurance Review and Assessment data from 2012 to 2019, 26,502 colorectal ESD cases were analyzed to assess the annual usage trends of ESD according to hospital type, additional early and late surgeries after ESD, changes in the distribution of colorectal lesions, and factors associated with early and late surgery. Trend analysis was performed using the chi-squared test for trend in proportions. Colorectal ESD increased from 2046 in 2012 to 5319 in 2019. Additional early and late surgeries rose from 135 (6.6%) in 2012 to 441 (8.2%) in 2019 (P < .05) and from 9 (0.3%) in 2013 to 52 (1.0%) in 2019 (P < .05), respectively. In tertiary and general hospitals, the proportion of submucosal cancers decreased, whereas the proportion of intramucosal cancers increased. Submucosal cancer was associated with early (odds ratio: 108.90, 95% confidence interval: 61.67-192.35) and late surgery (odds ratio: 3.55, 95% confidence interval: 2.27-5.56). Using nationwide data, our study identified the clinical usage trends of colorectal ESD based on the annual increase in utilization and the proportion of additional surgeries after ESD.

Butyl benzyl phthalate exposure impact on the gut health of Metaphire guillelmi

Agricultural films are extensively utilized in high-intensity agriculture, with China's annual usage reaching 1.5 million tons. Unfortunately, the recovery rate is less than 60%, leading to an inevitable accumulation of plastic mulch in agricultural soils. This accumulation primarily introduces butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) into soil ecosystems, whose specific effects remain largely unclear, thereby posing potential risks. The present study focuses on the exposure impact of BBP on earthworms, Metaphire guillelmi, a commonly found endogenic earthworm within real farmland, as it provides insight into the direct interaction between biota gut health and contaminants. Specifically, we studied the biomarkers related to oxidative stress, the digestive system, and neurotoxicity within the gut of Metaphire guillelmi, and the integrated biological response (IBR) index was utilized to track these markers at different timeframes after BBP exposures. Our findings indicate that BBP exposures lead to oxidative damage, digestive system inhibition, and neurotoxicity, with IBR indexes of 14.6 and 17.3 on the 14th and 28th days, respectively. Further, the underlying mechanisms at a molecular level through molecular docking were investigated. The results showed that the most unstable interaction was with the Na+K+-ATPase (binding energy: −2.25 kcal−1), while BBP displayed stable bonds with superoxide dismutase and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine via hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interaction. These interactions resulted in changes in protein conformation and their normal physiological functions, offering new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying enzymatic activity changes. This study has significant implications for the prediction of toxicity, environmental risk assessment, and the establishment of regulations related to BBP.

Antibiotic usage in 14 equine practices over a 10-year period (2012-2021).

Monitoring antibiotic usage is an important part of tackling antimicrobial resistance. The use of computerised records for monitoring has been previously described in the equine sector but there is currently no consensus on metrics used to report usage. To document antibiotic use in equine practices in the United Kingdom over a 10-year period using commercially available practice management software. Retrospective survey. A custom antibiotic usage report was created using Eclipse® practice management software. Participating practices were given instructions on how to generate the usage report. Annual reports were requested for a 10-year period (2012-2021 inclusive). Each report provided sales of each class of antibiotic in total mg and in mg/kg, based on the number of equids treated (for any transaction) and their average weight. The defined daily dose for animals (DDDvet) and the DDD/1000 (used in people) were also calculated to correct for variation in dosage rates between antibiotics. Fourteen practices submitted data for an annual maximum of 107 977 horses. Overall, median annual antibiotic usage was 54.25 mg/kg (range 45.34-60.27 mg/kg), 1.52 defined daily doses/animal/year (range 1.39-1.70) and 4.17 defined daily dose/1000 animals (range 3.82-4.66). Overall median highest priority critically important antimicrobial usage was 0.67 mg/kg (range 0.56-1.71), 0.12 defined daily doses/animal/year (range 0.10-0.14) and 0.33 defined daily dose/1000 animals (range 0.29-0.39). The software relied on the accurate identification of antibiotic preparations. The calculation of DDDvet was complicated by the varying dose rates of antimicrobials used in equine practice. A reliable technique to measure antibiotic usage is presented. Defined daily dosage calculations may be more helpful in equine practice due to the preponderance of potentiated sulphonamides usage. These data and methods may provide the basis for future clinical audits aiming to enhance antimicrobial stewardship.

Indoor wood-burning from stoves and fireplaces and incident lung cancer among Sister Study participants

Background and aimEpidemiological studies conducted mostly in low- and middle-income countries have found a positive association between household combustion of wood and lung cancer. However, most studies have been retrospective, and few have been conducted in the United States where indoor wood-burning usage patterns differ. We examined the association of exposure to indoor wood smoke from fireplaces and stoves with incident lung cancer in a U.S.-wide cohort of women. MethodsWe included 50,226 women without prior lung cancer participating in the U.S.-based prospective Sister Study. At enrollment (2003–2009), women reported frequency of use of wood-burning stoves and/or fireplaces in their longest-lived adult residence. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRadj) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the association between indoor wood-burning fireplace/stove use and incident lung cancer. Lung cancer was self-reported and confirmed with medical records. ResultsDuring an average 11.3 years of follow-up, 347 medically confirmed lung cancer cases accrued. Overall, 62.3 % of the study population reported the presence of an indoor wood-burning fireplace/stove at their longest-lived adult residence and 20.6 % reported annual usage of ≥30 days/year. Compared to those without a wood-burning fireplace/stove, women who used their wood-burning fireplace/stove ≥30 days/year had an elevated rate of lung cancer (HRadj = 1.68; 95 % CI = 1.27, 2.20). In never smokers, positive associations were seen for use 1–29 days/year (HRadj = 1.64; 95 % CI = 0.87, 3.10) and ≥30 days/year (HRadj = 1.99; 95 % CI = 1.02, 3.89). Associations were also elevated across all income groups, in Northeastern, Western or Midwestern U.S. regions, and among those who lived in urban or rural/small town settings. ConclusionsOur prospective analysis of a cohort of U.S. women found that increasing frequency of wood-burning indoor fireplace/stove usage was associated with incident lung cancer, even among never smokers.

Electrofuels in a circular economy: A systems approach towards net zero

Decarbonising the hard-to-abate sectors will be necessary in realising a future net-zero economy. Electrofuels store electricity as low carbon energy vectors such as hydrogen or methane which can be used in areas where electrification is not ideal, and as such can facilitate decarbonisation of sectors such as transport, agriculture, and wastewater treatment. In this study, the production of electrofuels was analysed at an industrial site by storing renewable electricity as green hydrogen produced using electrolysis. The analysis highlighted the need for scale in hydrogen production. The cost of hydrogen was calculated at €8.92/kg when a 122 kW electrolyser operated solely on curtailed electricity generated from the industry site was situated at a 65,000 person equivalent municipal wastewater treatment plant. A subsequent integrated and circular approach to electrofuels production was investigated. The oxygen by-product from electrolysis could be utilised for wastewater aeration and reduce the annual electricity usage at the wastewater treatment plant by 3.6%. Furthermore, the carbon dioxide in biogas generated from sewage sludge could be converted to methane through a Sabatier reaction (4H2 + CO2 → CH4 + 2H2O) as a means of carbon capture and utilisation. The hydrogen produced from the 122 kW electrolyser could convert only 40% of the total carbon dioxide (within the biogas) in a biomethanation process, again supporting the argument for larger electrolyser systems with increased hydrogen production. Pyrolysis of digestate to produce biochar was investigated as a negative emissions technology. If pyrolysis is coupled with anaerobic digestion of feedstocks within 10 km of the industry site savings of 42.7 kt CO2/a could be achieved. In essence, a circular economy approach to electrofuel production could integrate existing electrical, gas and water infrastructure, whilst treating waste, improving the environment, decarbonising agriculture, and storing energy in the form of new low carbon energy vectors for use in heavy transport. Such an approach is vital to progressing future net-zero strategies, however future emissions accountancy processes must adapt to facilitate the benefits of a circular economy.

Estimating the Water Footprint of the Four Important Cereal Crops in the Euphrates River Basin, Iraq

The footprint of water (WF) is a clear feature of how much water is used during crops and commodity production and other uses in industry and human use. The current research assessed and discussed the water footprint average of the main 4 crops in the seven Iraqi Euphrates River basin provinces during the 2010–2020 years. The levels of blue and green Water footprint were calculated using the Crop Water Requirement (CWR) option in CROPWAT 8.0 software and the findings were compared to global averages and other studies that looked at the same crops. The average annual usage water footprint (WF) for the provinces of Qadysia, Najaf, Dhi-Qar, Muthanna, Babylon, Anbar, and Karbala over the ten years. The average blue WF was 99.72 % and the green WF of rice was 0.28 % where the total production of WF was 789,281,155 m3/yr. Some provinces like Muthanna produces little and has a higher WF so, rice could be replace it with other crops such as vegetables that are provide most economic benefits and needed less water, and production should be concentrate in lower WF provinces like Qadysia and Najaf, while provinces for Najaf and Babylon has a relatively lower total WF of wheat but Anbar has higher WF and using more water for wheat rather than national averages. So, at these provinces, the wheat could be replace it with crops that are need less than water and provided most economic benefits. provinces for Babylon followed by Anbar have a relatively lower total WF of barley but, Dhi-Qar has a higher WF and uses more water of barley. Provinces of Najaf and Anbar has high WF while the Muthanna has lower WF, the current study is expecte to contribute to national authorities into develop most accurate irrigation water managements policies.

The environmental impact of keeping a tropical aquarium in Northern Europe.

Tropical fishkeeping is a popular practice in societies across the globe and involves recreating and sustaining an entire ecosystem in an aquarium within a domestic setting. The process invariably has an environmental impact, yet an assessment of this impact has previously been limited to the ecological consequences of harvesting fish from the wild or the release of non-native fish species. Provided here are the first estimates of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq) emissions produced from running a tropical aquarium across multiple countries in Northern Europe (France, Poland and the UK), along with water consumption. Estimates were produced in silico and are discussed in the context of freshwater and marine aquariums, calculated using example aquarium sizes of 50, 200 and 400 l. Using estimates from the UK, depending on size and running conditions, a tropical aquarium produces an estimated 85.3-635.2 kg of CO2 eq per year, equating to 1.6%-12.4% of the UK annual average household CO2 emissions, and uses 156-31,200 l of water per year, equating to 0.2%-30.1% of the UK annual average household water usage. Despite this, comparison with the CO2 eq of an average-size dog (127-1592 kg of CO2 eq per year) or cat (121-251 kg of CO2 eq per year), estimated from meat consumption alone, demonstrates that ornamental fishkeeping can be a more environmentally conscious pet choice. In addition, the majority of CO2 eq produced from tropical fishkeeping is generated from the energy consumption of aquarium equipment and as more national electricity grids begin to decarbonize, this estimate should decrease.