Degradation Of Environmental Conditions Research Articles

Curcumin and carvacrol co-loaded zein nanoparticles: Comprehensive preparation and assessment of biological activities in pest control

To address the escalating global demand for food production, it is imperative to minimize agricultural losses caused by pests, accounting for up to 40 % of the substantial worldwide losses of 70 billion USD. While conventional pesticides raise environmental concerns, environmentally friendly alternatives like curcumin and carvacrol face low biological activity due to their low solubility and premature degradation in environmental conditions, that is, degradation can occur due to solar radiation, high temperature, etc., before the active ingredients can exert its full potential. This study introduces zein-based nanocarriers encapsulating curcumin and carvacrol, exhibiting favorable characteristics. Cytotoxicity tests indicate approximately 60% viability for fibroblast cell lines compared to 20% for keratinocyte cell lines. The nanoencapsulated compounds exhibit promising biological activity against soybean pests, mites, and caterpillars, without causing phytotoxicity. Tetranychus urticae mortality rates reach 77.1 ± 11.5 %, and nanoencapsulated ingredients demonstrate higher repellency (61.1 ± 8.8%) than emulsified ones (51.1 ± 5.4 %). Nanoencapsulated ingredients exhibit significantly higher mortality rates for Spodoptera cosmioides and Spodoptera eridania, underscoring the potential of nanoencapsulation in bolstering bioactivity against specific pests and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Analysis of the Mechanical Degradability of Biodegradable Polymer-Based Bags in Different Environments

Biodegradable polymer-based bags were developed as an alternative to plastic. However, their degradation in environmental conditions has not been fully investigated and is often incomplete. Here, the decomposition of three types of biodegradable bags and one type of plastic bag in different types of environments was analyzed. Polymer bags were exposed for six weeks in water, soil, air and compost, while the control groups were stored in room conditions. All types of polymer bags were sampled twice (after 3 and 6 weeks), and different parameters of changes in physical–mechanical properties were measured. The research established significant differences in changes in mechanical properties between different types of biodegradable polymer bags, with ‘white’ and ‘brown’ bags showing the best decomposition potential. As expected, the largest change in the structure and physical–mechanical properties of all types of polymer bags was recorded in compost, and the smallest in air and water.

Growth of Ni loaded CdS in nanorods structure for photocatalytic and dye degradation applications under solar irradiation

Due to the exponential increase in global energy consumption and the degradation of environmental conditions caused by fossil fuels, it is critical to improve inexhaustible and sustainable resources. Generally, solar energy is one of the clean and environmentally agreeable energy sources. By harvesting solar energy for photocatalysis and considering it as a promising solution for various energy generation applications such as hydrogen production. Herein we are using Cadmium Sulphide and Nickel-doped Cadmium Sulphide in 0.5, 1 and 5 weight percent which act as photocatalyst for water splitting which will eventually produce an enormous amount of Hydrogen (H2). Cadmium sulphide was prepared through the chemical precipitation method and Ni-CdS by hydrothermal technique. The purity and phase formation were examined by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and validated via Rietveld refinement by using Full Prof software. The surface morphology and the structure of as-synthesized material were evaluated by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) spectroscopic techniques. Following the results, the Ni-CdS nanocomposite having 1.0 wt% of Ni exhibits the highest H2 evolution rate of 9 mmolg−1 in 5 h with strong photo-stability, which is about 50 times higher than that of CdS. The material was tested to degrade organic dye for its photocatalytic operations. The newly prepared composite materials (CdS-Ni-NiO) were used for the photocatalytic degradation of the methylene blue (MB) dye. Ni(1.0 wt%)-CdS shows an optimal degradation percentage of 95.436 in the presence of artificial solar light in 90 min. Crystal growth mechanism shows the spherical structure of CdS agglomerate to form nanorods structure when doped with Ni metal which is also verified by the TEM images of CdS and Ni-doped CdS. The XPS peaks observed at 854.88 eV and 861.07 eV for Ni2+ with an energy separation of 6.18 eV confirmed the existence of NiO with Ni/CdS. The Raman bands of pure CdS and Ni (1.0 wt%)-CdS nanorods were observed at 300 cm-1 and 293 cm−1 for 1LO phonon and 601 cm−1 and 586 cm−1 for 2LO phonon corresponds. The Ni tuned the CdS band gap from 2.36 to 2.20 eV. The results pave the way for designing multi-component CdS-Ni nano-composites for highly efficient H2 evolution and other environmental applications.

Epoxy Resin-Based Materials Containing Natural Additives of Plant Origin Dedicated to Rail Transport.

The presented study is focused on the modification of commercially available epoxy resin with flame retardants by means of using natural substances, including quercetin hydrate and potato starch. The main aim was to obtain environmentally friendly material dedicated to rail transport that is resistant to the aging process during exploitation but also more prone to biodegradation in environmental conditions after usage. Starch is a natural biopolymer that can be applied as a pro-ecological filler, which may contribute to degradation in environmental conditions, while quercetin hydrate is able to prevent a composite from premature degradation during exploitation. To determine the aging resistance of the prepared materials, the measurements of hardness, color, mechanical properties and surface free energy were performed before and after solar aging. To assess the mechanical properties of the composite material, one-directional tensile tests were performed for three directions (0, 90, 45 degrees referred to the plate edges). Moreover, the FT-IR spectra of pristine and aged materials were obtained to observe the changes in chemical structure. Furthermore, thermogravimetric analysis was conducted to achieve information about the impact of natural substances on the thermal resistance of the achieved composites.

Plastic biodegradation by in vitro environmental microorganisms and in vivo gut microorganisms of insects.

Traditional plastics, such as polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyurethane (PUR), and other plastic polymers, are difficult to degrade and are gradually accumulated in the environment to cause a serious environmental problem, which is urgently needed to develop novel treatments or control technology. The biodegradation of plastics has gained great attention due to the advantages of green and safe characteristics. Microorganisms play a vital role in the biodegradation of plastics, including environmental microbes (in vitro) and gut microbes of insects (in vivo). Microbial degradation in environmental conditions in vitro is extremely slow for major plastics at degradation rates on the basis of a month or even a year time, but recent discoveries show that the fast biodegradation of specific plastics, such as PS, PE, and PUR, in some invertebrates, especially insects, could be enhanced at rates on basis of hours; the biodegradation in insects is likely to be gut microbial-dependent or synergetic bioreactions in animal digestive systems. This review comprehensively summarizes the latest 7-year (2016-2022) publications on plastic biodegradation by insects and microorganisms, elucidates the mechanism of plastic degradation in insects and environmental microbes, and highlights the cutting-edge perspectives for the potential applications of plastic biodegradation.

Environmental Conditions in Middle Eastern Megacities: A Comparative Spatiotemporal Analysis Using Remote Sensing Time Series

Rapid and timely evaluation and monitoring of the urban environment has gained significant importance in understanding the state of urban sustainability in metropolises. Multi-source remote sensing (RS) data are a valuable source for a comprehensive understanding of urban environmental changes in developing countries. However, in the Middle East, a region with several developing countries, limited study has been conducted to understand urban environmental changes. In this study, to evaluate the changes in the urban environment, 32 metropolises in the Middle East were studied between 2000 and 2019. For this purpose, a comprehensive environmental index (CEI) integrated with Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform for processing and analysis is introduced. The results show degraded environmental conditions in 19 metropolises based on a significant increasing trend in the time series of the CEI index. The highest increasing trend in the value of the CEI was observed in the cities of Makkah, Jeddah, Basra, Riyadh, and Sana’a. The results also show that the percentage of urban areas in all 32 cities that falls into the degraded class varies from 5% to 75% between 2005 and 2018. The results of CEI changes in megacities, such as Ajman, Tehran, Jeddah, Makkah, Riyadh, Karaj, and Sana’a show that these cities have increasingly suffered from the degradation of environmental conditions since 2001. According to the results, it is recommended to pay more attention to environmental issues regarding the future of urban development in these cities. The proposed approach in this study can be implemented for environmental assessment in other regions.

Sustainability analysis of ex-tin mining pond using multi-dimensional scaling

Ex-Tin mining is nowadays utilized as leisure industry area in order to reduce externality ex-mining area that resulted a gaping hole filled with rain water that eventually becomes a pond named Kulong. This utilization has resulted economic benefits for local people, together with the degradation of environmental conditions. This study aims to measure the sustainability of Kulong as leisure industry Area by using multidimensional scaling analysis which is assessed through four dimensional approaches, such as environmental, economic, leisure industry, social and institution dimensions. The sustainability is measured by using sustainability index. The result shows that the only dimension that is scored more than 50 for sustainability index is economic dimension while environmental, leisure area, and social and institution dimensions are scored below 50 which are considered as less sustainable. Therefore, the recommendations for the improvement of kulong as leisure area are restriction and encouragement of leisure industry based on age of kulong, making layout design for leisure destination, and establishing cross-sector program for kulong.

Mechanical properties and applications of 2D black phosphorus

Single- or few-layer forms of black phosphorus, so called phosphorene, were isolated by exfoliation in 2014 as 2D layered materials holding great promise in electronic and optoelectronic fields. In this perspective, we highlight recent developments in black phosphorus research, in particular, we will focus on the mechanical properties of its 2D form. Its unique puckered structure is responsible for strong anisotropy in mechanical and transport properties, different from graphene and transition-metal dichalcogenide 2D materials. This peculiar mechanical anisotropy can be exploited for applications such as nanomechanical resonators, thermoelectric devices, and motion sensors with tunable functions inaccessible by isotropic materials. Current bottlenecks hindering further progress in devices applications involve first surface degradation in environmental conditions which, in turn, can be exploited in surface friction mechanics to achieve superlubricity. In this framework, the investigation of mechanical properties of phosphorene will be pivotal for facile fabrication, transfer, and resolution of technical hurdles as well the discovery of novel applications. As research directions in next foreseeable future, we will discuss the challenge of crosstalk between mechanical and transport properties, in particular, how the stress–strain stimulations can be used to tune optoelectronic and thermoelectric performance.

Human migration, climate variability, and land degradation: hotspots of socio-ecological pressure in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, human migration is known to be influenced by environmental change—and vice versa. Thus, degradation of environmental conditions can contribute to out-migration, and in-migration can cause environmental changes at the immigrants’ destination. The aim of our study was to systematically identify regions in which socio-ecological pressures can arise from high population densities, migration, land degradation, and/or rainfall variability. We combined population census data at the district level with high-resolution remote sensing data regarding rainfall variability, land degradation, and land cover. We identified districts in which high population density is coupled with both a steep decline in net primary production (NPP) and large precipitation variability. The affected regions are mainly cropping regions located in the northern highlands and in the central part of the Great Rift Valley. We consider these regions to be particularly prone to environmental changes; moreover, high population density places additional stress on local natural resources. Next, we identified districts in which high in-migration is coupled with both a strong decline in NPP and low rainfall variability, proposing that land degradation in these regions is likely to have resulted from human activity rather than climatic factors. The affected regions include parts of the Awash Valley, regions surrounding Lake Tana, and the mountainous regions between Addis Ababa, Bedele, and Jima. We found these hotspots of in-migration and land degradation are dominantly grasslands regions, which have been characterized by significant cropland expansion during the period studied. Whereas exploring causal relationships between migration, environmental change, and land cover change is beyond the scope of our study, we have pinpointed regions where these processes coincide. Our findings suggest that at the regional scale, deteriorating environmental conditions can be both the cause and the effect of migration.

An enquiry into the existence of environmental Kuznets curve and issue of convergence related to CO<SUB align="right">2 emission - a panel data analysis

A world-wide concern has recently emerged about the rapid depletion of natural resources and degradation of environmental conditions caused by the actions of both developed and developing groups of countries. Analysis of panel data covering the period 1990–2008, shows that developed countries are facing an N-shaped curve regarding the relation between income and CO2 emission while EKC relation holds for developing countries. The observance of EKC should not however make the developing countries complacent. The observed convergence in CO2 emission growth indicates that the developing region is catching up at a faster rate with the developed countries. Hence, with an extended future time, there is likelihood that N-shaped pattern might ensue for developing countries also. Introduction of economic instruments for pollution control and strict enforcement laws, greater use of captive mechanism for carbon capture, strengthening institutional rules of forest management though greater peoples’ participation in fo...

Proteomics analysis of chinese hamster ovary cells undergoing apoptosis during prolonged cultivation

The degradation of environmental conditions, such as nutrient depletion and accumulation of toxic waste products over time, often lead to premature apoptotic cell death in mammalian cell cultures and suboptimal protein yield. Although apoptosis has been extensively researched, the changes in the whole cell proteome during prolonged cultivation, where apoptosis is a major mode of cell death, have not been examined. To our knowledge, the work presented here is the first whole cell proteome analysis of non-induced apoptosis in mammalian cells. Flow cytometry analyses of various activated caspases demonstrated the onset of apoptosis in Chinese hamster ovary cells during prolonged cultivation was primarily through the intrinsic pathway. Differential in gel electrophoresis proteomic study comparing protein samples collected during cultivation resulted in the identification of 40 differentially expressed proteins, including four cytoskeletal proteins, ten chaperone and folding proteins, seven metabolic enzymes and seven other proteins of varied functions. The induction of seven ER chaperones and foldases is a solid indication of the onset of the unfolded protein response, which is triggered by cellular and ER stresses, many of which occur during prolonged batch cultures. In addition, the upregulation of six glycolytic enzymes and another metabolic protein emphasizes that a change in the energy metabolism likely occurred as culture conditions degraded and apoptosis advanced. By identifying the intracellular changes during cultivation, this study provides a foundation for optimizing cell line-specific cultivation processes, prolonging longevity and maximizing protein production.

North Atlantic climate variation influences survival in adult fulmars

There is increasing evidence that large scale climate variation influences reproductive parameters of seabirds, but fewer studies have investigated possible effects on adult survival. Previous work has shown that climate variation reflected by the winter North Atlantic oscillation (WNAO) influences reproductive success in northern fulmars. Here, we use a 34 year long (1962–1995) individual‐based data set to investigate inter‐annual and inter‐individual variation in adult survival in this species. Breeding success in the previous and current seasons, and both the WNAO and one‐year lagged WNAO indexes, were considered as potential sources of inter‐annual variation in survival and recapture probabilities. Sex and an index of body size were considered as potential sources of inter‐individual variation in survival and recapture probabilities. Body size effects were not significant, but males and females differed in both their survival and recapture probabilities. Probability of recapture of females was positively correlated with breeding success in both the current and previous breeding seasons, whereas male recapture probabilities were correlated only with previous breeding success. Male and female survival decreased over the study period, suggesting that there had been a degradation of environmental conditions. This hypothesis was supported by the detection of a negative correlation between survival and the WNAO, which, in turn, showed a positive increase over this period. The negative correlation between female adult survival and WNAO did not result only from the long term behaviour of the two time series, but persisted for higher frequency fluctuations. In contrast, the correlation between male survival and WNAO seemed to result only from the long term behaviour of the two time series. Despite uncertainties over causal mechanisms, these findings add to the body of evidence that large scale climate variation could dramatically affect seabird population dynamics. Furthermore our results suggest that climate variation can differentially influence individuals with distinct phenotypic characteristics.

Globalisation and environmental sustainability: an OECD perspective

Recent debates about economic globalisation have focused attention on the environmental implications of that process. Some analysts see globalisation as a force for improving the environment, via technology development and diffusion, structural reforms, and the so-called "Kuznets curve" (in which rising incomes lead to increased demands for environmental quality). Others see the globalisation process as reinforcing deficiencies in existing environmental policies, leading to a general degradation in environmental conditions. This paper reviews both sides of this discussion, from the perspective of two aspects of economic activity often associated with globalisation - trade and investment liberalisation. Although the net environmental effects of trade and investment liberalisation are not yet fully understood, the paper concludes that, deregulation there is some tendency to attribute more environmental ills to the globalisation process than may be warranted.