Environmental Improvement Research Articles

The impact of green finance on carbon productivity: The mediating effects of the quantity and quality of green innovation

While China's economy is developing rapidly, the problem of carbon emissions is indeed more prominent. The development of green finance is conducive to supporting environmental improvement and enhancing carbon productivity. Most of the existing literature examines the relationship between green innovation and carbon productivity from the perspectives of industrial structure, technological innovation, and economic growth. However, the mechanism by which green finance (GF) affects carbon productivity and whether there is heterogeneity remains unclear. Therefore, this study utilizes panel data from 277 cities from 2010 to 2020 and employs a mediation effect model to investigate the relationship between GF and carbon productivity. The results of the study found that GF has a positive U-shaped association with carbon productivity. The quantity and the quality of green innovation have a mediating effect on the above relationship. It may be due to the fact that GF promotes the green transformation and sustainable development of the economic structure by supporting green industry and technological innovation, which provides strong support to enhance carbon productivity. In non-resource cities, the impact of GF on carbon productivity is more obvious through improving the quality of green innovation, probably because non-resource cities have the advantages of a diversified industrial structure, stronger innovation capacity, and easier access to policy support and market mechanism support than resource cities. The quantity and the quality of green innovation in the eastern, central, and western regions all play a mediating role. The findings provide policymakers with recommendations for utilizing GF in a two-carbon environment to achieve sustainable low-carbon development.

Oral health improvement and satisfaction among recipients of home-visiting oral health education

Objectives: In connection with government projects, the Gwangju medical welfare social cooperative launched the “Visit Oral Health Education Activities” as part of the Gwangju+ Gwangsan Integrated Care Service Project in 2023. This study aims to analyze the improvement in oral health and the level of satisfaction following home-visiting oral health education. Methods: A total of 51 participants who had undergone home-visiting oral health education more than seven times and agreed to participate were eligible for interviews. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: As a result of oral environment improvement and satisfaction with home-visiting oral health education, the average satisfaction scores were 4.67 for educator attitude, 4.46 for educational activities, 3.82 for oral health improvement, and 3.55 for self-management attitude improvement. Satisfaction with oral health improvement showed a positive correlation with educators’ work attitude, satisfaction with educational activities, and improvement in self-management attitude. Conclusions: To improve satisfaction with home-visiting oral health education, the development of various educational programs and standardization of educator work manuals are necessary.

LIG-Based High-Sensitivity Multiplexed Sensing System for Simultaneous Monitoring of Metabolites and Electrolytes

With improvements in medical environments and the widespread use of smartphones, interest in wearable biosensors for continuous body monitoring is growing. We developed a wearable multiplexed bio-sensing system that non-invasively monitors body fluids and integrates with a smartphone application. The system includes sensors, readout circuits, and a microcontroller unit (MCU) for signal processing and wireless communication. Potentiometric and amperometric measurement methods were used, with calibration capabilities added to ensure accurate readings of analyte concentrations and temperature. Laser-induced graphene (LIG)-based sensors for glucose, lactate, Na+, K+, and temperature were developed for fast, cost-effective production. The LIG electrode’s 3D porous structure provided an active surface area 16 times larger than its apparent area, resulting in enhanced sensor performance. The glucose and lactate sensors exhibited high sensitivity (168.15 and 872.08 μAmM−1cm−2, respectively) and low detection limits (0.191 and 0.167 μM, respectively). The Na+ and K+ sensors demonstrated sensitivities of 65.26 and 62.19 mVdec−1, respectively, in a concentration range of 0.01–100 mM. Temperature sensors showed an average rate of resistance change per °C of 0.25%/°C, within a temperature range of 20–40 °C, providing accurate body temperature monitoring.

Environmental legislation analysis improvement approach of global marine plastic pollution from the perspective of holistic system view

Marine plastic pollution (MPP) has posed an unavoidable challenge to the conservation of marine ecosystems, escalating at an unprecedented rate. It extends beyond visible pollution, infiltrating the food chain and microcirculation, ultimately affecting the life and health of marine organisms. Of even greater concern is the fact that MPP has been found to penetrate human bloodstreams. The international community increasingly focuses on MPP, and has formulated a series of laws and regulations. This article analyses marine pollution prevention legislation within the context of international environmental resolutions and conventions, including those established by the United Nations, the European Union law and the domestic legislation of sovereign states. It is evident that the current legislation has played a pivotal role in the preventing MPP. However, global legislation on preventing MPP remains fragmented. The problems existing in the current legislation should be reviewed from the holistic systems perspective, and the integrity and systematicness of new plastics convention should be demonstrated. The proposed Marine Plastics Convention should emphasize environmental justice, protect the rights of vulnerable populations, lower the threshold for risk prevention, and focus on addressing residual risks. It must include clear provisions for regulating hydrosphere plastic pollution (HPP) to mitigate land-based pollution and scientifically define fundamental legal concepts to foster coordinated action among States. Moreover, the convention should establish standardized monitoring methodologies and assessment criteria to ensure accurate evaluation of the pollution status.

Green governance and the EKC hypothesis: Evidence from Vietnamese provinces

The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) posits an inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental degradation and economic development, suggesting that while economic growth may initially harm the environment, it can ultimately lead to both economic and environmental benefits in the long run. Empirical evidence of this hypothesis strongly supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 8 (Good Jobs and Economic Growth), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). While the EKC literature focused more on national or cross-country analyses, limited studies examined this hypothesis at the regional or provincial level and often used data from the U.S. and China. This study revisits the EKC hypothesis in Vietnamese provinces by examining municipal solid waste (MSW), which is important to the SDGs but has attracted less attention compared to other pollutants. The role of green governance, measured via the provincial green index (PGI), is also examined. Findings indicate that the EKC exists at the provincial level in Vietnam, with the PGI reducing the GDP requirement for the EKC turning point, thereby accelerating environmental improvements. Consequently, promoting green governance is important for emerging countries such as Vietnam to achieve sustainable development and the SDGs.

Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Prevention Programming During the Pandemic: How Prevention Educators Navigated COVID-19

Abstract Purpose Domestic violence and sexual assault (DVSA) primary prevention programming is often implemented during the school year, but the delivery of such programming was radically altered during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic when traditional in-person classrooms were often replaced by virtual learning. The immediate issue facing schools was getting academic content to students in this new environment, but there has been little research into what those priorities meant for supplementary programming like DVSA prevention education. How DVSA prevention education was affected by the switch to virtual learning remains largely unknown, but prevention educators’ experiences navigating virtual learning environments can offer insight into the implementation and delivery of virtual programming by community agencies. Method We conducted 20 interviews with DVSA prevention educators across the midwestern region of the United States. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to understand how DVSA prevention programming was impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results We identified four themes through our analysis: Disconnection, New Expectations, Reduced Access, and Safety Concerns. Interviews with prevention educators highlighted the many challenges of delivering DVSA prevention programming online, as well as ways that they adapted and even made improvements in this new environment. Conclusion Many students lost access to DVSA prevention education during the COVID-19 pandemic or received a version strongly impacted by social distancing protocols. Findings indicate that students who would have received DVSA prevention programming during the 2020–2021 school year likely did not receive the full dose of intended programming. Curriculum researchers should develop programming suitable for remote delivery for future incidental and fully online learning environments.

Neighborhood environment and falls: a longitudinal Japan gerontological evaluation study

Abstract Background Older adults who experience falls are at a high risk of injury and death and require long-term care. Notably, the risk of falls varies among different neighborhood environments. No prior longitudinal studies have examined the association between falls and neighborhood environment at the community level. Identifying such associations will help prevent people falling by improving their neighborhood environment. Herein, we aimed to identify neighborhood environmental factors associated with falls among older adults in Japan. Methods We analyzed the data of 27,346 older adults living in 416 communities who participated in the 2010, 2013, and 2016 Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study surveys. The dependent variable was the occurrence of falls in 2016, and the explanatory variables were the mean scores of each of eight community-level neighborhood environment variables, categorized into tertiles (high, middle, and low groups) in 2013. Our model was adjusted for covariates (e.g., sex, age, and socioeconomic status) using the variables from 2010. A multilevel Poisson regression analysis was performed to obtain the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) between the neighborhood environment and falls. Missing variable values were supplemented by multiple imputations. Results Older adults living in neighborhood environments with more parks or foot paths suitable for exercise or walking had a lower risk of falling after 3 years compared to those living in neighborhood environments with fewer parks or foot paths (RR: 0.89; CI: 0.80-0.99). For the variable ‘locations difficult for walking, such as hills or steps’, older adults in the middle group had a lower risk of falling than those in the low group (RR: 0.94; CI: 0.88-0.99). Conclusions Parks or foot paths are important environmental improvements that may prevent falls. Having hills or steps in the neighborhood could be beneficial when properly integrated into the environment. Key messages • Older adults with access to parks, footpaths, and challenging terrains suitable for exercise and walking, had a lower risk of falling. • These findings could be applied in urban designs to prevent falls among older adults.

Urban Green Spaces on Maternal Sleep Quality One Year Postpartum Amid COVID-19 Alert Level Changes

Abstract Background Benefits of green spaces (GS) on sleep quality were found, particularly for mothers, which, in turn, contributed to maternal health and offspring development. However, the COVID-19 pandemic imposed restrictions on environmental access, potentially altering the influence of urban GS on sleep quality. This study aims to explore the impact of urban GS on maternal sleep quality one year postpartum during the pandemic. Methods Participants were drawn from the Longitudinal Examination across Prenatal and Postpartum Health in Taiwan study, tracking individuals from early pregnancy across five hospitals in Taipei since 2011. We utilized data spanning from 2019 to 2024, with May 2021 (the initial soft lockdown due to community spread) serving as the cutoff point to delineate early and late pandemic stages. Self-reported sleep quality one year postpartum was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Residential GS was evaluated using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within various radii (250m to 2000m). Multiple logistic regression was utilized. Results From the 311 participants, in the early stage of the pandemic, an increase of 0.1 units in NDVI within a 250m radius during both prenatal and postnatal periods (0-12 months) was associated with improved maternal sleep quality (OR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.08, 2.32, and OR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.07, 2.30) after adjustments. The impact diminished as the radius increased. Additionally, no significant association was found during the late stage of the pandemic across any of the studied radii. Conclusions The findings suggest a positive correlation between proximity to urban GS and maternal sleep quality during the early stages of the pandemic, with more significant benefits observed at shorter distances, likely due to restricted movement and access. These results underscore the importance of proximity in urban planning and environmental improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing maternal and child health. Key messages • Urban green spaces significantly enhance maternal sleep quality one year postpartum in the early stages of the pandemic, highlighting the importance of proximity for health benefits. • As the radius of green spaces decreased, their positive impact on maternal sleep quality during the early pandemic intensified, underscoring the need for adaptive urban planning strategies.

Does government transparency promote firm innovation? Evidence from China

ABSTRACT This study investigates the relationship between government transparency and firm innovation, exploring the mechanisms through which government transparency influences firm innovation using Chinese provincial-level and firm-level data from 2013 to 2020. The findings reveal a significant positive association between government transparency and both firm innovation input and output. Mechanism analysis suggests that government transparency enhances firm innovation by fostering improvements in the regional institutional environment. Furthermore, the study identifies heterogeneity in the effects, indicating that state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and high-tech firms derive greater benefits from government transparency. This research contributes to the existing literature by addressing the role of government transparency in promoting firm innovation and offers valuable insights for practical applications.

Racing toward attaining sustainable development in India: Probing the asymmetric effect of country risk and coal energy

AbstractThe pursuit of a sustainable environment is a common goal for many nations; however, achieving this has become increasingly difficult due to country‐specific risks, often referred to as country risk. Despite its importance, the relationship between country risk and environmental outcomes is still in its early stages of exploration. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the influence of country risk on India's ecological footprint within an asymmetric empirical framework, while accounting for economic growth and coal energy consumption. Utilizing the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) estimator, the analysis covers data from 1984 to 2018. The findings reveal that positive changes in economic and financial risk contribute to environmental improvement by significantly reducing the ecological footprint, whereas negative changes in these risks lead to an increase in ecological footprint. Additionally, positive changes in political risk, economic growth, and coal energy usage exacerbate the ecological footprint, while reductions in coal energy use and political risk lead to environmental benefits. Based on these outcomes, policymakers are encouraged to establish a clear risk benchmark and reduce the ecological footprint by fostering economic growth in a sustainable manner. Governments should also prioritize strong support for green technology investments and ensure stability across political, economic, and financial sectors to promote long‐term environmental sustainability.

Spatial–Temporal Analysis of Greenness and Its Relationship with Poverty in China

Ecological environmental protection and poverty alleviation are of great significance for the study of human–land relationship coordination and sustainable development, and they have also been a focus of attention in China in the past few decades. In this study, we chose 13 contiguous poverty-stricken areas in China as the study area. Using MODIS Leaf Area Index (LAI) data from 2000 to 2020, the spatial–temporal changes in greenness were obtained using the Bayesian spatial–temporal model (BYM). Spatial autocorrelation was used to identify the spatial distribution of poverty using socio-economic statistical data. Driving factors, including natural factors, poverty factors, and the Grain for Green Policy (GTGP), and their influence on greenness were analyzed by using the Geodetector model for detecting spatial differentiation and factors’ interactions. The results showed the following: (1) In 13 contiguous poverty-stricken areas (CPSAs) in China, 59% of the area presented an increasing trend of greenness. (2) In 2000, the high poverty levels with larger MPI values were widely distributed. After 20 years, the overall MPI value was lower, except in some northwest regions with increased MPI values. The spatial autocorrelation of poverty, which relates to the mutual influence of poverty in adjacent areas, also decreased. (3) In the study area, 65.24% of the regions showed strong synergistic effect between greening progress and poverty reduction in the interaction between poverty status and green development. With the improvement of greenness level, the positive correlation between poverty alleviation and ecological environment improvement has become increasingly close. (4) The impacts of interaction factors with the highest q values changed from temperature interacting with precision to regional division interacting with the Grain for Green Policy. The conclusions are that from 2000 to 2020, the impact of natural factors, geographical division, and poverty status on greenness has shown a decreasing trend; The effect of the Grain for Green Policy is gradually increasing; At the same time, the interaction and overlapping effects between the Grain for Green Policy and poverty were increasing. Taking into account the needs of ecological environment, poverty alleviation, and rural revitalization, this research provides valuable reference for formulating and implementing relevant policies based on the actual situation in different regions to promote harmonious coexistence between human-land relationship.

Women's suggestions on how to improve the quality of maternal and newborn care: A qualitative analysis from the IMAgiNE EURO survey in Italy during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Collecting women's views and suggestions for improving quality of maternal-newborn care (QMNC) is a crucial aspect of maternity care evaluation often overlooked in Italy and globally. Childbearing women experienced numerous challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic including the rapid and significant reorganization of maternity services and care. Their perspective on what to prioritize for QMNC improvement is hence pivotal. The aim of this study was to explore maternal suggestions for QMNC improvement from women who gave birth during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from an open-ended question included in a validated online questionnaire administered to mothers who gave birth in an Italian hospital between November 2020 to March 2022. The responses were analyzed using thematic analysis and mapped against the WHO Standards for improving QMNC and the WHO Framework of QMNC. The thematic analysis identified five main themes from the 2017 responses: 1) Support for mothers during the postnatal period; 2) Better use of resources; 3) Improvement of the maternity environment; 4) Reconsideration of organizational aspects; and 5) Guarantee of respectful practices. Women commented on all dimensions of the WHO framework except for two provision of care subdomains 'actionable information and functional referral systems'. This is the first qualitative study in Italy focusing on women's suggestions for improving QMNC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its findings can be used to inform what aspects of QMNC need improvement in Italy. Collection of women's views should be incorporated in routine monitoring of the QMNC, and data should be used for quality improvement purposes.

Comparative life cycle assessment of carbon-free ammonia as fuel for power generation based on the perspective of supply chains

In recent years, there has been a surge in ammonia demand due to growing interest in carbon-free fuel for decarbonization. Thus, it is crucial to identify the methods to fulfill the required demand, particularly for countries with resource scarcity or lacking well-established production infrastructure. The present study compares environmental impact analysis between domestic ammonia production and import ammonia for these countries by using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. In these ammonia supply paths, five different production ways were applied: gray (conventional Haber-Bosch process), blue (with carbon capture and storage), green (wind, solar, and nuclear powered water electrolysis with Haber-Bosch process). The assessment showed highest global warming potential (GWP) value at 2.64 ton CO2-eq/ton NH3 for imported gray while domestic nuclear-driven ammonia had the lowest value at 0.81 ton CO2-eq/ton NH3. In addition, contrary to expectations, the human and environment impact of green ammonias were all higher than gray and blue ammonia due to the production of raw materials. This means that environmental improvements of related production process are crucial in preparation for the coming new energy regime, which then lead to the production of environmentally friendly ammonia. Lastly, these results offer valuable guideline for future energy strategy planning.

Ease of Doing Business and Entrepreneurial Growth in the Face of Global Economic Policy Uncertainty

This study investigates the impact of ease of doing business on entrepreneurial growth in Nigeria from 2010 to 2023, particularly in the context of global economic policy uncertainty. Using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and the World Development Indicator, the study applies an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to analyze the relationship between ease of doing business factors, such as access to credit, contract enforcement, and regulation, and entrepreneurial activity. The findings show that while improvements in the business environment significantly foster entrepreneurship, economic uncertainty hampers its growth. The study recommends that Nigeria should enhance its business environment and create safety nets to mitigate the adverse effects of global economic uncertainties. These insights are valuable for policymakers aiming to promote entrepreneurship and economic resilience in developing countries.

"Navigating the tides of recovery": early vs. delayed osteosynthesis for closed tibia fractures complicated by acute compartment syndrome - an analysis of one hundred and three cases.

In cases of closed tibia fractures with acute compartment syndrome (ACS), there is no established agreement on whether performing internal fixation at the time of closure or after healing of the fasciotomy wounds would affect the likelihood of non-union or infection risk. The study aims to compare fracture union rates, incidence of infection, and overall outcomes between early and delayed definitive fixation. Retrospective analysis of closed tibia fractures (AO/OTA 41, 42) with ACS between 2010 and 2019 with a minimum two years follow-up. The patients were grouped into group-1 (early-definitive fixation group) and group-2 (delayed-definitive fixation group). The patients were further subdivided into - 1A(early-plate osteosynthesis), 1B(early-intramedullary nail fixation), 2A(delayed-plate osteosynthesis), and 2B(delayed-intramedullary nail fixation). Incidence of ACS in closed tibia fractures was 3.85%. Of the 103 patients included, the patients with plate fixation had a significantly higher union rate in the delayed group (100% vs. 91.66%; P = 0.0001). Similarly, among patients with nail fixation, a significantly higher union rate was seen in the delayed group (96.30% vs. 85.19%; P = 0.0016). The overall incidence of infection was 22.3% (23/103). Moreover, infection was higher in the early definitive fixation group (30.16% vs. 10%; P = 0.016). With a lower incidence of infection and higher union rate among the delayed definitive fixation group, we propose to postpone the definitive fixation of closed tibia fractures complicated by ACS till the complete healing of fasciotomy wounds. This allows for adequate soft tissue healing and improvement in the biological environment of fracture, which boosts the chances of successful union and reduces infection risks.

Study on the Value of Ecosystem Services and Land Use Change in the Area North of the Tianshan Mountains from 2000 to 2020

The northern Tianshans region in the arid zone of northwestern China plays a key role in promoting high-quality development of the ecological environment. In recent years, ecological environmental protection in this region has encountered major challenges due to the dual impacts of human activities and natural changes. In order to accurately assess the current status of the ecological environment in the northern Tianshans, this study analyzed the spatial and temporal changes in land use and ecological and environmental effects using land use data from 2000 to 2020 and explored the current status of land use, land use dynamic process, and ecosystem service value (ESV) in the region. Two-factor spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed the spatio-temporal characteristics of the value changes over the 20-year period as well as their spatial heterogeneity. The results show that: (1) land use changes are dominated by increases in cultivated land, forest land, watershed, and wetland, and decreases in grassland, glacier snow, and bare land. Of these changes, the expansion of cultivated land area is the most significant, showing a total increase of 1136.13 × 103 hm2. (2) The ESV increased and then decreased, reaching the highest value in 2005 and the lowest in 2020. The value of individual ecosystem services is dominated by regulating services, accounting for about 67% of the total value. (3) The overall regional balance of ecological environment quality and the contribution rate of the conversion from bare land to other land types is as high as 82.7986%, constituting the main factor in regional ecological environment improvement. The spatial distribution pattern exhibits the characteristic of “high in the northeast and low in the southwest”. (4) There is a positive correlation between the ESV, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and the Anthropogenic Impact Composite Index, with the NDVI being the main cause of spatial heterogeneity in the ESV. The research results provide a scientific basis for ecological protection, land management, and policy formulation in the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and are of great significance for promoting regional sustainable development.

ОБҐРУНТУВАННЯ РОЗШИРЕНОГО СКЛАДУ СПОСТЕРЕЖЕНЬ НА ВОДНО-БАЛАНСОВИХ СТАНЦІЯХ ТА ДОСЛІДНИЦЬКИХ ГІДРОГЕОФІЗИЧНИХ ПОЛІГОНАХ

The current level of understanding of the subordination and multifactorial dependence of the determining processes in the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere of the Earth requires a corresponding reorganization of the basic system of environmental monitoring, improvement and expansion of research on water these stations, which can become the supporting 'nodes' of the balance of this system. The appearance of fundamentally new theoretical developments, modern devices and equipment, a large number of software tools, etc., prompts a significant reorganization and strengthening of the environmental monitoring system. The article substantiates an additional set of studies, which should be included in the regulation of observations at already existing water balance stations, with their mandatory modernization. Spheres are subject to control - the atmosphere, surface and underground (subsurface) hydrospheres, which change over time at different rates and pedosphere. A certain inertia of hydrogeological processes implies the possibility of using meteorological indicators, which can be used to predict changes in the moisture regime in the aeration zone and shallow groundwater in the near future; based on the reliably predictable changes of the latter - to forecast changes in interlayer groundwater resources, etc. It is proposed to include in the monitoring regulations the following indicators of the state of the environment, which will allow to identify and analyze the causes of changes in the water situation, balance and resources, to determine the mechanisms of moisture transfer and accumulation, as well as to build models and perform predictive assessments. The results of comprehensive research at the «Lutiz» landfill demonstrate significant variability of hydrogeophysical indicators and changes in the intensity of natural signals depending on the landscape timing, the latest tectonics, the geological basis and the composition of the overlying sediments. Original devices are presented, which are used to determine indicators of electric and thermal fields, the ratio of positive and negative air ions, etc.

Dynamic pollution management strategies and coordination in aquatic product supply chain under eco-compensation: Perspective of extreme weather crisis

The ecological compensation mechanism emerges as a solution to reduce pollution for aquatic product supply chain. To comprehend the dynamic pollution management strategies and coordination under the ecological compensation mechanism, this study develops a stochastic differential game between farmers and firms from the perspective of extreme weather crisis. The subjects’ optimal decisions are explored in three cases including cooperative case, noncooperative case, and land transfer-cost sharing contract case. Then we simulate theoretical results and illustrate a case study to demonstrate the applicability of ecological compensation collaboration. The results indicate that the extreme weather crisis changes the evolutionary trend and steady state of pollution accumulation. Moreover, the land transfer-cost sharing contract could realize the Pareto improvement in high-risk environment especially after the crisis. But its coordination relies on the ecological compensation coefficient, which gets larger with the interval of [4.9,6.3] after the crisis, compared to the range of [4,5.4] before the crisis. Notably, the contract and ecological compensation mechanism exhibit a complementary relationship in response to the crisis. The findings could provide new inspirations for aquatic product supply chain to balance production and environmental protection.

Sustainability and dialysis: the 4 main points for a green dialysis

Dialysis represents a big challenge for the environmental sustainability, because it is bound to high consumption of water and electricity, hazardous waste incineration and subsequent greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, it has been recognized the urgent need to preserve our environment together with the people’s health, starting from making dialysis greener. This awareness has led to a new paradigm in the history of dialysis, the concept of Green Nephrology. The Italian Society of Nephrology published 10 affordable actions in the Position Statement with the aims to increase awareness, propose joint actions and coordinate industrial/social interactions. Starting from these, there are four key points to pave the way for environmental sustainability: 1) Sustainable technologies (i.e., machines, filters, water treatment systems, acid concentrates, lighter materials, electronic patient record); 2) Green dialysis centers; 3) Environmental improvement project, using tools to define targets and their monitoring; 4) Nurse role, as he is the main environmental sustainability promoter. To achieve Green Nephrology it’s necessary a partnership between all the stakeholders of the healthcare system. Since the growing awareness of the problem and the existence of ways to solve it, it’s time to act and the effective way to do it is to implement all the solutions provided in this article in an immediate future.

Evaluation and pollution analysis of water environment of state-controlled river in Zaozhuang City from 2016 to 2022

The quality of water environment is closely linked to the survival and development of human beings. Thanks to the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan, the quality of the water environment has improved significantly. However, challenges remain in the surface water environment due to human activities in the basin. We analyze the surface water quality of the six state-controlled rivers in Zaozhuang City, which are key tributaries to the Nansi Lake and the water storage and distribution area of the South-to-North Water Diversion East Project. Physical-chemical parameters and metal pollutants were detected from 2016 to 2022. The Various indices were used for evaluating the surface water environmental quality and pollution issue. Although there were significant inter-year differences in each river, the results of Water quality index and Nemerow composite index analysis indicated that the water quality of the six rivers has continuously improved over the years. Nevertheless, as this research reports, such as considerable annual fluctuations in pollution factors, obvious pollution characteristics in river basins, and difficulty in controlling non-point source pollution, which still restrict the further improvement of the water environment. Each river presents various water environment problems due to differences in industrial structures within its basin. Through the analysis of production and lifestyle in each basin, the main pollution sources of each river were evaluated and determined. Based on the type and characteristics of pollution sources, control measures and optimization strategies are proposed for the improvement of the water environment.