Environmental Friendly Technique Research Articles

Machine learning prediction of stalk lignin content using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in large scale maize germplasm

Lignin has been recognized as a major factor contributing to lignocellulosic recalcitrance in biofuel production and attracted attentions as a high-value product in the biorefinery field. As the traditional wet chemical methods for detecting lignin content are labor-intensive, time-consuming and environment-toxic, it is an urgent need to develop high-throughput and environment-friendly techniques for large-scale crop germplasms screening. In this study, we conducted a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) assay on 150 maize germplasms with a diverse lignin composition to build predictive models for lignin content in maize stalk. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the FTIR spectra for use as model inputs. Classification and advanced gradient boosting machine (GBM) algorithms demonstrated higher predictive accuracy (0.82–0.96) compared to traditional linear and regularization algorithms (0.03–0.04) in the training set. Notably, two optimal models, built using the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) algorithms, achieved R2 values of over 0.91 in the training set and over 0.82 in the test set. Overall, the combination of FTIR and machine learning (ML) algorithms offers a high-throughput and efficient method for predicting lignin content. This approach holds significant potential for genetic breeding and the effective utilization of maize in industrial production.

Multifunctional zinc oxide loaded stearic acid surfaces on biodegradable magnesium WE43 alloy with hydrophobic, self-cleaning and biocompatible attributes

Biodegradable Mg alloys are one of the most promising materials for implant applications, for which the widespread use is hampered by rapid degradation in physiological environment. The present study explores the development of a novel zinc-oxide (ZnO) loaded stearic acid (SA) coating on medical grade WE43 alloy using a facile, and environment-friendly technique for promising biomaterial surface applications. Morphology and chemical analyses reveal the development of a layered coating surface with uniformly dispersed ZnO nanoparticles in SA matrix. The developed coating exhibits hydrophobic performance (contact angle of 135°) along with the retainment of hydrophobicity under varying chemical (acidic pH of 1 and basic pH of 13) and mechanical (post scratch testing and peel-off studies) conditions. The observed surface water repellency facilitates self-cleaning performance pointing towards its efficacy against potential biofilm formation. The developed coating demonstrates superior resistance against surface degradation during immersion studies in phosphate buffer saline solution (pH = 7.4) and better cell viability with MG-63 (human osteosarcoma) cell line. The approach presented here sets a platform for the development of efficient coatings on biodegradable WE43 alloys surfaces for potential biomaterial technologies.

Innovative Geotechnical Solutions for Sustainable Infrastructure Development

Aim: To examine innovative geotechnical solutions for sustainable infrastructure development. Problem Statement: The advancement in the world urbanization together with high rise in global population has alarmed the need for new infrastructures with additional innovative research to be conducted with already existing assets. Thus, It is important that geotechnical engineering should include basic practices targeting resource-efficient and environment-friendly techniques in order to add to sustainable development. Significance of Study: This technical review critically examines the innovative geotechnical solutions for sustainable infrastructure development. The content presented in this manuscript will be beneficial to professionals in the area of geotechnical engineering. Methodology: Recent relevant published articles in the area of innovative geotechnical solutions for sustainable infrastructure development were consulted. These include journal articles, conference papers, Asian Development Bank articles and unpublished doctoral documents. Discussion: The six main environmental objectives of the Taxonomy Regulation to ensure the contours of an environmentally sustainable infrastructure were stated to include: (1) sustainable protection and use of marine and water resources (2) pollution control and prevention (3) switch to a circular economy (4) mitigation of climate change (5) restoration and protection of ecosystems and biodiversity and (6) adaptation of climate change. The three phase methods for sustainability infrastructure development in geotechnics were critically discussed. An imaginary excavation site in the municipality of Rozzano was referenced as a case study to reveal the application of the proposed methodology to the soil treatment systems. It was noticed that the adoption of an LCA introduces additional deep knowledge and the required quantitative analysis for sizing the assessment. Conclusion: The examined innovative geotechnical solutions were contributory to sustainable infrastructure development.

H2O2-assisted photo-electrocatalytic and photocatalytic degradation of methyl violet by CuO-modified TiO2 nanotube arrays

Photoelectrocatalytic degradation is an environmental friendly and efficient technique providing solutions for the dire issue of water pollution. TiO2 nanotubes are widely used as the photocatalyst but its efficiency is restricted by the wide band gap. This study deals with the fabrication of CuO-modified TiO2 nanotubes by electrochemical anodization following the hydrothermal method to enhance the photocatalytic degradation. Optical studies revealed a reduction in the bandgap (2.12 eV) of CuO-modified TiO2 nanotubes, which plays an important role in increasing the photocatalytic activity. The effect of CuO loading on TiO2 nanotubes in photocatalytic degradation as well as the effect of bias and H2O2 on photo-electrocatalytic degradation were studied. In photocatalytic degradation, 0.05 M CuO–TiO2 photocatalyst produced a maximum degradation of 49.5 % in 8 h. Compared with the pristine TiO2 nanotubes, the photodegradation of CuO-loaded TiO2 nanotubes increased by 16 %. Furthermore, when an external bias was applied, the photodegradation efficiency increased by 36 %. In addition of H2O2 to the PEC system, 0.05 CuO–TiO2 photocatalyst produced 100 % degradation of methyl violet in 2.5 h. Reusability studies showed that the photocatalysts are stable and can therefore be used for practical applications such as photocatalytic degradation and photoelectrochemical degradation of methyl violet.

Design and Development of Ecofriendly Herbal Oil Infused Nail Polish Remover Tissues

Natural nail polish removers have gained popularity as a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional acetone-based removers. This abstract provides a research work of the key features and benefits of natural nail polish removers, which are made from natural and non-toxic ingredients like plant-based solvents, essential oils, finished on natural and regenerated fibred nonwoven spun lace fabrics. These environment friendly techniques remove nail polish effectively without emitting foul chemical odors or harming cuticles and nails. The study introduces a nail polish remover solution featuring lemongrass oil as its primary active ingredient enriched with vitamin E oil. In response to the growing desire for natural cosmetic products, this study examines the efficiency and safety of composites made of lemongrass oil and vitamin E oil treated on fabric as a nail polish remover through antimicrobial testing and subjective analysis. The findings suggest that the proposed approach may be more effective than conventional nail polish removers in terms of user experience and environmental impact. Thus, in response to the growing demand for natural and non-toxic beauty products, this natural nail polish removers were developed and embraced, which has assisted the beauty industry in becoming more environmentally and health conscious. Keywords: Nail polish remover, acetone, viscose fabric, lemongrass oil, vitamin E, and eco-friendly

Toxicity, physiological response, and biosorption mechanism of Dunaliella salina to copper, lead, and cadmium.

Heavy metal pollution has become a global problem, which urgently needed to be solved owing to its severe threat to water ecosystems and human health. Thus, the exploration and development of a simple, cost-effective and environmental-friendly technique to remove metal elements from contaminated water is of great importance. Algae are a kind of photosynthetic autotroph and exhibit excellent bioadsorption capacities, making them suitable for wastewater treatment. The effects of heavy metals (copper, lead and cadmium) on the growth, biomolecules accumulation, metabolic responses and antioxidant response of Dunaliella salina were investigated. Moreover, the Box-Behnken design (BBD) in response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the biosorption capacity, and FT-IR was performed to explore the biosorption mechanism of D. salina on multiple heavy metals. The growth of D. salina cells was significantly inhibited and the contents of intracellular photosynthetic pigments, polysaccharides and proteins were obviously reduced under different concentrations of Cu2+, Pb2+ and Cd2+, and the EC50 values were 18.14 mg/L, 160.37 mg/L and 3.32 mg/L at 72 h, respectively. Besides, the activities of antioxidant enzyme SOD and CAT in D. salina first increased, and then descended with increasing concentration of three metal ions, while MDA contents elevated continuously. Moreover, D. salina exhibited an excellent removal efficacy on three heavy metals. BBD assay revealed that the maximal removal rates for Cu2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+ were 88.9%, 87.2% and 72.9%, respectively under optimal adsorption conditions of pH 5-6, temperature 20-30°C, and adsorption time 6 h. Both surface biosorption and intracellular bioaccumulation mechanisms are involved in metal ions removal of D. salina. FT-IR spectrum exhibited the main functional groups including carboxyl (-COOH), hydroxyl (-OH), amino (-NH2), phosphate (-P=O) and sulfate (-S=O) are closely associated with the biosorption or removal of heavy metalsions. Attributing to the brilliant biosorption capacity, Dunaliella salina may be developed to be an excellent adsorbent for heavy metals.

Insight into heating method and Mozafari method as green processing techniques for the synthesis of micro- and nano-drug carriers

Abstract Drug delivery systems, also known as bioactive carriers, are currently an important contribution to the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. A leading category of these drug carriers is lipid- and phospholipid-based systems including liposomes, nanoliposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid vesicles, archaeosomes, and tocosomes. At present, there are several methods available for the preparation of the lipidic drug carriers at the micro- and nanoscales. There are some misunderstandings and confusion in the literature regarding two of the scalable and environment-friendly (green) techniques developed in our laboratory, namely the heating method and the Mozafari method. These methods are superior to conventional procedures used in the synthesis of drug carriers due to the fact that they do not involve utilization of potentially toxic solvents, detergents, or high-shear homogenizations. This entry is aimed to clarify differences between these methods to the peers and colleagues in academia as well as relevant industries. Some details of the industrially applied patented instrument used in the manufacturing of lipidic carriers are also provided.

Excellent Bifunctional Water Electrolysis Activities of α-MoO3/AC Nanocomposites

Electrocatalytic water splitting is a cost-effective and environment-friendly technique for producing oxygen and hydrogen through the oxygen/hydrogen evolution reaction (OER/HER). Developing the highly active and stable electrocatalyst, particularly for bifunctional water electrolysis (i.e., both OER and HER), is still a formidable challenge. Herein, we demonstrated the enhanced bifunctional water splitting activities by utilizing the molybdenum trioxide-anchored activated carbon (MoO3/AC) nanocomposites. The MoO3/AC samples were fabricated by the ultrasonication method using sol-gel synthesized MoO3 and biomass-derived AC, and they displayed a nanostreusel-like morphology with spherical MoO3 nanoparticle-decorated AC nanosheets. For the water electrolysis test, the MoO3/AC nanocomposites exhibited the excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic OER and HER performances with low overpotential and small Tafel slope values. Through analyzing the material characteristics and the electrochemical properties of MoO3/AC, it was found that the superb bifunctional OER-HER activities were attributed to the synergistic effects from the hybridization of highly conductive AC and electrochemically active α-MoO3. The results pronounce that the MoO3/AC nanocomposites possess an aptitude as a superb bifunctional OER/HER electrocatalyst for high-performance water electrolysis.

Transformation of Rhodococcus Pigment Production Hydroxylase (PPH) gene into Camelina sativa: an alternative marker for the detection of transgenic plants.

Production of transgenic plants with desired agronomic and horticultural traits has gained great importance to fulfill demands of the growing population. Genetic transformation is also a fundamental step to study basics of plant sciences. Different transformation protocols have been developed and used which are reliable and efficient. These protocols used antibiotic or herbicide resistance genes incorporated along with gene of interest to identify transformed plants from non-transformed ones. These marker genes may pose a threat to human and environment. Use of visual markers enables direct and easier observation of transformed plants with more precision. In current study a gene cassette with 'pigment production hydroxylase (PPH) gene under fiber specific promoter (GhSCFP) and downstream Nos-terminator was designed. After checking the structural and functional efficiency of codon optimized gene using bioinformatics tools, the cassette was sent for chemical synthesis from commercial source. The pigment gene cassette (PPH_CEMB), cloned in pCAMBIA-1301, was transformed into Agrobacterium through electroporation. Agrobacterium-mediated floral dip method was used to transform Camelina sativa inflorescence. After seed setting a total of 600 seed were observed for change in color and out of these, 19 seeds developed a reddish-brown coloration, while the remaining 581 seeds remained yellow. The transformation efficiency calculated on basis of color change was 1.0%. PCR analysis of leaves obtained after sowing reddish seeds confirmed the transformation of pigment production gene, while no PCR amplification was observed in leaves of plants from wild type seeds. From the results it is evident that Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of C. sativa inflorescence is very efficient and environment friendly technique not only for detection of transformed plants but also to study basic cellular processes.

Bioremediation Of Contaminated Environments Through Mycology: A Review Of Current Advancements And Future Prospects A Short Review

Mycological bioremediation is a novel strategy that takes advantage of the special skills of mushrooms, has become a viable method to reduce environmental pollution brought on by numerous toxins. This paper looks at the promise of mycological bioremediation as a long-term, environmental friendly technique for cleaning up the polluted regions while also giving an overview of recent breakthroughs in the field. It has become clear that using living creatures to remove or neutralize environmental pollutants is a potential strategy for dealing with a variety of environmental toxins. Mycology, the study of mushrooms, has become increasingly popular among the many bioremediation techniques due to its extraordinary potential for cleaning up polluted habitats. Fungi are significant agents in bioremediation efforts due to their distinctive characteristics, which include quick development, a wide range of metabolic skills, and an affinity for different contaminants

Oxygen-vacancy abundant δ-Bi2O3@PCNF anode for selective phosphate removal with exceptional capacity

Excessive phosphate concentration in waterbody will lead to eutrophication and deterioration of water quality. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an environmental-friendly technique for ion removal, and the phosphate ions can be selectively removed and accumulated by designing the CDI electrode materials with specific phosphate bonding capability. Herein, a δ-Bi2O3-modified porous carbon nanofiber (δ-Bi2O3@PCNF) was constructed by solvothermal reaction in the presence of polyhydric alcohols. Due to abundant oxygen vacancies and high flexibility, the δ-Bi2O3@PCNF was used directly as a self-supporting CDI anode for selective phosphate adsorption. Under the optimized conditions, the adsorption capacity of phosphate arrived at 99.6 mg P/g in 50 mg P/L solution, and the adsorption maximum of 127.5 mg P/g was achieved according to Langmuir adsorption model. In the dual-anion solution containing PO43– and Cl–, the δ-Bi2O3@PCNF electrode still maintains the high selectivity, with a P separation factor of 22 (CPO43–/CCl– = 1:5, molar ratio) in PO43–/Cl– mixture. By using the δ-Bi2O3@PCNF-based CDI device, the actual paddy drainage has realized the ultralow phosphate concentration down to 0.03 mg P/L. The related mechanisms involved in phosphate adsorption on δ-Bi2O3@PCNF were proposed. This work demonstrates the great potential of CDI technology for low-concentration phosphorus recovery, owing to the high selectivity of the δ-Bi2O3@PCNF electrode material.

Electrochemically Generated Aluminum-Species for Remediation of Waste Water Containing 2, 4-Dichlorophenol

An effective treatment process for 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in wastewater is highly essential, since it may cause great threat to our environment. In such context, a low-cost potential and environment-friendly technique has been demonstrated for the removal of a toxic compound 2,4-DCP from aqueous media. The electrochemically generated aluminum sorbent was used to remove 2,4-DCP from waste water by in-situ electrocoagulation and by adsorption. The experimental findings were analyzed based on the percent removal of 2,4-DCP with time. DCP-containing wastewater was electrocoagulated in a two-electrode monopolar electrocoagulation cell with aluminum as the sacrificial anode and 0.05 M NaCl as the internal electrolyte, with the electrolyte concentration kept constant throughout the experiment. Starting concentration and pH were found to have a significant impact on the electrocoagulation process for removing 2,4-DCP from wastewater.

Application of biosensors against food-borne pathogens

PurposeNature and occurrence of food-borne pathogens in raw and processed food products evolved greatly in the past few years due to new modes of transmission and resistance build-up against sundry micro-/macro-environmental conditions. Assurance of food health and safety thus gained immense importance, for which bio-sensing technology proved very promising in the detection and quantification of food-borne pathogens. Considering the importance, different studies have been performed, and different biosensors have been developed. This study aims to summarize the different biosensors used for the deduction of food-borne pathogens.Design/methodology/approachThe present review highlights different biosensors developed apropos to food matrices, factors governing their selection, their potential and applicability. The paper discusses some related key challenges and constraints and also focuses on the needs and future research prospects in this field.FindingsThe shift in consumers’ and industries’ perceptions directed the further approach to achieve portable, user and environmental friendly biosensing techniques. Despite of these developments, it was still observed that the comparison among the different biosensors and their categories proved tedious on a single platform; since the food matrices tested, pathogen detected or diagnosed, time of detection, etc., varied greatly and very few products have been commercially launched. Conclusively, a challenge lies in front of food scientists and researchers to maintain pace and develop techniques for efficiently catering to the needs of the food industry.Research limitations/implicationsBiosensors deduction limit varied with the food matrix, type of organism, material of biosensors’ surface, etc. The food matrix itself consists of complex substances, and various types of food are available in nature. Considering the diversity of food there is a need to develop a universal biosensor that can be used for all the food matrices for a pathogen. Further research is needed to develop a pathogen-specific biosensor that can be used for all the food products that may have accuracy to eliminate the traditional method of deduction.Originality/valueThe present paper summarized and categorized the different types of biosensors developed for food-borne pathogens.Graphical abstract

Emerging contaminants in the environment and bioremediation control strategies – A review

Rapid increase in population and emergence of many industries led to the emergence of contaminants from various sources such as domestic, industrial and agricultural activities etc. These contaminants reach the groundwater, surface water, municipal wastewater and food sources from agricultural fields. These pollutants contaminate the soil and in long term contaminate the groundwater sources due to transportation phenomena. Once the soil and groundwater are contaminated, the environment becomes a threat to the living beings. The objective of this article is to give an overview of the various types of contaminants, their emerging sources, their effect on the environment and suitable remediation techniques with emphasis on bioremediation techniques such as phytoremediation, phycoremediation, mycoremediation, bioventing, bioleaching, landfarming, bioreactor, composting, bioaugmentation, rhizofiltration, and biostimulation for treatment of these contaminants.This chapter mainly focusses on the fate of the contaminants emerging from various activities, their effects on the environment, remediation techniques and in specific the environmental friendly techniques to remediate the contaminated soil and water.

Sustainable use of End-of-Life-Tires (ELTs) in a vibration isolation system

Huge stockpiles of End-of-Life Tires (ELTs) are of major global concern. This paper investigates and helps to demonstrate the beneficial utilization of ELTs to provide geotechnical seismic isolation (GSI) of machine foundations located on a rubber-soil mixture (RSM). A series of laboratory tests is conducted to extend the understanding of RSM behavior beyond that previously elaborated, particularly by demonstrating the efficiency of the GSI-RSM system and by defining its optimal parametric values. The results indicate that increasing the thickness of the RSM layer and soil cap, along with the addition of rubber content, up to the optimum values lead to enhanced performance. Beyond these optimum values, the benefits start to decrease. For the determined optimum rubber content (8%), RSM layer thickness (0.1B), and soil cap thickness (0.15B) at a vibration moment level of 0.17 N.m, the GSI-RSM system achieves maximum reductions of 36%, 43%, and 77% in resonant frequency, resonant displacement, and resonant acceleration, respectively, compared to untreated beds. Moreover, the GSI-RSM system effectively reduces the developed peak particle velocity (PPV) and kinetic energy, independent of the excitation frequency. The increased damping and significant energy dissipation demonstrates the system’s effectiveness in mitigating vibrations. This environmentally-friendly technique presents a low-cost alternative for improving the vibration behavior of soil beds. It provides the basis for the wider adoption of ELTs for GSI, for machine foundations and for other infrastructure projects with similar soil vibration concerns, including building foundations, transportation infrastructure and industrial facilities. In this way the research contributes to the growing body of sustainable practices in the construction industry.

Acetophenone preparation via continuous bubbling of ozone for catalyst-free ethylbenzene oxidation

Acetophenone is essential to chemical synthesis. Hence, completely using coal tar resources via liquid-phase oxidization to obtain acetophenone is crucial. This study demonstrates a novel, efficient, and environment-friendly technique for converting ethylbenzene to acetophenone based on ozone oxidation and continuous bubbling. Analysis of the mass transfer characteristics of the continuously bubbling ozone in various polar organic solvents showed that alcohol solvents had a higher equilibrium concentration than ethyl acetate and acetone. Equilibrium ozone concentrations were identical in solvents such as chlorinated methane. The solubility of ozone in different solvents may be affected by hydrogen bonding or dipole–dipole interactions between ozone and the solvent molecules. Ethyl acetate was found to be the best solvent after the ozone oxidation conditions of ethylbenzene were refined. The highest amount of acetophenone produced was 74%, and the reaction duration was 120 min; and the corresponding molar ratio of ozone to ethylbenzene was 1.6. Finally, the oxidation of ethylbenzene using ozone was proposed. Hydrogen peroxide accelerated this process, while ethanol slowed it down. The hydroxyl, alkyl, and superoxide free radicals in the reaction system were confirmed via electron paramagnetic resonance studies. Results showed that the key chemical process is indirect ozone oxidation.

Postharvest starch and sugars adjustment in potato tubers of wide-ranging dormancy genotypes subjected to various sprout forcing techniques

The development of an efficient, safe, and environment-friendly technique to terminate tuber dormancy in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) is of great concern due to the immense scope of multiple cropping all over the globe. The breakage of tuber dormancy has been associated with numerous physiological changes, including a decline in the level of starch and an increase in the levels of sugars during storage of freshly harvested seed potatoes, although their consistency across genotypes and various dormancy-breaking techniques have not yet been fully elucidated. The purpose of the present research is to assess the efficacy of four different dormancy-breaking techniques, such as soaking in 90, 60, or 30 mg L−1 solutions of benzyl amino purine (BAP) and 30, 20, or 10 mg L−1 gibberellic acid (GA3) alone and in the combination of optimized concentrations; cold pre-treatment at 6, 4, or 2 °C; electric shock at 80, 60, 40, or 20 Vs; and irradiation at 3.5, 3, 2.5, 2, 1.5, or 1 kGy on the tuber dormancy period and sprout length of six genotypes. Furthermore, the changes that occurred in tuber weight and endogenous starch, sucrose, fructose, and glucose contents in experimental genotypes following the application of these techniques were also examined. Overall, the most effective technique to terminate tuber dormancy and hasten spout growth was the combined application of BAP and GA3, which reduced the length of dormancy by 9.6 days compared to the untreated control, following 6.7 days of electric current, 4.4 days of cold pre-treatment, and finally irradiation (3.3 days). The 60 mg L−1 solution of BAP greatly reduced the dormancy period in all genotypes but did not affect the sprout length at all. The genotypes showed a weak negative correlation (r = − 0.4) (P < 0.05) of endogenous starch contents with dormancy breakage and weight loss or a moderate (r = − 0.5) correlation with sprout length, but a strong positive correlation (r = 0.8) of tuber glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents with dormancy breakage and weight loss. During 3 weeks of storage, sprouting commencement and significant weight loss occurred as tuber dormancy advanced towards breakage due to a reduction in starch and an increase in the sucrose, fructose, and glucose contents of the tubers. These findings could be advantageous for postponing or accelerating seed potato storage as well as investigating related physiological research in the future.

Fluidic MXene Electrode Functionalized with Iron Single Atoms for Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrate Transformation to Ammonia.

The growth of renewable energy industries and the ongoing need for fertilizer in agriculture have created a need for sustainable production of ammonia (NH3) using low-cost, environment-friendly techniques. The electrocatalytic nitrate (NO3-) reduction reaction (NO3RR) has the potential to improve both the management of environmental nitrogen and the recycling of synthetic nutrients. However, NO3RR is frequently hindered by the incomplete NO3- conversion, sluggish reaction kinetics, and suppression of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Inspired by specific local electronic structures that are adjustable for single-atom catalysts, this work presents a nanohybrid electrocatalytic filter with iron single atoms (FeSA) immobilized on MXene. The fabricated FeSA/MXene filter exhibited maximum NH3 Faradaic efficiency and selectivity (82.9 and 99.2%, respectively) that were higher than those for filters made of Fe nanoparticles anchored on MXene (FeNP/MXene) (69.2 and 81.3%, respectively) and MXene alone (32.8 and 52.4%, respectively), measured at an initial pH of 7 and an applied potential of -1.4 V vs Ag/AgCl. Density functional theory calculations revealed that, compared to the FeNP/MXene filter, the FeSA/MXene filter prevented the competition from the HER and reduced the activation energy of the potential-limiting step (*NO to *NHO) that made the NH3 synthesis thermodynamically favorable . This work highlights an alternative strategy for achieving a synergistic NO3- removal and nutrient recovery with durable catalytic activity and stability.

Performance of Solar Hybrid Cooling Operated by Solar Compound Parabolic Collectors under Weather Conditions in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The scientific aim of this work is to encourage energy conservation. This article offers a fresh perspective on renewable energy in the air conditioning sector, the country’s economic growth, and environment-friendly techniques to overcome global warming challenges. In this research, a solar vapor absorption refrigeration (SVAR) system was combined with a conventional vapor compression refrigeration (VCR) system to analyze their combined performance, employing a compound parabolic collector (CPC). The goal was to assess the performance of a solar hybrid cooling system using this non-tracking solar collector. CPC was validated for heat output with 2.9% uncertainty by utilizing an engineering equation solver (EES). Other system components were also validated with EES and then extended to a larger-capacity solar hybrid cooling system. The results of this research indicate that CPC is effective in providing the required heat to SVAR throughout the year without any tracking, and the integration of SVAR in series with the VCR condenser produces 83% higher COP than the system that integrates VCR with the condenser of the SVAR system for Riyadh. The configuration results in high values of exergy COP and an efficiency of 88% and 84%, respectively, increases the cooling capacity of the VCR by 68%, and decreases the carbon emission by 166.4%.

Sustainable CO2 capture via adsorption by chitosan-based functional biomaterial: A review on recent advances, challenges, and future directions

Chitin is a naturally occurring biopolymer, while chitosan is a deacetylated derivative of chitin. The unique properties of chitin/chitosan, such as nitrogen-rich, biodegradability, non-toxicity, high adsorption capacity, and biocompatibility, allow them to be utilized as precursors for CO2 adsorbents in pursuing the circular economy. This review provides a detailed overview of chitosan-based biomaterials as adsorbents for CO2 capture, focusing on extraction techniques, specialized treatments, adsorbent synthesis methodologies, and the CO2 capture performance of the resultant adsorbents. In general, current extraction techniques are still dominated by chemical and biological means, but more efficient and environmental-friendly techniques are emerging and developing towards maturity. The structural characteristics of modified/functionalized chitosan-based adsorbents and the effect of adsorption process parameters on CO2 uptake are reviewed to highlight their potential in CO2 capture. Besides the conventional treatments of carbonization and chemical activation, incorporating oxide nanoparticles, clay, metal-organic framework, and zeolites to form hybrid chitosan-based CO2 adsorbents showed promising performance in CO2 capture. The morphology, structural, and surface chemistry characteristics were reported to show enhancement after treatments. Based on literature screening, the highest CO2 adsorption capacity reported was ∼8 mmol/g adsorbent with 1 nm micropores and 2 nm mesopores favorable for CO2 adsorption at atmospheric pressure and elevated pressure, respectively. Furthermore, the technological gaps and limitations of each extraction and synthesis technique, overall challenges, and outlook are elucidated. The hybridization of adsorbent synthesis and modification methods could be the main way to enhance the adsorbent performance, economic viability, and environmental sustainability in the commercial-scale context.