Environmental Point Of View Research Articles

Durability for coating mortars: Review of methodologies

Pathological manifestations in building systems is a complex problem from economical, cultural and environmental points of view, associated with the need of a durability analysis appears as a relevant aspect to be considered regarding the construction materials. Indeed, these materials present different degradation mechanisms, mainly with joint participation of cement. An example of these materials cementitious is the coating mortar, which has the function of protecting the structure and the sealing of the building, recognized to play a fundamental role in the constructions durability. In recent years, studies on the durability of coating mortar have intensified. In this context, this work aimed to carry out a bibliographical review of the main methods of durability analysis for coating mortar, covering the most common techniques. It was identified that the most used durability tests in coating mortars are: water absorption by capillarity and immersion, wetting and drying cycles, porosity, carbonation, freeze-thaw cycles, drying shrinkage, chloride penetration, and sulfate attack. Among them, it was verified that the most used tests are those of water absorption and accelerated aging with wetting and drying cycles. In addition, it was observed that there are significant variations between the methodologies adopted for all tests, with large discrepancies in those using aging cycles. In addition to carrying out accelerated degradation tests, it is was emphasized the need to evaluate the performance of the mortars by means of: flexural and compressive strengths, as well as mass loss, visual evaluation, dynamic modulus of elasticity, adherence, SEM and X-ray diffraction.

The emission intensity of the freshwater aquaculture production value chain in Georgia

This contribution assesses the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity among two freshwater aquaculture sub-chains: both the carp and catfish and the trout and sturgeon sub-chains in Georgia. The data were derived from 155 semi-structured interviews conducted in Georgia in 2021. The GHG per kilogram of production and per Georgian Lari (GEL) of value added of specific farm types were calculated. Emission intensity per kg of production is similar for both sub-chains, while value-added differs more significantly. Our results show the existence of economies of scale in trout production due to the ability of larger farms to use less feed per kilogram of fish. From this perspective, increasing the production scale can lead to lower emission intensity and improved economic performance. In the case of the carp sub-chain, economies of scale are not present. Therefore, we recommend conducting research on increasing the scale of production through the use of larger ponds. This solution brings obvious economic benefits, but from an environmental point of view, it may pose certain threats. Moreover, the countereffects of scaling production, such as wild fish depletion, water pollution, and the spreading of fish diseases and the farmed fish escaping, must also be adequately addressed.

Assessing various CO2 utilization technologies: a brief comparative review

AbstractCarbon dioxide (CO2) utilization technologies have emerged as a promising approach to address the direct and indirect consequences of climate change and the need for sustainable resource management. Those innovative technologies aim to capture and utilize CO2 by converting it into valuable products or directly using it as a chemical feedstock in various industries, thus, avoiding their release into the atmosphere. In this study, different CO2 utilization pathways including CO2 to chemicals and fuels, CO2 to building materials, CO2 to enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and CO2 to bio‐products are discussed in terms of their status – economic, environmental and technology readiness level performances. Moreover, various CO2 utilization pathways are comparatively analyzed considering their advantages and drawbacks, CO2 uptake potentials, and overall climate benefits. According to the comparison results, photocatalytic and electrochemical reduction of CO2 along with the bio‐fixation of CO2 are gaining more attention in the recent research and investigations, from the energy intensity and environmental point of view, whereas EOR remains dominant in terms of the scalability, maturity and economic benefits. However, limitations of EOR related to the capacity, life cycle and different geolocations, as well as the complexities of other mature approaches make room for emerging technologies to be more energy‐effective and environmentally friendly. Overall, most of the promising CO2 utilization techniques are either technologically immature or limited in scale to deploy globally. One of the main barriers to reusing CO2 is associated with the high cost of CO2‐based production and the low value of the CO2 market. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Impact of Conservation Agriculture Techniques on Community Livelihoods in the Central Dryzone of Myanmar

Within the context of Myanmar, extensive research has been undertaken to examine various facets of agricultural sector advancement, encompassing economic, social, environmental, and diverse viewpoints. However, limited attention has been directed towards investigating the domain of conservation agriculture (CA), indicating a gap in the existing knowledge. The exploration of indigenous wisdom and methodologies related to CA is of utmost significance. This research employs a combination of descriptive and inferential analyses, supplemented by regression analysis. The research cohort comprises 130 agricultural households actively engaged in diverse CA methodologies within the central dryland area of Myanmar. The results of this study reveal a dual-sided influence of CA practices on local livelihoods, contingent upon the nature of the specific practice as well as the livelihood dimensions under consideration. Notably, CA practices yield advantageous outcomes in terms of both economic prosperity and environmental preservation. However, it is noteworthy that these practices tend to exert unfavorable effects on the social dimensions of livelihoods.

Introduction of functionality into a Tb(III)-organic framework via mixed-ligand strategy for selective C2H2 capture and ratiometric Cr(VI) detection

Introduction of porosity and fluorescent properties into lanthanide metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with rational design to achieve multifunctional use is of great significance from the energy and environmental viewpoint. In this study, a microporous Tb(III)-based MOF with the formula of {[Tb2(oba)3(Phen)2](DMF)2(H2O)4}n (1) was solvothermally prepared via using the mixed ligands of 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen) and 4,4′-oxybis(benzoic acid) (H2oba) as organic connecters. The structural evaluation results indicate that complex 1 is composed of binuclear Tb2(CO2)6(Phen)2 clusters which are extended by the oba2− ligands to afford a two-fold interpenetrated framework with one-dimensional microporous channels along the b-axis. Gas sorption studies show that the activated 1 demonstrates a high ideal adsorption solution theory (IAST) sorption selectivity of 7.4 toward C2H2 in a C2H2/CO2 gas mixture, which are further supported by the dynamic breakthrough experiments. The grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation results indicate that the synergistic effects of the H-bond interactions of C2H2 with oba2− ligands and the C–H···π interactions with Phen ligand contribute to the strong binding of the framework toward C2H2 molecules. What's more, the luminescent measurements reveal that the emission of 1 features both the characteristic peaks of Phen ligand and Tb(III) ion, which could be further applied as a self-calibrating sensor for the Cr(VI) detection in water. To the best of our knowledge, complex 1 represents the first example of Tb-MOF holding such a high C2H2/CO2 selectivity together with ratiometric Cr(VI) detection performances.

COMPOSITE MATERIALS BASED ON ELASTOMER, CO-ОLIGOMER AND BITUMEN

Chemical modification of phenyl-formaldehyde oligomers (PFO) was carried out, and compositions based on elastomer, co-oligomer and bitumen were developed in order to achieve significant improvement of characteristics and expand the areas of PFO application. The phenol-formaldehyde oligomer was modified with carbamide by co-polycondensation in an alkaline medium. The basic physicochemical, physical-mechanical and performance characteristics of the co-oligomer were studied. The co-oligomer of the new composition, obtained at the first stage of the investigation, was used as a binder. At the second stage of investigation, a three-component composition was developed on the basis of elastomer, co-oligomer and bitumen, and a composite material was prepared. This material was shown to exhibit good protective properties, and it may be recommended to provide anti-corrosive protection of the equipment and installations in oil and gas mining industry. The effect of the amounts of introduced components on the major characteristics of the resulting composition was studied. It is shown that the introduction of a nitrogen-containing modifier (carbamide) into PFO causes a decrease in the content of free phenol and formaldehyde, which is important both from the environmental viewpoint and in relation to the hazardous action of these components on the human organism.

2-YEAR GRAIN SIZE MONITORING OF THE RIVERBED SEDIMENTS FROM DANUBE DELTA

The Danube Delta was studied following the Geo-Eco-Mar expeditions in the summer and autumn of 2019 and 2020, respectively, from a sedimentological, faunal and environmental quality point of view. The grain size analyses of the sediments from the bed of the Chilia, Tulcea, Sulina, St. George Branches, as well as the meanders of the Dunărea Veche and Tătaru identified two types of sediments: sediments in which the sand fraction predominates, consisting, in general, of fine sand, and the fractions silt and clay have, in most cases, very low cumulative percentages, often below 1%; clay-silty sediments (muds), consisting predominantly of silt and clay, present in areas where the water velocity has low values. The presence of gravel is also noted, but subordinate to the sandy fractions. Gravel elements are an indicator of human impact in the area. In general, sediments also contain organogenic material, consisting of shells, fragments and plant remains. The interpretation of the data resulting from the granulometric analyzes (the percentages of clay, silt, sand, gravel and textural parameters) highlighted the dynamic conditions in which these sediments specific to the deltaic environment were deposited. In general, the amount of sand varies from one season to another and from one year to another, especially near the banks, with an increase in the sand content in the autumn season. Sandy sediments illustrate a faster flow regime, are well sorted, and are generally present in the central part of the Danube Branches bed.

Sustainability performance disclosure and family businesses: a perspective article

PurposeThe deeper understanding of the disclosure of external and internal dynamics of family firms necessarily places the issue of sustainability as one of the most pressing needs from both a research and managerial perspective. Therefore, this perspective article contributes to the debate of sustainability performance disclosure in family firms, proposing a research agenda.Design/methodology/approachThis study has organized the discussion around those elements that most significantly impact the propensity to disclose, with a specific focus on the interconnections and interrelations within them. The proposed research agenda is developed around three key elements: “how” firms disclose, “the reason why” they do it and “what” disclose of their performance(s).FindingsTo better understand “how” family firms should disclose their performance, it is suggested to engage in proactive stakeholder engagement to preserve long-term socioemotional wealth. “The reason why” for disclosure is still associated with the legitimization of family firms from an economic, social and environmental point of view. Finally, the “what” depends on several factors, such as the regulatory framework and the market involved.Practical implicationsThis paper contains suggestions for family firm managers, consultants and policymakers that are approaching corporate social responsibility (CSR) and non-financial reporting or sustainability disclosure overall, providing an overview of relevant factors influencing this transition process.Originality/valueThis paper suggests a logical framework to combine these three elements of the debate as strictly interrelated to foster the sustainability performance disclosure of family firms.

Co-cracking of atmospheric residue and plastic waste

The processing of residual fractions after the distillation of oil and waste plastics into fuels is an important aspect from environmental, energetic and economic points of view. However, current methods of their processing are not effective enough for widespread implementation. In this work the effect of the addition of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene (PP) to the atmospheric residue on the composition of final products of subsequent cracking is investigated. It has been established that addition of PET to the atmospheric residue has a positive effect on the yield of light fractions and the destruction of resin-asphaltene substances (RAS) in comparison with cracking of atmospheric residue (AR) only. After cracking with the PET additive, the additional yield of light fractions is 4.8 wt%. It has been shown that PET affects the amount and structure of coke resulted from the cracking of atmospheric residue. A positive effect of the PP additive on the destruction of RAS is also revealed. In particular, the content of asphaltenes is lowered by a factor equal to 9.8 compared to that in the liquid products after fuel oil cracking. It has been also found out that polypropylene 1.7 times more than PET and 1.5 times more than PE enhances additional coke formation. It is shown that LDPE has the least positive effect from co-cracking with AR compared to the case with PET and PP. A hypothetical mechanism is presented for the interaction of PET, LDPE, and PP with AR during co-cracking.

Liquid-Phase Selective Oxidation of Methane to Methane Oxygenates

Methane is an abundant and relatively clean fossil fuel resource; therefore, its utilization as a chemical feedstock has a major impact on the chemical industry. However, its inert nature makes direct conversion into value-added products difficult under mild conditions. Compared to the gas-phase selective oxidation of methane, there have been several recent advances in the liquid-phase conversion of methane. This review categorizes the reports on the liquid-phase selective oxidation of methane according to the solvent and oxidant used. The advantages and disadvantages of each approach are discussed. High yields of methyl bisulfate as a methanol precursor can be achieved using SO3 in sulfuric acid; however, more attention should be paid to the separation process and overall economic analysis. However, the aqueous-phase selective oxidation of methane with in situ generated H2O2 is quite promising from an environmental point of view, provided that an economical reducing agent can be used. Based on the current state-of-the-art on this topic, directions for future research are proposed.

Biological desulfurization of biogas by a controlled aeration system

The excessive demand of modern society for resources implies the need for development, propagation and use of energy sources more interesting from the environmental and economic point of view. Biogas is a potential alternative, originating from anaerobic degradation composed essentially of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and traces of other gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and moisture. To enable its use, a purification process is necessary, especially with regard to H2S, since it has characteristics that cause corrosion of equipment and toxicity to human health. This study aims to implement a biological desulfurization system for biogas generated from the anaerobic digestion of the effluent treatment system in an egg processing company. Both the monitoring of the biogas composition and the control of air injection into the system were performed automatically from a device from the manufacturer Awite, which proved to be interesting for full-scale applications. The system showed removal efficiency of up to 71.63% (June 17th) in the concentration of H2S at the exit of the biodigester when the extreme values obtained were used, and removal of 61.23% when the selected period was considered. Still, the temperature behavior was shown to influence the variable [H2S] in a directly proportional way. However, it was noticeable the restriction of the efficiency of the technique especially due to the low content of solids in the effluent and a need for adaptation in the engineering of the reactor.

Regional economic assessment of a novel place-based model for sustainable food systems

Several actions from both the environmental and human viewpoints have already been made to meet the sustainability goals targeted at food systems. Still, new place-based ideas to improve sustainability are needed. Agroecological symbiosis (AES), a novel food system model, is an example of a suggested system-level change to attain sustainability targets; it is a symbiosis of food production and processing using renewable energy that uses its own feedstock. AES has already been found advantageous from the ecological and biophysical viewpoints, but a regional economic evaluation of the model is still lacking. Thus, the aim of our paper is to assess the regional economic impact of a possible systemic change in the food system using the network of agroecological symbiosis (NAES) as an example. We applied scenarios representing different ways of moving towards envisioned NAES models in Mäntsälä, Finland, and a computable general equilibrium model to evaluate the regional economic impact. According to our results, both regional economy and employment would increase, and the regional production base would diversify with NAES implementation applied to the region, but the extent of the benefits varies between scenarios. The scenario that includes change in both public and private food demand, production of bioenergy and utilization of by-products would cause the largest impacts. However, realizing NAES requires investments that may influence the actual implementation of such models. Nonetheless, a change towards NAES can promote an economically and spatially just transition to sustainability, as NAES seems to be economically most beneficial for rural areas.

Aqueous Phase Reforming of Dairy Wastewater for Hydrogen Production: An Experimental and Energetic Assessment

The treatment of dairy industry effluents poses a significant challenge from the environmental point of view because of its high organic load. In this work, the aqueous phase reforming of lactose was investigated as a representative model compound for the production of renewable hydrogen. The tests were conducted using two different scenarios: the first one is referred to as direct aqueous phase reforming (APR); the second one proposed a pre-hydrogenation step, followed by APR. The implementation of this reactive pretreatment allowed for minimizing the solid by-product formation with respect to the direct APR, where most of the initial carbon ended up as solid residue. The pre-hydrogenation was investigated in the range of 180–220 °C, using Ru-based catalysts. In the best scenario (using 5% Ru/C), the carbon to solid was reduced by 95%, and up to 70% of the initial carbon was converted into gaseous compounds, hence contributing to the removal of the organic content of the wastewater while producing an energy carrier. Moreover, the hydrogen selectivity increased up to 70% (with respect to 2.5% for direct APR), thanks to hindering homogeneous reaction pathways that do not lead to hydrogen production. Finally, an energetic analysis was conducted to assess the possibility of coupling the APR with the dairy industry and quantifying the percentage of energy which may be produced in situ to satisfy industrial duties.

Good for Good. Designing Packaging in the Era of Deliveries

Packaging is one of the classical field for the design activities where both functional, technological and communication features are faced. Design has considered packaging as a field where mainly experiment and develop the consumption engagement and attraction. In fact, the most part of the Design effort has been focused on new shapes, new aesthetics values, new uses: in sum on the product innovation. This paper reports a didactic experience where packaging has been using to training a “systemic planet-centric” approach, merging the following aspects: from social point of view, the phenomenon of self-production and consciousness consumption; from technological point of view, the improvement of new manufacturing; from economic point of view, the phenomenon of open-sourcing and the sharing-economy; from environmental point of view, the phenomenon of the zero-impact, zero-waste and zero-resources.

Switchable Heat Pipes for Eco-Friendly Battery Cooling in Electric Vehicles: A Life Cycle Assessment

Battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) ensure that lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electric vehicles (EVs) are operated in an optimal temperature range to achieve high performance and reduce risks. A conventional BTMS operates either as an active system that uses forced air, water or immersion cooling, or as a complete passive system without any temperature control. Passive systems function without any active energy supply and are therefore economically and environmentally advantageous. However, today’s passive BTMSs have limited cooling performance, which additionally cannot be controlled. To overcome this issue, an innovative BTMS approach based on heat pipes with an integrated thermal switch, developed by the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Programmable Materials (CPM), is presented in this paper. The suggested BTMS consists of switchable heat pipes which couple a passive fin-based cold plate with the battery cells. In cold state, the battery is insulated. If the switching temperature is reached, the heat pipes start working and conduct the battery heat to the cold plate where it is dissipated. The environmental benefits of this novel BTMS approach were then analysed with a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Here, a comparison is made between the suggested passive and an active BTMS. For the passive system, significantly lower environmental impacts were observed in nearly all impact categories assessed. It was identified as a technically promising and environmentally friendly approach for battery cooling in EVs of the compact class. Furthermore, the results show that passive BTMS in general are superior from an environmental point of view, due their energy self-sufficient nature.

Assessment of chemical enhancement and energy consumption of natural gas dehydration processes

Water vapors are found in high concentrations during natural gas production and processing. Energy consumption is known to be a drawback of the glycol dehydration process. Toxic and greenhouse gas emissions are another drawback from the environmental point of view. This paper served to propose a solution to the two problems together by using an emissions stream from the regenerator distillation tower to serve as a striping gas which solved the environmental problem of emissions and helped to reduce energy consumption. Aspen HYSYS was used to model glycol dehydrating as the most widely used and economically viable technique for drying off natural gas streams. This method uses the solvent tri ethylene glycol (TEG) as the absorbent. The focus of this research is to analyze sensitivity to the modeling outcomes. Furthermore, the results suggest that the process might be enhanced and save energy consumption. The simulation used three different tri-ethylene glycol flows, stripping gas flows, and different reboiler temperatures were used in the simulation. The modeling technique was effective in decreasing the water content in the regeneration column from 75lb/MMSCF to 2.5lb/MMSCF and saving energy consumption during the dehydration of natural gas. However, the results showed that in the fourth case when the amount of triethylene glycol is equal to 665.3 kg/h, and reboiler energy is equal to 247300 kJ/h, therefore the energy consumed per kilogram of the TEG is equal to 371.7 kJ/kg which represents the lowest amount of energy consumed during solvent regeneration. However, the results suggest that using emissions as a stripping gas can increase TEG purity and boost the efficiency of the dehydration plant, which appears to be a better option in the long run. The results suggest that the demonstrated approach may help towards decarbonization and zero emission of the dehydration process.

Fertigation frequency is a useful tool for nitrate management in intensive open-field agriculture

The main source of nitrogen for most cultivated plants is nitrate. Agriculture has overused this nutrient, resulting in serious environmental problems in various parts of the world. The common practice in open intensive horticultural fields with clay-loam soils with a high water retention capacity (e.g., high percentage of clay) is to irrigate two to four times per week. Technically and logistically, this is much easier than one or more irrigation events per day. However, the loss of nutrients and water below the root zone may occur, with the consequent loss of efficiency. In this work, two cultivation cycles in an open-field endive crop were carried out under plastic soil mulching. We compared three fertigation strategies based on different frequencies of fertigation events; low fertigation frequency (LF, two to three fertigation events per week that simulates common farmer practice), medium fertigation frequency (MF, one fertigation event per day), and high fertigation frequency (HF, three fertigation events per day). The three fertigation strategies applied equal water and fertilizers doses per week. The high fertigation frequency increased volumetric water content in the upper soil profile, while the low fertigation frequency in the lower soil profile. The results demonstrated that HF fertigation increases shoot fresh weight (harvest yield) by increasing shoot water content, but did not improve shoot nutrient uptake or nitrogen nutritional status. The important finding, from the environment point of view, is that high and medium fertigation frequencies decreased nitrate concentration in the root influence zone, where it may be prone to leaching due to heavy rain events.

Analysis of independent city concept in reclamation area PIK 1 & PIK 2 based on community, government, and private sector role

Reclamation is part of spatial planning to make coastal areas more useful, as well as to increase land resources from an environmental, social and economic point of view. The development of the PIK (Pantai Indak Kapuk) 1 and 2 reclamation areas is a concept of a sustainable Independent City. The role of the community, government and private sector plays an important role in developing the region. It is also necessary to pay attention to the environmental impact caused by reclamation activities. This study uses qualitative and quantitative methods with a descriptive analysis approach by collecting data from review articles, questionnaires and using maps via satellite imagery. Through the participation of the role of the community which is divided into the general public, fishing communities, and affected communities explaining the interrelationships where the general public's perception of the most supporting parameters for independent cities is infrastructure and land use, then fishing communities have an impact on fish catches, as well as affected communities experiencing rejection resulting in a change in livelihood. The government's role in regulatory planning as a regional spatial plan includes planning processes, infrastructure, public services and a sustainable environment. The role of the private sector can be seen from the planning and development process which chooses to build supporting infrastructure such as tourist centers, shops, public transportation and other facilities. CSR programs by private parties or developers are one of the efforts to contribute positively to the environment and surrounding communities. Correlation of independent cities with land use from planning, development and development processes that reflect the commitment and role of the community, government and private sector seen in 1995, 2014, 2023 The concept of balance and independence in independent cities emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach in urban planning and management. PIK 1 & 2 reclamation areas based on independent cities based on the role of the community, government and private sector in regional development are the key to achieving sustainable development.

Energy Efficiency Policies for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Review

The importance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from economic, social, and environmental point of views and the crucial role of energy efficiency are widely recognized. However, the development of effective policies and their analysis are still challenging topics, for which research is relatively scarce. The main reasons for this are the high heterogeneity of SMEs, their low energy impact compared with energy-intensive enterprises, the lack of quantitative in-formation on the energy consumption of SMEs, and the low awareness of SMEs on energy topics. The structural paradigm change in the energy markets has underlined the importance of EE in SMEs. Several studies have been devoted to analyzing EE policies, using different methods and targets, not necessarily with a focus on SMEs or quantitative figures. This study presents a scoping review aimed at mapping the scientific literature on this topic, assessing its volume, nature, characteristics, type of evidence available, key concepts, and possible gaps. The existing contributions were systematized on three assessment levels regarding the EE policies for SMEs: general framework for their classification; comprehensive analysis of contributions providing qualitative information; in-depth analysis of evaluation studies including quantitative information. This study highlights the need for a good balance between economic and supportive mechanisms and the crucial role of energy audits. The analyzed contributions show that despite SMEs’ efforts to develop EE policies, there are still important barriers to be addressed. Moreover, there is an important lack of quantitative analyses, which are necessary for the development a harmonized policy evaluation approach. Based on a synthesis of the review findings, key learnings for the better design, implementation, and evaluation of EE policies for SMEs are provided.

Efficient management of a dehumidifier in a greenhouse under warm weather conditions

The reduction of humidity inside a greenhouse is a key factor to ensure the quality of the crop and avoid the incidence of cryptogamic diseases. The method commonly used is a combination of heating and natural ventilation, although it is very deficient from the energy and environmental points of view. In cold and humid climates the use of a heat pump dehumidifier (HPD) can reduce energy consumption. To evaluate this technology in a Mediterranean climate, an HPD was installed in a greenhouse of the Cajamar Experimental Station in Almería. The environmental humidity inside the greenhouse decreased when using the HPD. The efficiency of the HPD was related to the value of the condensation temperature of the water vapor and to the temperature and humidity of the air inside the greenhouse. In addition, it was found that the energy efficiency of the system varied according to climate. For efficient management of HPD it is essential to know the influence of climate on energy efficiency. The flow of condensed water vapor and the power consumed presented differing behaviors. Thus, the production of liquid water correlated linearly with the condensation temperature, increasing the slope of the linear relationship with the temperature of the air inside the greenhouse. However, the power consumption was correlated linearly with the air temperature. The management of the system is efficient when the air temperature is above 15.0ºC and the relative humidity is less than 90%.