Field Of Environmental Engineering Research Articles

Preface: 2022 International Conference on Biochemical Engineering and Environmentally Friendly Material (BEEFM 2022)

2022 International Conference on Biochemical Engineering and Environmentally Friendly Material (BEEFM 2022) was successfully held online from May 14 to 15, 2022 in Xi'an, China. The conference invited scholars and experts in the fields of chemistry, biology, environmental engineering and materials application from various universities and institutes, to participate in the review and guidance of this conference. The conference focuses on the latest research fields, and provides an international cooperation and exchange platform for experts, scholars and business managers in these fields.
 The aim of BEEFM 2022 is to share the research achievements, discuss the key challenges and research directions of the development, and jointly promote the industrialization cooperation and continuous innovation of international academic achievements. This collection of proceedings compiles oral and paper presentations submitted by the authors and scrutinized by the special committee. 
 Due to travel restrictions and indoor activities related to COVID-19, we were forced to move BEEFM 2022 online. Attendees were notified one month in advance that the on-site conference was changed to an online conference. The online conference was held on the video conferencing software. Because of the wide coverage of this conference and the large number of attendees, we divided the conference into main session and sub-sessions. The opening ceremony was held in the main session and a speech was delivered by the invited speaker. After the main session, we divided the participants into three sub-sessions. Each author spoke for about 15-20 minutes on detailed material in the slides, with the same amount of time set aside for questions and discussion. The format of questioning and discussion was that after each author's introduction, the conference chairman and committee members asked and answered questions. At least one attendee could ask questions that will be answered by the speaker.
 BEEFM 2022 had brought together many excellent works, latest ideas and concepts. New ideas have been provided in the fields of chemistry, biology, environmental engineering and materials application. Look forward to meeting again next year.
 BEEFM 2022 Conference Scientific Committees
 Xi'an, China

Development of a load frame for neutron diffraction and fluorescent thermometry at cryogenic temperature.

Over the years, rapidly rising interest in the mechanical properties of various materials at low temperatures has been simulated because of the growing cryogenic applications in modern engineering fields of space technology, environmental engineering, and superconductivity engineering. Realizing in situ measurement of the internal strain and the full-field strain and the temperature distribution of related materials in a cryogenic loading environment is a significant requirement for safety assessment and related research of some new large science facility projects. Here, we present a novel cryogenic load frame, which is suitable for neutron scattering measurements of internal stress at the temperature range of 6-300K. The loading capacity is 2500 N, and the slowest loading speed is 0.001 mm/s. By replacing the vacuum chamber sealing plate with a K9 glass window, the in situ digital image correlation strain measurement can be realized. Furthermore, fluorescence thermometry has also been investigated during a heating and cooling process without deformation. Using the present design, some typical results of the 316LN stainless steel and the YBCO tape at low temperatures were introduced.

A size-structured model describing flocculation of unicellular algae

Flocculation is a chemically-based microorganisms separation technology, which is widely used in the field of environmental engineering. The size of algae cell has a significant effect on photosynthesis and flocculation. In view of this, a size-structured model describing flocculation of unicellular algae is constructed for the first time in this paper. In Section 2, the model is introduced and then transformed into a dimensionless form. In Section 3, the well-posedness of the solutions of the model is demonstrated through the use of the theory of integral semigroups. In Section 4, the existence of the steady states of the model is analysed. It is proved that, when the threshold parameter R0>1, there is at least one positive steady state; when the threshold parameter V0<1, there is no positive steady state. Furthermore, the sufficient conditions are obtained for local and global stability of the boundary steady state. In Sections 5 and 6, some numerical examples are given, which show the existence of the interesting phenomenon of backward bifurcation when R0<1<V0.

Evaluation of the Effect of Average Annual Temperatures in Slovakia between 1971 and 2020 on Stresses in Rigid Pavements

The scientific community in Central Europe often discusses the extent to which temperature changes over the last two decades have contributed to changing the stresses induced in structures. In the field of road and environmental engineering, this question is especially pertinent for pavements. The pavement structure must first be defined methodologically by identifying and defining the types of parameters that change with time. Additionally, it is important to identify the areas of Central Europe that are most affected by climate change. The most important parameters must be described statistically for these areas. Slovakia is one of the countries that may be able to contribute to the solution of this issue due to its location in the middle of Europe. This paper provides a statistical analysis for the period from 1971 to 2020 in Slovakia. A concrete pavement, which is the most commonly used type of pavement, must be used as an example to numerical assess the situation. The conclusions and discussion in this scientific field are directed towards the evaluation of the measurement results in the context of the designed pavement composition and the calculations using the different methods specified in the standards.

Preface

The IConCEES2021, our 6th International Conference on Civil and Environmental Engineering for Sustainability was held successfully on 15th and 16th November 2021. Due to growing health concerns and travel restrictions imposed following the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference was held virtually. The theme of this symposium is “Realising Sustainable Development Goals Through Engineering” which is in line with global sustainable development goals.This biannual event was organized by Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, aims to gather international delegates from both the academia and the industry for sharing and exchange of current knowledge, ideas and trends in the fields of civil and environmental engineering to mobilise actions towards achieving sustainable development goals. IConCEES2021 reaches the major area in Civil Engineering including structural and material, water and environmental, building and construction, infrastructure and geomatic and architectural and design.The location of organizer is Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. There are 120 participants attending the conference in the opening ceremony and plenary sessions. They are from Malaysia, Australia, France, Indonesia, Jordan, Philippines, and Uganda. In this conference, three keynote speakers were invited, Prof Dr Magda Sibley from Cardiff University, Wales, Prof Dr Roslan Zainal Abidin from Elite International College, Malaysia and Associate Prof Ts. Dr Aeslina Abdul Kadir from Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. Presentations during the IConCEES2021 technical sessions were conducted virtually using Zoom/Google Meet. There were 5 sub-sessions during the conference namely Architectural and Design Engineering, Building and Construction Engineering, Infrastructure and Geomatic Engineering, Structural and Material Engineering, and Water and Environmental Engineering. Each presenter was allocated a slot to present their paper orally during the technical sessions. Presenters presented their paper live during the IConCEES 2021 online technical sessions. The time given for each oral presentation was a maximum of eight (8) minutes. The question and answer (Q & A) session was conducted immediately after each presentation. A maximum of five (5) minutes was allocated for each Q & A session. All updated news and photos taken during the conference can be found at https://intl-conference.com/iconcees2021/.

Tailoring micro/nano-fibers for biomedical applications.

Nano/micro fibers have evoked much attention of scientists and have been researched as cutting edge and hotspot in the area of fiber science in recent years due to the rapid development of various advanced manufacturing technologies, and the appearance of fascinating and special functions and properties, such as the enhanced mechanical strength, high surface area to volume ratio and special functionalities shown in the surface, triggered by the nano or micro-scale dimensions. In addition, these outstanding and special characteristics of the nano/micro fibers impart fiber-based materials with wide applications, such as environmental engineering, electronic and biomedical fields. This review mainly focuses on the recent development in the various nano/micro fibers fabrication strategies and corresponding applications in the biomedical fields, including tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery, wound healing, and biosensors. Moreover, the challenges for the fabrications and applications and future perspectives are presented.

Contributions of Open Biomass Burning and Crop Straw Burning to Air Quality: Current Research Paradigm and Future Outlooks

Since open biomass burning (OBB) and open crop straw burning (OCSB) could pose a great risk to human health via altering the air quality, these practices have grabbed considerable attention from the scientific community and policymakers in recent years. In order to have a greater and deeper understanding of the contributions of both OBB and OCSB on air quality, a bibliometric analysis was performed using the Web of Science core collection to understand the research developments and future perspectives of these issues between 1991 and 2021. VOSviewer software 1.6.15 and R version 4.0.3 were employed to determine the annual scientific production trend and the role of countries, institutions, authors, and journal metrics network analysis. The findings showed that the interest in the study of OBB and OCSB pollution related to air quality has increased significantly over the last decade. A total of 1,021 publications were retrieved, with English as the most preferably used language. Among all documents, research articles were the most commonly appearing document type, and the researchers mainly emphasized environmental science, meteorology, atmospheric sciences, energy fuels, and environmental engineering fields. In terms of article analysis, Atmospheric Chemistry Physics, followed by Atmospheric Environment, was found to be the leading journal in this research domain, whereas the most frequently utilized keywords in the documents were biomass, biomass burning, and PM2.5. In terms of countries, the United States emerged as the leader with the highest publication rate, followed by China and India. The Chinese Academy of Sciences was ranked first in the list of most productive institutions, followed by the University of Montana and the US Forest Service. Based on the analysis, the finer spatial and temporal resolution and the characterization and understanding of the complex processes that are occurring in the atmosphere, such as clustering, oxidation, surface chemistry, and their impact on air quality, need to be explored in depth. Our research analysis can provide a baseline for future studies in air quality.

Coupling Removal of P-Chloronitrobenzene and Its Reduction Products by Nano Iron Doped with Ni and FeOOH (nFe/Ni-FeOOH).

The removal of chlorinated pollutants from water by nanoparticles is a hot topic in the field of environmental engineering. In this work, a novel technique that includes the coupling effect of n-Fe/Ni and its transformation products (FeOOH) on the removal of p-chloronitrobenzene (p-CNB) and its reduction products, p-chloroaniline (p-CAN) and aniline (AN), were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to characterize the nano-iron before and after the reaction. The results show that Fe0 is mainly oxidized into lath-like lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) and needle-like goethite (α-FeOOH) after 8 h of reaction. The coupling removal process and the mechanism are as follows: Fe0 provides electrons to reduce p-CNB to p-CAN and then dechlorinates p-CAN to AN under the catalysis of Ni. Meanwhile, Fe0 is oxidized to FeOOH by the dissolved oxygen and H2O. AN is then adsorbed by FeOOH. Finally, p-CNB, p-CAN, and AN were completely removed from the water. In the pH range between 3 and 7, p-CAN can be completely dechlorinated by n-Fe/Ni within 20 min, while AN can be nearly 100% adsorbed by FeOOH within 36 h. When the temperature ranges from 15 °C to 35 °C, the dechlorination rate of p-CAN and the removal rate of AN are less affected by temperature. This study provides guidance on the thorough remediation of water bodies polluted by chlorinated organics.

Recent Advances in Microbial Synthesis of Poly-γ-Glutamic Acid: A Review.

Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a natural, safe, non-immunogenic, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly glutamic biopolymer. γ-PGA has been regarded as a promising bio-based materials in the food field, medical field, even in environmental engineering field, and other industrial fields. Microbial synthesis is an economical and effective way to synthesize γ-PGA. Bacillus species are the most widely studied producing strains. γ-PGA biosynthesis involves metabolic pathway of racemization, polymerization, transfer, and catabolism. Although microbial synthesis of γ-PGA has already been used extensively, productivity and yield remain the major constraints for its industrial application. Metabolic regulation is an attempt to solve the above bottleneck problems and meet the demands of commercialization. Therefore, it is important to understand critical factors that influence γ-PGA microbial synthesis in depth. This review focuses on production strains, biosynthetic pathway, and metabolic regulation. Moreover, it systematically summarizes the functional properties, purification procedure, and industrial application of γ-PGA.

Numerical Investigation of Tip Clearance Effects on the Performance and Flow Pattern Within a Sewage Pump

Abstract Sewage pumps are one of the most popular types of fluid machinery in municipal, industrial, and environmental engineering and many other fields. The influence of tip clearance size on the pump performance and internal flow field distribution within a sewage pump was investigated in this study based on numerical calculation and test verification. Three models with different tip clearances were obtained by adjusting the assembly structure and simulated by the computational fluid dynamics software to solve the Navier–Stokes equations for three-dimensional steady flow. The accuracy of numerical methods was verified by comparison with the experimental results. The sewage pump performance under different tip clearances was then compared and analyzed. The structure and propagation of the vortices inside the impeller caused by the leakage flow with different tip gaps were also analyzed. The leakage flow in the impeller couples with the cover reflection and secondary flows, forming different vortex structures in various locations of the impeller channel. These vortex structures cause large hydraulic losses near the blade suction surfaces. This finding could provide useful insights for the improvement of the hydraulic performance and operational stability of semi-open sewage pumps.

Dual Effect of Acetic Acid Efficiently Enhances Sludge-Based Biochar to Recover Uranium From Aqueous Solution.

Excess sludge (ES) treatment and that related to the uranium recovery from uranium-containing wastewater (UCW) are two hot topics in the field of environmental engineering. Sludge-based biochar (SBB) prepared from ES was used to recover uranium from UCW. Excellent effects were achieved when SBB was modified by acetic acid. Compared with SBB, acetic acid-modified SBB (ASBB) has shown three characteristics deserving interest: 1) high sorption efficiency, in which the sorption ratio of U(VI) was increased by as high as 35.0%; 2) fast sorption rate, as the equilibrium could be achieved within 5.0 min; 3) satisfied sorption/desorption behavior; as a matter of fact, the sorption rate of U(VI) could still be maintained at 93.0% during the test cycles. In addition, based on the test conditions and various characterization results, it emerged as a dual effect of acetic acid on the surface of SBB, i.e., to increase the porosity and add (−COOH) groups. It was revealed that U(VI) and −COO− combined in the surface aperture of ASBB via single-dentate coordination. Altogether, a new utilization mode for SBB is here proposed, as a means of efficient uranium sorption from UCW.

Application of immobilized microorganism technology in water environment treatment

With the rapid development of social economy, more and more industrial wastewater is produced, and microorganisms play an important role in wastewater treatment.In recent years, with its unique advantages, immobilized microbial technology has become more and more popular in the field of environmental engineering, and has been widely used in the treatment of environmental pollutants.This paper summarizes the main applications of immobilized microbial technology in environmental engineering, analyzes a series of existing problems and gives corresponding countermeasures, in order to provide reference for the further application and development of this technology in the field of environmental engineering.

Preface

2021 International Conference on Environmental Engineering and Energy (ICEEE 2021) was held online in Wuhan, China, on November 20, 2021. ICEEE 2021 is co-sponsored by Modern International Green Culture Communication Association (MIGCCA), and the conference proceeding is published by IOP Publishing. ICEEE 2021 provides an excellent international forum for sharing knowledge and results in theory, methodology and applications of environmental engineering and energy. The conference looks for significant contributions to all major fields of environmental engineering and energy in theoretical and application aspects. The aim of the conference is to provide a platform to the global researchers and practitioners from both academia as well as industry to meet and share cutting-edge development in the fields.The ICEEE 2021 proceedings tend to collect the up-to-date, comprehensive and worldwide state-of-art knowledge on environmental engineering and energy. All of accepted papers were subjected to strict peer-reviewing by 2–5 expert reviewers. The papers have been selected for this volume because of quality and the relevance to the conference. We hope this book will not only provide the readers a broad overview of the latest research results, but also provide the readers a valuable summary and reference in these fields.COVID-19 cases were found in difference provinces, which were cluster of infection. In order to avoid virus’ spreading, the organiser switched the conference to a virtual one. It was held online on November 20, 2021 via Tencent Meeting. The virtual conference consisted of Opening Speech (10 mins), Keynote Speeches (40 mins presentation + 10 mins Q&A), and Oral Presentation (15-20 mins presentation + 10 mins Q&A) and Concluding Remarks (5 mins). The number of attendees are more than expectation. ICEEE 2021 Organizing Committee List of Committee Members are available in the pdf.

PREFACE

The 13th International Scientific Conference of Civil and Environmental Engineering for the PhD. students and young scientists below 35 years - Young Scientists 2021 (YS21) under auspices of- assoc. prof. Peter Mésároš, the dean of the Civil Engineering Faculty of the Technical University of Košice,- Ing. Andrej Doležal, the Minister of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republic,- Mgr. Branislav Gröhling, the Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, and- Ján Budaj, the Minister of Environment of the Slovak Republic,was held in Štrbské Pleso, the High Tatras, Slovakia on 13th - 15th October 2021. The traditional meeting of PhD. students, their supervisors and young scientists working in the field of civil and environmental engineering was organised by the Faculty of Civil Engineering, the Technical University of Košice, Slovakia.The Young Scientist 2021 offered an international platform for the dissemination of the original research results. It provides a pleasant environment to present a new, great ideas of young researchers and discovered advances in the field of civil and environmental engineering and related interdisciplinary topics. The conference provided an opportunity for PhD. students and young researchers to discussed scientific topics and research results, to share their knowledge and experiences, to collaborate in innovative designs and proposals.List of Editors, Committees, Review Statement are available in this pdf.

Progress and prospect of anodic oxidation for the remediation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water and wastewater using diamond electrodes

Although diamond electrodes are widely used in the field of electroanalysis and sensing, their application in the field of environmental engineering has yet to be fully realized. Many research studies have considered their potential application in water and wastewater treatment, where the in-situ electrochemical process can avoid the need for chemical additives by facilitating the oxidation of pollutants on the electrode surface or mediated by electrochemically synthesized oxidants in solution. Diamond-based electro-oxidation can effectively treat a number of organic micropollutants and is now being evaluated for the abatement of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which pose health concerns and are ubiquitous recalcitrant environmental contaminants. To move implementation of diamond-based electro-oxidation forward, the integration of modifications and codopants to yield more advanced electrode materials needs to be further developed and understood. The progress and current strategies associated with diamond electrode modifications for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances abatement as well as future considerations are discussed.

What competencies do environmental health graduates need to manage social determinants of health?

BackgroundGraduates of environmental health engineering should be able to manage Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and acquire the essential competencies during their studies at university. This study was performed to determine the expected competencies of environmental health graduates in a way to be able to manage environmental and Social Determinants of Health according to their job description.MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study was performed using Delphi technique. First, the literature review was done and the Delphi technique was performed in three rounds. The purposeful sampling was used and 50 people were selected among the specialists in the field of environmental health engineering and SDH. Participants answered an open-ended question, for the first round. Then, a questionnaire with 8 areas was designed based on the results of the first round and distributed for the second round. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics. The third round was done to reach the agreement on final items.ResultsThe agreement on the items of the third round of Delphi was more than 70%. The final results showed eight competency areas under which 29 competencies were defined. Competency areas included expert knowledge, reasoning and planning, advocacy, system-based practice, professionalism, instructional expertise, social and personal skills and, research and self-development. The first three priorities of the required competency areas were expert knowledge (4.46 ± 0.55), professionalism (4.42 ± 0.64), and advocacy (4.32 ± 0.77).ConclusionsIt is necessary that environmental health engineers achieve necessary competencies regarding managing SDH, upon their graduation. It is suggested to integrate these competencies into the curriculum of environmental and health engineering in Iran universities.

International Conference on Civil and Environmental Engineering (CENVIRON2021)

9 December 2021 (Online conference) Editors:Zul-Atfi Ismail, Fahmi Muhammad Ridwan, Che Zulzikrami Azner Abidin, Nur Soleha Abdul Rahim, Noor Ainee Zainol, Nurfadzillah Ishak Organiser:Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Perlis, Malaysia PREFACE International Conference on Civil and Environmental Engineering (CENVIRON2021) is the fourth CENVIRON conducted since the first conference in 2017. The initial purpose of the conference is to gather researchers, academia and industries in a platform to exchange views, share ideas and discuss current researches in the field of civil and environmental engineering. This include current research and development especially in the advancement of various scope related fundamentals and applications. This conference is expected to spur a fruitful debate and discussion, scientifically bring fresh ideas and at the same time, create a networking opportunity and strong collaboration between the participants.Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, unfortunately, we have reached an agreement to opt for a virtual conference instead of the planned physical conference in the metropolitan city of Penang, Malaysia. Since the pandemic in Malaysia is still unstable and shows no sign of settling soon, and no mass gathering is allowed, this would be the best choice as to put everyone’s health a priority. Despite that, our team has managed to meet regularly via face to face discussions and virtual meetings, in order to ensure the quality of the conference and manuscript is not compromised.The conference was officiated on 9th December 2021 by the UniMAP’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Zaliman Sauli at Auditorium of UniMAP Chancellory Building with minimal physical attendees among the conference organizing committee member to allow for social distancing, and with more than 60 attendees following through Google meet platform. The opening ceremony was broadcasted live via UniMAP’s official Facebook page.Two esteemed keynote speakers were invited for the plenary sessions, i.e., Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Zaini Ujang (Secretary General, Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water Malaysia) and the Dato’ Ir. Haji Mohamad Zulkefly Sulaiman (Director General, Public Work Department Malaysia).The online parallel sessions were successfully organised at Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Library, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) using Google Meet platform. Researchers, academicians and students are among the viewers of the virtual conference. The parallel sessions were conducted according to the theme of publication. Details of the presentation schedule were included in the upcoming section. Each parallel session was chaired by an academician in the related field of Civil and Environmental Engineering to ensure smooth and lively discussions. Each session took about 15 minutes of presentation and 5 minutes of Q&A. Overall, 70 papers were accepted for CENVIRON2021 after rigorous peer review process.In summary, the success of the conference is a team effort. I am grateful to all the committee members who worked very hard to make this event a successful one. We would also like to thank all the authors who submitted their papers to the conference, and the reviewers who contributed to the review process, ensuring quality publication of the conference proceedings. We hope that you will find this conference thought provoking and engrossing and that you had a valuable experience sharing ideas with others at this conference.On behalf of the Organizing Committee,Ir. Dr. Mohd Zulham Affandi Mohd Zahid,CENVIRON2021 ChairmanList of Keynote Speakers are available in this pdf.

Preface

3rd International Conference “Advances in Environmental Engineering” (AEE 2021) organised by Faculty of Mining and Geology of the VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic and Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Technical University of Košice, Slovak republic, was held in November 25-26, 2021 online.This year the conference offered an virtual platform for the dissemination of original research results, new ideas and discovered advances in the field of environmental engineering and related interdisciplinary topics.List of Preface, Sponsors, Editors, Scientific Committee, Organising Guarantees, Review Statement, List Of Reviewers are available in this pdf.

AWWA Water Science Author Spotlight

AWWA Water Science Author Spotlight

Preface

Preface