Green Phase Research Articles

Green and efficient magnetic micro-solid phase extraction utilizing tea waste impregnated with magnetic nanoparticles for the analysis of ibuprofen in water samples by using UV-vis spectrophotometry.

A green method based on magnetic micro-solid phase extraction (MNP-TW-μ-SPE) of tea waste impregnated with magnetic nanoparticles (MNP-TW) was developed for the extraction of ibuprofen (IBP) in water samples prior to UV-Vis spectrophotometric analysis. Experimenting parameters that affect the extraction efficiency of IBP, such as pH of the sample solution, sorbent dosage, extraction time, ionic strength, volume of the sample, type of desorption solvent, desorption time, and desorption volume, were studied and optimized in detail. The characterization studies for the MNP-TW were carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction spectrometry (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Under the optimum conditions, the linearity ranges from 30 to 700 μg L-1 for IBP, with determination coefficients (R2) of 0.9983. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 9.40 μg L-1 and 28.50 μg L-1, respectively. The method also demonstrated good precision in reproducibility (RSD ≤ 1.53%), repeatability (RSD ≤ 1.48%), and recovery (86-115%). This method represents the advantages of low solvent consumption, flexibility, and better sensitivity compared to other studies employing spectrophotometric analysis. The usage of tea waste in the extraction process presents many advantages, as it is biodegradable, versatile, and contributes to an intelligent and sustainable economic strategy projected toward a circular economy approach.

MoS2 nanosheets coupled on Ti3C2Tx prepared by molten salt etching for enhancing lithium storage performance

Synthesis of MoS2/Ti3C2Tx nanocomposites through the implementation of a green phase engineering strategy. The incorporation of Ti3C2Tx substrate into the composite improves structural stability, reduces the energy barrier for Li+ diffusion, and enhances electron transfer.

Analysis of the Capacity of Intersections with Fixed-time Signalling Depending on the Duration of the Green Phase for Pedestrians

Analysis of the Capacity of Intersections with Fixed-time Signalling Depending on the Duration of the Green Phase for Pedestrians

Investigation into the degradation of air and runoff pollutants using nano g-C3N4 photocatalytic road surfaces

Exhaust emissions and road runoff pollution pose significant environmental challenges, leading to severe air pollution and irreversible soil damage, respectively. The adoption of self-cleaning road surfaces with photocatalytic properties has emerged as an effective approach to combat both types of pollution. Currently, nano titanium dioxide (TiO2) stands as the most widely used semiconductor for photocatalytic pavements. However, its limited light/radiation utilization remains a concern. To address this, the present study focuses on the use of the green nanomaterial graphene-like phase carbon nitride (g-C3N4), which has a smaller band gap to improve its light utilization. Comprehensive characterizations were performed to elucidate its physical/chemical properties. Subsequently, photocatalytic road coatings with various active substance contents were prepared by incorporating g-C3N4 into epoxy resin, and the functional pavement's performances were evaluated. A laboratory assessing method for the degradation of runoff pollution and NO contaminant was devised, enabling the evaluation of the redox capacity of semiconductive photocatalysts. Experimental results demonstrate that the nano g-C3N4 photocatalytic coating exhibits significant enhancement in degradation efficiency for a typical water pollutant, methylene blue (MB), being 2.76 times that of the nano TiO2 photocatalytic coating. Additionally, its ability to degrade NO gaseous contaminant under visible-light irradiation is 7 times more than the control sample of TiO2 coating. Moreover, the photocatalytic coating has good anti-slip property and long-term performance. Thus, nano g-C3N4 proves to be a more suitable semiconductor material for self-cleaning road surfaces, holding tremendous potential to mitigate diverse pollution arising from transportation under natural light conditions.

Recent Progress on Green New Phase Extraction and Preparation of Polyphenols in Edible Oil.

With the proposal of replacing toxic solvents with non-toxic solvents in the concept of green chemistry, the development and utilization of new green extraction techniques have become a research hotspot. Phenolic compounds in edible oils have good antioxidant activity, but due to their low content and complex matrix, it is difficult to achieve a high extraction rate in a green and efficient way. This paper reviews the current research status of novel extraction materials in solid-phase extraction, including carbon nanotubes, graphene and metal-organic frameworks, as well as the application of green chemical materials in liquid-phase extraction, including deep eutectic solvents, ionic liquids, supercritical fluids and supramolecular solvents. The aim is to provide a more specific reference for realizing the green and efficient extraction of polyphenolic compounds from edible oils, as well as another possibility for the future research trend of green extraction technology.

Using Mixed Methods to Identify Evaluation Indicators for Green Railway Transportation Operations in China

The transition of China’s railways from aggressive expansion to sustainable development has sparked widespread discussions on green railways. Previous studies have primarily focused on the fundamental aspects of green rail design and construction. However, the green operation phase, one of the most critical stages in the entire lifecycle of railways, has been overlooked. This study used a mixed-method approach, combining systematic review and qualitative analysis, to identify significant environmental, economic, and social evaluation indicators for green railway transportation operations. Through an examination of 123 articles and interviews with four professors in academia, two Planning and Design Institute technicians, one government staff, and one railway practitioner, this study identified 17 key indicators associated with green operations in railways. The results showed that previous studies in the environmental aspect primarily focused on noise pollution, water pollution, solid waste, ecological conservation, and the use of construction materials. In the social part, the main concern is social equality. Green railway operations have the potential to impact social equity through the movement of people and goods, which makes accessibility a preferable evaluation measure. Regarding economic indicators, the influencing factors are more complex (such as regional GDP per capita), making it difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of green railway operations directly. We suggest the inclusion of more economic-related indicators that directly correlate with green operations in railways.

Green chromatographic methods for determination of co-formulated lidocaine hydrochloride and miconazole nitrate along with an endocrine disruptor preservative and potential impurity

Recently, green analytical chemistry (GAC) is a key issue towards the idea of sustainability, the analytical community is focused on developing analytical methods that incorporate green chemistry principles to minimize adverse impacts on the environment and humans. Herein, we present 2 sustainable, selective, and validated chromatographic methods. Initially, lidocaine hydrochloride (LDC) and miconazole nitrate (MIC) with two preservatives; methyl paraben (MTP) and saccharin sodium (SAC) were chromatographed via TLC–densitometric method which employed ethyl acetate: methanol: formic acid (9:1:0.1, by volume) as the mobile phase with UV detection at 220.0 nm, good correlation was obtained in the range of 0.3–3.0 µg/band for MIC and LDC. Following that, RP-HPLC was successfully applied for separating quinary mixture of LDC, MIC, MTP, SAC along with LDC impurity; dimethyl aniline (DMA) using C18 column, and a gradient green mobile phase composed of methanol and phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) in different ratios with a flow rate 1.5 mL/min and UV detection at 210.0 nm, linearity ranges from 1.00 to 100.00 µg/mL for MIC, 2.00–100.00 µg/mL for LDC and 1.00–-20.00 µg/mL for MTP and DMA. No records to date regarding the determination of the two drugs, besides MTP and DMA. The proposed methods were validated according to the ICH guidelines and applied successfully to the analysis of the compounds. The methods' results were statistically compared to those obtained by applying the reported one, indicating no significant difference regarding both accuracy and precision. The methods' greenness profiles have been assessed and compared with those of the reported method using different assessment tools.Graphical

Adaptive evaluation for agricultural sustainability of different fertilizer management options for a green manure-maize rotation system: Impacts on crop yield, soil biochemical properties and organic carbon fractions

Green manure planting can reduce the intensity of soil use, while improving farmland productivity in double-cropping systems. However, only few studies have focused on the impacts of green manure application under different fertilization management options on succeeding crop yield and soil organic carbon (SOC) process. A three-year field experiment was conducted with a winter smooth vetch-summer maize cropping system to evaluate the effects of green manure with different chemical fertilizers on soil physiochemical properties, SOC fraction, enzyme activities and maize yield. Total eight treatments were compared including different combinations of green manure and chemical fertilizers (i.e., nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers) in the smooth vetch phase and maize phase. The results showed that compared to the control, green manure incorporation increased the soil moisture, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, basal respiration, SOC and its labile fractions, and enzyme activities, especially for the treatments of green manure with fertilization. However, the soil pH and bulk density decreased due to green manure application. Maize yield increased 34 %–53 % after green manure application, and was found to be significantly and positively correlated with soil carbon process (P < 0.05). Moreover, SOC and its labile fractions, and total nitrogen were observed as the main drivers of the maize yield. Variation partition analysis demonstrated that soil biochemical properties and their interaction with green manure by fertilization caused variations in SOC fractions. Further, structural equation models indicated that both balanced fertilization practices had positive effects on maize yield and soil carbon process via changes in SOC fractions and C cycling-related enzyme activities, respectively. In addition, the amount balance of chemical fertilizer positively impacted the soil carbon process by regulating SOC fractions through enzyme activities. These findings provide important guidance for applying optimal fertilization management in the green manure phase to improve succeeding crop yield and soil quality as well as to mitigate the adverse impacts of chemical fertilizers. The study will be equally illuminating for other green manure-crop rotation systems.

Optimization of vortex-assisted hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvent-based dispersive liquid phase microextraction for quantification of niclosamide in real samples.

In this manuscript, a green and fast vortex-assisted hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvent-based dispersive liquid phase microextraction (VA-HMDES-DLPME) method was developed for the selective extraction and determination of niclosamide in read samples, including rice, medicine tablets, and water samples. Here, hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvents were used as the extracting solvent without requiring any centrifugation step. In the light of preliminary experiments, important parameters, such as volume of extraction solvent, pH, acetonitrile volume and vortex time, affecting the extraction efficiency of niclosamide were optimized using a Box-Behnken design. The linear dynamic range (0.25-120 µg/L), the limit of detection (0.08 µg/L), the limit of quantitation (0.25 µg/L), preconcentration factor (180), and enrichment factor (130) of the method were determined using optimized data. In particular, the validation parameters of the optimized VA-HMDES-DLPME, including robustness, matrix effect accuracy, and precision, were investigated. In addition to this, intra- and inter-day precisions were determined as≤3.5 % and≤4.1%, respectively. Finally, the optimized method was successfully used for the extraction of niclosamide in the selected samples prior to spectrophotometric analysis.

Can green finance effectively mitigate PM2.5 pollution? What role will green technological innovation play?

This study employs panel data encompassing a time frame from 2012 to 2020, collected from 30 provinces in China. By employing a geographic Durbin model and introducing green technological innovation as an intermediary variable, the study explores the relationship between green funds and PM2.5 levels on a spatial scale. The research takes a spatial perspective to explore the links between green finance and PM2.5 emissions, with a specific focus on the intermediary role played by green technology innovation. The findings offer comprehensive insights into enhancing air quality in China, promoting the country's transition towards sustainability, improving the overall human living environment, and generating novel ideas for tackling air pollution challenges. The findings of this study are as follows: (1) The progress of green finance proves to be an effective means of reducing local PM2.5 emissions. Additionally, it generates spillover effects on neighboring regions, promoting the growth of green finance and consequently leading to a decrease in PM2.5 emissions in adjacent areas. (2) In the study exploring the relationship between green financing and PM2.5, green technological innovation plays a crucial mediating role. By efficiently allocating financial resources during China's pivotal green revolution phase, green finance offers funding support to enterprises for the advancement of green technology. This, in turn, contributes to the reduction of PM2.5 emissions. As a consequence, this leads to a decline in energy consumption, pollution emissions, and PM2.5 levels. Additionally, with the continuous improvement in green technological innovation, the reverse effect between green finance and PM2.5 is becoming stronger and stronger. (3) The relationship between the two has obvious regional heterogeneity between the north and south regions of China.

Energy storage and key derives of octadecane thermal stability during phase change assembly with animal manure-derived biochar

The design of eco-friendly and renewable energy infrastructure is highly desirable to advance the global energy landscape. Phase-change materials (PCMs) are used to mitigate intermittency issues and reversibly store high densities of thermal energy in the form of heat during the phase transition process and provide ample potential for the advancement of renewable energy infrastructure. However, the leakage and low thermal stability of pristine PCMs along with the complicated synthesis strategies and environmental issues of the supporting materials cause significant drawbacks, thereby requiring a sustainable confining agent. In this study, a green phase change composite was developed using biowaste-derived biochar and octadecane via a vacuum impregnation strategy. The structural, morphological, thermal, and shape stabilities, as well as the chemical compatibilities of both the composite components and the octadecane-biochar composite, were investigated. The supporting biochar provides sufficient physical and thermal support besides high encapsulating capacity due to high specific surface area (135.2 m2 g−1) and predominant mesoporous proportion (86%). The results displayed that the composite material revealed a high leakage-proof capability (above the melting point of pure octadecane) with a low leakage rate (<12.5%) for a long heating time, excellent thermal stability, and high latent heat retention (89.5%) after 1000 heating–cooling cycles. The fabricated composite attained satisfactory phase change enthalpy storage, which was 130% and 168.9% higher than that of rice-husk-paraffin and garlic peel-derived carbon-paraffin, respectively, indicating promising thermal management performance. This study opens avenues for the development of green composite materials and renewable energy storage and conversion, which will play a significant role in various sectors such as building energy-saving and heat recovery systems.

Eco-Friendly High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography Method for the Determination of Tenoxicam in Commercial Formulations.

There is a dearth of information in the literature regarding environmentally benign high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) methods to determine tenoxicam (TNX). Therefore, designing and validating an HPTLC method to detect TNX in commercial tablets and capsules was the goal of this investigation. The green mobile phase utilized was the combination of ethanol/water/ammonia solution (50:45:5 v/v/v). The TNX was quantified at a wavelength of 375 nm. The proposed method's greenness profile was established using the Analytical GREEnness (AGREE) approach. The proposed methodology for determining TNX was linear in the range of 25-1400 ng/band. The proposed methodology for measuring TNX was accurate (% recoveries = 98.24-101.48), precise (% RSD = 0.87-1.02), robust (% RSD = 0.87-0.94), sensitive (LOD = 0.98 ng/band and LOQ = 2.94 ng/band), and environmentally friendly. The AGREE scale for the present methodology was derived to be 0.75, indicating an outstanding greenness profile. TNX was found to be highly stable under acidic, base, and thermal stress conditions. However, it completely decomposed under oxidative stress conditions. Commercial tablets and capsules were found to have 98.46 and 101.24% TNX, respectively. This finding supports the validity of the current methodology for measuring TNX in commercial formulations. The outcomes of this work showed that the proposed eco-friendly HPTLC methodology can be used for the routine analysis of TNX in commercial formulations.

Use of green analysis methods to determine the ionization constant values of isoxazolyl penicillins

In this study, an environmentally friendly analysis of penicillinase-resistant antibiotics oxacillin, dicloxacillin, and cloxacillin was carried out by liquid chromatography methods using ethanol solvent that is not harmful to human health and the environment. Ionization constant (wwpKa) values of isoxazolyl penicillins in ethanol–water binary mixtures containing 20–35% (v/v) ethanol at 37 °C were obtained by green reverse phase liquid chromatography and micellar liquid chromatography methods known as green chromatography. The developed methods are based on a model that relates the chromatographic behavior of the identified analytes to pH. The linear relationship between the microscopic solvatochromic parameter ETN and the retention values of the compounds was determined depending on the change of organic solvent in the mobile phase. Using the obtained chromatographic data, conditions that ensure the simultaneous separation of the compounds for both methods were determined. The relationship between the calculated sspKa values and the macroscopic properties of ethanol was investigated. The agreement between the pKa (wwpKa) values in the water medium determined by this approach was determined by t-test at a 95% confidence level for both methods. The wwpKa values of the compounds at 25 °C were also estimated using Abraham solute parameters without any experimental work.

Glycerol-Based Green RP-HPLC Method for Simultaneous Determination of Methionine and Paracetamol in Pharmaceutical Tablets

Methionine and paracetamol are combined in dosage forms due to the ability of methionine to compensate the deficiency in glutathione in hepatic patients. In this work, an innovative simple time-saving green RP-HPLC method using glycerol as a solely green mobile phase with water for the first time was developed for the simultaneous determination of methionine and paracetamol in their standard and in Hepamol® tablets. The chromatographic conditions were optimized using factorial design with the aid of Minitab 17® Software. The method was performed on a C18 column at 38 °C, and a mobile phase consisting of glycerol and phosphate buffer (pH 2.4) (40:60, v/v), using diode array detector at 210 nm. The mixture was separated in 5 min. The developed method was validated in accordance with ICH requirement over linearity ranges of 10–90 μg/mL for both drugs, and LODs were 3.33 μg/mL for both methionine and paracetamol. Glycerol has high safety, low UV cut-off point, low flammability, and its viscosity can be manipulated when diluted with water. The procedure was compared to the reported reversed phase liquid chromatography method in the terms of their greenness with the green analytical procedure index and the analytical eco-scale. This work breaks new ground for scientists to use glycerol in greener RP-HPLC applications.

Low-frequency orbital variations controlled climatic and environmental cycles, amplitudes, and trends in northeast Africa during the Plio-Pleistocene

The eastern Mediterranean sapropels, paced by insolation, provide a unique archive of African monsoon strength over the Late Neogene. However, the longer-term climate of this region lacks characterization within the context of changes in ice volume, sea surface temperature gradients, and terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we examine C28n-alkanoic acid leaf wax hydrogen and carbon isotopes in sapropels, sourced from northeast Africa, along with vegetation-corrected precipitation isotopes, derived from astronomically dated sediment cores from ODP 160 Sites 966 and 967 since 4.5 million years ago. Despite sampling only wet-phase sapropels for African monsoon variability, we find a larger range in hydrogen isotopes than previously published data across wet-dry precession cycles, indicating the importance of long-term modulation of Green Sahara phases throughout the Neogene. An influence of orbital properties on regional monsoonal hydroclimate is observed, controlling up to 50% of total hydrogen isotope variance, but large changes outside of these typical frequencies account for at least 50% of the total variance. This secular trend may track changes in ice volume, tropical sea surface temperature, sea surface temperature gradients, or even lower-frequency orbital cycles. Long-term hydroclimate and environmental shifts provide new contexts for milestone events in northeast African hominin dispersal and evolution.

Multi-omic characterisation as a tool to improve knowledge, valorisation and conservation of wild fruit genetic resources: the case of Arbutus unedo L.

The valorisation and conservation of plant genetic resources (PGRs) and wild fruit PGRs are critical to ensure the maintenance of genetic and cultural heritage and to promote new perspectives on resource use. New strategies to characterize PGRs are needed, and the omics approach can provide information that is still largely unknown. The Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) is an underutilized, drought and fire-resistant species distributed in the Mediterranean area and its berries have large ethnobotanical use. Although their phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity are known, they are not well characterised, particularly from a proteomic perspective. The aim of this work is the characterisation of two ecotypes of A. unedo (Campania and Sicily) from a molecular viewpoint to valorise and encourage the preservation of this wild fruit. Samples were collected from two different geographical areas to assess whether different geographical conditions could influence the characteristics of leaves and fruits at the three stages of ripening (green, veraison, red). Proteomic analysis identified 904 proteins, of which 122 showed significance along the ripening. Some of these differentially abundant proteins, such as chalcone synthase, show a marked increase during ripening. The protein functional classes with the highest representation are involved in protein and amino acid metabolism, glycolysis and in secondary metabolism. From a proteomic perspective, there are no differences between the fruits from the two regions compared by the ripening stage. However, the pedoclimatic metabolic imprinting allowed the observation of good diversity in the metabolomic profiles between the two ecotypes, especially for anthocyanins, 4 times more abundant in the Sicilian veraisoned fruit than in the Campania one, and catechins, with double the abundance in the Campania ecotype compared to the Sicilian ecotype in the green phase, but more abundant (3x) in the Sicilian veraisoned fruit. Phenolic compounds show a 20% greater abundance in the Campania green arbutus fruit than in the Sicilian one, values that then equalise as ripening progresses. Multi-omic characterisation enhanced the knowledge on a wild fruit plant species which shows specific adaptations and responses to the environment to be considered when addressing the issue of local agrobiodiversity.

Cost-effective method for the estimation of tree crown density in urban settings using a smartphone

Abstract Urban trees provide vital ecosystem services, and assessing their health is crucial for managing urban infrastructure. Traditional methods of assessing crown density, an indicator of tree vitality, involve horizontal perspectives of unobstructed canopies. This study presents a novel method for estimating crown density in urban street trees that are surrounded by obstructing objects like buildings. The approach is based on photographs of the tree crown from defined positions using a smartphone. The method was validated on eight small-leaved lime trees in Leipzig during the 2021 vegetation period, demonstrating that crown density can be estimated by analyzing smartphone-photographs from various perspectives. The method provides data to quantify crown development and can be used to compare the vitality status of individual trees. The different perspectives are consistent in their estimates of crown density throughout the annual plateau phase of crown development. During the initial greening phase, crown photographs taken from angularly oriented positions showed a higher slope value than those taken from other positions. The method can also estimate the effect of blue-green infrastructures on tree vitality compared to regular urban tree planting methods. The approach is a practical and cost-effective tool for assessing tree vitality in spatially confined urban areas.

Electrochemical deposition of Pyrazine-Templated 2D Ru@MOFs nanosheets for sensitive electrochemiluminescent immunoassay of classical swine fever virus

Electrochemical deposition technique for room-temperature fabrication of functionalized metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted increasing attention in many important applications. Herein, a sensitive electrochemiluminescent (ECL) immunosensor was fabricated for the determination of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) based on electrochemical synthesis and deposition of pyrazine-templated ruthenium (II)-MOFs (Pyz-Ru@MOFs) thin films on the electrode surface. In this protocol, the 2D Pyz-Ru@MOFs nanosheets were synthesized under green water phase condition from the carboxyl-rich tris(4,4′-dicarboxylic acid-2,2′-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II) (Ru(dcbpy)32+) as ECL luminophore and organic ligand to coordinate with zinc ions, and pyrazine as a structure-directing agent to control the formation of sheetlike structure. Due to packaging plenty of Ru(dcbpy)32+ molecules in the frameworks, the mesoporous thin films of Pyz-Ru@MOFs exhibited excellent ECL performance. Using this 2D Pyz-Ru@MOFs as a sensing platform, a “signal-off” ECL immunosensor was constructed for CSFV analysis, which displayed high sensitivity and good selectivity for CSFV detection in the range of 10 fg mL−1 –10 ng mL−1 with a detection limit of 5.4 fg mL−1. In addition, the prepared immunosensor was successfully utilized for the satisfactory detection of CSFV in serum samples, which has potential application in biological analysis and clinical diagnosis. This proposed woke also provided a simple and feasible electrochemical synthesis strategy to construct 2D luminescent MOFs immobilized ECL luminophores, offering significant inspiration to develop highly efficient ECL materials at room temperature with ECL sensing applications.

Green light optimized speed advisory achieves fuel savings and CO2 emission reduction by profoundly impacting driving behavior

Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory (GLOSA) is an emerging smart transportation technology that guides drivers through signalized intersections during green light phases, showing promise in mobile source pollution control. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding its impact on driving behavior, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions. In this study, we used heavy-duty diesel truck (HDDT) as an example and conducted a comprehensive path study from the changes in driving behavior to fuel consumption and CO2 emission reduction after the application of GLOSA, using a portable emission measurement system for real-world driving tests at two research scales: signal-controlled road section and signalized intersections. The study was innovatively conducted in three scenarios: Without GLOSA, With GLOSA, and GW GLOSA, which considers the simultaneous application of Green Wave (GW) traffic control system. Results show that applying GLOSA, the passing rate of vehicles at signalized intersections significantly improves, the driving cycle curve tends to be smoother, the cruise time ratio increases to 67.60%, and the travel time is reduced by 5%–13%. HDDT's average speed on the road segments (Seg) decreases by 25.15%, and the aggressive acceleration and deceleration behavior near signalized intersections are significantly reduced. The trip fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of HDDT decrease by 16.63%–23.51% and 16.06%–24.12%, respectively. These fuel savings and CO2 emission reductions mainly occur in the Seg and Signalized intersection-after sections. After the simultaneous application of GLOSA and GW, the trip average speed increases by 60.90%, and traffic efficiency is greatly improved. Although the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are slightly higher compared to GLOSA alone due to the higher driving speed, GW GLOSA still offers relatively considerable fuel and environmental benefits. This study deepens people's understanding of GLOSA and GW and provides support for the formulation of transportation efficiency improvement and environmental protection strategies.

White and green rust chimneys accumulate RNA in a ferruginous chemical garden.

Mechanisms of nucleic acid accumulation were likely critical to life's emergence in the ferruginous oceans of the early Earth. How exactly prebiotic geological settings accumulated nucleic acids from dilute aqueous solutions, is poorly understood. As a possible solution to this concentration problem, we simulated the conditions of prebiotic low-temperature alkaline hydrothermal vents in co-precipitation experiments to investigate the potential of ferruginous chemical gardens to accumulate nucleic acids via sorption. The injection of an alkaline solution into an artificial ferruginous solution under anoxic conditions (O2 < 0.01% of present atmospheric levels) and at ambient temperatures, caused the precipitation of amakinite ("white rust"), which quickly converted to chloride-containing fougerite ("green rust"). RNA was only extractable from the ferruginous solution in the presence of a phosphate buffer, suggesting RNA in solution was bound to Fe2+ ions. During chimney formation, this iron-bound RNA rapidly accumulated in the white and green rust chimney structure from the surrounding ferruginous solution at the fastest rates in the initial white rust phase and correspondingly slower rates in the following green rust phase. This represents a new mechanism for nucleic acid accumulation in the ferruginous oceans of the early Earth, in addition to wet-dry cycles and may have helped to concentrate RNA in a dilute prebiotic ocean.