High Environmental Impact Research Articles

P-637 Different diffusion of Bisphenol-A from serum to follicular fluid in women undergone IVF cycles. EcoFoodFertility for Women Project

Abstract Study question BisphenolA (BPA) is used as a raw material in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, today it is considered an endocrine disruptor. Summary answer BPA diffusion from serum to the follicular fluid is not homogenous in women both with regular menstruation or with pathologies of the reproductive system. What is known already It is well established that BPA is present in serum and urine of women who permanently live in areas with a high environmental impact. Many studies report different diffusion of BPA in biological fluids, in fact, it is not clear how BPA bioaccumulates in tissues. Despite the large number of animal experiments in this regard, there are few human studies on BPA levels in various body fluids, such as FF (Follicular fluid). Furthermore, there are few report in literature of BPA effects on the endocrine system, oocyte morphology and embryonic development. Study design, size, duration We enrolled 118 women underwent to a first IVF cycle to evaluate the diffusion of BPA between serum and Ff for a multicenter study. Group A, 49 women with regular menstruation and ovulation; Group B, 31 women with regular menstruation and ovulation but they took cortisone before the oocyte pick-up; Group C, 38 women of which 14 with ovarian endometriosis and 24 with PCOS. The age was homogeneous in the three groups, 28.7±4.1. Participants/materials, setting, methods We obtained serum and FF from women who underwent to IVF cycles, in the period between April 2017 and March 2019. BPA concentration was performed with ELISA enzyme immunoassay kit and the values are expressed in ng/mL. It was used 5 mL glass, BD Vacutainer® USP Type III, without silicon, red-capped, additive-free tubes and held horizontally. Follicular fluids were bloodless with negative albumin test. Main results and the role of chance In all samples examined (serum and FF) BPA was in different concentrations, the highest values were: 99,3 ng/mL in the serum and 85,2 ng/mL in the FF, while the lowest values in serum 42,5ng/mL and in FF 10,9 ng/mL.In group A, there is a significant diffusion of BPA from the serum to the FF (p < 0.0001), with concentrations on average lower in the FF: BPA serum (ng/mL) 68,5±14,1, BPA FF(ng/mL) 42,4±12,8. In group B, a higher BPA concentration emerged on average in the FF compared to the serum, maybe the diffusion is facilitated by the use of cortisone (p < 0.005):BPA serum (ng/mL) 65,8±13,4, BPA FF(ng/mL) 74,3±9,2. In Group C, it emerged that the concentrations of BPA in the FF were lower than in the serum, probably due to a greater resistance of the blood-follicular barrier to the passage of BPA (p < 0.0001): BPA serum (ng/mL) 83,4±14,1, BPA FF(ng/mL) 38,7±19,2. Limitations, reasons for caution This study highlights the different mechanism of BPA diffusion in tissues. Further studies are needed to understand the reason for a lower diffusion of BPA in the FF in the presence of pathologies of the reproductive system. More data are needed to support the mechanisms of BPA bioaccumulation in FF. Wider implications of the findings From our data emerges that the use of cortisone in the period preceding the oocyte pick-up seems to promote the diffusion of BPA in the FF. We can hypothesize that this mechanism is also valid for other tissues and it could be one of many mechanisms of BPA bioaccumulation. Trial registration number 001

Experimental Study on the Preparation of High-Purity Iron Oxide Red by Acid Leaching Iron from Coal Gangue.

Aiming at the problems of the large storage, complex composition, low comprehensive utilization rate, and high environmental impact of coal gangue, this paper carried out experimental research on the preparation of iron oxide red from high-iron gangue by calcination activation, acid leaching, extraction, and the hydrothermal synthesis of coal gangue. The experimental results show that when the calcination temperature of coal gangue is 500 °C, the calcination time is 1.5 h, the optimal concentration of iron removal is 6 mol/L, the acid leaching temperature is 80 °C, the acid leaching time is 1 h, and the liquid--solid mass ratio is 4:1; the iron dissolution rate can reach 87.64%. A solvent extraction method (TBP-SK-hydrochloric acid system) was used to extract the leachate, and a solution with iron content up to 99.21% was obtained. By controlling the optimum hydrothermal conditions (pH = 9, temperature 170 °C, reaction time 5 h), high-purity iron oxide red product can be prepared; the yield is 80.07%. The red iron oxide was characterized by XRD, SEM-EDS, particle-size analysis, and ICP-OES. The results show that the red iron oxide peak has a cubic microstructure, an average particle size of 167.16 μm, and a purity of 99.16%. The quality of the prepared iron oxide red product meets the requirement of 98.5% of the "YHT4 Iron oxide Standard for ferrite". It can be used as a raw material to produce high-performance soft magnetic ferrite. In summary, this experimental study on the preparation of iron oxide red from coal gangue is of great significance for the comprehensive utilization of coal gangue to realize the sustainable development of the environment and economy.

Electrospun polysuccinimide scaffolds containing different salts as potential wound dressing material.

In this research, we applied electrospinning to create a two-component biodegradable polymeric scaffold containing polysuccinimide (PSI) and antibacterial salts. Antibacterial agents for therapeutical purposes mostly contain silver ions which are associated with high environmental impact and, in some cases, may cause undesired immune reactions. In our work, we prepared nanofibrous systems containing antibacterial and tissue-regenerating salts of zinc acetate or strontium nitrate in different concentrations, whose structures may be suitable for developing biomedical wound dressing systems in the future. Several experiments have been conducted to optimize the physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties of the scaffolds developed for application as wound dressings. The scaffold systems obtained by PSI synthesis, salt addition, and fiber formation were first investigated by scanning electron microscopy. In almost all cases, different salts caused a decrease in the fiber diameter of PSI polymer-based systems (<500 nm). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was applied to verify the presence of salts in the scaffolds and to determine the interaction between the salt and the polymer. Another analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, was carried out to determine strontium and zinc atoms in the scaffolds. Our result showed that the salts influence the mechanical properties of the polymer scaffold, both in terms of specific load capacity and relative elongation values. According to the dissolution experiments, the whole amount of strontium nitrate was dissolved from the scaffold in 8 h; however, only 50% of the zinc acetate was dissolved. In addition, antibacterial activity tests were performed with four different bacterial strains relevant to skin surface injuries, leading to the appearance of inhibition zones around the scaffold discs in most cases. We also investigated the potential cytotoxicity of the scaffolds on human tumorous and healthy cells. Except for the ones containing zinc acetate salt, the scaffolds are not cytotoxic to either tumor or healthy cells.

Implementation of circular economy in supply chain management: a bibliometric analysis

Supply chains have a high environmental impact; while the circular economy generates sustainable benefits through the reuse of resources, in this sense, circular supply chains integrate the sustainability of supply chains. The objective is to analyze the implementation of circular economy in supply chain management during the period 2021 - 2023. The research is of a descriptive quantitative type, based on a bibliometric analysis, it was developed in the Scopus database and only research articles found in open access in the areas of engineering, business, management and accounting sciences were taken into account. A total of 293 research papers were identified, the largest number of papers were published in 2022 with 114. The most representative author was Kazancoglu with eight publications. The institution that contributed the most articles was Yaşar Universitesi with 10 researches. The country that published the most was United Kingdom with 76 researches. The researches were published in 83 scientific journals, the most published was Journal of Cleaner Production (n=39), and in turn the most cited with 1138 citations, the one with the highest impact in Scopus was International Journal of Production Economics (IF=11,849)

Tackling transmission of infectious diseases: A probiotic-based system as a remedy for the spread of pathogenic and resistant microbes.

Built environments (BEs) currently represent the areas in which human beings spend most of their life. Consistently, microbes populating BEs mostly derive from human occupants and can be easily transferred from BE to occupants. The hospital microbiome is a paradigmatic example, representing a reservoir for harmful pathogens that can be transmitted to susceptible patients, causing the healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Environmental cleaning is a crucial pillar in controlling BE pathogens and preventing related infections, and chemical disinfectants have been largely used so far towards this aim. However, despite their immediate effect, chemical-based disinfection is unable to prevent recontamination, has a high environmental impact, and can select/increase antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in treated microbes. To overcome these limitations, probiotic-based sanitation (PBS) strategies were recently proposed, built on the use of detergents added with selected probiotics able to displace surrounding pathogens by competitive exclusion. PBS was reported as an effective and low-impact alternative to chemical disinfection, providing stable rebalance of the BE microbiome and significantly reducing pathogens and HAIs compared to disinfectants, without exacerbating AMR and pollution concerns. This minireview summarizes the most significant results obtained by applying PBS in sanitary and non-sanitary settings, which overall suggest that PBS may effectively tackle the infectious risk meanwhile preventing the further spread of pathogenic and resistant microbes.

A clean metallurgical process for vanadium precipitation from vanadium-rich solutions

Ammonium salt vanadium precipitation process has excellent performance in industrial production, but its shortcomings such as high cost and environmental impact are not conducive to sustainable development. In this paper, ethylenediamine was selected as the precipitant, and vanadate was precipitated from acidic simulated vanadium-rich solutions by the ammonium salt precipitation process. The high purity V2O5 product was obtained after calcination. Under optimal conditions, the precipitation rate of vanadium reached 94.8 %, and the purity of vanadium was as high as 99.1 %. The vanadium precipitation product was hexamethyl ammonium, and the vanadium product was V2O5. It can be derived by the differential method that the reaction order was n = 2.4, the reaction rate equation was CV-1.4=kt+a, and the apparent activation energy was 27.8097 kJ/mol, which can be classified as the diffusion-controlled reaction. This innovative process enables a savings of 5050 yuan per ton of V2O5. On this basis, a complete V2O5 production process with zero waste discharge was designed.

A comparative nutritional life cycle assessment of processed and unprocessed soy-based meat and milk alternatives including protein quality adjustment

Efforts towards sustainable food systems have stimulated the development of plant-based alternatives to meat and milk. However, the debate on the nutritional quality of (processed) plant products compared to animal products remains unresolved, and combined assessments are needed to assess the benefits and trade-offs of these products in future diets. Using life cycle assessment (LCA) combined with nutrient density measurements and the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS), this case study evaluates different processing stages of soy-based products, including cooked soybeans, tofu, soy drink, and a processed soy-based meat analogue (SBMA) produced in Switzerland. The nutritional LCA (n-LCA) showed that the environmental impact of all soy-based meat alternatives was 4–20 times lower than that of beef, especially when locally sourced soy was used. The differences were smaller when compared to chicken meat. All soy-based products showed lower DIAAS compared to animal products, but the results from the combined n-LCA were always less favourable for animal products in this case study. Contribution analyses showed that despite the high level of processing, the raw materials contributed significantly to the environmental footprint of SBMA, exceeding 50% in some environmental impact categories. Moreover, comparisons within the soy-based alternatives revealed a lower environmental impact of the minimally processed products. The higher protein quality and quantity of the processed SBMA were not sufficient to offset its higher environmental impact in this case study. SBMA also contained highest level of sodium and saturated fatty acids, highlighting the need for careful food formulation. Overall, this study showed the potential of soy-based alternatives to meat and milk to reduce the environmental impact of food production whilst highlighting the importance of considering their nutritional quality and the role of processing. Overall, this research provides insight into the potential of plant-based alternatives to meat and milk for sustainable diets amid the global challenge of climate change and changing dietary patterns.

CO2-equivalent emissions and quality evaluation of chilled and frozen Atlantic salmon transported from Norway to Japan

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is the top imported fish in Japan. It is usually shipped in chilled form by air cargo to preserve its freshness but posts a high environmental impact. As a sustainable alternative, ocean freight can be implemented if the salmon is frozen. However, the question arises as to whether the quality of the frozen and thawed salmon is comparable. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental impact and quality of Norwegian Atlantic salmon in chilled and frozen form. The CO2 equivalent emissions of the key life-cycle stages were calculated, and the quality assessment was carried out by colorimetry and sensory evaluation with careful preparation and execution. The results showed that the CO2 equivalent emissions of the packaging, transport, and overall cycle of the frozen salmon were 35 %, 90 %, and 60 % lower than those of the chilled salmon. Color measurements using digital imaging show that the frozen salmon is slightly redder, with a higher a* value and a lower b* value. Panelist ratings indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in perceived color, glossiness, fishy smell, texture, umami, and juiciness between chilled and frozen salmon. The study provides preliminary results that demonstrate the potential of frozen seafood and ocean freight transportation as a sustainable cold chain solution.

Increasing school building usage through adaptable building design: A quantitative sustainability assessment

While school buildings have the potential to form the hearth of a local community, they currently remain unused for longer periods of time out of school hours in several regions. To exploit this large sustainability potential, school buildings must be able to allow for a flexible building usage. First, this study explores whether letting school infrastructure to external users can be economically profitable. Second, it tackles the knowledge gap on how ventilation systems can facilitate a short- and medium-long-term flexible building usage in a sustainable manner, which is essential to achieve a more extensive school building usage. To answer these research questions, a case study is carried out which includes a flexible building usage that based on the needs of educational stakeholders. The results of the profitability analyses indicate that it is possible for schools to yield substantial profits over a period of 20 years and that the financial risks are low. Next, a life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost assessment (LCCA) are carried out on three different ventilation strategies. It is found that a decentralized balanced mechanical ventilation system has the lowest environmental impact and life cycle cost, since this system requires few adaptions during the study period. The mechanical exhaust ventilation system has the highest environmental impact, while the centralized balanced mechanical ventilation system has the highest life cycle cost. An important insight of this sustainability assessment is that the material-related impact increases in a flexible context and that it sometimes outweighs the energy-related impact.

On the extraction of volatile fatty acids from food waste mixtures: Comparison between the use of liquid–liquid and magnetic nanoparticle technologies

The extraction of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from an aqueous solution derived by fermentation of food waste is a key challenge in the context of the circular economy, thanks to their high economic and environmental impact due to their wide-ranging use in various industrial fields. In this work, we compared two different extraction methods: one novel and one classical. Firstly, iron oxide nanoparticles of around 10 nm were prepared and used as they are or functionalised using (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane) (APTES) molecules, adipic acid and oleic acid. This was compared with a traditional industrial method (liquid–liquid extraction) that can guarantee high extraction of VFAs with high reproducibility. Indeed the use of dichloromethane, hexane, methyl tert-butyl ether and oleic acid presented extraction values of up to 30 % while iron oxide NPs showed results with low reproducibility. The comparison demonstrated the use of oleic acid as a promising solvent for liquid–liquid extraction of VFAs.

A comprehensive assessment of mechanical and environmental properties of waste basalt powder-modified high strength mortars exposed to high temperature

Waste Basalt Powder (BT) is a stone cutting workshop waste. The BT was recycled in the high strength mortars by Portland cement (PC). High temperature performance of the mortars were determined up to 800 ºC by in terms of weight and strength losses. The global warming potential (GWP) and Primary Energy (PE) of the mortars were calculated by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for the mortars and their environmental impacts were evaluated. GWP and PE decreased up to 23.9 % and 22.4 % in BT-containing mortars compared to the control group, respectively. Lower CO2 emission and PE values were determined in all the BT-containing mortars compared to the control group. Mortars containing 15 % BT had 9.92 % higher compressive strength than the control group with 14.35 % and 13.44 % lower GWP and PE values, respectively. The optimum BT content is 15 % in terms of strength, high temperature resistance and environmental impact. As a result, it is possible to successfully recycle BT material in the production of high-strength mortar that is more resistant to high temperatures.

Efficiency enhancement in a heat-driven single-unit thermoacoustic refrigeration system

Heat-driven thermoacoustic cooling technology provides promising alternatives for eco-friendly refrigeration systems due to its high reliability and minimal environmental impact, meanwhile facing limited efficiency compared to current prevailing cooling technologies. The present work introduces an innovative bypass configuration in heat-driven thermoacoustic refrigeration systems aimed at enhancing the energy coupling between the engine and refrigerator, thereby enhancing system efficiency, particularly when the sources temperature is high. The acoustic power diversion mechanism of the bypass tube is firstly explored in an ideal thermoacoustic core unit through theoretical analysis. This core unit is subsequently studied in Sage platform and integrated into an actual single-stage looped traveling-wave thermoacoustic refrigeration system, respectively, and the effects of the bypass tube dimensions and operating conditions on the system are investigated. Furthermore, a comparative analysis is conducted between the proposed bypass tube-based system and the conventional bypass tube-free system, considering aspects such as system performance, key parameter distribution, and exergy loss analysis. The results demonstrate a significant efficiency enhancement, with a 68.8% increase in Coefficient of Performance (COP) and a 6.2 percentage point boost in relative Carnot efficiency compared to the system without a bypass tube. Additionally, the impact of the bypass dimensions and the DC flow introduced by the bypass tube on the system performance is further discussed at a numerical level. These findings offer valuable insights and serve as a reference for the future development of more efficient thermoacoustic refrigeration systems.

Biogas upgrading to biomethane with zeolite membranes: Separation performance and economic analysis

Biogas represents an important renewable source alternative to fossil fuels, which can significantly contribute to the reduction of global warming and the gradual decarbonisation. In this work, the purification of CH4 and CO2 from a biogas mixture was investigated using DD3R zeolite membrane modules, as a possible solution to replace the traditional techniques at higher environmental impact (i.e., solvent absorption and cryogenic distillation). Multistage membrane configurations operating at 25°C and 30 bar were proposed and explored to get highly pure biomethane (concentration of 98 %) and carbon dioxide (concentration of 99.5 %), imposing a recovery of both the species higher than 90 %. Then, an economic analysis was carried out, evaluating the economic potential of each configuration as a function of several parameters, such as membrane module cost, biomethane selling price, CO2 permeance, CO2/CH4 selectivity, feed flow rate and pressure. The multistage schemes were found to be promising in a wide range of zeolite membrane module cost (i.e., up to 2000 $/m2), providing positive values of the economic potential, due to the good recovery of both the components, which produced high revenues. The increment of the CO2 permeance and, especially, of the feed flow rate (i.e., plant size) allowed for a more profitable process. In particular, if feed flow rate increased from 100 to 1000 Nm3/h, the economic potential would grow of about 12 times, from 113 to 1370 thousand dollars per year. Hence, this preliminary economic assessment showed that zeolite membranes can be successfully used in biogas treatment to get pure CH4 and CO2. Such an analysis can be applied to any membrane materials, once permeance and selectivity are fixed.

Energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental analyses and multi-objective optimization of parallel two-stage compression on the domestic refrigerator-freezer

In this paper, the performance of a parallel two-stage compression (PTC) cycle on the domestic refrigerator-freezer in a laboratory according to the IEC 62552–2015 standard is investigated. The relatively large temperature difference between the fresh food compartment (FFC) and the refrigerant in the fresh food compartment evaporator (FFCE) leads to high compression and irreversible losses in the refrigeration circuit. To avoid the mentioned problems and reduce energy consumption, a PTC cycle is used. The innovation of this article is the 4E analyses (energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, exergoenvironmental) for the PTC cycle using the results obtained from the laboratory. Ultimately, the multi-objective optimization of the PTC cycle is conducted. For optimizing the PTC cycle, the total cost rate and the exergy efficiency are set as targets and the evaporator pressure and condenser pressure as variables. MATLAB and REFPROP 9.1 are used to model the system. Results showed that the highest exergy destruction rate is associated with the FFCE (0.349 kW) and compressor (0.183 kW). The highest exergy efficiency among the equipment is evaporators. The maximum exergoeconomic factor is related to the freezer compartment evaporator (FZCE) (98.70%) and then the compressor (98.62%). FZCE has the highest environmental impact (99.9%).

Photovoltaic Manufacturing Factories and Industrial Site Environmental Impact Assessment

Life cycle inventories (LCIs) and life cycle assessments (LCAs) of photovoltaic (PV) modules and their components focus on the operations of PV factories, but the factories and industrial site product and construction stages are either not or only partially tackled. This work contributes through the bottom-up, model-based generation of LCIs and LCAs for setting up a vertically integrated 5 GWp/a PV industrial site, including the manufacturing of silicon ingots, wafers, solar cells, and PV modules, on a 50 ha greenfield location. Two comparative LCAs are performed. The first compares the annualized environmental impacts of the developed LCI sets with four existing inventories in the Ecoinvent v3.8 database. The second comparative LCA explores the environmental impact differences concerning the industrial site when using different building systems for the factories. Here, the reference system with a steel structure is compared with two alternative building systems: precast concrete and structural timber. The results show that the wafer, cell, and module factories’ annualized environmental impacts with the Ecoinvent LCIs are strongly overestimated. For the ingot factory, the opposite result is identified. The impacts of all four factories show reductions of between 11.7% and 94.3% for 14 of the 15 impact categories. High mean environmental impact shares of 79.0%, 78.2% and 79.2% for the steel, precast concrete and timber structural building systems, respectively, are generated at the product stage. The process and facilities equipment generates 54.2%, 54.4% and 58.2% of the total product and construction stages’ mean environmental impact shares. The proposed alternative timber building system reduces the environmental impacts in 14 of the 15 evaluated categories, with reductions ranging from 1.1% to 12.4%.

Integration of Chemical Looping Combustion to a Gasified Stream with Low Hydrogen Content

Global population growth requires the use of various natural resources to satisfy the basic needs of humanity. Fossil fuels are mainly used to produce electricity, transportation and the artificial air conditioning of habitats. Nevertheless, countries around the world are looking for alternative energy sources due to the decrease in the availability of these fuels and their high environmental impact. The mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide (H2 + CO), commonly called syngas, is a high-value feedstock for various industrial applications. By varying the composition of syngas, especially the H2/CO molar ratio, it can be used to produce methanol, fuels or synthetic natural gas. However, when this ratio is very low, the separation of this gas usually represents a great problem when making the energy balance, which is why it is proposed to adapt a combustion process in chemical cycles, taking advantage of the energy of this gas, reducing the energy impact of the process. During the present project, mass and energy balances were developed for combustion in chemical cycles, using ilmenite as a carrier, integrating heat exchangers to take advantage of the residual energy at the output of the process, to preheat the inlet current in the regenerator. Here, a comparative was made at different temperatures of the air stream and evaluating the mechanism of the ilmenite when a syngas stream is used as fuel.

Raw Material Stage Assessment of Seating Elements as Urban Furniture and Eco-Model Proposals

As cities strive to become sustainable, it is imperative to consider even the smallest components of the urban environment and prioritize sustainability. Ensuring the sustainability of urban furniture, especially the numerous benches found in cities, is crucial. This study proposes an alternative solution to the sustainability issue in cities regarding urban furniture. This is because a review of the literature indicates that while efforts have been made to evaluate the sustainability of urban amenities and furniture, studies conducting life cycle analysis specifically for urban furniture are lacking. This study will contribute to the identified gap in the literature by analyzing 14 different seating elements in recreational areas located in the city of Rize, Turkey, using the Ccalc program to calculate their carbon footprints. In the subsequent phase of this study, an eco-design process will be conducted based on the findings, aiming to create an eco-seating unit design. Based on the data obtained, materials with high environmental impact were identified, material replacement recommendations were made, and consequently, a model proposal was presented. The potential reduction in carbon footprints with the use of transformed materials was discussed. The findings revealed that carbon footprint values were particularly high in the seating units where concrete and polypropylene materials were used. Additionally, it was determined that solvent paint, especially varnish, affects the carbon footprint, and it was recommended that would be used in its natural form, which is eco-friendly. In conclusion, the recommendations developed for the sustainability of urban furniture in coastal areas will contribute to the future of cities and humanity.

Metal-organic framework cobalt gallate derived high-voltage carbon coated lithium cobalt oxide cathode and porous carbon supported cobalt oxide anode materials for superior lithium-ion storage

Exploring innovative green synthesis strategies for both cathode and anode materials with improved lithium-ion storage capabilities is of great importance in developing advanced lithium-ion batteries. In this work, a metal-organic framework (MOF) typed sample cobalt gallate (Co-GA), prepared by the direct redox coprecipitation reaction using gallic acid (GA) molecules and metallic cobalt (Co) foils in mild hydrothermal condition, is employed as a precursor for engineering electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries with high atomic efficiency and low environmental impact. Taking the advantages of the unique microstructure and chemical composition of MOF materials, the Co-GA precursor can be easily converted to a rod-like porous carbon framework confined cobalt oxide nanoparticle anode material (Co3O4/RPC) and a thin carbon layer coated nanosized lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) cathode material (LCO/C), respectively, by simply changing the solid-state reaction conditions. In half-cells with metallic lithium as counter electrode, the LCO/C cathode delivers a stable reversible capacity of 189.33 mAh·g−1 after 100 cycles at 200 mA·g−1 and 128.61 mAh·g−1 after 800 cycles at 1000 mA·g−1 in the voltage range of 3.0–4.6 V, while the Co3O4/RPC anode shows a high reversible capacity of 1081.33 mAh·g−1 after 100 cycles at 200 mA·g−1 and 901.09 mAh·g−1 after 400 cycles at 1000 mA·g−1. This work provides a new perspective for green engineering of both anodic and cathodic materials with enhanced lithium-ion storage performances derived from MOF-typed precursors.

Micro- and nano-Illite to improve strength of untreated-soil as a nano soil-improvement (NSI) technique

Soil stabilization is a technique of improving the geotechnical properties of soils for various engineering applications. However, conventional stabilizers such as cement and lime have some limitations, such as high cost, environmental impact, and durability issues. Therefore, there is a need for alternative and innovative stabilizers that can overcome these challenges. This study introduces nano-Illite, a type of clay mineral, as a novel and effective soil stabilizer. Nano-Illite can form nano-cementation (NC) in soil, which is a process of enhancing the durability of various building materials. NC is also known as nano soil-improvement (NSI), a technique that has been developed in recent years. Four formulations of micro- and nano-Illite with concentrations of 0, 1, 2, and 3% were separately added to soil samples. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and the secant modulus at 50% of peak stress (E50) of the treated samples were measured and compared with the untreated samples. The results showed that 3% nano-Illite increased the UCS of soil by more than 2.2 times and the E50 by more than 1.5 times after 7 days of curing. Micro-Illite also improved the UCS and E50 of soil, but to a lesser extent. X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed the micro- and nano-structures of the soil specimens and the performance of Illite as a nano-additive. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of nano-Illite in soil improvement as a NSI technique, and its potential to replace or reduce the use of conventional stabilizers. This study also contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms and factors that influence the NC process in soil.

Exploring the synergistic effect of recycled glass fibres and agricultural waste ash on concrete strength and environmental sustainability

In today's age, finding harmony between construction endeavors and safeguarding the environment is of utmost importance. Consequently, there is a substantial requirement to explore the feasibility of utilizing waste materials as a replacement for traditional construction substances. Unfortunately, there is a lack of information regarding the possibilities of incorporating recycled glass, rice husk, and sugarcane bagasse ash into concrete production. This study investigated the viability of integrating recycled glass fibres and agricultural waste ash into concrete to bolster its strength and sustainability. When evaluating mechanical and durability properties across five mixtures, the concrete formulations ranged in fibre content percentages from 1% to 3% and in ash content percentages from 10% to 20%. Specifically, Mixtures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 contained 1% fibre and 10% ash, 2% fibre and 15% ash, 2.5% fibre and 20% ash, 3% fibre and 12% ash, and 1.5% fibre and 18% ash respectively. Mixture 2 and Mixture 5, boasting heightened fibre and ash content, showcased outstanding compressive strength at 38.5 MPa and 37.2 MPa, respectively, indicating a positive correlation between these materials and concrete strength. Conversely, Mixture 3, burdened with excessive fibre and ash content, witnessed diminished strength, underscoring the necessity for meticulous optimization. In terms of tensile and flexural strength, Mixture 2 and Mixture 5 displayed commendable performance, while Mixture 3 suffered setbacks from excessive content. Durability assessments unveiled Mixture 1 and Mixture 4's superior freeze-thaw resistance, with minimal mass loss (1.5% and 1.8%, respectively) and no visible damage, rendering them favorable choices for sustainable construction. Contrastingly, Mixture 3 exhibited poorer freeze-thaw resistance and higher environmental impact, highlighting the need for careful consideration in material selection. Overall, this study underscores the importance of optimizing concrete formulations through the integration of recycled materials, paving the way for stronger, more durable, and environmentally friendly construction practices.