Increase In Carbon Dioxide Concentration Research Articles

Research on carbon dioxide capture materials used for carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage technology: a review.

In recent years, climate change has increasingly become one of the major challenges facing mankind today, seriously threatening the survival and sustainable development of mankind. Dramatically increasing carbon dioxide concentrations are thought to cause a severe greenhouse effect, leading to severe and sustained global warming, associated climate instability and unwelcome natural disasters, melting glaciers and extreme weather patterns. The treatment of flue gas from thermal power plants uses carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology, one of the most promising current methods to accomplish significant CO2 emission reduction. In order to implement the technological and financial system of CO2 capture, which is the key technology of CCUS technology and accounts for 70-80% of the overall cost of CCUS technology, it is crucial to create more effective adsorbents. Nowadays, with the development and application of various carbon dioxide capture materials, it is necessary to review and summarize carbon dioxide capture materials in time. In this paper, the main technologies of CO2 capture are reviewed, with emphasis on the latest research status of CO2 capture materials, such as amines, zeolites, alkali metals, as well as emerging MOFs and carbon nanomaterials. More and more research on CO2 capture materials has used a variety of improved methods, which have achieved high CO2 capture performance. For example, doping of layered double hydroxides (LDH) with metal atoms significantly increases the active site on the surface of the material, which has a significant impact on improving the CO2 capture capacity and performance stability of LDH. Although many carbon capture materials have been developed, high cost and low technology scale remain major obstacles to CO2 capture. Future research should focus on designing low-cost, high-availability carbon capture materials.

Elevated [CO2] and temperature augment gas exchange and shift the fitness landscape in a montane forb.

Climate change is simultaneously increasing carbon dioxide concentrations ([CO2]) and temperature. These factors could interact to influence plant physiology and performance. Alternatively, increased [CO2] may offset costs associated with elevated temperatures. Furthermore, the interaction between elevated temperature and [CO2] may differentially affect populations from along an elevational gradient and disrupt local adaptation. We conducted a multifactorial growth chamber experiment to examine the interactive effects of temperature and [CO2] on fitness and ecophysiology of diverse accessions of Boechera stricta (Brassicaceae) sourced from a broad elevational gradient in Colorado. We tested whether increased [CO2] would enhance photosynthesis across accessions, andwhether warmer conditions would depress the fitness of high-elevation accessions owing to steep reductions in temperature with increasing elevation in this system. Elevational clines in [CO2] are not as evident, making it challenging to predict how locally adapted ecotypes will respond to elevated [CO2]. This experiment revealed that elevated [CO2] increased photosynthesis and intrinsic water use efficiency across all accessions. However, these instantaneous responses to treatments did not translate to changes in fitness. Instead, increased temperatures reduced the probability of reproduction for all accessions. Elevated [CO2] and increased temperatures interacted to shift the adaptive landscape, favoring lower elevation accessions for the probability of survival and fecundity. Our results suggest that elevated temperatures and [CO2] associated with climate change could have severe negative consequences, especially for high-elevation populations.

Internal dry reforming of methane in solid oxide fuel cells

In the context of global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat extreme global warming, the direct dry reforming of methane reaction in solid oxide fuel cells presents a promising avenue for clean energy production. This study delves into the influence of temperature, gas composition, and current density on the kinetics of dry methane reforming in solid oxide fuel cells. Power Law and Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic models were proposed to highlight the impact of operating conditions on dry methane reforming reactions. Results revealed that the feed gas composition strongly affects methane conversion, with higher methane contents resulting in lower conversions. Increasing the CH4/CO2 ratio increases reaction rates, and the effect decreases at a ratio of 1.25. The changes in methane concentration on dry methane reforming reaction rate are more significant than those for carbon dioxide. However, increasing carbon dioxide concentration enhances methane conversion. The exothermic nature of CO2 adsorption suggests that the adsorption process is thermodynamically favourable in dry reforming, and the elevated temperatures generally improve reaction rates and methane conversion by removing carbon deposits and providing the energy needed to break down the chemical bonds in methane which facilitating its transformation. A higher current density significantly enhances the CO2 adsorption equilibrium constant and further increases methane conversion, highlighting the positive role of electrochemical reactions on dry methane reforming. This study aims to fill the knowledge gap regarding the influence of electrochemical reactions on dry methane reforming behaviours in solid oxide fuel cells, offering critical insights for advancing anode design, thus contributing to the development of solid oxide fuel cell technologies to address global warming and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Predicting asphaltene precipitation in CO2 flooding processes using artificial intelligence techniques

The removal of asphaltene depositions from crude oil wellbores and tubing is a very difficult and expensive process. Therefore, a very accurate predictor for the Asphaltene Precipitation (AP) is a very important tool for decision making. In this paper, the AP during the injection of carbon dioxide into crude oil reservoirs is forecasted using an artificial neural network (ANN). For this purpose, experimental data is collected from six different oil fields. 70% of the collected data is utilized for training and to develop the proposed ANN. Trainlm training algorithm was found to be the best ANN architecture for AP forecasting. In order to validate the capability of the designed ANN 30% of the unseen data is utilized for validation. The forecasting results show the Mean Square Error (MSE) of the forecasting is 0.0018 that confirms the high accuracy of the model. In order to evaluate the capability of the proposed methodology, the results of proposed ANN are compared with modified Hirschberg model. Comparison confirmed the proposed ANN has better capability and higher accuracy. In the final stage, the effects of various operating parameters on the AP during gas injection are examined. The results show that the most sensitive parameter is the reservoir temperature. In addition, there is a high correlation between an increase in the AP with an increase in carbon dioxide concentration in liquid phase.

Impact of climate change on vegetation patterns in Altay Prefecture, China.

Altay Prefecture, a typical arid region in northwestern China, has experienced the climate transition from warming-drying to warming-wetting since 1980s and has attracted widespread attention. Nonetheless, it is still unclear how climate change has influenced the distribution of vegetation in this region. In this paper, a reaction-diffusion model of the climate-vegetation system is proposed to study the impact of climate change (precipitation, temperature and carbon dioxide concentration) on vegetation patterns in Altay Prefecture. Our results indicate that the tendency of vegetation growth in Altay Prefecture improved gradually from 1985 to 2010. Under the current climate conditions, the increase of precipitation results in the change of vegetation pattern structures, and eventually vegetation coverage tends to be uniform. Moreover, we found that there exists an optimal temperature where the spot vegetation pattern structure remains stable. Furthermore, the increase in carbon dioxide concentration induces vegetation pattern transition. Based on four climate change scenarios of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), we used the power law range (PLR) to predict the optimal scenario for the sustainable development of the vegetation ecosystem in Altay Prefecture.

Environmental risks in agrophytocoenoses under the influence of segetal phytobiota

Abstract In this article the influence of abiotic factors on agrophytocoenoses is considered, these are: moisture supply, rising air temperature, increasing carbon dioxide concentration, and the probability of environmental risks in particular. The degree of ecological risk has been established. Environmental risks due to the influence of climate change on agrophytocoenoses have been identified and substantiated and are: the spread of adventive and invasive plant species; loss of competitiveness of agrophytocoenosis crops relative to segetal phytobiota; increase in the number of species and distribution areas of segetal phytobiota; change in the sown area, productivity and quality of the harvest of agricultural crops; acquisition of tolerance of segetal phytobiota of agrocoenoses to herbicides and deterioration of their effectiveness under agroclimatic fluctuations. All of the above-mentioned environmental risks, which are associated with aggravation of the phytosanitary condition of crops inevitably, lead to a loss of the productivity of agrocoenoses. They lead to a decrease in the quality of the obtained plant and agricultural products as well. Along with the loss of productivity of the weedy agrocoenosis, there are environmental risks caused by the increased need for the use of plant protection products to ensure the control of the phytosanitary state of the agrocoenosis. Ensuring the reduction of environmental risks and enhancing the ecological safety of agrocoenoses is timely environmental monitoring, considering appropriate agronomic, protective, and preventive measures. These measures increase the adaptive capacity of agrocoenoses. r atmospheric levels in analyzing pertinent cases.

Development of Notification System to Prevent Working Productivity from Declining Caused by Increased Carbon Dioxide Concentration

Development of Notification System to Prevent Working Productivity from Declining Caused by Increased Carbon Dioxide Concentration

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ВЛАШТУВАННЯ ВЕНТИЛЯЦІЇ В ЗАХИСНИХ СПОРУДАХ ЦИВІЛЬНОГО ЗАХИСТУ

Given the urgency of armed aggression, ensuring the safety of the civilian population is of utmost importance. Various types of structures are used for this purpose, including simple shelters, anti-radiation shelters, storage facilities, and dual-purpose structures. The construction of these facilities must be equipped with diverse internal engineering systems to ensure the livelihood of people. With the introduction of the updated State Building Code of Ukraine (DBN) B 2.2.-5:2023 [1], the requirements for the engineering support of these structures have significantly increased. This article aims to analyze the features of arranging engineering systems in these facilities, particularly ventilation systems, and provide recommendations for specific cases of ventilation and conditioning system installation.
 The article examines regulatory requirements for the installation of ventilation systems in the most common civil defense structures at present - anti-radiation shelters and dual-purpose structures with NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) properties. Using the solution to a differential equation, the concentrations of carbon dioxide in rooms with people present are calculated depending on the ventilation mode: normal, reserve, and emergency. It is determined that in all cases, the concentration will not exceed the critical value. Recommendations are given for the design of ventilation systems for these buildings, and the specifics of ventilating and cooling rooms in diesel power stations for backup power supply are discussed.
 It is revealed that, at significant capacities of diesel power stations, the arrangement of ventilation for cooling becomes structurally complex. Solutions to this problem are proposed. It is recommended for large NBC structures and dual-purpose structures to have two ventilation chambers with separate air intakes. This will help reduce the risks of contaminating the inflow air and prevent an increase in carbon dioxide concentration during fires near civil defense structures.

Cyanobacterial water blooms as an environmental hazard to waters

The article describes and analyzes the problem of cyanotoxin contamination of water bodies in Ukraine and other countries of the world. Eutrophication of water bodies, which is caused by human activity, climate change lead to uncontrolled development of cyanobacteria, and thus to ecological danger in hydrosphere objects. Anthropogenic eutrophication (increasing the content of nutrients in water due to their introduction into water bodies during pollution of water bodies by flood and municipal runoff, fish farming use of water bodies), temperature rise, increase in carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere, as a result of the transformation of introduced organic matter in water, contribute to increasing the dominance of cyanobacteria in water ecosystems. Bloomforming cyanobacteria produce various neurotoxins, hepatotoxins, and dermatotoxins that can be fatal to birds and mammals (including waterfowl, cattle, and dogs) and threaten the use of water bodies for public water supply, recreation, irrigation, and fishing. Among the toxins of blue-green algae, nodularin, saxitoxin, microcystin, domoic acid, guanitoxin, anatoxins and others were found. Exceeding the critical mass of algae and their metabolites activates the selfdecomposition process. This leads to the removal of oxygen from the water, and instead the release of methane, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and other toxic substances. The result of this is not only the death of fish. Cyanobacteria are capable of natural genetic transformation — genetic change of the cell as a result of direct absorption and inclusion of exogenous DNA from its environment. A sufficiently effective solution to the issue of controlling the activity of cyanobacteria is the use of humic preparations. it was established that humic substances (humic acids, fulvic acids) in certain concentrations negatively affect the growth, development and activity of cyanobacteria. Humic substances, as a component of organic matter and a reserve of organic carbon in its global cycle, have a negative effect on hydrobionts by increasing their concentration in water bodies. However, humic substances are able to regulate the activity of phytoplankton. The introduction of humic substances at a concentration of 2-5 mg/l of reservoir water significantly affects the activity of phytoplankton (suppresses phytoplankton vegetation, reduces the slime formation of cyanobacteria, and, from the beginning, inactivates the synthesis of cyanotoxins). This effect is provided by the alkaline pH of humates, high content of iron and copper.

The Montreal Protocol is delaying the occurrence of the first ice-free Arctic summer

The rapid melting of Arctic sea ice is the largest and clearest signal of anthropogenic climate change. Current projections indicate that the first ice-free Arctic summer will likely occur by mid-century, owing to increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. However, other powerful greenhouse gases have also contributed to Arctic sea ice loss, notably ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). In the late 1980s, ODSs became strictly regulated by the Montreal Protocol, and their atmospheric concentrations have been declining since the mid-1990s. Here, analyzing new climate model simulations, we demonstrate that the Montreal Protocol, designed to protect the ozone layer, is delaying the first appearance of an ice-free Arctic summer, by up to 15 y, depending on future emissions. We also show that this important climate mitigation stems entirely from the reduced greenhouse gas warming from the regulated ODSs, with the avoided stratospheric ozone losses playing no role. Finally, we estimate that each Gg of averted ODS emissions results in approximately 7 km2 of avoided Arctic sea ice loss.

UN CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND OUR NATIONAL PLAN FOR CLIMATIC CHANGES

Paper highlights the contemporary issues of climatic change and its serious global environmental concern. It is primarily caused by the building up of Green House Gases (GHG) in the atmosphere. The global increases in carbon dioxide concentration (CO2) are primarily due to fossil fuel use and due to agriculture land use change yielding the methane and nitrous oxide. Global Warming is a specific example of the broader term “Climate Change”. It also discuss the scientific studies about UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC), conferences of parties (CoP) on climate change, our national action plan on climatic changes, eight national missions and in last the impacts of climate change on India and implementation of our national missions of NPA.

Adaptive forest management

Adaptive management is the basic concept of forest ecosystem management strategy in conditions of increased risks. Therefore, there is a need to develop key theories and information on which adaptive forest management is based. Adaptive management of forest resources has become the premise of modern forestry development strategies in Europe, and the main ideas about this method of management have developed primarily on the knowledge of forest ecology. Adaptive management is the monitoring of activities (monitoring) in order to adjust future activities to the desired effects of management. The main causes that have influenced the application of adaptive management in forestry are related to strategic forestry principles and global challenges. Forest ecosystems are exposed to natural and social risks that cause disturbances and adverse effects of management. In order to reduce the risk for the realization of strategic goals in forestry, there is a need to develop management mechanisms for the adaptation of forest ecosystems. Global activities, in addition to the implementation of measures for mitigation (mitigation) of climate change, include measures for adaptation (adaptation) to climate change, especially for underdeveloped countries and developing countries, in order to ensure sustainable development and mitigate the negative consequences for forest ecosystems. It is necessary to go beyond the management framework based mainly on a simplified balance between volume, increment and stature, and to systematically integrate the results of all interventions and external influences on forests in order to improve the condition of forests and adapt to changes. The best indicator of endangerment of species and forest plant communities is the reduction of their range and biodiversity. Most climate models predict large changes within forests due to the high rates of climate change and the limitations of adaptation of many tree species to climatic extremes. Forests are slowly adapting to new conditions, especially due to increasing temperatures, increasing carbon dioxide concentrations and increasing nitrate deposition. The most influential climate variable for forests is the one that determines wind disturbance. The key to forest management in risk conditions lies in increasing the participation of more resistant species adapted to future climatic conditions, ie in promoting the diversity of tree species and their provenances and the heterogeneity of structural forms of forests. To create such forests, it isnecessary to cultivate forests whose characteristics are close to natural and potential forest communities for appropriate habitat conditions and indigenous species. Adaptive forest management implies a multidisciplinary approach and a four-phase cycle of strengthening understanding of complex biophysical, socioeconomic and political systems with constant monitoring (ecosystem control) and acquiring new empirical knowledge whose positive effects are applied in practice. The advantage of adaptive management is that plans and activities are adjusted based on the results of monitoring in the newly created unforeseen conditions.

Wetlands estimation survey using DotS method: The case of Paya Indah Wetlands (PIW), Malaysia

Climate change poses a detrimental impact on the environment due to increasing carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. In mitigating climate change, wetlands play a significant role in optimising the function of the earth's ecosystem for carbon sequestration and water resources rehabilitation. However, the effectiveness of wetlands management depends on an ecologically and statistically adequate dataset. Unfortunately, it is difficult for developing countries to implement area frame methods based on established sampling methods for data collection and monitoring. Thus, in this study, the dot sampling (DotS) method was adopted as it is simple, efficient, reliable and does not need a sample frame or high cost. DotS method uses the readily available platform, i.e., integration between Microsoft Excel-Macro (EM) and Google Earth (GE). This method systematically distributes the sample dots in GE's target area according to the locations generated by the EM. The field survey was then conducted at the sample dots of the target area in Paya Indah Wetlands (PIW) to ratify the site location. During the first stage, 72 dot sample locations were generated systematically, distributed across the target area, and 47 dot sample locations were located within the PIW. After the preparatory stage, 10 dot sample locations were eliminated. After the fieldwork inspection and evaluation, only 28 dot sample locations were selected as study stations. Hence, this study provides comprehensive data and examples applying the established DotS method with high reliability, accuracy, and rapidity in determining the number of study stations of wetlands. Based on the advantages, this study recommends the DotS method as a reliable survey method suitable for all study locations, especially in the ecology field. Applying the Dots methods as a surveying tool enables rapid land assessment in planning and suits the assessment of ex-mining constructed wetlands. K eywords: Climate change, constructed wetland, DotS method, estimation survey wetland, excel-macro, google earth

Effects of climate variability and aridity index on wheat yield in contrasting environments of Iran

Climate change is one of the challenges that humanity is facing and can have different effects on agricultural production. The effect of climate change is mainly related to the three factors namely increasing carbon dioxide concentration, rising temperature, and changing rainfall patterns. The present study investigated the relationship between grain yield of rainfed and irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with climatic variables including minimum and maximum temperature and rainfall in different counties of Tehran, Alborz, Golestan, Kermanshah, and Fars provinces. The drought index (AI) was also calculated to quantify the drought phenomenon. Also, the relationship between drought index and grain yield of rainfed and irrigated wheat was calculated in annual and seasonal dimensions. The results showed that Gorgan (2306.8 kg ha−1) and Larestan (559.3 kg ha−1) have a higher and lower potential for rainfed wheat production compared with other studied areas, respectively. Also, based on the results of the drought index, the climate of Lamerd, Larestan, and Ravansar counties has become drier in the period 1995–2015 and the climate of Karaj has become wetter. The results showed that winter compared with other seasons had the highest drought trend during the studied years. The relationship between rainfed wheat yield and climatic variables in seasonal scale showed that temperature and rainfall in winter and spring had a greater effect on rainfed wheat grain yield in the study areas than other seasons. The relationship between AI and rainfed wheat grain yield showed that areas such as Gorgan, Karaj, and Larestan with increasing drought index value, rainfed wheat grain yield increased. Unlike rainfed wheat, Marvdasht county had the highest potential for irrigated wheat production compared with other areas with the averages of 4481 kg ha−1, while Lamerd had yield of less than 2.7 tons ha−1. The correlation between grain yield and climate variables on seasonal scale showed that the role of temperature was greater than rainfall in irrigated wheat agro-ecosystems. Also, significant correlations between yield and temperature were more in winter and spring seasons than in summer and fall seasons.

A Critical Review of Climate Change Impact at a Global Scale on Cereal Crop Production

Food security can be under threat due to climate change, which has the potential to alter crop yield. Wheat, maize, and rice are major crops contributing to global food security. The impact of climate change on crop yield with different models and techniques has been projected; this article reviewed the worldwide impact of climate change on future wheat, rice, and maize production. Wheat and maize crop yields may increase due to climate change in colder regions and may decrease in the countries near the equator. The increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere may help wheat and maize crops regarding increased carbon intake in colder regions. The rice crop yield may decrease in almost all major rice-producing countries due to water scarcity, which can be amplified due to climate change. The impact of climate change on crop yield prediction involves uncertainties due to different crop models, global circulation models, and bias correction techniques. It is recommended to use multiple climatic models and more than one bias correction technique for better climatic projections. Adaptation measures could help to reduce the adverse impacts of future climate on agriculture. Shifting the planting calendar, irrigation and nutrient management, improving crop varieties, and expanding the agricultural areas are suggested as the most effective adaptation actions in response to climate change. The findings of this study may help policymakers to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Innovation in agriculture and the agri-food chain: Some insights

<abstract> <p>Information on the impact of climate change on the growth of weed species and their sensitivity to herbicides could help to establish an efficient weed management strategy. Due to the excessive use of acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor herbicides, resistance to those herbicides is increasing globally. It is thus crucial to find out whether the efficacy of these herbicides will change in the future due to the increase in carbon dioxide concentration and in the temperatures. This work therefore aims to evaluate the impact of temperature and carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) changes on the growth of <italic>Amaranthus retroflexus</italic>, <italic>Bromus tectorum</italic>, <italic>Chenopodium album</italic> and <italic>Echinochloa crus-galli</italic>, including the assessment of herbicide (sulfosulfuron 75% + metsulfuron methyl 5%) (SMM) efficiency in these weeds. A factorial experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with three factors, including two CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations (400 and 700 ppm), two temperature regimes (30/20 ℃ and 34/24 ℃ day/night), and six herbicide rates (0, 25, 37.5, 50, 62.5 and 75 g a.e. ha<sup>−1</sup>) in four replications. As a result, it was seen that temperature and CO<sub>2</sub> concentration changes influenced the morphological parameters of the weeds. The main effect of the temperature regime on the herbicide's effectiveness, except for <italic>B. tectorum</italic>, was not statistically significant. The interaction of herbicide rates and temperature with the herbicide's efficacy was only significant for <italic>E. crus-galli</italic>; the highest efficacy was observed at 30/20 ℃ and at a rate 50% higher (75 g a.e. ha<sup>−1</sup>) than the recommended one (50 g a.e. ha<sup>−1</sup>). Increasing CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations enhanced the herbicide's efficiency and ALS enzyme activity inhibition in all the weed species, but had the greatest effect on C<sub>3</sub> weeds. Our results showed that temperature and CO<sub>2</sub> levels associated with climate change can interact to alter the efficacy of herbicidal weed control and that there are differences between plants with the C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> photosynthesis pathways. As a result, in the future, breeders and farmers could achieve the results desired by applying lower doses of this herbicide.</p> </abstract>

Isotope systematics of subfossil, historical, and modern Nautilus macromphalus from New Caledonia.

Cephalopod carbonate geochemistry underpins studies ranging from Phanerozoic, global-scale change to outcrop-scale paleoecological reconstructions. Interpreting these data hinges on assumed similarity to model organisms, such as Nautilus, and generalization from other molluscan biomineralization processes. Aquarium rearing and capture of wild Nautilus suggest shell carbonate precipitates quickly (35 μm/day) in oxygen isotope equilibrium with seawater. Other components of Nautilus shell chemistry are less well-studied but have potential to serve as proxies for paleobiology and paleoceanography. To calibrate the geochemical response of cephalopod δ15Norg, δ13Corg, δ13Ccarb, δ18Ocarb, and δ44/40Cacarb to modern anthropogenic environmental change, we analyzed modern, historical, and subfossil Nautilus macromphalus from New Caledonia. Samples span initial human habitation, colonialization, and industrial pCO2 increase. This sampling strategy is advantageous because it avoids the shock response that can affect geochemical change in aquarium experiments. Given the range of living depths and more complex ecology of Nautilus, however, some anthropogenic signals, such as ocean acidification, may not have propagated to their living depths. Our data suggest some environmental changes are more easily preserved than others given variability in cephalopod average living depth. Calculation of the percent respired carbon incorporated into the shell using δ13Corg, δ13Ccarb, and Suess-effect corrected δ13CDIC suggests an increase in the last 130 years that may have been caused by increasing carbon dioxide concentration or decreasing oxygen concentration at the depths these individuals inhabited. This pattern is consistent with increasing atmospheric CO2 and/or eutrophication offshore of New Caledonia. We find that δ44/40Ca remains stable across the last 130 years. The subfossil shell from a cenote may exhibit early δ44/40Ca diagenesis. Questions remain about the proportion of dietary vs ambient seawater calcium incorporation into the Nautilus shell. Values of δ15N do not indicate trophic level change in the last 130 years, and the subfossil shell may show diagenetic alteration of δ15N toward lower values. Future work using historical collections of Sepia and Spirula may provide additional calibration of fossil cephalopod geochemistry.

Determination of the Interzonal Airflows in Naturally Ventilated Dwellings Based on Concentration Measurements of the Metabolic Carbon Dioxide

The role of interzonal airflows is especially pronounced in naturally ventilated buildings. In such buildings, reversed airflows in the ventilation stacks might occur as well. This affects the air exchange rate and contaminant distribution in buildings. A significant increase in carbon dioxide concentration is a characteristic phenomenon for poorly ventilated rooms. This paper demonstrates the application of metabolic carbon dioxide concentration measurements for interzonal airflow estimation in naturally ventilated buildings. The presented method is based on the continuous measurements of CO2 concentration at one point in each zone. These measurements are used to estimate airflow pattern in a multizone building by applying an inverse analysis. The developed methodology employs an iterative Levenberg-Marquardt procedure to maximise the nonlinear likelihood function. The validity of the method was verified against measurements carried out in a single naturally ventilated room. Further, the method was applied to calculate the airflow pattern in two apartments in Poland, containing 4 and 6 zones. The obtained results revealed very poor ventilation in both investigated apartments and reversed airflow in exhaust ducts. The amount of fresh air entering the rooms was insufficient to ensure good indoor air quality. The developed methodology can be effectively used as a diagnostic tool to identify the potential problems with ventilation systems.

Cascading Impacts of Change in Carbon Dioxide Concentration, Temperature and Precipitation on Horticulture Crops: A Review

The impacts of an increase in carbon dioxide concentration, temperature and precipitation on physiology, yield and biochemical contents of horticulture crops including its mitigation measures are evident globally. This study mainly focuses on South-East Asia and Africa. We have reviewed crop-wise published literature mainly from 2000-2021 regarding the impacts of rising carbon dioxide concentration, temperature and precipitation on horticulture. Visible phenophase changes in horticultural crops such as budburst, leaf initiation, flowering, fruiting, seedling and the overall development stages of the crops are evident from the available literature. The prevalence of many diseases like blight, mildew, abaca, black sigatoka and Pierce’s disease are the results of climate change. Changes in the biochemical content of the horticulture crops such as tannins, flavonol, alcohol level, acidic content, starch, amino acids, lipids, chloroplasts, sugar, organic acids and antioxidants were observed. The recommended mitigation measures throughout the literature are delayed sowing dates, efficient seed varieties, controlled fertilizer use, soil moisture conservation and other biotechnological measures. Salinity, moisture and environmental stress-tolerant crops need to develop for better management of climate change. Breeding of short-duration and heat-tolerant varieties, vulnerability quantification and early warning disease forecasting are some of the important research areas.

A novel route to estimate the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide via voltage measurements

Titanium dioxide is known as a photocatalyst, that may be activated by UV-A light and thus be able to lead to chemical reactions, to mineralize organic compounds, to inactivate biomolecules and to kill microorganisms, respectively. To estimate the capability of the photocatalytic activity a novel experimental setup using photovoltage measurements was studied. A distinct correlation between the photocatalytic activity of the titanium dioxide samples and the measurable photovoltages could be demonstrated. The experimental setups included the construction of different electrochemical cells based on TiO2 and using different liquid and gel electrolytes. The investigations were carried out on titanium dioxide layers as well as on TiO2 particle materials. The electrochemical measurement of the resulting voltage was optimised and the results were compared with conventionally used methods for the determination of the photocatalytic activity like the decolourization of methylene blue solutions. Additionally, the increase of carbon dioxide concentration in the gas phase was taken as a measure for total mineralization. Results indicate strong correlations between the different methods.Graphical