Carbon Dioxide Levels Research Articles

Investigating the Relationship between Climate Variables and Solar Activity: A Regression Analysis Approach

This study employs regression analysis to investigate the relationships between carbon dioxide levels, sunspot occurrences, and global temperatures, encompassing both land and sea. By uncovering these connections, the study contributes to our understanding of climate change and solar phenomena interactions. The primary objective is to reveal the intricate associations between these elements, potentially influencing climate change and solar activity. The study's outcomes have significant implications for climate change research and solar activity monitoring. The positive correlation between carbon dioxide concentration and ocean temperatures emphasizes the impact of atmospheric carbon dioxide on sea temperature fluctuations. Conversely, the inverse correlation between sunspot numbers and land/global temperatures suggests solar activity's potential role in shaping Earth's temperature oscillations. This research introduces novelty by concurrently investigating the interconnectedness of these factors. The study establishes substantial connections between carbon dioxide concentration, sunspot numbers, and global temperatures. While the models shed light on some variability, the complexity of climate change and solar activity calls for further exploration of additional factors. This underscores the need to consider multiple variables for a comprehensive understanding. Further research is recommended to enhance the precision of these models.

Efficacy of caffeine citrate combined with mechanical ventilation in the treatment of apnea of prematurity and its influence on neurodevelopmental outcomes

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of caffeine citrate when combined with mechanical ventilation in the treatment of apnea of prematurity and its influence on neurodevelopmental outcomes.Methods: One hundred and sixty (160) premature infants with apnea admitted in Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China were enrolled in this study, and divided into control and study groups. Children in the control group underwent mechanical ventilation combined with aminophylline therapy, while children in the study group were administered mechanical ventilation combined with caffeine citrate. Blood gas and pulmonary function indices, as well as clinical symptom and neurodevelopmental improvements were assessed. Also, the incidence of adverse reactions were recorded during treatment.Results: Blood gas indices including oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) and pulse oxygen saturation (SPO2) levels in the study group were significantly higher, but partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) level was lower (p < 0.05); furthermore, tidal volume, respiratory rate and peak expiratory flow (PEF) in the study group were higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the disappearance time of apnea, invasive mechanical ventilation time and oxygen inhalation time in the study group were shorter than in the control group (p < 0.05). Mental development index (MDI) and psychomotor development index (PDI) values in the study group were significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05), while the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, feeding intolerance, tachycardia and hyperglycemia in the study group was significantly lower than in the control group (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The combination of caffeine citrate and mechanical ventilation aids improvement in the neurodevelopmental outcome of children, as well as reduction in the incidence of adverse reactions. However, further clinical trials are required prior to application of this strategy in clinical practice.

Assessment of CI Engine Performance Utilizing Palm Oil Biodiesel Blend

Experiment was explores vegetable oils as potential future fuels for internal combustion engines, particularly compression ignition engines designed for diesel. However, these oils have distinct properties from diesel, requiring modifications for direct use. Integration approaches include adjusting oil properties or adapting engines. Commonly, transesterification aligns oil properties, but using biodiesel often affects engine performance. In this study palm oil biodiesel as a diesel substitute, evaluating engine performance and emissions. In a short-term test, engine performance and emission traits by employing biodiesel blends of 0, 20, and 50 % with diesel at full load. Findings indicated that B20 and B50 exhibited 2.40% and 3.88% lower brake power than pure diesel. Volumetric efficiency percentages were 82.44 for B20, 81.64 for B50, and 82.93 for diesel. Notably, B20 and B50 showed 9.35% and 10.70 % decreased brake thermal efficiency compared to diesel. Interestingly, B20 and B50 displayed 1.09 and 2.44 % higher mechanical efficiency than diesel. Exhaust gas temperature was notably elevated in B20 and B50 blends. Nitric oxide concentrations were 98.74 ppm for diesel, 105.48 ppm for B20, and 111.78 ppm for B50. Carbon dioxide levels decreased by 4.14% for B20 and 7.86% for B50 relative to diesel. Carbon monoxide concentrations were 0.082% for B20 and 0.080% for B50, in contrast to diesel's 0.10%.

Responses of Two-Row and Six-Row Barley Genotypes to Elevated Carbon Dioxide Concentration and Water Stress

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a crucial cereal crop globally, and its productivity is influenced by environmental factors, including elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and water stress. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of water stress and increased CO2 concentration on the growth, physiological responses, and yield of two-row and six-row barley genotypes. Univariate data analysis revealed significant effects of CO2 concentration on most traits except chlorophyll a (Chla), crop antioxidant capacity as evaluated by the activity of plant extracts to scavenge the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and on the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm). Mean comparisons showed that elevated CO2 increased certain traits such as shoot dry weight (ShDW) (34.1%), root dry weight (RDW) (50.8%), leaf area (LA) (12.5%), grain weight (GW) (64.1%), and yield-related traits and combination of significant indices (CSI) (72.5%). In comparison, Proline (−19.3%), Malondialdehyde (MDA) (−34.4%) levels, and antioxidant enzyme activities, including ascorbate peroxidase (APX) (−39.1%), peroxidase (POX) (−26.1%), and catalase (CAT), (−34.4%) decreased. Water stress negatively affected ShDW (−40.2%), GW (−43.7%), RDW (−28.5%), and LA (−28.8%), while it positively affected DPPH (36.0%), APX (54.8%), CAT (85.1%), and MDA (101%). Six-row barley genotypes (Goharan and Mehr) had the highest yield under normal humidity and elevated CO2 concentrations, while under water stress conditions, their yield decreased more than two-row genotypes (Behrokh and M9316). Principal component analysis and heatmapping revealed that two-row barley genotypes exhibited the highest stress resistance under elevated CO2 concentrations, with the highest levels of secondary metabolites.

Evaluation of Potential Effects of Increased Outdoor Temperatures Due to Global Warming on Cerebral Blood Flow Rate and Respiratory Function in Chronic Obstructive Disease and Anemia.

Global warming due to increased outdoor carbon dioxide (CO2) levels may cause several health problems such as headaches, cognitive impairment, or kidney dysfunction. It is predicted that further increases in CO2 levels will increase the morbidity and mortality of patients affected by a variety of diseases. For instance, patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) may suffer cognitive impairments or intracranial bleeding due to an increased cerebral blood flow rate. Predicting the harmful effects of global warming on human health will help to take measures for potential problems. Therefore, the quantification of physiological parameters is an essential step to investigate the effects of global warming on human health. In this study, the effects of increased outdoor temperatures due to climate change on cerebral blood flow rate and respiratory function in healthy subjects and COPD patients with anemia and respiratory acidosis are evaluated utilizing numerical simulations. The numerical model simulates cardiac function and blood circulation in systemic, pulmonary and cerebral circulations, cerebral autoregulatory functions, respiratory function, alveolar gas exchange, oxygen (O2) and CO2 contents, and hemoglobin levels in the blood. The simulation results show that although the cardiovascular function is not significantly altered, the respiratory function and cerebral blood flow rates are altered remarkably.

The prevalence, hospitalization outcomes and risk factors of euthyroid sick syndrome in patients with diabetic ketosis/ketoacidosis

BackgroundTo investigate the prevalence of euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS) and to evaluate the outcomes and risk factors associated with ESS among hospitalized patients with diabetic ketosis (DK) or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).MethodsLaboratory and clinical data of 396 adult hospitalized DK/DKA patients with or without ESS were collected and analyzed. Spearman linear analysis and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate correlated factors of thyroid hormones and risk factors of ESS.ResultsMost of the individuals were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (359/396, 90.7%). The prevalence of ESS was 57.8% (229/396). Patients in ESS group were older and had a longer course of diabetes. Levels of thyroid hormones, serum lipids, and parameters reflecting acidosis were significantly decreased in ESS group. The proportion of patients with infection, acute renal injury and DKA was significantly higher in ESS group than in control group, accompanied by longer hospitalization stay and higher hospitalization costs. Free triiodothyronine positively correlates with albumin, eGFR, parameters reflecting acidosis and lipid profiles (All P < 0.001), and negatively correlates with age, onset age, 24-h urine albumin, hsCRP and WBC count (All P < 0.001). Hypoalbuminemia, low level of carbon dioxide combining power, high level of HbA1c and WBC, and co-infection are shown to be risk factors for ESS (OR = 0.866, 0.933, 1.112, 1.146, 1.929, respectively; All P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe prevalence of ESS was high in adult DK/DKA patients. Patients with ESS had inferior clinical and socioeconomic outcomes. Early recognition and management of patients with ESS may be necessary to improve outcome.

Recent advancement in CO2 capturing: An electrochemical approach

Various methods have been suggested to address the problem of elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. A potential technique among these strategies is the electrochemical reduction of CO2 (ERC), which can simultaneously solve issues like CO2-induced global warming and enable sustainable energy storage. The ERC procedure takes place within an electrochemical cell at the interface between an ionic conductor (the electrolyte) and an electron conductor (the cathode). In this process, the anode facilitates the oxidation of water, while the cathode enables CO2 reduction. However, a significant challenge in the ERC process lies in selecting an appropriate catalyst for the cathode material. In addition to explore the new transition metals, researchers have also investigated metal complex catalysts and nanostructures to enhance catalyst activity and product selectivity. Non-aqueous electrolytes have been employed to avoid the hydrogen evolution reaction. Ionic liquids have been proposed as a solution to address the challenge of low CO2 solubility in the reaction medium, offering significant potential for enhancing conversion rates to resolve the limitations faced by aqueous and non-aqueous systems solid polymer electrolytes are being considered. The cell configuration has been continuously improved to improve the mass transfer effects and to better separate the reaction products. This review paper provides a preface to the ERC process and an inclusive review of several decades of research work on ERC process by analyzing the adopted various and novel cathode materials, electrolytes and cell configuration.

The adaptive features of cardiohemodynamic and gas exchange readjustment under test load in young northern natives of different generations

The research aimed to study the restructuring of hemodynamics, gas exchange, and heart rate variability parameters in response to the stress test with breathing in confined space in different generations of young Caucasoid natives permanently residing in Russia’s Magadan region. Material and methods. Two hundred 18–21 year old male migrants and those born to them in 1–3 generations, all Caucasians by origin, participated in the Magadan city survey. During the resting and confined space rebreathing sessions we registered subjective heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen and carbon dioxide level. The heart rate variability was recorded by the Varicard complex coupled with the Iskim-6 software. The exhaled gas level was determined by the Karbonik analyzer. The blood oxygen saturation was measured by a pulse oximeter. An electronic tonometer was used for the blood pressure control. Results and discussion. Both resting and rebreathing tests revealed lower HRV rates in the group of migrants (zero generation): not only did they exhibit a decrease in the activity of the autonomic regulation contour – they also reported an imbalance in the sympathetic and parasympathetic regulation of cardiac hemodynamics. However, the 3rd generation subjects showed an optimal and stable balance between the links of autonomic regulation, both at rest and during functional exercise with rebreathing, which is reflected in the parameters of arterial pressure and gas exchange. Interestingly, the most informative indicators of adaptation are not the absolute values of the studied indicators but the difference between their background and testing values, which to a greater extent hold information on the body functional reserves of those born in the North in different generations constantly living in the extreme conditions of the North. It was found that the increase in parasympathetic activity and its influence on the cardiac rhythm both at rest and in response to a breathing test was most pronounced in the group of natives of the 3rd generation, which reflects a deeper degree of their adaptation to the northern conditions. Apparently, this is a manifestation of the general strategy of functional restructuring of the body’s regulatory systems aimed at the formation of optimal compensatory-adaptive restructuring of gas homeostasis during an increased period of residence in the North.

Reversible decentralized ventilation: Experimental determination of efficiency by carbon dioxide level

We studied decentralized ventilation devices based on a regenerative heat exchanger with a reverse mode of operation. These devices are capable of recovering up to 90% of the heat used for ventilation of premises. They are a cheaper alternative to central units, and can solve the problem of high heat consumption for ventilation of buildings. Such devices are of little use in practice, since their efficiency concerning providing the required air exchange is poorly studied. The reverse mode of operation is not typical for room ventilation, since the same device constantly changes its purpose between supply and exhaust, which constantly changes the air distribution pattern in the room and can affect the efficiency of dilution and removal of harmful substances. Taking this fact into account makes the study original. The aim of the study is to experimentally determine the efficiency of ventilation in the premises of civil buildings when using such devices. The efficiency criterion was the level of carbon dioxide concentration in the room with a specified limit value of 1000 ppm. People were the source of carbon dioxide. Ventilation was represented by two decentralized devices. The experiment consisted in determining the level of carbon dioxide concentration in natural conditions with a different number of people in the room and different ventilation performance. The results of the experiment were verified by analytical determination of the level of carbon dioxide in the room. As a result of the experiment, dependences of changes in CO2 concentration over time were obtained when one, two and five people were in a room with and without ventilation. To ensure the level of carbon dioxide concentration below the limit (1000 ppm), the required ventilation capacity for one person was 40 m3/h, for two people – 80 m3/h, for five people – more than 160 m3/h. The results allow us to make conclusions about the efficiency of decentralized ventilation devices with reversible mode for premises with a small number of people.

Qualitative and Quantitative Scientometric Analysis of Bioclimatic Retrofitting in Commercial Buildings from 2008 to 2022

The present study offers a thorough scientometric analysis of the practice of bioclimatic retrofitting in commercial buildings, which is considered a crucial approach for mitigating energy consumption and addressing the challenges posed by climate change. Since Scopus offers advanced tools for literature search and analysis, its database was used to acquire bibliographic data for nearly 400 published papers using a bibliometric search, a scientometric methodology, and an in-depth qualitative analysis. The scientometric procedure utilizes various quantitative dimensions, such as the number of intermediate citations, occurrences, average publication year, and general connection power. A retrospective examination of research publication patterns spanning 2008 to May 2022 has unveiled an upward trajectory in scholarly investigations pertaining to commercial buildings during this 15-year period. Nevertheless, research on the topics of bioclimatic design, retrofitting strategies, and green building practices in the context of commercial buildings exhibits a more gradual incline, displaying an almost linear trend between the years 2016 and 2020. Additionally, the study provides qualitative perspectives on the research environment. The paper delineates various focal points of research within the field, encompassing thermal comfort in the context of energy management and climate control, ventilation systems, sustainable development as it pertains to architectural designs and green buildings, retrofitting strategies in commercial buildings to enhance energy efficiency, the interplay between carbon dioxide levels and energy resources, the utilization of solar energy, the relationship between energy conservation and atmospheric temperature, and the application of building energy simulation techniques.

A review of climate change mitigation and agriculture sustainability through soil carbon sequestration

As a result of human activities such as burning fossil fuels, organic materials, and engaging in unsustainable land practices, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have been steadily rising, heightening worldwide concerns about climate change. It is expected concentrations to grow and changes in CO2 sequestration in agricultural soils as a result of the industrial revolution's acceleration of CO2 emissions. These emissions have been intensified by changes in land use, such as cutting down trees, burning biomass, altering farming operations, draining natural wetlands, and using the wrong methods for managing soil. The present study utilized the systematic literature review method to investigate soil carbon sequestration options as a possible means of reducing the impact of climate change and improving agriculture sustainability. As a result of soil degradation and poor management, soil organic carbon (SOC) levels have decreased, which in turn has increased atmospheric CO2 levels. But cutting-edge land application and modern agricultural management methods have the ability to reduce CO2 emissions. Several methods exist for replenishing depleted SOC, such as repurposing marginal lands for restoration purposes, advocating for reduced or zero-tillage methods in conjunction with cover as well as residue crops, and introducing nutrient cycling through composting, manure usage, and other environmentally friendly approaches to managing soil and water. One holistic approach to fighting climate change is long-term soil carbon sequestration. Soil carbon sequestration offers a comprehensive and efficient strategy for reducing the impact of climate change by recharging depleted soils, increasing biomass production, cleaning surface and underground water sources, and compensating for CO2 emissions through fossil fuels. Soil carbon sequestration presents an exciting opportunity for management of the problems caused by contemporary changes in the environment, and the adoption of these novel approaches is essential for meeting these issues.

Permissive hypercapnia and oxygenation impairment in premature ventilated infants

AimIn permissive hypercapnia high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) are tolerated in ventilated preterm infants to minimise lung injury, but hypercapnia could directly impair oxygenation. We aimed to quantify the association of elevated CO2 with oxygenation impairment in preterm infants by measuring the right-to-left shunt and the ventilation/perfusion (VA/Q) ratio. MethodsPre-existing datasets from preterm infants during the acute phase of respiratory distress syndrome or with evolving or established bronchopulmonary dysplasia were analysed. Non-invasive paired measurements of the fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) and transcutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2) were used to calculate the degree of right-to-left shunt, right shift of the FIO2 versus SpO2 curve and the VA/Q. ResultsA total of 75 infants (43 male) with a median (IQR) gestational age of 26.4 (24.7–27.7) weeks were studied at 7 (2–31) days. Thirty-six infants (48 %) had an arterial partial pressure of CO2 (PaCO2) above 6 kPa. The PaCO2 was independently associated with the right shift of the curve [adjusted p < 0.001, unstandardised coefficient; 2.26, 95 % CI: 1.51–2.95] and the right-to-left shunt [adjusted p = 0.016, unstandardised coefficient; 1.86, 95 % CI: 0.36–3.36] after adjusting for confounders. An increase of the PaCO2 from 5 to 8 kPa, corresponded to a right shift of the curve of 20.2 kPa or a decrease in the VA/Q from 0.66 to 0.24. ConclusionsIncreased carbon dioxide levels were significantly associated with impaired oxygenation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome or bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Anthropogenic acidification of surface waters drives decreased biogenic calcification in the Mediterranean Sea

Anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions directly or indirectly drive ocean acidification, warming and enhanced stratification. The combined effects of these processes on marine planktic calcifiers at decadal to centennial timescales are poorly understood. Here, we analyze size normalized planktic foraminiferal shell weight, shell geochemistry, and supporting proxies from 3 sediment cores in the Mediterranean Sea spanning several centuries. Our results allow us to investigate the response of surface-dwelling planktic foraminifera to increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide. We find that increased anthropogenic carbon dioxide levels led to basin wide reductions in size normalized weights by modulating foraminiferal calcification. Carbon (δ13C) and boron (δ11B) isotopic compositions also indicate the increasing influence of fossil fuel derived carbon dioxide and decreasing pH, respectively. Alkenone concentrations and test accumulation rates indicate that warming and changes in biological productivity are insufficient to offset acidification effects. We suggest that further increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide will drive ongoing reductions in marine biogenic calcification in the Mediterranean Sea.

Application of engineering thinking for risk assessment in a Canadian elementary school

This paper outlines the application of a facility-level research methodology for hazard assessment and adoption of controls through a case study performed in an elementary school located in Alberta, Canada. Two classrooms with different educational activities planned were monitored for two weeks using multiple sensors to establish the impact of the activity on the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the space. Building operators were particularly concerned with the relative risks of choral singing as compared to traditional classroom activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and little existing research supported decision-making in that area. The data collected in this study challenges the basis for public health controls in schools and demonstrates the feasibility of data collection and reporting outside the under-resourced public health departments. The classroom activities in this facility had little measurable impact on carbon dioxide levels. A challenge for public health officials during COVID-19 was in bridging a theoretical understanding of aerosol hazard transmission with the operationalization of that theory into effective risk controls for all facilities operating within a jurisdiction. The utility and effectiveness of risk controls should be re-evaluated routinely and supported by measurements and data as is feasible to collect, and this study demonstrates how researchers can bridge the gap between policy makers and regulated entities. Engineering thinking, and principles of industrial risk management and process control can be readily applied in any commercial building facility, and this study demonstrates some of the opportunities available to building operators and policy makers with the mass proliferation of affordable instruments with high utility for assessing building conditions.

Demonstrating the most effective interventions to improve classroom air quality. What novel in situ tests of real-world conditions show is still missing in our guidance

Abstract Over 20 years ago a report commissioned by the European Commission identified air quality in schools as a public health priority. Despite this concern, little action was taken in the following two decades. Over the last two years as classrooms were increasingly recognised as hotspots for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, renewed interest and resources have been made available in response to this issue. Questions remain, however, over how best to achieve safer classroom air. Our analysis assessed a range of in situ interventions to remove particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon dioxide from inside a populated classroom. Our approach used saline spray and volunteers’ exhalations as our source of PM2.5 and carbon dioxide to explore the ability of high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, natural ventilation and a recirculating A/C unit to remove these air pollutants which collectively provided a novel set of data. For a total window opening of 1.86 m2 for a 181.7 m3 classroom with a HEPA filter with a 703m3/hr clean air delivery rate, our results confirmed that outdoor air was needed to purge the room to reduce carbon dioxide levels that otherwise rose to &gt;1000 ppm in 12 min. Cross and natural ventilation reduced levels of PM2.5 and carbon dioxide very effectively—in under 5 and 10 min respectively during low levels of outside PM2.5. We conclude that natural ventilation supplemented with the use of HEPA filters is the most effective way to reliably improve indoor air quality year-round, balancing the need to have easy to enact approaches to reduce the buildup of PM2.5, airborne viruses and carbon dioxide. These results highlight an important knowledge gap. Without having localised real-time outdoor air pollution sensing, evidence-based decisions cannot be made about how often, and for how long, windows can safely remain open to purge classrooms in times of poor quality outdoor air.

Chitosan nanoparticles upregulate C and N metabolism in soybean plants grown under elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide

Despite the wide utilization of chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) as a promising approach for sustainable agriculture, their efficiency under elevated CO2 (eCO2), has not been evaluated. The interactive effects of CSNPs and eCO2 were evaluated on the growth and C and N metabolism of soybean plants. Plants were treated with CSNPs and grown under ambient CO2 (410 ppm, aCO2) or eCO2 (645 ppm). Regardless of CO2 level, CSNPs improved the net photosynthetic rate. CSNPs aggravated the effect of eCO2 treatment on the levels of non-structural carbohydrates (i.e., glucose, fructose, sucrose, and starch), especially in shoots, which was inconsistence with the upregulation of carbohydrates metabolizing enzymes. Being the most pivotal energetic and signaling organic compounds in higher plants, the synergistic action of CSNPs and eCO2 on the accumulation of soluble sugars upregulated the N metabolism as indicated by induced activities of nitrate reductase, arginase, glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamine synthetase, and glutamine oxoglutarate aminotransferase which was manifested finally as increased shoot and root total nitrogen content as well as proline and aspartate in roots. At the hormonal level, the coexistence of eCO2 with CSNPs further supports their positive impact on the contents of IAA and, to a lesser extent, GAs. The present data prove that the biofertilization capacity of CSNPs is even more potent under futuristic eCO2 levels and could even further improve the growth and resilience of plants.

Quasi-Copper-Mers Enable High-Performance Catalysis for CO2 Reduction.

As the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2 ) level keeps hitting the new record, humanity is facing an ever-daunting challenge to efficiently mitigate CO2 from the atmosphere. Though electrochemical CO2 reduction presents a promising pathway to convert CO2 to valuable fuels and chemicals, the general lack of suitable electrocatalysts with high activity and selectivity severely constrains this approach. Herein, a novel class of electrocatalysts is investigated, the quasi-copper-mers, in which the CuN4 rather than Cu atom itself serve as the basic building block. The respective quasi-copper-monomers, -dimers, and -trimers hosted in a graphene-like substrate are first synthesized and then performed both experimental characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to examine their atomic structures, evaluate their electrocatalytical performance and understand their underlying mechanisms. The experimental results show that the quasi-copper-trimers not only outperform the quasi-copper-dimer and quasi-copper-monomer when catalyzing CO2 to CO, it also shows a superior selectivity against the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The DFT calculations not only support the experimental observations, but also reveal the volcano curve and the physical origin for the qausi-copper-trimer superiority. The present work thus presents a new strategy in the design of high-performance electrocatalysts with high activity and selectivity.

Quantification of the Volcanic Carbon Dioxide in the Air of Vulcano Porto by Stable Isotope Surveys

AbstractInjecting volcanic gas into the air leads to an increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) levels compared with background concentrations and may establish gas hazard conditions. This study reports the results of five stable isotope (i.e., δ13C‐CO2 and δ18O‐CO2) surveys of airborne CO2 on Vulcano from August 2020 to November 2021. To measure CO2 in the air, a mobile laboratory was equipped with a laser‐based spectrophotometer that can selectively detect different CO2 isotopologues. Volcanic CO2 has a different isotopic signature than atmospheric CO2 and both δ13C‐CO2 and δ18O‐CO2 can help trace the injections of volcanic gases into the air. An isotopic mass balance model was developed for partitions CO2 between atmospheric background and volcanic CO2. The results of these studies show that volcanic CO2 emissions and atmospheric circulation deeply affected the concentration of CO2 in the air at Vulcano Porto. Studies of δ13C‐CO2 and δ18O‐CO2 provide an estimate of volcanic CO2 in the air. These results help identify spatially some points of interest for mitigating volcanic gas emission‐related hazards on Vulcano.

Comparison of Recently Proposed Causes of Climate Change

This paper compares the ideas contained in the main papers published on climate change since World War II to arrive at a suggested consensus of our present knowledge regarding climatic changes and their causes. Atmospheric carbon dioxide is only suggested as a cause in one theory, which, despite its wide acceptance by Politicians, the media, and the Public, ignores the findings in other studies, including the ideas found in the Milankovitch Cycles. It also does not explain the well-known NASA map of the changes between the global 1951–1978 and the 2010–2019 mean annual temperatures. The other theories by Oceanographers, Earth scientists, and Geographers fit together to indicate that the variations in climate are the result of differential solar heating of the Earth, resulting in a series of processes redistributing the heat to produce a more uniform range of climates around the surface of the Earth. Key factors are the shape of the Earth and the Milankovitch Cycles, the distribution of land and water bodies, the differences between heating land and water, ocean currents and gateways, air masses, and hurricanes. Low atmospheric carbon dioxide levels during cold events could result in too little of this gas to support photosynthesis in plants, resulting in the extermination of most life on Earth as we know it. The 23 ka Milankovitch cycle has begun to reduce the winter insolation received at the surface of the atmosphere in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere starting in 2020. This results in extreme weather as the winter insolation reaching the surface of the atmosphere in the higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere decreases while the summer air temperatures increase. It heralds the start of the next glaciation. A brief outline is given of some of the climatic changes and consequences that may be expected in western Canada during the next 11.5 ka.

A Study on Phytoplankton Diversity in Relation to Physico-Chemical Parameters of Freshwater Lake Kharungpat, Manipur, India

The phytoplankton present in various water bodies collectively account for around half of the earth’s primary producers. The present study attempts to gain a better insight into the phytoplankton diversity and its relationship with physico-chemical parameters of freshwater lake Kharungpat in Manipur, India from September 2019 to August 2021. The lake water was characterized by moderate temperature (16.68-29.21 oC), fluctuating transparency (53.00-119.30 cm), suitable level of pH (6.26-7.74) and dissolved oxygen (5.10–9.35 mg/l), favorable total alkalinity (31.21-66.29 mg/l), total hardness with a value of 28.37-66.49 mg/l which can sustain low growth of fish, fluctuating level of free carbon dioxide (3.78-10.23 mg/l), phosphate phosphorus and nitrate nitrogen content with a value ranged from 0.001 to 0.018 mg/l and 0.01-0.30 mg/l. A total of 22 phytoplankton genus were identified in the lake, out of which 13 belonged to Chlorophyceae, seven to Cyanophyceae, six to Bacillariophyceae and two to Euglenophyceae. Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Euglenophyceae are the four major phytoplankton groups identified with a percentage composition of 51.79%, 31.00%, 13.12% and 4.33% respectively. An analysis of seasonal variation of phytoplankton diversity indices indicated that the highest recorded Simpson_1-D was 0.956 and 3.180, 4.023 and 0.976 for Shannon_H, Margalef and Equitability_J respectively.