Massive Utilization Research Articles

A review of disposable facemasks during the COVID-19 pandemic: A focus on microplastics release

The COVID-19 epidemic seriously threats the human society and provokes the panic of the public. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are widely utilized for frontline health workers to face the ongoing epidemic, especially disposable face masks (DFMs) to prevent airborne transmission of coronavirus. The overproduction and massive utilization of DFMs seriously challenge the management of plastic wastes. A huge amount of DFMs are discharged into environment, potentially induced the generation of microplastics (MPs) owing to physicochemical destruction. The MPs release will pose severe contamination burden on environment and human. In this review, environmental threats of DFMs regarding to DFMs fate in environment and DFMs threats to aquatic and terrestrial species were surveyed. A full summary of recent studies on MPs release from DFMs was provided. The knowledge of extraction and characterizations of MPs, the release behavior, and potential threats of MPs derived from DFMs was discussed. To confront the problem, feasible strategies for control DFMs pollution were analyzed from the perspective of source control and waste management. This review provides a better understanding the threats, fate, and management of DFMs linked to COVID-19 pandemic.

Study on Mechanical Properties and Durability of Alkali-Activated Silicomanganese Slag Concrete (AASSC)

Alkali-activated materials are produced by chemically polymerizing the aluminosilicate materials using alkaline activators, which can effectively lower the greenhouse-gas emissions (approximately 73%) released by ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Silicomanganese slag is a large solid waste discharged from the ferroalloy industry in China that can pollute the environment and occupy resources. In this paper, the slag in alkali-activated material was replaced with silicomanganese slag to address the disposal of silicomangaese slag. The flowability, setting times, compressive and flexural strengths, micro-structure and freeze-thaw resistance of alkali-activated silicomanganese slag concrete (AASSC) with varied substitution ratios, volume fractions of steel fibers and alkali-activated modulus (MS) were exploited. As a results the compressive strengths at 56 days of AASSC with a 10% substitution ratio of silicomanganese slag reached over 80 MPa and over 132 MPa with the 3% steel fiber dosage. AASSC still reached 91 MPa and 45 MPa with 60% and 100% substitution ratios by cooperating 2% steel fibers, respectively. When the freeze-thaw cycle number reached 300, the compressive strengths of AASSC with the replacement ratios of 10%, 60% and 100% were 84%, 74% and 51% of their original values by cooperating 2% steel fibers, respectively; AASSC with the numerous substitutions of 60% and 100% were destroyed at 600 and 300 freeze-thaw cycles, respectively. AASSC with a 10% substitution ratio and 2% steel fiber content is suitable for excellent performance, and a 60% substitution ratio can also be applied to construction for the massive utilization of silicomanganese slag.

A sustainable low-carbon pervious concrete using modified coal gangue aggregates based on ITZ enhancement

An eco-friendly low-carbon coal gangue pervious concrete (CGPC) was prepared with coal gangue aggregates (CGAs) and solid waste-based sulfoaluminate cement (WSAC) as binders, which provided an effective approach for the high-value massive utilization of coal gangue and a sustainable solution of pervious concrete. In this study, an innovative slurry wrapping process based on WSAC was employed for the modification of raw CGAs (RCGA) and self-ignited CGAs (SCGA). The basic performance, frost resistance, environmental impact and economic analysis of CGPC were investigated and the mechanism by which SCGA-based CGPCs obtains high performance is expounded from the perspective of interface structure and bonding strength between aggregates and matrix. The results showed that the compressive strength and density of CGPC decreased with the increase of replacement level, while the water permeability and connected porosity improved to a certain extent, and SCGA-based CGPCs had more remarkable compressive strength and freeze-thaw cycle resistance than that of RCGA-based at the same replacement level. Moreover, the compressive strength and freezing resistance of CGPC prepared via slurry wrapping process modified CGAs were significantly enhanced. The higher binding strength of SCGA-matrix is mainly attributed to the dense “shell layer” structure with low water-binder ratio and the enhanced compact structure formed by the self-extension growth of ettringite (AFt) in micropores distributed on the SCGA surface. The leaching concentration of heavy metals is far below the specification limit. The production cost and CO2 emissions are 50.6% and 57% lower than those of traditional pervious concrete, which fully certified the environmental friendliness and practicability of CGPC. This research is of great significance in saving resources, reducing costs, and alleviating the environmental burden of coal gangue.

Adaptive design and implementation of fractional order PI controller for a multi-source (Battery/UC/FC) hybrid electric vehicle

ABSTRACT In the modern era, where the massive utilization of fossils fuels is a serious threat to the global environment, the trend of clean and green technological innovations is highly necessitated. The hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) uses more than one means of propulsion, so it consumes less fuel and emits fewer hydrocarbons as compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Since, the overall design of HEV possesses non-linearities and the driving condition sometimes gets very challenging. This paper aims at the modeling and development of an adaptive fractional order PI (AFOPI) controller for speed tracking of a motor according to an Extra Urban Driving Cycle (EUDC) and Japanese 10–15 mode speed cycles. Whereas, conventional controllers lack the ability to track the driving cycles and show oscillation, chattering, and distortion. The AFOPI controller efficiently tracks the driving cycles with the help of a dragonfly searching algorithm (DSA), which optimizes its parameters based on the errors input. The proposed controller has shown an efficiency of 98.8% and its tests carried out at load, speed, and torque variations are then scrutinized and compared with primarily used proportional integer (PI) and field-oriented control (FOC)/vector control (VC) to show the competency and validity of the proposed method.

Quantum Integral Inequalities in the Setting of Majorization Theory and Applications

In recent years, the theory of convex mappings has gained much more attention due to its massive utility in different fields of mathematics. It has been characterized by different approaches. In 1929, G. H. Hardy, J. E. Littlewood, and G. Polya established another characterization of convex mappings involving an ordering relationship defined over Rn known as majorization theory. Using this theory many inequalities have been obtained in the literature. In this paper, we study Hermite–Hadamard type inequalities using the Jensen–Mercer inequality in the frame of q˙-calculus and majorized l-tuples. Firstly we derive q˙-Hermite–Hadamard–Jensen–Mercer (H.H.J.M) type inequalities with the help of Mercer’s inequality and its weighted form. To obtain some new generalized (H.H.J.M)-type inequalities, we prove a generalized quantum identity for q˙-differentiable mappings. Next, we obtain some estimation-type results; for this purpose, we consider q˙-identity, fundamental inequalities and the convexity property of mappings. Later on, We offer some applications to special means that demonstrate the importance of our main results. With the help of numerical examples, we also check the validity of our main outcomes. Along with this, we present some graphical analyses of our main results so that readers may easily grasp the results of this paper.

Review of Artificial Intelligence: A Driver of Unemployment or Navigation towards a Prospective Future?

Artificial intelligence has swiftly penetrated our lives that eased our way of life. With its massive utility in healthcare, education and other commercial sectors, AI has evolved as a boon to the world. Nevertheless, atomisation has resulted in large-scale job loss, retrenchment and unemployment, substituting human labour, resulting in controversies about the significance of advanced technological progressions. This study argues about the extent to which AI has led to unemployment changing the macroeconomics versus the new job opportunities opened by AI and other technological developments, augmenting productivity level and improving quality of service delivered.

Dynamic simulation modelling of reversible solid oxide fuel cells for energy storage purpose

The necessary integration of renewable based technologies in the current energy systems is leading to a faster development of energy storage technologies. As widely known, renewables suffer for unpredictability, and their massive utilization is significantly affecting grid stability and management. In this framework, the development of efficient and large electrical storage systems is becoming a pivotal point to achieve a stable electrical network based on renewables. This paper proposes a novel approach to reduce the energy excesses exported to the grid by a residential user equipped with a100 kW solar photovoltaic field. In particular, the electricity is stored as hydrogen by means of a 50 kW reversible solid oxide fuel cell. A comprehensive energy and economic simulation model of the system is proposed. In particular, a model of the reversible solid oxide fuel cell is developed in MatLab® and then integrated in TRNSYS17 for dynamic simulation purpose. Results showed that using the plant waste heat is crucial for improving fuel cell efficiency and plant energy performance. The proposed system achieves a reduction of the primary energy consumption by 74%. However, the proposed plant exhibits a poor economic profitability, with a payback period of 15 years.

Sea Salt Aerosol Identification Based on Multispectral Optical Properties and Its Impact on Radiative Forcing over the Ocean

The ground-based measurement of sea salt (SS) aerosol over the ocean requires the massive utilization of satellite-derived aerosol products. In this study, n-order spectral derivatives of aerosol optical depth (AOD) based on wavelength were examined to characterize SS and other aerosol types in terms of their spectral dependence related to their optical properties such as particle size distributions and complex refractive indices. Based on theoretical simulations from the second simulation of a satellite signal in the solar spectrum (6S) model, AOD spectral derivatives of SS were characterized along with other major types including mineral dust (DS), biomass burning (BB), and anthropogenic pollutants (APs). The approach (normalized derivative aerosol index, NDAI) of partitioning aerosol types with intrinsic values of particle size distribution and complex refractive index from normalized first- and second-order derivatives was applied to the datasets from a moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) as well as by the ground-based aerosol robotic network (AERONET). The results after implementation from multiple sources of data indicated that the proposed approach could be highly effective for identifying and segregating abundant SS from DS, BB, and AP, across an ocean. Consequently, each aerosol’s shortwave radiative forcing and its efficiency could be further estimated in order to predict its impact on the climate.

Exploring a Pathway to Sustainable Performance in Manufacturing Firms: The Interplay between Innovation Capabilities, Green Process, Product Innovations and Digital Leadership

In recent years, advancing industrialization and rapid climate change have considerably influenced the global consumption pattern of natural assets. Undoubtedly, this massive utilization of natural resources and hazardous environmental emissions have profoundly curbed the worldwide socio-economic context, substantially causing this ecological burden to amplify the harmful effects on countries’ prosperity. This study aims to improve the sustainable performance of manufacturing firms in Pakistan through innovation capabilities and green process innovation. The study has adopted a quantitative approach, and data has been accumulated through a structured questionnaire distributed among 299 employees working in manufacturing firms. A structural equation model using Smart PLS software was used to analyze the collected data from the respondents. The results have identified a significant correlation between innovation capabilities, green process innovation, and sustainable performance. The buffering role of digital leadership enhances the employees’ creative skills and sustainable performance. Additionally, the extent that green product innovation plays a mediating role between innovation capabilities, green process innovation, and sustainable performance has been contemplated. Henceforth, the current study also analyzes the moderating role of digital leadership in sustainable performance.

Use of Botanical Pesticides in Agriculture as an Alternative to Synthetic Pesticides

Pest management is being confronted with immense economic and environmental issues worldwide because of massive utilization and over-reliance on pesticides. The non-target toxicity, residual consequence, and challenging biodegradability of these synthetic pesticides have become a serious concern, which urgently requires the alternative and prompt adoption of sustainable and cost-effective pest control measures. Increasing attention in environmental safety has triggered interest in pest control approaches through eco-friendly plant-based pesticides. Botanical pesticidal constituents are effective against myriads of destructive pests and diseases. More importantly, they are widely available, inexpensive, accessible, rapidly biodegradable, and have little toxicity to beneficiary agents. The phytochemical compositions in diverse plant species are responsible for their varying mechanisms of action against pests and diseases. However, difficulties in their formulation and insufficient appropriate chemical data have led to a low level of acceptance and adoption globally. Therefore, the review seeks to highlight the status, phytochemical compositions, insecticidal mechanisms, and challenges of plant-based pesticide usage in sustainable agricultural production.

A State-of-the-Art Review on Suitability of Granite Dust as a Sustainable Additive for Geotechnical Applications

The increase in infrastructure requirement drives people to use all types of soils, including poor soils. These poor soils, which are weak at construction, must be improved using different techniques. The extinction of natural resources and the increase in cost of available materials require us to think of alternate resources. The usage of industry by-products and related methods for improving the properties of different soils has been studied for several years. Granite dust is an industrial by-product originating from the primary crushing of aggregates. The production of huge quantities of granite dust in the industry causes severe problems from the handling to the disposal stage. Accordingly, in the civil engineering field, the massive utilization of granite dust has been proposed for various applications to resolve these issues. In this context, the present review provides precise and valuable content on granite dust characterization, its effect as a stabilizer on the behavior of different soils, and its interaction mechanisms. The efficacy of the granite dust in replacing sand in concrete is explored followed by its ability to improve the geotechnical characteristics of clays of varying plasticity are explored. The review is even extended to study the effect of binary stabilization on clays with granite dust in the presence of calcium-based binders. The practical limitations encountered and its efficiency over other stabilizers are also assessed. This review is further extended to analyze the effect of the granite dust dosage for various field applications.

Utility of benzothiazoles as markers of tire-derived inputs to estuarine waters assessed by polyethylene sheets

Tire-derived particles and polyethylene (PE) debris co-exist in estuaries and potentially deteriorate water quality. Chemicals can be emitted from tire-derived particles and resorb to PE debris. However, there was lack of information about the interaction (e.g., sorption and desorption) between tire-derived chemicals and PE debris. By combining batch sorption and desorption experiments along with in situ field deployment of PE sheets, we examined the utility of benzothiazoles (BTZs) sorbed in PE as suitable markers of tire-derived inputs. The sorptive characteristics and PE-water partition coefficients (often designated as Kpew) of selected tire-derived marker candidates, i.e., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzothiophenes (BTPs) and BTZs, were measured. Moderately polar BTPs and BTZs (except for 2-(4-morpholinyl) benzothiazole) reached equilibrium within 2–8 days, compared to 20 days for nonpolar PAHs. The measure Kpew values and octanol-water partition coefficients of PAHs and BTZs were linearly correlated with each other (r2 > 0.80; p < 0.05). The desorption potentiality of PAHs and BTZs from tire particles is consistent with the hydrophilic properties of the target chemicals, while desorption ratios of BTZs and PAHs are 25–87% and <20%, respectively. Samplers with PE sheets as the sorbent phase were deployed in Hailing Bay, an urbanized estuary in South China, to measure concentrations of PAHs, BTPs and BTZs. Benzothiazoles sorbed in PE samples were associated with the massive utilization of automobile tires, while PAHs were linked to the boat maintenance facilities and BTPs were not detected in any tire particle and field PE samples. Therefore sorbed BTZs in PE can potentially serve as chemical markers of tire-derived inputs to estuaries.

Hydrogeological Conceptual Model in the Middle of Randublatung Groundwater Basin

Randublatung groundwater basin is one of the groundwaters basins with massive utilization of groundwater pumping. However, the knowledge of the comprehensive hydrogeological system in this groundwater basin is limited, so this research aims to determine a comprehensive hydrogeological conceptual model of the Randublatung groundwater basin. The methodology was conducted by collecting secondary and primary data of deep and shallow wells to evaluate boundaries of pattern and direction of groundwater flow and develop the aquifer system’s geometry. The result shows that the groundwater flow boundaries are Grogol River in the west, Wado River in the East, Bengawan Solo river in the South as a river boundary, and Rembang Mountains in the North as a constant head boundary. Therefore, groundwater flows from the hills area to the Bengawan Solo River and the north as the river’s flow. Based on the log bor evaluation, the aquifer system of the study area consist of an unconfined aquifer with a maximum thickness of 20 m and three layers of confined aquifers with thickness vary between 8 to 60 m. the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifers depends on the aquifer’s lithology range from sand, gravel, limestone, and sandstone. This hydrogeological conceptual model provides essential information for numerical groundwater models in the middle of the Randublatung groundwater basin.

Age-Related Digital Divide during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China.

China has adopted a variety of digital technologies to effectively combat the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. The massive utilisation of digital technologies, however, to a great extent, magnifies the age-related digital divide. This paper aims to examine the impacts of the age-related digital divide on older adults in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cases of three age-related digital divide scenarios, including older people taking public transportation, seeking medical care, as well as conducting digital transactions, are collected from Chinese official news outlets. The results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates the pace of digital technology utilisation but exacerbates the age-related digital divide. Such an age-related digital divide has largely excluded older adults from both the real society and the virtual society. Older adults’ personal attitudes and motivations, as well as education and income, governmental policies, and family and social supports, are all major contributors to the severe impacts of the age-related digital divide on old adults during the pandemic. More measures should be adopted to bridge the age-related digital divide and build a senior-friendly e-society.

Bamboo-derived carboxymethyl cellulose for liquid film as renewable and biodegradable agriculture mulching

Mulching has been extensively sought after in modern agriculture. However, massive utilization of plastics for mulching has induced severe environmental concerns. Developing biodegradable mulch thus represents an emerging need for future agriculture. By using bamboo-derived carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), this study proposed a crosslinking strategy to prepare liquid film as quality mulch. CMC was synthesized by delignifying bamboo and etherifying resultant cellulose, which was then blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and crosslinked by glutaraldehyde to prepare a liquid film. By simply spraying on soil, mulch can quickly form on soil surface. Especially, bamboo-timber derived mulch had strong mechanical property (18.2 MPa), good transmittance (74.2%) and moisture absorption (141%), and excellent soil moisture retention. More importantly, about 64% of used mulches were biodegraded within 60-d after burring in soil, which will not need post-handling. These results highlighted that bamboo-derived mulch can be an alternative of current plastic mulch to tackle associated environmental pollution.

Thermodynamic analysis of a novel biomass polygeneration system for ammonia synthesis and power generation using Allam power cycle

The massive utilization of fossil energy in power generation section and chemical production industry causes serious environmental pollution and global warming issues. The bioenergy utilization is considered to be a feasible approach in the short term to meet the climate goals. A novel biomass based polygeneration system for power generation and ammonia synthesis was proposed in this study. The negative CO2 emission is achieved by incorporating Allam power cycle with internal carbon capture. The pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology is adopted to separate the hydrogen for ammonia synthesis, and the remaining syngas is burned with pure oxygen in the Allam cycle to generate electric power, achieving the classified utilization of materials and simple and efficient capture of CO2. Comparing with the ammonia synthesis and the power generation reference systems, the proposed system omitted the processes with huge exergy destruction for the ammonia synthesis and the exergy destruction of the Allam cycle unit was also reduced through efficient heat integration. The thermodynamic performance is determined by the developed energy analysis models and the process simulation. The root cause of the thermodynamic benefits of this proposed system is revealed by the comprehensive exergy flow analysis. Results showed that the energy saving ratio of the polygeneration system is 7.61% comparing with the reference systems, and the exergy efficiency of the polygeneration system is 3.90% higher than reference systems.

Photocatalytic Rejuvenation Enabled Self-Sanitizing, Reusable, and Biodegradable Masks against COVID-19.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) has been highly recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for self-protection during the disastrous SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. Nevertheless, massive utilization of PPE encounters significant challenges in recycling and sterilizing the used masks. To tackle the associated plastic pollution of used masks, in this work, we designed a reusable, biodegradable, and antibacterial mask. The mask was fabricated by the electrospinning of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), and cellulose nanofiber (CNF), followed by esterification and the deposition of a nitrogen-doped TiO2 (N-TiO2) and TiO2 mixture. The fabricated mask containing photocatalytic N-TiO2/TiO2 reached 100% bacteria disinfection under either 0.1 sun simulation (200–2500 nm, 106 W m–2) or natural sunlight for only 10 min. Thus, the used mask can be rejuvenated through light irradiation and reused, which represents one of the handiest technologies for handling used masks. Furthermore, intermolecular interactions between PVA, PEO, and CNF enhanced the electrospinnability and mechanical performance of the resultant mask, which possesses a 10-fold elastic modulus and 2-fold tensile strength higher than a commercial single-use mask. The porous structures of electrospun nanofibers along with strong electrostatic attraction enabled breathability (83.4 L min–1 of air flow rate) and superior particle filterability (98.7%). The prepared mask also had excellent cycling performance, wearability, and stable filtration efficiency even after 120 min wearing. Therefore, this mask could be a great alternative to current masks to address the urgent need for a sustainable, reusable, environmentally friendly, and efficient PPE under the ongoing COVID-19 contagion.

Laminated Bamboo Board: A Sustainable Alternative to Timber Board for Building Construction

There is increased advocacy for low-carbon environment globally, necessitating the promotion of ecologically friendly building materials. The health and environmental hazards associated with conventional building material production, as well as the high cost on the economy for the importation of machinery for their production; the massive utilisation of wood resources for construction purposes, and its effect on climate change, necessitates the search for alternative construction materials. The purpose of this study is to examine the sustainability of a composite board made from Bambusa vulgaris for building construction. A 600 mm x 600 mm wall and floor-board comprising three sample units for different thicknesses; 10 mm, 20 mm and 40 mm were produced from each segment; top, middle, and bottom, of the bamboo culm with approximately 8-10 mm laminate. The results revealed average compressive strength values for the bottom, middle, and top bamboo segments of 31.39 N/mm2, 29.38 N/mm2, and 24.99 N/mm2, respectively. The highest impact bending strength of 33.66 N/mm2 and 27.94 N/mm2 occurs at the middle and top segments of the bamboo species respectively. Modulus of Rupture decreases from the bottom to the top segment of the bamboo species with values of 76.43 N/mm2, 62.33 N/mm2, and 56.70 N/mm2, respectively. Furthermore, thermal properties indicate that it is a good material for interior walls, floors, and ceiling finishes. These findings have far-reaching implications for practice and economic development; regarding reduction in the cost of materials, and hence affordability for low-income housing; overall safety of the environment; and employment opportunities for Nigerian youths along the construction value chain.

Towards the Large-Scale Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide

The severe increase in the CO2 concentration is a causative factor of global warming, which accelerates the destruction of ecosystems. The massive utilization of CO2 for value-added chemical production is a key to commercialization to guarantee both economic feasibility and negative carbon emission. Although the electrochemical reduction of CO2 is one of the most promising technologies, there are remaining challenges for large-scale production. Herein, an overview of these limitations is provided in terms of devices, processes, and catalysts. Further, the economic feasibility of the technology is described in terms of individual processes such as reactions and separation. Additionally, for the practical implementation of the electrochemical CO2 conversion technology, stable electrocatalytic performances need to be addressed in terms of current density, Faradaic efficiency, and overpotential. Hence, the present review also covers the known degradation behaviors and mechanisms of electrocatalysts and electrodes during electrolysis. Furthermore, strategic approaches for overcoming the stability issues are introduced based on recent reports from various research areas involved in the electrocatalytic conversion.

A novel approach for recycling engineering sediment waste as sustainable supplementary cementitious materials

Engineering sediment waste increases enormously with the massive utilization of underground space, which accounts for nearly 60% of the total construction and demolition waste in China. Currently, most of engineering sediment waste is transported to landfills for disposal, occupying large land resources and posing safety concern due to its excessive accumulation. Therefore, a novel and green recycling approach is urgent. Here, the engineering sediment waste was recycled with mechanical treatment and calcination, and used as supplementary cementitious material to partially substitute cement to prepare mortar for construction application. The mechanical properties of the prepared mortar were investigated, and the mechanism behind the proposed recycling approach was revealed through microscale characterizations. Results show that recycled engineering sediment can promote the secondary hydration in mortar, improving the compressive strength. The environmental impact of the proposed recycling approach and current landfilling method was compared through life cycle assessment (LCA). The proposed recycling method can save 1204.1 MJ/t of energy consumption, and 326.1 kg CO2eq/t of global warming potential compared to those of landfilling method. Furthermore, the multi-criteria analysis was adopted to evaluate the overall mechanical, environmental, and economic performance of mortar with recycled engineering sediment. The mortar containing recycled engineering sediment exhibits the best overall performance including mechanical properties, environmental and economic benefits among mortar prepared with various supplementary cementitious materials. Such findings provide an effective recycling scheme of engineering sediment waste on a vast scale and contribute to a sustainable construction waste management strategy.