Plant Resources Research Articles

Spatial analyses of archaeobotanical record reveal site uses and activities at Early to Middle Holocene Takarkori (Libya, Central Sahara).

This study investigates botanical remains from the Takarkori site in the Tadrart Acacus region (SW Libya) to reconstruct socio-economic and cultural characteristics of human groups during the Holocene. By analyzing micro- and macrofossils of plant origin, we aim to understand the availability and management of environmental resources and how plant taxa were used by humans. The exceptional preservation of archaeobotanical material across all occupation levels, facilitated by the region's geomorphological and environmental conditions, provides a unique opportunity to study pre-Pastoral and Pastoral Neolithic activities within a comprehensive diachronic framework. Our research extends previous investigations by examining the spatial distribution of archaeobotanical remains in association with site furniture and material correlates, offering insights into the functional use of space within the site. Also, the features of plant assemblages and their distribution patterns indicate the planning in the use of plant resources and the diverse uses beyond subsistence, including ritual and cultural practices. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of Holocene environmental and cultural dynamics, highlighting the importance of archaeobotanical data in archaeological research.

Isolation, identification, and technological characteristics analysis of yeast strains from Pyracantha fortuneana fruits fermentation liquid.

Pyracantha fortuneana (P. fortuneana), as a medicinal and edible plant resource, is rich in nutrients. In order to screen the high quality yeast used in Firebone fruit wine, 12 strains of yeast were isolated and purified from P. fortuneana fermentation broth by traditional pure culture method. They were identified by molecular biology as Pichia kudriavzevii (P. kudriavzevii) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae), respectively. Strain HJ-2 could grow normally at 30℃, alcohol content 15%, SO2 mass concentration 360mg/L, pH 3.2, sucrose mass concentration 400g/L and glucose mass concentration 250g/L. Strain HJ-6 could grow normally at 30℃, alcohol content 3%, SO2 concentration 360mg/L, pH 3.2, sucrose concentration 250g/L, glucose concentration 300g/L. Based on the technological characteristics of fruit wine, S. cerevisiae HJ-2 has the potential of brewing P. fortuneana fruit wine. P. kudriavzevii HJ-6 has a low tolerance to ethanol and is suitable for the production of fermented beverages such as low-alcohol wine or beer.

Prediction of the Resource of the Power Plant Hybrid Vehicle

This article substantiates the possibility of solving a difficult task to offer a reliable estimate of the residual resource of the power plant of a hybrid car, which is exposed during operation to the influence of a complex set of external factors. This task is solved by monitoring the time change of diagnostic parameters and controlling the load–speed mode of the hybrid power plant, as well as using physical and chemical processes that cause the degradation of the traction battery. Methodological principles for assessing the resource of a hybrid power plant of a car have been developed, which are based on the disclosure of cause-and-effect relationships between realized and nominal quality indicators, operating conditions, and indicators of technical condition. The choice of rational solutions for the operation of a hybrid car is given, and the external conditions are determined, under which the residual life of the hybrid power plant will change. The scientific result of the study is a theoretical generalization of the scientific provisions of forecasting the resource of the hybrid power plant of a car. This ensures the efficient use of hybrid vehicles and reduces maintenance costs.

High CO2 dampens then amplifies N-induced diversity loss over 24 years.

Rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N) deposition affect plant communities in numerous ways1-11. Nitrogen deposition causes local biodiversity loss globally12-14, but whether, and if so how, rising CO2 concentrations amplify or dampen those losses remains unclear and is almost entirely unstudied. We addressed this knowledge gap with an open-air experiment in which 108 grassland plots were grown for 24 years under different CO2 and N regimes. We initially found that adding N reduced plant species richness less at elevated than at ambient CO2. Over time, however, this interaction reversed, and elevated CO2 amplified losses in diversity from enriched N, tripling reductions in species richness from N addition over the last eight years of the study. These interactions resulted from temporal changes in the drivers of diversity, especially light availability, that were in turn driven by CO2 and N inputs and associated changes in plant biomass. This mechanism is likely to be similar in many grasslands, because additions of the plant resources CO2 and N are likely to increase the abundance of the dominant species. If rising CO2 generally exacerbates the widespread negative impacts of N deposition on plant diversity, this bodes poorly for the conservation of grassland biodiversity worldwide.

Simple Sequence Repeat Marker-Based Genetic Diversity and Chemical Composition Analysis of Ancient Camellia sinensis in Jiulong County, Sichuan Province, China.

The ancient tea plant germplasm resources are rich in genetic diversity and provide an important basis for the genetic diversity in tea germplasm resources. To explore the genetic diversity of ancient tea plant germplasm resources in Jiulong County, Sichuan Province. 59 ancient tea tree germplasm resources were analyzed using simple sequence repeat (SSR) molecular markers and chemical composition analysis. The results showed that a total of 83 alleles were amplified by 23 pairs of SSR primers, with an average observed allele number (Na) of 3.6 and an effective allele number (Ne) of 2.335. The average Shannon information index (I) and the polymorphic information content (PIC) of the primers were 0.896 and 0.446, respectively. The results of the UPGMA cluster analysis showed that 59 ancient tea tree samples could be classified into five different subgroups. Based on the results of chemical composition analysis, two specific tea germplasm resources with high amino acid content, 10 excellent germplasm resources with tea polyphenol content over 20% and some other tea germplasm resources were identified. This study reveals that Jiulong's ancient tea tree germplasm exhibits significant genetic diversity and includes valuable tea tree planting resources. These findings provide a foundational framework for the conservation, detailed exploration and sustainable utilization of these resources.

PPDC: An online platform for the prediction of plant distributions in China

Abstract The survival and reproduction of plants in a particular region are closely related to the local ecological niche. The use of species distribution models based on the ecological niche concept to predict potential distributions can effectively guide the protection of endangered plants, prevention and control of invasive plants, and plant introduction and ex-situ conservation. However, traditional methods and processes for predicting potential distributions of plants are tedious and complex, requiring the collection and processing of large amounts of data and the manual operation of multiple tools. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve large-scale prediction of the potential distributions of plants. To address these limitations, by collecting and organizing a large amount of basic data, occurrence records, and environmental data and integrating species distribution models and mapping techniques, a workflow to automatically predict the potential distributions of Chinese plants was established, thus the innovative work of predicting the potential distributions of 32,000 species of plants in China was completed. Furthermore, an online platform for predicting plant distributions in China (PPDC) based on visualization technology was developed, providing a basis for sharing the prediction results across a wide range of scientists and technologists. Users can quickly access information about the potential distributions of plants in China, providing a reference for the collection, preservation, and protection of plant resources. In addition, users can quickly predict the potential distribution of a certain plant in a certain region in China according to specific needs, thus providing technical support for research and a basis for biodiversity conservation.

Mathematical Modelling of Spatially Inhomogeneous Non-Stationary Interaction of Pests with Transgenic and Non-Modified Crops Considering Taxis

Introduction. This paper addresses a unified spatially inhomogeneous, non-stationary model of interaction between genetically modified crop resources (corn) and the corn borer pest, which is also present on a relatively small section of non-modified corn. The model assumes that insect pests influence both types of crops and are capable of independent movement (taxis) towards the gradient of plant resources. It also considers diffusion processes in the dynamics of all components of the unified model, biomass growth, genetic characteristics of both types of plant resources, processes of crop consumption, phenomena of growth and degradation, diffusion, and mutation of pests. The model allows for predictive calculations aimed at reducing crop losses and increasing the resistance of transgenic crops to pests by slowing down the natural mutation rate of the pest. Materials and Methods. The mathematical model is an extension of Kostitsin’s model and is formulated as an initial-boundary value problem for a nonlinear system of convection-diffusion equations. These equations describe the spatiotemporal dynamics of biomass density changes in two types of crops — transgenic and non-modified — as well as the specific populations (densities) of three genotypes of pests (the corn borer) resulting from mutations. The authors linearized the convection-diffusion equations by applying a time-lag method on the time grid, with nonlinear terms from eachequation taken from the previous time layer. The terms describing taxis are presented in a symmetric form, ensuring the skew-symmetry of the corresponding continuous operator and, in the case of spatial grid approximation, the finite-difference operator. Results. A stable monotonic finite-difference scheme is developed, approximating the original problem with second-order accuracy on a uniform 2D spatial grid. Numerical solutions of model problems are provided, qualitatively corresponding to observed processes. Solutions are obtained for various ratios of modified and non-modified sections of the field. Discussion and Conclusion. The obtained results regarding pest behavior, depending on the type of taxis, could significantly extend the time for pests to acquire Bt resistance. The concentration dynamics of pests moving in the direction of the food gradient differs markedly from the concentration of pests moving towards a mate for reproduction.

Ethnobotany study on wild edible plants used by the Tujia ethnic group in Laifeng, southwest Hubei, China.

Wild edible plants hold a significant position in the lives of local residents, serving as a primary food source or supplement. Laifeng County, located in the hinterland of the central mountainous area of China, boasts abundant wild edible plant resources. The Tujia people, residing here for generations, have accumulated a wealth of traditional knowledge in the long-term practice of utilizing wild edible plants. The aim of this study is to document and organize the traditional utilization of wild edible plants by the Tujia ethnic group in Laifeng. An ethnobotanical investigation, comprising semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, and participatory observations, was conducted in 26 traditional villages in Laifeng County from May 2023 to June 2024. A total of 252 informants were interviewed, from whom information about wild edible plants, including edible parts, food categories, consumption modes, and multiple uses was collected. The relative frequency of citation (RFC) and the cultural food significance index (CFSI) were calculated to identify the cultural importance of wild edible plants. A total of 163 species of wild edible plants consumed by the Tujia people in Laifeng, belonging to 64 families and 118 genera and related traditional knowledge were collected, including vegetables (78), fruits (52), wine-soaking plants (12), spices (11), food substitutes (9), tea substitutes (6), nuts (5), coagulants (2), and oil (1). The most frequently used families were Rosaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae, with 23, 10, and 10 species, respectively. The most commonly utilized plant parts were fruits, leaves, and stems. RFC and CFSI analyses identified 14 species of wild edible plants with high cultural importance in the local diet, such as Allium macrostemon, Houttuynia cordata, and Hovenia acerba. The Tujia ethnic group in Laifeng demonstrates extensive knowledge in their traditional usage of wild edible plants, offering unique and robust insights into the harvesting, processing, and consumption of these resources. Over time, this practice has become an integral part of the local food culture. These findings contribute to the preservation of the Tujia culture of wild edible plants in Laifeng and the conservation and development of wild edible plant resources.

Recent Insight into Herbal Bioactives-based Novel Approaches for Chronic Intestinal Inflammatory Disorders Therapy.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a life-threatening complex disease. It causes chronic intestinal inflammation in GIT. IBD significantly affects people's lifestyles and carries a high risk of colon cancer. IBD involves the rectum, ileum, and colon, with clinical manifestations of bloody stools, weight loss, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The prevalence of inflammatory disease is increasing dramatically worldwide. Over 16 million people are affected annually in India, with an economic burden of $6.8- $8.8 billion for treatment. Modern medicine can manage IBD as immunosuppressive agents, corticosteroids, tumor necrosis factor antagonists, integrin blockers, and amino-salicylates. However, these approaches are allied with limitations such as limited efficacy, drug resistance, undesired side effects, and overall cost, which cannot be ignored. Hence, the herbal bioactives derived from various plant resources can be employed in managing IBD. Science Direct, PubMed, Google, and Scopus databases have been searched for conclusively relevant herbal plant-based anti-inflammatory agent compositions. Studies were screened through analysis of previously published review articles. Eminent herbal bioactives, namely curcumin, resveratrol, ellagic acid, silybin, catechin, kaempferol, icariin, glycyrrhizin acid, berberine, quercetin, rutin, and thymol are reported to be effective against IBD. Herbal leads are promising treatment options for IBD; they have been shown to display antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties by targeting enzymes and regulating the expressions of various inflammatory mediators. Natural products have been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties in various clinical and preclinical studies, and some are available as herbal preparations. Herbal medicine would be promising in association with the implication of a novel drug delivery system for managing IBD.

Ethnic fermented foods and beverages used by the tribal communities of Papum Pare and Lower Subansiri districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India

BACKGROUND: The North-Eastern Region of India, with its diverse ethnic culture and rich wild edible plant resources, has a long tradition of consuming fermented foods and beverages. This study attempts to document the traditional fermented food and beverages prepared by the tribal communities residing in Papum Pare and Lower Subansiri districts of Arunachal Pradesh India. METHODS: Field surveys were conducted in the villages and market areas of two districts of Arunachal Pradesh. In this study, face-to-face interviews were organized with the local inhabitants, and data were collected in a semi-structured questionnaire format. The documented fermented foods were meticulously categorized into different categories based on the ingredients involved in the preparation of each food recipe. During the documentation process, demographic data and details such as the local names of the recipes, ingredients, plant used, the local name of plant used, plant parts, shelf life, and a detailed step-by-step recipe preparation procedure were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 16 different fermented food products/dishes made up of bamboo shoots, soybean, and meat were documented along with six different local beverages made up of Oryza sativa L., Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn., and Zea mays L. These fermented foods were not only consumed within households but were also commercialized in local markets generating revenue for local people. CONCLUSION: This study underscores that the ethnic communities of Arunachal Pradesh are utilizing plant resources in various forms. This research provides baseline data, which can serve as a valuable resource for, researchers, policymakers, and food enthusiasts interested in understanding and exploring the culinary traditions and nutritional potential of ethnic fermented food and beverages.

High-value conversion of invasive plant into nitrogen-doped porous carbons for high-performance supercapacitors

Given the harm caused by invasive plants to the environment and the high cost of treatment, we propose high-value transformation and utilization for invasive plants. Highly porous carbon derived from invasive plant (Canada goldenrod) was successfully synthesized through a feasible and green carbonization approach, which was firstly utilized as supercapacitor electrode. It is found that the addition of nitrogen (N)-rich chlorella could positively increase the N content and considerably boost the specific surface area up to 2231.41 m2 g-1 for the resultant Carbon-GC1-800, which are crucial factors for accelerating the ion transport and improving the capacitive behaviors. Notably, Carbon-GC1-800 exhibits the highest ratio (70.9%) of microporous volume to total pore volume. The electrochemical properties of Carbon-GC1-800 electrode exhibits an outstanding specific capacitance of 388.2Fg-1 at a current density of 0.5Ag-1 and a superb rate capability of 75.7% from 0.5Ag-1 to 10Ag-1. The assembled symmetric supercapacitor with ionic liquid as electrolyte demonstrates the exceptional maximum power density of 8753.7Wkg-1 and peak energy density of 59.3Whkg-1. This study presents the novel ideas and effective techniques to produce porous carbons for energy storage from invasive plant resources.

Diversity of tree flora in the forest galleries of four ponds in the Comoé National Park (north-east Ivory Coast)

The riparian forest galleries of the ponds in the Comoé National Park (CNP) constitute microhabitats colonised by a specific plant and animal community. These plant formations are of great research interest. These initiatives could lead to efficient management of these biomes in the short, medium and long term. This study is part of an effort to make the most of plant resources in forest galleries. The aim of this study is to assess the diversity of riparian species in the ponds of the CNP. The information was collected using the surface survey method combined with the roving inventory method. The inventory identified 78 species divided into 63 genera and 30 families. The buffalo pond forest gallery has the highest species richness, with 39 species in 33 genera and 19 families. The study also showed that for trees with DBH ≥10 cm, the species Diospyros mespiliformis (25.89%), Mitragyna inermis (17.11%), Khaya senegalensis (12.27%), Piliostigma thonningii (11.65 %), Cola gigantean (11.16 %), Vitellaria paradoxa (10.90 %) and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides (10.84%)) are the most abundant in riparian pond formations. The Fabaceae and Rubiaceae families are the most represented in terms of number of species, demonstrating that the flora of the forest galleries in Comoé National Park is of major ecological interest.

Agro-Processing Value Chains Mapping and Technology Needs Assessment for Nyeri County, Kenya

A sectoral value chain mapping of the County Government of Nyeri, Kenya was initiated and implemented with regard to agro-processing of various forms of plant resources: food crops, textile/natural products, honey/animal feeds/ bio-energy/ICT, environment & biotechnology, essential oils, engineering services and Blue Economy. In this case, the following value-chain processes were assessed: Tea, Coffee; Oil crops; Banana & Dairy products with the support of service providers and prototypic environments. It also looked into value-addition practices and other cross-cutting factors. The cross-sectional study uncovered distinctions and issues including variability in the power supply, absence of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), minimal value addition, existence of counterfeit inputs, and unsuitable equipment. Recommendations include provision of standby power supply, provision of standard operating procedures, potential innovation in value addition, procurement of adequate equipment, and formulation of measures concerning genuine farm inputs. Therefore, by providing an enabling environment and putting into practice the strategies articulated in the study, sustainable agricultural-based growth and hence economic development in Nyeri County will be inevitably achieved under the Kenya Vision 2030.

Strengthening plant health systems in South Sudan: addressing challenges and enhancing system efficiency and sustainability

Climate change-induced invasive pests remain a major bottleneck to agricultural productivity and food security in South Sudan. Strengthening the plant health system has the potential to contribute to reducing crop losses caused by pests. A situational analysis was conducted to assess the current state and effectiveness of plant health functions in three counties in South Sudan. Descriptive findings of data collected from 960 farmers in Juba, Yambio, and Yei indicated low access to plant health services, including advisory and extension, training, and information. There was a high dependence on NGOs and UN agencies to provide plant health services, indicating a gap in government-led initiatives. The findings demonstrate a complex relationship between plant health services and on-farm practices and regional variations in access to plant health services and resources. The findings have crucial implications for the plant health system in South Sudan, requiring the need for service accessibility, government involvement in plant health systems, strengthening of the policy and regulatory frameworks, and inclusivity in service provision.

Changes in plant resource inputs lead to rapid alterations in soil dissolved organic matter composition in an old-growth tropical forest

Alterations in plant resource inputs to soil affect soil organic matter (OM) dynamics. However, it remains unclear how to alter soil dissolved OM (DOM) composition. Here, we used UV/fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry to analyze soil DOM’s optical and molecular characteristics after eight months of detritus input and removal in an old-growth tropical forest. Changes in plant inputs significantly altered soil DOM’s optical properties, and the most pronounced changes were observed in the humification index and fluorescent components. In litterfall removal and no-input plots, molecular characteristic values increased greatly, such as O/C, double-bond equivalent, aromaticity index, and proportion of carboxyl-rich alicyclic molecules, while biolabile compounds decreased. The abundance of lignin-like and tannin-like compounds was more than 20 % higher in litter removal plots than in no-input plots. Our findings indicate that changes in plant resource inputs can lead to rapid alterations in soil DOM composition.

Plant neighbors differentially alter a focal species' biotic interactions through changes to resource allocation.

Plant resource allocation strategies are thought to be largely a consequence of changing abiotic conditions and evolutionary history. However, biotic interactions also influence how a plant allocates resources. As a result, plants mediate indirect interactions between organisms above- and belowground through resource allocation. Neighboring plants can influence plant fitness directly through competition for resources, and indirectly by altering associated community interactions (associational effects), such as pollination, herbivory, and a suite of belowground interactions. Given the importance of community interactions for plant success, and the known ability for plant neighbors to change these interactions, the goal of this "pandemic project" was to understand how heterospecific plant neighbors alter plant resource allocation, whether this occurred through above- or belowground mechanisms, and whether this in turn alters biotic interactions and the relationship between a focal plant and its herbivore and soil community interactions. To do so, we established a common garden experiment, manipulating plant neighbor identity and the extent of interaction among neighbors (aboveground only, vs. above- and belowground interactions, using customized pot types), and measured changes to a focal plant and its biotic interactions over two growing seasons. We found evidence of both neighbor effects and pot type, showing that neighbor interactions affect a focal plant through both above- and belowground processes, and how the focal plant is affected depends on neighbor identity. Though neighbors did not directly alter herbivory or most soil microbial interactions, they did alter the relationship between belowground microbial communities and a plant response trait (specific leaf area). Plant resource allocation responses were reduced with time, showing the importance of extending experiments beyond a single growing season, and are an important consideration when making predictions about plant responses to changing conditions. This study contributes to a growing body of work showing how community contexts affect the above- and belowground interactions of a plant through plant resource allocation strategies.

Spatial distribution and priority conservation areas identification in Three-River-Source National Park considering the multifaceted values of plants

Spatially differentiated conservation effort for natural resources is critical to achieving a balance between protection and development in national parks. However, the extent of priority conservation areas for plants that integrate multispecies and multifaceted values is unclear. Here, we selected fine-resolution environmental variables with stronger impacts on wild plant survival to spatialize the distribution of all modeling-eligible species using species distribution models in Three-River-Source National Park, China. These were then combined with in situ conservation results for insufficient data species to identify priority conservation areas (PCAs) in terms of diversity, ecological and economic values, respectively. We analyzed the spatial characteristics of the priority conservation areas and searched for conservation gaps not covered by national nature reserves. The results showed that this study obtained more precise results on the spatial distribution of species by improving environmental variables and upgrading the spatial resolution. In Three-River-Source National Park, the species richness of wild plants showed a decreasing trend from southeast to northwest. There were significant differences in the spatial distribution of the priority conservation areas identified based on the three values, which was the basis for the spatially differentiated conservation and development of wild plant resources. In addition, the priority conservation areas obtained based on ecological value found Top17% priority conservation areas in the Hoh Xil Natural Reserve, which could not be revealed based on diversity or economic value. These results highlight the urgency of implementing multispecies and multifaceted values studies in national parks. In the future, studying conflicts between wildlife priority conservation areas and human activities, and expanding to national parks on a global scale, will be the focus that this study will continue to explore.

Endogenous viral elements are targeted by RNA silencing pathways in banana.

Endogenous banana streak virus (eBSV) integrants derived from three distinct species, present in Musa balbisiana (B) but not Musa acuminata (A) banana genomes are able to reconstitute functional episomal viruses causing banana streak disease in interspecific triploid AAB banana hybrids but not in the diploid (BB) parent line, which harbours identical eBSV loci. Here, we investigated the regulation of these eBSV. In-depth characterization of siRNAs, transcripts and methylation derived from eBSV using Illumina and bisulfite sequencing were carried out on eBSV-free Musa acuminata AAA plants and BB or AAB banana plants with eBSV. eBSV loci produce low-abundance transcripts covering most of the viral sequence and generate predominantly 24-nt siRNAs. siRNA accumulation is restricted to duplicated and inverted viral sequences present in eBSV. Both siRNA-accumulating and nonaccumulating sequences of eBSV in BB plants are heavily methylated in all three CG, CHG and CHH contexts. Our data suggest that eBSVs are controlled at the epigenetic level in BB diploids. This regulation not only prevents their awakening and systemic infection of the plant but is also probably involved in the inherent resistance of the BB plants to mealybug-transmitted viral infection. These findings are thus of relevance to other plant resources hosting integrated viruses.

Cryopreservation of Medicinal Plant Seeds: Strategies for Genetic Diversity Conservation and Sustainability.

The depletion of medicinal plant resources leads to the irreversible loss of their genetic diversity. The preservation of medicinal plant germplasm using cryobanks is crucial for maintaining the sustainability of these resources. This study examined the efficacy of cryopreservation on 164 medicinal plant seeds, identified general principles for preserving medicinal plant seeds at ultra-low temperatures, and established a cryobank for dry-sensitive medicinal plant seeds. Over 90% of orthodox seeds were unaffected by freezing, with optimal conditions being a 5-10% moisture content and direct freezing. Intermediate seeds were best frozen with a 7-15% moisture content, and those with a lower initial moisture content were best suited to direct freezing. While recalcitrant seeds' freezing was most influenced by moisture content, there was no specific range. Direct freezing is appropriate for recalcitrant seeds possessing a hard seed coat and a firm seed kernel, whereas seeds with a brittle or soft seed coat are better suited for vitrification or stepwise freezing methods. There was no significant correlation between alterations in physiological and biochemical indicators and microscopic structures of seeds before and following liquid nitrogen freezing, as well as their storage characteristics. The findings of this research offer evidence in favor of the extended conservation of plant seeds and the extensive utilization of ultra-low temperature technology and provides an example of protecting the genetic diversity of plant resources.

Sustainable development of the water-energy-Co2 nexus in the refining sector: A stochastic multi-objective optimization under emissions trading systems

Refineries consume substantial energy and water while emitting significant CO2. Solvent-based Carbon Capture (CC) offers a viable CO2 mitigation solution but increases water and energy consumption and requires considerable investments. This research aims to overcome these barriers and improve the Iranian refining sector towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6, 7, and 13 by mitigating CO2 emissions, producing low-carbon hydrogen, and utilizing unconventional water resources for CC plants. A comprehensive nexus approach was incorporated to account for the intricate interconnections between SDGs and refineries' water, energy, and CO2 networks. We evaluate the implementation of CO2 market regulations corresponding to seven international Emissions Trading Systems (ETSs) of the EU, UK, New Zealand (NZ), Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), South Korea, California, and China in the Iranian refining sector to incentivize CC integration. The problem was formulated using Stochastic Multi-Objective Mixed-Integer Linear Programming optimization, with K-means Clustering applied to account for ETS CO2 price fluctuations and uncertainties. Results showed intense competition between economic and environmental objectives without ETS regulations, but appropriate ETS implementation could transform this conflict into a cooperative compromise. Under EU and UK scenarios, 60.3% and 67% of CO2 emissions could be avoided with fully covered capture costs, potentially leading to net economic profit through surplus allowance sales. Implementation of the other five ETSs could reduce capture costs by 18–67%, with a 16.4% CO2 avoidance.