Pollution Reduction Research Articles

Storage of Biogas and its Technologies: a Review

Objective: Carry out a systematic literature review to identify the storage technologies available for biogas, assessing the characteristics of storage technologies with respect to the type of organic material used for anaerobic digestion, and whether there are studies regarding the storage of biogas in natura. Theoretical Reference: This study was drawn up from a systematic literature review on the technologies of storage of biogas, the main characteristics of such technologies, considering the biomass used, and if there are studies referring to the storage of biogas in natura, showing the main tools available, as well as the main works published in recent years. Method: The database platforms CAPES, Science Direct and Scielo were used to select the articles. Only articles in the Portuguese, English and Spanish languages were selected, and course completion papers, dissertations and theses were excluded. The keywords used were "storage" and "biogas", "storage biogas". Only articles published in the last 10 years were considered, between the years 2014 and 2024, searches were carried out in the month of October 2024. The exclusion criteria were the storage of biogas in natura and purified. Results and Discussion: After the research it was found that there is still a considerable shortage in researches and methods tested for the storage of this material, however the studies already published bring clarity and basis for the deepening of the researches. Research Implications: A systematic literature review on such an important topic can contribute to the search for relevant work that addresses biogas storage. The technologies already studied show that biogas, whether natural or purified, can have a wide range of applications in various areas, contributing to the preservation of natural resources and reducing the energy load from non-renewable sources. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by identifying and discussing the work already done in the field of biogas storage. The relevance and value of this research is evidenced, because this material has an important renewable energy value, which contributes significantly with the preservation of natural resources, the reduction of pollution, and consequently bringing economic and financial return to the community in general.

Driving Mechanism of Synergistic Efficiency in Reducing Pollution and Carbon: Evidence From 249 Green Parks

ABSTRACTThe green park serves as a significant spatial carrier for China's strategy to become a manufacturing powerhouse and promote industrial transformation and upgrading. It is a crucial platform for implementing and driving the transformation and development of green manufacturing, promoting green development and harmonious coexistence between man and nature in the current era. The main focus of this study is a total of 249 green parks announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and it employs the multi‐time point PSM‐DID method to investigate 280 prefecture‐level cities. The results show that: (1) The coefficient of the green park certification policy is estimated to have a significantly negative impact at the 1% significance level. (2) The green park certification facilitates the integration of pollution reduction and carbon reduction efforts by leveraging green technology innovation and government support. (3) The promoting effect of green industrial park certification has regional consistency and resource heterogeneity. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the effects and pathways of green park certification on the synergies of carbon and pollution reduction.

Can Pollution Markets Work in Developing Countries? Experimental Evidence from India

Abstract Market-based environmental regulations are seldom used in low-income countries, where pollution is highest but state capacity is often low. We collaborated with the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to design and experimentally evaluate the world’s first particulate matter emissions market, which covered industrial plants in a large Indian city. There are three main findings. First, the market functioned well. Treatment plants, randomly assigned to the emissions market, traded permits to become significant net sellers or buyers. After trading, treatment plants held enough permits to cover their emissions 99% of the time, compared to just 66% compliance with standards under the command-and-control status quo. Second, treatment plants reduced pollution emissions, relative to control plants, by 20% to 30%. Third, the market reduced abatement costs by an estimated 11%, holding constant emissions. This cost-savings estimate is based on plant-specific marginal cost curves that we estimate from the universe of bids to buy and sell permits in the market. The combination of pollution reductions and low costs imply that the emissions market has mortality benefits that exceed its costs by at least twenty-five times.

Green finance policy and regional air pollution control: a two-wheel drive by government departments and financial institutions

ABSTRACT Unlike existing studies that concentrate on haze pollution at the provincial and city levels in China, this study utilizes data from 1762 counties from 2009 to 2020. Using a multi-temporal difference-in-differences method, the study investigates the impact of green finance reform and innovation pilot zones (GFRIs) on county haze pollution (CHP) through the synergy of governmental departments and financial institutions. The findings indicate that GFRIs can reduce CHP, and this effect is realized by promoting green innovation, strengthening environmental penalties, and alleviating fiscal pressure. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the inhibitory effect of GFRIs on CHP is more pronounced in counties with lower levels of financial development, higher levels of industrial development, poorer and in the central and western regions. The GFRIs achieve a win-win situation for economic growth and pollution reduction. The GFRIs should leverage the synergy of “active” government and “effective” market, establishing a long-term mechanism for CHP control.

Impact of Utilizing Renewable Energy Technologies on Managing Environmental Pollution in the Jordanian Renewable Energy Companies

Jordan faces critical environmental challenges that stem from rapid industrial growth and a burgeoning population, resulting in alarming levels of pollution. Conventional energy sources, heavily reliant on fossil fuels, significantly contribute to these environmental concerns, intensifying the urgency to explore alternative solutions. Renewable energy technologies, encompassing solar, wind, and other sustainable energy sources, present a promising path toward mitigating these issues while supporting long-term sustainability. This study delves into the role of renewable energy technologies in managing environmental pollution within Jordanian renewable energy companies. It examines the innovative strategies implemented by these companies, the obstacles they face, and the tangible benefits achieved through the adoption of such technologies. A qualitative approach was employed, incorporating interviews and surveys with industry stakeholders and reviewing secondary data from governmental and academic sources. Key findings highlight that the integration of photovoltaic solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable systems has led to a notable reduction in air and water pollution. However, the study also identifies persistent barriers, such as high initial costs, limited infrastructure, and a lack of public awareness, which hinder broader implementation. The paper underscores the need for financial incentives, robust infrastructure, and educational initiatives to accelerate the transition toward renewable energy. By offering a comprehensive analysis, this research aims to provide valuable insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers, advocating for collaborative efforts to harness the full potential of renewable energy in Jordan and beyond.

Spatial-temporal correlation effects and persistent synergistic control benefits of fine particulate matter and carbon emissions in China.

The synergistic reduction of air pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is a key component in achieving China's strategy of pollution and carbon reduction. This study quantitatively evaluates the spatiotemporal linkages between PM2.5 and CO2 emissions, as well as the benefits of sustained synergistic control, across over 360 Chinese cities from 2005 to 2020. We employed spatiotemporal analysis, coupled coordinateness modeling, the Hurst index, and generalized linear mixed modeling (GLMM). The results indicate that PM2.5 concentrations decreased at an annual rate of 1.5μg/m³/year from 2005 to 2020, while CO2 emissions increased at an annual growth rate of 2.3×10⁵ t/year (p<0.05). Spatiotemporal association analysis revealed that the coupling degree of PM2.5 and CO2 emissions increased from 0.64 to 0.81, while the coordination degree decreased from 0.40 to 0.32, exhibiting significant latitudinal zonation and spatial clustering. In terms of synergistic control effectiveness, over 95% of the cities experienced "pollution reduction and carbon enhancement" during the study period, with no cities achieving simultaneous reduction of both PM2.5 and CO2 emissions. Further analysis of the persistence of synergistic control showed that as coupling and coordination levels increased, the city-specific synergistic control efficiency index (CI) decreased. Notably, 86.3% of cities showed persistent trends in their future CIs. The GLMM regression results suggest that the effective integration of scientific and technological innovation, infrastructure development, and economic growth will be pivotal in advancing the successful implementation of China's pollution and carbon reduction strategy.

Regulating (ecosystem) services of an urban natural area: A case study in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Peri-urban conserved natural or semi-natural areas provide several ecosystem services and assist in reducing air pollution in cities. The aim of this study is to assess the contribution to the improvement of air quality of a small area (<1km2) adjacent to a city in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), which is seriously affected by vehicular and industrial emissions of pollutants. Hydrocarbon (HC) and carbonyl compounds (CC) levels were determined, by employing TO-15 and TO-11A US EPA Methods, respectively, in both the urban and green areas. The results showed that the concentrations of anthropogenic HC were approximately 1.7-2.1 times higher in the urban area which confirms that the natural park assists in the dispersion and reduction of pollutants. In the case of the CC compounds, for samples that were collected in the morning, the total mean and median values were 1.3-1.6 times higher in the urbanized zone, while during the afternoon the green area showed values that were 1.5-1.9 times higher. These results suggest that in the green area, the emission or formation of CC compounds through photochemical processes is significant, particularly in the afternoon. Anyway, the ozone forming potential was found to be lower within the natural park in both periods, which confirms the positive role played by conserved natural areas outside or surrounding extensive metropolitan areas in the reduction of atmospheric pollution, in spite of the negative impact of anthropogenic emissions.

Carbon storage and air pollution effect of urban trees and tree species selection: A case study in a typical city of the central Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region

As nature-based solutions, urban trees absorb carbon dioxide and air pollutants while releasing biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), leading to the formation of ozone (O3) and secondary organic aerosols (SOA). However, few studies have comprehensively analyzed the impact of urban trees on pollution reduction, carbon storage, and BVOC emissions or conducted tree species selection to provide guidance for tree planting. In this study, the impact of urban trees on carbon storage, pollutant removal, and BVOC emissions was analyzed by considering the composite effect of the ecological benefits of trees. Carbon storage and sequestration, pollution removal, and BVOC emissions were evaluated in a typical city in the central Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region using field surveys and the i-Tree Eco. An improved tree species selection method was proposed for pollution and carbon reduction index (PCRI). The results show the following. (1) Carbon storage and sequestration, pollution removal, and BVOC emissions of urban trees in urban areas are 3,265.30 t, 527.1 t/yr, 10.05 t/yr, and 6.98 t/yr, respectively. (2) Urban trees were expected to experience a net increase of 13.89 t of O3 and 0.065 t of PM2.5, considering the composite process. (3) Specific tree species were indicated that can benefit air quality and carbon storage considering the composite process. (4) Tree species selection results suggest adjusting the tree species structure by PCRI and prioritizing the planting of tree species with high PCRI values, which provides a reference for tree management in the BTH region.

Performance and mechanism of constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells on synergistic reduction in pollution and carbon emissions: The effect of electroactive algal-bacterial biofilm

Performance and mechanism of constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells on synergistic reduction in pollution and carbon emissions: The effect of electroactive algal-bacterial biofilm

Industrial Transformation for Synergistic Carbon and Pollutant Reduction in China: Using Environmentally Extended Multi-Regional Input-Output Model and Multi-Objective Optimization

Industrial Transformation for Synergistic Carbon and Pollutant Reduction in China: Using Environmentally Extended Multi-Regional Input-Output Model and Multi-Objective Optimization

Microplastic distribution and composition in mudflat sediments and varnish clams (Nuttallia obscurata) at two estuaries of British Columbia, Canada: An assessment of potential anthropogenic sources

Widespread microplastic contamination affects the marine-coastal ecosystems in British Columbia, Canada. To understand the characteristics and spatial distribution of of microplastics (MPs), we compared the MPs in sediments (n = 159) and Varnish clams (Nuttallia obscurata; n = 160) collected from two estuarine ecosystems (Cowichan and K'ómoks) experiencing different anthropogenic impacts; primarily resource extraction (i.e., logging) at Cowichan and urban development at K'omoks. Our objective wasto determine the MP abundance levels in sediments and clams and infer possible sources of MPs at the two estuaries. Microplastic polymer type was confirmed through FTIR spectrometry. The average abundance of MPs in sediments were 14.37 ± 11.57 particles/kg in the Cowichan Estuary and 30.96 ± 14.58 particles/kg in the K'ómoks Estuary. Varnish clam samples contained average abundance of 3.62 ± 2.58 particles/g and 2.24 ± 1.96 particles/g in Cowichan and K'ómoks estuaries, respectively. The Cowichan Estuary's marine terminal and K'ómoks Marina were found to be hotspots for MPs, likely due to a combination of industrial and local sources. Fibers were the most common type of MPs found in both sediment (53.34 %) and clam samples (53.5 %) from Cowichan, as well as in clam samples in% K'ómoks, indicating a potential link to textile sources contributing to the widespread presence of MPs in the marine environment. There was no clear signal based on the primary use of the estuary. Polyethylene was the predominant polymer type of MPs found in sediment and clam samples at Cowichan, whereas Polyester was most common at K'ómoks. Our study revealed the ubiquitous nature of these emerging pollutants in the sensitive estuarine environments of BC, with implications for plastic waste management and the reduction of plastic pollution at the regional level.

An Interpretation of the Cumulative Impact of FASTag on the Reduction of Environmental Pollution and Traffic Delays at Toll Booths: A Case Study

Traffic congestion has been identified as a significant contributor to the environmental degradation and elevated fuel consumption. The causes of traffic delays are multifaceted, with toll booths positioned on highways being a notable factor. This study aims to analyze the impact of toll booths on traffic congestion, with a particular focus on the case study of the highway toll booth in question. The analysis will include a comparison of the delay times before and after the implementation of the FASTag system. The study will also undertake an economic evaluation to assess the cost implications of delay. The findings of this study indicate that congestion is more pronounced in the presence of manual toll booths compared to automated systems. The present study uses the 'Chakiya Toll Plaza on National Highway 27A, located between Motihari and Muzaffarpur, as a case study. This toll booth has been initially operated with a manual toll collection system, but has since transitioned to the FASTag implementation. A comprehensive analysis encompasses both traffic volume and delay studies, with a focus on their environmental and economic ramifications. The analysis reveals that for each Passenger Car Unit (PCU), the environmental cost is 8.3 rupees and the fuel cost is 15.34 rupees. The idle time cost is calculated as 8.34 rupees. The overall cost of the manual toll collection delay, including all the aforementioned factors, is found to be 52.3 rupees. However, the implementation of FASTag significantly reduces this cost to. 8.20 rupees.

Advanced environmental remediation using enhanced performance of hollow ZnO@SnIn4S8 core-shell nanorod arrays for hazardous ion and organic pollutant removal.

Herein, novel hollow ZnO and ZnO@SnIn4S8 core-shell nanorods (NRs) with controlled shell thickness were developed via a facile synthesis approach for the efficient photocatalytic remediation of organic as well inorganic water pollutants. The introduction of SnIn4S8 shell layer coating over ZnO enhances visible light absorption, efficient exciton-mediated direct charge transfer, and reduces the band gap of ZnO@SnIn4S8 core-shell nanorods. The ZnO@SnIn4S8 core-shell nanorods show efficient solar-light driven catalytic efficiency for the disintegration of industrial dye (orange G), degradation of tetracycline, and reduction of hazardous Cr (VI) ions in aquatic systems. The measured photocurrent density of ZnO@SnIn4S8 core-shell NRs under illumination of simulated solar light was about nine times higher than ZnO NRs. It has been revealed that charge transfer resistance (RCT) of ZnO@SnIn4S8 core-shell NRs was doubled after the illumination of solar light. The developed ZnO@SnIn4S8 core-shell NRs photocatalyst efficiently decontaminate about 99.8±02, 99.98±0.01, and 99.8% of methyl orange, tetracycline, and Cr(VI), respectively. Notably, under similar conditions, ZnO was able to display efficiencies of 29.3±0.6, 27.08±1.1 and 31.1±6.3 % of methyl orange, tetracycline, and Cr(VI), respectively. It was also noted that •O2‾, •OH radical, and holes were majorly contributed in the photocatalysis process for disintegration of industrial dye (orange G), tetracycline and finally transform to water and carbon dioxide. Overall, this work explores an intense insight and a novel idea for a hollow core-shell nanocomposite for photocatalytic reduction of diverse pollutants.

Controllable surface carrier type of metal oxide nanocrystals for multifunctional photocatalysis.

Selectively harnessing photo-induced carriers to control surface photo-redox reactions can enable currently limited specificity in photocatalytic applications. By using a new approach to switching between dominant electron and hole charge transfer on the surfaces of metal oxide nanocrystals, depending on the optimal carrier for specific application functionality in photocatalytic pollutant degradation, H2 production, CO2 reduction, and gas sensing. The approach is based on the surface redox properties of custom-designed p-n hetero-structured hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) containing copper oxide, and wide-gap metal oxide semiconductors (MOSs). The customized CuxO/ZnO (CXZ) heterostructures ensure effective charge separation and surface reactions driven by UV-vis excited highly reactive holes and show high performance in the photo-oxidative degradation of organic dyes and NO2 gas sensing. By switching the dominant surface carrier type from holes to electrons, the hybrids exhibit excellent performance in photocatalytic H2 evolution and CO2 reduction. This work offers a generic approach to engineering multipurpose photocatalytic materials.

Change in aerosol optical depth in Chinese urban agglomerations during the early phase of dual-carbon actions

Dual-carbon policies were implemented by Chinese government to mitigate climate warming; however, changes in aerosol optical depth (AOD) during early phases of these actions (2020-2022) remain unclear. Thus, AOD variations during this period were investigated compared to the baseline (2015-2019 mean) across seven urban agglomerations (UAs) using multi-source data. Significant temporal variations in AOD anomalies (ΔAOD) were observed at annual and seasonal scales, with varying magnitudes. On average, AOD decrease by -0.210, -0.225, -0.180, and -0.038 in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), Guanzhong Plain (GZP), and Liaozhongnan (LZN), respectively. In contrast, increases of 0.041 and 0.057 were observed in Pearl River Delta (PRD) and Tianshan Mountains northern foothills (TSBP), while Lhasa metropolitan area (LS) remain stable (0.0001). In 2021, the most significant decrease in AOD was recorded in YRD, whereas the greatest declines in other urban areas were noted in 2022. The largest ΔAOD in LZN, BTH, and YRD occurred in autumn, while the peak ΔAOD in GZP was observed in spring. In contrast, the highest ΔAOD in PRD, TSBP, and LS occurred in summer. These temporal variations in ΔAOD can be attributed to dual-carbon policies, natural and meteorological anomalies, along with the impacts of stringent lockdown policies and abrupt dust events. Path analysis indicated that the effects of various drivers on ΔAOD were interconnected. When interactions among these factors were considered, their influences on ΔAOD were found to be either amplified or altered, highlighting the importance of accounting for interactions within the human-nature-meteorological system in formulation of atmospheric pollution policies. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of ΔAOD variation mechanisms and provide valuable insights for the development of air pollution reduction strategies at the UA scale.

Health and associated economic benefits of reduced air pollution and increased physical activity from climate change policies in the UK.

Climate change policies do not always include analysis of air quality and physical activity co-benefits. We compared business as usual (BAU) UK policy with Net Zero scenarios from the UK Climate Change Committee for road transport and building sectors. We quantified and monetised the health benefits of the Balanced Net Zero (BNZP) and Widespread Innovation (WI) Pathways. Air pollution concentrations were predicted using Chemical Transport Models and population-weighted. Shifts from car to walking and cycling for transport were converted to METhrs/week. Literature concentration-response functions were combined with baseline rates from routine statistics/other sources. Mortality and multi-morbidity impacts were calculated using lifetable analysis, and an incidence/prevalence model from 2019 to 2154 (a lifetime after 2050). Monetary values were applied to the results. The BNZP policy compared with BAU gave 4.9 (95% confidence interval 1.0-9.0) million life-years gained (LYG) (UK population, to 2154), including 1.1 (0.7-1.6) million LYG from active travel improvements. Avoided COPD and childhood asthma cases were 201,000 (150,000 - 250,000) and 192,000 (64,600-311,000). The monetised air quality morbidity benefits (£52.1 (36.4 - 67.8) billion) substantially added to the air quality mortality benefits (£77.9 (42.9 to 90.8) billion). Total yearly monetised benefits for BNZP vs BAU summed to 2154 (air pollution/active travel) were £153 (122 to 184) billion (core); 278 (228 to 334) billion (+outcomes with weaker evidence). Adding the effects of air pollution reductions on disease incidence, with effects of air pollution and physical activity on mortality, increases the monetised benefits that may justify Net Zero policies in cost-benefit analysis.

Spatial network characteristics and influencing factors of the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction in “Zero Waste City” clusters

Spatial network characteristics and influencing factors of the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction in “Zero Waste City” clusters

Characteristics and Treatment of Effluent from a Ceramic Fiber Products Manufacturing Factory

Abstract: Wastewater generated from Ceramic Fiber industry poses serious environmental pollution due to its high chemical load and complex composition. This study investigates the wastewater generated from the production of various ceramic fiber products, such as ceramic fiber paper, board, and vacuum formed shapes. As ceramic fiber products provide excellent thermal insulation and are helpful in energy savings, growth of this industry in future is obvious. Though ceramic fiber production uses water in a considerable amount, comprehensive wastewater treatment is a necessity to reduce environmental footprint of this industry. The primary objective of this study was to analyze and characterize wastewater parameters such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). In this study, the chemical treatment utilizes poly aluminum chloride as a coagulant and poly electrolyte as a flocculant. Chemical treatment yields BOD and COD removal by 70.12% and 73.9% respectively. Further, the aerobic biological treatment provides a reduction of BOD by 77.1% and COD by 63.21%. An advanced oxidation process, ozonation trial was also employed for the evaluation of further reduction of pollutants to bring them within regulatory limits. The ozonation trail yields BOD and COD reduction by 75.2% and 55.8% respectively.

Management Protocol for Water Pollution Reduction in Indian Rivers: An Analytical Overview

Management Protocol for Water Pollution Reduction in Indian Rivers: An Analytical Overview

Study on the synergistic effect of NOx and CO2 emission reduction in the industrial sector of Guangzhou

IntroductionAs a major source of pollutant and CO2 emissions, the industrial sector faces the dual challenge of pollution control and carbon reduction. Accurately identifying the synergy between pollutant and carbon emissions in different regions’ industrial sectors is crucial for developing regional policies for coordinated pollution reduction and carbon abatement.MethodsThis study takes Guangzhou as a case study to quantitatively assess the synergistic effect of NOx and CO2 emissions reduction in its industrial sector. First, the LMDI decomposition method was applied to analyze the factors influencing the change in NOx emissions in Guangzhou’s industrial sector. Next, the CFGLS model was used to quantify the synergistic effect between NOx and CO2 emissions. Finally, a robustness check was conducted on the results.Results and discussionThe findings indicate that the synergistic effect in carbon reduction is the most significant driver of NOx reduction in Guangzhou’s industrial sector, with a 10,000-ton reduction in CO2 emissions leading to a 0.4-ton decrease in NOx emissions. The interaction effect analysis shows that increasing the use of natural gas and reducing energy intensity do not amplify this synergy. The results could provide valuable insights for coordinated pollution reduction and carbon abatement policies designing in Guangzhou’s industrial sector.