Environmental Problems Research Articles

The mechanism of hydrogen generation from H2O splitting of Ben (n = 14–17) clusters based on density functional theory

The conventional method of producing hydrogen does not promote sustainable development and gravely damages the environment. Nevertheless, this paper studies investigate the connection between the magic numbers (4, 10, 17) and the reactions of Ben (n = 14–17) clusters splitting H2O to produce H2 as well as the reaction mechanism, solving the environmental pollution problem. This experiment reveals the mechanism of hydrogen generation from H2O splitting of Ben (n = 14–17) clusters using the PBE0 functional and the def2-TZVP basis, which is based on density functional theory. We have plotted the energy gap diagrams, interaction region indicator diagrams, and density of state diagrams of Ben (n = 14–17) clusters in order to explore the intermolecular interactions and energy changes that occur during the adsorption and desorption of water molecule and clusters. The findings demonstrate that the reactions of Ben (n = 14–17) clusters splitting H2O to produce H2 is releasing energy. The Ben (n = 14–17) clusters have the best hydrogen evolution efficiency when the number of atoms is near the magic number.

Salix humboldtiana as an Indicator of Air Pollution by Trace Metals in the Urban Areas of the City of Loja, Southern Ecuador

Air pollution is the most important environmental problem in urban areas related to vehicular traffic and industrial activities. The widespread presence of common urban trees, such as Salix humboldtiana, and their ability to tolerate diverse environmental conditions make this species an especially promising candidate for assessing environmental metal contamination. Therefore, biomonitoring with vascular plants has been widely used to assess air pollution, especially the accumulation of trace metal concentrations. Therefore, for the first time, we analyzed the concentration of trace metals using Salix humboldtiana in twelve areas with different levels of pollution in a city in Southern Ecuador. For this purpose, samples were taken from each site to assess the accumulation of trace metals such as Zn, Mn, Fe, Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Al, and Ni. The results obtained showed significant differences in the concentrations of Zn, Mn, Fe, and Cd between the urban areas and the control area, indicating that the central areas were the most polluted by vehicular traffic. However, these findings suggest that Salix humboldtiana may not be a particularly effective tool for quantifying levels of environmental metal contamination such as Cu and Ni, at least in urban areas in the city of Loja. This study has demonstrated that Salix humboldtiana leaves can effectively monitor trace metals associated with road traffic emissions in areas with varying levels of vehicular activity, indicating that vascular plants can be utilized for this purpose in tropical cities.

From Waste to New Ways: Feasibility of Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Chitin from Green Mussels (Perna Viridis) for Development of TEA-Functionalized CO2 Capture Adsorbent

As the world progresses, environmental problems emerge, such as the rise in global greenhouse gas emissions, specifically carbon dioxide (CO2) and improper waste management. To address these issues, this study aims to extract a natural polymer, chitin, from waste green mussel shells using a novel microwave-assisted extraction method. The extracted chitin was used as a support material for the functionalization of the adsorbent for potential CO2 capture. The process involves demineralization and deproteinization for mussel shells under the influence of a microwave unit. Results show that microwave power level 2 has produced the highest chitin yield (6.40%) among all the power levels. To enhance its CO₂ adsorption capacity, the extracted chitin underwent a sol-gel pre-treatment followed by functionalization with triethanolamine (TEA). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a "brick wall-like" or flaky crystal structure with an increased surface roughness, suggesting successful TEA incorporation. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed the presence of amine groups and enhanced thermal stability of the functionalized chitin. These characteristics are essential for CO₂ capture applications. This research demonstrates that waste green mussel shells coupled with microwave-assisted extraction can be a promising route in extracting chitin and its potential application to CO2 capture. Future work will focus on improving the pre-treatment process to produce a more suitable chitin support and optimizing the adsorbent's CO₂ capture capacity.

Foreign waste ban and green development of Chinese manufacturing industry: Comprehensive evidence based on provincial data

Since the reform and opening up, imported solid wastes have pushed China's economic growth while also bringing about serious environmental problems. In this context, China has introduced a ban on "foreign waste" for imported solid waste. Based on the provincial panel data from 2010 to 2020, this paper calculates the Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP) of the manufacturing industry to measure the level of green development of the manufacturing sector, and evaluates the comprehensive impact of the “foreign waste” ban on the green development of the manufacturing industry by using the continuous Difference-in-Differences method. The study finds that the foreign waste ban greatly promotes the greening of China's manufacturing sector, mechanism analysis shows that foreign waste ban stimulates innovation by innovation effects and increases production cost by cost effects, and the policy effect has heterogeneity as it is more prominent in coastal areas, areas with a lower proportion or a higher level of green development. This result suggests that the promotion of domestic solid waste recycling should be accompanied by further guidance on efficient factor mobility, with different measures based on regional heterogeneity.

Environmental Protection Problems and Coping Strategies in Animal Husbandry

This paper studies the environmental protection of animal husbandry, analyzes the pollution problems, and clarifies the environmental challenges. This paper puts forward a response path to reduce the negative impact of animal husbandry on the environment through scientific management and technological innovation and promote green transformation and sustainable development. This paper provides a reference for researchers and helps the healthy and sustainable development of the animal husbandry industry in China.

Evaluation of risk strategies for supply chain sustainability with interval-valued neutrosophic fuzzy EDAS

Sustainability means the most effective and efficient use of existing resources to meet the needs of future and current generations. Nowadays, with the increase in global environmental problems as well as social and economic problems, sustainability in the supply chain of the automotive industry has become increasingly important. In our study, after conducting an extensive literature review in the automotive industry, consulting with experts, and identifying 35 different Sustainability Risks across 5 sustainability dimensions, we proposed a total of 40 risk strategies to mitigate these risks. Using the evaluations of automotive supply chain experts from one of Turkey's leading logistics companies, risk strategies were ranked using the Interval-Valued Neutrosophic Fuzzy Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (IVN Fuzzy EDAS) method, and the best strategies were determined. Accordingly, it has been determined that the optimal approach for companies is to establish and implement legal compliance procedures and programs while adhering to prevailing regulations and policies. It aims to make a useful contribution to the literature in terms of covering this subject for the first time with fuzzy EDAS method, adding new sustainability risk dimensions, and developing broad-level risk and risk prevention strategies on the subject. In this study, the interval-valued neutrosophic fuzzy EDAS method was applied for the first time to the issue of sustainability risks in the automotive industry. At the same time, this study aims to contribute to the literature by adding new dimensions to sustainability.

Value creation of copra meal mannan into functional manno-oligosaccharides (β-MOS) using the mannanase Bacillus man B (BlMan26B)

Agricultural wastes rich in β-mannan are an important environmental problem in tropical and sub-tropical countries. This research aims at dealing with this and investigates the valorization of mannan-rich copra meal from virgin coconut oil manufacturing into mannan-oligosaccharides (β-MOS) by enzymatic hydrolysis using β-mannanase from Bacillus licheniformis (BlMan26B). Lab-scale process, involving pre-treatment and bioconversion steps, were conducted and evaluated. Lyophilized β-MOS was analyzed and its biological activities were assessed. The size of oligosaccharides obtained ranged from dimers to hexamers with 36.7% conversion yields. The prebiotic effects of β-MOS were demonstrated in comparison with commercial inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). In vitro toxicity assays of β -MOS on human dermal fibroblasts and monocytes showed no cytotoxic effect. Interestingly, β-MOS at concentrations ranging from 10 to 200 µg/mL also demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory activity against LPS-induced inflammation of human macrophage THP-1 in a dose-dependent manner. However, at high dose, β-MOS could also stimulate inflammation. Therefore, further investigation must be conducted to ensure its efficacy and safe use in the future. These results indicate that β-MOS have the potential to be used as valued-added health-promoting nutraceutical or feed additive after additional in-depth studies. These finding should be applicable for other agricultural wastes rich in mannan as well.

A Study of Experiments in Improving Science Literacy and Disciplinary Behavior of 6 Year-Old Children (Processing Organic Waste Using Black Soldier Fly Magot)

Early childhood needs to process an understanding of natural phenomena and the world around them. Children are not yet aware of environmental problems because they are developing various skills such as science literacy skills and mindsets that are reflected in disciplinary attitudes. The purpose of the study was to determine the significance of increasing science literacy and disciplinary behavior of 6-year-old children by processing organic waste using black soldier fly maggots. The research method uses a quantitative approach through a quasi-experimental study process with the research from Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The results of theoretical research based on the comparison between the t count and t table show the t count of 3.792> 2.306, and the significant result is 0.001 <0.05, then Ha is accepted. So it is said that there is an increase in science literacy skills and disciplinary behavior of children aged 6 years, through organic waste processing experiments using black soldier fly maggot.

Phosphorus mitigates the adverse effects of microplastics pollution on wheat and maize: Impacts on growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant defense

Microplastics (MP) pollution in agricultural soils has become an important environmental problem. Phosphorus (P) is a key nutrient for plant growth. P fertilizers are mainly applied to agricultural fields to achieve the high production expected by farmers. The experiment included two MP levels (0, 1 % w/w) and two P levels (0 mg kg−1, 200 mg kg−1) in order to know whether MP effects on wheat and maize are regulated by supplemental P supply. MP decreased plant height, photosynthetic pigment, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, while increased ROS and MDA contents. Wheat and maize exhibited distinct strategies in mitigating growth damage caused by MP pollution: wheat primarily increased the AsA contents, while maize predominantly enhanced APX activity. P supply alleviated the MP pollution effect by improving photosynthetic pigments, POD, and PPO activity in wheat and maize. P supply alleviated the MP pollution effect by improving antioxidant enzyme activities in the AsA-GSH cycling in wheat, while increasing non-enzymatic antioxidant contents in the AsA-GSH cycling in maize. The results showed that wheat and maize resisted MP pollution by different mechanisms, and P supply reduced the sensitivity of wheat and maize to MP pollution and its regulatory effect on wheat was better than that on maize. SynopsisThe response of different plants under the same microplastic and phosphorus conditions is limited. We find phosphorus alleviates microplastics pollution on wheat and maize through different regulatory routes.

Machine learning assisted prediction and process validation of electrochemically induced phosphorus recovery from wastewater

The disturbance in the natural phosphorus cycle has enhanced the problem of depletion of phosphorus rocks and its overabundance in the wastewater, leading to various environmental problems. Electrochemical phosphorus recovery from wastewater has gained attention due to the production of high-purity phosphorus precipitates that can be utilized to relieve the pressure on natural sources. However, its commercialization needs to be planned and predicted using modern machine learning algorithms. Hence, this study aims to predict electrochemical phosphorus recovery using different machine learning (ML) models: Linear regression, Lasso regression, Ridge regression, Adaboost, eXtreme Gradient Boost (XGB), Random Forest, and Support Vector Regression. The dataset for 16 input parameters considering the wastewater parameters, reactor, and reaction characteristics from the literature was used to envisage its influence on electrochemical phosphorus recovery. XGB was the robust ML model that outperformed other models in testing with R2 (0.98) and RMSE (33.54). The influence of the input parameters was studied using the feature importance, dependence plot and summary plot. Current density, pH, inter-electrode distance, electrolysis time and initial phosphorus concentration were some of the most influential input parameters affecting the phosphorous recovery. The process validation shows the R2 of 0.78 between the predicted values from the model and the experimental result. Overall, this study could help to predict electrochemical phosphorus recovery from the wastewater to facilitate optimization, upscaling, and commercialization of the technology to close the phosphorus loop.

From aromatic rings to aliphatic compounds - degradation of duloxetine with the use of visible light driven Z-scheme photocatalyst

The growing consumption of antidepressants, associated with their high chemical stability and low biodegradability, become a serious problem for aquatic environment. Many of their components are resistant to conventional water treatment technologies. The photocatalytic processes with the use of semiconductors becoming attractive methods of drugs degradation because the highly reactive species: electrons, holes, hydroxyl radicals (⦁OH) and superoxide anion radicals (O2⦁−) generated under illumination may be involved directly or indirectly in decomposition of complicated organic molecules.In this work we have shown for the first time that Z-scheme photocatalyst, consisted of bismuth vanadate (BiVO4), graphitic-like carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) as a charge transfer mediator, is very efficient in degradation of duloxetine (DLX). We performed the comprehensive evaluation focused not only on degradation rate, mechanism of photocatalytic process, but also identification of decomposition products and the pathways of DLX degradation. Due to application of the elaborated Z-scheme photocatalyst, the degradation rate constant was more than 2-3 times higher than that obtained for photolysis, but more important, the final compounds were mainly aliphatic products, formed by opening of aromatic rings. The chemical structure of the degradation products were determined with the use of HPLC and LC-MS. The toxicity of photoproducts with respect to water organisms was tested by means of Spirotox and Microtox assays. The Microtox test indicated that toxicity of the products after 6h of the solution irradiation in the presence of Z-scheme photocatalyst is about 4 times lower than that after photolysis.

Fabrication of a ZIF-8/PVA Membrane on PVDF Fiber by Spray for the Highly Efficient Separation of Oil-in-Water Emulsions.

In human life and production, excessive oily wastewaters containing detergents are produced and discharged, causing severe environmental pollution and water resource problems. A metal-organic framework (MOF)-based membrane is an economical and environmentally friendly tool for emulsion separation but is limited by a complex preparation process and poor flexibility. Herein, we developed a simple method to synthesize a MOF-based mixed-matrix membrane (MMM) by spray and fabricated the membrane on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fibers via postdeposition and in situ growth manners. The prepared ZIF-8/PVA MMMs have uniform distribution of ZIF-8 particles and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) on the PVDF fibers. PVA improved the adhesion between the ZIF-8 particles and between the MOF layer and PVDF fiber, endowing the separation membrane with high flexibility and bendability. The prepared ZIF-8/PVA membrane exhibited hydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity, which showed high separation efficiency and considerable water flux for emulsions, emulsion containing dye, and surfactant-stabilized emulsion. In addition, the fabricated ZIF-8/PVA/PVDF fibers exhibited good antifouling property and flexibility and can maintain stable separation efficiency after working several times and even under bending, demonstrating the stability and potentiality of the ZIF-8/PVA/PVDF fibers in practical applications. This work paves a new avenue for the synthesis and application of MOF-based MMMs.

Antioxidant packaging films based upon starch-montmorillonite with forsythia flower extract: characterization and application

Plastic pollution is one of the most acute environmental problems in the world, so active packaging materials made from biodegradable natural polymers have received widespread attention in recent years. In this paper, forsythia flower extract, serving as an active ingredient, was integrated into the starch-sodium alginate-montmorillonite composite film. The physicochemical properties and functional packaging applications of the composite films were investigated. The results demonstrate the formation of a tightly-knit network structure through molecular interactions among forsythia flowers, starch, sodium alginate, and montmorillonite. Notably, the addition of forsythia flower extracts conferred better UV resistance (from 200 nm to 400 nm) and outstanding antioxidant properties to the composite films. After 18 days of storage, in comparison with the control group, the decay rate of fresh cherry tomatoes packaged with the composite film containing forsythia flower extract showed a significant reduction of 40%, the hardness increased by 25%, and the content of vitamin C was enhanced by 33%. Hence, the forsythia flower extract composite film offers a novel perspective for the design and development of bio-based packaging films for preserving fresh fruits. The results serve as a foundation for the subsequent advancement and application of forsythia flower in the field of packaging.

Sequential Chemical and Biological Desulphurization of High Sulfur Containing Pakistani Coal

Coal is a rich and affordable source of energy that is extensively used for different industrial purposes. However, its extensive utilization have caused a number of environmental problems. Especially, the release of different oxides of sulfur during combustion have resulted in the ongoing acid rain and global warming issues. To tackle the issue, sequential chemical and biological technologies were applied for the desulfurization of a coal sample, collected from Shahrag coal mines, in Baluchistan, Pakistan. The coal was initially de-pyritized with a 15% nitric acid (HNO3) solution. The chemically treated coal was subsequently biodesulfurized with iron oxide (Fe3O4) coated bacterial consortium IQMJ-5. The de-pyritized and biodesulfurized coal was analyzed with proximate, ultimate, FTIR, XRD, and EDX analysis. The calorific value was determined through an oxygen bomb analyzer. Following desulfurization, about 61% organic sulfur and 86.57% total sulfur were removed from the coal sample. Similarly, an increase of about 93 kcal/kg in the calorific value was detected after the treatment. These results clearly depicts the potentiality of the technology for the desulfurization of fossil fuels at the industrial scale.

Sustainability Thought 181: Dwarf Green Markets Versus Green Markets: Which one is Environmentally Clean Economy Transition Friendly? Why?

There are two ways of dealing with the environmental pollution problem separating environmentally dirty traditional markets from environmentally clean markets, using dwarf green markets and using green markets. If the goal is to transition from environmentally dirty traditional economies to environmentally clean economies, then understanding which one is friendly and which one is not friendly with such a transition is important for policy making based on science and for understanding the reasons behind non-science-based policy decision-making. And this makes the following topic and question relevant: Dwarf green markets versus green markets: Which one is environmentally clean economy transition friendly? Why? Among the goals of this paper is to provide answers to these questions.

Hierarchical Superhydrophilic/Superaerophobic Ni3S2/VS2 Nanorod-Based Bifunctional Electrocatalyst Supported on Nickel Foam for Overall Urea Electrolysis.

The design and preparation of effective nonprecious metal-based catalysts for the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) coupled with the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are of great significance to solve both energy shortage and environmental pollution problems. In this study, a novel hierarchical superhydrophilic and superaerophobicity three-dimensional nanorod-like bifunctional catalyst with a heterostructure (Ni3S2/VS2) was prepared on nickel foam via a simple one-step hydrothermal method, serving as an excellent electrocatalyst for both UOR and HER. The formed heterostructure significantly alters the electronic structure, optimizing charge transfer and increasing the number of active sites, which enhances the electrocatalytic performance of Ni3S2/VS2. As a result, this catalyst requires an extremely low potential of 1.396 V at the current density of 100 mA cm-2 for UOR and only 164 mV overpotential at -10 mA cm-2 for HER. Notably, a constructed two-electrode electrolyzer system (Ni3S2/VS2∥Ni3S2/VS2) demonstrates extraordinary activity and long-term stability, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at a low cell voltage of 1.48 V, which is superior to majority of the reported catalysts. This work demonstrates that the formation of heterostructures can effectively enhance the catalytic activity of nanomaterials toward UOR and HER and provides a feasible strategy for fabricating highly efficient nonprecious metal overall urea electrocatalysts.

Adaptive Weighted Multi-kernel Learning for Blast-Induced Flyrock Distance Prediction

AbstractIn the field of civil and mining engineering, blasting operations are widely and frequently used for rock excavation, However, some undesirable environmental problems induced by blasting operations cannot be ignored. Blast-induced flyrock is one important issue induced by blasting operation, which needs to be well predicted to identify the blasting zone’s safety zone. This study introduces an adaptive weighted multi-kernel learning model (AW-MKL) to provide an accurate prediction of blast-induced flyrock distance in Sungun Copper Mine site. The proposed model uses a combination of multi-kernel learning (MKL) approach and adaptive weighting strategy based on weighted Euclidean distance and modified local outlier factor (MLOF) to maximally improve the predictive ability of kernel ridge regression (KRR). To demonstrate the superiority of the proposed approach, six machine learning models were developed as comparisons, i.e., KRR, RF, GBDT, SVM, M5 Tree, MARS and AdaBoost. The outcomes of the proposed method achieved the highest accuracy in testing phase, with RMSE of 2.05, MAE of 0.98 and VAF of 99.92, which confirmed the strong predictive capability of the proposed AW-MKL in predicting blast-induced flyrock distance.

Effects of groundwater level changes on soil characteristics and vegetation response in arid and semiarid coal mining areas.

Coal mining in arid and semiarid regions often leads to numerous ecological and environmental problems, such as aquifer depletion, lake shrinkage, vegetation degradation, and surface desertification. The drainage from coal mining activities is a major driving force in the evolution of the groundwater-soil-vegetation system. In order to explore the effect of groundwater level fluctuation on soil properties and the response mechanism of surface vegetation in coal mining areas, this study is based on hydrogeological and ecological vegetation investigations in the Bojianghaizi Basin, and soil and vegetation samples are collected in the areas with different groundwater levels, and soil and vegetation indexes are analyzed with the aid of methods such as numerical statistics, linear regression, and correlation analysis with the aid of the Origin software. The results show that there is a significant negative correlation between groundwater table (GWT) and soil water content (SWC), soil conductivity, soil organic matter (SOM), soil available nitrogen (SAN), and soil available potassium (SAK). Mining activities have led to the destruction of the soil structure, greatly reducing its ability to retain water and fertilizer. The contents of SWC, SOM, and SAN in the mining area are significantly reduced, which are at least 49.73%, 47.56% and 59.90% lower than those around the mining area. On the northern and southern sides of the lake, serious soil salinization exists in the lakeshore zone where the depth to the water table is <0.5m, and the water required for the growth of vegetation here mainly comes from the groundwater, so there are only a few water-loving and saline-resistant plants; when the depth to the water table is 0.5-7m, the growth of surface vegetation is influenced by the double impacts of the water table and atmospheric precipitation with a high degree of species richness; when the depth to the water table is >7m, the surface vegetation is only dependent on the limited atmospheric precipitation for water. When the depth of groundwater is >7m, the surface vegetation only relies on limited atmospheric precipitation for water, and drought-tolerant plants mainly grow in these areas. This study not only provides a scientific basis for the sustainable development and environmental protection of similar mines in the world, but also has important significance in guiding the ecological management and rational utilization of water resources in coal mine areas. What is more, This study provides valuable insights into sustainable water resource management in arid and semi-arid regions, crucial for mitigating the ecological impacts of coal mining activities.

Assessment of Leachate Generated by Sargassum spp. in the Mexican Caribbean: Part 2, Mobility of Metals

The spread of sargassum on beaches in Africa, Brazil, Central America, and the Caribbean has increased to become a social, environmental, and economic problem. In recent years, the presence of biomass on the coasts of the Mexican Caribbean has been recorded as ≈2360 m3 Km−1, reaching up to 200 m wide in the northern part of the coasts. Its removal from the coast and, later, the continent is one of the strategies implemented to mitigate its impact on land. Several studies have reported the seasonality of and geographic variation in sorbed metals in sargasso. However, it is unknown whether these metals can mobilize or remain in sargassum tissue once they reach accumulation sites. This study included seawater, sargassum tissue as a consortium, and S. natans and S. fluitans, as well as the leachate generated in the process of degradation per se and percolated by rain. Of the 10 metals evaluated (As, B, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cd, Al, Ni, Cu, and Pb for water, tissue, and leachate), only B is recurrent in water from the north of the Mexican Caribbean, in addition to traces of Al and Fe. Meanwhile, in tissue, the results coincide with those of previous studies, where As is recurrent, although its concentration varies with the mentioned variability. The leachate showed that four to eight metals of those present in the tissue were detected, including As, Fe, and Al, which represent a potential impact on coastal systems and infiltration into shallow water table areas.

PENGABDIAN KEPADA MASYARAKAT: JURI KARYA ILMIAH BERTEMA PEMANASAN GLOBAL

&lt;em&gt;Global warming is one of the most pressing environmental issues of the 21st century, with far-reaching impacts ranging from extreme climate change to threats to biodiversity and human life. The increase in the average temperature of the atmosphere and oceans, driven by human activities, particularly greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, exacerbates this situation. Negative effects such as polar ice melting, rising sea levels, and ecosystem disruptions threaten the survival of many species. Growing global awareness of the importance of understanding and addressing global warming has led to various initiatives, including scientific competitions focused on global warming. These activities aim to educate the public and promote innovation in finding sustainable solutions to this environmental problem. In these competitions, the role of judges is crucial in evaluating the quality and relevance of the scientific works submitted by participants. Through community engagement carried out by the Management Study Program of Universitas Bunda Mulia in collaboration with SMA Kristen Tunas Bangsa Sunter Jakarta Utara, this competition successfully inspired and nurtured young generations in facing the challenges of global warming. The event included presentations, discussions, and Q&amp;amp;A sessions aimed at developing creative ideas and making a real contribution to global efforts in combating global warming.&lt;/em&gt;