Amount Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research Articles

Towards Supporting Satellite Design Through the Top-Down Approach: A General Model for Assessing the Ability of Future Satellite Missions to Quantify Point Source Emissions

Monitoring and accurately quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from point sources via satellite measurements is crucial for validating emission inventories. Numerous studies have applied varied methods to estimate emission intensities from both natural and anthropogenic point sources, highlighting the potential of satellites for point source quantification. To promote the development of the space-based GHG monitoring system, it is pivotal to assess the satellite’s capacity to quantify emissions from distinct sources before its design and launch. However, no universal method currently exists for quantitatively assessing the ability of satellites to quantify point source emissions. This paper presents a parametric conceptual model and database for efficiently evaluating the quantification capabilities of satellites and optimizing their technical characteristics for particular detection missions. Using the model and database, we evaluated how well various satellites can detect and quantify GHG emissions. Our findings indicate that accurate estimation of point source emissions requires both high spatial resolution and measurement precision. The requirement for satellite spatial resolution and measurement precision to achieve unbiased emission estimation gradually decreases with increasing emission intensity. The model and database developed in this study can serve as a reference for harmonious satellite configuration that balances measurement precision and spatial resolution. Furthermore, to progress the evaluation model of satellites for low-intensity emission point sources, it is imperative to implement a more precise simulation model and estimate method with a refined mask-building approach.

Preparing for net zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2050: lifecycle emissions of dairy products in Brazil

Dairy products play an important role in human nutrition and the world economy. Livestock farming, including cows rearing to produce milk and dairy products, is one of the world's major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Progress towards net zero goals requires monitoring emissions from companies and products, and greenhouse gas inventories are essential. This work quantifies greenhouse gas emissions from milk production, considering the milk delivered at the farm gate and the milk delivered at the cooperative gate. Emissions accounting was based on greenhouse gas inventories for two units and lifecycle emissions for major farm inputs. Results have shown that milk production on the farm emits 0.57 kg CO2e / liter, with enteric fermentation accounting for more than 90% of emissions at the farm gate, and more than 50% at the milk processing unit gate. Dairy production adds 0.533 kg CO2e / liter to the emissions coming from raw milk, most of which comes from wastewater treatment. Thus, the footprint of dairy products is 1.103 kg CO2e / liter of processed milk. The producers' cooperative's greenhouse gas emissions are essentially indirect and amount to 0.626 kg CO2e/liter of milk delivered to customers, in which emissions from purchased milk account for more than 85% and emissions from transportation account for around 15%.

Production losses in Russian agriculture: Impact on food security and environmental sustainability

This paper provides a quantitative assessment of the impact of losses on specific aspects of food security and environmental sustainability. The lack of full information on the benefits of food loss reduction destimulates developing appropriate effective measures at the public level and in the private sector. The study covers losses generated at the initial stages of the food supply chain, including agricultural production and primary processing. Methodological assessments are based on works of foreign authors, recommendations of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and domestic methodological developments in this area. The results indicate that at the primary stages of the food supply chain, food losses generate a relatively small amount of greenhouse gas emissions, so their reduction in order to lower the carbon footprint is not as effective as at the stage of retail and household consumption. However, preventing losses in agriculture contributes to the creation of additional volumes of food, which can be directed to the consumption of vulnerable groups of population. At the same time, the consequences of loss reduction vary greatly depending on the type of product

Bio-organic substitution in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L) cultivation: Optimum strategy to lower carbon footprint and boost net ecosystem economic benefit

The partial substitution of organic manure for chemical nitrogen fertilizers, known as organic substitution, is widely regarded as a cleaner and more sustainable production strategy. However, few studies have quantified greenhouse gas emissions, product income and net ecosystem economic benefit (NEEB) using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach, particularly for typical tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) production. Here, we quantified the yield and quality of a typical tobacco production in Qujing, Yunnan, China, through field experiments and calculated its carbon footprint and NEEB using the LCA approach. Four organic substitution strategies were established with equal nitrogen inputs, including synthesized chemical fertilizer (SN), farmyard organic manure (NF), commercial organic manure (NC), and bio-organic (Trichoderma viride Pers.) manure (NT), each substituting 15% of synthesized nitrogen fertilizer. Compared to the SN strategy, the NT strategy significantly increased yield and income by 10.3% and 9.6%, respectively. In contrast, the NF strategy significantly reduced income, while the NC strategy showed no significant difference. Both the NC and NT strategies significantly reduced N2O cumulative emissions (by 15.9% and 8.0%, respectively), increased δSOC (by 38.4% and 15.0%, respectively), and decreased carbon footprint compared to the SN strategy. However, the NF strategy significantly increased the income-scaled carbon footprint, even though it also notably reduced N2O cumulative emissions (by 22.6%) and increased δSOC (by 7.9%). The NT strategy achieved a win-win scenario of low environmental risk and high economic returns of tobacco production with significantly increased NEEB (by 10.6%) compared to the SN strategy (37.60 × 103 CNY yr−1). This suggests that the bio-organic Trichoderma manure substituting 15% synthesized nitrogen fertilizer is the best organic substitution strategy for sustainable tobacco production.

Environmental impact of intravenous versus oral administration materials for acetaminophen and ketoprofen in a French university hospital: an eco-audit study using a life cycle analysis

PurposeThe combination of acetaminophen with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug is the cornerstone of perioperative multimodal analgesia. These drugs can be administered intravenously or orally as premedication, consistent with the concept of pre-emptive and preventive analgesia. We aimed to assess the environmental impact of their intravenous and oral administration in a French university hospital.MethodsWe carried out a life cycle assessment to determine the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and depletion of water resources resulting from the oral vs intravenous administration of 1 g acetaminophen and 50 mg ketoprofen. We assessed two schemes of intravenous administration, depending on the use of the same or a different infusion set for each drug.ResultsAt our centre, the intravenous administration of both drugs was associated with the emission of 444–556 g CO2 equivalent (CO2e), and with 9.8–12.2 L of water waste. The oral administration of both drugs generated 8.36 g of CO2e emissions and consumed 1.16 L of water. At a national level, the switch from intravenous to oral premedication of the drugs could avoid the emission of 2,900–3,700 tons of CO2e and the waste of 58,000–74,000 m3 of water each year.ConclusionThis eco-audit indicates that oral administration of acetaminophen and ketoprofen results in significantly lower carbon emissions and water consumption than intravenous administration. These findings highlight the importance of using the oral route for most patients, limiting intravenous administration for those with specific needs because of higher environmental impact and cost.

Strategies for managing corn crop residue in the context of greenhouse gas emissions.

Food production is one of the most important sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, both in primary production and in processing and the logistics chain. The most problematic and risky is the optimization of environmental effects in the stage of primary production. This is due to the significant influence of factors related to climate and soil that are difficult to predict. The scientific literature offers much information on the impact of crop residue management, but the context for assessing the impact of crop residue management in corn production on the carbon footprint is still unclear. The effectiveness of using organic additives like biochar, compost, corn, or straw to maintain soil productivity is well acknowledged. Information about the effects of particular crop residue management strategies on soil carbon sequestration, soil quality, and crop yield in corn cultivation is currently scarce. The research aimed to assess the potential for optimizing corn production through modifications in crop residue management, with a focus on the efficiency indicator being the level of greenhouse gas emissions per functional unit of the product. A 3-year growing experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of different corn crop residue management strategies. The modifications of the corn cultivation technology in terms of the crop residue management strategy had a significant impact on the yield of plants and the amount of GHG emissions. The conversion of corn straw to biochar and its introduction into the soil reduced the GHG emissions from corn cultivation per functional unit, despite the energy expenditure related to straw transport and biochar production. From a 3-year time perspective, a beneficial effect of biochar addition on the size of the commercial yield of plants was observed. In variants with biochar and a reduced level of nitrogen fertilization, no reduction in yields was observed. This confirmed the hypothesis that biochar could be a useful material for the production of slow-acting fertilizers.

Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Potential of the Enhanced Rice Straw Biogas System in the Philippines

Abstract Rice straw is an agricultural waste produced abundantly every rice cropping cycle. Its disposal or removal from the field is a problem to rice farmers every start of the next cropping cycle due to its labor-intensive collection from the field. One traditional practice is soil incorporation; however, rice straw does not degrade easily, and this management practice releases significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions to the environment. An attempt to solve this issue is to utilize rice straw with cattle manure as feedstock for biogas production and use the energy generated for rice post-harvest processing such as grain drying and milling. An Enhanced Rice Straw Biogas facility was constructed in Victoria, Laguna, Philippines and a trial lagoon run was conducted from June to October 2021. The data from the initial run was used as input to the modified Aston-developed Mass Energy Balance Model to determine the biogas production potential of rice straw and cattle manure as bioenergy feedstocks. The proposed system can produce 8,803,567.99 L (296.19 L/kg VS) of biogas which can be converted to 19,502.97 MW electricity and 84,512.86 MJ heat. From the energy generated per batch, 18,417.21 kg rice grain (dry season) or 15,752.79 kg rice grain (wet season) can be dried and milled, with an excess of equivalent kerosene (696.93 L for dry season or 248.46 L for wet season) and electricity (3,745.12 kWh for dry season or 6,182.23 kWh for wet season). Due to biogas utilization, an estimated 3,351 L of fossil-based kerosene and 12,185.91 kWh of electricity equivalent can be avoided. This low GHG emission rice production system (Aston Model) has a theoretical annual carbon footprint of 153,134 kg CO2e and a 28.21% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to the conventional rice production system.

Optimizing Dry Port Locations: A Comparative Analysis of Deterministic, Stochastic, and Robust Models

The increasing international maritime transportation of freight has caused a huge operation in important ports, which are often established near cities and therefore do not have enough room for expanding the operations. This causes long delays and poor productivity in ports. The construction of dry ports has been proposed as a suitable solution to mitigate the problems. A dry port is an inland intermodal terminal directly connected to a seaport by road or rail, where importers and exporters can clear their cargo through customs and handle other shipping formalities. Selecting the right place for the establishment of dry ports has a significant impact on the time and costs of transportation in the network, as well as environmental consequences. In this research, to determine the optimal location of dry ports among the potential locations, three mathematical models as deterministic, stochastic, and robust with three objectives of minimizing the maximum transportation time in the entire network, environmental pollutants, and transportation costs are presented, which simultaneously specify the required number of dry ports in the network and the optimal place to build them. The presented models have been implemented for data related to 30 million bills of lading in a 10-year period in Iran with four major ports and 400 cities. Both deterministic and non-deterministic approaches reveal a preference not to build a dry port in the first optimal solution. However, in the following desirable answers, different answers have been suggested. According to the sensitivity analysis performed by making changes in the fuel price situation or the existing rail network, the model introduces several potential points for the construction of dry ports. The results of this model show that, with the construction of dry ports, despite the increase in overall costs of the network because of the construction of dry ports, operation, and storage in them, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions will decrease significantly.

Meat alternative adoption: How climate change concern drives perceived sustainability, naturalness, and taste

Conventional livestock production generates high amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, significantly contributing to man-made climate change. Switching to meat alternatives has the potential to curb meat consumption but faces obstacles rooted in consumers’ concerns about unnaturalness, negative health implications, and excessive processing. Drawing on environmental psychology, heuristic processing, consistency theory, and the halo effect, this study develops a conceptual framework on how consumer’s climate concern, by activating climate commitment, not only directly motivates the adoption of meat alternatives, but also triggers perceptual processes, that have a favorable effect on the perception of the attributes of meat alternative products. The theoretical model was tested with an online survey of a US representative sample (N=800). Results show that climate concern positively affects meat alternative adoption by activating climate commitment. Climate commitment, in turn, through the drive for internal consistency and the halo effect, enhances the perceived sustainability, naturalness, and taste of meat alternatives, boosting their acceptance. Findings contribute to the literature by introducing a novel mechanism involving mental shortcuts based on consistency theory and the halo effect, which suggests that consumers align food product perceptions with their environmental goals. These insights offer valuable guidance for policymakers and marketers to design effective interventions promoting more sustainable dietary choices.

Offshore and onshore renewable energy system modelling to meet the energy demand of megacity Istanbul

In this study, a renewable energy system was designed using offshore and onshore energy sources to meet the electricity demands of the megacity Istanbul. Istanbul spends about 11 % of Turkey's consumption according to 2022 data, this electricity fee is generally supplied from fossil fuels, which cause large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, to increase the usage of clean energy sources, a detailed analysis of the appropriate land was performed to install the necessary wind farms and solar farms, considering the electricity consumption of both the European and Anatolian sides of Istanbul. A new integrated approach using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was presented to determine the locations of offshore and onshore power plants to be installed. The analysis with a new approach took into account important criteria such as land cover, power transmission lines, substations, and settlements of the location. Moreover, HOMER software optimized the power plant’s energy production potential and components to be installed on the European and Anatolian sides. The megacity was considered as two sides, the overall power output on the European side was obtained as 2874.6 GWh/yr in HOMER; however, the Anatolian side was 158 GWh/yr. It was obtained that wind energy had a significant potential to produce electricity throughout the entire megacity. According to the results of the cost analysis, the European side with a cost of electricity (COE) of 0.0105 $/kWh is conspicuous, and the COE of the Anatolian side is 0.015 $/kWh.

Energy savings by adapting consumer behavior in grid-connected photovoltaic systems with battery storage

Today, the world faces many energy challenges that make the use of clean energy an obligation and an emergency. These challenges require changes in a wide range of sectors, including transport, industry and residential areas. At present, energy production is responsible for a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions, the main cause of climate change with its various dangerous effects on human life. Therefore, a change towards non-carbon energy is becoming a necessity. Certainly, this evolution has been underway for years and the renewable energy market has developed in a surprisingly efficient way. However, the current situation has reached an alarming state and requires the active participation of all stakeholders, especially consumers. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to illustrate how consumer behavior can significantly influence and contribute to the optimization of renewable energy systems, especially photovoltaic systems. The paper emphasizes the beneficial integration of batteries and storage systems to achieve energy savings. The results show that with some adjustments in daily behavior, an overall energy saving of 62% can be achieved compared to the normal consumption scenario: the energy obtained from the grid and then the electricity bill is reduced.

Leveraging the trend analysis for modeling of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal combustion

In this paper, it is aimed, for the first time, at deriving simple models, leveraging the trend analysis in order to estimate the future greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal combustion. Due to the expectations of becoming the center of global economic development in the future, BRICS-T (Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China, South Africa, and Turkiye) countries are adopted as cases in the study. Following the models’ derivation, their statistical validations and estimating accuracies are also tested through various metrics. In addition, the future greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal combustion are estimated by the derived models. The results demonstrate that the derived models can be successfully used as a tool for estimating the greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal combustions with accuracy ranges from at least 90% to almost 98%. Moreover, the estimating results show that the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal combustions in the relevant countries and in the world will increase to 14 BtCO2eq and 19 BtCO2eq by 2035, with an annual growth of 2.39% and 1.71%, respectively. In summary, the current study’s findings affirm the usefulness of trend analysis in deriving models to estimate greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal combustion.

Application of the R Program for CO2 Emission Calculations Based on Secondary Carbon Footprint at MTs Bahrul Ulum

Global warming is partly caused by the increasing amount of greenhouse gas emissions accumulating in the Earth's atmosphere, leading to a rise in surface temperatures over time. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are the main component of greenhouse gases. The largest CO2 emissions from the energy sector come from the use of electricity generated by building activities. This study aims to analyze the CO2 emissions produced from electricity use at MTs Bahrul Ulum. Data collection on electricity usage was conducted by measuring the power consumption of air conditioners, lights, PCs, and laptops used during operational hours, particularly in the MTs Bahrul Ulum school building. CO2 emissions from the electricity consumption of electronic equipment were calculated using emission factors according to the regulations of the Directorate General of Electricity, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM). The method used is a carbon footprint study. The results show that electricity usage at the location is 6,954.792 kWh/year, and the emissions generated from this electricity usage amount to 8,507.243784 kgCO2/year. This study also developed an application using the R program to facilitate the calculation and analysis of CO2 emissions based on secondary carbon footprints. The application is designed to help users identify and reduce CO2 emissions resulting from daily activities in the school environment.

Sustainable Sludge Management in China: Quantifying GHG Emissions and Exploring Its Reduction Strategies

This study aims to evaluate the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) stemming from the sludge treatment sector in China and to investigate the feasibility of novel technologies in curtailing these emissions, with the aim of fostering sustainable sludge management methodologies. Employing a life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, the research computed the comprehensive GHG emissions resulting from sludge treatment, taking into consideration diverse elements such as treatment techniques (e.g., landfills, incineration, and land application) and the geographical variations among China’s 660 municipalities. Findings indicate that the total amount of GHG emissions from sludge treatment amounted to 18.54 Mt CO2-eq in 2017, with incineration registering the highest emissions (10,011.53 kg CO2-eq/t dry sludge (DS)), followed by landfills (717.51 kg CO2-eq/t DS) and land application (276.41 kg CO2-eq/t DS). The geographical dispersion of emissions characteristics reveal notable regional disparities, with the top 1% of cities responsible for 34.2% of the overall emissions. The concentration of emissions in the top 1 percent of cities underscores the necessity for tailored mitigation measures that consider localized sustainable development challenges. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrates that economic determinants and treatment scales exert substantial influence on emissions, underscoring the imperative of aligning Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with economic advancement. To curtail the carbon footprint associated with sludge treatment and enhance sustainability, the study evaluated the emission mitigation potential and expenses of diverse technologies, encompassing thermal conversion, anaerobic digestion, hydrothermal treatment, and wet oxidation. These technologies have the capacity to slash GHG emissions by 0.09–0.46 t CO2-eq/t DS in comparison to traditional approaches, while concurrently advancing resource recuperation and principles of circular economy. For instance, gasification could diminish GHG emissions by 0.33–0.46 t CO2-eq/t DS, whereas anaerobic digestion could yield reductions of 0.09–0.30 t CO2-eq/t DS. The implementation of these innovative technologies across 660 Chinese municipalities could potentially curtail total GHG emissions from sludge treatment by 15–40%. Nevertheless, further enhancements are imperative to refine their environmental and economic efficiency and guarantee enduring sustainability. By deploying these technologies and embracing optimization tactics, China’s sludge treatment sector can make a substantial contribution towards attaining national carbon neutrality objectives and advancing sustainable development.

Ancillary Benefit of Microbiology Culture Diagnostic Stewardship: Decreasing Healthcare’s Climate Impact

Abstract We calculated weights of blood, urine, and endotracheal tube culture supplies and quantified greenhouse gas emissions emitted for disposal of these supplies. Of note, disposal related emissions for a positive blood and endotracheal tube culture are each equivalent to driving 0.6 and 0.4 miles, respectively, in a gasoline-powered vehicle.

Utilization of alternative wood particles for modern thermal insulation products

Abstract Thermal insulation materials play a vital role in minimising energy loss in building operation and also affect the amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating and cooling. In this context, it is becoming an increasingly important milestone to find suitable thermal insulation materials that not only meet the technical requirements but also minimise their environmental impact. The trend towards the use of eco-friendly materials for thermal insulation reflects the construction industry’s desire to contribute to environmental protection and the transition to more sustainable models of building construction and renovation. For more than 20 years, a number of research teams have been investigating the possibility of replacing synthetically produced materials such as mineral wool and polystyrene foam with natural fibre-based insulation materials. These alternatives include wood as a traditional, easily renewable raw material. This, together with the low energy intensity of processing and manufacturing wood materials, contributes to its low carbon footprint. Compared to traditional synthetic insulation materials, which are often energy intensive to produce, wood is a more environmentally friendly choice. However, with many European countries now facing a potential shortage of higher quality wood, it is necessary to look for alternative sources of wood, including in the field of thermal insulation materials, materials with a lower carbon footprint that can be produced from lower quality wood or from wood waste that would otherwise only have an energy use. The paper is devoted to the study and use of suitable wood waste and secondary raw materials from spruce wood (coarse wood chips, sawdust and wood flour) for the development of modern thermal insulations with the aim of an environmentally friendly and less energy-intensive production process compared to conventional insulants.

ORGANISATION CARBON FOOTPRINT ASSESSMENT AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION EMISSION OF YALA RAJABHAT UNIVERSITY, THAILAND

This research aims to study carbon footprint assessment and the guidelines for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the Yala Rajabhat University in southern Thailand. Data was collected from January to December 2020 for evaluating greenhouse gas emissions. The methodology followed the guidelines of the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation (Public Organisation). The greenhouse gas emissions can be classified into three categories: (1) Direct GHG emissions, (2) electricity indirect GHG emissions, and (3) other indirect GHG emissions. The results showed that Scope 2 indirect greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption had the highest amount of greenhouse gas emissions at 1,625,941.82 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide equivalent (kgCO2 e/year). Amount of greenhouse gas emissions were 182,144.76 and 28,545.71 kgCO2 e/year for Scope 3 and Scope 1, respectively. Guidelines for reducing greenhouse gas emissions electricity consumption of the Yala Rajabhat University urgently needed. To reduce the amount of carbon footprint. This can be done in the form of (1) energy management, including reducing electricity use, (2) solid waste management using the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) principle, and (3) fuel efficiency and renewable energy adoption.

Sustainable Development of European Countries: The Climate Component

This article provides a cause-and-effect analysis of the impact of carbon emissions on climate change and on the sustainable development of European countries. Despite the consolidated efforts of the world community, the global amount of greenhouse gas emissions is not decreasing, leading to irreversible climate change. The objective of this paper is to explore Europe’s progress towards climate neutrality in the context of ensuring sustainable development and achieving the goals of the European Green Deal. The article aims to establish an econometric relationship between the amount of carbon emissions and the energy intensity of GDP based on statistical data from European countries, and using the example of Ukraine during a full-scale invasion to demonstrate factors that influence greenhouse-gas- emissions growth despite GDP. A significant aspect of this study is an analysis of data from 2012–2022, which indicates that Europe has reduced CO2 emissions and is successfully moving towards climate neutrality. Key efforts of EU countries in preventing climate change and transitioning to renewable energy sources are reflected in the context of the Green Deal. Based on econometric calculations, the direct relationship between the amount of carbon emissions and energy intensity of GDP in European countries was confirmed with a probability of 0.95. The obtained interdependence allows one to predict the amount of CO2 emissions based on known values of energy intensity of GDP during stable economic development. Special attention was paid to Ukraine and the increase in CO2 emissions due to the war. The authors concluded that the war disrupted the relationship between GDP and CO2 emissions, leading to a 23% increase in emissions in 2022. Overcoming the climate crisis and ensuring sustainable development requires a global decarbonisation strategy. However, effective climate policy is impossible without achieving peace.

Utilization of lysed and dried bacterial biomass from the marine purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum as a sustainable nitrogen fertilizer for plant production

Plant-based agricultural systems rely heavily on inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizers to increase yields and ensure food security for the rapidly growing global population. However, the production and overuse of synthetic fertilizers lead to significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, causing a critical need for the development of alternative and sustainable organic N fertilizers. Here, we demonstrate the effective use of lysed and dried bacterial biomass from the marine purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum as an alternative source of N fertilizer for the cultivation of Japanese mustard spinach (komatsuna, Brassica rapa var. perviridis). To assess the suitability of this processed bacterial biomass, containing approximately 11% N, as a N fertilizer, we examined the effects of its application on plant germination and growth (measured by leaf chlorophyll, maximum leaf length, and dry weight) under two different temperature regimes, comparing it to that of a conventional N-containing mineral fertilizer. Application at rates up to four times that of the mineral fertilizer had no negative effects on seed germination and plant growth. The bacterial biomass had to be applied at approximately twice the rate of mineral fertilizer to obtain similar plant growth parameters, roughly corresponding to the predicted 62% rate of mineralization of the bacterial N. Our findings confirm the ability of plants to take up N from the lysed and dried biomass of marine purple photosynthetic bacteria, demonstrating the potential for using R. sulfidophilum as a source of N fertilizer.

Influence of biochar application on carbon dioxide (CO2) emission under soybean crop

Abstract Biochar, an organic solid produced through pyrolysis, exhibits promising potential as a soil amendment. The utilization of biochar as a soil amendment is geared towards the reduction of CO2 emissions and the sequestration of carbon in soil, thus playing a pivotal role in addressing climate change. This research was undertaken to quantify the extent of carbon emissions resulting from various biochar application treatments in soybean cultivation. The field study was structured in a randomized non-factorial design, encompassing five distinct biochar types: rice husk at application rates of 20 and 30 ton ha−1, pulai wood (Alstonia scholaris) at rates of 20 and 30 ton ha−1, and a control group serving as a reference. Each treatment was replicated three times. The quantification of greenhouse gas emissions involved the utilization of a CO2 gas detector (Digital type HT-2000) placed within a chamber measuring 66 cm x 46 cm x 78 cm. The findings elucidated that the application of biochar had a discernible influence on the levels of CO2 gas emissions. Specifically, the application of 30 ton ha−1 of rice husk and 20 ton ha−1 of pulai wood yielded higher emissions in comparison to the control group. This phenomenon is attributed to the favorable environment created by biochar within wetter soil conditions, fostering the proliferation of microorganisms, and subsequently contributing to increased emissions through microbial respiration.