Reduction Of Environmental Impact Research Articles

Diverse Catalytic Reactions for the Stereoselective Synthesis of Cyclic Dinucleotide MK-1454.

As practitioners of organic chemistry strive to deliver efficient syntheses of the most complex natural products and drug candidates, further innovations in synthetic strategies are required to facilitate their efficient construction. These aspirational breakthroughs often go hand-in-hand with considerable reductions in cost and environmental impact. Enzyme-catalyzed reactions have become an impressive and necessary tool that offers benefits such as increased selectivity and waste limitation. These benefits are amplified when enzymatic processes are conducted in a cascade in combination with novel bond-forming strategies. In this article, we report a highly diastereoselective synthesis of MK-1454, a potent agonist of the stimulator of interferon gene (STING) signaling pathway. The synthesis begins with the asymmetric construction of two fluoride-bearing deoxynucleotides. The routes were designed for maximum convergency and selectivity, relying on the same benign electrophilic fluorinating reagent. From these complex subunits, four enzymes are used to construct the two bridging thiophosphates in a highly selective, high yielding cascade process. Critical to the success of this reaction was a thorough understanding of the role transition metals play in bond formation.

A Review on Study of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

Heat exchangers are used in a variety of industrial and technical settings. The design of heat exchangers is fairly sophisticated, since it necessitates an accurate study of heat transfer rate and pressure drop estimates, as well as considerations like as long-term performance and cost. Whenever heat transfer inserts are employyed, Along with the rise in heat transfer rate, the pressure drop increases as well. The pressure has risen.Energy conservation is critical for both industrial development and environmental impact reduction. Because of current energy prices, the need for energy conservation is rising. More resourceful gadgets can help reduce energy costs. In the refrigeration, automotive, chemical, and process sectors, heat exchangers are the most significant device. As a result, there is a demand in the industrial sector for heat exchangers that are less expensive, more efficient, and smaller. Inserts in channels are widely employed as part of a passive heat transfer augmentation technique.

A one-off wealth tax for Belgium: Revenue potential, distributional impact, and environmental effects

Policymakers and economists are becoming increasingly concerned about wealth inequality. Here we estimate Belgium's wealth distribution — and based on this distribution — the revenue potential, distributional impact, and environmental effect of three proposals for a one-off Belgian wealth tax. Our method consists of (1) estimating the Belgian wealth distribution by extending survey data with a top-tail Pareto distribution based on a novel national rich list, and (2) combining the estimated wealth distribution with proposed tax configurations and published elasticities. There are four main results. First, the wealthiest 1% of households possess ~24% of total net wealth, substantially more than previous estimates suggest. Second, the revenue potential of a one-off tax is considerably higher than estimated by wealth tax advocates. Third, the distributional impact would be limited as the richest 1% of households would still possess at least 23% of total net wealth. Fourth, a one-off tax would likely reduce CO2 emissions by only 0.1–0.6%. Overall, our findings suggest a one-off wealth tax could finance over half of Belgium's COVID-19 costs, but would lead to only small reductions in wealth inequality and environmental impact. Ecological economists may therefore wish to pursue other policy proposals to achieve fair distribution and sustainable scale.

Treatment of West Assiut power plant reverse osmosis’ rejected water and its environmental impact reduction

Treatment of West Assiut power plant reverse osmosis’ rejected water and its environmental impact reduction

Investigation on the properties of concrete with recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) granules as fine aggregate replacement

Waste management is an area of significant global concern. The reuse of waste materials (such as: plastics, glass, wood, etc.) in concrete manufacturing has been studied for potential cost savings, improvements in quality, and reduction of environmental impact leading to sustainability. This study examines the performance of concrete containing recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste in granular form to replace the fine aggregate. A series of concrete specimens for Grade 32 concrete mix were cast using PET granules as partial replacement to fine aggregates in the mixture (0%, 10%, 30%, and 50% replacement by volume of fine aggregate). Important properties such as workability (slump), density, compressive strength, elastic modulus, tensile strength, flexural strength, and crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) were evaluated together with the microstructural observations. The experimental results indicated that volumetric replacement of fine aggregates with 10% recycled PET granules positively impacted the characteristics of the concrete. The findings further revealed an improvement in the ductility of concrete with recycled PET granules content, albeit the effect was more pronounced with the concrete containing 10% PET granules. The experimental results for the mechanical properties were compared against available Australian and American design guidelines and a strong linear relationship is observed. Lastly, the findings of this study on mechanical properties revealed an optimum performance relative to those reported in the available literature, particularly for the concrete with 10% of fine aggregate replaced by PET granules.

Life cycle assessment of stainless-steel reusable speculums versus disposable acrylic speculums in a university clinic setting: a case study

The reusable versus disposable debate is frequently discussed with regards to health care sustainability. Vaginal speculums used in pelvic exams are available in both disposable and reusable material designs. A comparative cradle to grave life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine and analyze the environmental impacts of using disposable acrylic speculums versus using reusable stainless-steel speculums in a women’s university health clinic where around 5,000 pelvic exams are conducted on a yearly basis. Environmental impacts for the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts (TRACI) 2.1 categories were determined using process based LCA. The scope considered for the analysis includes the stages of raw materials, manufacturing, use, and end of life. The functional unit for all analyses is selected as 5,000 pelvic exams, which is equivalent to one year of clinic operation. The reusable stainless steel speculum system outperformed the acrylic speculum system in five impact categories: global warming, acidification, respiratory effects, smog, and fossil fuel depletion. There is one category, ozone depletion, where the acrylic speculum system performs better. When accounting for uncertainty, in the carcinogenics, non-carcinogenics, ecotoxicity, and eutrophication impact categories, there is no speculum system that outperforms the other. Overall, there is no speculum system that outperforms the other consistently across all TRACI impact categories, however, depending on the overall environmental objectives one may be preferable to the other.

Sustainable Consumption in the Baltic States: The Carbon Footprint in the Household Sector

Sustainable consumption is one of the main aspects while implementing sustainable development goals. The main feature of sustainable consumption is the reduction of environmental impact. Thus, it is vital to understand and evaluate the environmental impact caused by consumption. In this paper, carbon footprint analyses of the Baltic States for the period of 2000–2019 were used to study sustainable consumption and pro-environmental behavior development. The results show not only how carbon footprint changes in different consumption categories (e.g., mobility, housing, food, and services), but whether it is related to changes in pro-environmental behavior as the promotion of sustainable consumption is crucial to reduce the consumption-based carbon footprint. The results from multi-regional input-output analyses show that in the Baltic States 62–71% of all the household carbon footprint is attributed to the three main consumption categories—transport, food, and housing. These categories are also responsible for 53–56% of the household expenditure. Consequently, changes in our mobility, food consumption, and housing management practices can significantly reduce the household environmental impacts. However, to minimize carbon footprints, behavioral changes are not enough; structural changes in the agro-food, housing, energy, and transport systems are also needed.

Sodium borohydride hydrolysis-mediated hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, towards a two-step production of formic acid

One of the levers to mitigate the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere is to capture and use it as cheap, abundant, and safe carbon source, that is, as feedstock in order to produce valuable chemicals like formic acid (HCOOH) that is known to have the potential for high environmental impact reduction. It is in this context that we have developed a two-step process to produce HCOOH by hydrogenation of CO2 at ambient conditions while using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) in aqueous solution. Our process can be described as follows. In a first step, CO2 is bubbled in an aqueous solution of NaBH4; nickel-catalyzed hydrolysis of NaBH4 takes place and the reaction is accelerated in the presence of CO2, resulting in the formation of, among other products, sodium formate (NaHCOO) and a HCOO group containing borate B(OH)2(OOCH). In a second step, these products are dissolved in alkaline aqueous solution and heated at 130 °C; in such conditions, HCOOH is produced and recuperated as distillate, and a solid ‘residue’ consisting mainly of Na2CO3, NaHCOO and NaB(OH)4 is recovered. Our two-step process aiming at capturing and transforming CO2 has proven to be effective, importantly at ambient conditions. Our main results and the remaining challenges are reported and discussed herein.

Extractivism, ecologically unequal exchange and environmental impact in South America: A study using Material Flow Analysis (1990–2017)

With the economic and trade liberalisation policies of the late 20th century, the extraction of natural resources for export, known as extractivism, became the central axis of South American economies. This development model has a significant environmental impact and has generated imbalances in the South American productive structure that lead to chronically unfavourable terms of trade for the region. The different price dynamics of exports and imports trap South America in a vicious circle that leads to a progressive need to increase the volume of resources it extracts. Consequently, South America maintains a situation of ecologically unequal exchange that implies the absorption of an ever-increasing environmental impact from the rest of the world. All this calls into question the benefits of free trade, especially in ecological terms, as well as the compatibility between economic growth and the reduction of environmental impact.

The environmental performance of different pork production scenarios: a life cycle assessment study.

In order to evaluate the environmental performance generated by a "semi-technified" pig farm, as well as the comparison of different pig production scenarios, pig feed and animal production subsystems were evaluated considering both: (a) origin of feed ingredients and (b) variations in pig weight. Life cycle assessment methodology was used to evaluate the environmental performance, establishing 1 market pig as the functional unit (FU). Three ingredient origin distances (400, 950, and 1800km) and three slaughter weights (110, 100, and 90kg) were considered for the simulation analysis and comparison. The feed production subsystem was the main generator of environmental impacts, mainly caused by the cultivation of sorghum and the production of fat. The origin of the inputs represented the main increase in environmental impact for the feed production subsystem, mainly in the Fossil Depletion category, with a fivefold increase by acquiring inputs from 900km and a ninefold increase at a distance of 1800km. Producing lighter pigs resulted in the best environmental alternative, given the resultant 11% reduction in environmental impact.

Are Sustainable Aviation Fuels a Viable Option for Decarbonizing Air Transport in Europe? An Environmental and Economic Sustainability Assessment

The use of drop-in capable alternative fuels in aircraft can support the European aviation sector to achieve its goals for sustainable development. They can be a transitional solution in the short and medium term, as their use does not require any structural changes to the aircraft powertrain. However, the production of alternative fuels is often energy-intensive, and some feedstocks are associated with harmful effects on the environment. In addition, alternative fuels are often more expensive to produce than fossil kerosene, which can make their use unattractive. Therefore, this paper analyzes the environmental and economic impacts of four types of alternative fuels compared to fossil kerosene in a well-to-wake perspective. The fuels investigated are sustainable aviation fuels produced by power-to-liquid and biomass-to-liquid pathways. Life cycle assessment and life cycle costing are used as environmental and economic assessment methods. The results of this well-to-wake analysis reveal that the use of sustainable aviation fuels can reduce the environmental impacts of aircraft operations. However, an electricity mix based on renewable energies is needed to achieve significant reductions. In addition, from an economic perspective, the use of fossil kerosene ranks best among the alternatives. A scenario analysis confirms this result and shows that the production of sustainable aviation fuels using an electricity mix based solely on renewable energy can lead to significant reductions in environmental impact, but economic competitiveness remains problematic.

Effectiveness and Benefits of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme: Evidence from Polish Organisations

Climate change and environmental pollution are considered to be among the main challenges faced by the modern world. The growth of environmental awareness and the adoption of a pro-environmental approach are considered to be the key megatrends with the greatest impact on the global economy in the upcoming years. According to Eurobarometer, EU citizens are particularly aware of the importance of protecting the environment. Although the negative environmental impact of European industry has improved over the past decades, EU citizens believe that there is further scope in terms of helping companies transition towards adopting more sustainable models. One of the factors contributing to the reduction in negative environmental impact is the participation of enterprises in voluntary programs such as the Environmental Management System (EMS), according to ISO 14001, or the Eco-management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). The whole population of Polish companies registered under the EMAS was included in the study and although the sample size was small, it was a full study, and for that reason allows for the generalisation and conclusion regarding the whole population of EMAS-registered companies in Poland. The results of the study conducted on EMAS-registered organisations in Poland in 2015 suggest that the average effectiveness of the EMAS observed between 2007 and 2014 was 66.4%. The aim of this study was to review the changes in EMAS effectiveness and benefits obtained by participating organisations after five years. The results indicate that the average effectiveness during the period of 2015–2020 increased to 79.1%; nevertheless, registered organisations recognise fewer benefits for participation in the scheme. The study has shown that as EMAS matures in organisations, it becomes more effective. It influences a lot of factors, such as environmental awareness and management commitment, the use of SRDs (including BEMPs), environmental performance indicators for specific sectors, the criteria for the excellence of assessing the level of environmental performance, and the skilful use of indicators in organisations.

Reduction of the soil environmental impact caused by the presence of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) by using Pseudomonas sp.

This research focuses on the bioaugmentation with Pseudomonas sp. (native) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (commercial) for the biodegradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) of the environmental soil samples of the AqLab laboratory in Orellana, Ecuador. Two treatments of sterilized soil (one inoculated with the native strain and the other inoculated with the commercial strain), where used for physical- -chemical analyzes as well as the degradation of TPH. They were evaluated every 20 days for a total period of 80–100 days. The native bacterium was isolated from the laboratory agglomerates in a selective culture medium specific for Pseudomonas sp. The biodegradation of the TPH exhibited a positive result after 80 and 100 days of treatment, with a reduction of 84 and 96% of initial TPH after the bacterial inoculation. The comparison between the two strains evaluated, commercial and native, showed a greater efficiency of biodegradation by the native strain isolated directly from the agglomerates, suggesting working with native strains of the place that have a greater adaptability to the contaminated environment that would ensure bioremediation processes faster and more efficient, low cost and environmentally friendly.

Green and circular procurement in public organizations – from single use to reuse and prolonged lifetime in the City of Malmö

The procurement in public organisations has traditionally been performed in a linear way. Using circular solutions could help public organisations to save resources and tackle climate change. The Swedish City of Malmö strives to include circular solutions and become a circular municipality. The goal of the study was to explore activities for increased reuse and visualise how circular material flows can reduce environmental impacts. The goal was also to develop a method for mapping material flows that can be used in the City of Malmö and other public organisations. The studied activities included in this study are the reuse of furniture and replacement of single use plastic with reuse alternatives, as well as prolonged lifetime of IT products and textiles. Life cycle analysis (LCA) based methods were used to estimate the reduction in environmental impact from the studied activities. The perception of circular activities within the City of Malmö was analysed with a survey. The results showed that the purchasing agreements with increased lifetime for clothing and IT products, lead to reduced environmental impacts. The results also showed that most employees are interested in using a digital sharing platform. Additionally, the results pointed out the need for a circular manager.

Optimum design of a composite floor system considering environmental and economic impacts

Abstract The composite floor system, composed of steel deck and concrete slab, generates more efficient and economical structures. On the other hand, the design of this type of structure has a high complexity level due to the consideration of several variables. In this respect, the objective of this paper is to present the formulation of the optimization problem for a composite floor system (steel and concrete) considering such environmental as economic impacts. To formulate the optimization problem, the reduction of environmental impact was adopted as an objective function - assuming the CO2 emission and the finance cost as parameters. The restrictions were taken by the limiting states imposed in standard NBR 8800:2008. The computer program was developed via Matlab R2016a and the optimization process was carried out using the Genetic Algorithm toolbox existing in this platform. Two application examples of the formulation at hand are presented: the first from the literature and the second from an existing building - in both situations the influences of different concrete compressive characteristic strengths were analyzed. The results of the optimization problem show a reduction in geometry and, consequently, in its weight. The solution found by the program reduces by up to 17.70% of CO2 emissions and 17.47% of the finance cost. When was applying different concrete compressive strengths, the optimal solution for environmental impact did not get the lowest cost. In general, the steel deck formwork obtained the highest percentage of environmental impact, while the beams and girders, with the same shape configuration, had the highest finance cost. Therefore, it is shown that the optimal design solution to CO2 emissions is not always the better solution for the finance cost.

PROSPECTIVE RESEARCH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOGISTICS ALGORITHMS FOR C2C DELIVERY OF SMALL FREIGHTS

Consideration has been given to recent research on the development of logistic algorithms for the C2C delivery of tiny items. Current and recent research in this field is examined, including both the unresolved problems of the C2C logistics industry and the specific problems of extant logistic algorithms for implementing C2C logistic systems. According to numerous researchers, C2C logistics contributes to solving the so-called "last mile" delivery problem - the delivery from a local logistics center or post office to the final recipient. In addition to the apparent convenience for the average user of postal services, logistic systems that operate on a C2C basis contribute to the resolution of numerous economic and environmental issues. There are presently a number of unsolved problems in the field of logistic algorithms, including the development of algorithms that take into account real-world data. Most algorithms are based on pre-calculated or known data, which are typically averages or ideal conditions. However, in the real world, factors such as traffic, weather conditions, resource constraints, etc. can significantly affect the operation of algorithms. In addition to taking into consideration real-world data, it is necessary to develop algorithms that can predict future changes in order to improve the accuracy of predictions. Improving the accuracy of predictions can help algorithms become more efficient. Environmental considerations necessitate the development of environmentally oriented logistic algorithms. Increasing environmental awareness necessitates the development of algorithms that permit a reduction in environmental impact and the use of more environmentally friendly types of transportation and resources, which can help ensure the sustainability of logistics development and reduce its negative impact on the environment. Despite these obstacles, however, the development of C2C logistics remains a promising direction in the field of small-scale logistics, with the potential to revolutionize last-mile delivery and reduce the negative environmental effect of logistics. As a result, ongoing research into the development of logistics algorithms for C2C delivery systems continues to be an essential area of study. Recent and ongoing research in the field of logistics algorithms for C2C delivery systems has illuminated both the potential benefits and current challenges of this prospective area of logistics. It is essential for the continued growth and sustainability of C2C logistics to develop algorithms that can account for real-world data, enhance prediction accuracy, and incorporate ecological considerations in order to overcome these obstacles.

Green and sustainable metrics: Charting the course for green-by-design small molecule API synthesis

Sustainable small molecule Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing starts at the onset of route development by employing a Green-by-Design strategy. Reliable metrics are imperative for setting targets and measuring process improvements throughout the development cycle. This article reviews some of the many tools and methods established to analyze and assess the greenness and sustainability of a process, each of which highlights different aspects of process efficiency, waste formation or overall environmental impact reduction. Most calculations, such as process mass intensity (PMI), are mass-based and do not consider the types of raw materials used. In contrast, a full life cycle assessment (LCA) offers detailed information about the “cradle to grave” environmental impact of a manufacturing route and its specific resources, but the high data requirements and long timelines are not conducive for multiple processes or repeated assessments during process optimization. To address these challenges, we introduce a Streamlined PMI-LCA Tool, developed in collaboration with the ACS Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable (ACS GCIPR), that combines PMI with a “cradle to gate” approach to include the environmental footprint of the synthesis’ raw materials. The frequent re-evaluation of a process continuously highlights areas for improvement and guides the prioritization of process development activities to effectively and rapidly achieve a Green-by-Design commercial synthetic route. The utility of this approach to Green-by-Design is demonstrated with the reduction of PMI for MK-7264 from 366 to 88 over the course of process development.

Applied routing problem for a fleet of delivery drones using a modified parallel genetic algorithm

More and more experts agree that in the near future, most freight traffic will be carried out using automated systems, and of them drone delivery is considered to be the most promising. Drone delivery would benefit by independence from the limitations of transport infrastructure and road conditions and would ensure cargo delivery with rapid turnaround times, as well as a significant reduction of environmental impact. The technical capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles improve year by year, so the task of coordinating drones and effectively planning routes is relevant and in great demand. The development of such technologies will help reduce transportation costs and improve customer service through faster delivery. This article discusses the applied routing problem for a fleet of drones with limited load capacity for the delivery of heterogeneous goods with the possibility of loading in multiple warehouses from an international optimization competition. The solution includes new approach based on a mixed dimensional parallel genetic algorithm (MDPGA) for finding rational routes for delivering goods to various customers and an assignment problem to reduce the dimension depending on the number of warehouses.

Actual achievements and future challenges of HPFRC for structural rehabilitation of bridges

The state of road infrastructures in many advanced countries is rapidly changing under the impulse of massive funding from governments, eager to have more efficient and safer transportation systems. The use of well-known materials such as fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) is finding a growing space for structural rehabilitation of bridges; the adopted material is often defined as High performance fibre reinforced concrete (HPFRC) due to its enhanced performance. The paper presents the principal findings of an EU-funded project that involved the repair of two road bridges in Italy using HPFRC. The project has successfully carried out the jacketing of bridge piers and cap-beams, heavily damaged by corrosion, with a new HPFRC layer of reduced thickness (40-60 mm) and limited use of steel reinforcements. Experimental tests carried out in the laboratory of the University of Brescia on 1:2 scaled specimens have shown the possibility to increase the load bearing capacity of the cap beams (with respect to vertical loading) up to 73%, with moderate effects on the change in stiffness and ductility of the existing structure. Based on field and laboratory experience, the article eventually presents some new challenges for the use of HPFRC in the reduction of environmental impact of construction industry.

Biogas Potential Assessment of the Composite Mixture from Duckweed Biomass

The article presents the research results of anaerobic digestion processes in bioreactors of composite mixtures based on initial and residual biomass of Lemna minor duckweed and additives: inoculum (manure), food waste, and spent sorbents to determine biogas potential (biogas volume, methane content). Duckweed Lemna minor, which is widespread in freshwater reservoirs, is one of the promising aquatic vegetation species for energy use. Residual biomass is obtained by chemically extracting valuable components from the primary product. The purpose of the research was to evaluate the possibility of the energy potential of residual biomass of Lemna minor to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is in line with the International Energy Agency (IEA) scenarios for the reduction of environmental impact. The obtained results confirm the feasibility of using this type of waste for biogas/biomethane production. The recommendations on the optimal composition of the mixture based on the residual biomass of Lemna minor, which will allow for an increase in biogas production, are given. The obtained data can be used in the design of bioreactors.