Resource Sustainable Development Research Articles

Undergraduate dermatology education: The importance of curriculum review.

In this letter, we highlight the considerable diversity in undergraduate dermatology training in the United Kingdom and acknowledge the barriers faced in implementing the revised national undergraduate curriculum provided by the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD). We provide a pragmatic approach of ensuring that our dermatology placement aligns with the BAD national undergraduate curriculum and Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) content map, in the face of limited clinician time and placement length. We urge other medical schools to adopt our approach of curriculum mapping, particularly in light of the upcoming MLA, and sustainable educational resource development.

Approaches to assessing the tourist and recreational attractiveness of a territory on the example of the Dnipropetrovsk area

There are significant differences between sectoral zoning and planning schemes for recreation and tourism development areas in Ukraine. The principles established in the implementation of sectoral recreation and tourism zoning are not always consistent with the normative legal acts regulating the spatial planning system. The available results of scientific and applied research testify to the significant recreational and tourist potential of our country, which is formed by all available natural, historical, cultural and socio-economic resources. The formation of recreational, tourist, resort and health complexes for the purpose of effective and rational use of nature is relevant in today's uncertain socio-economic conditions. During the research the following methods of scientific knowledge were used: theoretical generalisation, factor analysis, economic-mathematical modelling, graphical, analytical and statistical methods. A methodology is proposed for assessing the level of tourist and recreational attractiveness of a territory, based on the consideration of ten criteria, the interpretation of which is carried out according to the appropriate scale. The methodology is characterised by sufficient simplicity, economy, high information capacity and is based on open statistical data. It was found that the estimated level of tourist and recreational attractiveness of Dnipropetrovsk Area is average. This indicates insufficient use of the existing tourist and recreational potential. It is suggested that the branding of the region should be based on the concept of preservation of Cossack traditions, natural resource potential and sustainable development.

Acid response nanochannels of graphene oxide membranes for fast nuclide ions separation

Separation of nuclides from radioactive wastewater is crucial for the safe disposal of nuclear wastes and the sustainable development of resources. However, it still poses great challenges due to the high acidity and high salty of complex composition in radioactive wastewater. Herein, a pH-responsive graphene oxide (GO) membrane, known as a pGO membrane, was developed for fast and efficient selective separation of Sr2+ nuclide ion from highly acidic radioactive wastewater containing multiple mixed salt ions. Different from traditional GO membranes, the interlayer spacings of pGO membranes can be adjusted and increased with increasing acidity in the surrounding solutions due to the presence of grafting molecule polyethylenimine(PEI) within the modified nanochannels of the pGO membrane. The resulting acidic environmentally adaptable membrane has enlarged and positively charged nanochannels in highly acidic solutions. This structure effectively blocks larger and highly charged hydrated Sr2+ nuclide ions while allowing smaller and lowly charged monovalent salt ions (such as Cs+, K+, Na+) to rapidly transport through the membrane. As a result, the pGO membrane exhibits high selectivity for Sr2+/monovalent salt ions with high permeability for monovalent ions. Overall, this work provides a novel sieving method for the separation of radionuclides in highly acidic solutions.

The sources, leaching, remediation, and environmental concerns associated with groundwater salinity.

Water resources management and sustainable development depend on the quality of groundwater as a major source of fresh water. As a result of rising water demand in emerging nations and overexploitation, groundwater quality has declined globally in many aquifers. One of the most significant elements that lower the quality of the groundwater is salinization. This review is to provide an overview of various materials that are used in the design and development of innovative chitosan-based nanocomposite polymeric membranes for desalination. Biodegradable, non-toxic, affordable, and easily available, with film-forming ability and poly-functionality, chitosan is an ideal material for a sustainable future. Membrane preparation for desalination using chitosan helps to provide antibacterial and antioxidant activities, great chelating capabilities, and strong adsorption capacity. In this research, we discuss a variety of concepts concerning the different sources of elevated salinity and available desalination methods. A comprehensive framework was also developed to understand the leaching and percolation of salt in groundwater, an essential component of managing risks and ensuring safety. Additionally, we explain the various remediation strategies for reducing groundwater's salt concentration and explore the best method for desalination specifically focused on chitosan.

Phytic acid modified NH2-MIL-101 via Mannich reaction for highly efficient uranium (Ⅵ) extraction from seawater

An essential part of achieving sustainable uranium resource development was the search for a suitable adsorbent capable of efficiently capturing uranium (Ⅵ) from seawater. Here, a modified metal-organic framework (PA-MIL-101) was prepared by phosphorylation of NH2-MIL-101 with phytic acid (PA). PA-MIL-101 exhibited a specific surface area of 252 m2∙g−1 and proved exceptionally adept at extracting uranium (Ⅵ) from seawater. Batch experiments were conducted to examine how environmental conditions such as pH and natural seawater affect the uranium adsorption performance of the materials. The adsorption capacity of PA-MIL-101 exhibited a remarkable performance, showcasing a substantial 41.8% increase compared to NH2-MIL-101 (the adsorption capacity increased to 416.7 mg∙g−1 at pH = 7 in 100 mg∙L−1 U(Ⅵ) solution). Due to the fast adsorption kinetics, PA-MIL-101 achieves a saturation level of 72.1% within the first 5 min. The removal rate was further elevated to 88.48% in the more intricate natural seawater. The reusability of PA-MIL-101 was demonstrated through five recycling cycles. The porous material PA-MIL-101 has abundant P=O and P–OH active sites, which can strongly complex with uranium (Ⅵ). This feature makes PA-MIL-101 perform effective in natural seawater. Therefore, PA-MIL-101 is considered as a promising supersorbent for efficient removal of uranium (Ⅵ).

Using the RPM Model to Explore the Impact of Organic Agritourism Destination Fascination on Loyalty—The Mediating Roles of Place Attachment and Pro-Environmental Behavior

Maintaining the sustainable development of fascinating resources in Taiwan’s Hualien and Taitung (Huatung) regions is the basis of organic agritourism. Loyalty not only represents tourists’ commitment to return and recommend but also serves as a goal for destination development. The purpose of this study is to propose and examine the effect of destination fascination on loyalty through a conceptualized Reasonable Person Model (RPM), mediated by place attachment and pro-environmental behaviors. SPSS21 and the linear structure relationship model (LISREL) were used as data analysis tools in this study. A total of 500 valid online questionnaires were collected through snowballing and convenience sampling. The data analysis results revealed that destination fascination has a positive and significant impact on loyalty through place attachment and pro-environmental behavior. Another finding is that place dependence, place identity, and pro-environmental behavior all have mediating effects, with place identity being the main mediating variable. The contributions of this study are mainly reflected in examining the application of RPM in fascination and loyalty, as well as providing practical suggestions for destination fascination and place identity.

A 3D thermal conductivity prediction method for deep strata based on temperature field estimation

Accurate predictions of earth’s interior thermal conductivity are essential for interpreting the mechanisms involved in geothermal systems and delineating geothermal resource targets. Existing thermal conductivity prediction methods, which typically involve measurements of rock samples and predictions based on geophysical well logging, cannot accurately predict regional thermal conductivity distributions. We develop a 3D thermal conductivity prediction based on temperature field estimation. First, the finite-element method is used for temperature forward modeling. Subsequently, the inexact Gauss-Newton method is implemented in the prediction algorithm. Synthetic studies indicate that the method can recover the true model well. The subsurface temperature distribution of the Xiong’an New Area is predicted using the coefficient correction method of the optimal temperature. Next, we obtain the 3D distribution of thermal conductivity of deep formation in the Xiong’an New Area with the predicted temperature field. The distribution of terrestrial heat flow also is estimated. In addition, the law of thermal accumulation of strata at different depths is analyzed, and the internal relation among resistivity, temperature, and thermal conductivity is studied. Thus, the 3D thermal conductivity prediction method provides the theoretical basis for interpreting mechanisms for the origin of geothermal systems and heat accumulation patterns. It could have significant utility for the analysis of geothermal fields and the sustainable development and use of geothermal resources.

The Sustainable Development of Fish Resources in Lake Bardawil, North Sinai Governorate Using Geographic Information Systems: A Study in Economic Geography

The Sustainable Development of Fish Resources in Lake Bardawil, North Sinai Governorate Using Geographic Information Systems: A Study in Economic Geography

Measures for waste and by-product recycling and circular economy of whole industry chain of traditional Chinese medicine resources facing carbon peak and carbon neutrality (dual carbon) goals

It has become a common consensus that resource conservation and intensive recycling for improving resource utilization efficiency is an important way to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality(dual carbon). Traditonal Chinese medicine(TCM)resources as national strategic resources are the material basis and fundamental guarantee for the development of TCM industry and health services. However, the rapid growth of China's TCM industry and the continuous expansion and extension of the industrial chain have exposed the low efficiency of TCM resources. Resource waste and environmental pollution caused by the treatment and discharge of TCM waste have emerged as major problems faced by the development of the industry, which has aroused wide concern. Considering the dual carbon goals, this paper expounds the role and potential of TCM resource recycling and circular economy industry development. Taking the typical model of TCM resource recycling as the case of circular economy industry in reducing carbon source and increasing carbon sink, this paper puts forward the suggestions for the TCM circular economy industry serving the double carbon goals. The suggestions mainly include strengthening the policy and strategic leading role of the double carbon goals, building an objective evaluation system of low-carbon emission reduction in the whole industrial chain of TCM resources, building an industrial demonstration park for the recycling of TCM resources, and promoting the establishment of a circular economy system of the whole industrial chain of TCM resources. These measures are expected to guide the green transformation of TCM resource industry from linear economic model to circular economy model, provide support for improving the utilization efficiency and sustainable development of TCM resources, and facilitate the low-carbon and efficient development of TCM resource industry and the achievement of the double carbon goals.

Identification and Spatial Analysis of Land Salinity in China's Yellow River Delta Using a Land Salinity Monitoring Index from Harmonized UAV-Landsat Imagery.

Precise identification and spatial analysis of land salinity in China's Yellow River Delta are essential for the rational utilization and sustainable development of land resources. However, the accurate retrieval model construction for monitoring land salinity remains challenging. This study constructed a land salinity retrieval framework using a harmonized UAV and Landsat-9 multi-spectral dataset. The Kenli district of the Yellow River Delta was selected as the case study area, and a land salinity monitoring index (LSMI) was proposed based on field survey data and UAV multi-spectral image and applied to the reflectance-corrected Landsat-9 OLI image. The land salinity distribution patterns were then mapped and spatially analyzed using Moran's I and Getis-Ord GI* analysis. The results demonstrated the following: (1) The LSMI-based method can accurately retrieve land salinity content with a validation determination coefficient (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), and residual predictive deviation (RPD) of 0.75, 1.89, and 2.11, respectively. (2) Land salinization affected 93.12% of the cultivated land in the study area, and the severely saline soil grade (with a salinity content of 6-8 g/kg) covered 38.41% of the total cultivated land area and was widely distributed throughout the study area. (3) Saline land exhibited a positive spatial autocorrelation with a value of 0.311 at the p = 0.000 level; high-high cluster types occurred mainly in the Kendong and Huanghekou towns (80%), while low-low cluster types were mainly located in the Dongji, Haojia, Kenli, and Shengtuo towns (88.46%). The spatial characteristics of various salinity grades exhibit significant variations, and conducting separate spatial analyses is recommended for future studies.

Examining challenges and solutions for environmental and natural resource management with a focus on mineral resources

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a significant negative influence on the environment and natural resources, especially in developing countries that already face environmental issues. This research examines the effects of the pandemic on environmental degradation and natural resource depletion in developing countries. In this study, the fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and fuzzy Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) methods are used to examine the challenges and solutions for environmental and natural resource management with a special attention on mineral resources policy. In this regard, the various critical challenges and solutions are proposed for the sustainable development of mineral resources. According to the results of the fuzzy AHP approach, the depletion of natural resources, energy use and emissions, and deforestation and biodiversity loss are of paramount relevance challenges. While, the fuzzy WASPAS results show that sustainable development planning, research innovation, and conservation and protection of natural resources are key solutions in addressing environmental and natural resource depletion after the Covid-19 crisis in developing countries. The findings have enriched our understanding regarding how the Covid-19 outbreak has affected the environment and natural resources in developing countries. The study highlights the significance of considering mineral resources in the overall assessment and the need for sustainable resource management practices throughout the post-pandemic recovery stage.

Trash to treasure: Transforming wasted polystyrene foam to conductive fibers by polymer pyrolysis deposition on glass fibers

Recycling and utilization of waste polymers is an important part of the sustainable development of fossil resources. In this work, carbon-coated glass fibers (CGFs) with high electrical conductivity were prepared through a low-cost polymer pyrolysis deposition (PPD) method by using waste polystyrene foam as carbon source. The CGFs exhibited an electrical conductivity of up to 615 S/m and the conductivity of carbon coating layer reached to 5.5 × 104 S/m. The electrical conductivity was related to the mass ratio and graphitization of the carbon layer, and the C–Si bonds provide a tight connection between the carbon layer and the glass fibers. Overall, this work found a way for transforming waste polymers to conductive fibers and this strategy would not only lower the cost of conductive fibers but also solve reutilization of the white pollution.

Discrete Choice Experiment Consideration: A Framework for Mining Community Consultation with Case Studies

Local community acceptance, a key indicator of the socio-political risk of a project, is addressed through good stakeholder (community) engagement. Discrete choice modeling (DCM) enhances stakeholder analysis and has been widely applied to encourage community engagement in energy projects. However, very little detail is provided on how researchers design discrete choice experiments (DCEs). DCE design is the key step for effective and efficient data collection. Without this, the discrete choice model may not be meaningful and may be misleading in the local community engagement effort. This paper presents a framework for mining community engagement DCE design in an attempt to determine (1) how to identify the optimum number of factors and (2) how to design and validate the DCE design. Case studies for designing discrete choice experiments for community acceptance of mining projects are applied to accommodate these two objectives. The results indicate that the four-factor design, which seeks to reduce cognitive burden and costs, is the optimal choice. A survey was used to examine the difficulty of the survey questions and the clarity of the instructions for the designs. It has, therefore, been proven that the DCM design is of reasonable cognitive burden. The results of this study will contribute to a better design of choice experiments (surveys) for discrete choice modeling, leading to better policies for sustainable energy resource development.

Urban rivers health assessment based on the concept of resilience using improved FCM-EWM-MABAC model

Urban rivers are vital for urbanization and regional economic development, which can provide water for living, industrial and agricultural needs of urban residents, and regulate the hydrological environment in the urban. The exploration of urban rivers health based on resilience theory can provide important reference for urban rivers restoration and resilience urban construction. To this purpose, this study explores the health status of Jialu River during 2011–2020 from the perspective of resilience. First, a comprehensive indicator system based on the resilience theory was established for the health analysis of urban rivers. Second, an urban rivers resilience index (URRI) was developed utilizing the improved FCM-EWM-MABAC method to accurately illuminate the health states of urban rivers. Final, the health state of Jialu River from 2011 to 2022 was diagnosed using the comprehensive indicator system and URRI. Our results suggested that the Jialu River’s health state showed a rapid improvement trend from ordinary state in 2011 to good state in 2020. The health status of resistance, recovery and adaptability subsystems displayed different degrees of improvement during the study period, and the growth trend of adaptability subsystem was the most obvious. Over the past decade, the resilience state of Jialu River had improved by implementing a series of governance measures, but there is still room for improvement. This study can provide significant references for future work on the water resource conservation and sustainable development in rapidly economic developing regions.

Study on Groundwater Function Zoning and Sustainable Development and Utilization in Jining City Planning Area

The sustainable development and utilization of groundwater resources are of paramount importance for the progress of society, the economy, and the environment. This study focuses on the planning area of Jining City and establishes an evaluation index system for groundwater functional zoning by analyzing key factors such as resource supply function, geo-environmental stability function, and ecological environmental protection function. To evaluate the groundwater functions, this study employs the barrel effect AHP. Through the overlay analysis of different groundwater functions, the planning area of Jining City is categorized into distinct zones based on their groundwater functions. These zones include centralized development and utilization areas (5.69%), decentralized development and utilization areas (65.67%), fragile geo-environmental areas (10.44%), ecological protection areas (8.38%), and unsuitable development and utilization areas (9.82%). The comprehensive zoning map of groundwater functions in the planning area of Jining City is generated. Taking into account the challenges posed by human activities, such as groundwater pollution, this study proposes recommendations for the sustainable development of groundwater in the planning area of Jining City. By systematically examining the functional zoning and sustainable management of groundwater, this study provides a scientific foundation for the responsible development and protection of groundwater resources.

The In-Hexagon Borehole Layout for the Optimization of the Effective Radius of Gas Extraction

This research was conducted in order to study the relationship between gas geology (initial gas pressure, initial permeability, and buried depth) and effective extraction radius and to achieve precise borehole layouts. Based on the in-hexagon borehole layout mode, the influence of geological factors on borehole effective extraction radius is quantitatively analyzed. Combined with gas geology, the precise borehole layout mode of gas extraction is constructed. The results show that: Based on the two evaluation indexes of borehole number and area redundancy rate, the optimal implementation scheme of the in-hexagon is selected; that is, when the effective extraction radius is R, the borehole spacing along the coal seam strike is 3R, and along the dip is 1.5R. Based on the four evaluation indexes of effective extraction space volume, relative gas emission, cost rate, and gas isobaric surface shape, the relationship between effective extraction radius and initial gas pressure, permeability, and burial depth is matched quantitatively. The effective extraction radius decreases with the initial gas pressure and buried depth and increases with the initial permeability. The effective extraction radius and initial gas pressure have a linear relationship R=aP+b, the effective extraction radius and initial permeability have a power function relationship R=akb, and the effective extraction radius and burial depth have a negative exponential relationship R =ae−bH. The response surface interaction model analysis shows that the buried depth has the strongest influence on the effective radius of gas extraction, followed by the initial gas pressure and the initial permeability. Based on the effective extraction radius as a function of gas geology, the precise borehole layout mode of gas extraction is constructed, which can provide a reference for the construction design of underground gas drilling in coal mines. This will provide a technical guarantee for the efficient mining of gas and promote the sustainable development of gas resources.

Analysis of sustainable groundwater management policies for urban development

AbstractGroundwater is essential to human well‐being and sustains a variety of aquatic ecosystems in both urban and rural settings. Yet, it is commonly overlooked in these contexts. As a result, groundwater may be very important to the development and well‐being of many nations if it is properly evaluated and utilized. Although the possibility for sustainable groundwater resource development is still debated in the literature, these issues still lack quantitative understanding. In order to assess groundwater potential in two different urbanized regions of “Northern Kerala, Southern India,” this research uses the “Enhanced Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (E‐Fuzzy AHP) based Multi‐Criteria Decision Making (MCDM)‐Geospatial Framework employing Improved Particle Swarm Optimization (IPSO)”. The study area is a coastal region that is quickly becoming urbanized and relies on groundwater resources to meet its basic needs. By incorporating both spatial and non‐spatial data into the Geographic Information System (GIS) platform, a groundwater potential zone map with an accurate integer value was created, known as the “groundwater potential index (GWPI)”. The very excellent potential zone occupies 35% and 11%, respectively, of the “urban and peri‐urban zones,” according to the final groundwater potential map, which employed the quantile technique to split the research territory into four zones. The statistical effectiveness and dependability of results in the overall decision‐making phase were examined in the validation study using the data on mean water depth level, and it was found that the reliability was well within the tolerance threshold.

DBH Estimation for Individual Tree: Two-Dimensional Images or Three-Dimensional Point Clouds?

Accurate forest parameters are crucial for ecological protection, forest resource management and sustainable development. The rapid development of remote sensing can retrieve parameters such as the leaf area index, cluster index, diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree height at different scales (e.g., plots and stands). Although some LiDAR satellites such as GEDI and ICESAT-2 can measure the average tree height in a certain area, there is still a lack of effective means for obtaining individual tree parameters using high-resolution satellite data, especially DBH. The objective of this study is to explore the capability of 2D image-based features (texture and spectrum) in estimating the DBH of individual tree. Firstly, we acquired unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) LiDAR point cloud data and UAV RGB imagery, from which digital aerial photography (DAP) point cloud data were generated using the structure-from-motion (SfM) method. Next, we performed individual tree segmentation and extracted the individual tree crown boundaries using the DAP and LiDAR point cloud data, respectively. Subsequently, the eight 2D image-based textural and spectral metrics and 3D point-cloud-based metrics (tree height and crown diameters) were extracted from the tree crown boundaries of each tree. Then, the correlation coefficients between each metric and the reference DBH were calculated. Finally, the capabilities of these metrics and different models, including multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM), in the DBH estimation were quantitatively evaluated and compared. The results showed that: (1) The 2D image-based textural metrics had the strongest correlation with the DBH. Among them, the highest correlation coefficient of −0.582 was observed between dissimilarity, variance and DBH. When using textural metrics alone, the estimated DBH accuracy was the highest, with a RMSE of only 0.032 and RMSE% of 16.879% using the MLR model; (2) Simply feeding multi-features, such as textural, spectral and structural metrics, into the machine learning models could not have led to optimal results in individual tree DBH estimations; on the contrary, it could even reduce the accuracy. In general, this study indicated that the 2D image-based textural metrics have great potential in individual tree DBH estimations, which could help improve the capability to efficiently and meticulously monitor and manage forests on a large scale.

Spatiotemporal Variation and Factors Influencing Water Yield Services in the Hengduan Mountains, China

Conducting a quantitative assessment of water yield in mountainous areas is crucial for the management, development, and sustainable utilization of water resources. The Hengduan Mountains Region (HDMR) is a significant water-supporting area characterized by complex topography and climate changes. To analyze the spatial and temporal variations of water yield in the HDMR from 2001 to 2020, we employed the InVEST model and examined the influencing factors in conjunction with the elevation gradient. Our results indicate that: (1) The water yield in the Hengduan Mountains decreases from southeast to northwest, with the southwestern and eastern regions having high water yield values, and the high-altitude areas in the northwestern part having low water yield values. (2) The water yield in the Hengduan Mountains exhibits a decreasing trend followed by an increasing trend from 2001 to 2020, with the lowest level in 2011 and higher levels in 2004, 2018, and 2020. (3) Pixel-based trend analysis demonstrates a decreasing trend in water yield in the central and western parts of the study area, while the eastern part shows an increasing trend. (4) The climatic components, particularly precipitation, predominantly influence the spatial and temporal variations of water yield in the Transverse Mountain region. In most areas, evapotranspiration and land surface temperature have a negative impact on water yield. (5) Water yield tends to decrease and then increase on the altitudinal gradient, with precipitation and actual evapotranspiration being the factors directly affecting water yield, and land surface temperature and the proportion of forested areas having a significant indirect effect on water yield. Our study provides a scientific basis for water resources management and sustainable development in the Hengduan Mountains.

Sustainability of Forest Development in China from the Perspective of the Illegal Logging Trade

The illegal logging trade (ILT) is considered one of the major causes of global deforestation and ecological unsustainability. To prevent the price-suppressing damage caused by ILT to the local wood market and global ecological environment, the Chinese government and non-governmental organizations have taken many actions to deal with it. This study used wood trade data to analyze the current status of ILT in China, summarized the efforts and shortcomings of ILT response actions taken by China, and discussed the possible strategies and sustainable development prospects for combating ILT in China’s future. After studying China’s situation in the field of ILT and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of China’s measures to deal with ILT, this study found that the volume of ILT gradually increased in China from 2013 to 2020, which might also be one of the reasons for the slowdown in global ecological sustainability. The Chinese government and non-governmental organizations have taken many actions to deal with ILT through legislation, industry supervision, and international cooperation; to date, these response actions have achieved some positive results. Therefore, on this basis, this study proposed that China needs to further limit and manage ILT to achieve sustainable development of forest resources in the future. Strengthening the legislation, especially the restriction of ILT clauses, as a mandatory policy is the most important means to solve the ILT problem, which can provide the legal basis and a reference for other actions. Using economic means to encourage the import of legal wood is also a viable action to crowd out the trade of illegal wood. It is also necessary to promote an international certification system for wood and the standardization and systematization of logging is also a good way to mitigate ILT. Improving the management of wood being imported into China will fill a critical gap at the global scale in dealing with ILT and have positive impacts on combating global ILT.