Challenges Of Today's Environment Research Articles

Adsorption of anionic methyl orange dye on hybrid spherical silica in fixed-bed column

The textile sector is recognized for contributing the most dye residue, which is one of today's environmental challenges. It is a risky technique since wastewater includes toxins that can damage water sources and endanger human health and aquatic life. As a result, wastewater must be treated before disposal. There are numerous methods for removing dyes from wastewater, which categorized into chemical treatments, physical and biological procedures.. This study chose the continuous adsorption approach, which falls under the physical method since it is simple and effective. The oil-in-water emulsion was used to synthesize spherical silica (SSi) adsorbent in order to effectively remove and remediate one of the water-soluble anionic dyes, methyl orange dye (MO). The effect of influent concentration (10 to 50 ppm) and bed height (1.0 to 2.0 cm) on the continuous process was investigated. The breakthrough time exhibited an increase as the dye concentration decreased for all solutions that were examined. The removal efficiency of MO increased as the bed height increased, which can be attributed to the longer contact time between the MO dye and the adsorbent. The Thomas model exhibited a more favorable level of conformity to the data than Adams-Bohart and Yoon-Nelson. According to Thomas ' model, the maximum adsorption capacity (qo) increased as bed height decreased, and concentration increased. Moreover, Correlation values ranged from 0.882 to 0.979. Therefore, spherical silica adsorbent has the highest methyl orange dye adsorption capability at a bed height of 2.0 cm and concentration of 50 ppm.

Conversion of Existing Room into Green Room

Abstract: Humans are most exposed to indoor air. Half of the body's lifetime intake is house air. Indoor air exposure causes most environmental diseases. Today's environmental challenges are outdoor air quality, energy utilisation, and not duplicate (IAQ). But evidence is accumulating that IAQ causes morbidity and mortality. Creating Indoor unvented biomass cooking causes at least 2,000,000 (mostly women and children) die each year in wealthy countries. IAQ causes allergies, hypersensitivity responses, and airway inflammation, cancers, infections Radon and ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoking) cause lung cancer, Sick Building Syndrome, inadequate ventilation. Future IAQ and health issues must be prioritised. This project also aims towards a quick composting endeavour to convert kitchen wet waste to compost in as little as 25 to 35 days. Vegetable cuttings, dry and wet leaf twigs, grass clippings, tree trimmings, and other wastes are included in the composting process. Composting comes into play here; organic waste may be recycled and the resulting product can be utilised to improve soil quality and aid plant growth. This can be simply implemented at hotels, colonies, schools, and institutions with readily available wet waste. The compost that is produced is used as manure for plants on the campus of the college. Keywords: Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), Health, Allergy, Indoor environments, Dampness, Ventilation, Kitchen Wet Waste, Composter.

Confronting inequality beyond sustainable development: The case for eco‐human rights and differentiation

AbstractThe development model emphasizing economic growth has been at the root of today's environmental crises. Its reshaping as ‘sustainable’ development was supposed to address its shortcomings while giving particular attention to the needs of the poor. This has largely failed and in the process inequalities have increased significantly. Inequalities between people need to be addressed through eco‐human rights that are collective and multi‐level to better reflect today's environmental challenges. These rights build on the idea of solidarity rights, are framed around the principle of subsidiarity and the need for accountability beyond a single State. Inter‐State inequality has been addressed in part through differential treatment in environmental law. It needs to be reconfirmed to address ongoing inequalities and increased resistance to such measures; needs to be more flexible to reflect the specific situation of smaller groups of countries; and needs to integrate elements of intra‐State inequality.

Environmental sciences, sustainable development and circular economy: Alternative concepts for trans-disciplinary research

The intermeshing of disciplines from the natural sciences, social sciences, engineering and management has become essential to addressing today's environmental challenges. Yet, this can be a daunting task because experts from different disciplines may conceptualize the problems in very different ways and use vocabularies that may not be well understood by one another. This paper explores three alternative environmental concepts used in transdisciplinary research, and outlines some of the epistemological and practical problems that each one poses. It pays particular attention to the increasingly popular concept of “circular economy”, and contrasts it with the more commonly-used concepts of “environmental sciences” and “sustainable development”. In clarifying the nature, meaning and inter-relationship of these alternative concepts, the paper helps trans-disciplinary researchers to understand the opportunities and challenges associated with each one.

Evolving hunting practices in Gabon: lessons for community-based conservation interventions

Walters, G., J. Schleicher, O. Hymas, and L. Coad. 2015. Evolving hunting practices in Gabon: lessons for community-based conservation interventions. Ecology and Society 20(4):31.http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-08047-200431

Toward Landscape-Scale Stewardship and Development: A Theoretical Framework of United States National Heritage Areas

There is increasing recognition that many of today's environmental challenges will be addressed most effectively if management is conducted at landscape or regional scales. This article describes the development of a theoretical framework of one approach to such management, namely, U.S. National Heritage Areas (NHAs). This well-established federal approach enables communities to retain local management but receive national attention and stature through congressional designation. NHAs create networks of private and public partners, including the National Park Service, that engage new constituencies in the stewardship of nationally significant landscapes. The framework synthesizes common characteristics of heritage areas identified from in-depth case studies of three NHAs and further analysis by researchers and prominent NHA managers. Findings from this project emphasize the importance of three factors for future NHA and related landscape-scale efforts: (1) use of “heritage” as a public engagement strategy, (2) collaborative approaches to management, and (3) development of intersectoral networks.

Recycling a mixture of plastics: A challenge in today's environment

Thermoplastic materials can be remelted and reused. However, in many instances, they are not recycled after use. The Plastics Institute of America has long felt that the value of such materials has not been fully realized and that scrap plastics should be recycled as a material resource. We are presently establishing a body of knowledge with government and industry funding to facilitate the practical application of such recycling endeavors. The objective is to set up programs to learn ways in which plastics scrap might be fabricated into marketable items. If the scrap is segregated, i.e. a single material, the recycling is simpler than when the scrap is a mixture of plastics. Among projects and/or applications areas to be explored for commercial possibilities are the following: (1) Reclaiming the plastics residue from shredded autos. This source could yield more than one million tons of plastics by 1990 with the development of proper technology. (2) Bonding of plastics scrap to form composites which are expected to have application wood and virgin plastics substitutes in many wide-specification applications. (3) The use of auto shredder residue (ASR) a rock-wool like mixture in the manufacture of polymer concrete, replacing sand and gravel as the aggregate and incorporating in situ thermosetting type binders such as acrylics, melamines, phenolics, and polyesters. (4) Recovery and purification of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from discarded soft drink plastic bottles and similar commercial usages. (5) Recycling of such single resin sources as polypropylene battery cases in making solid and foamed wide-spec items. The Plastics Institute was able to demonstrate major energy saving possibilities through recycling rather than through the heat generation programs for which much plastic scrap is targeted. For example, 1000 lb of high density polyethylene has a fuel value of 20 million BTUs, but recycling 1000 lb of HDPE waste into fabricated products would save as much as 39 million BTUs since 1000 lb of HDPE will not have to be made from ethylene. The Institute during 1983/84 sponsored postgraduate level applied research projects to develop technology for the recycling of a heterogeneous mixture of polymer waste. Auto shredder residue (ASR) because of its large volume and availability, was the major focus of the research. The ultimate objective is to convert the mixture as is into useable, saleable molding compounds. Quantity lots of selected formulae incorporating compatibilizers, bonding agents and flow modifiers into the ASR are currently being made into pellets. They will be processed into noncritical specification items to demonstrate the feasibility of using recycled residue for commercial applications. Presently, it is disposed of in landfills at high costs to the shredder companies as well as a negative impact on the environment. Once the objective of the program has been met by the molding and extrusion of the demonstrated parts, a final summary report will be made available for distribution. Graduate students at various universities have been working on each of four general tasks areas.