Tons Of Resources Research Articles

A food-web assessment model for marine mammals, fish, and fisheries in the Norwegian and Barents Seas

The Norwegian and Barents Seas host large commercial fish populations that interact with each other, as well as marine mammal populations that feed on plankton and fish. Quantifying the past dynamics of these interacting species, and of the associated fisheries in the Norwegian and Barents Sea is of high relevance to support ecosystem-based management. The purpose of this work is to develop a food-web model of intermediate complexity and perform a quantitative assessment of the Norwegian and Barents Sea ecosystems in the period 1988–2021 in a manner that is consistent with existing data and expert knowledge, and that is internally coherent. For this purpose, we use the modelling framework of chance and necessity (CaN). The model construction follows an iterative process that allows to confront, discuss, and resolve multiple issues as well as to recognise uncertainties in expert knowledge, data, and input parameters. We show that it is possible to reconstruct the past dynamics of the food-web only if recognising that some data and assumptions are more uncertain than originally thought. According to this assessment, consumption by commercial fish and catch by fisheries jointly increased until the early 2010s, after which consumption by fish declined and catches by fisheries stabilised. On an annual basis, fish have consumed an average of 135.5 million tonnes of resources (including 9.5 million tonnes of fish), marine mammals have consumed an average of 22 million tonnes of which 50 % (11 million tonnes) were fish. Fisheries and hunting have captured an average of 4.4 million tonnes of fish and 7 thousand tonnes of marine mammals.

De-emulsifying barriers to the circular economy-a fertilizer industry perspective

PurposeThe fertilizer industry (FI) is well known for its high energy needs, reliance on limited natural resources, and negative environmental impacts (EIs). The consumption of 14.2 billion tons (BT) of materials and the extraction of 1,580 tons of resources per acre are solely attributed to the FI. Because of FI's resource and energy-intensive nature, it becomes crucial for FI to adopt a Circular Economy (CE) to improve efficiency, energy, and resource reuse. However, FI needs to strengthen its progress toward CE adoption. The proposed study comprehends and examines the barriers that inhibit the adoption of CE in FI.Design/methodology/approachA total of 15 barriers obstructing the CE in FI are identified and categorized into seven different categories. The barriers were identified by performing a comprehensive literature review and expert input. The study employs the DEMATEL approach to analyze the barriers and establish a causal relationship between them.FindingsThe study reveals that the most significant challenge to implementing CE in FI is governmental restrictions, which are followed by a lack of awareness and understanding and a need for a steady supply of bulk materials. The results comprehensively comprehend the pivotal factors that jeopardize the CE in FI and furnish a robust foundation for the methodology and tactics to surmount the barriers to CE adoption.Originality/valueThe literature review encompasses the barriers to the transition to CE and offers management and policy perspectives that help the FI's policy and decision-makers surmount these barriers with future research endeavors.

High-throughput DNA synthesis for data storage.

With the explosion of digital world, the dramatically increasing data volume is expected to reach 175 ZB (1 ZB = 1012 GB) in 2025. Storing such huge global data would consume tons of resources. Fortunately, it has been found that the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule is the most compact and durable information storage medium in the world so far. Its high coding density and long-term preservation properties make itself one of the best data storage carriers for the future. High-throughput DNA synthesis is a key technology for "DNA data storage", which encodes binary data stream (0/1) into quaternary long DNA sequences consisting of four bases (A/G/C/T). In this review, the workflow of DNA data storage and the basic methods of artificial DNA synthesis technology are outlined first. Then, the technical characteristics of different synthesis methods and the state-of-the-art of representative commercial companies, with a primary focus on silicon chip microarray-based synthesis and novel enzymatic DNA synthesis are presented. Finally, the recent status of DNA storage and new opportunities for future development in the field of high-throughput, large-scale DNA synthesis technology are summarized.

Recycling of Plastics as a Strategy to Reduce Life Cycle GHG Emission, Microplastics and Resource Depletion

Plastic waste is the most challenging type of waste because its generation rate (consumption rate) is high, and the current recycling rate is low. The increase in the production and disposal of plastics has led to significant environmental problems including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, microplastic pollution, and resource depletion. The study aimed at quantifying the potential environmental effects reduction achieved by recycling the most widely consumed polymers. One approach to establishing a circular economy for plastics is recycling. Plastic recycling as a strategy to reduce life cycle GHG emissions, microplastic emissions, and resource depletion was investigated. Life cycle assessment methodology was employed, considering cradle-to-gate as a system boundary. The results showed that recycling can significantly reduce life cycle GHG emissions and resource depletion. Replacing the virgin material with recycled material reduces the emission to −67 MtCO2e. Recycling could have saved 56.8 million microplastic emissions per year. However, mechanical recycling, which is commercialised nowadays, contributed to an increase in microplastics as much as 2.4 × 109 million particles per year. Recycling will also save about 50 million tonnes of resources from depletion worldwide by recycling around 20 Mt plastics. However, microplastic emissions reduction in the present scenario of mechanical recycling is not possible unless other mechanisms to capture the emitted microplastics are introduced or other recycling methods, such as chemical recycling, are employed.

Application of induced polarization (ip) method for identifying metallic mineral distribution in the Leon area

The research was conducted in the Leon area to determine the presence and quantity of metallic mineral resources. The stratigraphy of the study area is composed of alluvium and coastal deposits, Molasa Sarasin Formation, Tinombo Formation, and Intrusion. Exploration was carried out in the Leon area using Induced Polarization Method with a dipole-dipole configuration with an area of ​​950 m2. The length of the track is 580 meters with a North-South orientation. The number of tracks in this study was 15, with spacing electrodes as far as 20 meters and n = 1-10. The analysis showed that the distribution of resistivity values ​​in the study area was from (13.6 to 1337) Ωm, while the chargeability values ​​had a range of values ​​(1.7 to 50.6) ms. The low resistivity values ​​below 50 Ωm are interpreted as claystone to sandstone and the medium resistivity values ​​between 50 Ωm - 500 Ωm are interpreted as compact sandstone to breccia. The resistivity values ​​above 500 Ωm are interpreted as igneous rock. The presence of metallic minerals in the study area is characterized by changeability values ​​above 22 ms in claystone, sandstone, breccia, and igneous rock. Calculating hypothetical resources was conducted the Block model method at Oasis Montaj that obtained 11.8 million tons of resources.

How public catering accelerates sustainability: a German case study

Public catering has become increasingly important in recent years. With increasing annual customers, the sector’s impact on the environment is also growing continuously. At the same time, public catering offers a lever to promote sustainable nutrition that has rarely been used so far. Small changes in kitchen practices and food offers can thus be multiplied into a significant positive impact on environmental challenges, such as climate change or loss of biodiversity due to the large number of servings. In contrast to private households, management decisions in public catering can influence the food-related environmental impact of thousands of customers. This article deals with the nationwide level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and resource use in the German public catering segment “business” and its saving potentials by different scenarios of unsupported and supported recipe revision. In this paper, we define "unsupported" as the intuitive optimization of recipes by employees of public catering businesses. In contrast, “supported” approaches had to meet specific target goals, for example of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung; engl. German Nutrition Society or the sustainable level. Specifically, we will test how (A) an unsupported recipe revision, (B) a recipe revision based on dietary recommendations and (C) a recipe revision using scientific guidance affect the environmental impact of a dish. As a methodological framework, an online survey of public catering companies was conducted as well as a scenario analysis at menu level and at nationwide level. The results are based on empirical data on the one hand, and on extrapolations on the other. The results show that the nationwide implementation of recipe revision according to scientific guidance—such as concrete target goals for the GHG emissions per serving—can save up to 44% of resource use in the German business catering sector (which corresponds to 3.4 million tons of resources per year) and as much as 40% of GHG emissions (0.6 million tons GHG emissions per year). Even in the scenario of unsupported recipe revision, GHG and resource savings of up to 20% can be realized. The results show that public catering can reduce its material and carbon footprint by 20% overnight. Moreover, the findings show indications for the sustainable transformation of public catering. Nevertheless, it must be noted that these are some first steps of the transformation, which will require further changes with even greater impacts and political activities.

Materials footprint of household consumption in China

AbstractChina has been witnessing profound changes in the consumption behaviors of its population during the last several decades. To better gauge the current consumption structure of Chinese households and investigate the burden exerted by consumption on resources, we calculated the household material footprint (HMF) in China within the individual consumption classification framework developed by the United Nations. HMF is the only life‐cycle‐based indicator adopted into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Four types of raw materials and 15 representative consumption divisions were analyzed in this research. The total HMF in China increased by 103% from 1992 to 2017, although the per capita HMF remains lower than the global average. The per capita HMF growth in rural and urban areas differs, with urban citizens consuming 2.8 more metric tons of resources than rural residents as of 2017. The HMF of all materials studied shows a rising trend, especially for metal ores, which underpins the real estate and auto industries. Food‐related consumption is the main contributor to the HMF in China, while consumption of housing and transportation has less proportion yet more growth potential compared with developed countries. This study adds to the literature of studies on the consumption behaviors and domestic demands of China and has further methodologically significant meaning for similar studies in other countries and practical value for policymakers. Overall, this study demonstrates that despite an upsurge in consumption behaviors and gratifying economic records, the incurred resource and environmental burden may fuel risks for sustainable development.

Developing a Circular Economy for the Data Centre Industry – how the CEDaCI project contributes to sustainable decision making

Data centres (DCs) house data processing and storage equipment. The data centre industry (DCI) is evolving rapidly, as society is becoming more dependent on digital technologies. Currently, there are 7.2 million DCs globally and provision is predicted to grow fivefold by 2030. The sector already utilises millions of tonnes of resources, including Critical Raw Materials, and the demand will only increase. DCI is based on a linear economy; recycling and materials reclamation infrastructure are also inadequate. At the end-of-life, many materials are either lost to landfill, incinerated, or unaccounted for. Furthermore, many virgin materials are located in geopolitically sensitive locations, which poses a threat to the supply chain that the sector relies on. The CEDaCI project aims to increase overall sectoral sustainability by addressing the various technical, cultural, and behavioural barriers across the DCI, such as fragmentation and sole focus on the energy efficiency. This paper describes the whole-systems approach and CEDaCI project outputs, including bespoke Eco-design guidelines, strategies, and digital tools to extend product life and recycling, and enable better decision-making to increase circularity in the DCI, prepare and support implementation of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and ensure a secure, sustainable resource supply chain.

The significance of product design in the circular economy: A sustainable approach to the design of data centre equipment as demonstrated via the CEDaCI design case study

Society depends on fast, uninterrupted 24/7 data transfer in almost every aspect of our lives. Data centres (DC) across the globe process billions of gigabytes of data every day. There are currently about 7 million data centres globally and the sector is expected to grow fivefold by 2030, inevitably increasing already high demand for millions of tonnes of resources, including critical raw materials (CRM). The infrastructure for recycling sectoral waste is lacking, wasting millions of tonnes of materials. Many virgin materials are located in conflict zones, which jeopardises the supply chain that the sector heavily relies on, consequently posing a danger of severe material shortages in the future. Present design thinking does not balance optimisation of the performance and operational energy requirements and designing for circularity. To date, server design has mainly been focused on energy efficiency. However, a Circular Economy (CE) entails consideration of a complete life cycle of the product, including embodied impacts. Because sectoral data processing and energy requirements continue to grow, sustainable design and innovation in line with the 2020 EU Circular Economy Action Plan are crucial in promoting best practices and managing the sector’s energy demand in the future. This paper describes a proposed sustainable server design developed as part of the CEDaCI (a Circular Economy for the Data Centre Industry) project and based on the design requirements outlined by the EU Circular Economy Action Plan 2020 together with other directives. It presents recommendations for good practice methods, futureproofing data centre equipment design for a Circular Economy and building a critical foundation for sustainable hardware design that can be developed in the future.

Can we live within environmental limits and still reduce poverty? Degrowth or decoupling?

Can we live within environmental limits and still reduce poverty? Degrowth or decoupling?

Application of partial least squares regression for identifying multivariate geochemical anomalies in stream sediment data from Northwestern Hunan, China

The Northwestern Hunan in China is a prospective area for Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) Pb-Zn mineralization similar to the large Huayuan Pb-Zn deposits, which contains tens of millions of tons of resources. Based on the characteristics of the host strata, geochemical data in the Qingxudong Formation were analysed and summarized using Pearson correlation coefficients, including both ore-forming oxides and trace elements. Significant correlation pairs related to Pb-Zn mineralization are extracted. Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) was applied separately to the rock-forming oxides and trace elements to extract integrated geochemical anomalies. Anomalies showing an association of rock-forming oxides extracted using PLSR largely coincide with mapped strata, faults, ore deposits and elemental correlations in ore-bearing stratum, indicating the superiority of PLSR; The trace element associations extracted by PLSR are similar to those extracted using the cluster method; we can directly map the former but not the latter. Therefore, the analyses of multivariate geochemical anomalies using PLSR can provide significant information relevant to exploration for mineral deposits.

Discovery of Mass Independent Oxygen Isotopic Compositions in Superscale Nitrate Mineral Deposits from Turpan‐Hami Basin, Xinjiang, China and Its Significance

Abstract:The Turpan‐Hami Basin in eastern Xinjiang is one of the driest regions on Earth and a premier environment to form and preserve nitrate. A large nitrate ore field in this basin was found recently. It is estimated there are about 2.5 billion tons of resources of nitrate, and the amount is as much as the Atacama Desert super‐scale nitrate deposit in Chile. Nitrate is one of a few minerals with mass‐independent fractionation (MIF), and the oxygen isotope MIF is an effective method to determine the source of nitrate. The δ17O, δ18O of nitrate were measured by fluorination and thermal decomposition method. The date indicated that this is the first time that oxygen isotope MIF has been located in inland nitrate minerals. The results obtained by two methods are similar, Δ17O=δ17O–0.52×δ18O=12‰–17‰. The experiment and observation data proved that oxygen isotope MIF of nitrate are the result of photochemical reactions in the troposphere and stratosphere. Thus, evidence from MIF oxygen isotopic compositions indicate that long term atmospheric deposition of nitrate aerosol particles produced by photochemical reactions is the source of the deposits.