Environmental Engineering
M.G. Nugraha; A. Sharfan; V.S.Y. Prakoso; M. Hidayat; H. Saptoadi
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Agriculture significantly contributes to global economies, yet it concurrently generates waste in the form of crop residues. Conventional waste disposal methods, such as open burning, contribute to atmospheric particulate emissions, impacting air quality regionally and potentially ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Agriculture significantly contributes to global economies, yet it concurrently generates waste in the form of crop residues. Conventional waste disposal methods, such as open burning, contribute to atmospheric particulate emissions, impacting air quality regionally and potentially globally. Exposure to these pollutants poses substantial risks to human health, including respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and premature mortality. This study aims to assess the environmental implications of biomass waste combustion in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Additionally, the study aims to investigate potential enhancements in biomass burning practices through experimental campaigns conducted in both open and closed burning conditions.METHODS: The study evaluates Yogyakarta's regional air quality using data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency for the period spanning from 2020 to 2022. Emission factors from open and closed burning practices are assessed using an experimental furnace equipped with real-time combustion parameters monitoring, including temperature, particulate matter concentration, and oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. The openburning experiments involve various combustion conditions for bagasse, leaf litter, and rice straw, encompassing variations in ignition location, initial mass, and air supply methods. Closed burning experiments explore variations in reloading frequency, air-fuel ratio, and air staging.FINDINGS: Yogyakarta's air quality assessment involves comparing rice harvest trends with atmospheric particulate matter concentrations during 2020-2022. Open burning practices in Yogyakarta exhibit a correlation with heightened rainfall, which in turn leads to higher emissions from April to August due to reduced rain frequency. Experimental campaigns have revealed that open burning practices result in a significant amount of emissions, ranging from 3 to 29 grams of particulate matter per kilogram of biomass.. Meanwhile, the utilization of closed combustion systems has been demonstrated to decrease the emission factor within the range of 0.37 to 1.98 grams of particulate matter per kilogram of biomass. This highlights the importance of operating conditions altering particulate emissions. Moreover, the emission reduction by factor nine, emphasizing the efficacy of controlled combustion techniques in comparison to open burning methods, in mitigating particulate emissions.CONCLUSION: The study identifies that greater initial biomass mass, mid-ignition, and natural airflow contribute to lower emissions in open burning practices. o achieve optimal closed combustion conditions, it is recommended to reload biomass more frequently with100 percent excess air allocation, distributing 30 percent to primary air and 70 percent to secondary air. These findings not only propose better practices for disposing of agricultural waste and minimizing air pollution but also emphasize the potential of utilizing biomass waste for energy conversion.
Environmental Management
F. Abdul; R.F. Rahman; K.A. Purwanto; F.I. Ma'ruf; Y. Setiyorini; V.A. Setyowati; S. Pintowantoro
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The nickel processing industry has always been related with the issue of carbón dioxide emission. The production of carbon dioxide occurs at different phases of nickel processing, from pretreatment to smelting and refining. In addition to offgas, the nickel processing ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The nickel processing industry has always been related with the issue of carbón dioxide emission. The production of carbon dioxide occurs at different phases of nickel processing, from pretreatment to smelting and refining. In addition to offgas, the nickel processing sector also produces solid waste known as slag, which is a byproduct of both smelting and refining processes. One of the slags in the nickel industry is known to contain iron, which is dominant compared to other elements. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the process of carbon dioxide capture by utilizing iron-rich slag derived from the nickel processing industry. The aim is to assess the feasibility of applying iron-rich slag from nickel smelters in the solid carbonation gas process for carbon dioxide capture, focusing on chemical reactions and overall kinetics.METHODS: The iron-rich slag analyzed in this study contains a significant amount of iron oxide. It is theoretically anticipated that the iron oxide content in iron-rich slag could potentially sequester carbon dioxide. The study commenced by preparing the materials, undergoing the carbonation process, and then conducting various characterizations including X-ray diffractometer analysis and thermal gravimetric analysis. Additionally, calculations were performed to determine the percentage of carbon dioxide in the sample and the efficiency of carbonation. The kinetics analysis was also carried out using several models, such as mass transport, chemical reaction, and diffusion-controlled model to estimate the carbón dioxide capture mechanism that occurs.FINDING: The carbon dioxide capture capacity of the iron-rich slag from the ferronickel industry is somewhat limited, albeit still relatively modest. Iron-rich slag was effectively utilized to capture carbon dioxide after thorough analysis. After undergoing a carbonation process for a duration of 4 hours, the percentage of carbon dioxide in the slag witnessed a significant increase, rising from an initial value of 0.28 percent to 1.12 percent. The capture of carbón dioxide gas is due to the reaction between silicate with carbón dioxide gas and water vapor to form siderite. The iron-rich slag operates under the diffusion-controlled model when it comes to capturing carbon dioxide.CONCLUSION: Iron-rich slag is reported to capture carbón dioxide at 175 degrees celsius with carbón dioxide and water vapor condition, which is proven both from thermodynamic calculations and experiments. Iron(II) carbonate is a carbonate compound generated by the carbón dioxide capture reaction by iron-rich slag. However, the stability of iron(II) carbonate in carbón dioxide and water vapor atmosphere is something that needs to be considered in future research. Further investigation can be conducted in the future to explore the potential of utilizing iron-rich slag for capturing carbon dioxide gas, building upon the findings of this preliminary study.
Environmental Management
S. Kvasha; N. Davydenko; A. Ivanko; Z. Titenko
Abstract
The goals of the article are a definition of patterns of change in demand and supply of milk and dairy in the market of Ukraine and revealing the regularities of establishing of partial equilibrium state. The scientific methods which used in the process of the research: simulation was used for defining ...
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The goals of the article are a definition of patterns of change in demand and supply of milk and dairy in the market of Ukraine and revealing the regularities of establishing of partial equilibrium state. The scientific methods which used in the process of the research: simulation was used for defining trends of supply and demand changing and their balancing in the dairy market; economic and statistical method was used for estimation of tendencies of production and consumption of dairy products in Ukraine; analysis and synthesis were used to find out the reasons that determine the trends of supply and demand changes; tabular and graphical methods were used for clearness of the image of the obtained research results; abstract-logical method was used for the formulation of conclusions. Results of the researching: Trends of demand and supply changes in the dairy market in the 2016 year was estimated. Specifics of establishing the state of partial equilibrium in that market were characterized relative to the main groups of its participants as producers and consumers. Development of methodological and practical aspects of features of establishing the state of market equilibrium in the dairy market, unlike existing, is based on a model basis is still actual. The practical significance of those results consists in working out of the tool of justification of managerial decisions for assessing the state and creating regulatory measures for sectoral development.
S. Sharma; R.C. Chhipa
Abstract
Water is a unique natural resource among all sources available on earth. It plays an important role in economic development and the general well-being of the country. This study aimed at using the application of water quality index in evaluating the ground water quality innorth-east area of Jaipur in ...
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Water is a unique natural resource among all sources available on earth. It plays an important role in economic development and the general well-being of the country. This study aimed at using the application of water quality index in evaluating the ground water quality innorth-east area of Jaipur in pre and post monsoon for public usage. Total eleven physico–chemical characteristics; total dissolved solids, total hardness,chloride, nitrate, electrical conductance, sodium, fluorideand potassium, pH, turbidity, temperature) were analyzed and observed values were compared with standard values recommended by Indian standard and World Health Organization. Most of parameter show higher value than permissible limit in pre and post monsoon. Water quality index study showed that drinking water in Amer (221.58,277.70), Lalawas (362.74,396.67), Jaisinghpura area (286.00,273.78) were found to be highly contaminated due to high value of total dissolved solids, electrical conductance, total hardness, chloride, nitrate and sodium.Saipura (122.52, 131.00), Naila (120.25, 239.86), Galta (160.9, 204.1) were found to be moderately contaminated for both monsoons. People dependent on this water may prone to health hazard. Therefore some effective measures are urgently required to enhance the quality of water in these areas.
M. Sepehr; S.M.R. Fatemi; A. Danehkar; A. Mashinchian Moradi
Abstract
Given the reduced freshwater supplies across the world, seawater desalination is one of the appropriate methods available for producing freshwater. Selecting an optimal location is crucial in the installation of these plants owing to the environmental problems they cause. The present study was conducted ...
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Given the reduced freshwater supplies across the world, seawater desalination is one of the appropriate methods available for producing freshwater. Selecting an optimal location is crucial in the installation of these plants owing to the environmental problems they cause. The present study was conducted to identify optimal locations for installing desalination Plants in the coastal areas of southern Iran (Hormozgan Province) with application of Delphi method. To implement this technique and identify, screen and prioritize effective criteria and sub-criteria, ten experts were surveyed through questionnaires and eight criteria and 18 sub-criteria were identified. All these sub-criteria were evaluated and classified in ArcGIS into five classes as input layers. The maps were then integrated based on the modulation importance coefficient and the identified priorities using a linear Delphi model and the final map was reclassified into five categories. Environmentally sensitive areas and seawater quality were respectively the criterion and sub-criterion that received the highest importance. After combining the layers and obtaining the final map, 63 locations were identified for installing desalination plants in the coastal areas on the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea in Hormozgan Province. At the end, 27 locations were high important and had optimal environmental conditions for establishing desalination plants. Of the 27 locations, six were located in the coastal area of the Oman Sea, one in the coastal area of the Strait of Hormuz and 20 others in the coastal area of the Persian Gulf.
Environmental Science
A.R. Karbassi; S. Tajziehchi; H. Khoshgalb
Abstract
Fuel storage tanks are one of the main sources of water pollution as well as loss of crude oil and oil products in refineries. In the process of utilization of these tanks, considerable amounts of hydrocarbons may find their way into the coastal water, which eventually lead to loss of valuable ...
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Fuel storage tanks are one of the main sources of water pollution as well as loss of crude oil and oil products in refineries. In the process of utilization of these tanks, considerable amounts of hydrocarbons may find their way into the coastal water, which eventually lead to loss of valuable hydrocarbons. Oil type, climatic condition and characteristics of oil tanks are among the main variables in computing evaporative losses. The present study brings out the results of a project that was carried out to investigate the adverse effects of oil terminal on coastal waters of Qeshm Island and aims to elaborate on speciation of metals in coastal waters. For this purpose, 12 stations were sampled. Water chemistry software was used to draw Eh-pH diagrams. Along with the speciation of heavy metals, cluster analysis was carried out by MVSP software. According to the results, HSC diagrams showed that Cu and Cd were present as free ions. Lead, manganese, cobalt, zinc and nickel were respectively present as PbOH, MnOH, ZnOH, CoOH and NiOH in the Persian Gulf. Speciation of Cu and Ni was in the form of Cu2O and NiO. Vanadium was also present in combination with hydroxide. Since all the studied elements were within the water stability range, they were stable, and there were no environmental risks of contamination and toxicity. The results of cluster analysis did not show any relation between Eh and pH. This clearly showed that Eh-pH was governed by different mechanisms in coastal waters of Qeshm Island. Vanadium and Ni concentration was governed by pH, while Cu and Cd concentration was controlled by Eh.
Environmental Engineering
S. Nimesha; C. Hewawasam; D. J. Jayasanka; Y. Murakami; N. Araki; N. Maharjan
Abstract
Natural waterways are contaminated due to industrialization, urbanization, population growth etc., degrading their quality. Contaminated waterways cause numerous health and environmental hazards. Therefore, it is imperative to remove contaminants. Coagulation is one of the efficient primary chemical ...
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Natural waterways are contaminated due to industrialization, urbanization, population growth etc., degrading their quality. Contaminated waterways cause numerous health and environmental hazards. Therefore, it is imperative to remove contaminants. Coagulation is one of the efficient primary chemical treatment methods that could be used to treat such contaminants. Natural coagulants have gained popularity in the water and wastewater treatment industry due to their advantage over chemical coagulants. Natural coagulants are derived from either plants, animals, or microorganisms. This study has elaborated on the nature and mechanisms, and types of natural coagulants. In this review work, many studies have proposed several types of natural coagulants. However, plant-based natural coagulants extracted from different plant components have been extensively discussed and compared based on their application and efficiency in water and waste treatment. The primary purpose of this review is to refine the knowledge on the potential use and optimization of the effectiveness of eco-friendly and sustainable natural coagulants. Besides, the development efforts and the barriers reported by recent findings for the commercialization of natural coagulants are also discussed. Further, few modified natural coagulants have also been presented for exploring the other possible approaches to promote their usage in water and wastewater treatment in the future studies.
Environmental Science
S. Sadjad Mehdizadeh; S. Badaruddin; S. Khatibi
Abstract
In this study, abstraction, desalination and recharge method and SEAWAT numerical model are used to investigate seawater intrusion repulsion in a hypothetical two-dimensional coastal aquifer to understand the relation of seawater intrusion with abstraction, desalination and recharge parameters (i.e. ...
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In this study, abstraction, desalination and recharge method and SEAWAT numerical model are used to investigate seawater intrusion repulsion in a hypothetical two-dimensional coastal aquifer to understand the relation of seawater intrusion with abstraction, desalination and recharge parameters (i.e. abstraction/recharge rate, wells distance and depth). Abstraction, desalination and recharge consists of abstraction and desalination of brackish water and recharge of desalinated water. The results of different defined scenarios showed that increase of recharge rate has a significant effect on the seawater intrusion mitigation (e.g. more than 80% variation in saline water volume) while the increase of abstraction rate does not have specific impact on seawater recession (e.g. less than 3% variation in toe position). The method efficiency in reducing seawater intrusion is increased when freshwater is recharged by well at outside of saltwater wedge and close to its toe position. Moreover, it is shown that the abstraction, desalination and recharge performance has slightly improved when the recharge and extraction wells are placed deeper into aquifer and close to aquifer bottom (almost 15% for all characteristics of salt wedge). Ultimately, dilution of saline water with recharged freshwater will widen the mixing zone but as salt wedge recedes toward the sea simultaneously, the mixing zone thickness cannot follow the steady reduction trend.
Environmental Science
M. Samimi; M. Shahriari Moghadam
Abstract
phenol and phenolic compounds are among the most recognized environmental pollutants which exist in industrial wastewater and enter the biological cycles due to the solubility in water. Bioremediation is one of the cost-effective and Eco-friendly methods for phenol removal. In this study, the most effective ...
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phenol and phenolic compounds are among the most recognized environmental pollutants which exist in industrial wastewater and enter the biological cycles due to the solubility in water. Bioremediation is one of the cost-effective and Eco-friendly methods for phenol removal. In this study, the most effective phenol-degrading bacterial strain was isolated and identified from the shores of the Oman Sea by 16S rDNA. The optimal conditions of various factors, such as pH, temperature, carbon to nitrogen ratio and salinity for the phenol biodegradation, were determined using the experimental design based on Taguchi method with L9 array (34). Ability of the isolated strain (Halomonas elongata strain O-CH1) in degradation of different phenol concentrations was analyzed. The optimum operating conditions for phenol removal were determined in pH value of 8, temperature of 35 ˚C, carbon to nitrogen ratio of 100:30 (g/L) and salinity of 35 (g/L). In these conditions, 97% of the phenol was removed from the mediums. According to the optimization results, salinity and pH were the most influential factors in the biodegradation of phenol. The O-CH1 was able to grow and degrade phenol at concentrations of 250 mg/L to 1500 mg/L. Considering the high potential of this strain for phenol degradation, determining the optimal conditions for the biodegradation and its efficacy at high concentrations of phenol, the findings in this study can be used in the biological treatment of phenolic wastewater.
Environmental Management
H. Herdiansyah
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Urbanization has been causing many problems for the environment and society. An ineffective and inefficient government also contributes to urban problems by increasing public dissatisfaction and distrust of government. Technological Improvements makes it possible for local ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Urbanization has been causing many problems for the environment and society. An ineffective and inefficient government also contributes to urban problems by increasing public dissatisfaction and distrust of government. Technological Improvements makes it possible for local governments in Indonesia to implement the concept of “Smart City” as a solution to solve urban problems. This study aims to fill the gap by examining the impact of smart city application on public trust towards the government.METHODS: A primary data collection was conducted in 2021 to profile the citizens' behaviour in terms of smart city application. This study had surveyed four big cities in Indonesia that had built smart city applications well: Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, and Surabaya. The primary data were analyzed through ordinary least squares regression.FINDINGS: This study founds that the fundamental factors of smart city applications that are statistically significant were on quality, satisfaction, and reliability. These factors had positive and significant impacts on the level of trust in the local government. Based on the regression model, the increase of application quality score by 1 affects the score of trust in the local government, which will rise by 0.440 (Jakarta), 0.269 (Bandung), and 0.245 (Semarang), and 0.212 (Surabaya). The increase in application satisfaction score by 1 affects the score of trust in local government, which will rise by 0.193 (Jakarta), 0.431 (Bandung), 0.07 (Semarang), and 0.186 (Surabaya). Also, an increase in application reliability score by 1 affects a rise in trust in local government by 0.187 (Jakarta), 0.204 (Bandung), 0.137 (Semarang), and 0.192 (Surabaya).CONCLUSION: Smart city applications can shape public trust by increasing the application's quality, satisfaction, reliability and community empowerment. However, it should be noted that the number of community which uses smart city application is still low. Therefore, It is necessary to encourage a culture of using those applications to help build citizens’ trust in the government and improve urban quality.
Environmental Science
R.E. Caraka; R.C. Chen; Y. Lee; T. Toharudin; C. Rahmadi; M. Tahmid; A.S. Achmadi
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The classification of marine animals as protected species makes data and information on them to be very important. Therefore, this led to the need to retrieve and understand the data on the event counts for stranded marine animals based on location emergence, number of individuals, ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The classification of marine animals as protected species makes data and information on them to be very important. Therefore, this led to the need to retrieve and understand the data on the event counts for stranded marine animals based on location emergence, number of individuals, behavior, and threats to their presence. Whales are generally often stranded in very shallow areas with sloping sea floors and sand. Data were collected in this study on the incidence of stranded marine animals in 20 provinces of Indonesia from 2015 to 2019 with the focus on animals such as Balaenopteridae, Delphinidae, Lamnidae, Physeteridae and Rhincodontidae.METHODS:Multivariate latent generalized linear model was used to compare several distributions to analyze the diversity of event counts. Two optimization models including Laplace and Variational approximations were also applied.RESULTS: The best theta parameter in the latent multivariate latent generalized linear latent variable model was found in the Akaike Information Criterion, Akaike Information Criterion Corrected and Bayesian Information Criterion values, andthe information obtained was used to create a spatial cluster. Moreover, there was a comprehensive discussion on ocean-atmosphere interaction and the reasons the animals were stranded.CONCLUSION: The changes in marine ecosystems due to climate change, pollution, overexploitation, changes in sea use, and the existence of invasive alien species deserve serious attention.
Environmental Science
S. Promsai; Y. Tragoolpua; N. Thongwai
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In Thailand, bacterial wilt is one of the most severe diseases that affects pathumma, also known as Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep. Biological control was proposed to control this disease with antagonistic bacteria. The current study was conducted to screen for antagonistic microorganisms ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In Thailand, bacterial wilt is one of the most severe diseases that affects pathumma, also known as Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep. Biological control was proposed to control this disease with antagonistic bacteria. The current study was conducted to screen for antagonistic microorganisms capable of inhibiting the pathogenic bacteria and to evaluate the beneficial effect of antagonistic bacteria on pathumma in vivo.METHODS: Antagonistic bacteria were isolated from soil samples obtained from several locations in Thailand and screened for antibacterial activity. Next, the optimal conditions for the growth of antagonistic bacteria were determined. The production of anibacterial substances were then characterized. The potential of antagonistic bacteria to reduce the growth of plant pathogens was evaluated under greenhouse conditions. FINDINGS: In total, 102 bacterial isolates were isolated using tryptic soy medium. After evaluating their capacity to inhibit the growth of the wilt-causing bacteria using the paper disc diffusion assay, it was found that three bacterial isolates, Bacillus subtilis SP15, Pseudomonas mosselii SP38, and Pseudomonas mosselii SP46 showed high ability to inhibit growth of the wilt-causing bacteria Enterobacter asburiae JK1, JK2, JK3, JK4, E. dissolvens JK5 and E. hormachei JK6. The optimal conditions for all antagonistic bacterial isolates were 25 or 30 degrees Celcius, at potential of hydrogen 7-8 in modified tryptic soy medium containing 0.5 percent (weight /volume) glucose or sucrose and 1.5 or 2 percent (weight/volume) peptone. The antagonists were able to produce siderophores and phenazines. Under greenhouse experiments, the mixed cultures of antagonistic bacterial isolates could reduce the wilt disease incidence, and the number of pathogenic bacteria declined compared with the diseased control plants. In addition, it was discovered that soil materials provided the best carrier materials for the successful formulation of the mixed culture of antagonistic bacteria.CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the selected antagonists were beneficial for controlling wilt disease in pathumma. This is the first scientific study on the control of wilt-disease causing Enterobacter spp. in C. alismatifolia Gagnep. in Thailand using antagonistic bacteria. It is expected that these antagonistic bacteria be useful in wilt disease management in the field for friendly and sustainable agriculture
R. Sharma
Abstract
The carrying capacity is well identified tool to manage problems due to uncontrolled tourism for any destination. This report highlights the carrying capacity estimation of Kerwa tourism area, Bhopal, India. The methodology used in this report is a new two-tier mechanism of impact analysis using index ...
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The carrying capacity is well identified tool to manage problems due to uncontrolled tourism for any destination. This report highlights the carrying capacity estimation of Kerwa tourism area, Bhopal, India. The methodology used in this report is a new two-tier mechanism of impact analysis using index numbers derived from a survey of 123 stakeholders. From this the individual component impact analysis and the total carrying capacity of the area is computed in order to state the insight of the total carrying capacity left for the tourism activities in Kerwa tourism area. It is calculated from, the results so obtained, that the Kerwa catchment area falls in “very low impact category” and hence in a healthy state of the artwork in terms of total carrying capacity. The study conveys the current need in the destination management and tourism development as a road map for the destination managers for implementing sustainable tourism.
M. Pazouki; S.A. Jozi; Y.A. Ziari
Abstract
Sustainable urban development is a new concept of fundamental environmental metropolitan management that not only creates the demand for changing the concepts of economic development, but also affects social development. The current study provides a conceptual model of a sustainable environment ...
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Sustainable urban development is a new concept of fundamental environmental metropolitan management that not only creates the demand for changing the concepts of economic development, but also affects social development. The current study provides a conceptual model of a sustainable environment pattern In District 22 of Tehran that depends on the relationship between environment and economy, and a network of urban function, which Included transport infrastructure and community centers and economic and regional level in support of the ecological services in Tehran. This landscape often had discrepancies with the development of the city between the layers and the creation of ecological fragile areas. The main objective of the study was to determine the sustainability indicators and create a future development model for District 22 of Tehran. The data was collected by having a review of similar studies and field research on the subject and therefore the effective factors were identified. After accomplished proceedings, the questionnaire was prepared and the results were used in SWOT charts' grading after analyzing at interior and exterior matrix. Ultimately, quantitative strategic planning matrix (QSPM) was performed based on the results and analysis. This process provided a comprehensive model for sustainable urban development as sustainable development urban landscape pattern.
M.H. Rahimi; N. Kalantari; M. Sharifidoost; M. Kazemi
Abstract
In this study, the quality of a treated wastewater for agricultural and irrigation purposes was investigated. 39 quality parameters were investigated at the entrance of an effluent channel to the destination plain in monthly time intervals during a year. The aim of this study was drawing an analogy between ...
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In this study, the quality of a treated wastewater for agricultural and irrigation purposes was investigated. 39 quality parameters were investigated at the entrance of an effluent channel to the destination plain in monthly time intervals during a year. The aim of this study was drawing an analogy between analyses results and the latest standards in the world (nationwide and internationally), the agricultural and irrigation usage indexes and the Wilcox diagram. The results showed that some parameters such as turbidity, total suspended solids, electrical conductivity, sodium, detergents, total coliform and focal coliform, ammonium, residual sodium carbonate, the Kelly’s Ratio and the Wilcox diagram were exceeding the permissible limit and are not suitable for agriculture and irrigation. It was found that the aquifers in the study area were polluted by natural salinity and geogenic source. As a result, application of the treated wastewater from Qom for agriculture and irrigation purposes needs to be revised and monitored. An action plan is also needed to manage a huge source of water and to avoid further environmental and health risks.
Environmental Science
A. Mostafa; M. Khalafallah; S. AboSedera; H. Fathy; A. Higazy
Abstract
Chamomile is one of the most wide spread medicinal plant cultivated in Egypt. This work aimed at enhancement of blossoms and oil production of chamomile plants via biofertilization with PGPRs under organic farming system. In this study, 6 bacterial strains were applied using two different inoculation ...
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Chamomile is one of the most wide spread medicinal plant cultivated in Egypt. This work aimed at enhancement of blossoms and oil production of chamomile plants via biofertilization with PGPRs under organic farming system. In this study, 6 bacterial strains were applied using two different inoculation techniques. The first application method was throughout soaking the roots of seedlings in the bacterial suspension before transplanting. The second technique was by adding the bacterial inocula to soil 2 weeks after transplantation. The results showed that root dipping method displayed high impact on the yield of chamomile blossoms and essential oil percentage. Furthermore, the soil application of the bacterial inocula didn’t show any significant impact in this respect. Where Paenibacillus polymyxa, Bacillus subtilis, Serratia plymuthica and Streptomyces subrutilus increased the dry weight of chamomile blossoms compared to the control, essential oil content increased significantly in case of Serratia plymuthica, Stenotrophomonas rhizophyla and Bacillus subtilis. The current results also indicated that bacterial strains produced the highest indole-3-acetic acid and gibberellic acid resulted in the highest yield of both flowers and essential oil.
B.S. Igulu; E.E. Mshiu
Abstract
The lack of hydrological data for urbanizing watersheds in developing countries is one of the challenges facing decision making. Msimbazi River is located in the city center of Dar es Salaam and is highly influenced by human activities; this includes dense populations that are characterized by informal ...
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The lack of hydrological data for urbanizing watersheds in developing countries is one of the challenges facing decision making. Msimbazi River is located in the city center of Dar es Salaam and is highly influenced by human activities; this includes dense populations that are characterized by informal settlements. The catchment is currently undergoing flooding, which triggers a dilemma in its surface runoff trending. This study aimed to simulate rainfall-runoff of an urbanizing Msimbazi watershed that will provide an understanding of hydrological data including peak flows and discharge volumes of Msimbazi River. The data used in the study include soil, rainfall, DEM and land use. HEC-GeoHMS and ArchHydro tools in ArcGIS were used to generate hydrological inputs to be used in the HEC-HMS interface. The resulted sub-watersheds have high CN values ranging from 70 to 90 implying the possibility of high runoff potential. Sub-watershed W620 indicates the highest runoff, among others with the highest runoff of 290mm for the year 2015. The peak flow on the river indicates the value ranging from 7.2 m3/s to 30m3/s with the highest values being on the downstream. The overall trend indicates an increasing surface runoff and peak flow in sub-watersheds from 1985 to 2015. Simulated results in this study were validated with the observational data of the catchment recorded in 2017. Given that most of the rivers in Tanzania are ungauged, the approach applied in this study can be used to enhance decision making on settlement planning, water resource, and disaster management in the currently observed urbanizing areas.
Environmental Engineering
N. Robinah; A. Safiki; O. Thomas; B. Annette
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The effect of infrastructure equipment is taking a toll on the health and economic well-being of residents all around the world. This is mainly because it contributes to ambient air pollution, noise, and vibration in the surroundings. The study aimed at analyzing the ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The effect of infrastructure equipment is taking a toll on the health and economic well-being of residents all around the world. This is mainly because it contributes to ambient air pollution, noise, and vibration in the surroundings. The study aimed at analyzing the effects of the road infrastructure equipment on the surroundings in Uganda. The emissions of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter were analyzed.METHODS: Six road infrastructure equipment were sampled consisting of an excavator, roller, grader, concrete mixer, tamper, and wheel loader, obtained from a case study project in Kampala city, Uganda. The diesel exhaust air emissions were computed and analyzed using the emissions rate equation model for non-road equipment, developed by Environmental Protection Agency. This was based on the horsepower and power rating of the equipment. Noise and vibrations levels were obtained using a sound level meter, seismometers, and accelerators, while following the National Environment Regulations.FINDINGS: The greenhouse gas of carbon dioxide was the most predominant accounting for 84.1 percent of the total emissions. The grader was the highest emitter of this greenhouse gas, at 1,531.5 g/h, representing 37.1%. The lowest air pollutant emission was nitrogen dioxide at 1.43 g/h for the concrete mixer, representing 1.4%. Overall, the equipment emitted more greenhouse gases than air criteria pollutants at 88.8% and 11.2% respectively. The highest criteria air pollutant was particulate matter at 100.5 g/h, emitted by the grader. Most of the emissions met the standards stipulated by Environmental Protection Agency, for reducing emissions back to the environment, except particulate matter. However, the concentrations of some pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide did not satisfy the limits required for ambient air quality that is safe for workers. All the equipment had noise levels way above the recommended 70.00 decibel, except for the wheel loader. Only the excavator produced vibrations higher than permissible vibration limit by 4%.CONCLUSION: The criteria air pollutants of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter emitted by the equipment were all not safe to the workers. They exceeded the permissible limits of 50 ppm, 5 ppm, and 0.02 g/kW/h respectively. This partly shows why ambient air pollution had been reported in urban centers in Uganda. The study shows the need for strengthening the regulations and monitoring of the construction equipment being used, in order to protect the surroundings.
Environmental Science
N.J. Mensah; S. Antwi-Akomeah; E.J.D. Belford; G.E. Sebiawu; R. Aabeyir
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The vulnerability of the Sankana dam to organochlorine pesticide contamination is a major cause for concern. Indigenes rely on the dam for drinking water and irrigation of their farmlands as well as for fish and other aquatic delicacies. Virtually there exists no study on the ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The vulnerability of the Sankana dam to organochlorine pesticide contamination is a major cause for concern. Indigenes rely on the dam for drinking water and irrigation of their farmlands as well as for fish and other aquatic delicacies. Virtually there exists no study on the residual levels of organochlorine or other pesticide contaminants in the dam despite its susceptibility to pesticide contamination. In the present study, the levels of organochlorine residues in fish and sediments from the Sankana dam were assessed.METHODS: Pesticide residue extraction was achieved using acetonitrile containing 1% (v/v) acetic acid in the presence of sodium acetate, sodium citrate and magnesium sulphate followed by purification over activated florisil and sodium sulphate. Identification and quantification of residue extracts was done using a gas chromatograph conjugated with mass spectrometer.FINDING: In all, varying levels of 13 organochlorine residues were detected, 11 of which were found in fish and 12 in sediment. Average mean levels of organochlorine residues found in fish ranged from 0.001 - 0.277 mg/kg. Residual levels of beta-hexachlorocyclohexane, delta-hexachlorocyclohexane, gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane, endosulfan-A and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane in fish were relatively higher than their respective levels in sediment. Organochlorine residues found in sediment also ranged from 0.001 - 0.091 mg/kg. Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, methoxychlor, heptachlor, gamma-chlordane and endosulfan-B residual levels in sediment were higher than the corresponding levels in fish.CONCLUSION: The study provides a baseline for continuous/regular monitoring of organochlorine contaminants in the Sankana dam and other waterbodies upstream and downstream. Where organochlorine residues exceeded their recommended permissible thresholds typically suggests possible recent/continuous use of such pesticides within the catchment area. There is therefore the need for appropriate measures and/or need to strengthen existing policies that bans the importation, sale and use of organochlorine pesticides via strict enforcement.
A. Zabihi; M.R. Raazaitabari
Abstract
The significant consumption of gas in the World results in the emission of greenhouse gases into atmosphere. Abadan refinery has always been the biggest and oldest oil refinery in the Middle East and has a variety of refined products. After six months of collecting data about pollutant concentration ...
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The significant consumption of gas in the World results in the emission of greenhouse gases into atmosphere. Abadan refinery has always been the biggest and oldest oil refinery in the Middle East and has a variety of refined products. After six months of collecting data about pollutant concentration emitted from a stack of old furnaces of units 75 and new unit 200, the emission factor of the pollutant was calculated. The result showed that the emission factor of some hazardous pollutants emitted from old unit 75 was tremendously higher than that of unit 200. This study suggests the installation of a forced fan to provide the excess air and a feed temperature controlling system to control fuel gas consumption. These would make the fuel combustion complete and decrease its consumption. Meanwhile, further results showed that the renovation of unit 75 could lead to a significant annual reduction of some pollutants such as CO, H2S, and CxHx to 66 ton, 3 ton, and 800 kg, respectively; this would increase the emission rate of pollutant SO2 up to 150 ton annually. Finally, the new data of pollution coming from unit 75 were compared to pollution standard at American refineries. Results showed that the emission factor of most pollutants were below the American standard limits. However, the emission factor of sulfur dioxide emitted from upgraded furnace of unit 75 surpassed the American standard values. Fuel gas needs to be free of hydrogen sulfide in order to decrease SO2 emission in unit 75. It is predicted that the renovation of other 11 old furnaces belonging to Abadan refinery will result in significant decrease of pollutants CO, CxHx and H2S up to 320, 94 and 76 ton annually.
Environmental Engineering
M.R. Maulana; S. Saiful; Z.A. Muchlisin
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The occurrence of plastic waste pollution in waters has become a major issue globally. One of the waters which tend to be polluted with plastic waste such as bags, food wrappers, and unused fishing nets, is the Krueng Aceh River, which is located in the center of Banda Aceh ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The occurrence of plastic waste pollution in waters has become a major issue globally. One of the waters which tend to be polluted with plastic waste such as bags, food wrappers, and unused fishing nets, is the Krueng Aceh River, which is located in the center of Banda Aceh city, Indonesia. Microplastics in the rivers potentially contaminate the fish through the food chains, and are then transferred to humans once consumed. The two species of fish that are frequently caught by fishermen in the Krueng Aceh River and consumed by the local people are mullet Mugil cephalus and bagok catfish Hexanematichthys sagor. Both have the potential of being contaminated with microplastics that enter the river. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the status of microplastic pollution in mullet M. cephalus and bagok catfish H. sagor harvested downstream of the Krueng Aceh River, Banda Aceh, Indonesia.METHODS: The fish samples were caught in three locations, namely in the river estuary, residential, and agricultural areas. A total of 50 mullets and 46 bagok catfish were employed for analysis. Microplastics were analyzed in the digestive tract using a microscope, while waste in the carcass was detected using the fourier transform infrared analysis.FINDINGS: In mullet, the highest number of microplastic particles were found in fish samples caught in river estuary (16 particles/fish on average), followed by the sample from residential areas (10 particles/fish on average). Meanwhile, the lowest abundance of microplastic was recorded in sample near agriculture areas (5 particles/gram body weight). In bagok catfish, microplastic abundance in samples from the river estuary and residential areas was almost the same, and it ranged from 7-8 particles/fish. The lowest particle number was in bagok catfish caught in the region near agricultural areas. This study indicated fiber as the most dominant microplastic in the two fish species at all sampling locations. It also had three colors in the alimentary tract of mullet and bagok catfish, namely red, blue, and black, which was predominant. The fourier transform infrared spectrum showed several wavenumber peaks signifying alkane compounds’ presence, which are microplastic characteristics. Based on the peak values, the presence of two polymer types was suspected, namely polyethylene, and polypropylene.CONCLUSION: Fiber and film microplastics were found in the digestive tract of mullet and bagok catfish, where the number of particles was most abundant in the mullet. The fourier transform infrared test was also detected the presence of microplastic pollutants in both species. This indicates that mullet and bagok catfish in Krueng Aceh River have been contaminated by microplastics and are not safe for consumption.
Environmental Science
Sh. Aghamirkarimi; A. Mashinchian Moradi; I. Sharifpour; Sh. Jamili; P. Ghavam Mostafavi
Abstract
The current study has determined the toxicity effects of copper nanoparticles on the some vital organs such as gill, liver and kidney of Caspian Roach; Rutillus rutillus caspicus. For this purpose, 120 fishes were used as experimental samples and exposed to 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 mg/L of Cu nanoparticles for ...
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The current study has determined the toxicity effects of copper nanoparticles on the some vital organs such as gill, liver and kidney of Caspian Roach; Rutillus rutillus caspicus. For this purpose, 120 fishes were used as experimental samples and exposed to 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 mg/L of Cu nanoparticles for 21 days, and 30 fishes assumed as the experiment control. The mean water temperature of the aquaria was 22±2 ºC, dissolved oxygen 5.2 mg/L, pH at 7±0.004 and the concentration of calcium carbonate was 270 ppm. On 7, 14 and 21 days after exposing the fishes to copper nanoparticles, three fishes were randomly selected from each aquaria, sacrificed and samples from their gill, liver and kidney were taken and fixed in cold 10 % buffered formalin. Then microscopic sections were prepared and examined by light microscope which showed histological alternations in the gill, liver and kidney tissues. Evaluation of these changes could be useful in estimating the harmful effects of copper nanoparticles. Histological alternation in gills included: hyperplasia, fusion and detachment of secondary lamellae, blood congestion in vascular axis of primary filaments, reduced secondary lamellae length and cellular degeneration. Histological changes in liver included blood congestion in the central veins, cytoplasmic vacuolation of the hepatocytes, cellular degeneration and congestion in the blood sinusoids and necrosis of the hepatocytes. Histological changes in kidneys included glomerular shrinkage, severe degeneration in the tubules cells, interstitial tissue and glomerulus, increase in interstitial tissue cells and macrophages aggregation. The degree of damages was more intensive at higher copper nanoparticles concentrations. The result of the study showed that copper nanoparticles could cause severe damages in the vital tissues of Caspian roach; Rutillus rutillus caspicus and have lethal effects for fish.
M. Rafiei; P.J. Sturm
Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the problems caused by discharge of polluted air from tunnels into the environment with a specific focus on residential areas. In city tunnels, portal or stacks, pollutant management is a big challenge. Nowadays, air quality management, particularly in urban tunnels, ...
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The aim of this study is to investigate the problems caused by discharge of polluted air from tunnels into the environment with a specific focus on residential areas. In city tunnels, portal or stacks, pollutant management is a big challenge. Nowadays, air quality management, particularly in urban tunnels, is considered as a part of the ventilation system design. The goal is to see the environmental impacts beforehand. From environmental aspects, preventive measures are required either inside or outside the tunnel in some cases. Niayesh tunnel in Tehran is taken as a case for proving the objectives presented in this study. Concentration of carbon monoxide at the vicinity of the portals is calculated using the proper dispersion simulation. The results of dispersion modeling for the assumed worst case of ventilation can help to understand the environmental impact of ventilation. The worst traffic emissions for a congested traffic scenario,are selected as an emission source for dispersion modeling. According to the traffic condition and fleet composition, the crucial emission extracted from the tunnel is carbon monoxide. Therefore, the performed simulation only focuses on carbon monoxide dispersion modeling. From the other side, carbon monoxide is taken as a demonstration pollutant, because it is inert and chemical reactions can be neglected in short-term considerations. A lagrangian model composed of Graz Lagrangian Model and Graz Mesoscale Model is used for flow-field and dispersion calculations.
G.C.B. Paclibar; E.R. Tadiosa
Abstract
Non-native plants that can cause adverse effects are otherwise known as invasive alien plant species which pose a major threat to plant biodiversity conservation and sustainability. This study is dedicated to determine the plant diversity and to assess the vulnerability of Quezon Protected Landscape, ...
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Non-native plants that can cause adverse effects are otherwise known as invasive alien plant species which pose a major threat to plant biodiversity conservation and sustainability. This study is dedicated to determine the plant diversity and to assess the vulnerability of Quezon Protected Landscape, Southern Luzon, the Philippines to invasive alien plant species. Data from 90 10x10 m randomly established plots using the quadrat method showed that there are 318 plant species wherein 208 are native, 100 are non-native, and 10 are invasive. Results from the association of the physicochemical factors and the presence of invasive alien plant species through Spearman rho test revealed that most of the physicochemical factors have significant association except percent slope and hill shade. Soil pH, aspect and number of non-native plants show positive association while soil moisture, leaf litter thickness, elevation, species richness, species evenness, plot species diversity index, and the number of native plants signify negative association. Differences between the plots of with and without invasive alien plant species in physicochemical factors indicate that most of the physicochemical factors have a significant difference between plots of with and without invasive alien plant species except percent slope, hill shade, and aspect. Lastly, the MaxEnt model exemplifies that the most suitable predicted conditions for invasive alien plant species are at the edges of boundary and buffer zones. This study implies that most of the physicochemical factors are linked to the presence of invasive alien plant species and Quezon Protected Landscape has a low vulnerability to invasive alien plant species invasion.
M. Tajbakhsh; H. Memarian; Y. Shahrokhi
Abstract
Mashhad City, according to the latest official statistics of the country is the second populated city after Tehran and is the biggest metropolis in the east of Iran. Considering the rapid growth of the population over the last three decades, the city’s development area has been extended, significantly. ...
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Mashhad City, according to the latest official statistics of the country is the second populated city after Tehran and is the biggest metropolis in the east of Iran. Considering the rapid growth of the population over the last three decades, the city’s development area has been extended, significantly. This significant expansion has impacted natural lands on suburb and even some parts e.g. rangelands and agricultural area have been transited to urban land uses. The study was aimed at analyzing and simulating land use changes in Mashhad, Iran. The work needs a model to simulate land use changes among multiple categories and combine spatial and temporal changes during the projection period. Thus, Cellular Automata-Markov model was chosen to meet this target. In this work, the projected time period corresponded to the final 20-year vision period of all-round development of Iran for the target point of 2025 based on a long-term plan. Multi criteria evaluation approach integrated along with analytic hierarchy process were employed for preparing suitability maps for the five land uses, i.e. urban continuous patches, urban discontinuous patches, rural patches, agricultural lands, and range lands. Having applied the matrices utilized in model calibration, the best kappa coefficient proved to be associated with the land use maps dated 1996 and 2002. The Kappa index of quantity and allocation agreement was determined to be 0.9189 and 0.9529, respectively, which established an almost perfect agreement between simulated and observed land uses according to the year 2015. Change detection results showed that with the physical expansion of urban continuous patches, range lands and agricultural lands mostly transited to urban discontinuous patches and eventually were promoted to urban continuous texture. These developments or gains in urbanized patches will lead to some loses in agricultural lands and rangelands of the suburb in 2025. In addition, the analysis of projected land use map indicated that over the upcoming years, the development of the city in northern front, especially in northwestern region will be more intense with a higher speed in comparison with the other regions.