Environmental Science
A.S. Deshpande; R. Kumari; A. Prem Rajan
Abstract
A multitude of microbes are involved in the solubilisation of minerals and metals as this approach offers numerous advantages over traditional methods. This strategy is preferred as it is eco-friendly and economical, thus overcoming the drawbacks of the traditional approach of pyrometallurgy. Many different ...
Read More
A multitude of microbes are involved in the solubilisation of minerals and metals as this approach offers numerous advantages over traditional methods. This strategy is preferred as it is eco-friendly and economical, thus overcoming the drawbacks of the traditional approach of pyrometallurgy. Many different types of bacteria are employed in the process of Bioleaching, which are collectively grouped under chemolithotrophs, as they derive their energy from inorganic compounds. Bioleaching is the mobilization of metal cations from insoluble ores by microorganisms. All chemolithotropic bacteria are extremophiles since they have the ability to survive in extreme conditions. They carry out the process of Bioleaching through three mechanisms: Indirect, contact/ direct and cooperative bioleaching. This review gives a sneak peek into the different strains of chemolithotrophs which are used in bioleaching, and some recent work in the field. It also gives an insight into the general process and mechanism of Bioleaching, the study of which will pave way for developing better and efficient industrial bioleaching operations.
F. Rostami; S. Feiznia; M. Aleali; M. Heshmati; B. Yousefi yegane
Abstract
Grupi and Kashkan marl formations comprise a considerable part of Zagros region. These formations have a considerable erodibility and sedimentation potential because of their special geological and mineralogical characteristics. The objective of this study was to compare the erosion and sediment ...
Read More
Grupi and Kashkan marl formations comprise a considerable part of Zagros region. These formations have a considerable erodibility and sedimentation potential because of their special geological and mineralogical characteristics. The objective of this study was to compare the erosion and sediment yield of Kashkan and Grupi formations in Merk watershed located in southeast Kermanshah, using the Modified Pacific Southwest Inter-Agency Committee model. This model is suitable for estimating erosion and sediment intensity within each geomorphologic unit comprising nine effective environmental factors as geological, pedological, climate, runoff, topography, land cover, land use, surface, and river erosion factors. The results indicated that Kashkan formation comprises siltstone, sandstone, shale, and conglomerate, and Grupi formation contains shale, clay, and limestone with a high erodibility potential. Field measurements and soil samples analyzed for effective factors releaved that sediment yield for Merek watershed was 18080.6 m3/ha/y. Furthermore, field measurement and soil samples analyzed for effective factors releaved that sediment yields for Kashkan and Gurpi were 7243.3 and 10837.5 m3/ha/y, respectively. The reasons for erosion intensity and sedimentation in the two mentioned formations are slopes, vegetation and land use in addition to the type of rocks in Kashkan and Gurpi formations which are predominantly marl and shale.
Environmental Management
P.C. Emenike; D.O. Omole; B.U. Ngene; I.T. Tenebe
Abstract
The expensive nature of metal ions detoxification from wastewater have restricted the use of conventional treatment technologies. Cheap, alternative measures have been adopted to eliminate metal contamination, and adsorptions using agricultural adsorbents seem to be the way forward. The use of agricultural ...
Read More
The expensive nature of metal ions detoxification from wastewater have restricted the use of conventional treatment technologies. Cheap, alternative measures have been adopted to eliminate metal contamination, and adsorptions using agricultural adsorbents seem to be the way forward. The use of agricultural adsorbents for cadmium (II), copper (II) and lead (II) ion removal has gained more interest in literature due to the level of contamination in water bodies. This review shed lights on the removal proficiency of various low–cost agricultural adsorbent for the elimination of cadmium (II), copper (II) and lead (II) ions, considering performance, surface modification, equilibrium adsorptive studies, kinetic characteristics, coefficient of correlation (R2) and reuse. Furthermore, these agricultural adsorbents have displayed better performance when rivaled with commercial/conventional adsorbent. Observations from different adsorptive capacities presented owe their performance to surface area improvement/modification, pH of the adsorbent, ionic potential of the solution, initial concentration and elemental component of the adsorbent. However, gaps have been identified to improve applicability, sorption performance, economic viability, optimization, and commercialization of suitable agricultural adsorbents.
C.A. Odiji; O.M. Aderoju; M.C. Ekwe; D.T. Oje; J.O. Imhanfidon
Abstract
Runoff assessment and estimation is crucial for watershed management as it provides information that is needed to expedite the course of watershed planning and development. The most commonly used model due to its simplicity and versatility in runoff estimation is the soil conservation service curve number ...
Read More
Runoff assessment and estimation is crucial for watershed management as it provides information that is needed to expedite the course of watershed planning and development. The most commonly used model due to its simplicity and versatility in runoff estimation is the soil conservation service curve number developed by the United States Department of Agriculture. The study estimates the surface runoff of Upper Benue watershed using a geospatial based soil conservation service curve number model. Datasets utilized for this purpose are; Rainfall, land use, digitial elevation model and FAO-Soil. The soil and land use data were intersected to create the curve number grid and database. The curve number grid combined with the mean annual rainfall data from 1990 – 2017 was used to estimate runoff. The result revealed that 61.5% of rainfall was direct runoff while 38.5% of the rainfall was retained by tree/plant cover and soil. The average curve number for the normal condition was calculated to be 80.1 while the dry and wet season was 59.6, and 93.2 respectively. The average runoff volume for 27 years was estimated to be 69,887.43mm3. A correlation coefficient of 0.79 was found for the relationship between rainfall and runoff. The research highlights the importance of geospatial technique when integrated with soil conservation service curve number to estimate runoff conditions in Upper Benue Watershed.
Environmental Engineering
E.N. Hidayah; R.B. Pachwarya; O.H. Cahyonugroho
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The existence of organic matter is one of the main issues for wastewater reclamation since chlorination is applied most frequently before use wastewater reclamation for many purposes. One of the eco-friendly and effective methods is using innovative material through resin immobilized ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The existence of organic matter is one of the main issues for wastewater reclamation since chlorination is applied most frequently before use wastewater reclamation for many purposes. One of the eco-friendly and effective methods is using innovative material through resin immobilized heterogeneous photocatalyst, which is based on the principle of advanced oxidation processes. Resin immobilized photocatalyst has been using for pollutant reduction, however lack of studies focused on dissolved effluent organic matter and its impact on the formation carcinogenic as by-product of water or wastewater treatment. This study aims to characterize organic matter by resin immobilized photocatalyzed titanium dioxide and zinc oxide and to determine its effectiveness in removing organic matter and potential for disinfection by-products in treated wastewater compare with resin only.METHODS: The bulk parameters, including total organic carbon, aromatic organic carbon as ultraviolet at 254 nm wavelength and specific ultraviolet absorbance value, and disinfection by-products formation potential, including trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids concentration was measured.FINDINGS: The results present that all materials could remove organic carbon in the range 58.18% - 93.45%, aromatic organic carbon removal 48.77% - 76.51%, and specific ultraviolet absorbance value decreased into less than 2 L/mg-m after longer contact time. Disinfection by-products formation potential concentration removal decreased and indicated the consistency results with bulk parameters removal. Resin immobilized photocatalyzed zinc oxide performed a higher efficiency removal than resin immobilized photocatalyzed titanium dioxide and resin only.CONCLUSION: This study exhibited the performance of resin immobilized photocatalyst with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in removing dissolved organic matter and to control the formation of disinfection by-products. A combination between bulk parameters and disinfection by-products formation potential removal concluded that the aromatic structure, was mainly haloacetic acids precursors, while the non-aromatic organic fraction was probably trihalomethanes precursors.
L. Askarizadeh; A.R. Karbassi; M.B. Ghalibaf; J. Nouri
Abstract
Ancient City of Ray, located at the southern urban part of Tehran province, is one of the best recognized civilization sites in the world. In this study, the past earthquake incidence in Ray was reviewed using hazards united states tool as a geographic information system-based natural hazard analysis ...
Read More
Ancient City of Ray, located at the southern urban part of Tehran province, is one of the best recognized civilization sites in the world. In this study, the past earthquake incidence in Ray was reviewed using hazards united states tool as a geographic information system-based natural hazard analysis tool. hazards united states tool was chosen to estimate the damage on structural and non-structural elements during various earthquake scenarios with magnitudes of 4.5, 6 and 7.5 on the Richter scale in Ray City. Earthquake magnetitudes of 4.5, 6 and 7.5 would severely damage 49, 72 and 82% of buildings, respectively. The number of casualties was estimated to be in the range of 558 to 2220 people. It was also computed that 93, 197 and 331 km3 of debris would be produced at 4.5, 6 and 7.5 Richter earthquake, respectively. Subsequently, Arc-GIS was used to find out the best route from the affected areas to the temporary disposal locations and to allocate the required number of heavy equipments and manpowers for debris disposal planning. A set of factors, including diversity of the existing wastes, separation of the recyclable wastes, and allocation of the best place and route for debris disposal in the shortest time and with the shortest distance in the street network, were presented and considered in the analyses. Finally, it was concluded that debris management is not only a logistic activity, but also it is an inseparable part of the post-accident recovery process.
Environmental Engineering
N. Amani; A.A. Reza Soroush
Abstract
Building information modeling can help in predicting the energy efficiency in future based on dynamic patterns obtained by visualization of data. The aim of this study was to investigate the effective parameters of energy consumption using BIM technology which can evaluate the buildings energy performance. ...
Read More
Building information modeling can help in predicting the energy efficiency in future based on dynamic patterns obtained by visualization of data. The aim of this study was to investigate the effective parameters of energy consumption using BIM technology which can evaluate the buildings energy performance. First, three forms of general states in the building were modeled to evaluate the proposed designs in Autodesk Revit Software. Then, the main building form for energy modeling and analysis was selected. Autodesk Revit 2020 software was also used to obtain the results of climate data analysis and building energy consumption index. Finally, the most optimal mode was selected by examining different energy consumption modes. The results showed that the use of building information modeling technology in adjusting the parameters affecting energy consumption can save energy cost up to 58.23% in block D. Energy cost savings for block C and the western lobby were obtained as 51.03% and 43.05%, respectively. Based on energy use intensity, energy cost savings for blocks C, D, and the western lobby were estimated as 16.67%, 16.30%, and 11%, respectively. The results of parametric studies on alternative schemes of energy use intensity optimization showed that 16.30% savings could be achieved by the base building model in a 30-year time horizon. Therefore, it was concluded that optimization of energy consumption would reduce the environmental pollutants emission and contribute to preservation and sustainability of the environment.
Environmental Science
Z. Mohebi; H. Mirzaei
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Assessment of biodiversity is a key factor in understanding of function and ecosystem management. Nevertheless, an operating procedure for assessing biodiversity and spatial pattern has not been established yet. Therefore, this empirical study was conducted to explore the role ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Assessment of biodiversity is a key factor in understanding of function and ecosystem management. Nevertheless, an operating procedure for assessing biodiversity and spatial pattern has not been established yet. Therefore, this empirical study was conducted to explore the role of diversity of species in the spatial patterning of tow shrub herbaceous communities. METHODS: First, the biodiversity analysis was performed by Past3 software to compare the relationship between the two communities. Secondly, the distance and quadrat indices were employed to explore the spatial relationship of dominant species with diversity. In this regard, 64 and 84 plant species recorded in two vegetation types were investigated. Distribution patterns were extracted by distance and quadrat indices and Ecological Methodology software.FINDINGS: The results showed that vegetation type 2 had more diversity and richness compared to vegetation type 1. Besides, the spatial distributions of dominant species (Astragalus gossipinus and Bromus tomentellus) in the two vegetation types were clumped and random with tendency to be clumped. The Scrophulariaceae, Malvaceae, Papaveraceae, and Euphorbiaceae families were not found in vegetation Type 1, and vegetation Type 2 had no species of the Boraginaceae, Rosaceae, Thumeliaceae, Capparidaceae, Oleaceae, Sistaceae, and Dispaceae families. The results showed significant differences in the number of Gaminae and Legominosea families between the two vegetation types. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that in communities with a dominant cover of shrub, the distribution pattern was clumped, and quadrat indices were less efficient than distance indices. While, in high-diversity communities with a predominant cover of gross, spatial distribution was random and distance and quadrat indices were more convergent.
H. Eryilmaz
Abstract
Global warming is increasing permanently, because the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is rising continuously. According to National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere was 407 ppm in June 2016 and 413 ppm in April 2017 as a last record for now. ...
Read More
Global warming is increasing permanently, because the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is rising continuously. According to National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere was 407 ppm in June 2016 and 413 ppm in April 2017 as a last record for now. If the effects of other greenhouse gases, such as CH4, N2O, SF6, NF3, chlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons are added, the effective concentration may reach or exceed 550 ppm CO2-equivalent. According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change-2014 Climate Change Report, this is about two times higher than 278 ppm CO2 concentration in the pre-industrial year 1765. Thus, very urgent solutions must be found. The aim of this article is to suggest a vital, fast and very meticulous solution using NH3 gas in the atmosphere in order to decrease the atmospheric CO2 without delay. The laboratory experiments in the gas phase for (NH3+ CO2) reaction showed us that to use NH3 gas in the atmosphere will be a very fast, effective method for decreasing CO2 concentration of atmosphere. (NH3+ CO2) reaction is also quantitative in the cold atmosphere strata and there will be no more free ammonia in the atmosphere and no public health problem.
A. Masih
Abstract
Modern studies in the field of environment science and engineering show that deterministic models struggle to capture the relationship between the concentration of atmospheric pollutants and their emission sources. The recent advances in statistical modeling based on machine learning approaches have ...
Read More
Modern studies in the field of environment science and engineering show that deterministic models struggle to capture the relationship between the concentration of atmospheric pollutants and their emission sources. The recent advances in statistical modeling based on machine learning approaches have emerged as solution to tackle these issues. It is a fact that, input variable type largely affect the performance of an algorithm, however, it is yet to be known why an algorithm is preferred over the other for a certain task. The work aims at highlighting the underlying principles of machine learning techniques and about their role in enhancing the prediction performance. The study adopts, 38 most relevant studies in the field of environmental science and engineering which have applied machine learning techniques during last 6 years. The review conducted explores several aspects of the studies such as: 1) the role of input predictors to improve the prediction accuracy; 2) geographically where these studies were conducted; 3) the major techniques applied for pollutant concentration estimation or forecasting; and 4) whether these techniques were based on Linear Regression, Neural Network, Support Vector Machine or Ensemble learning algorithms. The results obtained suggest that, machine learning techniques are mainly conducted in continent Europe and America. Furthermore a factorial analysis named multi-component analysis performed show that pollution estimation is generally performed by using ensemble learning and linear regression based approaches, whereas, forecasting tasks tend to implement neural networks and support vector machines based algorithms.
Environmental Engineering
N. D. Takarina; O. M. Chuan; M. I. Afifudin; L. Tristan; I. Arif; A. Adiwibowo
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Coastal ecosystems worldwide have been threatened by changing land use and environmental determinants. These conditions have impacted important marine resources, including fish diversity. Southeast Asia, one region experiencing massive land use change, still has limited information ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Coastal ecosystems worldwide have been threatened by changing land use and environmental determinants. These conditions have impacted important marine resources, including fish diversity. Southeast Asia, one region experiencing massive land use change, still has limited information on how land use and disturbed coastal ecosystems impact fish diversity. This information is urgently needed as fish is one of the most important food resources here. This study aims to assess and compare the environment and tropical fish community between disturbed and intact sites, represented by coasts dominated by settlements and coasts dominated by mangrove forests in West Java, Indonesia.METHODS: Fish sampling was carried out at two sites: Jakarta as the disturbed site and Subang as the intact site; water quality was also measured at these sites. Land uses at the sites were interpreted using satellite imagery. Fish diversity was determined using the Shannon–Wiener index, rarefaction curve, and Lorenz graph. Principal component analysis, analysis of variance, and the x2-test were used to determine environmental factors that affected the fish community at both sites. Akaike’s information criterion was assigned to model the relationship between environmental factors and the fish community.FINDINGS: Coasts characterized by anthropogenic disturbances and the absence of mangrove cover have a lower potential of hydrogen (pH) and reduced fish diversity by up to 53.91%. The intact site had higher fish diversity and made a greater contribution to conservation by providing habitats for fish species with the least concern and vulnerability statuses, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. From the AIC model, the decreasing water pH (AICc = 27.28) was the main determinant that reduces fish diversity at disturbed sites compared to dissolved oxygen (Akaike’s information criterion = 28.13) and salinity (Akaike’s information criterion = 29.95).CONCLUSION: The coastal fish community was affected by differences in environmental factors, land uses, and mangrove cover driven by anthropogenic influences. The AIC model proved capable of assessing the effects of environmental factors on coastal fish communities. This study modeled environmental factors that should be managed and prioritized to restore and conserve the fish community along tropical coasts.
Environmental Engineering
. Rinawati; A. Rahmawati; D.R. Muthia; M.D. Imelda; F.H. Latief; S. Mohamad; A.A. Kiswandono
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Preliminary studies on the exploration of carbonaceous materials from agricultural waste and their use as adsorbents for antibiotic removal have shown the potential to address a new threat to human health due to antibiotic residue. Therefore, this study developed and synthesized ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Preliminary studies on the exploration of carbonaceous materials from agricultural waste and their use as adsorbents for antibiotic removal have shown the potential to address a new threat to human health due to antibiotic residue. Therefore, this study developed and synthesized graphene oxide from corn cob for its efficiency in removing ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin.METHODS: The Hummers methods were used to synthesize graphene oxide from corn cobs. Graphene oxide was characterized using Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive x-ray, and x-ray diffraction instruments. During the synthesis process, antibiotic adsorption tests were extensively conducted by exploring four variables, namely dosage of adsorbent, potential hydrogen, concentration, and contact time.FINDINGS: The result showed that graphene oxide from corn cob effectively removed 47 percent of ceftriaxone and 92.62 percent of ciprofloxacin. Furthermore, to ensure optimum use of the adsorbents, antibiotics ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin weighing 40 milligrams and 20 milligrams. This is in addition to the initial concentrations of 14 and 2 parts per million, the potential of hydrogen 4, and contact times of 50 and 40 minutes, respectively.CONCLUSION: In conclusion, adsorbents made from corn cobs are better at the removal of ciprofloxacin from water than the antibiotic ceftriaxone. The difference in molecular structure affected the percentage of antibiotic adsorption onto graphene oxide derived from corn cob. This study underscores the potential of the derived material as a promising adsorbent for efficiently removing ciprofloxacin from aquatic environments. The use of agricultural waste as advanced materials to address antibiotic residue pollution provided additional environmental pollution.
Environmental Management
M. Maphosa; V. Maphosa
Abstract
The outcome of improper electronic waste management is an environmental and epidemiological catastrophe; therefore, its management has become crucial given the increase in e-waste generation. Global e-waste output eclipsed 52 million metric tonnes in 2020, growing at 3% per annum. The United Nations ...
Read More
The outcome of improper electronic waste management is an environmental and epidemiological catastrophe; therefore, its management has become crucial given the increase in e-waste generation. Global e-waste output eclipsed 52 million metric tonnes in 2020, growing at 3% per annum. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 12 highlights that only 20% of the generated e-waste was properly recycled, with the remainder indiscriminately disposed of. There has been considerable growth in publications on e-waste and the environment over the past few decades. This study provides an overview of the research landscape on the impact of e-waste on the environment using bibliometric analysis. VOSviewer software is used to visualise the current trends and the recent hotspots. It is observed that the research hotspots in the field are: soil, health, environmental impact, recovery, electronic equipment, and waste electrical and electronic equipment. By tracing the evolutionary research pathway, it is clear that the research hotspots have shifted focus to e-waste generation, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and circular economy. A total of 141 articles on e-waste and the environment published between 2003 and 2021 were selected for the study. The publication and citation analysis showed a steady increase in publications and citations. China dominates with a third of articles published by authors, followed by India and the United States. Developing countries contributed about 17% of total publications. The articles retrieved were cited 5290 times and had an h-index of 39. Finally, using network analysis techniques, four key themes are identified. The first theme relates to the strategies employed in recovering minerals from e-waste. The second theme focuses on the concentration levels of the heavy minerals found in e-waste. The third theme visualises the impact of e-waste on health, and finally, the fourth theme highlights the effects of e-waste on the environment. The study adds valuable insights to the body of literature in hazardous and toxic substances management. No studies were found chronicling the environmental effects of e-waste using bibliometric analysis. In light of the Sustainable Development Goals, further research needs to be undertaken, and these findings serve as a baseline for policymakers and scholars as more management strategies and policies are enacted.
Environmental Management
G. Saini; P. S. Deepak
Abstract
The entire world is reeling under the worst pandemic of last 100 years. Over 128 million people have been infected with it and 2.8 million deaths have already taken place, till 30th March 2021. The identification of materials positive cases is the first step towards its containment and treatment. However, ...
Read More
The entire world is reeling under the worst pandemic of last 100 years. Over 128 million people have been infected with it and 2.8 million deaths have already taken place, till 30th March 2021. The identification of materials positive cases is the first step towards its containment and treatment. However, testing of individuals is an extensive, expensive and time-consuming exercise. In addition, societal taboos are also associated with infected individuals resulting in very few people volunteering for testing, esp. in the developing and under-developed world. An alternative approach that circumvents individual testing is the wastewater-based epidemiology. A state-of-the-art review of this method is provided in context of its utility for COVID-19 detection. This technique relies on collecting and testing samples from sewers and/or wastewater treatment plants for the presence of pathogens and then using that data to determine and predict the spread of the infection, thereby allowing the provision of appropriate containment and treatment steps. The study covers key aspects of wastewater-based epidemiology application for COVID-19 detection including its need, detailed process of detection and assessment, data analysis, economics and challenges to its application. Findings from a number of case studies are presented to elucidate the utility of this technique. It is clearly seen that WBE-based approach is a much better strategy as compared to individual testing and can be adopted to prevent further spread of Covid-19. The work is expected to further emphasize the application of this method for COVID (and other pandemic) detection and implementing containment strategies. This is clearly a much more economical and non-intrusive approach as compared to the individual testing.
Environmental Management
S. Ajbar El Gueriri; F. El Mansouri; F. Achemlal; S. Lachaal; J. Brigui; A. Fakih Lanjri
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Good health and a safe environment are essential for sustainable development, including the appropriate management of healthcare wastes. The study intends to assess the generation rate and management methods of healthcare waste in the regional hospital center and a private ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Good health and a safe environment are essential for sustainable development, including the appropriate management of healthcare wastes. The study intends to assess the generation rate and management methods of healthcare waste in the regional hospital center and a private clinic in Tangier, Morocco, with a focus on potential risks to health workers from infectious diseases.METHODS: The study collected data on healthcare waste generation over a period of two months by measuring and analyzing general and hazardous waste using an electronic scale. The data was presented as averages in kilograms per bed per day and as percentages. A questionnaire was provided to 100 healthcare workers. It included questions on their sociodemographic characteristics and their knowledge and attitudes regarding healthcare waste management.FINDINGS: The case study revealed that the healthcare waste production in the two institutions varied, with the private clinic producing 0.76 kilograms per day per bed and the regional hospital center producing 1.84 kilograms per day per bed. The survey also discovered that the hazardous fraction of waste generated in the regional hospital center was 40 percent, which was much higher than the World Health Organization’s estimation. The daily amount of hazardous waste generated increased from 260.49 kilograms to 436.81 kilograms post-COVID-19. The survey found gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and daily challenges in waste management practices among the health workers in both facilities.CONCLUSION: The survey findings suggest that the healthcare waste management methods in Tangier are unsafe and may endanger the health workers and patients. The study found that the lack of monitoring and control contributed significantly to noncompliance with good practices. These findings can be used by the regional divisions of the Ministry of Health to develop specific protocols for managing sanitary emergencies and perform routine observation and training at all levels in the two facilities studied.
Environmental Science
L. Fitriyana; M.D. Supardan; Y. Aisyah; Irfan .
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Calophyllum inophyllum (C. inophyllum), or Nyamplung, seeds contain various active compounds. Using C. inophyllum seeds as a source of flavonoids for natural antioxidants can increase their economic value and provide alternative compounds for cosmetics, including lotions. This ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Calophyllum inophyllum (C. inophyllum), or Nyamplung, seeds contain various active compounds. Using C. inophyllum seeds as a source of flavonoids for natural antioxidants can increase their economic value and provide alternative compounds for cosmetics, including lotions. This study applied maceration and ultrasonic methods using ethanol to extract the active compounds from the C. inophyllum seeds. The study optimised extracting the antioxidant components from C. inophyllum seeds using response surface methodology.METHODS: The experimental design used in this study was response surface methodology with a Box–Behnken design to model the influence of variables on the response of the yield and antioxidant activity of extracts obtained through maceration and ultrasonic extraction and to model lotion formulation. The extraction methods were designed with three variables (extraction time, solvent concentration, and sample–solvent ratio) and three levels (low, medium, and high), and the compounds in the extracts were analysed. Lotion formulation was designed with three variables (C. inophyllum seed extract, Tween 80, and carbomer) and three levels (low, medium, and high), and the quality of the lotion product (antioxidant activity and viscosity) was analysed.Results: The C. inophyllum seed extract obtained through maceration had stronger antioxidant activity than that obtained using the ultrasonic method, with 50 per cent inhibition concentration values of 13.154 and 16.343 part per million, respectively. Characterisation with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy revealed ten compounds with major percentage values, among them 2''-(trimethylsilyl)oxy-3,4,4'',5- tetramethoxychalcone (49.70 per cent). This compound played an important role in enhancing antioxidant activity in C. inophyllum seeds extracted through maceration, whereas butylated hydroxytoluene (9.16 per cent) was important in the extract obtained using the ultrasonic method. The lotion produced from the C. inophyllum seed extract contained high antioxidant activity with a 50 per cent inhibition concentration of 4.621 part per million; the toxicity text showed it was safe to be used (50 per cent lethal concentration of 789 grams per millilitre).CONCLUSION: The results showed the effectiveness of this approach in determining the optimal conditions to maximise antioxidant content. The maceration method better ability enhanced the antioxidant activity capacity of C. inophyllum seeds compared to the ultrasonic method, as indicated by the response surface method. Both extraction methods produced the same secondary metabolite compounds with a promising reservoir of antioxidant compounds. In addition, the findings of this study showed the high antioxidant activity of C. inophyllum seed extract lotion, which could be developed for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and other applications.
Environmental Management
M. Kadłubek
Abstract
In this study, an investigation of long-term forecasts relating to the development of the transport sector in Poland is performed, including the ones by 2030 and 2050. Selected transport development forecasts from the perspective of the membership of Poland in the European Union are presented and most ...
Read More
In this study, an investigation of long-term forecasts relating to the development of the transport sector in Poland is performed, including the ones by 2030 and 2050. Selected transport development forecasts from the perspective of the membership of Poland in the European Union are presented and most of all, from the perspective of national studies. The basement for the review was the prognosis of European Commission, Central Statistical Office, International Monetary Fund, Department of Economic, Sectoral and Agricultural Market of BGZ BNP PARIBAS S.A., Motor Transport Institute, Wise Europa Institute of Warsaw Transport Institute, as well as prognosis of the scientific experts. Despite temporary economic downturns, the demand for freight transport is steadily growing and, as shown by the forecasts, it will grow in the future. In 2018 the situation on the freight transport market was expected to remain stable, mainly due to the continuous high demand for international carriages.
Environmental Engineering
M. Hazbehiean; N. Mokhtarian; A. Hallajisani
Abstract
More than 5.5 trillion cigarettes are manufactured, and approximately 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are being scattered across the globe per year. These cigarette butts are considered as one of the most hazardous wastes and environmental threats in the world. Thermochemical techniques can be used to turn ...
Read More
More than 5.5 trillion cigarettes are manufactured, and approximately 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are being scattered across the globe per year. These cigarette butts are considered as one of the most hazardous wastes and environmental threats in the world. Thermochemical techniques can be used to turn biomass and solid wastes into valuable final products. Pyrolysis is a comfortable thermochemical technique for turning biomass into biochars, biofuels, briquette solid fuels, and further valuable products such as activated carbons, carbon black, and printing ink. In this study, it was attempted to review the available researches about pyrolysis of cigarette butts with an emphasis on transforming them into carbonated solid and liquid products. It was found that, in addition to the process variables, the type of cigarette butts treatment has a significant effect on the yield and quality of the finished goods. Further studies on the pyrolysis of cigarette butts, especially microwave-assisted pyrolysis and hybrid waste pyrolysis, seemed to be necessary. Solving the technical issues associated with the pyrolysis of cigarette butts to produce the value-added goods would contribute to their application in waste disposal and recycling of other resources. Future studies should focus on the separation methods with the help of gas products to provide the heat required in the reactor. Moreover, mixing the sewage sludge material, as a feed, with cigarette butts and application of appropriate models and experiments to attain the products with specific properties are recommended. The results of this study can be used to eliminate the hazards of the cigarette butts scattered in the environment and create the added value for the pyrolysis process.
Environmental Science
N. Robertson; B. Oinam
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Land suitability analysis is a technique of attaining optimum utilization of natural available land resource. This study is the first attempt to map the potential rice suitability zone besides the existing rice cultivation zone in Imphal-Iril River catchment. The overriding ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Land suitability analysis is a technique of attaining optimum utilization of natural available land resource. This study is the first attempt to map the potential rice suitability zone besides the existing rice cultivation zone in Imphal-Iril River catchment. The overriding objective of this study is to identify the land suitability potential zones for rice crop cultivation. The study was carried-out in Imphal-Iril River catchment, Manipur, India.METHODS: The suitability analysis was carried-out based on soil, climate and topographic parameters as the input variable using integrated geographical information system and analytic hierarchy process, a multi criteria decision based approach. To compute criteria weight for various suitability classes, pairwise comparison matrix was applied using analytical hierarchy process and the resulting weights were used for assigning criteria ranking.FINDINGS: The study result indicates that the major section of high and moderate potential suitability zones of rice is concentrated in the flatter valley regions of the catchment. The result also indicates that there is 79.15 km2 of the area which can be potentially cultivated other than the existing agriculture cover. The major patches of such zones are found in the north-western portion of the valley region in the catchment.CONCLUSION: This study clearly indicates, the potential zones lying in the foothills in the north-western which are still not under the agriculture cover have the potential to be cultivated as per the model result. The model result clearly indicates the potential of geographical information system integrated with analytical hierarchy process technique can be utilized to decide the weights of each individual parameter using experts’ opinions which can serve as a versatile tool to carry-out such kind of analysis which can aid policy makers.
Environmental Engineering
A. Bdour; A. Hejab; L. Almakhadmeh; M. Hawa
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Energy efficiency plays a crucial role in the success and sustainability of desalination technologies. Energy considerations are intricately linked with every aspect of planning, management, and operation in water desalination. This study aims to evaluate and enhance energy ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Energy efficiency plays a crucial role in the success and sustainability of desalination technologies. Energy considerations are intricately linked with every aspect of planning, management, and operation in water desalination. This study aims to evaluate and enhance energy requirements, energy efficiency, and the economic feasibility of the Hashemite University photovoltaic brackish water reverse osmosis desalination plant at Hashemite University.METHODS: This study’s aims were achieved by conducting an energy audit and detailed assessment to identify the energy efficiency considerations that should be integrated into the facility’s planning, management, and operation strategies. To ensure accurate and reliable data collection and enable a comprehensive analysis of the plant’s energy performance, portable energy analyzers and loggers were employed to measure energy consumption, and measurements and verification techniques were recommended and implemented to establish the required baseline. A regression model was utilized to determine the potential energy savings resulting from energy conservation measures. This involved determining the expected savings by calculating the area between two curves: the new actual consumption of the brackish water reverse osmosis plant after implementing energy conservation measures and the curve generated by the model representing the usual consumption in the absence of energy conservation measures.FINDINGS: This study underscores the challenges faced by desalination, particularly regarding intensive energy consumption. It also presents innovative ways to achieve sustainability by emphasizing energy efficiency, integrating renewable energy, and advocating for a holistic water management approach. It was determined that the maximum specific energy consumption of the Hashemite University photovoltaic brackish water reverse osmosis plant was 0.625 kilowatts per cubic meter. This reflects the actual consumption and energy performance of the plant, which was found to be 192 percent more efficient than the estimated specific energy and 144 percent more efficient than the calculated specific energy. No energy conservation measures were implemented at this stage, as the plant was already operating efficiently. The measured data shall be considered as a baseline for future investigations and monitoring and evaluation of the plant. Many challenges were identified during the current work, including the low quality of raw water and minimal demand for freshwater, which resulted in lower operation hours outside of sun peak hours, while the direct utilization of photovoltaic energy is recommended.CONCLUSION: Renewable energy and energy recovery were recognized as potential sources for energy savings to achieve sustainable and long-term feasible operation and cost recovery at the Hashemite University photovoltaic brackish water reverse osmosis plant. The feasibility of the plant showed a fast payback period of up to 1.1 years. Utilizing clean solar photovoltaic energy to power the brackish water reverse osmosis plant led to a considerable reduction of greenhouse gases (mainly carbon dioxide). The estimated amount of carbon dioxide reduction during the project’s lifetime was 1,289,600 kilograms. The integration of solar energy showed promise for further enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability. This study contributes to making the desalination sector more environmentally friendly and economically viable, which is of paramount importance in addressing global water scarcity concerns.
Environmental Science
D. Sivakumar; P. Srikanth; P. W. Ramteke; J. Nouri
Abstract
The amount of agricultural waste generated by agro-based industries such as palm oil, rubber, and wood processing plants have more than tripled. Selangor, Perak, and Johor account for 65.7 percent of the total number of recognised pollution sources in the manufacturing and agro-based sectors. Livestock ...
Read More
The amount of agricultural waste generated by agro-based industries such as palm oil, rubber, and wood processing plants have more than tripled. Selangor, Perak, and Johor account for 65.7 percent of the total number of recognised pollution sources in the manufacturing and agro-based sectors. Livestock dung is another major cause of pollution, contributing significantly to increase pollution levels in the environment. Large portion of agro-industrial waste is untreated and unused, it is frequently disposed of by replicating or dumping then again off the cuff landfilling. These untreated wastes wreak havoc on natural change by releasing ozone-depleting chemicals. Aside from that, the usage of fossil fuels is also leading to an increase in ozone-depleting compounds. Agro-waste is a huge environmental hazard in the current epidemic situation. The management of agro-waste and the conversion of agro-waste into a usable product through the application of biotechnological technologies in agriculture are receiving a lot of attention in today''s world. Solid state fermentation is the finest approach for converting agro-waste into valuable bio products among biotechnological instruments. Various agro-wastes such as wheat straw, barley straw, cotton stalks, sunflower stacks, and oil cakes from various agriculture goods, as well as major horticulture wastes such as apple, mango, orange peels, and potato peels, were used to create beneficial products in this review. All aspects of the production of industrial products from various agro-waste by using microorganisms such as Amycolatopsis Mediterranean, Xanthomonas campestries, and Aspergillus niger producing biopolymers such as polysaccharides, similar to starch, cellulose, agar, hemi-celluloses, gelatin, alginate, and carrageenan are covered in the current revels. Yeasts and cyanobacteria are commonly employed to make bio-lipids, whereas Bacillus species are utilised to make proteins and bio-enzymes. Cucumber and orange strips, on the other hand, have recently been employed to create proteins and bio-enzymes. As a result, this review covers the many forms of agro-wastes and their by-products as well as biotechnological technologies used to treat them.
Environmental Management
L. Sulistyowati; N. Nurhasanah; E. Riani; M. R. Cordova
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Heavy metals are categorized as hazardous pollutants due to their incapability in decomposing and undergoing bioaccumulation and biomagnification. Heavy metal pollution is a global issue, particularly in emerging nations such as Indonesia. In this case, sediments contribute ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Heavy metals are categorized as hazardous pollutants due to their incapability in decomposing and undergoing bioaccumulation and biomagnification. Heavy metal pollution is a global issue, particularly in emerging nations such as Indonesia. In this case, sediments contribute to pollution dispersion because they can transport, mobilize, and redistribute toxic compounds. The Cisadane river is one of 15 watersheds in Indonesia with the highest restoration priority. Therefore, it is essential to conduct study on the sediment quality of this river. This investigation aimed to evaluate the levels of cadmium, chromium, and lead in the sediments to assess the conditions of the Cisadane River.METHODS: At eight stations (representing the midstream and downstream region), surface sediment samples were collected using a van Veen sediment grab based on the hypothesis that heavy metal pollution originated from land-based activities and migrated down river estuaries. The Thermo Scientific iCAP 7400 was utilized to assess heavy metals (cadmium, chromium, and lead) by adopting prior research methodologies and method guidelines.FINDINGS: Except for lead, which surpassed the interim sediment quality standard, the levels of heavy metals observed in the midstream and downstream sections of the Cisadane River were found to be well below the guideline level. In this case, lead was the metal with the highest concentration in the sediments of the Cisadane River, followed by chromium and cadmium. The enrichment of heavy metals in river sediments was most likely caused by soil leaching, municipal and industrial sewage, as well as land waste disposal. After the landfill area, there were two areas with the highest concentration. Therefore, this investigation indicated the existence of landfills as point sources of heavy metals. Regarding specifics, two sites following the landfill constitute the apex of heavy metal amplification.CONCLUSION: This analysis shows that the sediment's cadmium, chromium, and lead contents are below the standards' threshold and safe for the habitat. Cadmium, chromium and lead exceed sediment quality requirements in sample sites after landfills, assumed to be due to leachate discharge and landfill activities. This study further also reveals that landfills are point sources of heavy metals. In this case, the heavy metals are two to four times higher in one kilometer from the landfill's leachate discharge. Therefore, the Enforcement of the Indonesia Waste Law Number 18 Year 2008 would have replaced unsanitary dumping including implementation of physicochemical, biological, and combination remediation techniques, with a vastly superior waste management system.
Environmental Management
V. G. Shcherbak; I. Brizgan; V. Chevhanova; L. Svistun; O. Hryhoryeva
Abstract
This study provides a comprehensive scientific analysis of contemporary problems resulted from the forced migration of the Ukrainian population and its impact on the sustainable development of 47 host communities of Poltava region. By means of cluster analysis 4 clusters of 26 rural territories were ...
Read More
This study provides a comprehensive scientific analysis of contemporary problems resulted from the forced migration of the Ukrainian population and its impact on the sustainable development of 47 host communities of Poltava region. By means of cluster analysis 4 clusters of 26 rural territories were identified. They differ in the size of local budgets and the involvement level of forcedly displaced population into the local economy. Factor analysis showed that the involvement level of forcedly displaced population in the region's economy is determined by 2 groups according to 10 indicators. 8 indicators of the first factor determine 2/3 of the dispersion of refugees' impact on rural economy. The first factor reduces the gross regional product by 61.75%. The indicators of the second factor shows a positive impact and determines 15% of the dispersion. The use of game theory to identify conflicts of interest between refugees and host communities was justified. The reasonability to use the taxonomy method to construct a map of positioning rural areas according to the size of local budgets and the degree of integration of refugees is justified. The use of the created map identified the “growth points” in particular clusters. As a result of the implementation of the proposed conflict resolution mechanism between refugees and host communities, the budget of the rural areas of the first cluster increased by 18%, the second cluster by 14.5%, the third cluster by 13%, the fourth by 8%, refugee participation by 30%.
Environmental Science
G. Kowmudi; V. Rashmi; K. Anoop; N. Krishnaveni; S. Naveen
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Determining food composition and bioactivity is critical to both theoretical and applied research in food science and technology. This is frequently used to determine the nutritional value and overall acceptance of the food by consumers. The current study's goal is to determine ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Determining food composition and bioactivity is critical to both theoretical and applied research in food science and technology. This is frequently used to determine the nutritional value and overall acceptance of the food by consumers. The current study's goal is to determine the macronutrient, mineral and antioxidant activity of selected wheat and soybean varieties with the potential to be useful in the food industry to develop value-added products that are safe for consumption.METHODS: The proximate and mineral composition, gluten characterization, total phenolic contents, and antioxidant activity of three wheat cultivars and five soybean cultivars that are indigenous to India were studied.FINDINGS: Wheat varieties were found to be rich in carbohydrates (65.8-68.8 percent) and gluten (27.2-28.6 percent), whereas soybean varieties were found to be the richest source of protein (32.8-33.7 percent), fat (17.1-17.6 percent), fiber (21.7-28.8 percent), polyphenols (2.76-3.59 milligram gallic acid equivalent per gram, and antioxidant activity (97-123 microgram ascorbic acid equivalent per gram). These samples were also found to have significant content of essential minerals.CONCLUSION: The tested samples had a high nutritional value and energy content and could be a good source of nutrition for a large population. A comprehensive report on the proximate and mineral composition, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the wheat and soybean varieties collected from the Rewa district, India, was reported.
Environmental Management
. Nuraeni; N.I. Hawa; D. Utari; E. Parahyanti
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A lousy environment has the potential to be a predictor of disease transmission, which ultimately results in malnutrition among children. Meanwhile, the mother's role is crucial in the first 1000 days of life. This research aimed to determine the determinants of maternal behavior ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A lousy environment has the potential to be a predictor of disease transmission, which ultimately results in malnutrition among children. Meanwhile, the mother's role is crucial in the first 1000 days of life. This research aimed to determine the determinants of maternal behavior in preventing chronic malnutrition in children on the basis of environmental aspects.METHODS: This cross-sectional study with a quantitative design was conducted in Surabaya, Indonesia, with a sample of 208 pregnant women and 222 mothers of toddlers. A questionnaire was used to identify information related to the dependent variable, chronic malnutritional prevention behavior, on the basis of environmental aspects, and independent variables related to the determinants of maternal behavior. Data were analyzed via Chi-square test using the Statistical Program for Social Sciences.FINDINGS: As many as 80.8 percent of pregnant women and 65.8 percent of mothers under five had good chronic malnutritionchronic malnutrition prevention behavior. The perception of behavioral control in using clean water is significantly related to the behavior of pregnant women and mothers of toddlers, with significance values of 0.012 and 0.013, respectively. The perceived behavioral control towards washing hands with soap has a significant relationship with the behavior of pregnant women and mothers of toddlers, with significance values of 0.003 and 0.005, respectively. Pregnant women with poor behavioral control in washing their hands with clean water and soap were 2.963 times more likely to have poor chronic malnutritionchronic malnutritional prevention behavior than the comparison group. Subjective norms of using clean water and washing hands with clean water and soap in pregnant women are significantly related to chronic malnutritionchronic malnutrition prevention behavior, with significance values of 0.011 and 0.049, respectively, and odds ratios of 2 and 2.280, respectively.CONCLUSION: Environment-based chronic malnutritionchronic malnutritional prevention behavior in mothers is primarily influenced by perceived behavioral control and subjective norms. The family can be part of the subjective norms that drive aspects of attitudes and perceptions of behavioral control related to environment-based chronic malnutritionchronic malnutrition prevention practices. Meanwhile, the aspects of controlling maternal behavior can be intervened through efforts to minimize obstacles and increase the perception of benefits from behavior to prevent chronic malnutrition. Maternal behavioral change interventions could encourage the implementation of good behavior in preventing malnutrition in children. In the end, children could learn the behavior given by their mothers and adopt it.
