Hasil untuk "Environmental effects of industries and plants"

M. Isman

Y. Dumas, M. Dadomo, G. D. Lucca et al.

Alicia Mateos-Cárdenas, Frank N.A.M. van Pelt, John O’Halloran et al.

A. Budzianowska, K. Banaś, J. Budzianowski et al.

Antioxidants are indispensable in protecting the skin from oxidative stress caused by environmental factors such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation, pollution, and lifestyle-related influences. This review examines the essential role of antioxidants in modern cosmetology, highlighting their dual functionality as protective agents and active components in skincare formulations. Oxidative stress, primarily driven by an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the skin’s defense mechanisms, accelerates aging processes, damages cellular structures, and compromises skin integrity. Antioxidants, whether natural or synthetic, act by neutralizing ROS, reducing inflammation, and promoting cellular repair, effectively mitigating these harmful effects. This comprehensive analysis synthesizes findings from 280 studies accessed via key databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. It investigates the biochemical mechanisms of antioxidant activity, emphasizing compounds such as vitamins (C, E, A), carotenoids, polyphenols, peptides, and minerals, alongside bioactive extracts derived from algae, fungi, lichens, and plants. Carotenoids, including ꞵ-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and astaxanthin, demonstrate potent antioxidant activity, making them crucial for photoprotection and anti-aging. Phenolic compounds, such as ferulic acid, resveratrol, hesperidin, and xanthohumol, play a significant role in neutralizing oxidative stress and improving skin health. This review also highlights bioactives from algae, fungi, and lichens. Algae, particularly microalgae like Haematococcus pluvialis, known for astaxanthin production, are highlighted for their extraordinary photoprotective and anti-aging properties. Brown algae (Fucus vesiculosus) and red algae (Porphyra) provide polysaccharides and bioactive molecules that enhance hydration and barrier function. Fungi contribute a wealth of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, including polysaccharides, ꞵ-glucans, and enzymes, which support cellular repair and protect against oxidative damage. Lichens, through unique phenolic metabolites, offer potent free-radical-scavenging properties and serve as effective ingredients in formulations targeting environmental stress. Plant-derived antioxidants offer a diverse range of benefits. Plant-derived antioxidants, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and carotenoids, further amplify skin resilience, hydration, and repair mechanisms, aligning with the growing demand for nature-inspired solutions in cosmetics. The integration of these diverse natural sources into cosmetic formulations reflects the industry’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and efficacy. By harnessing the synergistic potential of bioactives from algae, fungi, lichens, and plants, modern cosmetology is advancing toward multifunctional, health-conscious, and eco-friendly products. Future research directions include optimizing delivery systems for these bioactives, enhancing their stability and bioavailability, and expanding their applications to meet evolving dermatological challenges.

Agusalim Masulili, Sri Rahayu, Ida Ayu Suci et al.

Acid sulfate soils pose significant challenges for rice cultivation due to  their extreme acidity (pH<4.0) and associated nutrient deficiencies. This study investigated the effectiveness of biochar enriched with various organic amendments in improving soil properties and rice growth in degraded acid sulfate soils. A randomized block design was employed with seven treatments: control (B0), biochar enriched with Chromolaena odorata (B1), rice straw (B2), chicken manure (B3), cattle manure (B4), Tithonia sp. compost (B5), and NPK fertilizer at half the recommended dose (B6), each applied at 10 t/ha. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions using 10 kg of soil per polybag with four replications. Soil samples from Sungai Kakap, West Kalimantan,  exhibited severe constraints, including pH levels of 3.75-3.87, organic carbon content of 0.82-0.98%, and high Al and Fe contents (>3%). Results demonstrated that organic matter-enriched biochar treatments significantly improved soil chemical properties (p<0.01). Rice straw-enriched biochar (B2) achieved the highest available P (117.93 ppm) and K (1.09 cmol(+)/kg), while cattle manure-enriched biochar (B4) showed maximum organic C increase (1.30%). Plant growth parameters showed significant improvement, with B2 producing the tallest plants (137.43 cm) and B5 (Tithonia sp.) yielding the highest productive tillers (38.83). The findings indicate that biochar enriched with local organic materials, particularly rice straw and Tithonia sp., offers a sustainable solution for rehabilitating degraded acid sulfate soils while enhancing rice productivity.

Rakesh Kumar

For nearly three decades, Russia’s industrial regions, especially the far-flung and remote Arctic areas surrounding Norilsk and the vast industrialized Ural region, have been subject to significant and continuing environmental damage; this is true even though there have been periodic national and regional efforts to clean-up pollution and enforce pollution controls. These are areas of significant resource extraction and heavy industry, where the level of airborne toxic chemicals such as sulfur dioxide, the presence of heavy metals in soils and waterways, the effect of acid rain causing forest kill off, and the general destruction of the landscape due to mining and smelting activity all exist in varying degrees. This paper will provide a synthesis of some of the major geographical, historical and technological reasons why pollution continues to persist in these areas. In particular, it will examine how the enduring location-based advantage of having large mineral resource deposits (including large amounts of nickel, copper, palladium and iron ore) in combination with aging Soviet-era infrastructure, long-established patterns of industrial production and harsh climatic conditions have resulted in an almost insurmountable level of environmental harm. For example, the Arctic's low temperature and stable air layers trap pollutants close to their point of origin resulting in limited opportunity for natural dispersal; geographic remoteness also complicates the transportation of remedial materials and the removal of hazardous waste. In addition, the extreme winter weather in the Arctic makes the process of recovering contaminated soils and promoting plant growth and development difficult if not impossible, thus creating continuous cycles of contamination. The study highlights the combined effects of these elements, which explains why previous attempts at mitigating the environmental impacts of these areas through modernization and enforcement mechanisms have generally failed. Finally, the study identifies several important implications for environmental policy, including the need for multi-faceted approaches to addressing the economic reliance on these types of industries and developing adaptive strategies suitable to remote environments. Additionally, the study identifies potential avenues of research into sustainable industrial transition processes and climate-resilient remediation technologies.

Remilekun A. Shittu, Fatima Alhamadi, Mohsina Sherief et al.

Savita Kalshan, Rajesh Dhankhar, Shivani Narwal, Amit Chhillar, Manju Desondia, Poonam Yadav and Sashi Yadav

Urbanization and industrialization have caused a ubiquity of microplastics in the environmental system. An effective elimination technique is required for microplastics from industrial effluent and other wastewater systems due to its growing threats to the ecosystem and human health. The present study endeavors to evaluate the potential of the membrane bioreactor (MBR) technique in the removal of microplastics from paper recycling industry wastewater effluent. The effectiveness of the MBR system was evaluated relative to the conventional method used in industry for wastewater treatment. The paper recycling industrial effluent consists of 148 pieces/L of microplastics. The conventional treatment plant’s effluent is used as an MBR system influent, and MBR removes 64.9% of the microplastic present after the conventional treatment plant, which is ascribed to the complementary actions of membrane filtration. MBR technology offers a reliable and workable plan to decrease the quantity of microplastics in industrial wastewater. It also offers a scalable solution that is consistent with sustainable environment management.

F. Llinares Pinel, M. J. Pozuelo de Felipe, D. Uruburu Ferrón, D. Baeza Moyano, S. Bueno Fernández, T. Awad Parada and R.A. González Lezcano

Microbially contaminated objects used in everyday life have been shown to impact human health by harboring infections through direct or indirect contact. For this reason, the development of alternative methods for bacterial elimination that do not lead to resistant microorganisms, large quantities of residues, or human cytotoxicity is warranted. Due to their proven bactericidal power, the use of electromagnetic waves lower than ultraviolet-C radiation would constitute a possible alternative. The main aim of this research was to determine the effect of 462 nm radiation emitted by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the most frequent bacteria contaminating everyday objects and surfaces in residential and hospital environments. The rationale behind the selection of this specific frequency within the blue light spectrum, in contrast to previous research exploring the application of higher frequencies, was its safety for individuals’ eyes and skin. The findings suggest that the use of low-frequency blue light can be effective in destroying environmental microorganisms stemming from the skin microbiome and mucous membranes, and even fecal bacteria, present in the surfaces of everyday objects such as inter alia, mobile phones, remote controls, credit cards, and of which some present high antibiotic resistance.

Ganesh Pandey, Sarah Lyden, Evan Franklin et al.

Agrivoltaic systems (AVS) – wherein solar photovoltaics (PV) and agriculture are co-located on the same land parcel – offer a sustainable approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enabling concurrent renewable electricity and agri-food production. Here, we elucidate plausible co-benefits and trade-offs of agri-food production and electricity generation in AVS across manifold socio-enviro-economic contexts, with the aim of understanding the contextualized interplay between AVS implementation and progress towards the SDGs. We modeled three AVS designs with varying solar panel densities (high, mid, low) at case study locations in Australia, Chad, and Iran using various models (System Advisor Model for PV and GrassGro for livestock systems). The findings suggest that in regions conducive to high biomass production per unit area, such as in parts of Australia, AVS design with high solar panel density can reduce meat production by almost 50%, which can jeopardize food security and impede achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). In these regions, AVS design with low solar panel density enables meeting SDGs aligned with agri-food production and renewable energy generation. In contrast, in semi-arid regions, such as Iran, AVS design with a high density of solar panels can improve agricultural production via the alleviation of water deficit, thereby supporting the prioritization of solar power generation, with food production as a co-benefit. In developing countries such as Chad, AVS can enhance economic development by providing electricity, food, and financial benefits. We call for policymakers to incentivize AVS deployment in such regions and stimulate public and private investment to enable progress towards SDGs.

Chao Zhang, Yulin Lu

Since the Industrial Revolution, the world economy has experienced rapid development, and China's economy has also achieved an unprecedented takeoff in the past. Behind the economic growth, population surge, and continuous improvement of people's living standards lies the enormous consumption of fossil energy and environmental pollution. This kind of pollution has caused irreparable damage to the world. The most concerned environmental issue globally at present is the global warming caused by carbon dioxide emissions. China is in a stage of rapid development, and as the largest developing country, China's development path has a significant impact on global climate change. At the same time, the global community also puts pressure on China to limit carbon dioxide emissions. To address energy shortages and environmental issues, countries around the world have introduced corresponding energy and environmental regulations. Due to different culture and government systems, the effects of energy and environmental regulations in various countries are also different. Therefore, it is still necessary to discuss China's energy and environmental regulations.This paper uses data from prefecture-level cities between 2003 and 2008 to discuss the impact of the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" environmental regulations on urbanization rates. It first provides a theoretical analysis of the relationship between environmental regulation and urbanization, finding that environmental regulation can influence urban population mobility through both crowding-in and crowding-out effects.

Xiaonan Hu, Xuebing Li, Jinyu Xu et al.

Accurate plant counting provides valuable information for agriculture such as crop yield prediction, plant density assessment, and phenotype quantification. Vision-based approaches are currently the mainstream solution. Prior art typically uses a detection or a regression model to count a specific plant. However, plants have biodiversity, and new cultivars are increasingly bred each year. It is almost impossible to exhaust and build all species-dependent counting models. Inspired by class-agnostic counting (CAC) in computer vision, we argue that it is time to rethink the problem formulation of plant counting, from what plants to count to how to count plants. In contrast to most daily objects with spatial and temporal invariance, plants are dynamic, changing with time and space. Their non-rigid structure often leads to worse performance than counting rigid instances like heads and cars such that current CAC and open-world detection models are suboptimal to count plants. In this work, we inherit the vein of the TasselNet plant counting model and introduce a new extension, TasselNetV4, shifting from species-specific counting to cross-species counting. TasselNetV4 marries the local counting idea of TasselNet with the extract-and-match paradigm in CAC. It builds upon a plain vision transformer and incorporates novel multi-branch box-aware local counters used to enhance cross-scale robustness. Two challenging datasets, PAC-105 and PAC-Somalia, are harvested. Extensive experiments against state-of-the-art CAC models show that TasselNetV4 achieves not only superior counting performance but also high efficiency.Our results indicate that TasselNetV4 emerges to be a vision foundation model for cross-scene, cross-scale, and cross-species plant counting.

Peter R. Shewry, Anneke Prins, O. Kosik et al.

Increasing the intake of dietary fiber from staple foods is a key strategy to improve the health of consumers. White bread is an attractive vehicle to deliver increased fiber as it is widely consumed and available to all socio-economic groups. However, fiber only accounts for about 4% of the dry weight of white flour and bread compared to 10–15% in whole grain bread and flour. We therefore discuss the challenges and barriers to developing and exploiting new types of wheat with high fiber content in white flour. These include defining and quantifying individual fiber components and understanding how they are affected by genetic and environmental factors. Rapid high throughput assays suitable for determining fiber content during plant breeding and in grain-utilizing industries are urgently required, while the impact of fiber amount and composition on flour processing quality needs to be understood. Overcoming these challenges should have significant effects on human health.

Ruqia Nazir, Muslim Khan, Muhammad Masab et al.

Camillus Abawiera Wongnaa, Stephen Prah, Samuel Asare Austin et al.

The study examined organic vegetable attributes, consumer decisions and consumption patterns of consumers in Ghana. A sample of 399 consumers was selected using a simple random sampling technique and data was collected through structured questionnaires. The study analyzed the important attributes of organic vegetables using Kendall's coefficient of concordance. The factors influencing consumers' decision to consume organic vegetables and the proportion of their total expenditure allocated to organic vegetables was analyzed using Cragg's double hurdle model. Finally, ordered logit regression was employed to analyse the factors influencing the consumption patterns of organic vegetables consumers. The results revealed that consumers prioritize health concerns and sensory attributes when purchasing organic vegetables as these were identified as the most important attributes. Also, socioeconomic factors, viz. age group, educational level and income level, as well as institutional factors, viz. market type, availability of organic vegetables and accreditation, significantly influenced the decision and expenditure on organic vegetables. In addition, consumers exhibited irregular consumption patterns, and a significant proportion of consumers acquired information about organic vegetables through family and friends. Furthermore, the ordered logit regression analysis revealed several factors that significantly influenced the consumption patterns of organic vegetables. These include age category, educational level, household head, household size, income level, type of market, time to market, and accreditation. The study recommends that government and other stakeholders should consider consumers' consumption patterns, attributes of organic vegetables they consider prior to purchasing as well as factors influencing their decision-making when developing marketing strategies and policies for organic vegetable farmers. This approach can help meet consumer demands and help improve the development and promotion of organic vegetables in the market.

R. Karthik, Ramya Ranjan Behera, Uday Shankar, Priyadarshi Patnaik and Rudra Prakash Pradhan

Access to affordable and reliable energy sources can substantially enhance the lives of marginalized communities in rural areas. Unfortunately, numerous households in these communities rely upon unclean sources of energy such as kerosene to light the house even during daylight. To address this issue, solar off-grid technology - Micro Solar Dome (MSD) was implemented in various states across India, specifically benefiting the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe communities. The study, across the eight selected states, highlights the advantages of adopting off-grid technologies and their roles in promoting awareness of renewable energy solutions. The survey used purposive sampling to collect community members’ perceptions of the product’s benefits and their awareness of renewable technologies. The results indicated that the utilization of the product not only enhanced illumination levels within households but also contributed to improved safety, increased study hours for children, and facilitated economic activities during the evening hours. Furthermore, the study revealed that education plays a crucial role in adopting solar energy. However, interventions such as awareness programs and hands-on experiences with the products can also greatly enhance awareness and promote adoption in rural areas. Overall, the study provided compelling evidence of the significant and positive impact that small-scale initiatives like the MSD can have on the lives of marginalized communities. It also emphasized the potential of such solutions to empower these communities and improve their overall well-being.

Atrina Oraee, Lara Pohl, Daniëlle Geurts et al.

Rapid smartphone replacement contributes significantly to electronic waste issues. This paper investigates determinants of premature smartphone obsolescence amongst young adults and proposes psychology-based solutions to reduce associated sustainability impacts. Activity Theory maps replacement journeys to focus interventions on problem recognition. Grounded in contemporary Installation Theory, obsolescence drivers are analysed across physical affordances, embodied competencies and social regulations. Smartphone replacement journeys are mapped through Activity Theory to focus on problem recognition as an intervention point. Expert interviews and a user survey supplement literature in investigating obsolescence factors. Solutions are then structured along Installation Theory dimensions for a systemic approach targeting underlying barriers. Solutions address the three layers of behavioural determination. Smartphone modularity addresses physical issues, like repairability and upgrade. Consumer education campaigns improve competencies and perceptions, hereby fostering longer use. A “Slow Smartphone Movement” is proposed, leveraging social strategies, including pledges and online communities, to redefine cultural obsolescence narratives and address the positional aspects of having the latest generation smartphone. Together these multilayered interventions provide actionable pathways to prolonging lifespan by fundamentally reshaping psychological ownership patterns underlying premature smartphone disposal. Rather than isolated initiatives, these synergistic solutions provide specific, evidence-based pathways to fundamentally transforming entrenched obsolescence mindsets and behaviours amongst younger demographics. The paper concludes by outlining study limitations and stating that future research must empirically evaluate the proposed solutions.The current paper investigates the determinants and consequences of premature smartphone obsolescence amongst young adults and proposes psychology-based solutions to reduce its detrimental environmental and societal impact. Activity Theory was used to define the research scope, ultimately focusing on the first stage in the buyer behaviour model, reflecting a prototypical customer journey along five consecutive decision stages. Problem recognition, essentially the perceived difference between the current and desired state of being, was subsequently analysed through the three interrelated layers of Installation Theory, physical affordances, embodied competencies, and social regulations. Eventually, potential solutions, grounded in academic literature, expert interviews, and a consumer survey, were organised along the three dimensions of installation theory, creating a holistic and effective strategy for tackling smartphone obsolescence. Smartphone modularity represents a promising starting point to address the problems associated with physical affordances, such as broken parts, worn batteries, and planned obsolescence more generally.Additionally, extensive consumer education coupled with awareness campaigns highlighting the alternatives to purchasing new products and awareness campaigns highlighting the alternatives to purchasing new products could tackle issues associated with embodied competencies. Lastly, social regulations manifested partly in the universal need for belonging and social inclusion, represent the last driver of smartphone obsolescence. Virtual communities and reward schemes could further foster lasting normative change, eventually helping redefine the detrimental consumerism culture.

Abd Mujahid Hamdan, Zahratul Maulida, Syafrina Sari Lubis et al.

Even though phytoremediation is considered a green technology for remediating heavy metals, there are some problems with the application of this technology, particularly when it comes to managing the biomass that is used. So, processing biomass needs to be given a lot of attention. This study outlined the utilization of extracts obtained from the hyperaccumulator plant Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra to synthesize nickel oxide nanoparticles. Subsequently, the nanoparticle underwent testing to determine its suitability as an absorbent for heavy metals, specifically lead, as well as its efficacy as an antifungal agent against Fusarium sp. strain. The characterization of nickel oxide nanoparticles involved several measurements, such as scanning electron microscopy analysis, high- and low-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and hysteresis curve acquisition. The research findings indicate that the extract from hyperaccumulators can be utilized for the synthesis of NiO, which exhibits an absorption capacity exceeding 98% and serves as an efficient antifungal agent against Fusarium sp. pathogens. The approach utilized in this study not only prioritizes "green" and sustainability factors but also takes into account the economic aspects associated with the items being manufactured. The research has important implications in two areas. Firstly, it demonstrates the utilization of natural resources (B. oleracea var. alboglabra) in the production of nickel oxide, which serves as a safer and more eco-friendly substitute for dangerous chemicals. Furthermore, it aids in the advancement of novel techniques for effectively managing biomass hyperaccumulators.

Stephanie Diem, Laila El-Guebaly, Aditi Verma

Fusion energy, the process that uses the same reaction that powers the sun and the stars, offers the promise of virtually unlimited, carbon-free energy and is approaching reality. Recently, there's been a dramatic global increase in the investment and research focused on addressing the hurdles to commercialize fusion energy. While a majority of the effort has been focused on gaps in technology, little work has been done to address the societal and environmental impacts of this technology. Three community- and environmentally-focused research priorities are identified for commercializing fusion energy: 1) understanding the environmental impacts of fusion energy across the technology lifecycle, 2) developing risk and safety assessment methodologies for fusion power plant technologies, and 3) creating a community-based socially engaged approach for fusion technology design and development. This approach will benefit private companies who wish to deploy future fusion power plants as concerns about the technology will be addressed early in the design process, thus minimizing delays in deployment that may result in increased costs for developers. Community engagement around fusion technology development must be evidence-based in order to build trust between communities and technology developers. Such an approach is grounded in informed consent is vital for the sustainable development and use of fusion technologies.