Hasil untuk "Environmental protection"

Jeremy Dietrich, Alison Rickard, Suresh A. Sethi et al.

Abstract Dams disrupt river networks by interrupting longitudinal transport of sediment and nutrients and obstructing the movement of aquatic organisms. Increasingly, water resource managers are looking for dam removal as a solution to restore connectivity and improve aquatic habitats, water quality, and fish passage. Empirical studies on small dams (<7.5 m) that incorporate both ecological and geomorphic monitoring over longer time periods (3 year+ post‐removal) are rare, limiting the data available to restoration stakeholders to inform barrier removal prioritization decisions. To help address this gap, we implemented a suite of geomorphic, biological, and water quality monitoring efforts to assess the effect of a small dam (3.7 m) removal project in the Hudson River Estuary watershed, New York State (USA). We monitored the site prior to removal and continued observations for three years post‐removal to assess differences in ecological conditions between the upstream impoundment and downstream tail‐reach before and after dam removal. Instream sediment composition and mean particle size were highly disparate between upstream impoundment and downstream tail‐reach areas prior to the dam removal but became more uniform and of higher habitat quality across the study site within two years after removal. Functional diversity, taxonomic diversity, and taxa richness of the macroinvertebrate community improved dramatically in upstream habitats within one year of the dam removal, and differences between the upstream and downstream reaches disappeared by the third year after removal, suggesting rapid recovery of stream conditions in the previously dammed upstream reach. Upstream aquatic habitat designations improved within two years from being “moderately impacted” to “slightly impacted,” rising above the biological impairment threshold according to New York State's Biological Assessment Profile score. This allowed both New York and the Environmental Protection Agency to document water quality improvements as a Type‐3 nonpoint source success story. Combined, results from this temperate watershed show that dam removals may provide aquatic ecosystem recovery in relatively short time frames.

Sayani Sarkar, Sima Shafaei, Trishtanya S. Jones et al.

Deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) continues to expand rapidly across a wide range of applications, including environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, and disaster response. Despite their increasing ubiquity, UAVs remain inherently vulnerable to security threats due to resource-constrained hardware, energy limitations, and reliance on open wireless communication channels. These factors render traditional cryptographic solutions impractical, thereby necessitating the development of lightweight, UAV-specific security mechanisms. This review article presents a comprehensive analysis of lightweight encryption techniques and key management strategies designed for energy-efficient and secure UAV communication. Special emphasis is placed on recent cryptographic advancements, including the adoption of the ASCON family of ciphers and the emergence of post-quantum algorithms that can secure UAV networks against future quantum threats. Key management techniques such as blockchain-based decentralized key exchange, Physical Unclonable Function (PUF)-based authentication, and hierarchical clustering schemes are evaluated for their performance and scalability. To ensure comprehensive protection, this review introduces a multilayer security framework addressing vulnerabilities from the physical to the application layer. Comparative analysis of lightweight cryptographic algorithms and multiple key distribution approaches is conducted based on energy consumption, latency, memory usage, and deployment feasibility in dynamic aerial environments. Unlike design- or implementation-focused studies, this work synthesizes existing literature across six interconnected security dimensions to provide an integrative foundation. Our review also identifies key research challenges, including secure and efficient rekeying during flight, resilience to cross-layer attacks, and the need for standardized frameworks supporting post-quantum cryptography in UAV swarms. By highlighting current advancements and research gaps, this study aims to guide future efforts in developing secure communication architectures tailored to the unique operational constraints of UAV networks.

Nikolić Neda, Cvetković Vladimir M., Renner Renate et al.

This study examines residents’ perceptions of environmental and disaster risks near the “Duboko” regional landfill in Serbia. It aims to uncover factors that affect public trust and community resilience. This approach is rooted in interdisciplinary perspectives on risk perception, institutional trust, and socio-ecological resilience. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from a stratified sample of 1,180 respondents across nine municipalities in Western Serbia. The statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression. The regression models indicated that gender, education level, type of settlement, property ownership, and household size were significant predictors across various thematic dimensions. The model addressing risk perception and environmental impact accounted for 5.6% of the variance, while the model regarding institutional trust and transparency explained 7.4% of the variance. Higher perceived risk and lower institutional trust were found among women, individuals with lower levels of education, rural residents, and respondents from smaller households. Furthermore, increased transparency and access to environmental information correlated with enhanced trust and perceived resilience. These results emphasise the complex nature of landfill risk perception and highlight the need for participatory communication, transparent governance, and context-sensitive community involvement to bolster disaster resilience and public health protection in areas impacted by landfills.

Irit Ittner, Anna‐Katharina Hornidge

This study analyses marine governance and knowledge politics of sediments in the Borkum Reef Ground from a historical and German perspective, as well as in the context of litigation against marine gas production from transboundary Dutch and German fields. The authors analysed interview transcripts, project documents, environmental media campaigns, and notes originating from participant observation and stakeholder engagement. The study employs the science and technology and sociology of ignorance approaches. It asks which implications for biodiversity protection and ocean governance derive from administrative fragmentation and knowledge politics by a diverse set of actors. National divisions and prioritised knowledge production led to a shift in perception of the area from a transboundary seabed habitat to two distinct national marine areas and resulted in a fragmented Schutzgebietskulisse including marine protected areas, restoration zones, and unprotected zones. The study illustrates how the prioritisation of mapping marine protected areas may backfire on knowledge gain in potential industrial zones and overall marine protection.

Zhijun Zhang, Zhengkai Mao, Jinpeng Wang

In light of the urgent need to combat climate change and attain carbon neutrality, the development of blue carbon has emerged as a pivotal strategy for the global community. This approach offers significant potential for both mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change. As a result, international collaboration on blue carbon initiatives has become a focal point in the worldwide response to the climate crisis. China, blessed with extensive blue carbon resources, recognizes the development of these ecosystems as a critical component in its efforts to make a substantial contribution to the global endeavor to curb climate change and achieve sustainable environmental goals. This article offers a comprehensive analysis of China’s opportunities and challenges in international blue carbon collaboration. Despite its vast potential, China faces significant hurdles, including the degradation of blue carbon ecosystems, a delayed start in implementing blue carbon practices, and inconsistencies in the blue carbon standard system. To enhance its participation in global blue carbon initiatives, China should pursue several key strategies, including preserving and restoring its blue carbon ecosystems, strengthening domestic protection and application mechanisms, promoting the construction of an international blue carbon system, establishing a scientific cooperation platform to facilitate capacity building and technology transfer and advocating for an international blue carbon market trading mechanism. By prioritizing these key areas, China can simultaneously foster domestic blue carbon conservation and development while solidifying its role as a pivotal contributor to global climate change mitigation efforts.

J. H. M. Chang, Z. Xue, J. Bauer et al.

Abstract During NASA's Apollo missions, inhalation of dust particles from lunar regolith was identified as a potential occupational hazard for astronauts. These fine particles adhered tightly to spacesuits and were unavoidably brought into the living areas of the spacecraft. Apollo astronauts reported that exposure to the dust caused intense respiratory and ocular irritation. This problem is a potential challenge for the Artemis Program, which aims to return humans to the Moon for extended stays in this decade. Since lunar dust is “weathered” by space radiation, solar wind, and the incessant bombardment of micrometeorites, we investigated whether treatment of lunar regolith simulants to mimic space weathering enhanced their toxicity. Two such simulants were employed in this research, Lunar Mare Simulant‐1 (LMS‐1), and Lunar Highlands Simulant‐1 (LHS‐1), which were added to cultures of human lung epithelial cells (A549) to simulate lung exposure to the dusts. In addition to pulverization, previously shown to increase dust toxicity sharply, the simulants were exposed to hydrogen gas at high temperature as a proxy for solar wind exposure. This treatment further increased the toxicity of both simulants, as measured by the disruption of mitochondrial function, and damage to DNA both in mitochondria and in the nucleus. By testing the effects of supplementing the cells with an antioxidant (N‐acetylcysteine), we showed that a substantial component of this toxicity arises from free radicals. It remains to be determined to what extent the radicals arise from the dust itself, as opposed to their active generation by inflammatory processes in the treated cells.

Han Zhang, Huaming He, Weitang Song et al.

As a promising environmental protection technology, the application of ultraviolet B irradiation in vegetable production has been widely considered. However, the effect of UVB irradiation varies with different plant varieties. In this study, we investigated the effects of two UVB intensities (0.7, 1.4 W m⁻²) on the accumulation of phenolics and flavonoids, and antioxidant activity of green-leaf and red-leaf lettuce (<i>Lactuca sativa</i> L.) 7 days prior to harvest. The results indicated that short-term (within 2 days) UVB treatment could promote the increase in total chlorophyll content of red-leaf lettuce and green-leaf lettuce, which increased by 49.8% and 20.6% compared with day zero, respectively, and was beneficial to the synthesis of carotenoids of red-leaf lettuce. Extending UVB exposure time significantly decreased chlorophyll a/b value of green-leaf lettuce from 0.92 to 0.63, and simultaneously increased the accumulation of antioxidant substances such as flavonoids, which were increased by 90.0% and 183.4% compared with day zero for UVB-0.7 and UVB-1.4 treatments of red-leaf lettuce, 84.1% and 110.9% of green-leaf lettuce. In contrast, red-leaf lettuce had a higher accumulation level of secondary metabolites, faster scavenging rate of free radicals, and stronger ability to resist UVB stress. Our results suggest that supplementation of low-dose UVB radiance prior to harvest can improve the secondary metabolite content and antioxidant activity of the two kinds of lettuce. This research provided a theoretical basis for improving lettuce quality by pre-harvest UVB treatment in controlled environmental agriculture.

Heba Askr, M A Farag, Aboul Ella Hassanien et al.

Several optimization problems can be abstracted into many-objective optimization problems (MaOPs). The key to solving MaOPs is designing an effective algorithm to balance the exploration and exploitation issues. This paper proposes a novel many-objective African vulture optimization algorithm (MaAVOA) that simulating the African vultures' foraging and navigation behaviours to solve the MaOPs. MaAVOA is an updated version of the African Vulture Optimization Algorithm (AVOA), which was recently proposed to solve the MaOPs. A new social leader vulture for the selection process is introduced and integrated into the proposed model. In addition, an environmental selection mechanism based on the alternative pool is adapted to improve the selection process to maintain diversity for approximating different parts of the whole Pareto Front (PF). The best-nondominated solutions are saved in an external Archive based on the Fitness Assignment Method (FAM) during the population evolution. FAM is based on a convergence measure that promotes convergence and a density measure that promotes variety. Also, a Reproduction of Archive Solutions (RAS) procedure is developed to improve the quality of archiving solutions. RAS has been designed to help reach out to the missing areas of the PF that the vultures easily miss. Two experiments are conducted to verify and validate the suggested MaAVOA's performance efficacy. First, MaAVOA was applied to the DTLZ functions, and its performance was compared to that of several popular many-objective algorithms and according to the results, MaAVOA outperforms the competitor algorithms in terms of inverted generational distance and hypervolume performance measures and has a beneficial adaptation ability in terms of both convergence and diversity performance measures. Also, statistical tests are implemented to demonstrate the suggested algorithm's statistical relevance. Second, MaAVOA has been applied to solve two real-life constrained engineering MaOPs applications, namely, the series-parallel system and overspeed protection for gas turbine problems. The experiments show that the suggested algorithm can tackle many-objective real-world applications and provide promising choices for decision-makers.

Małgorzata Maśko, Agnieszka Chałabis-Mazurek, Urszula Sikorska et al.

Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are trace minerals with multiple biological functions, playing roles in fetal development and immune regulation. Despite their known significance, research on Cu and Zn administration and supplementation for pregnant mares is insufficient. This study aims to evaluate Cu and Zn serum concentrations monthly throughout the year and through pregnancy in Polish Konik mares. The study was conducted in 2020 on 36 mares from the Polish state stud farm, with 24 mares in the pregnant group and 12 mares in the non-pregnant group. Monthly blood samples were collected, and serum Cu and Zn concentrations were measured. The total Cu concentration in the serum of all mares was higher (<i>p</i> < 0.0001) in August and September (13.98 ± 3.00 μmol/L) than in May, June, July, and November (11.04 ± 2.74 μmol/L). Similarly, the total Zn concentration was higher (<i>p</i> < 0.0001) in August, September, October, November, and December (19.80 ± 9.72 μmol/L) than in May, June, and July (14.50 ± 6.94 μmol/L). No evidence of a linear relation between Cu and Zn concentrations was demonstrated (slopes difference <i>p</i> < 0.001). No differences in Cu (<i>p</i> > 0.05) or Zn (<i>p</i> > 0.05) concentrations were found between pregnant (Cu: 12.08 ± 3.01 μmol/L; Zn: 18.02 ± 9.03 μmol/L) and non-pregnant (Cu: 11.23 ± 2.51 μmol/L; Zn: 18.59 ± 10.37 μmol/L) mares in any of the examined months of the year. In conclusion, the month of the year, rather than pregnancy, affects serum Cu and Zn concentrations.

W. Rush, W. Rush, J. Self-Trail et al.

<p>Eocene transient global warming events (hyperthermals) can provide insight into a future warmer world. While much research has focused on the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), hyperthermals of a smaller magnitude can be used to characterize climatic responses over different magnitudes of forcing. This study identifies two events, namely the Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 (ETM2 and H2), in shallow marine sediments of the Eocene-aged Salisbury Embayment of Maryland, based on magnetostratigraphy, calcareous nannofossil, and dinocyst biostratigraphy, as well as the recognition of negative stable carbon isotope excursions (CIEs) in biogenic calcite. We assess local environmental change in the Salisbury Embayment, utilizing clay mineralogy, marine palynology, <span class="inline-formula"><i>δ</i>¹⁸</span>O of biogenic calcite, and biomarker paleothermometry (TEX<span class="inline-formula">₈₆</span>). Paleotemperature proxies show broad agreement between surface water and bottom water temperature changes. However, the timing of the warming does not correspond to the CIE of the ETM2 as expected from other records, and the highest values are observed during H2, suggesting factors in addition to <span class="inline-formula"><i>p</i></span>CO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span> forcing have influenced temperature changes in the region. The ETM2 interval exhibits a shift in clay mineralogy from smectite-dominated facies to illite-rich facies, suggesting hydroclimatic changes but with a rather dampened weathering response relative to that of the PETM in the same region. Organic walled dinoflagellate cyst assemblages show large fluctuations throughout the studied section, none of which seem systematically related to CIE warming. These observations are contrary to the typical tight correspondence between climate change and assemblages across the PETM, regionally and globally, and ETM2 in the Arctic Ocean. The data do indicate very warm and (seasonally) stratified<span id="page1678"/> conditions, likely salinity-driven, across H2. The absence of evidence for strong perturbations in local hydrology and nutrient supply during ETM2 and H2, compared to the PETM, is consistent with the less extreme forcing and the warmer pre-event baseline, as well as the non-linear response in hydroclimates to greenhouse forcing.</p>

O.M. Abutu, I.L. Shuneba, E.N. Shu

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is known to improve the standard of living in the host communities and economic performance of countries involved. However, despite the positive impact on the economy, ASGM is a significant point source of uncontrolled mobilization of hazardous chemicals, notably heavy metals into the environmental media such as soil, air and water. This study assessed human health risk of exposure to heavy metals in soil around artisanal gold mining in Ike community of Kogi State. Twelve (12) soil samples obtained from the gold mining area were analysed for heavy metals (As, Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn) using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). Measured concentrations of these metals were used to calculate health risk of children and adults using health risk assessment models. The results showed that mean values of heavy metal concentrations in the soil reflected low metal load (<1) with decreasing order of As>Pb>Zn>Ni>Cd. The results obtained from analysis of noncarcinogenic risk demonstrated that hazard index values of various heavy metals for three exposure pathways (ingestion, dermal and inhalational) were < 1 for children and adults populations. However, As recorded hazard index values > 1 for ingestion pathway for both populations. It was found that As recorded carcinogenic risk of 1.85E-03 for children and 9.86E-04 for adults and Cd recorded 4.67E-04 for children. These values exceeded the safety limit, ranging from 1E-06 to 1E-04, as stated by US Environmental Protection Agency. The study showed that As might pose carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for both populations. Also, Cd might pose carcinogenic risk for children. Hence, As and Cd would be regarded as elements of serious concern in the study area.

Rafał Kudrewicz, Bartosz Papiernik, Marek Hajto et al.

New seismic data and the completion of the K-1 petroleum exploratory well, located close to the axial zone of the Mogilno-Łódź Trough (Polish Lowlands) delivered new insight into local structural, tectonic, facial and thermal variability of this geological unit. In this paper, the two variants of 3D models (SMV1 and SMV2) of Permian-Mesozoic strata are presented for the salt pillow related Kłecko Anticline, while resources assessment was confined to the Rotliegend Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) type reservoir, that is divided into Playa, Eolian and Fluvial facies-based complexes. Using very conservative assumptions on the methods of the EGS reservoir development, authors assessed that heat in place and technical potential for eolian sandstones are about 386 PJ and ca. 2814 kW, respectively, and for Fluvial 367 PJ and ca. 2850 kW in relation to the volume of 1 km³ at depths of about 5000 m b.s.l. The authors recommend for the further development of the Eolian complex because of its low shale content, influencing the high susceptibility to fracking. The presented research is the first Polish local resources assessment for an EGS reservoir in sedimentary Rotliegend, within thermal anomaly below the salt pillow, which is one of over 100 salt structures mapped in Poland.

Verica Takač, Viola Tóth, Marianna Rakszegi et al.

An increase in the production and consumption of spelt products can be associated with positive effects on human health, which are attributed to bioactive compounds present in the grain. The basic success of spelt wheat in organic farming might be explained by the fact that spelt wheat belongs to the group of hulled wheat where the presence of a husk protects the seed from abiotic and biotic stress factors, thus demanding less chemical protection. The goal of this study was to investigate the variations in the bioactive compound (alkylresorcinol, arabinoxylan, β-glucan), protein, starch and fructan content of bread and spelt wheat under different farming systems (conventional and organic). The results showed higher protein and alkylresorcinol but lower fructan content in spelt wheat. Organic spelt had significantly higher starch, fiber and alkylresorcinol content but lower β-glucan and protein content than conventionally grown spelt. The spelt variety ‘Oberkulmer-Rotkorn’ was characterized by the highest values for the majority of analyzed traits under both farming systems. Overall, the environmental conditions (Hungary and Serbia), farming systems (conventional and organic) and wheat species (bread and spelt) contributed to the variations of the compositional traits in different manners.

Ungureanu, Gabriela, Pătrăuţanu, Oana Alexandra, Volf, Irina

Spruce bark, a waste from forestry and wood industry, represent a valuable resource. Subjected to biorefinery, this feedstock leads to separation of extractibles and final conversion products. The main final product is biochar, a rich carbon material that could be efficient in environmental remediation. This study assessed the lead uptake capacity of biochar. The total Pb uptake was a quite fast process (120 min), for a sorbent dose of 0.25 g/L and pH 5. The kinetic was properly described by pseudo-second-order model. Further developments are open considering activation/functionalization of biochar as well as other hazardous pollutants and competitors’ uptake.

Tongwei Guan, Zhiheng Zhang, Xiaojing Li et al.

As a renewable resource, the market trend of plant protein has increased significantly in recent years. Compared with animal protein, plant protein production has strong sustainability factors and a lower environmental impact. Many bioactive substances have poor stability, and poor absorption effects limit their application in food. Plant protein-based carriers could improve the water solubility, stability, and bioavailability of bioactive substances by different types of delivery systems. In this review, we present a detailed and concise summary of the effects and advantages of various plant protein-based carriers in the encapsulation, protection, and delivery of bioactive substances. Furthermore, the research progress of food-grade bioactive ingredient delivery systems based on plant protein preparation in recent years is summarized, and some current challenges and future research priorities are highlighted. There are some key findings and conclusions: (i) plant proteins have numerous functions: as carriers for transportation systems, a shell or core of a system, or food ingredients; (ii) plant protein-based carriers could improve the water solubility, stability, and bioavailability of bioactive substances by different types of delivery systems; and (iii) plant protein-based carriers stabilize bioactive substances with potential applications in the food and nutrition fields.

Francesca Rossi

The negative impacts of climate change on natural and anthropic ecosystems have led to the increasingly urgent search for policies, strategies and tools able to counteract degradation and risk factors on vulnerable landscapes. Among these, the research activity refers to water landscapes as a specific field of study that represents a fundamental resource for human well-being. In consistency with the international policy framework on integrated water management, this contribution develops a case study analysis focused on River Contracts as innovative, voluntary and negotiated planning practices aimed at the reconstruction of territorial, social and ecological values, which broaden the boundaries of safeguarding by integrating protection actions with sustainable management and environmental regeneration and to restore the identity of places and local communities. The description and evaluation of an ongoing experience of River, Coast and Landscape Contracts, developed along the coast of the Lazio region, allows one to point out that the process method is successful in solving complex issues related to the management of the river basin while involving social actors in order to improve people’s knowledge of the territory, increase social awareness of risk conditions, and allow local communities to propose and implement shared solutions. The results of this territorial and multi-level governance method are therefore measured on their capacity to produce territorial, social and environmental resilience.

Eric Nost, Gretchen Gehrke, Grace Poudrier et al.

Websites have become the primary means by which the US federal government communicates about its operations and presents information for public consumption. However, the alteration or removal of critical information from these sites is often entirely legal and done without the public's awareness. Relative to paper records, websites enable governments to shape public understanding in quick, scalable, and permissible ways. During the Trump administration, website changes indicative of climate denial prompted civil society organizations to develop tools for tracking online government information sources. We in the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI) illustrate how five data visualization techniques can be used to document and analyze changes to government websites. We examine a large sample of websites of US federal environmental agencies and show that between 2016 and 2020: 1) the use of the term "climate change" decreased by an estimated 38%; 2) access to as much as 20% of the Environmental Protection Agency's website was removed; 3) changes were made more to Cabinet agencies' websites and to highly visible pages. In formulating ways to visualize and assess the alteration of websites, our study lays important groundwork for both systematically tracking changes and holding officials more accountable for their web practices. Our techniques enable researchers and watchdog groups alike to operate at the scale necessary to understand the breadth of impact an administration can have on the online face of government.

Lakehal Ahmed

The study attempts to determine the contribution of the Algerian legal system in improving the role of the local administration in the implementation of environmental protection policy and sustainable development through the full powers vested in it within the scope of the municipal law 2011, and the law of the state 2012

Made Adhitya Anggriawan Wisadha, Grita Anindarini Widyaningsih

There are growing trends in the human rights to substantially extend the values to protect the environment or moreover to welcome the ideas of the rights to environment, not to mention the rights of environment. The purpose is to inclusively embrace the environmental problems wherein the humanity challenges posited on, but this agenda may leave a room of doubt how far the human rights body can address the environmental destruction as it needs the interplay of culture and environmental ethics to promoting such concepts. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the justification of how human rights in the environmental protection in the contemporary discourse are bringing to light, as many current cases attempt to linkage the environmental approach to the human rights instrument, such as the rights to life, healthy environment, and intergenerational equity. To analyse further, the theoretical framework in this paper will be explicated by environmental culture paradigm which illustrates the egalitarian concept between human and environment to elicit the clear thoughts of how human rights is naïve to protect the environment. This article will firstly depict the human rights and the environmental protection discourse and then, explore the naïveté narratives of environmental culture about the ecological crisis roots that are fundamentally anthropogenic, as to reflect the ground realities how this nexus will play out. Finally, this paper found the moral justification per se relies on the effort of elaborating the human prudence in their relationship with nature, albeit bringing the naïveté.