Hasil untuk "Environmental effects of industries and plants"

Huaiyu Huang, Xiaojuan Chen, Qingsong Zhang et al.

The production efficiency of forest ecosystem product values (CEFVs) quantifies the extent to which ecological advantages are converted into economic gains, offering a reference for balancing forest protection and economic development. This study employs an integrated analytical framework to provide policy insights for sustainable development. The Super-SBM model is used to evaluate CEFVs in Shaanxi Province in China from 2010 to 2022, examining its evolution and spatial patterns. Regional disparities are investigated by the Dagum Gini coefficient, while the Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) explores influencing factors and spatial spillover effects. Findings include: (1) The average CEFVs in Shaanxi was 0.734, with a spatial pattern of “Northern Shaanxi > Guanzhong > Southern Shaanxi”. Temporally, CEFVs exhibited a phased fluctuation under the combined influence of policy accumulation and external shocks, peaking in 2021 before declining. Although 57% of counties experienced growth, 62% had not reached the high-efficiency level by 2022, reflecting weak growth quality and resilience. (2) Regional disparities in CEFVs followed a “W-shaped” trend, with the intensity of transvariation emerging as the main source of spatial imbalance. (3) Precipitation, economic development, government intervention, and industrial structure have a positive spillover effect, whereas per capita income and the development level of primary industry exert negative spatial spillover effects. These findings, particularly the identification of divergent spatial spillovers and the trend in regional disparities, offer a scientific basis for formulating differentiated regional policies. This study offers valuable insights for developing countries to balance economic development and environmental protection.

Ajay Negi and Ashok Kumar Meena

The present study aims to analyze changes in the physicochemical parameters of the soil in the vicinity of a small municipal solid waste landfill site. The research results were analyzed based on general physicochemical properties, which include pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) by using standard methods. The results show that the soil from the dump sites contained higher amounts of soil properties (EC, SOC, N, P, K) than the non-dumping sites. Pearson correlation shows that pH exhibits a robust negative correlation with all other parameters while the remaining other parameters had a positive correlation with each other. Also, PCA analysis shows dumping sites mostly depict positive values in PC1, whereas the non-dumping sites indicate negative values. The final interpretation indicates that the soil in the dump site was found suitable for plant growth. However, due to improper solid waste management, this nutrient-rich soil could be mixed up with several other contaminants, such as soluble salts, plastics, heavy metals, and so on. This could make the soil unhealthy or unsuitable for plant growth. The study also suggests proper segregation, recovery, treatment, and safe disposal of solid waste and formulates an integrated municipal solid waste management plan for this particular dumping site.

Shirin Betzler, Lena Schmeiduch, Jana Weißenberger et al.

In the global quest for containment of the climate crisis, government incentives and measures play an important role to promote consumers' preferences for sustainable products. For policies to be effective, achieving public acceptance is particularly relevant. In this context, it is important to understand how different forms of trust in political institutions relate to perceptions of policy acceptance and effectiveness, and how these interact with different types of policies and cultural contexts. Against this backdrop, in an online experiment with a 2x2 design, we manipulated participants' perceptions of competence- and integrity-based trust in an expert commission appointed by the national government to design sustainable food policies in Germany (N = 249) and Chile (N = 203). Effects on the acceptance and perceived effectiveness of market-based (introduction of a new tax) and information-based (holistic label) sustainable food policies were measured. Descriptive results suggest that in Germany, information-based policies were believed to be more effective than market-based policies, while in Chile, the reverse was true. Exploratory results of multiple regression analyses further indicate that integrity-based trust compared to competence-based trust was a significant predictor for perceived policy effectiveness in both countries and for policy acceptance in Germany. In contrast, competence-based trust seems to be crucial for policy acceptance in Chile. No clear differential patterns emerged in function of policy type. Overall, the present study yields important points of departure for the design of effective policy making, giving importance to people's support in pursuing a consistent climate change strategy.

María Molinos-Senante, Alexandros Maziotis

Ensuring the sustainability of water utilities (WUs) is crucial for improving long-term water and sanitation services. This study proposes a novel methodological framework for dynamic sustainability benchmarking through the development of the Sustainability Change Index (SCHI). The SCHI is decomposed into two components: the Sustainability Internal Change Index (SII) and the Sustainability External Change Index (SEI), which allow for a detailed analysis of the underlying drivers of sustainability performance. The methodology is applied to a panel of 28 Chilean WUs over 2013–2023. Results highlight the ability of the proposed framework to capture dynamic sustainability trajectories in water utilities, revealing significant heterogeneity across utilities and over time. Beyond quantifying changes, the SCHI offers insights into whether improvements stem from internal operational progress or from shifts in external benchmarks, which is particularly relevant for regulatory evaluation and utility management. The empirical application in Chile demonstrates the framework's usefulness in identifying drivers of sustainability change and also provides reflections that can inform targeted policy interventions. The proposed model, grounded in multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and incorporating stakeholder and expert preferences through the Best-Worst Method, is broadly applicable to other contexts, offering regulators and water service managers a robust tool for monitoring, benchmarking, and fostering sustainability transitions.

Peng Zhang, Tongyao Duan, Qidong Li et al.

Lonicera japonica Thunb. is a significant medicinal resource within traditional Chinese medicine, exhibiting a variety of pharmacological properties. Previous studies reported that the major bioactive compound in L. japonica was chlorogenic acid (CGA), while the mechanism of CGA biosynthesis remained unknown due to the limited genome information. In the present study, PacBio single molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology was employed to conduct the inaugural full-length transcriptome sequencing of the honeysuckle cultivar 'Huajin 6'. A total of 97,588 high-quality transcripts, with an average length of 2,883 base pairs, were generated and annotated using the NR, GO, KOG, and KEGG databases. The coding sequences (CDS), transcription factors, simple sequence repeats (SSR), and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) transcripts were predicted. The key genes encoding hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA quinate transferase (HQT) in CGA biosynthesis were isolated through the combination analysis of transcriptomic data and CGA content in flowers at different development stages. MYB genes that potentially regulated the transcription of HQT were further identified. Taken together, these results provide valuable genetic resources to assist the molecular study of L. japonica genes, which will facilitate the quality improvement of L. japonica cultivars.

Darwis Suleman, Resman Resman, Hasbullah Syaf et al.

Nickel is an important main resource mineral in Southeast Sulawesi, which has deposited around 97.4 billion tons, and undoubtedly, nickel exports emerged in national and regional economic growth. Mining activities were carried out through topsoil and subsoil stripping, resulting in damage to the soil ecosystem and making it difficult for soil to recover. A study was performed to evaluate the changes in soil chemical properties and the growth of patchouli (Pogestemon cablin Benth) on nickel-mined soil treated with rice husk charcoal (RHC). A randomized block design was applied in this study, including six treatments of RHC with three replications. The treatments were without RHC (control), 1.5%, 3.0%, 4.5%, 6%, and 7.5% of soil weight. Data were analyzed descriptively for soil chemical properties; meanwhile, ANOVA was applied for plant growth. The results revealed that RHC increased soil pH, organic C, CEC, and available P, and conversely, the application of 4.5% of RHC decreased soil Ni and Fe content by 65.43% and 40.47%, respectively. The application of RHC up to 6% increased significantly the plant height and number of leaves as well as the dry weight of patchouli. The present study concluded that the use of carbon-rich soil conditioners such as rice husk charcoal is an imperative measure to restore the nickel-mined soil.

Cam Nhung Pham, Yaroslav Lebedev, Anna Drygval et al.

The study of technogenic pollution of soils with heavy metals (HM) is an essential task for ecology. The analysis of the content of HMs in the park's soils shows the degree of pollution and the sources of its occurrence. The study of the elemental composition of soils is an objective method for assessing the state of the ecosystem. To determine the current state of heavy metal contamination in forest soils, the concentrations of their total forms were analyzed. Heavy metals, including Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Hg, Cd, and As, were found in the study area. In addition, the threat of contamination with Cd and As has been identified. The calculation of the total pollution coefficient allows us to assess the level of pollution for the dry season (Zc = 18.45-28.24, average 22.45) as average (moderately hazardous) and for the wet season (Zc = 0.01-5.11, average 1.96) as permissible. This indicates an unfavorable environmental situation. The content of heavy metals in soils depends on the season. Observations show that at the end of the wet season, the concentration of heavy metals decreases, while it increases in the period after the dry season.

Leonardo do Prado-Silva, G. Brancini, G. U. Braga et al.

Abstract Antimicrobial photodynamic treatment (aPDT) is a light-based method developed for the inactivation of microorganisms. With the emergence of antifungal- and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, aPDT has been suggested as a promising microbial control strategy. The treatment is based on a combination of visible light, a photosensitizer (PS), and molecular oxygen. Illuminating the PS with adequate light in the presence of oxygen will result in the generation of abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS), which further react with multiple targets within microbial cells and eventually cause cell death. The risk of resistance development is low due to the multi-target mode of action of aPDT. The efficiency of aPDT for microbial inactivation on foods can be affected by several factors such as type and characteristics of the PS, light source, food surface geometry, environmental aspects, and microbial characteristics. Although still a concept, the application of aPDT has gained rapid acceptance in many different agri-food products and associated processes, including food production, industrial processing, storage, distribution, and retail. Most of the in vitro aPDT studies have provided evidence of significant antimicrobial effects, including cases in which viability was reduced up to eight orders of magnitude. Strong antimicrobial performance of aPDT was also reported for studies involving variable food matrices, including fruit and vegetables, meat products, and milk. This review provides up-to-date information on advances in the application of aPDT in the agri-food sector, including suitable photosensitizers, sources of light, microbial inactivation efficiency, the role of food matrix composition, potentiation effects, inactivation mechanisms, and potential or prospective applications in the food industry and in other areas of agriculture. Even though the field of aPDT is advancing rapidly, future research should aim at some topics, including (1) the complete analysis of the effects of the treatment on food matrices, (2) the inactivation of currently-neglected food spoilage microorganisms, and (3) comprehensive field evaluation of aPDT for the control of plant diseases, all of which are necessary in order for the treatment to find widespread use in the agri-food sector.

Sudeshna Dey, Banismita Tripathy, M. Santosh Kumar et al.

Over the years, mining and metallurgical activities have rapidly influenced the human population. The manufacturing process of manganese (Mn) compounds and their use in industries increased the negative effect on the environment. Therefore, the recovery process of Mn from metal-containing wastes has become very crucial. Mn is a trace mineral found in various forms in the earth's crust and is present abundantly in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Due to the presence of high-level toxicity in surface waters, aquatic organisms exhibit a high-level toxic response. Mn is composed of many minerals such as oxides, sulfates, carbonates, etc. found naturally in the earth. Chronic exposure to this metal pollutant can result in adverse effects and various symptoms related to neurotoxicity including cognitive, Parkinson's disease, manganism, dystonia, and in plants symptoms like chlorosis in leaves and necrotic leaf spots. Mn is released into water bodies, especially through soil erosion, mining activities, and many anthropogenic activities. The toxicity depends on several aspects including the dose, route of exposure, species, and nutritional status of the individual. This element can be considered a systemic toxicant that can damage the multiple organs of humans. These microorganisms will degrade and detoxify the pollutants in the soil, water, and other environments into a non-toxic form that is not harmful to the environment. This review aims to summarize the toxicity of Mn mining pollutants in the environment as well as in humans, plants, and animals and describes the biological remediation strategies. This review also focuses on the environmental Mn pollution and the future aspects to control the Mn pollutants through biological remediation approaches.

Man Wang, Chenyu Ni, Ruiming Wang et al.

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) is a typical ethylene-sensitive cut flower, but a few differences in ethylene sensitivity have been reported for different potted carnation species. In this study, we investigated the relationship between vase life, ethylene sensitivity, ethylene biosynthesis gene expression, and flower volatile substance content of 17 different potted carnation varieties. It was found that under the same post-harvest environmental conditions, the vase life of different varieties ranged from 6.2−14.2 d. Among the 17 varieties, 'Cherry' and 'Grace Bay' were highly sensitive to ethylene, and qRT-PCR analysis showed that their ethylene biosynthesis genes DcACS1 and DcACO1 expression increased the most, while 'Pink and Purple', 'Bondi Beach', and 'Grane Beach' showed the opposite pattern. In addition, the lower ethylene release was important in leading to longer vase life of potted carnations, and that ethylene release from shorter vase life varieties was 2.5−4.5 times greater than that of longer vase life varieties. Varieties that are more sensitive to ethylene are more likely to have a shorter vase life due to early disruption of water relations, which is mainly the result of reduced stem hydraulic conductivity and transpiration water loss. Analysis of volatile substances showed that ethylene had no significant effect on the release of volatile substances from potted carnations. Therefore, a better understanding of petal senescence in potted carnations will help us to improve measures to extend flower longevity according to the ethylene sensitivity of different varieties.

Shiwani Sharma, Pankaj Kumar Jain and Prama Esther Soloman

Soil is one of the largest carbon reservoirs sequestering more carbon than vegetation and atmosphere. Due to the enormous potential of soil to sequester atmospheric CO2, it becomes a feasible option to alleviate the current and impending effects of changing climate. Soil is a vulnerable resource globally because it is highly susceptible to global environmental problems such as land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Therefore, protecting and monitoring worldwide soil carbon pools is a complicated challenge. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital factor affecting soil health since it is a major component of SOM and contributes to food production. This review attempts to summarize the information on carbon sequestration, storage, and carbon pools in the major terrestrial ecosystems and underpin soil carbon responses under climate change and mitigation strategies. Topography, pedogenic, and climatic factors mainly affect carbon input and stabilization. Humid conditions and low temperature favor high soil organic carbon content. Whereas warmer and drier regions have low SOC stocks. Tropical peatlands and mangrove ecosystems have the highest SOC stock. The soil of drylands stores 95% of the global Soil Inorganic Carbon (SIC) stock. Grasslands include rangelands, shrublands, pasturelands, and croplands. They hold about 1/5th of the world’s total soil carbon stocks.

M. M. Sari, I. W. K. Suryawan, B. S. Ramadan, I. Y. Septiariva and S. Notodarmojo

Parangtritis Beach, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, is one of the most visited tourist destinations for domestic and international tourists. These tourists are required to carry out health protocols by wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The high number of visits is linear with the generation of waste in tourist areas. Marine debris is defined as any solid material that settles, dumps, or is dumped, dumped, or disposed of in the marine and coastal environment. Efficient management of marine debris is a coordinated strategic approach to dealing with problems and inefficient law enforcement to improve the preservation of the marine environment. This study aimed to analyze the composition, characteristics, and management of marine debris in the Parangtritis Beach area during the COVID-19 pandemic. The amount of waste generated during the pandemic was recorded at 0.9 kg/m2.day. Sampling is carried out using the line transect method. The composition of waste consists of PET, PE, other plastics, biodegradable organics, and masks, each of which is 17.86%, 32.54%, 6.85%, 37.61% and 5.14%. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mask waste has become waste that has a new category, namely infectious. The characteristics of marine debris other than organic biodegradable tend to have a high calorific value so that it is possible to be processed by thermal processes. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) shows that Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), (Polyethylene) PE, and mask waste can be decomposed at a temperature of 260-550°C. Organic waste has been managed by processing Black Soldier Fly (BSF), while plastic waste can be processed into handicraft products. In contrast, the remaining plastic waste and masks are processed by a thermal process to allow waste to energy.

Aleksandr K Kirsanov, Evgenii P Volkov, Georgij S Kurchin et al.

The growing needs of mankind for minerals predetermine a systematic increase in the scope of mining operations. However, it is known that mineral resources are not evenly distributed in the bowels of the earth; therefore, due to their production, some regions of our planet can significantly outstrip other regions in their technical and, as a result, economic development; hence, the constant need to extract more minerals in order to develop the domestic industry and to strengthen the economy. This paper is devoted to the Central Asian states, their internal structure, economic integration into the world economy, and the mining sector development as the basis of a successful model for the development of the country as a whole. The study summarizes and analyzes the political system and socio-economic conditions in the Central Asian states. It presents a brief overview of the scale of mining operations; provides information about the mining industry structure in each country and the proceeds from its sales. Taking the Central Asian states as an example, we demonstrate the importance of the mining sector as an integral part of a country’s domestic economic structure.

J. Asadi, Esmaeil Yazdani, Yasaman Hosseinzadeh Dehaghani et al.

Abstract Gas flaring is a significant cause of air contamination and a source of energy losses in the oil and gas industry. A liquid ring compressor is a cost-effective and appropriate technology, which can be used to recover flare gas from various sources. In this paper, a novel flare gas recovery process based on liquid ring compressors is proposed, in which flare gases are compressed and treated simultaneously using methyl diethanolamine. This process is simulated here through some custom models in Aspen HYSYS and MATLAB software, and the effects of operating and design parameters on the performance of the proposed flare gas recovery system are examined. Results demonstrate that the H2S absorption efficiency can be improved by reducing amine temperature or raising the flow rate of the recycling amine. However, the energy consumption of the process increases in these conditions. It is also demonstrated that there is an optimum value for the lean amine solvent concentration to minimize the H2S concentration of the outlet gas. The process analysis shows that by integrating the proposed flare gas recovery system with a refinery plant generating 0.5 MMSCFD of flare gas, it is possible to recover 87% of the available heating value in the flare gas. Also, the environmental aspects of the plant is considerably improved by preventing the release of 28 mtCO2 equivalent per day to the atmosphere. Due to the overlapping effects of system operating parameters, a multi-objective optimization is conducted to optimize the process, and the Pareto solutions set consists of the best possible trade-offs between process energy consumption, H2S concentration of outlet gas, and lean amine solvent consumption are generated.

D. González, Marina Robas, A. Probanza et al.

Heavy metal pollution of soil, particularly by mercury (Hg), is a problem that can seriously affect the environment and human health. For this reason, it is necessary to take steps to remediate these environments, prevent potential adverse effects, and restore these areas for subsequent use in agriculture, industry, ranching, and forestry. The present study has selected 40 bacterial strains from rhizosphere and bulk soil that grow naturally in high Hg-contaminated soils from the Almadén mining district in Ciudad Real, Spain. With the objective of evaluating the potential use of these strains in phyto-rhizoremediation, an evaluation and statistical analysis of their PGPR (Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria) activity at different levels of Hg was carried out as the first condition of selection for their potential use in bioremediation. In addition, a Hg MBC (Maximum Bactericidal Concentration) was performed with the aim of selecting the strains with high Hg tolerance. Finally, strains with potential biotechnological use have been proposed according to the Bio-Mercury Remediation Suitability Index (BMRSI) criteria, which consider indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, acid 1- aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic deaminase (ACCd) activity, phosphates solubilization, and siderophore production measured in the presence of Hg, as well as its MBC to Hg. The strains selected for further in vivo and in situ processes must reach at least an MBC (Hg) > 100 μg/mL and BMRSI ≥ 6.5.

Selvia Sarungu, S. Afrida, Markus Lumbaa

The modern life is highly dependent on energy including for fuel, electricity, and industry. Fossil fuels are the main of energy source is used. However, negative environmental effects are needed to be considered. Biomass energy using waste or plant matter produces a lower level of greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels. Through this study, we attempt to use mango waste to produce bioethanol. This source is cellulosic material which is abundant in traditional markets, especially when the peak of harvest season comes. We treated the mango waste in pilot-scale experiment with three different ways using alcohol percentage as an indicator of the alcohol production. Monoculture fermentation of Saccharomycetes cerevisiae produced the highest bio-ethanol percentage (83% v/v). A slightly higher in alcohol percentage (79% v/v) was achieved by coculture fermentation of Aspergillus niger and S. cerevisiae. The lowest result was obtained in fermentation of A. niger was followed by the addition of S. cerevisiae (70% v/v). These results indicate that monoculture fermentation of mango waste gives the best results. This research may be useful in production of bio-ethanol for industrial scale.

Fitri Arum Sekarjannah, Mansur Mansur, Zaenal Abidin

Acid mine drainage (AMD), produced when sulfide minerals are subjected to oxygen and water, is one of the major issues in mining industries. Without proper management, AMD's release to the environment would cause seriously prolonged environmental and health issues, such as increases soil acidity and reduces water quality due to extremely low pH, high sulphate concentration, and heavy metal solubility. AMD treatments are divided into two categories, i.e., active treatment, conducted by applying a chemical to the AMD to neutralize pH and precipitate heavy metals; and passive treatment, which relies on biological and biochemical processes. The active treatment may provide an immediate effect, but costly and yet sustainable; meanwhile, passive treatment takes time to establish and to generate an effect, but it is more economical, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. The wetland system is an example of passive treatment. Therefore, this review focuses on passive treatments, especially the selection of organic materials used in constructed AMD wetland treatment. Organic materials play a central role in the wetland system, i.e., to chelate metal ions, remove sulphate from the solution, increase pH, and growth media for microbes, especially sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) and plants are grown in the system. Overall, organic materials determine the effectiveness of the wetland system to neutralize AMD passively and sustainably.

Y. Jin, L.Y. Mo, L.T. Qin and J.F. Dai

Pollutants generally exist as mixtures in the environment. Their cumulative toxicity and toxicity interactions are potential risks. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the variation of joint toxicity of a multi-component mixture system, which consisted of six common quaternary ammonium salt surfactants in the environment, on Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 (Q67). Vibrio qinghaiensis sp. -Q67 (Vqin-Q67) is a freshwater luminescent bacterium that continuously emits blue-green light (485 nm). The bacterium has been widely used for detecting toxic contaminants. In the mixture system, the luminescent toxicity of each component of the mixture to Q67 was determined by the microplate toxicity analysis method, and the toxicity interaction of the mixture was determined by the toxicity unit method (TU). The combined toxicity of the mixture system was investigated from four aspects, including the number of components, key components, concentration (toxicity) ratio, and exposure time. The results showed that the combined toxic effect of the same mixture system tends to be an additive effect with the increase of the number of components. The combined toxicity of the mixture system was close to that of the key components. Antagonism was presented in the equal toxicity mixture, while synergism was presented in the non-equal toxicity mixture. The combined toxic effect of the multi-component mixture system was not only related to the concentration of the pollutant but also related to the exposure time of the pollutant.

C. Jesu Raj and J. Prema Kumari

All forms of life on earth including man have evolved in the presence of radiation and have always been exposed to them from the natural environment. The health effect from exposure to alpha particles depends greatly on how a person is exposed. If alpha-emitters are inhaled, swallowed, or get into the body through a cut, the alpha particles can damage sensitive living tissue. In this paper, investigations have been made to determine the presence of alpha activity in the air. Hence, the alpha activity was measured by collecting Airborne Particulate Matter (APM) non-simultaneously on Whatman filters from ten sampling sites in Kanyakumari District during the summer and winter seasons using a high volume sampling method. The sampling sites are characterized by different contributions from ore refining factories like Indian Rare Earths (IRE) Limited, mountain areas, some industrial, non-nuclear activities like tiles and brick factories in and around the Kanyakumari district. The alpha activity in airborne particulate matter collected was determined by Alpha Counter and their results were tabulated.

Paula Serafini