In the era of climate change, global agricultural systems are facing numerous, unprecedented challenges. In order to achieve food security, advanced nano-engineering is a handy tool for boosting crop production and assuring sustainability. Nanotechnology helps to improve agricultural production by increasing the efficiency of inputs and minimizing relevant losses. Nanomaterials offer a wider specific surface area to fertilizers and pesticides. In addition, nanomaterials as unique carriers of agrochemicals facilitate the site-targeted controlled delivery of nutrients with increased crop protection. Due to their direct and intended applications in the precise management and control of inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides), nanotools, such as nanobiosensors, support the development of high-tech agricultural farms. The integration of biology and nanotechnology into nonosensors has greatly increased their potential to sense and identify the environmental conditions or impairments. In this review, we summarize recent attempts at innovative uses of nanotechnologies in agriculture that may help to meet the rising demand for food and environmental sustainability.
The environment is increasingly recognised as a hotspot for the selection and dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. These can be selected for by antibiotics and non-antibiotic agents (such as metals and biocides), with the evidence to support this well established by observational and experimental studies. However, there is emerging evidence to suggest that plant protection products (such as herbicides), and non-antibiotic drugs (such as chemotherapeutic agents), can also co-select for antibiotic resistance. This review aims to provide an overview of four classes of non-antibiotic agents (metals, biocides, plant protection products, and non-antibiotic drugs) and how they may co-select for antibiotic resistance, with a particular focus on the environment. It also aims to identify key knowledge gaps that should be addressed in future work, to better understand these potential co-selective agents.
Enis Ben Bnina, Jihen Missaoui, Mohamed Firas Gannouni
et al.
Food safety and control are fundamental public health issues that maintain consumer confidence and protection. This design (management) requires monitoring production, processing, and conservation processes while limiting microbiological, chemical, and physical risks. In this context, clove essential oil, a bioactive essence with a broad spectrum of biological activities, is increasingly studied as a natural biopreservative in innovative food safety strategies. This study reports the encapsulation of this oil into a nanoemulsion at concentrations of 10 mg/mL, 1 mg/mL, and 0.1 mg/mL. Dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, polydispersity index, and particle size all demonstrated optimal morphology and a stable system.The nanoformulation significantly improves the antioxidant activity of clove essential oil, even at high dilutions, while protecting the degradation of natural active ingredients and ensuring controlled release. This nanoemulsion exhibits a moderate antimicrobial effect against various resistant pathogenic bacteria and fungi. However, at a concentration of 10 mg/mL, it showed a 100 % antibiofilm effect against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This nanoemulsion demonstrated significant potential to prevent surface adhesion against all bacteria tested, except L. monocytogenes.This research reveals crucial information about an innovative natural nanoemulsion for food safety and control, unveiling its antioxidant, anti-adhesive, and anti-biofilm potential against resistant pathogens. These results represent a promising step forward in reducing contamination risks and extending shelf life without altering organoleptic properties, offering environmental benefits and hygiene practices while targeting sustainable industrial applications to increase food safety.
Electrodes with high activation efficiency and stability are critical for the electrochemical activation of persulfate. In this study, the effective degradation of acid orange 74 (AO 74) was achieved using the electrochemically activated peroxydisulfate (PDS) with a Ag nanoparticle–modified carbon paper (AgNPs@CP) electrode, demonstrating a 2.5-fold enhancement in the AO 74 degradation rate compared with the CP electrode. The impact of reaction conditions, including AgNPs dosage, PDS content, current density, initial solution pH, and agitation rate, as well as water matrices, such as Cl−, CO32−, and SO42−, on AO 74 degradation was systematically investigated to establish optimal parameters. Radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis identified sulfate radical and hydroxyl radical as the dominant reactive species. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed that AO 74 was primarily transformed into aliphatic organic compounds during electrochemical degradation. Remarkably, the 3-h AO 74 degradation efficiency remained stable over five consecutive cycles through alternating use of the AgNPs@CP anode and CP cathode, facilitated by Ag0/Ag+/Ag2+ redox cycling that enabled Ag recovery and minimized Ag leaching. The electrochemically activated PDS with the AgNPs@CP electrode shows promise as a pretreatment technology for dyeing wastewater with low biodegradability.
CHEN Ziquan 1 , HE Chuan 1, YU Bingxin 1, LI Zheng 1, 2, ZHANG Hang 2, LIU Maoyi 2
The long-term structural safety issues of water-rich tunnels under complex hydrogeological conditions during operation period and their mutual interaction mechanism with groundwater environment are receiving increasing attention. To study the evolution process of seepage and stress field of urban tunnels with small interval and propose reasonable waterproof-drainage methods, the model tests and numerical studies on seepage are carried out based on the Kexuecheng Tunnel in Chongqing City. The evolution process of water and earth pressure on the lining structures is revealed. Subsequently, a proactive control technology for groundwater environmental protection based on the collaborative regulation of drainage and structural safety is proposed. The results indicate that the precipitation funnels formed by the left and right holes of urba tunnels with a small interval partially overlap and affect each other in space. The water pressure exhibits a W-shaped distribution in the horizontal direction, gradually evolving into a concave arc shape as the burial depth increases or decreases. The horizontal influence range of the seepage field and stress field exceeds 80 meters. The reduction effects of grouting circle on water pressure and surrounding rock pressure decrease with the increase of water head height. When the water head height is 30~50 m, the reduction ratio of grouting circle to the total load is about 18.6%~40%. The distribution of earth and water pressure of tunnels with small interval shows significant asymmetry. Under heavy rainfall conditions, the evolution process of the total load on the lining can be divided into three stages: slow growth, rapid growth and gradual stability phase. The secondary lining cracking and water inrush disasters caused by high water pressure are mainly concentrated at the haunch, arch foot and bottom of tunnel. For high water pressure sections of urban tunnels with small interval, it is recommended to add drainage blind pipes at the inverted arch. In ecologically sensitive areas, the active regulation technology should be adopted for groundwater discharge in tunnels to protect the ecological balance of groundwater environment.
Engineering geology. Rock mechanics. Soil mechanics. Underground construction
Phillip Ormeño Vásquez, Naysha Rojas Villa, Cristian Rojas Villa
Tourism and hospitality education in Peru is evolving to incorporate a stronger focus on environmental conservation. In this context, this study aims to assess environmental conservation attitudes of students enrolled in tourism and hospitality programs offered by Peruvian universities. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out among students pursuing a degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management at the National University of Cañete, in Lima, Peru. The research focused on the period from July to December 2018. The final report was completed in 2020. A sample of 45 students was taken from a total population of 281, based on specific selection criteria. The demographic variables considered for this study were: age group, gender, and class shift, alongside the following dimensions: cognitive, affective and reactive. The majority of participants were female (73.3%), within the 20- to 22-year-old group (80.0%), and attended morning classes (64.4%). The highest level of agreement among students was observed for the statement that local hotels should implement appropriate waste management systems (item 2). Furthermore, 86.7% of respondents strongly agreed that plants and animals have the same right to life as human beings (item 20). Similarly, 60.0% of them indicated they would be willing to mobilize others in support of public space conservation (item 26). Overall, the findings suggest that students possess sound cognitive and affective attitudes towards environmental conservation. However, a lower reactive performance requires strategies to foster a deep emotional connection.
Karoline K. Barkjohn, Catherine Seppanen, Saravanan Arunachalam
et al.
Data is needed to understand local air quality, reduce exposure, and mitigate the negative impacts on human health. Measuring local air quality often requires a hybrid monitoring approach consisting of the national air monitoring network and one or more networks of air sensors. However, it can be challenging to combine this data to produce a consistent picture of air quality, largely because sensor data is produced in a variety of formats. Users may have difficulty reformatting, performing basic quality control steps, and using the data for their intended purpose. We developed an R-Shiny application that allows users to import text-based air sensor data, describe the format, perform basic quality control, and export the data to standard formats through a user-friendly interface. Format information can be saved to speed up the processing of additional sensors of the same type. This tool can be used by air quality professionals (e.g., state, local, Tribal air agency staff, consultants, researchers) to more efficiently work with data and perform further analysis in the Air Sensor Network Analysis Tool (ASNAT), Google Earth or Geographic Information System (GIS) programs, the Real Time Geospatial Data Viewer (RETIGO), or other applications they already use for air quality analysis and management.
The Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) is leading a nationwide initiative to map and restore seagrass meadows under the Marine Ecosystem Restoration (MER) project. This effort addresses the alarming decline of Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa habitats, which are critical for carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and coastal resilience. The MER project’s mapping component, executed by Fugro and Compagnia Generale Ripreseaeree (CGR), in partnership with EOMAP – a Fugro company, and PlanBlue, employed a multi-sensor approach, combining satellite, airborne, vessel-based (high-resolution multibeam), and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) technologies. The integration of bathymetric LiDAR, multibeam, optical and multispectral data allowed continuous bathymetric coverage from the coastline to 50 metre depth. The Virgeo® platform, specifically developed by Fugro, facilitated real-time monitoring of acquisitions and data collected by ships and aircraft engaged in the surveys. This integrated approach provided a robust baseline for restoration planning and long-term monitoring, offering a scalable, cost-effective solution for national marine habitat assessments. The Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR) MER project was funded by MASE, coordinated by ISPRA and scientifically supported by Italian research institutes and universities (CNR-IGAG, IIM, Sapienza, INGV, PoliMi, UniPd, UniGe).
Abstract Objective Climate change and related issues associated with the interaction of humans with the environment are of great importance in today's context. More and more research is focusing on understanding what can be done to prevent and reverse the effects of environmental problems through individual behaviours. Within psychology, there is a lack of synthesis of what drives pro‐environmental behaviours in various paradigms and how they can be changed. The current study focuses on the application of protection motivation theory to predicting and changing pro‐environmental behaviours using a systematic mapping approach. Methods A systematic screening of 132 databases was performed, resulting in the identification of 22 relevant studies with the total N = 12,827. Results Investigation of the included research revealed a number of gaps in knowledge including: lack of experimental evidence with successful manipulations of protection motivation theory constructs; non‐inclusion of all the aspects of the theory into studies; the absence of examination of the intention–behaviour relationship; the lack of consistency in operationalisation of protection motivation theory constructs; a focus on predominantly western high income societies, and the lack of uniformity in the definition of pro‐environmental behaviours. Conclusion Future research should consider employing experimental designs with proper manipulation checks and longitudinal focus, as well as consistent definitions and operationalisations of relevant concepts, and exploring these constructs across different countries.
The purpose of the study is to identify the impact of information and communication technologies and measures taken by telecommunications companies in China, Japan and South Korea on the environment of these countries.Materials and methods. Indexes of the ecological footprint (based on the Global Footprint Network data) and greenhouse gas emissions (based on the International Energy Agency data) for these countries are used as a measure of environmental assessment. Based on the Sustainability Reports of telecommunication companies in these countries (China Mobile, SK Telekom, KDDI and others), their strategies for environmental protection and achieving a zero carbon footprint are examined. The impact of information and communication technologies is assessed using indexes of the number of Internet users, fixed Internet access, mobile communications users per 100 people of the country’s population, the share of ICT goods and services in the total exports and imports of countries, as well as the growth index of IT investments in the private sector for Japan. For each country, a correlation matrix was constructed depending on the level of the logarithm of the ecological footprint (Y) on the logarithms of the listed indexes; the factors that most influence Y and are not multicollinear were selected. Based on the selected indexes, multiple regression models were developed for each country and their parameters were assessed.Results. For China and South Korea, a positive elasticity of the ecological footprint was obtained for the number of mobile phone users (for China) and fixed broadband Internet access (for South Korea). In addition, the import of ICT goods into a country reduces its environmental footprint, and the export of ICT services from the country leads to an increase in the index. For Japan, negative elasticities of the ICT sector indexes for the country’s ecological footprint were obtained, which is associated with measures taken by telecommunication companies to reduce their own consumption of electricity and other resources, as well as the widespread use of digital technologies for energy saving in other sectors of the Japanese economy.Conclusion. For China and South Korea, significant dependences of the country’s ecological footprint on the spread of digital technologies were obtained, and their diffusion entails an increase in the index. While this impact is not very large, the widespread adoption of 5G mobile communications in these countries should be taken into account, which could significantly increase the share of the ICT sector in the countries’ environmental footprint. At the same time, Japanese telecommunication companies are promoting environmental protection
Abstract To study the applicability of the Porter Hypothesis to Chinese manufacturing enterprises from a property rights perspective, we match the financial data of all A-share manufacturing companies listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges of China from 2008 to 2016 with the marketization index compiled by Wang et al. (2017), and test the empirical relationship between environmental regulation and corporate financial performance using a fixed effects model. We find that: First, the Porter hypothesis per se is not supported in China’s manufacturing sector, and environmental regulation often lowers manufacturing enterprises’ financial performance. Second, property rights protection has a positive impact on corporate financial performance, and a good property rights environment can mitigate the negative impact of environmental regulation on corporate financial performance by inducing corporate innovations. Third, property rights protection exhibits differential extent of its moderating effect on the relationship between environmental regulation and enterprise performance across different types of enterprises in terms of their ownership natures and the regional economic development level of their geographic locations. All of our main results survive several robustness checks that we performed. We confirm that Porter hypothesis in general is not applicable for China’s manufacturing enterprises at present, but the moderating effect of property rights protection is steering the relationship between environmental regulations and corporate financial performance towards the path of Porter hypothesis, thereby in the future a win-win situation of environmental protection and corporate financial performance improvement may be achieved.
Pesticides used for plant protection can indirectly affect target and non-target organisms and are identified as a major cause of insect decline. Depending on species interactions, pesticides can be transferred into the environment from plants to preys and predators. While the transfer of pesticides is often studied through vertebrate and aquatic exposure, arthropod predators of insects may represent valuable bioindicators of environmental exposure to pesticides. A modified QuEChERS extraction coupled with HPLC-MS/MS analysis was used to address the question of the exposure to pesticides of the invasive hornet Vespa velutina, a specialist predator of honey bees. This analytical method allows the accurate quantification of nanogram/gram levels of 42 contaminants in a sample weight that can be obtained from single individuals. Pesticide residues were analyzed in female workers from 24 different hornet nests and 13 different pesticides and 1 synergist, piperonyl butoxide, were identified and quantified. In 75 % of the explored nests, we found at least one compound and in 53 % of the positive samples we could quantify residues ranging from 0.5 to 19.5 ng.g−1. In this study, hornets from nests located in sub-urban environments were the most contaminated. Pesticide residue analysis in small and easy to collect predatory insects opens new perspectives for the study of environmental contamination and the transfer of pesticides in terrestrial trophic chains.
Abstract Impacts of nine heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, K, Fe, Mn, and Zn) contamination in irrigation water on the soil, shoots, and roots of barely were investigated. Due to freshwater shortages, the use of available and inexpensive urban wastewater with input from local industrial factories containing heavy metals in irrigation is still practiced in the Middle East including Palestine. Barely was grown in plastic pots filled with sandy soil irrigated with simulated treated wastewater during two growing seasons. The metal treatments investigated include one, three, nine, and 15 multiples of the average metal content of treated effluent. Results showed that (i) Barley showed similar growth responses but different metal uptake patterns, (ii) Cd, Fe, Pb, and Zn in roots and shoots of barley were higher than WHO permissible levels, (iii) all metals accumulated in the soil had lower content than WHO permissible levels, (iv) The average value of enrichment factor (EF) for most heavy metals used was around unity indicating poor enrichment to soil and translocation to roots and shoots, (v) The highest Translocation factor (TF = 57.8) and Bioconcentration Factor (BCF = 126.8) was observed for K indicating its role in enhancing barley's tolerance to drought and its effectiveness in using barley in phytoremediation, and (vi) Barley growth and development and soil quality parameters were significantly affected by repetitive and increased irrigation with wastewater containing heavy metals.
The research and development of new building materials such as phosphorous building gypsum is crucial to promote the utilisation of phosphogypsum resources by improving their value. This study developed a new type of shape-stabilised energy storage phosphorus building gypsum aggregate (ES-PBGA). The mechanical and thermal properties of ES-PBGA with Paraffin were investigated. The results indicate that the matrix of ES-PBGA had a good microstructure, and the optimal paraffin-embedding rate of ES-PBGA was 31.08%. The phase transition temperature and enthalpy of the endothermic and exothermic stages were 17.6 and 27.14 ℃, and 33.02 and 31.62 J/g, respectively. The cylinder pressure strength of ES-PBGA with paraffin (31.08%) was 4.32 MPa, which meets the requirements of artificial aggregate application. To verify the practicability of ES-PBGA, energy storage lightweight aggregate concrete was prepared with 0%, 25%, 50%, and 100% ES-PBGA to replace the lightweight shale ceramsite. The results show that ES-PBGA can improve the interface transition zone between cement-based materials and energy storage aggregates, thereby improving the strength, and has a relatively suitable thermal conductivity, thermal diffusion coefficient, and specific heat capacity. Furthermore, it is also a type of low-carbon energy storage aggregate, and its application in the field of energy storage composite building materials is a relatively new concept.
Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials
Abstract The disposal of waste oil, paint and coating barrels (WOPCBs) after use is an ongoing social and environmental problem. In this paper, a novel technological scheme using steel converter co-processing is proposed for the safe disposal and resource utilization of WOPCBs. The scheme is mainly composed of WOPCBs pretreatment and converter disposal, focusing on the impact of converter co-processing WOPCBs on the environment and production process. Compared to the traditional technology, the scheme presented takes full advantages of the production process and environmental protection facilities of steel converter, and has many advantages, such as a large disposal capacity, low cost, highly efficient and environmentally friendly. The industrial trials results show that after adding 180–540 kg WOPCBs to each furnace load (nominal capacity 250 t), the converter operation is safe and controllable, and all the pollutant emission indicators generated in the process meet the Chinese national standards. In addition, WOPCBs are suitable to be used as a supplementary material for scrap steel. Therefore, this study provides important insights for sustainable resource utilization from WOPCBs.