In recent years, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have led to the development of large language models like GPT-4, demonstrating potential applications in various fields, including education. This study investigates the feasibility and effectiveness of using ChatGPT, a GPT-4 based model, in achieving satisfactory performance on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Environmental Exam. This study further shows a significant improvement in the model's accuracy when answering FE exam questions through noninvasive prompt modifications, substantiating the utility of prompt modification as a viable approach to enhance AI performance in educational contexts. Furthermore, the findings reflect remarkable improvements in mathematical capabilities across successive iterations of ChatGPT models, showcasing their potential in solving complex engineering problems. Our paper also explores future research directions, emphasizing the importance of addressing AI challenges in education, enhancing accessibility and inclusion for diverse student populations, and developing AI-resistant exam questions to maintain examination integrity. By evaluating the performance of ChatGPT in the context of the FE Environmental Exam, this study contributes valuable insights into the potential applications and limitations of large language models in educational settings. As AI continues to evolve, these findings offer a foundation for further research into the responsible and effective integration of AI models across various disciplines, ultimately optimizing the learning experience and improving student outcomes.
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) represent a pivotal technology for enhancing the utilization of renewable energy in buildings. However, challenges persist, including the lack of integrated design models, limited analytical dimensions, and insufficient consideration of climate change impacts. This study proposes a comprehensive performance assessment framework for BIPV that incorporates global climate change factors. An integrated simulation model is developed using EnergyPlus8.9.0, Optics6, and WINDOW7.7 to evaluate BIPV configurations such as photovoltaic facades, shading systems, and roofs. A multi-criteria evaluation system is established, encompassing global warming potential (GWP), power generation, energy flexibility, and economic cost. Future hourly weather data for the 2050s and 2080s are generated using CCWorldWeatherGen under representative climate scenarios. Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to assess performance across variable combinations, supplemented by sensitivity and uncertainty analyses to identify key influencing factors. Results indicate (1) critical design parameters—including building orientation, wall thermal absorptance, window-to-wall ratios, PV shading angle, glazing optical properties, equipment and lighting power density, and occupancy—significantly affect overall performance. Equipment and lighting densities most influence carbon emissions and flexibility, whereas envelope thermal properties dominate cost impacts. PV shading outperforms other forms in power generation. (2) Under intensified climate change, GWP and life cycle costs increase, while energy flexibility declines, imposing growing pressure on system performance. However, under certain mid-century climate conditions, BIPV power generation potential improves due to altered solar radiation. The study recommends integrating climate-adaptive design strategies with energy systems such as PEDF (photovoltaic, energy storage, direct current, and flexibility), refining policy mechanisms, and advancing BIPV deployment with climate-resilient approaches to support building decarbonization and enhance adaptive capacity.
<p>We used the CAM5 model to examine how different particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degradation approaches affect the spatial distribution of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). Three approaches were evaluated: NOA (no effect of OA coatings state on BaP), shielded (viscous OA coatings shield BaP from oxidation under cool and dry conditions) and ROI-T (viscous OA coatings slow BaP oxidation in response to temperature and humidity). Results show that BaP concentrations vary seasonally, influenced by emissions, deposition, transport and degradation approach, all of which are influenced by meteorological conditions. All simulations predict higher population-weighted global average (PWGA) fresh BaP concentrations during December–January–February (DJF) compared to June–July–August (JJA), due to increased emissions from household activities and reduced removal processes during colder months. The shielded and ROI-T approaches, which account for OA coatings, result in 2–6 times higher BaP concentrations in DJF compared to NOA. The shielded simulation predicts the highest PWGA fresh BaP concentration (1.3 <span class="inline-formula">ng m<sup>−3</sup></span>), with 90 % of BaP protected from oxidation. In contrast, the ROI-T approach forecasts lower concentrations in middle to low latitudes, as it assumes less effective OA coatings under warmer, more humid conditions. Evaluations against observed BaP concentrations show the shielded approach performs best, with a normalized mean bias (NMB) within <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 20 %. The combined incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for both fresh and oxidized PAHs is similar across simulations, emphasizing the importance of considering both forms in health risk assessments. This study highlights the critical role of accurate degradation approaches in PAH modeling.</p>
Cadmium contamination found in paddy fields in the Maesot District of Tak Province, Thailand. This area was remediated using 50mg/L of ZVI. The study aimed to isolate and identify soil bacteria in the soil and rice roots and to investigate ZVI’s effect on the isolated bacterial cells. The results indicated no significant difference in soil bacteria content before and after remediation at the 95% confidence level. Twelve isolates of nitrogen-fixing bacteria were obtained. Those isolates could grow at high concentrations of 300 mg/L of ZVI. RH17 had a high tolerance for TSA with 300 mg/L of ZVI at only 10 CFU/ml. The effects of ZVI at 150 mg/L on RH17 cells, a small amount of ZVI was observed adhering to the cells’ surface and forming giant cells, while at 300 mg/L of ZVI, caused a reduction in growth by 81.0%. The nifH gene of RH17 was related to Rhizobium sp. strain 5-1-2. The results demonstrated the cadmium remediation process with 50mg/L of ZVI did not affect the cell count of soil bacteria in the paddy field. However, at 150 mg/L or higher, ZVI damaged the isolated Rhizobium sp. cell membrane. So, the remediation using ZVI must consider the appropriate concentration.
Paulo Roger Lopes Alves, German Andres Estrada-Bonilla, Antonio Marcos Miranda Silva
et al.
This study explored how different sugarcane vinasses influence the structure and composition of soil bacterial communities in two tropical Oxisols with contrasting textures. In a controlled microcosm experiment with sugarcane seedlings, two concentrations of three vinasse types were applied, and bacterial communities were monitored over 10, 30, and 60 days using T-RFLP and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Across all treatments, vinasse application led to clear changes in bacterial community structure in both soils, regardless of the time point. Certain bacterial groups, such as <i>Sphingobacteriia</i>, <i>Alphaproteobacteria</i>, and <i>Gammaproteobacteria</i>, became more abundant—likely responding to increased carbon availability, higher pH, and greater soil moisture. At the same time, other groups declined, possibly due to excess nutrients like potassium and sulfur. Notably, these shifts occurred even when standard biochemical indicators suggested no major impact, highlighting the sensitivity of microbial community-level responses. These findings point to the importance of looking beyond traditional soil quality metrics when assessing the environmental effects of organic residue applications. Incorporating microbial indicators can offer a more nuanced understanding of how practices like vinasse reuse affect soil functioning in tropical agroecosystems.
Adriano Bressane, Ana Júlia da Silva Garcia, M. Castro
et al.
Statement of Problem: Environmental engineering confronts complex challenges characterized by significant uncertainties. Traditional modeling methods often fail to effectively address these uncertainties. As a promising direction, this study explores fuzzy machine learning (ML) as an underutilized alternative. Research Question: Although the potential of fuzzy logic is widely acknowledged, can its capabilities truly enhance environmental engineering applications? Purpose: This research aims to deepen the understanding of the role and significance of fuzzy logic in managing uncertainty within environmental engineering applications. The objective is to contribute to both theoretical insights and practical implementations in this domain. Method: This research performs a systematic review carried out in alignment with PRISMA guidelines, encompassing 27 earlier studies that compare fuzzy ML with other methods across a variety of applications within the field of environmental engineering. Results: The findings demonstrate how fuzzy-based models consistently outperform traditional methods in scenarios marked by uncertainty. The originality of this research lies in its systematic comparison and the identification of fuzzy logic’s transparent, interpretable nature as particularly suited for environmental engineering challenges. This approach provides a new perspective on integrating fuzzy logic into environmental engineering, emphasizing its capability to offer more adaptable and resilient solutions. Conclusions: The analysis reveals that fuzzy-based models significantly excel in managing uncertainty compared to other methods. However, the study advocates for a case-by-case evaluation rather than a blanket replacement of traditional methods with fuzzy models. This approach encourages optimal selection based on specific project needs. Practical Implications: Our findings offer actionable insights for researchers and engineers, highlighting the transparent and interpretable nature of fuzzy models, along with their superior ability to handle uncertainties. Such attributes position fuzzy logic as a promising alternative in environmental engineering applications. Moreover, policymakers can leverage the reliability of fuzzy logic in developing ML-aided sustainable policies, thereby enhancing decision-making processes in environmental management.
Phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) are known as bacteria or fungi that make insoluble phosphorus in soil available to plants. To date, as beneficial microbes, studies on PSMs indicated they have potential applications in agriculture, environmental engineering, bioremediation, and biotechnology. Currently high cost and competition from local microbe are the most important factors hindering PSMs commercialization and application as for instance biofertilizer, soil conditioner or remediation agent, etc. There are several technical strategies can be engaged to approach the solutions of these issues, for instance mass production, advance soil preparation, genetic engineering, etc. On the other hand, further studies are needed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of PSMs in solubilizing phosphates, promoting plant growth, soil remediation preferably. Hopefully, PSMs are going to be developed into ecofriendly tools for sustainable agriculture, environment protection and management in the future.
Lorenzo Pedroni, Daniel Zocchi Doherty, Chiara Dall’Asta
et al.
Mycotoxins are known environmental pollutants that may contaminate food and feed chains. Some mycotoxins are regulated in many countries to limit the trading of contaminated and harmful commodities. However, the so-called emerging mycotoxins are poorly understood and need to be investigated further. Fusaric acid is an emerging mycotoxin, noxious to plants and animals, but is known to be less toxic to plants when hydroxylated. The detoxification routes effective in animals have not been elucidated yet. In this context, this study integrated in silico and in vitro techniques to discover potential bioremediation routes to turn fusaric acid to its less toxic metabolites. The toxicodynamics of these forms in humans have also been addressed. An in silico screening process, followed by molecular docking and dynamics studies, identified CYP199A4 from the bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris HaA2 as a potential fusaric acid biotransforming enzyme. Its activity was confirmed in vitro. However, the effect of hydroxylation seemed to have a limited impact on the modelled toxicodynamics against human targets. This study represents a starting point to develop a hybrid in silico/in vitro pipeline to find bioremediation agents for other food, feed and environmental contaminants.
Lead dioxide (PbO2) materials have been widely employed in various fields such as batteries, electrochemical engineering, and more recently environmental engineering as anode materials, due to their unique physicochemical properties. Key performances of PbO2 electrodes, such as energy efficiency and space-time yield, are influenced by morphological as well as compositional factors. Micro-nano structure regulation and decoration of metal/non-metal on PbO2 is an outstanding technique to revamp its electrocatalytic activities and enhance environmental engineering efficiency. The aim of this review is to comprehensively summarize the recent research progress in the morphology control, the structure constructions, and the element doping of PbO2 materials, further with many environmental application cases evaluated. Concerning electrochemical environmental engineering, the lead dioxide employed in chemical oxygen demand detection, ozone generators, and wastewater treatment has been comprehensively reviewed. In addition, the future research perspectives, challenges and the opportunities on PbO2 materials for environmental applications are proposed.
Recently, single-atom catalysts (SACs) have attracted wide attention in the field of environmental engineering. Compared with their nanoparticle counterparts, SACs possess high atomic efficiency, unique catalytic activity, and selectivity. This review summarizes recent studies on the environmental remediation applications of SACs in (1) gaseous: volatile organic compounds (VOCs) treatment, NOx reduction, CO2 reduction, and CO oxidation; (2) aqueous: Fenton-like advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), hydrodehalogenation, and nitrate/nitrite reduction. We present the treatment activities and reaction mechanisms of various SACs and propose challenges and future opportunities. We believe that this review will provide constructive inspiration and direction for future SAC research in environmental engineering.
Abstract Geotextiles have become a popular solution in environmental engineering. They may be manufactured from synthetic or biodegradable materials. The main functions of geotextiles are: separation, filtration, drainage, sealing, anti-erosion protection, and improving plant vegetation conditions. The synthetic ones are produced mainly from fossil fuels. One of the ways to reduce the consumption of energy from non-renewable sources and to limit environmental pollution is to replace petrochemical materials with natural products. Unfortunately, only 2% of the geosynthetics are produced from renewable resources. However, it is estimated that natural fibers and biopolymers might successfully replace synthetic materials even in 50% of all applications. A wide range of geotextiles produced from such natural fibers as jute, flax, coconut fiber, palm fiber, sisal, nettle, straw, cotton, and wool are currently available on the market but they are not widely used in environmental engineering. The paper presents the current state of knowledge and technological developments in their production and application. The study also points to the existing deficiencies and opportunities in the development of the manufacturing technology of natural fibers and biodegradable polymers.
Microbial electrochemical systems have gained much attention over the past decade due to their potential for various environmental engineering applications ranging from energy production to wastewater treatment to bioproduction. At the heart of these systems lie exoelectrogens-microorganisms capable of exporting electrons generated during metabolism to external electron acceptors such as electrodes. The bacterial biofilm communities on these electrodes are dominated by exoelectrogens but are nonetheless extremely diverse. So far, within the field, the main focus has been on the electroactive bacteria. However, to broaden our understanding of these communities, it is crucial to clarify how the remaining inhabitants of electrode-respiring biofilms contribute to the overall function of the biofilm. Ultimately, such insights may enable improvement of microbial electrochemical systems by reshaping the community structure with naturally occurring beneficial strains.
Abstract Phase-field approaches to fracture based on energy minimization principles have been rapidly gaining popularity in recent years, and are particularly well-suited for simulating crack initiation and growth in complex fracture networks. In the phase-field framework, the surface energy associated with crack formation is calculated by evaluating a functional defined in terms of a scalar order parameter and its gradients. These in turn describe the fractures in a diffuse sense following a prescribed regularization length scale. Imposing stationarity of the total energy leads to a coupled system of partial differential equations that enforce stress equilibrium and govern phase-field evolution. These equations are coupled through an energy degradation function that models the loss of stiffness in the bulk material as it undergoes damage. In the present work, we introduce a new parametric family of degradation functions aimed at increasing the accuracy of phase-field models in predicting critical loads associated with crack nucleation as well as the propagation of existing fractures. An additional goal is the preservation of linear elastic response in the bulk material prior to fracture. Through the analysis of several numerical examples, we demonstrate the superiority of the proposed family of functions to the classical quadratic degradation function that is used most often in the literature.
In terms of new-generation energy-storing devices, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are becoming the prime candidates because of their inexpensive nature, inherent safety, environmental benignity and abundant resources. Nevertheless, due to a restrained selection of cathodes, AZIBs often perform unsatisfactorily under long-life cycling and high-rate conditions. Consequently, we propose a facile evaporation-induced self-assembly technique for preparing V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>@carbonized dictyophora (V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>@CD) composites, utilizing economical and easily available biomass dictyophora as carbon sources and NH<sub>4</sub>VO<sub>3</sub> as metal sources. When assembled in AZIBs, the V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>@CD exhibits a high initial discharge capacity of 281.9 mAh g<sup>−1</sup> at 50 mA g<sup>−1</sup>. The discharge capacity is still up to 151.9 mAh g<sup>−1</sup> after 1000 cycles at 1 A g<sup>−1</sup>, showing excellent long-cycle durability. The extraordinary high electrochemical effectiveness of V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>@CD could be mainly attributed to the formation of porous carbonized dictyophora frame. The formed porous carbon skeleton can ensure efficient electron transport and prevent V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> from losing electrical contact due to volume changes caused by Zn<sup>2+</sup> intercalation/deintercalation. The strategy of metal-oxide-filled carbonized biomass material may provide insights into developing high-performance AZIBs and other potential energy storage devices, with a wide application range.
Jinichi Sakaguchi, Keisuke Nakayama, Katsuaki Komai
et al.
Carbon capture and storage due to photosynthesis activities has been proposed as a carbon sink to mitigate climate change. To enhance such mitigation, previous studies have shown that freshwater lakes should be included in the carbon sink, since they may capture as much carbon as coastal areas. In eutrophic freshwater lakes, there is uncertainty about whether the equilibrium equation can estimate the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), owing to the presence of photosynthesis due to phytoplankton, and pH measurement error in freshwater fluid. Thus, this study investigated the applicability of the equilibrium equation and revealed the need to modify it. The modified equilibrium equation was successfully applied to reproduce pCO2 based on total alkalinity and pH through field observations. In addition, pCO2 at the water surface was lower than the atmospheric partial pressure of carbon dioxide due to photosynthesis by phytoplankton during strong stratification. The stratification effect on low pCO2 was verified by using the Net Ecosystem Production (NEP) model, and a submerged freshwater plants such as Potamogeton malaianus were found to have high potential for dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) sequestration in a freshwater lake. These results should provide a starting point toward more sophisticated methods to investigate the effect of freshwater carbon on DIC uptake in freshwater stratified eutrophic lakes.
Nanobubble Technology in Environmental Engineering: Revolutionization Potential & Challenges Tao Lyu, Shubiao Wu*, Robert J. G. Mortimer, Gang Pan* School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus, Nottinghamshire NG25 0QF, United Kingdom Centre of Integrated Water-Energy-Food studies (iWEF), Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire NG25 0QF, United Kingdom Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 6B, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing 100085, China
Artificial intelligence (AI) constitutes a kind of modelling method widely used in various fields of science including energy and environmental engineering [...]