The Global Environmental Engineers is an international journal that bridges the gap between research and practice in the field of environmental engineering and sustainability. The journal is dedicated to promoting the advancement of sustainable and environmentally-friendly technologies and processes that help address some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges. The journal covers a wide range of topics, including air and water quality management, waste reduction and recycling, renewable energy, environmental health and safety, and climate change. It provides a platform for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to share their work and exchange ideas, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing. The Global Environmental Engineers is a must-read for anyone interested in the latest research, trends, and best practices in environmental engineering and sustainability. Whether you are an engineer, scientist, policy maker, or student, this journal is an essential tool for staying up-to-date with the latest advances and ideas in this field. With its commitment to high-quality research, critical thinking, and innovative solutions, The Global Environmental Engineers is a leading voice in the environmental engineering community.
All the published articles are licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (CC BY-NC 4.0) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
Advanced Carbon-based Electrodes for Electrochemical Uranium Removal from Aqueous Solutions: Design, Functionalization, and Performance Insights
The removal of uranium from aqueous solutions remains a significant global challenge, and electrochemical technologies represent a potentially efficient and controllable approach for this application. Carbon-based materials are key to the success of these technologies, however, the performance of conventional carbons is limited by low capacity and poor selectivity. This review systematically evaluates recent advances in the design and application of advanced carbon-based electrodes tuned for enhanced uranium uptake in a systematic way. This review covers nanostructured carbons (graphene, carbon nanotubes) for electrosorption enhancement, functionalization and doping for selective electroreduction, and synergistic effects in composites. Analysis of structure-performance relationships reveals design principles for efficient electrodes. Finally, this review summarizes the remaining challenges of selectivity, stability and scalability in electrochemical decontamination, and offer a forward-looking perspective towards future research – including computational design and operando characterization – needed to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale findings and sustainable, large-scale decontamination systems.
Copyright (c) 2025 Liyao Zeng, Ziyin Xia, Guanzhen Chen, Jingyi Wang, Meng Li https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Carbon-Aware Machine Learning for Energy-Efficient Quantum Data Centers: Joint Optimization of Workload Scheduling and Cooling
Quantum workloads are increasingly delivered through cloud platforms, yet emerging quantum data centers face a distinctive energy challenge: facility power is often dominated by cryogenic cooling systems and auxiliary infrastructure rather than by compute alone. This study proposes a carbon-aware co-optimization framework for green quantum data centers that jointly integrates deadline-aware workload scheduling with dynamic cooling setpoint control. In contrast to prior studies that typically consider scheduling and thermal management independently largely in classical data-center environments the proposed framework evaluates their combined effects on facility-level energy consumption, operational carbon emissions, and fairness across tenants within an end-to-end simulation tailored to quantum infrastructure, where cooling setpoints strongly influence cryogenic efficiency. A simplified quantum data-center model with temperature-dependent cooling efficiency is developed, together with heterogeneous quantum job arrivals characterized by runtimes, priorities, and deadlines. Time-varying carbon-intensity and ambient-temperature signals are incorporated to emulate renewable-driven grid dynamics. Carbon-aware scheduling supports both flexible and strict deferral policies that shift eligible jobs toward lower-carbon periods while respecting deadline constraints. In parallel, a lightweight model predictive control strategy enumerates feasible cooling setpoint trajectories to minimize predicted facility energy use subject to temperature bounds and ramp-rate limits. Performance is evaluated across multiple random seeds, with uncertainty quantified using confidence intervals and statistical significance assessed via bootstrap testing. Simulation results show that MPC-based cooling control reduces total facility energy consumption by approximately 9% relative to a fixed-setpoint baseline. Carbon-aware job deferrals provide additional emissions reductions ranging from several percent to double-digit values depending on deferral aggressiveness, with explicitly quantified trade-offs in waiting time and SLA violations. Fairness impacts are assessed using Jain’s index, the Gini coefficient, and per-class waiting times. A publicly reproducible implementation is provided to support validation and future extensions to higher-fidelity quantum facility and workload models.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sahand Heidary, Seyed A. Dehghanian, Reza S. Aslani, Rahim Zahedi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Recent Progress in Using Peroxymonosulfate for the Treatment of Organic Wastewater – A Brief Review
In recent years, peroxymonosulfate advanced oxidation processes (PMS-AOPs) have become an attractive method for the treatment of refractory organic wastewater, relying on their ability to generate highly oxidizing active species (SO4·-, ·OH, and 1O2, etc.). In this review, the characteristics of PMS-AOPs are firstly introduced, followed by a systematic introduction of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation methods, including energy-assisted activation, metal-based material activation, carbon-based material activation, and composite system activation. Subsequently, the effects of critical parameters (wastewater pH, reaction temperature, PMS dosage, catalyst loading, inorganic ions and natural organic matter, and reaction time) on the performance of PMS-AOPs were discussed. Furthermore, the working mechanisms of PMS in PMS-AOPs were proposed, and finally, potential research directions in the near future were suggested. This review provides fundamental analysis and discussion of PMS-AOPs in the treatment of refractory organic wastewater.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nannan Wang, Ye Yang, Kai Wang, Xu Liu, Zishan Hou, Xiangyu Liu, Siquan Zou, Zaixing Li https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Radiolytic Degradation of Sulfonamide Antibiotics: A Brief Overview of Recent Advances
Sulfonamide antibiotics are widely used in both human and veterinary medicine. Although their use in human therapy has declined, they continue to pose a significant environmental threat due to their persistence in pharmaceutical formulations and subsequent release into the aquatic environment. The concentrations of these compounds in the influents and effluents of urban wastewater treatment plants (UWTPs) vary widely, depending on consumption patterns and the treatment technologies employed. Numerous studies have shown that conventional wastewater treatment methods are often insufficient for the complete removal of sulfonamides. This underscores the urgent need for more effective and reliable treatment technologies capable of removing both sulfonamide antibiotics and their transformation products. Among advanced oxidation processes, electron beam (EB) irradiation has shown particular promise. This review presents recent advances in analytical methods for detecting residues of selected sulfonamide antibiotics and explores the application of ionizing radiation—particularly gamma and EB irradiation—for their degradation in water and wastewater. The study also discusses observed changes in toxicity following treatment, offering a comprehensive perspective on the effectiveness and limitations radiation-based approaches in environmental remediation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Anna Bojanowska-Czajka, Yongxia Sun, Jianlong Wang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Rising atmospheric CO₂ levels threaten global biodiversity and human well-being, driving interest in sustainable, carbon-negative solutions. Seaweeds have emerged as a key blue carbon resource due to their rapid growth and high capacity for organic carbon fixation. This paper examines various seaweed-based carbon sequestration mechanisms—photosynthesis, sedimentation, and carbon-neutral product development—and introduces models for estimating net CO₂ removal in aquaculture systems. Despite their potential, seaweed ecosystems face challenges such as ocean acidification and habitat degradation. To address these, the study advocates for large-scale seaweed mariculture, restoration, and ocean afforestation, supported by public-private initiatives and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Seaweed cultivation is presented as a viable, nature-based solution for climate change mitigation and long-term carbon storage.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gour Gopal Satpati https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
GIS-Based Evaluation of Pollution Sources and Water Quality Status in the Turag River, Bangladesh
This study evaluates pollution sources and water quality status in the Turag River, Bangladesh, using Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques and Water Quality Index (WQI) assessment. The Turag River, classified as environmentally critical since 2009, faces severe degradation due to untreated industrial effluents from pharmaceutical facilities, textile mills, and manufacturing units located along its banks. Water samples were collected from nine strategic locations and analyzed for eight physicochemical parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, turbidity, phosphate, nitrate, and temperature) using standard protocols. GIS-based spatial mapping revealed significant spatial heterogeneity in pollution levels, with BOD values (53-90 ppm, mean 73 ppm) and turbidity levels (40-80 NTU, mean 58.77 NTU) exceeding Department of Environment standards at all sampling sites. The calculated WQI values ranged from 35.14 to 38.83 (average 36.68), placing the river water quality consistently in the "Bad" category across all sampling locations. The northern section exhibited critical conditions for dissolved oxygen (3.4-3.5 ppm) and turbidity (75-80 NTU), while the southern segment showed elevated levels of BOD, phosphate, and nitrate. The consistently poor water quality classification indicates severe degradation, limiting usability to agricultural irrigation purposes only. These findings provide a foundation for developing targeted pollution control strategies and highlight the urgent need for comprehensive watershed management to restore this vital water resource.
Copyright (c) 2025 Md. Mahadee Hasan Rony, Md. Touhidul Islam, Zahida Muyen, Marjana Godhuli, Mst. Nasrin Sultana, A.K.M. Adham https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
An Investigation of Ag/NaTi2(PO4)3 Seawater Battery Toward Scalable Energy Storage
The seawater battery, consisted of silver (+ve) and carbon-coated NaTi2(PO4)3 (-ve), is an eco-friendly energy storage system due to the low cost and natural abundance of seawater. However, more efforts are still needed to research on the potential issues associated with the ion transport, the breakdown of voltage losses and the attempts for scaling up of such a battery system. Herein, it is found that a nonnegligible shuttle effect of Ag+ ions could pose a serious impact on the reversibility of the battery system. In addition, through the four-electrode measurement, the carbon-coated NaTi2(PO4)3 negative electrode with intercalation/ deintercalation chemistry is identified as the limiting component in the current battery device. Moreover, attempts on applying semi-solid electrolytes to such a battery system are also conducted. It is found that the capacity fading is serious probably due to the hydrogen evolution side reaction at the negative side. Future technical advancements in the key materials and reactor design will make this battery technology more competitive. This work offers important insights to develop safer and scalable seawater batteries.
Copyright (c) 2024 Guo-Ming Weng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Unraveling the Potential of Micro-nano Bubbles in Water Treatment: A Review Focusing on Physicochemical Properties, Generation Methods, and Environmental Impacts
With the advancement of industrialization, water pollution has become a pressing global environmental issue. Traditional water treatment technologies are struggling to remove emerging contaminants and meet current discharge standards, against this backdrop, micro-nano bubbles (MNBs) technology has attracted considerable research attention due to its unique physicochemical properties, such as long-term stability, high internal pressure, photoelectric characteristics, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capabilities, especially in its combination with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). A comprehensive understanding of MNBs generation and utilization is significant for developing green, economical, and highly effective wastewater treatment technologies. Herein, on the basis of the comprehensive literature survey, this review article systematically studied the distinctive characteristics of MNBs, along with the methodologies employed for their generation. It concurrently explores the characterization methods used to assess the properties of MNBs, which is instrumental for subsequent analyses on how these properties can enhance the catalytic performance of AOPs. Finally, this article explores the potential applications of MNBs in the environmental sector and points out the direction for future research, including the development of more efficient and cost-effective MNBs generation technologies, in-depth exploration of their mechanisms in AOPs, and comprehensive environmental impact assessments. This review aims to provide readers with an in-depth understanding of the intrinsic correlation between the properties and applications of MNBs, thereby enabling their optimal utilization in the environmental remediation.
Copyright (c) 2024 Ling Li, Honglin Liu, Yingping Huang, Feng Hong, Xi Yuan, Wei Cai, Chuncheng Chen, Di Huang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Charcoal-production, Air Pollutant Impacts on Ambient Environment and Associated Health Risks: A Systematic Review
Charcoal is a widely utilised fuel produced from the carbonisation of organic materials, such as wood and other biomass sources. Regrettably, airborne contaminants from traditional charcoal producing techniques can negatively impact human health and the environment. This research explore air pollutant emissions from traditional charcoal producing methods and their impacts on human health and the environment. This study utilised a qualitative synthesis methodology, incorporating case studies, archival research, and discourse analysis, to elucidate the impacts of charcoal production. The results demonstrate that the traditional charcoal production method results in substantial carbon loss from fuelwood and emits by-products of incomplete combustion, exacerbating serious health risks and degrading air quality associated with community health problems. Empirical evidence indicates that the majority of charcoal manufacturing workers lack awareness of the health risks associated with their working circumstances and the respiratory problems they face. Unsustainable environmental practices highlight the social and ecological repercussions of charcoal production. It is advisable to apply air pollution mitigation methods around charcoal kiln facilities to protect environmental and community health. The Environmental Protection Agency must actively implement effective oversight and integrated management to improve air quality and safeguard communities from air hazards. This study recommends testing high-efficiency technologies in communities capable of maintaining and assessing their effects on environmental degradation. Both governmental entities and humanitarian organisations should prioritise educational activities centred on effective land management approaches, as this study's findings suggest.
Copyright (c) 2024 Oluwaseun Princess Okimiji https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Study on the Function and Planning of Urban River Ecological Corridor
This study investigates the functions and planning principles of urban river ecological corridors, highlighting their vital role in urban ecosystems. Urban rivers, which include both waterways and riparian zones, provide essential ecosystem services such as habitat provision, temperature regulation, pollutant filtration, and flood mitigation. However, rapid urbanization has led to the degradation of these corridors, resulting in habitat fragmentation, reduced biodiversity, and compromised ecological integrity. The paper reviews global efforts and strategies for urban river restoration, emphasizing the significance of ecological methods and public participation in the planning process. A case study of the Yuhangtang River in Hangzhou, China, exemplifies various restoration approaches, including traditional flood control, ecological restoration, and landscape design, all assessed using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework. The findings indicate that employing the MCDM tool can facilitate planning that integrates the functions of river ecological corridors. Additionally, plans that achieve a balance of ecological, economic, social, and aesthetic benefits are more likely to gain public acceptance.
Copyright (c) 2024 Yan Huang, Dong Wang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Challenges and Way Forward to Maintain Air Quality Standard in Urban Areas
This thesis explores the intricate relationship between urban air pollution, economic growth, population dynamics, and energy consumption. Addressing impacts on climate change, biodiversity, agriculture, and human health, it emphasizes compromised urban air quality due to pollution sources such as power generation, vehicle traffic, and construction. Key pollutants like particulate matter, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide pose significant health risks. The study identifies road transportation as a primary contributor, underlining alarming statistics from WHO on global air quality, particularly impacting low-level socio-economic regions. Legislations and policies dating back over a century form the foundation for global air pollution control efforts. The research highlights innovative solutions like urban green spaces, smart traffic management, and renewable energy investments. It stresses the importance of public transportation, electric vehicles, clean construction practices, and initiatives to reduce industrial emissions. In response to challenges, the thesis proposes a comprehensive mitigation plan covering strategy such as promoting public transport, energy conservation, recycling, and afforestation. It outlines a way forward, emphasizing integrated urban planning, public awareness campaigns, government policies, and international collaboration. In conclusion, the thesis calls for collective responsibility to address urban air pollution's adverse effects on public health and the environment. The proposed roadmap aims to create sustainable, resilient, and healthier urban environments through a holistic and collaborative approach.
Copyright (c) 2023 Madhab C. Jena, Sarat K. Mishra, Himanshu S. Moharana https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
500-Year Records Demonstrating a Sharp Increase in Intensities of Three Natural Hazards at Multiple Spatiotemporal Scales in China
China has experienced frequent natural disasters, including droughts, floods, and heavy snowfall. This study discusses the temporal-spatial patterns in the country since 1500. The intensity of drought in Henan and Inner Mongolia was higher than that in Guizhou and Qinghai, while little difference in flood intensity was observed among these provinces. The intensity of snow disasters in Qinghai was much higher. Except for the slightly decreasing drought trend in Henan, the three natural disasters showed a significant increase over time. Drought disasters in Guizhou, Henan, and Qinghai showed few seasonal differences, whereas those in Inner Mongolia mostly occurred in winter and spring. Floods were concentrated during the summer, while snow disasters occurred mainly during winter and spring. According to the Mann–Kendall (M–K) test, the seasonal differences in disaster trends in Guizhou, Henan, and Qinghai were unclear and similar to the overall trend. However, the disaster trends in Inner Mongolia showed seasonal differences. The spatial distribution of natural disasters in Guizhou and Henan were similar, and their changing trends were extremely scattered, while in Inner Mongolia and Qinghai, they were clustered. The spatial distribution of disaster intensity had few seasonal differences and was similar to the overall distribution. However, when considering the spatial distribution of disaster trends by season, seasonal differences were evident. This study has provided an earlier signal on how to prevent and mitigate natural disasters based on 500 years' tempo-spatial pattern, and the measures on how to improve the management practices of natural hazards under climate change were also suggested.
Copyright (c) 2022 Zhaohua Wang, Jingxiang Yuan, Yu Peng, Chengru Wang , Guoying Li https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Challenges and the Way Forward for Management and Handling of Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste poses significant threats to human health and the environment, necessitating stringent regulatory management. This study explores the challenges and prospects associated with hazardous waste management, emphasizing the critical need for sustainable practices. Drawing on field observations, stakeholder interviews in India, and extensive literature reviews, the research addresses challenges such as inadequate stakeholder consultation during law enactment, resource constraints, insufficient authorized disposal facilities, and transportation issues. The study underscores the importance of sustainable waste reduction practices through proactive industry engagement and government facilitation of necessary infrastructure. It advocates for streamlined regulatory processes, inter-state cooperation, and responsive authorities to ensure effective hazardous waste management. The research emphasizes the adoption of innovative and sustainable waste reduction methods supported by comprehensive root cause analysis and well-crafted policies to achieve environmental sustainability goals. In conclusion, the study highlights the global applicability of findings, emphasizing collaborative efforts for effective hazardous waste handling and disposal to ensure a clean and pollution-free environment.
Management and handling of hazardous waste
Crab-Aquatic Plant System: A Model for Taking Ecological and Economical Care of the Lakes in Yellow River Delta, China
The lakes, including reservoirs and ponds in the Yellow River Delta, are characterized by many fragile ecosystems and low economic values. How to take into account both ecology restoration and the economic benefits of the lakes in this region is a complex problem. The Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)-aquatic plant system may have this potential. In this study, we planted aquatic plants, e.g., Elodea nuttallii, Hydrilla verticillate, and Vallisneria natans, with the crabs and investigated geochemical parameters in the ponds. The concentration of NH4+-N was lower than 0.5 mg/L, the pH of the breeding peiponds was 8.274-9.365, and the dissolved oxygen was 3.554-6.048mg/L, which was better than the class II environmental quality standards for surface water. The more extensive specifications ( > 150g/pcs) of the crab growth with the aquatic plants account for >35% of the total production. This model is significant to the ecological utilization of reservoirs in the Yellow River Delta but has low promotion. Therefore, some compulsory breeding policies and breeding standards must be proposed. It is the current ecological needs of the ecological protection Yellow River Delta.
Copyright (c) 2023 Liu Zhiguo, Gao Wei, Chang Wen , Liu Jinming https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Sustainability Assessment of Integrated Waste-to-Use Systems: A Case of Uganda
For countries like Uganda where organic waste composition accounts for at least 70% of the solid waste generated, collected, and disposed of at landfills and dumpsites, recovery of resources from the waste stream is crucial. This is because disposal of the waste in the landfills/dump sites exerts more pressure on land as a resource in addition to the environmental negative impacts associated with the degradation of the waste in the landfills, pollution of groundwater from leachate, generation of greenhouses gases, bad odor, and poor aesthetics. Moreover, given that the country also grapples with sewage and faecal sludge treatment and management due to the limited plants in place, alternative Waste-to-Use systems that promote resource recovery and management of various organic waste streams such as biowaste, animal manure, sewage/faecal sludge and wastewater could be a viable solution. The systems which consist of a combination of various technologies such as anaerobic digestion, incineration, landfilling, composting, and pyrolysis to produce briquettes boast of managing various organic waste streams and potential for application in various entities such as housing estates, towns/cities, at institutions. To assess the sustainability of such systems, multicriteria decision analysis was used. The results indicated that if trade-off of any aspect was considered i.e., technical, environmental, social, and financial, the Waste-to-Use systems were preferred i.e., a system consisting of composting and anaerobic digestion technologies. Also, a sustainability framework for the assessment of similar systems was proposed and it highlights the importance of involving stakeholders through the various stages such as, situation analysis, problem identification and definition, criteria and indictor selection, elicitation of scores and weight so that transparency in decision making can be boosted.
Copyright (c) 2022 Miria Frances Agunyo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Visual Analysis of Activity Construction Based on Bibliometrics
China has a well-developed active structure, with the continuous expansion of the scale of engineering construction and the continuous extension to the complex geological areas, especially the tectonic areas that are still active or will still be active in the future. Related projects are faced with many new challenges. The summative achievements on the problems related to active tectonics in China still need to be made available. This paper uses CNKI and WOS as data sources, and the documents related to active tectonics and geology from 2003 to 2022 are taken as objects. The scientific knowledge graph is visualized and analyzed by the bibliometrics software CiteSpace. The results show that: (1) the number of research literature on active tectonics at home and abroad is on the rise as a whole, (2) the number of articles published in the field of active tectonics in China is highly proportional to the number of earthquake disasters in China each year, and (3) the United States is in an absolute leading position in this field. It can help researchers in related fields to obtain the classical achievements of nearly 20 years quickly, and it is easy to find the bottleneck of current research. It can also expand the field of vision to find new research directions.
Copyright (c) 2022 Fei Zheng , Zhang Xin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Technologies for Halide Removal in Water Treatment – A State-of-the-Art Review
Halides (X=Cl, Br, I) are naturally present in water, and halide concentrations can be high in water sources that are impacted by high salinity. Halides are also present in wastewater streams from various industrial operations such as pulp and paper, oil and gas, and mining. Drinking water guideline limits have been established for halides, and halide removal from water is important in several ways. Chloride concentration in water is more related to salinity, and its removal from water matters because of adverse health effects, water scarcity, corrosion, and industrial needs. In drinking water treatment, disinfection is essential to improve water quality and prevent the spread of water born pathogens. However, disinfectants also produce harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs) from precursors such as halides and natural organic matter (NOM) in the source water. Removing halides in the source water before disinfection is a preferred option to increase the disinfection efficiency and avoid forming more toxic DBPs. Some industrial-made isotopes are radioactive and carcinogenic, and iodide produces iodinated DBPs. Bromide removal is important because it produces brominated DBPs. Halides also affect AOPs and can cause more active radicals such as OH. and SO4-. to transform into less active radicals. This paper aims to comprehensively review the sources of halides, the chemistry, and interaction in forming DBPs, current regulatory limits and state-of-art removal technologies available, and their challenges.
Copyright (c) 2022 Elham Nariyan, Qiming Jimmy Yu, David Hamilton, Qin Li https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Revolutionizing Fuel Cell Efficiency with Non-Metallic Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reactions
Platinum-based catalysts are widely used in oxygen reduction reactions, but platinum’s high cost and low reserves have restricted their sustainable development. With continuous in-depth research, it has been found that metal-free catalysts also have better catalytic activity in oxygen reduction reactions and have great potential for development due to the low cost and abundant reserves of metal-free catalysts, which has become a hot research direction. This paper reviews the application of metal-free catalysts in oxygen reduction reactions, including heteroatom-doped carbon-based catalysts, polymeric nitrogen catalysts, and emerging carbon catalysts. This work provides insights into developing non-platinum catalysts for oxygen reduction reactions by comparing the catalytic activity, selectivity, and prolonged stability.
Copyright (c) 2022 Ruiquan Zhang, Zhou Zhang, Qing Chen, Maocong Hu, Zhenhua Yao https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
State of the Environment and Its Impacts on the Urban Agriculture of Edible Plants in the City of Lubumbashi
This research looked at the state of the environment in the areas where amaranth urban agriculture is practised in the municipality of Katuba, City of Lubumbashi, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Samples of water used for watering, the soil where urban agriculture is practised, and amaranths have been subjected to characterization analyses to look for chemical and microbiological pollutants. These analyses revealed that water and amaranths are polluted from the mineral and microbial standpoint, unlike soil samples. Indeed, water samples contained Paramecia, Entamoeba histolytica's eggs and colonies of faecal contamination germs, mesophilic flora, and other pathogen germs such as Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. As for amaranth samples, their concentrations of cobalt were greater than the value set by the quality standards. The Paramecia, Entamoeba histolytica’s eggs, Escherichia coli, and Klesiella planticola contaminate them. For the above, consuming these amaranths poses health risks to the population. Public authorities must take the necessary measures to organize the practice of urban agriculture of edible plants to bring it up to standard and protect the consumers’ health.
Copyright (c) 2022 Michel Shengo Lutandula, Fabien Ilunga Mpanga https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Assessment of the Pollution of Soils Utilized for Growing Edible Plants in the DR Congo
This research was carried out with the aim to assess the pollution that threatens agricultural soils in urban areas in the Haut-Katanga region (DR Congo) by searching for heavy metals in the arable soil bordering the Kimpulande drain, in the nearby of the Shituru commune, the City of Likasi. This drain has been utilized since the 1930s by the Gécamines, the largest state-owned mining company in the country, to dispose of wastewaters from the copper and cobalt industry. The population living in Shituru utilizes the arable soil bordering the Kimpulande drain to grow edible plants. Based on the results from physicochemical analysis of soil samples from the first 40 centimeters and the determination of the spatial distributions of pH, electrical conductivity, and concentrations of selected heavy metals (Cu, Co, Cd, and Fe), it was concluded that the study area is composed of an alkaline soil (pH = 7.54) of which the average electrical conductivity is about 700 µS/cm. Unlike average concentrations of cobalt and iron, those of copper and cadmium have similar behavior, given that their average values decrease with soil depth. Besides, the soil utilized for urban agriculture of edible plants is polluted on the surface by cadmium (> 3 mg/kg) and copper (> 40 mg/kg). It is contaminated in depth by cadmium (> 1 mg/kg) and cobalt (from 20 up to more 100 mg/kg). This is not the case for copper and iron, given that their concentrations remained smaller compared to the limits set by the quality standards (QS) applicable to soils for agricultural use. Given the toxicity related to the presence in the arable soil of heavy metals to high concentrations, it was deduced that the Shituru in-force agricultural practices might result in the population's exposure to serious health problems. Consequently, the urban agriculture of edible plants on arable soils threatened by mineral pollution must be prohibited to protect the population's health.
Copyright (c) 2022 Fabien Ilunga Mpanga, Michel Shengo Lutandula https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Energy and Environmental Benefit of Solar Charging System for Charging Auto-Rickshaw in Developing Countries
The energy crisis and environmental impact are the major concern mf the present world. Three-wheeler auto-rickshaw becoming an important passenger transport vehicle in a developing country which are indirectly powered by the grid electricity through the batteries. Such vehicle consumes significant grid energy during charging which increases the load in the national grid and put extra stress on the electrification in line with the environmental impact. This paper investigated the existing facilities for charging auto-rickshaw in Bangladesh and designed a proposed solar charging model as a replacement based on the existing model. Then the energy and environmental benefit were estimated to reflect the significance of the proposed model and contribution in the context of the global energy crisis and environmental impact. The investigation found that the daily energy consumption is 290 kWh for a charging station capacity of 30 auto-rickshaws which is significant. The proposed solar model is designed to meet this demand offset. The environmental analysis showed that the proposed model can offset CO2, CH4, and NOx emissions by 54 tCO2eq, 40 kgCO2eq, and 60 kgCO2eq per year respectively of which the contribution of CO2­ is significant. Further research could be focused on the economic and financial analysis in-depth to promote the proposed model.
Copyright (c) 2021 Md. Uddin, A.Z.M. Rahman , Sumon Mondol https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Towards Computational CO2 Capture and Storage Models
This review is aimed to increase knowledge on computational CO2 capture and storage models that are gradually evolving in the design and development to act as more effective carbon capture agents with acceptable toxicity and costs and complementary adjuncts to experiments for comprehending amino-CO2 reaction mechanisms. Also, the review discussed experimental research of degradation reactions of aqueous organic amines, measurements, kinetics and forecasts of amine pKₐ values and amine-CO2 equilibria. Also, the researcher comprehensively discussed the computational simulation of mechanisms of carbon capture reactions. In the contexts of experimental and computational studies, the comparative advantages of bicarbonate, carbamic acid, termolecular and zwitterion are described. Computational approaches shall gradually evolve in the design and development to act as more effective carbon capture agents with acceptable toxicity and costs and complementary adjuncts to experiments for comprehending amino-CO2 reaction mechanisms. Some of the main research findings indicate that advancements in quantum computing might help in simulating larger complex molecules such as CO2. Moreover, the simulations might discover new catalysts for CO2 capture that are more efficient and cheaper than present models. CO2 capture and storage (CCS) could minimize the CO2 emission volume by 14%. The first stride in CCS is capturing CO2. It accounts for 70% -80% of this technology total costs. Virtually, 50% of the costs to operate the post-combustion capture (PCC) plants are related to steam costs. It is thus important to acquire the best possible data to avoid unnecessary costs and overdesigns.
Copyright (c) 2021 Natt Makul https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Approach for Smart Use of Wastes and Biofuels
The urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by gradually abandoning fossil fuel sources is required due to climate-changing emergencies. Employing as much as possible renewable energy, in any form and any field, together with a reduction of per capita energy need, can reduce this tendency and contrast the catastrophic consequence of our planet temperature increasing. In this scenario, biofuels production, together with reuse and recycling represent a correct strategy to contrast environmental degradation. Biofuel has been the subject of great interest over the past decade. Their development from the first to the fourth generation has led to significant improvements in the production cycles and extended the interest in new resources. The availability of different choices could permit to use always the best solution to maximize the result. In this paper, the different biofuel generations are presented with the aim of highlighting strengths and weaknesses to identify a smart approach to energy conversion and land utilization. Even today the first-generation biofuels are the most widespread, while second-generation gives a small contribution, with a low replacement share of fossil fuels. Land use and competition with other human necessities are the most relevant constraints in this evaluation. In general, the production of gaseous fuels requires less energy than liquid for both the first as well as second-generation technologies. When considering gaseous options, biomethane should be preferred for convenient energy balance in the productive process and when biogas cannot be directly employed. Moreover, biomethane gives the possibility to be added to the existing gas network. The new third and fourth-generation technologies could allow a considerable efficiency increase while reducing the problem of the biofuel productive chain.
Copyright (c) 2021 Luigi De Simio, Sabato Iannaccone https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Enhanced Mechanism of Nano Zero-Valent Iron Activated Persulfate for Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Environment
The advanced oxidation process based on persulfate has a broad application prospect in the remediation of organic pollutants. As an effective, low-cost and environmentally friendly material, nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI) can effectively activate persulfate (nZVI/PS) to generate strongly oxidizing sulfate radical for removing organic pollutants in the environment. In this review, we first clarify the activation pathway of nZVI activated persulfate including direct activation and indirect activation. Direct activation means that the electrons released by nZVI directly participate in the activation of PS; indirect activation means that Fe0 corrodes to generate Fe2+, and Fe2+ further activate the persulfate. Then, the mechanism of nZVI/PS system to degrade organic pollutants including electron transfer, hydrogen extraction and addition reactions are also discussed. Finally, combined with the activation pathway and the mechanism of degrading organic pollutants, we propose several prospects for the future research direction of nZVI activated persulfate. As a result, this review provides a theoretical basis for the nZVI/PS advanced oxidation system to remediate actual sites contaminated with organic pollutants.
Copyright (c) 2022 Marie Rose Iribagiza, Ting Li, Wenjing Liang, Yuanyuan Wu, Fang Zhu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Diagnosis and Prognosis of the Hearing Impairment Risk
This paper describes a methodological approach on the analysis and on the statistical and probabilistic assessment of the hearing impairment risk, based on the hazards quantified as risk predictors, in order to establish the modalities for assessing the caution limits related to the acceptability ranges. The research has been achieved within the PN 45 07 01 15 project in the framework of the NUCLEU/2009-2010 program. The statistical approach is based on the rational quantification of what exists and can be observed, the probabilistic part of this fact representing the extrapolation to what it can be reasonably deduced from these statistics of hearing impairment occurrence probability. This project has a national and international interest, entailing the increase of occupational health and safety level and ensuring sustainable environmental quality and comfort at workplaces.
Innovative Methodological Instrument for Quantification of Professional Risk Specific to Complex Systems of Work
This paper presents research on estimating and assessing occupational risks to secure specific activities in the presence of hazards of industrial work systems, and is based on a thorough knowledge of interdisciplinary concepts from various fields related to systems security engineering.
Management of Security Risk in the Energy Field
An integrated method for an efficient internal auditing of OHS applicable to the work systems met in hydrotechnical and hydroelectrical operations has been devised as part of the program NUCLEU/2010-2011 – Project PN 07 45 01 12. This project represents an approach in compliance with the European and national requirments aiming at increasing OHS level for companies involved in water construction works and also provides sustainability to the related environment.
Copyright (c) 2014 Gabriel Vasilescu, Passca Mihaela, Mihail Vătăsescu, Ciprian Jitea https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
DNA Contents in Soil Contaminated with Heavy Metals
The study was performed to show how industrial activity affected soil quality in terms of soil DNA quality and quantity as well as soil characteristics. Soil material originated from an urban area of the Silesia Region (SW Poland). The soil characteristics were estimated: texture, moisture, pH, redox potential (Eh), and total carbon content (TOC), followed by determination of selected heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, Fe, Cu). The last step was the isolation of soil DNA, its concentration and identification of microorganisms. The results showed that although the studied soil was heavily contaminated with heavy metals, there were still some metal-resistant microorganisms able to sustain soil activity. Moreover, these organisms are not present in the NCBI database, which encourages further studies aimed at identification of new organisms that may be useful in research of metal resistance as well as soil reclamation and remediation.
Removal of Methyl Orange from Aqueous Solutions by Using Zn-Al Layered Double Hydroxide as Photocatalyst
The Zn-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) was prepared using co-precipitation method at constant pH and characterized from structural point of view. Due to the high concentration of ZnO obtained after LDH calcinations, the material can be used as photocatalyst in removal of organic persistent compounds from water. The photocatalytic activity of the as-synthesized and calcined materials was evaluated for the degradation of Methyl Orange dye under UV irradiation. The influence of calcination temperature, solid: liquid ratio and initial dye concentration on photocatalytic activity of LDH was studied. The increase of calcination temperature and solid: liquid ratio and the decrease of initial dye concentration leads to increasing degradation efficiency.
Copyright (c) 2015 Ancuta-Corina Marcu, Laura Cocheci, Paul Barvinschi, Aniela Pop https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Development of Artificial Neural Network Models for Biogas Production from Co-Digestion of Leachate and Pineapple Peel
The processes of anaerobic digestion and co-digestion are complicated and the development of computational models that are capable of simulation and prediction of anaerobic digester performances can assist in the operation of the anaerobic digestion processes and the optimization for methane production. The artificial neural network approach is considered to be an appropriate and uncomplicated modelling approach for anaerobic digestion applications. This study developed neural network models to predict the outcomes of anaerobic co-digestion of leachate with pineapple peel using experimental data. The multilayered feed forward neural network model proposed was capable of predicting the outcomes of biogas production from the anaerobic co-digestion processes with a mean squared error for validation of 2.67 x 10-2 and a R value for validation of 0.9942. The approach was found to be effective, flexible and versatile in coping with the non-linear relationships using available information.
Copyright (c) 2015 Souwalak Jaroenpoj, Qiming Jimmy Yu, James Ness https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0