Article
Forestry
Simon Boudreault, Jean Caron, Mohammed S. Lamhamedi, Steeve Pepin
Summary: The physical and chemical properties of peat substrates in eight tree nurseries were studied. The growth of white spruce seedlings and the properties of the substrates showed significant variations among nurseries. Shoot dry mass and root collar diameter were negatively associated with air-filled porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity, while root dry mass was positively associated with bulk density. The study suggests that substrate bulk density up to 0.11 g cm(-3) enhances seedling growth, but higher values may limit plant performance. Restricted aeration did not limit growth except in one substrate, and over-aeration reduced seedling growth under dry irrigation management.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Larissa F. da Silva, Eulene F. da Silva, Francimar Maik S. Morais, Jeane C. Portela, Fabio Henrique T. de Oliveira, Diana F. de Freitas, E. de Almeida Ferreira, Marcelo T. Gurgel, Antonio M. Pinheiro, Renner B. Lima, Aline A. Vasconcelos, Luiz Fernandode S. Antunes
Summary: This study analyzed the potential of vermicomposting with mixtures of animal manure and vegetable leaves in the semi-arid region of Brazil, focusing on the development of Eisenia foetida, microbial biomass, and enzymatic activity. The results showed that vermicomposting with cattle manure yielded the best results, regardless of the mixture of plant leaves used. Microbial biomass and enzymatic activity were indicators of the quality changes in vermicompost.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
Kristopher S. Criscione, Jeb S. Fields, Jim S. Owen, Lisa Fultz, Edward Bush
Summary: Using stratified substrates in containerized crops can improve water and nutrient utilization efficiency. Results showed that stratified substrates can enhance plant growth and quality, as well as optimize water and nutrient usage, particularly with the use of bark:coir stratified substrate in irrigation treatments.
Article
Agronomy
Bart Vandecasteele, Koen Van Loo, Sarah Ommeslag, Siebert Vierendeels, Maxim Rooseleer, Elke Vandaele
Summary: The aim of this study was to develop a high-quality growing medium blend by replacing 70% peat with woody green compost and bark compost, along with organic fertilizers. The woody composts were found to have lower pH, EC, and inorganic C content, making them suitable for use in growing media. However, they had a low N mineralization rate. The addition of blood meal increased the net N release, and woody composts improved nitrification activity in the blends.
Article
Agronomy
Luciano Orden, Gaston A. Iocoli, Maria Angeles Bustamante, Raul Moral, Roberto A. Rodriguez
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of compost application on the release of nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon in the soil. The results showed that compost led to a predominance of nitrification, especially in sandy loam soil. Compost also had high available phosphorus content, but with a slow release. After compost application, a significant period of nitrogen immobilization occurred, resulting in a relative deficit of nitrogen. Therefore, it is important to study nutrient release dynamics and fertilization potential in different soil and climate conditions to minimize potential environmental impacts.
Article
Agronomy
Agnieszka Jozefowska, Karolina Woznica, Justyna Sokolowska, Agata Sochan, Tomasz Zaleski, Magdalena Ryzak, Andrzej Bieganowski
Summary: Earthworm activity, organic additives, and soil texture are important factors affecting soil aggregate formation, with compost containing active bacteria being the most efficient additive. Earthworm activity promotes aggregate formation, while wet-sieve and laser diffraction methods are comparable for measuring aggregate stability in silty, clayey, and loamy soils.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mafumi Watanabe, Prasun Goswami, Katsumasa Kure, Itsuro Yamane, Sota Kobayashi, Masato Akiba, Keerthi S. Guruge
Summary: This study provides comprehensive results on the residual levels of 19 antimicrobial residues in Japanese swine manure composting facilities. It found that tilmicosin and tiamulin had the highest concentrations in manure composts, while morantel had the highest detection frequency. The study also observed that open-type facilities had better removal efficiencies for certain antimicrobials compared to enclosed-type facilities. After discontinuing the usage of oxytetracycline, tetracyclines concentrations reduced drastically in input materials but remained pseudo-persistent in composts for up to 4 months.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Liting Deng, Mingming Zhao, Ruixin Bi, Ayodeji Bello, Ugochi Uzoamaka Egbeagu, Jizhou Zhang, Shanshan Li, Yanhui Chen, Yue Han, Yu Sun, Xiuhong Xu
Summary: In this study, the influence of biochar on nitrification of cattle manure composting was explored by analyzing the ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOMs) at multiple levels and aspects. The addition of biochar increased the diversity and copy numbers of AOMs, altered the transcription of amoA genes, and reduced ammonooxygenase (AMO) activity. Different microbial taxa, such as Crenarchaeota and Nitrosomonas, played crucial roles in mediating nitrogen transformation processes influenced by biochar.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Moniba Mushtaq, Muhammad Zeshan, Muhammad Zeeshan, Ismat Nawaz, Muneeb Hassan
Summary: Cattle manure contaminated with the veterinary antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) can negatively impact the anaerobic digestion process, reducing biogas yield and volatile solids removal. This study used two different kinetic models to validate the biogas data, with the modified Gompertz model showing the best fit to the experimental data.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Horticulture
M. A. Bustamante, M. P. Gomis, M. D. Perez-Murcia, D. Gangi, F. G. Ceglie, C. Paredes, A. Perez-Espinosa, M. P. Bernal, R. Moral
Summary: This study evaluated the use of a washing pre-treatment to improve the quality of livestock waste-derived composts as peat substitutes in substrates for pepper seedling production. The results showed that the pre-treatment effectively reduced compost salinity without negative effects on the growing media quality, leading to beneficial effects on the germination and growth of pepper seedlings.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lingying Wang, Tianfeng Wang, Zhijie Xing, Qingfang Zhang, Xiaohui Niu, Yinshui Yu, Zhijun Teng, Jixiang Chen
Summary: This study investigated the use of Bacillus inoculation to enhance lignocellulose degradation and compost fertility in cattle manure and wheat straw composting. The results showed that Bacillus inoculation prolonged the thermophilic phase, decreased certain values and activities of the final compost, increased the degradation rate of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and promoted plant growth. Correlation analysis indicated that certain factors in the final compost were positively correlated with plant growth. Overall, Bacillus inoculation is beneficial for compost maturity, lignocellulose degradation, and compost fertility improvement.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Shuaixiang Zhao, Susanne Schmidt, Hongjian Gao, Tingyu Li, Xinping Chen, Yong Hou, Dave Chadwick, Jing Tian, Zhengxia Dou, Weifeng Zhang, Fusuo Zhang
Summary: This study conducted a global meta-analysis to identify the key predictors of compost on crop yield, soil organic carbon, and nitrous oxide emissions. It proposed a precision compost strategy (PCS) that aligns suitable composts and application methods with target crops and growth environments, which has the potential to increase major cereal crop production by 4% and restore 26.5% of current topsoil soil organic carbon stocks on a global scale.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qihe Tang, Qianwen Sui, Yuansong Wei, Peihong Shen, Junya Zhang
Summary: Composting is an effective strategy for reducing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in animal manure. This study examined the fate of ARB and ARGs after applying swine-manure composts (SMCs) to different soil types. The results showed that SMCs initially increased total ARG abundance in the soil but significantly reduced it after 82 days. The SMCs introduced specific ARGs into the soils, which declined over time. However, the presence of SMCs increased the number of ARB in the soils, especially cefotaxime-resistant bacteria. The microbiome also took longer to recover compared to the control. Statistical analysis suggested that changes in the microbial community were the main factor influencing the fate of ARGs during SMCs land application.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Reda Mazeikiene, Rolandas Bleizgys
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a biopreparation in reducing ammonia emissions from livestock manure. The results showed that the use of biopreparation slowed down ammonia emission and had a greater effect under stronger emission conditions.
Article
Agronomy
Marge Lanno, Maris Klavins, Oskars Purmalis, Merrit Shanskiy, Anu Kisand, Mait Kriipsalu
Summary: Using organic waste as fertilizer is a method to reduce mineral fertilizer use and landfill waste. However, the importance of humic substances in organic fertilizers has been neglected. This study examined various composts and found that humic substances were present in all samples, with the proportion of organic carbon varying between 8.7% and 27.0%. Differences in compost materials were observed through spectral analysis, and the presence of animal by-products led to higher levels of humic acids. The study highlights the significance of source material and amendments in the composting process, emphasizing the role of humic substances in evaluating composts.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yui Kawasaki, Sayaka Nagao-Sato, Misa Shimpo, Kahori Fujisaki, Emi Yoshii, Rie Akamatsu, Petra Warschburger
Summary: This study qualitatively describes sustainable dietary behaviors (SDBs) that Japanese and German adults can implement in their lives, and quantitatively compares the similarities and differences in understanding SDBs between the two samples. The study found that Japanese participants were more focused on food waste prevention, while German participants were more focused on solving environmental problems.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kechun Chen, Yuan Ding, Liming Yang, Zhihao Wang, Haoxuan Yu, Difan Fang, Yufa Feng, Liying Hu, Chenxi Xu, Penghui Shao, Xubiao Luo, Liang Chen
Summary: This study proposes a targeted repair scheme for the recovery of graphite anodes from spent LIBs by systematically characterizing and analyzing the structure and composition of spent graphite (SG). The results show that the repair scheme achieves effective SG repair and the repaired graphite anode displays excellent lithium storage performance.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Takao Ueda, Shigeki Koyanaka, Tatsuya Oki
Summary: Fires caused by accidental crushing of batteries are a serious issue in the e-waste recycling process. A new in-line sorting system that uses X-ray scanning and deep learning has been developed to accurately detect batteries. Through a validation study, the system achieved higher accuracy compared to other existing programs.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hannes Geist, Frank Balle
Summary: Research on circular economy often lacks empirical data, especially in the theory of circular process design and design for remanufacturing. This study systematically collected and analyzed engineering data on seven remanufacturing processes in the European automotive remanufacturing industry for the first time, providing empirical support for circular engineering challenges, potentials, and solutions.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaojing Li, Fan Lue, Nanlin Liao, Hua Zhang, Na Yang, Pinjing He
Summary: This study assesses and predicts the greenhouse gas emissions on the timeline as waste treatment technologies develop in Shanghai from 1991 to 2025 using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. The findings demonstrate that GHG emission has reached net-zero in 2019 owing to the application of alternative technologies and waste segregation.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bingchun Liu, Haoyang Wang, Xiaoqin Liang, Yibo Wang, Zijie Feng
Summary: The expansion of the photovoltaic market has resulted in a significant increase in PV waste. Therefore, conducting scientific research to determine the importance of the circular economy for sustainable growth in the PV industry is essential. The study demonstrates that accurate prediction of PV installed capacity and quantifying the importance of recycling in balancing the supply and demand of raw materials can be achieved through a multi-factor installed capacity prediction model and recovery potential prediction.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Chuanzhen Zhang, Baojing Gu, Xia Liang, Shu Kee Lam, Yi Zhou, Deli Chen
Summary: Reactive nitrogen is crucial for agriculture and human nutrition, but mismanagement can have detrimental effects on human health and ecosystem services, hindering the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Progress towards nitrogen-related targets varies across countries, highlighting the need for integrated management to achieve overall synergies.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alessandro Gatto, Marijke Kuiper, Corina van Middelaar, Hans van Meijl
Summary: This study examines the economic and environmental effects of transitioning towards more circular food systems in the European Union (EU27) by feeding animals with low-opportunity-cost feed and better utilizing local feed resources. The results show that providing subsidies for circularity and promoting the use of low-cost feed can increase animal production, but also have negative impacts on land use and emissions. On the other hand, promoting domestic feed sourcing through import tariffs can decrease animal production and greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. However, complementary policies are needed to mitigate drawbacks and enhance benefits of a more circular agri-food system.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jinbo Zhang, Liu Chen, Yulei Xie, Pingjian Yang, Zheng Li, Huaicheng Guo, Yang Zhang, Lirong Liu
Summary: This study examines the impact of carbon taxes on low-carbon development and climate change mitigation. By constructing a cross-system bi-layer model, the study finds that reasonable carbon taxes can promote the stability of the energy network, reduce carbon emissions and air pollutants, and optimize production efficiency and the structure of the energy system. This study contributes to a better understanding of the effects and implementation pathways of carbon taxes.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Konstantin Born, Mehmet Metehan Ciftci
Summary: Increasing recycling of metals is important for reducing reliance on mining, but it cannot fully meet future metal demand. Primary production of metals is expected to continue rising, highlighting the need for alternative circular economy strategies such as demand reduction and mitigating harmful impacts of primary metal production.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yinqiu Ma, Lin Huang, Jiahui Li, Wei Cao, Yumei Cai
Summary: Afforestation and reforestation, such as China's Grain for Green Program, have shown to effectively mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to carbon sink capacity. This study highlights the significant carbon potential of the program and its potential application in other countries to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Arlind Dervishaj, Kjartan Gudmundsson
Summary: This paper reviews digital tools for supporting the Circular Economy (CE) in the built environment and provides suggestions. The study identifies limitations in the functionalities of current tools, including a lack of representative data for LCA and underdeveloped circularity indicators. Further development is needed in terms of interoperability aspects, integration of more sources of data for LCA and circularity, and possibilities for a comprehensive evaluation of design choices.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mohamadreza Y. Azarfam, Anuj Maheshwari, Frank D. Blum, Siddhesh Chaudhari, Clinton Switzer, Ranji Vaidyanathan, Jay C. Hanan, Sudheer Bandla
Summary: This study introduces a feasible method for manufacturing recycled composites using post-consumer carpets and recycled resin. The resulting composites have impressive strength and modulus, surpassing commercial thermoplastics and making them suitable for structural applications. This research presents a promising approach to address carpet landfilling and reduce reliance on additives.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Pujiang Shi, Tianle Huang, Hong Kit Lim, Chiew Kei Tan, Jong-Min Lee, Chor Yong Tay
Summary: This study developed a highly porous bioadaptive 3D sponge-like construct from plastic materials in discarded keyboards for advanced in vitro applications. The findings demonstrate the potential of using discarded keyboards as a waste-to-resource feedstock to achieve waste reduction and maximize value-capture.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kuo-Jui Wu, Hailing Qiu, Caiyan Huang, Anthony S. F. Chiu, Ming-Lang Tseng
Summary: Government resource allocation practices for achieving carbon neutrality should be guided by dynamic system theory to identify potential dynamics. Carbon intensity control dynamics have a significant influence on other dynamics.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
