Article
Engineering, Environmental
Cheng Cheng, Rui Zhu, Alysson M. Costa, Russell George Thompson
Summary: This paper discusses disaster waste clean-up after large disasters in the recovery stage of disaster management and develops a multi-objective mixed integer programming model to minimize the total clean-up cost and time. Experimental results show that the model can obtain close to optimal solutions within an acceptable computing time.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Aubrey Dickson Chigwada, Memory Tekere
Summary: Environment plastic litter accumulation is a concerning issue, and urgent advancements in plastic waste management are needed. Recent studies on bacterial and enzymatic biodegradation of plastic provide unique opportunities for the development of biotechnological methods to handle plastic waste. This review summarizes information on the breakdown of various synthetic plastics by bacteria and enzymes. It also outlines the procedures used to analyze biodegradation processes and discusses the challenges in verifying plastic breakdown. The findings of this study contribute significantly to the construction of a library of efficient bacterial isolates and enzymes for plastic biosynthesis, and they provide valuable insights for researchers in the field of plastic bioremediation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Josinaldo Dias, Angelus Giuseppe Pereira Silva, Jose Nilson Franca de Holanda, Fabiola Martins Delatorre, Amanda Oliveira da Conceicao, Gilson Mendonca de Miranda Junior, Aurora Futuro, Silvia Cardinal Pinho
Summary: The exponential growth in electronic consumption has led to a significant increase in discarded electronic materials. This study aimed to optimize the concentration of metallic copper in the recycling process of electronic waste. The results showed that the NM+1mm Concentrated product contained approximately 78% copper, contributing to the efficiency of copper extraction processes. However, the generation of dust during the fragmentation process may pose risks to occupational respiratory health.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Rajesh K. Srivastava, Nagaraj P. Shetti, Kakarla Raghava Reddy, Mallikarjuna N. Nadagouda, Michael Badawi, Adrian Bonilla-Petriciolet, Tejraj M. Aminabhavi
Summary: The review discusses the importance of proper management and disposal of biowastes generated from natural resources and anthropogenic activities. It highlights the potential of using these biomaterials as low-cost raw feedstock to produce bioenergy and value-added products. Various technologies for the transformation and valorization of biowastes are analyzed, along with their applications in water pollution, soil fertility, and green energy generation.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Venkata Ravi Sankar Cheela, Michele John, Wahidul Biswas, Brajesh Dubey
Summary: This research aims to evaluate the environmental impacts of landfill mining with on-site sorting and land application using life cycle assessment. The results demonstrate that excavating landfilled waste and on-site recovery of soil have higher environmental benefits in terms of global warming potential, freshwater eutrophication, human toxicity, and fossil depletion. However, they also have higher impacts in terms of terrestrial acidification, terrestrial ecotoxicity, marine eutrophication, and photochemical oxidation. After composting, land application of recovered soil contributes to environmental offsets in global warming potential, human toxicity, and freshwater eutrophication, while contributing to soil ecotoxicity emissions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Economics
Cheng Cheng, Jia-Wei Lu, Rui Zhu, Zuopeng Xiao, Alysson M. Costa, Russell G. Thompson
Summary: This study proposes a mixed-integer programming model for post-disaster waste clean-up systems, taking into account multiple stakeholders and objectives. Numerical results confirm the conflicting nature of the objectives considered and highlight the importance of explicitly considering each goal to find the best trade-off solutions.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART E-LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elizaveta Klein, Susie M. L. Hardie, Wolfgang Kickmaier, Ian G. McKinley
Summary: A critical aspect of selecting sites for deep geological repositories for high-level radioactive waste is their ability to slow down the migration of radionuclides released from engineered barriers. Models play a crucial role in connecting field observations and laboratory studies on rock/water/radionuclide interactions. Despite remaining uncertainties, utilizing knowledge from anthropogenically contaminated sites can enhance safety cases for geological repositories.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fernanda Bertaco Bueno, Wanda Maria Risso Gunther, Arlindo Philippi Jr, James Henderson
Summary: Management of contaminated sites requires application of remediation technologies to reduce environmental and human health risks, but also needs to consider potential negative effects, and sustainable alternatives should be selected to minimize consequences and seek new solutions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Tiffany S. Legendre, Rachel Hyunkyung Lee, Anni Ding, Eun Min (Min) Hwang, Nancy Graves
Summary: On-site foodservice management companies serve many people but face severe food waste problems. To reduce food waste, many companies have adopted clean technology. This study explores the role of clean technology in setting and achieving food waste reduction goals in these companies. Based on 16 expert interviews, the study finds that clean technology adoption can make organizational food waste reduction goals more specific by measuring and quantifying them. However, employee collaboration is crucial to overcome concerns about clean technology being used punitively.
JOURNAL OF HOSPITALITY & TOURISM RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Economics
Na Luo, Tava Olsen, Yanping Liu, Abraham Zhang
Summary: This paper reviews research on food loss and waste (FLW) from the perspective of operations management (OM). It provides insights into specific stages within the food supply chain and the entire supply chain, identifies overarching research themes, and offers projections for future research opportunities based on literature, conference presentations, working papers, and interviews with stakeholders.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART E-LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Vsevolod Mymrin, Cristofer B. Scremim, Jacqueline C. Stella, Roberto C. Y. Pan, Monica A. Avanci, Joao C. Bosco, Paulo Rolim
Summary: This study developed environment-friendly composites from dredged sediments, wood ashes, and lime production wastes, showing good mechanical properties and water absorption rates, suitable for sustainable construction materials. The application of these composites can significantly improve the environmental situation and reduce natural resource consumption.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kh Ashraf Uz-Zaman, Bhabananda Biswas, Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman, Ravi Naidu
Summary: Long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic in drinking water poses significant health risks, making arsenic removal crucial. A study developed an Australian smectite-supported nano zero-valent iron composite for arsenic sorption, demonstrating high efficiency and environmental friendliness in removing arsenic contaminants from water.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yuecheng Xin, Dilan Robert, Abbas Mohajerani, Phuong Tran, Biplob Kumar Pramanik
Summary: The management of glass waste has been a major crisis due to its bulk production and fewer recycling approaches adopted in the present industry. This study aims to develop a strategy for translating waste-contaminated glass dust (WGD) into manufacturing fired clay bricks, which is a completely new use of glass dust. The results demonstrated that the novel brick produced from 15% WGD is highly energy efficient and meets the compliance requirements based on national standards.
CASE STUDIES IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Soren Munch Lindhard, Simon Wyke, Hadi Mahami, Seyyed Saeed Vaezzadeh, Kjeld Svidt
Summary: This study investigated the existing methodologies for waste prediction through literature review and analysis of two construction cases in Denmark. The results showed that waste management is influenced by multiple factors, not fully reflected in current estimation methods, and waste behavior and organizational factors are key contributors. Additionally, the study found that existing estimation methodologies for waste generation tend to be either complex or inaccurate, limiting their benefits, and that similar projects in close proximity can differ significantly, highlighting a clear limitation for waste estimation method development.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Mohammad Shahid, Mohammad Saghir Khan, Udai B. Singh
Summary: Reclaiming pesticide-polluted lands has been challenging due to the unrestricted use of synthetic pesticides and their adverse impact on agroecosystems, agricultural output, and food security. Microbial bioremediation using pesticide-resilient plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is an eco-friendly approach that can transform or degrade pesticides. This review aims to advance mechanistic understanding of the reduction of phytotoxicity caused by pesticides and provide remedial strategies using microbes to enhance crop productivity in pesticide-stressed soils.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kirstie Fryirs, Alexandra Carthey
Summary: This study tested the seed floating time of common plant species in riparian corridors of southeastern Australia and found that most seeds sink within a week. Compared to native species, exotic species had longer floating times and higher potential for long-distance dispersal. The findings were applied to a real case study, showing that seeds could travel up to 21 km per day, highlighting the importance of passive vegetation restoration and weed management.
RIVER RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tim J. Cohen, Thomas Suesse, Ivars Reinfelds, Nuosha Zhang, Kirstie Fryirs, Laurie Chisholm
Summary: Eastern Australia's climate is characterized by extreme variability and recurring droughts. An analysis of river gauges reveals a significant decline in annual flow since 1992/93, particularly in the far South coast of New South Wales. Changes in land use and river management have contributed to the reduction in flow, coinciding with an increase in woody riparian vegetation. This increase in vegetation is the largest biogeomorphic change experienced by the SE Australian drainage network in centuries.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Lorraine J. Hardwick, Kirstie A. Fryirs, Grant C. Hose
Summary: Ponds and wetlands around the world are under anthropogenic pressure, particularly those in arid and semi-arid regions. This study investigated the decomposition of a specific aquatic plant in a wetland system in New South Wales, Australia, to improve understanding of ecological processes in intermittent systems.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nicole A. Christiansen, Timothy J. Green, Kirstie A. Fryirs, Grant C. Hose
Summary: This study analyzed the bacterial community structure of the Temperate Highland Peat Swamps on Sandstone (THPSS) in the Sydney Basin, Australia using 16S rDNA sequencing. The results showed that urbanization is impacting the microbial ecology of these important peatland ecosystems.
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Gary Brierley, Kirstie Fryirs
Summary: This article explores the use of geomorphological principles to inform sustainable nature-based river management. The current command-and-control philosophy of human authority over rivers is unsustainable and has detrimental consequences. The article presents "Truths of the Riverscape," including respecting diversity, cooperating with river processes, assessing river condition, and understanding evolutionary trajectory, as a platform for proactive and precautionary catchment management plans.
GEOSCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Sonam, Vikrant Jain, Kirstie Fryirs, Gary Brierley
Summary: This study assesses the influence of geologic, climatic, and anthropogenic memory on geomorphic river diversity in the Sabarmati Catchment. It finds that geologic controls play a major role in determining river character and behavior, while climate memory shapes alluvial fan and plain landscapes. Anthropogenic memory has the most pronounced impact in certain controlled and impacted areas. Understanding these factors is essential for informed river management approaches.
JOURNAL OF ASIAN EARTH SCIENCES-X
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kirstie Fryirs, Chris Thompson, Damian Gore
Summary: The aim of this study was to determine the source and provenance of sediments deposited in a large floodplain sink during extreme floods in the Lockyer Creek catchment, Australia, in 2011 and 2013. The study found that the northern tributaries and parts of the Lockyer River trunk stream are the primary sources of coarse sediment, while the southern tributaries supply little sediment to the floodplain sediment sink. This pattern of sediment source contribution has remained similar over the last 6.8 ka at least.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SEDIMENT RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Forestry
K. A. Fryirs, N. Zhang, E. Duxbury, T. Ralph
Summary: This study analyzes the extent and severity of fires on riparian systems in coastal catchments of New South Wales, Australia. The findings show that more than half of the analyzed streams were impacted by burning, with a significant portion experiencing extreme or high-severity burning. The widespread and synchronous burning of riparian systems is unprecedented, highlighting the need for evolving riparian management strategies to mitigate future catastrophic fires.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Danelle Agnew, Kirstie Fryirs
Summary: By connecting corridors of river recovery, resilience can be built into river systems to mitigate against future floods and droughts. However, there is a lack of methods to identify where these corridors can be built in river management practice. The Open Access NSW River Styles database provides comprehensive information on geomorphic river condition and recovery potential, which can be used to analyze potential locations for river recovery corridors. The study found significant spatial variability in the types and lengths of connections made across different catchments. These findings provide important guidance for river conservation and rehabilitation activities in practice.
Article
Geography, Physical
Kirstie Fryirs, Nuosha Zhang, Timothy J. Ralph, Amir Mohammad Arash
Summary: Natural flood management (NFM) is a nature-based solution that utilizes hydrological and biophysical processes to reduce flood risk. The catastrophic floods in eastern Australia in 2021 and 2022 are used to assess the hydrological properties of these events and investigate whether widespread changes in flood hydrology are occurring. The findings suggest that passive riparian management and NFM measures may be counteracting the severe hydrological effects of floods, highlighting the potential for large-scale implementation of NFM in coastal catchments of New South Wales (NSW).
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Nuosha Zhang, Kirstie Fryirs
Summary: Extensive riparian vegetation clearance took place in southeastern Australia in the 19th and 20th centuries. Since the 1980s, there has been a recovery of riparian vegetation in all coastal catchments of New South Wales. However, the specific patterns and rates of recovery are still unknown.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Russell Blong, Kirstie Fryirs, Rachel Wood, Fleur King, Larissa Schneider, Emilie Dotte-Sarout, Stewart Fallon, Richard Gillespie, Qianyang Chen, Rebecca Esmay
Summary: Radiocarbon dating of charcoal from the Macdonald River in Australia revealed calibrated ages spanning over 1700 years. The varying ages can be attributed to factors such as the age of living biomass, charcoalisation conditions, and transportation and storage processes. These findings caution against relying solely on radiocarbon dating of charcoal to interpret sedimentary histories and suggest that deposit age may not be reliably determined by charcoal age.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kathryn Russell, Kirstie Fryirs, David Reid, Alison Miller, Geoff Vietz, Ian Rutherfurd, Ben Pearson, Apanie Wood, Sarah Gregor, Jess Walker, Johanna Slijkerman
Summary: Collaboration, diversity, and interdisciplinarity have increased in the Australian river management industry, but community participation and adaptive management have not seen significant growth. A structured review and topic modelling of content from national stream management conferences from 1996-2021 were conducted to assess these trends. The industry has shown maturity over the past 25 years, but there is room for improvement in achieving UN 2030 goals for integrated water resource management and ecosystem restoration.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Douglas Mitchell, Emma W. Laurie, Richard D. Williams, Kirstie A. Fryirs, Gary J. Brierley, Pamela L. M. Tolentino
Summary: Capacity strengthening activities have become a requirement and means for researchers to demonstrate positive societal impacts. A study examines an international capacity strengthening course in the Philippines and identifies five key pedagogical factors for instructors to consider, including active learning, knowledge scaffolding, situated learning, language dynamics, and expertise and networking. The study recommends reflexive and adaptable practices for instructors to co-produce knowledge with participants before, during and after the course.
JOURNAL OF GEOGRAPHY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Rachel Wood, Fleur King, Rebecca Esmay, Qianyang Chen, Larissa Schneider, Emilie Dotte-Sarout, Stewart Fallon, Kirstie Fryirs, Richard Gillespie, Russell Blong
Summary: Radiocarbon dating of charred plant remains is commonly used for dating lake cores and fluvial sequences. However, the charcoal can be older than its depositional context due to various transportation and storage stages. This study revisited samples from the Macdonald River in Australia and found that the inherited age of charcoal fragments could be significantly older than the collection date. Taphonomic factors such as size, shape, and fungal infestation were not effective in identifying the youngest fragments. Only fragments from short-lived materials provided accurate estimation of the collection date. These findings suggest that wood charcoal overestimates deposition age in southeast Australia, and multiple short-lived materials are needed for accurate dating.
