Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiujuan Chen, Guohe Huang, Sichen Gao, Yinghui Wu
Summary: Permafrost, an important potential sink of airborne MPs, will severely degrade and thaw under climate change, potentially affecting global MP cycling. These potential effects have not been addressed in previous MP-related research.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jeroen E. Sonke, Helene Angot, Yanxu Zhang, Alexandre Poulain, Erik Bjorn, Amina Schartup
Summary: Past and present anthropogenic mercury release has harmful effects on human health and has significant economic costs. The UNEP Minamata Convention on Mercury and global monitoring efforts aim to reduce mercury release and track its success. Global change factors such as deforestation and ocean stratification interact with the complex biogeochemical mercury cycle, leading to changes in mercury exposure. However, based on past declines in mercury release, it is expected that future policy impacts can be distinguished from global change effects at regional and global scales.
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Myung Won Seo, See Hoon Lee, Hyungseok Nam, Doyeon Lee, Diyar Tokmurzin, Shuang Wang, Young-Kwon Park
Summary: The study shows that replacing biological processes with thermochemical conversion processes in biorefineries is feasible, easy, and effective. Challenges in thermochemical conversion processes were also identified, and the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning for bio-oil and syngas production processes was highlighted.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Rongge Zou, Moriko Qian, Chenxi Wang, Wendy Mateo, Yunpu Wang, Leilei Dai, Xiaona Lin, Yunfeng Zhao, Erguang Huo, Lu Wang, Xuesong Zhang, Xiao Kong, Roger Ruan, Hanwu Lei
Summary: Biochar, as a carbon-based catalyst and catalyst support, has great potential due to its huge specific surface area, rich functional groups, and complex network structure, especially in the field of biorefinery.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Kauppi, Norman Gobeler, Joanna Norkko, Alf Norkko, Alicia Romero-Ramirez, Guillaume Bernard
Summary: The increasing frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves (MHWs) have significant effects on the structure and functioning of ecological communities. This study found that short-term, strong MHWs can alter bioturbation and biogeochemical cycling of nutrients, leading to enhanced organic matter degradation, increased solute exchange, and sediment oxygen consumption. These changes highlight the system-wide impacts of even shorter-term, strong MHWs on ecosystem functioning.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jian Fitria, Jian Liu, Bin Yang
Summary: Minerals in biomass have a significant impact on biofuel quality and yield, especially in current thermochemical biomass conversion processes. However, the roles of plant minerals in biochemical conversion have not been extensively studied, despite their known effect of reducing carbohydrate feedstock and sugar yield. This review discusses the challenges posed by plant minerals in a biorefinery, including decreased biomass quality, reduced process efficiency, and lower product quality and quantity from biomass conversion. It highlights the importance of strategically managing the occurrence of minerals in biomass to optimize biofuel production and support the concept of a circular bioeconomy.
BIOFUELS BIOPRODUCTS & BIOREFINING-BIOFPR
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patricia M. Fox, Sergio Carrero, Cam Anderson, Christian Dewey, Marco Keiluweit, Mark Conrad, Hannah R. Naughton, Scott Fendorf, Rosemary Carroll, Baptiste Dafflon, Helen Malenda-Lawrence, Dipankar Dwivedi, Benjamin Gilbert, John N. Christensen, Kristin Boye, Curtis Beutler, Wendy Brown, Alexander Newman, Roelof Versteeg, Kenneth H. Williams, Peter S. Nico
Summary: In this study, we identified the major forms of sulfur in various compartments and scales in a pristine mountainous watershed. The results provide insight into the role of biogeochemical sulfur cycling in a hydrologically variable alpine system.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Arun Sreekumar, Omex Mohan, Vinoj Kurian, Cyriac Mvolo, Amit Kumar
Summary: Canada has a large forest cover, which contributes to the availability of wood-based resources. The wood product manufacturing subsector's contribution to the national GDP has decreased, and new forest management practices and wood-based conversion technologies are needed to reposition the Canadian forest industry. Woody biomass conversion technologies, especially in biorefineries for clean energy production, are becoming increasingly significant. This study reviews Canadian woody biomass conversion technologies, with a focus on revitalizing the pulp and paper industry and diversifying product offerings.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Paula Gixina Ardila Gonzalez, Julio Cesar de Jesus Gariboti, Jean Felipe Leal Silva, Emilia Savioli Lopes, Ederson Rossi Abaide, Melina Savioli Lopes, Viktor Oswaldo Cardenas Concha, Romilda Fernandez Felisbino, Eliezer Ladeia Gomes, Laura Plazas Tovar
Summary: This article comprehensively reviews the application of soybean straw as a biomass feedstock in biorefineries. It discusses various topics such as the productive potential, feedstock quality, challenges in conversion, and potential directions for future research. The article also presents examples of utilizing the mechanical properties of soybean straw and highlights the issues related to the conversion of soybean straw into fermentable sugars. Overall, it emphasizes the potential of soybean/soybean straw biorefineries for the production of value-added chemicals, materials, and energy.
BIOENERGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Caio Silvestre Lima Sanson, Cristiane Vieira Helm, Washington Luiz Esteves Magalhaes, Graciela Ines Bolzon de Muniz, Andre Luiz Missio, Pedro Henrique Gonzalez de Cademartori
Summary: This study explores the potential of water-soluble fractions and their combination with nanobentonite for wood protection. The water-soluble fractions significantly affect the water repellency and antifungal activity of wood, while the addition of nanobentonite further enhances the protective effect.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael G. Windisch, Edouard L. Davin, Sonia Seneviratne
Summary: Reforestation and afforestation can achieve a quarter of emission reduction goals, with tropical forests having the highest climate benefit while higher-latitude forests may cause warming effects in winter.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marit van Oostende, Martin Hieronymi, Hajo Krasemann, Burkard Baschek
Summary: Satellite-derived ocean colour data are crucial for monitoring global waters in a changing climate, but the inconsistency between different sensor datasets can affect the accuracy of long-term trend analysis. This study used a corrected dataset to examine the trends of optically active constituents and found a significant increase in chlorophyll-a concentration in polar waters and a decrease in some equatorial waters. Additionally, ocean darkening in polar waters was observed due to increased non-phytoplankton absorption. This research contributes to a better understanding of the global trends of optically active constituents and their relationship to the changing environment.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Camille Richon, Alessandro Tagliabue
Summary: Recycling by zooplankton is an important process in the upper ocean, influenced by various factors. The response of micronutrient recycling to climate change is complex, with different drivers playing a role in different regions. Regional changes in recycling rates and stoichiometry under climate change highlight the potential for novel feedbacks in surface ocean biogeochemistry.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Pradeep Shrestha, Mahesh M. Nair, Nader Mahinpey
Summary: Conversion of CO2 into fuels and valuable chemicals using manganite-based perovskites has been studied under isothermal reaction conditions. Substitution on A- and B-sites influences the redox performances, with La0.5Sr0.5MnO3 showing the best stability. Increasing Sr content decreases activation energy for reduction.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Jessica Marcon Bressanin, Victor Coelho Geraldo, Francisco de Assis Magalhaes Gomes, Bruno Colling Klein, Mateus Ferreira Chagas, Marcos Djun Barbosa Watanabe, Antonio Bonomi, Edvaldo Rodrigo de Morais, Otavio Cavalett
Summary: The study explores the economic and environmental performance of a biorefinery involving biomass gasification and FT liquid biofuels production in the context of sustainable bioenergy deployment. Results indicate economic benefits from integrating thermochemical processes with conventional ethanol mills, and processing more energy-cane can lead to better environmental performance.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shikha Jain, Neeraj Dilbaghi, Nitin Kumar Singhal, Ajeet Kaushik, Ki-Hyun Kim, Sandeep Kumar
Summary: Accumulation of heavy metal ions in the ecosystem is a major concern for their negative effects on animals, humans, and aquatic habitats. A rapid and portable sensing system is crucial for detecting and managing such pollutants. A fluorescence-based biosensor has been developed for the selective and sensitive detection of Pb2+ ions using a DNAzyme system that responds only to the presence of lead (II) ions (Pb2+). This novel biosensing approach offers insights into the rapid and sensitive detection of major pollutants for food and environmental safety.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Yongbiao Hua, Younes Ahmadi, Ki-Hyun Kim
Summary: Aluminum is a cost-effective and abundant metal used for the mass production of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Aluminum-based MOFs (Al-MOFs) have unique properties, such as excellent chemical and structural stability, making them highly researched for various applications. This review summarizes the recent progress in the synthesis/functionalization of Al-MOF materials, with a focus on their sensing applications for metal ion pollutants in liquids. The performances of Al-MOF-based sensing systems are evaluated and compared to other sensing systems in terms of key quality assurance criteria, such as the limit of detection (LOD). The challenges and future outlook for Al-MOF-based sensing systems are also discussed to promote their real-world applications.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Manveen Kaur, Sanjeev Kumar, Rajwant Singh, N. K. Verma, Vanish Kumar, Sherif A. Younis, Ki-Hyun Kim
Summary: Solar energy is a promising replacement for depleting fossil fuels. In this study, unconventional N719 dye-sensitized solar cells based on Tb2O3@TiO2 nanoparticles were fabricated. The photovoltaic performance of these cells was evaluated and compared to a pristine TiO2 photoanode. Results showed a 22% improvement in efficiency for the Tb2O3@TiO2 photoanode compared to TiO2. The enhanced properties of Tb2O3@TiO2, such as high adsorption capability and photocurrent density, make it recommended for achieving efficient solar energy conversion.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE-MATERIALS IN ELECTRONICS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Manpreet Kaur, Mohamad Yusuf, Yiu Fai Tsang, Ki-Hyun Kim, Ashok Kumar Malik
Summary: CdMOF and ZnMOF-NH2, metal-organic frameworks functionalized with amine/hydrazone ligands, were synthesized using a conventional reflux method. These MOFs exhibited good crystallinity and thermal stability. They were found to be efficient in the fast sensing of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) in water with high sensitivity and selectivity, with limits of detection of 7 ppb and 10 ppb, respectively. The sensing mechanism was assessed using density functional theory calculations and spectral overlap analysis.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Alireza Ranjbari, Kristof Demeestere, Ki-Hyun Kim, Philippe M. Heynderickx
Summary: The effect of temperature-programmed H2 reduction on modification of surface oxygen vacancies in commercial ZnO (C-ZnO) was investigated. The photocatalytic degradation of the fungicide thiabendazole was optimized by treating C-ZnO with 10% H2/Ar gas at 500 degrees C over 5 h. The formation of oxygen vacancies and their catalytic activity were compared before and after the reduction treatment based on their characterization analysis (e.g., TPR, FE-SEM, EDS, XPS, Tauc plot, XRD, and BET). Our most recent kinetic modeling was carried out on the experiments using C-ZnO and T500 at different pH values. The highest adsorption removal and photocatalytic degradation rate (and quantum yield) occurred at pH 3 and 11, respectively. Good reusability of the optimal reduced catalyst was confirmed when tested over five cycles. A strong compatibility between the kinetic modeling results and all characterization analyses supports the potent role of reduction treatment for the modification of oxygen vacancies on photocatalysis.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Seonho Lee, Tak Hyun You, In Sun Cho, Jechan Lee
Summary: Proper treatment and upcycling of decomposable plastic waste have gained increasing attention. In this study, tricalcium phosphate (TCP) catalyst was used to convert decomposable polylactic acid (PLA) straw waste (PLASW) into lactic acid. The TCP catalyst significantly improved the lactic acid recovery yield, especially under the CO2 environment. The presence of base sites on the TCP catalyst promoted hydrogen transfer reaction for selective PLA bond cleavage.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaowei Li, Xiang Huang, Chuyun Zhao, Xuan Wang, Bin Dong, Ashantha Goonetilleke, Ki-Hyun Kim
Summary: The effects of anaerobic digestion on the molecular characteristics of dissolved organic matter in dewatered sludge were studied using advanced ESI FT-ICR MS technology. As anaerobic digestion progressed, the molecular amounts in DOM samples increased while the carbon atom number and double bond equivalent decreased. The main organic substances in the sludge were CHON and CHONS groups, with relative proportions of 29.64% and 32.56%, respectively. The resistant organic matter consisted mainly of proteins in the CHO groups and proteins/lignin in the CHON groups. The results provide a theoretical basis for optimizing the sludge AD process.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yahui Cai, Jianfei Wu, Sheldon Q. Shi, Jianzhang Li, Ki-Hyun Kim
Summary: The potential of seawater desalination technologies in addressing the freshwater shortage has been recognized. This paper provides a review of desalination technologies, including their working principles, environmental risks, merits, and economic benefits. Strategies to overcome the limitations of current solar desalination technologies are proposed, and future research directions are discussed. This paper is expected to serve as a valuable reference for freshwater production based on desalination techniques.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xin-Yu Jiang, Eilhann Kwon, Jet-Chau Wen, Jorge Bedia, Bui Xuan Thanh, Suresh Ghotekar, Jechan Lee, Yu-Chih Tsai, Afshin Ebrahimi, Kun-Yi Andrew Lin
Summary: The increasing consumption of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) poses a serious threat to aquatic ecology due to their toxicities. Thus, it is urgent to develop processes for removing RTILs from water, with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C4mimCl) being the most representative RTIL for studying removal methods. This study presents a hierarchical structure, Cu2S on copper mesh (CSCM), which exhibits superior catalytic activity for degrading C4mim through activating hydrogen peroxide (HP).
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Thi Yen Tran, Swati Verma, Sherif A. Younis, Ki-Hyun Kim
Summary: The potential application of ZnTON as an adsorbent for gaseous formaldehyde was investigated. ZnTON exhibited higher adsorption capacity than commercial P25-TiO2 and activated carbon. The adsorption capacity of ZnTON increased with higher initial feeding concentration of formaldehyde but decreased with rising temperature and moisture levels. The adsorption of formaldehyde onto ZnTON followed Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. This study provides valuable insights for the synthesis of advanced adsorbents for the removal of volatile organic compounds.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hee Sue Lee, Sungyup Jung, Sung Woo Lee, Yong Tae Kim, Jechan Lee
Summary: This study aims to demonstrate the potential for thermocatalytic waste upcycling in municipal solid waste management. The results showed that the Ni/Al2O3-N-2 catalyst used for the treatment of spent disposable wipes increased the yield of gas pyrolysate and enhanced the production of gaseous hydrogen. This study is of great significance for the efficient utilization of waste.
KOREAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Heeyoung Choi, Yong Tae Kim, Yiu Fai Tsang, Jechan Lee
Summary: Waste-to-energy is an important strategy for addressing climate change and waste problems. Thermochemical conversion is a widely used process for converting waste into energy. Integrating different thermochemical conversion processes can improve the overall efficiency of energy recovery from waste. Understanding the possible configurations of hybrid thermochemical waste conversion processes is crucial for further development and implementation. This systematic review provides an overview of existing hybrid thermochemical waste conversion systems and discusses the challenges and future research suggestions.
KOREAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Correction
Chemistry, Physical
Priyanshu Goel, Shashank Sundriyal, Vishal Shrivastav, Sunita Mishra, Deepak P. Dubal, Ki-Hyun Kim, Akash Deep
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yongbiao Hua, Younes Ahmadi, Ki-Hyun Kim
Summary: This comprehensive review summarizes the recent progress in transition metal oxide (TMO)-based thermocatalysts for the removal of formaldehyde (FA). The key factors affecting the catalytic activity of TMO-based thermocatalysts towards FA are discussed, including exposed crystal facets, alkali metal/nitrogen modification, type of precursors, and alkali/acid treatment. The performance of TMO-based composite catalysts is found to be superior to mono- and bi-metallic TMO catalysts, owing to their abundant surface oxygen vacancies and enhanced FA adsorptivity. The challenges and future prospects for TMO-based catalysts in the catalytic oxidation of FA are also discussed.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wooyoung Yang, Sungyup Jung, Jechan Lee, Sung Woo Lee, Yong Tae Kim, Eilhann E. Kwon
Summary: A thermo-catalytic conversion was used to reduce textile waste and simultaneously recover textile monomer. Stockings were treated as a model feedstock, and different products were recovered, including caprolactam, imines, cyclic dimers, and azepines. The yield of caprolactam was enhanced through catalytic pyrolysis and CO2-mediated reactions.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Lars odegaard Bentsen, Narada Dilp Warakagoda, Roy Stenbro, Paal Engelstad
Summary: This study investigates uncertainty modeling in wind power forecasting using different parametric and non-parametric methods. Johnson's SU distribution is found to outperform Gaussian distributions in predicting wind power. This research contributes to the literature by introducing Johnson's SU distribution as a candidate for probabilistic wind forecasting.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Xing Liu, Qiuchen Wang, Yunhao Wen, Long Li, Xinfang Zhang, Yi Wang
Summary: This study analyzes the characteristics of process parameters in three lean gas ethane recovery processes and establishes a prediction and multiobjective optimization model for ethane recovery and system energy consumption. A new method for comparing ethane recovery processes for lean gas is proposed, and the addition of extra coolers improves the ethane recovery. The support vector regression model based on grey wolf optimization demonstrates the highest prediction accuracy, and the multiobjective multiverse optimization algorithm shows the best optimization performance and diversity in the solutions.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Cairong Song, Haidong Yang, Xian-Bing Meng, Pan Yang, Jianyang Cai, Hao Bao, Kangkang Xu
Summary: The paper proposes a novel deep learning-based prediction framework, aTCN-LSTM, for accurate cooling load predictions. The framework utilizes a gate-controlled multi-head temporal convolutional network and a sparse probabilistic self-attention mechanism with a bidirectional long short-term memory network to capture both temporal and long-term dependencies in the cooling load sequences. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method, which can serve as an effective guide for HVAC chiller scheduling and demand management initiatives.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhe Chen, Xiaojing Li, Xianli Xia, Jizhou Zhang
Summary: This study uses survey data from the Loess Plateau in China to evaluate the impact of social interaction on the adoption of soil and water conservation (SWC) technology by farmers. The study finds that social interaction increases the likelihood of farmers adopting SWC, and internet use moderates this effect. The positive impact of social interaction on SWC adoption is more pronounced for farmers in larger villages and those who join cooperative societies.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chenghua Zhang, Yunfei Yan, Kaiming Shen, Zongguo Xue, Jingxiang You, Yonghong Wu, Ziqiang He
Summary: This paper reports a novel method that significantly improves combustion performance, including heat transfer enhancement under steady-state conditions and adaptive stable flame regulation under velocity sudden increase.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2024)
