Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Edgar Ramirez-Sanchez, Gabriel M. Evangelista-Palma, Daniel Gutierrez-Navarro, Daniel M. Kammen, Sergio Castellanos
Summary: In this study, a unified, corrected, and high-resolution electricity consumption framework is developed to quantify the impacts of energy efficiency measures on the electrical grid. The research findings show that implementing a 12% electricity reduction target in Mexico can result in significant cost savings and emissions reductions. Priorities for incentives are identified based on different criteria.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qing Luo, Yuxuan Ren, Zehang Sun, Yu Li, Bing Li, Sen Yang, Wanpeng Zhang, Yuanan Hu, Hefa Cheng
Summary: The study investigated atmospheric pollution caused by fluorescent lamp production in a major industrial and commercial city in south China and assessed the associated public health risk. Significant diurnal variation in TGM concentrations in industrial areas indicated that high mercury concentrations were due to local emissions. Temporary shutdown of fluorescent lamp manufacturing activities during a typhoon event resulted in a significant reduction in TGM levels.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zaloa Azkorra-Larrinaga, Naiara Romero-Anton, Koldobika Martin-Escudero, Gontzal Lopez-Ruiz
Summary: Green roofs are artificial ecosystems that provide a nature-based solution to environmental problems and offer many benefits in terms of heat and water conservation as well as energy costs. This study proposes the design of an environmentally sustainable green roof using composted food waste from a building's canteen. The results show that a sustainable green roof has a positive effect on energy savings in summer, especially when water is present on the roof.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yong-Chul Jang, Kyunghoon Choi, Youngsun Kwon, Hakyun Song, Hyunhee Kim
Summary: This study conducted material flow analysis and substance flow analysis of mercury on end-of-life fluorescent lamps in South Korea. The results revealed a significant amount of these lamps were collected and properly treated, with a considerable amount of mercury recovered. However, as the demand for light-emitting diode lamps increases, the collection of end-of-life fluorescent lamps is expected to decrease. Further research on other types of lamps containing mercury is necessary to determine the mercury flows for proper collection and treatment.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ramprasad Chandrasekaran, Subramanyam Busetty
Summary: This study assesses the potential energy and emissions saved by utilizing biogas energy generated from the biodegradation of solid waste. Two major cities in South India, Madurai and Hyderabad, were selected for the study using the LandGEM 3.03 model. The landfill in Madurai produced 2.162 x 10(6) cu. m per year of methane emissions in 2013, while the landfill in Hyderabad had a methane concentration of 2.5 x 10(7) cu. m per year. Both landfills are projected to see an increase in biogas production, with peak values of 6.32 x 10(7) and 3.7 x 10(8) cu. m, respectively.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
H. M. Mahmudul, M. G. Rasul, D. Akbar, R. Narayanan, M. Mofijur
Summary: This paper thoroughly examines the technological, economic, and environmental feasibility of utilizing household food waste to produce sustainable energy in Australia, highlighting the importance of waste to energy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting economic development.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Filipe Ferreira de Oliveira Leite, Jose Carlos Escobar Palacio, Madson John Arcanjo Batista, Maria Luiza Grillo Reno
Summary: This study evaluated technological alternatives for Municipal Solid Waste management in Minas Gerais, Brazil, showing that scenarios combining incineration, gasification, anaerobic digestion, and recycling can achieve the highest potential for electricity generation.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Marion Christine Unegg, Karl W. Steininger, Christian Ramsauer, Mariana Rivera-Aguilar
Summary: The assessment of CO2 emissions in waste management helps evaluate and compare the environmental impact of different waste treatment processes. A case study in Austria shows that thermal treatment of waste, especially in cement plants and the paper industry, is effective in reducing CO2 emissions. Material recycling also has lower CO2 emissions compared to primary material supply. Implementing current waste management practices in Austria could potentially save 2.6% of the country's total CO2 emissions for thermal fractions and 1% for material recycling.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Vijay Kumar Sharma, Hilmi Volkan Demir
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased interest in ultraviolet (UV) disinfection, especially for air disinfection. With the development of deep-UV LED and CL chip technologies, compact devices are now being used in disinfection systems, showing promising advancement.
Article
Thermodynamics
Yuecheng Xin, Dilan Robert, Abbas Mohajerani, Phuong Tran, Biplob Kumar Pramanik
Summary: High energy consumption in building construction and operation poses a threat to the sustainability of many nations. Therefore, it is highly important and timely to research alternative materials that can reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions effectively. This study investigates the energy efficiency of waste reformed clay bricks produced from different waste materials and demonstrates their superior performance in terms of energy savings and reduced carbon footprint compared to conventional bricks.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jose Maria Esbri, Sofia Rivera, Jose Tejero, Pablo Leon Higueras
Summary: The proposed ban on fluorescent lamps at the end of 2020 is expected to generate a large amount of discarded bulbs. Effective recycling options include thermal mercury recovery and aqueous solution leaching for rare earth elements. This study assessed a fast, cost-effective thermal characterization method and found that a major drawback of heat treatments is the absorption of Hg by glass matrices.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hazir Farouk, Andrew Lang, Furqan Tahir, Sami G. Al-Ghamdi
Summary: Sudan is facing challenges such as rapid population growth and migration from rural to urban areas, requiring additional energy sources. Waste management is crucial, as it can be used for power generation and heating while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study focuses on waste utilization in Khartoum State, proposing efficient technologies to address energy and environmental issues.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Di Wu, Qing Li, Xiaona Shang, Yingguang Liang, Xiang Ding, Hao Sun, Shuya Li, Shuxiao Wang, Yingjun Chen, Jianmin Chen
Summary: The aerosols emitted from unregulated burning of plastic waste have higher emission factors and toxicities, mainly attributed to carbonaceous aerosols containing persistent organic pollutants. Approximately 70.2 million tons of plastic waste was burned without regulation worldwide in 2016, leading to the release of a significant amount of toxic aerosols into the air, mostly in developing regions.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ajay B. Patil, Mohamed Tarik, Rudolf P. W. J. Struis, Christian Ludwig
Summary: With the growing consensus on the UN sustainable development goals, there is a need for circular resources and economies in a digital society context. A cost-effective recycling method for single REEs from end-of-life lamp e-waste is presented, demonstrating high recovery rates and less environmental impact compared to mining.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Jian Li Hao, Wenting Ma
Summary: The management of construction and demolition waste (CDW) from building energy retrofit (BER) projects in China has not been adequately studied. This study uses a system dynamics approach to evaluate and mitigate carbon emissions from CDW in a case study BER project in urban China. The results show that the carbon emissions from dismantling old components are higher than those from retrofit construction, and improving waste recycling, reducing CDW, and increasing waste-to-energy incineration can all contribute to carbon emissions reduction.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Shafeeq Ur Rahman, Yanliang Li, Sajjad Hussain, Babar Hussain, Waqas-ud-Din Khan, Luqman Riaz, Muhammad Nadeem Ashraf, Muhammad Athar Khaliq, Zhenjie Du, Hefa Cheng
Summary: The toxic effects of heavy metals on plants are a global concern, as they directly threaten the food supply chain. Studies have shown that exogenous application of phytohormones can mitigate the negative effects of heavy metal stress in plants and promote their growth and development. However, further research is needed to fully understand the potential pathways of phytohormones in mitigating heavy metal toxicity.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Zewei Yue, Zhao Li, Guirui Yu, Zhi Chen, Peili Shi, Yunfeng Qiao, Kun Du, Chao Tian, FengHua Zhao, Peifang Leng, Zhaoxin Li, Hefa Cheng, Gang Chen, Fadong Li
Summary: Investigating the response of net ecosystem productivity (NEP) to phenological variation for crop ecosystems is important for understanding the impact of climate change on agriculture. However, the controlling mechanisms for rotation cropland ecosystems have not been well understood. This study used a 16-year flux observation to explore the potential of carbon flux phenology (CFP) and abiotic factors in interpreting the interannual variability (IAV) of NEP. The results showed that NEP was significantly controlled by different factors in wheat and maize seasons, and the carbon budgets varied depending on the season.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jue Liu, Can Meng, Xinyu Zhang, Senyu Wang, Kuan Duan, Xian Li, Yuanan Hu, Hefa Cheng
Summary: A novel In2O3/AgI heterojunction with a hollow tubular structure and evenly distributed AgI particles on In2O3 microtubes was fabricated and showed much higher photocatalytic activity towards tetracycline degradation than In2O3 and AgI. The presence of InAg-1 achieved 98.4% removal of tetracycline in 10 minutes under visible light illumination and demonstrated excellent reusability and stability. The heterojunction also exhibited excellent performance in different water matrices and under natural sunlight, indicating its potential in practical applications. The superior photocatalytic activity is attributed to the heterojunction formation, oxygen vacancies, and the formation of a Z-scheme heterojunction between In2O3 and AgI.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Guowei Wang, Hefa Cheng
Summary: In recent decades, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics have been detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. This study successfully developed a recyclable WO3/NiFe2O4/BiOBr (WNB) composite with a unique dual Z-scheme heterojunction for the degradation of levofloxacin (LEV) in water. The WNB composite exhibited the highest sonocatalytic activity with a 97.97% removal efficiency of LEV (at 10 mg/L) within 75 minutes under ultrasonic irradiation. The enhanced catalytic activity of WNB was attributed to its dual Z-scheme structure, which facilitated the transfer and spatial separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs and increased the carrier lifespan.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yafeng Wang, Hefa Cheng
Summary: Potentially toxic elements from geothermal springs in the Yangbajain geothermal field on the Tibetan Plateau have caused significant pollution and potential risks to the local ecosystem, particularly in rivers and animal feeds. Evaluation: 8 points
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ping Wang, Jiangshan Li, Yuanan Hu, Hefa Cheng
Summary: This study investigated the solidification and stabilization of abandoned mine tailings using municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWIFA) and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) to fabricate unfired bricks. The results showed that unfired bricks exhibited good mechanical and environmental performance, and replacing cement with MSWIFA blended with GGBFS could save energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lifan Qin, Shengnan Huang, Hefa Cheng
Summary: A series of Bi2MoO6 nanosheets decorated with Pt nanoparticles were prepared, and the catalyst with Bi2MoO6 support prepared at 180°C exhibited high and stable activity in catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde at room temperature. The excellent catalytic performance was attributed to its large specific area and pore volume, high level of surface active oxygen species, high content of metallic Pt nanoparticles, and abundant oxygen vacancies. The good synergy and interaction between Pt and Bi2MoO6 promoted electron transfer, and facilitated the adsorption and oxidation of formaldehyde. The study provides new insights on the construction of high-efficiency catalysts for indoor formaldehyde removal.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xue Ma, Hefa Cheng
Summary: In this study, a hollow spherical nano-shell composite (g-C3N4/CdS/ReS2) consisting of three different materials was prepared for photocatalytic hydrogen production. Rhenium disulfide (ReS2) was used as a cost-effective and high-performance co-catalyst. The unique trion behavior of ReS2 significantly enhanced the rate of photocatalytic hydrogen production through a two-electron catalytic reaction. In addition, the active edge sites of ReS2 promoted the generation and desorption of hydrogen, favoring the two-electron catalytic reaction. Compared to the commonly used platinum (Pt) co-catalyst, the unique trion behavior of ReS2 altered the interfacial catalytic reaction and provided a new approach for enhancing the activity of photocatalytic systems.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Zhao Li, Qiuying Zhang, Zhaoxin Li, Shanbao Liu, Chao Tian, Yunfeng Qiao, Hefa Cheng, Gang Chen, Qiuhong Tang, Fadong Li
Summary: The plains of the lower reaches of rivers are important for food production. The N2O concentration in irrigated agricultural areas of these regions is higher than water-gas equilibrium, and the mechanisms affecting groundwater N2O are still unknown. This study collected groundwater samples from three zones in the lower reaches of the Yellow River and found significant differences in N2O concentration. Different groundwater N inputs and hydrogeological parameters were attributed to these variations. The infiltration coefficient of precipitation was identified as the most important parameter influencing groundwater N2O. The study also evaluated the indirect N2O emission factor, which was found to be 1.87 g hm-2 year-1. These findings provide a foundation to reduce N2O production and emissions in agricultural areas of river lower reaches.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Guowei Wang, Hefa Cheng
Summary: Organic dyes are important in the textile industry, but their wastewater discharge has caused significant damage to the aquatic ecosystem. This review summarizes the mechanisms of photocatalysis, sonocatalysis, and sonophotocatalysis in the treatment of organic dye wastewater, with a focus on the synergistic effect of ultrasound and light. The performance of TiO2-based catalysts in different systems is compared, and future research directions are proposed to enhance the practical application of sonophotocatalysis in degrading organic dyes in wastewater.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaojie Wang, Yue Yin, Zhiqiang Yu, Guofeng Shen, Hefa Cheng, Shu Tao
Summary: This study investigated the diversity and distribution patterns of microbial sub-communities in hot spring sediments on the Tibetan Plateau and identified their major environmental drivers using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed that stochasticity and heterogeneous selection played important roles in shaping the bacterial sub-community assemblages. Salinity was found to be a major environmental factor driving the composition of the bacterial communities. Additionally, the study highlighted the importance of conditionally rare taxa in constructing bacterial communities and provided insights into the ecological mechanisms maintaining ecosystem stability and services in extreme environments.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jue Liu, Shiwen Li, Can Meng, Jing Sun, Xian Li, Yuanan Hu, Hefa Cheng
Summary: Dual Z-scheme InVO4/CuBi2O4/BiVO4 (CuInBi) composites with oxygen vacancies and chemical bonds at the heterojunction interfaces were successfully fabricated, and exhibited superior photocatalytic activity compared with individual semiconductors. The enhanced performance was attributed to the good light absorption of CuBi2O4 and interfacial chemical bonds, which accelerated charge separation and maintained strong redox activity.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qing Luo, Yuxuan Ren, Zehang Sun, Yu Li, Bing Li, Sen Yang, Wanpeng Zhang, Frank Wania, Yuanan Hu, Hefa Cheng
Summary: This study used low-cost passive air samplers to investigate atmospheric mercury pollution in a large industrial city in South China. The findings showed that areas with mercury-added product manufacturing activities had significantly higher gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) concentrations compared to other areas, indicating local releases were responsible for the pollution. Elevated GEM concentrations were found near fluorescent lamp and electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) factories, presumably due to outdated production technologies and non-standard operation. Overall, the manufacturing of mercury-added products contributes notable anthropogenic gaseous mercury releases in industrial areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Zhaoxin Li, Qiuying Zhang, Fadong Li, Zhao Li, Yunfeng Qiao, Kun Du, Zewei Yue, Chao Tian, Peifang Leng, Hefa Cheng, Gang Chen
Summary: In a four-year experiment, the effects of tillage practices and nitrogen fertilizer applications on soil CO2 emissions in maize fields were investigated. The results showed that no-tillage and medium N application reduced soil CO2 emissions compared to conventional tillage and high N application. No-tillage with medium N application resulted in the lowest cumulative CO2 emissions and highest grain yields. No-tillage decreased bacterial richness and alpha-diversity compared to conventional tillage. The research highlights the importance of exploring eco-friendly practices in maize cultivation zones to reduce soil CO2 emissions and increase crop yields.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yue Yin, Xiaojie Wang, Yuanan Hu, Fadong Li, Hefa Cheng
Summary: This study investigated the vertical distribution of bacterial communities along soil profiles in different areas of a polymetallic mining district. The results revealed that bacterial diversity and composition varied significantly between depth layers, with heterogeneous selection being the predominant mechanism influencing the vertical distribution pattern. The key drivers of bacterial assemblages varied depending on the area, with soil nutrients playing a major role in the original forest and natural restoration areas, and heavy metals and soil properties being important in the phytoremediation and tailings heap areas.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)