Is animal welfare a central issue for consumers of luxury goods?

The compatibility between luxury and sustainable development has been increasingly examined in recent literature, but a number of ethical issues remain unexplored. One such concern is animal welfare, a recurrent question in the luxury goods sector. This is one of the first research articles to shed light on this subject, utilising two studies, one qualitative and the other quantitative with conjoint analysis, conducted among 12 and 253 French consumers, respectively. The results reveal that consumers are sensitive to the challenge of animal welfare in luxury, but fall into two different groups. Some have a preference for animal‐based raw materials sourced from livestock farms that respect animal welfare, whilst others are more favourable to the use of synthetic raw materials. In particular, the results show that the use of synthetic raw materials is accepted by some consumers but can lead to a reduction in the perceived value of luxury products.     

Co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge and biomass for stabilizing heavy metals and reducing biochar toxicity: A review

The huge amounts of sewage sludge produced by municipal wastewater treatment plants induce major environmental and economical issues, calling for advanced disposal methods. Traditional methods for sewage sludge disposal increase greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Moreover, biochar created from sewage sludge often cannot be used directly in soil applications due to elevated levels of heavy metals and other toxic compounds, which alter soil biota and earthworms. This has limited the application of sewage sludge-derived biochar as a fertilizer. Here, we review biomass and sewage sludge co-pyrolysis with a focus on the stabilization of heavy metals and toxicity reduction of the sludge-derived biochar. We observed that co-pyrolyzing sewage sludge with biomass materials reduced heavy metal concentrations and decreased the environmental risk of sludge-derived biochar by up to 93%. Biochar produced from sewage sludge and biomass co-pyrolysis could enhance the reproduction stimulation of soil biota by 20‒98%. Heavy metals immobilization and transformation are controlled by the co-feed material mixing ratio, pyrolysis temperature, and pyrolysis atmosphere.

     

Strategies to save energy in the context of the energy crisis: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - New technologies, systems, societal organization and policies for energy saving are urgently needed in the context of accelerated climate change, the Ukraine...     

Optimizing hydrogen production by alkaline water decomposition with transition metal-based electrocatalysts

Burning fossil fuels account for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and over 90% of carbon dioxide emissions, calling for alternative fuels such as hydrogen. Since the hydrogen demand could reach 120 million tons in 2024, efficient and large-scale production methods are required. Here we review electrocatalytic water splitting with a focus on reaction mechanisms, transition metal catalysts, and optimization strategies. We discuss mechanisms of water decomposition and hydrogen evolution. Transition metal catalysts include alloys, sulfides, carbides, nitrides, phosphides, selenides, oxides, hydroxides, and metal-organic frameworks. The reaction can be optimized by modifying the nanostructure or the electronic structure. We observe that transition metal-based electrocatalysts are excellent catalysts due to their abundant sources, low cost, and controllable electronic structures. Concerning optimization, fluorine anion doping at 1 mol/L potassium hydroxide yields an overpotential of 38 mV at a current density of 10 mA/cm². The electrocatalytic efficiency can also be enhanced by adding metal atoms to the nickel sulfide framework.

     

Photocatalytic degradation of triclocarban in aqueous solution using a modified zeolite/TiO2 composite: kinetic,mechanism study and toxicity assessment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The current work aimed to investigate the degradation of the triclocarban (TCC) in aqueous solution using a modified zeolite/TiO2 composite (MZTC)...     

Examining traffic crash injury severity at unsignalized intersections

Introduction

This study presents multiple approaches to the analysis of crash injury severity at three- and four-legged unsignalized intersections in the state of Florida from 2003 until 2006. An extensive data collection process was conducted for this study.

Method

The dataset used in the analysis included 2,043 unsignalized intersections in six counties in the state of Florida. For the scope of this study, there were three approaches explored. The first approach dealt with the five injury levels, and an ordered probit model was fitted. The second approach was an aggregated one, and dealt with only the severe versus non-severe crash levels, and a binary probit model was used. The third approach dealt with fitting a nested logit model. Results from the three fitted approaches were shown and discussed, and a comparison between the three approaches was shown.

Results

Several important factors affecting crash severity at unsignalized intersections were identified. These include the traffic volume on the major approach, and the number of through lanes on the minor approach (surrogate measure for traffic volume), and among the geometric factors, the upstream and downstream distance to the nearest signalized intersection, left and right shoulder width, number of left turn movements on the minor approach, and number of right and left turn lanes on the major approach. As for driver factors, young and very young at-fault drivers were associated with the least fatal probability compared to other age groups.

Impact on industry

The analysis identified some countermeasures to reduce injury severity at unsignalized intersections. The spatial covariates showed the importance of including safety awareness campaigns for speeding enforcement. Also, having a 90-degree intersection design is the most appropriate safety design for reducing severity. Moreover, the assurance of marking stop lines at unsignalized intersections is very essential.     

Comparison and Verification of Bacterial Water Quality Indicator Measurement Methods Using Ambient Coastal Water Samples

During the summers of 2002 and 2004, in-stream integrated flow and concentration measurements for the total dissolved solids in the Cheyenne River, South Dakota, USA was conducted in order to compare the obtained actual field measurements with the predictions values made by the Bureau of Reclamation in the Environmental Impact Statement. In comparison to the actual field measurements conducted in this study, The Bureau of Reclamation extension of a small database used in the analysis for the impact of operations at the Angostura Unit over the past 50 years and into the future to predict the annual total dissolved solid loadings doesn't represent the actual loading values and various conditions in the study area. Additional integrated flow and concentration sampling is required to characterize the impact of the current Angostura Dam operations and Angostura Irrigation District return flows on the Cheyenne River in different seasons of the year.     

Plant-based coagulants/flocculants: characteristics,mechanisms, and possible utilization in treating aquaculture effluent and benefiting from the recovered nutrients

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The increasing intensification of the aquaculture industry requires the development of new strategies to reduce the negative impacts of wastewater on...     

Adsorption of 60Co and 154+152Eu Using Graft Copolymer of Starch-Polyacrylic Acid-Polyvinylsulfonic Acid

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Starch-polyacrylic acid-polyvinylsulfonic acid (St-g-PAA-PVSA) graft copoymer was synthesized by gamma radiation as an initiator. The chemical structure,...     

Bisphenol A Adsorption from Aqueous Solution Using Graphene Oxide-Alginate Beads

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - In this study, the potential of graphene oxide-alginate beads (GO-AB) as an adsorbent for bisphenol A (BPA) removal from aqueous solution was investigated....