Physical infrastructure,energy consumption,economic growth,and environmental pollution in Pakistan: an asymmetry analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study explores the symmetric and asymmetric effects of physical infrastructure on energy consumption, economic growth, and air pollution of...     

Integrated geospatial analysis linking metal contamination among three different compartments of Lake Edku ecosystem in Egypt to human health effects

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study is the first in forming an integrated up-to-date spatial analysis linking heavy metal contamination among three different compartments of...     

The trade-off between economic growth and environmental quality: does economic freedom asymmetric matter for Pakistan?

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This empirical study investigates the dynamic effects of economic freedom on economic growth and air quality for Pakistan over the period...     

Uncertainty-based quantitative assessment of sustainability for higher education institutions

Evaluation of sustainability in various facets of life is gaining increasing importance. Traditionally, different multi-criteria decision-making methods have been used for sustainability assessment. “Sustainability” can be a qualitative concept, and as such several researchers have attempted fuzzy logic for the quantitative assessment of sustainability. This paper outlines a new evaluation model based on fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making. The model is tested for sustainability assessment of higher education institutions (HEIs). It is based on a driving force–pressure–state–exposure–effect–action (DPSEEA) framework and is called uncertainty-based DPSEEA-Sustainability index Model (uD-SiM). The uD-SiM is a causality-based model in which the sustainability index is an outcome of nonlinear impacts of sustainability indicators in different stages of DPSEEA. The percent contribution of driving forces on the sustainability index of HEI is investigated using sensitivity analysis. The study reveals that education in sustainability and global and local research trends are the major driving forces for achieving sustainability in HEI, followed by financial and economic growth rate, social equity, energy requirements rate, and institutional enhancement, in descending order. The results of uD-SiM were found to be more realistic and rational than our earlier proposed approach, D-SiM.     

Estimation and inter-comparison of dust aerosols based on MODIS, MISR and AERONET retrievals over Asian desert regions

This study presents detailed analysis of spatiotemporal variations and trend of dust optical properties i.e., Aerosol Optical Depth(AOD) and Angstrom component over Asian desert regions using thirteen years of data(i.e., 2001–2013) retrieved from Aerosol Robotic Network(AERONET), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS) and Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer(MISR). These regions include Solar Village, Dunhuang and Dalangzadgad and are considered as origin of desert aerosols in Asia. Mann–Kendall trend test was used to show the trend of AOD. The relationship of AOD with weather parameters and general AOD trend over different wavelengths has also been shown. AOD's trend has been observed significant throughout the year in Solar Village, while in Dunhuang and Dalanzadgad the significant trend has been found only in peak period(March–June).Analysis show high values of AOD and low values of angstrom in Solar Village during peak period. In Chinese desert regions, high values of AOD have been found during peak period and low values in pre-peak period. Significant relationship has been observed between AOD and average temperature in Solar Village and Dalanzadgad whereas rainfall and wind speed showed no significant impact on AOD in all desert regions.     

Exogenous salicylic acid mediated herbicide (Paraquat) resistance in cyanobacterial biofertilizer Microchaete sp. NCCU-342

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Paddy field farming remains the dominant form of growing rice in modern times as the rice is the staple food for over half the world’s...     

Fresh evidence on connectedness between prominent markets during COVID-19 pandemic

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Various empirical studies have examined the nexus between financial markets, but this study focused on the comovement among prominent markets. Our...     

Impact of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Irradiated Polyvinylpyrrolidone on Spodoptera littoralis Nucleopolyhedrosis Virus Activity

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - A Green nanomaterial synthesis could be considered as an alternative bio-controller source of insect pest management as well as saving the environment....     

Estimation of aerosol optical depth in relation to meteorological parameters over eastern and western routes of China Pakistan economic corridor

This study finds out seasonal and monthly variations in Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) over eastern and western routes of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the relationship between AOD and meteorological parameters (i.e., temperature, rainfall and wind speed). The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) data was used from the terra satellite for the period of 2000-2016. This study aims to overtake the conventional view of the purpose of using the satellite datasets. This study takes on to the concept that validated satellite data sets rather should be used for the analysis instead of just validation specifically for our study region. Hence, after comparing MODIS AOD with MISR AOD, only MISR AOD dataset is used for further analysis. The results show a decreasing trend of AOD in summer season, a positive relationship between temperature and AOD during winter and spring seasons whereas a positive relationship between wind speed and AOD in winter and spring seasons over eastern and western routes. Periodic analysis of MODIS AOD and MISR AOD depicts May-Aug as the peak period of aerosol concentration over central Pakistan. The inter-annual analysis shows the aerosol trend remained higher during summer season however rainfall shows the washout effect. Eastern route has higher standard deviation and larger values for aerosol prevalence as compared to western route. The trajectory analysis using the HYSPLIT model suggests the bias of air mass trajectory caused deviation in the aerosol trend in the year 2014.     

Trace metals in Ganges soft-shell turtle (Aspideretes gangeticus) from two barrage: Baloki and Rasul, Pakistan

The concentration of nine metals was measured in liver, kidney, heart, muscle, plastron, and carapace of Aspideretes gangeticus from Rasul and Baloki barrages, Pakistan. The results indicated that metal concentration were significant different among tissues of Ganges soft-shell turtles. However, higher concentrations of Co (5.12 μg/g) and Ni (1.67 μg/g) in liver, Cd (0.41 μg/g) in heart, Fe (267.45 μg/g), Cd (2.12 μg/g) and Mn (2.47 μg/g) in kidney, Cd (0.23 μg/g), Cu (2.57 μg/g), Fe (370.25 μg/g), Mn (5.56 μg/g), and Pb (8.23 μg/g) in muscle of A. gangeticus were recorded at Baloki barrage than Rasul barrage. Whereas mean concentrations of Pb (3.33 μg/g) in liver, Co (1.63 μg/g), Cu (11.32 μg/g), Pb (4.8 μg/g) and Zn (144.69 μg/g) in heart, Co (4.12 μg/g) in muscle, Ni (1.31 μg/g), Pb (2.18 μg/g), and Zn (9.78 μg/g) in carapace were recorded higher at Rasul barrage than Baloki barrage. The metals followed the trend Fe > Zn > Ni > Cu > Mn > Pb > Cr > Co > Cd. Metals of toxicological concern such as Cr, Pb, and Cd were at that level which can cause harmful effects to turtles. The results provide baseline data of heavy metals on freshwater turtle species of Pakistan.