Livelihood vulnerability to climate change in the mountains of Northern Vietnam: comparing the Hmong and the Dzao ethnic minority populations

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Livelihoods of ethnic minority populations living in the mountains of Northern Vietnam are highly vulnerable to climate-induced natural hazards....     

Design,Modelling and Assessment of Emission Scenarios Resulting from a Network of Wood Biomass Boilers

The use of wood biomass as a fuel for domestic and industrial heating systems allows for a reduction of CO₂ emissions at a global scale, but it may also result in worse local air quality conditions, due to their emissions of particulate matter. The aim of this study is to assess the actual trend of atmospheric pollution in a study area, assuming that all heating systems are replaced by small size biomass boilers linked to the buildings through district heating network. Ground level concentrations of particulate matter, emitted by different heating systems, are therefore evaluated through numerical simulations performed by means of an atmospheric dispersion model (Sirane). As a first step, we have compared the environmental impact of a woodchip boilers network with that given by the use of traditional heating systems, i.e. wood stoves and natural gas boilers. As a second step, we have analysed the impact of such a network taking into account different emission scenarios, related to different boilers operating conditions. Results show that the environmental performances of a woodchip boilers network can be optimized by combining it with other renewable sources of energy devoted to the supply of hot water. The adopted analysis methodology can be applied to other real or hypothetic punctual sources on the territory.     

Contamination status and potential release of trace metals in a mangrove forest sediment in Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam

Can Gio district is located in the coastal area of Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam. Discharge of wastewater from Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces to the rivers of Can Gio has led to concerns about the accumulation of trace metals (As, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the coastal sediments. The main objective of this study was to assess the distribution of As, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn in surface and core sediments and to evaluate the contamination status in relation to local background values, as well as the potential release of these selected trace metals from sediments to the water environment. Sediment characteristization, including determination of fine fraction, pH, organic matter, and major elements (Al, Fe, Ca, K, Mg, and S), was carried out to investigate which parameters affect the trace metal enrichment. Fine fraction and Al contents were found to be the controlling proxies affecting the distribution of trace metals while other sediment characteristics did not show any clear influence on trace metals’ distribution. Although As concentrations in the sediments were much higher compared to its reference value in other areas, the enrichment factor based on local background values suggests minor contamination of this element as well as for Cr, Cu, and Pb. Risk assessment suggested a medium to very high risk of Mn, Zn, and Ni under acidification. Of importance is also that trace metals in sediments were not easily mobilized by organic complexation based on their low extractabilities by ammonium-EDTA extraction.

     

High photocatalytic removal of NO gas over SnO2 nanoparticles under solar light

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Tin oxide nanoparticles (SnO2 NPs) with a diameter less than 10 nm are usually used in waste water treatment via the photocatalytic reaction. However,...     

Forest resources and household welfare: Empirical evidence from North Central Vietnam

Using secondary data from a socio-economic quantitative household survey of the North Central region of Vietnam, the main aim of our study is to analyze the causal effect of forest resources on household income and poverty. Based on the observed characteristics of a forest-based livelihood and forest-related activities, we use a propensity score matching (PSM) method to control for potential bias arising from self-selection. The PSM results indicate that households with a forest-based livelihood had a higher level of income and lower poverty rates than did those without. Interestingly, our findings confirm that a forest-based livelihood offers much higher income than any other type of livelihood adopted by local households. Also, the poverty rate among households with a forest-based livelihood is lower than those earning non-labor income or engaged in wage/crop and crop livelihoods. Among households and provinces, we find varying opportunities deriving from forest resources, suggesting that there are potential barriers hindering local households from pursuing a forest livelihood or participating in some forest activities. Therefore, government policy and regulations on forest management should focus on improving the access of households to forest resources, while enhancing the sustainability of these resources.     

Photochemical Smog Modelling Using the Air Pollution Chemical Transport Model (TAPM-CTM) in Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam

Environmental Modeling & Assessment - This paper describes the application of the air pollution model (TAPM-CTM) for photochemical airshed modelling in the Ho Chi Minh region. The model was...     

Estimating the generation of recycled metals from obsolete motorcycles in Vietnam for ELV management

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The demand for various modes of transportation has significantly increased around the world due to rapid urbanization, the increase in population,...     

Characterizing the optimal operation of photocatalytic degradation of BDE-209 by nano-sized TiO2

Brominated flame retardants have been widely used in industry. There is a rapid growing public concern for their availabilities in the environment. Advanced oxidation process (AOP) is a promising and efficient technology which may be used to remove emerging chemicals such as brominated flame retardants. This project aims at investigating optimal operational conditions for the removal of BDE-209 using nano-scaled titanium(IV) oxide. The residual PBDE congeners after photocatalytical degradation of BDE-209 by TiO₂ were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It was found that the degradability of BDE-209 by TiO₂ was attributed to its photocatalytic activity but not the small size of the particles. The half-life of removing BDE-209 by TiO₂ was 3.05 days under visible light. Tetra- and penta-BDEs were the major degraded products of BDE-209. Optimum conditions for photocatalytical degradation of BDE-209 was found to be at pH 12 (93% ± 1%), 5, 10, 20 mg/L (93.0% ± 1.70%, 91.6% ± 3.21%, 91.9% ± 0.952%, respectively), respectively of humic acid and in the form of anatase/rutile TiO₂ (82% ± 3%). Hence, the efficiency of removing BDE-209 can be maximized while being cost effective at the said operating conditions.