Recycling phosphorus and calcium from aquaculture waste as a precursor for hydroxyapatite (HAp) production: a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Water contaminated with phosphorus needs to be managed efficiently to ensure that clean water sources will be preserved. Aquaculture plays an...     

A research on conventional and modern algorithms for maximum power extraction from wind energy conversion system: a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the last few decades, wind energy has become a significant source of the renewable energy system, and it is essential to use wind energy for...     

Recovery agenda for sustainable development post COVID-19 at the country level: developing a fuzzy action priority surface

Environment, Development and Sustainability - As a response to the urgent call for recovery actions against the COVID-19 crisis, this research aims to identify action priority areas...     

Bioavailability evaluation,uptake of heavy metals and potential health risks via dietary exposure in urban-industrial areas

A verity of human activities i.e. urbanization and industrialization have been resulted serious environmental contaminations by heavy metals in all over the world. The settlement of populations in urban and nearby industrial areas for economic development has significant share in their exposure to these metallic contaminants. Depending on the nature and type of the pollutants, targeted urban-industrial environments can have harmful and chronic health risk impacts on exposed local inhabitants and may require detoxification, healing and remedial therapy. Consequently, environmental monitoring as well as human health risk assessments of urban environments under industrial influence are key dominant features. We believe this work will provide new insights into the studies of metals exposure and associated health risks in emerging industrials cities of developing countries. Present study aimed to study the bioavailability of metals, quantify the changeability in soil and vegetable metal concentrations and estimation of human health risks via dietary exposure, focusing on urban-industrial environment. Soil and vegetable samples were collected in six random sites within the urban, periurban and industrial areas and analyzed for metal concentrations. In addition, risk assessment model proposed by US-EPA was employed to estimate the potential health risk of heavy metals via dietary intake. Results indicated that the heavy metal concentrations were noteworthy in periurban and urban-industrial areas. However, contamination levels varied with the type of vegetable, and the point source pollution such as traffic, urban wastes and industrial effluent. According to the estimated THQ and HI values for non-carcinogenic risk, little or no negative impact of heavy metals was observed on local inhabitants. However, the concentrations of Cr, Cd, Pb and Ni were nearly closed to the permissible limits described by US-EPA in urban-industrial areas. Conclusively, some efficient remedial strategies should be focus to overcome the increasing levels of Cr, Cd, Pb and Ni in this study area to protect the health of local inhabitants.     

One-step synthesis of N-doped metal/biochar composite using NH3-ambiance pyrolysis for efficient degradation and mineralization of Methylene Blue

A series of new biochar-supported composite based on the combination of biochar and metallic nanoparticles(NPs)were produced through single-step pyrolysis of FeCl_3–Ti(OBu)_4 laden agar biomass under NH_3 environment.The physiochemical properties of composites were characterized thoroughly.It has found that heating temperature and N-doping through NH_3-ambiance pyrolysis significantly influence the visible-light sensitivity and bandgap energy of composites.The catalytic activities of composites were measured by degradation of Methylene Blue(MB)in the presence or absence of H_2O_2 and visible-light irradiation.Our best catalyst(N–TiO_2–Fe_3O_4-biochar)exhibits rapid and high MB removal competency(99.99%)via synergism of adsorption,photodegradation,and Fenton-like reaction.Continuous production of O_2U~-and UOH radicles performs MB degradation and mineralization,confirmed by scavenging experiments and degradation product analysis.The local trap state Ti~(3+),Fe_3O_4,and N-carbon of the catalyst acted as active sites.It has suggested that the Ti~(3+)and N-doped dense carbon layer improve charge separation and shuttle that prolonged photo-Fenton like reaction.Moreover,the catalyst is highly stable,collectible,and recyclable up to 5 cycles with high MB degradation efficiency.This work provides a new insight into the synthesis of highly visible-light sensitized biocharsupported photocatalyst through NH_3-ambiance pyrolysis of NPs-laden biomass.     

Optimal municipal investment in boomtowns An empirical analysis

The primary concern of this paper is the use of wage-infrastructure trade-offs as a measure for the social benefits of municipal infrastructure in boomtowns. A regression based on pooled cross sectional and time series data for 26 towns in the Rocky Moutain region suggests that individuals will “trade off” a 1% increase in per capita stocks of municipal infrastructure for a 0.035% decline in wages. These results are then used to calculate “optimal” levels of infrastructure investment for an example boomtown.     

The emission factor adjustments of the passenger cars in multi-story car parks under drive modes

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The drive mode is an important factor that affects the adjustment requirements for emission factors of the conventional simulation methods in...