Testing the asymmetric causal nexus of housing-oil prices and pandemic uncertainty in four major economies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The spread of COVID-19 worldwide has shown how quick global economy can become affected when ones’ health and future are at risk. This paper...     

Potential of conservation agriculture modules for energy conservation and sustainability of rice-based production systems of Indo-Gangetic Plain region

Rice-based cropping systems are the most energy-intensive production systems in South Asia. Sustainability of the rice-based cropping systems is nowadays questioned with declining natural resource base, soil degradation, environmental pollution, and declining factor productivity. As a consequence, the search for energy and resource conservation agro-techniques is increasing for sustainable and cleaner production. Conservation agriculture (CA) practices have been recommended for resource conservation, soil health restoration and sustaining crop productivity. The present study aimed to assess the different CA modules in rice-based cropping systems for energy conservation, energy productivity, and to define energy-economic relations. A field experiment consisted of four different tillage-based crop establishment practices (puddled-transplanted rice followed by (fb) conventional-till maize/wheat (CTTPR-CT), non-puddled transplanted rice fb zero-till maize/wheat (NPTPR-ZT), zero-till transplanted rice fb zero-till maize/wheat (ZTTPR-ZT), zero-till direct-seeded rice fb zero-till maize/wheat (ZTDSR-ZT)), with two residue management treatments (residue removal, residue retention) in rice–wheat and rice–maize rotations were evaluated for energy budgeting and energy-economic relations. Conservation-tillage treatments (NPTPR-ZT, ZTTPR-ZT, and ZTDSR-ZT) reduced the energy requirements over conventional tillage treatments, with the greater reduction in ZTTPR-ZT and ZTDSR-ZT treatments. Savings of energy in conservation-tillage treatments were attributed to reduced energy use in land preparation (69–100%) and irrigation (23–27%), which consumed a large amount of fuel energy. Conservation-tillage treatments increased grain and straw/stover yields of crops, eventually increased the output energy (6–16%), net energy (14–26%), energy ratio (25–33%), and energy productivity (23–34%) as compared with CTTPR-CT. For these energy parameters, the treatment order was ZTDSR-ZT ≥ ZTTPR-ZT > NPTPR-ZT > CTTPR-CT (p < 0.05). Crop residue retention reduced net energy, energy ratio, and energy productivity when compared with residue removal. Our results of energy-economic relations favored the “conservative hypothesis,” which envisages that energy and monetary investments are not essentially the determinants of crop productivity. Thus, zero tillage-based crop establishments (ZTTPR-ZT, ZTDSR-ZT) in rice-based production systems could be the sustainable alternative to conventional tillage-based agriculture (CTTPR-CT) as they conserved non-renewable energy sources, reduced water requirement, and increased crop productivity.

     

Facile synthesis of nanosheet-assembled γ-Fe2O3 magnetic microspheres and enhanced Sb(III) removal

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The development and utilization of magnetic nanoadsorption materials with large adsorption capacity and easy separation are the research hotspot...     

High removal of nitrogen and phosphorus from black-odorous water using a novel aeration-adsorption system

Black-odorous waters are an increasingly common phenomenon characterized by excessive levels of nutrients, the formation of metal sufide precipitates, volatile sulfurous compounds, low dissolved oxygen and high chemical oxygen demand. Black-odorous waters frequently occur in lake and river systems where inputs have restricted circulation. The key remediation issue is the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. Here, we present a novel aeration-adsorption system using fiber balls and we study treatment parameters and removal mechanism. Kinetics and changes of the solid phase were followed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Results show complete removal of ammonia N, initially at 31 mg/L, and 92.8% removal of total nitrogen, initially at 29 mg/L, after a 24 h reaction time at pH 9.67. At pH 5.67 and 9.67, total phosphorus and phosphate could be significantly reduced by 90–92% at 3.2–5.2 mg/L after 24 h. Treatment met China’s integrated wastewater discharge standards, demonstrating an effective and robust treatment capability. First-order and second-order kinetic models provided a good fit to the treatment data, indicating physical and chemical adsorption were involved in the treatment reactions. The reaction mechanism involved hydrogen substitution and binding to oxygen. These results present a cost effective and robust approach for the removal of N and P from black, odorous water, providing opportunity to abate environmental contamination.

     

Visible light photocatalysts from low-grade iron ore: the environmentally benign production of magnetite/carbon (Fe3O4/C) nanocomposites

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles coated with dextrose and gluconic acid possessing both super-paramagnetism and excellent optical properties have been...     

Influence of Environmental Factors on Biotic Responses to Nutrient Enrichment in Agricultural Streams1

Maret, Terry R., Christopher P. Konrad, and Andrew W. Tranmer, 2010. Influence of Environmental Factors on Biotic Responses to Nutrient Enrichment in Agricultural Streams. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(3):498-513. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00430.x Abstract: The influence of environmental factors on biotic responses to nutrients was examined in three diverse agricultural regions of the United States. Seventy wadeable sites were selected along an agricultural land use gradient while minimizing natural variation within each region. Nutrients, habitat, algae, macroinvertebrates, and macrophyte cover were sampled during a single summer low-flow period in 2006 or 2007. Continuous stream stage and water temperature were collected at each site for 30 days prior to sampling. Wide ranges of concentrations were found for total nitrogen (TN) (0.07-9.61 mg/l) and total phosphorus (TP) (<0.004-0.361 mg/l), but biotic responses including periphytic and sestonic chlorophyll a (RCHL and SCHL, respectively), and percent of stream bed with aquatic macrophyte (AQM) growth were not strongly related to concentrations of TN or TP. Pearson’s coefficient of determination (R²) for nutrients and biotic measures across all sites ranged from 0.08 to 0.32 and generally were not higher within each region. The biotic measures (RCHL, SCHL, and AQM) were combined in an index to evaluate eutrophic status across sites that could have different biotic responses to nutrient enrichment. Stepwise multiple regression identified TN, percent canopy, median riffle depth, and daily percent change in stage as significant factors for the eutrophic index (R² = 0.50, p < 0.001). A TN threshold of 0.48 mg/l was identified where eutrophic index scores became less responsive to increasing TN concentrations, for all sites. Multiple plant growth indicators should be used when evaluating eutrophication, especially when streams contain an abundance of macrophytes.     

Advanced Electrostatic Stimulation of Fabric Filtration

In advanced electrostatic stimulation of fabric filtration (AESFF), a high voltage electrode is placed coaxially inside a filter bag to establish an electric field between the electrode and the bag surface. The electric field alters the dust deposition pattern within the bag, yielding a much lower pressure drop than that found in a conventional bag. Pilot plant results show that AESFF bags can operate with a rate of pressure loss that is 70 percent below that for conventional bags. The presence of the electric field also affects the aging characteristics of the AESFF bags. On the average, the AESFF bags had residual drags that were 10 percent below those of conventional bags. The results show that AESFF baghouses can yield the same pressure drop performance as conventional baghouses while operating at much higher air-to-cloth ratios. An economic analysis evaluated the capital, operating, and maintenance costs for electric utility plants ranging from 200 to 1,000 MW. For AESFF baghouses the capital cost was found to be 25 to 48 percent below that of a conventional baghouse. A lifetime cost analysis predicts a net present value for an AESFF baghouse that is 10 to 30 percent below that of a conventional baghouse.     

Incorporating fragmentation and non‐native species into distribution models to inform fluvial fish conservation

Fluvial fishes face increased imperilment from anthropogenic activities, but the specific factors contributing most to range declines are often poorly understood. For example, the range of the fluvial‐specialist shoal bass (Micropterus cataractae) continues to decrease, yet how perceived threats have contributed to range loss is largely unknown. We used species distribution models to determine which factors contributed most to shoal bass range loss. We estimated a potential distribution based on natural abiotic factors and a series of currently occupied distributions that incorporated variables characterizing land cover, non‐native species, and river fragmentation intensity (no fragmentation, dams only, and dams and large impoundments). We allowed interspecific relationships between non‐native congeners and shoal bass to vary across fragmentation intensities. Results from the potential distribution model estimated shoal bass presence throughout much of their native basin, whereas models of currently occupied distribution showed that range loss increased as fragmentation intensified. Response curves from models of currently occupied distribution indicated a potential interaction between fragmentation intensity and the relationship between shoal bass and non‐native congeners, wherein non‐natives may be favored at the highest fragmentation intensity. Response curves also suggested that >100 km of interconnected, free‐flowing stream fragments were necessary to support shoal bass presence. Model evaluation, including an independent validation, suggested that models had favorable predictive and discriminative abilities. Similar approaches that use readily available, diverse, geospatial data sets may deliver insights into the biology and conservation needs of other fluvial species facing similar threats.