The environmental impact of remittance inflows in developing countries: evidence from method of moments quantile regression

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Despite the importance of remittance inflows as potential source of incomes for recipient households and one of main contributors to the development...     

Role of ROS generation in acute genotoxicity of azoxystrobin fungicide on freshwater snail Lymnaea luteola L

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Azoxystrobin (AZ) is an aryloxy pyrimidine fungicide extensively applied in the agriculture field all over the world. There is a little information...     

Optical detection of microplastics in water

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Unfortunately, the plastic pollution increases at an exponential rate and drastically endangers the marine ecosystem. According to World Health...     

On the search for environmental sustainability in Africa: the role of governance

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Africa remains the most affected by environmental degradation, thereby exacerbating the negative effect of climate change in the region. Little...     

Arsenic and lead in the indoor residential settings of different socio-economic status; assessment of human health risk via dust exposure

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the present study, occurrence of arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) is reported in rural and urban household dust (floor and AC filter dust) of the Kingdom...     

The effects of quality improvement practices on team effectiveness: a mediational model

Researchers have been challenged to specify the processes that quality improvement (QI) practices could be expected to generate and to explain how they might contribute to organizational effectiveness. This research article meets that challenge through a study of 97 teams in the health care field. The authors developed a ‘Quality Improvement Practices Index’ and showed that QI practices could be differentiated from traditional team‐level variables, and that such practices affect both directly and indirectly (through team‐level variables) team effectiveness. Two models were tested using structural equation modelling. It was found that the perceptions of the impact of QI practices on team effectiveness varied depending on who was assessing the team's performance—members of the team or managers who were external to the team but responsible for the team's performance. The authors discuss the implications of these results both for researchers and practitioners. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Samsum ant venom protects against carbon tetrachloride–induced acute spleen toxicity in vivo

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Many active molecules used in the development of new drugs are produced by ants. Present study assessed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties...     

Recovery of NH 4 + by corn cob produced biochars and its potential application as soil conditioner

NH4^＋ ion, a main pollutant in aquatic systems, not only causes eutrophication in rivers and lakes but also contributes to fish toxicity. In this study, an eco-friendly biosorbent was prepared from the pyrolysis of corn cob, a low-cost agricultural residue. The biochars produced by pyrolysis of corn cob at 400℃ and 600℃ were characterized and investigated as adsorbents for NH4＋ -N from an aqueous solution. The biochars were characterized through elemental analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller-N2 surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the NH4＋ adsorption process of the corn cob biochars. The Freundlich isotherm model fitted the adsorption process better than the Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models. Moreover, the adsorption process was well described by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Results of thermodynamic analysis suggested that adsorption was a nonspontaneous exothermic process. Biochars produced at 400℃ had higher adsorption capacity than those produced at 600℃ because of the presence of polar functional groups with higher acidity. The exhausted biochar can be potentially used as soil conditioner, which can provide 6.37 kg NH4＋-N-t^-1 （N fertilizer per ton of biochar）.     

Characterization, leachability and valorization through combustion of residual chars from gasification of coals with pine

This paper presents the study of the combustion of char residues produced during co-gasification of coal with pine with the aim of characterizing them for their potential use for energy. These residues are generally rich in carbon with the presence of other elements, with particular concern for heavy metals and pollutant precursors, depending on the original fuel used.The evaluation of environmental toxicity of the char residues was performed through application of different leaching tests (EN12457-2, US EPA-1311 TCLP and EA NEN 7371:2004). The results showed that the residues present quite low toxicity for some of pollutants. However, depending on the fuel used, possible presence of other pollutants may bring environmental risks.The utilization of these char residues for energy was in this study evaluated, by burning them as a first step pre-treatment prior to landfilling. The thermo-gravimetric analysis and ash fusibility studies revealed an adequate thermochemical behavior, without presenting any major operational risks.Fluidized bed combustion was applied to char residues. Above 700 °C, very high carbon conversion ratios were obtained and it seemed that the thermal oxidation of char residues was easier than that of the coals. It was found that the char tendency for releasing SO₂ during its oxidation was lower than for the parent coal, while for NO_X emissions, the trend was observed to increase NO_X formation. However, for both pollutants the same control techniques might be applied during char combustion, as for coal. Furthermore, the leachability of ashes resulting from the combustion of char residues appeared to be lower than those produced from direct coal combustion.     

Environmental management of construction and demolition waste in Kuwait

There is an increasing pressure on the construction industry to reduce costs and improve the quality of our environment. The fact is that both of these goals can be achieved at the same time. Although construction and demolition (C&D) constitutes a major source of waste in terms of volume and weight, its management and recycling efforts have not yet seen the light in Kuwait. This study focuses on recycling efforts leading to the minimization of the total C&D waste that is currently landfilled in Kuwait. This paper presents the current status of C&D waste disposal system in Kuwait and identifies the potential problems to the environment, people and economy. Then, it investigates alternative solutions to manage and control this major type of waste in an economically efficient and environmentally safe manner. Next, the paper describes the feasibility of establishing a C&D waste recycling facility in Kuwait. It concludes by highlighting the major benefits and bottleneck problems with such a recycling facility.