bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving the Criteria for Transmission Line Routing beyond the Techno-Economics: The Case of Afghanistan
Authors: Sabory Najib Rahman , Ershad Ahmad Murtaza , Danish Mir Sayed Shah , Senjyu Tomonobu
Published: November 2022

It is not always the technical, financial, and environmental aspects of power projects that decisions are based on. There are many other political, social, and local issues shaping the decision-making processes. This research shows how political and social issues challenged the decision-making process of a high-voltage transmission line routing and how to avoid such unwanted consequences in similar projects. Our insights reveal the importance of risk, conflict, and stakeholder management techniques and strategies in successfully delivering power projects. When planning large energy projects, it is of utmost importance to engage and consult stakeholders, especially direct recipients, civil society, political parties, people’s representatives, and experts, in addition to the techno-economic considerations. Finally, it is suggested that there should be an authority at the country level responsible for deciding on routing, siting, prioritizing, and the strategic planning of power projects.
Dam Water Level Prediction Using Vector AutoRegression, Random Forest Regression and MLP-ANN Models Based on Land-Use and Climate Factors
Authors: Ouma Yashon O. , Moalafhi Ditiro B. , Anderson George , Nkwae Boipuso , Odirile Phillimon , Parida Bhagabat P. , Qi Jiaguo
Published: November 2022

To predict the variability of dam water levels, parametric Multivariate Linear Regression (MLR), stochastic Vector AutoRegressive (VAR), Random Forest Regression (RFR) and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models were compared based on the influences of climate factors (rainfall and temperature), climate indices (DSLP, Aridity Index (AI), SOI and Niño 3.4) and land-use land-cover (LULC) as the predictor variables. For the case study of the Gaborone dam and the Bokaa dam in the semi-arid Botswana, from 2001 to 2019, the prediction results showed that the linear MLR is not robust for predicting the complex non-linear variabilities of the dam water levels with the predictor variables. The stochastic VAR detected the relationship between LULC and the dam water levels with R2 > 0.95; however, it was unable to sufficiently capture the influence of climate factors on the dam water levels. RFR and MLP-ANN showed significant correlations between the dam water levels and the climate factors and climate indices, with a higher R2 value between 0.890 and 0.926, for the Gaborone dam, compared to 0.704–0.865 for the Bokaa dam. Using LULC for dam water predictions, RFR performed better than MLP-ANN, with higher accuracy results for the Bokaa dam. Based on the climate factors and climate indices, MLP-ANN provided the best prediction results for the dam water levels for both dams. To improve the prediction results, a VAR-ANN hybrid model was found to be more suitable for integrating LULC and the climate conditions and in predicting the variability of the linear and non-linear time-series components of the dam water levels for both dams.
The Evolution Game Analysis of Platform Ecological Collaborative Governance Considering Collaborative Cultural Context
Authors: Lou Xiaoting , Zhu Zuping , Liang Jinkai
Published: November 2022

Designing a successful and efficient collaborative governance mechanism to promote the value co-creation of complementors has become critical to platform owners. Therefore, using an evolutionary game theory approach, we first constructed a conceptual model of collaborative governance, analyzing the conditions of collaborative governance of multiple subjects. This was based on the belief that the design of a collaborative governance mechanism needs to nurture collaborative culture and internalize it into the practice of platform governance. Secondly, this paper built a tripartite evolutionary game model of platform enterprises, complementary enterprises, and users, systematically illustrating the strategy evolution process of the three parties under incentive and penalty mechanisms, and simulated the influence of parameters, such as cost, culture, and cooperative willingness, on the evolutionary results. The results showed that: (1) A culture of trust and encouragement of innovation was more conducive to collaborative innovation; (2) Platform enterprises are more sensitive to joint cost investment, work culture environment, and benefit distribution; (3) Complementary enterprises and users have a solid ambition to respond to the impulses of digital technology. In particular, when the initial desire to collaborate is low, the evolutionary process of platform enterprises presents an asymmetric ‘U’ shape. To enable stakeholders of the platform to formally, prudently, and deeply participate in the ecological governance process, platform enterprises should fully use network resources and digital technology to build a platform for high-intensity interaction and communication between complementary enterprises and users, and improve their identification with the innovation culture.
Effect of the Rate of Nitrogen Application on Dry Matter Accumulation and Yield Formation of Densely Planted Maize
Authors: Zhai Juan , Zhang Guoqiang , Zhang Yuanmeng , Xu Wenqian , Xie Ruizhi , Ming Bo , Hou Peng , Wang Keru , Xue Jun , Li Shaokun
Published: November 2022

Planting maize (Zea mays L.) reasonably densely and adding amounts of appropriate nitrogen fertilizer are essential measures to improve the efficiency of maize yield and nitrogen use. In this study, two planting densities of 7.5 × 104 plants ha−1 and 12.0 × 104 plants ha−1 were established with the maize varieties DengHai 618 (DH618) and XianYu 335 (XY335). Simultaneously, 18 levels of nitrogen application were established, including a lack of nitrogen (N0) and increments of 45 kg ha−1 nitrogen up to 765 (N765) kg ha−1. The variables studied included the effects of the rate of nitrogen application on the characteristics of dry matter accumulation and the yield under drip irrigation, and they were integrated into water–fertilizer integration. The results indicated that the yield, harvest index, and dry matter accumulation of maize displayed a trend of increasing and then tending to be flat as the amount of nitrogen applied increased. The use of linear plus platform equation fitting indicated that the change in yield with nitrogen administered had the lowest turning point at N = 279 and N = 319, respectively. The next parameter that was measured was the harvest index. When highly dense maize was grown before silking, the rate of nitrogen applied was more obviously impacted by the accumulation of dry matter. The harvest index contributed 22.9–27.2% of the yield, and the total dry matter accumulation before and after silking contributed more than 70% of the production. Increasing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer is beneficial to prolonging the dry matter accumulation time and increasing the dry matter accumulation rate. The accumulation amount of dry matter was positively correlated with accumulation time and rate, and the correlation between dry matter and accumulation rate was greater. In conclusion, applying the right amount of nitrogen can dramatically increase the harvest index, accumulation of materials, and yield, with dry matter accumulation having the greatest influence on yield. The creation of dry matter is influenced by the time and rate of its accumulation, with its rate serving as the primary controlling factor.
The Impact of Environmental Tax Reform on Total Factor Productivity of Heavy-Polluting Firms Based on a Dual Perspective of Technological Innovation and Capital Allocation
Authors: He Xu , Jing Qin-Lei
Published: November 2022

As an essential reform of China’s environmental regulatory policy, the environmental protection tax reform achieves a smooth transition from the emission fee system to the environmental protection tax system according to the principle of tax burden leveling. With the quasi-natural experiment of the introduction of the Environmental Protection Tax Law, this paper examines the effect of environmental protection tax reform on total factor productivity of heavily polluting firms using a difference-in-difference approach based on empirical evidence of Chinese listed companies from 2015 to 2020. It is found that environmental tax reform can significantly increase the level of total factor productivity of heavily polluting firms, and the results remain robust to robustness tests using the OP method, the GMM method to re-measure the total factor productivity of heavily polluting enterprises and the use of different industry classification criteria, with the mechanism of action mainly coming from the technological innovation effect and capital allocation optimization. In addition, the effect of environmental tax reform on total factor productivity of heavily polluting firms is heterogeneous across regions and industries, with the total factor productivity of firms in heavily polluting industries in the eastern region being least affected by environmental tax policies and state-owned enterprises with heavy property rights structures being most affected by environmental tax reform.
Adsorption and Diffusion Behaviors of CO2 and CH4 Mixtures in Different Types of Kerogens and Their Roles in Enhanced Energy Recovery
Authors: Yuan Shan , Gang Hong-Ze , Liu Yi-Fan , Zhou Lei , Irfan Muhammad , Yang Shi-Zhong , Mu Bo-Zhong
Published: November 2022

CO2 geological sequestration in subsurface shale formations is a promising strategy to store CO2 and to increase shale gas production. The understanding of gas adsorption and diffusion mechanisms in microporous media is critical for CO2 storage-enhanced gas recovery (CS-EGR). The type of kerogens is one of the important factors that influence the adsorption and diffusion behaviors of gases. In this work, the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics simulations were utilized to develop kerogen models and further investigate gas and water adsorption and diffusion behavior on the type IA, IIA, and IIIA kerogen models. The results indicated that the adsorption and diffusion capacities of CO2 are larger than those of CH4. The adsorption and diffusion capacity decreased with increasing water content. However, the CO2/CH4 adsorption selectivity increased with the increase in water content. Type IIIA demonstrated the best potential for adsorption and diffusion. This study provides insights into the role of the adsorption and diffusion behavior of CO2 and CH4 mixtures on kerogens of different types under different water contents at a microscopic scale, and can facilitate further understanding of the processes involved in CO2 storage coupled with enhanced energy recovery.
Product-Service Systems for Circular Supply Chain Management: A Functional Approach
Authors: Haber Nicolas , Fargnoli Mario
Published: November 2022

Growing environmental concerns, as well as market competitiveness, are inciting manufacturers to optimize the performance of their products throughout their entire lifecycle. To address these objectives, manufacturing, field service engineering and customer support should be aligned and should strive towards the same end-goal. While several studies have revolved around this context, the product-service system (PSS) approach has emerged as a promising way of meeting manufacturer, customer and environmental requirements alike. Nevertheless, most of these studies revolve around the design and development of a PSS, whilst a minimal amount of research has targeted its impact from the supply chain perspective, leaving aside inventory management. Consequently, the following study utilizes functional hierarchy modeling (FHM) and the PSS concept matrix to propose solutions that make it possible to meet customer requirements and improve the environmental performance and associated costs at the same time. An application at a medical equipment manufacturer brings forward the positive effects suggested by the research and reduces the aforementioned gaps. In detail, the results show a smaller variability in the supply of spare parts combined with optimized maintenance planning, which translates into lesser costs to the manufacturer, a prolonged product life cycle and a reduced environmental impact.
The Effect of Using “Student Response Systems (SRS)” on Faculty Performance and Student Interaction in the Classroom
Authors: Altwijri Omar , Alsadoon Elham , Shahba Ahmad Abdul-Wahhab , Soufan Walid , Alkathiri Saud
Published: November 2022

Enhancing faculty performance and student interaction during the lecture is essential to achieve sustainable learning development. The current study aims to evaluate the effect of using “Student response systems (SRS)” on faculty performance and student interaction in the classroom. The faculty members at King Saud University were encouraged to join a university-scale educational project that involve utilizing SRSs within their classes. From Fall 2016 to Fall 2019, a total of 371 faculty members and 19,746 students were enrolled in the current study. By the end of each semester, faculty and student satisfaction surveys were distributed to evaluate their perceptions of using SRS in the class. The faculty members’ and students’ response rates were 75.7% and 38.1%, respectively, and represented 18 different colleges from different disciplines within the university. Furthermore, the study covered a wide range of study levels for bachelor’s degrees ranging from levels 1–10. The study demographics showed that 60% of the total participating faculty members and 64% of students were females. Interestingly, the majority of participating faculty members (40%) and students (44%) belong to health colleges. Among the most beneficial effects of using SRSs, is that it increased the interaction, focus, and participation of students in the lecture and stimulated their desire to attend and prepare for the lecture. It also helped the faculty members to improve their teaching strategies and enabled them to know the weaknesses or strengths of students, which in turn led to the improvement of the entire educational process. The majority of faculty members as well as the students recommend applying it in other courses and future semesters. These findings were generally consistent over the whole studied seven semesters. SRSs offer a potential tool to improve faculty teaching practices, enhance student engagement, and achieve sustainable learning development among different disciplines.
Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment Analysis of an Italian Composting Facility concerning Environmental Footprint Minimization and Renewable Energy Integration
Authors: Biancini Giovanni , Marchetti Barbara , Cioccolanti Luca , Moglie Matteo
Published: November 2022

The present paper aims to investigate the environmental impacts of a real municipal solid waste management facility operating in Italy including two power units, i.e., a combined heat and power system and an internal combustion engine, fed by the biogas produced from anaerobic digestion and waste disposal in sanitary landfill. The Life Cycle Assessment study is carried out in Simapro 9.1.1.7 and, in addition to the base case scenario, the implementation of additional renewable energy and circular economy solutions is evaluated. More precisely a PV plant on the roof of the anaerobic digesters section and the use of plastic and paper residues in a gasification process for additional heat and power production are considered. The main outcomes of the simulations demonstrate the following: (i) the benefits in terms of energy and fuel savings provided by the two power units; (ii) the environmental impact reduction due to the compost obtained from the anaerobic digestion of the organic waste as potential fertilizer; (iii) a potential power capacity of 2 MW through the gasification of the plastic and paper residues. With reference to the latter, despite bringing an increase of the carbon emissions (+48%) compared to the base case, it could contribute to reach higher environmental standards for MSW composting facilities.
Unlocking New Value from Urban Biowaste: LCA of the VALUEWASTE Biobased Products
Authors: Fernández-Gutiérrez David , Argüelles Alejandra , Castejón Martínez Gemma , Soriano Disla José M. , Lara-Guillén Andrés J.
Published: November 2022

The VALUEWASTE project can offer a sustainable solution to transform biowaste into added-value bioproducts, such as proteins from microorganisms and insects and biofertilizers. The present study focused on the environmental impacts linked to obtaining these bioproducts, which was performed by the standardized Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, using the Environmental Footprint methodology to evaluate the midpoint impact categories considered. At the same time, the bioproducts coming from biowaste were compared to regular ones: other protein sources and mineral fertilizers. The study results show that these new protein sources are firm candidates to reach the market from an environmental point of view. Furthermore, their environmental impacts could be improved by reducing the energy use (the main contributor) within some impact categories, such as ecotoxicity and global warming. In case of the biofertilizers, their environmental performance was overall worse compared to mineral fertilizers, except for the following impact categories: mineral and metal use and water scarcity. Nevertheless, these biofertilizers come from biowaste, extending the circularity concept, and from local places, reducing the dependency on other actors. Hence, the study showed that the obtained bioproducts are real alternatives to implement in a circular economy. However, continuous improvement of the solution should be performed.
Performance Optimization of Natural Ventilation in Classrooms to Minimize the Probability of Viral Infection and Reduce Draught Risk
Authors: Fageha Mohammed K. , Alaidroos Alaa
Published: November 2022

This paper presents a detailed analysis to optimize natural ventilation performance in educational buildings to minimize the probability of viral infection (POI) and avoid draught discomfort. A whole building energy simulation tool has been coupled with the Wells–Riley equation to predict the probability of infection and Fanger’s draught equation to estimate the draught risk for classroom environments. Several parameters have been investigated, including window opening fraction (WOF), volume-to-student ratio, number of source patients, and exposure time. The analysis confirmed a dual effect of space volume on the POI where the POI can be increased or decreased simultaneously when the space volume is increased. Therefore, the WOF/(Volume/Student) ratio is introduced, and an optimization analysis is performed to determine the optimum ratio that delivers the lowest POI. The results showed that a WOF/(Volume/Student) ratio between 0.1 and 0.17 is recommended to guarantee low values of POI for a standard Volume/Student ratio of 6 m3. Even though high ventilation rates are required to prevent viral infection, it will certainly increase the draught risk. Therefore, optimal ventilation rates are required to maintain low POI and minimum draught risk, which can be achieved by optimum design of windows and implementing control systems for window operations to minimize turbulence effects and reduce the possibility of draught discomfort.
Study on Spatio-Temporal Evolution Law and Driving Mechanism of PM2.5 Concentration in Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Chen Wenhao , Zeng Chang , Ding Chuheng , Zhu Yingfang , Sun Yurong
Published: November 2022

Since the 21st century, China has made many explorations to alleviate the increasingly serious air pollution problem. This study analyses the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and future development of PM2.5 concentration in the Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan urban agglomeration from 2008 to 2019. In addition, the driving mechanism of spatial differentiation of PM2.5 concentration in this urban agglomeration was also investigated. The results were as follows. Firstly, the PM2.5 concentration showed a trend of gradual decline between 2008 and 2019. Secondly, the PM2.5 concentration distribution was high in the northwest and low in the southeast. Thirdly, PM2.5 concentration showed a strong spatial agglomeration. Fourth, except for some rural areas of Chaling County and Yanling County, the concentration of PM2.5 in other areas was very likely to continue the past trend of gradual decline. Finally, natural and meteorological conditions played a leading role in the evolution of PM2.5 concentration. The influence of socioeconomic factors is small now, but the trend is increasing. To improve air quality deeply, policymakers need to promote comprehensive control of regional air pollution by simultaneously reducing emissions and taking comprehensive treatment. They also need to strengthen supervision to prevent excessive pollution in some rural areas from worsening air quality in the surrounding areas.
Cultural Capital and Its Impact on Academic Achievement: Sustainable Development of Chinese High School Students
Authors: Jin Hui , Ma Xu , Jiao Shi
Published: November 2022

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cannot be realized without equal education. Based on a multiple linear regression model, this study examined the impact of family cultural capital on the academic achievement of high school students, and the variances in the impact of cultural capital on students from different regions and genders. Participants, including 778 students, from two representative regions were selected for the study (393 girls and 385 boys). The results showed that cultural capital promoted high school students’ academic success in different ways. Institutionalized cultural capital and embodied cultural capital had a significant impact on students’ academic achievements, while objectified cultural capital had no significant impact. This study suggested that cultural capital had an intergenerational effect. The influence of cultural capital on students’ achievement in regions and genders was significantly different. The above findings are helpful to further understand the mechanism of the impact of cultural capital on academic achievement and are of great significance to the sustainable improvement of students’ academic growth and educational equity.
Attribution and Sensitivity Analysis of Runoff Variation in the Yellow River Basin under Climate Change
Authors: Chen Liang , Yang Mingxiang , Liu Xuan , Lu Xing
Published: November 2022

The Yellow River Basin is a typical arid and semi-arid area, which is very sensitive to climate change. In recent years, it has become the area with the greatest shortage of water resources in China. In this study, a new two-way coupling model of land surface and hydrology has been explored to analyze the impacts of climate change and human activities on the runoff. It is of great theoretical and practical significance for making better management countermeasures and strategies to cope with climate change in the Yellow River Basin. The results showed that: (1) the annual average precipitation in the basin was 470.1 mm, which was higher in the lower reaches than in the middle and upper reaches. The annual average temperature is 5.8 °C. The entire basin showed a remarkable warming speed. The annual average pan evaporation is 1067.3 mm showing a downward trend throughout the basin; (2) from 1987 to 2009, the contribution rate of climate change to runoff change has not fluctuated by more than 5%. Since 2010, the precipitation caused by climate factors has increased runoff by 12~15%. The impact of land use change on runoff has been increasing annually. The influence of projects on runoff change was the leading factor of runoff reduction in the Yellow River Basin, with the contribution rate around 50%; and (3) for every 10% decrease in precipitation, the runoff decreases by 13~15.7%. When the temperature rises by 1.0 °C, the runoff decreases by 2.1~4.2%. The runoff in the upper reaches of the Yellow River was most sensitive to precipitation and temperature changes. This showed that the runoff in the plateau and mountainous areas were highly sensitive to climate change.
Fortifying Social Acceptance When Designing Circular Economy Business Models on Biowaste Related Products
Authors: Eskelinen Tuomo , Sydd Oswald , Kajanus Miika , Fernández Gutiérrez David , Mitsou Miguel , Soriano Disla José M. , Sevilla Manuel Vals , Ib Hansen Johan
Published: November 2022

(1) Background: VALUEWASTE, a European Commission Horizon 2020 project, is attempting to find new and sustainable sources of protein and fertiliser products using biowaste as a resource. Introducing these products to the market is essential to understand the social acceptance, behavioural changes and socioeconomic impacts related to products and value chains. (2) Methods: The applied framework provides insights from market, socioeconomic, and community acceptance points of view. Initially, we designed the context and targets of the study. The acceptance levels were tested in two study regions: the cities of Murcia (Spain) and Kalundborg (Denmark). Secondly, we established a survey questionnaire (N = 523) combining social acceptance and life-cycle assessment methodology questions. Lastly, we performed a scenario-based workshop discussing behavioural changes related to the introduction of new bio-products to customers. (3) Results: Our study of developing new bio-products (food, feed, fertiliser) from biowaste produced forceful comparative results from the two regions regarding three aspects of social acceptance: market, socioeconomic, and community. (4) Conclusions: The present study, engaging citizens, consumers, producers, and policy makers, provides insights into what is important for the social acceptance of new protein sources for food, feed, and recycled fertilisers from bio-waste in the Murcia and Kalundborg city regions. Our observations, based on analyses applying three dimensions of social acceptance, can be directly applied elsewhere, guiding decision makers on how to fortify social acceptance regarding new circular economy business models and the bioeconomy in Europe.
A Study on the Calculation Method of Support Pressure in the Structure of Typical Upper Cladding Rock Formations
Authors: Li Dong , Kang Lei , Li Wanhong
Published: November 2022

Aiming at the calculation problem of bearing pressure of typical overlying strata structure, in this paper, mechanical calculation, field monitoring and other methods are used to study the influence range of abutment pressure. Recently, many major rock burst accidents in working surface show that with the increase of mining depth and the change of overlying strata structure, the abutment pressure distribution has become one of the problems of safe mining. The influence range, distribution of high stress area and peak position of working surface support pressure need to be solved urgently; and through theoretical analysis, this paper reveals (whole rock single-layer structure, whole rock layered structure, whole rock single-layer structure—without arch in soil layer, whole rock layered structure—without arch in soil layer, whole rock single-layer structure—with soil arching, whole rock layered structure—with soil arching) the stress transfer mode, transfer size, and arching conditions of overlying strata in different areas. The mechanical system of abutment pressure calculation for typical overburden structure is established, which provides theoretical basis for mine optimization design scheme, mining sequence, and limited personnel distance.
Comprehensive Evaluation and Obstacle Factor Analysis of High-Quality Development of Rural E-Commerce in China
Authors: Guo Na , Chen Hui
Published: November 2022

The high-quality development of rural e-commerce is not only one of the important tasks to solve the “three rural” problems and comprehensively promote rural revitalization, but also the internal requirement to implement the new concept of high-quality development and promote the quality and efficiency of rural industries. On the basis of clearly defining the connotation of high-quality development of rural e-commerce in China, this paper established an evaluation index system of high-quality development of rural e-commerce and analyzes the high-quality development level and main restrictive factors of rural e-commerce in China under the new development concept by using the entropy method and an obstacle factor diagnosis model. The results showed that from 2015 to 2020, the overall development quality of rural e-commerce in China showed an upward trend, but it still needs to be improved. The five dimensions of innovation, coordination, openness, green and sharing have different degrees of impact on the development quality of rural e-commerce in China at the present stage, which are as follows: coordination, innovation, sharing, green and opening. The main obstacles to the high-quality development of rural e-commerce in China are coordination and innovation. Researchers; the difference in Internet penetration between urban and rural areas; the upward proportion of agricultural products; regional difference; and industrial agglomeration are the main obstacles to the high-quality development of rural e-commerce in China. Finally, aiming at the main restrictive factors, this paper puts forward the corresponding development countermeasures from five aspects: innovation, coordination, openness, green and sharing.
Constructed Wetlands as Nature-Based Solutions for the Removal of Antibiotics: Performance, Microbial Response, and Emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
Authors: Bai Shaoyuan , Wang Xin , Zhang Yang , Liu Fang , Shi Lulu , Ding Yanli , Wang Mei , Lyu Tao
Published: November 2022

Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been regarded as emerging pollutants and pose significant threats to the aquatic environment and to human health. This study aimed to investigate the removal of nutrients, antibiotics, and the emergency of ARGs in domestic sewage by means of constructed wetlands (CWs) filled with an electroconductive media, i.e., coke. In this study, the antibiotics removal efficiencies ranged from 13% to 100%, which were significantly higher in the system filled with coke compared with the CWs filled with common quartz sand (7~100%). Moreover, the presence of wetland plants could also significantly improve the removal of nutrients and tetracyclines. The results also demonstrated the importance of substrate selection and wetland plants in CWs on the alternation of microbial communities and structures, where the electroconductive media showed a promising effect on increasing the removal of antibiotics in CWs. In terms of the emergency of ARGs, the CWs filled with coke retained the most ARGs (10,690 copies/g) compare with the control groups (8576–7934 copies/g) in the substrate. As the accumulated ARGs could be released back to the watercourse due to the environmental/operation condition changes, the application of such an advanced substrate in CWs may pose a more significant potential threat to the environment. With these results, this study provided new insight into selection of the substrates and plants for wastewater treatment to achieve a sustainable and secure water future.
Robust Counterpart Models for Fresh Agricultural Product Routing Planning Considering Carbon Emissions and Uncertainty
Authors: Yang Feng , Wu Zhong , Teng Xiaoyan , Qu Shaojian
Published: November 2022

Cold chain transportation guarantees the quality of fresh agricultural products in people’s lives, but it comes with huge environmental costs. In order to improve transportation efficiency and reduce environmental impact, it is crucial to quantify the routing planning problem under the impact of carbon emissions. Considering fixed costs, transportation costs, and carbon emission costs, we propose a mixed integer linear programming model with the aim of minimizing costs. However, in real conditions, uncertainty poses a great challenge to the rationality of routing planning. The uncertainty is described through robust optimization theory and several robust counterpart models are proposed. We take the actual transportation enterprises as the research object and verify the validity of the model by constructing a Benders decomposition algorithm. The results reveal that the increase in uncertainty parameter volatility forces enterprises to increase uncontrollable transportation costs and reduce logistics service levels. An increase in the level of security parameters could undermine the downward trend and reduce 1.4% of service level losses.
More Circular City in the Energy and Ecological Transition: A Methodological Approach to Sustainable Urban Regeneration
Authors: Balletto Ginevra , Ladu Mara , Camerin Federico , Ghiani Emilio , Torriti Jacopo
Published: November 2022

Cities consume over 75% of natural resources, produce over 50% of global waste, and emit 60–80% of greenhouse gases. The scenario that by 2050 two thirds of the world population will live in cities, highlights how cities are still responsible for the growing consumption characterized by linear economic processes, with the production of various types of waste. In this unsustainable framework, the Circular Economy offers the opportunity to shape the urban system by means of rethinking the possibility to produce and use goods and services, exploring new ways to ensure long-term prosperity. The Circular City paradigm contains in fact all the principles of the Circular Economy: recovery, recycling, and sharing. In particular, Circular City also introduces actions related to the development of renewable energy communities, use of green materials, CO2 absorption approaches, and Proximity Cities. This work aims to develop a methodology to build a composite index (Circular City Index) capable of measuring the degree of implementation of urban policies that may enable an ecological transition of public assets. Circular City Index was applied to the military cluster of the city of Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy), a significant case study to guide circular policies in public properties for civil and military uses.
Enhanced Degradation of Ciprofloxacin in Floating Treatment Wetlands Augmented with Bacterial Cells Immobilized on Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Shah Syed Wajid Ali , Rehman Mujaddad ur , Hayat Azam , Tahseen Razia , Bajwa Sadia , Islam Ejazul , Naqvi Syed Najaf Hasan , Shabir Ghulam , Iqbal Samina , Afzal Muhammad , Niazi Nabeel Khan
Published: November 2022

Antibiotic contamination of water is an emerging global issue with severe implications for both public health and the environment. Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a synthetic fluoroquinolone antibiotic, which is broadly used in human and veterinary medicines around the world to treat various bacterial infections. The presence of CIP in the aquatic environment poses serious health problems to human beings and other living entities. Floating treatment wetland (FTW) is a low-cost and eco-friendly wastewater remediation technology. In the current study, the Canna indica. (Indian shot) was vegetated in a floatable mat to develop FTWs. A consortium of three bacterial strains, Acinetobacter lwoffii ACRH76, Bacillus pumulis C2A1, and Acinetobacter sp. HN3, was immobilized on iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) and augmented in the FTWs for the remediation of CIP-contaminated (100 mg/L) water. The augmentation of bacteria (immobilized or free) in the FTWs significantly enhanced the removal of CIP from water. The maximum reduction in CIP (98%), chemical oxygen demand (COD; 90%), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD; 93%) and total organic carbon (TOC; 95%) was observed in FTWs that had Fe3O4-NP supported bacteria. This study reveals that FTWs have a great potential to remove the CIP from contaminated water, albeit its CIP removal efficiency was substantially enhanced by augmentation with Fe3O4-NPs supported bacteria.
A New Fractional-Order Load Frequency Control for Multi-Renewable Energy Interconnected Plants Using Skill Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Fathy Ahmed , Rezk Hegazy , Ferahtia Seydali , Ghoniem Rania M. , Alkanhel Reem , Ghoniem Mohamed M.
Published: November 2022

Connection between electric power networks is essential to cover any deficit in the generation of power from any of them. The exchange powers of the plants during load disturbance should not be violated beyond their specified values. This can be achieved by installing load frequency control (LFC); therefore, this paper proposes a new metaheuristic-based approach using a skill optimization algorithm (SOA) to design a fractional-order proportional integral derivative (FOPID)-LFC approach with multi-interconnected systems. The target is minimizing the integral time absolute error (ITAE) of frequency and exchange power violations. Two power systems are investigated. The first one has two connected plants of photovoltaic (PV) and thermal units. The second system contains four plants, namely, PV, wind turbine, and two thermal plants, with governor dead-band (GDB) and generation rate constraints (GRC). Different load disturbances are analyzed in both considered systems. Extensive comparisons to the use of chef-based optimization algorithm (CBOA), jumping spider optimization algorithm (JSOA), Bonobo optimization (BO), Tasmanian devil optimization (TDO), and Atomic orbital search (AOS) are conducted. Moreover, statistical tests of Friedman ANOVA table, Wilcoxon rank test, Friedman rank test, and Kruskal Wallis test are implemented. Regarding the two interconnected areas, the proposed SOA achieved the minimum fitness value of 1.8779 pu during 10% disturbance on thermal plant. In addition, it outperformed all other approaches in the case of 1% disturbance on the first area as it achieved ITAE of 0.0327 pu. The obtained results proved the competence and reliability of the proposed SOA in designing an efficient FOPID-LFC in multi-interconnected power systems with multiple sources.
Distinct Changes in Abundance of Culturable Microbial Community and Respiration Activities in Response to Mineral–Organic Mixture Application in Contaminated Soil
Authors: Wolny-Koładka Katarzyna , Jarosz Renata , Juda Michał , Mierzwa-Hersztek Monika
Published: November 2022

The availability and affordability of fertilizers are the main risks currently faced by the fertilizer market. Therefore, there is a need to look for other sources of nutrient supply for plants, while taking care of soil properties. The application of fertilizers with the addition of functionalized materials could help in the efficient use of nutrients. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the application of mixtures with the addition of zeolite–vermiculite composites (NaX–Ver) on the culturable microorganisms and selected soil properties. A two-year pot experiment was conducted on soil with elevated contents of cadmium, zinc, and lead. The test treatments included soil mixed with NPK and additives in two doses of NaX–Ver combined with leonardite (Leo) or lignite (L). The test plant used in the experiment was maize. The soil material was analyzed for the number of bacteria, mold fungi, actinomycetes, and ammonifiers. Furthermore, soil pH, EC, N total, and SOC contents, as well as soil respiration activity, were tested. The applied fertilizer mixtures had a great effect on changes in the N total and SOC contents. The N total increase was 45.5% in NaX–Ver3%L3% and 51% in NaX–Ver9%Leo6%, and the largest SOC increase (24.3%) was recorded in the NaX–Ver3%Leo3% treatment. The highest respiration activity was determined in NaX–Ver3%Leo3% and NaX–Ver9%Leo6%: 2.12 µg C-CO2 g−1 DM h−1 and 2.14 µg C-CO2 g−1 DM h−1, respectively. A significant correlation between pH values and the number of culturable microorganisms was found. The number of soil microorganisms depended on the type of fertilization used. The best stimulation of the number of culturable soil microorganisms was found in treatments with the addition of 3% of L or Leo in combination with NaX–Ver. The percentage increases in the number of the analyzed culturable microorganisms after the application of leonardite-based fertilization in combination with the zeolite–vermiculite composite were, on average: bacteria, 1096%; mold fungi, 1529%; actinomycetes, 1477%; ammonifiers, 910%.
A Review on Renewable Energy Transition under China’s Carbon Neutrality Target
Authors: Zhao Fuquan , Bai Fanlong , Liu Xinglong , Liu Zongwei
Published: November 2022

To achieve their carbon peak and carbon neutrality target, China’s energy transition is seen as the most important instrument. Despite the rapid growth of renewable energy in China, there are still many challenges. Based on the review of the contemporary literature, this paper seeks to present an updated depiction of renewable energy in the Chinese context. The potential, status quo, and related policy of China’s renewable energy are thoroughly investigated. The challenges facing renewable energy development under the carbon neutrality target are analyzed, including enormous transition urgency and pressure, technology, and policy issues. Then, coping strategies are proposed to guide the direction of renewable energy development. Technology paths and policy recommendations are presented. This paper contributes to technology developing and policymaking by providing a comprehensive, thorough, and reliable review of renewable energy development in China.
Diffusion of Agricultural Technology Innovation: Research Progress of Innovation Diffusion in Chinese Agricultural Science and Technology Parks
Authors: Chen Xieyang , Li Tongsheng
Published: November 2022

With the rapid development of agricultural technology in China, a new model of agricultural technology diffusion, represented by agricultural science and technology parks, has been formed. We systematically sort out the progress of agricultural technology diffusion-related research based on a proposed research framework of technology diffusion in agricultural science and technology parks. The growth mechanism of agricultural technology poles, agricultural technology diffusion system, and its characteristics are analyzed. An index system of technology diffusion environment evaluation is summarized. From the perspective of the “basic” paradigm, we discuss the characteristics of the time process (diffusion stage, diffusion speed, diffusion breadth) and the spatial process (diffusion effect, spatial pattern) of technology diffusion in agricultural science and technology parks and their influence mechanisms. The fundamental law of “point-axis” diffusion of technology diffusion in the park is summarized. From the perspective of the “adoption” paradigm, we analyzed the influencing factors and mechanisms of farmers’ technology adoption. The effects of different environments and technologies with different attributes on farmers’ adoption behavior are explored. Based on the latest research results, we summarized new business agents’ technology adoption behaviors and mechanisms. Finally, we point out the issues that need to be further explored in studying the technology diffusion of agricultural innovations.
Long-Term Neutralization of Acidic Condensate from Gas Condensing Boilers
Authors: Horák Jiří , Kuboňová Lenka , Dej Milan , Ryšavý Jiří , Bajer Stanislav , Kysučan Zdeněk , Ulrich Pavel , Mareček Pavel , Tesař Filip , Garba Martin , Hopan František , Praus Petr
Published: November 2022

The pH of wastewater needs to remain between 6 and 9 to protect water organisms. Condensates from a gas condensing boiler have a pH value of about 3. An optimal way to neutralize the acid condensate is to use cheap material such as dolomite. An old-style neutralization box (NB) was tested with a standard faction of dolomite. However, it did not sufficiently neutralize the condensate. Therefore, several tests were performed involving changes to the construction of the neutralization box, a finer fraction of dolomite and aerating the condensate in the neutralization box. In summary, a new NB technology with partitions, a finer fraction of dolomite and condensate aeration proved sufficient in the neutralization of the pH of the condensate in the short and long terms. It depends on what material the heat exchanger is made of in the condensing boiler. The aluminum content reduces the effectiveness of dolomite in the long run, so aerating the condensate in the NB is recommended, which leads to its more effective neutralization.
Modified Multi–Source Water Supply Module of the SWAT–WARM Model to Simulate Water Resource Responses under Strong Human Activities in the Tang–Bai River Basin
Authors: Yang Mingzhi , Xu Jijun , Yin Dacong , He Shan , Zhu Suge , Li Sinuo
Published: November 2022

In the past few decades, the water resources in the Tang–Bai River Basin showed a declining trend, due to the human–driven alteration of surface water and groundwater management. There are potential risks to the sustainable utilization of future water resources in response to agricultural, industrial, and domestic water supply. In this work, we used the water allocation and regulation model based on SWAT (SWAT–WARM model) to quantify the characteristics of water resources response under human activities in this basin. The multi–source water supply module was modified to improve the applicability of the SWAT–WARM model in this basin. We validated our simulations against observed runoff, water consumption, and supply. The main results were as follows: (a) We used the percent bias, the correlation coefficient, and the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient to measure the model validity and found that the modified model did not show obvious advantages in runoff simulations, whereas it reproduced water consumption and supply better than the original model. The modified model had more advantages in reflecting the process of water resources transformation and utilization in the basin driven by strong human activities. (b) By comparing the variation of watershed water circulation fluxes under natural and human disturbance conditions in the Tang–Bai River Basin from 1995 to 2016, we found that human activities increased evapotranspiration by 6.8% and surface runoff increased by 10.0%, while groundwater resources decreased by 0.23 million m3/yr. (c) There was water shortage in the basin at different flow frequencies, among which agricultural water shortage accounted for the largest proportion, >70%. The basin should further strengthen agricultural and industrial water saving, reduce water consumption fundamentally, and ensure the sustainable development of economy and society.
Cyclic and Post-Cyclic Behaviors of Stabilized Sand-Containing Soft Soil in Coastal Areas
Authors: An Lingshi , Zhao Xinxin , Li Dongwei , Yang Liu , Li Peng , Guo Lei , Wang Lina
Published: November 2022

Land resources are being depleted due to global climate change, and as a result, infrastructures such as expressways and high-speed railways have no option but to be built in soft soil regions. Hence, the cyclic and post-cyclic behaviors of soft soil are vitally important. However, little attention has been devoted to this issue. In the current study, a series of cyclic triaxial tests and standard monotonic loading tests were carried out in order to investigate the cyclic and post-cyclic behavior of stabilized sand-containing soft soil. In addition, the stiffness evolution index model was proposed to describe the characteristics of stiffness evolution. The results show that for a given number of loading cycles, stiffness almost linearly decreases with the increase in sand content. The higher the confining pressure is, the greater the stiffness is. The cement content has the greatest impact on the stiffness evolution index. The stiffness evolution index model can provide a good description of experimental data. The initial value of post-cyclic axial strain is non-zero due to the accumulative strain caused by previous cyclic loading. Post-cyclic stress increases rapidly within a small range of strain and can reach peak stress with great speed. The post-cyclic initial tangent modulus increases from 1602 kPa to 4803 kPa as the cement content increases from 6% to 12%.