bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pyrolysis of Solid Digestate from Sewage Sludge and Lignocellulosic Biomass: Kinetic and Thermodynamic Analysis, Characterization of Biochar
Authors: Petrovič Aleksandra , Vohl Sabina , Cenčič Predikaka Tjaša , Bedoić Robert , Simonič Marjana , Ban Irena , Čuček Lidija
Published: September 2021

This study investigates the pyrolysis behavior and reaction kinetics of two different types of solid digestates from: (i) sewage sludge and (ii) a mixture of sewage sludge and lignocellulosic biomass—Typha latifolia plant. Thermogravimetric data in the temperature range 25–800 °C were analyzed using Flynn–Wall–Ozawa and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose kinetic methods, and the thermodynamic parameters (ΔH, ΔG, and ΔS) were also determined. Biochars were characterized using different chemical methods (FTIR, SEM–EDS, XRD, heavy metal, and nutrient analysis) and tested as soil enhancers using a germination test. Finally, their potential for biosorption of NH4+, PO43−, Cu2+, and Cd2+ ions was studied. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters revealed a complex degradation mechanism of digestates, as they showed higher activation energies than undigested materials. Values for sewage sludge digestate were between 57 and 351 kJ/mol, and for digestate composed of sewage sludge and T. latifolia between 62 and 401 kJ/mol. Characterizations of biochars revealed high nutrient content and promising potential for further use. The advantage of biochar obtained from a digestate mixture of sewage sludge and lignocellulosic biomass is the lower content of heavy metals. Biosorption tests showed low biosorption capacity of digestate-derived biochars and their modifications for NH4+ and PO43− ions, but high biosorption capacity for Cu2+ and Cd2+ ions. Modification with KOH was more efficient than modification with HCl. The digestate-derived biochars exhibited excellent performance in germination tests, especially at concentrations between 6 and 10 wt.%.
Universal Access to Safe Drinking Water: Escaping the Traps of Non-Frugal Technologies
Authors: Huang Zhe , Nya Esther Laurentine , Cao Viet , Gwenzi Willis , Rahman Mohammad Azizur , Noubactep Chicgoua
Published: September 2021

This communication is motivated by recent publications discussing the affordability of appropriate decentralized solutions for safe drinking water provision in low-income communities. There is a huge contrast between the costs of presented technologies, which vary by a factor of up to 12. For example, for the production of 2000 L/d of treated drinking water, the costs vary between about 1500 and 12,000 Euro. A closer look at the technologies reveals that expensive technologies use imported manufactured components or devices that cannot yet be locally produced. In the battle to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for safe drinking water (SDG 6.1), such technologies should be, at best, considered as bridging solutions. For a sustainable self-reliance in safe drinking water supply, do-it-yourself (DIY) systems should be popularized. These DIY technologies include biochar and metallic iron (Fe0) based systems. These relevant technologies should then be further improved through internal processes.
Past and Future Trends in Medical Spas: A Co-Word Analysis
Authors: Aluculesei Alina-Cerasela , Nistoreanu Puiu , Avram Daniel , Nistoreanu Bogdan Gabriel
Published: September 2021

The present paper consists of a co-word analysis of the previous research in the medical spa field published in the Web Science Core Collection database. The study’s main purpose is to identify the past trends in the medical spa field from the tourist and medical perspectives and to anticipate the future research focuses in the field. In this regard, the article is based on four objectives that create a descriptive picture of the research in the medical spa area, such as (i) studying the current state of the art, (ii) analysing the most visible articles in the field, (iii) highlighting the leading research interests in medical spa research and (iv) anticipating new possible research trends that link cost-effective medical spa activity to COVID-19 post-recovery treatments. A total of 627 articles, published between 1997 and 2021 (March), were analysed, and the data were interpreted using the VOS Viewer software. The study results indicate that high interest in medical spas started to become observable in 2015, when the funding bodies became interested in this field and began supporting publishing and research regarding medical spas. The main subjects investigated in previous studies were related to the specific issues of the industry and tourism activity. They also considered the medical approach of the spa and the use of natural resources in treating different diseases. Except for these main interests, since 2020, it has started to become evident that another approach in the published studies may lead to a new trend in research. The study results show that researchers have begun to investigate the possibility of using medical spa resorts to aid post-COVID-19 recovery, which is considered a cost-efficient option for completing traditional treatment. This new focus in research proves that the medical spa field can rebrand itself as playing a supportive role in national healthcare systems in countries with a long tradition in balneotherapy, and gives a new developing trajectory to the medical spa industry.
Spatial Distribution and Source Apportionment of Soil Heavy Metals in Pearl River Delta, China
Authors: Yin Guangcai , Zhu Hanghai , Chen Zhiliang , Su Chuanghong , He Zechen , Chen Xinglin , Qiu Jinrong , Wang Tieyu
Published: September 2021

The contents of ten heavy metals (HMs) (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr, Hg, As, Co, and Mn) in 80 surface soil samples (0–20 cm) were investigated in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), Guangdong Province, China. The average contents of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr, Hg, As, Co, and Mn were 16.45, 40.20, 45.10, 0.09, 12.93, 47.93, 0.13, 14.44, 5.68, and 199.66 mg/kg, respectively. The soil quality was generally good, though slightly higher levels (1.17, 1.61, 1.67, and 1.62 times) of soil Pb, Cd, Hg, and As contents were observed compared with the soil background values. The spatial distribution of soil HM pollution in the PRD showed that 36% of sample sites were evaluated as sites without soil pollution, 32% as sites with slight pollution, 20% as sites with nearly moderate pollution, 9% as sites with moderate pollution, and 3% as site with serious pollution. Source apportionment analysis showed that the source of 64.33% of soil HMs in the PRD could be explained by natural and industrial sources, 24.80% by transportation, and 10.87% by agricultural activities.
Intergenerational Entrepreneurship to Foster Sustainable Development: A Methodological Training Proposal
Authors: Perez-Encinas Adriana , de Pablo Isidro , Bueno Yolanda , Santos Begoña
Published: September 2021

Intergenerational entrepreneurial initiatives are aimed at addressing the needs and opportunities of certain social groups and have the potential of becoming successful business projects. Moreover, they are a key to undertake sustainability practices that may represent a competitive advantage for the companies and an example to imitate when creating businesses. The objective of the study is to propose an intergenerational training methodology so that young people and seniors can create companies together, generating social cohesion and sustainable development in response to generational challenges. Intergenerational entrepreneurship seems to be a novel research area, especially when referring to developing methodologies of collaborative entrepreneurship projects. For this purpose, our literature review focuses on, first, the matching theories and experiences applied for intergenerational cooperation; then, literature about training methodologies for entrepreneurship is reviewed; finally, the main theories on training skills for entrepreneurship are approached. Focus groups were conducted as they serve as the main sources of data and are very appropriate for the generation of new ideas within a social context. In general, results show that, for achieving a successful intergenerational cooperation, some specific training is needed for both generations. This paper is a starting point for future research approaching intergenerational entrepreneurship, or entrepreneurial initiatives with singular characteristics, such as rural contexts or people with disabilities.
Sustainable Determinants That Affect Tourist Arrival Forecasting
Authors: Gricar Sergej , Baldigara Tea , Šugar Violeta
Published: September 2021

This study considers diversification effects and significant influences on tourist arrivals as a vital export direction. Different quantitative methods, namely a cointegrated-autoregressive model, panels, sentiment and sensitivity analysis, were used in this study. The time-series data for Croatia and Slovenia were isolated from several secondary sources. The variables examined in this approach are tourist arrivals, precipitations, sunny days, earthquakes, microbes and CO2 emissions. The study results showed that there is a severe negative effect on tourist arrivals defined by viruses. Moreover, there is a significant decisive effect of weather conditions on tourist arrivals. Nevertheless, it is necessary to move past Covid-19 pandemic discussions to yield more accurate tourism supply forecasts, while demand is already somehow low since the beginning of 2020. The primary significance is to develop a broader thinking about the impacts of CO2 emissions on the tourism escorted to official tourist websites.
Integrating Human Rights and the Environment in Supply Chain Regulations
Authors: Schilling-Vacaflor Almut
Published: September 2021

To address the negative externalities associated with global trade, countries in the Global North have increasingly adopted supply chain regulations. While global supply chains cause or contribute to interconnected environmental and human rights impacts, I show that supply chain regulations often exclusively target one policy domain. Furthermore, an analysis of the first experiences with the implementation of the French Duty of Vigilance law, which covers and gives equal weight to environmental and human rights risks, reveals that the inclusion of environmental and human rights standards in legal norms is not sufficient to ensure policy integration. The empirical focus here is on the soy and beef supply chains from Brazil to the European Union (EU), and the findings rely on an analysis of legal norms and company reports, field research at producing sites in Brazil and semi-structured interviews with civil society, business and state actors. For analyzing the data, I draw on the literature on environmental policy integration (EPI) and apply a framework that distinguishes between institutional, political and cognitive factors to discuss advances and challenges for integrating human rights and the environment in sustainability governance. The study concludes that more integrated approaches for regulating global supply chains would be needed to enable ‘just sustainability’.
The Impact of an Enterprise’s Intellectualization on Its Leadership Potential
Authors: Zhou Dahui , Danshina Svetlana , Kurilova Anastasia , Lis Marcin
Published: September 2021

The intellectualization of medical companies is gaining special importance in modern conditions of sustainable development, including the minimization of coronavirus consequences. The study aims to form a methodological approach to assess the impact of enterprise intellectualization on the level of leadership potential in the context of stimulating its components. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of a system of factors for achieving leadership based on the intellectualization of Russian clinics, as well as the construction of a synergistic mechanism for combining factors with each other. The scientific contribution of the study is the proposed methodological toolkit for a comprehensive assessment of the impact of a company’s intellectualization on its leadership potential. It provides an opportunity to prioritize the management potential of skills, abilities, and capabilities in order to create a competitive advantage of an enterprise, achieve strategic goals, and form leadership positions in the market. Most of the studied companies were characterized by a lack of balance between leadership potential components in the context of intellectualization. Determining the level of leadership potential development based on companies’ intellectualization demonstrated that the level of qualifications determines the corresponding capabilities, which stimulate the development of a clinics’ personnel. The tested model of assessing the leadership potential of the studied companies’ personnel proves that intellectualization of general clinics influences their leadership potential. It also contributes to sustainable development in the context of actualizing their social component (namely, increased efficiency of medical services, their quality, and, accordingly, the level of health care in general).
Tackling Energy Poverty through Collective Advisory Assemblies and Electricity and Comfort Monitoring Campaigns
Authors: Ortiz Joana , Jiménez Martínez Mariana , Alegría-Sala Alba , Tirado-Herrero Sergio , González Pijuan Irene , Guiteras Blaya Mònica , Canals Casals Lluc
Published: September 2021

The present work aims to describe and analyze the results of the interventions carried out in the Barcelona pilot site of the EmpowerMed project. The overall objective of EmpowerMed is to tackle energy poverty and to help improve the health of people in coastal areas of Mediterranean countries, with a particular focus on women. The main support approach implemented in Barcelona is Collective Advisory Assemblies (CAA), in the framework of Alliance against Energy Poverty. CAA is an innovative, collaborative empowering engagement tool that offers an alternative to the more traditional one-off individual household advice and support approaches. CAAs take place together with a monitoring campaign where: electricity consumption is analyzed to optimize the supply contracts, and indoor environmental comfort to provide recommendations for wellbeing improvement. Through the different approaches, a characterization of the people that have participated in the Barcelona pilot site was completed, from a socioeconomic, energy, thermal comfort and air quality perspective. Additionally, it was compared with a group of energy poverty non-affected households, which are involved in the monitoring campaign. Finally, the impact was quantified in terms of empowerment of energy poverty population and, potential economic savings.
Creating Tourism Destinations of Underground Built Heritage—The Cases of Salt Mines in Poland, Portugal, and Romania
Authors: Kimic Kinga , Smaniotto Costa Carlos , Negulescu Mihaela
Published: September 2021

Salt mines, a significant category of local, regional, national, and/or European underground heritage, are becoming attractive tourism destinations. This paper examines three cases of salt mining in different European countries, namely Wieliczka in Poland, Campina de Cima in Portugal, and Turda in Romania. They are analyzed in the context of history, typical attributes of their attractiveness, and new uses after the salt extraction was or is going to be stopped, in order to detect their unique values as important assets for both Underground Built Heritage (UBH) and Salt Heritage Tourism (SHT). The results of their comparison show that despite a positive impact related to their protection as cultural and industrial heritage, there are also some negative aspects related to increasing costs of their maintenance and adaptation of salt mines to new functions and to meet the tourism needs. By putting in place measures to enhance the awareness of their values and for activating the local community, the three mines are showcases for the economic outputs for their sites and regions, as well as for increasing knowledge regarding UBH.
Applications Characteristics of Different Biodiesel Blends in Modern Vehicles Engines: A Review
Authors: Loo Dong Lin , Teoh Yew Heng , How Heoy Geok , Teh Jun Sheng , Andrei Liviu Catalin , Starčević Slađana , Sher Farooq
Published: September 2021

Two main aspects of the transportation industry are pollution to the environment and depletion of fossil fuels. In the transportation industry, the pollution to the environment can be reduced with the use of cleaner fuel, such as gas-to-liquid fuel, to reduce the exhaust emissions from engines. However, the depletion of fossil fuels is still significant. Biodiesel is a non-toxic, renewable, and biodegradable fuel that is considered an alternative resource to conventional diesel fuel. Even though biodiesel shows advantages as a renewable source, there are still minor drawbacks while operating in diesel engines. Modern vehicle engines are designed to be powered by conventional diesel fuel or gasoline fuel. In this review, the performance, emissions, combustion, and endurance characteristics of different types of diesel engines with various conditions are assessed with biodiesel and blended fuel as well as the effect of biodiesel on the diesel engines. The results show that biodiesel and blended fuel had fewer emissions of CO, HC, and PM but higher NOx emissions than the diesel-fuelled engine. In the endurance test, biodiesel and blended fuel showed less wear and carbon deposits. A high concentration of wear debris was found inside the lubricating oil while the engine operated with biodiesel and blends. The performance, emissions, and combustion characteristics of biodiesel and its blends showed that it can be used in a diesel engine. However, further research on long-term endurance tests is required to obtain a better understanding of endurance characteristics about engine wear of the diesel engine using biodiesel and its blends.
Estimation of Hydrological Components under Current and Future Climate Scenarios in Guder Catchment, Upper Abbay Basin, Ethiopia, Using the SWAT
Authors: Gemechu Tewekel Melese , Zhao Hongling , Bao Shanshan , Yangzong Cidan , Liu Yingying , Li Fengping , Li Hongyan
Published: September 2021

Changes in hydrological cycles and water resources will certainly be a direct consequence of climate change, making the forecast of hydrological components essential for water resource assessment and management. This research was thus carried out to estimate water balance components and water yield under current and future climate change scenarios and trends in the Guder Catchment of the Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia, using the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT). Hydrological modeling was efficaciously calibrated and validated using the SUFI-2 algorithm of the SWAT model. The results showed that water yield varied from 926 mm to 1340 mm per year (1986–2016). Regional climate model (RCM) data showed, under representative concentration pathways (RCP 8.5), that the precipitation will decrease by up to 14.4% relative to the baseline (1986–2016) precipitation of 1228 mm/year, while the air temperature will rise under RCP 8.5 by +4.4 °C in the period from 2057 to 2086, possibly reducing the future basin water yield output, suggesting that the RCP 8.5 prediction will be warmer than RCP 4.5. Under RCP 8.5, the total water yield from 2024 to 2086 may be reduced by 3.2 mm per year, and a significant trend was observed. Local government agencies can arrange projects to solve community water-related issues based on these findings.
Effects of Science Journaling on Elementary Students’ Affective Characteristics in Korea
Authors: Jeong Yehee , Kim Hyoungbum , Lee Changhwan
Published: September 2021

This study investigated how keeping a journal related to issues and concepts in science influences sixth grade students’ affective characteristics, including cognition, interest, and attitude towards science. The development of these characteristics is related to students’ attitudes and interests in learning. Previous studies have primarily focused on the affective characteristics of gifted students, while only a few have focused on elementary students in public schools. We asked 34 grade six students in Korean public schools to keep a journal related to science and technology three times a week for 12 weeks (September–November 2018). The results show students’ perspectives on writing science journals from data, including questionnaires, interviews, and surveys. The results also suggest that keeping a science journal develops students’ affective characteristics related to science. Our findings will contribute to the development of better pedagogies for sustainability and resources for teaching science among elementary students.
A Data-Efficient Approach for Evacuation Demand Generation and Dissipation Prediction in Urban Rail Transit System
Authors: Dai Xiaoqing , Qiu Han , Sun Lijun
Published: September 2021

Predicting evacuation demand, including its generation and dissipation process, for urban rail transit systems under disruptions, such as line and station closure, often requires comprehensive historical data recorded under homogeneous situations. However, data under disruptions are hard to collect due to various reasons, which makes traditional methods impractical in evacuation demand prediction. To address this problem from the modeling perspective, we develop a data-efficient approach to predict evacuation demand for urban rail transit systems under disruptions. Our model-based approach mainly uses historical data obtained from the natural state, when no shocks take place. We first formulate the mathematical representation of the evacuation demand for every type of urban rail transit station. Input variables in this step are location features related to the station under the disruption, as well as an origin–destination matrix under the natural state. Then, based on these mathematical expressions, we develop a simulation system to imitate the spatio-temporal evolution of evacuation demand within the whole network under disruptions. The transport capacity drop under disruptions is used to describe the disruption situation. Several typical scenarios from the Shanghai metro network are used as examples to implement the proposed method. The results show that our method is able to predict the generation and dissipation processes of evacuation demand, as well model how severely stations will be affected by given disruptions. One general observation we draw from the results is that the most vulnerable stations under disruption, where the locations peak evacuation demand occurs, are mainly turn-back stations, closed stations, and the transfer stations near closed stations. This paper provides new insight into evacuation demand prediction under disruptions. It could be used by transport authorities to better respond to the urban rail transit system disruption.
Service Quality and Satisfaction in the Context of Varying Levels of Restaurant Image and Customer Orientation during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Pan Huifeng , Ha Hong-Youl
Published: September 2021

Extant hospitality literature has tended to view the dimensions of service quality as primarily complementary or differential in nature. However, studies of the similarities and differences between the two types of service quality have been limited. This study investigates how restaurant image and customer orientation affect the relative importance of both process and outcome service quality in customer satisfaction, focusing on restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a moderated moderation process and macro-based approach (M = 3), our findings show that process service quality impacts restaurant satisfaction; however, they also reveal that outcome service quality has a stronger main effect on restaurant satisfaction than process service quality. In particular, the findings show that the negative impact of the relationship between process (or outcome) service quality and restaurant image on restaurant satisfaction is insignificant when customer orientation is low. On the other hand, the same relationship has an even stronger positive effect on restaurant satisfaction when customer orientation is high. These findings have implications for restaurants’ efforts to develop and improve service quality, and bolster customer orientation, helping them identify more effective strategic approaches during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fermentative Production of Lasiodiplodan by Lasiodiplodia theobromae CCT3966 from Pretreated Sugarcane Straw
Authors: Abdeshahian Peyman , Ascencio Jesús Jiménez , Philippini Rafael R. , Antunes Felipe Antonio Fernandes , Ingle Avinash P. , Abdeshahian Mojgan , Santos Júlio César dos , Silva Silvio Silvério da
Published: September 2021

Lasiodiplodan is a β-glucan polymer with different interesting characteristics, including therapeutic properties. It is an extracellular product, which is produced by the filamentous fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae, using glucose as a substrate. In the present work, the production of lasiodiplodan was studied by the utilization of sugarcane straw as a low-cost carbon source. Glucose-rich sugarcane straw hydrolysate was obtained by a sequential pretreatment with dilute nitric acid (1% v/v) and sodium hydroxide (1% w/v), followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. The fermentation process was conducted by the cultivation of the strain Lasiodiplodia theobromae CCT3966 in sugarcane straw hydrolysate in a shake flask at 28 °C for 114 h. It was found that hydrolysate obtained after enzymatic hydrolysis contained 47.10 gL−1 of glucose. Fermentation experiments of lasiodiplodan synthesis showed that the peak yield and productivity of 0.054 gg−1 glucose consumed and 0.016 gL−1 h−1, respectively, were obtained at 72 h fermentation time. Fungal growth, glucose consumption, and lasiodiplodan production from sugarcane straw hydrolysate presented a similar pattern to kinetic models. The study on the chemical structure of lasiodiplodan produced showed it had a β-glucan construction. The current study revealed that sugarcane straw is a promising substrate for the production of lasiodiplodan.
Enhancing Phosphorus Recovery and Dewaterability of Waste Activated Sludge for Combined Effect of Thermally Activated Peroxydisulfate and Struvite Precipitation
Authors: Liao Zicong , Hu Yongyou , Chen Yuancai , Cheng Jianhua
Published: September 2021

Phosphorus is a nonrenewable and irreplaceable limited resource, and over 90% of phosphorus in influenttransfers into sludge in wastewater treatment plants. In this study, thermally activated peroxydisulfate (TAP) treatment was combined with struvite precipitation to enhance waste activated sludge (WAS) dewaterability and phosphorus recovery. TAP simultaneously enhanced dewaterability and solubilization of WAS. The optimal conditions of TAP treatment were PDS dosage 2.0 mmol/g TSS, 80 °C, pH 4.0~7.0 and 40 min, which enhanced dewaterability (capillary suction time (CST) from 94.2 s to 28.5 s) and solubilization (PO43−-P 177.71 mg/L, NH4+-N 287.22 mg/L and SCOD 10754 mg/L). Radical oxidation disintegrated tightly bound extracellular polymeric substances (TB-EPS) and further released bound water. The acidification effect neutralized the negative surface charge of colloid particles. Compared with thermal hydrolysis, TAP effectively promoted the release of PO43−, NH4+ and SCOD. Cation exchange removed most Ca and Al of the TAP treated supernatant. The optimal conditions of struvite precipitation were Mg/P 1.4 and pH 10.0, which achieved phosphorus recovery of 95.06% and struvite purity of 94.94%. The income obtained by struvite adequately covers the cost of struvite precipitation and the cost of WAS treatment is acceptable.
Effect of Intensification Practices, Lambing Period and Environmental Parameters on Animal Health, and Milk Yield and Quality in Dairy Sheep Production Systems on Crete
Authors: Voutzourakis Nikolaos , Stefanakis Alexandros , Stergiadis Sokratis , Rempelos Leonidas , Tzanidakis Nikolaos , Eyre Mick , Butler Gillian , Leifert Carlo , Sotiraki Smaragda
Published: September 2021

Due to increasing demand, many traditional, grazing-based Mediterranean sheep production systems have introduced intensified feeding regimes, increased investments in infrastructure and drug use to increase milk yields. However, compared to bovine milk production systems, there is limited knowledge about the impact of these intensification practices on animal welfare and health and on the quality of dairy products. The aim of this study was therefore to quantify the effects of management practices and environmental conditions background on udder health, parasitism and milk quantity and quality in Cretan traditional production systems. Milk yields were higher in semi-intensive production systems while concentrations of several nutritionally desirable compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids were found to be higher in milk from extensive systems. Antibiotic and anthelmintic use was relatively low in both extensive and semi-intensive production systems. There was no substantial difference in parasitic burden, somatic cell counts, and microbiological parameters assessed in milk. Recording of flock health parameters showed that animal health and welfare was high in both extensive and semi-intensively managed flocks, and that overall, the health status of extensively managed ewes was slightly better. In contrast, environmental conditions (temperature and rainfall) had a substantial effect on parasitism and milk quality.
Influence of Air Temperature on School Teachers’ Mood and the Perception of Students’ Behavior
Authors: Boix-Vilella Salvador , Saiz-Clar Elena , León-Zarceño Eva , Serrano Miguel Angel
Published: September 2021

This study investigates how temperature, inside and outside the classroom, influence teachers’ mood and mental fatigue as well as the perceived students’ behavior. Two daily random measurements of the temperature inside various classrooms were taken for 7 months. Mood, mental fatigue, and perception of students’ behavior were evaluated for the teachers. Daily external temperature data were obtained from the State Agency of Meteorology. Results showed that indoor temperature, indoor humidity, and the difference between outdoor/indoor temperature significantly explain a worse perception of mood of the teachers and a worse perception of students’ behavior that influences perception of students’ behavior.
Environmental Impact of Solar Home Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Antonanzas-Torres Fernando , Antonanzas Javier , Blanco-Fernandez Julio
Published: September 2021

Solar home systems (SHS) represent one of the most promising technologies for a rapid and independent electrification in those areas of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) without access to electricity. This study addressed the environmental impact of SHS in SSA through updated life cycle inventories and five impact categories: greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, fossil fuels, metal and water depletion and human toxicity. Sixteen scenarios were considered, including manufacturing, transportation, recycling and user-related variables, such as the installation site, adequacy of SHS user operation and battery lifespan. The results showed that lead-acid batteries were the largest contributor to environmental impact among the SHS components, accounting for up to 36–76% of the environmental impact indicators. Apart from the components, user training for SHS operation, with the goal of maximizing usable energy and battery lifetime, proved to be critical to achieve improvements in the energy payback time and GHG emissions, which (under scenarios of high solar resources) can reach the range of 5.3–7.1 years and 0.14–0.18 kgCO2 eq/kWh, respectively. In addition, SHS GHG emission factors were benchmarked with those of other electrification approaches, such as national grids, 100% PV and hybrid PV-diesel off-grid mini grids and off-grid diesel generators. SHS achieved GHG emission factor values equivalent to PV-based mini grids in most scenarios and was strikingly lower compared to SSA national grids and diesel generators.
IT-Enabled Sustainable Innovation and the Global Digital Divides
Authors: Shirazi Farid , Hajli Nick
Published: September 2021

This article investigates the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs), human capital, institutional settings, socio-economic, and environmental parameters on sustainable innovation (SI) using archival data for 127 economies from 2008 to 2017. We developed an econometrics research framework for investigating factors influencing SI on a global scale. We found that ICT variables, such as ICT access and ICT broadband network, positively influence sustainable innovation in conjunction with the socio-economic and political parameters. Despite differences among economies in terms of ICTs, socio-economic development, and educational attainment, ICTs are the significant drivers of sustainable innovation and economic growth. We observed a growing digital divide among nations within the context of the knowledge-based economy and the expansion of digital commerce, particularly in the least developed countries and Africa, a phenomenon impeding sustainable innovation growth. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that empirically investigates the global digital divide from sustainable innovation perspectives. The results of this study suggest that to tackle the digital divide issues, policymakers and educational institutes need to perform constructive educational reform in higher education curricula, particularly concerning STEM programs, which should reflect the necessary skills and competencies for deploying emergent technologies. In addition, ICT should be considered part of a country’s critical infrastructure, particularly investment in the broadband networks regarded as the backbone of today’s innovation.
Sustainable Fashion in Poland—Too Early or Too Late?
Authors: Popowska Magdalena , Sinkiewicz Aleksandra
Published: September 2021

This article presents an analysis of the concept of sustainable fashion from the Polish consumer’s perspective. The aim of this research is to investigate how Polish fashion consumers approach the concepts of sustainability, such as organic, fair-trade, and carbon emissions. Exploring the experience of the Polish consumption context provides a richer understanding of the evolution of fashion sustainability concepts in this and similar countries. The research methods applied comprise the literature review, including the theoretical and empirical items, and the survey conducted among Polish fashion consumers. According to our findings, Polish consumers declare caring more about the general environment but do not pay attention to sustainable development in the clothing industry. It is also worth noting that Poles, compared to those in other countries, have an unfavourable opinion of their own nation on the approach to sustainable development in the garment industry.
Textiles for Circular Fashion: The Logic behind Recycling Options
Authors: Harmsen Paulien , Scheffer Michiel , Bos Harriette
Published: September 2021

For the textile industry to become sustainable, knowledge of the origin and production of resources is an important theme. It is expected that recycled feedstock will form a significant part of future resources to be used. Textile recycling (especially post-consumer waste) is still in its infancy and will be a major challenge in the coming years. Three fundamental problems hamper a better understanding of the developments on textile recycling: the current classification of textile fibres (natural or manufactured) does not support textile recycling, there is no standard definition of textile recycling technologies, and there is a lack of clear communication about the technological progress (by industry and brands) and benefits of textile recycling from a consumer perspective. This may hamper the much-needed further development of textile recycling. This paper presents a new fibre classification based on chemical groups and bonds that form the backbone of the polymers of which the fibres are made and that impart characteristic properties to the fibres. In addition, a new classification of textile recycling was designed based on the polymer structure of the fibres. These methods make it possible to unravel the logic and preferred recycling routes for different fibres, thereby facilitating communication on recycling. We concluded that there are good recycling options for mono-material streams within the cellulose, polyamide and polyester groups. For blended textiles, the perspective is promising for fibre blends within a single polymer group, while combinations of different polymers may pose problems in recycling.
Model Predictive Control of the Input Current and Output Voltage of a Matrix Converter as a Ground Power Unit for Airplane Servicing
Authors: Malekjamshidi Zahra , Jafari Mohammad , Zhu Jianguo , Rivera Marco , Soong Wen
Published: September 2021

This paper deals with the design, control, and implementation of a three-phase ac–ac mobile utility power supply using a matrix converter for airplane servicing applications. Using a matrix converter as a compact direct ac-to-ac converter can provide savings in terms of the size and cost of a mobile power supply compared to common back-to-back converters. Furthermore, using the proposed direct matrix converter eliminates the need for bulky electrolytic capacitors and increases the system’s reliability and lifetime. A finite control set model predictive control is used to generate a high-quality 115 V/400 Hz output voltage and a low-harmonic-distortion source current with a unity input power factor for various load conditions, including balanced, unbalanced, linear, and nonlinear loads. The predictive strategy is used to control the output voltage and source current for each possible switching state in order to simultaneously track the references. To achieve a further reduction in the system’s size and cost, an active damping strategy is used to compensate for the instability caused by the input filter in contrast to the passive method. Experimental tests were conducted on a prototype matrix converter to validate the performance of the proposed control strategy.
The Addition of a High Dosage of Rubber to Asphalt Mixtures: The Effects on Rutting and Fatigue
Authors: Chegenizadeh Amin , Jing Shen Pak , Sekar Arumdani Indah , Budihardjo Mochamad Arief , Nikraz Hamid
Published: September 2021

Bitumen is subjected to cracks and damage during its service life. Adding a material with the potential to increase the durability of bitumen can expand its service life and reduce maintenance costs. Previous studies indicate that adding crumb rubber into asphalt has a positive effect on the performance of the mixture. Using crumb rubber may solve environmental problems due to vehicle tire waste disposal by reducing maintenance costs needed to increase asphalt’s strength. Some studies have investigated the effect of bitumen mixed with crumb rubber; however, it seems that the effect of different types of rubber mixtures used has been overlooked. Therefore, this study aims to better understand the effects of the increasing amount of rubber addition in various types of asphalt mixtures and determine the optimal mixture that could be used in road construction. A series of experiment was conducted, incorporating various tests (such as Marshall stability, rutting, and fatigue), to test various mixtures of asphalt in the form of dense-graded asphalt (DGA), fine gap-graded asphalt (FGG), gap-graded asphalt (Stone Mastic Asphalt, SMA), and open-graded asphalt. The amount of added crumb rubber was 25% by weight of bitumen. All mixtures were classified as superior in rutting and fatigue resistance, since they all reached a maximum depth of rutting less than 15 mm and generated two times more failure cycles compared to the conventional asphalt. The most optimal performance asphalt mixture was showed by the SMA10 mixture, resulting in a minimum rut depth of less than 1.2 mm and producing 750% more fatigue cycles than conventional asphalt. The result indicates that the addition of 25% of the rubber particles in the binder can increase the properties and durability of asphalt mixtures.
Potential Applications of 5G Network Technology for Climate Change Control: A Scoping Review of Singapore
Authors: Huseien Ghasan Fahim , Shah Kwok Wei
Published: September 2021

Climate change is one of the most challenging problems that humanity has ever faced. With the rapid development in technology, a key feature of 5G networks is the increased level of connectivity between everyday objects, facilitated by faster internet speeds with smart facilities indicative of the forthcoming 5G-driven revolution in Internet of Things (IoT). This study revisited the benefits of 5G network technologies to enhance the efficiency of the smart city and minimize climate change impacts in Singapore, thus creating a clean environment for healthy living. Results revealed that the smart management of energy, wastes, water resources, agricultures, risk factors, and the economy adopted in Singapore can remarkably contribute to reducing climate change, thus attaining the sustainability goals. Hence, future studies on cost-effective design and implementation are essential to increase the focus on the smart city concept globally.
Prediction Model as Sustainability Tool for Assessing Financial Status of Non-Profit Organizations in the Slovak Republic
Authors: Mazanec Jaroslav , Bartosova Viera
Published: September 2021

Non-profit organizations (NPOs) play an important role in society. Nowadays, many companies apply the phenomenon—corporate social responsibility (CSR) which supports sustainable development and cooperation between the for-profit and non-profit sector. These companies are careful to cooperate with organizations and make decisions based on many factors, such as financial stability and independence of non-profit organizations. These attributes are assessed by predictive models. The models are a common tool in the for-profit sector compared to the non-profit sector. In our case, the main aim of the research is to propose a prediction model to estimate financial status of Slovak non-profit organizations using discriminant analysis. The overall sample consists of 351 NPOs dividing into training and testing sub-samples. We find that model classifies correctly almost 91% of NPOs in the training sample, respectively less than 80% in the testing sample. However, the results show that all vulnerable NPOs are correctly classified based on the testing sample.
Uncovering Social Sustainability in Housing Systems through the Lens of Institutional Capital: A Study of Two Housing Alliances in Vienna, Austria
Authors: Paidakaki Angeliki , Lang Richard
Published: September 2021

This paper analyzes social sustainability in the context of urban housing through the lens of institutional capital. It examines how civil society housing actors co-construct bottom-linked governance arrangements by interacting endogenously with peers and exogenously with institutional actors, such as public housing agencies and elected officials, in order to steer, as housing alliances, socially sustainable residential developments. The paper thus offers an answer to the following two research questions: (1) What are internal governance features that characterize such civil society housing alliances? (2) What are their strategies of interaction with institutional actors in order to promote social sustainability and thus counter exclusionary patterns in urban housing systems? Empirical evidences are drawn from two civil society housing alliances in Austria, ‘BAWO’ (a national alliance of homelessness NGOs) and the ‘Initiative Collaborative Building & Living’. During three research stays in Vienna between 2014 and 2020, data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with leaders and members of housing alliances, interviews with key institutional stakeholders and web research. By reflecting on the institutional and relational character of the two housing alliances and digging out their potential and limitations in promoting different elements of social sustainability, our paper concludes that social sustainability in housing systems can be realized when it is set as a societal ambition sufficiently politicized by major parties involved in housing systems (housing alliances, governmental authorities of all ideological backgrounds, large non-profit housing developers) that collectively guarantee housing affordability and socio-spatial equity for all.
Chain Innovation Mechanism of the Manufacturing Industry in the Yangtze River Delta of China Based on Evolutionary Game
Authors: Yu Na , Zhao Chunfeng
Published: September 2021

It is of great theoretical and practical significance to achieve high-quality development that promotes the transformation of digestion, absorption, and re-innovation to an independent innovation model, actively participating in the restructuring of the industrial chain, and enhancing the status of the Yangtze River Delta in the global innovation chain. This study constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model of collaborative innovation led by the government, participated by upstream enterprises and downstream enterprises. Moreover, this article analyzes the strategic choices of the tripartite entities in the process of collaborative innovation, and the simulation analyzes the influencing factors of the government, upstream enterprises, and downstream enterprises’ collaborative innovation strategy selection. The results indicate that the government, upstream enterprises, and downstream enterprises have different degrees of influence on each other’s willingness to participate. In addition, the analysis proves that government policy support and financial support have different impacts on upstream enterprises and downstream enterprises.
Environmental Sustainability of Creative Economy: Evidence from a Lithuanian Case Study
Authors: Kačerauskas Tomas , Streimikiene Dalia , Bartkute Rasa
Published: September 2021

The objective of the undertaken study is to investigate the sustainability of creative economy and present a case study providing the main findings on the linkages between creative economy and sustainable development. The in-depth literature review of the creative economy and sustainable development offered the main insights in the development of the case study hypotheses. A case study on the biggest music festival that was organised in Lithuania is provided. The findings confirm that creative economy can be environmentally sustainable, and the customers identified their clear preferences for sustainability criteria in music festivals; however, not all these preferences are properly addressed by the organisers of cultural events, as it was revealed by this case study. The results of a quantitative study show that the festival participants are increasingly expressing the need for sustainable music festivals, but organisers have not yet taken the necessary actions to address this need. It is likely that, in the near future, the festival organisers in Lithuania will have to start applying various sustainability criteria during the festivals in order to attract more visitors and generate more income from such events as well to ensure environmental safety. The practical implications of conducted study are equally important for all stakeholders, such as the community, policymakers, companies, and regulatory agencies that are concerned with the implementation of sustainable development practices.