bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phosphorylated Cotton Cellulose as a Matrix for Generating Chlorine Dioxide
Authors: Kazberova Anfisa , Solovov Roman , Orlichenia Verbina
Published: February 2023

Currently, developing disinfectant materials is of utmost importance. A significant advantage of our fabric is its reusability. The disinfectants based on a natural polymer of cellulose have been barely investigated. Our work presents a modified cellulose material, and the data obtained for the first time on the chlorine dioxide generation process when treating the material with a sodium chlorite alcohol solution. A method of applying NaClO2 onto the fabric by impregnating it with a solution sprayed by an aerosol generator is proposed. This kind of fabric is capable of withstanding multiple usages after pre-washing and rinsing. The lowest alcohols—methanol, ethanol and isopropanol—are proposed as optimal solvents. It was shown that the phosphorylated cotton cellulose fabric impregnated with this solution generates chlorine dioxide during the first 25–35 min. Neither humidity nor expedites improve the process of releasing the chlorine dioxide, but high moisture content in the air causes the complete absorption of ClO2 by microdrops and its removal from the gas environment. A promising technique for removing the excess ClO2 by the means of UV treatment is proposed: after 15 min of treating ClO2 in the gas phase, it disappears entirely. These materials could be used as disinfectants in different industries, such as food and industrial manufacturing.
Formulation and Characterization of Fe3O4@PEG Nanoparticles Loaded Sorafenib; Molecular Studies and Evaluation of Cytotoxicity in Liver Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Ebadi Mona , Rifqi Md Zain Ahmad , Tengku Abdul Aziz Tengku Hasnan , Mohammadi Hossein , Tee Clarence Augustine TH , Rahimi Yusop Muhammad
Published: February 2023

Iron oxide nanoparticles are one of the nanocarriers that are suitable for novel drug delivery systems due to low toxicity, biocompatibility, loading capacity, and controlled drug delivery to cancer cells. The purpose of the present study is the synthesis of coated iron oxide nanoparticles for the delivery of sorafenib (SFB) and its effects on cancer cells. In this study, Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by the co-precipitation method, and then sorafenib was loaded onto PEG@Fe3O4 nanoparticles. FTIR was used to ensure polyethylene glycol (PEG) binding to nanoparticles and loading the drug onto the nanoshells. A comparison of the mean size and the crystalline structure of nanoparticles was performed by TEM, DLS, and X-ray diffraction patterns. Then, cell viability was obtained by the MTT assay for 3T3 and HepG2 cell lines. According to FT-IR results, the presence of O–H and C–H bands at 3427 cm–1 and 1420 cm–1 peak correlate with PEG binding to nanoparticles. XRD pattern showed the cubic spinel structure of trapped magnetite nanoparticles carrying medium. The magnetic properties of nanoparticles were examined by a vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM). IC50 values at 72 h for treatment with carriers of Fe3O4@PEG nanoparticle for the HepG2 cell line was 15.78 μg/mL (p < 0.05). This study showed that Fe3O4 nanoparticles coated by polyethylene glycol and using them in the drug delivery process could be beneficial for increasing the effect of sorafenib on cancer cells.
Stabilization Activity of Kelp Extract in Ethylene–Propylene Rubber as Safe Packaging Material
Authors: Zaharescu Traian
Published: February 2023

This paper presents the stabilization effects of the solid extract of kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) on an engineering elastomer, ethylene–propylene copolymer (EPR), which may be used as packaging material. Progressive increase in additive loadings (0.5, 1, and 2 phr) increases the oxidation induction time for thermally aged rubber at 190 °C from 10 min to 30 min for pristine material and modified polymer by adding 2 phr protection powder. When the studied polymer is γ-irradiated at 50 and 100 kGy, the onset oxidation temperatures increase as a result of blocking the oxidation reactivity of free radicals. The stabilization effect occurs through the activity of alginic acid, which is one of the main active components associated with alginates. The accelerated degradation caused by γ-exposure advances more slowly when the kelp extract is present. The OOT value for the oxidation of EPR samples increases from 130 °C to 165 °C after the γ-irradiation of pristine and modified (2 phr of kelp powder) EPR, respectively. The altered oxidation state of EPR samples by the action of γ-rays in saline serum is faster in neat polymer than in stabilized material. When the probes are placed in physiological serum and irradiated at 25 kGy, the OOT value for neat EPR (145 °C) is much lower than the homologous value for the polymer samples protected by kelp extract (153 °C for the concentration of 0.5 phr, 166 °C for the concentration of 1 phr, and 185 °C for the concentration of 2 phr).
Research Progress in Hemicellulose-Based Nanocomposite Film as Food Packaging
Authors: Liu Guoshuai , Shi Kang , Sun Hui
Published: February 2023

As the main component of agricultural and forestry biomass, hemicellulose has the advantages of having an abundant source, biodegradability, nontoxicity and good biocompatibility. Its application in food packaging has thus become the focus of efficient utilization of biomass resources. However, due to its special molecular structure and physical and chemical characteristics, the mechanical properties and barrier properties of hemicellulose films are not sufficient, and modification for performance enhancement is still a challenge. In the field of food packaging materials preparation, modification of hemicellulose through blending with nanofibers or nanoparticles, both inorganic and organic, has attracted research attention because this approach offers the advantages of efficient improvement in the expected properties and better cost efficiency. In this paper, the composition of hemicellulose, the classification of nanofillers and the research status of hemicellulose-based nanocomposite films are reviewed. The research progress in modification of hemicellulose by using layered silicate, inorganic nanoparticles and organic nanoparticles in food packaging is described. Challenges and outlook of research in hemicellulose-based nanocomposite film in food packaging is discussed.
Antimicrobial Formulation of a Bacterial Nanocellulose/Propolis-Containing Photosensitizer for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Gonçalves Isabella Salgado , Lima Lais Roncalho , Berretta Andresa Aparecida , Amorim Nathaly Alcazar , Pratavieira Sebastião , Corrêa Thaila Quatrini , Nogueira Flávia Aparecida Resende , Barud Hernane Silva
Published: February 2023

With the aim of contributing to the development of more efficient materials for wound care, new topical formulations based on bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) hydrogels containing propolis were produced. Characterizations confirmed the incorporation of propolis into the BNC matrix, maintaining its structure and properties. Rheological analysis confirmed that the hydrogels showed thixotropic behavior appropriate for topical application. Chromatographic profiles showed sustained release of propolis biomarkers for at least 20 h. The formulations did not present mutagenicity. For application in photodynamic inactivation (PDI), BNC/propolis hydrogels were prepared with the photosensitizers methylene blue (MB). Spectroscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy confirmed the interaction of MB and propolis in BNC hydrogels, as well as the formation of a new composite material. In the antibacterial assays, formulations containing MB and propolis significantly reduced Staphylococcus aureus growth. In the presence of light, BNC/MB hydrogels completely inhibited the microorganism. Therefore, the results suggest potential materials for the prevention or treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections in wounds.
Effectiveness of Surface Treatment on Bonding Performance of Starch-Based Aqueous Polymer Isocyanate Wood Adhesive
Authors: Ma Xinyue , Shi Junyou
Published: February 2023

The surface of a bonding material plays a key role in the bonding performance of an adhesive. Herein, we evaluated the effect of substrate surface treatment methods (sandpaper polished, chemical oxidation, and coupling agent) on the adhesive properties of starch-based aqueous polymer isocyanate (API) wood adhesive during hygrothermal aging. The birch substrate was processed with three different surface treatments, and the change of surface was analyzed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) methods. The results showed that the surface treatment had a great influence on the change of the shear strength of glued wood under hygrothermal conditions, and the silane coupling agent treatment could effectively reduce the decrease in the compressive shear strength of the adhesive. An XPS analysis indicated that the chemical oxidation modified wood surface polarity, and the coupling agent treatment in the wood surface formed a transition layer. After hygrothermal aging treatment, due to the different surface treatment of adhesive joint surface binding energy, the internal water absorption rate of starch-based API adhesives exhibited different failure modes of the adhesive joint. These findings indicate that the surface treatment effectively improved the durability of the adhesive joints.
Recycling of Post-Consumer Polystyrene Packaging Waste into New Food Packaging Applications—Part 1: Direct Food Contact
Authors: Welle Frank
Published: February 2023

The increase in plastic recycling is an essential pre-requisite for the transition to a circular economy. Polystyrene (PS) is a low diffusive polymer and therefore a promising candidate for recycling back into food contact similar to polyethylene terephthalate (PET). However, such a recycling of PS cups has been not established to date on a commercial scale. Even if recycling back into food contact is desired, the health of the consumer must not be at risk. As a consequence, recycling processes must go through a conservative assessment by relevant authorities. For PS, however, evaluation criteria are not published, which is a drawback for process developers. Within the study, post-consumer PS recyclates were evaluated in a similar way to existing evaluation criteria for PET and HDPE. For the recycling of post-consumer PS back into packages with direct contact with food, there are still some points open which cannot be answered conclusively today. Upon closer inspection, there appears to be enough information available to give a first indication as to whether recycling of post-consumer PS packaging materials back into direct food contact can be considered safe. The knowledge gaps in PS recycling were determined and discussed.
Of Monsters and Men: A Spectrum View of the Imago Dei
Authors: McIntosh C. A.
Published: February 2023

I explore the view that the imago Dei is essential to us as humans but accidental to us as persons. To image God is to resemble God, and resemblance comes in degrees. This has the straightforward—and perhaps disturbing—implication that we can be more or less human, and possibly cease to be human entirely. Hence, I call it the spectrum view. I argue that the spectrum view is complementary to the Biblical data, helps explain the empirical reality of horrendous evil, and offers an elegant rapprochement between the traditional view of hell and its rivals.
Jewish Civilizationism in Israel: A Unique Phenomenon
Authors: Saleem Raja M. Ali
Published: February 2023

Populism and civilizationism have transformed the politics of many countries. Many scholars consider them the biggest challenges to democracy since the rise of fascism and communism in the first half of the last century. The close affinity between populism, civilizationism, and rightwing politics has also been analyzed and recognized in many countries from Turkey to India to the US. However, there are three areas that distinguish the appearance of civilizationism in Israel. First, in contrast to many other countries, civilizationism in Israel is not a new phenomenon. It has been an essential part of Israeli nationalism or Zionism since the early 20th century. Second, unlike many countries, Jewish civilizationism in Israel is an article of faith for all major Israeli political parties. It is not a slogan raised only by the rightwing, conservative part of the political spectrum. Finally, one observes an affinity between civilizationism and populism. Civilizational rhetoric is the mainstay of populist leaders, such as Trump, Erdogan, etc. In Israel, populism and civilizationism have no special relationship as civilizationism is mainstream politics. All politicians, populists and non-populists, have to pay homage to Jewish civilizationism; otherwise, they will not succeed. This paper analyzes the Israeli founding fathers’ statements, the Declaration of Independence, Israeli state symbols, the revival of the Hebrew language, the Law of Return, the first debate in the Knesset, and the more recent Nation-State Law to demonstrate how Jewish civilizationism is old, mainstream, and not exclusively populist.
Exploring PlanetScope Satellite Capabilities for Soil Salinity Estimation and Mapping in Arid Regions Oases
Authors: Tan Jiao , Ding Jianli , Han Lijing , Ge Xiangyu , Wang Xiao , Wang Jiao , Wang Ruimei , Qin Shaofeng , Zhang Zhe , Li Yongkang
Published: February 2023

One reason for soil degradation is salinization in inland dryland, which poses a substantial threat to arable land productivity. Remote-sensing technology provides a rapid and accurate assessment for soil salinity monitoring, but there is a lack of high-resolution remote-sensing spatial salinity estimations. The PlanetScope satellite array provides high-precision mapping for land surface monitoring through its 3-m spatial resolution and near-daily revisiting frequency. This study’s use of the PlanetScope satellite array is a new attempt to estimate soil salinity in inland drylands. We hypothesized that field observations, PlanetScope data, and spectral indices derived from the PlanetScope data using the partial least-squares regression (PLSR) method would produce reasonably accurate regional salinity maps based on 84 ground-truth soil salinity data and various spectral parameters, like satellite band reflectance, and published satellite salinity indices. The results showed that using the newly constructed red-edge salinity and yellow band salinity indices, we were able to develop several inversion models to produce regional salinity maps. Different algorithms, including Boruta feature preference, Random Forest algorithm (RF), and Extreme Gradient Boosting algorithm (XGBoost), were applied for variable selection. The newly constructed yellow salinity indices (YRNDSI and YRNDVI) had the best Pearson correlations of 0.78 and −0.78. We also found that the proportions of the newly constructed yellow and red-edge bands accounted for a large proportion of the essential strategies of the three algorithms, with Boruta feature preference at 80%, RF at 80%, and XGBoost at 60%, indicating that these two band indices contributed more to the soil salinity estimation results. The best PLSR model estimation for different strategies is the XGBoost-PLSR model with coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), and ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) values of 0.832, 12.050, and 2.442, respectively. These results suggest that PlanetScope data has the potential to significantly advance the field of soil salinity research by providing a wealth of fine-scale salinity information.
Surface ALbedo VALidation (SALVAL) Platform: Towards CEOS LPV Validation Stage 4—Application to Three Global Albedo Climate Data Records
Authors: Sánchez-Zapero Jorge , Martínez-Sánchez Enrique , Camacho Fernando , Wang Zhuosen , Carrer Dominique , Schaaf Crystal , García-Haro Francisco Javier , Nickeson Jaime , Cosh Michael
Published: February 2023

The Surface ALbedo VALidation (SALVAL) online platform is designed to allow producers of satellite-based albedo products to move to operational validation systems. The SALVAL tool integrates long-term satellite products, global in situ datasets, and community-agreed-upon validation protocols into an online and interactive platform. The SALVAL tool, available on the ESA Cal/Val portal, was developed by EOLAB under the framework outlined by the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV) Land Product Validation (LPV) subgroup, and provides transparency, consistency, and traceability to the validation process. In this demonstration, three satellite-based albedo climate data records from different operational services were validated and intercompared using the SALVAL platform: (1) the Climate Change Service (C3S) multi-sensor product, (2) the NASA MODIS MCD43A3 product (C6.1) and (3) Beijing Normal University’s Global LAnd Surface Satellites (GLASS) version 4 products. This work demonstrates that the three satellite albedo datasets enable long-term reliable and consistent retrievals at the global scale, with some discrepancies between them associated with the retrieval processing chain. The three satellite albedo products show similar uncertainties (RMSD = 0.03) when comparing the best quality retrievals with ground measurements. The SALVAL platform has proven to be a useful tool to validate and intercompare albedo datasets, allowing them to reach stage 4 of the CEOS LPV validation hierarchy.
The Impacts of High-Speed Rail on Producer Service Industry Agglomeration: Evidence from China’s Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Jin Yanan , Ou Guoli
Published: February 2023

The construction of the high-speed rail (HSR) network in China has greatly weakened the spatial barriers to the flow of production resources, which has become a key factor affecting the spatial layout of the producer service industry. Based on the panel data of 26 cities in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration from 2005 to 2018, this paper uses a multi-phase difference-in-difference (DID) model to examine the impacts of HSR services on the agglomerations of the producer service industry and its subdivision industries from two perspectives, namely, specialized agglomeration and diversified agglomeration. The results show that: (1) on the whole, the opening of an HSR has a significant positive effect on the specialized agglomeration of the producer service industry and a significant negative effect on the diversified agglomeration; (2) in terms of subdivision industries, there exists significant industrial heterogeneity in the agglomeration effect of the producer service industry under HSR services, regardless of whether it is a specialized agglomeration or a diversified agglomeration; among them, the financial industry belongs to the “highly significant promotion” industry, while the other four subdivision industries belong to the “highly significant inhibition” industry.
Grow First, Clean Up Later? Dropping Old Paradigms and Opening Up New Horizons of Sustainable Development
Authors: Sadik-Zada Elkhan Richard , Gatto Andrea
Published: February 2023

After almost two decades of continuous development in bio, circular, and green economy, it is time to assess the major achievements and challenges that private and public enterprises face today for further enhancing global sustainability concepts. To this end, the present thematic issue accommodates twenty articles on different topics related to circular economy development and green growth, proposing a contribution to the field of environmental economics and policy. The central feature of this Special Issue is the focus on the best practices and challenges in terms of green growth and eco-innovation in developing and transitioning structurally challenged areas. Hence, the study elaborates on the pathways of bio, circular, and green growth and eco-innovation in the context of countries with relatively low per capita income. By doing this, the collection shows that the empirically established environmental Kuznets curve—i.e., the inverted U-shaped income-environment nexus—can and must be critically questioned, at least in the contexts mentioned within the framework of our Special Issue. Hence, the geographic frontiers of environmental upgrading, carbon-saving bioeconomic development, and green growth are not limited to the economically advanced areas.
Are Sustainable Health Workforces Possible? Issues and a Possible Remedy
Authors: Rees Gareth H , James Rosemary , Samadashvili Levan , Scotter Cris
Published: February 2023

The 2020–2022 period of the global COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fact that many countries health systems had inadequate health workforce availability. This is despite sustainable health workforces being critical to health service and healthcare delivery, an acknowledgement that drove the significant investment and focus on health workforce development over the previous two decades. As such, this review article discusses health workforce governance and planning, notes its weaknesses, and identifies some of the barriers to the implementation of health workforce policy making and planning and the achievement of sustainable health workforces. Important is the recognition that health workforce planning is long-term in nature, while health workforce decision-making processes are dominated by political processes that have much shorter time frames. The article concludes by offering the approach of backcasting to overcome this dichotomy.
Food Waste in Distribution: Causes and Gaps to Be Filled
Authors: Sales Francisco Carlos Vaz , De Souza Michele , Trento Luiz Reni , Pereira Giancarlo Medeiros , Borchardt Miriam , Milan Gabriel Sperandio
Published: February 2023

This qualitative study investigated the gaps that hinder fruit and vegetable waste reduction in small distributors serving the last miles of the food chain. Fifteen Brazilian distributors operating far from the producers were analyzed. The findings contribute to the literature by showing several research gaps. The surplus in farmer planting increases waste generation at the level of distributors. We should know how to collect and process the relevant data to forecast the demand of each small farmer or distributor (e.g., tendencies in market demands or other farmers’ planting plans). Sectoral entities should use these data to help actors define how much to plant or buy. The acceptance of waste by farmers and distributors has a financial reason. Changing such acceptance requires the demonstration of financial gain that a more sustainable approach may have. We need to know how to calculate the economic gains and losses related to waste reduction throughout the chain (before developing useful mitigators). We should also know how to induce entrepreneurs to invest in better resources or practices in transportation, handling, packaging, and storage. Selling items before their decline avoids waste. We need to know how to improve small actors’ gains to increase sales of such products.
Gendered Awareness of Pig and Poultry Farmers on the Potential of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Farming in Kenya
Authors: Bulinda Collins M. , Gido Eric O. , Kirscht Holger , Tanga Chrysantus M.
Published: February 2023

Given the need to boost food production while guaranteeing environmental sustainability, the black soldier fly (BSF) (Hermetia illucens (L.), Diptera: Stratiomyidae) is gaining traction worldwide as an alternative protein source. In Kenya, BSF production and its use as a feed component is an emerging business, but farmer awareness of the potential use of BSF in animal feed has received limited attention. This study examined the factors influencing farmer awareness of insect farming and its usefulness as ingredient in livestock feed from a gender perspective. The analysis employed a mixed-methods approach by combining binary logistic regression analysis using cross-sectional survey data from a sub-sample of 235 pig and poultry farmers and content analysis from in-depth phone interviews. The study was implemented in Kiambu County, Kenya. About 44% of the farmers were aware of the use of black soldier fly in the animal feed industry, of which 46.72% were female, and 41.59% were male. From the results, years of education, the number of chickens owned, and membership in agricultural groups significantly influenced male and female farmers’ awareness. In addition, age and the number of pigs owned significantly influenced female farmers’ awareness. The results suggest that these factors are important to consider when strategies are developed to create awareness of BSF farming. Lessons learned from this study will inform BSF dissemination strategies to better target potential men and women BSF producers, influence their decision-making ability and improve information flows between scientists and producers.
Sustainable Energy Research Trend: A Bibliometric Analysis Using VOSviewer, RStudio Bibliometrix, and CiteSpace Software Tools
Authors: Kemeç Abidin , Altınay Ayşenur Tarakcıoglu
Published: February 2023

Purpose: To systematically present the publication trends related to sustainable energy, which is an interdisciplinary concept. Design/methodology/approach: This study performed bibliometric analysis to investigate sustainable energy research between 1980 and 2022 using a sample of 1498 research papers from the Web of Science (WoS) databases, with only published articles on sustainable energy. Findings: A bibliometric analysis reveals trends in sustainable energy research publications, showing sustainable energy as an emerging topic and trends in sustainability and energy research. However, it seems that sustainable energy is still a niche area of study. Within the scope of the study, 2857 publications were included in the analysis. Of the publications included in the analysis, 1498 are articles and 1089 are other publication types. As a result of the analysis, the number of articles on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement has significantly increased since 2015. In 2022, the highest number was reached. It is seen that this finding is related to energy supply security and the reflections of geopolitical risks on it. The keyword “sustainable energy” stands out as the most frequently used keyword. Research limitations/implications: This research analysis is based on data from the Web of Science database only; there will be some shortcomings in the findings. Originality/Value: This research contributes to the field by exploring current developments in the field of sustainable energy, highlighting current gaps in the literature, and recommending future research in this field. The fact that the keywords “sustainable energy”, “renewable energy”, “sustainability”, and “sustainable development” are frequently included in the literature shows that interdisciplinary academic studies in these fields are of great importance.
Interpreting Universal Mobility in the Footpaths of Urban India Based on Experts’ Opinion
Authors: Das Mahapatra Gaurab , Mori Suguru , Nomura Rie
Published: February 2023

In this research, expert opinions on universal mobility in the footpaths of urban India have been critically appraised. Universal mobility (as a component of universal design) is still a largely ignored urban parameter in India despite an increase of 732.20% in the specially-abled and 105.25% in the elderly between 1911 and 2011. A total of 257 experts from the field of architecture and planning hailing from 66 cities in India were interviewed for this research. It was found that despite nationally implemented universal design guidelines, footpaths in 42.8% of the cities do not have universal mobility. In total, 74.7% of the respondents identify the dimension of the footpath as the most important factor for implementing universal mobility. The results of this study indicate the importance of universal design in improving the quality of life in Indian cities, and how urban local bodies can play a significant role in the process by using Public Private Partnership (hereafter, PPP) models and a new accessibility audit checklist.
The Cause and Correlation Network of Air Pollution from a Spatial Perspective: Evidence from the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region
Authors: Hu Peiqi , Zhou Kai , Zhang Haoxi , Ma Zhong , Li Jingyuan
Published: February 2023

Based on the Spatial Durbin Model (SDM), this study evaluates the spatial spillover effect of PM2.5 concentration in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) and its surrounding areas from 2000 to 2016, analyzes its main influencing factors and verifies the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). In addition, Social Network Analysis (SNA) is used to measure the regional air pollution transmission network. The results are as follows: (1) A significant inverted U-shaped EKC with spatial spillover effect between the sampled 48 cities was verified. (2) Industrial structure had both local and spillover effects on air pollution with a U-shaped curve; technological progress exerted a negative spillover effect on air pollution, while traffic evidenced positive local and spillover effects; meteorological conditions showed different impacts on air pollution. (3) Heze, Tianjin, Xingtai, Shijiazhuang and Liaocheng are the top five cities in the centrality of the air pollution correlation network, indicating air pollution in these cities have significant impacts on other cities within the network; while Sanmenxia, Weihai, Yuncheng, Langfang and Zhumadian are the bottom five cities, which indicates that the air pollution of these cities has the least correlation with other cities. The policy suggestions for 48 cities involve: building up a regional joint prevention and control mechanism, enhancing the supervision of cities located in the centrality of the air pollution correlation network, accelerating high-tech and service-oriented industrialization, encouraging technological innovation in energy conservation and environmental protection and implementing vehicle regulation.
Energy and Exergy Enhancement Study on PV Systems with Phase Change Material
Authors: Prakash K. B. , Pasupathi Manoj Kumar , Chinnasamy Subramaniyan , Saravanakumar S. , Palaniappan Murugesan , Alasiri Abdulaziz , Chandrasekaran M.
Published: February 2023

A solar photovoltaic (PV) system produces electrical energy from solar energy. This green, sustainable system has low energy conversion efficiency due to the rise in PV temperature throughout the day. In order to keep the temperature of the panels close to ambient, this study examines the usage of hydrated salt (HS36) as a Phase Change Material (PCM) for PV cooling. The primary goal of this experimental study is to cool the PV panel by introducing PCM behind the PV system (PV-PCM), thus increasing its performance. An energy and exergy performance assessment was carried out on PV and PV-PCM systems. The result indicates that placing a PCM over the back of the solar panel’s back reduced the operational temperature by 25.4% and increased the panel’s electrical efficiency by 17.5%. PV-PCM systems’ maximum exergy efficiency increased by 12.57%, and their exergy destruction ratio decreased by 12.49%. The proposed PV-PCM system with HS36 PCM increased the PV panel performance and can be deployed in the PV system.
Prediction of Carbon Emission of the Transportation Sector in Jiangsu Province-Regression Prediction Model Based on GA-SVM
Authors: Huo Zhenggang , Zha Xiaoting , Lu Mengyao , Ma Tianqi , Lu Zhichao
Published: February 2023

To meet the twin carbon goals of “carbon peak” and “carbon neutrality”, it is crucial to make scientific predictions about carbon emissions in the transportation sector. The following eight factors were chosen as effect indicators: population size, GDP per capita, civil vehicle ownership, passenger and freight turnover, urbanization rate, industry structure, and carbon emission intensity. Based on the pertinent data from 2002 to 2020, a support vector machine model, improved by a genetic algorithm (GA-SVM), was created to predict the carbon peak time under three distinct scenarios. The penalty factor c and kernel function parameter g of the support vector machine model were each optimized using a genetic algorithm, a particle swarm algorithm, and a whale optimization algorithm. The results indicate that the genetic algorithm vector machine prediction model outperforms the particle swarm algorithm vector machine model and the whale optimization vector machine. As a result, the model integrating the support vector machine and genetic algorithm can more precisely predict carbon emissions and the peak time for carbon in Jiangsu province.
The Quality of Environmental KPI Disclosure in ESG Reporting for SMEs in Hong Kong
Authors: Yip Angus W. H. , Yu William Y. P.
Published: February 2023

Since 2016, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (“HKEx”) has required listed companies to issue Environment, Social and Governance (“ESG”) reports annually. The purpose of ESG reports is to inform stakeholders and the general public of listed companies’ performance in ESG aspects. For big corporations, issuing ESG reports and reporting their key performance indicators (“KPIs”) are not a problem because they have been doing so voluntarily for years. Rather, it is a challenge for small and medium-sized listed companies (“SMEs”) to report properly because they may be lacking in knowledge, skills and motivation, etc. In particular, the quality of quantitative measurements on ESG data disclosure remains variable. This research effort adopted a scoring methodology to assess the relevance and completeness of the environmental KPIs, which are semi-mandatory to disclose. A total of 138 SMEs were proportionately selected by a stratified sampling method based on the 11 categories of industries set by the Hang Seng Industry Classification System. The disclosure quality of these selected sample companies’ environmental KPIs was assessed by scoring. We found that the average disclosure quality score was a low 1.98. “Energy Use Efficiency” was the highest-performing KPI, while “The Environment and Natural Resources” was the lowest-performing KPI. Across the different industries, Industrial Goods achieved the highest disclosure quality score, while the Telecommunication industry had the worst score. This research also explored some of the common problems faced whilst reporting environmental KPIs.
An Analysis of Global Trends from 1990 to 2022 of Microbial Fuel Cells: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Rojas-Flores Segundo , Ramirez-Asis Edwin , Delgado-Caramutti Jorge , Nazario-Naveda Renny , Gallozzo-Cardenas Moisés , Diaz Félix , Delfin-Narcizo Daniel
Published: February 2023

Microbial fuel cells have undergone several modifications since their creation, mainly due to the different substrates that can be used as fuel for the generation of electrical energy. In this research, a deep and updated analysis of the characteristics of the literature published in the Scopus database from 1990 to 30 December 2022 has been carried out, finding 7055 documents indexed. The most used keywords are microbial fuel cells, performance, and electricity generation. From 2011 to the present, 5289 article-type documents were published; the article entitled “Microbial Fuel Cells: Methodology and Technology” by Logan B. E. et al., 2006 from Pennsylvania State University, USA in the Environmental Science and Technology journal of the ACS publisher was the most cited (4496 citations). On the other hand, in recent years, Chinese universities have begun to produce and highlight a number of documents positioning in the top ten, with six universities having the greatest presence in publications and as the country with the highest number of published and indexed documents (2773) in Scopus. Research on microbial fuel cells tends to grow, with China as a leading country on the subject, written by the author Wang X. It is observed that the new cell research trends deal with the modification and fabrication of electrodes with nanomaterials in order to improve their power and reduce costs to show their viability on a larger scale.
Optimizing the Distribution Network of a Bakery Facility: A Reduced Travelled Distance and Food-Waste Minimization Perspective
Authors: Aljohani Khalid
Published: February 2023

There are many logistics nuances specific to bakery factories, making the design of their distribution network especially complex. In particular, bakery products typically have a shelf life of under a week. To ensure that products are delivered to end-customers with freshness, speed, quality, health, and safety prioritized, the distribution network, facility location, and ordering system must be optimally designed. This study presents a multi-stage framework for a bakery factory comprised of a selection methodology of an optimum facility location, an effective distribution network for delivery operations, and a practical ordering system used by related supply chain actors. The operations function and distribution network are optimized using a multi-criteria decision-making method comprised of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to establish optimization criteria and Technique of Order Preference Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to select the optimal facility location. The optimal distribution network strategy was found using an optimization technique. This framework was applied to a real-life problem for a bakery supply chain in the Western Region, Saudi Arabia. Using a real-life, quantitative dataset and incorporating qualitative feedback from key stakeholders in the supply chain, the developed framework enabled a reduction in overall distribution costs by 14%, decreasing the total travel distance by 16%, and decreasing estimated food waste by 22%. This result was primarily achieved by solving the facility location problem in favor of operating two factories without dedicated storage facilities and implementing the distribution network strategy of direct shipment of products from the bakery to customers.
Inclusion of Vanishing Cultural Heritage in a Sustainable Rural Development Strategy–Prospects, Opportunities, Recommendations
Authors: Knapik Wioletta , Król Karol
Published: February 2023

Cultural heritage consolidates regional cultural identity, expands social capital, and stimulates local communities. These functions make it an important component of sustainable socioeconomic development. The objective of the article is to identify vanishing components of cultural heritage in Małopolskie Voivodeship and propose ways to use them to enhance regional development and promote rural cultural heritage. Moreover, the article aims at identifying such components of cultural heritage that could be included and presented more extensively in future strategic documents despite being disregarded or only superficially acknowledged to date. The research involved a representative sample of the adult residents of rural areas in Małopolskie Voivodeship, Poland (n = 400) using the computer-aided telephone interviewing method (CATI). The research shows that the awareness of the people in Małopolskie Voivodeship is dominated by the ‘classical’ perception of cultural heritage components. The respondents confirmed that traditional professions were still practiced in the voivodeship, and that artisan products were available. The most common of these were beekeeping, sculpture, carpentry, lacemaking and embroidery, smithery, pottery, plaiting, weaving, and musical instrument production. According to the respondents, the most frequent components of vanishing cultural heritage were shrines on trees, old barns (69%), wells (55%) and old root cellars (40%). The respondents most often mentioned farmers’ wives’ associations as independent social and professional organizations in rural areas that promote food traditions. A survey, literature review, and study of strategic documents demonstrated that digital cultural heritage was absent in the responses and strategic documents, even though it is found in rural Małopolskie Voivodeship as rustic cyberfolklore, for example. It is a research gap worth investigating.
Preparation of FeSe2-Based Fenton Catalysts Loaded on Chloro-Methyl Styrene-Based Resins and Study of Activated Persulfate Degradation of Tetracycline
Authors: Ma Jinmao , Wang Xiangyu , Zhang Xu , Ye Zhengfang , Sun Sanxiang , Zhou Lincheng
Published: February 2023

Fenton technology has excellent performance in the treatment of hard-to-degrade organics but tends to cause secondary pollution to the environment. Given its excellent adsorption capacity and the availability of mature adsorption modification studies, poly(chloromethyl styrene)-based resin (PS-Cl) has received much attention for the adsorption of heavy metal ions. However, combining the mature Fenton technology with the highly popular PS-Cl through a stable bridge to exploit the advantages of catalytic degradation performance of Fenton-like technology is the main focus of our work. The PS-NH2@FeSe2 catalyst with a core–shell structure was synthesized. The catalytic degradation of tetracycline solution in the presence of PS-NH2@FeSe2 and persulfate achieved a satisfactory effect. The removal efficiency was as high as 85.94% within 2 h, and the degradation rate constant was 0.02352 min−1. The main advantages of the PS-NH2@FeSe2 catalyst were high stability and recyclability. Thus, the catalyst would not cause secondary pollution to the environment and could still achieve a degradation efficiency of nearly 70% for TC after five times of reuse. The possible catalytic degradation pathways and potential removal mechanisms were investigated through free-radical quenching experiments and HPLC-MS detection of intermediates generated through catalytic degradation. Column experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of the catalyst on the actual removal of wastewater, and a simple flow model was developed using Yellow River water to make the integration of theory and practice possible. In conclusion, the new idea constructed with FeSe2-loaded modified resin offers promising prospects in the removal of refractory organic compounds, such as tetracycline.
A Hybrid AHP Approach and GIS-Based Methods as Fundamental Tools in the SECAP’s Decision-Making Process
Authors: D’Orso Gabriele , Migliore Marco , Peri Giorgia , Rizzo Gianfranco
Published: February 2023

Adapting to climate change and mitigating its impacts are the main challenges for cities today. One objective that the European Commission has set in recent decades is reducing climate change inaction, and several political actions have been implemented. Among these actions, the Covenant of Mayors led to the development and adoption of Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs) by many cities worldwide. A challenge that local authorities must face during the development of a SECAP is the identification of the policies to be included in the plan. This paper presents a case study to show the validity of using a hybrid analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach and various geographic information system (GIS)-based methods to support local authorities in the decision-making process during the development of SECAPs. These methods can improve participation among the community and stakeholders, at the same time making it possible to choose the best actions to reduce emissions and energy consumption and optimally allocate financial resources.
Macro-Institutional Pressures and Firms’ Environmental Management Behavior: The Moderating Effect of Micro-Institutional Pressures
Authors: Ma Yuan , Wang Jing , Bai Yifan
Published: February 2023

How to promote firms’ environmental management behavior is a concern for academics. In order to explain the reasons why firms’ environmental management behavior exhibits heterogeneity from the institutional perspective, this paper seeks to investigate the relationship between macro-institutional pressures and firms’ environmental management behavior, with the moderating effects of micro-institutional pressures. Firms’ environmental management behavior is classified into substantive environmental management behavior and symbolic environmental management behavior. Macro-institutional pressures typically include environmental regulation, industry imitation, and media attention, while micro-institutional pressures include cognitive focus of executive and cognitive complexity of executive. A sample of 236 groups from 118 listed companies in China’s heavy-polluting industries is employed. It is found that environmental regulation is more likely to promote substantive environmental management behavior, while industry imitation and media attention are more likely to promote symbolic environmental management behavior. Moreover, cognitive focus of executive negatively moderates the relationship between environmental regulation and substantive environmental management behavior and the relationship between media attention and symbolic environmental management behavior. Cognitive complexity of executive positively moderates the relationship between macro-institutional pressures and firms’ environmental management behavior. The findings of this paper clarify the reasons for the heterogeneity of firms’ environmental management behavior from the institutional perspective, which contributes to improving the institutional environment, integrating executive cognition, and promoting firms’ environmental management behavior.
Applications of Orthogonal Polynomials in Simulations of Mass Transfer Diffusion Equation Arising in Food Engineering
Authors: Ali Ishtiaq , Saleem Maliha Tehseen
Published: February 2023

In this paper, Chebyshev polynomials—which are ultraspherical in the first and second kind and hence symmetric, while the third and fourth order are not ultraspherical and are hence non-symmetric—are used for the simulation of two-dimensional mass transfer equation arising during the convective air drying processes of food products subject to Robin and Neumann boundary conditions. These simulations are used to improve the quality of dried food products and for prediction of the moisture distributions. The equation is discretized in both temporal and special variables by using the second order finite difference scheme and spectral method based on Chebyshev polynomial with the help of fast Fourier transform on tensor product grid, respectively. A system of algebraic equations is obtained after applying the proposed numerical scheme, which is then solved by an appropriate iterative method. The error analysis of the proposed scheme is provided. Some numerical examples are presented to confirm the numerical efficiency and theoretical justification of the proposed scheme. Our numerical scheme has an exponential rate of convergence, which means that one can achieve a very accurate solution using a few collocation points, as opposed to the other available techniques which are very slow in terms of convergence and consume a lot of time. In order to further validate the accuracy of our numerical method, a comparison is made with the exact solution using different norms.