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To assess the efficiency of high-standard farmland construction (HSFC), this study utilized data spanning from 1998 to 2020 obtained from 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China. This assessment was conducted using a three-stage super-efficient slack-based measure data envelopment analysis(SBM-DEA)model. Furthermore, we investigated the spatial and temporal variances and convergence of HSFC efficiency using the Dagum Gini coefficient and convergence analysis. The results firstly show that from 2007 to 2020, China's HSFC efficiency displayed fluctuations and declines, significantly influenced by environmental and stochastic factors. Secondly, it showed that the gap in China's HSFC efficiency has widened, with super-variable density being demonstrated as the primary source of spatial imbalance in HSFC efficiency. Thirdly, it showed that the deviation in the efficiency of HSFC in the central region of China from the average level has shown a gradually declining trend, while the deviation in the efficiency of HSFC in the national, western, eastern, and northeastern regions has not presented a downward trend. Fourthly, it demonstrated that over time, the efficiency of building high-standard agriculture throughout the nation and its four main areas will converge to the same level. • The three-stage super efficiency model is used to measure the efficiency. • The efficiency of high-standard farmland construction is affected by external environmental factors. • The gap of construction efficiency in various parts of our country expands unceasingly. • Hypervariable density is the main source of spatial imbalance in the efficiency. • There was β absolute convergence and β conditional convergence across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In high–tech industries, Sn is an indispensable strategic metal. However, the pyrometallurgical refining process of crude Sn is marred by the production of a substantial amount of hazardous solid waste, primarily As–Al slag, which poses a direct threat to the ecological safety of production areas. To address this problem, this study developed a novel process for that eliminates As–Al slag from a source of crude Sn by employing a vacuum volatilization – fractional condensation process, which was validated by theoretical calculations and laboratory experiments. Theoretically, at system pressures in the 1–10 Pa, the initial volatilization temperatures of Sn, Sb, and As vary significantly. However, the formation of intermetallic compounds can induce the volatilization of Sn. Experimentally, the condensation temperature for Sb was predominantly between 603 K and 810 K, and that for As was between 331.7 K and 484.7 K, which are significantly different ranges. Under optimal experimental conditions, the separation rate of Sb in the Sn–Sb alloy was 93.92%, and the resultant Sn product contained 0.0143% Sb. During the volatilization of the Sn–As alloy, the presence of Sn 4 As 3 compounds impeded the volatilization of As; hoewver, the As content in the Sn product was 0.0053%. In the directional condensation of the As–Sb alloy, the condensation temperatures for As and Sb were similar to those of the pure metals, yielding As and Sb products with purities of 99.99% and 99.95%, respectively. Industrial production trials treating HACT via a continuous vacuum separation – intermittent vacuum separation process achieved direct recovery rates of 72.99% for Sn and 71.15% for Sb, with a total energy consumption as low as 1086 kWh/t. Similarly, the treatment of LACT via a multi–stage continuous vacuum separation process yielded residues that satisfied production standards at a treatment cost of 1187 RMB/t. This entire process requiresno additives, and substantially mitigates the generation of As–Al slag at the source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer has increased anthropogenic N 2 O emission in global croplands. Due to the advantage of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), the introduction of legume may lessen N 2 O emission intensity (emission/yield) in cereal field. Yet, this speculation lacks strong evidences and the relevant mechanistic explanations. A two-year field study was conducted using static chamber method (15N isotope labeling in fertilizer) in the mono- and inter-cropping fields with soybean introduced in maize field in semiarid rainfed Loess Plateau. The results indicated that maize-soybean intercropping showed 13 % lower N 2 O emission intensity than monocropping, attributed to 14 % and 20 % lower annually N 2 O emissions in intercropped zone than that of sole maize and soybean zones respectively. Also, a 15 % higher grain yield was observed in intercropped maize relative to that in sole maize. Particularly, during the peak time of emission following N fertilization and BNF within growing season, soybean introduction reduced 25 % and 24 % of N 2 O emissions in intercropped zone than sole maize and soybean zone respectively. It also favored maize plant with an additional 17 % more fertilizer-derived N, 21 % less soil-derived N and 30 kg N ha−1 soybean transferred-N from BNF. The contributions of N fertilization, BNF and soil initial organic N to N 2 O production were lessened in intercropping. In this case, the capacity of substrates N transformation into N 2 O emissions was lowered. Critically, soybean introduction reduced soil ammonia oxidation (as evidenced from amoA AOA and AOB gene abundance) in intercrops' rhizosphere, and increased soil nitrite reduction (nirS and nirK gene abundance) in maize rhizosphere, and improved soil N 2 O reduction to N 2 (nosZ gene abundance) in soybean rhizosphere. Therefore, soybean introduction optimized N source use for lower N 2 O emission intensity, via reducing the transformation of substrate N into N 2 O, and modifying the expression of nitrification and denitrification functional genes. [Display omitted] • Soybean introduction to maize field suppressed N 2 O emission after N fertilization. • It altered the composition of N sources and optimized their usage pattern in maize. • It significantly lowered the transformation of substrates N into N 2 O in maize field. • Mechanistically, it modified N 2 O functional key genes expression for less emission. • Soybean introduction was a nature-based solution to lessen N 2 O emission intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental pollution resulted from the stacking of solid wastes, and the 250 kg CO 2 emission caused by calcined a ton of kaolinite have become an urgent problem to be solved. In this study, a novel phosphoric acid-activated geopolymer was developed, which was composed of fly ash (FA), mechanically activated-kaolinite (MAK). The influences of phosphoric acid concentration, mechanical grinding duration, and curing temperature were investigated. Microstructural properties of FAMAK geopolymers were examined through a serious of tests. Furthermore, the Gibbs free energy and nano-scale structure characteristics of acid-activated hydration products were calculated for the first time by using density functional theory. The results show that the optimal mass ratio of FA to MAK is 7:3 with 8 mol/L phosphoric acid, which led to the maximum compressive strength of 36.6 MPa at 56-day. Besides, the optimal grinding time is 3 h and temperature is 40 °C. Moreover, the content of silicon promotes the polymerization reaction. The valence and bonding of aluminum are primarily affected by its coordination number. The key outcomes in this study provides a low-carbon cementitious materials, which can achieve the double benefits of carbon reduction and the utilization of solid wastes. • Mechanically activated kaolinite (MAK) can be used to replace metakaolin. • A novel high-strength FA-MAK acid-activated geopolymer was developed. • The optimal synthesis conditions are 3 h grinding and 40 °C curing. • The strength development and polymerization mechanism were revealed. • The nano-scale structure and properties of hydration products were calculated by DFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Model experiment is one of the research methods for the fundamental theory of coal mine dust control. To address the current deficiencies in experiment development for research on dust migration rules, a scaled model for dust dispersion in a fully-mechanized mining face was constructed based on the design prototype of the 25211 mining face at the Hongliulin mine, using a similar theory. The model includes a mining face, a return airway, a haulage roadway, and a subsidiary roadway constructed using aluminum alloy profiles and tempered glass. The model uses U-shaped exhaust ventilation. The shearer, hydraulic support, and reverse loader are equipped with dust sources, and each dust source operates independently with distinct dust generation processes that do not interfere with each other. An experimental plan for dust diffusion during shearer dust generation was designed with a wind speed of 1.0 m/s. Preliminary model experiment was conducted based on this model. The results showed that the farther away from the dust source, the lower the dust concentration. The relative mass distribution and cumulative mass distribution of falling dust particles also showed that the farther away from the dust source, the smaller the particle size of the falling dust particles. The maximum size distribution decreased from 51.4 μm to 27.9 μm, and the average particle size decreased from 34.9 μm to 20.6 μm. The test model results were validated by field tests, indicating that the constructed model has good reliability. Finally, the critical areas for future research based on this model were proposed. The development of the model provides valuable experimental support for the theory of multi-source dust transportation in the airflow on the fully-mechanized mining face. [Display omitted] • Developed a systematic scaled model for dust dispersion in mining faces. • The model is capable of conducting multi-source dust dispersion experiments. • Experiment results and on-site data have verified the reliability of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel triethylenetetramine (TEAE) modified chitosan microbeads with multicavity structure encapsulated in alginate backbone (named as HCTA) was fabricated for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution. Cr(VI) removal was investigated in batch and column modes. FTIR, SEM-EDS, XRD and XPS, etc. were utilized for characterization of the composites. Multiple mechanisms such as electrostatic interaction, reduction reaction, chelation and cation-exchange involved in the adsorption process. Binary combination of matrix and fillers contributed to highly efficient Cr(VI) removal in a wide pH range (2–10), whereas Na+, Ca2+, Al3+, Cl−, NO 3 − and SO 4 2− had minimal effects on the removal performance. The experimental maximum adsorption capacity was ∼291.3 mg/g at the optimal pH 3.0, much higher than that of alginate beads (∼26.1 mg/g); a three-stage kinetics behavior was observed with ∼50% of the maximum Cr(VI) adsorption capacity within 60 min; the increase of temperature was favorable for adsorption. The experimental data were fitted well to the Freundlich model and the pseudo-second-order model in batch system. The Thomas model was fitted better than Bohart-Adams model with breakthrough curves under different influent flow rate in a column system. Moreover, HCTA beads showed good chemical and mechanical stability for alkali resistance even at high saline conditions. Crucially, excellent reusability of HCTA beads was observed after nine cycles. These results make the novel HCTA beads a promising candidate for Cr(VI) removal in certain practical wastewater. Image 1 • TEAE-modified chitosan with multicavity encapsulated in alginate matrix was prepared. • Highly efficient Cr(VI) removal in a wide pH range. • It exhibits good adaptability and high mechanical and chemical stability. • A better adsorption capacity than most of reported similar adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Based on the Copeland-Toylor model, this paper constructs a mathematical model to analyze the impact of industrial production scale expansion on the discharge of industrial pollutants. The analysis shows that expanding the industrial production scale can increase industrial pollution emissions. Due to the uneven distribution of the industrial production scale and emissions of industrial waste in the spatial pattern, the effect of the industrial production scale on industrial waste emissions differs among regions. This model is then applied to the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2000 to 2015. The results show that the industrial production scale can aggravate the discharge of industrial pollutants, and the effect on industrial waste water is considerably stronger than that of both industrial waste gas and industrial waste. Moreover, the impact on micro pollutant emissions shows apparent regional differences. Based on the theory of externality, governmental action should balance the social gains of industrial production with the social costs of pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Previous studies had shown that the virtual water flows had intensified local water scarcity of China. There is an urgent need to identify the drivers of virtual water flows and provide the potential options to reduce the impact of virtual water flows on regional water scarcity. Based on the multi-regional input-output model and structural decomposition analysis, we evaluated the redistribution of water withdrawal within China in 2002, 2007 and 2012, and then revealed the hidden driving forces of the changes in virtual water flows. For a specific province, the drivers had been divided into local and the rest of China. Here we found that: (1) The share of virtual water flows in interregional trade to total water withdrawal had increased (from 20.1% to 40.5%) during the study period. (2) The direction of virtual water flows has reversed between some Chinese regions. Northwest and Northeast regions have become the major virtual water exporters. (3) The virtual water flows hidden in traded products of agriculture, electricity and the chemical industry accounted for more than 83% of total virtual water flows. (4) Local efficiency gains and consumption pattern changes in other provinces were the main drivers for changes in virtual water flows. The water-scarce Northwest and Northeast of China had further increased virtual water export to the water-rich provinces in southern China. This trend could be curbed by improving water use efficiency and restraining water-intensive consumption. Our results could pinpoint areas to invest in water use efficiency and provide guidance for areas to restrain water-intensive consumption. Highlights • The study evaluated interprovincial virtual water flows in China during 2002–2012. • The main drivers for the changes in virtual water flows have been analyzed. • Virtual water flows play an increasingly role in water use of China. • The direction of virtual water flows has changed from 2002 to 2012. • Water use efficiency and consumption pattern were the major drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Prefabrication is considered an important solution to tackle the issues of construction waste generation, and the high-risk and labour-intensive activities associated with conventional construction methods. This study assesses the key hindrances of adopting prefabrication and provides recommendations for promoting prefabrication in Hong Kong. Twenty-two hindrances were identified in the literature and classified in six groups. A questionnaire survey and face-to-face interviews were conducted to examine the level of importance of the barriers, and to provide comprehensive analyses of each hindrance. The most significant hindrances were "Inflexible for design change", "Lack storage space on site", "Long lead-in time", "Long design time", "High initial cost" and "High total cost". Based on the findings of the survey and interviews, six recommendations were proposed to promote the usage of prefabrication in Hong Kong such as "Just-In-Time management", "BIM technology", "Legislation for refabrication", "Potential government measures", "Encouragement of design and building procure" and "Increase the consumer's confidence". Highlights • Lack storage space on site is a major hindrance to using prefabrication in dense cities. • Inflexible for late design change is a major hindrance to using prefabrication. • Just-in-time delivery & BIM optimize prefabricated building process in dense cities. • Implementation of legislation for prefabrication can promote its use. • Adoption of design and build procurement method can promote prefabrication use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural gas is a clean energy source with many benefits and its proportion in the energy consumption structure in China has been gradually increasing over the recent years. Since the price of natural gas in China has been controlled and maintained at a relatively low level by the government, reforming the natural gas industry in China has been the matter of much attention in light of its macroeconomic effects on the overall economy. Using the Computable General Equilibrium model and the 2012 Social Accounting Matrix, the results show increases in natural gas prices lead to an increase in the consumer price index (CPI) and lead to reductions in GDP. The chemical industry sector is strongly influenced by a natural gas price increase. Furthermore, chemical fertilizer manufacturing industry and chemical products’ manufacturing have very significant effects in China. Therefore the government may gradually establish and improve the management of natural gas price to avoid negative effects, and implement a differential price as the industries exhibit different levels of resistance in response to natural gas price changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of the era of big data, large-dimensional spatial panel data is gradually used to do empirical research in the macroeconomic field. This paper adopts a Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA) approach to calculate regional energy efficiency based on the perspective of total-factor energy efficiency using statistical data of 30 administrative regions in China. On basis of spatial effects, the paper assesses the convergence of regional energy efficiency in China using large-dimensional spatial panel data model. Our results indicate that (1) There is significant spatial autocorrelation and clear spatial effects in China's regional energy efficiency. Thus, spatial effects should not be ignored when assessing the convergence of regional energy efficiency in China; (2) During the period from 2000 to 2014 China's regional energy efficiency not only exhibits absolute β -convergence but also exhibits conditional β -convergence, the convergence rate is higher than the rate of absolute convergence after controlling for the initial conditions of the level of economic development, foreign direct investment and government influence; (3) The convergence rate of China's regional energy efficiency from 2004 to 2014 is higher than the convergence rate for the period of 2000–2004, which indicates that industry transfer has contributed to improvement in the convergence of regional energy efficiency in China since 2004. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sludge is a major carrier of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs), and the major environmental source of ARGs following its application to land. Antibiotics and ARGs of fermentation products need to be effectively removed before application on land. In this study, antibiotic removal and ARG fate following the application of conventional aerobic fermentation (CAF) and hyperthermophilic aerobic fermentation (HAF) were investigated. HAF exhibited high efficiency in antibiotic degradation, with 89.9% NOR biodegraded during the stage Ⅰ in HAF process. Temperature influenced antibiotic degradation dynamics in HAF to a greater extent than other abiotic factors, and antibiotic reduction in HAF group was negatively correlated with Bacillus abundance (p < 0.01). ARGs and MGEs in the HAF group decreased rapidly at stage Ⅰ and the ARG-removal rate in the HAF group was higher than that in the CAF group. All the bacteria significantly and negatively co-occurred with ARGs, and MGEs were Bacillaceae. Risk Quotients (RQs) for different fermentation product application scenarios in land were evaluated; the RQ NOR value of stage Ⅰ was 26.99% less than that of the CAF group under a 20 t/ha amendment rate. Overall, the HAF process could achieve low risk over a shorter time than the CAF process. [Display omitted] • HAF achieved stabilization (10 d) was significantly shorter than that of CAF (32d). • Antibiotics and ARGs decreased rapidly and simultaneously in stage Ⅰ in HAF. • 89.9% of NOR was degraded on stage Ⅰ in HAF process. • Temperature and Bacillus facilitated the reduction of Antibiotic and ARGs. • HAF process can achieve low risk over a shorter time than the CAF process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sludge is a major carrier of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs), and the major environmental source of ARGs following its application to land. Antibiotics and ARGs of fermentation products need to be effectively removed before application on land. In this study, antibiotic removal and ARG fate following the application of conventional aerobic fermentation (CAF) and hyperthermophilic aerobic fermentation (HAF) were investigated. HAF exhibited high efficiency in antibiotic degradation, with 89.9% NOR biodegraded during the stage Ⅰ in HAF process. Temperature influenced antibiotic degradation dynamics in HAF to a greater extent than other abiotic factors, and antibiotic reduction in HAF group was negatively correlated with Bacillus abundance (p < 0.01). ARGs and MGEs in the HAF group decreased rapidly at stage Ⅰ and the ARG-removal rate in the HAF group was higher than that in the CAF group. All the bacteria significantly and negatively co-occurred with ARGs, and MGEs were Bacillaceae. Risk Quotients (RQs) for different fermentation product application scenarios in land were evaluated; the RQ NOR value of stage Ⅰ was 26.99% less than that of the CAF group under a 20 t/ha amendment rate. Overall, the HAF process could achieve low risk over a shorter time than the CAF process. [Display omitted] • HAF achieved stabilization (10 d) was significantly shorter than that of CAF (32d). • Antibiotics and ARGs decreased rapidly and simultaneously in stage Ⅰ in HAF. • 89.9% of NOR was degraded on stage Ⅰ in HAF process. • Temperature and Bacillus facilitated the reduction of Antibiotic and ARGs. • HAF process can achieve low risk over a shorter time than the CAF process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology-enabled bike-sharing services are increasingly being regarded as effective means of reducing air pollution. However, their actual impact on urban air pollution, especially the factors that might amplify these environmental benefits, is still not well understood. Taking advantage of Ofo and Mobike's staggered entry into 98 major Chinese cities as a quasi-natural experiment, this study empirically examines the impact of technology-enabled dockless bike-sharing services on air pollution and its heterogeneity using a difference-in-differences approach. The results show that there is significant heterogeneity in the impact of the entry of bike-sharing services on urban air pollution, while the overall effect is not significant. Specifically, the reduction effect of dockless bike-sharing service entry on air pollution is greater in cities with larger urban populations, longer average commute times, and higher public transit use, and the increase in traffic congestion further amplifies such effects. This study serves as the first empirical analysis of the impact of bike-sharing services on air pollution, providing important and valuable references for policymakers to better utilize these services to improve air quality and develop sustainable urban transport systems. • Empirically examines the air pollution reduction effect of bike-sharing services. • Notable heterogeneity effects are observed, but overall effect is not significant. • Pollution reduction effect of DBS is greater in large cities with heavy traffic. • Urban commuting features also moderate the pollution reduction effect of DBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilization of coal tailings (CTs) to enable ammonia (NH 3) capture is of interest from pollution control and waste management perspectives. In this work, CTs were surface modified by air oxidation at different temperatures and varying duration to increase the uptake of NH 3. The CTs treated at 300 and 250 °C for 5 h achieved an NH 3 uptake of 52.5 and 45.3 mg g−1, respectively, which was significantly higher than that of the untreated CT (2.1 mg g−1). A linear relationship between NH 3 uptake and concentration of acidic surface functional groups was found (R2 = 0.99). Spectroscopic analysis showed that NH 3 can be retained on the oxidized CT through chemisorption involving carboxylic groups, leading to the formation of amides. Kinetic studies in the temperature range of 200–300 °C revealed an activation energy of 50.2 kJ mol−1 for the formation of acidic surface functional groups on CTs. These comparably mild conditions for the oxidative surface modification make CTs versatile and readily available materials for reducing agricultural NH 3 emissions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we used the logarithmic mean Divisia index method to investigate the impact of urbanization on renewable energy consumption growth (RECG). The growth in renewable energy consumption is attributed to the urbanization effect, energy mix effect, energy intensity effect, economic effect, and population effect; RECG can be roughly divided into the slow growth stage, the fluctuant growth stage, and the accelerated growth stage. The results showed that the energy mix effect, economic effect, and population effect positively affected RECG. However, a significantly negative relationship was found between energy intensity and RECG. Furthermore, the contribution of urbanization differed in RECG stages, and urbanization contributed more to the total energy consumption growth than to RECG. This study would thus provide policymakers with insights about the link between urbanization and renewable energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cap-and-trade and carbon tax are two emission regulations widely used to curb the carbon emissions generated from firms. Based on economic order quantity (EOQ) model, this paper examines the production lot-sizing issues of a firm under these two regulations, respectively. The optimal lot-size and emissions under the two regulations are achieved. We then investigate the impacts of production and regulation parameters on the optimal lot-size and emissions. Furthermore, we compare the firm's optimal carbon emissions under the two regulations. It is found that under the cap-and-trade regulation, the firm's decisions of the optimal emissions as well as permits trading depend on the differentiated permits trading prices. If setup incurs the same cost as holding incurs per unit of generated emissions, both regulations always lead to the same optimal emissions (which is also equal to that without emission regulation). Otherwise, neither regulation always leads to lower emissions than the other does. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloromethyl styrene-divinylbenzene (PS–Cl) resin was usually chemically modified for the adsorption of heavy metal ions in wastewater. However, this work will introduce a new application of resin for catalytic degradation of antibiotics. The core-shell PS-NH 2 @MIL-53(Fe) catalyst was fabricated by simple two-step route including chemical synthesis and step-by-step self-assembly strategy. The catalysts exhibited excellent catalytic activity toward the degradation of tetracycline (TC) in the presence of H 2 O 2 , with a degradation efficiency and degradation rate constant (k) of 94.15% and 0.05643 min−1 within initial 20 min, respectively. Moreover, the mineralization and stability of PS-NH 2 @MIL-53(Fe) both showed excellent performance. The advantage of PS-NH 2 @MIL-53(Fe) is that the degradation efficiency of TC could be modulated by the number of self-assembly. Additionally, we utilized the Yellow River water to explore the effect of the catalyst for TC removal in the actual wastewater treatment. Meanwhile, several possible catalytic degradation pathways were analyzed on the basis of using HPLC-MS to detect the intermediates generated in the process of catalytic degradation, and a potential catalytic degradation mechanism was proposed. In brief, the new application of amination resin modified by MIL-53(Fe) in catalytic degradation of TC shows promising prospect, especially in the field of environmental remediation. • The conventional chloromethyl styrene-divinylbenzene resin was explored the new application for TC degradation. • The amination resin was combined with MIL-53(Fe) by step-by-step self-assembly strategy for the first time. • The removal efficiency of the catalyst for TC could be controlled by the self-assembly number. • The catalyst showed good application prospect through column experiment with The Yellow River for TC removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversified crop rotation is crucial for maintaining sustainable agricultural production by improving resource use efficiency, balancing soil nutrients, and preserving biodiversity. Despite these benefits, there is a notable gap in research concerning the nutrient transport characteristics in cash crop-grain rotation systems. This study was to investigate: (i) the nitrogen (N) uptake and distribution among the different plant organs in rotation crops; (ii) the N footprint in different growth seasons in response to crop N fertilization and residual N in the soil; and (iii) the influence of environmental factors on the productivity and N footprint in cash-grain rotation systems. In the three-year rotation system, N fertilizer was applied at the rates of 220, 175, and 130 kg N eq ha−1 for maize, and 300 and 240 kg N eq ha−1 for garlic. Results showed that maintaining a high N application rate during the garlic season and appropriately reducing it during the maize season (G300M175) enhanced N transfer to the grains of maize, increasing maize N use efficiency by 18.9%, while simultaneously increasing garlic dry matter and N accumulation. While the maize yield remained stable, garlic yield decreased with the reduced N rate, resulting in a significant reduction in N footprint. Water supplies (precipitation and irrigation) positively impacted dry matter accumulation, N absorption and yield, while reducing N footprint in both crops. Elevated air temperature favored maize yield but hindered garlic production and raised garlic N footprint. Although N fertilizer increased N footprint per unit land area (NFa), it decreased the N footprint per unit N uptake by crops (NFn) while boosting crop yields. Maintaining a suitable N input rate for cash crops in previous season while reducing N input in the following season staple crops can enhance the whole systems' productivity while decreasing the nitrogen footprint. Schematic diagram of the nitrogen footprint of the garlic-maize rotation production system. [Display omitted] • N uptake of nitrogen footprint (NF) is a critical indicator for evaluating the NF. • High N application rate in the garlic season is beneficial for reducing NF. • Reducing N application rate in the garlic season decreases maize yield. • High temperatures increase maize production but decrease garlic production. • N fertilizer has a higher impact on garlic season production than maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global trade may lead to unequal distribution of CO 2 emissions and economic benefits among countries. While regional carbon inequality within a country driven by specific foreign consumers is rarely discussed. Taking China as an example, this study constructed a nested MRIO table to trace the CO 2 emissions & value-added flows between each province of China (30 in total) and 18 other countries/regions, and measured the provincial carbon inequality based on emission terms of trade (ETT), emission-value (EV), carbon-Gini coefficient indicators triggered by these global consumers. Here we show that most provinces are net emission exporters and almost half of China's provinces suffered both environmental and economic losses in international trade. What is worse, it triggered severe regional imbalance of emissions and economic gains within China. The less developed western provinces with high emission intensity are always at a disadvantage in international trade, but some eastern provinces are on the favorable side. The consumption of the EU caused the most severe carbon inequality among provinces. These findings provide further information to relieve trade-induced carbon inequality at a refined scale and give inspiration to build more equitable trading mechanisms globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterprises are essential to the realization of sustainable development in human society. However, there is still a lack of simulation models that can dynamically explain, predict and evaluate the complexity of enterprise sustainable development. Therefore, this paper adopts the method of system dynamics to construct a low-carbon sustainable development level model of enterprise. The four indicators of low-carbon economic benefits, low-carbon technology stock, low-carbon human resources, and CO 2 emissions reflect the level of low-carbon sustainable development of enterprises. The results show that the level of low-carbon sustainable development of enterprises is not high (<0.6); low-carbon human resources have two stages of decline and rise; government supervision and low-carbon technology can significantly reduce CO 2 emissions. However, multi-scenario simulation results show that in the early stage of low-carbon sustainable development of enterprise, excessive government supervision will reduce the low-carbon economic benefits of enterprise. Within 10 years, policy supervision can reduce CO 2 emissions by up to 67% and increase low-carbon benefits by 17%; low-carbon technology can reduce CO 2 emissions by up to 60% and increase low-carbon benefits 33%. The government and enterprises should formulate appropriate policies and strategies based on the level of low-carbon sustainable development of enterprises. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circulating fluidized bed fly ash (CFBFA) is a harmful by-product of CFB boiler in power plant, which is difficult to be treated because it contains f-CaO and SO 3. In this research, CFBFA based multi-solid wastes road base materials (CRM) composed of CFBFA, Bayer red mud (RM), OPC and coal gangue aggregate are produced. It is interesting to see that SO 3 and f-CaO are utilized in CRM. The durability of CRM is improved by the synergistic effect of CFBFA and RM. The results proves that CFBFA containing SO 3 makes the unrestricted compressive strength (UCS) of CRM reach the highest (6.14 MPa) at 7 days when (Ca + Na)/(Al + Si) mass ratio is 0.39, which satisfies the road base strength requirements. Meanwhile, CRM37 has the best volume stability because f-CaO compensates for CRM37 vol shrinkage. The main hydration gel products of CRM are C/N-A-S-H gel and ettringite, which are beneficial to amelioration of the UCS and durability. The densest microstructure and optimal [Si (Al)O 4 ] polymerization structure is embodied in CRM37. The leaching results showed that Na+ and heavy metals satisfies the WHO drinking water safety standard. Therefore, this work presents a feasible reference for the comprehensive utilization of CFBFA and multi-solid wastes. [Display omitted] • Volume shrinkage of CRM is compensated by expansion characteristics of f-CaO. • The durability of CRM37 is improved by the synergistic effect of CFBFA and red mud. • The early compressive strength of CRM is enhanced because CFBFA contains SO 3. • CRM shows high [Si (Al)O 4 ] polymer structure when (CaO + Na 2 O)/(Al 2 O 3 +SiO 2) = 0.39. • CRM is CFBFA based multi-solid wastes road base materials with 97 wt% solid waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Semi-Transparent Photovoltaic (STPV) Window is a new form of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), which not only can generate electricity, but also improve indoor light and thermal environment. The STPV window was designed, manufactured and applied on a test building. Energy and environmental benefits were studied. The research site is located in an area with solar radiation diversification. The parameters of the life cycle assessment (LCA) model are derived from the database, experimental data and the electricity simulation model. The two important indicators, energy payback time (EPBT) and greenhouse gas payback time (GPBT), are selected to analysis this system, and another seven environmental indicators are considered for different aspects. According to the research findings, the EPBT of the STPV window is 13.8 years, and the GPBT 10.4 years, which are both less than the preset service life of 25 years. The results show that the STPV window can reduce pollution and the waste of non-renewable resources. The optimization analysis connected with the LCA study was carried out based on the critical parameters of the STPV window application in buildings. Optimal directions and preferable locations can result in the STPV window being more economical and sustainable. With increase of the window-to-wall ratio (WWR) and the coverage ratio of PV cells, the EPBT and GPBT gradually become shorter. Following to the research findings, suggestions are put forward to effectively reduce the life cycle cost of BIPV systems. • The LCA analysis is based on a practical case study of the STPV windows. • The LCA model are combined with experiment and the electricity simulation model. • Optimization parameters of the STPV windows are considered for LCA analysis. • The life cycle performance of the STPV window was evaluated by various indexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood adhesives containing toxic aldehyde-based adhesives play a vital role in the performance of wood-based panels, while the mechanical properties and water and mildew resistance of aldehyde-free adhesives are lacking. In this study, a high-strength aldehyde-free adhesive was constructed via a combination of physical and chemical crosslinks. Inexpensive alum was used to ensure a high degree of crosslinking and to increase the crystallinity. Metal ions in alum opened the protein helix, exposed the active groups, increased the number of hydrogen bonds, and ultimately improved the internal physical crosslinking ability of the adhesive. The compound formed by the Schiff base reaction formed coordination bonds with metal ions, thus forming a covalently-crosslinked network. The high-strength polymer produced in this study contained multiple physical and covalent crosslinks, resulting in significantly improved mechanical properties of the adhesive. Its water-resistant adhesive strength reached 1.96 MPa, which was 180.2% higher than that of ordinary phytogenic protein adhesive (0.69 MPa), and it can still reach 1.28 MPa after hot water circulation soaking experiment. The adhesive also possessed antifungal properties and flame-retardant capabilities, achieving a V-1 rating in the UL-94 test. This strategy expanded the application of phytogenic protein adhesives in environmentally friendly wood composite materials by replacing synthetic resins that released formaldehyde and provided an economical and feasible industrial scale production method for the preparation of high strength, water, and mildew resistant, flame retardant indoor and outdoor wood-based panels. • High-strength adhesive was prepared through synergistic physical-chemical processes. • Alum was used as a low-cost reactive inorganic crosslinker. • The water-resistant bonding strength of the adhesive reached 1.96 MPa. • Adhesive and its homologous particleboard show anti-mildew and fire-retardant traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetracycline (TC) and Cu2+ often coexist in water process and can form TC-Cu complexes. How to effectively remove them from water is becoming an exasperating problem. In current work, electrocoagulation (EC) via bipolar connection was developed to eliminate TC-Cu complexes from water and Fe anode was found to outperform Al anode. Characterization techniques such as XRD, FTIR, UV–vis spectra and UPLC-MS/MS analyses were carried out to explore possible mechanisms using Fe EC. The impacts of main factors including current density, conductivity and TC/Cu molar ratio (2:1, 1:1 and 1:2) were investigated. Results show that as for the three systems with different TC/Cu molar ratios, when the initial pH was 4.3, current density of 4.17 A/m2, conductivity of 1000 μS/cm, the removal of TC, TOC and Cu2+ all reached the maximum after the reaction of 15 min, which was separately 100%, 80.2% and 88.1%, implying excellent mineralization of organic contaminants. EC process displayed high electrodegradation efficiency towards TC-Cu complexes. Appropriate amount of Cu2+ could promote the TC degradation via its catalysis. TC and Cu2+ could be removed via adsorption, hydrogen bond association and coprecipitation by freshly-formed metal hydroxides (green rust, γ-FeOOH and Cu(OH) 2). Electroreduction and flotation during EC process could also contribute to the partial removal of Cu2+. The operation cost under the optimum conditions was estimated as 0.050 USD/m3 of treated water. Current study indicates that Fe electrocoagulation was a promising technology for the removal of TC-Cu complexes in water and wastewater treatment. • Electrocoagulation was developed for the removal of TC-Cu complexes. • Electrocoagulation with Fe anode was found to outperform that with Al anode. • TC removal reached up to 100% under the optimum operating condition by Fe EC. • High TOC removal efficiency showed excellent mineralization of organic pollutants. • Electrical energy consumption in this study was lower than that in mostly studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the environment pollution from biolubricant synthesis, in this study, we developed a green and efficient strategy for the preparation of octylated branched biolubricant from waste cooking oil (WCO): (1) WCO was first hydrolyzed by a lipase (Candida sp. 99–125) to produce unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), the latter was subsequently concentrated by urea complexation; (2) Next, we synthesized new esters using the UFAs as substrate via esterification with 2-ethylhexanol employing lipase (Novozym 435) and the new esters products were further epoxidated; (3) After that, the epoxy group was attacked by a low-cost nucleophilic reagent, octanoic acid, to prepare octylated branched biolubricant using an recyclable ionic liquid, [HMIm][PF 6 ], as catalyst. After three recycling times, [HMIm][PF 6 ] remained catalytic activity with a conversion yield of 81.22% and selectivity of 82.10%. The obtained product showed excellent lubricant properties, such as low pour point of −61 °C, high viscosity index of 149 and high thermal-oxidation stability (onset temperature of 326.35 °C and oxidative onset temperature of 312.06 °C). The high frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR) measurement demonstrated that lubrication performance (friction coefficient of 0.09 and wear spot diameter of 203 μm) was much better than that of mineral based lubricant with the same viscosity grade. Therefore, this study provided a critical synthetic strategy for preparing high-performance biolubricants from WCO. Image 1 • An innovative strategy of biolubricant preparation from waste cooking oil was proposed. • Modification on unsaturated sites catalyzed by lipases and ionic liquid. • [HMIm][PF 6 ] remained high stabilization after three recycling times. • Biolubricant exhibited excellent pour point, thermo-oxidative stability and lubrication performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria (HOB) can utilize hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide as electron donor, electron acceptor, and carbon source, respectively. These bacteria can convert hydrogen and carbon dioxide to biomass which is different from hydrophilic denitrification. "Power to HOB", a new supplementary to "Power to Gas", was proposed and demonstrated in this study, in which HOB were cultivated via in-situ consuming hydrogen generated by water electrolysis. The objects of this work were to explore the effect of current density on HOB activity and microbial community. The results showed good activity of enriched HOB that the nitrate consumption rate was 21 mg/L/d in batch and continuous modes under the current density (CD) of 2.14 mA/cm2. The cyclic voltammetry curve demonstrated the electric activity of HOB that redox peaks were 0.330 V and 0.195 V at corresponding CDs of 2.14 mA/cm2 and 4.29 mA/cm2, respectively. Finally, the community spectra revealed that the percentage of Cupriavidus sp. TA19 decreased by 15.59% (2.14 mA/cm2 vs 4.29 mA/cm2), and Pseudonocardia sp. YK32 increased by 38.31%. Moreover, Cupriavidus sp. TA19 was reported as HOB for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA, degradable plastics) production. Pseudonocardia sp. YK32 was also reported as HOB and the function was unknown. Thus, "Power to HOB" can be a new supplementary to "Power to Gas" and the results extend HOB applications. Image 1 • HOB are successfully cultivated with water electrolysis. • Current density effect is related with ATPase activity and N consumption rate. • The current density affects the microbial community of HOB. • "Power to HOB" can be a new supplementary for "Power to Gas". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to find new, improved ways to reduce CO 2 emissions and treat phosphogypsum (PG) waste. This research proposes an energy-efficient methodology for the production of pure calcium carbonate and CO 2 mineral sequestration (CMS) by hydrolysate of PG decomposition products. The technical feasibility of this process and the influence of process variables on CMS were investigated using online experiments. Pure calcium carbonate was obtained by CO 2 separation and mineralization using the hydrolysis solution of PG decomposition products. A carbonization rate greater than 90% was obtained when the liquid phase absorption reached saturation. In addition, lower temperatures and higher CO 2 partial pressures favoured CMS. To confirm the operating strategy underlying calcium carbonate crystallization, real-time experiments data obtained from process analytical technologies (PATs) and solutions of population balance equations were used to determine parameters of crystallization kinetic models. The match between model simulation experiments and online experimental results throughout the crystallization process confirms the robustness of our findings. Image 103028 • We developed an efficient process for CO 2 mineral sequestration (CMS) and phosphogypsum waste treatment. • Effects of process variables on CMS were investigated, obtaining a carbonization rate higher than 90%. • The kinetic mechanisms of the reactive crystallization process of calcium carbonate were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved understanding of the influence of growth rates under different disposabilities on low-carbon sustainable production performance (LCSPP) can aid China's manufacturing industries (MIs) to synchronize productivity enhancement and carbon emission abatement. To demonstrate the relationship between the growth rates under different disposabilities and their LCSPP well, this work provides the following contributions: (a) The effects of growth rate on LCSPP under different development models are analyzed using the disposability framework in economics; (b) the data envelopment analysis (DEA) model for estimating industrial LCSPP is explored by incorporating a non-radial and non-oriented directional distance function (NNDDF) into the DEA environmental assessment; (c) the effects of growth rate on LCSPP under different disposabilities are evaluated by applying econometric models in China's MIs between 2001 and 2015. Results show that growth rates negatively influence the improvement of the LCSPP of China's MIs. The effect on LCSPP is stronger under natural disposability than under managerial disposability. Low-end MIs and heavy chemical industries exert considerable efforts on their economies, while light industries and high-end MIs provide considerable efforts on environmental performance. Some important policy implications are presented on the basis of theoretical analysis and empirical conclusions. • Growth rate influences the LCSPP improvement of MIs in China's MIs negatively. • Developmental model influences LCSPP significantly. • Environmental governance contributes to the improvement of LCSPP. • R&D density has positive effects on the LCSPP. • FDI has negative effect on the LCSPP under natural disposability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the panel data of 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China (excluding Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan), a threshold regression model was used to empirically analyze the impact of environmental regulation and foreign investment behavior on the amount and intensity of carbon emissions. The results showed that: First, there is a significant inverted "U"-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and carbon emissions. With improved environmental regulation, the positive effects of environmental regulation in reducing the amount and intensity of carbon emissions are more obvious. Next, foreign investment behavior under environmental regulations can reduce the amount and intensity of carbon emissions. Finally, In terms of regional heterogeneity, foreign investment behavior in the eastern and central regions can curb carbon emissions, the opposite effect is seen in the western region. With improved environmental regulations for relatively high–emission intensity regions, foreign direct investment (FDI) in low–emission intensity regions can significantly reduce carbon emissions. It is necessary to formulate differentiated environmental regulation based on regional development. Foreign investment behavior should be standardized to improve the quality of FDI and avoid making China a "pollution paradise" for FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution presents a serious public health risk globally, particularly in fast industrializing countries such as China. Effectiveness of local air pollution control measures is influenced by external forces such as atmospheric emission transport and interprovincial trade. However, there is lack of research on comparison of these two indicators and local indicators (e.g. per capita income and emissions) determines the responsibility allocation in pollution control. In this paper, cross-provincial air pollution is stimulated via atmospheric transport (atmospheric linkage indicator) based on Weather Research and Forecasting/Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (WRF/CAMx) model. The air pollutants embodied in interprovincial trade (trade linkage indicator) was studied by using the latest multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model. This study revealed the significant influence of atmospheric transport on neighboring provinces. However, transport of trade-induced embodied emissions affects both neighboring areas and larger areas. According to aggregation analysis of these two indicators, in most provinces of China, direction of atmospheric transport contradicts to that of the trade-induced transport. These findings are used to analyze the rationality of regional differences in environmental tax rate in the new environmental protection tax law of China. By comparing the local and interregional linkage indicators, we found the current environment tax for air pollutants was mainly affected by per capita income whereas other environment and linkage indicators show little correlation. Therefore, we integrated environment and linkage indicators to propose adjusted provincial environment tax rates plan for air pollutants as a cost sharing mechanism. The results of this paper provide novel perspective for central government to adjust fairness environmental responsibility between provinces of China by tax policy. Image 1 • Cross-provincial air pollution via atmospheric transport was simulated by WRF/CAMx. • Interprovincial air pollution embodied in trade was traced using MRIO model. • The influence range via trade is greater than that of atmospheric transport. • The environmental tax rate is advised to be adjusted base on linkage indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As pressure on resources and the environment continues to intensify, the development of the automobile industry must maintain its momentum. At the same time, the demand for the transition of the national economy to a more sustainable style is increasing. Under such circumstances, the new energy vehicle industry has drawn increasing attention in China and abroad. This nascent industry requires supportive policies from the government for its success. The purpose of this study is to compare the similarities and differences of new energy vehicle-related policies for developing new energy vehicles in China, Japan, Germany, and the United States (U.S.). Based on the analytic hierarchy process-entropy weight method (i.e., AHP-EW model), a combination of subjectivity and objectivity, we adopt a quantitative method to appraise the new energy vehicle development situation in these four countries with a series of indexes, such as technological innovation, market development status, and infrastructure construction level. The results show that Germany is the strongest in terms of comprehensive measurements, followed by China, the U.S., and Japan. In this ranking, the U.S. shows the strongest technological innovation abilities; China is number one in marketing; and Japan is first in infrastructure construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow boiling stands out as an efficient mode of heat transfer with significant potential for reducing carbon footprint. Based on a coupled Volume-of-Fluid and Level Set (VOSET) method, this numerical study reveals the microlayer and its evaporative heat flux distributions, as well as the effects of microlayer evaporation and depletion on bubble dynamic behavior, flow pattern, wall superheat distribution, and boiling crisis for the flow boiling in a mini-channel. These aspects are firstly comprehensively reported by the numerical method. Results indicate that the rapid evaporation of a thin microlayer positioned beneath elongated bubbles significantly contributes to heat dissipation during flow boiling in a mini-channel. The heat flux through the microlayer surpasses 300 kW/m2, accounting for approximately 42% of heat dissipation at 200 kW/m2. Furthermore, this contribution increases to over 70% as the heat flux exceeds 500 kW/m2. As a result, in comparison to scenarios without microlayers, the presence of microlayers results in an average heat transfer coefficient (HTC) that is 3.97 times larger within the range of 200–500 kW/m2. Additionally, microlayer evaporation delays the happening of flow boiling crisis. Without microlayers, the wall superheat exceeds 180 K at 500 kW/m2, whereas under microlayer influence, the maximum local wall superheat is only 37.09 K at 1000 kW/m2. With further increases in heat flux, the emergence of large dry patches resulting from microlayer depletion induces the beginning of heat transfer deterioration. Finally, the ongoing coalescence of elongated bubbles necessitates a prolonged period for rewetting dry patches at the exit of the mini-channel, triggering the flow boiling crisis at 1300 kW/m2. The study results provide crucial guidance for the development and application of the flow boiling heat transfer technology for the thermal management of data centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing population with every passing day sets an alarming situation with respect to the conservation climate protocols. The increasing needs of society also demand a significant enhancement in the manufacturing capacity to augment the situation. However, it's a stringent requirement of the hour to propose sustainable and clean manufacturing processes to realize the goal of carbon neutrality to support a healthy life on the earth. Specifically, the processes that are energy intensive like electric discharge machining (EDM) are of serious concern regarding sustainability viewpoint. The role of the said process cannot be essentially eliminated as advent of new materials of superior characteristics demand the application of EDM for accurate cutting of intricate profiles. Nevertheless, the commonly used oil-based dielectric (kerosene) in EDM releases aerosol, deposit particles, oxides of carbon (CO 2 & CO), thus contributing to the environmental contamination. It is pertinent to mention that industries are compelled to tune their processes to achieve the goals of Net-Zero. Therefore, this study thoroughly investigates the potential of nano-graphene mixed rice bran oil to make the EDM process cleaner and sustainable which has never been investigated so far. Moreover, the process has been successfully modeled using artificial neural network (ANN) and optimized by non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) which is another novel aspect of this study as it eradicates the need of extensive experimentation. Experimentation has been performed via Taguchi's experimental strategy followed by a detailed explanation of the findings based on process physics. In comparison to the traditional dielectric an improvement of 98.8% in material removal rate (MRR) and 93.9% reduction in specific energy consumption (SEC) are realized if the said novel combination is applied without compromising the quality. CO 2 emissions determined for both rice bran oil and kerosene oil have revealed that rice bran oil provides 99.96% lesser CO 2 emission in comparison to its counterpart. • The cutting performance of graphene added rice bran oil has been evaluated in EDM. • Machine learning based modelling is carried out for key machining responses. • 113.66%, 11.05%, and 34 times improvement is achieved for the defined responses. • Multi-objective optimization has also been performed by the NSGA-II technique. • The CO 2 emissions get reduced to 99.96% by employing the rice bran oil in EDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the transboundary pollution problems in the world are becoming more and more serious. The diffusion of pollutants is common, and each region which suffers from the pollution wishes that the polluter in neighboring regions would either reduce polluting or compensate for the damages. This paper studies a cooperative differential game of transboundary industrial pollution between two asymmetric regions. There are two novel features in this paper. First, there is a Stackelberg game between the industrial firms and their local government while the governments can cooperate in pollution reduction. Second, transboundary pollution damages the regions in two ways: through a global accumulative pollutant and a regional non-accumulative pollutant. The paper characterizes the parameter spaces that governments in two neighboring regions can collaborate and gives the feedback Nash equilibrium strategies of governments and industrial firms. It is found that only when the governments get cooperation, the regional impact caused by the neighboring region pollution diffusion could be taken into consideration when the governments develop strategies. Additionally, a payment distribution mechanism is proposed and a subgame-consistent cooperative solution is provided. With such a payment distribution, both governments will receive a higher payoff in a cooperative solution than in a non-cooperative solution at any instant of time during the game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanobacteria bloom brings great challenges to the safety of the drinking water process. Ultrasonic pretreatment can effectively enhance coagulation to remove algae cells from algae-laden water. However, due to the special chain-like structure of Anabaena , the removal characteristics of Anabaena in water treatment process are quite different from those of unicellular cyanobacteria. No study has yet systematic studied on the enhancement effect of ultrasonic enhanced water treatment process on Anabaena. Therefore, this paper studied the characteristics and mechanism of ultrasonic pretreatment to enhance the removal of Anabaena , and carried out pilot experiments. The results showed that ultrasound irradiation at 740 kHz and 1.12 MHz had a great effect on the destruction of the chain-like structure and cell structure of Anabaena. After 15 min, the removal rate of Anabaena cells reached 16.0% and 30.4%, respectively, and the release of intracellular organic matter (IOM) reached 4.3 and 6.0 mg/L, in which phycocyanin released more. The damage of dynamic ultrasound irradiation on algae cells is weak, which can avoid the influence of uneven ultrasound irradiation on algae cells. The enhanced coagulation effect was better after 740 kHz ultrasonic pretreatment for 1 min, and the removal rates of algal cells, turbidity and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increased by 7%, 9.4% and 12.6%, respectively. Pilot scale experiments demonstrate that ultrasonic pretreatment leads to a notable enhancement in the removal efficiency during the coagulation and sedimentation stages. After 4 h of operation, the turbidity and algal cell removal in the sedimentation stage increased by 6.1% and 14.0%, respectively. In addition, the removal of DOC in the final treated water increased by 6.7%. Furthermore, the disinfection by-products (DBPs) concentration experiences a reduction exceeding 200 μg per liter. Together, these results show a substantial improvement in filtration efficiency and effluent quality. This study provides guidance for the ongoing study of ultrasonic pretreatment to remove chain-like cyanobacteria. [Display omitted] • Ultrasound irradiation more effective in disrupting chain structures than disrupting cells. • Short-term low-frequency ultrasound irradiation releases less IOM. • Dynamic flow ultrasonic pretreatment has higher removal efficiency and safety. • Ultrasound irradiation enhances coagulation by altering cell electrical properties and activity. • Ultrasonic pretreatment can effectively reduce filter plugging and formation of DBPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the recovery of enameled wire, pyrolysis is a resource-friendly and effective process. However, because waste enameled wires are typically recovered from e-waste, a minor number of wires and cables are usually present. As a result, co-pyrolysis of the paint film and wire and cable sheaths is inevitable during the pyrolysis recovery of waste enameled wires. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polyester enameled wire and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were chosen as representatives of enameled wire and cable sheath materials, respectively. The pyrolysis characteristics and pyrolysis kinetic parameters of enameled PET (EPET) wire paint, PVC, and Mixture (a mixture of the two materials, m EPET : m PVC = 9:1) were investigated using TG and various kinetic analysis methods. The combined pyrolysis index and Py-GC/MS were used to assess the co-pyrolysis of EPET and PVC and the products. The pyrolysis of EPET is adversely affected by the presence of PVC throughout the process; however, the presence of Cu in EPET may facilitate the HCl removal reaction of PVC. The co-pyrolysis products of EPET and PVC are more complex, and according to the different main functional groups, can be divided into monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, esters, carboxylic acids, chlorides, and others. Finally, density functional theory calculations were used to explore the co-pyrolysis mechanism of PET and PVC as well as the creation mechanism of various pyrolysis products. The catalytic mechanism of Cu contained in EPET on PET and PVC was explained from the perspective of electrostatic potential. This study provides a theoretical foundation and comprehensive reference for the pyrolysis and recycling of waste enameled wires. • PET enameled wire and PVC co-pyrolysis behaviors were investigated. • Experiments and DFT calculations were combined to explore the co-pyrolysis mechanism. • Catalytic mechanism of Cu was explained from the perspective of ESP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) situated within urban landscapes play a critical role in fostering sustainable urban development while concurrently serving as substantial contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Under the dual pressure of future urban socioeconomic development and the carbon neutrality target, it is important to identify GHG emission reduction pathways for municipal WWTPs. Existing research on GHG emission reduction in WWTPs exhibit a notable absence of a comprehensive city-centric perspective, with insufficient consideration given to the impact of water conservation measures. We constructed a GHG emission accounting system for the municipal WWTPs employing Shanghai as a case study. Based on field surveys of typical WWTPs, we proposed GHG emission reduction pathways and future demand-technology scenarios. Our results showed that, with the robust mitigation measures, Shanghai's municipal WWTPs have the potential to curtail GHG emissions to 0.55 Mt by 2050. Notably, GHG emission reduction can be achieved through water conservation and technical improvement. Medication optimization and energy saving are significant mitigation measures for GHG emission reduction, and should be optimally considered in the future. This investigation not only establishes a forward-looking GHG emission reduction roadmap for the municipal WWTPs at the city-scale but also imparts valuable insights to urban management practices in analogous urban settings. [Display omitted] • A unified city-level accounting system for GHG emissions from municipal wastewater treatment is established. • GHG emission reduction can be achieved through water conservation and technical improvement. • Medication optimization and energy saving are significant mitigation measures for GHG emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding conductive materials for enhancing methane production from biomass has caused widespread attention. However, the discharge of digestive residues inevitably causes the loss of conductive materials, which not only weakens the roles of conductive materials but also increases the operating cost. This study aims to reveal the potentials of recycled magnetic biochar (MBC) in sludge anaerobic digestion. Results suggested that the direct utilization was better than the indirect utilization. Compared to raw MBC group, methane production further increased by 6.5–7.0 % in multi-cycle MBC groups. The mechanism analysis illustrated that the recycled MBC accelerated the conversion of intermediates. Besides, the recycled MBC promoted the content of redox-active substances and the activity of intracellular electron transfer systems. In addition, the acetoclastic methanogenesis pathway was improved in recycled MBC biofilms while the hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was reduced. More interestingly, the microbial communities in biofilms presented directional evolutions with the increased cycle numbers of MBC. Correspondingly, the dominant direct interspecies electron transfer patterns changed from Geobacter & Methanosaeta to Clostridium & Methanosarcina , and the electron mediators converted to MBC and c-type cytochrome. The findings provided new insights into reutilization of conductive materials in anaerobic digestion. [Display omitted] • Direct utilization is a better way to recycle MBC compared to indirect utilization. • Multi-cycle MBC increased methane production by 6.5–7.0% compared to raw MBC. • Intracellular and extracellular electron transfers were all promoted by recycled MBC. • Microbial communities in biofilms showed directional evolution with recycled MBC. • Methanogenesis pathways and electron mediators were regulated by recycled MBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes two Coal-to-Aromatics processes integrated with Green Hydrogen (GH-CTA) to address the shortcomings of traditional processes, such as high carbon emissions and an unreasonable process structure. Additionally, one of the designs incorporates co-feeding of coal and wheat straw (GH-BCTA). The proposed processes are integrated with renewable energy-based hydrogen production technologies to balance the hydrogen and carbon elements in the system, resulting in near-zero carbon emissions. Through detailed process modeling, the technical performance, production costs, and environmental impact of the GH-CTA and GH-BCTA processes were analyzed and compared to the basic processes. The results demonstrate that both GH-CTA and GH-BCTA processes offer significant technical and economic advantages over the basic process. Notably, the GH-BCTA process shows the most promise with a carbon utilization efficiency, energy efficiency, and net present value of 96.58 %, 84.57 %, and 3400.59 M$, respectively. CO 2 emissions decrease significantly to 3.21 kg/kg-aromatics, and water consumption decreases to −1.44 kg/kg-aromatics. The influence of fluctuating key economic factors on the economic performance of the two proposed processes was investigated through sensitivity analysis. The results indicate that the proposed processes demonstrate greater resilience to fluctuations in coal and aromatics prices. Furthermore, the environmental analysis revealed that the GH-CTA process exhibits lower life cycle energy consumption and carbon intensity compared to the other proposed processes. As a result, both the GH-CTA and GH-BCTA processes have the potential to significantly enhance the techno-economic and environmental performance of the traditional process, making them promising candidates for industrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water splitting for renewable energy technologies necessitates the creation of low-cost, highly active, and stable electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which remains a challenging issue. Oxide-based catalysts, especially perovskites (ABO 3), ruddlesden–popper perovskite (A 2 BO 4) and pyrochlore-type oxides (A 2 B 2 O 7), have attracted gotten much interest as electrocatalysts for water splitting because of their distinctive physical, chemical, and electronic properties. In this work, a scientometric analysis is conducted on developing various oxide-based catalysts for water splitting to explore further developments. Up to now, a total of 29,761 publications (between the years 1990–2020) have been obtained from the Web of Science (WoS) website by searching for these written documents on this subject with a variety of linking keywords. The derived documents were subjected to a scientometric study, which included a look at the contributing authors, publications, contributing countries, top citation bursts, and topic categories. Based on the information obtained, in this research area, the publications started to increase dramatically since 2012. In terms of scientific output on oxide-based catalysts for water splitting, China and the United States were discovered to be the world leaders. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective coagulation aid epichlorohydrin-dimethylamine was synthesized, its co-effect with three ferric iron species in polyferric chloride on humic acid elimination and membrane pollution in coagulation-ultrafiltration hybrid technique were appraised to improve the hybrid water treatment technology and generate cleaner water production by this research. To be specific, dosages of polyferric chlorides 2 and polyferric chlorides&epichlorohydrin-dimethylamine were adjusted according to their coagulation performance in jar tests. Furthermore, properties of generated flocs such as floc size (median particle diameter), strength/recovery factor and fractal dimension feature were monitored and combined with results of membrane fouling resistance under various shear forces to understand the mechanism of membrane fouling. Results indicated that epichlorohydrin-dimethylamine can observably enhance the coagulation performance of all polyferric chlorides, especially at low dosage of 4 mg/L. The higher the epichlorohydrin-dimethylamine dosage, the higher removal efficiencies achieved. In particular, for polyferric chloride with basicity of 1.5, the removal efficiency for dissolved organic carbon raised approximately from 15% to 32% as epichlorohydrin-dimethylamine dosage increased from zero to 1.5 mg/L. Meanwhile, for ultra-membrane 3 applied in this study, addition of the epichlorohydrin-dimethylamine also significantly reduced the total membrane fouling resistance of all coagulated water samples by forming cake layer of low compactness and reducing residual micro-particles, 4 even when shearing forces was introduced. Thereinto, the total membrane fouling resistance reduction of polyferric chloride with basicity of 1.5 was the most obvious, which dropped from 2.8 × 108 m−1 to 2.3 × 108 m−1, approximately. • Epichlorohydrin-dimethylamine was beneficial to form large floc. • External fouling resistance dominated membrane fouling resistance. • High floc recovery ability was crucial for membrane fouling reduction. • Residual micro-particles determines internal fouling resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uranium and other trace elements in coal ash have received a significant attention as the beneficial reuse of hazardous wastes. In this study, combined with X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectroscopy and other analyses, thermochemical treatment (sodium hydroxide) and leaching trial (water, alkaline and acid solution) were conducted to evidence that elements are selectively encapsulated in Si–Al glass, eutectic and Fe-enriched fraction during combustion leading to a low extraction efficiency. Thereinto, comparing the main host of V, Cs, Rb and Sr in Si–Al glass, there are 47%, 45% and 8% of U encapsulated with Si–Al glass, eutectic and Fe-enriched fraction, while 59% of Ga remains in Si–Fe-enriched residue. Different from the large extraction of V, Cs, Rb and Ga followed by the removal of Si–Al glass and water leaching, U and Sr remained in residue with a high mobility. Overall, the leaching efficiencies of U, V, Cs, Rb, Ga and Sr were significantly improved and up to 92%, 100%, 74%, 78%, 41% and 98% respectively at the condition of NaOH/ash = 1.5, 500 °C and 1 h. Hence, it is necessary to properly handle the leachate also residue due to their potential environmental implications when the ash is employed to synthesize advanced materials. Image 1 • A higher dissolution of gangue and other minerals contributes to the leaching of studied elements with acid solution. • Elements are selectively encapsulated by different fractions including Si–Al glass, alkaline eutectics and Fe-enriched components during coal combustion. • The Leachability of elements is significantly improved after the NaOH-based thermotreatment. • Followed by the removal of Si–Al shell, U and Sr remain in Si-extracted residue with the forms of carbonates and Fe–Mn oxides. • It is necessary to caution the treatment of leachate and residue due to their potential environment risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 1990 to 2017, the number of vehicles in China increased sharply from 5 million to 310 million, and vehicle emissions became one of the major sources of air pollution. Among the main sources of PM 2.5 in Beijing, the contributions from vehicle sources increased from 5.6% (2000) to 31.1% (2012) to 45% (2017). In 2010, the CO, hydrocarbon (HC), NO x , and particulate matter (PM) emissions of yellow-label vehicles (YLVs) accounted for 46.1%, 47.9%, 63.1% and 86.1% of the total emissions from on-road vehicles. In recent years, China has been implementing a YLV scrappage subsidy policy to control air pollution, and this policy has cost several hundred billion yuan nationwide. However, China has not evaluated the costs and benefits of the policy. Many people question whether the YLV scrappage subsidy policy is worthwhile, but all the stakeholders involved complicate the process of accurately evaluating the true value of the policy. In this study, we evaluated and compared the costs and benefits of the policy in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region based on 1.362 million YLVs from 2008 to 2015. Because of the implementation of the policy, the PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO x , CO and HC emissions in the BTH region decreased by 16.46, 18.12, 174.44, 669.11, and 91.64 kt, respectively, in 2008–2015. The results show that the policy played an important role in reducing pollutant emissions and improving environmental quality in the BTH region. The costs, benefits, and net benefits of the policy were 13.69, 34.03, and 20.34 billion yuan , respectively. The cost-benefit ratio in the BTH region was 1:2.49; at the city scale, Beijing ranked first (1:7.27), and the cost-benefit ratios of Tianjin and Hebei Province were 1:2.06 and 1:1.14, respectively. Of the 13 cities in the BTH region, Beijing had the highest net benefits, amounting to 16.43 billion yuan , while Handan City has the lowest net benefits, amounting to −0.58 billion yuan. The results may provide scientific support for the promotion of older vehicle and diesel vehicle scrappage subsidy policies, the development of cost-benefit analysis (CBA), and effective environmental decision-making in China. • Based on net number of scrappage YLVs, net benefits of the policy are calculated. • This paper estimates costs and benefits of the policy based on 1.27 million YLVs. • The costs, benefits, and net benefits are 13.69, 34.03, and 20.34 billion yuan. • The results help China promote vehicle scrappage subsidy policy on a large scale. • The results promote the development of the cost-benefit analysis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonium (NH 4 +) and ammonia (NH 3) are notorious hard-to-treat pollutants, leading to serious deterioration of aquatic ecosystems and significant risks to human health. While adsorption is a promising method to tackle this problem, finding suitable adsorbent materials which are abundant, low-cost and efficient remains a constant challenge. Thus, this review summarizes recent development of important adsorbent materials implemented for NH 3 /NH 4 + removal. Advantages and disadvantages of representative adsorbent materials including bentonite, zeolite, clay, biochar, activated carbon, metal organic framework and their modified forms are compared, and the nature of their adsorption processes are discussed in context of adsorption sites, isotherm models (e.g. Langmuir and Freundlich), kinetic equations (e.g. pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intra-particle diffusion) and thermodynamic analysis. Future perspective on the utilization of inexpensive lignite is also conferred. Although both conventional and nanostructured materials face challenges regarding economic cost, energy consumption, secondary pollution and adsorption efficiency, these can be tackled by adopting various of advanced options. Current research on adsorption mechanisms forms a solid basis for the design and development of novel adsorbent materials. We speculate that the pursuit of strategies for effective surface modification of natural abundant resources will lead to a bright future of removal processes suited to low NH 3 /NH 4 + concentration conditions. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving zero-waste of municipal solid waste (MSW) is not only a vision of policymakers but also an aspired topic of scholars. Although many countries and regions have formulated ambitious zero-waste strategies, relatively few scholars have studied how these strategies were developed and implemented. This study summarized a strategy formulation path towards zero-waste of MSW, and built a zero-waste system dynamic model to simulate the zero-waste situation of Shanghai' MSW from 2000 to 2050. There are primary, intermediate and advanced stages towards zero-waste of MSW. Reaching these three stages needs to follow the goals of "zero landfill at the end, more recycling at the middle, and less generation at the source". Additionally, this study compared 13 scenarios to give MSW zero-waste strategy formulation path for Shanghai from 2025 to 2050. The simulation results show that the amount of MSW generated in Shanghai will continue to increase, reaching 16 million tons MSW and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will reach 1.7 million tons by 2050. Shanghai' MSW will achieve zero-waste by 2050 only if recycling rate can increase to 70%, proportion of green raw materials increase to 50%, resident waste disposal reducing by 10%, and resident consumption reducing by 10%. Shanghai will reduce MSW by 30%–60% and GHG emissions by 50%–90% under zero-waste scenario. Laws and regulations to strengthen the construction of a green supply chain, promotion and education to enhance residents' active zero-waste awareness, and mandatory policies to push forth zero-waste awareness are the focus of future zero-waste strategies. Although it is difficult to achieve zero-waste goal, continuous adherence to zero-waste action is still urged, which is very important for the sustainable development of the environment. [Display omitted] • Achieving zero-waste requires formulating strategic goals in stages. • Shanghai cannot achieve zero-waste of municipal solid waste by 2050. • Shanghai will reduce waste by 30%–60% in zero-waste strategy. • Shanghai needs to focus on building a green supply chain in the future. • Policymakers can continue to incentivize and guide residents toward Zero-waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms that are halophilic and halotolerant have gradually developed unique structures, physiologies, and genomes to survive. They are essential for ecological restoration and pollution control. This review emphasizes the critical role of halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms in plant stress tolerance, the ability to degrade a wide range of organic pollutants, the potential for cultural heritage conservation and restoration, and the impact on the spread of resistance genes. Halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms tolerate salt by controlling osmotic pressure in the cytoplasm via one of two major mechanisms: compatible solute accumulation or inorganic ion accumulation. Besides, the ability of halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms to survive high salt concentrations is also related to enzymatic proteins with fascinating physicochemical and structural properties. The advantage of halophilic enzymes is their ability to maintain enzyme stability and activity under high salt concentrations and organic reagents. The review of halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms is critically valuable for the reclamation of saline lands and pollutant degradation in highly saline environments. [Display omitted] • Eco-environmental restoration and sustainability in various types of saline environments are more challenging. • Halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms have unique advantages in ecological restoration and pollution control. • Halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms survive through conventional mechanisms and halophilic enzymes. • Halophilic enzymes can be more flexible in high salt environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the "resource curse" hypothesis has been supported by many empirical studies focusing on the transnational and regional levels, there has always been a point of contention about the proper method of estimating and selecting natural resource indicators in literature. This paper proposes a mixed estimation method for panel data of 10 typical oil and gas resource-based cities in China from 1998 to 2015. The results show that resource industry agglomeration can mirror the distribution and dependence on the resource industry by location rather than by merely measuring the influence of the relative scale of resource extraction on economic growth. Using resource industry agglomeration as the main explanatory variable for regional economic growth verifies the resource curse hypothesis and shows the nonlinear characteristics of the negative correlation between resources and economic growth. Despite mostly similar indicator parameter estimates, marked differences exist in measured effects for material capital investments and technological innovation investments. The result of using resource industry agglomeration as the main explanatory variable is basically consistent with the economic theory and is more in line with observed reality than the alternative indicator. The research conclusions can provide evidence and data for index selection in the studies on the mediating effect of resource curse transmission and international comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Consumed plastic packaging materials give rise to many severely negative environmental effects. As a coproduct from the soybean oil industry, soy protein isolate can be remanufactured into value-added products to replace plastics; however, the use of the soy protein isolate films developed to date has been hindered by their poor water resistance. In this work, stearic acid was applied to enhance the water resistance of the soy protein isolate films via the bioconjugation technique. The water resistance, water barrier properties, morphology, mechanical, thermal properties and mechanism of the modified films were evaluated. The successful grafting of stearic acid onto the protein via bioconjugation was confirmed by the attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements. As expected, stearic acid modification greatly improved the water resistance of the films. The addition of 10 wt% stearic acid contributed to a 35.3% (p < 0.05) water vapor permeability reduction, 35.8% (p < 0.05) moisture content reduction and 74.4% (p < 0.05) water absorption reduction relative to the unmodified film. Meanwhile, the water contact angle increased from 45.8° for the unmodified film to 104.6° for the modified film. Furthermore, the Young's modulus of the modified films increased, and their tensile strength and elongation at break decreased compared with those of the unmodified film. However, the decrease in the tensile strength of the obtained films was smaller than those of the physically modified soy protein isolate films. This research can help understand the effects of the chemical modification of fatty acids on soy protein isolate films, and the obtained films exhibit potential for utilization in the food packaging industry. Graphical abstract Image 1086416 Highlights • The films were prepared by bio-based materials. • The water resistance of films was enhanced by bio-based and hydrophobic stearic acid. • via The issue of interfacial compatibility between stearic acid and SPI protein were solved via bioconjugation. • The water resistance, surface hydrophobicity, and water vapor barrier property were enhanced after modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]