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Industrial areas play an important role in the urban ecosystem. Industrial site environmental quality is linked to human health. Soil samples from two different cities in India, Jamshedpur and Amravati, were collected and analyzed to assess the sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in industrial areas and their potential health risks. The total concentration of 16 PAHs in JSR (Jamshedpur) varied from 1662.90 to 10,879.20 ng/g, whereas the concentration ranged from 1456.22 to 5403.45 ng/g in the soil of AMT (Amravati). The PAHs in the samples were dominated by four-ring PAHs, followed by five-ring PAHs, and a small percentage of two-ring PAHs. The ILCR (incremental lifetime cancer risk) of the soil of Amravati was lower compared to that of Jamshedpur. The risk due to PAH exposure for children and adults was reported to be in the order of ingestion > dermal contact > inhalation while for adolescents it was dermal contact > ingestion > inhalation in Jamshedpur. In contrast, in the soil of Amravati, the PAH exposure path risk for children and adolescents were the same and showed the following order: dermal contact > ingestion > inhalation while for the adulthood age group, the order was ingestion > dermal contact > inhalation. The diagnostic ratio approach was used to assess the sources of PAHs in various environmental media. The PAH sources were mainly dominated by coal and petroleum/oil combustion. As both the study areas belong to industrial sites, the significant sources were industrial emissions, followed by traffic emissions, coal combustion for domestic livelihood, as well as due to the geographical location of the sampling sites. The results of this investigation provide novel information for contamination evaluation and human health risk assessment in PAH-contaminated sites in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inland water bodies (particularly ponds) emit a significant amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs), particularly methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and a comparatively low amount of nitrous oxide (N2O) to the atmosphere. In recent decades, ponds (<10,000 m2) probably account for about 1/3rd of the global lake perimeter and are considered a hotspot of GHG emissions. High nutrients and waterlogged conditions provide an ideal environment for CH4 production and emission. The rate of emissions differs according to climatic regions and is influenced by several biotic and abiotic factors, such as temperature, nutrients (C, N, & P), pH, dissolved oxygen, sediments, water depth, etc. Moreover, micro and macro planktons play a significant role in CO2 and CH4 emissions from ponds systems. Generally, in freshwater bodies, the produced N2O diffuses in the water and is converted into N2 gas through different biological processes. There are several other factors and mechanisms which significantly affect the CH4 and CO2 emission rate from ponds and need a comprehensive evaluation. This study aims to develop a decisive understanding of GHG emissions mechanisms, processes, and methods of measurement from ponds. Key factors affecting the emissions rate will also be discussed. This review will be highly useful for the environmentalists, policymakers, and water resources planners and managers to take suitable mitigation measures in advance so that the climatic impact could be reduced in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Six alternative or low-carbon fuels are evaluated for the cement sector. • Average long-term marginal abatement costs range from −70 to 138 CAD/tCO 2 e. • Up to 21% of emissions to 2050 can be eliminated with negative abatement costs. • Energy prices are the primary factor driving scenario cost performance. Limiting global warming and the pursuit of a net-zero global society by 2050 emphasizes the need to transform the hard-to-abate industrial sectors. The cement sector is the second-largest source of global industrial emissions, accounting for 8% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Fuel switching in the cement sector is a decarbonization pathway that has not been explored in detail; previous studies involving fuel switching in the sector either view it from an energy efficiency lens or focus on a single technology. In this study, a framework is developed to evaluate and directly compare six fuel switching options (including hydrogen, biomass, municipal solid waste, and natural gas) from 2020 to 2050. Capital costs, non-energy operating costs, energy costs, and carbon costs are used to calculate marginal abatement costs and emulate cost based-market decisions. The developed framework is used to conduct a case study for Canada, using the LEAP-Canada model. This study shows that cumulative energy-related greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by up to 21% between 2020 and 2050 with negative marginal abatement costs. Multiple fuel switching decarbonization pathways were established, reducing the likelihood that locality prevents meaningful emissions reduction and suggesting that, with low-carbon fuel and electricity policies, the sector can take significant steps towards emissions reduction. The developed framework can be applied to jurisdictions around the world for decision making, as nations move towards eliminating emissions from cement production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Life cycle assessment of utility-scale solar energy is performed. • Upstream production and assembly are the most emission-intensive life cycle stages. • Energy use during production and plant lifetime are the most sensitive parameters. • The system shows a net energy production with a net energy ratio up to 6.6. • The life cycle GHG emissions range from 98.3 to 149.3 g CO 2 eq /kWh. Grid-connected utility-scale solar PV has emerged as a potential pathway to ensure deep decarbonization of electricity in regions with fossil fuel-dominated energy mixes. Research on utility-scale solar PV projects mainly focuses on assessing technical or economic feasibility. Environmental performance assessments of large-scale solar applications are scarce. There is limited information on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy footprints of utility-scale solar energy systems. Earlier studies conducted on small-scale solar systems have limited application in the grid system. We developed a comprehensive bottom-up life cycle assessment model to evaluate the life cycle GHG emissions and energy profiles of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) system with lithium-ion battery storage to provide a consistent electricity supply to the grid with peak load options. We conducted a case study for a fossil fuel-based energy jurisdiction, Alberta (a western province in Canada). The results of the energy assessment show that raw material extraction, production, and assembly of solar panels are the key drivers, accounting for 53% of the total consumption. Energy consumed during battery manufacturing is responsible for 28%. The system shows a net energy production with a mean net energy ratio as high as 6.6 for two-axis sun tracking orientation. The life cycle GHG emissions range from 98.3 to 149.3 g CO 2 eq /kWh with a mean value of 123.8 g CO 2 eq /kWh. The largest emissions contribution is due to the manufacturing of batteries, 54% of the total emissions. The solar PV system offers a mean energy payback time of 3.8 years (with a range of 3.3 to 4.2 years). The results are highly sensitive to the expected lifetime of the system, the panel's peak wattage, and process energy consumption at various life cycle stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]