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In recent years, the demand for the protection and restoration of cultural heritage has become increasingly urgent. Particularly for paper-based cultural relics such as ancient books and paintings, their restoration is especially important due to their unique nature and susceptibility to environmental damage. Among various restoration materials, calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) has been widely studied and applied in the protection of paper-based cultural relics. However, commercial Ca(OH)2 materials have issues such as a large particle size and slow carbonation. In order to address these issues, this study employed carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a support, on which nano-sized Ca(OH)2 crystals were grown in situ on its surface, followed by loading with TiO2 nanoparticles, successfully preparing a multifunctional paper-based cultural relic restoration material with reinforcement, deacidification, anti-aging, and antimicrobial properties. It is worth noting that by in situ growing Ca(OH)2 on the surface of CMC, particle size control, uniform dispersion, and the fixation of Ca(OH)2 can be achieved. CMC is used to enhance the mechanical strength of the paper, Ca(OH)2 is used for deacidification, and TiO2 is used for anti-aging and antimicrobial purposes. This study provides a new approach and method for the restoration of paper-based cultural relics, simplifying traditional multi-step processes and avoiding potential impacts on the cultural relics from multiple repairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical oxygen demand (COD) emissions from the pulp and paper industry in China have declined continuously since the tighter COD discharge standards were implemented in 2008. Using firm-level data from 2003 to 2013, we investigate how China's pulp and paper firms would respond to the tighter COD discharge standards with a difference-in-differences design. We find that the tighter COD discharge standards have significant causal effects to induce the pulp and paper firms to reduce their COD emissions primarily through adopting cleaner production. However, the effectiveness of the tighter COD discharge standards depends on monitoring and enforcement activities as well as other regulations accompanying with the tighter COD discharge standards, all of which have become strengthened since China's 11th Five-Year-Plan (FYP, 2006–2010). While strengthened environmental regulations since the 11th FYP are from the top leadership of the Chinese government in order to deal with the increasing environmental degradation, the underlying driving force of the strengthened environmental regulations is from the household demand for better environmental quality as income increases. This study enriches literature not only on firms' responses to environmental regulations in developing countries but also on environmental regulations and technology adoption as well as environmental enforcement and compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article traces the history of the relationship of papermaking and paper to libraries over time. Paper was first made in China and is traditionally considered one of that nation's four greatest inventions, along with gun powder, printing, and the compass. Papermaking was often associated with archives in its early development in China, as well as when it was introduced to Japan, where it came to be a part of some Shinto and Buddhist temples, and later governmental agencies. Under Islam, the availability of paper was linked to increased literacy and growth of libraries. In early modern Europe, before the widespread use of wood in the papermaking process, libraries and archives were part of an "economy of paper" with paper at times being in short supply. In the modern era, the world of papermaking did not intersect much with the world of the library, which made progress with the problem of brittle books, one of its greatest challenges, slow, though recent efforts of government, industry, scientists, and representatives of the library have produced positive results. The damage caused by wood-based paper in libraries was mirrored by the environmental damage caused by wood-based papermaking in communities. The history of papermaking and libraries demonstrates the importance of understanding the technologies which support the library, while also advocating effectively to the representatives of all its sources of support in ways which promote the values of the library and its associated community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supported metallic nanoparticles (NPs) have recently become a promising candidate for the degradation of environmental pollutants. In this work, we report the fabrication of highly catalytically active, surfactant‐free interconnected Au nanostructures directly on filter paper. The width of nanostructures is only a few nanometers and they contain high concentration of low‐coordination atoms. Our approach involves the immersion and evaporation of Au precursor solution on the filter paper and its subsequent reduction. This approach generates filter paper‐based gold substrates (FPGS) not only in a simple and straightforward fashion that can be executed in a matter of minutes but can also be easily scaled up for large‐scale production. Owing to their surfactant‐free nature, FPGS are well suited for the degradation of both cationic and anionic dyes by providing large unhindered surface for dye adsorption. The FPGS were able to completely degrade methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) dyes and also showed excellent reusability and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• EFIM publishes a position paper about Environment Degradation and Climate Change. • Health industry should reduce its ecological footprint. • Internists should be involved in policy decisions related to climate change. • Internists must be active agents in advocating sustainable practices for the environment. • Internists should be role models in the adoption of environmentally friendly behavior. The current data on climate change and environmental degradation are dramatic. The consequences of these changes are already having a significant impact on people's health. Physicians — as advocates of the patients, but also as citizens — have an ethical obligation to be involved in efforts to stop these changes. The European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM) strongly encourages the Internal Medicine societies and internists across Europe to play an active role in matters related to climate change and environmental degradation. At a national level, this includes advocating the adoption of measures that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and environmental degradation and contributing to policy decisions related to these issues. At a hospital level and in clinical practice, supporting actions by the health sector to reduce its ecological footprint is vital. At the level of EFIM and its associated internal societies, promoting educational activities and developing a toolkit to prepare internists to better care for citizens who suffer from the consequences of climate change. In addition to advocating and implementing effective actions to reduce the ecological footprint of the health industry, recommending the introduction of these themes in scientific programs of Internal Medicine meetings and congresses and the pre- and postgraduate medical training. At a personal level, internists must be active agents in advocating sustainable practices for the environment, increasing the awareness of the community about the health risks of climate change and environmental degradation, and being role models in the adoption of environmentally friendly behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report, we used cellulose filter paper (FP) as high surface area catalyst supporting green substrate for the synthesis of nickel (Ni) nanoparticles in thin chitosan (CS) coating layer and their easy separation was demonstrated for next use. In this work, FP was coated with a 1 wt% CS solution onto cellulose FP to prepare CS-FP as an economical and environment friendly host material. CS-FP was put into 0.2 M NiCl 2 aqueous solution for the adsorption of Ni 2+ ions by CS coating layer. The Ni 2+ adsorbed CS-FP was treated with 0.1 M NaBH 4 aqueous solution to convert the ions into nanoparticles. Thus, we achieved Ni nanoparticles-CS composite through water based in-situ preparation process. Successful Ni nanoparticles formations was assessed by FESEM and EDX analyses. FTIR used to track the interactions between nanoparticles and host material. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the nanocomposite displays an excellent catalytic activity and reusability in three reduction reactions of toxic compounds i.e. conversion of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, 2-nitrophenol to 2-aminophenol, and methyl orange dye reduction by NaBH 4 . Such a fabrication process of Ni/CS-FP may be applicable for the immobilization of other metal nanoparticles onto FP for various applications in catalysis, sensing, and environmental sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 72% − 80% of fibre was recovered from disposable coffee cups. • 2% and 3% consistency shredded cups required > 100 kWh/tonne to repulp with 3 refiner passes. • Pulp quality did not significantly diminish after repulping using a single-disk refiner. Over 64 billion paper-plastic laminate (PPL) coffee cups are consumed between the United States and Canada annually, the majority accumulating in landfills due to a hydrophobic plastic inner-lining. Recycling can mitigate environmental damage and provide economic value from repurposed products. We found that standard repulping methods were insufficient to separate fiber from plastic due to the low intensity of treatment. To increase process intensity, we mechanically refined shredded PPL coffee cups and Kraft eucalyptus sheets (control) at 2%, 3%, and 4% consistencies with three passes to determine the energy required to separate fibers from plastic and the effects on fiber quality. 2% and 3% consistency PPL cups measured under 40 kWh/tonne of input material for one refiner pass and ∼ 80 kWh/tonne for 4% consistency PPL cups. Recovered fiber fraction totaled 87.7%, 85.3%, and 80.5% of input mass of Kraft eucalyptus and 72.3%, 72.6%, and 79.6% of input mass of PPL cups at 2%, 3%, and 4% consistency, respectively. Fines content of PPL cups jumped from 8% pre-refining to ∼ 30% post-refining while Kraft eucalyptus fibers were unaffected, suggesting that breaking the plastic-fiber bonds results in fines generation. Mean fiber length of PPL cups slightly decreased with consistency and tensile strength improved. Freeness decreased with consistency only in PPL cup samples. These results demonstrate a low energy requirement to effectively separate fiber and plastics in PPL cups as well as minimal impact on fiber quality using existing refining technology, and provides an estimate of the financial costs of local recycling efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• LiP, MnP, and laccase-producing B. cereus was discovered from mill sludge. • Observation of 89% KL degradation and 40% color reduction within 3 days. • SEM-EDS and FTIR analysis revealed interactions between bacterial cells and KL. • Treated effluent exposure reduced the phytotoxicity of T. foenum-graecum L. The effective degradation of KL from paper mill effluent is an important for environmental safety. This research is primarily concerned with the identification of KL-degrading Bacillus cereus from activated sludge and their possible use for the degradation of Kraft lignin (KL). This strain was involved in the production of lignin peroxidase-LiP (3.20 U/mL), manganese peroxidase-MnP (20.36 U/mL), and laccase (21.35 U/mL) enzymes, which were responsible for high KL degradation (89%) and decolorization (40%) at 1000 mg/L KL in 3 days. The SEM-EDS, UV–Vis, FTIR, and GC–MS analysis were used to analyze the bacterial cell and KL interactions to trace the KL degradation process. The significant reduction of pollutants (KL-72.5%, color-62.0%, COD-45.05%) and reduction in toxicity (80%) of bacterial-treated effluent indicated that B. cereus has the potential to be used in the degradation of pollutants from paper mill effluents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confronted with the significant challenges of global climate change and environmental deterioration, the pursuit of carbon emission peaks and the realization of carbon neutrality have become a collective goal for countries worldwide. As an exemplary combustion technology noted for its efficiency and environmental friendliness, the circulating fluidized bed (CFB) is instrumental in curbing the release of carbon dioxide alongside other deleterious gases. The technology is pivotal in promoting the clean and efficient use of coal, simultaneously expediting the global shift towards a sustainable, green, and low-carbon future. This study employs a bibliometric analysis, a social network analysis, and information visualization techniques to delve into the evolution of CFB technology, leveraging the Web of Science database (SCI-EXPANDED and CPCI-S) and the Derwent Innovations Index (DII). Through a meticulous examination of academic papers and patent literature related to CFB technology, this research unveils the developmental trajectory and trends of CFB technology, providing a scientific foundation and reference for strategic technology planning and focused research in key areas. The findings indicate that, while there is a downward trend in the global publication of academic papers on CFB technology, the number of patent applications continues to grow steadily. CFB technology has achieved significant advancements in enhancing combustion efficiency, environmental protection, energy utilization, and waste management, and is progressing towards a direction of diversification and greater efficiency. Moving forward, the development of CFB technology should concentrate on pivotal areas such as material science, fluid dynamics simulation, environmental impact assessment, system integration, and intelligentization, to foster ongoing innovation and a broad application of the technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate a tritrophic system whose cyclic dominance is modelled by the rock–paper–scissors game. We consider that organisms of one or two species are affected by movement limitations, which unbalances the cyclic spatial game. Performing stochastic simulations, we show that mobility unevenness controls the population dynamics. In the case of one slow species, the predominant species depends on the level of mobility restriction, with the slow species being preponderant if the mobility limitations are substantial. If two species face mobility limitations, our outcomes show that being higher dispersive does not constitute an advantage in terms of population growth. On the contrary, if organisms move with higher mobility, they expose themselves to enemies more frequently, being more vulnerable to being eliminated. Finally, our findings show that biodiversity benefits in regions where species are slowed. Biodiversity loss for high mobility organisms, common to cyclic systems, may be avoided with coexistence probability being higher for robust mobility limitations. Our results may help biologists understand the dynamics of unbalanced spatial systems where organisms' dispersal is fundamental to biodiversity conservation. • Stochastic simulations of the rock–paper–scissors model with organisms facing mobility limitations were performed. • The pattern formation is investigated in the case of one or two species slowed by environmental mobility restrictions. • Species predominance is studied in terms of mobility unevenness in the cyclic spatial game. • The benefits of the mobility limitations for avoiding biodiversity loss are quantified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental degradation resulting from the overexploitation of natural resources has become a pressing global concern. This review paper aims to investigate the relationship between natural resources and environmental degradation, with a specific focus on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and ecological footprint (EF) as indicators. The study method involved an exhaustive search across prominent research databases, including ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, and Springer, using carefully defined search terms. A total of more than 160 research papers related to the search terms were obtained from the four sources of the database during the initial search. After applying sorting, filtering, and removing duplication and repetitions, we were left with 75 research papers that had a direct link to the topic under investigation. From these 75 papers, we further applied inclusion criteria to identify the most relevant studies for our review, resulting in the final inclusion of 50 research papers. The selected papers were thoroughly assessed for their methodological robustness, relevance, and adherence to the research questions. The review encompasses studies from diverse geographical regions and periods, shedding light on both positive and negative associations between natural resources and the two key indicators of environmental degradation (CO2 emissions and EF). The review identified diverse findings in the literature, highlighting both positive and negative associations between natural resources and environmental degradation indicators (CO2 and EF). The results of this comprehensive review will contribute to a better understanding of the complex interplay between natural resources and environmental sustainability and will offer valuable insights for policymakers and researchers alike.

The article provides insights into the kinetics of paper degradation. The most important parameter to evaluate the degradation of paper is the number of scissions, which can be estimated by the degree of polymerization. The presence of potential degradation sites should always be verified by comparing the value of the viscometric degree of polymerization before and after reduction.

The article presents an experimental study on the deacidification of paper using sodium and calcium ions. The role of acidity in the degradation of paper materials is widely acknowledged since its beginning in 1930. Deacidification is the process of removing the acid from the paper to avoid degradation and for conservation purpose employing the most common deacidifying aqueous solutions called calcium bicarbonate. The process gives different output depending on the acid use in deacidifying.

Disposable Paper cups are a threat to the environment and are composed of 90% high strength paper with 5% thin coating of polyethylene. This polyethylene prevents the paper cup from undergoing degradation in the soil. Hence, in the present study two different approaches towards the management of paper cup waste through vermicomposting technology has been presented. The experimental setup includes 2 plastic reactors namely Vermicompost (VC) (Cow dung + Paper cup waste + Earthworm ( Eudrillus eugeinea )) and Vermicompost with bacterial consortium (VCB) (Cow dung + Paper cup waste +  Eudrillus eugeinea  + Microbial consortia such as Bacillus anthracis, B. endophyticus, B. funiculus , B. thuringiensis , B. cereus , B. toyonensis , Virigibacillius chiquenigi , Acinetobacter baumanni and Lactobacillus pantheries ). After treatment the physicochemical parameters were analysed. The results showed that the values of TOC (26.52 and 37.47%), TOM (36.01 and 33.13%) and C/N (15.02 and 11.92%) ratio are reduced in both VC and VCB whereas, the values of pH (8.01 and 7.56), EC (1.2–1.9 µs −1 and 1.4–1.9 µs −1 ), TP (46.1 and 51%), TMg (50.52 and 64.3%), TCa (50 and 64%), TNa (1.39 and 1.75%) and TK (1.75 and 1.86%) have increased. This study substantiates the addition of the microbial consortia augmenting the degradation in VCB reactor by reducing the period of process from 19 to 12 weeks. Further the characterisation of the vermicompost prepared from paper cup with FT-IR shows high degradation of carboxylic and aliphatic group; SEM analysis shows the disaggregation of cellulose and lignin; XRD shows the degradation of cellulose. All these analyses endorse the degradation of the paper cup waste faster with microbes (VCB). Thus, this present study high lights management of the paper cup waste in a relatively short period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lamination is a conservation treatment used to strengthen fragile paper objects by mending tears and losses and providing reinforcement—thereby facilitating handling—and to protect objects from deterioration due to environmental factors. Over the course of time, conservators have used various materials for lamination, including silk, cellulose acetate and heat-set tissues, such as area bonded fibre (ABF). ABF was applied extensively to maps, printed books and manuscripts in the National Library of Scotland (the Library) in the 1970s and 1980s, and anecdotal evidence suggests it was also used in some of the other larger libraries and archives in the UK and Europe. However, by the end of the twentieth century it had fallen out of favour as concerns grew over whether the treatment was appropriate, fuelled by visible evidence that ABF deteriorated as it aged. This paper describes a research project aimed at developing a quick and efficient method of removing ABF from documents and maps at the Library. It was found that removal of ABF with mechanical methods only is not feasible and that the use of an organic solvent is required, with acetone proving the most effective. For economic and health and safety reasons, it would be preferable to use acetone in small and controlled quantities, for example in a gel or for blotter washing, but this slows down the treatment and increases the risk that the media will shift or paper fibres will be removed, making immersion washing the safest option in general, particularly for large format items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many collections of documents, manuscripts, and works of art on paper are prone to degradation due to a complex interplay of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. The aim of this study was to examine the simultaneous effect of multiple degradation agents on selected non-model types of paper in natural environments, and the relative effect of environmental parameters (heat, humidity, light and pollution) compared to material parameters (pH, fibre composition and presence of additives). An exposure experiment was set up to investigate visual and chemical changes of 12 different types of paper in real time in different environmental conditions over a 1.5-year period at 11 sites across Europe and North Africa, sheltered from UV light and precipitation. Suitable environmental monitoring equipment, such as data loggers and gas samplers, and analytical methods to characterise sample degradation, specifically spectrocolorimetry and capillary viscometry, were used to estimate alterations in visual appearance and degree of cellulose polymerisation, which are the most important properties of paper in the heritage context. Multiple linear regression and principal component regression were used to interpret the large volume of data and calculate a set of dose-response functions. The results of this study not only suggested that most of the considered variables are of significance in relation to changes in colour and in average molecular weight, but also revealed a number of meaningful interactions between these variables. Based on the assessment of the relative contributions of environmental and material-related variables to the natural ageing processes of paper, the dose-response functions proposed in this study enable prioritisation of degradation factors in environmental management of paper-based collections and in historic paper degradation studies; however, further work is required to increase accuracy and understanding of the chemistry of degradation. • Effects of multiple degradation agents on selected types of paper are investigated. • An experiment is set up to expose paper samples to different environmental conditions. • Changes in visual and mechanical properties are assessed on degraded paper samples. • Different papers susceptibilities to discolouration and depolymerisation are observed. • Multivariate regression is used for calculating a set of dose-response functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper begins with a recognition that questions of climate change, environmental degradation, and our relations to the natural world are increasingly significant and requiring of a response not only as philosophers of education but also as citizens of the planet. As such the paper explores five of the key journals in philosophy of education in order to identify the extent, range, and content of current discussions related to the environment. It then organizes and summaries the articles that were located while seeking to identify the extent, possibilities, and limitations of current discussions relating to the environment in the philosophy of education community. The hope is that ultimately this work is an invitation to anyone, regardless of tradition, orientation, and expertise, to contribute to the expansion and deepening of both theory and practice in the face of this most serious of challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a special issue of the Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance that features selected papers from the International Conference on Processing and Characterization of Materials (ICPCM-2022). The conference covered various themes including material characterization techniques, modeling and simulation in metallurgy and materials engineering, surface engineering and coatings, mechanical behavior and failure analysis, advanced materials and processing, composite materials, corrosion and environmental degradation, and ferrous and non-ferrous metal extraction. The authors express their gratitude to the contributors and reviewers, as well as the support from the editor-in-chief and the journal staff. The aim of this collection is to inspire new ideas and further investigation in the field of materials science and engineering. [Extracted from the article]

Paper cultural heritages are valuable historical records and also abound in cultural resources. Due to its organic property, paper is susceptible to aging, destruction by environmental pollution and human factors. At present, many countries in the world are facing the problem of paper conservation. Coating reinforcement is one of the methods for paper conservation, in which the choice of reinforcing resin is key. A transparent polyurethane, based on epoxycyclohexane (CHO)-tetrahydrofuran (THF) copolyether, was adopted in this study. The ring-opening polymerization for generating the CHO-THF copolyether took place by the reactants CHO and THF, in the catalysis of boron trifluoride diethyl etherate, initiation of glycerol. Characterizations of the synthetic copolyether were conducted by infrared (IR) spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR) spectroscopy. The transparent polyurethane was then produced by the CHO-THF copolyether and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) trimer. The influences of different concentrations of polyurethane solution upon the paper tensile strength, elongation, folding endurance, tearing strength, gloss, and brightness were studied. These findings suggest that 10% polyurethane solution is optimal, not only for greatly improving the paper performance, but also for keeping with the principle of "repair as old". The applied results demonstrate that the polyurethane based on the CHO-THF copolyether has the characteristics of copolyether along with polyurethane, displaying good mechanical properties in paper reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the data gathered for a paper published in Earth-Science Reviews (DOI: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2023.104339) to address the problem of studies using incorrect equations to calculate rainfall erosivity (R factor), which can lead to issues related to land degradation, soil productivity loss, and biodiversity loss. The aim was to locate articles containing the incorrect equations and create a relational database that could be used to perform an in-depth analysis of the errors. Because the search target is an equation, it is impossible to directly query any literature database for the articles that contain the incorrect R equations. Therefore, a manual search of multiple databases was conducted. Subsequently, the literature search was broadened to identify the origin of the misuse of the R equations, and SQL (Structured Query Language) queries were formulated to understand why the errors continued to persist for a minimum of 33 years. The resulting entity-relationship-based Microsoft Access database was determined to be a valuable tool for performing in-depth analysis. It can be used to add incorrect studies and perform further analysis. It is suggested that further research should be conducted to determine the extent of the impact of these errors on soil erosion, ecosystems, and the environment. Dataset: 10.17632/ryn6wdgckf.1. Dataset License: CC BY 4.0 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]