Environmental Pollution

Cellulase is important enzyme required for catabolism of cellulose into smaller sugars in the animal metabolism. Cellulose is plant polysaccharides and contained higher range of sugar moleculs those with help of suitable enzyme and microorganism can be used for conversion of sugar into biofuels to meet the requirements of energy. In the present study Cellulase was produce from corn straw by solid state fermentation with the help of Trichoderma. Reesei. The corn straw was supplemented with wheat bran for supply of essential elements ( N and C). The optimal experimental conditions like temperature, pH, time total water contents of substrate were selected for this study. It was observed that cellulase shows its maximum activity at when corn straw and wheat bran ration is 1:1 (water contents ratios 1:2 ). The optimal temperature 28 o C, pH 5.5 and time duration for maximum activity was 72 hours. Furthermore the fermented activity of FPase 119.41 U followed by CMCase 452.5 U was observed in the present study.

Three methods for predicting element mobility in soils have been applied to an iron-rich soil, contaminated with arsenic, cadmium and zinc. Soils were collected from 0 to 30 cm, 30 to 70 cm and 70 to 100 cm depths in the field and soil pore water was collected at different depths from an adjacent 100 cm deep trench. Sequential extraction and a column leaching test in the laboratory were compared to element concentrations in pore water sampled directly from the field. Arsenic showed low extractability, low leachability and occurred at low concentrations in pore water samples. Cadmium and zinc were more labile and present in higher concentrations in pore water, increasing with soil depth. Pore water sampling gave the best indication of short term element mobility when field conditions were taken into account, but further extraction and leaching procedures produced a fuller picture of element dynamics, revealing highly labile Cd deep in the soil profile.

The leather sector is Bangladesh’s second-largest export industry, contributing 2.37% of total exports in FY 2024–25 and employing over 350,000 workers directly and indirectly. Despite its economic significance, the sector particularly the Savar Tannery Industrial Estate (STIE) faces persistent structural, social, and environmental challenges. Weak enforcement of labour laws, inadequate occupational safety, exploitative wage systems, and limited social protection expose workers to severe vulnerabilities, while climate change and environmental degradation further intensify risks. Using a mixed-methods case study of Bangladesh Labour Foundation initiatives, this study maps worker vulnerabilities and explores pathways for a Just Transition (JT) in the leather industry. Findings reveal systemic wage deficits, precarious employment, widespread health hazards from chemical exposure, and socio-economic insecurities compounded by climate-induced disruptions. Awareness of JT remains low among workers, employers, and associations, though trade unions and civil society actors highlight its urgency. The study identifies key barriers, including governance failures, weak social dialogue, and resistance to sustainable practices. Proposed JT pathways include eco-friendly technological upgrades, strengthened occupational health and safety, expanded social protection, reskilling programmes, policy reforms, and inclusive financing mechanisms. Ensuring a worker-centred Just Transition is critical to securing both the industry’s global competitiveness and the livelihoods of its workforce.

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

The debate on the possibility of economic growth improving the quality of the environment has yet to reach a consensus. To contribute to this debate, we investigate the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis for oil-producing countries in Africa based on annual data from 1991 to 2019. We also examine the causal relationship between environmental quality and economic growth. The panel autoregressive distribution lag (PARDL) technique and the Granger non-causality test were employed. The findings show evidence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth and environmental quality in the long run, indicating the validity of the EKC hypothesis. It was also observed that energy prices exert strong, deteriorating effects on the environment in the short run. In the long run, renewable energy consumption and energy prices significantly improve the quality of the environment. The Granger causality test results demonstrate a unidirectional causality from environmental quality to economic growth. It was concluded that policies aimed at improving environmental quality in these countries could be beneficial in the short run. In the long run, these policies will prove beneficial only when economic growth is at a level where the quality of the environment is declining, since economic growth improves environmental quality. Contribution/Originality: This study contributes to the literature by exploring the potential of economic growth to address environmental degradation in Africa's oil-producing countries in the short and long runs. In addition, it offers insights into the causal relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation in these countries.

Bioremediation is a cost-effective and sustainable approach for treating polluted soils, but our ability to improve on current bioremediation strategies depends on our ability to isolate microorganisms from these soils. Although culturing is widely used in bioremediation research and applications, it is unknown whether the composition of cultured isolates closely mirrors the indigenous microbial community from contaminated soils. To assess this, we paired culture-independent (454-pyrosequencing of total soil DNA) with culture-dependent (isolation using seven different growth media) techniques to analyse the bacterial and fungal communities from hydrocarbon-contaminated soils. Although bacterial and fungal rarefaction curves were saturated for both methods, only 2.4% and 8.2% of the bacterial and fungal OTUs, respectively, were shared between datasets. Isolated taxa increased the total recovered species richness by only 2% for bacteria and 5% for fungi. Interestingly, none of the bacteria that we isolated were representative of the major bacterial OTUs recovered by 454-pyrosequencing. Isolation of fungi was moderately more effective at capturing the dominant OTUs observed by culture-independent analysis, as 3 of 31 cultured fungal strains ranked among the 20 most abundant fungal OTUs in the 454-pyrosequencing dataset. This study is one of the most comprehensive comparisons of microbial communities from hydrocarbon-contaminated soils using both isolation and high-throughput sequencing methods.

The design of a community’s built environment influences the physical and mental health of its residents. Because few studies have investigated this relationship, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted a workshop in May 2002 to help develop a scientific research agenda on these issues. Workshop participants’ areas of expertise included physical activity, injury prevention, air pollution, water quality, urban planning, transportation, architecture, epidemiology, land use, mental health, social capital, housing, and social marketing. This report describes the 37 questions in the resulting research agenda. The next steps are to define priorities and obtain resources. The proposed research will help identify the best practices for designing new communities and revitalizing old ones in ways that promote physical and mental health.

The conference programme featured a broad array of topics relating to mercury in the environment, including sources, transport, behaviour, fate, effects, and remediation. The technical programme for the conference contained a diverse and multidisciplinary assemblage of more than 1,000 abstracts submitted by authors from over 50 countries

Tetracycline (TC) pollution results from the wide use of antibiotics in human society; through several pathways, it intensely pollutes the environment. Many methods exist to degrade it, such as Advanced oxidation processes, hydrolysis, adsorption, biodegradation, activated sludge, membrane bioreactors (MBR), and combined process. However, they are sometimes inefficient; that is why many new tools are being considered and designed to increase TC removal performance.

    Photocatalysis involves the absorption of photons by the photocatalyst, which generates electron-hole pairs that participate in redox reactions; the degradation of pollutants has the advantages of low cost and environmental friendliness. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) presents excellent photocatalytic performance. Still, it is a powder that is difficult to recycle and easy to agglomerate in the water body. This paper uses carbon nitride and PEI as precursors to prepare g-C3N4-PEI water-soluble photocatalytic materials and then uses that material and sodium alginate hydrogel to construct photocatalytic flowers. The main research content and conclusions are as follows:
(1) Five samples of g-C3N4-PEI were prepared using different ratios of both g-C3N4 and PEI materials; the g-C3N4: PEI=1:5 sample has the best degradation performance with a TC removal rate of 73.546%. The UV-Vis, FTIR, fluorescence, and XPS characterizations showed that g-C3N4-PEI had the basic s-triazine ring, carbon, and nitrogen atom heterocycle (2p orbitals), graphitic C–N network, amino and hydroxyl groups. The optimal light absorption wavelength is 368(nm), and the quantum yield  (λex = 340 nm) was 20.9%, using quinine sulfate as a standard.
(2) Throughout the experiments, the flower's removal rate of TC was (absorption 50%,
photodegradation 66.75%), higher than pure g-C3N4 (6.23% and 52.76%). 
Keywords： Tetracycline, photocatalytic flower, graphitic carbon nitride,
polyethyleneimine, quantum dot.

The lowest wildfire activity in Bolivia was in April and the highest in September, with a strong west-to-east AOD gradient. • Smoke impacted Santa Cruz due to its proximity to fire foci and lower altitude, exceeding WHO daily PM 10 limit in Jun-Sept. • Lowland wildfires had little impact on La Paz and Cochabamba; WHO daily PM 10 exceedances (36-76% of the time) were mainly local.

In recent years, the number of studies of pollution and magnetic proxies for environmental pollution in developed countries, especially European and North American countries, has gradually increased from the 80’s to date. Despite this trend that shows a positive interest in taking care of the environment and researching into the environmental impact of several human activities, pollution studies in Latin American countries have been reducing in number. Moreover, studies of magnetic proxies for pollution are scarce; in particular, studies of this nature has been carried out in Argentina over the past few years by Chaparro and coworkers. Studies of magnetic enhancement in soils due to the burning mechanism are discussed and the results of burnt soils affected by fires of different nature and natural soils are compared, taking into account their magnetic carriers. Nevertheless, this article deals mainly with the first studies of magnetic proxies for pollution conducted in a province in...

The concentrations of heavy metals in the environment of Sapele Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria, were examined. This study employed an experimental design methodology. A total of fifteen composite sediment samples were gathered in December 2024 and June 2025. The sediment was collected using a corer and clean plastic bottles. The samples were air-dried, mechanically ground with a mortar and pestle, and sieved through a 2 mm mesh for subsequent analysis. A weight of 1.0 g of each sediment sample was placed into Kjeldahl flasks. Aqua regia (15 cm 3 ) was introduced, mixed thoroughly, and allowed to sit overnight. The flasks were then heated on a hot plate at 50 °C for 30 minutes, after which the temperature was increased to 120 °C and maintained for 2 hours.

Combined Economic and Emission Dispatch (CEED) problem is one of the important optimization problems concerning power system issues. The objective is to determine and provide an economic condition for generation units, subject to minimize the total fuel cost and environmental pollution caused by fossil based thermal generating units, founded on the generation and transmission constraints. In this paper, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is proposed for solving the CEED problem under some equality and inequality constraints. The effect of four Price Penalty Factors (PPF)such as Min-Max, Max-Max, Min-Min and Max-Min price penalty factors are included in order to convert the biobjective problem into a single objective function. The validity of the proposed PSO based algorithm is demonstrated for three power system test cases: the IEEE 30-bus system with 6 generators, the 11 generation units system and the Real West Algeria power network consisting of 22 buses with 7 generators. The results are compared to data from SONELGAZ reported in a recent literature and it proves the feasibility of PSO based algorithm for the CEED problem.

Afghanistan is one of the developing countries in South Asia with an enormous renewable and nonrenewable energy resources. Since 1893, utilization of secondary (modern) form of energy in Afghanistan has been pursued. The trends of sustainable energy provision have been reinforced after the post-conflicts in Afghanistan. The Sustainable Development Goal-7 (affordable and clean energy access) encourages nations to assess their resource development of renewable, affordable, and accessible energy. Unlike many developing countries that struggle to identify domestic sources of clean, sustainable energy, Afghanistan has hydro, solar, wind, and geothermal resources as assets. This literature review analyzes Afghanistan's potential for renewable energy to identify obstacles and challenges like security, economics, and technology. Using surveys conducted by national and international organizations. This research evaluates Afghanistan's progress in meeting SDG-7, identifies the main barriers for renewable energy development, and offers recommended solutions. This study reveals the facts of energy sector development in Afghanistan to enable students, researchers, and practitioners with an overview of the current situation and future direction of the energy sector. Also, this study offers a concise outlook for energy sector investors and donors at the national and international stages.

Los hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos (HAP) están ampliamente distribuidos en el ambiente y su origen puede ser natural o antrópico. La mayoría de los HAP ambientales son productos de la combustión incompleta o pirólisis de combustibles fósiles y pueden ser introducidos al suelo vía depositación atmosférica. Los HAP son importantes para la salud pública y el ambiente debido a sus posibles efectos carcinogénicos y mutagénicos y a su influencia dañina en los organismos del suelo y las plantas. En este estudio se analizaron los niveles y composición de 13 HAP de 46 muestras de suelo de San Nicolás, una comunidad manufacturera de ladrillos en el centro de México. Las concentraciones totales de HAP estuvieron entre 7 y 1384 ng/g con un promedio de 220 ng/g. El HAP más abundante fue el naftaleno (Nap), seguido por el fluoreno (Fl), el criseno (Chr), el benzo(a)antraceno (BaA) y el dibenzo(a,h)antraceno (DahA). Al comparar los niveles de HAP en el suelo con las normas mexicanas y estad...

The world energy consumption has increased with rising of living standards, since the industrial revolution. Conventional power production methods trigger the climate change with environmental pollution. A considerable number of scientists believe that the current rate of fossil fuel consumption will not provide enough energy to human being for more than a few centuries. The concerns about fossil fuel based energy methods have led researchers to explore alternative, renewable, environmental friendly, cheaper and sustainable energy methods. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of global energy consumption by drawing attention to the environmental impacts of both fossil and renewable resources. In this study, an outlook of the world's energy production methods has been given and different type of energy production methods have been evaluated. The environmental impacts of current energy production methods have been outlined. The interrelation between the energy and climate change was illustrated.

The concentrations of heavy metals in the environment of Sapele Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria, were examined. This study employed an experimental design methodology. A total of fifteen composite sediment samples were gathered in December 2024 and June 2025. The sediment was collected using a corer and clean plastic bottles. The samples were air-dried, mechanically ground with a mortar and pestle, and sieved through a 2 mm mesh for subsequent analysis. A weight of 1.0 g of each sediment sample was placed into Kjeldahl flasks. Aqua regia (15 cm 3 ) was introduced, mixed thoroughly, and allowed to sit overnight. The flasks were then heated on a hot plate at 50 °C for 30 minutes, after which the temperature was increased to 120 °C and maintained for 2 hours.

Whole soft tissue concentrations of Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and U were measured in two species of freshwater Ž . Ž . unionid bivalves Hyridella depressa and Velesunio ambiguus from a minimally polluted site in the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, south-eastern Australia. Although the mean concentrations of metals in the tissue were similar for each bivalve species, their patterns of accumulation were dissimilar. For each metal, positive linear relationships Ž 2 . Ž 2 between tissue concentration and shell length r s 0.37᎐0.77; PF 0.001 and tissue dry weight r s 0.29᎐0.51; . PF 0.01 were found in H. depressa, but not in V. ambiguus. However, for both species, positive linear relationships Ž 2 were found between the tissue concentration of each divalent metal and Ca tissue concentration r s 0.59᎐0.97; . PF 0.001 . For both bivalve species, the normalised rates of accumulation of the metals relative to increasing Ca concentration andror size, were U f CdG Pb G Mn ) CoG Zn ) Cu ) Ni. The differential rates of accumulation of divalent metals are interpreted as being predominantly governed by their varying loss rates, which are controlled by Ž . the differing solubilities log K values of the metals in the phosphatic extracellular granules, the demonstrated sp major sites of metal deposition in the tissue of H. depressa and V. ambiguus. The rates of accumulation of Mn, Co, Ž 2 . Zn, Cu and Ni were linearly and inversely related r s 0.91᎐0.97; PF 0.001 to their solubilities as hydrogen phosphates, a finding consistent with the bioaccumulation model previously developed for the alkaline-earth metals. However, for U, Cd and Pb, this linear inverse relationship did not continue to hold, i.e. their rates of accumulation did not increase with decreasing solubility. However, these results are still consistent with the model if U, Cd and Pb Ž . are so insoluble in the granules of H. depressa and V. ambiguus over their lifetime up to approx. 50 years that there is effectively no loss of these metals, and hence, no differential between their rates of accumulation. The present results reaffirm the use of Ca tissue concentration to predict the tissue concentrations of other divalent metals by

Техногенное воздействие на ландшафты северных территорий многократно усиливается в условиях изменения климата. Особенно заметно нарушения природной среды проявляются в тундровой зоне Северной Америки и России. Установлены главные причины деградации североамериканской и российской тундры в условиях ее антропогенного освоения при изменяющейся климатической ситуации.

В статье приводится анализ эколого-хозяйственного состояния территории Старооскольского, Губкинского и Яковлевского административных районов Белгородской области. Дана оценка антропогенной нагрузки, выявлены ареалы экологических ситуаций исследуемых территорий.
Analysis of ecological-economic status of Starooskolskiy, Gubkinskiy and Yakovlevskiy districts of Belgorodskaya oblast is given in the article. An assessment of anthropogenic pressure and areas of ecological situations of investigated territories is given.

Abstract
This study explores strategies to increase consumer engagement in e-waste management through refurbished electronics and recycling behaviors in urban and suburban communities. With e-waste quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing waste streams worldwide, this research focuses on the role of electronic retailers in shaping sustainable consumer practices. A voluntary Qualtrics survey in Georgia collected 131 responses, which were analyzed in RStudio using descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, and regression analysis. Results showed that financial incentives strongly motivated younger consumers (ages 18–34) to recycle and purchase refurbished products, while older consumers (ages 35 and above) were more influenced by convenience and access to recycling locations. These findings highlight the need for retailers to adapt to demographic motivations—for example, by offering trade-in credits for younger consumers and increasing drop-off sites for older groups. By aligning with these motivators, businesses can reduce e-waste, encourage refurbished technology, and support sustainable policy efforts.

Добыча железных руд КМА как открытым, так и подземным способами сопровождается заметной техногенной нагрузкой на природу региона. При этом интенсивность воздействия горнодобывающей промышленности  в зонах разработки Лебединского, Коробковского и Гостищевского месторождений на природную среду зависит как от способа освоения месторождений, так и от функционирования существующих здесь крупных горно-обогатительных комбинатов и других предприятий.
Разработка и добыча железных руд открытым способом характеризуется значительно большей техногенной нагрузкой на природную среду, чем подземным, поэтому предпочтительнее разрабатывать Лебединское месторождение подземным способом.
Добыча руд Гостищевского месторождения будет осуществляться способом скважной гидродобычи с полным оборотным водоснабжением, который не будет сопровождаться появлением отвалов вскрышных пород и позволит не увеличивать нагрузку на природную среду области.
Освоение этого месторождения будет осуществляется без присутствия людей в горных выработках. Такой способ добычи железных руд является более дешевым, чем традиционные методы освоения, и экологически менее опасным как для здоровья населения, так и для окружающей среды. Тем не менее, при разработке этого месторождения может произойти нарушение гидрогеологического режима подземных вод. Негативные экологические последствия этого процесса проявятся, возможно, не сразу. В связи с этим геоэкологические исследования в районе КМА по-прежнему актуальны.

model for gas-phase persistent organic compounds over Lake Michigan has been constructed. Using air temperature, wind direction and atmospheric PCB concentration collected around and over the lake, the model predicts the concentration of PCB congeners (~100) and trans-nonachlor over the lake and gas exchange fluxes. The model shows that gas-phase PCB and trans-nonachlor concentrations over Lake Michigan vary considerably as a function of temperature, wind direction, and distance from the urban-industrial region of southwest Lake Michigan. The combined effects of southerly winds and high temperatures cause a large 'plume ' of gas-phase PCBs from Chicago. The Chicago urban air toxics plume can impact the whole lake when warm southerly winds are strong. In this paper, we examine the magnitude of the Chicago plume on gas deposition of these potentially toxic compounds to the lake. Findings-PCBs 1. The LMMB atmospheric modeling shows that Chicago is a source of gas-phase PCBs. ...

As part of the U.S. EPA's Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study, a predictive model for gas-phase persistent organic compounds over Lake Michigan has been constructed. Using air temperature, wind direction and atmospheric PCB concentration collected around and over the lake, the model predicts the concentration of PCB congeners (~100) and trans-nonachlor over the lake and gas exchange fluxes. The model shows that gas-phase PCB and trans-nonachlor concentrations over Lake Michigan vary considerably as a function of temperature, wind direction, and distance from the urban-industrial region of southwest Lake Michigan. The combined effects of southerly winds and high temperatures cause a large 'plume' of gas-phase PCBs from Chicago. The Chicago urban air toxics plume can impact the whole lake when warm southerly winds are strong. In this paper, we examine the magnitude of the Chicago plume on gas deposition of these potentially toxic compounds to the lake. Findings-PCBs 1. The LMMB atmospheric modeling shows that Chicago is a source of gas-phase PCBs. The Chicago region contributes 2 to 20% of the total deposition of PCB to the lake, depending on the congener and time of year. For an annual year the total gas-phase depositon of ΣPCBs is ~3200 kg and the Chicago contribution is ~330 kg. 2. The Chicago source behaves like a non-point release by volatilization from contaminated sites open to the atmosphere and subject to the same temperature fluctuations as the air temperature. Recommendations -PCBs 1. Reduce the deposition of PCBs to Lake Michigan by: a. Covering land surfaces contaminated with PCBs b. Removing structures contaminated with PCBs c. Conduct remediation activities in cool weather Findings -trans-nonachlor 1. The Chicago source of trans-nonachlor is most important in the winter. During the summertime, the source of trans-nonchlor is more diffuse. 2. The trans-nonachlor signal is not consistent with current use of the pesticide or of seasonal application. 3. Sources of trans-nonachlor are associated with high temperatures and southern winds. This model cannot identify the range of transport. Recommendations -trans-nonachlor 1.Reduce the deposition of trans-nonachlor to Lake Michigan: a. Prevent new application of trans-nonachlor inside and outside the Great Lakes basin b. Conduct remediation activities in cool weather.

Composting is a solid waste management alternative that avoids the emission of methane associated with its disposal in landfill and reduces or eliminates the need for chemical fertilisers if compost is applied. The main objective of this study was to analyse the environmental burdens of composting as a way to achieve a more circular valorisation of wine waste. To do so, with the purpose of identifying optimal operational conditions and determining the "hotspots" of the process, the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was used. The consumption of diesel fuel in machinery was determined to be the main critical point in the environmental effects of the system, followed by the transport and distribution of the compost. After the application of compost instead of mineral fertilisers, corn, tomato and strawberry crops would have a better environmental performance in most impact categories. In this sense, a maximum improvement of 65% in terrestrial ecotoxicity is achieved in strawberry cultivation. In light of the results obtained, it is demonstrated that composting is a suitable way of organic waste valorisation according to Circular Economy principles.

Taking into consideration the fact that Russia’s economic policy emphasizes the mining industry playing a significant role in meeting the material needs of population, it is expected that the volume of extraction and processing of mineral raw materials will increase. At the same time there is the threat of further environmental degradation in the KMA region. Improving the ecological situation in the region could be realized by implementing urgent measures aimed at preventing further environmental degradation. However, environmental protection actions do not improve
the ecological situation automatically because of the lack of understanding of the complexities involved in the degradation of the environment. Obviously, the development of approaches and methodology to assess the human-caused impacts in the areas of concentration of the mining complex facilities is becoming a major concern in Russia. The government is concerned about the ecological situations in areas where there are megaengineering complexes. Russian researchers, in particular those who are working in environmental and engineering spheres, are entrusted with developing a methodology that aims to decrease the
human-caused impacts in areas of these large and complex operations.

A model for the effect of pollution on an animal population partially dependent on a plant resource is examined. Using a system of ordinary differential equations, the model tracks and relates changes in an animal population and its internal pollution levels, a plant population and its internal pollution levels, and the overall environmental pollution level. The model system is analysed using standard mathematical techniques, including the direct Lyapunov method and numerical simulations. Criteria for the stability of the system are found and numerically tested. Three inequalities are sufficient to establish global stability, and a parameter range exists in which these criteria are satisfied. The stability criteria dictate that the system will be globally stable provided that the removal rate of the pollution from the environment, the intrinsic growth rate of the plant population, and the rate the animal population relieves itself of its pollution are all sufficiently large.

A model for the effect of pollution on an animal population partially dependent on a plant resource is examined. Using a system of ordinary differential equations, the model tracks and relates changes in an animal population and its internal pollution levels, a plant population and its internal pollution levels, and the overall environmental pollution level. The model system is analysed using standard mathematical techniques, including the direct Lyapunov method and numerical simulations. Criteria for the stability of the system are found and numerically tested. Three inequalities are sufficient to establish global stability, and a parameter range exists in which these criteria are satisfied. The stability criteria dictate that the system will be globally stable provided that the removal rate of the pollution from the environment, the intrinsic growth rate of the plant population, and the rate the animal population relieves itself of its pollution are all sufficiently large.

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the mechanical properties of geopolymer concrete (GPC), made from alkalineactivated fly ash and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), compared to conventional M30 grade concrete. Additional samples of GPC incorporating steel fibers were also tested. To investigate the behavior of these materials under elevated temperatures (0°C, 250°C, 500°C, 750°C), thirty-six specimens were cast and tested, including cubes, cylinders, and prisms. These specimens comprised slag-based GPC (containing GGBS and fly ash) and standard M30 concrete. The results of the compressive strength tests indicated that GPC demonstrated 22.3% greater strength than conventional concrete. Furthermore, adding steel fibers to GPC enhanced its compressive strength by 61%. The split tensile strength of GPC was 71.8% higher than standard concrete, and GPC with steel fibers exhibited a 118.5% increase. Similarly, the flexural strength (modulus of rupture) increased by 22% for GPC and 54% for GPC reinforced with steel fibers, compared to conventional concrete. Overall, the findings reveal that incorporating steel fibers significantly improves the mechanical properties of slag-based GPC, particularly in compressive, tensile, and flexural strength, making it superior to ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-based concrete.

This study investigates the determinants of life expectancy in Afghanistan using annual time-series data from 1999 to 2022. Employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) framework, the analysis examines both short-and long-run effects of fertility rate, physician density, GDP growth, health expenditure, inflation, and urbanization on population health. The results reveal that higher fertility rates significantly reduce life expectancy, while physician availability and economic growth exert substantial positive impacts. Health expenditure, although critical in theory, shows an insignificant effect, underscoring concerns about the efficiency of resource allocation rather than volume. Inflation demonstrates a marginally positive association, potentially reflecting government investment responses. These findings emphasize the importance of healthcare accessibility, human capital development, and sustainable economic growth in improving population health outcomes. The study contributes to the literature on health economics in fragile states. It offers policy guidance for strengthening healthcare systems, enhancing fertility management, and promoting inclusive growth to extend life expectancy in Afghanistan.

Ordinary Portland Cement is the most common type of cement manufactured today and how to produce it from coal as well as alternate fuel, will be the focus of this review paper. Portland Cement can be used directly as is, or mixed with different additives i.e. slag or fly ash, to form composite cements with various properties. Clinker design makes a great role for combustion of fuel. To provide the energy required for the clinker phase transition, different types of fossil and alternative fuels like biomass, rubber MSW etc are commonly fired through the main burner. Thus, there is a need to find out the applicability of alternative fuel in India cement plant. The objective of the present review paper is: To gain improved methodical and technical facts on the combustion of Municipal Solid Waste as alternative fuels in the cement rotary kiln.

Kundalika estuary, which opens into the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, receives effluents from industries situated on its bank. The Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPHs) were studied using fluorescence spectrophotometer in water, sediments and fishes along the Kundalika estuary. The values of TPHs varied in water (2.0-19.1μgL -1 ) and surface sediments (2.1-16.8μgg -1 , dry wt) with maximum concentrations recorded in the upstream region. The concentration of TPHs (dry wt) in the sediment cores collected at mouth, middle and upper parts of the estuary ranged 1.4-4.4 μgg -1 , 4.5-27.5 μgg -1 and 6.9-29.1μgg -1 , respectively. Sediments with higher mud (silt+clay) content showed higher TPHs enrichment due to the larger specific surface area and showed significant positive correlation between mud and TPHs concentrations. The accumulated TPHs values of fin fishes (0.5-2.2μgg -1 ; wet wt) were lower than hazardous levels, although there was no statistical significance between TPHs and total length and weight of fish.

Particulate matter (PM), which are chemically and biochemically complicated particles, accommodate a plethora of microorganisms. In the present study, we report the influence of heavy metal pollution on the abundance and community structure of archaea and bacteria associated with PM samples collected from polluted and non-polluted regions of Cochin Estuary (CE), Southwest coast of India. We observed an accumulation of heavy metals in PM collected from CE, and their concentrations were in the order Fe > Zn > Mn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Cd > Co > Ni. Zinc was a major pollutant in the water (4.36-130.50 μgL(-1)) and in the particulate matter (765.5-8451.28 μgg(-1)). Heavy metals, Cd, Co, and Pb were recorded in the particulate matter, although they were below detectable limits in the water column. Statistical analysis showed a positive influence of particulate organic carbon, nitrogen, PM-Pb, PM-Zn and PM-Fe on the abundance of PM-archaea and PM-bacteria. The abundance ...

Amba Estuary, which receives effluent from several industries including a petrochemical complex, opens to the southern limits of the Mumbai Harbor. The study was conducted to find out the level of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPHs) in water and their bioconcentration in ten commercially important fishes from Amba Estuary during different months. In water high concentration of TPHs (39.7μg/l) was obtained during December (middle of estuary) and minimum value (7.2μg/l) was observed in September (lower estuarine). The maximum concentration of TPHs was found to be in Trichiurus savala (3.2µg/g) during December and minimum in Boleophthalmus sp (0.4µg/g) during May. Irrespective of the monthly variations, TPHs accumulation in all the species was considerably lower than hazardous levels. Although there was no statistical significance between TPHs and total length/weight, the Trichiurus savala recording maximum concentration during all months and it can be used as indicator of hydrocarbon pollution in this region.

Harmful ecological effects caused by the emission of gaseous pollutants like sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ), can be reduced by load adequate distribution between power plants. However, this leads to a noticeable increase in their operating cost. In order to eliminate this conflict, and to study the trade-off relation between fuel cost and emissions, an approach to solve this multiobjective environmental/economic load dispatch problem, based on an efficient successive linear programming technique is proposed. Simulation results on the Algerian 59-bus power system prove the efficiency of this method thus confirming its capacity to solve the environmental/economic power dispatch problem.

The national park of El Kala is caracterised with an exceptional lichen flora, taking in to account the diversity of the phorophytes. Three sites have made the object of our study: Lake Tonga, Lake Oubeira and Lake Mellah. The associations with Quercetum suberis being the most representative in the round of wetlands, where we studied the lichen flora on Quercus suber and making systematic surveys on 2 m high for four faces of the substrate. Moreover, a number of data on environmental conditions of the stations studied was considered and thus allowed us to appreciate the importance of specific lichen biodiversity in defined micro-climatic conditions. We have examined the influence of phorophyte diameter on the lichen cover and with respect to inter-category competitions observed during the statistical analysis. Our survey of epiphytic lichens in the cork forests of the wetlands of El Kala National Park was a success. From a systematics point of view, with 25 families comprising 135 c...

The Anthropocene is the name of the era in which human activities irreversibly destroyed and reshaped the planet we live in. The production industry, which works for the unlimited needs of the consumer society, continues to produce and consume natural resources without thinking about what it leaves behind. Individuals are not the only ones responsible for this destruction, but also mass movements, various organizations and state policies that have a share in this process. In such cases, activists are the segment that has the most voice in the society. However, art and the artist have a great responsibility both to draw attention to the situation and to express something by raising awareness. Angela Pozzi is an artist who has something to say in this context and expresses this word with her unique art practice. Pozzi's art practice consists of works that she created with the waste materials she collected from the oceans and that contain various didactic discourses. The aim of this research is to examine how the Anthropocene age, which is of vital importance, emerged, and to discuss how art has a function in this age that brought about the climate crisis, destruction of nature and the end of species. In the study conducted with the descriptive scanning method, Angela Pozzi's works were examined in the context of creating ecological awareness. Although these works were successful in raising awareness of the eco-didatic discourses they emphasized, it was seen that they would not cause any systemic changes in the disaster situations depicted.

The effectiveness of using mixtures of lime with palm oil fly ash (Lime-POFA) in soft soil stabilization was investigated by mean of laboratory testing to evaluate the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value. The Banting soft soil sample classified as slightly sandy clay of intermediate plasticity was used in this studies was collected from Banting Selangor, Malaysia. The Palm Oil Fly Ash (POFA) additives used in this study is a finely waste product material from the process of burning palm oil fiber. The POFA used in this study has been tested and classified as Class-F fly ash accordingly to ASTM C618 and describe as siliceous and aluminous materials with possess little or no cementitious value. In that condition, POFA need to combines with small quantities of lime for pozzolanic reaction. The optimum of 6% hydrated lime used in this study as an active additive to the various percentage mixtures of POFA for the pozzolanic reaction. The aim of this study to determine the optimum proportion percentage of POFA to be mixed with 6% lime to stabilize the clay soil based on the California bearing ratio (CBR) value for soaked condition and unsoaked condition. This is laboratory study involved in California Bearing Ratio testing to determine the CBR value of stabilized soft soil. The result shows, the mixing of 6% Lime with 3% POFA were giving the higher CBR value for soaked and unsoaked condition. It shows the POFA can be used as additives to stabilized soft soil subgrade.

Hot work on live hydrocarbon systems is a critical hazard in the oil and gas industry, necessitating robust process isolation and purging to prevent fires and explosions. This forensic analysis investigates a welding fire in an LNG fuel gas line caused by systemic failures in purging design and execution. The nitrogen purge procedure neglected system complexity, deviated from critical parameters, and lacked real-time verification, allowing trapped fuel gas to ignite. Despite compliance with administrative permits, technical rigor was insufficient. Recommendations include system-specific purging plans, continuous Lower Flammable Limit (LFL) monitoring, and Management of Change (MOC) protocols prioritizing safety over operational convenience.

We created a database in order to quantitatively assess the occurrence and removal efficiency of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). From 117 scientific publications, we compiled 6641 data covering 184 PPCPs. Data included the concentrations of PPCPs in WWTP influents and effluents, their removal efficiency and their loads to the aquatic environment. The first outputs of our database allowed to identify the most investigated PPCPs in WWTPs and the most persistent ones, and to obtain reliable and quantitative values on their concentrations, frequency of detection and removal efficiency in WWTPs. We were also able to compare various processes and pointed out activated sludge with nitrogen treatment and membrane bioreactor as the most efficient ones.

Petroleum-powered generators are commonly used in many developing countries as an alternative to meet utility demands. Generator exhaust emission significantly contributes to air pollution, which remains a constant threat to human health due to the presence of aromatic hydrocarbons and other harmful gases. This study assessed oxidative
stress parameters in response to exhaust emission from gasoline generator engine in adult male wistar rats. Forty-eight (48) adult wistar rats weighing between 180-200g were randomly allocated to four (4) groups (A-D) of twelve (12) rats each. After the acclimatization period, the control group (A) were kept unexposed, whereas rats in groups (C-D) were
exposed daily at 2, 4, and 8-hour intervals for 4, 8, and 12 weeks, respectively. Tissue samples were obtained at four weeks intervals. Fresh lung tissues weighing 1g were rinsed twice in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 8.0), homogenized and centrifuged at 3000 revolutions per minute for 20 min at 4°C. Supernatant levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant status (TAS) were
determined using standard protocols. The findings revealed elevated oxidant levels of MDA, NO, and H2O2, whereas SOD, GPX, GST, GSH, CAT, and TAS were significantly reduced across the exposure time points compared to the unexposed control rats (p < 0.05). The research findings revealed that exposure to emissions from gasoline generators induced oxidative stress in the exposed rats, with the extent of disruption to their oxidative balance dependent on the duration and length of exposure time.

2 The prof. V.F. Voiyno-Yasenetskiy Krasnoyarsk state medical university of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 660002 Krasnoyarsk, Russia The data of the last All-Russia population census 2010 was used to characterize mortality by main causes of death in groups of males and females aged from 25 to 70 years depending on level of education. It is established that maximal differences in mortality related to level of education are marked in groups of population of young age and in all groups concerning socially conditioned preventable causes. This occurrence made it possible to confi rm hypothesis about conditionality of increase of mortality in Russia in 1990s and early 2000s at the expense of undereducated population.

Applications of so-called organic wastes are recommended in agriculture where the organic matter content of soil is low. However, before applying organic wastes to soil it is essential to assess that these materials do not pose any hazard to humans, animals, or to the environment. This study aims at evaluating the dynamic of trace elements in a soil amended with various organic wastes combining incubation and DGT techniques. Soil/waste samples were incubated to evaluate the impact of organic waste application on trace elements exchangeable fractions by exploring the DGT response. Organic wastes were incorporated at 80 t ha-1 of dry matter. During organic waste mineralization, we have detected increase in the exchangeable fractions of trace elements, which was more noticeable for Zn and Pb than for Cu, Cd, Ni and Cr. (Resume d&#39;auteur)