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Kjeldsen ILH, Høvring JF, Hillers-Bendtsen AE, Mikkelsen KV. The Effects of Solvent Dynamics on the Back Reaction of Solar-Thermal Energy Storage Systems. J Phys Chem A 2023; 127:7058-7069. [PMID: 37607346 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.3c02294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
We have investigated dynamic solvent effects on molecular solar-thermal energy storage systems using models describing the effects of frequency dependent viscosities and dielectric constants on chemical reaction rates. We have utilized the generalized Langevin model for understanding how the reactions are affected by the frequency dependent viscosities and dielectric constants. Our results show that the rate constants of the molecular solar-thermal energy storage systems depend strongly on the dielectric electric solvent properties and the frequency dependent viscosities of the solvents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Lützen Hoff Kjeldsen
- Department of Chemistry, H. C. Ørsted Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Julie Franck Høvring
- Department of Chemistry, H. C. Ørsted Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas Erbs Hillers-Bendtsen
- Department of Chemistry, H. C. Ørsted Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kurt V Mikkelsen
- Department of Chemistry, H. C. Ørsted Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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Li H, Hu Q, Hong X, Jiang Z, Ni H, Li Q, Zhu Y. Molecular cloning and characterization of a thermostable and halotolerant endo-β-1,4-glucanase from Microbulbifer sp. ALW1. 3 Biotech 2021; 11:250. [PMID: 33968593 PMCID: PMC8088414 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-02801-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterium Microbulbifer sp. ALW1 was previously characterized with the capability to break down the cell wall of brown algae into fine pieces. The biological functions of strain ALW1 were yet to be elucidated. In this study, a gene, namely MaCel5A, was isolated from the ALW1 strain genome, encoding an endo-β-1,4-glucanase. MaCel5A was phylogenetically categorized under the glycoside hydrolase family GH5, with the highest identity to a putative cellulase of Microbulbifer thermotolerans. The recombinant MaCel5A protein purified from heterologous expression in E. coli exhibited maximum activity at 50 °C and pH 6.0, respectively, and functioned selectively toward carboxymethyl cellulose and barley β-glucan. Recombinant MaCel5A demonstrated considerable tolerance to the exposure to high temperature up to 80 °C for 30 min retaining 49% residual activity. In addition, MaCel5A showed moderate stability against pH 5.0-11.0 and strong stability in the presence of nonionic surfactant. MaCel5A exhibited strong halo-stability and halotolerance. The activity of the enzyme increased about tenfold at 0.5 M NaCl, and about fivefold even at 4.0 M NaCl compared to the enzyme activity without the addition of salt. The two conserved glutamic acid residues in MaCel5A featured the typical catalytic acid/base and nucleophile machinery of glycoside hydrolases. These characteristics highlight the industrial application potential of MaCel5A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hebin Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, 361008 China
| | - Qingsong Hu
- College of Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021 China
| | - Xuan Hong
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, 361008 China
| | - Zedong Jiang
- College of Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021 China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Xiamen, 361021 China
| | - Hui Ni
- College of Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021 China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Xiamen, 361021 China
| | - Qingbiao Li
- College of Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021 China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Xiamen, 361021 China
| | - Yanbing Zhu
- College of Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021 China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Xiamen, 361021 China
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Mousazadeh M, Paital B, Naghdali Z, Mortezania Z, Hashemi M, Karamati Niaragh E, Aghababaei M, Ghorbankhani M, Lichtfouse E, Sillanpää M, Hashim KS, Emamjomeh MM. Positive environmental effects of the coronavirus 2020 episode: a review. ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY 2021; 23:12738-12760. [PMID: 33558801 PMCID: PMC7859094 DOI: 10.1007/s10668-021-01240-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak of COVID-19 has made a global catastrophic situation that caused 1,039,406 deaths out of 35,347,404 infections, and it will also cause significant socio-economic losses with poverty increasing from 17.1 to 25.9%. Although the spreading rate of COVID-19 is very high on October 6, 2020, the death rate is still less than 2.94%. Nonetheless, this review article shows that the lockdown has induced numerous positive impacts on the environment and on energy consumption. For instance, the lockdown has decreased the electricity demand by 30% in Italy, India, Germany, and the USA, and by 12-20% in France, Germany, Spain, India, and the UK. Additionally, the expenditure of the fuel supply has been decreased by 4% in 2020 as compared to the previous years (2012-2019). In particular, The global demand for coal fuel has been reduced by 8% in March and April 2020 as compared to the same time in 2019. In terms of harmful emissions, the lockdowns reduced the emissions of nitrous oxides by 20-30% in China, Italy, France, Spain, and by 77.3% in São Paulo, Brazil. Similarly, the particulate matter level has been reduced from 5-15% in Western Europe, to 200% in New Delhi, India, which in turn has enhanced the air quality in a never-seen manner in recent times. In some places, such as New York, USA, CO2 emission was also reduced by 5-10%. The water quality, in several polluted areas, has also been remarkably enhanced, for example, the dissolved oxygen content in the Ganga River, India, has increased by about 80%. Traffic congestion has also been reduced worldwide, and in some areas, it has been reduced by 50%, such as New York and Los Angeles, USA. Overall, while the COVID-19 pandemic has shrinked the global economy by 13-32%, the pandemic has also clearly benefited to other sectors, which must be considered as the spotlight for the permanent revival of the global ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Mousazadeh
- Student Research Committee, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Biswaranjan Paital
- Redox Regulation Laboratory, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, College of Basic Science and Humanities, Bhubaneswar, 751003 Odisha India
| | - Zohreh Naghdali
- Student Research Committee, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | | | - Marjan Hashemi
- Environmental and Occupational Hazards Control Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elnaz Karamati Niaragh
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Hafez Ave., 15875-4413 Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Aghababaei
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163 USA
| | - Melika Ghorbankhani
- MSc in Occupational Safety, Health and Wellbeing at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Eric Lichtfouse
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Coll France, CEREGE, 13100 Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Mika Sillanpää
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, 550000 Vietnam
- Faculty of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, 550000 Vietnam
- School of Civil Engineering and Surveying, Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba, QLD 4350 Australia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Mining, Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, P. O. Box 17011, Doornfontein, 2028 South Africa
| | - Khalid S. Hashim
- Department of Civil Engineering, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Emamjomeh
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
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Current Status and Willingness to Adopt Renewable Energy Technologies in Saudi Arabia. SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/su10114269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this research study is to reveal the current status of and the willingness to adopt renewable energy technologies in the western region of Saudi Arabia. The main contribution of this work is the revealed levels of background knowledge presented on six types of renewable technologies, as well as five willingness perspectives on adoption by different sociodemographics. This was achieved following a quantitative research study to randomly collect cross-sectional data from 416 participants using a carefully designed questionnaire survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the collected data. Results of the study provided and ranked the background knowledge of participants’ viewpoints on six renewable energy sources. It was revealed that education is paramount in increasing the level of awareness of renewable energy technologies. The results also ranked the five willingness perspectives to adopting renewable energy technologies. It was revealed that the economic factor is the main factor influencing the willingness to adoption. The analysis also showed that age was an important factor influencing the adoption of these technologies. This research study acts as a guide assisting energy policy-makers, government agencies, and investors in designing better-targeted public awareness and marketing campaigns on renewable energy technologies. This is in turn will assist in achieving the energy efficiency and production targets of Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia.
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Elum ZA, Modise DM, Nhamo G. Climate change mitigation: the potential of agriculture as a renewable energy source in Nigeria. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:3260-3273. [PMID: 27933500 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-8187-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Energy is pivotal to the economic development of every nation. However, its production and utilization leads to undesirable carbon emissions that aggravate global warming which results in climate change. The agriculture sector is a significant user of energy. However, it has the potential to be a major contributor to Nigeria's energy supply mix in meeting its energy deficit. More so, in the light of current and impending adverse effects of climate change, there is a need to contain GHG's emissions. This paper focuses on bioenergy utilization as a climate change mitigation strategy and one that can, through effective waste management, enhance sustainable economic development in Nigeria. The paper employed a critical discourse analysis to examine the potential of the agricultural sector to provide biofuels from energy crops and other biomass sources. We conclude that Nigeria can reduce its GHG emissions and greatly contribute to global climate change mitigation while also alleviating its energy supply deficit if the agricultural and municipal wastes readily available in its towns and cities are converted to bioenergy. Such engagements will not only promote a clean and healthy environment but also create jobs for economic empowerment and a better standard of living for the people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z A Elum
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, P/Bag X6, Florida, South Africa.
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
| | - D M Modise
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, P/Bag X6, Florida, South Africa
| | - G Nhamo
- Institute of Corporate Citizenship, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
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Vázquez-Rowe I, Villanueva-Rey P, Moreira MT, Feijoo G. Edible protein energy return on investment ratio (ep-EROI) for Spanish seafood products. AMBIO 2014; 43:381-94. [PMID: 23918410 PMCID: PMC3946124 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-013-0426-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2013] [Revised: 05/21/2013] [Accepted: 06/26/2013] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Life cycle assessment (LCA) has developed into a useful methodology to assess energy consumption of fishing fleets and their derived seafood products, as well as the associated environmental burdens. In this study, however, the life cycle inventory data is used to provide a dimensionless ratio between energy inputs and the energy provided by the fish: the edible protein energy return on investment (ep-EROI). The main objective was to perform a critical comparison of seafood products landed in Galicia (NW Spain) in terms of ep-EROI. The combination of energy return on investment (EROI) with LCA, the latter having standardized mechanisms regarding data acquisition and system boundary delimitation, allowed a reduction of uncertainties in EROI estimations. Results allow a deeper understanding of the energy efficiency in the Galician fishing sector, showing that small pelagic species present the highest ep-EROI values if captured using specific fishing techniques. Finally, results are expected to provide useful guidelines for policy support in the EU's Common Fisheries Policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Vázquez-Rowe
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago, Spain,
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