A review of waste management practices and their impact on human health

Impacts of regional socioeconomic statuses and global events on solid waste research reflected in six waste-focused journals

The research pertaining to solid waste is undergoing extensive advancement, thereby necessitating a consolidation and analysis of its research trajectories. The existing biblio-studies on solid waste research (SWR) lack thorough analyses of the factors influencing its trends. This article presents an innovative categorization framework that categorizes publications from six SWR journals utilizing Source Latent Dirichlet Allocation. First analyse changes in publication numbers across main categories, subcategories, journals, and regions, providing a macro-level study of SWR. Temporal analysis of keywords supplements a micro-level study of SWR, which highlights that emerging technologies with low Technology Readiness Level receive significant attention, while studies on widespread technologies are diminishing. Additionally, this study demonstrates the substantial influence of socioeconomic factors and previous SWR publications on current and future SWR trends. Finally, the article confirms the impact of global events on SWR trends by examining the structural breakpoints of SWR and their correlation with global events.

Nanoscience and nanotechnology for water remediation: an earnest hope toward sustainability

Water pollution and the global freshwater crisis are the most alarming concerns of the 21st century, as they threaten the sustainability and ecological balance of the environment. The growth of global population, climate change, and expansion of industrial processes are the main causes of these issues. Therefore, effective remediation of polluted water by means of detoxification and purification is of paramount importance. To this end, nanoscience and nanotechnology have emerged as viable options that hold tremendous potential toward the advancement of wastewater treatment methods to enhance treatment efficiency along with augmenting water supply via utilization of unconventional water sources. Materials at the nano level have shown great promise toward water treatment applications owing to their unique physicochemical properties. In this focus article, we highlight the role of new fundamental properties at the nano scale and material properties that are drastically increased due to the nano dimension (e.g. volume-surface ratio) and highlight their impact and potential toward water treatment. We identify and discuss how nano-properties could improve the three main domains of water remediation: the identification of pollutants, their adsorption and catalytic degradation. After discussing all the beneficial aspects we further discuss the key challenges associated with nanomaterials for water treatment. Looking at the current state-of-the-art, the potential as well as the challenges of nanomaterials, we believe that in the future we will see a significant impact of these materials on many water remediation strategies.

Toxic heavy metal ions contamination in water and their sustainable reduction by eco-friendly methods: isotherms, thermodynamics and kinetics study

Heavy metal ions can be introduced into the water through several point and non-point sources including leather industry, coal mining, agriculture activity and domestic waste. Regrettably, these toxic heavy metals may pose a threat to both humans and animals, particularly when they infiltrate water and soil. Heavy metal poisoning can lead to many health complications, such as liver and renal dysfunction, dermatological difficulties, and potentially even malignancies. To mitigate the risk of heavy metal ion exposure to humans and animals, it is imperative to extract them from places that have been polluted. Several conventional methods such as ion exchange, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, membrane filtration and chemical precipitation have been used for the removal of heavy metal ions. However, these methods have high operation costs and generate secondary pollutants during water treatment. Biosorption is an alternative approach to eliminating heavy metals from water that involves employing eco-friendly and cost-effective biomass. This review is focused on the heavy metal ions contamination in the water, biosorption methods for heavy metal removal and mathematical modeling to explain the behaviour of heavy metal adsorption. This review can be helpful to the researchers to design wastewater treatment plants for sustainable wastewater treatment.

Semi-quantitative study on the secondary compression characteristics of municipal solid waste in aerobic and anaerobic bioreactors

Aeration plays a crucial role in accelerating the secondary compression of municipal solid waste (MSW) for the scientific implementation of aerobic bioreactor technology. There are few comparative reports on the secondary compaction characteristics of MSW in aerobic and anaerobic bioreactors. In this study, six long-term compression tests were conducted to analyze the impact of aeration on MSW compression characteristics, considering two degradation conditions (i.e. aerobic and anaerobic conditions) and three overburden stresses (i.e. 30, 50 and 100 kPa). Model-fitting analysis was employed to examine the data from the tests and exiting literatures. The results showed that aeration effectively increased the rate of secondary compression, and slightly enhanced the steady-state secondary compression strain. In addition, these enhancements tended to decrease with increasing stresses. The increment ratio of the secondary compression rate constant (Rk) was concentrated in the range of 25 % to 100 %, and increases with the increase of aeration rate. The increment ratio of the steady-state secondary compression strain (Rε) ranged from 10 % to 90 %, for the MSW with higher content of paper and wood exhibited higher Rε. The advance ratio of the secondary compression stabilization time (Rt) fell within the range of 20-50 %, and Rt is higher when the moisture content is in the range of 50-65 %. These findings provide valuable guidance on the accelerated stabilization in aerobic bioreactors, providing practical references for the application of aerobic technology to informal landfills.

Differences in physical and mental health symptoms among residents living near municipal solid waste sites: a cross sectional study in the Ashanti Region, Ghana

OBJECTIVE

Physical and mental health concerns and symptoms, including sleep problems, low mood, extreme tiredness, and appetite loss are prevalent among people living near waste sites. This research examines differences in health symptoms among residents living near municipal solid waste sites in the Ashanti Region, Ghana.

METHODS

The study used cross-sectional data from 827 residents living near three municipal waste sites, including Besease, Asokore, and Dompoase sites in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square, and binary logistic regressions were performed to examine the differences and associations between the variables.

RESULTS

Health symptoms, including sleep problems/insomnia, frequent extreme tiredness, low mood, loss of appetite, stress, anxiety, and depression, were reported by the majority of the participants. Residents near open dumpsites (Besease and Asokore) exhibit significantly higher likelihoods of experiencing various health symptoms such as extreme fatigue, depression, psychological disorders, thinking and concentration problems, low mood, loss of appetite, and anxiety compared to those near the engineered Oti landfill in Dompoase.

CONCLUSION

While emphasizing the importance of proper landfill design and management in Ghana, this study underscores the need for further longitudinal and clinical investigations. Clinically establishing the link between dumpsites and health symptoms is imperative for informed public health interventions and policy decisions aimed at mitigating the potential adverse health effects of landfills on residents' well-being.

Ladders and stairs: how the intervention ladder focuses blame on individuals and obscures systemic failings and interventions

Introduced in 2007 by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, the intervention ladder has become an influential tool in bioethics and public health policy for weighing the justification for interventions and for weighing considerations of intrusiveness and proportionality. However, while such considerations are critical, in its focus on these factors, the ladder overemphasises the role of personal responsibility and the importance of individual behaviour change in public health interventions. Through a study of vaccine hesitancy and vaccine mandates among healthcare workers, this paper investigates how the ladder obscures systemic factors such as the social determinants of health. In overlooking these factors, potentially effective interventions are left off the table and the intervention ladder serves to divert attention away from key issues in public health. This paper, therefore, proposes a replacement for the intervention ladder-the intervention stairway. By broadening the intervention ladder to include systemic factors, the stairway ensures relevant interventions are not neglected merely due to the framing of the issue. Moreover, it more accurately captures factors influencing individual health as well as allocations of responsibility for improving these factors.

Interfacial Solar Evaporation: From Fundamental Research to Applications

In the last decade, interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG), powered by natural sunlight garnered significant attention due to its great potential for low-cost and environmentally friendly clean water production in alignment with the global decarbonization efforts. This review aims to share the knowledge and engage with a broader readership about the current progress of ISSG technology and the facing challenges to promote further advancements toward practical applications. The first part of this review assesses the current strategies for enhancing the energy efficiency of ISSG systems, including optimizing light absorption, reducing energy losses, harvesting additional energy, and lowering evaporation enthalpy. Subsequently, the current challenges faced by ISSG technologies, notably salt accumulation and bio-fouling issues in practical applications, are elucidated and contemporary methods are discussed to overcome these challenges. In the end, potential applications of ISSG, ranging from initial seawater desalination and industrial wastewater purification to power generation, sterilization, soil remediation, and innovative concept of solar sea farm, are introduced, highlighting the promising potential of ISSG technology in contributing to sustainable and environmentally conscious practices. Based on the review and in-depth understanding of these aspects, the future research focuses are proposed to address potential issues in both fundamental research and practical applications.

Cytotoxic and oxidative changes in individuals occupationally exposed to recyclable municipal solid waste

aste collectors are exposed to a wide variety of bacteria, endotoxins, fungi, allergens, particulate matter, irritating inhalants, and vehicle exhaust, making them more prone to development of chronic diseases. Although several studies described the impact of occupational exposure on the overall health of waste collectors, few investigations were conducted regarding cellular and molecular changes that may occur due to exposure. The aim of this study was to assess biomarkers of oxidative stress such as levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipoperoxidation, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), apoptosis, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity and mitochondrial function (MitoTrackerTM Green FM and MitoTrackerTM Red) using the peripheral blood from individuals occupationally exposed to recyclable solid waste in Southern Brazil. The study included 30 waste collectors and 30 control individuals, who did not perform activities with recognized exposure to biological and chemical substances. Waste collectors were found to exhibit in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) higher rates of apoptosis, increased production of ROS, and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), associated with decreased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and elevated activity of BChE in plasma. Therefore, evidence indicates that cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses may be involved in the multiplicity of adverse health outcomes related to contaminant exposure in waste collectors. It is thus necessary to implement and/or improve occupational health programs aimed at workers as well as mandatory inspections for the use of personal protective equipment.

What works in sanitation promotion?

Promotion appears to be the least effective but is nevertheless often the only available, means to achieve increased access to sanitation services, especially at scale, in lower-income countries. A cursory examination of the history of past and present approaches to sanitation promotion, including sanitation marketing, community development, community-led total sanitation and public health, shows that they have a variety of features and characteristics which make them distinctive. Unfortunately, rigorous evaluation has not kept pace with this proliferation of approaches, so it is difficult to recommend any one approach over the others, based on empirical performance in a range of circumstances. However, I argue that a 'hybrid' approach which exhibits a number of salient features from all of the previous approaches is likely to be a good bet. I present a recent example of such a hybrid programme which proved to significantly increase the rate of improved sanitation coverage through promotion (without subsidy of any kind) at scale in Tanzania. I suggest other sanitation promotion programs may want to think about adopting similar practices in their own programming going forward.

Potential airborne human pathogens: A relevant inhabitant in built environments but not considered in indoor air quality standards

Potential airborne human pathogens (PAHPs) may be a relevant component of the air microbiome in built environments. Despite that PAHPs can cause infections, particularly in immunosuppressed patients at medical centers, they are scarcely considered in standards of indoor air quality (IAQ) worldwide. Here, we reviewed the current information on microbial aerosols (bacteria, fungal and viruses) and PAHPs in different types of built environments (e.g., medical center, industrial and non-industrial), including the main factors involved in their dispersion, the methodologies used in their study and their associated biological risks. Our analysis identified the human occupancy and ventilation systems as the primary sources of dispersal of microbial aerosols indoors. We also observed temperature and relative humidity as relevant physicochemical factors regulating the dispersion and viability of some PAHPs. Our analysis revealed that some PAHPs can survive and coexist in different environments while other PAHPs are limited or specific for an environment. In relation to the methodologies (conventional or molecular) the nature of PAHPs and sampling type are pivotal. In this context, indoors air-borne viruses are the less studies because their small size, environmental lability, and absence of efficient sampling techniques and universal molecular markers for their study. Finally, it is noteworthy that PAHPs are not commonly considered and included in IAQ standards worldwide, and when they are included, the total abundance is the single parameter considered and biological risks is excluded. Therefore, we propose a revision, design and establishment of public health policies, regulations and IAQ standards, considering the interactions of diverse factors, such as nature of PAHPs, human occupancy and type of built environments where they develop.

The current status and future of solid waste recycled building bricks

Solid waste (SW) has become a problem hindering the economic and social development. Achieving the full green cycle from raw material to production of recycled building bricks (RBB) using SW is the focus of future research. In this paper, the research results of RBB manufacturing using SW in recent years are reviewed. According to the consolidation principle of RBB, the effects of different types of SW on the physicochemical properties and microstructure of RBB are summarized based on the recycled unsintered brick (RUSB) and recycled sintered brick (RSB). By comparing and evaluating the two consolidation methods, it is proposed that RSB has good practicality due to its higher SW utilization rate, higher strength, and faster consolidation speed. Furthermore, the difference between MWS and conventional sintering (CS) is analyzed, and the research on the application of MWS in SW-RBB manufacturing in recent years is reviewed in detail. It is pointed out that microwave sintering (MWS) technology can solve many drawbacks in traditional sintering technology and has great prospects in manufacturing SW-RBB due to the low energy consumption, low pollution, and high efficiency. Finally, the shortcomings and possible challenges in the current research on manufacturing SW-RBB using MWS technology are discussed, which provides guidance for the future development of SW-RBB manufacturing.

Waste management evolution in the last five decades in developing countries - A review

This review provides the history and current paradigms of waste management (WM) practices in developing nations during the last five decades. It explores the evolution of the challenges, complexities, and trends during this period. This paper, for the first time, presents an estimation of the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in developing nations in the last five decades based on the material flow analysis approach. Overall, the amount of MSW in developing countries has increased from about 0.64 billion Mt in 1970 to 2 billion Mt in 2019. This review demonstrates the importance of finding new WM approaches in developing nations in the context of formulating policies, strategies, and highlights the major trends that re-define WM in developing countries. It also aims to present the holistic changes in technology, economic and environmental feasibility aspects to attain an integrated sustainable WM system in developing countries. Specific focus on open-burning, open-dumping, informal recycling, food waste, plastic pollution, and waste collection with reference to Sustainable Development Goals are explained. Drivers for the way forward including circular economy are investigated.

Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Ion Pairing of κ6 N Complexes with Rare-Earth Elements in the Solid State and in Solution

The rare earth element complexes (Ln=Y, La, Sm, Lu, Ce) of several podant κ6 N-coordinating ligands have been synthetized and thoroughly characterized. The structural properties of the complexes have been investigated by X-ray diffraction in the solid state and by advanced NMR methods in solution. To estimate the donor capabilities of the presented ligands, an experimental comparison study has been conducted by cyclic voltammetry as well as absorption experiments using the cerium complexes and by analyzing 89 Y NMR chemical shifts of the different yttrium complexes. In order to obtain a complete and detailed picture, all experiments were corroborated by state-of-the-art quantum chemical calculations. Finally, coordination competition studies have been carried out by means of 1 H and 31 P NMR spectroscopy to investigate the correlation with donor properties and selectivity.

Satellite Data Potentialities in Solid Waste Landfill Monitoring: Review and Case Studies

Remote sensing can represent an important instrument for monitoring landfills and their evolution over time. In general, remote sensing can offer a global and rapid view of the Earth's surface. Thanks to a wide variety of heterogeneous sensors, it can provide high-level information, making it a useful technology for many applications. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a review of relevant methods based on remote sensing for landfill identification and monitoring. The methods found in the literature make use of measurements acquired from both multi-spectral and radar sensors and exploit vegetation indexes, land surface temperature, and backscatter information, either separately or in combination. Moreover, additional information can be provided by atmospheric sounders able to detect gas emissions (e.g., methane) and hyperspectral sensors. In order to provide a comprehensive overview of the full potential of Earth observation data for landfill monitoring, this article also provides applications of the main procedures presented to selected test sites. These applications highlight the potentialities of satellite-borne sensors for improving the detection and delimitation of landfills and enhancing the evaluation of waste disposal effects on environmental health. The results revealed that a single-sensor-based analysis can provide significant information on the landfill evolution. However, a data fusion approach that incorporates data acquired from heterogeneous sensors, including visible/near infrared, thermal infrared, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR), can result in a more effective instrument to fully support the monitoring of landfills and their effect on the surrounding area. In particular, the results show that a synergistic use of multispectral indexes, land surface temperature, and the backscatter coefficient retrieved from SAR sensors can improve the sensitivity to changes in the spatial geometry of the considered site.

Self-reported symptoms of ocular allergy and its comorbid factors among residents living near a landfill site in Ghana

Residents close to landfill sites may be exposed to long-term emitted toxic compounds that may have effects on their eyes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of symptomatic ocular allergy and its comorbid factors among residents living near a landfill site in Ghana. An exploratory cross-sectional design involving 400 inhabitants living around a landfill site was employed. The prevalence of symptomatic ocular allergy was 59.3%. In a bivariate analysis, comorbid conditions including respiratory disease, coughing, flu, cholera, skin disease, diarrhoea, and hypertension predicted symptomatic ocular allergy. However, only cholera remained a significant predictor of symptomatic ocular allergy in the multivariate analysis. Symptomatic ocular allergy was high among inhabitants around the landfill site in Ghana. While proper design and management of landfills in Ghana is crucial, further longitudinal and clinical studies are required to clinically establish the link between landfill and ocular allergy.

Evaluation of impact of sludge types and solids content on sludge treatment using microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process

The microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW-AOP) has been applied to pre-treat different sludge types and high solids content. Secondary sludge not only had the highest solids and nutrient content but also yielded higher treatment efficiency than primary or mixed sludge. In the case of secondary sludge with 4% total solids (TS), the total suspended solids (TSS) concentration was reduced by 32% while soluble chemical oxygen demand concentration increased from 1% to 40% after treatment at 110°C. A high level of nutrient release was also achieved; about 65% total phosphate (TP) solubilized at 110°C. The degree of secondary sludge disintegration was dictated by temperature and hydrogen peroxide dosage. The optimal operating temperature for the system was 110°C, and sludge containing TS up to 8% was treated effectively. Secondary sludge with 8% TS had a TSS reduction of 41% after treatment at 110°C while COD solubilization was about 45%; about 55% TP was solubilized at 10 min holding time. Treatment of sludge with higher solids content would allow for handling larger amounts of sludge at a given period and reduce heating cost per unit of treated sludge. The inter-relationship between the degree of sludge disintegration and changes in chemical and physical properties was also clearly demonstrated here. The treated sludge would be an ideal substrate for anaerobic digestion or phosphorous recovery processes. High levels of nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) and metal release, and solids disintegration from sludge containing high solids content would make subsequent resource recovery processes more effective and economical.

Evaluating the collection and composition of plastic waste in the digital waste bank and the reduction of potential leakage into the ocean

Most ocean plastic pollution results from leakage from waste management activities on land, mainly in coastline communities. In this research, the digitalization of waste management will be evaluated to improve the prevention of leakage. The digitalization means introducing mobile apps into the waste bank that can improve waste management efficiency while providing reliable data. The data on waste management were gained from Griya Luhu App which has been used in 13 villages around Gianyar, while the waste generation was calculated from 97 samples. Then, the villages were categorized by their potential risk of waste leakage based on their distances from the shore. First, the growth of digital waste banks based on the number of units, the number of customers and the amount of waste-managed was analyzed. Second, the composition of waste collected was evaluated. Last, inorganic waste generation (IWG) from digital waste banks was reduced. The results showed that digital waste banks and the customers had grown rapidly in 1 year. The number of waste bank units grew from 0 to 80 with an increase to a total of 5500 customers during the same period with a maximum of 20 tons of waste managed per month. In general, digital waste banks have shown promising performance in preventing waste leakage into the ocean with a 54.04% reduction of IWG. Compared to this reduction percentage, Tulikup as a high-risk village has a considerably low reduction (30.30%) and should be prioritized. Furthermore, the ability to manage a village with a high population/number of customers should be improved.

Plastic waste reprocessing for circular economy: A systematic scoping review of risks to occupational and public health from legacy substances and extrusion

The global plastics reprocessing sector is likely expand as the circular economy becomes more established and efforts to curb plastic pollution increase. Via a critical systematic scoping review (PRISMA-ScR), we focused on two critical challenges for occupational and public health that will require consideration along with this expansion: (1) Legacy contamination in secondary plastics, addressing the risk of materials and substances being inherited from the previous use and carried (circulated or transferred) through into new products when reprocessed material enters its subsequent use phase (recycled, secondary plastic); and, (2) Extrusion of secondary plastics during the final stage of conventional mechanical reprocessing. Based on selected literature, we semi-quantitatively assessed nine risk scenarios and ranked them according to the comparative magnitude of risk to human health. Our analysis highlights that despite stringent regulation, industrial diligence and enforcement, occasionally small amounts of potentially hazardous substances contained in waste plastics are able to pass through established safeguards and re-enter (cascade into) the next use phase (product cycle) after being recycled. Although many of these 'inherited' chemical substances are present at concentrations unlikely to pose a serious and imminent threat, their existence may indicate a wider or possible increase in pollution dispersion. Our assessment indicates that the highest risk results from exposure to these substances during extrusion by mechanical reprocessors in contexts where only passive ventilation, dilution and dispersion are used as control measures. Our work sets the basis to inform improved future risk management protocols for a non-polluting circular economy for plastics.

In-situ removal of odorous NH3 and H2S by loess modified with biologically stabilized leachate

The loess regions distribute widely in Northwestern China, North America and Eastern Europe. For these regions, landfill is a suitable technology for solid waste treatment. However, as a landfill cover material, loess is not very effective in controlling the emission of malodorous gases. The present study modified loess with biologically stabilized leachate, and investigated the capacities and mechanisms of the modified loess to remove odorous NH₃ and H₂S. The removal rates of NH₃ and H₂S at different acclimation time, targeted gas concentrations and temperatures were measured. It was found that the NH₃ removal rate of the modified loess was up to 0.08 μmol/(g·hr), which was 1.8 times that of the virgin loess. The H₂S removal rate of the modified loess was up to 1.74 μmol/(g·hr), which was 1.25 times that of the virgin loess. The half-meter loess layer modified by biologically stabilized leachate achieved nearly 100% removal of H₂S. The improvement of NH₃ and H₂S removal ability was mainly due to the enrichment of relevant microorganisms. This work proposed a novel method for in-situ control of malodorous pollutants in landfills in the loess regions, and proved that the in-situ removal of NH₃ and H₂S using the loess modified with biologically stabilized leachate is feasible and cost-effective.

Mitochondrial dysfunctions elicited by solid waste leachates provide insights into mechanisms of leachates induced cell death and pathophysiological disorders

Emissions (mainly leachates and landfill gases) from solid waste facilities are laden with mixtures of dangerous xenobiotics implicated with significant increase in various pathophysiological disorders including cancer, and eventual mortality of exposed wildlife and humans. However, the molecular mechanisms of solid waste leachates induce pathophysiological disorders and cell death are still largely unknown. Although, evolving evidence implicated generation of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress as the possible mechanism. Recent scientific reports are linking reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial dysfunctions as the player mechanism in pathophysiological disorder and apoptosis induced by xenobiotics in solid waste leachates. This systematic review presents an explicit discussion of recent scientific findings on the structural and functional alterations in mitochondria induced by solid waste leachates as the molecular mechanisms plausibly responsible for the pathophysiological disorders, cancer and cell death reported in landfill toxicology and epidemiological studies. This review aims to increase scientific understanding on solid waste leachate induced mitochondria dysfunctions as the key player in molecular mechanisms of solid waste induced toxicity. The findings in this review were mainly from using primary cells, cell lines, Drosophila and fish. Whether the findings will similarly be observed in mammalian test systems in vivo and particularly in exposed humans, remained to be investigated. Improvement in technological advancements, enforcement of legislation and regulations, and creation of sophisticated health surveillance against exposure to solid waste leachates, will expectedly mitigate human exposure to solid waste emissions and contamination of the environment.

Environmental Sustainability Impacts of Solid Waste Management Practices in the Global South

Solid waste management (SWM) is one of the key responsibilities of city administrators and one of the effective proxies for good governance. Effective SWM mitigates adverse health and environmental impacts, conserves resources, and improves the livability of cities. However, unsustainable SWM practices, exacerbated by rapid urbanization and financial and institutional limitations, negatively impact public health and environmental sustainability. This review article assesses the human and environmental health impacts of SWM practices in the Global South cities that are the future of global urbanization. The study employs desktop research methodology based on in-depth analysis of secondary data and literature, including official documents and published articles. It finds that the commonplace SWM practices include mixing household and commercial garbage with hazardous waste during storage and handling. While waste storage is largely in old or poorly managed facilities such as storage containers, the transportation system is often deficient and informal. The disposal methods are predominantly via uncontrolled dumping, open-air incinerators, and landfills. The negative impacts of such practices include air and water pollution, land degradation, emissions of methane and hazardous leachate, and climate change. These impacts impose significant environmental and public health costs on residents with marginalized social groups mostly affected. The paper concludes with recommendations for mitigating the public and environmental health risks associated with the existing SWM practices in the Global South.

A novel multi-criteria decision-making framework for selecting municipal solid waste management alternative with 2-dimensional uncertain linguistic sets

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) has been considered as a complicated multi-criteria decision-making problem for the uncertain context and related criteria. To select an optimal MSWM scenario, this paper provides a comprehensive MCDM framework for decision-makers under 2-dimensional uncertain linguistic (2-DUL) environment. Distinguished from traditional approaches, this framework not only guarantees the consistency of comparison matrix but improves effectiveness and efficiency in the decision process. Moreover, it accurately solves the cardinal and ordinal information of MSWM scenarios. Firstly, due to ambiguous and uncertain decision context, the 2-DUL set, characterized by I class of the linguistic evaluation information and II class of the reliability of the assessment results, is adopted to describe decision-makers' preference. An expectation reduced-dimension is developed to effectively handle 2-DUL set. Secondly, to guarantee consistency and reduce numerical pairwise comparisons, a best-worst-method (BWM)-based analytic network process (ANP) is utilized to form the local priority vectors of the main criteria and sub-criteria. Main criteria weights and sub-criteria weights are then obtained by aggregating all local priority vectors. Thirdly, an extended QUALIFLEX approach is employed to rank all alternative MSWM scenarios by comparing the weighted concordance/discordance index among overall possible permutations of all alternative scenarios. Finally, the developed framework is applied in a case study to determine an optimal MSWM scenario in Beijing. Additionally, a comparison analysis is complemented. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework is feasible, efficient, and superior in MSWM scenarios selection.

Examining challenges and multi-strategic approaches in waste management during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review

The COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on the environment. Waste generation and improper management during the COVID-19 pandemic posed a major threat to human health and the environment. Irregular and improper waste collection, handling, suspension of waste recycling and unsanitary disposal were all important issues in the processing and management of generated waste. This study emphasised a systematic review and content analysis to categorise all types of waste management (WM) during the COVID-19 pandemic to accomplish a well understanding of the relation between the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on WM within the literature. In this systematic review, a number of published papers on different aspects of WM during March 2020 to February 2021 were considered in order to identify major challenges in handling WM during the pandemic time and highlight multi-strategic approaches suggested. A content analysis of the 58 relevant papers was carried out by incorporating different types of WM at local as well as global scales. The present review results revealed that the COVID-19 has impacted the quantity and composition of waste, and the crisis caused by the pandemic has also altered the nature of global WM system. A comprehensive analysis on how the systems of WM were affected through the advancement of COVID-19 and what would be the healthier solutions was also highlighted in this systematic review. The results of this systematic review would be beneficial for better policymakers to holistically address potential future pandemics, if any.

An overview of the environmental pollution and health effects associated with waste landfilling and open dumping

Landfilling is one of the most common waste management methods employed in all countries alike, irrespective of their developmental status. The most commonly used types of landfills are (a) municipal solid waste landfill, (b) industrial waste landfill, and (c) hazardous waste landfill. There is, also, an emerging landfill type called "green waste landfill" that is, occasionally, being used. Most landfills, including those discussed in this review article, are controlled and engineered establishments, wherein the waste ought to abide with certain regulations regarding their quality and quantity. However, illegal and uncontrolled "landfills" (mostly known as open dumpsites) are, unfortunately, prevalent in many developing countries. Due to the widespread use of landfilling, even as of today, it is imperative to examine any environmental- and/or health-related issues that have emerged. The present study seeks to determine the environmental pollution and health effects associated with waste landfilling by adopting a desk review design. It is revealed that landfilling is associated with various environmental pollution problems, namely, (a) underground water pollution due to the leaching of organic, inorganic, and various other substances of concern (SoC) contained in the waste, (b) air pollution due to suspension of particles, (c) odor pollution from the deposition of municipal solid waste (MSW), and (d) even marine pollution from any potential run-offs. Furthermore, health impacts may occur through the pollution of the underground water and the emissions of gases, leading to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects of the exposed population living in their vicinity.

Management of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste in the Context of a Sustainable and Circular Model: Analysis of Trends in Latin America and the Caribbean

The main objective of this research is to analyze the most relevant aspects of the management of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and the Sustainable and Circular Production Models (SCPMs) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The bibliometric method was used for the analysis of 190 studies obtained from the Scopus and Latin America and The Caribbean on Health Sciences (LILACS) databases. The systematic review provided information on the main research approaches: identification and characterization; quantification; strategic and interdisciplinary management; and processes for treatment or valorization. Finally, an evaluation of public policies and strategies was performed. The results show that Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia have the highest number of publications on OFMSW. The findings also indicate that both research and policy strategies on SCPMs prioritize bioenergy and biofuels as the leading alternatives for the valorization of OFMSW. It also reflects the relevance of the Circular Economy (CE) and Bioeconomy (BE) as the main drivers of waste recovery and/or valorization in LAC. These aspects are of great interest to governments that are still in the process of implementing SCPMs. However, for those more advanced in this area, it provides valuable information on progress, policy effectiveness, and future actions for improvement.

Identifying and Ranking Landfill Sites for Municipal Solid Waste Management: An Integrated Remote Sensing and GIS Approach

Disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the significant global issues that is more evident in developing nations. One of the key methods for disposing of the MSW is locating, assessing, and planning for landfill sites. Faisalabad is one of the largest industrial cities in Pakistan. It has many sustainability challenges and planning problems, including MSW management. This study uses Faisalabad as a case study area and humbly attempts to provide a framework for identifying and ranking landfill sites and addressing MSW concerns in Faisalabad. This method can be extended and applied to similar industrial cities. The landfill sites were identified using remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS). Multiple datasets, including normalized difference vegetation, water, and built-up areas indices (NDVI, NDWI, and NDBI) and physical factors including water bodies, roads, and the population that influence the landfill site selection were used to identify, rank, and select the most suitable site. The target area was distributed into 9 Thiessen polygons and ranked based on their favorability for the development and expansion of landfill sites. 70% of the area was favorable for developing and expanding landfill sites, whereas 30% was deemed unsuitable. Polygon 6, having more vegetation, a smaller population, and built-up areas was declared the best region for developing landfill sites and expansion as per rank mean indices and standard deviation (SD) of RS and vector data. The current study provides a reliable integrated mechanism based on GIS and RS that can be implemented in similar study areas and expanded to other developing countries. Accordingly, urban planning and city management can be improved, and MSW can be managed with dexterity.

Assessing China's potential for reducing primary copper demand and associated environmental impacts in the context of energy transition and "Zero waste" policies

To conserve resources and enhance the environmental performance, China has launched the "Zero waste" concept, focused on reutilization of solid waste and recovery of materials, including copper. Although several studies have assessed the copper demand and recycling, there is a lack of understanding on how different waste management options would potentially reduce primary copper demand and associated environmental impacts in China in the context of energy transition. This study addresses this gap in view of a transition to low-carbon energy system and the optimization of copper waste management combining MFA and LCA approaches. Six types of waste streams (C&DW, ELV, WEEE, IEW, MSW, ICW) are investigated in relation to various "Zero waste" strategies including reduction, reuse (repair, remanufacturing or refurbishment), recycling and transition from informal to formal waste management. Under present Chinese policies, reuse and recycling of copper containing products will lead to a somewhat lower dependency on primary copper in 2100 (11187Gg), as well as lower total GHG emissions (64869 Gg CO2-eq.) and cumulative energy demand (1.18x10^12 MJ). Maximizing such "Zero waste" options may lead to a further reduction, resulting in 65% potential reduction of primary copper demand, around 55% potential reduction of total GHG emissions and total cumulative energy demand in 2100. Several policy actions are proposed to provide insights into future waste management in China as well as some of the challenges involved.

Effect of Marble Waste Powder as a Binder Replacement on the Mechanical Resistance of Cement Mortars

The quarrying of marble and its processing to produce building materials often generates a negative impact on the environment. In the Apuan Alps marble district, a renowned quarrying area in Italy since ancient times, the aquatic pollution of water bodies, caused by the presence of marble waste in the form of powder or sludge, represents a significant and current environmental problem. Depending on the different national and international regulations on waste management, the marble waste can be classified as a special non-hazardous industrial waste. If marble waste has been managed according to environmental international and national laws, it can be reused as a by-product. For this, the present work aims to evaluate the reuse of marble waste as a material in replacement for cement for producing mortars. Subsequently, the mechanical and physical tests were carried out to evaluate the specific properties of the obtained materials during and after the curing time. The results showed that replacement of cement into mortars by marble waste always causes a decrease of mechanical properties, with still acceptable values for many applications up to a substitution of less than 25%. From the collected data, the use of marble waste in the production of cement mortars represents an adequate and sustainable destination of this by-product.

Air Quality Impact Assessment of a Waste-to-Energy Plant: Modelling Results vs. Monitored Data

The impact of the emissions from a municipal Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant in Northern Italy on local air quality was assessed using the CALMET-CALPUFF atmospheric dispersion modelling system. Model simulations were based on hourly emission rates measured by continuous stack monitoring systems and considered both air quality-regulated pollutants (nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, toxic elements, benzo(a)pyrene), and other trace pollutants typical of WtE plants (dioxins, furans, and mercury). The model results were compared to both long-term observations from the air quality monitoring network and with short-term measurements from dedicated monitoring campaigns in the vicinity of the WtE plant, in both warm and cold season conditions. Modelling and observational results showed that the estimated plant contributions are very limited. This suggests that the observed concentration levels were the result of the contribution of all the sources distributed over the area and that they were not solely driven by the activity of the plant. Estimated contributions from the plant’s emissions were usually at least two orders of magnitudes lower than the ambient levels at the nearest monitoring site and even lower at the farthest sites.

Solidification/stabilisation of Pb (II) and Cu (II) containing wastewater in cement matrix

This study reported solidification/stabilisation of lead and copper-laden fly ash (adsorbent) utilising cement as binder for their ultimate disposal. The Pb (II) and Cu (II) loaded fly ash was successfully immobilised within the cement matrix without presence of any chemical agents. A retardation of 80-100 min in the setting time of cement paste was noticed on the addition of metal-laden fly ash attributed to the presence of metal ions. However, a gradual decrease in mechanical strength of the mortars was observed with higher amounts of Pb (II) and Cu (II)-loaded fly ash in the mix composition. This decrease is ascribed to the breakdown of calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) gel network in the presence of metal crystallites, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) analyses. TG-DTG studies also reveal a decrease in CSH (%) from 4.77% (for fly ash cement mortar) to 4.14% and 3.86% for Pb (II) and Cu (II)-loaded fly ash mortars, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of metal-laden fly ash cement mortars substantiate the immobilisation of Pb (II) and Cu (II) metal ions in the cement matrix as peaks for Ca[Pb(OH)₃]₂ and Ca[CuH₂O₅Si] are visible in their patterns, respectively. TCLP tests conducted on 56 day cured metal-laden fly ash mortars show leachate concentration not exceeding the discharge standards. Overall, these results indicate that this integrated adsorption- solidification/stabilisation process is efficient for safe disposal and utilisation of heavy metal-laden fly ash for building and construction related work as a secondary material.

From garbage to product and service systems: A longitudinal Finnish case study of waste management evolution

This longitudinal case study analyses the development of the pioneering waste management (WM) system in the Vaasa region of Western Finland, since the late 1980s to the present. It reflects the general features of the evolving WM from the one-bag system and throwaway culture towards today's circular economy and product service systems. The Vaasa region is an excellent example of how WM has evolved in Finland, which also follows the main direction of travel in Europe. The main features have been: (1) closing of dumping sites, minimizing dumping of waste and concentrating dumping to well-organized and environmentally managed sites; (2) development of comprehensive source separation systems for reuse of materials and energy; (3) building of waste treatment systems, consisting of different technical solutions connected with reuse and energy generation solutions. This evolution has resulted in expanding regional collaboration, where large investments are integrated within larger areas and consortia. The share of reused materials has grown significantly and dumping has decreased to close to zero. The practices of the circular economy are emerging and partly established. In this evolution, praxis does not immediately follow after "a brilliant idea", but only after the societal structuring process, including paradigmatic changes in attitudes, social norms, policies and regulation, customer behaviour, economic structures, and separate and systemic technological solutions and value chains. This research can add value both in terms of knowledge and science, and in being a change agents more practically. In the future, a strategic shift from WM to material management, and from public service to feasible businesses will be the next steps.

Electronic Noses and Their Applications for Sensory and Analytical Measurements in the Waste Management Plants-A Review

Waste management plants are one of the most important sources of odorants that may cause odor nuisance. The monitoring of processes involved in the waste treatment and disposal as well as the assessment of odor impact in the vicinity of this type of facilities require two different but complementary approaches: analytical and sensory. The purpose of this work is to present these two approaches. Among sensory techniques dynamic and field olfactometry are considered, whereas analytical methodologies are represented by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), single gas sensors and electronic noses (EN). The latter are the core of this paper and are discussed in details. Since the design of multi-sensor arrays and the development of machine learning algorithms are the most challenging parts of the EN construction a special attention is given to the recent advancements in the sensitive layers development and current challenges in data processing. The review takes also into account relatively new EN systems based on mass spectrometry and flash gas chromatography technologies. Numerous examples of applications of the EN devices to the sensory and analytical measurements in the waste management plants are given in order to summarize efforts of scientists on development of these instruments for constant monitoring of chosen waste treatment processes (composting, anaerobic digestion, biofiltration) and assessment of odor nuisance associated with these facilities.

Technologies for municipal solid waste management: Current status, challenges, and future perspectives

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is a reflection of the culture that generates it and has a negative impact on the health of the humans and the environment. In the global context, people are abandoning increasing volumes of garbage, and the content of that waste is becoming more complicated than it has ever been, as plastic and electronic consumer goods spread. At the same time, the world is rapidly urbanizing. These changes place a burden on cities to manage garbage appropriately on both a social and environmental level. Globally, extensive research has been conducted to develop a comprehensive MSW management system that includes treatment. The primary objective of this article is to examine municipal solid waste in eight of China's eastern coastal regions. With the use of this review, we found that MSW generation is increasing in Shandong, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Fujian provinces, but declining in other eastern coastal cities, provinces, and special zones. Furthermore, municipal solid waste in China is treated utilizing 52 percent landfill, 45 percent incineration, and 3 percent composting techniques, resulting in significantly lower usage efficiency than in developed countries. The effectiveness of China's municipal waste management system must be improved. In addition, this review examines MSW management issues and prospects in China, as well as recommendations for strengthening the MSW management system.

Environmental impact assessment of the current, emerging, and alternative waste management systems using life cycle assessment tools: a case study of Johannesburg, South Africa

Proper information regarding the performance of waste management systems from an environmental perspective is significant to sustainable waste management decisions and planning toward the selection of the least impactful treatment options. However, little is known about the environmental impacts of the different waste management options in South Africa. This study is therefore aimed at using the life cycle assessment tool to assess the environmental impact of the current, emerging, and alternative waste management systems in South Africa, using the city of Johannesburg as a case study. This assessment involves a comparative analysis of the unit processes of waste management and the different waste management scenarios comprising two or more unit processes from an environmental view. The lifecycle boundary consists of unit processes: waste collection and transportation (WC&T), material recycling facilities (MRF), composting, incineration, and landfilling. Four scenarios developed for the assessment are S1 (WC&T, MRF, and landfilling without energy recovery), S2 (WC&T, MRF, composting, and landfilling with energy recovery), S3 (WC&T and incineration), and S4 (WC&T, MRF, composting, and incineration). Based on the result of this study, MRF is the most environmentally beneficial unit operation while landfill without energy recovery is the most impactful unit operation. The result further revealed that no scenario had the best performance across all the impact categories. However, S3 can be considered as the most environmentally friendly option owing to its lowest impact in most of the impact categories. S3 has the lowest global warming potential (GWP) of 33.19 × 10⁶ kgCO₂eq, ozone depletion potential (ODP) of 0.563 kgCFC-11e, and photochemical ozone depletion potential (PODP) of 679.46 kgC₂H₂eq. Also, S4 can be regarded as the most impactful option owing to its highest contributions to PODP of 1044 kgC₂H₂eq, acidification potential (AP) of 892073.8 kgSO₂eq, and eutrophication potential (EP) of 51292.98 MaxPO4^-3eq. The result of this study will be found helpful in creating a complete impression of the environmental performance of waste management systems in Johannesburg, South Africa which will aid sustainable planning and decisions by the concerned sector.

Persuasive Apps for Sustainable Waste Management: A Comparative Systematic Evaluation of Behavior Change Strategies and State-of-the-Art

With the proliferation of ubiquitous computing and mobile technologies, mobile apps are tailored to support users to perform target behaviors in various domains, including a sustainable future. This article provides a systematic evaluation of mobile apps for sustainable waste management to deconstruct and compare the persuasive strategies employed and their implementations. Specifically, it targeted apps that support various sustainable waste management activities such as personal tracking, recycling, conference management, data collection, food waste management, do-it-yourself (DIY) projects, games, etc. The authors who are persuasive technology researchers retrieved a total of 244 apps from App Store and Google Play, out of which 148 apps were evaluated. Two researchers independently analyzed and coded the apps and a third researcher was involved to resolve any disagreement. They coded the apps based on the persuasive strategies of the persuasive system design framework. Overall, the findings uncover that out of the 148 sustainable waste management apps evaluated, primary task support was the most employed category by 89% (n = 131) apps, followed by system credibility support implemented by 76% (n = 112) apps. The dialogue support was implemented by 71% (n = 105) apps and social support was the least utilized strategy by 34% (n = 51) apps. Specifically, Reduction (n = 97), personalization (n = 90), real-world feel (n = 83), surface credibility (n = 83), reminder (n = 73), and self-monitoring (n = 50) were the most commonly employed persuasive strategies. The findings established that there is a significant association between the number of persuasive strategies employed and the apps’ effectiveness as indicated by user ratings of the apps. How the apps are implemented differs depending on the kind of sustainable waste management activities it was developed for. Based on the findings, this paper offers design implications for personalizing sustainable waste management apps to improve their persuasiveness and effectiveness.

Cavitation based treatment of industrial wastewater: A critical review focusing on mechanisms, design aspects, operating conditions and application to real effluents

Acoustic cavitation (AC) and hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) coupled with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are prominent techniques used for industrial wastewater treatment though most studies have focused on simulated effluents. The present review mainly focuses on the analysis of studies related to real industrial effluent treatment using acoustic and hydrodynamic cavitation operated individually and coupled with H₂O₂, ozone, ultraviolet, Fenton, persulfate and peroxymonosulfate, and other emerging AOPs. The necessity of using optimum loadings of oxidants in the various AOPs for obtaining maximum COD reduction of industrial effluent have been demonstrated. The review also presents critical analysis of designs of various HCRs that have been or can be used for the treatment of industrial effluents. The impact of operating conditions such as dilution, inlet pressure, ultrasonic power, pH, and operating temperature have been also discussed. The economic aspects of the industrial effluent treatment have been analyzed. HC can be considered as cost-efficient approach compared to AC on the basis of the lower operating costs and better transfer efficiencies. Overall, HC combined with AOPs appears to be an effective treatment strategy that can be successfully implemented at industrial-scale of operation.

Produced Water Treatment with Conventional Adsorbents and MOF as an Alternative: A Review

A large volume of produced water (PW) has been produced as a result of extensive industrialization and rising energy demands. PW comprises organic and inorganic pollutants, such as oil, heavy metals, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and radioactive materials. The increase in PW volume globally may result in irreversible environmental damage due to the pollutants' complex nature. Several conventional treatment methods, including physical, chemical, and biological methods, are available for produced water treatment that can reduce the environmental damages. Studies have shown that adsorption is a useful technique for PW treatment and may be more effective than conventional techniques. However, the application of adsorption when treating PW is not well recorded. In the current review, the removal efficiencies of adsorbents in PW treatment are critically analyzed. An overview is provided on the merits and demerits of the adsorption techniques, focusing on overall water composition, regulatory discharge limits, and the hazardous effects of the pollutants. Moreover, this review highlights a potential alternative to conventional technologies, namely, porous adsorbent materials known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), demonstrating their significance and efficiency in removing contaminants. This study suggests ways to overcome the existing limitations of conventional adsorbents, which include low surface area and issues with reuse and regeneration. Moreover, it is concluded that there is a need to develop highly porous, efficient, eco-friendly, cost-effective, mechanically stable, and sustainable MOF hybrids for produced water treatment.

Application of MCAT to provide multi-objective optimization model for municipal waste management system

Choosing an appropriate municipal waste management method is a very complicated environmental problem in cities. This research introduces an optimization model for waste management in the southwest region of Tehran province. It was developed by a metaheuristic algorithm that was used to minimize the economic and environmental costs. Incineration, composting, recycling and landfilling waste management methods were considered. Three scenarios were developed to determine the optimum allocation of waste to each method such to fulfill the objective of overall minimum of environmental burdens and costs. A multi-objective scenario selection model was implemented by the compromise programming method in MCAT software. Considering the budget limitation and available facilities on site, optimum allocations to recycling, composting, incineration and landfilling methods were obtained as 115,486, 132,094, 71,905 and 45,516 tons/year, respectively. The results of this study indicated that the metaheuristic algorithm in MCAT software was an efficient tool in decision making about waste management systems and thus, it was suggested to municipality managers and regional planning authorities.

Iron-based metal-organic framework: Synthesis, structure and current technologies for water reclamation with deep insight into framework integrity

Water is a supreme requirement for the existence of life, the contamination from the point and non-point sources are creating a great threat to the water ecosystem. Advance tools and techniques are required to restore the water quality and metal-organic framework (MOFs) with a tunable porous structure, striking physical and chemical properties are an excellent candidate for it. Fe-based MOFs, which developed rapidly in recent years, are foreseen as most promising to overcome the disadvantages of traditional water depolluting practices. Fe-MOFs with low toxicity and preferable stability possess excellent performance potential for almost all water remedying techniques in contrast to other MOF structures, especially visible light photocatalysis, Fenton, and Fenton-like heterogeneous catalysis. Fe-MOFs become essential tool for water treatment due to their high catalytic activity, abundant active site and pollutant-specific adsorption. However, the structural degradation under external chemical, photolytic, mechanical, and thermal stimuli is impeding Fe-MOFs from further improvement in activity and their commercialization. Understanding the shortcomings of structural integrity is crucial for large-scale synthesis and commercial implementation of Fe-MOFs-based water treatment techniques. Herein we summarize the synthesis, structure and recent advancements in water remediation methods using Fe-MOFs in particular more attention is paid for adsorption, heterogeneous catalysis and photocatalysis with clear insight into the mechanisms involved. For ease of analysis, the pollutants have been classified into two major classes; inorganic pollutants and organic pollutants. In this review, we present for the first time a detailed insight into the challenges in employing Fe-MOFs for water remediation due to structural instability.

Synthesis of fish scale derived hydroxyapatite silica propyl bis aminoethoxy ethane cuprous complex (HASPBAEECC) as a novel hybrid nano-catalyst for highly efficient synthesis of new benzimidazole-1,2,3-triazole hybrid analogues as antifungal agents

The preparation, characterization and application of hydroxyapatite silica propyl bis aminoethoxy ethane cuprous complex (HASPBAEECC) as a novel hybrid nano-catalyst for synthesis of new benzimidazole-1,2,3-triazole hybrid analogues as promising antifungal agents have been described. HASPBAEECC is fully characterized by different microscopic, spectroscopic and physical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and FT-IR. The 'Click̕ Huisgen cycloaddition reaction of N-propargyl benzimidazole with diverse azidoalkyls in a THF-water media at ambient temperature provides the products in good-to-excellent yields using HASPBAEECC. HASPBAEECC is proved to be a stable, low cost, reusable and environmentally benign nanohybrid catalyst. The target compounds were screened against some pathogenic fungal comprising Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus in which it was determined that compounds 11f and 11 h have displayed promising antifungal activity similar to fluconazole as a reference drug. HASPBAEECC is a novel hybrid nano-catalyst for highly efficient synthesis of new benzimidazole-1,2,3- triazole hybrid analogues as antifungal agents.

The Key Organizational Factors in Healthcare Waste Management Practices of Libyan Public Hospitals

This study aims to investigate factors contributing to healthcare waste management practices among Libyan public hospitals. The organizational culture and structure are proposed to have their effect upon hospital organizational units in charge of healthcare waste production by a theoretical review to develop two main hypotheses. Hence, this study used the stratified random sampling technique to select respondents such as top management officials, heads of departments, and administrators who work in all the hospitals located in the south of Libya, from whom data was collected. The data for the study was gathered via a survey questionnaire from Libyan public hospitals in the country’s southern region. A total of 210 questionnaires were distributed and 171 usable responses were received, yielding a 70% response rate. Though the findings of the study show some inconsistency, the two dimensions of the culture examined in this study are found to have a positive relationship and significant influence on the management practices of health waste. Besides, it shows the positive relationship between organizational structure and healthcare waste management practices (HWMP). However, the findings of this study suggested that nurses and cleaners’ practices should critically consider structure dimensions such as formalization as well as moderating variables such as hospital location and type of services supplied on the interactions to improve the management of healthcare waste in Libya’s public hospitals.

Predictive Analysis of Municipal Solid Waste Generation Using an Optimized Neural Network Model

Developing successful municipal waste management planning strategies is crucial for implementing sustainable development. The research proposed the application of an optimized artificial neural network (ANN) to forecast quantities of waste in Poland. The neural network coupled with particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is compared to the conventional neural network using five assessment metrics. The metrics are coefficient of efficiency (CE), Pearson correlation coefficient (R), Willmott’s index of agreement (WI), root mean squared error (RMSE), and mean bias error (MBE). Selected explanatory factors are incorporated in the developed models to reflect the influence of economic, demographic, and social aspects on the rate of waste generation. These factors are population, employment to population ratio, revenue per capita, number of entities by type of business activity, and number of entities enlisted in REGON per 10,000 population. According to the findings, the ANN–PSO model (CE = 0.92, R = 0.96, WI = 0.98, RMSE = 11,342.74, and MBE = 6548.55) significantly outperforms the traditional ANN model (CE = 0.11, R = 0.68, WI = 0.78, RMSE = 38,571.68, and MBE = 30,652.04). The significant level of the reported outputs is evaluated using the Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney U-test, with a significance level of 0.05. The p-values of the pairings (ANN, observed) and (ANN, ANN–PSO) are all less than 0.05, suggesting that the models are statistically different. On the other hand, the P-value of (ANN–PSO, observed) is more than 0.05, suggesting that the difference between the models is statistically insignificant. Therefore, the proposed ANN–PSO model proves its efficiency at estimating municipal solid waste quantities and may be regarded as a cost-efficient method of developing integrated waste management systems.

Determinants and implications of environmental practices for waste management and the minimization in the construction industry: a case study of Pakistan

The construction projects and activities generate waste materials, which impose negative impacts on the environment and contribute towards environmental degradation. In this regard, the implementation of environmental practices (EPs) can play a vital role in reducing the environmental risks associated with waste materials from construction projects. Based on this hypothesis, the present survey study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of different EPs in reducing environmental risks associated with waste materials from construction firms (n = 159) operating in Pakistan. Organizational and government support, regulatory pressure, and economic and environmental performance were among the main determinants of EPs studied in the present study. The partial least squares technique was used for the data collection, assessment, and prediction of the results based on the hypothesis testing for a range of determinants. Compose reliability analysis of determinants showed that all items gave a value of 0.7, which is a clear indication of the reliability of each determinant in the formation of the hypothesis. From all eight hypotheses, H₁ (0.475), H₄ (0.217), H₆ (0.114), H₇ (0.210), and H₈ (0.149) hypotheses with size effect in parentheses were acceptable due to their positive construction with EPs, while H₂, H₃, and H₅ hypothesis did not show the significant effect with size effect values lower than 0.1. The study demonstrated that current environmental regulations and governing bodies in Pakistan are not sufficiently effective and strict to implement environmental regulations. In this regard, regulatory pressure is necessary to promote EPs along with increasing stakeholders' awareness. Overall, the implementation of EPs not only prepares construction firms to deal with the pressure exerted by regulations and customers but also enhances the environmental and economic performance of construction firms.

Environmental rethinking of wastewater drains to manage environmental pollution and alleviate water scarcity

The conservation of water resources in developed countries has become an increasing concern. In integrated water resource management, water quality indicators are critical. The low groundwater quality quantitates mainly attributed to the absence of protection systems for polluted streams that collect and recycle the untreated wastewater. Egypt has a limited river network; thus, the supply of water resources remains inadequate to satisfy domestic demand. In this regard, high-quality groundwater is one of the main strategies for saving water supplies with water shortage problems. This paper investigates the critical issues of groundwater protection and environmental management of polluted streams, leading to overcoming water demand-about 18 × 10³ km of polluted open streams with a discharge of 9.70 billion Cubic Metter (BCM). We have proposed proposals and policies for the safe use of groundwater and reuse of wastewater recycling for agriculture and other purposes. This study was carried out using the numerical model MODFLOW and MT3DMS-(Mass Transport 3-Dimension Multi-Species) to assess the Wastewater Treated Plant's (WWTP) best location and the critical path for using different lining materials of polluted streams to avoid groundwater contamination. The three contaminants are BOD, COD, and TDS. Five scenarios were applied for mitigating the impact of polluted water: (1) abstraction forcing, (2) installing the WWTP at the outlet of the main basin drain with and without a lining of main and sub-basin streams (base case), (3) lining of main and sub-main streams, (4) installing WWTP at the outlet of the sub-basin streams, and (5) lining of the sub-basin and installing WWTP at the outlet of the sub-basin. The results showed that the best location of WWTP in polluted streams is developed at the outlets of sub-basin with the treatment of main basin water and the lining of sub-basins streams. The contamination was reduced by 76.07, 76.38, and 75.67% for BOD, COD, and TDS, respectively, using Cascade Aeration Biofilter or Trickling Filter, Enhancing Solar water Disinfection [(CABFESD)/(CATFESD)] and High-Density Polyethylene lining. This method is highly effective and safe for groundwater and surface water environmental protection. This study could be managing the water poverty for polluted streams and groundwater in the Global South and satisfy the environmental issues to improve water quality and reduce the treatment and health cost in these regions.