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Sravan JS, Matsakas L, Sarkar O. Advances in Biological Wastewater Treatment Processes: Focus on Low-Carbon Energy and Resource Recovery in Biorefinery Context. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:281. [PMID: 38534555 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11030281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Advancements in biological wastewater treatment with sustainable and circularity approaches have a wide scope of application. Biological wastewater treatment is widely used to remove/recover organic pollutants and nutrients from a diverse wastewater spectrum. However, conventional biological processes face challenges, such as low efficiency, high energy consumption, and the generation of excess sludge. To overcome these limitations, integrated strategies that combine biological treatment with other physical, chemical, or biological methods have been developed and applied in recent years. This review emphasizes the recent advances in integrated strategies for biological wastewater treatment, focusing on their mechanisms, benefits, challenges, and prospects. The review also discusses the potential applications of integrated strategies for diverse wastewater treatment towards green energy and resource recovery, along with low-carbon fuel production. Biological treatment methods, viz., bioremediation, electro-coagulation, electro-flocculation, electro-Fenton, advanced oxidation, electro-oxidation, bioelectrochemical systems, and photo-remediation, are summarized with respect to non-genetically modified metabolic reactions. Different conducting materials (CMs) play a significant role in mass/charge transfer metabolic processes and aid in enhancing fermentation rates. Carbon, metal, and nano-based CMs hybridization in different processes provide favorable conditions to the fermentative biocatalyst and trigger their activity towards overcoming the limitations of the conventional process. The emerging field of nanotechnology provides novel additional opportunities to surmount the constraints of conventional process for enhanced waste remediation and resource valorization. Holistically, integrated strategies are promising alternatives for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of biological wastewater treatment while also contributing to the circular economy and environmental protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Shanthi Sravan
- Research Center for Innovative Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for Chemicals (Inn-ECOSysChem), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Leonidas Matsakas
- Biochemical Process Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 971-87 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Omprakash Sarkar
- Biochemical Process Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 971-87 Luleå, Sweden
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Liu J, Yuan W, Lin K, Wang J, Sonne C, Rinklebe J. Thallium Pollution from the Lithium Industry Calls for Urgent International Action on Regulations. Environ Sci Technol 2023; 57:19099-19101. [PMID: 37991818 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c08267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, and Key Laboratory of Waters Safety & Protection in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wenhuan Yuan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, and Key Laboratory of Waters Safety & Protection in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ke Lin
- Earth Observatory of Singapore and Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798
| | - Jin Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, and Key Laboratory of Waters Safety & Protection in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Christian Sonne
- Faculty of Technological Sciences, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal 42285, Germany
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Ma J, Song Y, Jiang H, Rong L. Effect of Cu on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Low-Carbon Martensitic Stainless Steel. Materials (Basel) 2022; 15:ma15248849. [PMID: 36556655 PMCID: PMC9787517 DOI: 10.3390/ma15248849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Reversed austenite is of vital importance in low-carbon martensitic stainless steel because it improves impact toughness. However, a proper amount of reversed austenite is obtained by tempering at a critical temperature, which reduces the strength of the steel. Therefore, how to improve strength-toughness matching is an important problem. Copper (Cu) is an effective strengthening element in steels. However, there is little in-depth discussion on the role of Cu on the microstructure and mechanical properties of low-carbon martensite steel. In this work, the effect of different Cu content on the reversed austenite formation, tensile strength, and impact toughness of a low-carbon martensitic stainless steel (0Cr13Ni4Mo) was systematically investigated through use of a transmission electron microscope (TEM), transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD), atom probe tomography (APT), and other characterization methods and mechanical property tests. The results showed that the addition of Cu decreased the phase transition temperatures of martensite and austenite and increased the volume fraction of the reversed austenite. APT results indicated that Cu-rich clusters first formed with alloying elements such as ferrum (Fe) and nickel (Ni) and then grew to be precipitates through rejection of the alloying elements. The Ni atoms diffused towards the interface between the precipitates and the martensite matrix, which provided heterogeneous nucleation sites for the reversed austenite. Cu precipitations strengthened tensile strength during tempering. However, it generated temper brittleness in the steel at a tempering temperature of 450 °C, resulting in the impact energy of the 3Cu-steel being only 7 J. A good combination with higher tensile strength (863 MPa) and ductility (192 J) was obtained when tempering at 600 °C in the presence of Cu-rich precipitates and a sufficient volume fraction of the reversed austenite. The results provide guidance for the design of steels with reversed austenite and Cu and promote the development of high-strength and high-toughness steels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nuclear Materials and Safety Assessment, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yuanyuan Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nuclear Materials and Safety Assessment, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-24-23971976
| | - Haichang Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nuclear Materials and Safety Assessment, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lijian Rong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nuclear Materials and Safety Assessment, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
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Liu G, Khan MA, Haider A, Uddin M. Financial Development and Environmental Degradation: Promoting Low-Carbon Competitiveness in E7 Economies' Industries. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:16336. [PMID: 36498406 PMCID: PMC9739293 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192316336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Emerging countries are approaching economic prosperity. However, the development process has enhanced their ecological footprints, thus promoting low-carbon competitiveness among E7 countries' industries. Therefore, it is essential to identify the factors that affect a country's ecological footprint (EF) in order to safeguard the environment. This study explored the effect of financial development, human capital, and institutional quality on the EF of emerging countries. Furthermore, we explored the effect of financial development on the EF of emerging countries through the human capital channel. In addition, we investigated the role of institutional quality in the financial development-EF nexus. Using panel data from 1990 to 2018, we employed the cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL) technique to conduct a short-term and long-term empirical analysis. The empirical outcomes revealed that financial development degrades ecological quality by raising the EF. The findings further demonstrated that human capital and institutional quality reduce the EF. Moreover, financial development fosters environmental sustainability through the channel of human capital. Additionally, institutional quality reduces the negative ecological impacts of financial development. The causality analysis suggested that any policy related to financial development, human capital, and institutional quality will affect the EF. However, the inverse conclusion was not sustained. Based on these findings, emerging economies should increase their environmental sustainability by promoting human capital and effectively using financial resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohua Liu
- Accounting Faculty, Hebei Vocational University of Technology and Engineering, Xingtai 054000, China
| | - Mohammed Arshad Khan
- Department of Accountancy, College of Administrative and Financial Sciences, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh 11673, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahsanuddin Haider
- Department of Finance, College of Administration and Financial Science, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh 11673, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moin Uddin
- Department of Finance, College of Administration and Financial Science, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh 11673, Saudi Arabia
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Zhang W, Zhou H, Chen J, Fan Z. An Empirical Analysis of the Impact of Digital Economy on Manufacturing Green and Low-Carbon Transformation under the Dual-Carbon Background in China. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:13192. [PMID: 36293772 PMCID: PMC9602724 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The deep integration of digital economy and green development has become an inevitable requirement and an important aid in achieving the goal of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality and promoting high-quality economic development. At the same time, the manufacturing industry is the main sector of energy consumption and carbon emissions in China and the main force for achieving the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. This paper constructs a mathematical model to measure the scale of the digital economy development and the efficiency of the green, low-carbon transformation of the manufacturing industry. It builds a panel data model to study the effect of the development of the digital economy on the green, low-carbon transformation of the manufacturing industry based on data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2016 to 2020. The results find that (1) there is a significant positive effect of the digital economy on the green, low-carbon transformation of the manufacturing industry, with an impact coefficient of 0.477, and this finding remains significant in the robustness test. (2) A further test of the mediating effect finds that the digital economy can drive the green, low-carbon transformation of the manufacturing industry by enhancing technological innovation, and it shows a partial mediating effect that accounts for 28% of the total effect. (3) In the regional heterogeneity analysis, it is found that the effect of the digital economy in promoting manufacturing transformation is more prominent in the central region, and the impact coefficients are 0.684, 0.806, 0.340, and 0.392 for the east, central, west, and northeast regions, respectively. This study can provide a theoretical basis and policy support for governments and enterprises.
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Mai I, Brohmann L, Freund N, Gantner S, Kloft H, Lowke D, Hack N. Large Particle 3D Concrete Printing-A Green and Viable Solution. Materials (Basel) 2021; 14:6125. [PMID: 34683713 DOI: 10.3390/ma14206125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The Large Particle 3D Concrete Printing (LP3DCP) process presented in this paper is based on the particle bed 3D printing method; here, the integration of significantly larger particles (up to 36 mm) for selective binding using the shotcrete technique is presented. In the LP3DCP process, the integration of large particles, i.e., naturally coarse, crushed or recycled aggregates, reduces the cement volume fraction by more than 50% compared to structures conventionally printed with mortar. Hence, with LP3DCP, the global warming potential, the acidification potential and the total non-renewable primary energy of 3D printed structures can be reduced by approximately 30%. Additionally, the increased proportion of aggregates enables higher compressive strengths than without the coarse aggregates, ranging up to 65 MPa. This article presents fundamental material investigations on particle packing and matrix penetration as well as compressive strength tests and geometry studies. The results of this systematic investigation are presented, and the best set is applied to produce a large-scale demonstrator of one cubic meter of size and complex geometry. Moreover, the demonstrator features reinforcement and subtractive surface processing strategies. Further improvements of the LP3DCP technology as well as construction applications and architectural design potentials are discussed thereafter.
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Rezvani Ghomi E, Khosravi F, Saedi Ardahaei A, Dai Y, Neisiany RE, Foroughi F, Wu M, Das O, Ramakrishna S. The Life Cycle Assessment for Polylactic Acid (PLA) to Make It a Low-Carbon Material. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:1854. [PMID: 34199643 DOI: 10.3390/polym13111854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The massive plastic production worldwide leads to a global concern for the pollution made by the plastic wastes and the environmental issues associated with them. One of the best solutions is replacing the fossil-based plastics with bioplastics. Bioplastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) are biodegradable materials with less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. PLA is a biopolymer produced from natural resources with good mechanical and chemical properties, therefore, it is used widely in packaging, agriculture, and biomedical industries. PLA products mostly end up in landfills or composting. In this review paper, the existing life cycle assessments (LCA) for PLA were comprehensively reviewed and classified. According to the LCAs, the energy and materials used in the whole life cycle of PLA were reported. Finally, the GHG emissions of PLA in each stage of its life cycle, including feedstock acquisition and conversion, manufacturing of PLA products, the PLA applications, and the end of life (EoL) options, were described. The most energy-intensive stage in the life cycle of PLA is its conversion. By optimizing the conversion process of PLA, it is possible to make it a low-carbon material with less dependence on energy sources.
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Eyre N, Darby SJ, Grünewald P, McKenna E, Ford R. Reaching a 1.5°C target: socio-technical challenges for a rapid transition to low-carbon electricity systems. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2018; 376:rsta.2016.0462. [PMID: 29610372 PMCID: PMC5897831 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2016.0462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A 1.5°C global average target implies that we should no longer focus on merely incremental emissions reductions from the electricity system, but rather on fundamentally re-envisaging a system that, sooner rather than later, becomes carbon free. Many low-carbon technologies are surpassing mainstream predictions for both uptake and cost reduction. Their deployment is beginning to be disruptive within established systems. 'Smart technologies' are being developed to address emerging challenges of system integration, but their rates of future deployment remain uncertain. We argue that transition towards a system that can fully displace carbon generation sources will require expanding the focus of our efforts beyond technical solutions. Recognizing that change has social and technical dimensions, and that these interact strongly, we set out a socio-technical review that covers electricity infrastructure, citizens, business models and governance. It describes some of the socio-technical challenges that need to be addressed for the successful transition of the existing electricity systems. We conclude that a socio-technical understanding of electricity system transitions offers new and better insights into the potential and challenges for rapid decarbonization.This article is part of the theme issue 'The Paris Agreement: understanding the physical and social challenges for a warming world of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Eyre
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Sarah J Darby
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Philipp Grünewald
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Eoghan McKenna
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Rebecca Ford
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
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Abstract
Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration is a greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter; however, if GHG reductions, achieved by accounting for waste-to-energy, exceed GHG emissions, incineration can be considered as a net GHG reducer. In Japan, only 24.5% of MSW incineration plants perform energy recovery despite 80% of MSW being incinerated; therefore, there is great potential to extract more energy from MSW. In this study, the factors that should be considered to achieve net GHG reductions from incineration were analysed from a life cycle perspective. These considerations were then applied to the energy supply requirements in seven Japanese metropolises. Firstly, the carbon footprints of approximately 1500 incineration plants in Japan were calculated. Then, the incineration plants with negative carbon footprint values were classified as net GHG reducers. Next, the processes that contribute to the carbon footprint were evaluated, and two processes-plastic burning and electricity savings-were found to have the greatest influence. Based on the results, the energy supply requirements were analysed and discussed for seven metropolises (Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Takamatsu and Fukuoka) taking into account the energy demands of households. In Kobe, 16.2% of the electricity demand and 25.0% of the hot water demand could be satisfied by incineration to realise a net GHG reducer, although urban design for energy utilisation would be required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Tabata
- Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
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Abstract
This study looks at how potential for resilient low-carbon solutions can be understood and enhanced in the diverse environmental, economic and socio-political contexts in which actual scenarios of energy needs and diverse development pathways take shape. It discusses socio-technical transition approaches to assist implementation of a biogas digester system. This will replace fuelwood use in the high forests of Central Nepal, where yak cheese production provides livelihood income but is under threat from the Langtang National Park, which is concerned to protect biodiversity. Alternatives for digester design are discussed, and the consultative issues for deliberative processes among stakeholders' varied agendas raised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Campbell
- Department of Anthropology , Durham University , Dawson Building, South Road, DH1 3LE Durham , UK
| | - Paul Sallis
- School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences , Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK
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