Next Sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Spatiotemporal dynamics of cultivated land in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (2009–2019): Characteristics, drivers, and policy implications","authors":"Yao Cui ,&nbsp;Ligang Wang ,&nbsp;Dan Liu ,&nbsp;Qiaoyang Liu ,&nbsp;De Yu ,&nbsp;Yanfang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100189","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100189","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food security is a cornerstone of national security, with cultivated land serving as the fundamental resource for food production. In China, where cultivated land protection and food security are prioritized, land-use changes have attracted widespread attention. However, rapid urbanization and population growth have led to significant conversion of cultivated land to non-agricultural uses, exacerbating the land-population imbalance. Although numerous studies have explored the impact of cultivated land changes on food security, quantitative analyses specifically targeting the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (Ningxia) remain limited. This study, therefore, focuses on Ningxia, systematically investigating changes in cultivated land from 2009 to 2019 in terms of quantity, structure, and spatial distribution, using land-use dynamic degree and relative change rate, and further exploring driving forces and protection strategies. Results reveal three key findings: (1) The total cultivated land area in Ningxia showed an overall declining trend by 2019, with paddy fields and drylands decreasing significantly while irrigated land increased annually—this structural shift reflects both adaptation to water resource constraints and potential risks to traditional grain production. (2) Spatially, changes were more pronounced in southern Ningxia than the regional average, indicating uneven pressure on cultivated land across regions. (3) Key drivers include agricultural restructuring, construction land occupation, ecological migration, and farmers’ spontaneous reclamation, with the first two factors posing notable threats to cultivated land stability. To address these challenges, targeted protection measures are proposed: strengthening region-specific policies (e.g., water-saving irrigation promotion in northern irrigation districts, and ecological restoration-linked farmland consolidation in southern mountainous areas) to curb non-agricultural conversion, improving irrigation efficiency to compensate for dryland loss, and integrating ecological protection with farmland preservation. This study clarifies the urgency of balancing economic development and cultivated land security in Ningxia, providing actionable insights for policymakers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100189"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Catalytic pyrolysis of refuse derived fuels with biomass-based and mineral catalysts","authors":"Jerome Dela Lavie ,&nbsp;Francis Kemausuor ,&nbsp;Isaac Boye ,&nbsp;Mathias Kwamena Anderson ,&nbsp;Philip Yaro Laari ,&nbsp;Ato Bart-Plange ,&nbsp;Michael Kwesi Commeh","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100177","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100177","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Catalytic pyrolysis offers prospects for converting plastic waste into sustainable fuels and chemicals. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of various catalysts on product yield and to characterize the products for various applications. The study investigated catalytic pyrolysis of RDF using eight (8) different catalysts, including agricultural residue chars and mineral clays at 400°C with a fixed residence time of 60 min and a 1:5 catalyst to feedstock ratio using a batch reactor. Bamboo leaves char produced the highest bio-oil yield of 38.47 wt % and showed the best catalyst effectiveness of 24.06 % for oil production. Rice husk char demonstrated superior performance in char production (66.67 wt %) with the highest effectiveness (133.33 %), while cocopeat char excelled in gas production (50 % effectiveness). The analysis of products revealed that mineral catalysts (kaolin and laterite) generally produced better quality bio-oil with lower viscosity (16–20 cP) and higher heating values (32–34 MJ/kg). FTIR analysis showed mineral catalysts achieved better deoxygenation compared to biomass chars. In gas composition, kaolin produced the highest quality gas (85 % CH₄, 33 MJ/Nm³ calorific value), while the char analysis showed cocopeat char had the highest heating value (9.78 MJ/kg). The results demonstrate that catalyst selection significantly impacts product yield and quality, with different catalysts excelling in specific applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100177"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145010306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study on the performance and emissions characteristics of reformulated engine blended with producer gas, biogas, and pongamia pinnata biodiesel","authors":"Praveen Kumar ,&nbsp;Aman Kumar Pal","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents the performance and emission analysis of a compression ignition dual-fuel engine using various fuel blends made from Karanja biodiesel (BD), biogas (BG), and producer gas (PG). The study evaluates engine performance and emissions in both single-fuel and dual-fuel modes. The engine was run on diesel and biodiesel at various loads in single-fuel operation. In dual-fuel mode, the fuels used were BD-BG, BD-PG, and BD-BG-PG. The brake-specific energy consumption (BSEC) at a 6.0 kW load was 164.8 % and 87.0 % higher for the BD-BG-PG blend than diesel operation. BG and PG were consistently supplied at flow rates of 2.3 kg/h and 32.0 kg/h, respectively, throughout the experiment. The engine was initially tested at a 1.0 kW load, gradually increasing to the maximum output. The results show that operating in dual-fuel mode with the tested blends (biodiesel combined with BG, PG, or both) leads to lower emissions compared to diesel in both single-fuel (biodiesel or diesel alone) . Specifically, dual-fuel operation yields lower smoke and NOx emissions under all load conditions, while other emission parameters, such as CO and HC, show higher values compared to single-fuel mode.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100138"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144168088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Waste-to-fuel: The potentials of waste hard nutshell oil and biowaste heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production","authors":"Abiodun Oladipo ,&nbsp;Onome Ejeromedoghene ,&nbsp;Oluwafemi Kehinde Olaseinde ,&nbsp;Victor Enwemiwe ,&nbsp;Kingsley Azubuike Samson","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100145","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100145","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many developing countries face severe environmental challenges due to improper waste disposal and reliance on fossil fuels for energy production. The global dependence on fossil fuels has exacerbated environmental degradation, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable alternatives with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Biofuels, particularly biodiesel, offer significant environmental advantages over diesel, including lower emissions and improved engine performance. This review explores the potential of waste hard nutshell oil as a sustainable biodiesel feedstock and evaluates the suitability of biowaste materials as heterogeneous catalysts. Key methods include advanced extraction techniques for hard nutshell oil, theoretical simulations to optimize production processes, and circular economy principles to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency. The findings demonstrate that waste-to-fuel strategies, utilizing hard nutshell oil and biowaste catalysts, provide a viable and eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuels. Theoretical simulations enhance production efficiency, while circular economy approaches ensure sustainability. This review highlights the transformative potential of waste hard nutshell oil and biowaste catalysts in biodiesel production, offering a sustainable solution to reduce fossil fuel dependency, address environmental challenges, and advance clean energy development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100145"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144298996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Utilization of brewery spent grain as an exclusive carbon source for microbial synthesis and characterization of biodegradable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) polymer","authors":"Sidrak Tesfaye Feleke,&nbsp;Ketema Beyecha Hundie,&nbsp;Yigezu Mekonnen Bayisa","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100168","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100168","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the present study Microbial approach is used to synthesis an environmentally friendly <em>Polyhydroxybutyrate</em> (PHB) biopolymer by a utilizing brewery spent grain as an exclusive carbon source. The aim of the study was the production of <em>Poly-hydroxy Butyrate</em> (PHB), a bio-plastic using glucose recovered from spent grain with the aid of <em>bacillus subtilis</em> via bacterial fermentation. The Spent grain was utilized as a carbon source and it was hydrolyzed for PHB synthesis, also, its chemical composition and proximate analysis were determined. After the spent grain was hydrolyzed, the benedict test and UV-spectroscopy were used to determine glucose concentration. Then, the Box-Behnken designs was used to analyze the effects of fermentation duration, pH, and incubation temperature on PHB yield were assessed. According to the experimental findings, the optimum yield of PHB (5.03 ± 0.14 g/l of neat PHB) was attained at a temperature of 37 °C, pH of 7 and fermentation time of 48 hr. The <em>Bacillus subtilis</em> accumulated PHB was characterized by using UV-Vis spectrophotometer, Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to validate the polymer's structure as PHB. Likewise, biodegradability, water absorption and water solubility test were carried out. The study's findings demonstrated that it is possible to produce PHB using <em>Bacillus subtilis</em>, which is an environmentally friendly polymer using brewery’s residues (spent grain) as an appropriate carbon source to lower the cost of production and ease the material's disposal issue.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100168"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144896624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Challenges and opportunities in tackling paper mill sludge waste","authors":"Kirthika S.K. ,&nbsp;Gaurav Goel ,&nbsp;Jo Scott ,&nbsp;Saurav Goel","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100174","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100174","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The foundation industries including chemicals, paper, metals, ceramics, glass, and cement are among the largest contributors to global emissions and waste generation. Among these, paper production generates a by-product known as paper mill sludge (PMS), with an estimated 27.5 million tonnes expected annually by 2050. This review critically evaluates current PMS management practices and explores emerging opportunities for its valorisation. Drawing on a systematic analysis of over 275 research articles, the study identifies key valorisation pathways, including energy recovery (e.g., anaerobic digestion yielding up to up to 3 PJ/year), material reuse (e.g., bricks with 10–20 % PMS content showing 30 MPa compressive strength), and biofuel production (e.g., bioethanol yields of 0.25–0.35 g/g dry PMS). The review also highlights the environmental benefits of these approaches, such as a over 50 % reduction in global warming potential when PMS is used in cement production. The paper advocates for a biorefinery model in which paper mills co-produce paper alongside biomass, biofuels, and biogas, thereby enhancing sustainability and supporting circular economy principles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100174"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144932201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maximizing wind turbine efficiency using MATLAB SIMULINK with integrated PMSG and MPPT","authors":"Muhammad Faisal ,&nbsp;Sqlain Abbas ,&nbsp;Furqan Ahmad ,&nbsp;Zulkanain Abbas","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100200","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100200","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research paper explores the sophisticated control systems essential for optimizing wind turbine performance, highlighting their crucial role in boosting efficiency and reliability. Focusing on the permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) and employing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms, the study investigates the dynamic adaptation of wind turbines to varying wind conditions. The simulation model integrates pitch control, yaw control, and generator control systems, showcasing their impact on energy capture, load reduction, grid stability, and fault detection. The chosen wind speed of 10 m/s, yielding an AC power of 4.273 kW, strikes a balance between safety and efficiency, ensuring optimal turbine operation. This research underscores the importance of sophisticated control strategies in advancing wind energy technology, providing valuable insights for developing sustainable and cost-effective energy solutions. The findings highlight the potential for future advancements in wind turbine technology, promoting the wider adoption of renewable energy sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100200"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145323811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An exergy-based analysis for the synthesis of aromatics from biomass","authors":"Mohammed Usman ,&nbsp;Joseph Akintola ,&nbsp;Gabriel Umoh ,&nbsp;Joseph Akpan ,&nbsp;Ekpotu Wilson ,&nbsp;Queen Moses ,&nbsp;Philemon Udom ,&nbsp;Edose Osagie","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100109","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100109","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The chemical process industry has been facing rising energy costs, increasing competition due to rapid globalization, and more stringent government regulations amid growing public concern for the environment, health, and safety. In response to these challenges and considering the industry's capital-intensive nature, ongoing optimization through redesigning existing production plants has become a key strategy. This study designs and analyses a typical process plant with two routes for synthesizing aromatics from methanol and pentane. Process route 1 involves co-feeding, while process route 2 incorporates recycling and producing pentane. For methanol synthesis, cellulose (biomass) is used as the initial raw material, leading to the synthesis of aromatics through a reaction with pentanes. Exergy, exergo-economic, and pinch analyses are performed on both process routes. The routes display different overall exergy performances, with process routes 1 and 2 achieving 39.53 % and 25.43 % exergy, respectively. The highest exergetic performance is recorded in the CO₂ heater (67.69 %) and the biomass oxidation reactor (88.70 %) for process routes 1 and 2, respectively. Exergo-economic evaluations indicate that Benzene distillation separation experiences exergy destruction rates of 28.61 % and exergo-economic factor of 99.92 % for process 1, while the aromatics heater shows the highest exergy destruction of 56.68 % for process 2. Implementing heat integration in the process routes reveals that process route 1 achieves energy savings of 92.09 %, while process route 2 results in 51.38 % energy savings. This study demonstrates the two process routes’ long-term economic viability and efficiency, which can be further optimised in future studies to achieve sustainable process implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100109"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143228671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Disruptive technologies that deliver a circular economy for plastics","authors":"Katherine E.S. Locock ,&nbsp;Andrew Terhorst ,&nbsp;Sarah King ,&nbsp;Kymberley R. Scroggie","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100098","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100098","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plastics are ubiquitous and integral to modern life with global production doubling in the next 20 years. Only minimal amounts, however, are reused or recycled with the common methods of dealing with plastic waste i.e., incineration and landfill, and leaking into the environment (pollution) all resulting in a loss of plastic from the economy. A circular economy for plastics reduces plastic pollution and climate effects and provides social and economic benefits. This article reviews the patent landscape and identifies disruptive technologies that contribute to a circular economy for plastics. Using a collaboration between subject matter experts and ChatGPT, we identified five distinct disruptive technology categories and associated keywords that support a circular economy: bioplastics, chemical recycling, synthetic biology, traceable plastics and waste separation. Using the associated keywords, we categorised patents from 2018 to 2022 into these disruptive technologies to assess current trends. The patent landscape was challenging to navigate due to the deliberately broad language used to construct patents, leading to many irrelevant patents being categorised. Low technology readiness levels of some patents examined also limits the current disruptiveness of these technologies. Adequate financial funding and economic incentives were the most evident barriers to disruptive technology maturity and uptake.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100098"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143163061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Scalable recycling and characterization of end-of-life solid oxide cell ceramic component materials","authors":"Gudaysew Tsegaye Yenesew,&nbsp;Clément Nicollet,&nbsp;Eric Quarez,&nbsp;Annie Le Gal La Salle,&nbsp;Olivier Joubert","doi":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100110","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nxsust.2025.100110","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>By recycling solid oxide cells (SOCs) end-life materials, the environmental impact can be reduced, and the materials' closed-loop life cycle can help preserve natural resources and create a sustainable and circular system. This study presents a technique for recovering NiO, La_xSr_1-xCoO₃ (LSC) and Zr_1-xY_xO_2-x/2 (YSZ) components from SOC end-of-life products. First, the entire cell components, including the electrolyte, fuel and air electrodes were crushed, ball-milled, and leached with nitric acid. Following the maximum dissolution of cations, centrifugation was used to remove the non-leached YSZ as a sediment. The leached solution, which is rich in nickel, cobalt, strontium, and lanthanum ions was treated with dimethylglyoxime (C₄H₈N₂O₂ DMG) and Ni is preferentially precipitated as C₈H₁₄N₄NiO₄. LSC is then recovered from thermal treatment of solution leftover from C₈H₁₄N₄NiO₄ centrifugation and filtration. About 90 wt% of the ceramic components were successfully recovered. The compositions of recovered materials show a commercial-grade purity i.e about 99 at% for NiO, 96 at% for LSC and 97 at% for YSZ.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100960,"journal":{"name":"Next Sustainability","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100110"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143163267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}