Environments最新文献

{"title":"Life Cycle Assessment of Immobilised and Slurry Photocatalytic Systems for Removal of Natural Organic Matter in Water","authors":"Dan C. A. Gowland, Neil Robertson, Efthalia Chatzisymeon","doi":"10.3390/environments11060114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060114","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates the environmental impacts caused by the scaling up of the photocatalytic purification of drinking water using ultraviolet light-emitting diode technology. The life cycle assessment methodology was utilised to estimate the environmental impacts of two different reactor setups commonly used in lab-scale studies: an immobilised and a suspended TiO2 catalytic system. The functional unit adopted was the treatment of 1 L of water with an initial 7.8 mg/L concentration of natural organic matter, achieving a final 1 mg/L concentration. The use of a suspended photocatalyst was found to have an environmental footprint that was 87% lower than that of the immobilised one. From the sensitivity analysis, the environmental hotspots of the treatment process were the electricity usage and immobilised catalyst production. Therefore, alternative scenarios investigating the use of a renewable electricity mix and recyclable materials were explored to enhance the environmental performance of the photocatalytic treatment process. Using a renewable electricity mix, a decrease of 55% and 15% for the suspended and immobilised catalyst, respectively, was observed. Additionally, the process of recycling the glass used to support the immobilised catalyst achieved a maximum reduction of 22% in the environmental impact from the original scenario, with 100 glass reuses appearing to provide diminishing returns on the environmental impact savings.","PeriodicalId":11886,"journal":{"name":"Environments","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141166308","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":"The Spatial Distribution of Copepod Functional Traits in a Highly Anthropized Mediterranean Coastal Marine Region","authors":"Daniele Bellardini, Jessica Vannini, Luca Russo, Angela Buondonno, Maria Saggiomo, Paolo Vassallo, Maria Grazia Mazzocchi, Domenico D’Alelio, Priscilla Licandro","doi":"10.3390/environments11060113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060113","url":null,"abstract":"Copepods dominate marine zooplankton in abundance and play key roles in pelagic food webs. These small crustaceans show high taxonomic and functional diversity. Although there has been considerable research on their taxonomy, only a few studies have focused on their functional traits. In this study, we analyzed the functional traits of 95 copepod species, considering their body size, trophic regime, feeding behavior, and spawning strategy. Based on samples collected during two surveys (autumn 2020 and summer 2021) located in the coastal waters of three gulfs (Gaeta, Naples, and Salerno) in the highly populated Campania region (the central Tyrrhenian Sea, NW Mediterranean), we identified nine functional groups of copepods with different characteristics. The group that comprised herbivorous copepods with feeding currents and a broadcast strategy was the most abundant in both seasons and all gulfs. This group was dominated by Acartia clausi, Centropages typicus, Temora stylifera, and the Paracalanus parvus complex. The other functional groups showed differences in their temporal and spatial distribution. Our study reports the functional diversity of copepods along the Campania coast, thus contributing to advancing our knowledge of the planktonic trophic structure in a region of considerable importance due to its marine resources and services.","PeriodicalId":11886,"journal":{"name":"Environments","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141166299","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":"The Cultural Ecohydrogeology of Mediterranean-Climate Springs: A Global Review with Case Studies","authors":"Roger Pascual, Lucia Piana, Sami Ullah Bhat, Pedro Fidel Castro, Jordi Corbera, Dion Cummings, Cristina Delgado, Eugene Eades, Roderick J. Fensham, Marcos Fernández-Martínez, Verónica Ferreira, Maria Filippini, Guillermo García, Alessandro Gargini, Stephen D. Hopper, Lynette Knapp, Ian D. Lewis, Josep Peñuelas, Catherine Preece, Vincent H. Resh, Estela Romero, Boudjéma Samraoui, Farrah Samraoui, Stefano Segadelli, Nikolaos Th. Skoulikidis, Cüneyt N. Solak, Jaume Solé, Karen G. Villholth, Huma Khurshid Wani, Marco Cantonati, Lawrence E. Stevens","doi":"10.3390/environments11060110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060110","url":null,"abstract":"Cultures in Mediterranean climate zones (MCZs) around the world have long been reliant on groundwater and springs as freshwater sources. While their ecology and cultural sustainability are recognized as critically important, inter-relationships between springs and culture in MCZs have received less attention. Here we augmented a global literature review with case studies in MCZ cultural landscapes to examine the diversity and intensity of cultural and socio-economic relationships on spring ecohydrogeology. MCZs are often oriented on western and southern coasts in tectonically active landscapes which control aquifer structure, the prevalence of westerly winds, and aridity, and generally expose associated habitats and cultures to harsh afternoon sunlight. Cultural appreciation and appropriation of springs ranges widely, from their use as subsistence water supplies to their roles in profound traditions such as Greco-Roman nymphalea as well as Asian and Abrahamic spiritual cleansing and baptism. The abandonment of traditional ways of life, such as rural livestock production, for urban ones has shifted impacts on aquifers from local to regional groundwater exploitation. The commoditization of water resources for regional agricultural, industrial (e.g., mining, water bottling, geothermal resorts), and urban uses is placing ever-increasing unsustainable demands on aquifers and spring ecosystems. When the regional economic value of springs approaches or exceeds local cultural values, these irreplaceable aquatic ecosystems are often degraded, over-looked, and lost. Sustainable stewardship of springs and the aquifers that support them is a poorly recognized but central conservation challenge for modern Mediterranean societies as they face impending impacts of global climate change. Solutions to this crisis require education, societal dialogue, and improved policy and implementation.","PeriodicalId":11886,"journal":{"name":"Environments","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141166381","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":"Detection of Microplastic Contamination in Commercial Insect Meals","authors":"Simona Rimoldi, Jessica Ponti, Andrea Valsesia, Giulio Saroglia, Rita La Spina, Francesco Fumagalli, Genciana Terova","doi":"10.3390/environments11060112","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060112","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Escalating global plastic production, expected to reach 34,000 million tons by 2050, poses a significant threat to human and environmental well-being, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. Microplastics (MP) and nanoplastics (NP), which originate from the degradation of plastics, are of concern due to their potential bioaccumulation and uptake of pollutants. This study addresses identification methods and focuses on insect meal, a raw material for aquaculture feed. Methods: By using different techniques, the study was able to detect MP and NP in insect meal samples. Chemical digestion with KOH at 60 °C efficiently removed organic matter without affecting the synthetic polymer polyethylene (PE). Filtration, confocal Raman microscopy, SEM, and TEM were used for comprehensive analysis, and integrity tests on PE films were performed using Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The results showed the presence of PE microplastic particles in the insect meal, which was confirmed by correlative Raman and SEM mapping on a positively charged surface. In addition, the increased resolution of the Raman microscope identified submicrometric PE NP (800 nm). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed plastic-like structures in the insect meal, highlighting the presence of PE plastics characterized by irregular shapes and some agglomeration. The higher carbon concentration in the EDX analysis supported the plastic nature, which was also confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Conclusions: The study provides a robust method for the detection of MP and NP in insect meal and provides valuable insight into the possible presence of plastics in insect-based aquafeeds. The combination of different analytical methods increases the reliability of the results and sets the stage for future investigations that could focus on the quantification of NP and the assessment of their potential environmental impact.","PeriodicalId":11886,"journal":{"name":"Environments","volume":"46 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141166302","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":"The Potential Impact of Long-Term Copper Fungicide Sprays on Soil Health in Avocado Orchards","authors":"Dumsane Themba Matse, Thangavelautham Geretharan, Eileen F. van Gorp, Sean Anderson, Paramsothy Jeyakumar, Christopher W. N. Anderson","doi":"10.3390/environments11060109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060109","url":null,"abstract":"The long-term use of copper (Cu)-based fungicide sprays in orchards is associated with changes in soil Cu levels. However, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the potential accumulation of Cu in orchards and the associated impacts on the soil microbial structure. This study assessed the possibility of Cu accumulation in different avocado orchard farms and further evaluated the potential effect on soil microbial activities. Soil Cu levels were quantified in Tauranga and Northland, and three avocado orchards were analysed in each experimental location. All avocado farms in both sites received Cu-based fungicide sprays for over eight years. Soil samples were collected at a 0–20 cm depth from all six orchards. The soil total and bioavailable Cu, changes in soil chemical properties, microbial biomass, dehydrogenase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and acid phosphatase activity were measured. The results revealed that the total Cu and bioavailable Cu concentrations in Tauranga orchards were 81.3 and 0.32, 196.7 and 0.82, and 33.6 and 0.31 mg Cu kg−1 in Farms 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In Northland orchards, the total Cu and bioavailable Cu were 54.5 and 0.06, 18.4 and 0.77, and 46 and 0.34 mg Cu kg−1 in Farm 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Five out of six of the avocado orchard farms assessed in this study had total Cu concentrations greater than 30 mg Cu kg−1 reported in New Zealand native land. The magnitude of Cu accumulation was linked with soil pH and C content. No clear trend was observed between soil Cu concentrations and the soil microbial activity. Our study results demonstrated that the long-term use of Cu-based fungicide sprays can elevate Cu concentrations in orchard soils. Mitigation strategies need to be explored to abate the accumulation of Cu in orchard soils.","PeriodicalId":11886,"journal":{"name":"Environments","volume":"59 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141153973","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":"Critical Review of Life Cycle Assessment of Hydrogen Production Pathways","authors":"M. Maniscalco, S. Longo, M. Cellura, Gabriele Miccichè, Marco Ferraro","doi":"10.3390/environments11060108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060108","url":null,"abstract":"In light of growing concerns regarding greenhouse gas emissions and the increasingly severe impacts of climate change, the global situation demands immediate action to transition towards sustainable energy solutions. In this sense, hydrogen could play a fundamental role in the energy transition, offering a potential clean and versatile energy carrier. This paper reviews the recent results of Life Cycle Assessment studies of different hydrogen production pathways, which are trying to define the routes that can guarantee the least environmental burdens. Steam methane reforming was considered as the benchmark for Global Warming Potential, with an average emission of 11 kgCO2eq/kgH2. Hydrogen produced from water electrolysis powered by renewable energy (green H2) or nuclear energy (pink H2) showed the average lowest impacts, with mean values of 2.02 kgCO2eq/kgH2 and 0.41 kgCO2eq/kgH2, respectively. The use of grid electricity to power the electrolyzer (yellow H2) raised the mean carbon footprint up to 17.2 kgCO2eq/kgH2, with a peak of 41.4 kgCO2eq/kgH2 in the case of countries with low renewable energy production. Waste pyrolysis and/or gasification presented average emissions three times higher than steam methane reforming, while the recourse to residual biomass and biowaste significantly lowered greenhouse gas emissions. The acidification potential presents comparable results for all the technologies studied, except for biomass gasification which showed significantly higher and more scattered values. Regarding the abiotic depletion potential (mineral), the main issue is the lack of an established recycling strategy, especially for electrolysis technologies that hamper the inclusion of the End of Life stage in LCA computation. Whenever data were available, hotspots for each hydrogen production process were identified.","PeriodicalId":11886,"journal":{"name":"Environments","volume":"14 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141102674","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 Evaluation of the Influence of Meteorological Factors and a Pollutant Emission Inventory on PM2.5 Prediction in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region Based on a Deep Learning Method","authors":"Xiaofei Shi, Bo Li, Xiaoxiao Gao, Stephen Dauda Yabo, Kun Wang, Hong Qi, Jie Ding, Donglei Fu, Wei Zhang","doi":"10.3390/environments11060107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060107","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network approach is employed to evaluate the prediction performance of PM2.5 in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region (BTH). The proposed method is evaluated using the hourly air quality datasets from the China National Environmental Monitoring Center, European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts ERA5 (ECMWF-ERA5), and Multi-resolution Emission Inventory for China (MEIC) for the years 2016 and 2017. The predicted PM2.5 concentrations demonstrate a strong correlation with the observed values (R2 = 0.871–0.940) in the air quality dataset. Furthermore, the model exhibited the best performance in situations of heavy pollution (PM2.5 > 150 μg/m3) and during the winter season, with respective R2 values of 0.689 and 0.915. In addition, the influence of ECMWF-ERA5’s hourly meteorological factors was assessed, and the results revealed regional heterogeneity on a large scale. Further evaluation was conducted by analyzing the chemical components of the MEIC inventory on the prediction performance. We concluded that the same temporal profile may not be suitable for addressing emission inventories in a large area with a deep learning method.","PeriodicalId":11886,"journal":{"name":"Environments","volume":"44 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141107835","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":"Are Low Emission Zones Truly Embraced by the Public?","authors":"Ana Claudia Andriolli, Lígia Torres Silva","doi":"10.3390/environments11060106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060106","url":null,"abstract":"Rapid urbanization and car-centric mobility solutions have resulted in the degradation of environmental urban quality, impacting people’s health and well-being and city economies and harming urban ecosystems. Faced with the need to tackle traffic pollution, more than 300 low emission zones (LEZs) have been implemented, causing some social controversy. Nonetheless, researchers have focused their studies on evaluating LEZ efficacy towards urban congestion and air pollutants reduction, health and well-being improvement. This study presents a literature review of what is known about acceptability and acceptance of the population regarding the implementation of LEZs, along with the main issues, best practices, and suggestions to promote a better perception and mobility behavior change. Based on research conducted in the Web of Science and Scopus databases, only 36 of 540 peer-reviewed articles on LEZs address public attitudes. Among the main findings, the following stand out: the existing gap in environmental urban quality approaches between countries, namely the Global North; the existence of few studies that evaluate perceptions before and after LEZ implementation; the lack of LEZ studies that consider noise and biodiversity, seeking a broader approach to this measure; and the importance of developing a support package measures that involves affected stakeholders and are adapted to each city’s characteristics.","PeriodicalId":11886,"journal":{"name":"Environments","volume":"16 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141104496","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":"Can Lagoons Serve as a Quaternary Treatment for Micropollutants in Wastewater Treatment Plants? Recent Implications for Compliance with the New Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive","authors":"Lissette Díaz-Gamboa, Sofía Martínez-López, Luis Miguel Ayuso-García, A. Lahora, Isabel Martínez-Alcalá","doi":"10.3390/environments11060105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060105","url":null,"abstract":"This study explores the potential of storage lagoons as a quaternary treatment step in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), focusing on compliance with the recent European Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), which mandates an 80% reduction in specific micropollutants. While conventional treatments effectively remove residual nutrients and solids, the potential of storage lagoons as an additional treatment is not fully defined. This research aims to address this gap by assessing the efficacy of storage lagoons in refining the effluent quality at the Cabezo Beaza WWTP, considering recent UWWTD requirements. We conduct a comprehensive assessment of the water quality parameters and micropollutants, before and after the storage lagoon stage, at the Cabezo Beaza WWTP. The results indicate that this strategy of prolonged storage in lagoons manages to meet the reduction objectives established by the Directive, reaching elimination percentages greater than 80% for the majority of the analyzed micropollutants. Our findings suggest that lagoons significantly improve water quality and reduce contaminants beyond conventional treatments, offering environmental and economic benefits. This paper discusses the mechanisms behind these improvements, such as natural sedimentation, microbial activity, and potential phytoremediation. This study contributes to the research on advanced wastewater treatment and supports the integration of storage lagoons as a viable quaternary treatment solution that meets the UWWTD standards.","PeriodicalId":11886,"journal":{"name":"Environments","volume":"51 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141109442","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":"Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus Historical Sightings and Strandings, Ship Strikes, Breeding Areas and Other Threats in the Mediterranean Sea: A Review (1624–2023)","authors":"R. Espada, Adrián Camacho-Sánchez, L. Olaya-Ponzone, Estefanía Martín-Moreno, Daniel Patón, J.C. García-Gómez","doi":"10.3390/environments11060104","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060104","url":null,"abstract":"A review of the last 399 years (1624–2023) on fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in the Mediterranean Sea was conducted, based on an extensive compilation of records published in the scientific literature, technical reports, public databases, journals, and social media. A total of 10,716 sightings and 575 mortality events have been computed, analysed by semesters and mapped in order to compare the summer–winter seasons especially and their implications on migration–residence. Visual and acoustic detections, feedings, migrations, primary production areas (chlorophyll), threats and causes of death and their relations have been addressed, and a mini-review on heavy metals and pollutants has been carried out on fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea. Mortality events were most frequent between November and April, coinciding with the decreased sighting period. Ship strikes posed the greatest threat, peaking between May and October, when marine traffic tends to increase in the Mediterranean Sea. Two populations coexist in the Mediterranean Sea, one resident and the other migratory, the latter using the Strait of Gibraltar for its biannual movements. Two areas with a presence of calves (up to 7 m in length) between October and February were detected: one scattered in the northern Mediterranean and the Strait of Gibraltar and its surroundings. A critical zone for collisions has been established according to the results for fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea.","PeriodicalId":11886,"journal":{"name":"Environments","volume":"26 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141113754","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}