Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Effectiveness of a locally sourced multi-material ceramic filter for iron and manganese removal from tropical groundwater","authors":"Ain Khaer ,&nbsp;Nurul Aqirah ,&nbsp;Muh Fajaruddin Natsir","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Groundwater is an important source of drinking water for many households in Indonesia; however, its quality is often compromised by metals such as iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn). These elements degrade water aesthetics and may pose health risks, highlighting the need for simple, effective, and affordable treatment technologies. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a ceramic filter composed of five locally sourced materials—clay, sawdust, rice husk, zeolite, and activated carbon—for reducing Fe and Mn concentrations in groundwater in Makassar. The study employed a pre–post-test with control design. A single homogenized influent batch was used as the reference (Before, measured once), while the control (empty housing) and ceramic media filtration were operated in parallel under gravity flow with the feed tank elevated by approximately 2 m (floor to tank base). Five outlet subsamples were collected for each condition (n = 5; sampling points 1–5) after steady flow was achieved. The results showed that Fe decreased from 0.57 to 0.11 mg/L (81.33% removal) and Mn decreased from 2.58 to 0.49 mg/L (80.92% removal). The final Fe concentration met both the national quality standard (0.2 mg/L) and the WHO acceptability value (0.3 mg/L), whereas Mn remained above the 0.1 mg/L guideline value. Overall, the multi-material ceramic filter shows potential as a low-cost household-scale option for improving groundwater quality, although further optimization is required to achieve reliable Mn compliance. This technology supports progress toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on universal access to safe water and sanitation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 101340"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173219","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":"Performance and Effectiveness Study of Biomass Pellet Composition and Excess Air Optimization on Emission Reduction and Thermal Efficiency: Application in Coal-Fired co-Firing Systems","authors":"Aisyah Alifatul Zahidah Rohmah ,&nbsp;Wahyu Meka ,&nbsp;Ary Bachtiar ,&nbsp;Ali Altway ,&nbsp;Ardi Nugroho ,&nbsp;Tri Widjaja","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101312","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101312","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the impact of excess air levels on pollutant emissions (CO, NO_x, SO₂, and CO₂) and thermal efficiency during the co-firing of 95 % sub-bituminous coal with 5 % biomass pellets of various compositions, including 100 % sawdust, 100 % rice husk, and blended ratios with cocopeat. Unlike previous studies that typically focused on single biomass feedstocks or limited emission parameters, this research provides a comprehensive evaluation of multi-biomass pellet combinations under varying excess air conditions and links combustion performance to both emission reduction and thermal efficiency. The work also integrates an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach to identify the most critical emission parameters influencing environmental performance. The results demonstrate that increasing excess air generally reduces NO_x and SO₂ emissions across all biomass types, while the optimal performance—marked by the highest thermal efficiency (74.40 %) and the lowest emission indices—was achieved for the sawdust-based configuration. This integrated thermochemical–environmental assessment offers a novel framework for optimizing co-firing operations in existing coal-fired systems to meet low-carbon transition targets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 101312"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146022384","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":"Retraction notice to \"Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: considerations for the biomedical waste sector in India\" [Case Stud. Chem. Environ. Eng. 2 (2020) 100029].","authors":"Shobhana Ramteke, Bharat Lal Sahu","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101371","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101371","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1016/j.cscee.2020.100029.].</p>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"101371"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13325710/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148377172","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":"Synthesis of industrial waste-based geopolymer catalyst and its application in removing imidacloprid insecticide from water","authors":"Samunya Sanguanpak ,&nbsp;Premmanus Chittachumnonk ,&nbsp;Chart Chiemchaisri ,&nbsp;Ming Chun Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101308","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101308","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Geopolymer granules containing fly ash as aluminosilicate materials and mill scale as a catalyst were applied for photocatalytic degradation of imidacloprid insecticide. The surface properties of the geopolymer catalyst were optimized by providing an optimum ratio of waste materials and pore-forming agents. The geopolymer catalyst yielded complete imidacloprid removals during batch experiments, with more than 80 % of its removals taking place after only 1 h of UV exposure. High photocatalytic activities were maintained over 10 repetitive cycles, exhibiting its longevity during which a gradual release of sediment with higher photocatalytic activities was observed, thus increasing its overall photocatalytic degradation rate of the geopolymer catalyst.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 101308"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737498","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":"Season’s greetings from the editorial team – Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101326","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101326","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 101326"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148167952","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":"Spices under the microscope: First detection and characterization of microplastics in turmeric, black pepper, and chili","authors":"Faezeh Jahedi ,&nbsp;Andrew Turner ,&nbsp;Neamatollah Jaafarzadeh Haghighi Fard","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101334","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as contaminants in various food products, including salt, tea, honey, rice, and seafood; however, data on their occurrence in commonly consumed spices remain scarce. In this study, the presence, abundance, morphology, and polymer composition of MPs were investigated in three widely used spices—turmeric, red pepper, and black pepper—purchased in bulk (loose) and packaged forms from markets in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran. A total of 30 samples (15 bulk and 15 packaged) were analyzed using chemical digestion and density separation, followed by stereomicroscopy and Raman spectroscopy under strict contamination control procedures, including procedural blanks and recovery validation. Method sensitivity and analytical uncertainty were addressed through procedural blanks, recovery validation, and conservative particle confirmation criteria. MPs were detected in all samples, with concentrations ranging from 500 to 1100 particles/kg. Bulk spices consistently exhibited higher MP loads than packaged products, suggesting handling and environmental exposure as important contamination pathways. Fibers (61.7 %) and fragments (35.6 %) were the dominant particle morphologies, while polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) were the most frequently identified polymers. Most particles were smaller than 100 μm. Among the studied spices, red pepper showed the highest average MP concentration, followed by turmeric and black pepper. Based on typical consumption rates, the estimated annual intake of MPs from spices ranged from approximately 188 to 613 particles per person per year, which is substantially lower than reported intakes from foods such as bottled water or salt, but represents a chronic and recurrent dietary exposure. Although limited in sample size, this study provides the first quantitative evidence of MPs contamination in common spices from Iran and highlights spices as an underreported, chronic dietary source of MP exposure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 101334"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077445","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":"Innovation, renewable energy, and CO2 emissions in BRICS: Evidence for sustainability indicators","authors":"Ngoc Anh Nguyen ,&nbsp;Thi Lan Anh Nguyen ,&nbsp;Huong Giang Luong ,&nbsp;Thi Vi Nguyen ,&nbsp;Vu Ngoc Xuan","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101411","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101411","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the dynamic relationship between technological innovation (INNOV), renewable energy (RE) consumption, sustainable economic growth (SEG), and CO₂ emissions in BRICS countries over the period 1990–2024. Employing a comprehensive panel dataset and advanced econometric techniques, including cross-sectional dependence tests, second-generation unit root tests, panel cointegration, and the Panel ARDL (PMG) estimator, the analysis captures both short- and long-run interactions among the variables. The empirical findings reveal that RE consumption significantly reduces CO₂ emissions, highlighting its critical role in environmental sustainability. Technological INNOV also contributes to emission reduction by improving energy efficiency and facilitating the transition toward cleaner production processes. Conversely, economic growth (EG) is found to increase CO₂ emissions in the short run, reflecting the environmental cost of industrial expansion; however, in the long run, it supports the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, in which environmental degradation (ED) declines after a certain income threshold.</div><div>Additionally, causality analysis indicates bidirectional relationships between INNOV and emissions, and unidirectional causality from RE to environmental quality. The study underscores the importance of integrating green INNOV and RE policies to achieve sustainable development (SD) in BRICS economies. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers aiming to balance EG with environmental protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 101411"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148167948","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":"Valorization of durian and jengkol shell waste into high-performance green solid fuel through the effect of molasses-tar binder ratio on biobriquette properties","authors":"Iriany,&nbsp;Taslim,&nbsp;Chloe Lyanto,&nbsp;Taniah Stepani Manurung,&nbsp;Vikram Alexander","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101354","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2026.101354","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The declining availability of fossil energy in Indonesia has encouraged the development of more environmentally friendly alternative energy sources, including the conversion of biomass waste into solid fuels such as briquettes. However, biomass briquette production still faces challenges in improving product quality. This study aims to convert durian shells and jengkol shells into raw materials for biobriquette production using molasses and tar as binders. The charcoal composition ratios of durian shell to jengkol shell employed were 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, and 40:60, each formulated with 25% molasses and tar binder. Briquette production included carbonization at 450 °C for 1 h, sieving to pass 100 mesh, mixing with 25% binder, pressing at 25 kg/cm², and drying at 105 °C for 3 days. The resulting briquettes were analyzed based on proximate parameters and calorific value. The results showed that the lowest moisture content of 3.80% was achieved at the 40:60 composition with molasses, while the lowest ash content of 3.25% was obtained at the 50:50 composition with tar. Furthermore, the lowest volatile matter content of 1.07% and the highest fixed carbon content of 91.45% were found at the 40:60 composition with tar. The highest calorific value, 7010 cal/g, was recorded for the 80:20 composition with molasses, whereas the lowest, 5653 cal/g, occurred at the 40:60 composition with tar. All samples met the quality standards of Indonesian National Standard (SNI) No. 1/6235/2000. These findings indicate that the combination of durian shell and jengkol shell charcoal, particularly the 80:20 ratio using 25% molasses, produces high-quality biobriquettes with strong potential as an alternative biomass-based energy source.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 101354"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147384595","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":"Reverse osmosis treatment of blow-down water for beneficial reuse and sustainable power generation","authors":"Claudio Kohn ,&nbsp;Hung Cong Duong ,&nbsp;Viet Quang Ly ,&nbsp;Long Duc Nghiem","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101306","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101306","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reverse osmosis (RO) has been widely adopted for the treatment of blow-down water to facilitate sustainable water management in thermal power plants. This study investigates membrane fouling in a packaged RO system treating blow-down water to identify the causes of permeate flux decline and develop mitigation strategies. Results from blow-down water analysis, autopsy of the used membrane, and filtration experiments indicate that the RO system was likely under-designed with water recovery exceeding the design limit, creating conditions favourable for flux deterioration. Silica, present in blow-down water at high concentrations (∼50 mg/L), was identified as the dominant and most challenging membrane fouling culprit. Given the sulphate concentrations of 55–88 mg/L, barium sulphate scaling might also occur; however, the evidence was inconclusive. Unlike silica scaling, barium sulphate could be mitigated through appropriate anti-scalant dosing. The filtration experiments indicate that besides fouling, membrane compaction partially contributed to flux decline. Finally, WAVE simulation results suggest key strategies (e.g. lower water recovery, using larger membrane surface area or membrane with improved flux stability, increasing feed water temperature (up to 35 °C), blending with silica-free water sources, and optimising anti-scalant dosing) to enhance RO system water recovery while effectively avert membrane fouling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 101306"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683120","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":"Fluoride failure: From Sandy City's water system incident to statewide ban and beyond","authors":"Robert B. Sowby","doi":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In 2019, a fluoride overfeed in the drinking water system of Sandy City, Utah, USA, sickened residents, corroded pipes, and released lead and copper. Sandy operators changed practices immediately, state water regulators issued administrative orders in following years, and in 2025, due partly to the incident and partly to national mood, the Utah legislature banned water fluoridation altogether—the first such ban in the United States. This case study examines the incident's technical failures (in equipment settings, control logic, and hydraulics), procedural failures (in water sampling, record keeping, and public notification), and how changes in fluoridation practice and policy escalated from a single local event to the national stage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34388,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 101304"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683119","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}