Environmental Challenges最新文献

{"title":"Environmentally sustainable disposal of pathological waste: Evaluating the deep soil burial method in Malaysia","authors":"Nuraina Hanim Mohd Nizam ,&nbsp;Ku Marsilla Ku Ishak ,&nbsp;Oh Wen Da ,&nbsp;Sharifah Emilia Tuan Sharif","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101326","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101326","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The escalating volume of medical waste poses significant environmental, public health and cultural challenges worldwide. Conventional disposal methods including incineration, autoclaving and landfilling are widely employed but remain constrained by high costs, toxic emissions, energy demands and regulatory limitations. In Malaysia, these issues are compounded by limited treatment infrastructure and religious sensitivities, particularly in the management of pathological waste. This review critically evaluates existing medical waste treatment technologies and their socio-environmental implications, while introducing deep soil burial as a viable alternative. Implemented at Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia since 2018, the method involves the burial of pathological waste in engineered pits with layered soil coverage, formalin separation and post-burial site monitoring. Evidence demonstrates that this approach is cost-effective, environmentally safe and compliant with both regulatory frameworks and Shariah principles. Deep soil burial thus represents a scalable, context-appropriate solution for resource-limited settings where centralized biomedical waste facilities are absent. Its demonstrated success in Malaysia underscores the need for policy integration, international recognition of its sustainability potential and further research to refine techniques and assess long-term ecological impacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101326"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145227152","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":"From reporting to reality: Measuring ESG-aligned sustainable behaviors in Thai textile communities","authors":"Nutchanikorn Singhasenee,&nbsp;Khahan Na-Nan","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101324","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101324","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research introduces and validates a novel ESG behavior scale, grounded in stakeholder perspectives, and tailored for Thai textile community enterprises. Rather than treating ESG as a corporate reporting exercise, this study reimagines it as a set of lived, day-to-day practices embedded within informal economies. Anchored in Stakeholder Theory, the scale captures environmental, social, and governance behaviors shaped by cultural norms and relational accountability. Data collected from 200 textile entrepreneurs across Thailand, analyzed through both Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses, confirm the scale’s strong psychometric properties (CFI &gt; 0.90, RMSEA &lt; 0.08). Beyond methodological rigor, the study challenges conventional ESG frameworks by foregrounding micro-level, culturally rooted practices. For practitioners and policymakers, the scale offers a practical tool for assessing and fostering sustainable behaviors where traditional reporting mechanisms fall short. This work reshapes how ESG is understood—positioning it not as a global imposition, but as a locally grounded, stakeholder-driven process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101324"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145227149","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":"Satellite-based Rabi rice paddy field mapping in India: A case study on Telangana state","authors":"Prashanth Reddy Putta,&nbsp;Fabio Dell’Acqua","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101320","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101320","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate rice area monitoring is critical for food security and agricultural policy in smallholder farming regions, yet conventional remote sensing approaches struggle with the spatiotemporal heterogeneity characteristic of fragmented agricultural landscapes. This study developed a phenology-driven classification framework that systematically adapts to local agro-ecological variations across 32 districts in Telangana, India during the 2018-19 Rabi rice season. The research reveals significant spatiotemporal diversity, with phenological timing varying by up to 50 days between districts and field sizes ranging from 0.01 to 2.94 hectares. Our district-specific calibration approach achieved 93.3% overall accuracy, with strong validation against official government statistics (<span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>R</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>920</mn></mrow></math></span>) demonstrating excellent agreement between remotely sensed and ground truth data. The framework successfully mapped 732,345 hectares by adapting to agro-climatic variations, with Northern districts requiring extended land preparation phases (up to 55 days) while Southern districts showed compressed cultivation cycles. Field size analysis revealed accuracy declining 6.8 percentage points from medium to tiny fields, providing insights for operational monitoring in fragmented landscapes. These findings demonstrate that remote sensing frameworks must embrace rather than simplify landscape complexity, advancing region-specific agricultural monitoring approaches that maintain scientific rigor while serving practical policy and food security applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101320"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145227151","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":"Utilizing repurposed myoglobin to develop biosensors of vitamin C","authors":"Sriyani Liyanage ,&nbsp;Sriparna Ray","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101319","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101319","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The iron-based metalloprotein, Myoglobin (Mb) does not possess any catalytic property. Its essential function is oxygen storage in vertebrates. By modifying the essential amino acids present near the active site of the protein, it is possible to generate peroxidase activity in Mb through genetic engineering. Such “repurposed” activity can be incorporated by altering the essential amino acid with an unnatural amino acid (UAA). In addition, it can be easily expressed and purified, thereby increasing its ease of application in catalysis and biosensing. Here, we report a genetic modification of the leucine residue at the 29th position with dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA), which is an UAA, followed by the substitution of H64 by glycine. This double mutation enabled the L29-DOPA/H64G mutant to efficiently catalyze the oxidation of thioanisole with H₂O₂, a common method to test peroxidase activity. In fact, unusual products arising from radical mechanism – biphenyl, diphenyl sulfide, etc., were obtained along with mono-oxidized sulfoxide product. Such a uniquely “repurposed” moiety could be utilized to design biosensors. This enabled the achievement of the 11th principle of Green Chemistry, which expresses the need of monitoring different substances on a real-time basis. The genetically modified and easily procured L29DOPA H64G Mb could be immobilized onto a surface-modified electrode and this could easily detect the electrocatalytic oxidation of vitamin C. Thus, the Au/L-Cys/L29DOPAH64G mutant Mb electrode was modified into a biosensor for ascorbic acid, which provides a convenient way to monitor organic food items containing vitamin C. The L29DOPA/H64G Mb immobilized electrode could detect as low as 5 mmol/L of vitamin C, using scan rates from 50 to 200 mVs⁻¹.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101319"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145227173","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":"Determinants of attitudes and purchase intentions toward bear bile: An analysis based on Wildlife Value Orientations and the extended Theory of Planned Behavior in Hanoi, Vietnam","authors":"Tran Phuong Vy CAO,&nbsp;Ryo SAKURAI","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101322","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101322","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam poses a significant threat to biodiversity, with many species exploited despite existing legal protections and cultural practices continuing to drive demand. Bear bile consumption exemplifies this challenge, underscoring the need for a human dimensions approach to better understand and address the issue. This study investigates the determinants of attitudes and purchase intentions toward bear bile in Hanoi, Vietnam, drawing on the Wildlife Value Orientation (WVO) framework and an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model. Data were collected through a self-administered convenience survey, yielding 256 valid responses, and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) on AMOS 28. Results show that subjective norms, moral obligation, perceived medicinal value, and beliefs about appropriate use significantly shaped attitudes toward bear bile consumption. Despite about 25% of respondents endorsing its medicinal properties, rejection of bear bile use remained prevalent. In turn, moral obligation, attitudes, and age were key predictors of purchase intention. While direct self-reports indicated low purchase intentions, indirect questioning revealed higher perceived intentions among peers, suggesting the influence of social desirability bias. These findings point to the importance of incorporating ethical and social dimensions into demand-reduction strategies. Generalization should be made with caution due to limitations associated with non-random sampling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101322"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158915","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":"Effect of sheep grazing systems on soil, yield, and species diversity in an agricultural watershed, Nigeria","authors":"Chukwudi Nwaogu ,&nbsp;Modupeola A.O. Chukwudi ,&nbsp;Bridget E. Diagi ,&nbsp;Deborah Omozusi Diagi ,&nbsp;Adaeze A. Ojiaku ,&nbsp;Leonard U. Mgbeahuruike ,&nbsp;Rapuruchukwu N. Unegbu ,&nbsp;Kassim Ismail Abdullahi ,&nbsp;Yakubu A. Ameh ,&nbsp;Friday A. Edo ,&nbsp;Victor A. Agidi ,&nbsp;Chidinma A. Acholonu ,&nbsp;Chinonye V. Ekweogu ,&nbsp;Michael I. Nmecha ,&nbsp;Abdulfatai A. Bello ,&nbsp;Moses A. Abua","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101318","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101318","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intensified grazing pressure and forest conversion to pasture affect biodiversity of the forest-grassland transition zone in Imo River watershed, Nigeria. This study assessed how different grazing systems influence soil properties and plant biodiversity in an intensively managed agricultural watershed. It is hypothesized that plant diversity and richness would decrease substantially with continuous grazing (CG) and heavy grazing whereas rotational grazing (RG) would enhance soil N, C, aboveground net primary production (ANPP), and biodiversity under light grazing. In a research period that covered two seasons (2023 and 2024), vegetation, soil, and climate data were collected. ANOVA was used to determine the differences and effects of the grazing systems on the vegetation parameters. Management systems (<em>P</em> = 0.011) and grazing intensities (<em>P</em> = 0.023) significantly affected the ANPP, NPPdiff (<em>P</em> = 0.045) and RGR (<em>P</em> = 0.000). Similarly, plants’ composition was significantly affected by different management systems (<em>P</em> = 0.016), grazing intensities (<em>P</em> = 0.001), and year (<em>P</em> = 0.035). Soil total N in RG was over 50 % higher than the content in CG and 15 % higher than that under UG. During the specified study seasons, species diversity and richness were over 30 % higher in RG than in CG and UG. In contrast, the specific plant height (SPH) and ANPP values observed in UG were over 40 % larger than those recorded in either RG or CG. Except for the forbs, all the species coverages were at least 10 % higher under light grazing compared to heavy grazing. Consequently, a sustainable grazing system (e.g. RG) with light or moderate stocking rate could increase soil N, plant diversity, and aboveground biomass productivity in Imo watershed. The study could be beneficial to the smallholder farmers and all the stakeholders in food security and production chain, especially in the prevailing climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101318"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145106817","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":"Development of granular indigenous microalgal-bacterial consortium (G-IMBC) technology for palm oil mill effluent treatment: Optimization, characterization, and microbial community dynamics","authors":"Shinta Elystia ,&nbsp;Irwan Effendi ,&nbsp;Amun Amri ,&nbsp;Efriyeldi","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101317","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101317","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Palm oil mill effluent (POME) remains a major environmental concern due to its high organic load. This study presents a novel approach for the development and optimization of a Granular Indigenous Microalgal–Bacterial Consortium (G-IMBC) for effective POME treatment using a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to model and optimize key parameters, including wastewater concentration (380–760 mg COD/L), Ca²⁺ addition (40–100 mg/L), and granulation time (8–24 days). The optimized conditions 622 mg COD/L, 90 mg/L Ca²⁺, and 22 days—resulted in enhanced granule size (2.6 mm) and density (3.37 g/mL) with R² values of 0.93–0.97. The G-IMBC improved settleability and overall reactor performance. Morphological and elemental analyses confirmed the successful development of compact, dense granules dominated by carbon (42.77 %) and oxygen (33.54 %). Metagenomic analysis revealed a diverse microbial community, with Azotobacter and Coelastrum as the dominant bacterial and microalgal genera, respectively. Structural and microbial profiling providing insights into the granulation mechanism. The system demonstrated effective removal of major pollutants, with an average COD removal efficiency of 82.25 % ± 9.61, total nitrogen removal of 72.70 % ± 14.09, and Total Phosphorus removal of 71.68 % ± 21.20. These findings demonstrate that this technology can serve as an efficient strategy for POME treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101317"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145106896","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":"Roadside noise level and its association with traffic volume in Chattogram city, Bangladesh>","authors":"Sudipta Roy,&nbsp;Sheikh Mokhlesur Rahman","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101316","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101316","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study focuses on assessing noise pollution scenarios on major road corridors of Chattogram City, developing empirical noise models to predict the noise level from traffic flow, and identifying the traffic mode that affects the noise level the most. Noise measurements and traffic counts are carried out at 41 locations along four major road corridors of Chattogram City on three different sampling periods (weekday peak, weekday off-peak, and weekend). The quantitative noise assessment identifies that the equivalent noise level (L_eq) is above the recommended noise standard level set by Bangladesh Noise Pollution (Control) Rules in all surveyed locations, with the highest L_eq of 91.4 dBA and the lowest L_eq of 69.9 dBA. According to the noise related human health effect categorization, most of these surveyed locations are within moderate risk zone. The relationships between noise level descriptors (L_eq, L₁₀, L₉₀, NC, and TNI) and traffic volume are established using multiple linear regression, ridge regression, and mixed effects model. All noise level descriptors-related models are found statistically significant, indicating the possible association between noise level and traffic flow in the road corridors. A positive association between the equivalent noise level and the traffic flow indicates that increase in the traffic flow in Chattogram city deteriorates the sound pollution scenario. Interestingly, light vehicle volume has appeared to be the most influencing parameter to affect the noise level. The accuracy of the noise level parameter models is the best using the mixed effect approach. However, models with better goodness-of-fit are obtained when the rapid and short-duration instantaneous noise events are removed from the dataset.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101316"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145106818","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":"Modeling smoke-driven evacuation routes during wildfires: Architecture and implementation of the s-ERP system","authors":"Panagiotis Oikonomou,&nbsp;Georgios Boulougaris,&nbsp;Kostas Kolomvatsos","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101307","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101307","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rise in frequency and intensity of global wildfires presents increasing risks to public health and safety, especially through the respiratory and cardiovascular issues resulting from smoke exposure and elevated temperatures. Although immediate evacuation is crucial for protecting individuals, existing evacuation planning tools lack integration with smoke behavior simulations, which limits their effectiveness. This paper introduces s-ERP (smoke-based Evacuation Route Planning), a real-time decision-making system designed to enhance evacuation outcomes during wildfire events. s-ERP constitutes a cost-efficient integrated framework that analyzes spatiotemporal data by developing synergies with various open external tools to proactively determine both safe evacuation routes and the optimal departure time. This tool comprises three core modules: (i) the Smoke Dispersion Module that forecasts the progress of smoke behavior by adopting a Gaussian plume model; (ii) the Evacuation Route Planning Module that implements an algorithm identifying alternative safe routes, while minimizing exposure to smoke-affected areas; and (iii) the Web Application, consisting of a RESTful API with multiple endpoints, which manages data flow and enables operational use by stakeholders. The proposed system is validated through extensive experimental evaluations under realistic wildfire and smoke conditions and in the context of a real scenario of distributed emergency management. The empirical findings indicate that s-ERP mitigates evacuee exposure to harmful smoke in comparison to conventional methods and improves route reliability under wildfire dynamic conditions. These results demonstrate the system’s capability to deliver timely, adaptive and health-oriented evacuation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101307"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145106816","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":"Water Hyacinth and fish production in Nigeria: Community Perceptions, Ecological and Economic Impacts, and Willingness to Fund Control","authors":"Markose Chekol Zewdie ,&nbsp;Victor Tosin Okomoda ,&nbsp;Idowu James Fasakin ,&nbsp;Sunil Niranjan Siriwardena ,&nbsp;Magondu Esther ,&nbsp;Cristiano Rossignoli ,&nbsp;Yossa Rodrigue","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101315","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101315","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nigeria’s aquaculture sector, vital for food security and rural livelihoods, is increasingly threatened by the unchecked spread of water hyacinth. This study applied a mixed-methods approach, combining 22 key informant interviews (KIIs), field observations, informal interviews, and a survey of 454 fish farmers to assess its impacts and farmers’ willingness to support control measures. Results show widespread recognition of negative effects, including reduced fish catch, poor water quality, damaged infrastructure, with strong community demand for intervention. On average, households are willing to contribute ₦2492 (USD 1.51) per month for 20 years to finance control measures. Econometric analysis indicates that willingness to pay (WTP) is shaped by the interaction of income and education, as well as gender and regional differences, rather than income alone. While education moderates income to increase WTP, the education–income interaction negatively affects participation. Notably, these contrasting effects on participation (negative) and WTP (positive) can be understood through the lens of collective action theory. These findings emphasize the need to integrate community perceptions with economic valuation to design inclusive and regionally tailored control strategies, strengthening resilience in Nigeria’s aquaculture sector.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 101315"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145047589","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}