Resources最新文献

{"title":"A Predictive Model for Cropland Transformation at the Regional Level: A Case Study of the Belgorod Oblast, European Russia","authors":"Zhanna A. Buryak, Olesya I. Grigoreva, Artyom V. Gusarov","doi":"10.3390/resources12110127","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12110127","url":null,"abstract":"The problem of choosing the type of land use is now more relevant than ever. Against the backdrop of the growth of urbanized territories, the challenge is to preserve cropland, maintain the quality of soil resources, and find a balance between competing land uses. Forecasting and modeling changes in the area of cropland is a sought-after area of research against the backdrop of a growing shortage of fertile land and a threat to food security. In this study, on the example of one of the agriculturally most developed administrative regions of Russia (Belgorod Oblast), an approach to statistical modeling of agricultural land areas over the past 30 years is shown. Two approaches were used: statistical modeling of the dynamics of the total area of the study region’s cropland depending on the balance of other types of land and spatial interaction modeling of cropland in a key area. For the study region, administrative districts with positive and negative cropland dynamics were identified; the main types of land were revealed, due to which cropland is withdrawn, and a regression balance model was developed. It was revealed that the implementation of the planned regional programs to expand the development and conservation of meadow lands will reduce cropland by 3.07% or 83.2 thousand ha. On the example of one of the administrative districts with high rates of urbanization, the probability of cropland transformation into other types of land was estimated and a predictive spatial model of land use was developed. According to the forecast, about 6.2 thousand ha of cropland will turn into residential development land, and 2/3 of their area will be concentrated within 6 km from the borders of the regional capital city (Belgorod). The presented approach to forecasting the area of cropland and the threats of its reduction due to the need to replace other types of land is relevant for all agricultural regions and countries with developing urbanization processes.","PeriodicalId":37723,"journal":{"name":"Resources","volume":"153 6","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136104829","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":"Surimi Production from Tropical Mackerel: A Simple Washing Strategy for Better Utilization of Dark-Fleshed Fish Resources","authors":"Worawan Panpipat, Porntip Thongkam, Suppanyoo Boonmalee, Hasene Keskin Çavdar, Manat Chaijan","doi":"10.3390/resources12100126","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100126","url":null,"abstract":"Mackerel (Auxis thazard), a tropical dark-fleshed fish, is currently a viable resource for the manufacture of surimi, but the optimal washing procedure for more efficient use of this particular species is required right away. Washing is the most critical stage in surimi production to ensure optimal gelation with odorless and colorless surimi. The goal of this study was to set a simple washing medium to the test for making mackerel surimi. Washing was performed three times with different media. T1 was washed with three cycles of cold carbonated water (CW). T2, T3, and T4 were washed once with cold CW containing 0.3%, 0.6%, or 0.9% NaCl, followed by two cycles of cold water. T5, T6, and T7 were produced for three cycles with CW containing 0.3%, 0.6%, or 0.9% NaCl. For comparison, unwashed mince (U) and conventional surimi washed three times in cold tap water (C) were employed. The maximum yield (62.27%) was obtained by washing with T1. When varying quantities of NaCl were mixed into the first washing medium (T2–T4), the yield decreased with increasing NaCl content (27.24–54.77%). When washing with NaCl for three cycles (T5–T7), the yield was greatly decreased (16.69–35.23%). Conventional surimi washing (C) produced a yield of roughly 40%, which was comparable to T3. Based on the results, treatments that produced lower yields than C were eliminated in order to maximize the use of fish resources and for commercial reasons. The maximum NaCl content in CW can be set at 0.6% only during the first washing cycle (T3). Because of the onset of optimal unfolding as reported by specific biochemical characteristics such as Ca2+-ATPase activity (0.2 μmol inorganic phosphate/mg protein/min), reactive sulfhydryl group (3.61 mol/108 g protein), and hydrophobicity (64.02 µg of bromophenol blue bound), T3 washing resulted in surimi with the greatest gel strength (965 g.mm) and water holding capacity (~65%), with fine network structure visualized by scanning electron microscope. It also efficiently removed lipid (~80% reduction), myoglobin (~65% reduction), non-heme iron (~94% reduction), and trichloroacetic acid-soluble peptide (~52% reduction) contents, which improves whiteness (~45% improvement), reduces lipid oxidation (TBARS value < 0.5 mg malondialdehyde equivalent/kg), and decreases the intensity of the gel’s fishy odor (~30% reduction). As a result, washing mackerel surimi (A. thazard) with CW containing 0.6% (w/v) NaCl in the first cycle, followed by two cycles of cold water washing (T3), can be a simple method for increasing gel-forming capability and oxidative stability. The mackerel surimi produced using this washing approach has a higher quality than that produced with regular washing. This straightforward method will enable the sustainable use of dark-fleshed fish for the production of surimi.","PeriodicalId":37723,"journal":{"name":"Resources","volume":"20 6","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135367132","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 Application of Image Acquisition and Processing Techniques for the Determination of Wooden Pellet Length as an Alternative to ISO 17829","authors":"Giuseppe Toscano, Elena Leoni, Carmine De Francesco, Giacomo Ciccone, Thomas Gasperini","doi":"10.3390/resources12100125","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100125","url":null,"abstract":"Global market developments of wooden pellets have led to an increased attention towards pellet quality. ISO 17829 defines the procedure to assess pellets’ geometrical parameters, which play a key role in pellet overall quality. For instance, pellet length influences the spatial arrangement within the stove brazier, affecting the interaction between combustion air and solid biofuel, thus affecting CO emissions. The ISO 17829 method is time-consuming and affected by the operator’s accuracy. Recent studies have investigated the application of new methods, such as image processing, for monitoring the aforementioned parameter. While also assessing the representativeness of ISO 17829’s method, this paper proposes an alternative measuring tool based on image processing named Pellet Length Detector (PLD). Samples were obtained from Italian pellet suppliers and subjected to a multiple dimensional analysis via PLD and caliper. The PLD’s overall performance led to satisfactory results, with only 10% of the samples having a bias between replicates of &gt;2 mm. Compared to caliper, PLD led to an average bias of 0.5 mm. Moreover, a one-way ANOVA highlighted that increasing the sample size between caliper and PLD leads to a greater statistical similarity of the data obtained for different replicates. Given the prototype status of the device, a further performance upgrade is possible, especially through error modeling.","PeriodicalId":37723,"journal":{"name":"Resources","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135618166","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 Emerging Role of Plant-Based Building Materials in the Construction Industry—A Bibliometric Analysis","authors":"Anita Boros, Dávid Tőzsér","doi":"10.3390/resources12100124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100124","url":null,"abstract":"The emergence of plant-based building materials is supported by several factors, such as shortages, adverse effects, and quality deficits of conventional resources, strict legislative frameworks targeting the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and growing environmental awareness on the individual and stakeholder levels. To support these findings, this paper aimed to assess the relevance of these green materials in the construction industry and highlight the most widespread and thoroughly studied plant-based compounds in the literature, using bibliometric analysis. By evaluating 977 publications from 453 sources, the results show that the total number of relevant papers has increased yearly, while most belonged to the engineering discipline. Most articles were dedicated to one or more of the SDGs, which was confirmed by the more comprehensive representation and elaboration of “green”, “environmental”, and “sustainability” aspects regarding the topics of “materials” and “building” as the most frequent terms. Additionally, a wide range of plant-based building materials are thoroughly evaluated in the literature; these are primarily used to improve conventional materials’ mechanical properties, while many are also tested as substitutes for conventional ones. In conclusion, the green transition in the construction industry is aided by the scientific community by proposing plant-based supplements and alternatives to well-known materials and practices; however, further in-depth studies are needed to verify the applicability of such novelties to gain uniform acceptance and foster the expansion of sustainability initiatives in the sector.","PeriodicalId":37723,"journal":{"name":"Resources","volume":"26 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135778869","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":"Biosolids-Derived Biochar Improves Biomethane Production in the Anaerobic Digestion of Chicken Manure","authors":"Soulayma Hassan, Tien Ngo, Leadin S. Khudur, Christian Krohn, Charles Chinyere Dike, Ibrahim Gbolahan Hakeem, Kalpit Shah, Aravind Surapaneni, Andrew S. Ball","doi":"10.3390/resources12100123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100123","url":null,"abstract":"Anaerobic digestion has attracted great interest for use in the management of organic wastes and the production of biomethane. However, this process is facing challenges, such as a high concentration of ammonia nitrogen, which affects the methanogenesis process and, thus, the production of methane. This study investigates the use of biosolid-derived biochar for mitigating ammonia stress and improving methane production during the anaerobic digestion of chicken manure, using both pristine biochar and biochar modified with a potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution. Batch mesophilic anaerobic digestion (37 °C) was carried out over 18 days. When compared to chicken-manure-only controls, a significant increase in methane formation was observed in the digesters amended with biochar and KOH-modified biochar, producing 220 L kg−1 volatile solids (VSs) and 262 L kg−1 VSs of methane, respectively, compared to 139 L kg−1 VSs from the control digesters. The use of biochar and KOH-modified biochar resulted in a significant reduction of 8 days in the lag phase. The total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentration was reduced in the digesters with biochar and KOH-modified biochar by 25% and 35.5%, respectively. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) data revealed that the number of 16S rRNA gene copies was around 50,000 and 41,000 times higher in the biochar and KOH-modified biochar digesters, respectively, compared to the control digesters on day 18. The taxonomic profiles indicated that the BC and KOH-BC digesters contained a mixture of methanogenic pathways, including acetoclastic (Methanosaetaceae), hydrogenotrophic (Methanosarcinaceae), and methylation (Methanofastidiosaceae). This mix of pathways suggests a more robust archaeal community and, hence, more efficient methanogenesis. The results show that the addition of biosolids biochar enhances anaerobic digestion, mitigates ammonia stress to methanogens, and significantly increases biogas production.","PeriodicalId":37723,"journal":{"name":"Resources","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136142700","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":"Geosites in the Gole della Breggia Geopark, Ticino, Southern Switzerland","authors":"Paolo Oppizzi, Federico Pasquaré Mariotto, Rudolf Stockar, Andrea Stella, Noemi Corti, Martina Pedicini, Sergio Andò, Giovanni Vezzoli, Fabio Luca Bonali","doi":"10.3390/resources12100122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100122","url":null,"abstract":"This work is aimed at illustrating one of the most engaging geoparks in Europe, the Gole della Breggia Geopark. By following its geotrail, the visitors can observe a great deal of features that encompass a wide variety of sedimentary, stratigraphic, tectonic and paleogeographic processes. Its contents are popularized by a comprehensive geotrail that encompasses 23 geostops, enriched with explanatory panels, which enable viewers to gain an overall picture of the complex processes that led to the present-day configuration of the outcrops encountered in the geopark. We have selected five significative outcrops, which we have regarded as fully-fledged geosites, and which encompass the whole 170-million-year interval, from Early Jurassic to Late Miocene times, during which the rocks of the geopark were deposited and deformed. We have performed an assessment of the five geosites, using the most common criteria that can be applied for geosite evaluation. The results of the assessment show that the most valuable geosites are the Lombardian Maiolica, and the Limestone with Pelagic Bivalves. All five geosites, thanks to a QR code added to each figure along the text, can be viewed as virtual geosites (VGs), integrated by 360° videos.","PeriodicalId":37723,"journal":{"name":"Resources","volume":"20 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136013094","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":"Meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in the Decarbonization Agenda: A Case of Russian Oil and Gas Companies","authors":"Nataliya Titova, Alina Cherepovitsyna, Tatiana Guseva","doi":"10.3390/resources12100121","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100121","url":null,"abstract":"Being key players in providing sustainable energy on a global scale, oil and gas (O&amp;G) companies can contribute to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). This paper focuses on Russian O&amp;G companies and presents an analysis of their contribution to these SDGs in the context of today’s decarbonization agenda. The study is based on a content analysis of their corporate sustainability reports and has produced three results. First, we analyzed the key strategic goals of Russian O&amp;G companies. Second, we identified the correspondence between the progress towards the SDGs declared in their sustainability reports and the UN’s SDG indicators. Third, we analyzed the contributions of Russian O&amp;G companies to SDGs 7 and 13. As a result of the study, recommendations were formulated to introduce practical tools aimed at increasing the contribution of Russian O&amp;G companies to sustainable development. The article discusses problems in corporate sustainability reporting of Russian O&amp;G companies. The paper also seeks to expand the existing literature on the contribution of the Russian O&amp;G sector to providing sustainable energy and accelerating the energy transition in line with the decarbonization agenda.","PeriodicalId":37723,"journal":{"name":"Resources","volume":"82 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136353386","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":"Food Waste in Public Food Service Sector—Surplus and Leftovers","authors":"Carla Gonçalves, Sónia Saraiva, Fernando Nunes, Cristina Saraiva","doi":"10.3390/resources12100120","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100120","url":null,"abstract":"Food waste occurs at various stages of the food supply chain, starting from the production stage on farms to processing, distribution, and consumption. It is an important global problem that has social, environmental, ethical, and economic costs. The present work aims to discuss the differences in waste generated from surpluses or leftovers, the monitoring systems of food waste in public food services, and the good practices to reduce food waste. Besides the accessible knowledge about reducing waste, tonnes of food were daily discarded and wasted. To achieve a sustainable food system, food waste must be reduced significantly. Collaborative efforts are necessary to achieve significant reductions in food waste for achieving SDG 12.3 in public food services. Thus, policies that support or enforce larger implementation of best practices are needed. Knowledge about food waste is important to change attitudes and behaviors toward surplus food and leftovers. Some best practices can include promoting awareness campaigns to educate staff about the impact of food waste and the best practices to reduce it, including information on proper storage, portion control, and meal planning; implementing inventory management systems; donating surplus food via collaboration with food banks and charities; optimizing portion sizes, ensuring they are adequate and manageable for customers, reducing the likelihood of leftover food on the plate; allowing customers to order smaller quantities or share a meal; providing packaging to allow customers take their leftovers home for later consumption. The procedures to be adopted by public food services should provide guidance for the selection of products that can be donated. However, specific temperature requirements depending on the food category should be complied with. This paper enlarges the understanding of surpluses and leftovers and the best practices that could be implemented in public food services to minimize food waste.","PeriodicalId":37723,"journal":{"name":"Resources","volume":"212 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135199479","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":"Current Insights into Growing Microalgae for Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Biomass Generation","authors":"Ilyes Dammak, Mariem Fersi, Ridha Hachicha, Slim Abdelkafi","doi":"10.3390/resources12100119","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100119","url":null,"abstract":"Municipal wastewater (MWW) provides a promising platform for microalgae cultivation due to its rich content of essential nutrients. Recent research has showcased the multifaceted benefits of microalgae-based wastewater treatment, from the potent depollution capabilities of these organisms to their biomass potential for ecofriendly applications. A significant advantage lies in the ability of these systems to promote environmental sustainability without producing secondary pollutants, aligning with the circular economy model. This approach encompasses various stages, from cultivating microalgae to biomass separation and subsequent valorization. However, challenges arise when scaling these systems to industrial levels. A predominant barrier is the difficulty in maintaining consistent control over all the factors influencing wastewater phytoremediation. This can compromise both biomass survival and the efficiency of pollution removal and valorization. Notably, using native microalgal consortiums from the effluent appears to be a promising strategy. These autochthonous communities often demonstrate superior adaptability and treatment capacity, emphasizing the importance of further exploring their potential to provide effective and economically viable solutions for wastewater treatment.","PeriodicalId":37723,"journal":{"name":"Resources","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135351980","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":"Evaluating Importance of Community Gardens in Times of Calm and Crisis: From Relaxation to Food Self-Provisioning","authors":"Marek Hekrle, Jan Macháč, Lenka Dubová","doi":"10.3390/resources12100118","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12100118","url":null,"abstract":"The functions of community gardens (CGs) are determined by the preferences of their users and external factors such as government restrictions or the situation of the food market. Recent food prices increases and COVID-19 restrictions have shown the importance of CGs as a place for both food self-provisioning (FSP) and relaxation. These have influenced how much the benefits provided by CGs in the form of ecosystem services (ES) are appreciated. This study aims to demonstrate how ES provided by the CG ‘Žížala na Terase’ in Czechia are affected in times of crisis related to the COVID-19 pandemic and to increased food prices, which trigger a demand for greater FSP. The results indicate that the importance of social interaction and educational ES decreased significantly in the COVID-19 scenario. On the contrary, the role of CGs as places for recreation increased. In the FSP scenario, the provisioning ES increased at the expense of recreational ES. The results of the economic assessment further show that the most important monetarily valued ES provided by CGs are cultural ES, followed by provisioning ES. This study demonstrates both the multifunctionality and adaptability of CGs to the current social crises and dynamic urban conditions.","PeriodicalId":37723,"journal":{"name":"Resources","volume":"13 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135743939","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}