WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development最新文献

{"title":"The Endless Possibilities of Modelling of Toxic Chemical Warfare Agents and Possible Impacts of Their Release in Water Sensitive Areas","authors":"Nikolaos Stasinopoulos, Michail Chalaris, Anastasia Tezari, Kalliopi Kravari","doi":"10.37394/232015.2023.19.94","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37394/232015.2023.19.94","url":null,"abstract":"Nerve agents are chemical compounds that constitute chemical weapons with many effects on human health as well as the environment. In this work, an analysis of the properties of several nerve agents and their dispersion in aquatic ecosystems is proposed, by exploring the possibilities of state-of-the-art computational methods, such as molecular dynamic simulations, quantitative structure-activity relationship models such and other simple computational models for the simulation of a water ecosystem.","PeriodicalId":53713,"journal":{"name":"WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development","volume":"79 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":"136352905","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":"Impact Investing in the Hospitality Industry: Social Responsibility and Economic Benefits","authors":"Liliia Honchar, Irina Verezomska, Olena Zavadynska, Sergii Neilenko, Nadiia Sapelnikova, Inna Krupa","doi":"10.37394/232015.2023.19.95","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37394/232015.2023.19.95","url":null,"abstract":"This research investigates the intricacies of impact investing in the hospitality industry and its potential implications for fostering corporate responsibility. The study highlights the pivotal role of impact investing policies in promoting regional economic development and environmental betterment. In the face of pressing global environmental challenges, such as climate change and energy resource scarcity, the study underscores the need for effective measures that positively shape state policy formation. The primary goal of such policy initiatives is to bolster human capital development and ensure the long-term realization of strategic objectives. This holds particular significance for nations with substantial potential in the tourism industry, where the hospitality sector acts as a linchpin for tourism recovery and presents compelling opportunities for impactful investments. As energy shortages and dependence took center stage in 2022, the research calls for the exploration of alternative renewable energy sources and the development of new commodity markets to invigorate energy sector growth. Against the backdrop of the hospitality industry’s post-pandemic resurgence, the integration of impact investing emerges as vital for both developing and developed nations. Given the prevailing global environmental crisis, the study underscores the imperative of effective international cooperation mechanisms to tackle environmental challenges, positioning impact investing as a catalyst for achieving sustainable economic development goals, advancing eco-friendly practices, and addressing global environmental imperatives.","PeriodicalId":53713,"journal":{"name":"WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development","volume":"52 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":"136294964","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":"Effects of Climate Change and Urbanization on Vegetation Phenology in the Bucharest Metropolitan Area","authors":"Dan M. Savastru, Maria A. Zoran, Roxana S. Savastru, Marina N. Tautan, Daniel V. Tenciu","doi":"10.37394/232015.2023.19.90","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37394/232015.2023.19.90","url":null,"abstract":"Being an essential issue in global warming, the response of urban vegetation to climate change and urbanization has become an increasing concern at both the local and global levels. This study aims to investigate the effect of the urban environment on vegetation phenology for the Bucharest metropolitan area in Romania and to identify the potential climate drivers that influence key phenology in the urban environment. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the response of urban vegetation phenology shifts due to climate variability and urbanization in the Bucharest metropolitan area from a spatiotemporal perspective during the 2002- 2022 period. Through synergy use of time series of the main climate variables, Air temperature -AT, land surface temperature (LST), and biophysical variables derived from MODIS Terra/Aqua satellite and in-situ data, this study developed a complex statistical and spatial regression analysis. Green space was measured with satellite-derived vegetation indicators Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Net Primary Production (NPP) data, which captures the combined availability of urban parks, street trees, forest, and periurban agricultural areas. Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) indicators have been used to characterize the effects of meteorological parameters and urbanization impacts on vegetation phenology and their changes. The results show that the response of vegetation phenology to urbanization level and climate parameters variability has a distinct spatiotemporal difference across the urban/periurban gradient. The findings of this study show that the land surface temperature anomalies associated with urbanization-induced climate warming, especially during strong summer heat waves and under urban heat islands alter urban vegetation biophysical properties, directly impacting its phenology shifts. At the metropolitan scale, the urban thermal environment directly impacts vegetation phenology patterns. The quantitative findings of this study are of great importance for understanding the complex impacts of urbanization and climate changes on vegetation phenology and for developing models to predict vegetation phenological changes under future urbanization.","PeriodicalId":53713,"journal":{"name":"WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development","volume":"33 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135536043","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":"Artificial Olfactory System for Distinguishing Oil-Contaminated Soils","authors":"Dina Satybaldina, Marat Baydeldinov, Aliya Issainova, Olzhas Alseitov, Assem Konyrkhanova, Zhanar Akhmetova, Shakhmaran Seilov","doi":"10.37394/232015.2023.19.89","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37394/232015.2023.19.89","url":null,"abstract":"Oil-contaminated soils are a major environmental problem for Kazakhstan. Oil spills or leaks lead to profound changes in the physical and agrochemical properties of the soil and the accumulation of hazardous substances. Whilst there are many remote sensing techniques and complex laboratory methods for oil spill detection, developing simple, reliable, and inexpensive tools for detecting the presence of pollutants in the soil is a relevant research task. The study aims to research the possibilities of an electronic nose combining a chemical sensor array with pattern recognition techniques to distinguish volatile organic compounds from several types of hydrocarbon soil pollutants. An electronic nose system was assembled in our laboratory. It includes eight gas metal oxide sensors, a humidity and temperature sensor, an analog-digital processing unit, and a data communication unit. We measured changes in the electrical conductivity of sensors in the presence of volatile organic compounds released from oil and petroleum products and samples of contaminated and uncontaminated soils. The list of experimental samples includes six types of soils corresponding to different soil zones of Kazakhstan, crude oil from three oil fields in Kazakhstan, and five types of locally produced fuel oil (including gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, engine oil, and used engine oil). We used principal component analysis to statistically process multidimensional sensor data, feature extraction, and collect the volatile fingerprint dataset. Pattern recognition using machine learning algorithms made it possible to classify digital fingerprints of samples with an average accuracy of about 92%. The study results show that electronic nose sensors are sensitive to soil hydrocarbon content. The proposed approach based on machine olfaction is a fast, accurate, and inexpensive method for detecting oil spills and leaks, and it can complement remote sensing methods based on computer vision.","PeriodicalId":53713,"journal":{"name":"WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135535907","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":"Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Testing for Monitoring the Degradation of Infill Masonry Walls and Access Their Impact on the Durability of the Envelope of Buildings with Reinforced Concrete Structure","authors":"José Miranda Dias","doi":"10.37394/232015.2023.19.87","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37394/232015.2023.19.87","url":null,"abstract":"Buildings with reinforced concrete structure (RCS buildings), including unreinforced masonry (URM) infill walls, can be negatively affected by anomalies in their envelope, such as cracking and water penetration, which worsen the aesthetic aspect and reduce the safety and level of comfort of those buildings. To access the relevance of these anomalies and their evolution along service life, a corresponding survey and monitoring during service life are essential. Non-destructive test methods (NDT), in particular ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) testing, are currently used in that survey and monitoring. In the context of monitoring the degradation of the URM infill walls and access their impact on the durability of the RCS building envelope, UPV testing can be a type of NDT method to be used, considering that it can contribute to the evaluation of the state of conservation of the construction elements, such as masonry and concrete. It is intended here to access the potential use of UPV testing in the monitoring of anomalies related to the degradation of building facades due, particularly, to cracking and to water penetration associated with WDR (wind driven-rain). The preliminary assessment of the use of UPV testing is made through the previous analysis of the results of the application of UPV testing for the detection of sub-surface and surface cracking in compression tests of masonry specimens. Following that analysis, an evaluation is made of the conditioning aspects of the use of UPV testing to access durability problems of the building envelope. Particularly, the main characteristics of cracking with interest for the assessment of the potential use of UPV testing are generally discussed. And, finally, an evaluation is made of the risk of water penetration through the cracks, for potential use of UPV testing in monitoring the presence of humidity in the cracks.","PeriodicalId":53713,"journal":{"name":"WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development","volume":"68 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136154060","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":"A Competitive Strategy Quality System of SME’s Handicraft Products in a Development Country (Study in Central Java Province, Indonesia)","authors":"Pramono Hari Adi, Arissetyanto Nugroho, Rio Dhani Laksana","doi":"10.37394/232015.2023.19.88","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37394/232015.2023.19.88","url":null,"abstract":"SMEs in developing countries often face the problem of the policy determining the competitive strategy quality system to develop business performance. Analyzing how to improve the performance of handicraft SMEs within the context of the effect of the competitive strategy and quality system of SMEs is required to address the issues raised above. Thus, a research model was developed using four research variables: strategic asset quality, adaptability, the entrepreneurial orientation of SME owners, and competitive strategy quality. Data regarding the variables studied used a structured questionnaire so that the structured statements in the questionnaire were able to answer the research variables, which 110 handicraft owners then answered in Central Java Province, Indonesia. Following the collection of the data, the structural equation modeling (SEM) method was used to analyze it. The model created for this study is a fit, according to the findings of the model testing. The competitive strategy quality system is positively and significantly impacted by the analytical findings about the role of strategic asset quality, environmental adaptability, and entrepreneurial orientation. According to the results of the hypothesis, enhancing the capability of asset quality indicators and the company's environmental adaptability may be used to improve the competitive strategy quality system of the Handicraft Product Small Business Group in Central Java Province, Indonesia.","PeriodicalId":53713,"journal":{"name":"WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136154062","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":"Data Augmentation to Improve the Soundscape Ranking Index Prediction","authors":"Roberto Benocci, Andrea Potenza, Giovanni Zambon, Andrea Afify, H. Eduardo Roman","doi":"10.37394/232015.2023.19.85","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37394/232015.2023.19.85","url":null,"abstract":"Predicting the sound quality of an environment represents an important task especially in urban parks where the coexistence of sources of anthropic and biophonic nature produces complex sound patterns. To this end, an index has been defined by us, denoted as soundscape ranking index (SRI), which assigns a positive weight to natural sounds (biophony) and a negative one to anthropogenic sounds. A numerical strategy to optimize the weight values has been implemented by training two machine learning algorithms, the random forest (RF) and the perceptron (PPN), over an augmented data-set. Due to the availability of a relatively small fraction of labelled recorded sounds, we employed Monte Carlo simulations to mimic the distribution of the original data-set while keeping the original balance among the classes. The results show an increase in the classification performance. We discuss the issues that special care needs to be addressed when the augmented data are based on a too small original data-set.","PeriodicalId":53713,"journal":{"name":"WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136308947","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":"Sustainable Development of Beggars Handling Systems in Indonesia: A Case Study in Medan City","authors":"Husni Thamrin, Hatta Ridho, Faiz Albar Nasution, Fajar Utama Ritonga, Izzah Dienillah Saragih","doi":"10.37394/232015.2023.19.84","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37394/232015.2023.19.84","url":null,"abstract":"The phenomenon of poverty in Indonesia has implications for social problems, such as the problem of homeless people and beggars. This study aims to examine the System for Handling Beggars in Indonesia: Case Studies in Medan City and provide strategic planning as the primary measure of sustainable development in handling beggars in Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative research methodology with a descriptive approach. Preliminary data were obtained from in-depth interviews and observations. The data and information needed were obtained directly by informants from the Medan City Government and stakeholders. Secondary data is received as processed data from authorized individuals and agencies through reports and scientific publications. Sustainable Development of Beggars Handling Systems, The Medan City Government carries out an integrated service program through monitoring, Handling, and Coaching. The beggar surveillance system is carried out to inspect and monitor beggars’ operating places. Monitoring activities are not aimed at securing beggars and taking further action. Through an investigation into the handling of beggars to find out which beggars deserve to be put in a rehabilitation center returned to their families, and beggars suspected of having committed a crime. The beggar guidance system is still experiencing problems because the Medan City Government organizes no rehabilitation center. The existence of rehabilitation centers is an important thing used to accommodate beggars, and minimal infrastructure will hinder the process of empowering beggars.","PeriodicalId":53713,"journal":{"name":"WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development","volume":"71 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136308941","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":"Thermal Infrared Anomalies Associated with Recent Crustal Earthquakes in Gorj County in Romania","authors":"Maria A. Zoran, Roxana S. Savastru, Dan M. Savastru, Marina N. Tautan, Daniel V. Tenciu","doi":"10.37394/232015.2023.19.83","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37394/232015.2023.19.83","url":null,"abstract":"Cumulative stress-energy in tectonic active regions associated with ongoing deformation (co-seismic stress) along the main active geologic faults manifests various earthquakes’ precursors. Macro-fracturing processes are preceded by micro-fracturing phenomena which amplify strain field, and geophysical fields’ disturbances like space-time anomalies of Earth’s fracto-emission signals (Thermal; Ionospheric; Electric Field; Acoustic; Radon in air, underground water, and soil; Neutron, etc.) registered months to days before the occurrence of earthquakes. Multispectral and multisensor time series satellite data and space-based geodetic (GPS and GNSS) measurements in synergy with ground-based geophysical/geochemical measurements bring a significant contribution to survey pre-earthquake signals in the tectonic active areas. This study aims to assess the role of seismo-induced thermal infrared (TIR) anomalies characterized by the ground-level air-AT and land surface temperature-LST changes as significant precursors of crustal moderate and strong earthquakes recorded in Gorj County, Oltenia region in Romania. North-West Targu Jiu area is an active tectonic area characterized by two strike-slip faults systems of North-West- South West and East-West orientation, where on 13 February 2023 was recorded a shallow strong earthquake of moment magnitude Mw= 5.2 and 17 km focal depth, followed by 14 February 2023 stronger earthquake of Mw = 5.7 and 6 km focal depth. Several months beyond have been recorded more than 1000 aftershocks of Mw ≤ 4.9. Based on MODIS Terra/Aqua and NOAA AVHRR time series data, some days to weeks before the seismic sequence has detected LST and AT anomalies.","PeriodicalId":53713,"journal":{"name":"WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136308942","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":"A Comparative LC/MS Analysis of Jordanian Olive Stone, Fruits, Leaves, and Oils","authors":"Nawal H. Bahtiti, Faten M. Abu Orabi, Mohammed H. Kailani, Ibrahim Abdel-Rahman, Ayssar Nahlé, Zahra O. Alfaouri, Hind H. Al Abdallat","doi":"10.37394/232015.2023.19.86","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.37394/232015.2023.19.86","url":null,"abstract":"The olive (Oleo europaea L.) may be a broadly dispersed plant that began within the Mediterranean locale. Its natural product is commonly utilized to create olive oil, table olives, and other by-products. Olives are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Most olive items and the dietary composition of olive oil centering on fatty acids, phenolic compounds, and other cancer prevention agents are changed in numerous parts of olive plants. The most chemical constituents important to the natural movement of olive oil were inspected. Fluid-chromatography–mass spectrometry(LC/MS) investigation uncovered more than 50 major phenolic compounds among which oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol apigenin 7-O-glucoside, tyrosol, catechin, and vanillic corrosive were recognized. Olive clears out, wealthy in carotenoids and chlorophyll, the olive stone and seed are vital products produced within the olive oil extraction, as a lingo cellulosic fabric, the hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin are the most components of olive stone as well as protein, fat, phenols, free sugars, and polyols composition. Both lipophilic and hydrophilic phenolics are conveyed in olive natural products. The most lipophilic phenols are cresols whereas the major hydrophilic phenols incorporate phenolic acids, phenolic alcohols, flavonoids, and secoiridoids; they are shown in nearly all parts of the plant, but their nature and concentration shift incredibly between the tissues. Olive oil is composed primarily of triacylglycerols (triglycerides or fats) and contains little amounts of free greasy acids (FFA), glycerol, phosphatides, shades, flavor compounds, sterols, and minuscule bits of olive. Olive stones have a most noteworthy sum of rutin. Luteolin appeared the most noteworthy sum in takes off, while the least level was found in oils, tall concentrations of tyrosol, vanillic, and caffeic corrosive, and vanillin was found in stones. In common, rutin and luteolin 7-O-glucoside were the two fundamental flavonoids identified in all parts.","PeriodicalId":53713,"journal":{"name":"WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development","volume":"56 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136308732","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}