Despite the exponential increase of studies on plastic debris in recent years, there are still few works focusing on the problem as it relates to inland waters: little is known about the accumulation and dispersion dynamics on lake shores, and there are no standardized sampling methods for monitoring purposes. The accumulation of plastic litter in natural habitats also threatens the resident organisms. In this paper, we investigated the abundance and accumulation of plastic particles, ranging in size from 1 to 50 mm, from the beach sediment of three volcanic lakes in Central Italy: Albano, Bracciano, and Vico. The collection was designed to define the most important variables that one must consider in order to obtain a representative sample of plastic litter in a lake environment. In view of the high heterogeneity of sampling protocols used, comparison among the obtained results is limited and sometimes impossible. By using one of the proposed sampling methodologies, and critically analyzing the results, we aimed to highlight a possible monitoring criterion and to identify specific elements that can be meaningful and representative. The samples were collected in May and September 2017. For each lake, we sampled plastic items and sediments from two beaches. Albano contained the largest amount of plastic (in weight), while Bracciano had the largest number of particles. Our observations lead us to infer that the number of particles is the parameter most sensitive to environmental variations, as well as the more suitable for monitoring with greater definition the differences between sites. Moreover, sampling should be taken in different seasons, following a sampling pattern that includes at least two beaches placed in strategic positions with respect to wind and waves.In order to identify new indicators to evaluate the entry points of plastic into the food web, we collected, from the same sites analyzed, some specimens of the Talitrid Amphipod Cryptorchestia garbinii, a detritivorous species having a critical role in debris turnover of these environments. To investigate the microplastic (MP) ingestion in natural conditions, we analyzed their digestive tracts with both Nile red staining method and micro-FTIR spectroscopy. The analyses confirmed that C. garbinii was able to ingest plastics in natural conditions. Therefore, it can signify one of the entry points for microplastics (MPs) in the trophic chain. This observation constitutes the first evidence of MP ingestion in this species.

Global warming is a serious problem facing the world today. To minimize it, scholars are trying to find the reasons behind increasing CO₂ emissions. This study examines the effects of overall export product diversification, extensive margin, and intensive margin on CO₂ emissions as indicators of environmental degradation in 84 developing countries for the period of 1971–2014 in the context of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis using three estimators, namely, autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds test, dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), and fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS). The empirical findings reveal that EKC hypothesis is valid. The overall empirical findings from various approaches show that overall diversification, extensive margin, and intensive margin have a positive and significant effect on CO₂ emissions.

Sulfate attack on concrete structures is a major durability concern wherein concrete interacts with marine water, swamp water, groundwater, sewage water, freshwater, etc. In this study, the supplementary cementitious materials such as fly ash (FA) and nanoparticles are together incorporated into conventional concrete aiming to enhance the resistance of concrete against the penetration of sulfates. The present work is focused to understand the degradation in FA concrete modified with nanoparticles by surface sulfate attack. Concrete mix such as FA and FA modified with 2 wt% nano-TiO₂ (FAT), nano-CaCO₃ (FAC), and 1:1 ratio of nano-TiO₂ to nano-CaCO₃ (FATC) was fabricated. The specimens were exposed in 3% of ammonium and sodium sulfate for 90 days. The deterioration effects and changes in microstructural properties in all the specimens were comparatively studied. Results showed FAT, FAC, and FATC concrete have been deteriorated in ammonium and sodium sulfate solution compared with FA concrete. Partial replacement of cement with fly ash decreases the quantity of freely available reactive aluminates. Consumption of free lime by the fly ash prevents to react with sulfate. The enhanced properties of fly ash concrete against sulfate attack could be achieved with less C₃A content thus reducing the available Ca(OH)₂ and reducing the possibility of development of deleterious ettringite and gypsum.

Landscape patterns in a watershed potentially have significant influence on the occurrence, migration, and transformation of pollutants, such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in rivers. Human activities can accelerate the pollution and complicate the problem especially in a peri-urban watershed with different types of land use. To characterize the heterogeneous correlations between landscape patterns and seasonal variations of N and P in a peri-urban watershed located upstream of Tianjin metropolis, China, observations of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) at 33 locations were performed in the wet and dry seasons from 2013 to 2016. The data from individual locations were averaged for the wet and dry seasons and analyzed with geographical detector to identify influential landscape indices on seasonal water quality variations. The geographically weighted regression method, capable of analyzing heterogeneous correlations, was used to evaluate the integrated effects from different landscape indices. The results demonstrated that the location-weighted landscape contrast index (LWLI), the ratio of urban areas, and the ratio of forest areas were major influential indicators that affected TN and TP in river water. These indices also had integrated effects on variations of TN and TP together with other indices such as Shannon diversity index, landscape shape index, largest patch index, and contagion index. The integrated effects were different in the wet and dry seasons because of different effects of flushing and dilution by rainwater and the heterogeneity in landscape patterns. The LWLI had a positive relationship to water quality in the areas with high ratio of urban areas, indicating that domestic wastewater can be a major source of N and P pollution. The approaches and findings of this study may provide a reference for characterizing the major factors and integrated effects that control nonpoint source pollution in a watershed.

Cement is a vital material used in the construction of concrete buildings. World annual cement demand is increasing rapidly along with the improvement in infrastructure development. However, cement manufacturing industries are facing challenges in reducing the environmental impacts of cement production. To resolve this issue, a suitable methodology is crucial to ensure the selected processes are effective and efficient and at the same time environmentally friendly. Different technologies and equipment have potential to produce variations in operational effectiveness, environmental impacts, and manufacturing costs in cement manufacturing industries. Therefore, this work aims to present the sustainability assessment of cement plants by taking into consideration of environmental, social, and economic impacts. Three cement production plants located in Western Indonesian are used as case studies where social impact and environmental impact are evaluated via life cycle assessment (LCA) model. This model is integrated with analytic hierarchy process (AHP), a multi-criteria decision analysis tool in selecting the most sustainable cement manufacturing plant.

In this study, polypropylene (PP) plastic wastes were pyrolysed. Solid pyrolysis product (char) was used as filler material for the preparation of epoxy composite. 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 °C were selected as final pyrolysis temperatures. Solid pyrolysis product (char) was analysed by elemental, FTIR, SEM, BET and TGA analysis. The epoxy composite samples were prepared with char obtained from pyrolysis. Mechanical properties of composites were analysed by hardness, tensile strength, elongation at break, electrical conductivity tests to explain the effects of pyrolysis temperature and char doses over composite properties. Thermogravimetric properties of composites were determined by TGA analyses. The water absorption behaviour of composite samples was determined by water adsorption test. Epoxy composite produced from PP char obtained under 300 °C showed the most ideal behaviour.

In the context of the water environmental protection and local economic sustainable growth, it is of great importance to conduct a comprehensive water quality assessment in Chaohu Lake basin. In this study, dissolved oxygen (DO), permanganate index (CODMₙ), 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) were investigated monthly at 24 sampling sites in Chaohu Lake basin during 2015 to 2017. Five methods were used to evaluate water quality and identify dominant pollutants. Results showed that the dominant pollutants in Chaohu Lake were TN (4.17~11.61 mg L⁻¹) and TP (0.27~0.75 mg L⁻¹). The upstream of Chaohu Lake was influenced by Nanfei River, Shiwuli River, and Paihe River, and water quality of the upstream (eutrophic) was worse than that of the downstream (mesotrophic) part of Chaohu Lake. Comprehensive Water Quality Identification Index Method (CWQII) can better assess the water quality compared with the other methods by providing qualitative and quantitative analysis. The index values assessed by CWQII method for Nanfei River, Shiwuli River, and Paihe River were 5.819, 5.986, and 5.141, respectively, and water quality were all assessed as grade V. Overall, water quality of Chaohu Lake has been slightly improved during 2015~2017, but water quality of western inflowing rivers was still heavily polluted. These findings provide valuable information and guidance for water pollution control and water resource management in Chaohu Lake basin. Several feasible measures are proposed.

This study was conducted to assess the concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in soils of tobacco field and plants were collected in the edge of Sichuan Basin, China (Panzihua, Guangyuan, Luzhou and Yibin). Ecological risk of Cd and Pb in soil and human health risk from tobacco leaves were also assessed. The maximum Cd and Pb concentrations in soil were obtained in Yibin (2.94 mg/kg) and Luzhou (54.2 mg/kg), respectively. Ecological risk of Cd and Pb in tobacco soils was assessed based on geoaccumulation index, potential ecological risk (PER) and toxic units. Among four study sites, Cd and Pb concentrations in leaves and stems of Yibin were higher than all samples collected from other three study sites. Health risk was estimated from the concentration of Cd and Pb in tobacco leaves. The carcinogenic risk range for Cd was 7.9E − 04 to 1.4E − 01 and for Pb was 5.7E − 03 to 2.8E − 02, respectively. The increased chronic carcinogenic values for Cd in Luzhou and Yibin crossed the USEPA acceptable limit (> 1.00E − 4) indicating that Cd poses cancer risk after consumption of tobacco leaves.

The economic and social development of a country rely heavily on transportation. In China, it has become the third largest energy consumption sector and generates substantial amounts of carbon emissions. In the present study, direct and indirect carbon emissions from the transportation industry throughout China’s 30 provinces during 1997–2017 were calculated. Further, to reveal the spatio-temporal characteristics of the relationship between carbon emissions and economic growth, the standard deviational ellipse and Tapio decoupling method were employed. The main results are as follows. (1) The total carbon emissions from the transportation industry increased from 132.79 million tons (Mt) in 1997 to 849.64 Mt in 2017, with an average annual growth rate of 9.72%; direct carbon emissions accounted for approximately 86% of the total. (2) Carbon emissions as well as the added value of the transportation industry had the same spatial distribution characteristics, presenting a northeast–southwest pattern during 1997–2017. Although their spatial distribution patterns were mainly in the north–south direction, the development in the east–west direction became increasingly obvious. (3) The decoupling index in the transportation industry was greater than 0.8 for most years, with an expansive negative decoupling state or an expansive coupling state. The differences in carbon emissions and economic growth between various provinces showed a spatio-temporal disparity of the decoupling states in the transportation industry. The obtained results are of considerable interest for China’s policymakers to set more reasonable carbon emission reduction goals and implement targeted policies according to the carbon emission situation at a local scale.