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Household Energy Fuel Choice in Nigeria Residential Urban Area Texte intégral
2023
O. J. Ubani, A. Okosun, G. Chukwurah and Ivo Henry
In most Nigerian cities, there have been an increased number of trading in charcoals, firewood, and sawdust. Yet, the fast citing of cooking gas refilling stations in these areas requires much to be studied since their increasing number suggests great demand for cooking gas. The knowledge of the different household fuel choices and the drivers of this choice was lacking in Nigerian cities, thus the inability of energy policymakers to predict and plan household fuel agenda in Nigeria. The thrust of this paper was to analyze the household energy fuel choice and the pattern of consumption as well as analyze the household socioeconomic factors that influenced the fuel choice in the Abakaliki urban area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Stratified and simple random sampling was adopted in the study. Regression was used to consider the relationship between energy fuel choice and household socioeconomic factors. It was revealed that there was a mixture of traditional and modern energy fuel choices in the study area, with the modern energy fuel choices (gas and electricity) having higher patronage. There was a significant relationship between energy fuel choice and household socioeconomic factors. It was recommended, among others, that a clear energy fuel policy that will adopt the identified explorable household socioeconomic factors that influence the choice of energy fuel be developed.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Biodiesel from Dunaliella salina Microalgae Using Base Catalyzed Transesterification – An Assessment through GC/MS, FTIR and NMR Studies Texte intégral
2023
V. Hariram, M. Janarthanan, R. Christu Paul, A. Sivasankar, M. Wasim Akram, E. Sangeethkumar, V. Ramanathan, P. Sajid Khan and S. Manikanta Reddy
Algal biofuels are a promising renewable feedstock to produce energy that can supplement future energy demands greatly. The present study aims to utilize Dunaliella salina, a hypersaline, unicellular greenish-orange micro-algae, to produce bio-oil. F/2 nutrient media and trace metal and vitamin solution under carbon-dioxide-rich conditions were used to cultivate the microalgae. Ultrasonic extraction method at 60 Hz for 90 min isolated 650 mL of bio-oil. A single-stage based-catalyzed transesterification process with methanol and sodium hydroxide yielded 380 mL of Pure Dunaliella salina biodiesel at % an extraction efficiency of 87%. The Phytochemical screening on the cultivated Dunaliella sp. was performed to understand its feasibility to be used as a fuel for IC engines. Furthermore, the obtained biodiesel was characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (GCMS), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectral analysis.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Risk Perception of Healthcare Workers Regarding Polymer Medical Waste Management Texte intégral
2023
Jasneet Kaur, Sheela Upendra and Shital Barde
Despite the relatively small amounts produced, medical waste is a significant issue for the government and the healthcare industry primarily because it poses threats to persons and the environment. Healthcare wastes pose threats to the environment and public health, but knowledge of these concerns and how they relate to management techniques is still lacking. Evaluating waste management practices and healthcare staff expertise is critical to identify shortcomings and lower risk levels. The study was conducted at three selected private hospitals. These three hospitals contain 462 beds, all together with 184 healthcare workers. The study was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional study, and three private healthcare institutions in the study region were evaluated. These 100 healthcare workers were chosen by purposive sampling. The hospitals under consideration include general surgical, Gynecological, pediatric, and various specialty treatments. Data was gathered for the study utilizing a quantitative questionnaire, which includes closed-ended structured questionnaires. The results showed that most healthcare workers practice waste segregation at source. Chemical cross-linking was very poor. However, waste shredding technology is being used substantially. Risk perception among Healthcare workers regarding polymer help waste management showed more of average to high risk. The study concluded that despite the existence of policies and plans, execution is still subpar at private healthcare institutions. The creation of guidelines for hospital waste management, their distribution to other institutions, and their encouragement to do a critical self-evaluation should all be required by the government.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Palladium-Based Catalytic Treatment and a Rhizobacterial-Assisted Detoxification for the Enhanced Removal of Lindane Texte intégral
2023
Rachana Sharma and Prabhu Thangadurai
This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a bimetallic system consisting of Mg0-Pd0 and the bacterium Acinetobacter sp. for the complete detoxification of lindane. Our results demonstrate that palladium immobilized on activated charcoal achieved a removal rate of >99% for 100 mg.L-1 of Lindane within 10 minutes, with the accumulation of trace amounts of intermediates. The reductive transformation of lindane followed 1st-order kinetics, with a calculated rate constant (kobs) of 0.77 min-1. The bimetallic system resulted in the formation of a non-toxic hydrocarbon as the end-product, indicating complete dehalogenation of lindane. Furthermore, Acinetobacter sp. effectively mineralized >98% of 100 mg.L-1 of Lindane after 26 h of cultivation without any accumulation of toxic metabolite(s) in the reaction medium, demonstrating the efficiency of the biological system. Integrating both chemical and biological systems could provide significant advantages for the treatment of lindane, reducing the treatment time and overall cost. This synergistic approach can significantly enhance the overall removal efficiency of lindane from contaminated soil and water.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Predictability Augmentation by In-silico Study to In-vivo and In-vitro Results of Lung Doses of Airborne Fine and Ultrafine Particles Inhaled by Humans at Industrial Workplaces Texte intégral
2023
M. Ali
This study correlates computational predictions with in vivo and in vitro experimental results of inhaled fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM) transport, dissemination, and deposition in the human respiratory airways. Epidemiological studies suggest that workplace exposure to anthropogenic pollutant PMs is a risk factor for increased susceptibility to acute broncho-pulmonary illnesses. However, investigations on detailed human inhalation and PM transport processes are restrictive from time, cost, and ethical perspectives. Computational simulation based on the Multiple Path Particle Dosimetry (MPPD) model was employed to quantify the risks associated with workplace exposure of these PMs. Here, the physical, mechanical, and electrical properties of PMs of carbon black (CB) and ultrafine particles (UFPs) from wire-cut electrical discharge machining (WEDM), with mass median aerodynamic diameter (CMAD) in the range of 1 nm to 1000 nm, were used as input parameters of MPPD. Additionally, it mimicked occupational workers’ age, body mass index, and oronasal-combinational nose and mouth breathing exposure time. The deposition results were compared with several vivo and in vitro experimental data reported in the literature, and satisfactory agreements were found. For example, a total lung dose of CB-PMs of 100 nm is the highest (28%), while a 380 nm dose is the lowest (15%). Afterward, deposition increases with particle size, reaching 26% for 1000 nm. In the case of WEDM-UFPs, about 98% of all 1.0 nm inhaled particles remain in the lung. Subsequently, the deposition dose decreases with the particle size and reaches up to 28% for 100 nm particles. Approximately 51% of deposited WEDM-UFPs are of CMAD ≤ 5 nm. The images of lung geometry also observed the maximum deposited mass and mass flux rate in the head, tracheobronchial, and pulmonary airways.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]The Role of Stakeholders in Achieving Sustainable Agriculture: A Case Study in Sragen Regency, Indonesia Texte intégral
2023
R. C. Sartika, Y. Purwaningsih, E. Gravitiani and P. Nitiyasa
Rice farming plays a crucial role in maintaining national resilience and stability. However, its sustainability is faced with complex and multidimensional challenges. One of the challenges agricultural sustainability faces is the reduction of farmland due to the construction of toll roads. The development of the Solo-Mantingan-Ngawi toll road has significantly impacted the reduction of agricultural land in Sragen Regency, the second-largest rice-producing area in Central Java after Grobogan. This issue will threaten national food security if left unaddressed without further intervention. The development of sustainable agriculture is expected to be a solution to promoting food resilience. However, stakeholder involvement is necessary for successful development. This research aims to identify the stakeholders involved in developing sustainable agriculture to promote food resilience in Sragen Regency. This study adopts a mixed-method approach with data collection through in-depth interviews. The analytical tool used in this research is MACTOR (Matrix of Alliance and Conflict: Tactic, Objectives, and Recommendation). The study identified the stakeholders influencing the development of sustainable agriculture in Sragen Regency as Farmer Groups, Farmers, Village Heads, Agriculture Extenders, and the Department of Agriculture and Food Security. These findings serve as a basis for developing collaborative patterns among all stakeholders required to develop sustainable agriculture to achieve food resilience in the Sragen Regency.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Pattern of Lead Accumulation in Two Vegetable Plants Due to EDTA Treatment Texte intégral
2023
A. Rosyidah, M.W. Lestari and N. Syam
Phytoextraction and phytostabilization are the most consistent patterns or mechanisms of action of phytoremediation. One of the elements influencing the mechanism of action of heavy metal absorption by plant species is Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the pattern of phytoremediation in water spinach and spinach due to the addition of EDTA in the soil. The treatments tested by factor 1 were water spinach (T1) and spinach (T2), and factor 2 was the concentration of EDTA consisting of 3 levels, 0, 3, and 6 g/polybag. Each treatment was repeated three times on five sample plants. Furthermore, growth evaluation was carried out in the first six days after planting and conducted every 3 days. It was carried out on variables such as changes in plant height, leaves area, total root length, Pb content in the soil, fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots, shoot, seeds, and Translocation Factor (TF). The results showed that water spinach and spinach had different mechanisms of action due to the application of EDTA in Pb-contaminated media. Furthermore, water spinach and spinach have a mechanism of phytoextraction and phytostabilization, respectively. Therefore, spinach is safer than water spinach when grown in Pb-polluted land.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Studies on the Contamination of Heavy Metals and Their Chemical Speciation in Sediment from Selected Locations of Pune District Texte intégral
2023
Parveen Hassanpourfard, Ashish Vilas Mane and Kaushik Banerjee
The heavy metal speciation analysis in sediments helps us understand and evaluate essential and unavoidable issues in terms of both health and environmental hazards imposed by these metals in our lives. Analyzing the total content of heavy metals enables us to understand only the quantity of the contaminants. To understand the different species or the chemical forms of heavy metals available in the sediments, we must study their speciation. Speciation studies help us determine their possible sources as well as their environmental stability in terms of availability to plants and other organisms. The heavy metals in this study were specified using four-stage sequential extraction, also known as the BCR technique. This study mainly highlights the quantification of metal contamination of Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cd & Cr, and chemical forms as species in sediment samples collected from different Pune District, Maharashtra sites. Heavy metal contamination from the collected samples was analyzed with the use of flame atomic absorption spectrometry. This study indicated that Zn and Ni are among the most abundant metals in the sediment samples; however, Cu and Cd belong to the least abundant category. The oxidizable and residual forms (immobile and cannot be used by the organisms readily) appeared dominant for most heavy metals. Very significant differences were observed in the speciation of heavy metals from sample to sample, which was probably due to differences in water/soil composition and the agrochemicals like pesticides, weedicides, and fertilizers used in agricultural practices; the wastewater generated from different pharmaceuticals, chemical processing and manufacturing industries as well as the improper wastewater treatment methods.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]A Comprehensive Study of Variation in Water Quality Parameters to Design a Sustainable Treatment Plant Texte intégral
2023
Shifana Fatima Kaafil and Shamim Shaukat Khan
In this paper, greywater samples are collected from the kitchens of different types of buildings (residential and commercial) located in different districts within the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The collected samples are analyzed and compared with the potable water from the same region. The parameters investigated are pH, conductivity, total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), total hardness, temporary hardness, permanent hardness, alkalinity, chloride, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). It was found that the amount of total suspended solids is very high in the greywater samples. It shows the presence of both temporary and permanent hardness. Their alkalinity values are greater than hardness. It may be due to the number, lifestyle, age of the occupants, presence of children, and social and cultural behavior of residents. The concentration of BOD level is very low, which shows that the greywater samples have lower concentrations of organic compounds. Design details of the greywater treatment plant are suggested based on the results of the analysis. This includes a screening chamber, grit chamber, settling tank, and filtration unit. The treated greywater is recommended for reuse for gardening, landscaping, and toilet flushing purposes.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Clinical Trials: Implementing Sustainable Practices in Clinical Research Texte intégral
2023
Aditi Nidhi
Sustainable clinical trials involve conducting trials in a socially conscious and environmentally responsible manner. This involves considering the effects of clinical trials on the environment and the populations engaged in the studies. The pharmaceutical sector, particularly clinical research, is a large contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The need for a legal framework considering the environmental impact of hundreds of global clinical trials cannot be overstated. Clinical trials’ carbon footprint is a complex subject that calls for cooperation from various parties, including researchers, trial sponsors, healthcare providers, and regulatory organizations. The waste generated during clinical trials, including packaging materials, laboratory supplies, and hazardous waste from the disposal of clinical samples, can adversely affect public health and the environment. Therefore, addressing this issue is essential to ensure that clinical trials are conducted in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. The purpose of this study is to discuss potential strategies to cut down on carbon emissions, discuss the challenges in setting up clinical trials in an environmentally sustainable way, and highlight the importance of a precautionary approach during the various phases of conducting clinical trials. Although there is limited research on greenhouse gas emissions generated by clinical trials, it is evident that more work needs to be done in this field.
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