This study focuses on CO₂ emission trends and its decompositions as well as decoupling performance between CO₂ emissions and economic growth of Turkish case for the period of 1990–2016. The drivers of CO₂ emission changes are calculated by using an extended Kaya identity and the well-established logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method. Decomposition results indicate that economic growth and population effects are the main driving forces in increases in carbon emissions in Turkey throughout the whole period, while other technology-based driving factors’ impacts have been rather minimal in reducing the emissions. Decoupling analysis results demonstrate that there is either no decoupling or weak decoupling in most of the years. Moreover, total decoupling effort index suggests that Turkey’s performance has been worsened in recent years as we found no decoupling between CO₂ emissions and economic growth over the period of 2013–2016. The overall findings suggest that Turkish economic growth is unsustainable both environmentally and economically. Based on these findings, some policy implications and recommendations are discussed for the possible emission reductions.

This article examines the role of climate change on tourist flows to Malta, Cyprus (north), and Cyprus (south) which are major tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. Results from time series analyses reveal that climate change positively impacts on foreign tourist flows to these island states. Thus, this finding is reasonable where we argue that global warming leads to increases in international tourist arrivals to small island states. This paper has also found statistically significant effects of overall energy consumption on foreign tourist arrivals to Malta and Cyprus revealing that energy efficiency policies are essential in small island states.

The presence of chemicals in laboratories and research centers exposes the staff working at such indoor environment to health risks. In this piece of research, a study was performed on the indoor environment of the Center for Environmental Engineering Research at Sahand University of Technology (Tabriz, Iran). For this purpose, the parameters affecting the dispersion of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including ventilation rate, room temperature, pollution emission time, venting location, air flow regime within the indoor environment, and the number of vents, were simulated via CFD modeling. The CFD modeling was performed three-dimensionally in unsteady state. In case of turbulent flow within the indoor environment, k–ε turbulence model was used to obtain air velocity profile. Experimental data was used to validate the model. Results of the present research showed that when the venting location is on the ceiling, pollution concentration of 25 ppm can be achieved at some low temperature under a particular set of conditions. However, when the venting location was on the walls close to the pollution source, concentrations as low as 5 ppm and lower were observed within the laboratory indoor environment.

Aluminum (Al) is a major constraint for plant growth by inducing inhibition of root elongation in acid soils around the world. Besides, drought is another major abiotic stress that adversely affects growth and productivity of agricultural crops. The plant growth–promoting (PGP) rhizobacterial strains are useful choice to decrease these stressful effects and is now extensively in practice. However, the use of bacterial inoculation has not been attempted for the mitigation of Al stress in plants growing at high Al levels under drought stress. Therefore, in the present study, Al- and drought-tolerant bacterial strains were isolated from Lactuca sativa and Beta vulgaris rhizospheric soils. Among the bacterial isolates, two strains, CAM12 and CAH6, were selected based on their ability to tolerate high levels of Al (8 mM) and drought (15% PEG-6000, w/v) stresses. The bacterial strains CAM12 and CAH6 were identified as Bacillus megaterium and Pantoea agglomerans, respectively, by 16S rRNA gene sequence homology. Moreover, both strains showed multiple PGP traits even in the presence of abiotic stresses. In the pot experiments, inoculation of the strains CAM12 and CAH6 as individually or as included in a consortium improved the Vigna radiata growth under abiotic stress conditions and reduced Al uptake in plants. However, the most effective treatment was seen with bacterial consortium that allowed the plants to tolerate abiotic stress effectively and achieved better growth. These results indicate that bacterial consortium could be used as a bio-inoculant for enhancing V. radiata growth in soil with high Al levels subjected to drought conditions.

The photochemical removal of acetaldehyde was studied in N₂ or air (O₂ 1–20%) at atmospheric pressure using side-on and head-on types of 172 nm Xe₂ excimer lamps. When CH₃CHO was decomposed in N₂ using the head-on lamp (HL), CH₄, CO, and CO₂ were observed as products in FTIR spectra. The initial removal rate of CH₃CHO in N₂ was ascertained as 0.37 min⁻¹. In air (1–20% O₂), HCHO, HCOOH, CO, and CO₂ were observed as products in FTIR spectra. The removal rate of CH₃CHO in air using the side-on lamp (SL) increased from 3.2 to 18.6 min⁻¹ with decreasing O₂ concentration from 20 to 1%. It also increased from 2.5 to 3.7 min⁻¹ with increasing CH₃CHO concentration from 150 to 1000 ppm at 20% O₂. The best energy efficiency of the CH₃CHO removal using the SL in a flow system was 2.8 g/kWh at 1% O₂. Results show that the contribution of O(₁D) and O₃ is insignificant in the initial decomposition of CH₃CHO. It was inferred that CH₃CHO is initially decomposed by the O(₃P) + CH₃CHO reaction at 5–20% O₂, whereas the contribution of direct vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photolysis increases concomitantly with decreasing O₂ pressure at < 5% O₂. After initial decomposition of CH₃CHO, it was oxidized further by reactions of O(₃P), OH, and O₃ with various intermediates such as HCHO, HCOOH, and CO, leading to CO₂ as a final product.

This study aims to examine the impact of firm lean manufacturing (LM) and environmental management (EM) practices on firm performance (i.e., environmental and financial performance). Drawing upon institutional theory, we also examine the moderating effect of institutional pressures in adopting EM practices and their subsequent effects on firm performance. The data were collected from 178 textile manufacturing firms operating in Pakistan. Covariance-based structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings support the positive direct effect of LM practices on EM practices and the indirect effect on environmental performance which ultimately increases financial performance. Institutional pressures moderate the direct effect of EM practices on environmental performance. Firms are advised to implement LM accompanied by EM practices to ensure the protection of the natural environment as well as to enhance profit-making capability, in the long run. Further, firms can also enhance environmental performance capabilities through strict synchronization of EM practices with institutional pressures. This research fills the literature gap by investigating the effects of firm's EM practices on environmental and financial performance under the contingent effect of institutional pressures. The study also provides important implications for firms and practitioners.

Geochemical records from peatlands are important tools for the interpretation of environmental signals preserved in the peat and the understanding anthropogenic impacts on remote mountain regions. In this paper, six ²¹⁰Pb-dated peat cores located at 500–1900 m above sea level (asl) in the Changbai Mountains were used to reconstruct the pollution history over the past 150 years in northeastern (NE) China. The cores physicochemical parameters and 10 key chemical elements were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Results from loss on ignition (LOI), total organic carbon (TOC), and lithogenic element (Ti, Fe, and Mn) analysis show that the peatlands (Ch, Yc1 and Jb) over 900 m asl are ombrotrophic and the lower altitude peatlands (Dng, Jc, and Ha) are minerotrophic. There is a decreasing trend of trace element distribution with the altitude, mainly due to the local source input. The content of the magnetic particles and trace elements (Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) as well as their accumulation rates document 150 years of pollution history in the Changbai Mountain region. There is a significant elevated pattern of the geochemical records after the New China, which might mark the start date of Anthropocene since the 1950s in this region. The peatlands at the lower altitude (i.e., Dng and Ha) record the earliest fingerprints of metal contamination due to the starting period of massive reclaiming and immigrating in the Changbai Mountain region. The major increase of trace elements since the 1980s probably suggests a significant deterioration of the local environment due to the fast industrial and urbanization development after the Reform and Opening up in China.

Cadmium (Cd) is among the non-essential elements for the growth of crops while silicon (Si) is a beneficial element for plant growth. There is little evidence regarding the use of silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) on the reduction of Cd accumulation in crops especially wheat. The present study determined the impact of seed priming with Si NPs on Cd-induced responses in wheat in terms of growth, yield, photosynthesis, oxidative stress, and Si and Cd accumulation in wheat. Seed priming was done by different levels of Si NPs (0, 300, 600, 900, 1200 mg/L) for 24 h by providing continuous aeration. Afterwards, seeds were sown in soil contaminated with Cd. The results depicted that Si NPs positively affected the wheat growth and chlorophyll contents over the control. The Si NPs diminished the oxidative stress and positively affected the antioxidant enzyme activity. The Si NPs decreased the Cd concentrations in wheat, especially in grains, and increased the Si concentrations in plants. The Si NPs reduced the Cd contents by 10–52% in shoot, by 11–60% in roots, and by 12–75% in grains as compared with respective controls. The study suggested that the use of Si NPs may be a tool for reducing the Cd toxicity in wheat and declining its concentration in grains. Thus, Si NPs application by seed priming method might be helpful in increasing plants biomass and yield while reducing the oxidative stress and Cd uptake in wheat grains.

The growing use of pharmaceutical drugs has become a major environmental issue considering that these substances (or their metabolites) end up inevitably in sewage waters after excretion. In the wild, these chemicals may affect non-target organisms, and their potential toxicity is not sufficiently studied, a reality that is particularly true for marine organisms. Acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) is known to be toxic in high dosages, namely, by triggering oxidative effects. These effects may be potentiated in marine organisms subjected to contamination resulting from large human settlements along coastal areas. In order to assess how different exposure regimes (acute vs. chronic) may affect aquatic wildlife, individuals of the gastropod species Phorcus lineatus were acutely (96 h) and chronically (28 days) exposed to ecologically relevant concentrations of acetaminophen. The effects were evaluated through the quantification of selected biomarkers—catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and cholinesterase (ChE) activities. The results from acute exposure showed no significant effects in all three biomarkers, but chronically exposed organisms showed significant increases in the activities of CAT and ChEs. The data show that P. lineatus triggered a defensive biological response in the presence of acetaminophen, and also show that realistically low levels of acetaminophen can exert adaptive changes with unknown consequences.

Aquatic geochemical distribution in the Central, Highland, and Southern regions of Vietnam, including: Da Nang city (Hoa Khanh Industrial Park, Aquaculture Industrial Zone Tho Quang, Do Toa River Deposit Area), Da Lat city (Prenn Pass), Dong Nai province (Suoi Ram hamlet, Cam My district, Long Giao) was investigated by using 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) combined with geochemical analysis. In this research, the correlation between tectonic formation, geochemical composition, and groundwater distribution was assessed between regions. Geochemistry of the Holocene aquifer (from 10 to 30 m underground) was studied considering major ions and trace elements measured in wet and dry seasons. The results of chemometric evaluation show that groundwater in Central Vietnam, Da Nang in particular, has a higher frequency of environmental toxin distribution than in Da Lat and Dong Nai. Groundwater in Da Lat with the advantage of high distribution of K, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn. The micro and macro elements such as Co, Mo, Na have high distribution in groundwater in Dong Nai. Meanwhile, groundwater at the study sites in Da Nang showed high concentrations of heavy metals with high toxicity such as, Al, Pb, and Ni. In Da Nang city, the concentration of Pb in groundwater samples from Holocene aquifer ranges between 74 in dry season and 214 ppb in wet season, exceeding the WHO guideline of 21 ppb. There is an increase of mean temperature of groundwater from Holocene aquifer of studied areas, from 17 in wet season to 26.2 °C in dry season. It shows that the ambient temperature effects on the groundwater reflects the relatively surficial character of Holocene aquifer. At the same time, the impact factors, including natural conditions, production methods, customs, and habits were analyzed to formulate the risks and potential risks of geohazards in mechanical construction, infrastructure, civil works, and underground works affecting the social security in the research areas. Through the convection and transfer processes, the electrolyte pollutants such as NaCl, KCl, and acetic acid (the resistivity is about 5.38 Ω m) have been accumulated in groundwater of Da Nang — a developing city with industrial clusters. This problem is similar to Suoi Ram hamlet, where groundwater is also showing signs of pollution due to the use of chemicals in cultivation (mainly cashew nut growth). In terms of density and flow of underground water, according to the results of the electrical images, generally in Suoi Ram Hamlet pollution is much larger than the Hoa Khanh industrial park (Da Nang), which is also quite reasonable because the southern area is lower than the Central and Highland regions. Research contributed importantly in finding the rules of geological distribution, groundwater at elevation topography, of great significance in the earth and environmental science.