A sustainable human-machine interface design has been highlighted for shared cars which is environmentally friendly. To improve people’s perceptual, psychological, and behavioral experience in shared cars, this study revealed the relationship between modeling forms of the instrument panel and interaction performance. Modeling forms include the panel layout and the central screen installation type. After classifying existing panel layout designs into four kinds, this study relied on System Usability Scale (n = 182) to score them and clarify the usability of each kind. The one with the best usability (the symmetrical driver-oriented layout) was identified and ANOVA was used to judge the significance of the difference. Then, three central screen installation types were analyzed and sorted by means of analytic hierarchy process. Based on the above analysis for perceptual preference, behavioral experiments were carried out (n = 60) in intelligent vehicles equipped with the two advantageous screens (all-in-one type and semi-detached type) to analyze electrocardiograph data and workload of typical interaction behaviors. The logit model showed that when interacting with the SD-AIO panel (the panel of symmetrical driver-oriented layout with an all-in-one type screen), tension level was often lower in both driving and secondary tasks. Besides, we explored how the heart rate of specific tasks influenced the total completion time. The conclusion confirmed the advantages of SD-AIO panel, which could contribute to a sustainable interaction with high traffic efficiency.

Dredging and disposal of sediments onto land sites is a common practice in urban and industrial areas that can present environmental and health risks when the sediments contain metallic elements. The aim of this study was to characterise and study the environmental and toxicological availability of Cd and Pb in anthroposols from dredged river sediments. To do this, 67 surface samples spread over 12 sediment disposal sites in northern France were studied. The results showed substantial heterogeneity for this matrix in terms of physicochemical parameters and contamination degree; however, ascending hierarchical clustering made it possible to classify the samples into eight groups. For each group, the mobile fraction of Cd and Pb was studied using single EDTA extraction, solid-phase distribution was analysed with sequential extractions and toxicological availability was assessed with the oral bioaccessibility test. The results showed that (i) Cd had a higher environmental and toxicological availability than Pb; (ii) this availability depends on the physicochemical characteristics of the matrix; and (iii) it is necessary to take into account the environmental and toxicological availability of contaminants when requalifying these sites in order to propose appropriate management measures. In the first years after sediment disposal, it would appear that the environmental and toxicological availability of Cd and Pb increased (from 52.5 to 71.8% and from 28.9 to 48.9%, respectively, by using EDTA and from 50.2 to 68.5% for Cd with the bioaccessibility test). Further studies would therefore be required to confirm this trend and understand the mechanisms involved.

Leaching of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from agricultural lands can cause serious environmental problems such as eutrophication. The objective of this study was to investigate the impacts of biochar application, tillage practices, and irrigation systems on nitrate and dissolved phosphorus (DP) concentrations in subsurface drainage water and grain yield of winter wheat using a strip-split plot design with 3 replications. Irrigation at three different levels (flood (Ifₗ), furrow (Ifᵤ), and sprinkler (Iₛ) systems) considered as main factor, tillage at two levels (reduced tillage (Tᵣ) and conventional systems (Tc)) as subplot factor, and bagasse biochar at two levels (without biochar (B₀) and 20 ton ha⁻¹ biochar (B₁)) as sub-subplot factor. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) standpipes were used in each sub-subplot to collect leachate water at 100-cm depth. The results indicated that irrigation had significant effects on yield, collected water volume (CWV), nitrate, and DP concentrations (P < 0.01). Interaction of tillage and irrigation was significant for grain yield (P < 0.05). Biochar application only caused a significant decrease in nitrate concentration under sprinkler irrigation (P < 0.05), while no significant impact was observed under flood and furrow irrigation systems. Under sprinkler irrigation, the total nitrate collected in the PVC standpipes decreased by 37.51 and 34.29% compared with flood and furrow irrigations, respectively. Biochar application reduced the total nitrate collected by 16.84%, while difference among tillage treatments was negligible (4.51%). The total DP collected under sprinkler irrigation was lower in comparison with flood and furrow irrigations by 42.24 and 38.76%, respectively. Biochar application reduced the total DP collected by 10.84%, while reduced tillage increased the total DP collected by 8.90% compared with the conventional tillage.

Behavioral response of fish has been shown that was sensitive to chemicals in water. Herein, larval and adult rare minnows of Gobiocypris rarus were studied for their innate color preference and response to a concentration gradient of chemicals (cadmium ion [Cd²⁺], tricaine methanesulfonate [MS222], and p-chloroaniline). The results showed that both larval and adult rare minnows preferred blue and green over yellow and red in water with no chemicals added. Larval color preference changed significantly under concentrations of Cd²⁺ ≥ 0.4 mg/L, MS222 ≥ 3 mg/L, and p-chloroaniline ≥ 10 mg/L; for adults, color preference changed significantly when Cd²⁺ ≥ 3 mg/L, MS222 ≥ 34 mg/L, and p-chloroaniline ≥ 38 mg/L. In addition, the color preference priorities of both larvae and adults also changed at high concentrations of chemicals. The present study provides useful information on how changes in rare minnow behavior could be used as an early indicator of water pollution.

This work aimed at using Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta), for the first time in Egypt, as a bioindicator of heavy metal contamination from three different Egyptian land use types (Qillin within Kafr El-Sheikh (S1, agricultural), Toukh within Qalyubia (S2, semi-rural area), and Abu Rawash within Giza (S3, urban)). Concentrations of aluminum (Al), barium (Ba), cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) were analyzed in liver and kidney samples of twenty-six adult Little Egrets collected from the three localities during winter 2018. Moreover, the study calculated the Metal Pollution Index (MPI) to highlight the health of the surrounding environment using birds’ internal organs as a mirror. Results revealed that, throughout the three sampling sites, the total metal concentrations in liver samples exceeded that of the kidney, indicating that the liver is the target organ of metal accumulation. The Little Egret’s liver was found to be the best-recommended organ to use in future biomonitoring of Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Ni, whereas Al, Co, Cr, Ba, Pb, and Cd can be monitored in the kidney. Cu and Pb were higher in the Little Egret’s tissues collected from the agricultural site (S1), whereas Ba, Ni, and Fe were higher in the semi-rural site (S2), followed finally by Cd in the urbanized site (S3). The concentrations of trace elements reported in Little Egrets were within the known background level for water birds. However, alarming concentrations were found for Ni levels in liver (from Qillin and Toukh), as well as Pb and Cr levels in kidney samples (from the three localities). MPI of the eleven studied metals in both liver and kidney of the studied species decreased in the order Qillin (24.36) > Abu Rawash (17.98) > Toukh (3.90). In the three investigated localities, the overall calculated MPI values were higher than one, indicating that the ecosystem is polluted. The study suggested using Little Egrets as a bioindicator of metal contamination.

This study investigated crystallization mechanisms for the formation of lead aluminosilicate by sintering lead stabilization with kaolin-based precursors. PbAl₂Si₂O₈ was found to be the only stable lead aluminosilicate in low-PbO system and demonstrates its highly intrinsic resistance to acid attack in leaching test. A three-stage PbAl₂Si₂O₈ formation mechanism was supported by the results of the changing temperature in the system. Amorphization of sintered products was observed in both PbO/kaolinite and PbO/mullite systems at 600–700°C. When the temperature was increased to 750–900°C, the crystallochemical formation of lead aluminosilicates (i.e., Pb₄Al₄Si₃O₁₆, Pb₆Al₆Si₂O₂₁, and PbAl₂Si₂O₈) was observed. Pb₄Al₄Si₃O₁₆ and Pb₆Al₆Si₂O₂₁ were found to be the intermediate phases at 700–900°C. Finally, PbAl₂Si₂O₈ was found to be the only crystallite phase to host Pb at above 950°C. A maximum of 80% and 96.7% Pb can be incorporated into PbAl₂Si₂O₈ in PbO/kaolinite and PbO/mullite systems, respectively, but the final products exhibited different microstructures. To reduce environmental hazard of lead, this strategy demonstrated a preferred mechanism of immobilizing lead into PbAl₂Si₂O₈ structure via kaolin-based precursors.

A passive biomonitoring survey using terrestrial mosses was performed in a heavily polluted industrial region on the border between Czechia and Poland in a regular grid of 41 sampling points. The concentrations of 38 elements were determined in the moss samples, using Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA). Simultaneously, air pollution modelling was performed using the Czech reference methodology Symos’97 for the year of the sampling (2015) and 3 years prior (2012) in order to compare the results of both the approaches and evaluate the credibility of the moss biomonitoring method. The NAA results were transformed according to the principles of compositional data analysis and assessed using hierarchical clustering on principal components. The resulting clusters were compared with the results of air pollution modelling using one-way analysis of variance. The association of determined clusters with the pollution from industrial sources was confirmed only for the results of the 2012 modelling. This validates the complementarity of the air pollution modelling and the moss biomonitoring, ascertains the moss biomonitoring as a valid method for long-term pollution assessment and confirms one of the fundamentals of moss biomonitoring, the reflection of the atmospheric conditions prevailing in the period before the sampling.

Azoxystrobin, buprofezin, dinocap and hexaconazole are widely used in crop protection of mango from flowering to harvest. Residue assessment of these chemicals on mango fruits was done following treatments at the recommended and double doses as per good agricultural practices (GAP). Mango fruit and soil sample preparation was done by QuEChERS, and analysis was done using LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography mass spectrometry). Using these techniques, the limit of detection (LOD) determined was 1.5 μg kg⁻¹ and limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.005 mg kg⁻¹ for all analytes. The residue levels on mango initially were 0.265 and 0.55 mg kg⁻¹ for azoxystrobin, 0.63 and 0.974 mg kg⁻¹ for buprofezin, 0.635 and 0.98 mg kg⁻¹ for dinocap and 0.203 and 0.35 mg kg⁻¹ for hexaconazole from standard and double dose treatments, respectively. The dissipation rate of the pesticides on mango fruits was about the same except for azoxystrobin, which dissipated slowly compared with others. The half-life of degradation (DT₅₀) of azoxystrobin was 10.4–12.1 days; buprofezin, 5.8–8.5 days; dinocap, 5.4–6.2 days; and hexaconazole, 4.4–6.1 days. The pre-harvest interval (PHI) based on European Union (EU) MRL (maximum residue limit) requirements were 1 day for azoxystrobin, 15 and 26 days for buprofezin, 27 and 34 days for dinocap, and 19 and 30 days for hexaconazole. The results of this study can be used to produce mango fruits safe for consumption and to meet the regulatory requirements for export of mango fruits from India.

This study investigated methane (CH₄) adsorption by natural sepiolite—obtained from Eskisehir in Turkey—and its Ag-, Cu-, Fe-, and H-exchanged forms by using a volumetric gas adsorption method. Sepiolite was modified with 1 M AgNO₃, 1 M Cu(NO₃)₂∙3H₂O, 1 M Fe(NO₃)₃∙9H₂O, and 1 M HCl solutions at 80 °C for 6 h, respectively. The natural and modified sepiolite samples were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and the nitrogen adsorption method. Quantitative XRD analysis showed that the sample consisted primarily of sepiolite clay mineral and dolomite as an impurity in small amounts. It was found that acid and heavy metal treatments caused apparent changes in the structure and microporosity of the sepiolite samples. CH₄ adsorption isotherms of clay samples were examined at temperatures of 0 °C and 25 °C and pressures up to 100 kPa. It was determined that the CH₄ adsorption capacities of sepiolite samples increased at both temperatures according to the following sequence: CuS < AgS < HS < S < FeS. CH₄ adsorption values of sepiolite samples varied between 0.084 mmol/g and 0.299 mmol/g. It was observed that the CH₄ adsorption capacities of heavy metal cation-exchange clay samples were related to the surface area.

Along with monitoring air pollution level and rapid economic growth in China, the government has paid attention to the environmental policy innovation (EPI) capacity of local governments. However, scholarly research has not yet clarified the ability of local governments in EPI and its related drivers and impacts. This study explores the dynamic relations between EPI, air pollution, and the economy for the first time, using the simultaneous equation model (SEM) in China during 2006–2015 across 30 provinces. To calculate EPI, this study introduces the comprehensive concept of policy innovation, consisting of invention, diffusion, and evaluation. The results show that EPI is strongly promoted by air pollution; however, promoting EPI alone cannot decrease air pollution. These results would vary among eastern and western provinces. Economic growth has a significant positive effect on EPI and can significantly reduce air pollution. This study suggests policymakers strengthen EPI in order to achieve a balance between air pollution and economic growth.