Air pollution affects public health and the environment, creating great concern in developed and developing countries. In India, there are numerous reasons for air pollution, and festivals like Diwali also contribute to air contamination. Determining the polluted region using several air contaminants is significant and should be analyzed carefully. This study aims to analyze the air quality in Tamil Nadu, India, during the Diwali festival from 2019 to 2021, based on multiple air pollutants. The study models the impact of air pollution as a Multi-Attribute Decision-Making (MADM) problem. It introduces a hybrid approach, namely the Analytical Hierarchy Process-Entropy-VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (AHP-Entropy-VIKOR) model, to analyze and rank the areas based on the quality of air. A combined approach of AHP and entropy is employed to determine the weights of multiple air pollutants. The VIKOR approach ranks the areas and identifies the areas with the worst air quality during the festival. The proposed model is validated by performing the Spearman’s rank correlation with two existing MADM methods: Combinative Distance Based Assessment (CODAS) and Weighted Aggregates Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS). Sensitivity analysis is carried out to assess the effects of the priority weights and the dependency of the pollutants in ranking the regions. The highest air pollution level during the festival was seen in Cellisini Colony (2019), Rayapuram (2020), T. Nagar and Triplicane (2021) in their respective year. The results demonstrate the consistency and efficiency of the proposed approach.

An important factor in determining agricultural production is the availability of irrigation water in the main canal of the M’Pourie plain. This factor affects both the intensification of crops and the size of the irrigation areas. The main Senegal River canal in Rosso, Mauritania, runs across the Plaine of M’Pourie. This study aims to assess the physicochemical quality of the water used for irrigation and agriculture in the main irrigation canal on the M’Pourie plain. The measurements were made from 2021 to 2022, and the following physical and chemical parameters were monitored: pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, salt content, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium; ammonium bicarbonate; chloride; nitrite; nitrate; nitrogen; sulfate; and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). These measurements were analyzed using volumetric, spectroscopic, and spectrophotometric methods. After conducting statistical analysis and comparing the results with Moroccan quality standards for surface water utilized in irrigation, it has been discovered that the average pH value is 7.51, indicating a neutral state. However, the average nitrite and ammonium values exceed Moroccan standards at 5.16 mg.L-1 and 0.41 mg.L-1, respectively. The water’s low mineralization is attributed to its low electrical conductivity, with an average of 52.2 μS.cm-1. Based on the analysis of the Senegal River water used for irrigation in the M’Pourie plain, it has been determined that its sodium adsorption ratio and electrical conductivity classify it as belonging to class C1S1. This indicates that the water has low salinity and is excellent for irrigation, with a low risk of alkalinization.

Unavoidably, the expansion of industry causes the release of numerous heavy metals, radionuclides, and organic pollutants into the environment. Due to these pollutants, the extremely toxic, highly carcinogenic chemicals provide a serious risk to people and aquatic life. Wastewater pollutants must be removed to safeguard the ecology. A huge specific surface area, multiple binding sites, a plethora of functional groups, variable pore size, and simplicity of surface modification are just a few advantages of porous materials. They are considered viable candidate materials for the efficient and selective removal of contaminants from aqueous solutions in a range of difficult circumstances due to their benefits. This work reviews the characteristics, methods of functionalization, and ways of modification of many novel porous materials in recent years. The use of these porous materials in the treatment of wastewater was examined. The development potential of porous materials is finally summed up.

Cadmium is one of the most carcinogenic and hazardous heavy metals on the earth for causes many serious diseases and disorders in the plant body. The presence of Cd in the soil is equally harmful to the production of rice crops and human beings. A pot experiment was conducted to analyze the consequences of cadmium-induced stress on the antioxidative defense system in rice plants. The assessment of antioxidative defense mechanism based on the cadmium-induced stress in the range of 100 to 300 ppm while the parameters, Chlorophyll Content Index (SPAD), nitrogen (%), relative water content (%), membrane stability index (%), proline content (μg.g-1), and catalase activity (nm H2O2 mg-1.min-1) were used. The highest reduction in the Chlorophyll Content Index (CCI), nitrogen (%), RWC (%), and MSI (%) was recorded at the highest concentrations of Cd Cl2 (300 ppm). However, at the same time, an increase in proline content (μg.g-1) and catalase activity (nm H2O2 mg-1.min-1) were also detected at all the intervals of the study. The activity of CCI, amino acid, and enzyme were presented in % increase/decrease over the control of Cd-induced stress in rice plants. The reduction (%) in CCI (SPAD) and RWC (%) was recorded maximum at 75 Days after transplanting (DAT), while nitrogen (%) and MSI (%) were recorded at 50 DAT. However, the increase (%) in proline and Catalase activity was maximum at 75 and 50 DAT.

The Philippines has been listed as the topmost affected country by climate change. One of the sectors affected by this climatic change is the agricultural sector. This study aimed to document the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) on climate change among rice farmers as a baseline study in disseminating the practices on disaster risk reduction management to rice farmers in Central Luzon to reduce risks and improve the rice yield and income of rice farmers. A total of 969 respondents were randomly sampled from the seven provinces of Central Luzon. A survey questionnaire and an unstructured questionnaire were used as instruments in gathering the needed data. Descriptive and thematic analysis were used in analyzing the data. Results revealed that rice farmers are knowledgeable and have favorable attitudes toward the impact of climate change on farming. They sometimes practice climate-smart agricultural practices. Generally, the farmers are affected by weather and climatic conditions as well as the hazards that cause a reduction in rice yield. Climate change has affected farmers in their social well-being, economic aspect, and rice production. In terms of climate change disaster adaptation measures, the farmers sometimes adopt measures in terms of flood and drought and seldom adopt measures in typhoons, erosion, and volcanic eruptions. The study recommends the conduct of capability training on disaster risk reduction in rice production (such as early planting and planting of high-yielding varieties) based on the specific needs of each province.

Combined heavy metal contamination in soil is a common phenomenon. Biochar amendment into the soil is considered to be an alternative for immobilization remediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals due to its adsorption and alkalization. However, much attention has been paid to the adsorption and immobilization of single heavy metals by biochar. In this paper, the competitive adsorption of Cd(II) and Zn(II) on biochar derived from cotton straw and pig manure at 500℃ (BCS500 and BPM500), loess and biochar-loess mixtures were investigated using the batch equilibrium method. The results showed that the adsorption capacities of biochars, loess, and biochar-loess mixtures to Cd(II) and Zn(II) in the mixed Cd-Zn systems increased with the increase of initial metal concentrations of Cd(II) and Zn(II). The adsorptive capacities of BCS500 and BPM500 to Cd(II) in mixed Cd-Zn system were 33% and 35% less than those in the single Cd(II)systems, while the adsorptive capacities to Zn(II) were 62% and 56% less than those in the single Zn(II) systems. The adsorptive capacities of loess to Cd(II) and Zn(II) in mixed Cd-Zn systems were 29% and 55% less than those in the single metal systems. The adsorptive capacities of loess-BCS500 (LBCS) and loess-BPM500 (LBPM) to Cd(II) in mixed Cd-Zn system were 40% and 38% less than those in the single Cd(II) systems, while the adsorptive capacities to Zn(II) were 63% and 60% less than those in the single Zn(II)systems. Moreover, the competitive adsorptive capacity of Cd(II) is greater than that of Zn(II). It can be seen that when heavy metal pollution with similar nature of multiple elements exists in soil, the amount of adsorbent should be increased to resist the possible weakened adsorption caused by competitive adsorption in order to guarantee an effective absorption treatment.

The nutritive value of mulberry leaves makes it the only food of silkworms (Bombyx mori L.). It is recorded that 6.73 million hectares of area are affected by salinity and sodicity stresses covering various states of the country, which is becoming one of the major threats to popularizing sericulture in India. In the present study, chlorophyll, protein, catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase content of leaves of six mulberry germplasm viz., English Black, Kolitha-3, C776, Rotundiloba, BC259, and S1 grown under coastal saline soils of South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India was investigated. Results demonstrated a sharp decrease in the chlorophyll (2.35 to1.19 mg.g FW-1) and protein (30.10 to 15.20 mg.g FW-1) contents of leaves of all the mulberry germplasm with increasing soil salinity (1.60 to 22.70 dS.m-1). On the contrary, the number of stress-related antioxidant enzymes like catalase, peroxidases, and superoxide dismutase increased from 1.15 to 5.43, 1.43 to 4.76, and 8.65 to 25.15 g-1 FW.min-1, respectively. Overall, the field study indicated the superiority of Kolitha-3 and C776 grown in Canning (Canning I and II), Basanti, Namkhana, Kakdwip, and Sagar blocks of coastal regions of South 24 Parganas. The study deals with issues of the utilization of scarce land promoting income-generating avenues like sericulture in saline areas.

The research addressed the effective and sustainable ways to enhance the thermal insulation properties of concrete without compromising its structural integrity. Traditional methods of enhancing thermal insulation in buildings, such as using thick layers of insulation materials, can be costly and may not always be practical in certain settings. Additionally, the disposal of waste materials such as date palm fiber, shopping plastic bags, and thermocol beads presents an environmental challenge. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the potential use of these waste materials as additives in concrete to improve its thermal insulation properties while also providing a sustainable solution for waste disposal. Date palm fiber is a natural material that is widely available in the Gulf region. Plastic bags are a huge waste from the shops every day, and from the packing materials, this thermocol is a huge waste product. We have to recycle it very efficiently to protect the environment. Three types of special materials, such as thermocol beads (30%), date palm fiber (3%) & shopping plastic bag fiber (3%), were tested in this research. Thermocol beads, when used, reduce their strength and increase the thermal resistance of concrete, while date palm fiber and shopping bag waste fiber, when used, increase the strength of concrete and also increase the thermal resistance of concrete, so it is an excellent reinforcing material and thermal barrier for shopping plastic bags fiber and date palm fiber. Based on this research result, when thermocol beads are used, they prevent heat by 42 percent, while when added with date palm fiber and plastic fiber, they also block heat by an average of 30% percent; thus, all three ingredients are considered excellent thermal insulation material. The reduction in thermal conductivity was attributed to the formation of air voids and the low thermal conductivity of the waste materials. The density of the concrete decreased with the addition of the waste materials. The study suggests that the incorporation of date palm fiber, shopping bag waste fiber, and thermocol beads can be an effective way to enhance the thermal insulation properties of concrete while also providing an environmentally sustainable solution for waste disposal. It will boost green energy technology in the construction industry.

Recently, magnetic nanomaterials have gained much attention from researchers because of their various unique physical and chemical properties and usage in a wide range of technological aspects. In this study, the synthesis of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles was performed by a simple co-precipitation method. The synthesis of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles was carried out by mixing ferric nitrate and oxalic acid in an aqueous solution followed by evaporation, resulting in the solution’s dried form. The synthesized nanoparticles were analyzed by XRD, FTIR, Raman spectra, SEM-EDX, DSC, BET, and Zeta potential for detailed examination of the morphology, structure, and other physicochemical characteristics. The XRD results confirmed that the nanoparticles formed were Hematite (α-Fe2O3) after the evaluation of obtained spectra compared to the Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards Database (JCPDS). The FTIR spectra showed various bonds among functional groups, O-H bending, Fe-O group, and within-vibration bonds. The phase study of the α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles was performed by using Raman spectroscopy. SEM depicted a sphere-like or rhombohedral (hexagonal) structure, and the EDX spectrum confirmed the peaks of iron and oxygen.

In the past decade, governments and development agencies have contributed significantly to society through anaerobic digestion technology (ADT). Anaerobic digestion technology (ADT) has become an important tool in the fight against global poverty and environmental issues, leading to positive change in communities around the world. The technology works as a wet or dry process, depending on its classification. The process is complex and yields multiple benefits, such as creating a natural fertilizer that can be used to help crops grow, as well as generating renewable energy sources. It is common knowledge that many household-sized digesters installed in different areas are one-stage digesters. One-stage digesters do not require a separate pre-treatment stage before the digestion process. This makes them simpler and more cost-effective to install and operate than traditional two-stage digesters. Thus, some drawbacks are associated with these systems since they feed on just one type of feedstock. Many researchers fail to adequately address interactions critical to ADT’s operation, including interactions among growth factors and operating parameters. In a single-stage and one-substrate digester, researchers commonly neglect to study the digester feeding and operational conditions. Anaerobic digestion was the subject of this review, covering research conducted between 2001 and 2022. The study identified a significant drawback associated with mono-digestion and single-stage digestion. The findings illustrate that mono-substrate and single-stage digestion are worthwhile approaches, even though they have their challenges. However, adding a further digestion stage can significantly improve biogas production.