Fly ash is generally obtained as a by-product from the combustion of coal and other waste materials. It is used for making bricks, but it has few limitations. The fly ash consists of Silica, Alumina, and other metal oxide components in minor quantities. Fly ash particles are observed in the range of nanometers to micrometers and can act as a catalyst in various reactions. The use of low-cost catalysts in the pyrolysis of thermoplastic waste would achieve a high percentage of low molecular weight fractions in liquid form which increases its applicability in commercial sectors. Hence, there is a need to enhance these fractions to achieve a sustainable approach in the catalytic pyrolysis process. fly ash, being a side product, is very cheap, so its effect on the plastic waste pyrolysis process has been studied. In the present research paper, Physical & chemical characterization of fly ash has been carried out. As fly ash consists of different metal oxides in proportion, its applicability in the process of pyrolysis of HDPE, LDPE, and PP waste has been studied. The different weight percent of fly ash (i.e., 5, 10, 15, 20) have been tried in all pyrolysis experiments. It has been observed that 5 wt % fly ash is effective for enhancing the yield of liquid fuel as compared to that without a catalyst. Liquid fuel obtained from catalytic pyrolysis of HDPE, LDPE, and PP waste with Fly ash consists of a high percent of low molecular weight fractions as compared to that of liquid fuel without catalyst, which has been concluded by calorific values & GC-MS result.

The inhibitory effect of Rosemary oil on the corrosion of aluminum alloy EN AW-2011 in 1M H2SO4 solution was studied by weight loss and electrochemical methods such as open circuit potential (OCP), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and linear polarization resistance (LPR). The inhibition efficiency increases with increasing the concentration and shows maximum inhibition efficiency (70.7 %) at optimum concentration (0.05 g.L-1). The linear polarization resistance measurements show that the presence of Rosemary oil in 1M H2SO4 solution influences polarization resistance increasing and corrosion current decreasing. The voltammetric curve shows that Rosemary oil reduces the anodic process. Open circuit potential results confirmed that organic compounds present in Rosemary oil can form a protective layer on aluminum surfaces. The inhibitive effect was probably caused by the adsorption of organic compounds such as 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, borneol, limonene, and myrcene on aluminum surfaces which are non-toxic and environmentally friendly. This study showed that the essential oil of Rosemary could be used as an environmentally friendly inhibitor of the corrosion of alloy EN AW-2011 in an acidic medium.

Due to enormous quantities with hazards and complexity in nature is a big challenge for effective treatment of wastewater from pharmaceutical processes including herbal extraction through conventional methods of distillation. The situation is further aggravated in countries facing high rising population, urbanization, and industrialization resulting in the generation of industrial wastes. The study has been carried out in the herbal extraction industry by conducting stage-wise sampling of ETP based on the conventional method and further coupled with ozonation as an advanced treatment to comply with regulatory standards. Additionally, the same process was studied that implementing the best available technology (BAT) by providing ETP with advanced technology modules such as MBR (membrane bioreactor) + RO + O3 has not only resulted in compliance with standards but also reuse of treated wastewater into the process and utilities has been proved to be techno-economically a viable and sustainable option. Modifying existing aeration tanks and advanced oxidation through ozone injection post-biological treatment has resulted in COD and BOD reduction of 96.42% and 99.0% respectively. Whereas in the case of MBR + RO + O3, the values of pH, BOD, COD, TSS, and sulfide have been observed as 8.32, 2.0 mg.L-1, 14.0 mg.L-1, 1.0 mg.L-1 and 0.0 mg.L-1 respectively and 98% recovery of treated effluent, thus saving 44 KL.day-1 of freshwater resulting into significant financial benefits of Rupees 12.59 acs annually, which otherwise was outsourced through tankers.

Nature reserves have played a crucial role in biodiversity conservation for decades. Rapid urban sprawl has increased the amount of solid waste created by littering and illegal dumping in metropolitan nature reserves. This paper examines how two nature reserves, Wolfgat Nature Reserve and Witzands Aquifer Nature Reserves, can combine community conservation with waste management. To determine aspects such as the socioeconomic impact of the nature reserves on the surrounding communities, questionnaires with a specific focus on the topic were distributed to the surrounding communities and subsequently administered. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with key informants from the nature reserve staff and observational methods, and SPSS was used to analyze the data. Consistent with previous research, this study revealed that ignoring local populations frequently results in people disobeying the appropriate regulations in these protected areas and that education does not guarantee conservation support. Despite this, the survey revealed an absence of community participation; conservators were more reactive than proactive. In this study, the level of education, which in some studies is always associated with knowledge, was contradicted; those with post-secondary education knew little about these areas, and the vast majority of participants were unaware of the protected areas just a few kilometers away from their communities.

Marginal land has low nutrient content (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium). Addressing nutrient deficiencies on marginal land requires a strategic approach. Biological fertilizers like Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) enhance nutrient availability through symbiotic interactions. In addition, organic fertilizers such as compost could provide organic matter and improve soil structure to increase plant growth and productivity. Combining these three fertilizers with the addition of low doses of NPK fertilizer can increase the growth and productivity of maize crops on sub-marginal land. This study aims to determine the effect of AMF, consortium of PGPR, and a low dose of NPK on the growth and productivity of maize and soil nutrients on sub-marginal land by measuring plant growth up to 8 WAP (week after planting) (parameters: plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, chlorophyll content, stomatal density) and productivity (parameters: cob length, cob weight with husk, fresh weight, dry weight) and levels of N, P, and K elements at 8 WAP in the soil after planting. All treatments showed an increase in the level of N and K elements, while the P element showed a decrease compared to the control (soil without treatment). Moreover, each parameter did not show a significant difference, but the P2 (Compost + PGPR consortium + AMF + 50% of NPK) treatment showed the best growth and productivity. Overall, the data showed the utilization of PGPR and AMF combination was able to reduce the usage of chemical fertilizer by 50%.

Composting is an integral component of sustainable Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management within the circular bio-economy platform. However, it faces challenges due to malodorous emissions that impact environmental and societal equilibrium. The present study aims to minimize odorous emissions and expedite compost maturation using a novel, efficient microbial consortium. Bacteria sourced from open dump sites in Sri Lanka were carefully screened based on concurrent enzyme production. Five developed consortia were tested for their performance in reducing malodors during the composting process of MSW. Consortium No. 5 (C5), comprised of Bacillus haynesii, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and Bacillus safensis, demonstrated outstanding performance with a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in odorous emissions. Additionally, consortium C5 exhibited impressive control over gas emissions, maintaining VOC, CH4, NH3, and H2S concentrations within ranges of 0.5-6 ppm, 0.5-0.8 ppm, 0.3-0.5 ppm, and 0.5-0.6 ppm, respectively, compared to control concentrations of 4.5-10.2 ppm, 0.5-5.5 ppm, 0.3-5.5 ppm, and 0.5-6.4 ppm, respectively. Additionally, comprehensive Electronic nose (E-nose) analysis substantiated C5’s efficiency in attenuating Methane-Aliphatic compounds, Sulfur and Aromatic compounds, along with low-polarity aromatic and alkane compounds, all with statistical significance (p < 0.05). Further, the developed consortium could reduce the composting time from 110 ± 10 days to 17 ± 3 days, offering a sustainable solution for global MSW management.

Waters polluted with Pb and Cd have a negative impact on the environment. Padina australis grows abundantly on the coast of Palang Subdistrict, Tuban, and the local community consumes it. Macroalgae as food must be free of metal contamination. This study aims to determine the impact of Pb and Cd bioaccumulation on P. australis. Sampling was conducted at two stations, including Station I, Panyuran Village, and Station II, Glodog Village. Analysis of Pb and Cd metal levels using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Analysis of protein content using the Kjeldahl method. The data obtained was analyzed with Principle Component Analysis (PCA). The results of the analysis of Pb and Cd levels in P. australis at station II, which are 0.200 ± 0.028 and 0.021 ± 0.004 mg.kg-1 higher than station I, which are 0.194 ± 0.015 and 0.010 ± 0.001 mg.kg-1. The protein content of P. australis at station I was 4.713 ± 0.508 mg.kg-1, and at station II was 5.900 ± 0.928 mg.kg-1. This shows that P. australis is still considered good for consumption even though it has been polluted and contains Pb and Cd metals. P. australis can tolerate and does not experience severe physiological damage so it has the potential as a heavy metal phytoremediator.

Anthropogenic environmental pollution is a major development challenge in Ugandan rivers and lakes, the key drivers being industrialization, agriculture, and urbanization. The aim of the study was to assess the potential of heavy metal and microplastic contamination in River Mpanga, Fort Portal, Uganda. Triplicate water and sediment samples were collected from three sampling sites, preserved, and analyzed at the Chemistry Department, Makerere University for heavy metals, while microplastics analysis was conducted at NaFIRRI, Jinja. Sediment heavy metal contamination was assessed from the geoaccumulation index, while microplastic characterization and quantification were determined from stereomicroscopy and morphological features. Arsenic was the most prevalent metal with a mean concentration of 13.2 ppm thus higher than permissible maximum limits of WHO. The mean concentrations (ppm) of copper, lead, and cadmium were 0.01, 0.01, and 0.001 respectively, and below the permissible maximum. Sediment samples revealed very strong arsenic contamination, strong contamination for copper, moderate to strong contamination for lead, and a potential lack of contamination for cadmium. The higher concentrations of the heavy metals in the sediments compared to water could be attributed to bioaccumulation, as evidenced by the high geoaccumulation values. Microplastics occurred throughout the river and included fragments, filaments, film, pellets, form, and fibers. The presence of heavy metals and microplastics was attributed to anthropogenic activities within the river vicinity, which discharged heavy metal-laden waste into River Mpanga. High arsenic concentrations and sediment accumulation of contaminants pose serious potential public health threats to the local communities.

Outdoor air pollution causes a lot of health problems for humans. Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5), due to its small size, can enter the human respiratory system with ease and cause significant health effects on humans. This makes PM2.5 significant among the various air pollutants. Hence, it is important to measure the value of PM2.5 accurately for better management of air quality. Algorithms for deep learning and machine learning can be used to forecast air quality data. A model that minimizes the prediction error of the PM2.5 forecast is needed. In this paper, a PM2.5 concentration estimation model using Bi-LSTM (Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory) with meteorological data as predictor variables is proposed. For a better estimation of PM2.5 values, the hyperparameters of the Bi-LSTM model used are tuned using the Osprey Optimization Algorithm (OOA), a recent meta-heuristic algorithm. The model that works with the optimal values of hyperparameters identified by OOA performed better than the other models when they are compared based on evaluation metrics like Mean-Squared Error and R2.

Aquatic ecosystems that are subject to urbanization and environmental changes, such as the Kapaleeswarar and Chitrakulam tanks, depend on evaluating water quality. Their complicated data present challenges for conventional approaches. The usefulness of the Mamdani fuzzy inference system in determining the water quality in these tanks is investigated in this work. It creates a comprehensive assessment based on subject-matter expertise by handling ambiguous descriptors with linguistic variables and fuzzy sets. The system’s procedures for implementation are described in detail, with an emphasis on how well they can manage interrelated variables. The study shows how well the system measures the water quality in tanks and suggests ways to improve it. Tank evaluation that incorporates the Mamdani system encourages comprehensive resource management and cultural preservation.