International audience | Environmental chemistry is a fast developing science aimed at deciphering fundamental mechanisms ruling the behaviour of pollutants in ecosystems. Applying this knowledge to current environmental issues leads to the remediation of environmental media, and to new, low energy, low emission, sustainable processes. The topics that would be covered in this series, but not limited to, are major achievements of environmental chemistry for sustainable development such as nanotech applications; biofuels, solar and alternative energies; pollutants in air, water, soil and food; greenhouse gases; radioactive pollutants; endocrine disruptors and other pharmaceuticals; pollutant archives; ecotoxicology and health risk; pollutant remediation; geoengineering; green chemistry; contributions bridging unexpectedly far disciplines such as environmental chemistry and social sciences; and participatory research with end-users. The books series will encompass all scientific aspects of environmental chemistry through a multidisciplinary approach: Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology, Waste Management/Waste Technology, Pollution, general, Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution, Analytical Chemistry. Other disciplines include: Agriculture, Building Types and Functions, Climate Change, Ecosystems, Ecotoxicology, Geochemistry, Nanochemistry, Nanotechnology and Microengineering, Social Sciences.

Undoubtedly, climate change is becoming a worldwide concern due to its great sensitivity and detrimental effects on livelihood. The government, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders are striving to come up with novel and innovative approaches to combat the effects of climate change. Nevertheless, understanding and perceptions of the issue among local farmers are more crucial before making mitigation or adaptation plans. It’s them who are actually more exposed to these environmental works and who are on the frontlines of climate change. So, the study was conducted in 2022 at Lower Mustang to understand how farmers perceive climate change, how it has impacted apple production, and to find discrepancies between their perceptions and the actual change in climatic variability recorded by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM). Temperature and precipitation were two climatic variables that were taken into account to investigate the significant effects they have on the rate of apple production. Altogether, 60 households from Lower Mustang were selected randomly for the study. Pre-tested interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, as well as secondary data from DHM, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), etc. were used to collect the required information. The majority of farmers observed an increase in temperature (83.30%) and an unpredictable increase in rainfall (98%), which are consistent with the actual change in temperature and precipitation recorded between 1991 and 2021. Findings show that the average annual temperature and mean annual precipitation are increasing at a rate of 0.012°C per year and 0.4146 mm per year, respectively. This has resulted in the outbreak of significant amounts of diseases and insect pest infestations that have a direct impact on the quality and quantity of apples. The majority of farmers acknowledged that rainfall was the most significant climatic hazards that negatively impacted apple production, followed with hailstones having an impact on apples during flowering and fruiting. Farmers in the study area are limited to intercropping practices, mostly as an adaptation strategy to combat the impacts of climate change. The study concluded that farmers perceived climate change; they are aware of the term ‘Climate Change’ but haven’t taken any significant adaptation measures towards it. So, there is an immediate need for effective adaptation mechanisms, taking into account farmers' perspectives, to make Lower Mustang self-sufficient in apple production.

This study, conducted at the Mkwiro seaweed farm in Kwale County, Kenya, aimed to assess the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd and Pb) and essential elements (Na, Fe, Ca, and K) in selected edible seaweed species. The study used a cross-sectional, descriptive research design and probability sampling method to collect data. Seaweed samples of three selected species, Cottonii (Kappaphycus alvarezii), Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca), and Bubble-green seaweed (Boergesenia forbesii) were collected in quadrants and subjected to chemical analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted using R Studio version 4.3.2, with a significance level set at α=0.05. The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed significant differences in lead concentrations among seaweed types (χ² (2) = 7.01, p = 0.03). Cadmium concentrations did not show significant differences (χ² (2) = 3.88, p = 0.14). For calcium concentrations, ANOVA indicated no significant effect of seaweed type (F (2,33) = 0.6381, p = 0.5347). Iron concentrations differed significantly among seaweed types (χ² (2) = 23.35, p = 0.00000849), with B. forbesii having the highest median concentration. Potassium and sodium concentrations did not significantly vary among seaweed types (p > 0.05). The study uncovers elevated cadmium levels in seaweed, indicating potential contamination risks. However, concentrations of essential elements were lower. To address these findings, it is recommended to initiate regular monitoring and pollution control measures in seaweed farms. Additionally, diversifying cultivation with low-metal species can enhance product safety and quality.

Poor yield, non-uniform ripening, and delay in maturity are some serious issues faced by commercial banana growers in the country. This research was conducted in a commercial banana orchard of Chitwan from December 2021 to April 2022 in order to study the effect of different doses of ethephon on growth, maturity, and quality of banana. Five different doses of ethephon (200, 400, 600, 800, 1000 ppm) were sprayed on a banana bunch at 15th days after shooting which were compared with the control (no ethephon treatment) in RCBD design.  The maturity of the bunch was significantly hastened at a higher concentration of ethephon (above 600 ppm). Fruit length and fruit weight were also observed higher at 600 ppm (10.21 cm and 62.68 g) and 800 ppm (10.67 cm and 63.26 g) ethephon spray. The bunch treated with 600 ppm ethephon had the highest TSS (10.78oB and 23.27oB at 0 and 5 days of storage, respectively) and PPR (1.65). Considering quantitative and qualitative parameters, preharvest ethephon spray @600 ppm significantly improved growth, maturity, and quality of banana fruits.

Credit is a driving force behind increased crop productivity, and food security is essential to the general advancement of humanity. The current study was carried out to analyze the socioeconomic profile of the respondents, examine the loan components, evaluate the effect of credit on mustard production, and find out how many calories each household member consumes on a per capita basis. A sample size of sixty respondents was selected randomly from Sirajganj district in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected through a field survey using a semi-structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics, the multiple linear regression models, and the modified OECD scale were used to analyze the data. The study found that most of the respondents were in the active age group, and half of the respondents had a secondary level of education. About half of the respondents belonged to the middle-income group. Two-thirds of the respondents received a large loan. It was found that credit had a positive impact on mustard production. The poverty rate was much higher than the national average in the study area. Along with specialized banks, other financial institutions should extend agricultural loans to increase mustard production and food security for rural poor households in Bangladesh.

The goal of the current study was to ascertain Bangladeshi consumers' preferences for fast food items. Data from 80 respondents who were eating fast food in the Mymensingh region were gathered using a purposeful random sample; men made up 52.50 percent of the respondents. The study employed multiple linear regression analysis to determine the primary determinants influencing eating habits among customers. Additionally, descriptive statistics were utilized to determine the demographic characteristics such as age, education, income level etc. of the consumers. Furthermore, the utilization of Likert scale analysis assists in identifying the more favoured reasons why consumers go for fast food. The findings showed that most respondents were government employees with advanced degrees. Nearly 8.75 percent of customers spent more than Tk 2000 (18.22 $) on fast food every month. According to Likert scale research, 47.5% of consumers thought fast food was unhealthy. Consumers in the research region felt generally dissatisfied with fast food, as evidenced by their affirmative responses to seven out of the seventeen questions on the meal. In the Mymensingh District, explanatory factors such education, monthly family income, students, advertisements, and social pressure had the most impacts on the amount of fast food consumed. This research also looked at the critical elements at fast food restaurants and the relationship between customer satisfaction and restaurant service. The results of this study contribute significant knowledge to the literature on the food service sector and offer vital insights for the fast-food business in Bangladesh, indicating areas for development and customer preferences. It will offer insights for businesses to tailor their marketing strategies and menu offerings to align with consumer preferences and health concerns as well as highlights areas for improvement in fast-food establishments to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty because of fast food consumption is becoming more and more appealing these days.

Selection and release of high yielding and disease resistant varieties is the cost effective and ecologically sound approach for increasing the production and productivity of agricultural crop in Nepal. Twenty-two advanced bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes including commercial check variety "Sorgadwari", newly released check variety "Khumal Shakti" and Local Check variety " Jhadde" were evaluated under irrigated conditions at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College (GAASC), Baitadi, Nepal during 2022/2023. This study was carried out for the identification of high yielding genotypes under irrigated condition in western hills. The experiment was conducted in Alpha lattice design with two replications. The highly significant difference (p<0.01) among the genotypes was found for most of the traits viz., days to heading, days to anthesis, days to maturity, plant height, spikes per square meter, number of grains per spike, grain weight per spike, flag leaf area, thousand kernel weight, biomass yield and grain yield and non-significant difference for spike length. The mean grain yield ranged from 1908 to 4146 kg/ha with grand mean of 2766 kg/ha. The highest grain yield was produced by genotype NL 1474 (4146 kg/ha) which was followed by NL 1475 (3994 kg/ha), NL1597 (3536 kg/ha) and NL 1590 (3070 kg/ha). The check variety Sorgadwari and Khumal Shakti produced 3480 and 3070 kg/ha respectively while the local check variety Jhadde produced 2655 kg/ha. Similarly, highest TKW was produced by NL 1487 (68.5 g) followed by BL 5148 (67.2 g) and WK 3730 (66.3 g). The correlation analysis revealed that grain yield showed highly significant positive correlation with biomass yield (0.90**) and number of grains per spike (0.6**), spikes per square meter (0.7**), plant height (0.5**) and non-significant positive correlation with spike length (0.21) and grain weight per spike (0.1) and non-significant negative correlation with days to heading (-0.2) and days to maturity (-0.2). Cluster analysis revealed that Cluster III consists of 4 genotypes namely NL 1474, NL 1475, NL 1597 and Sorgadwari. This cluster represent with highest grain yield, number of spikes per meter square, number of grains per spike and grain weight per spike. Among the tested genotypes, NL 1474, NL 1475, NL 1597 and NL 1590 were found superior for grain yield and yield-related traits in comparison to three checks and could be recommended for hills of Sudurpaschim province after further testing in multi-environment and in farmer's field.

This study delves into the dynamic landscape of Himalayan yew cultivation in the Mahankal Rural Municipality of Lalitpur district, offering a comprehensive analysis of the socio-demographic factors influencing growers' practices. By examining variables such as gender, age, education, landholding, income, ethnicity, access to irrigation facilities, and marketing strategies, we present a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved. Agriculture emerges as the cornerstone of respondents' income, with Himalayan yew cultivation consistently proving to be financially lucrative, yielding revenues and gross margins that significantly bolster local farmers' economic well-being. The calculated Benefit-Cost Ratio underscores the profitability of Himalayan yew cultivation in Mahankal, advocating for its sustained expansion. Despite favorable climatic conditions, challenges persist in marketing and production domains. Limited primary marketing channels signify untapped potential, necessitating initiatives to foster growth and enhance efficiency. Technical obstacles highlight the need for innovative solutions and technical support to bolster the sustainability of Himalayan yew cultivation. In conclusion, this research underscores the promising prospects and profitability of Himalayan yew cultivation while emphasizing the imperative to address existing challenges. Strategic interventions and collaborative efforts are essential to empower local farmers and ensure the enduring success of this valuable industry. This study serves as a clarion call for concerted action to propel Himalayan yew cultivation to new heights in Mahankal and beyond.

This experiment was conducted to optimize the stocking density of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in biofloc based farming system in tanks for a period of 90 days from 23 December to 22 March 2022 in Mohanpur upazilla, Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. The experiment was conducted in 5000 L cemented tanks (5m3) under three different of stocking densities (T1: 200 fishes/m3, T2: 150 fishes/m3 and T3: 100 fishes/m3) having three replicates each. The initial weight of fish was 11.50±0.35 g and fishes were fed (34% protein content) twice a day @ 5-3 % body weight.  Among three treatments, a significantly higher (P<0.05) average daily gain (ADG) of 1.15±0.07 g with specific growth rate (SGR) of 2.44±0.09 % day-1 were recorded in T3 treatment but a significantly higher (P<0.05) average yield of 118907.70 and 114914.20 kg/ha/3 months were obtained in T1 and T2 treatment, respectively. Higher average net benefit of 1231671.90 BDT/ha/3 months and BCR of 0.12 were obtained in T2 treatment which is significantly higher (p<0.05) than T1 and T3 treatment. By an economical assessment, if the sales price is influenced by the final body weight, the reduced average harvest weight in higher stocking densities could lead to low profitability. Therefore, it is concluded that the use of intermediate stocking density, around 150 fishes/m3, has higher profitability since it produces a large proportion of harvested fish that reach high body weights, and possible high selling prices, combined with desirable biomass.

Biochar is rich in carbon and obtained by carbonization of biomass heated at 300-1000°C under limited oxygen which improves the soil properties and yield of various crops. This study aimed to determine the changes in soil properties and agronomical characteristics of okra by biochar prepared from different feedstock. The research was conducted in randomized blocks and replicated thrice, with treatments; control, wood ash (WA), rice husk biochar (RHB), bamboo biochar (BB), Ashoka leaves biochar (ALB), coconut husk biochar (CHB), and sawdust biochar (SB), applied at 18 t/ha. Biochar-incorporated soil and the biochar were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, nitrogen, P2O5, K2O, and organic matter, and the soil for bulk density, particle density, and porosity. Agronomical parameters like plant height, fruit size, and yield were also recorded. The biochar incorporation modified the soil's chemical properties and significantly decreased bulk and particle density. The highest reduction of 10.9% in bulk density (1.22gm/cm3), and 4.4% in particle density (2.39gm/cm3) were observed in ALB and SB incorporated soil respectively. ALB (50%) followed by BB (49%) showed a significant increase in soil porosity compared to the control (45.18%). BB (15.7cm) significantly increased the fruit size compared to the control (14.06cm) followed by ALB (15.5cm). ALB (8.16t/ha) significantly increased the yield of okra relative to control (7.82t/ha). The findings suggest the use of ALB and BB to improve soil properties and yield in the long run.