Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.7
3.5
Journals
Environments
Editor’s Choice
share announcement

Editor’s Choice Articles

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

Order results
Result details
Results per page
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
13 pages, 1365 KiB  
Article
Application of Gas-Permeable Membranes For-Semi-Continuous Ammonia Recovery from Swine Manure
by Berta Riaño, Beatriz Molinuevo-Salces, Matías B. Vanotti and María Cruz García-González
Environments 2019, 6(3), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments6030032 - 6 Mar 2019
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 6877
Abstract
Gas-permeable membrane technology is a new strategy to minimize ammonia losses from manure, reducing pollution and recovering N in the form of an ammonium salt fertilizer. In this work, a new operational configuration to recover N using the gas-permeable membrane technology from swine [...] Read more.
Gas-permeable membrane technology is a new strategy to minimize ammonia losses from manure, reducing pollution and recovering N in the form of an ammonium salt fertilizer. In this work, a new operational configuration to recover N using the gas-permeable membrane technology from swine manure was tested in a semi-continuous mode. It treated swine manure with a total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentration of 3451 mg L−1. The system was operated with low aeration rate (to raise pH), and with hydraulic retention times (HRT) of seven days (Period I) and five days (Period II) that provided total ammonia nitrogen loading rate (ALR) treatments of 491 and 696 mg TAN per L of reactor per day, respectively. Results showed a uniform TAN recovery rate of 27 g per m2 of membrane surface per day regardless of the ALR applied and the manure TAN concentration in the reactor. TAN removal reached 79% for Period I and 56% for Period II, with 90% of recovery by the membrane in both periods. Water capture in the acidic solution was also uniform during the experimental period. An increase in temperature of 3 °C of the acidic solution relative to the wastewater reduced 34% the osmotic distillation and water dilution of the product. These results suggested that the gas-permeable membrane technology operating in a semi-continuous mode has a great potential for TAN recovery from manure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Animal Manure Management for Environmental Protection, Improved Soil Fertility and Crop Production)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 9626 KiB  
Review
Recent Developments in Sonic Crystals as Barriers for Road Traffic Noise Mitigation
by Luca Fredianelli, Lara Ginevra Del Pizzo and Gaetano Licitra
Environments 2019, 6(2), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments6020014 - 30 Jan 2019
Cited by 78 | Viewed by 9608
Abstract
Noise barriers are the most widespread solution to mitigate noise produced by the continuous growth of vehicular traffic, thus reducing the large number of people exposed to it and avoiding unpleasant effects on health. However, conventional noise barriers present the well-known issues related [...] Read more.
Noise barriers are the most widespread solution to mitigate noise produced by the continuous growth of vehicular traffic, thus reducing the large number of people exposed to it and avoiding unpleasant effects on health. However, conventional noise barriers present the well-known issues related to the diffraction at the edges which reduces the net insertion loss, to the reflection of sound energy in the opposite direction, and to the complaints of citizens due to the reduction of field of view, natural light, and air flow. In order to avoid these shortcomings and maximize noise abatement, recent research has moved toward the development of sonic crystals as noise barriers. A previous review found in the literature was focused on the theoretical aspects of the propagation of sound through crystals. The present work on the other hand reviews the latest studies concerning the practical application of sonic crystal as noise barriers, especially for road traffic noise mitigation. The paper explores and compares the latest developments reported in the scientific literature, focused on integrating Bragg’s law properties with other mitigation effects such as hollow scatterers, wooden or recycled materials, or porous coating. These solutions could increase the insertion loss and frequency band gap, while inserting the noise mitigation action in a green and circular economy. The pros and cons of sonic crystal barriers will also be discussed, with the aim of finding the best solution that is actually viable, as well as stimulating future research on the aspects requiring improvement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Solutions Mitigating Environmental Noise Pollution)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1811 KiB  
Article
Vinasse Treatment within the Sugarcane-Ethanol Industry Using Ozone Combined with Anaerobic and Aerobic Microbial Processes
by Cristiano E. R. Reis, Heitor B. S. Bento, Thiago M. Alves, Ana K. F. Carvalho and Heizir F. De Castro
Environments 2019, 6(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments6010005 - 7 Jan 2019
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 9107
Abstract
The production of ethanol from sugarcane or molasses generates vinasse, a residue rich in organic matter and minerals. Vinasse is often used in fertilization and irrigation practices, which may be linked to negative environmental outcomes if excess is applied. Herein, we introduce a [...] Read more.
The production of ethanol from sugarcane or molasses generates vinasse, a residue rich in organic matter and minerals. Vinasse is often used in fertilization and irrigation practices, which may be linked to negative environmental outcomes if excess is applied. Herein, we introduce a novel alternative to the treatment of vinasse promoting the reduction in Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) levels, phenolic compounds, and its mineral content through the coupling of ozone treatment, anaerobic digestion, and the aerobic growth of fungi. The ozone treatment is able to remove about 30% of the total COD, and deplete the concentration of phenolic compounds, while anaerobic digestion produces biogas and generates vinasse digestate, which is less biorecalcitrant than raw vinasse. The aerobic fungal growth generates oleaginous fungal biomass and promotes over 80% of Kjeldahl-Nitrogen in the vinasse. If vinasse were treated following the sequence of anaerobic digestion, aerobic fungal growth, and ozone treatment, the effluent would have about 95% of the COD decreased, complete removal of phenolic compounds, and over 80% of Kjeldahl-Nitrogen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Oxidation Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 578 KiB  
Article
Speech Identification and Comprehension in the Urban Soundscape
by Letizia Marchegiani, Xenofon Fafoutis and Sahar Abbaspour
Environments 2018, 5(5), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments5050056 - 7 May 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5053
Abstract
Urban environments are characterised by the presence of copious and unstructured noise. This noise continuously challenges speech intelligibility both in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired individuals. In this paper, we investigate the impact of urban noise, such as traffic, on speech identification and, more generally, [...] Read more.
Urban environments are characterised by the presence of copious and unstructured noise. This noise continuously challenges speech intelligibility both in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired individuals. In this paper, we investigate the impact of urban noise, such as traffic, on speech identification and, more generally, speech understanding. With this purpose, we perform listening experiments to evaluate the ability of individuals with normal hearing to detect words and interpret conversational speech in the presence of urban noise (e.g., street drilling, traffic jams). Our experiments confirm previous findings in different acoustic environments and demonstrate that speech identification is influenced by the similarity between the target speech and the masking noise also in urban scenarios. More specifically, we propose the use of the structural similarity index to quantify this similarity. Our analysis confirms that speech identification is more successful in presence of noise with tempo-spectral characteristics different from speech. Moreover, our results show that speech comprehension is not as challenging as word identification in urban sound environments that are characterised by the presence of severe noise. Indeed, our experiments demonstrate that speech comprehension can be fairly successful even in acoustic scenes where the ability to identify speech is highly reduced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sound Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 2263 KiB  
Article
Audio-Visual Preferences and Tranquillity Ratings in Urban Areas
by Luca Cassina, Luca Fredianelli, Irene Menichini, Claudia Chiari and Gaetano Licitra
Environments 2018, 5(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments5010001 - 22 Dec 2017
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 7237
Abstract
During a survey related to acoustic and visual perception of users of urban areas, 614 people have been interviewed in Pisa (Italy). The work aims to identify and quantify the effects of parameters influencing the perception of tranquillity in order to understand the [...] Read more.
During a survey related to acoustic and visual perception of users of urban areas, 614 people have been interviewed in Pisa (Italy). The work aims to identify and quantify the effects of parameters influencing the perception of tranquillity in order to understand the soundscape and to propose a method based on the perception of tranquillity for the detection of quiet areas within urban ones. A linear model that predicts the tranquillity perceived in different environments, based on their visual and acoustic characteristics, is proposed. Users were interviewed by operators inside the areas, using a direct approach of standardized questionnaires and oral questions. Simultaneous noise measurements and soundwalks have been performed, together with visual registrations. The linear model obtained predicts the perceived tranquillity based on the statistical level LA10 (A-weighted noise level exceeded for 10% of the measurement time) the sound sources and visual elements. The perceived tranquillity results negatively correlated to LA10 and to the presence of sound sources or negative visual elements. The presence of beneficial sound sources is positively correlated to the perceived tranquillity. However, the effect of the noise level is regulated by environmental characteristics. Perceived tranquillity is proposed as an indicator to identify quiet areas in the urban environment, according to European Directive 49/2002/EC. The obtained model identifies the areas that would get a higher tranquillity value than a fixed threshold value and therefore would be perceived as quiet. The model can be used as a cost-benefit analysis support tool to identify the best solution between the reduction of noise levels and the regeneration of urban areas, referring to the tranquillity perceived by the users. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sound Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying article 101-105 on page 3 of 3.
Go to page     chevron_left 1 2 3
Back to TopTop