Search Results (98,356)

This study develops a fully coupled thermo–hydro–mechanical (THM) finite-element model to investigate fracture-induced fluid loss in depleted formations. To address the issue of assuming a homogeneous, unfractured medium, this approach incorporates the effects of pre-existing or induced fractures. By integrating thermoelastic stresses, fluid flow, and transient heat transfer, the model provides a more accurate simulation of coupled interactions, enabling a deeper understanding of stress evolution and fracture aperture behavior under temperature variations. The results show that pressure depletion reduces horizontal principal stresses in an approximately linear manner, with the minimum horizontal stress being more sensitive. The influence of wellbore pressure is concentrated in the near-wellbore region (r/rw < 2), where it increases circumferential stress at low azimuths and exhibits an almost linear positive correlation with fracture aperture. Fracture length has a negligible effect on pore-pressure variations (≤0.19 MPa) but increases circumferential stress at high azimuths and enlarges the aperture near the wellbore. Temperature effects, through thermoelastic stresses, dominate local stress redistribution, with the 90° azimuth showing the strongest sensitivity. Higher injection temperatures increase circumferential and radial stresses while decreasing near-wellbore aperture, whereas lower temperatures produce the opposite response. Although temperature differences cause only minor changes in pore pressure and far-field stresses, they exert first-order control on near-wellbore width evolution and the likelihood of lost circulation. These findings indicate that coordinated optimization of wellbore pressure, fracture dimensions, and injection temperature under depletion conditions is important for mitigating fracture-induced fluid loss and improving drilling safety and efficiency. Full article

Background: Cephalosporins, widely used β-lactam antibiotics, are becoming significant environmental pollutants, primarily due to their high use and persistence. They are released into the environment mainly through wastewater treatment plants, agricultural runoff, and hospital discharge, with particularly high concentrations recorded in effluents. Conventional wastewater treatment methods have inadequate removal efficiency, while advanced treatments, such as ozonation, activated carbon adsorption, and advanced oxidation processes, although more efficient, may produce toxic by-products. Recent studies emphasize the importance of improved detection and monitoring techniques and advocate for stricter effluent regulations. Despite growing research attention, important knowledge gaps remain, including limited long-term field monitoring, insufficient data on environmentally realistic exposure scenarios, and incomplete assessment of transformation-product toxicity. Methods: The search strategy used the SCOPUS and PUBMED databases with the keywords “cephalosporin” AND “aquatic environment”, resulting in 341 records. After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 110 peer-reviewed English-language studies meeting predefined thematic inclusion criteria and relevant to the occurrence, environmental fate, ecotoxicological effects, antimicrobial resistance, and removal of cephalosporins in aquatic environments were included in the narrative synthesis. Results: The literature on cephalosporins in aquatic environments has expanded significantly from 1978 to 2025, prompted by concerns about pharmaceutical contamination and antibiotic resistance. Studies from 2016 to 2025 used advanced and multidisciplinary monitoring techniques, revealed key pollution sources such as wastewater treatment plants and hospitals, and correlated antibiotic residues with resistance genes, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and mitigation efforts. Ecotoxicological and fate studies further indicate that transformation processes may generate products with altered or increased toxicity, complicating environmental risk assessment. Conclusions: The literature shows increasing attention to cephalosporins in aquatic environments, reporting associations with antimicrobial resistance and adverse effects on aquatic organisms, including potential toxicity from transformation products. This review highlights the need for integrated monitoring, standardized toxicity assessment, and improved treatment strategies within a One Health framework. Full article

Biochar amendment holds promise for improving saline soils, yet its efficacy is often constrained by the uncertainty of application rates. In this study, a large field trial and associated statistical modeling were conducted to explore the mechanisms by which biochar affects wheat yield in coastal saline soils of northern China. Results showed that biochar application significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC) content (R²= 0.615, p < 0.001) but induced marked spatial heterogeneity across the field, with the coefficient of variation (CV) reaching 30.2%. Given the difficulty of uniformly applying biochar in the field, subplot-level SOC was used as a proxy for effective biochar distribution. Stepwise regression identified soil electrical conductivity (EC) as the dominant yield constraint (standardized coefficient = −0.69), rather than water and nutrients, and a quadratic relationship was observed between SOC and EC. Structural equation modeling (SEM) further suggested a trade-off: SOC was associated with higher yield through reduced bulk density (BD) (path coefficient = −0.603), whereas high SOC levels were also associated with increased EC under this coastal saline field setting (path coefficient = 0.243), thereby indirectly constraining growth. Consequently, the agronomic response showed a threshold-like transition: the peak wheat yield occurred at an SOC threshold of 13.87 g kg⁻¹ (equivalent to 44.41 t ha⁻¹), which exceeded the point of minimum salinity (11.71 g kg⁻¹, equivalent to ~29.90 t ha⁻¹ biochar). These results suggest that the agronomic benefit of biochar in saline soils depends on maintaining application within an estimated beneficial buffering zone. Full article

Landfills are complex repositories where macroplastics degrade into MPs. This review examines mechanical, chemical, and biological pathways of plastic fragmentation, as well as the occurrence, characteristics, and removal efficiency of MPs in landfill leachate. We also explore the landfill plastisphere from the perspective of this complex matrix, considering how plastic surfaces and microbial life may potentially converge to form a key biogeochemical interface that could influence carbon and nitrogen transformations The plastisphere’s complex surface structure drives microbial differentiation. Given its established links to GHG production in soil and water, we propose it likely represents a key contributor to GHG emissions in the more complex landfill environment. To bridge this conceptual gap, we review a mathematical scaffolding encompassing biofilm growth, polymer degradation kinetics, and gas flux, which can as a theoretical baseline requiring future in situ parameterization to evaluate plastisphere-driven biogeochemical interactions. Building on recent advances in monitoring and remote sensing technologies, including IOT networks, UAV imagery, and AI analysis, we outline a low-carbon landfill framework designed to optimize operational controls. This framework is described to simultaneously mitigate MP release and reduce GHG emissions, lowering carbon footprints. Amid surging plastic pollutants, this review underscores the necessity of holistic, integrated mitigation strategies. Full article

An integrated analysis incorporating total organic carbon (TOC) content measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and gas adsorption experiments was performed on core samples from Well FY1-4 of the upper-fourth Shahejie Formation (Es₄) in the Minfeng Sag. To address the lack of systematic research on the pore and fractal characteristics of organic-rich low-maturity shales in the Minfeng Sag (against the preponderance of studies on high-maturity shales), this study characterized the lithofacies, reservoir space and pore fractal features of the target low-maturity shale interval and clarified the sedimentary controls on lithofacies and key factors regulating pore fractal heterogeneity. The results reveal that the shale in the Es₄ of the study area exhibits low thermal maturity, with six distinct lithofacies identified. Organic-rich laminated calcareous shale lithofacies (RL-1) and organic-rich laminated calcareous/argillaceous mixed shale lithofacies (RL-2) represent the most favorable lithofacies, which are dominated by large mesopores and macropores. Their reservoir spaces were primarily composed of intergranular pores, intragranular pores, and organic pores, whereas the other lithofacies are dominated by small mesopores. The pore surface fractal dimension (D) was calculated using the Frenkel–Halsey–Hill (FHH) model based on low-temperature N₂ adsorption (LTNA) data. The meso-macropore system shows higher heterogeneity than the micropore system (D₂ > D₁). Both D₁ and D₂ exhibit a weak negative correlation with TOC and carbonate content and a positive correlation with clay content. In the initial depositional stage of the Es₄, the arid climate, weak terrigenous input, shallow lake depth, and high salinity resulted in the strongly reducing saline depositional environment with relatively low organic matter enrichment. As the climate became progressively humid in the middle and late stages, hydrodynamic conditions intensified, leading to a lithofacies transition from mixed shales to argillaceous calcareous shales. Increased TOC and carbonate contents reduce the pore fractal dimension of shale. Smaller fractal dimensions directly indicate a simple pore structure and regular pore surface in the shale oil reservoir of the Minfeng Sag, where reservoir space is dominated by large pores such as intercrystalline pores and dissolved pores. Such pore characteristics are more favorable for the enrichment of shale oil. Full article

As the digital economy advances, information infrastructure has become a core engine for driving green economic transition and optimizing sustainable land systems. However, its heterogeneous governance effects on different types of pollutants and spatial spillover mechanisms remain insufficiently explored. This study draws on the theoretical framework of the dynamic game between scale and technique effects. It utilizes the PSTR model and the SDM to systematically investigate the nonlinear and spatial synergistic impacts of information infrastructure. The analysis covers aggregate information infrastructure and its structural subdivisions, including traditional and new information infrastructure. To ensure empirical rigor, this study introduces a Bartik instrumental variable constructed via the shift share approach and thoroughly eliminates endogeneity interference through the Control Function Approach and a core variable lagging strategy. The empirical research reveals three core findings. Firstly, after crossing the initial extensive scale effect dominated by physical construction, the profound technique effect dominates long-term environmental governance. Secondly, new-type information infrastructure demonstrates a superior capacity for long-term environmental governance and land use efficiency compared to traditional telecommunications. Finally, spatial spillover analysis indicates that although PM2.5 exhibits strong cross-regional physical contagion, the current environmental dividends of information infrastructure remain highly localized due to regional administrative data silos, lacking significant cross-regional synergistic spillover effects. This study provides a solid empirical basis for formulating differentiated digital spatial governance frameworks, breaking interprovincial data factor barriers, and preventing the physical expansion trap of traditional infrastructure. Full article

In this review, the application of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) for repairing coal mining-induced cracks in loess soils was summarized, and its objectives, main findings, and key challenges were highlighted. First, the formation characteristics and engineering demands of mining-induced loess cracks were analyzed, and the limitations of existing repair methods in terms of durability, adaptability, and environmental impact were emphasized. The advantages of MICP for soil stabilization, crack sealing, and ground improvement were presented, demonstrating its potential for use in the remediation of cracks in loess. Key challenges in practical implementation, including uneven injection, clogging, environmental constraints on microbial activity, ammonia byproduct risks, and insufficient long-term stability assessment, were discussed. Overall, MICP offers a sustainable and effective strategy for loess crack repair, providing a promising approach for ecological restoration and geotechnical reinforcement in mining-affected regions. Full article

The excessive accumulation of biogenic amines (BAs) in aquatic products poses serious health risks, necessitating the development of rapid and sensitive detection methods. This study reports the synthesis of a novel fluorescent nanocomposite, carbon-dot-embedded covalent organic frameworks (CDs@COFs). Comprehensive characterization (TEM, XPS, FTIR, UV–Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy) confirmed the successful fabrication of the nanocomposites, which exhibited excellent thermal and optical stability. A significantly enhanced quantum yield of 36.22% (compared with 12.92% for pure carbon dots) was obtained. As a fluorescent probe, the composite enabled the detection of nine BAs based on a fluorescence quenching mechanism. The proposed method demonstrated good linearity (1~100 ng/mL) and low detection limits of 0.58~0.98 ng/mL. The method was successfully applied to analyze tyramine in large yellow croaker, showing accurate spike recoveries ranging from 91.93% to 101.43% and excellent reproducibility (RSD < 3%). These results highlight the great potential of the developed method as a powerful tool for the rapid screening of BAs in aquatic products. Full article

The research aimed to create a hybrid model for assessing the carbon footprint of pilots’ education at a flight school, taking into account the level of implementation of green infrastructure by the educational institution, while excluding indirect emissions from the model. The study implemented an approach that combines fuzzy set theory with expert evaluation methods, utilizing membership functions and convolution mechanisms to incorporate subjective expert assessments into formalized numerical measures. The research was focused on two research questions: Does the proposed hybrid model allow for a practical assessment of a pilot’s carbon footprint during his training? Does the hybrid model provide the ability to automatically determine the level of carbon footprint of an aviation educational institution and generate substantiated recommendations for the strategic management of sustainable development of the educational process? The resulting model enables a quantitative assessment of individual CO₂ emissions during pilot training and provides collective insights into the overall carbon footprint, accounting for the green infrastructure’s level of implementation. The hybrid model was tested and validated using real data from the Technical University of Košice (Slovakia) within the “PILOT” study program (2022–2025). The experimental calculations are based on the Viper SD4, a homogeneous aircraft type. The model is designed to account for multiple aircraft types through weighted aggregation, a feature that can be used in future institutional implementations. These recommendations are practical for managers and specialists at aviation educational institutions, environmental analysts, curriculum developers, and policymakers focused on sustainable development. At the current stage, the model primarily captures direct training-related and institution-level operational emissions, while indirect emissions were included only to a limited extent because of insufficiently available and non-systematically recorded data. Therefore, the proposed framework should be interpreted as an operational decision-support model rather than a full greenhouse gas inventory covering all indirect emission sources. Full article

Leaching carbon residue (LCR) is a carbonaceous solid waste generated during the hydrometallurgical recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries. Although its high graphite content offers substantial potential for resource recovery, the residual heavy metals and fluorides present in LCR pose considerable environmental risks. Currently, LCR has not garnered sufficient attention within the industry, and the lack of recycling technologies suitable for large-scale disposal results in resource wastage and environmental pollution. To address these challenges, this study proposes an innovative strategy based on the concept of multi-field synergistic enhancement. The proposed approach involves recovering and regenerating graphite (RG) from LCR via low-temperature molten salt roasting assisted by high-pressure and mechanical activation. A combination of advanced characterization techniques was employed to compare the physicochemical properties of RG and commercial graphite (CG) and to systematically evaluate the technical feasibility of using regenerated graphite as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The results demonstrate that, under optimized molten salt roasting and aqueous leaching conditions, the carbon content of RG reaches 99.94 wt%, indicating the efficient removal of non-carbon impurities from the graphite matrix. Compared to CG, RG retains a typical layered structure; however, a lower carbon content (99.94 wt%) and poorer structural order (I_D/I_G = 0.30) are observed. In terms of electrochemical performance, RG delivers a discharge specific capacity of 394.64 mAh/g during the first cycle and exhibits excellent cycling stability, with a capacity retention of 86.50% after 100 cycles. This electrochemical performance is comparable to that of commercial graphite. The proposed multi-field-assisted low-temperature molten salt roasting technique enables the efficient recovery of high-value graphite resources from LCR, establishing a full-lifecycle recycling strategy tailored for lithium-ion battery applications. Full article

The global energy transition and the implementation of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) strategies require energy-efficient and scalable CO₂ separation technologies. Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs), combining polymer matrices with functional inorganic or hybrid nanofillers, have emerged as advanced separation platforms capable of surpassing the conventional permeability–selectivity trade-off observed in neat polymer membranes. This review critically evaluates recent developments in modern hybrid membranes for CO₂ separation from synthetic and industrial gas mixtures, including CO₂/N₂ (flue gas), CO₂/CH₄ (natural gas and biogas upgrading), and syngas systems. Particular emphasis is placed on MMMs incorporating covalent organic frameworks (COFs), metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), graphene oxide (GO), MXenes, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), g-C₃N₄, layered double hydroxides (LDH), zeolites, metal oxides, and magnetic nanoparticles. Reported performance ranges include CO₂ permeability (P_CO2) typically between 100 and 800 Barrer, CO₂/N₂ selectivity up to 319, and CO₂/CH₄ selectivity up to 249, depending on filler chemistry, loading, and interfacial compatibility. The mechanisms governing gas transport—molecular sieving, selective adsorption, facilitated transport, and diffusion-pathway engineering—are systematically discussed. Key challenges addressed include filler dispersion, polymer–filler interfacial defects, physical aging, moisture sensitivity, oxidation (particularly in MXenes), and scalability toward industrial membrane modules. Future perspectives focus on sub-nanometer pore engineering, surface functionalization to enhance CO₂ affinity, controlled alignment of 2D nanosheets to promote directional transport, multifunctional core–shell and hollow structures, and the integration of computational modeling and machine learning for accelerated material design. Modern hybrid MMMs are identified as strategically important materials enabling high-efficiency CO₂ separation processes aligned with decarbonization and energy transition objectives. Full article

Efficient soil fertility monitoring is essential for sustainable agriculture, food security, and environmental management across Africa, yet conventional laboratory methods remain prohibitively costly and slow for continental-scale applications. Soil spectroscopy is considered as a rapid, non-destructive alternative with transformative potential. This review provides a systematic synthesis of spectroscopic applications across Africa, encompassing laboratory, field, airborne, and satellite-based platforms, while examining major data sources including the Africa Soil Information Service (AfSIS) and GEO-CRADLE spectral libraries. We critically evaluate the evolution of modeling approaches, revealing that Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) dominates, but a shift toward advanced frameworks like hybrid physically based models, ensemble learning and deep neural networks is essential. Critically, we identify a pronounced imbalance wherein laboratory spectroscopy prevails while imaging and satellite-based approaches remain comparatively underutilized, despite their unparalleled potential for scaling point measurements to continental extents. The review consolidates findings on key soil properties, demonstrating consistent successes for primary constituents with direct spectral responses (i.e., organic carbon), while revealing relative uncertainty for properties inferred indirectly via covariance (e.g., available phosphorus, potassium). Despite significant local and regional progress, the absence of a standardized pan-African spectral library and the intractable transferability problem remain formidable barriers. Future research must pivot decisively toward imaging spectroscopy and satellite platforms, mitigating PLSR dominance through systematic adoption of ensemble methods, transfer learning, and model harmonization frameworks to fully operationalize these technologies in support of Africa’s sustainable development goals. Full article

Novel carbon-storing construction materials have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in long-lived building products. In order to understand the full benefits and shortcomings of carbon-storing materials, life cycle assessments (LCAs) must be performed. However, material innovators who are looking to perform LCAs of their products during early-stage research and development (R&D) face many challenges. While these challenges have been reported in the literature, this information has been fragmented and required a more comprehensive investigation. We explored these LCA challenges by holding an in-person workshop with sixteen R&D teams who were developing carbon-storing materials and building designs. From the data collected in this workshop, we found that the R&D teams struggled with data availability, biogenic carbon, and uncertainty, which confirmed our findings from the literature. They also struggled with various other LCA topics. Since current LCA tools lack functions that would be useful for this user group, we also proposed a list of tool ideas that could address their LCA needs, which can inform future LCA tool development. Full article

Continuous greenhouse watermelon cultivation is widely constrained by declining soil function, impaired nutrient cycling, and increasing soil-borne disease pressure. Developing biologically driven strategies to restore soil–crop coupling is therefore critical for sustainable protected horticulture. Here, we conducted a two-year field experiment (2024–2025) using a randomized block design with three treatments (CK, ST, and STE), three replicates per treatment, and a plot area of 22.5 m² to evaluate how straw application alone and in combination with earthworms regulate soil processes and crop performance in a continuous greenhouse watermelon system. Compared with CK and ST, earthworm–straw co-application (STE) exerted stronger effects, particularly during the mid-to-late growth stages. In 2024, STE increased soil organic matter by 25.34% and 30.28% relative to CK at the fruiting and harvest stages, respectively; in 2025, the corresponding increases were 25.22% and 27.62%. STE also significantly increased total nitrogen at nearly all growth stages, with the maximum increase reaching 67.23% relative to CK at harvest. In 2025, total phosphorus under STE was significantly higher than under CK and ST across all growth stages, with increases of 75.82% and 79.63%, respectively, at the fruiting stage. Neutral phosphatase activity was markedly enhanced, increasing by 292.24% at the fruiting stage in 2025. These improvements were accompanied by higher plot yield and lower wilt disease incidence, with yield increasing by 34.00% in 2024 and 21.29% in 2025 relative to CK, while disease incidence decreased by 41.46% and 56.06%, respectively. Integrative Mantel tests showed that total nitrogen was the factor most strongly associated with watermelon yield, with the correlation coefficient increasing from r = 0.490 (p = 0.001) in 2024 to r = 0.662 (p = 0.001) in 2025. Co-occurrence network analysis further revealed a strong positive correlation between yield and total nitrogen (r = 0.848 in 2024; r = 0.673 in 2025) and a negative correlation between disease incidence and total nitrogen (r = −0.661 in 2024; r = −0.822 in 2025), indicating progressively strengthened soil–plant functional coupling over time. Our findings demonstrate that earthworm–straw co-application strengthened soil nutrient transformation capacity and enhanced soil suppressiveness against wilt disease, thereby providing an effective ecology-based strategy for alleviating continuous-cropping constraints in greenhouse watermelon systems. Full article

To address insufficient carbon integration, weakly verifiable quality constraints, and unstable Pareto-set generation in construction-stage green decision-making, this study develops a multi-objective optimization model for construction mode configuration and an engineering-oriented genetic algorithm (GA) framework for Pareto solution generation under hard feasibility constraints. In a construction organization scenario, duration, cost, and carbon emissions are formulated as parallel objectives, while a quality threshold, explicit process logic, and basic resource and workface-feasibility conditions are incorporated to ensure engineering implementability. Construction-stage carbon emissions are quantified using the emission factor method under an auditable activity-level accounting framework. The configured GA framework is compared with the conventional GA, the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II, and the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm III through repeated-run statistics and multi-metric evaluation. On the main case, it achieves the highest mean hypervolume (0.723 ± 0.074, mean ± standard deviation), the lowest mean spacing (0.076 ± 0.207), and the smallest average convergence generation (18.49 ± 2.57). The Pareto results reveal a clear trade-off among duration, cost, and carbon emissions, in which high-load beam-and-slab formwork and concrete-related activities dominate cost and carbon variation, whereas schedule advantage mainly depends on stronger compression of critical-chain activities and inter-floor handover. Full article