Search Results (5,021)

This study develops an Industry 5.0- and IoT-enabled roadmap for green transformation in manufacturing, with a particular focus on Turkish industry. The study combines a structured literature review, bibliometric keyword mapping based on Web of Science records, and interview-informed framework refinement drawing on the sustainability departments of five large-scale manufacturing firms operating in Türkiye. Rather than treating green transformation as a single initiative, the roadmap organizes it into five interrelated modules: emission reduction, clean and reliable energy, circular-economy mobilization, energy- and resource-efficient construction and renovation, and zero-pollution waste management. The main contribution is a five-level qualitative maturity model that shows how firms can move from compliance- and governance-based foundations to integrated, data-driven, and predictive sustainability practices. The framework clarifies which factors are foundational, enabling, or advanced at each level and is intended to be used as a practitioner checklist and strategic assessment tool rather than as a fixed quantitative scoring model. The interview insights were used to refine the sequencing of actions, identify implementation bottlenecks, and adapt the framework to the realities of Turkish manufacturing. By linking human-centric Industry 5.0 principles with operational sustainability priorities, this study offers both conceptual novelty and practical guidance for firms and policymakers seeking to align industrial upgrading with long-term environmental competitiveness. Full article

This study investigates the feasibility of incorporating high-volume municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash into geopolymers, with a focus on its effects on mechanical performance and fragmentation behavior. A systematic experimental program was conducted in three stages. Geopolymer mixtures were first prepared with MSWI fly ash substitution rates ranging from 50% to 100% at seven distinct levels. Uniaxial compression tests were then performed to evaluate mechanical properties, followed by sieve analysis to examine fragment size distribution. The fractal dimension (D) was adopted to quantitatively characterize the degree of fragmentation. The results indicate that dry density, compressive strength, and elastic modulus all decrease progressively with increasing MSWI fly ash content. Specifically, as the fly ash content increased from 50% to 100% the compressive strength decreased from 9.57 MPa to 3.18 MPa. Notably, even at a 100% substitution rate, the compressive strength reached 3.18 MPa, which is 59% higher than the 2.0 MPa minimum requirement specified in the JTG/T F20-2015 standard. These findings demonstrate that MSWI fly ash can be effectively utilized at high replacement levels to produce sustainable geopolymers with satisfactory mechanical properties. This approach presents a viable strategy for recycling industrial solid waste into value-added construction materials. Full article

Red mud discharged during alumina production via the Bayer process is characterized by high contents of sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and other soluble salts, and it remains poorly utilized and accumulates in long-term stockpiles. Sodium percarbonate has found extensive industrial applications, and its synthesis via the salting-out method represents one of the dominant industrial routes. In this context, sodium sulfate was employed as a salting-out agent. On the basis of relevant ternary systems, the phase equilibrium of the quaternary system Na₂CO₃–Na₂SO₄–H₂O₂–H₂O at 5 °C was systematically investigated and calculated. The objective was to utilize red mud as a waste resource and develop a novel integrated process that favored the wet synthesis of sodium percarbonate while enabling the efficient separation of sodium salts. The solubility data for the ternary subsystems constituting the above quaternary system were correlated using the Pitzer model, yielding the corresponding ion interaction parameters and activity coefficients. The validated model was then applied to predict the phase equilibrium data of the quaternary system. Verification results indicate that the calculated values are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data. On the basis of the phase equilibrium data of the Na₂CO₃–Na₂SO₄–H₂O₂–H₂O system at 5 °C, a phase diagram was constructed. Along with five solid-phase crystallization fields, three invariant points were identified: the co-saturation point of Na₂SO₄·10H₂O, Na₂CO₃·10H₂O, and Na₂CO₃·1.5H₂O₂·H₂O; the co-saturation point of Na₂SO₄·10H₂O, Na₂CO₃·1.5H₂O₂·H₂O, and Na₂SO₄·0.5H₂O₂·H₂O; and the co-saturation point of Na₂CO₃·1.5H₂O₂·H₂O, Na₂SO₄·0.5H₂O₂·H₂O, and Na₂CO₃·2H₂O₂·H₂O. From phase diagram analysis, a novel wet process route for sodium percarbonate production using waste red mud is proposed. The process involves chemical reaction, crystallization, separation, and drying to obtain the final product. A new process flow diagram for the value-added production of sodium percarbonate is also presented. Full article

The integration of salt removal and structural consolidation remains a major challenge in heritage brick conservation. This research proposes a preliminary experimental setup for a dual-function microbial strategy using a single bacterium, Stutzerimonas stutzeri D1, capable of sequential denitrification (biocleaning) and ureolysis-driven microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (biocementation). After the pre-check assessment, which compared standalone, simultaneous, and sequential metabolic configurations, sequential denitrification followed by ureolysis (A→B) optimized functional compatibility, achieving 90.1% nitrate removal within 48 h and the highest precipitation rate during the biocementation phase. Application on authentic demolition waste (solid fired-clay brick specimens) demonstrated highly efficient nitrate reduction, alkalization (from pH value of 6.4 to 9.12), surface mineral deposition confirmed by visual inspection, SEM imaging, and XRD analysis. Furthermore, reduced water absorption (by 30%) and improved compressive strength (by 25%) for only 72 h of this dual treatment indicate a promising and holistic approach in the field of construction biotechnology of heritage brick conservation. These pioneer findings demonstrate that metabolic sequencing governs compatibility in dual-function bacterial systems and validate a sustainable, single-strain platform for combined biocleaning and biocementation of historic brick masonry structures. Full article

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is a cellulose derivative characterized by physicochemical properties (gel formation, water solubility, biodegradability, and biocompatibility). These properties explain their wide use in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, and construction. This review evaluates the classification, production processes, and analytical characterization of HPMC, with particular attention to its versatility and sustainability life cycle. The environmental impact of HPMC is analyzed through its energy-intensive production, waste generation, emissions, and end-of-life biodegradability. In comparison with many petroleum-based polymers, HPMC is often considered a greener option and its use as an additive in modern chemical industry is extended. Therefore, the adoption of more sustainable production practices is essential to minimize its ecological footprint. In this sense, greener raw material sourcing, improved production process efficiency, lower emission etherification and purification routes, and broader implementation of life-cycle-based optimization strategies were identified as key priorities to be addressed. Full article

The global poultry hatching industry faces severe challenges of resource waste and animal ethics issues due to the routine culling of day-old male chicks. Meanwhile, early sex identification of 4-day-incubated chicken embryos is limited by low accuracy, as embryos at this stage have weak, low-contrast blood vessels that are highly susceptible to interference from the eggshell’s texture. To address these issues, this paper proposes a non-destructive early sex identification method for chicken embryos based on an improved MobileViT-V3 model. Taking the lightweight hybrid architecture MobileViT-V3 as the backbone, we embedded a Micro Feature Enhancement module (MFE-Module) in Stage 3 to strengthen the extraction of fine vascular details, and a Multi-Scale Adaptive Attention Fusion module (MSAAF-Module) in Stage 4 to realize adaptive weighted screening of multi-source features. Experiments on the self-constructed dataset of 4-day-incubated embryos show that the improved model achieves a test set classification accuracy of 92.26%, with an F1-score of 92.15%, a recall rate of 92.12%, and a Kappa coefficient of 0.845. It outperforms mainstream models such as YOLOv12, ShuffleNetV2, ConvNeXt-T, ResNet, and Swin-ViT, with only 2.98 M parameters and an inference speed of 97.6 FPS, well exceeding the 30 FPS real-time requirement of industrial sorting lines and showing high potential for practical industrial deployment. This method provides a new scheme for non-destructive, high-precision, and high-efficiency early sex identification in poultry hatching. Full article

This study examines the drivers and challenges/barriers faced by built-environment professionals in applying circular economy (CE) principles within Maiduguri, Nigeria’s housing delivery system, a city recovering from prolonged conflict. Using a mixed-method approach, including a literature review, an interview and a questionnaire administered to construction professionals (n = 188), the research assesses awareness and practical implementation. Key drivers for CE adoption include regulatory incentives, increased research funding, potential cost savings, and rising environmental awareness. Major barriers, however, consist of limited technical expertise, weak policy enforcement, and financial constraints. The analysis also reveals significant gaps in on-site waste management and resource recovery practices. To address these issues, this study recommends targeted capacity-building programmes, stronger policy frameworks, and enhanced multi-stakeholder collaboration. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) should be supported to venture into engineering waste recycling and management. These measures aim to promote core CE practices, such as waste minimisation, reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing within the construction industry, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The research concludes that integrating CE strategies can foster sustainable housing development in Maiduguri, supporting environmental protection, socio-economic growth, and increased resilience of the built environment in post-conflict contexts. Full article

Background: Iron overload cardiomyopathy (IOC) is a major determinant of outcomes in hemochromatosis, and conventional echocardiography may miss early myocardial toxicity. Comparative data on primary (PH) versus secondary hemochromatosis (SH) using myocardial work (MW) indices are limited. Methods: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study of 34 adults (16 PH and 18 SH patients) at a tertiary center. They all underwent echocardiography with speckle-tracking to obtain LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and non-invasive MW indices from pressure-strain loops: global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), and global work efficiency (GWE). Echocardiographic phenotypes were classified as a Normal, Dilated, Restrictive, or right ventricular/pulmonary hypertension (RVPH) phenotype. Results: SH patients showed higher iron burden and neurohormonal activation than PH patients (maximum ferritin 2954 vs. 444 ng/mL; BNP 93 vs. 13.5 pg/mL; both p < 0.001) and accounted for all deaths (33% vs. 0%) despite similar 3D LVEFs and GLSs. PH patients predominantly exhibited Normal phenotypes (81%), whereas SH patients more often showed advanced phenotypes, mainly RVPH and Dilated. GWI correlated inversely with ferritin (ρ ≈ −0.40), particularly ferritin at echocardiography in SH patients, while PH patients showed no significant correlations. GWW was higher in Dilated/RVPH compared to Normal phenotypes, and in SH patients, higher maximum ferritin was associated with impaired right ventricular free-wall strain. Conclusions: PH and SH patients exhibit distinct IOC phenotypes, with SH patients showing more advanced remodeling and worse outcomes. In this exploratory analysis, MW indices showed modest associations with iron burden markers, suggesting they may provide complementary information beyond LVEF and GLS. These preliminary findings require validation in larger, prospective studies. Full article

It is known that a significant portion of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions originate from concrete production. However, construction and demolition activities result in a considerable amount of construction and demolition waste (CDW). The proper recycling of CDW is important in terms of conserving natural resources and ensuring sustainability. A significant amount of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is obtained from the recycling of CDW. Many researchers have contributed to reducing carbon emissions by conducting studies on RCA. However, the fact that recycled aggregates (RAs) are obtained from different construction wastes is the biggest obstacle to generalizing the studies in the literature. This study aims to identify machine learning (ML) models that can reliably predict the compressive strength of concrete produced with recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) and to evaluate the impacts of their use. In this study, keywords (15) obtained from articles (7953) selected from Web of Science were searched in the Scopus database. The selected studies (397) were analyzed using VOSviewer (version 1.6.20) software to identify leading institutions, countries, authors, sources, fields, gaps, challenges, and trends related to the use of recycled aggregate in concrete. This study not only has a theoretical structure but also makes a significant contribution to the literature by offering practical recommendations for field applications. This is the most important feature that distinguishes this study from other research. This study also promotes the use of RAs in concrete to reduce CO₂ emissions and encourages its sustainable use in the construction sector. Full article

Construction waste minimisation remains a persistent challenge in developing country contexts, where technical and regulatory deficiencies are often compounded by limited behavioural evidence on how professionals understand and respond to waste generation. This study examines the awareness, attitudes, perceptions, and self-reported waste minimisation practices of construction professionals in Lagos, Nigeria, to clarify how these cognitive factors relate to waste minimisation. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 243 construction professionals through a structured questionnaire and analysed using exploratory factor analysis, such as the relative importance index, the Kruskal–Wallis H test, and Spearman’s rank correlation. The findings indicate a high level of awareness of waste reduction strategies, with organised waste sorting for material reuse ranked the highest (RII = 0.868). However, 54.3% of respondents still perceived waste as an inevitable by-product of construction projects, revealing an important cognitive–behavioural gap. Spearman’s rank correlation showed no statistically significant association between awareness and attitudes (r = 0.113, p = 0.079) and no significant association between awareness and perceptions (r = 0.049, p = 0.452). A statistically significant but weak positive association was found between attitudes and perceptions (r = 0.204, p ≤ 0.001), which is consistent with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) theoretical expectations but does not constitute a direct test of the full TPB model. The study contributes context-specific behavioural evidence showing that awareness alone may be insufficient to support waste minimisation unless accompanied by more favourable perceptions of feasibility and value. These findings have implications for behaviourally informed policy, professional training, and circular construction strategies in Nigeria and similar contexts. Full article

The use of bio-based and biodegradable plastic products (BBpPs) ensures the mitigation of environmental effects of fossil-based plastics, especially in humanitarian crises where waste management is challenging. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are promising biodegradable biopolymers that are biocompatible and do not cause microplastic pollution. However, experimental assessment of PHA biodegradation is challenged by its time- and resource-intensiveness. In this study, a comprehensive computational Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship (QSAR)-based approach was developed to predict biodegradability of short chain length (scl)-PHA-based formulations consisting of various additives and building blocks. A novel curated dataset for the (scl)-PHA poly(-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), with literature-reported environmental and biodegradation parameters from lab-scale experiments in soil, marine, freshwater and compost systems, was constructed and used to develop and validate the introduced approach. Random forest (RF) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) machine learning (ML) models were optimized and validated with cross-validation and test set predictions. The optimal models reported high accuracy values of the coefficient of determination R², indicating excellent relationships between structure and biodegradation metrics. Further analysis of descriptor variable importance confirmed that biopolymer biodegradability was favorably affected by biodegradation time, while mechanisms, environmental conditions, and additives contributed secondary yet physically consistent effects. The proposed QSAR framework demonstrated a robust and interpretable web-based tool for predicting the environmental fate of PHBV in natural environments and supported the sustainable safe-by-design (SSbD) approach of next-generation biodegradable polymers. Full article

In the Industry 4.0 era, the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operation (AECO) sector faces a strategic challenge in integrating Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems during early design stages, where a lack of “Design for Maintainability” contributes to building defect rates of up to 28%. These failures not only incur significant resource waste but also undermine long-term building sustainability. This study evaluates a digital innovation framework synthesizing Serious Games and Cooperative Problem-Based Learning (CPBL) via Minecraft to foster systemic thinking and spatial reservation logic at Level of Development (LOD) 100–150 as a catalyst for digital transformation. Utilizing a mixed-methods design (n = 25), the curriculum employed a “Mirror Mapping” mechanism, translating game physics into real-world electrical and plumbing logic. While results showed 93% management competency, a significant 13% “Symbolic Transformation Gap (STG)” (80% in system analogy) persisted, indicating that symbolic fluency does not automatically yield professional engineering reasoning. These findings validate the framework’s potential for spatial externalization and emphasize the necessity of “bridging activities” and Digital Twin linkages to optimize building lifecycle performance and reduce carbon footprints, ultimately achieving sustainable building goals. Full article

This study evaluates the potential of using Granulated Waste Tire Rubber (GWTR) as an alternative raw material in geopolymer mortars an eco-friendly, low-carbon alternative to traditional cement-based systems. The research investigates the synergistic effect of industrial by-products, such as slag (from ferrochrome plants) and fly ash (from thermal power plants), combined with varying proportions of GWTR (1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 by volume). A total of 22 mixtures were prepared using diverse binder pastes, including pure cement, slag-based, and fly ash-based geopolymer systems, alongside their cement-substituted derivatives. The mechanical and physical performances were assessed through compressive strength, flexural strength, and Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) tests at 3, 7, 28, and 180 days, complemented by SEM microstructural analyses. The findings indicate that while GWTR significantly reduces the mechanical properties of pure cement matrices, this negative impact is substantially mitigated in geopolymer mortars supplemented with 5–10% cement. Mixtures containing 1/4 GWTR with 90–95% slag or fly ash (M6, M7, M15, M16) yielded the most successful results in terms of both strength and sustainability, specifically, mixtures M7 and M16 because the hybrid binder synergy effectively compensated for the rubber-induced porosity, ensuring a denser matrix and structural-grade compressive strength alongside high sustainability. Significant decreases in performance were observed at higher GWTR ratios, particularly at the 1/2 level. Overall, the study demonstrates that integrating GWTR into optimized geopolymer systems offers a viable pathway for the valorization of environmental waste and minimizing the ecological footprint of the construction industry. Full article

The construction sector consumes significant amounts of natural resources and contributes substantially to global CO₂ emissions, making it necessary to develop materials with a reduced environmental impact. In this context, the valorization of reusable industrial waste as secondary raw materials represents a strategic direction for applying circular economy principles and for decarbonizing the construction materials industry. The scientific problem addressed in this review is the urgent need to develop construction materials with a reduced environmental footprint, given that the construction sector is a major consumer of natural resources and a significant contributor to global CO₂ emissions. This challenge requires the identification and critical evaluation of sustainable solutions that support decarbonization and the transition toward a circular economy. The main findings indicate that the valorization of industrial waste offers high decarbonization potential: supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as ground granulated blast furnace slag and fly ash, can reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 20–50%, while alkali-activated binders and geopolymers achieve reductions of 40–80% compared to Portland cement. These materials also enhance durability, extending service life by 10–20% in aggressive environments, although early-age strength may decrease by 10–30%; recycled aggregates derived from construction and demolition waste (CDW) can substitute up to 100% of natural aggregates, while rubber fibers can increase impact resistance by 30–50% and reduce density by 10–20%. However, key limitations relate to waste variability, heavy metal leaching risks (requiring immobilization efficiencies > 90%), and the relatively low technological maturity of many solutions (TRL < 7), leading to the TRL–CO₂ paradox and highlighting the need for standardization and performance-based regulatory frameworks. The synthesized results indicate that the appropriate integration of industrial waste enables a significant reduction in clinker content, lowers associated CO₂ emissions, and decreases primary energy consumption while maintaining physical–mechanical properties and durability characteristics comparable to or in some cases superior to those of traditional materials, if mix design is based on clear performance criteria, stratified according to the type of waste, dosage used, curing regime, binder chemistry, and the target application. Full article

Coal gangue (CG) and iron tailings (ITs) are major industrial solid wastes, and their high-value reuse is crucial for sustainable construction materials. This study explores the feasibility of fabricating sintered porous bricks using CG and ITs as primary constituents, with shale as an auxiliary component. To evaluate durability in cold regions, laboratory freeze–thaw (F-T) cycling experiments were conducted. A degradation assessment framework based on the Wiener stochastic process was developed to predict frost-resistance service life by integrating experimental data with regional climatic conditions. Results show that the fabricated bricks exhibit satisfactory initial properties, with a compressive strength of 10.6 MPa and water absorption of 13.3%. With increasing F-T cycles, compressive strength decreases significantly, accompanied by increased mass loss and water absorption. Stress–strain analysis reveals progressive stiffness reduction and a transition from brittle to ductile failure. Microstructural observations confirm degradation of the glassy phase, pore expansion, and enhanced interconnectivity. The Wiener process-based model effectively describes the stochastic accumulation of F-T damage. By establishing equivalence between laboratory and natural F-T cycles, the long-term service life of coal gangue–iron tailing sintered porous bricks (CG-IT SPBs) in cold regions is theoretically evaluated. This work provides an integrated understanding of F-T damage behavior and establishes a scientific foundation for durability-oriented design and application of such bricks in extremely cold environments. Full article