Search Results (1,074)

Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) or geopolymers have been considered for many years as a sustainable substitution for the traditional ordinary Portland cement (OPC) binder. However, their production needs energy consumption and creates carbon emissions. Since construction and demolition waste (CDW) can become precursors for manufacturing alkali-activated materials, their use as substitutes for traditional AAM (such as metakaolin, blast furnace slag, and fly ash) can solve both the problem of their disposal and the problem of sustainability. Furthermore, CDW can also be used as aggregate replacement, avoiding the exploitation of natural river sand and gravel. A new circular economy could be created based on CDW recycling, creating a new eco-friendly building practice. Unfortunately, this process is quite difficult owing to several variables that should be taken into consideration, such as the possibility of separating and sorting the CDW, the great variability of CDW composition, the cost of the mechanical and thermal treatment, the different parameters that compose an alkali-activated mix-design, and public opinion still being skeptical about the use of recycled materials in the construction sector. This review tries to describe all these aspects, summarizing the results of the most interesting studies performed on this subject. Today, thanks to a comprehensive protocol, the use of building information modeling (BIM) software and machine learning models, a large-scale reuse of CDW in the building industry appears more feasible. Full article

Eco-friendly driving, defined as an individual’s daily driving practices that reduce fuel and energy consumption, remains significantly underutilized despite growing attention to climate change and sustainability. Given that changes in consumer behaviour are central to sustainability transitions and strongly influenced by how individuals perceive sustainability-related information, this study investigates the psychological and structural barriers that shape consumers’ perceptions of eco-friendly driving. A scoping review of empirical research on these barriers (Study 1), informed by Gifford’s “dragons of inaction,” combined with 50 semi-structured interviews (Study 2) conducted in a highly car-dependent regional context, provides convergent evidence on the complex factors shaping consumer behaviour in sustainable mobility. Across both studies, consistent psychological barriers emerged, including limited awareness of eco-driving techniques, doubts about effectiveness, emotional responses such as stress or range anxiety, and habitual reliance on conventional driving. Structural barriers such as inadequate infrastructure, limited charging accessibility, economic constraints, and weak policy support further constrained perceived feasibility. Evidence from both studies showed that these barriers reinforce one another, intensifying scepticism and reducing engagement with sustainability initiatives and messages. The findings contribute to research on sustainable consumer behaviour and sustainability communication by showing how internal and external constraints jointly shape eco-friendly driving decisions. Practically, the results highlight opportunities for coordinated infrastructure, policy, and communication strategies to support broader adoption of eco-friendly driving behaviours. Full article

With the growing demand for eco-friendly food packaging, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/polylactic acid (PLA) composite films have emerged as promising biodegradable alternatives, but their inherent limitations (e.g., poor antioxidant capacity, weak UV stability, and insufficient antimicrobial activity) hinder practical applications. This study aimed to address these drawbacks by incorporating Rosmarinus officinalis L. extract (RM) as a natural multifunctional additive. PBAT/PLA/RM blend films with RM concentrations of 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, and 1% were fabricated via melt extrusion and blown film processing. Key characterizations were conducted to evaluate thermal stability, mechanical properties, morphology, antioxidant activity, UV-shielding performance, antimicrobial efficacy, and biodegradability. The results showed that RM significantly enhanced the antioxidant capacity of the films, with the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity achieved at 0.3% RM. UV-blocking performance improved incrementally with increasing RM concentration, and films containing ≥0.5% RM filtered over 90% of UVA and UVB radiation. All composite films met biodegradability standards, with over 90% degradation observed after 240 days of composting, though RM prolonged the initial degradation stage by inhibiting early microbial activity. However, the antimicrobial effect of RM was limited, and concentrations exceeding 1% caused film stickiness, impeding processing. This work demonstrates that RM is a viable natural additive for functionalizing PBAT/PLA films, offering enhanced antioxidant and UV-shielding properties while maintaining biodegradability, thus providing a promising solution for sustainable food packaging. Full article

Agroecology is a long-term solution for changing agri-food systems as climate change and food security problems become worse. In North Africa, especially Algeria, this change needs a profound understanding of how people feel and act toward food that is grown in an environmentally friendly way. This study looks at what Algerian consumers know, how much they are ready to pay (WTP), and how their social and demographic factors affect their attitudes toward agroecological products and practices. A principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression have been used on 552 responses from a nationally representative sample collected as part of the NATAE Horizon Europe project to find the psychological and structural factors that affect sustainable consumption. The results show that age, education, job level, and living in a city have a big effect on how aware and open-minded consumers are. People over 45 who have more education and a better job are more likely to care about the environment and be willing to spend more on eco-friendly products, notably, olive oil, fruits, and vegetables. People still do not know much about it, though, and WTP differs by product category. This case study shows how important it is to have targeted education and labelling regulations to fill in knowledge gaps and get people more involved in agroecological changes in Algeria. Full article

Based on the assumptions and framework of relationship marketing, this research examines green banking methods. The present study is pertinent to management as it aims to improve customer expectations and maximize service quality, given that an increasing number of customers are becoming more eco-friendly, more environmentally conscious, and increasingly interested in green products and services. The present study investigated the impact of green banking (GB) practices on green awareness (GA), green image (GI), and service quality (SQ). Additionally, the study investigates how a positive GI and GA mediate the relationship between GB practices and SQ. This research utilized results from a quantitative survey administered to 470 consumers of the commercial banking industry in Nigeria. The relationship between the study’s variables was analyzed using a structural equation modeling technique. The result of this study showed a direct and significant link between GB and GI, GB and GA, and GB and SQ, respectively. Furthermore, confirmed the mediating influence of GI and GA in the link between GB and SQ. This study offers valuable insights to researchers, policymakers, and organizations. Full article

This study presents a multi-objective optimization framework for China’s North-to-South Grain Transportation (NSGT), balancing costs, time, carbon emissions, and grain quality loss to promote sustainable logistics. We propose a hybrid algorithm combining genetic optimization with reinforcement learning to identify efficient routes and evaluate trade-offs. Compared to standard methods, our approach achieves better solution diversity and robustness, as validated by sensitivity analysis, scalability tests, and statistical comparisons. The findings advance carbon accounting in multimodal transport and provide practical guidance for policymakers to enhance eco-friendly grain distribution. Full article

Botrytis cinerea Pers., the causal agent of grey mould, causes major economic losses in viticulture by reducing grape and wine quality and yield. Antagonistic yeasts that release bioactive volatile organic compounds (VOCs) represent a sustainable alternative to synthetic fungicides. Here, VOCs produced by Pichia guilliermondii strain ZIM624 were identified and assessed for antifungal activity against B. cinerea. 65 VOCs—including higher alcohols, volatile phenols, esters, and terpenes—were detected using two newly developed and validated analytical methods combining automated headspace solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. A total of 13 VOCs were selected for the bioassays. Fumigation assays demonstrated that terpenes (citronellol, geraniol, nerol, α-terpineol, and linalool) were the most effective inhibitors of B. cinerea mycelial growth (EC₅₀ = 6.3–33.9 μL/L). Strong inhibition was also observed for 4-vinylphenol and isoamyl acetate. In vivo assays confirmed that exposing infected grape berries to P. guilliermondii VOCs significantly reduced grey mould incidence. These results highlight the potential of P. guilliermondii ZIM624 volatiles as natural biofumigants for the eco-friendly management of B. cinerea in grapes. Future research should focus on optimising VOC production, evaluating efficacy under field conditions, and developing formulations for practical application in vineyards and post-harvest storage. Additionally, investigating potential synergistic effects of VOC combinations could lead to more effective biocontrol strategies. Full article

Nitrogen oxides (NO_x) emitted mainly from vehicle exhaust significantly contribute to urban air pollution, leading to photochemical smog and secondary particulate matter. Photocatalytic technology has emerged as a promising solution for continuous NO_x decomposition under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. This study developed an eco-friendly permeable concrete incorporating activated loess and zeolite to improve roadside air quality. The high porosity and adsorption capability of the concrete provided a suitable substrate for a TiO₂-based photocatalytic coating. A single-component coating system was optimized by introducing colloidal silica to enhance TiO₂ particle dispersibility and adding a binder to secure durable adhesion on the concrete surface. The produced permeable concrete met sidewalk quality standards specified in SPS-F-KSPIC-001-2006. Photocatalytic NO_x removal performance evaluated by ISO 22197-1 showed a maximum removal efficiency of 77.5%. Even after 300 h of accelerated weathering, the activity loss remained within 13.8%, retaining approximately 80% of the initial performance. Additionally, outdoor mock-up testing under natural light confirmed NO_x concentration removal and formation of nitrate by-products, demonstrating practical applicability in real environments. Overall, the integration of permeable concrete and a durable, single-component TiO₂ photocatalytic coating provides a promising approach to simultaneously enhance pavement sustainability and reduce urban NO_x pollution. Full article

Clay-mediated microbial degradation has been demonstrated as a low-cost, efficient, and eco-friendly strategy for remediating crude oil-contaminated soils. Despite substantial laboratory studies, field tests remain scarce. In this study, montmorillonite treatment was applied to a crude oil production well pad shut down for 753 days. Post-treatment analyses included soil physicochemical parameters (water content, redox potential, pH, elemental analysis, and total organic carbon), crude oil content/composition (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry), microbial biomass (deoxyribonucleic acid concentration), and community structure (high-throughput sequencing), with parallel comparisons to untreated control areas. Results indicated that montmorillonite enhanced the crude oil biodegradation rate (37.27% vs. control 33.00%), increased microbial biomass (83.08% vs. control 35.06%), and enriched biodiversity (7 genera vs. control 0). Specifically, it exhibited the most pronounced promotion effects on saturated hydrocarbon degradation (73.42% vs. control 60.89%) and aromatic hydrocarbon degradation (45.77% vs. control 29.60%). This study not only provides field evidence for clay-mediated microbial remediation but also lays a foundation for developing composite remediation approaches (e.g., nutrient supplements, catalysts, or functional microbial consortia) in future research and practical applications. Full article

Trajectory planning for intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) must simultaneously address safety, efficiency, and environmental impact to align with sustainable development goals. This paper proposes a novel hierarchical trajectory planning framework, designed for intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) that integrates a semantic corridor with a spatiotemporal potential field. First, a spatiotemporal safety corridor, enhanced with semantic labels (e.g., low-carbon zones and recommended speeds), delineates the feasible driving region. Subsequently, a multi-objective sampling optimization method generates candidate trajectories that balance safety, comfort and energy consumption. The optimal candidate is refined using a spatiotemporal potential field, which dynamically integrates obstacle predictions and sustainability incentives to achieve smooth and eco-friendly navigation. Comprehensive simulations in typical urban scenarios demonstrate that the proposed method reduces energy consumption by up to 8.43% while maintaining safety and a high level of comfort, compared with benchmark methods. Furthermore, the method’s practical efficacy is validated using real-world vehicle data, showing that the planned trajectories closely align with naturalistic driving behavior and demonstrate safe, smooth, and intelligent behaviors in complex lane-changing scenarios. The validation using 113 real-world truck lane-changing cases demonstrates high consistency with naturalistic driving behavior. These results highlight the framework’s potential to advance sustainable intelligent transportation systems by harmonizing safety, comfort, efficiency, and environmental objectives. Full article

The agroecological (AE) transition of agri-food systems can help address climate change impacts in Tunisia, including reduced local food production and high import dependency, but it requires understanding consumer behavior toward eco-friendly food products. Thus, a survey of 521 Tunisian consumers was conducted to assess environmental awareness and willingness to pay (WTP) for food produced under AE practices. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that sustainable consumption is mainly influenced by knowledge of AE practices, which is stronger among consumers with higher education and income. However, WTP for sustainable products remains low, making it essential to develop marketing strategies that target distinct demographic groups, improve product labeling, and enhance environmental education. Full article

Atrazine (ATZ), a typical triazine herbicide with a long half-life and recalcitrant biodegradation, contaminates water and soil, necessitating efficient removal technologies. Conventional adsorbents have limited capacity and stability, while sesame straw-derived biochar realizes agricultural waste recycling and provides an efficient, economical, and eco-friendly adsorbent. Sepiolite, a natural mineral with a unique fibrous structure and a high specific surface area, has attracted widespread attention. Therefore, in this work, the agricultural waste of sesame hulls and sepiolite were used as precursors to prepare a composite material of sesame hull biochar/sepiolite (KNPB) through co-mixing heat treatment, followed by sodium hydroxide activation and pyrolysis. The results showed that, under the conditions of an adsorbent dosage of 3 g/L, pH of 6.8, and an adsorption time of 360 min, the removal rate of 3 mg/L ATZ by KNPB was 89.14%. Reusability experiments further demonstrated that KNPB has the potential for practical application in water treatment. Additionally, by integrating adsorption kinetics and isotherm analysis with a suite of characterization results from BET, FTIR, and XPS, the adsorption mechanism of KNPB for ATZ was further clarified to be primarily based on pore-filling, π–π interactions, and hydrogen bonding. This study not only provides a new idea for the resource utilization of waste sesame straw, but also provides scientific guidance for the solution of atrazine pollution, which has important environmental and economic significance. Full article

Environmentally friendly sucrose-based poly(ester-urethane)s were synthesized and characterized, and their stability and degradation behavior were assessed under three different aging conditions: thermal, ultraviolet (UV), and hydrolytic treatment. The specimens underwent thermal treatment in both hot and cold climates to simulate a temperate continental climate. The samples were thoroughly characterized to assess chemical and structural changes (FT-IR, TGA, and DSC) and surface modifications (contact angle measurements and AFM and SEM analyses), providing insights into surface morphology and wettability alterations. Mechanical testing was also performed to evaluate the retention rate of the strength and the elongation after the aging process. The results showed that the introduction of sucrose into the main chain of the polyurethanes protected the ester and urethane groups from environmental degradation. The best stability in all three degradation environments was achieved by PCL-poly(ester urethane) due to its higher degree of crystallinity. PCL-based polyurethane exhibited a fracture strength retention rate exceeding 85% under all aging conditions, while the weight ratio remained practically unchanged after hydrolytic degradation. Thus, the obtained polyurethanes may support the advancement of sustainable, eco-friendly materials for future industrial applications. Full article

Heavy earth-moving machinery is essential for construction, mining, and infrastructure development, but its traditional hydraulic systems, powered by diesel engines, are major contributors to energy losses and inefficiencies. Hydraulic circuits typically account for significant parasitic losses due to throttling, leakage, and low energy recovery, resulting in high fuel consumption and emissions. Recent innovations are transforming hydraulic technology to improve energy efficiency and sustainability. This review highlights advancements such as electro-hydraulic actuators, independent metering systems, and digital hydraulics, which enable precise flow control and minimize throttling losses. The integration of energy recovery systems, including hydraulic accumulators and hybrid architectures, further enhances efficiency by capturing and reusing energy during braking and lowering operations. Additionally, the adoption of smart sensors, predictive analytics, and advanced control algorithms enables real-time optimization of hydraulic performance, reducing idle losses and improving overall system responsiveness. Emerging trends such as fluid power electrification, compact high-pressure components, and the use of eco-friendly hydraulic fluids are also discussed. By synthesizing current research and industrial practices, this paper provides insights into the challenges, opportunities, and future prospects for achieving substantial energy efficiency gains through next-generation hydraulic technologies in heavy earth-moving equipment. Full article

The main emphasis of the current study is to develop an eco-friendly method for producing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using an aqueous flower extract from Talipariti tiliaceum L., and to evaluate the photocatalytic degradation of azo dyes. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using various spectroscopical and microscopical methods. The photocatalytic capacity of AgNPs was assessed through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) dye under solar irradiation. The results revealed that the AgNPs were spherical in morphology and 4–15 nm in size. The phytochemical analysis showed that the bioactive compounds from the flower extract aided in the reduction of silver ions to nanoparticles. Both visual observations and spectroscopic methods confirmed the photocatalytic degradation of MB and MO dyes. The degradation processes adhered to a pseudo-first-order kinetic model, demonstrating that photocatalytic activity is time-dependent. In addition, the AgNPs demonstrated stability and reusability through four consecutive cycles with little decline in efficiency. This research contributes significantly to sustainable nanotechnology, offering a practical solution for mitigating water pollution caused by industrial dye discharges. Full article