Search Results (15,418)

This study develops an integrated decision-support framework to advance green supply chain management (GSCM) by systematically linking Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices, environmental product innovation, corporate performance, and strategic alternatives. Employing the Analytic Network Process (ANP), the proposed model captures complex interdependencies and feedback relationships across life-cycle value chain stages, enabling a holistic evaluation of sustainability-oriented strategies. A Delphi panel comprising 15 experts from academia, industry, and government is used to validate the evaluation criteria and network structure. The empirical results indicate that eco-friendly design, energy and resource efficiency, and carbon–climate management are the most influential drivers shaping green supply chain performance. Moreover, operational and sustainability performance are found to exert greater strategic importance than short-term financial performance, highlighting GSCM as a long-term capability-building approach rather than a cost-centered initiative. To enhance analytical adaptability, this study proposes a conceptual extension integrating neural feature extraction (NFE) signals with ANP-based expert weights. The NFE module is not empirically trained or validated; rather, it illustrates a theoretically consistent mechanism for incorporating data-driven feature signals into structured multi-criteria decision frameworks. Empirical validation of the NFE component is proposed as a future research direction. Full article

Against the backdrop of population aging, community parks are important spaces for older adults’ daily activities, and perceived safety plays a key role in shaping their use and spatial satisfaction. This study selected six typical community parks in central Beijing, constructed an indicator system for safety perception needs, and applied an analytical KANO–IPA (Integrated Kano and Importance-Performance Analysis) approach to identify the demand attributes and optimization priorities of safety elements. The results reveal a clear hierarchy in older adults’ safety perception needs. Basic environmental and facility safety factors, such as pavement conditions and facility reliability, function as must-be needs. Elements related to spatial visibility, circulation, lighting, and wayfinding act as one-dimensional needs that steadily influence satisfaction, whereas features including natural surveillance, spatial enclosure, and activity atmosphere mainly enhance spatial experience as attractive needs. Priority analysis further indicates that circulation conditions and facility safety constitute the most critical aspects for improvement. Overall, older adults’ safety perception in community parks results from the combined effects of multiple spatial factors. Hierarchical spatial optimization can enhance user experience and improve resource allocation efficiency. The findings provide theoretical support and decision-making guidance for safety-oriented planning and age-friendly renewal of urban community parks in aging societies. Full article

Under the global trend of population aging, providing a safe and reliable living environment for the elderly who live at home has become a major social issue. This study reports a monitoring technology for elderly-friendly residential buildings based on distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and distributed temperature sensing (DTS), which is used to monitor and identify the physical behaviors of residents and temperature changes at different locations in the space. The results show that the distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) system can initially identify typical behavioral states such as walking, squatting, and falling. The fiber DTS technology can not only monitor the temperature distribution at different locations indoors, but also be used for the monitoring and early warning of local fires in different areas of the room. The sensing probes of the monitoring system proposed in this paper are linear optical cables, which have the advantages of easy installation, strong anti-interference ability, intrinsic explosion-proof, less likely to leak residents’ privacy, all-weather operation, precise event location, and low cost for large-scale distributed measurement systems. By integrating the sensing optical cables, fiber signal processing systems, and application software introduced in this paper, an intelligent management and early warning platform for elderly-friendly residential buildings can be established, providing a new solution for remote supervision of the living safety of the elderly. Full article

Prefabricated lining is increasingly used in railway tunnels due to its advantages of environmental friendliness, high construction efficiency, and convenience. However, the existence of block joints weakens structural integrity, and the segmentation optimization of prefabricated lining remains a challenge especially for irregular lining. Based on the Yongfengcun tunnel in the Fuzhou Ganghou Railway Project, the nonlinear mechanical behaviors of joint stiffness were investigated under axial force, bending moment and shear force. A beam–spring model was established by considering the bending and shearing stiffness of block joints, and the mechanical behaviors were analyzed efficiently by Python 3.9 and ABAQUS 2025 for 572 segmentation schemes. Based on a Delphi questionnaire, three key indicators including horizontal convergence, bending moment amplitude and length variance were selected as independent optimization objectives. The stable Pareto frontier was obtained using the NSGA-II algorithm. Application in the Yongfengcun tunnel fully verified the effectiveness of the method. Full article

Portable toilets (PTs) play a crucial role in addressing global sanitation needs at events, construction sites, disaster areas, and remote locations. However, conventional cleaning products for PTs often contain harmful chemicals, which pose environmental risks. These substances negatively impact wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) microorganisms and overload treatment systems. Worldwide regulatory changes are pushing for products that are safe for both end-users and the environment. This trend is driving the need for new formulations and technologies in PT products. While popular PT cleaning solutions effectively control odors and pathogens, they often cause ecotoxicity and regulatory issues. Consequently, there is a growing need to explore alternative solutions free from the drawbacks of harmful chemicals. This review examines available environmentally friendly solutions and critically evaluates their potential for use in cleaning portable toilets. Biopreparations containing microorganisms and/or enzymes show exceptional promise. These solutions accelerate organic breakdown, increase the biodegradability of PTs wastewater, suppress odors, and reduce sludge volume. Transitioning to sustainable, bio-based cleaners is essential for environmental protection and regulatory compliance. Therefore, despite some limitations of biopreparations, it is envisioned that the future portable toilets will move towards engineered biopreparation for sustainable, chemical-free sanitation solutions. Full article

This study investigates the potential of Hass avocado peels as biosorbents for removing the cationic dyes BB3 and BY28 from aqueous solutions. The results demonstrate that agricultural waste can be effectively incorporated into sustainable, environmentally friendly wastewater treatment technologies. The adsorption parameters examined include adsorbent mass (0.1–1.1 g), dye concentration (5–50 mg/L), contact time (5–180 min), stirring speed (100–200 rpm), pH (4–10), and temperature (25–40 °C). UV-Vis spectrophotometric analyses show that the optimum conditions for BY28 removal are 0.3 g/50 mL adsorbent, 5 mg/L dye concentration, 30 min contact time, 200 rpm stirring speed, pH 7, and 40 °C, while those for BB3 are 1.1 g/50 mL adsorbent, 5 mg/L concentration, 45 min contact time, 150 rpm stirring speed, pH 7, and 40 °C. Under the optimized operating conditions, the maximum dye removal efficiencies were 88.24% for BY28 and 99.71% for BB3. This study demonstrates that agricultural waste can be converted into sustainable, reusable biosorbents for removing cationic dyes, thereby contributing to the development of environmentally friendly wastewater treatment technologies. Full article

Sustainable alternatives to synthetic polymer-based sanitary napkins are essential to reduce the environmental impact and health concerns. This study presents a method for using water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), an invasive aquatic weed, as biomass to produce biodegradable absorbent material for sanitary pads. Water hyacinth fibers were treated with an alkaline solution and incorporated into the absorbent core. Morphological, chemical, structural, functional, microbiological, and biodegradability evaluations were then conducted systematically. Scanning electron microscopy showed that non-cellulosic components were successfully removed, producing a rougher surface topology and enhanced fiber interactions. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed structural changes in cellulose after treatment. Additionally, X-ray diffraction showed that the crystallinity index increased from 53.21% in untreated fibers to 62.56% in treated fibers, indicating improved order and stability. The developed absorbent sanitary pad showed rapid fluid uptake, absorbing 10 mL within three seconds while maintaining a skin-compatible neutral pH of 6.87, as specified in Indian Standard IS 5405:1980. Microbial contamination remained low, with a total bacterial count of 360 CFU/g, no yeast or mold at ≤1 CFU/g, and no presence of Staphylococcus aureus. Soil burial tests showed 70% biodegradability at 40 days and approximately 95% at 60 days, indicating high biodegradability. These findings demonstrate the potential of water hyacinth as an inexpensive and environmentally friendly material for manufacturing hygienic sanitary pads, highlighting the sustainability benefits of valorizing invasive biomass and reducing reliance on synthetic polymers. Full article

This study investigates the long-term resistance of an environmentally friendly composite made from a blend of local Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and ground granite waste powder (G). The composite was subjected to complete static immersion for up to twenty-four weeks in three types of water: potable water, groundwater, and seawater. The experimental work evaluated the effects of exposure to these three water types on various characteristics of the granite–cement composite (GCC), including compressive strength, mass gain, portlandite [CH] content, bulk density (D), total porosity (p), compactness, water absorption (A), and pH of the immersing media. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermal analysis (TGA and DTA) were used to investigate how exposure to the three water environments altered the internal microstructure of the hydration phases of the composite over the twenty-four-week period. This systematic approach provides valuable insights into the variations that may occur in solid hydration outcomes and their sustainability in flooding scenarios. The data obtained from these analyses revealed that the granite–cement composite exhibits acceptable thermal resistance and endurance to deterioration in aquatic environments. The cement formulation contains 20% by mass of ground granite waste powder, with a water-to-cement ratio of 35%. After 24 weeks of complete static immersion, the composite achieved compressive strength values close to 24 MPa. Solidifying radioactive waste in cement–granite is a newly developed method that improves sustainability by formulating a more stable, durable, cost-effective, and less hazardous waste form. Therefore, the granite–ordinary cement composite being studied is recommended as an inert matrix for solidifying and stabilizing certain categories of radioactive waste. Full article

Against the backdrop of accelerating urbanization and population aging, urban parks have emerged as significant venues for enhancing the physical and mental well-being of older adults. The age-friendly quality of these spaces is directly linked to health equity and urban inclusiveness. Using the high-density historic district of Beilin in Xi’an as a case study, we developed an innovative assessment tool to evaluate the age-friendliness of park walking environments. Guided by the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) framework, this tool integrates subjective perceptions and objective data to diagnose environmental strengths and weaknesses across four dimensions: accessibility, safety, comfort, and health-related interactivity. Based on multi-source data and quantitative analysis, the study revealed key variations in the age-friendly attributes of different parks. Our field assessment focused on three representative park types: urban comprehensive, historic–cultural, and community leisure parks. The key findings are: (1) Safety was perceived by experts as the most critical dimension for older adults’ health experience, with a weight of 0.49, accounting for nearly half of the total. However, significant variations exist in safety quality across different types of parks. (2) Age-friendly performance differed profoundly among park types. Benefiting from systematic management, the urban comprehensive park achieved balanced performance and a total score of 84.87. In contrast, the historic–cultural park, constrained by its linear morphology and historical functions, scored the lowest at 66.03, exhibiting notable deficits in safety and comfort. The community leisure park, while vibrant in community activity, attained an intermediate score of 74.76 due to insufficient attention to safety details. (3) The assessment outcomes highlight the association of park typology, site selection, and design sophistication with the lived experience and potential health benefits for older adults. This study provides a refined evaluation tool and tailored optimization strategies for the age-friendly renovation of diverse park types. Full article

Environmental pollution caused by persistent chemical compounds, particularly heavy metals, poses a significant global challenge. Current strategies focus on eco-friendly and sustainable approaches, such as the application of microorganisms, to mitigate this issue. In this study, four strains of Bacillus and Pseudomonas were phylogenetically identified and assessed for their resistance to three heavy metals: copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) up to 500 µg/mL. Various tolerance mechanisms related to heavy metal resistance were elucidated, including salinity tolerance, antibiotic resistance, production of exopolysaccharides (EPS), and biosurfactant synthesis. The antifungal activities of these strains were evaluated against the fungal isolates Fusarium oxysporum fs. phaseoli (Fop) and Stemphylium botryosum (St-bt) using dual culture assays. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that three strains belong to the genus Bacillus, while one strain is classified under Pseudomonas. Additionally, these strains exhibited diverse mechanisms for heavy metal tolerance, including salinity tolerance (up to 600 mM), multi-antibiotic resistance (to imipenem, ampicillin, and sodium fusidate), and the production of viscous, slimy colonies indicative of EPS synthesis. Biosurfactant production led to a significant reduction in surface tension, ranging from 10.51 ± 3.87% to 82.89 ± 5.01%. The antifungal assays demonstrated that the strains effectively inhibited the mycelial growth of the fungal isolates, with inhibition percentages varying from 0% to 83.34 ± 2.22%. The strains characterized in this study exhibit considerable potential for application in the bioremediation of metal-contaminated soils and as biocontrol agents. Full article

In Germany, a shortage of public charging stations for the significantly increasing number of electric cars exists. This shortage, along with the associated range anxiety, poses a hurdle for the market entry of electric cars. In addition, the construction of public charging stations for electric vehicles is outside the control of vehicle owners. Accelerating this process is challenging due to regulatory and other considerations. This paper presents a novel scientific and technical approach to complement existing public charging infrastructure by integrating privately owned charging stations into a publicly accessible ecosystem. The core of our work explores the integration of private charging stations into the application ecosystem, clarifying the reservation process and addressing potential challenges. Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive overview of the features related to routing and locating near charging stations. We examine the potential challenges that may arise during the practical implementation of the proposed system. The technical feasibility of the approach is validated through implementation and simulation, demonstrating the practical applicability of the proposed system and its ability to support real-world usage scenarios. The results indicate that such a system has significant potential to enhance the accessibility and usability of charging infrastructure, thereby promoting sustainable mobility and lowering the entry barriers for electric vehicles. By providing integrated charging information, reservation functionality, and route planning, the proposed solution contributes to increasing user acceptance and supporting the transition toward more environmentally friendly transportation. Full article

Predicting the motion of ships and floating structures is essential for ensuring economical and environmentally friendly operations in the ocean. In this study, we propose a hybrid encoder–decoder Convolutional Neural Network–Long Short-Term Memory (CNN–LSTM) architecture to predict motions of a moored Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel under varying sea conditions. The model integrates a CNN for spatial wave-field feature extraction and an LSTM encoder–decoder to capture temporal dependencies in vessel motion. Synthetic datasets were generated using mid-fidelity dynamics simulations of a coupled FPSO–mooring–riser system subjected to wave excitations. Five sea states ranging from calm to severe were considered to evaluate the model’s robustness. A key preprocessing step involved determining the optimal spatial domain for wave field input, and a wave field size of 600 m × 600 m was identified as the most cost-effective configuration while maintaining accuracy. The model was validated using the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) or relative RMSE (RRMSE). Despite low RRMSE values in low sea states, predictions were noisier due to high-frequency, low-amplitude responses. In contrast, higher sea states yielded more stable predictions despite higher RRMSE values. The proposed method offers high-resolution motion forecasting capability, which can enhance operational safety and energy efficiency of offshore platforms, particularly when integrated with stereo camera-based wave monitoring systems. Full article

Stormwater runoff represents a significant vector for the transport of organic pollutants and pathogens into aquatic ecosystems, posing serious environmental and public health risks. Although extensively employed for bank stabilization, traditional gabion structures demonstrate constrained efficacy in pollutant removal. In this study, an enhanced ecological gabion (EG) system was developed by integrating a stratified configuration of functional fillers (ceramsite, maifanite, and biochar) with vegetation (Iris germanica). This design leverages synergistic effects to enhance the concurrent removal of dissolved organic matter (DOM), particulate organic matter (POM), and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) from simulated stormwater. The system was evaluated in continuous flow experiments through comparison with a traditional gravel gabion (TG). Results showed that, compared with the TG, the EG exhibited markedly enhanced removal performance, with chemical oxygen demand (COD), NH₄⁺–N, and TN removal efficiencies being approximately 2.48, 3.68, and 3.56 times those of the TG, respectively. In addition, the EG exhibited significantly higher removal efficiencies for both particulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) than the TG, with increases of 329% and 137%, respectively. Fluorescence spectroscopy and particle size distribution analyses revealed that the EG effectively transformed and removed diverse DOM components and fine particulates. The stratified filler media synergistically enhanced pollutant retention, with biochar serving as the primary agent for nutrient and pathogen adsorption. These findings demonstrate the viability of the EG as an integrated, eco-friendly solution for enhanced stormwater purification in riparian zones, providing a compact and multifunctional alternative to conventional end-of-pipe systems. Full article

Background/Objectives: The healing rate of wounds resulting from postoperative abdominal surgery interventions increases as the inflammation and infections in the wound are reduced. However, antibiotic resistance among microorganisms increases the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs). Therefore, the need for new products that exhibit antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities, in addition to antibiotics, is increasing. Methods: Silver nanoparticles (CO-AgNPs) were obtained using the green synthesis technique with Cydonia oblonga L. leaves, which constitute a significant amount of waste, and the effects of the obtained nanoparticles on in vitro wound healing were determined. Results: It was observed that CO-AgNPs inhibited myeloperoxidase and collagenase, enzymes that negatively affect wound healing. Furthermore, they exhibited good antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus, which are common hospital pathogens. The CO-AgNPs could exhibit enhanced wound-healing properties by inhibiting microorganisms. Conclusions: It was clear that the development of new, environmentally friendly, and biocompatible products containing CO-AgNPs could be feasible, particularly for wound healing following infected abdominal surgery. Full article

Enhancing the carrying capacity of the ecological environment serves as a pivotal pathway to achieving sustainable development and also constitutes a concrete response to the UN SDGs. Based on a provincial panel dataset covering 30 Chinese provinces spanning 2011–2023, the present work examines how digital finance shapes EECC and explores the corresponding transmission mechanisms. Findings from the empirical analysis confirm that digital finance exerts a significant positive effect in boosting ecological environmental carrying capacity. Heterogeneity tests further show that this catalytic influence is most salient in eastern China, while it lacks statistical significance or even turns negative in the central and western areas. Meanwhile, the catalytic function of digital finance becomes more distinct in highly urbanized areas. Mechanism analysis verifies that digital finance assumes a partial mediating function by cutting down energy consumption intensity and boosting human capital accumulation. Further analysis reveals that as digital finance matures, the above impact exhibits increasing marginal returns. Our spatial spillover assessment further indicates that digital finance contributes to stronger EECC within host provinces, while also facilitating coordinated improvements in this key indicator across neighboring jurisdictions. Accordingly, we propose that economies speed up the building of digital-related infrastructure, expand the outreach of digital finance, and properly steer the orderly movement of population, thus facilitating the eco-friendly sustainable advancement of the natural environment. Full article