Search Results (42,072)

The increasing environmental impact of the textile industry has led to the development of sustainable production methods. One of the effective approaches is the use of recycled fibers, which helps to save resources, reduce carbon emissions, and support the circular economy. This study investigates the feasibility of producing durable upholstery fabrics incorporating recycled polypropylene (r-PP) and virgin polypropylene (v-PP). Filament yarns with varying r-PP/v-PP blend ratios, produced by the melt spinning process, were used as weft yarns, while commercially available virgin polyester filament yarns were employed in the warp direction for all fabric samples. Performance tests in accordance with the standards were applied to the fabrics and the results were also evaluated statistically. The results show that acceptable performance is achieved in some mechanical properties if similar blend ratios and production parameters are used. In the study, an optimization model was developed to maximize the weft breaking strength using the equations obtained from the regression analyses. With the help of the mathematical model created, the values of other physical and performance properties of the fabric depending on the maximum breaking strength value could be estimated without the need for trial production. The model was solved using Lingo 18.0 optimization software. The solution of the model revealed that the optimum weft yarn blend ratio is 10/90 r-PP/v-PP, and the maximum weft breaking strength value is 562.45 N. Full article

Growing pressure on water resources and mineral fertilizer use calls for innovative and resource-efficient agri-food systems. Aquaponics, integrating aquaculture and hydroponics, represents a promising approach for sustainable greenhouse production. This study, aiming to explore alternative water and nutrient sources for greenhouse tomato production without compromising plant adaptability or yield, evaluated the co-cultivation of grape tomato and rainbow trout in a vertical decoupled aquaponic system under controlled greenhouse conditions. Two aquaponic nutrient strategies were tested: unmodified aquaponic water (AP) and complemented aquaponic water (CAP), with conventional hydroponics (HP) as a control, in a Deep Water Culture hydroponic system. Plant performance was assessed through marketable yield and physiological parameters, while system performance was evaluated using combined-biomass Energy Use Efficiency (EUE), Freshwater Use Efficiency (fWUE) and Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE), accounting for both plant and fish production. CAP significantly improved tomato yield (9.86 kg m⁻²) compared to AP (2.40 kg m⁻²), although it remained lower than HP (12.14 kg m⁻²). Fresh WUE was comparable between CAP and HP (9.22 vs. 9.24 g L⁻¹), demonstrating effective water reuse. In contrast, EUE and NUE were lower in CAP, reflecting the additional energy demand of the recirculating aquaculture system and nutrient limitations of fish wastewater. These results highlight aquaponics as a water-efficient production system while emphasizing that optimized nutrient management and energy strategies are critical for improving its overall sustainability and performance. Full article

Reflection on sustainable economic models, such as the civil economy, has led to the development of alternative food supply chains grounded in ethical values and practices. From this perspective, the Food Village model was proposed to meet stakeholders’ needs, overcome the limitations of Alternative Food Networks, and scale up. In this study, a Discrete Choice Experiment on hypothetical Food Village participation scenarios was combined with the Portrait Values Questionnaire to analyse preferences for the model’s attributes in relation to personal values. The results indicate that consumers appreciate the ethical and territorial characteristics of Food Village, such as local and organic products and cooperative governance, as long as convenience is guaranteed (product variety, flexible hours). Furthermore, they prefer moderate forms of participation, while excessively burdensome involvement reduces their willingness to participate. Individual values influence preferences: values of “self-transcendence” and conservation are associated with greater willingness, while those of “self-affirmation” correlate with lower adherence to Food Village. This evidence suggests implications for policy and scalability: initiatives like Food Village, if supported by public incentives and flexible participatory schemes, can contribute to more sustainable food systems at scale. Full article

Polyethylene is the most used plastic in the world, and over 90% of this plastic is ultimately disposed of in landfills or released into the environment, leading to severe ecological implications. In this research, the technoeconomic feasibility of upcycling low-density polyethylene (LDPE) to produce ethylene is studied. The catalytic conversion of LDPE to ethylene is considered in microwave heating mode and Joule heating mode. Experimental data is obtained under conditions where most of the upcycled products are in the gas phase. A flowsheet is developed that produces industrial quantities of ethylene for both heating modes. A technoeconomic analysis and a life cycle analysis are conducted and compared with the traditional ethane cracking process for producing ethylene. Simulation results indicate that the upcycling system exhibits a lower capital expenditure and a comparable operating expenditure relative to conventional ethane steam cracking while generating additional valuable co-products, such as propylene and aromatic hydrocarbons, leading to a higher net present value potential. Sensitivity analyses reveal that the electricity price has the most significant impact on both the net present value and levelized cost of production, followed by the low-density polyethylene feedstock cost. Life-cycle assessment reveals a substantial reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions in the upcycled process compared to the fossil-based ethane steam-cracking route, primarily due to the use of renewable electricity, the lower reaction temperature that reduces utility demand, and the use of plastic waste as the feedstock. Overall, the proposed process demonstrates strong potential for the sustainable production of ethylene from waste LDPE. Full article

The expansion of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction in the Vaca Muerta Formation (Argentina) has increased the generation of oil-based drill cuttings (OBDCs), a hazardous waste containing up to 20 wt% total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and trace metals. These characteristics pose risks to soil and groundwater, highlighting the need for sustainable treatment technologies that minimize environmental impacts and enable resource recovery. This study evaluates slow pyrolysis as a thermochemical route for OBDC stabilization and valorization. Representative samples were characterized through proximate, ultimate, and metal analyses, confirming a complex hydrocarbon–mineral matrix with 78.1 wt% ash, 15.9 wt% volatile matter, and 12.5 wt% TPH. Thermogravimetric analysis (10–20 °C min⁻¹), combined with isoconversional methods, identified three pseudo-components with activation energies ranging from 41.9 to 104.5 kJ mol⁻¹. Slow pyrolysis experiments in a fixed bed (400–650 °C) reduced residual TPH to below 1 wt% at temperatures ≥ 400 °C, meeting Argentine criteria for non-hazardous solids. The process also produced a condensed liquid organic fraction, supporting its potential within circular-economy strategies. Overall, the results show that slow pyrolysis is a viable and sustainable technology for reducing environmental risks from OBDC while enabling resource and energy recovery, contributing to a broader understanding of their thermochemical treatment. Full article

Background: Drought stress is a primary environmental constraint limiting crop growth and productivity. Current drought-related plant research predominantly focuses on whole-leaf analyses, neglecting the spatial heterogeneity of metabolites within leaf tissues. Methods: This study combined transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches to investigate spatially distinct metabolic responses in marginal versus central regions of Medicago lupulina L. leaves under PEG-simulated drought. Results: Findings demonstrated that TCA cycle metabolites exhibited relative stability between leaf margins and centers under drought conditions, suggesting preserved core metabolic functionality in central tissues to sustain stress tolerance. Additionally, shikimic acid displayed a significantly reduced regional gradient in stressed tissues (PEG Margin vs. PEG Center) compared to controls. Phenylalanine, tryptophan, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, coproporphyrin III, and coproporphyrinogen III itself exhibited significantly increased internal gradient differences in stressed groups compared to control groups. The coordinated upregulation of key biosynthetic genes (e.g., TAT, AST, FNS II) in both the marginal and central regions of stressed leaves indicates a metabolic shift toward the biosynthesis of downstream defensive flavonoids. These metabolites and genes accumulated preferentially in margin regions of stressed leaves, indicative of localized activation of defense-associated metabolic pathways. Conclusions: This study reveals a spatially partitioned metabolic response to drought stress in M. lupulina leaves, where defensive metabolism is preferentially enhanced at the leaf margins while core metabolic homeostasis is maintained. These findings provide new spatial insights into plant drought acclimation and identify potential targets for improving crop resilience through the fine-tuning of local metabolism. Full article

In recent years, the unsustainable consumption of fossil resources has been causing major ecological concerns, especially for the production of polymeric materials. 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is one of the most appealing biobased chemical building blocks, because of its potential to replace the industrially widespread petrochemical, terephthalic acid. Camphoric acid (CA) is also an interesting biobased chemical derived from camphor, one of the most widespread fragrances. This work had the objective of combining CA, FDCA and biobased 1,6-hexanediol to synthesize random copolymers for sustainable food packaging applications by means of a solvent-free polycondensation process, obtaining poly(hexamethylene furanoate-co-camphorate)s (PHFC). The optimization of the synthesis made it possible to obtain high molecular weight polyesters with a percentage of camphoric acid up to 17 mol%, which could be compression-molded into films. They were subjected to molecular, structural, thermal and functional characterization via NMR, GPC, WAXS, DSC, and TGA analyses, as well as mechanical and gas permeability tests. Compared to the homopolymer of reference, it was possible to obtain higher flexibility, 430% higher elongation at break, and 223% higher toughness, with comparable, excellent gas permeability properties. Calorimetric evidence suggested that camphoric acid might have enhanced the formation of a partially ordered mesomorph phase in the copolymers under study. Full article

Microalgae photobioreactors (PBRs) are promising building-integrated biotechnologies for carbon capture and biomass production; however, their high energy requirements for artificial lighting remain a significant energy barrier in cold climates. This study developed an integrated spectral–optical energy modeling framework to evaluate two PBR deployment strategies in State College, PA: rooftop daylight-exposed integration and basement installation with solar-assisted lighting. Results show that fiber-optic daylighting can supply a substantial fraction of photosynthetically useful light without introducing additional internal heat loads, while photovoltaics sized at approximately 0.40–0.55 kWDC per reactor can offset the annual PBR lighting energy use when sufficient roof area is available. Whole-building energy simulations further reveal that rooftop PBR integration reduces total annual space energy consumption by ~21% relative to basement placement due to lower artificial lighting and cooling loads. When combined, PV and fiber systems can fully meet basement PBR lighting demand, whereas rooftop configurations may rely more on grid electricity. Economically, fiber-optic daylighting achieves comparable lighting offsets at roughly half the annualized cost of PV-based systems, subject to surface-area and routing constraints. Overall, solar-assisted lighting strategies markedly improve the operational sustainability of building-integrated PBRs in cold climates, with fiber-optic daylighting offering substantial spectral and thermal advantages, subject to surface-area availability and routing-related design constraints. Full article

Soil degradation and limited root-exploitable depth restrict maize productivity in Plinthosols of tropical regions. However, the combined effects of subsoiling and amendments derived from termite mound materials on soil functionality and yield remain insufficiently quantified. This study examines how variations in a functionally exploitable rooting depth, within a management system combining subsoiling and termite mound amendments, are associated with soil physicochemical properties and spatial variability of maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield in the Lubumbashi region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Spatial soil sampling and correlation analyses were used to identify the dominant pedological factors controlling yield variability. The results indicate a reduced vertical stratification of most nutrients within the explored depth, reflecting a more homogeneous distribution of soil properties within the managed profile, although direct causal attribution to specific practices cannot be established in the absence of untreated control plots. Improved rooting conditions were reflected by high and spatially variable productivity (2.3 to 11.1 t ha⁻¹ across blocks), accompanied by a moderate average gain between seasons (<1 t ha⁻¹), while extractable manganese emerged as a consistent negative predictor of yield. These patterns are consistent with a larger functionally exploitable rooting depth and an improved soil environment, although causal contributions of subsoiling and termite mound amendments cannot be isolated in the absence of control plots. Overall, the results highlight the importance of jointly considering structural and chemical soil properties when interpreting productivity gradients in Plinthosols and designing sustainable management strategies for degraded tropical soils. Full article

At present, the global shortage of water resources has led to serious challenges, and traditional water production technologies such as seawater desalination and atmospheric water harvesting have certain limitations due to inflexible operation and environmental conditions. This study proposes a novel water production system (called “NeWater” system in this paper), which combines saline water desalination with atmospheric water-harvesting technologies to simultaneously produce freshwater from brackish water or seawater and ambient air. To evaluate its performance, an integrated thermodynamic and mathematical model of the system was developed and validated. The NeWater system consists of a vapor compression refrigeration unit (VRU), a direct evaporation unit (DEU), up to four heat exchangers, some valves, and auxiliary components. The system can be applied to areas and scenarios where traditional desalination technologies, like reverse osmosis and thermal-based desalination, are not feasible. By switching between different operating modes, the system can adapt to varying environmental humidity and temperature conditions to maximize its freshwater productivity. Based on the principles of mass and energy conservation, a performance simulation model of the NeWater system was developed, with which the impacts of some key design and operation parameters on system performance were studied in this paper. The results show that the performances of the VRU and DEU had a significant influence on system performance in terms of freshwater production and specific energy consumption. Under optimal conditions, the total freshwater yield could be increased by up to 1.9 times, while the specific energy consumption was reduced by up to 48%. The proposed system provides a sustainable and scalable water production solution for water-scarce regions. Optimization of the NeWater system and the selection of VRUs are beyond the scope of this paper and will be the focus of future research. Full article

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is a globally important crop for sugar and bioenergy production. However, genetic improvement through conventional breeding is constrained by long breeding cycles, low genetic gain, and considerable operational complexity arising from its highly allopolyploid and aneuploid genome. With the increasing global demand for sustainable food and renewable energy, sugarcane breeding programs must accelerate the development of high-yielding, stress-tolerant cultivars through the integration of advanced biotechnological tools with traditional breeding approaches. Recent advances in genetic engineering, genomic selection (GS), and high-throughput omics technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and phenomics, have substantially enhanced the efficiency of trait improvement related to growth, development, yield, and stress resilience. The integration of multi-omics data enables the dissection of regulatory networks linking genotype to phenotype, improves predictive accuracy, and provides deeper insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying complex traits. These integrative approaches support more informed selection decisions and accelerate genetic gain in sugarcane breeding programs. This review synthesizes recent technological developments and their practical applications in sugarcane improvement. It highlights the strategic implementation of transgenic and genome-editing technologies, genomic selection, and multi-omics integration to enhance yield potential and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, thereby contributing to sustainable sugarcane production and global food and bioenergy security. Full article

Conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to methanol in a traditional reactor (TR) with catalytic packed bed faces the challenge of lower reactant conversion due to thermodynamic limitations. On the contrary, membrane reactors selectively remove reaction products, enhancing the conversion, but it is still limited, and existing designs face challenges of structural integrity and scale-up complications. Therefore, for the first time, a ceramic membrane microchannel reactor (CMMR) system was developed with 500 µm deep microchannels, incorporated with catalytic membrane for CO₂ conversion to methanol. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations confirmed the uniform flow distribution among the microchannels. A catalytic LTA zeolite membrane was synthesized with thin layer (~45 µm) of Cu-ZnO-Al₂O₃ catalyst coating and tested at a temperature of 220 °C and 3.0 MPa pressure. The results showed a significantly higher CO₂ conversion of 82%, which is approximately 10 times higher than TR and 3 times higher than equilibrium conversion while 1.5 times higher than conventional tubular membrane reactor. Additionally, methanol selectivity and yield were achieved as 51.6% and 42.3%, respectively. The research outputs showed potential of replacing the current industrial process of methanol synthesis, addressing the Sustainable Development Goals of SDG-7, 9, and 13 for clean energy, industry innovation, and climate action, respectively. Full article

Silvopastoral systems in Patagonia (Argentina) aim to synergize forest and grassland productivity through thinning interventions in native forests of Antarctic beech (Nothofagus antarctica (G.Forst.) Oerst.), locally known as ñire, modifying ecosystem dynamics. This study aimed to determine how thinning strategies modify microclimatic conditions (air and soil temperatures, precipitation, soil water content) and modulate the intra-annual radial growth patterns in N. antarctica trees within subpolar deciduous forests of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. We established three treatments: unmanaged mature forest (UF), thinning under crown cover influence (UC), and thinning outside crown cover influence (OC). Microclimate and radial growth were continuously monitored using high-precision dendrometers and associated data loggers during the 2021–2022 and 2023–2024 growing seasons. Data were analyzed using Generalized Linear Mixed Models and Principal Component Analysis. OC treatment consistently exhibited the highest total annual radial growth, averaging 1.44 mm yr⁻¹, which was substantially greater than the observed in both the UC (0.56 mm yr⁻¹) and UF (0.83 mm yr⁻¹) across the two seasons. An advanced growth dynamic, with cambial activity starting approximately five days earlier than in UF and UC, was detected. Air temperature was a primary positive driver of daily growth (GLMM Estimates > 0.029, p < 0.001 for all treatments), while soil water content (SWC) was significantly higher in OC (mean 25.4%) compared to UF (22.3%) and UC (15.9%). These findings showed that OC, characterized by higher soil moisture, likely facilitated the trees’ ability to capitalize on warm temperature days. This accelerates and extends the period of radial growth, offering a direct strategy to enhance productivity in these silvopastoral systems, essential for long-term forest sustainability. Full article

With growing community awareness of greenhouse gas emissions and their environmental consequences, distributed rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems have emerged as a sustainable energy alternative in residential settings. However, the high penetration of these systems without effective operational strategies poses significant challenges for local distribution grids. Specifically, the estimation of surplus energy production from these systems, closely linked to complex outdoor weather conditions and seasonal fluctuations, often lacks an accurate forecasting approach to effectively capture the temporal dynamics of system output during peak periods. In response, this study proposes a recurrent neural network (RNN)- based forecasting framework to predict rooftop PV surplus in the context of micro-residential communities over time horizons not exceeding 48 h. The framework includes standard RNN, long short-term memory (LSTM), bidirectional LSTM (BiLSTM), and gated recurrent unit (GRU) networks. In this context, the study employed estimated surplus energy datasets from six single-family detached houses, along with weather-related variables and seasonal patterns, to evaluate the framework’s effectiveness. Results demonstrated the significant effectiveness of all framework models in forecasting surplus energy across seasonal scenarios, with low MAPE values of up to 3.02% and 3.59% over 24-h and 48-h horizons, respectively. Simultaneously, BiLSTM models consistently demonstrated a higher capacity to capture surplus energy fluctuations during peak periods than their counterparts. Overall, the developed data-driven framework demonstrates potential to enable short-term smart energy scheduling in micro-residential communities, supporting electric vehicle charging from single-family detached houses through efficient rooftop PV systems. It also provides decision-making insights for evaluating renewable energy contributions in the residential sector. Full article

Fuel moisture content (FMC) estimation is essential for wildfire danger assessment and fire behavior modeling. This study quantifies the value of integrating satellite observations from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard Suomi-NPP and the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) aboard GOES-16 with High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) numerical weather prediction data for hourly 10 h dead FMC estimation across the continental United States. We leverage the complementary characteristics of each system: VIIRS provides enhanced spatial resolution (375–750 m), while ABI contributes high temporal frequency observations (hourly). Using XGBoost machine learning models trained on 2020–2021 data, we systematically evaluate performance improvements stemming from incorporating satellite retrievals individually and in combination with HRRR meteorological variables through eight experimental configurations. Results demonstrate that while both satellite systems individually enhance prediction accuracy beyond HRRR-only models, their combination provides substantially greater improvements: 27% RMSE and MAE reduction and 46.7% increase in explained variance (R${}^2$) relative to HRRR baseline performance. Comprehensive seasonal analysis reveals consistent satellite data contributions across all seasons, with stable median performance throughout the year. Diurnal analysis across the complete 24 h cycle shows sustained improvements during all hours, not only during satellite overpass times, indicating effective integration of temporal information. Spatial analysis reveals improvements in western fire-prone regions where afternoon overpass timing aligns with peak fire danger conditions. Feature importance analysis using multiple explainable AI methods demonstrates that HRRR meteorological variables provide the fundamental physical framework for prediction, while satellite observations contribute fine-scale refinements that improve moisture estimates. The VIIRS lag-hour predictor successfully maintains observational value up to 72 h after acquisition, enabling flexible operational implementation. This research demonstrates the first systematic comparison of VIIRS versus ABI contributions to dead FMC estimation and establishes a framework for hourly, satellite-enhanced FMC products that support more accurate fire danger assessment and enhanced situational awareness for wildfire management operations. Full article