This article presents research on selected materials with the aim of determining their rare earth element (REE) content and attempting to intensify it. The test material was coal slurry, which is a waste product from the operation of a preparation plant of a closed coal mine. Research on REE concentration intensification tests was carried out using magnetic separation. Laboratory analyses determining the REE content in the samples obtained, were carried out using the inductively coupled plasma ionisation mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique. Carrying out this research by the KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, is a continuation of work related to making mining waste economically useful and determining a new source of REE recovery. Previous research and development work showed REE content (scandium 40.49 ppm) in the coal slurries studied. The result of the work carried out is the determination of the economic utility of REE recovery from the studied waste.

The manufacturing parameters influence the properties of thermo-mechanically processed met-als such as Mg alloys. This paper presents how the mechanical properties, the microstructure and the degradation rate of extruded Mn-containing Mg-Gd-alloys can be modified. Gd as repre-sented REE-element is particularly interesting due to the influence on the texture development in Mg and therefore studied as a base alloy system. The contents of Gd were investigated be-tween 2 to 9 wt.% with Mn-addition of 0.5 and 1.0 wt.%. The grain sizes and the corresponding textures were modified by the extrusion parameters and the alloy content. It was shown that modification by Mn can decrease the grain size, but increase the degree of recrystallization and decrease the degradation rate in the biological medium compared to the binary Mg-Gd system from previous studies. The results suggest that the binary Mg-Gd system can be produced more efficiently by adding Mn and that the resulting properties are more robust.

Stray light is a critical aspect for high performance optical instruments. When stray light control by design is insufficient to reach the performance requirement, correction by post-processing must be considered. This situation is encountered for example in the case of the Earth observation in-strument 3MI, whose stray light properties are complex due to the presence of many ghosts dis-tributed on the detector array. We implement an iterative correction method and discuss its con-vergence properties. Spatial and field binning can be employed to reduce the computation time but at the cost of a decreased performance. Interpolation of the stray light properties is required to achieve high performance correction. For that, two methods are proposed and tested. The first interpolate the stray light in the field domain while the second applies a scaling operation based on a local symmetry assumption. Ultimately, the scaling method is selected and a stray light reduction by a factor of 58 is obtained at 2σ (129 at 1σ) for an extended scene illumination.

Considering the ever-increasing role of rare-earth elements (REE) in the modern hi-tech field, their effective use has a tremendous significance, although the production process is inevitably linked to the large volumes of industrial ammonia effluents and heavy metal wastes. In the process of metallurgical separation of metals, the emission of large volumes of noxious gases and radioactive substances is inevitable. Lean technogenic raw material processing is sensible under the condition of the development of non-waste technology. The lack of competent regulations governing the disposal of waste containing REE has an impact on adjacent territories, accumulating in water bodies and, as a result, in the human body. Such an impact cannot pass without a trace, however, the ambiguity of opinions in the scientific community regarding the toxic effects of REE on living organisms determines the relevance of a more detailed study of this issue. The paper presents experimental and theoretical results of studies of ion flotation in the aqueous solutions containing ytterbium cations and a surfactant as a collector - sodium dodecyl sulphate (NaDS).

We present a plausible solution to the now forty seven year old paleoclimatology riddle of the so-called Faint Young Sun Paradox via the combined hypothesis of the conservation of the state of radiation balance between the Earth and Sun and that of an expanding Earth, where, in the face of a changing (increasing) Solar luminosity, the Earth would maintain steady temperatures by re-adjusting the height of its atmosphere. That is to say, depending on whether or not the radius of the solid Earth is changing, this re-adjustment of the height of the Earth’s atmosphere would mean two things — i.e.: (1) either the height increases — in which event the Earth accretes matter from its immediate surroundings (i.e., the obvious pool formed by the Solar wind) thereby increasing the mass of the Earth’s atmosphere, or: (2) the height decreases — in which event the Earth naturally expels matter from its atmosphere, thereby decreasing the effective mass of the Earth. We demonstrate that if –- as the current state of the art ITRF observations seem to indicate, namely that — the Earth’s landmass is steadily expanding globally at a paltry rate of ∼+0.45±0.05mm·yr−1, and, that the Earth’s atmosphere is to have a present radial vertical height of about one third of the Earth’s radius (∼2860km) from the Earth’s surface, then, one can (might) with relative ease, explain not only the presence of liquid water on the Earth’s surface some ∼3.20±0.70Gyr ago during the Archaean eon when the Sun was about 75% of its current luminosity, but also the present radial expansion rate of the Earth. When all is said and done, the Earth system is herein cast as an auto-self-regulating incubator where the auto-self-regulating mechanism is as a result of the Earth’s atmosphere responding by automatically re-adjusting its height.

Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) doped with rare earth (RE) metals with general formula CoFe_2-xRE_xO₄ (RE=Yb, Dy, Gd; x = 0.0 - 0.3) were synthesized by the co-precipitation method followed by post thermal treatment. The influence of RE doping on structural, magnetic and thermal properties and potential biomedical applications like magnetic hyperthermia has been investigated. In the as-prepared samples RE cations enter the spinel lattice as detected by X-ray diffraction. Thermal treatment leads to thermodynamically stable and relaxed single-phase spinel structures only for lower RE content, x = 0.01-0.05. However, annealed samples present higher mass magnetization values (M_S), up to 83 Am²/kg. RE content also affects M_S, especially in the case of annealed samples where it decreases linearly with x from about 80 Am²/kg (x = 0.01) to about 60 Am²/kg (x = 0.30). Thermal treatment induces a reduction in coercivity from 60-100 mT for as-prepared samples to 18-33 mT for annealed samples, in a nonlinear manner with respect to RE content. Heating efficiency, i.e., Specific Loss Power (SLP), of all samples has been studied using both magnetometric and calorimetric method to deeper examine the energy loss mechanisms involved.

The moon always use the same side to face toward the earth, but there is a dead angle in the mainstream theory of explaining this phenomenon. That is, it cannot explain why the moon doesn't rotate around the axis which is a straight line to connect the mass centers of the earth and moon. Because the numerous meteorite impact craters on the lunar surface indicate that the moon is completely possible to obtain external momentums and rotate around this axis. This paper proposes a plain explanation, that is, the universal gravitation between the earth and moon as well as the earth's magnetic field have formed a trinity restraint mechanism on the moon. According to this explanation, the moon's rotation can be locked, and the mechanism of lunar libration has been revealed out, which can also confirm mutually with the natural phenomenon that the moon has sought a balance in the swing. In addition, with the help of all kinds of detection data from the Apollo moon landings and other circumlunar spacecraft, as well as the studies and analysis of lunar soil samples, the conclusion is that as far as a whole for the moon, it belongs to paramagnetic substances, and its relative permeability is between 1.008 and 1.03. Although the magnetic flux density of the earth on the lunar orbit has been dropped below 0.0008125 nT or lower due to the impact of the solar wind, but it can be used as a reason to lock the moon without rotating around the axis which is a straight line to connect the mass centers of the earth and moon. If another main reason to cause the existence of this fact cannot be found, even if the magnetic flux density of the geomagnetism in lunar orbit is very small, it also should not be artificially ignored. In this regard, we can artificially change the intensity of the earth's magnetic field, and carefully observe the lunar libration and in the distance between the earth and the moon, to verify the arguments in this paper.

A proper transmission of the orientation between surface and underground workings, by means of vertical shafts, is an important challenge in the mining industry, especially when the mine exceeds 200 meters deep. In fact, this study is developed in a mine located to 700 meters deep. Likewise, this paper assesses the accuracy of this operation, in a case study, using the two shafts plumbing and gyroscope methods in order to compare and analyse the planimetric displacement of the base line due to different source of errors in each one. Upsides and downsides of both methods are analysed in the paper. Some disadvantages in each method have been reduced thanks to the technological progress, especially in the two shaft plumbing method. The different sources of error that affect the measures are thoroughly analysed in the study with the aim to compensate them and achieve the required precision for an underground infrastructure. Mine ventilation has been found as one of the most important sources of error in the plumbing method due to intake and return airflow. In this direction, the paper unfolds some measures to reduce the ventilation influence and details a compensation method to reduce ventilation errors.

This paper reports the efforts made and experiences gained in developing the Flood Prevention and Emergency Response System (FPERS) powered by Google Earth Engine, with focus on its applications at the three stages of floods. At the post-flood stage, FPERS integrates various remote sensing imageries, including Formosat-2 optical imagery, to detect and monitor barrier lakes, synthetic aperture radar imagery to derive an inundation map, and high-spatial-resolution photographs taken by unmanned aerial vehicles to evaluate damage to river channels and structures. At the pre-flood stage, a huge amount of geospatial data are integrated in FPERS and are categorized as typhoon forecast and archive, disaster prevention and warning, disaster events and analysis, or basic data and layers. At the during-flood stage, three strategies are implemented to facilitate the access of the real-time data: presenting the key information, making a sound recommendation, and supporting the decision-making. The example of Typhoon Soudelor in August of 2015 is used to demonstrate how FPERS was employed to support the work of flood prevention and emergency response from 2013 to 2016. The capability of switching among different topographic models and the flexibility of managing and searching data through a geospatial database are also explained, and suggestions are made for future works.

Reliable evapotranspiration (ET) estimation is a key factor for water resources planning, attaining sustainable water resources use, irrigation water management, and water regulation. During the past few decades, researchers have developed a variety of remote sensing techniques to estimate ET. The Earth Engine Evapotranspiration Flux (EEFlux) application uses Landsat imagery archives on the Google Earth Engine platform to calculate the daily evapotranspiration at the local field scale (30 m). Automatically calibrated for each Landsat image, the EEFlux application design is based on the widely vetted Mapping Evapotranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC) model and produces ET estimation maps for any Landsat 5, 7 or 8 scene in a matter of seconds. In this research we evaluate the consistency and accuracy of EEFlux products that are produced when standard US and global assets are used. Processed METRIC products for 58 scenes distributed around the western and central United States were used as the baseline for comparison. The goal of this paper is to compare the results from EEFlux with the standard METRIC applications to illustrate the utility of the EEFlux products as they currently stand. Given that EEFlux is derived from METRIC, differences are expected to occur due to differing calibration methods (automatic versus manual) and differing input datasets. The products compared include the fraction of reference ET (ETrF), actual ET (ETa), and surface energy balance components net radiation (Rn), ground heat flux (G), and sensible heat flux (H), as well as Ts, albedo and NDVI. The product comparisons show that the intermediate products of Ts, Albedo, and NDVI, and also Rn have similar values and behavior for both EEFlux and METRIC. Larger differences were found for H and G. Despite the more significant differences in H and G, results show that EEFlux is able to calculate ETrF and ETa values comparable to the values from trained expert METRIC users for agricultural areas. For non-agricultural areas such as semi-arid rangeland and forests, the automated EEFlux calibration algorithm needs to be improved in order to be able to reproduce ETrF and ETa that is similar to the manually calibrated METRIC products.

Coal gasification with carbon dioxide is a process for generating clean gaseous fuels and relieving greenhouse effect. Zhundong coal has high alkali and alkali earth metals (AAEMs) content, medium volatile and low ash in nature. Isothermal CO₂ gasification of char derived from Zhundong coal (R-char) and char from acid washing R-char (AR-char) are performed in thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA). The effect of AAEMs is investigated on the gasification behavior in the range of temperatures 1073 K to 1273 K. The carbon conversion increases rapidly with increasing reaction temperature and CO₂ concentration. R-char has high gasification rate and carbon conversion compared with AR-char. The accuracy of the free-model approach for calculating activation energy at different conversions is validated by compared with different kinetic models (volume reaction model, distributed activation energy model). Moreover, R-char gasification with CO₂ shows a compensation effect as the Arrhenius parameters (EA and k0) increase or decrease simultaneously.

Aero submarines (aerosubs) are vehicles that can both fly both in air and travel under water. The concept of dual aerial and aquatic vehicles emerged in 1939 when Russian engineer Boris Ushakov proposed the “flying submarine”[1], and this was followed by further developments including RFS1 [2], convair project in 1964[3] , etc. however, to date, limited attempt has been diverted towards the advanced development of such aircraft. This is heavily influenced by challenges associated with the design and operation of the same. Based on the review of literature the authors aim to introduce a theoretical design for an aerosub (QFS-20) with a view to address the design and operation issues including power, entry to and exit from water.

Fungi are ubiquitous and metabolically versatile. Their dispersion has important scientific, environmental, health, and economic implications. They can be dispersed through the air by the aerosolization of near surfaces or transported from distant sources. Here, we tested the contribution of local (scale of meters) versus regional (kilometers) sources by analyzing airborne fungal community by ITS sequencing around a copper mine in the North of Chile. The mine was the regional source, whereas soil and vegetal detritus were the local sources at each point. The airborne community was highly homogeneous in ca. 2,000 km2, impeding the detection of regional or local contributions. Ascomycota was the dominant phylum in the three communities. Soil and vegetal detritus communities had lower alpha-diversity, but some taxa had abundance patterns related to the distance to the mine and altitude. On the contrary, the air was compositionally even and unrelated to environmental or spatial factors, except for altitude. The presence of plant pathogens in the air suggests that other distant sources contribute to this region's airborne fungal community and reinforces the complexity of tracking the sources of air microbial communities in a real world where several natural and human activities coexist.

Fractal analysis of time series aims to extract the hidden or complex structures issued from the associated real data, such as scaling laws, non-stationary, dynamics, and so on. In the present work, the air quality index and its components are considered as time series owing fractal structures. To understand their underlying dynamics, wavelet multifractal approach is applied starting with a wavelet multifractal spectrum test to confirm the multifractality of the underlying data. Next, a new model is introduced improving the classical minmax one, provided with a statistical measure for the adequacy of the new model. The theoretical findings are applied to the north west Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia for environmental and climate data related to pollutants and factors involved in the estimation of the air quality index.

A single paragraph of about 200 words maximum. For research articles, abstracts should give a pertinent overview of the work. We strongly encourage authors to use the following style of structured abstracts, but without headings: (1) Background: place the question addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study; (2) Methods: describe briefly the main methods or treatments applied; (3) Results: summarize the article’s main findings; (4) Conclusions: indicate the main conclusions or interpretations. The abstract should be an objective representation of the article, it must not contain results which are not presented and substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions.

The unquenchable demand for rock materials has attracted many companies within the building and construction sector to invest in stone quarrying. However, this has brought about the environmental impacts with health threats to people. There is a paucity of information about the magnitude of pollution on air and water and how it varies with quarry sites. This study therefore investigated the physical impacts of quarrying on air and water and explored the in-situ mitigations to undesirable effects due to stone quarrying. Four active quarry sites were identified. Field measurements of dust (particulate matter) was conducted within the four quarry sites and in the nearby community. Water samples were collected from quarry pits and nearby shallow wells for laboratory analysis of water quality. Statistical Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences in pollution across the four studied sites. Results revealed that, amidst use of wet crushing and water sprinkling on bare surfaces, dust emission was higher than the recommended permissible standards levels with a significant variation across the quarry sites with ANOVA (P-value=0.003) for PM2.5 and (P-value=0.04366) for PM10. Water pollution was mainly contributed by the non-permissive levels of nitrates, chromium, and pH. Polluted air and water are associated with sparking off health threats to the users in the community. In conclusion, quarry companies should strengthen the already existing mitigation of dust suppression. The study recommends additional measures such as treating quarry pit water before discharging to the open environment

Social distancing policies put in place during COVID-19 epidemic in addition to helping to limit the spread of the disease also contributed to improving urban air quality. Here we show a decrease in air pollutant concentration as a consequence of mobility reduction in São Paulo during the containment measure which began on 22^nd March 2020. When comparing to foregoing weeks to equivalent periods of 2019, the concentration of most air pollutants sharply decreased in the first days of mobility restriction, to then increase again after government officials downplayed the threat of the disease. This trend is also followed by a decrease in hospital admissions by SARS-influenza. Therefore, despite the great economic and social unrest caused by the pandemic, this unique situation shows that large-scale mobility reduction policy had a significant impact on air quality, benefiting, directly and indirectly, the public health system.

Several methods have been tried to estimate air temperature using satellite imagery. In this paper, the results of two machine learning algorithms, Support Vector Machine and Random Forest, are compared with Multivariate Linear Regression, TVX and Ordinary kriging. Several geographic, remote sensing and time variables are used as predictors. The validation is carried out using four different statistics on a daily basis allowing the use of ANOVA to compare the results. The main conclusion is that Random Forest with residual kriging produces the best results (R$^2$=0.612 $\pm$ 0.019, NSE=0.578 $\pm$ 0.025, RMSE=1.068 $\pm$ 0.027, PBIAS=-0.172 $\pm$ 0.046), whereas TVX produces the least accurate results. The environmental conditions in the study area are not really suited to TVX, moreover this method only takes into account satellite data. On the other hand, regression methods (Support Vector Machine, Random Forest and Multivariate Linear Regression) use several parameters that are easily calculated from a Digital Elevation Model, adding very little difficulty to the use of satellite data alone. The most important variables in the Random Forest Model were satellite temperature, potential irradiation and cdayt, a cosine transformation of the julian day.

The present work aimed to validate a low-cost passive monitoring procedure. For its validation, the monitoring of atmospheric organic pollutants - polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was carried out in a capital of the central-western region of Brazil. The sensors were fixed on poles intended for electrification during the dry season. After 15 days, samples were extracted by solvent extraction and analysed by High-Resolution Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detector (HRGC-FID). For the validation of the procedure, PAHs monitored and standardised by the American Environmental Agency (EPA), a benchmark for environmental monitoring of air quality by several countries, were analysed. The results demonstrated that the low-cost passive monitoring method was effective in the quantification of PAH in the environment-air, capable of being used by countries that do not have many resources for monitoring air quality.

The air quality monitoring network in Alaska is currently limited to ground-based observations in urban areas and national parks leaving a large proportion of the state unmonitored. The use of MODIS aerosol optical depth (AOD) to estimate ground-level particulate pollution concentrations has been successfully demonstrated around the world, and could potentially be used in Alaska. In this work, MODIS AOD measurements at 550 nm were validated against AOD derived from AERONET ground-based sunphotometers in Barrow and Bonanza Creek to determine if MODIS AOD from the Terra and Aqua satellites could be used to estimate ground-level particulate pollution concentrations. The MODIS AOD was obtained from MODIS collection 6 using the dark target Land and Ocean algorithms from 2000 to 2014. MODIS data could only be obtained between the months of April and October; therefore, it could only be validated for those months. Individual and combined Terra and Aqua MODIS data were considered. The results showed that MODIS collection 6 products at 10 km resolution for Terra and Aqua combined are not valid over land but are valid over the ocean. On the other hand, the individual Terra and Aqua MODIS collection 6 AOD products at 10 km resolution are valid over land individually but not when combined. Results also suggest the MODIS collection 6 AOD products at 3 km resolution are valid over land and ocean and perform better over land than the 10-km product. These findings indicate that MODIS collection 6 AOD products can be used quantitatively in air quality applications in Alaska during the summer months.

Local air quality is a major concern for the population regularly exposed to high levels of air pollution. The airport, mainly due to its aircraft engines activities during taxiing and take off, is often submitted to heterogeneous but important concentrations of NOx and PM. The study suggests an innovative approach to determine the air traffic impact on air quality at the scale of the airport, its runways and terminals, in order to be able to locate the persistent high concentrations spots. The pollutants concentrations at 10 m resolution and 1 s time step are calculated in order to identify the most affected areas of an airport platform. A real day of air traffic on a regional airport is simulated, using real data as aircraft trajectories (from radar streams). In order to estimate the aircraft emissions, the Air Transport Systems Evaluation Infrastructure (IESTA) is used. Regarding local air quality, IESTA relies on the non-hydrostatic meso-scale atmospheric model Meso-NH using grid-nesting capabilities with 3 domains, for this study. The detailed cartography of the airport distinguishes between grassland, parking and terminals, allowing to compute exchanges of heat, water and momentum between the different types of surfaces and the atmosphere as well as the interactions with the building using a drag force. The dynamic parameters like wind, temperature, turbulent kinetic energy and pollutants concentration are computed at 10 m resolution over the 2 × 4 km airport domain. The pollutants are considered in this preliminary study as passive tracers, without chemical reactions. This preliminary study aims at proving the feasibility of high scale modelling over an airport with state of the art physical models.

When it comes to air pollution complaints, odours are often the most significant contributor. Sources of odour emissions range from natural to anthropogenic. Mitigation of odour can be challenging, multifaceted, site-specific, and is often confounded by its complexity—defined by existing (or non-existing) environmental laws, public ordinances, and socio-economic considerations. The objective of this paper is to review and summarize odour legislation in selected European countries (France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, United Kingdom, Spain, The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium), North America (USA and Canada), South America (Chile and Colombia), as well as Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) and Asia (Japan, China). Many countries have incorporated odour controls into their legislation. However, odour-related assessment criteria tend to be highly variable between countries, individual states, provinces and even counties and towns. Legislation ranges from (1) no specific mention in environmental legislation that regulates pollutants which are known to have an odour impact to (2) extensive details about odour source testing, odour dispersion modeling, ambient odour monitoring, (3) setback distances, (4) process operations, and (5) odour control technologies and procedures. Agricultural operations are one specific source of odour emissions in rural and suburban areas and a model example of such complexities. Management of agricultural odour emissions is important because of the dense consolidation of animal feeding operations and the advance of housing development into rural areas. Overall, there is a need for continued survey, review, development, and adjustment of odour legislation that considers sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and socio-economic realities, all of which are amenable to a just, site-specific, and sector-specific application.

The scope of this work is to empirically check and prove the practical applicability of the Primordially Hydridic Earth (hereinafter PHE) concept for early exploration of the resources of naturally occurring hydrogen. With the PHE concept postulates interpreted within the local geological, tectonic, petrological and geophysical context, the reconnaissance plan, as well as the field exploration and data acquisition programs, were put together and implemented in the field. The results obtained from the surface (

Point defects induced by doping rare earth elements RE (Nd, Er) into the magnesium oxide host were investigated by classical atomistic simulations utilising the General Utility Lattice Program (GULP). Formation and association energies were calculated for the potential defect structures. Both isolated defects and defect complexes were considered. The most energetically favourable structures of defect complexes were found for rare earth doped and Li co-doped systems. The correlation between the association energy and the structure of the defect complex was investigated. The influences of Li were revealed with respect to energy and structure. The simulation results contribute to the understanding of the point defects of doped MgO and how Li influences the doping of rare earth elements in the MgO host.

Heterometallic rare-earth clusters have garnered much attention because of their interest-ing solid-state structures and versatile applications in catalysis and material and polymer chemistry over the last four decades. Particular interest is rare earth–transition metal co-ordination compounds that behave as single-molecule magnets (SMMs) because of their potential use in information storage, spintronic devices, and magnetic refrigeration sys-tems. Another implementation involves using lanthanide clusters in luminescent-based sensing for environmental protection and security screening or in photocatalytic energy conversion reactions. Heterometallic rare earth complexes offer the promise of catalytic performance of many organic reactions due to their high oxygenophilicity, Lewis acidity, high coordination numbers, and ability to change the coordination environment quickly. Therefore, they are commonly applied as catalysts in asymmetric synthesis, oxidation re-actions, and CO2 conversions or as initiators in ring-opening polymerization and copoly-merization of cyclic monomers. They are also attractive single-source molecular precur-sors for functional inorganic materials. This review focused on the unique features and properties of the heterometallic rare earth complexes, which are closely correlated with their molecular structure. Our summary is a valuable resource, providing researchers with an insightful exploration of the heterometallic rare-earth complexes that demonstrated multimetallic synergy and cooperativity effects in various applications.

The earth pressure acting on soilbag reinforced retaining structures subjected to surcharge loads under non-limited states, is crucial for designing these structures. In this study, the earth pressures are investigated through model tests of the soilbag reinforced retaining wall. Findings from these tests reveal a non-linear distribution of lateral earth pressure on the wall when subjected to surcharge loads in non-limited states, with an observed escalation in pressure corresponding to increased surcharge loads. Compression tests on soilbags were conducted to analyze their lateral stress-strain behavior. Insights from these tests facilitated the development of a predictive method for estimating lateral pressure on soilbag reinforced retaining walls under similar conditions. This method, rooted in the principle of force equilibrium in differential elements, has its accuracy and reliability substantiated by the alignment of its predictions with the model test outcomes.

The identified Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, coupled with diminished vegetation and anthropogenic heat release, poses a significant environmental challenge for major urban centers. Particularly worrisome is the UHI effect in hot and temperate climates such as the Mediterranean region during the summer season. This exacerbates discomfort and heightens the risks of diseases linked to high temperatures. Additionally, it contributes to environmental consequences, including elevated electricity consumption due to increased demand for cooling [1]. The utilization of Remotely Sensed imagery for estimating Land Surface Temperature has become more prevalent in various applications associated with evaluating urban micro-climates and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon. This study presents an algorithm for the automatic mapping of Land Surface Temperature (LST) from Landsat-8 data using a vegetation index-based technique in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. The primary aim is to discern patterns and trends in LST over a 5-year period, from 2017 to 2021. The application was tested in the urban area of Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, which is particularly representative of the Mediterranean urban environment. Computation of Normalized Difference Indices (NDVI, NDBI, NDWI) for the study area was also performed within the GEE platform and correlation analysis was implemented to evaluate the impact of the urban landscape on the distribution of LST.

The orbital elactronic structure of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) contains many unpaired electrons which render them capable of storing large amount of magnetic energy in addition to being critical for hitech applications. Geological deposits are their conventional sources, and the current supply chain relies on production from these deposits. However, given their critical roles in the anticipated global energy transition, there is the need to explore other viable sources to supplement current and future supplies chains. REEs occur in coal as accessory minerals and their concentration in coal ash to levels that rival those of geological deposits has been estab;ished by sophisticated analytical chemical methods. Conmventional hydrometallurgical processes rely on acid leaching, using tioxic mineral acids. Meanwhile, organosulfonic acids have pKa values that rival those of conventional minerals acid and can, therefore, be used in hydrometallurgy but their uses in this regard are not well documented in the literature. In this extensive review, we have covered geological sources of REEs exaustively in addition to showing the potential of organosulfonic acids as environmentally benign lixiviants for REEs extraction from coal ash. We have also shown how process optimization can be achieved using advance technologies while using organisulfonic acids. Moreover, we have shown current and future global market trends regarding the production of select organosulfonic acids, and the anticipated global increase in their production motivates the use of organosulfonic acids as viable lixiviants for REEs extraction from caol ash deposits.

Band structure calculations using the spin-polarized relativistic Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (SPRKKR) band structure method have been performed to determine the intrinsic magnetic properties (magnetic moments, magneto-crystalline anisotropy -MAE and Curie temperatures) of the Fe5-x-yCoxMySiB2 (M = Re, W) alloys. The general gradient approximation for ex-change-correlation potential and the atomic sphere approximation (GGA ASA) have been em-ployed. Previous studies showed that the Co doping is turning the in-plane into axial anisotropy for a certain doping range, whilst the 5d doping enables a strong spin-orbit coupling of Fe-3d and M-5d states which is needed to enhance the MAE. The theoretical calculations aim to find the dependence of the anisotropy constant K1 for combined Co and M doping, building a two-dimensional (2D) map of K1 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2 and 0 ≤ y ≤ 1. Similar theoretical 2D maps for magnetization and Curie temperature vs. Co and M content (M = W and Re) have been built, allowing to select alloy compositions with enhanced values of uniaxial anisotropy, magnetization and Curie temperature. Magnetic properties of Fe4.1W0.9SiB2 alloy that meets the selection criteria for axial anisotropy K1 > 0.2 meV/f.u., Curie temperature Tc > 800 K determined by mean field approach and magnetization µ0Ms > 1 T are discussed.

For the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan (Russia), a spatial model of forest communities was built as a basis for assessing the sequestration potential of ecosystems. Combination of multi-temporal and multi-spectral satellite imagery from the Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 platform as input data and Google Earth Engine cloud platform were used. The set of 292 vegetation indices and metrics computed from the pre-processed imagery, were combined into dataset. The Weka X-Means clustering algorithm was trained and applied to study area. The unsupervised classification was carried out by vegetation classes in the Braun-Blanquet system. The results of unsupervised classification were verified using data from more than 17,000 relevés with geographic references from the Flora database. For automatic classification, the EuroVeg Checklist expert system in the JUICE 7.1 package was used. The proposed methodology for obtaining initial data and unsupervised classification, supported by an automated expert system, made it possible to obtain a picture of the vegetation distribution in the study area with sufficient accuracy, and in the future, it will be used to assess the sequestration potential of the ecosystems of the region under study.

As part of the Earth Climate Observatory space mission concept for the direct observation from space of the Earth Energy Imbalance, we propose an advanced camera suite for the high resolution observation of the Total Outgoing Radiation of the Earth. For the observation of the Reflected Solar Radiation, we propose the use of two multispectral cameras covering the range from 400 to 950 nm, with a nadir resolution of 1.7 km, combined with a high resolution RGB camera, with a nadir resolution of 0.57 km. For the observation of the Outgoing Longwave Radiation, we propose the use of 6 microbolometer cameras, with each a spectral bandwidth of 1 μm in the range from 8 to 14 μm, and with a nadir resolution of 2.2 km.

This research focuses on monitoring the spatiotemporal changes of urban surface water in Dhaka City from 1990 to 2021, utilizing satellite imagery and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. Surface water is essential for urban, environmental, and agricultural ecosystems, and its dynamics have significant implications for water resource planning and environmental management. The main objectives of this study are to assess the extent of urban surface water coverage over the last three decades and identify trends of water loss or gain in the study area. The study employs Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS imagery, integrating GEE with machine learning coding and WRI techniques to extract and analyze surface water data efficiently. Traditional remote sensing methods for dynamic monitoring are time-consuming and cumbersome, but GEE offers a user-friendly and accurate approach, providing easy access to satellite data and cloud-based processing. The results reveal a concerning trend in urban surface water coverage, indicating a significant reduction from 36.23 km² in 1990 to 5.83 km² in 2021, representing a loss of approximately 20 square kilometers or 45 percent of surface water over the last three decades. The decline is attributed to factors such as unplanned urban expansion, rapid real estate development, and increased industrial and economic activities in the study area. The developed algorithms utilizing GEE offer valuable insights into the maximum and minimum extent of surface water, enabling effective surface water planning and management. These findings contribute to sustainable water resource management and environmental preservation in Dhaka City.

Cooking is a very decentralized and private way of energy consumption in human activities. The existing investigation and statistical analysis can’t effectively calculate the proportion of population relying on clean cooking fuel and utilization technology in the region. Therefore, based on the big data of the earth, this paper adopts the combination of spatial analysis and statistical analysis to determine the survey sample area, and according to the economic conditions, topographic characteristics, national policies for new energy construction and living habits of the provinces and cities under investigation, the questionnaire survey is conducted for the research area to calculate the proportion of the regional population relying on clean cooking fuels and utilization technologies. Taking the south of the Yangtze River in China as an example, the paper effectively calculates that 88.25% of the population depends on clean cooking fuel and technology in this region, of which 89.81% are in urban areas and 79.87% are in rural areas. Analysis of the survey data shows that the proportion of the population using clean cooking fuels and technologies is related to factors such as economic development, income and resource endowment. There is a large urban–rural gap in terms of energy consumption tendency and structure in the south of the Yangtze River in China and cooking energy consumption in rural households also varies from region to region. The technical ideas and conclusions of the paper have high reference application value, which can help promote the upgrading of clean energy utilization and provide data basis for relevant decision and policy making.

Evaluating the performance of water indices and mapping the spatial distribution of water-related ecosystems are important for monitoring surface water resources. This is particularly the case for Ethiopia since there is limited information available on water resources development over time despite its relevance for the people and ecosystems. To address this problem, this paper evaluates the performance of seven water indices for country-scale surface water detection based on high spatial and multi-temporal resolution Sentinel-2 data, processed using the Google Earth Engine cloud computing system. Results show that the water index (WI) and automatic water extraction index with shadow (AWEIsh) are the most accurate ones to extract surface water. Comparisons are based on qualitative visual inspections and quantitative accuracy indicators. For the latter, WI and AWEIsh obtained kappa coefficients of 0.96 and 0.95, respectively, and an overall accuracy of 0.98 each. Both indices accounted for similar spatial coverages of surface waters with 82,650 km2 (WI) and 86,530 km2 (AWEIsh) for the whole of Ethiopia.

The work reports a facile synthesis of high thermally-stable nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) doped with different atomic concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 6.0%) of Gd3+ and Nd3+ ions by a template-free and one-step solvothermal process, using titanium(IV) butoxide as titanium precursor and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent. The structure and morphology of the Gd3+, Nd3+, and 0.5%Gd3+-0.5%Nd3+/doped TiO2 NPs have been characterized by using various analytical techniques. The Gd3+/ and Nd3+/TiO2 molar ratios were found to have a pronounced impact on the crystalline structure, size, and morphology of TiO2 NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies revealed the proper substitution of Ti4+ by Gd3+ and Nd3+ ions in the TiO2 host lattice. The as-prepared Gdx/TiO2, Ndx/TiO2, and Gd1.0/Ndx/TiO2 bimetallic NPs, x = 0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 6%, have been investigated as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 1.0 M KOH solution using a variety of electrochemical techniques. At any doping percentage, the Gd1.0/Ndx/TiO2 bimetallic NPs showed higher HER catalytic performance than their corresponding counterparts i.e. Gdx/TiO2 and Ndx/TiO2. Upon increasing the Nd content from 0.5 to 6.0%, the HER catalytic performance of the Gd1.0/Ndx/TiO2 bimetallic NPs was generally enhanced. Among the studied materials, the bimetallic Gd1.0/Nd6.0/TiO2 NPs emerged as the most promising catalyst with an onset potential of -22 mV vs. RHE, a Tafel slope of 109 mV dec-1, and an exchange current density of 0.72 mA cm-2. Such HER electrochemical kinetic parameters are close to those recorded by the commercial Pt/C (onset potential: -15 mV, Tafel slope: 106 mV dec-1, and exchange current density: 0.80 mA cm-2), and also comparable with those measured by the most active electrocatalysts reported in the literature. The synergistic interaction of Gd and Nd is thought to be the major cause of the bimetallic catalyst's activity.

The oil produced in the oil fields of the Republic of Kazakhstan contains a high percentage of sulfur. Synthesis and improvement of the properties of catalytic systems for the production of fuels with high octane number and low sulfur content is currently an urgent task for Kazakhstan. In this study, catalytic systems with a new composition based on zeolites with the addition of rare-earth metals (E) and phosphorus (P) have been prepared and tested in the process of the catalytic hydrotreating of straight-run gasoline and gasoline of catalytic cracking. In case of NiO-MoO3-E-P-HZSM-HY-Al2O3 catalyst, the octane rating of the gasoline after hydro-processing was increased to 88-90, which is much higher than for other catalysts. The octane number of straight-run gasoline up to 400°C is a maximum of 90 (Research Method) and 83.7 (Motor Method). At the same time, the sulfur content in the resulting gasoline decreases from 0.0088% to 0.0011%. In the case of catalytic cracking gasoline, the sulfur content is reduced from 0.0134% to 0.0012%. The smallest residual sulfur content in the final product, 0.0005% is revealed in case of catalyst CoO-WO3-E-P-HZSM-HY-Al2O3, and it is 2-4 times lower than for catalysts CoO-MoO3-E-P-HZSM-HY-Al2O3 and NiO-MoO3-E-P-HZSM-HY-Al2O3. These amounts of sulfur residue in raw materials is lower than that required by the Euro-5 Standard. The surface of the prepared catalysts was 211.0-274.0 m2/g, diameter of pores d ≈ 1.5-2.5 nm and d ≈ 7.0 nm. The total pore volume of the catalysts was not higher than 0.28-0.41 ml/g. The catalysts developed in this study can be used for hydrotreating raw materials and producing high-octane gasoline with a low sulfur content, corresponding in its characteristics to the Euro-5 Standard.

Rail impedance directly affects the transmission performance of track circuit . Considering the condition of earth stratification, for the difficult to calculate the rail impedance due to the semi-infinite integration interval and the oscillation of the integrand by using the Carson formula, The truncation method is proposed to divide the impedance formula is divided into definite integral and tail integral. The integral is approximated by the spline function, and the tail integral is calculated by using the exponential integral and Euler formula. Based on it, the rail impedance calculation formula of track circuit is obtained. The electromagnetic field model of track circuit with earth stratification is simulated by finite element method, and the correctness of the method is verified. Based on the formula, the influence of current frequency, soil depth and conductivity on rail impedance is studied. The relative error between the calculated results of rail impedance and the simulation results of finite element is within 5%. It can be seen that the formula has high accuracy and correctly reflects the law of rail impedance variation with current frequency, soil depth and resistivity. It provides a reliable reference for the theoretical calculation of rail impedance of track circuit.

Traditional refractory materials such as nickel-based superalloys have been gradually unable to meet the performance requirements of advanced materials. The Mo-Si-based alloy, as a new type of high temperature structural material, has entered the vision of researchers due to its charming high temperature performance characteristics. However, its easy oxidation and even "pesting oxidation" at medium temperatures limit its further applications. In order to solve this problem, researchers have conducted large numbers of experiments and made breakthrough achievements. Based on these research results, the effects of rare earth elements like La, Hf, Ce and Y on the microstructure and oxidation behavior of Mo-Si-based alloys were systematically reviewed in the current work. Meanwhile, this paper also provided an analysis about the strengthening mechanism of rare earth elements on the oxidation behavior for Mo-Si-based alloys after discussing the oxidation process. Furthermore, the research focus about the oxidation protection of Mo-Si-based alloys in the future was prospected to expand the application field.

We have an unprecedented ability to map the Earth’s surface as deep learning technologies are applied to an abundance of high-frequency Earth observation data. Simple, free, and effective methods are needed to enable a variety of stakeholders to use these tools to improve scientific knowledge and decision making. Here we present a trained U-Net model that can map and delineate ground mounted solar arrays using publicly available Sentinel-2 imagery, and that requires minimal data pre-processing and no feature engineering. By using label overloading and image augmentation during training, the model is robust to temporal and spatial variation in imagery. The trained model achieved a precision and recall of 91.5% each and an intersection over union of 84.3% on independent validation data from two distinct geographies. This generalizability in space and time makes the model useful for repeatedly mapping solar arrays. We use this model to delineate all ground mounted solar arrays in North Carolina and the Chesapeake Bay watershed to illustrate how these methods can be used to quickly and easily produce accurate maps of solar infrastructure.

The evolutionary origin of the genome remains elusive. Here, I hypothesize that its first iteration, the protogenome, was a multi-ribozyme RNA. It evolved, likely within liposomes (the protocells) forming in dry-wet cycling environments, through the random fusion of ribozymes by a ligase and was amplified by a polymerase. The protogenome thereby linked, in one molecule, the information required to seed the protometabolism (a combination of RNA-based autocatalytic sets) in newly forming protocells. If this combination of autocatalytic sets was evolutionarily advantageous, the protogenome would have amplified in a population of multiplying protocells. It likely was a quasispecies with redundant information, e.g., multiple copies of one ribozyme. As such, new functionalities could evolve, including a genetic code. Once one or more components of the protometabolism were templated by the protogenome (e.g., when a ribozyme was replaced by a protein enzyme), and/or addiction modules evolved, the protometabolism became dependent on the protogenome. Along with increasing fidelity of the RNA polymerase, the protogenome could grow, e.g., by incorporating additional ribozyme domains. Finally, the protogenome could have evolved into a DNA genome with increased stability and storage capacity. I will provide suggestions for experiments to test some aspects of this hypothesis.

In this paper, we introduce a computational procedure that enables autonomous LEO laser trackers endowed with INSs to increase the current accuracy when shooting at middle distant medium-size LEO debris targets. The code is designed for the trackers to throw the targets into the Atmosphere by means of ablations. In case that the targets are eclipsed to the trackers by the Earth, the motions of the trackers and targets are modeled by equations that contain post-Newtonian terms accounting for the curvature of space. Otherwise, when the approaching targets become visible for the trackers, we additionally use more accurate equations, which allow to account for the local bending of the laser beams aimed at the targets. We observe that under certain circumstances the correct shooting configurations that allow to safely and efficiently shoot down the targets, differ from the current estimations by distances that may be larger than the size of many targets. In short, this procedure enables to estimate the optimal shooting instants for any middle distant medium-size LEO debris target.

Existing rammed earth construction methods have disadvantages such as increased initial costs for manufacturing the large formwork and increased labor costs owing to the labor-intensive construction techniques involved. To address the limitations of existing rammed earth construction methods, an autonomous rammed earth construction method is introduced herein. As this autonomous rammed earth construction method uses a modular formwork, alternative materials must be used in the construction to satisfy the requirements for the early-age binder performance. Accordingly, this study evaluates the use of an epoxy emulsion composed of epoxy and a hardener to enhance the performance of the binder. Preliminary experiments were conducted to determine the optimal formulation of the epoxy emulsion, following which the compressive strength, water loosening, shrinkage, rate of mass change, and microstructure of several red clay binder specimens with and without epoxy emulsion were analyzed at early ages. The results confirmed that the epoxy emulsion can be applied to satisfy the performance requirements for autonomous rammed earth construction by improving the durability and strength of the binder at early ages.

Monitoring lakes in high-latitude areas can provide a better understanding of freshwater systems sensitivity and accrete knowledge on climate change impacts. Phytoplankton are sensitive to various conditions: warmer temperatures, earlier ice-melt and changing nutrient sources. Satellite imagery can monitor algae biomass over large areas. The detection of chlorophyll a (chl-a) concentrations in small lakes is hindered by the low spatial resolution of conventional ocean colour satellites. The short time-series of the newest generation of space-borne sensors (e.g. Sentinel-2) is a bottleneck for assessing long-term trends. Although previous studies have evaluated the use of high-resolution sensors for assessing lakes' chl-a, it is still unclear how the spatial and temporal variability of chl-a concentration affect the performance of satellite estimates. We discuss the suitability of Landsat (LT) 30-m resolution imagery to assess lakes' chl-a concentrations under varying trophic conditions, across extensive high-latitude areas in Finland. We use in situ data obtained from field campaigns in 19 lakes and generate remote sensing estimates of chl-a, taking advantage of the long-time span of the LT 5 and 7 archives, from 1984 to 2017. Our results show that linear models based on LT data can explain approximately 50 % of the chl-a interannual variability. However, we demonstrate that the accuracy of the estimates is dependent on the lake's trophic state, with models performing in average twice as better in lakes with higher chl-a concentration (> 20 µg/l) in comparison with less eutrophic lakes. Finally, we demonstrate that linear models based on LT data can achieve high accuracy (R2 = 0.9; p-value < 0.05) in determining lakes' annual mean chl-a concentration, allowing the mapping of the trophic state of lakes across large regions. Given the long time-series and high spatial resolution, LT-based estimates of chl-a provide a tool for assessing the impacts of environmental change.

Amorphous ferrite-type rare-earth (RE) substituted garnets and garnet-oxide nanocomposite layers are prepared on clear glass substrates by using RF magnetron sputter-deposition process. By using a combination approach employing custom-built spectrum-fitting software in conjunction with Swanepoel’s envelope method, the spectral dispersion function of optical constants and the layer thicknesses are derived accurately from the transmission spectra of the as-deposited samples. The effects of excess metal-oxides added to the base material systems during the co-deposition process are found to affect the refractive index and the optical absorption coefficients of garnet-oxide composites. A number of optical constant datasets are presented, enabling the experimentalists to design nanophotonic or integrated-optics devices employing these functional materials.

Rare earth rich magnesium alloys are used in aerospace and automotive fields because of their high specific strength and good castability. However, due to their low corrosion resistance, protective surface treatments, such as conversion coating or electroless plating are necessary, when they have to be used in humid or corrosive environments. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) and different surface roughness (Ra≈0.8 μm and Ra≈0.3 μm) on the rotating bending fatigue of an innovative Mg alloy, with a high content of Nd (up to 3.1 wt%) and Gd (up to 1.7 wt %). Fatigue tests revealed a 15% decrease in the fatigue strength of the PEO treated alloy (fatigue strength = 88 MPa) with respect to the bare alloy (fatigue strength = 103 MPa). The reduction of fatigue strength was mainly due to the residual tensile stresses induced by the PEO treatment. The effect of surface roughness on the bare alloy was, instead, negligible. The mechanisms of crack initiation were similar in the untreated and PEO treated alloy, with crack nucleation sites located in correspondence of large facets of the cleavage planes.

Every day around 93% of children under the age of 15 (1.8 billion children) breathe outdoor air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk. Due to the pandemic, however, ventilation of buildings using outdoor air has become an important safety technique to prevent the spread of COVID-19. With the mounting ev-idence suggesting that air pollution is impactful to human health and educational out-comes, this contradictory guidance may be problematic in schools with higher air pol-lution levels, but keeping kids COVID-19 free and in school to receive their education is now more pressing than ever. To understand if all schools in an urban area are ex-posed to similar outdoor air quality and if school infrastructure protects children equally indoors, we installed research grade sensors to observe PM2.5 concentrations in indoor and outdoor settings to understand how unequal exposure to indoor and out-door air pollution impacts indoor air quality among high- and low-income schools in Salt Lake City, Utah. Based on this approach, we found that during atmospheric inver-sions and dust events, there was a lag ranging between 35 to 73 minutes for the out-door PM2.5 concentrations to follow a similar temporal pattern as the indoor PM2.5. This lag has policy and health implications and may help to explain the rising concerns re-garding reduced educational outcomes related to air pollution in urban areas. These data and resulting analysis show that poor air quality may impact school settings, and the potential implications with respect to environmental inequality.

The provision requirement of 10% openings of the total floor area stated in the Uniform Building by Law 1984 Malaysia has been practiced by designers for building plan submission approval. However, the effectiveness of thermal performance in landed residential buildings, despite the imposition by the by-law, has never been empirically measured and proven. Although terraced houses in Malaysia have dominated 40.9% of the total property transaction in 2019, such mass production with typical designs hardly provides its occupants with thermal comfort due to the static outdoor air condition and lack of external windows, where the conventional ventilation technique does not work well, even for houses with an air well system. Consequently, the occupants need to rely on mechanical cooling, which is a high energy-consuming component contributing to outdoor heat dissipation and therefore urban heat island effect. Thus, encouraging more effective natural ventilation to eliminate excessive heat from the indoor environment is critical. Since most of the research focuses on simulation modelling lacking sufficient empirical validation, this paper drawing on field measurement investigates natural ventilation performance in terraced housing with an air well system. More importantly, the key concern as to what extent the current air well system serving as a ventilator is effective to provide better thermal performance in the single storey terraced house is to be addressed. By adopting an existing single storey air welled terrace house, the existing indoor environmental conditions and thermal performance were monitored and measured using scientific equipment, namely HOBO U12 air temperature and air humidity, the HOBO U12 anemometer and the Delta Ohm HD32.3 Wet Bulb Globe Temperature meter for a six-month duration. The findings show that the air temperature of the air well ranged from 27.48°C to 30.92°C, while the mean relative humidity were from 72.67% to 79.25%. The mean air temperature for a test room (single sided ventilation room) ranged from 28.04°C to 30.92°C with a relative humidity of 70.16% to 76%. These empirical findings are of importance, offering novel policy insights and suggestions to potentially revising the existing building code standard and by laws; since the minimum provision of 10% openings has been revealed to be less effective to provide a desired thermal performance and comfort, mandatory compliance with, and the necessity for, the bylaw requirement should be revisited and further studied.

The aim of this work is to provide a full description of how air temperature and solar radiation induce changes in the land cover over an Antarctic site. We use shortwave broadband albedo (albedo integrated in the range 300-3000 nm) from a spaceborne sensor and from field surveys to calculate the monthly relative abundance of landscape units. Field albedo data were collected using a portable albedometer over seven landscape units: clean fresh snow; clean old snow; rugged landscape composed of dirty snow with disperse pyroclasts and rocky outcrops; dirty snow; stripes of bare soil and snow; shallow snow with small bare soil patches; bare soil. MODIS MCD43A3 daily albedo product was downloaded using the Google Earth Engine API from the 2000-2001 season to the 2020-2021 season. Each landscape unit was characterized by an albedo normal distribution. The monthly relative abundance of the landscape units were calculated by fitting a linear combination of the normal distributions to the histogram of the MODIS monthly mean albedo. The monthly relative abundance of the landscape unit consisting of rugged landscape composed of dirty snow, with dispersed clasts and small rocky outcrops exhibits a high linear positive correlation with the monthly mean albedo (R2=0.87) and a high linear negative correlation with the monthly mean air temperature (R2= 0.69). The increase of the solar radiation energy flux from September to December coincides with the decrease of the relative abundance of the landscape unit composed of dirty snow with dispersed clasts and small rocky outcrops. We propose a mechanism to describe the evolution of the landscape: uncovered pyroclasts act as melting centres favouring the melting of surrounding snow. Ash does not play a decisive role in the melting of the snow. The results also explain the observed decreasing of the thaw depth of the permafrost on the island in the period 2006-2014, resulting from an increase in the snow cover over the whole island.

Different coffee drying technologies face complex task in ensuring an acceptable final seed moisture content. Drying technology of agricultural commodities aims to maintain and improve the quality of the agricultural products themselves. In addition to maintaining quality, especially from other bacterial attacks, it can last for a long time before further processing. Coffee commodities are promising for the welfare of coffee farmers. Drying technology plays a major role in determining the quality of coffee. Various drying models are applied including the traditional model that until now is still applied, direct drying under solar radiation. However, this drying process is less hygienic and requires a large area. Thus, one of the drying technologies that can accelerate drying time is to vary the air flow in the drying chamber so that the coffee can be determined to reduce the water content with a certain temperature. In this study, it was found that the moisture content of coffee beans dried using a dryer on air flow with variations of velocity in solar collector 1 (DB1) air velocity of 1.0m/s obtained the final mass = 732.249 gr, solar collector 2 (DB2) with air velocity 1.5 m/s obtained the final mass = 774.70 gr, solar collector 3 (DB3) with air velocity 2.0 m/s obtained the final mass = 855.10 gr, solar collector 4 (DB4) with air velocity 2.5 m/s obtained the final mass = 745.79 gr, and solar collector 5 (DB5) with air velocity 3.0 m/s obtained the final mass = 786.40 gr. Water Content DB1=12.0%, DB2=13.6%, DB3=18.5%, DB4=12.9% and DB5=15.2%. The time required for 25 hours with a maximum radiation of 586.9 w/m2, total heat utilized from solar radiation in 3 days =16.663128 MJ/m2. from the initial weight of 1500gr coffee bean samples and dried in five solar collectors with parallel simultaneously. The evaporated water content DB1=51.18%, DB2=48.35%, DB3=42.96%, DB4=50.28% and DB5=47.57%. Based on this research, it was found that the most optimum quality of coffee was by using solar collector 2 (DB2), namely with air flow of 1.5 m/s with average temperature in the drying box DB2=43.68°C, with the quality content of the coffee, Protein content=12.2%, Carbohydrate=22.8% and Free Fatty Acid (ALB) content=0.05%.

TiO2-based building materials have air purification, auto-cleaning and sterilization functions, and these innovative green building materials have great potential for energy-saving and emission reduction applications in the future. However, there are still great challenges in improving photocatalytic efficiency and stability from laboratory to practical applications. In recent years, researchers have done a lot of work to improve the efficiency and stability of TiO2-based building materials. This paper briefly discussed the air purification principle by photocatalytic building, and the preparation techniques of TiO2-based building materials and the strategies to improve the efficiency of TiO2. Moreover, this paper has outlined the key factors that affect the photocatalytic building performance in practical applications, and analyzed the limitations and future development trends. Finally, we proposed some suggestions for further research on photocatalytic buildings and its application in practice, aiming to provide an efficient reference for developing highly efficient and stable photocatalytic building materials. The aim of this paper is to provide effective guidance for the application of TiO2-based photo-catalysts in the field of green buildings, helping to develop more efficient and stable low-carbon buildings for the development of sustainable cities.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about potential environmental factors that could influence the spread and severity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Atmospheric pollution, particularly particulate matter (PM), has been suggested as a contributing factor to viral infections and respiratory complications. This two-year observational study aimed to investigate the relation between air pollution and the spread of COVID-19, focusing on PM2.5. Unlike previous studies limited to specific cities or countries, inevitable to use temporal data. Our research analyzed data from various states across the United States, considering both spatial and temporal correlation. The analysis considered the number and geographic distribution of COVID-19 cases along with daily PM2.5 exposure levels, accounting for monthly average PM2.5 exposure, from March 2020 to December 2021. The observed conflicting results of the temporal and spatial correlation present challenges for researchers in understanding the true nature of the relationship between PM2.5 air pollution and COVID-19 cases. The correlation between various factors, such as population density, PM2.5, temperature, and wind speed, and COVID-19 refers to an association or statistical relationship, not causation. Moreover, the intricate interplay of these variables makes it difficult to establish a clear cause-and-effect relationship.

The research considers creating a network of moss-based biotechnological purification filters in the Smart City concept. The extent of absorption of heavy metals and gases by Sphagnopsida moss under different conditions was investigated. The efficiency of air purification with biotechnological filters was also investigated using the example of the city of Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan, where an excess of the permissible concentration of harmful substances in the air, according to the WHO air quality guidelines, is recorded throughout the year. Data on the level of pollution recorded by sensors located in the biggest Kazakhstani cities from 06/21/2020 to 06/04/2023 were selected as the basis for calculating the efficiency. In total, there are two hundred twenty sensors in 73 settlements of the Republic of Kazakhstan, with 80 such sensors located in the city of Almaty. Since creating a single biotechnological filter is expensive, the task was to calculate the air purification effect in the case of increasing the number of filters placed in polluted areas. As a result, it is shown that ten filters provide an air purification efficiency of 0.77%, 100 filters 5.72%, and 500 filters 23.11%. A biotechnological filter for air purification based on moss was designed at Astana IT University, considering the climatic features, distribution, and types of pollution in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The obtained results are essential for ensuring compliance with the ISO 37120:2018 standard for environmental comfort in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Additionally, the research findings and the experience of implementing a moss-based biotechnological filter can be applied to designing similar air purification systems in other cities. This is of great importance for the advancement of the field of urban science.

Air pollution is a man-made environmental-related problem and has importance globally among all environmental issues. It is described as an atmospheric situation in which several components appear at high attention above their ambient level and generate a quantifiable effect on vegetation, animals, and people. Air pollution and its control are a universal problem and have become an issue of great trouble for us in current years. However, monitoring and measurement of the concentration of air pollutants are most difficult in assessment to monitoring other components in the environment. Air pollutants are transported to polar regions by different mechanisms such as long-range atmospheric transport or grasshopper effects and via anthropogenic activities. After reaching the polar regions, they settle down and remain as such for a long-time due to their persistent nature. They can distress the environment and wildlife of the polar regions. Generally, dangerous chemicals may cause a risk of well-being effects, whereas lethal pollutants focus on one physiological reaction. We reviewed the available information on air pollution (occurrence, sources, and harmful effects) in the polar regions.

Rationale: The possible effect of Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5 of diameter 10 and 2.5 µm respectively) levels on Covid-19 mortality is now well established. However, time-evolution of Covid-19 mortality according to PM2.5 levels has been scarcely investigated. Aim: To understand this relationship at the European level for the period 2020 (beginning) - 2022 (end). Methods: 16 representative locations in Europe (81 million people) with heterogeneous levels of PM2.5 (µg.m-3), from low to high. PM2.5 levels were assessed by various methods, and Covid-19 mortality was reported by Johns Hopkins University. Results: The trend of Covid-19 mortality vs. PM2.5 levels varied among locations. Overall, the estimated mean value was of a 40±20% mortality increase per 1 µg.m-3 PM2.5 increase. The stronger the positive gradient of the PM peak, the stronger the positive gradient of the Covid-19 mortality. Exposure to several PM peaks during about a 2-month period was the main contributor to Covid-19 mortality increases. Conclusion: Our data confirm a temporal relation between PM2.5 exposure and Covid-19 mortality, considering a 2-month integration-time for pollution events. Number-concentrations of PM should be used in the future rather than the PM2.5 mass-concentrations (µg.m-3) with the consideration of PM composition to better explain this finding.

Exposure to air pollution have detrimental effects on the elderly, women, people with pre-existing medical conditions, people living in poverty and children. The aim of the study was to investigate the extent of community awareness and knowledge on the health risks associated with exposure to air pollution. A cross-sectional study design was used for the study, using self-administered questionnaires. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 376 respondents. Systematic sampling method was applied to select the households. SPSS version 26 was used to analyze data. Of 376 respondents, 221 were males and 154 females. 113 were aged between 23-47years and 353 were aware that if they don’t protect themselves against polluted air, they may get sick, with age and educational status associated with their awareness (p &lt; 0.05). About 361 knew what air pollution is and 188 think the air they breathe in Annadale is moderate. A total number of 278 said they feel sick/uncomfortable when the quality of air is bad. About 293 knew that people are exposed to air pollution by breathing contaminated air and 237 identified sewage smell as the main cause of air pollution. Respondents who identified internet and television as the main source of information were 199 and 177 respectively. Those who were not aware of actions implemented to reduce air pollution were 180. Based on the results of the study, respondents are aware of the dangers of exposure to polluted air, and it is necessary that air pollution risk communication strategies be implemented to empower residents.

The representation of aerosols in climate-chemistry models is important for air quality and climate change research, but it can require significant computational resources. To overcome this, simpler modules such as modal aerosol modules with three lognormal modes (MAM3) can be used. In this study, the coupling of the Carbon Bond Mechanism, version Z (CBMZ), and MAM3 chemistry modules in WRF-CAM5 was improved by adding biomass-burning emissions to both gas- and particle-phase chemistry and incorporating a conversion mechanism between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and secondary organic carbons (SOCs). The study conducted six simulations over the western U.S. and northeastern Pacific region and compared the model’s performance with observational benchmarks such as reanalysis, ground-based, and satellite data. The results showed that the model with enhanced chemistry capabilities had a 31% and 58% reduction in root-mean-square errors (RMSE) for black carbon (BC) and organic carbon (OC) surface concentrations, respectively. The earlier release of the WRF-CAM5 version had two deficiencies that were addressed in this study. This research highlights the importance of accurate aerosol representation in climate-chemistry models for improving accuracy and reducing errors in simulations.

Hot air frying is a new method of frying food, where the use of a small amount of oil is optional but recommended. The objective of this review was to know the state of the art of hot air frying technology, focusing on trends, and thus obtain new ideas for future work in this area of food. In conclusion, the availability of advanced devices will increase the demand for hot air fryers as demonstrated by the trend generating a great economic and social impact. This new technology not only provides health benefits, but also has environmental advantages. In addition, work focusing on food (i.e. tortilla chips, plantain chips, eggs and meats) is recommended, since there are not enough studies on the subject. Currently, research is being conducted on home fryers, so the use of fryers and their impact at the industrial level is a developing area that will require further research.

This document serves as supplemental information to Shapero et al. (2023), which is itself a comment on Nowell et al. (2022). Environmental Health Perspective’s publishing standards for article comments have strict word counts and do not allow the addition of new primary data analyses; therefore, this document provides an additional level of detail and supporting analyses that serve as an important backup to and expansion of Shapero et al. (2023) and that also respond to some comments within the author’s reply to our comments (Holmes and Nowell, 2023). Nowell et al. (2022) evaluated potential PM_2.5 community impacts from sugarcane harvesting. However, their analysis is flawed by erroneous assumptions and misapplied technical approaches, as discussed in Shapero et al. (2023) and as detailed in this supplemental information document. Additionally, the authors ended their analysis with 2018 data, but later data shows no marginal increase in PM_2.5 during sugarcane harvest following 2019 even using the authors’ approach (Holmes and Nowell, 2023). Therefore, the authors’ evaluations have no relevance to current conditions. Nonetheless, even their evaluation and conclusions regarding PM_2.5 concentrations purportedly attributable to sugarcane harvesting prior to 2019 are unsupported and technically unsound as detailed below.

The climate change impacts on some regions of the planet faster and stronger. These areas are known as the hot spots for climate change and Cyprus (Nicosia) in the Mediterranean is one of these spots. This paper aims to analyze the significant changes of atmospheric aerosol characteristics in 2019 and during the extreme event of 25 April 2019. We study the aerosol optical thickness (AOT), Ångström exponent, single scattering albedo, refractive index (imaginary and real parts), size, and vertical distribution of aerosol particles during the event of a high atmospheric aerosol contamination over Nicosia in details. For this purpose, we used the ground-based lidar, observations of the sun-photometer AERONET Nicosia station, satellite products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and back trajectories of air movements calculated using the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model (HYSPLIT). On 23–25 April, according to lidar and sun-photometer observations, strong aerosol pollution over Nicosia was detected. On April 25, 2019, the AOT value exceeds 1.0 at λ = 440 nm. Analysis of the optical and microphysical characteristics supported that the pollution consists of mainly Saharan dust and partly urban aerosols. This assumption was confirmed by HYSPLIT backward trajectories and MODIS images where air masses containing dust particles came from North Africa and from the Eastern part of Europe.

Air pollution is a serious global issue, responsible for approximately one in every nine deaths each year, ranking it among the greatest environmental hazards to human health. It is of particular concern in urban areas, where elevated pollutant concentrations and potential sufferers converge. Over one half of the world’s population presently lives in urban areas, and the urban population ratio is expected to reach 68% by 2050. Common air pollutants include particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ground-level ozone (O3), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO). While elevated rates of air pollution pose serious health risks for humans, outdoor plants can help reduce the harmful effects of air pollution by filtering and purifying the air around us.In this project Common Ivy, Aster and Miniature Andromeda plants were evaluated for air pollutant mitigation. In this study we developed a vegetation barrier model with the plant located in the middle of the greenhouse box, and air pollutant was sprayed on one side of the plant. Dispersion patterns of sprayed pollutants were tested with and without vegetation barrier. Measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2), Formaldehyde (HCHO), Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC), and Particulate Matter (PM2.5/PM10) were taken before spraying, then at 0 and 30 minutes after spraying, using both monitors.The results show mitigation rates (in 177 ft3 of air after 30 min): for TVOC the minimum reduction is 5 mg/m3; for HCHO, 1 mg/m3; for CO2, 2000 ppm; for PM2.5, 2000 ug/m3; and for PM10 it was 1000 ug/m3.

The mass composition of Particulate Matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is dominated by ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) which is a secondary pollutant. The goal of this research was the investigation of the relationship between emissions, meteorology and PM2.5 concentrations in Fresno for the winter season. It was found that the location of sites near emission sources such as freeways compared with residential sites strongly affected measured PM2.5 concentrations. It was found that although long-term trends showed declines in both emissions and PM2.5 concentrations there was substantial variability between the years in the PM2.5/emissions relationship. Much of the yearly variation in the relationship between emissions and PM2.5 concentrations can be attributed to yearly variations in weather, such as atmospheric stability, precipitation frequency and average wind speed. There are moderate correlations between PM2.5 concentrations and temperature differences between nearby surface stations at varying elevations which explains some of the daily and seasonal variation in PM2.5. Occurrence of precipitation was related to low PM¬2.5 although the higher wind speeds and lower atmospheric stability associated with precipitation likely explain some of the low PM2.5 as well as washout of PM.

International literature data report that the increase of infectious risk may be due to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems contaminated by airborne pathogens. Moreover, the presence of complex rotating dehumidification wheels (RDWs) may complicate the cleaning and disinfection procedures of the HVAC systems. We evaluated the efficacy of a disinfection strategy applied to the RDW of two hospitals HVAC systems. Hospitals have 4 RDW systems related to the surgical areas (SA1 and SA2) and to the intensive and sub-intensive cares (IC and sIC). Microbiological air and surfaces analysis were performed in HVAC systems, before and after the disinfection treatment. Hydrogen peroxide (12%) with silver ions (10 mg/L) was aerosolized in all the air sampling points, located close to the RDW device. After the air disinfection procedure, reductions of total microbial counts at 22°C and fungi were achieved in SA2 and IC HVAC systems. An Aspergillus fumigatus contamination (6 CFU/500L), detected in one air sample collected in the IC HVAC system, was eradicated after the disinfection. Surface samples proved a good microbiological quality. Results suggest the need of a disinfection procedure aimed to improve the microbiological quality of the complex HVAC systems, mostly in surgical and intensive care areas.

The Cosmic-Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory (CREDO) is a project dedicated to global studies of extremely extended cosmic-ray phenomena, the cosmic-ray ensembles (CRE), beyond the capabilities of existing detectors and observatories. Up to date cosmic-ray research has been focused on detecting single air showers, while the search for ensembles of cosmic-rays, which may overspread a significant fraction of the Earth, is a scientific terra incognita. Instead of developing and commissioning a completely new global detector infrastructure, CREDO proposes approaching the global cosmic-ray analysis objectives with all types of available detectors, from professional to pocket size, merged into a worldwide network. With such a network it is possible to search for evidences of correlated cosmic-ray ensembles. One of the observables that can be investigated in CREDO is a number of spatially isolated events collected in a small time window which could shed light on fundamental physics issues. The CREDO mission and strategy requires active engagement of a large number of participants, also non-experts, who will contribute to the project by using common electronic devices (e.g. smartphones). In this note the status and perspectives of the project is presented.

Livestock farming is a major source of greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions. In this study, we estimate methane, nitrous oxide and ammonia emission from livestock sector in the Red River Delta region from 2000 to 2015 and projection to 2030 using IPCC 2006 methodologies with the integration of local emission factors and provincial statistic livestock database. Methane, nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions in 2030 are estimated at 132 kt, 8.3 kt and 34.2 kt, respectively. Total global warming potential is 9.7 MtCO_2eq in 2030, accounts for 33% greenhouse gas emissions from livestock in Vietnam. Pig farming is responsible for half of both greenhouse gases and ammonia emissions in the studied region. Other major livestock for greenhouse gas emission is cattle and for ammonia emission is poultry. Hanoi contributes for the largest emissions in the region in 2015 but will be caught up and surpassed by other provinces in 2030.

Air pollution has become a growing invisible killer in recent years and is major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. India stands 10th among the highly polluted countries with an average PM10 level of 134μg/m3 per year. It is also reported that 99% of India's population comes across air pollution level that exceed the World Health Organization Air Quality Guideline (AQG), PM2.5 permissible levels of 10 μg/m3. Maternal exposure to air pollution has a serious health outcome to the offspring because it can affect embryonic phases of development during the gestation period. Fetus is more prone to air pollution effect during embryonic developmental phases due to oxidative stress as antioxidant mechanisms are lacking at that stage. Any injury during this vulnerable period (embryonic phase) will have long-term impact on offspring health both in early and later in life. Epidemiological studies have revealed that maternal exposure to air pollution increases the risk of developing airways disease in offspring due to impaired lung development in utero. In this review, we discuss cellular mechanisms involved in maternal exposure to air pollution and how it can impact development of airways disease in offspring. Better understanding of these mechanisms in context of maternal exposure to air pollution can offer newer avenue to prevent development of airways disease in offspring.

Abstract: Air-polishing with low abrasiveness powders is fats arising as a valid and mini-invasive instrument for the management of biofilm colonizing dental implants. The reported advantage is the efficient removal of plaque with respect of the titanium integrity. In the present study, we evaluated the in-situ plaque-removal and continual the post-treatment anti-bacterial efficacy of an innovative erythritol/chlorhexidine air-polishing powder and compared it with sodium bicarbonate. Two peri-implantitis-linked biofilm formers strains Staphylococcus aureus and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans were selected and used to infect titanium disks before and after the air-polishing treatment. Cells number and viability were assayed by colonies forming units (CFUs) count and metabolic-colorimetric (2,3-Bis-(2-Methoxy-4-Nitro-5-Sulfophenyl)-2H-Tetrazolium-5-Carboxanilide) (XTT) assay. Air-polishing performed with either sodium bicarbonate or erythritol/chlorhexidine was effective in reducing bacteria biofilm viability and number onto pre-infected specimens, while erythritol/ chlorhexidine showed a higher post-treatment biofilm re-growth inhibition. Surface analysis via mechanical profilometry failed to show an increase in titanium roughness, regardless of the powder selected.

The ambient air quality data for particulate matter as well as criteria of gaseous pollutants were assembled during December 2013 to December 2015 from the Continuous Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAMS) located at Agrabad, Chittagong. The observation showed that during April- October, 24 hour average concentration of PM10 and PM2.5 were within the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) level but it increased occasionally by more than two and a half times during the whole non-monsoon period (November-March). The highest values found of PM2.5 were 321.1 µg/m³ in January, 2013 and 220.34 µg/m³ in December 2015. Whether, the highest alarming concentration of PM10 was reported as 474 µg/m3 in January 2007. The other gaseous pollutants such as SO₂, NO₂, O₃, CO and Hydrocarbons remain well within the permissible limit except dry non-monsoon period. The yearly average increase of Air Quality Index (AQI) value indicates the growth rate of air pollution in Chittagong city. The main responsible pollutant for air pollution is found PM_2.5.

Estimating the infection risks in indoor environments comprises the assessment of the behavior of virus-laden aerosols, i.e. spreading, mixing, removal by air purifiers etc. A promising experimental approach is based on using non-hazardous surrogate aerosols of similar size, e.g. salt particles, to mimic the virus aerosol behavior. This manuscript addresses the issue how a successful transfer of such experiments can be accomplished. Corresponding experiments in two very different environments, a large community hall and a seminar room, with optional use of air purifiers in various constellations were conducted. While high particle concentrations are advantageous in terms of avoiding influence of background aerosol concentrations, it is shown that appropriate consideration of aggregation and settling are vital to theoretically describe the experimentally determined course of particle concentrations. A corresponding model equation for a well-mixed situation is derived and the required parameters are thoroughly determined in separate experiments independently. It is demonstrated that clean air delivery rates (CADR) of air purifiers determined with this approach may differ substantially from common approaches not explicitly taking into account aggregation.

In this study, the effects of combined addition of CeLa and GdY on microstructure and mechanical properties of as-cast Al-4Cu-1Mn alloys were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopies (TEM) and tensile testing. The results show that the minor addition of CeLa and GdY leads to the refinement of grain size. The addition of CeLa results in the formation of supersaturated vacancies in the Al matrix, whereas the addition of GdY leads to a decrease in the precipitation temperature of the Al2Cu phase. The combined CeLa and GdY addition can significantly increase ultimate tensile strength (UTS) while losing only a small amount of elongation (EL). Compared with the unmodified alloy, the grain size and SDAS of the alloy (0.2 wt% CeLa + 0.1 wt% GdY) were diminished by 67.2% and 58.7%, respectively, while maximum hardness and UTS rose by 31.2% and 36.9%, correspondingly.

Solar geoengineering (SG) solutions have many advantages compared to the difficulty of carbon removal (CR): SG produces fast results, is shown here to have much higher efficiency than CR, is not related to fossil fuel legislation, and is something we all can participate in brightening the Earth with cool roofs, and roads. SG requirements detailed previously to mitigate global warming (GW) have been concerning primarily because of overwhelming goals and climate circulation issues. In this paper, the advantages of annual solar geoengineering (ASG) to mitigate yearly global warming increases are explored and detailed as it provides higher feasibility in geoengineering applications. ASG area modification requirements found here are generally 50 to possibly higher than 150 times less compared to the challenge of full SG GW mitigation reducing circulation concerns. Results indicate that there are mixed technologies that can help meet annual mitigation Earth brightening goals. As well, results show much higher feasibility for L1 space shading compared to prior literature estimates for full GW mitigation. However, stratosphere injections appear challenging in the annual approach. Because ASG earth brightening area requirements are much smaller than those required for full mitigation, we have concerns that worldwide negative SG would interfere with making positive advances for several reasons. Negative SG currently dominates yearly practices with the application of dark asphalt roads and roofs. This issue is discussed.

Mechanical robustness and high energy efficiency of composite materials are immensely important in modern stretchable, self-powered electronic devices. However, the availability of these materials and their toxicities are challenging factors. This paper presents the mechanical and energy-harvesting performances of low-cost natural rubber composites made of stearic acid-modified diatomaceous earth (mDE) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The obtained mechanical properties were significantly better than those of unfilled rubber. Compared to pristine diatomaceous earth, mDE has higher reinforcing efficiencies in terms of mechanical properties because of the effective chemical surface modification by stearic acid and enhanced filler-rubber interactions. The addition of a small amount of CNT as a component in the hybrid filler systems not only improves the mechanical properties but also improves the electrical properties of the rubber composites and has electromechanical sensitivity. For example, the fracture toughness of unfilled rubber (9.74 MJ/m3) can be enhanced by approximately 484% in a composite (56.86 MJ/m3) with 40 phr (per hundred grams of rubber) hybrid filler, whereas the composite showed electrical conductivity. At a similar mechanical load, the energy-harvesting efficiency of the composite containing 57 phr mDE and 3 phr CNT hybrid filler was nearly double that of the only 3 phr CNT-containing composite. The higher energy-harvesting efficiency of the mDE-filled conductive composites may be due to their increased dielectric behaviour. Because of their bio-based materials, rubber composites made by mDE can be considered eco-friendly composites for mechanical and energy harvesting applications and suitable electronic health monitoring devices.

In this paper, Fe-Cr-C-N-Al-Y wear-resistant surfacing alloy was prepared by open arc surfacing with self-shielded flux-cored wire. The wear properties of the surfacing alloy were analyzed by MLS-23 rubber wheel wet sand wear tester. The phase composition and microstructure of the surfacing alloy were analyzed by XRD, SEM, EBSD and TEM, and the strengthening mechanism and wear mechanism of the alloy were discussed. The results show that the microstructure of Fe-Cr-C-N-Al-Y surfacing alloy is composed of M + γ-Fe + M7C3 + AlN. When the content of nano-Y2O3 is 0.456wt. %, the formability of the surfacing alloy is the best and the wetting angle is the smallest, which is 50.8°, AlN and M7C3 precipitate the most, and the microstructure grain is the smallest. At this time, the hardness value of the surfacing alloy is up to 62.3 HRC, which is 11.8 % higher than that of the unmodified surfacing alloy. The minimum wear weight loss is 0.125 g, and the wear resistance is increased by 41.86 %. The wear mechanism of surfacing alloy is mainly plastic deformation mechanism, and the material removal process is micro cutting and furrow wear.

Different values of the Hubble constant for extragalactic objects are not considered here. We give a number of examples of the extreme accordance of expansion rates of different fields of knowledge with the cosmological expansion rate. The coincidence of the expansion rates means that a common cause is almost inevitable. All these examples are gravitationally bound in themselves and in this case are subject to cosmological expansion. According to standard theory, this should not happen. We therefore question the common boundary of gravity and expansion for both theoretical and observational reasons and conclude that all gravitationally dominated objects participate in cosmological expansion or scale drift, contrary to general doctrine. The space expands with its contents while numerically maintaining distance, radius, rotation time and density. What is generally interpreted as an expansion is obviously a scale drift with a drift rate that corresponds to the size of the Hubble constant. The Earth is subject to expansion and scale drift. This results in numerically constant measured values. This drift apparently also applies to distant galaxies and other objects. The cosmological red shift is not interpreted here as a Doppler effect and numerical increase in distances, but in accordance with standard theory as an expansion or drift of the space-time scale. The expansion of the radii of galaxies makes the assumption of dark matter superfluous. The continents and our everyday environment are not subject to expansion or scale drift.

Impervious surface area (ISA) is a crucial indicator for quantitative urban studies. It is also important for land use land cover classification, groundwater recharge, sustainable development, urban heat island effects, and more. Spectral ISA mapping suffers from mixed pixel problems, especially with bare soil. This study aims to develop an ISA index for spatiotemporal urban mapping from common multispectral bands by reducing soil signature better than in previous studies. This study proposed a global impervious surface area index (GISAI) enhancing ISA mapping accuracy using a temporal parameter of the remote sensing (RS) dataset. Bare soil spectral reflectance shows more fluctuation than urban ISA. Therefore, the study uses minimum composites of earlier urban indices to compile minimum soil signature. It is later improved by removing water, increasing the contrast between bare soil and urban ISA and reducing bright bare soil area. This study maps the ISA of all 12 megacities using the annual RS image collection from 2021. GISAI reduced the bare soil signature and achieved an overall accuracy of 87.29%, F1-score of 0.84, and Kappa coefficient of 0.75. However, it has some limitations with grey bare soil and barren hilly areas. By limiting bare soil signature, GISAI broadens the scope of inter-urban studies globally and lengthens potential urban time-series analysis using common multispectral bands.

Rural electrification rate (RER) in Africa is still low to date. Several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have tried to address this problem using conventional single-phase two-wire or three-phase three-wire systems, however at large costs due to the nature of dispersed rural load centers, low load demand, and low population density. Another solution of off-grid generation creates associated health problems. Therefore, this paper undertakes a review of a single wire earth return (SWER) network as a RER improvement solution. The paper undertakes intensive literature review to elucidate challenges and solutions to the implementation of SWER technology. Advantages of SWER technology discussed make it the choice for RER improvement in Sub-Saharan African countries. After that, a case study is selected in rural Tanzania, and a preliminary SWER network design is undertaken.

Coral reefs are critical ecosystems globally for marine fauna, biodiversity and through the services they provide to humanity. However, they are significantly threatened by anthropogenic stressors, such as climate change. By combining 9 environmental variables and ecological and health-based thresholds obtained from the available literature, we develop, using fuzzy logic (discontinuous functions), a Coral Reef Stress Exposure Index (CRSEI) for remotely monitoring coral reef exposure to environmental stressors. Our approach capitalises on the abundance of readily available satellite Earth Observation (EO) data available in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud-based geospatial processing platform. CRSEI values from 3157 distinct reefs were generated and mapped across 12 important coral reef ecosystem regions. Quantitative analyses indicated that the index detected significant temporal differences in stress and was, therefore, able to capture historic change at a global scale. We also applied the CRSEI to three case-study reef ecosystems, previously well-monitored for stress and disturbance using other methods. PCA analysis indicated that depth, current, sea surface temperature (SST) and SST anomaly accounted for the greatest contribution to the variance in stress in these three regions. The CRSEI corroborated temporal and spatial differences in stress exposure from known disturbances within these reference regions, in addition to identifying the potential drivers of inter- and intra-region differences in stress, namely depth, degree heating weeks and SST anomaly. We discuss how the index can be further improved in future with site-specific thresholds for each stress variable, and the incorporation of additional variables not currently available in GEE. This index provides an open access tool, built around a free and powerful processing platform, that has broad potential to assist in the regular monitoring of our increasingly imperilled coral reef ecosystems, and, in particular, those that are remote or inaccessible.

The goal of this study was to analyze the forest degradation in the Reserve for San Rafael National Park, Paraguay, during the period 2005-2019. This Reserve is one of the most important forest remnants of the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest Ecoregion. A multitemporal analysis of degradation was carried out due to the occurrence of three disturbances: forest fires, a twister and illicit crops, using the Continuous Degradation Detection (CODED) algorithm, for which 3 factors were considered: variations due to pixel in the NDFI index values before, during and after every disturbance registered. In this context, the phenomenon with the greatest impact in terms of magnitude of degradation were the forest fires of 2005, being that year at the same time, the one that reported the highest degradation values. Secondly, there are the illicit crops established until the first semester of 2019, and lastly, the twister that occurred in 2017. Our findings demonstrate that CODED algorithm can detect multi-temporal degradation events in a Subtropical Broadleaf Forest, and the post-disturbance regeneration process after every disturbance tends to occur immediately. The response in terms of degradation-regeneration is highly variable, depending of the nature and severity of each disturbance and the vegetation recovery dynamics.

In recent years, tremendous progress has been made in the development of rare-earth ion doped tellurite glass laser sources, ranging from watt and multiwatt level fiber lasers to nanowatt level microsphere lasers. Significant success has been achieved in extending the spectral range of tellurite fiber lasers generating at wavelengths beyond 2 μm as well as in theoretical understanding. This review is aimed at discussing the state of the art of neodymium-, erbium-, thulium-, and holmium-doped tellurite glass fiber and microsphere lasers.

Culverts are often required under earth embankment to allow for the crossing of a watercourse, like streams, to prevent the road embankment from obstructing the natural waterway. The opening of the culvert is determined based on the waterway required to accommodate the design flood, whereas the thickness of the culvert section is designed based on the loads applied to the culvert. This paper studies some design parameters of box culverts, such as the thickness of the haunch, the coefficient of earth pressure, the thickness of box culvert, and depth of fill on the top slab, to show the effect of haunch on the stresses of the box culvert. The study investigated the variation in stresses and the cost comparison made for different width of the box culvert. The percentage reduction in the cost of culvert based on the presence of haunch is presented.

Modeling and design of fiber lasers facilitate the process of their practical realization. Of particular interest during the last few years is the development of lanthanide ion-doped fiber lasers which operate at wavelengths exceeding 2000 nm. There are two main host glass materials considered for this purpose, namely fluoride and chalcogenide glasses. Therefore, this study concerns comparative modeling of fiber lasers operating within the infrared wavelength region beyond 2000 nm. In particular, the convergence properties of selected algorithms, implemented within various software environments, are studied with a specific focus on the central processing unit (CPU) time and calculation residual. Two representative fiber laser cavities are considered: one is based on a chalcogenide-selenide glass step-index fiber doped with trivalent dysprosium ions whilst the other is a fluoride step-index fiber doped with trivalent erbium ions. The practical calculation accuracy is also assessed by comparing directly the results obtained from the different models.

The experiences gathered during the past 30 years support the operational use of irrigation scheduling based on frequent multi-spectral image data. Currently, the operational use of dense time series of multispectral imagery at high spatial resolution makes monitoring of crop biophysical parameters feasible, capturing crop water use across the growing season, with suitable temporal and spatial resolutions. These achievements, and the availability of accurate forecasting of meteorological data, allow for precise predictions of crop water requirements with unprecedented spatial resolution. This information is greatly appreciated by the end users, i.e. professional farmers or decision-makers, and can be provided in an easy-to-use manner and in near-real-time by using the improvements achieved in web-GIS methodologies. This paper reviews the most operational and explored methods based on optical remote sensing for the assessment of crop water requirements, identifying strengths and weaknesses and proposing alternatives to advance towards full operational application of this methodology. In addition, we provide a general overview of the tools which facilitates co-creation and collaboration with stakeholders, paying special attention to these approaches based on web-GIS tools.

Observing air quality from sensors onboard light rail cars in Salt Lake County, Utah began as a pilot study in 2014 and has now evolved into a five-year state-funded program. This metropolitan region suffers from both elevated ozone levels during summer and high PM2.5 events during winter. Pollution episodes result predominantly from local anthropogenic emissions but are also impacted by regional transport of dust, chemical precursors to ozone, and wildfire smoke as well as being exacerbated by the topographical features surrounding the city. Two electric light-rail train cars from the Utah Transit Authority light-rail Transit Express (“TRAX”) system were outfitted with PM2.5 and ozone sensors to measure air quality at high spatial and temporal resolution in this region. Pollutant concentration data underwent quality control procedures to determine whether the train motion affected the readings and how the sensors compared against regulatory sensors. Quality assurance results from data obtained over the past year show that TRAX Observation Project sensors are reliable, which corroborates earlier preliminary validation work. Two case studies from summer 2019 are presented to illustrate the strength of the finely-resolved air quality observations: 1) an elevated ozone event and 2) elevated particulate pollution resulting from 4th of July fireworks. The mobile observations were able to capture spatial gradients as well as pollutant hotspots during both of these episodes. Sensors have been recently added to a third light rail train car, which travels on a north-south oriented rail line along which we were unable to monitor air quality previously. The TRAX Observation Project is currently being used to provide reliable pollutant data for health studies and inform urban planning efforts. Links to real-time data displays and updated information on the quality-controlled data from this study are available at https://atmos.utah.edu/air_quality/trax/.

Retiring coal power plants can reduce air pollution and health damages. However, the spatial distribution of those impacts remains unclear due to complex power system adjustments and pollution chemistry and transport. Focusing on coal retirements in Pennsylvania (PA), we analyze six counterfactual scenarios for 2019 that differ in retirement targets (e.g., reducing 50% of coal-based installed capacity vs. generation) and priorities (e.g., closing plants with higher cost, closer to Environmental Justice Areas, or with higher CO₂ emissions). Using a power system model of the PJM Interconnection, we find that coal retirements in PA shift power generation across PA and the Rest of PJM region leading to scenario-varying changes in the plant-level release of several air pollutants. Due to air pollution chemistry and transport and socio-demographics, these changes in turn give rise to a reduction of 10 to 182 PM_2.5-attributable deaths in PJM across the six scenarios, with most reductions occurring in PA. Scenarios that reduce more coal power generation yield greater aggregate health benefits due to air quality improvements in PA and adjacent downwind regions. In addition, vulnerable populations—in both PA and Rest of PJM—benefit most in scenarios that prioritize plant closures in PA near Environmental Justice Areas. These results demonstrate the importance of considering cross-regional linkages and socio-demographics in designing equitable retirement strategies.

It is concerning that Cameroon's urban centers are experiencing an alarming rise in air pollution as a result of urbanization, population growth, industrial activity, and transportation emissions. We examined the causes, health impacts, research methodology, case studies, and government measures to address the urgent issue of air pollution in Cameroon's urban regions. We have emphasized how Cameroon's air pollution levels have significantly increased as a result of causes like population expansion, urbanization, industrial emissions, and automobile exhaust A thorough discussion of the negative health impacts of extended exposure to air pollution is included, with special attention to the sensitivity of the old and young. These effects include respiratory disorders, cardiovascular ailments, and early mortality. We emphasized the pressing need for all-encompassing strategies to address air pollution, such as increased public awareness campaigns, stronger emissions regulations, the development of renewable energy sources, and better waste management. The techniques employed in studies on air pollution, like as epidemiological research and air quality monitoring, are also explained to provide light on the unique health dangers that Cameroonian urban dwellers must contend with. We emphasized in our conclusion the significance of joint efforts by legislators, medical professionals, and the general people to reduce air pollution and protect public health in Cameroon in order to create a cleaner and healthier future. In order to protect public health in the future, it is imperative that Cameroon's air pollution be addressed.

The primary sources of particulate matter are linked to human activity. Certain particulate emissions, particularly those of a finer nature, can significantly impact human health, making them one of the most concerning pollutants. Ultrafine particles (UFP), which have a diameter of less than 100 nm, are of particular concern due to their impact on human health and the difficulty in controlling them. The concentration of ultrafine particles (UFP) in the workplace is a growing concern and is classified as an emerging risk. Workers may be exposed to UFP through inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, or a combination of these routes. This study aims to determine the levels of UFP exposure among workers in environments with varying direct particle emission patterns. Measurements were conducted to compare the results with the levels recommended by the WHO. The study monitored industrial workplaces with direct particulate matter emissions, such as a carpentry and a bakery, as well as social sector sites without or almost without direct particle emissions, such as a school and a health clinic. One conclusion drawn from this study is that all tasks and occupations are susceptible to high levels of UFP, exceeding WHO recommended values in virtually all monitored environments. Therefore, monitoring and controlling UFP is crucial. Further in-depth studies on this subject are also necessary..

Abstract: Recent years demonstrate the increased attention to radon from two scientific directions. After neglecting radon as earthquake precursors in 1990-th it becomes again the subject of earthquake-forecast papers discussions due to growing networks of the radon monitoring in different countries, especially, the technologies of real-time radon measurements where the gamma-spectrometers become the leader of interest as the sources of 222Rn identification. The second fast developing direction is including the radon in the Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (LAIC) models as a source of the boundary layer ionization. And here we encounter with second direction which is not connected with the earthquake forecast problems. It is the role of air ionization by radon as a source of the Global Electric Circuit (GEC) modification. In this publication we try to unite all these problems to present more complex view on radon as important element of our environment.

DNA extraction for downstream molecular diagnostic applications can be an expensive, time-consuming process. We devised a method to quickly extract genomic DNA from environmental samples based on sodium hydroxide lysis of cells with or without capture by magnetic beads, for subsequent PCR or quantitative PCR. The final DNA extraction method using NaOH is extremely low-cost and can be completed in 10 minutes at room temperature. NaOH extraction was effective for Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in samples from air, soil, sewage, food, laboratory surfaces, and chicken cloacal swabs. The NaOH extraction method was comparable to commercial kits for extraction of DNA from pig fecal samples for 16S amplicon sequencing analyses. We demonstrate that an impinger and portable pump can efficiently capture bacteria in poultry facilities for rapid DNA extraction for quantification of total bacteria and for detection of specific species using qPCR. The air sampling and NaOH extraction procedures are well-suited for routine, high throughput screening, and for metagenomic analyses for specific pathogens, even in resource-limited situations.

The air is a fundamental element for the life on Earth. Rapid urbanization and industrialization release large amounts of pollutants (harmful gases, microorganisms, and particulate matter, among others) into the atmosphere, leading to health hazards. Air filtration is still the most used and promising technique for protecting air against pollutants. The quality and efficiency of filtering process are dependent of material used for the filter and other filter’s properties. Several methods can be used for manufacturing filters, one of them uses fibrous membranes obtained through electrospinning from polymeric solutions. Electrospinning is a technique that combines the application of an electrostatic field to a moving fluid which results in the fibers formation. Electrospun membranes are constituted by fibers that the sizes spread on submicro and or nanometric scales. This review focuses on fiber membranes obtained by electrospinning for filtration of particulate matter. It is addressed the effect of solution, processing and ambient parameters on the morphology and dimensional characteristics of fiber membranes. The basic principles of air filtration and test and characterization of filter performance are presented. The research progress on electrospun nanofibers as air filters in recent years is summarized and examined. Finally, conclusion and future perspectives in electrospun fibers for air filtration are provided and discussed.

This research investigates the compatibility of conventional air conditioning with the principles of green building, highlighting the need for systems that enhance indoor comfort while aligning with environmental sustainability. Conventional cooling systems, though proficient in regulating indoor temperatures, encounter several issues when incorporated into green buildings. These include energy waste, high running costs, and a misalignment with eco-friendly practices, which may also lead to detrimental environmental effects and potentially reduce occupant comfort, particularly in retrofit situations. Given the emphasis on sustainability and energy conservation in green buildings, there is a pressing demand for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions that support these goals. This study emphasizes the critical need to reconsider traditional HVAC strategies in the face of green building advances. It advocates for the adoption of innovative HVAC technologies designed for eco-efficiency and enhanced comfort. These technologies should integrate seamlessly with sustainable construction, use greener refrigerants, and uphold environmental integrity, driving progress towards a sustainable and occupant-friendly built environment.

A study was conducted on the power system of a forklift equipped with PEM fuel cells. A fuel cell assembly relies on several components for proper functioning, and among these, the air compressor holds paramount importance due to its significant energy consumption when compared to other Balance of Plant components. The air supply system, in turn, plays a critical role in ensuring the stable and efficient operation of the entire fuel cell system. To enhance system efficiency, we delved into the impact of varying the stoichiometric ratio of air and air pressure on the validated and optimized power module model. This investigation was carried out under real loading conditions, replicating the conditions experienced by the power module when fuel cells are in use within a forklift. The air compressor, being a pivotal component of a PEM fuel cell system, can be oper-ated at different excess air and pressure ratios, which in turn influence both the fuel cell's performance and the overall efficiency of the power module system. Our research focused on assessing the performance of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells under different load cycles, adhering to the VDI60 requirements for forklift applications. This comprehensive examination encompassed the system's minimum and maximum load scenarios, with the primary goal of optimizing excess air and pressure ratio parameters, especially under dynamic load conditions. The results revealed that higher air pressures and lower excess air ratios were con-ducive to increasing system efficiency, shedding light on potential avenues for enhancing the performance of PEM fuel cell systems in forklift applications.

In Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, air pollution is a significant problem, and efforts are needed to define organisms that may be used as bioindicators of air pollution. Epiphytic subaerial algae, which grow on the surface of trees, may have a potential as bioindicators of urban air quality. Algae were collected from randomly selected tree trunks in five parks in Bangkok, and the air pollutants CO, NO2, O3, SO2, PM2.5, and PM10 were measured. Analysis of the subaerial algal communities was performed by metagenomics. Diversity indexes were determined for the algal taxa detected, which were separated into groups corresponding to different collection sites by cluster analysis. Relationships between taxa and air pollutants were analyzed by PCA and the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). The results showed a high diversity of epiphytic subaerial al-gae. We recorded 101 taxa belonging to the Cyanophyta (70 taxa), Chlorophyta (21 taxa), Char-ophyta (5 taxa), Bacillariophyta (3 taxa), and Eustigmatophyta (2 taxa). The most abundant taxon was Chroococcidiopsis sp. 1, for which up to 13,254 individuals/cm2 were recorded. The Shan-non–Weaver index ranged between 1.37 and 2.51, the Margalef index between 3.84 and 4.75, and the Pielou index between 0.30 and 0.54. The similarity index was between 8.00% and 64.82% ac-cording to the cluster analysis results for three groups. The PCA indicated that all air pollutants affected the diversity and abundance of the epiphytic subaerial algae. Cyanothece sp. 2 is consid-ered a potential bioindicator of air pollution. It was negatively related to O3 and positively related to NO2 and CO

Numerical simulations and experiments on evaporative condensers in air conditioning systems using R744 were performed. Two configurations were given to study the feasibility of operating the subcritical R744 cycle. It indicated the capable of evaporative cooling condensing R744 to liquify by analyzing the outlet temperature at the end of the condenser reached from 28.7oC to 30.3oC with the operating pressure from 72.6 bar to 68.5 bar. The mass flow rate in the study increases from 14.34 kg/h to 46.08 kg/h, the pressure drop also increases from 0.23 bar to 0.47 bar for the simulation and 0.4 bar to 0.5 bar for the experiment, respectively. This study indicates that a 5-layers of copper tubes configuration causes a higher pressure drop and lower COP when compared to an 8-layers of copper tubes that split into 2 sets for smaller pressure drop. In this study, the evaporative condensers using mini tubes that are flooded in the cooling water tank are suitable for the subcritical R744 air conditioning system. The results obtained from the experimental data are in good agreement with those obtained from the numerical results, with the deviation less than 5%.

During the second half of August 2022, a dust intrusion event occurred, when dust that originated from the dry regions of Kalmyk steppe and the Precaspian plain was transported over the eastern region of Romania. The dry soil in these regions was the result of the severe drought over a long period of time, accentuated by early heat waves in May and June 2022. The dust event was captured by MODIS images. Smoke trains originating from fires in the north of the Azov were also detected, but these did not reach Romania. Optical parametres from AERONET was used to confirm the dust event. To determine the trajectory of the particles, the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model was used in this paper. The Ensemble median model was used to highlight the presence and concentration of dust in eastern part of Romania. Aerosols were detected between 0 and 4 km, according to radar and ceilometer data of the REXDAN cloud remote sensing facility in Galați, Romania. This dust intrusion event was the result of the dominant easterly cir-culation caused by the extension of East European High to the northeast of the continent, which transported the dust towards eastern part of Romania for more than 2 days. Moreover, the tor-rential rains between August 22nd and 24th did not clear the atmosphere of dust, since the intense easterly circulation kept carrying the dust into the Moldavian area.

The close proximity of different buildings heights can cause disturbances in the working of the smoke and ventilation ducts of lower buildings, threatening the health and even the lives of residents. To define the influence of high-rise building on the work of the ducts of the neighbouring double-storied building, experimental investigations in the wind tunnel were conducted. On this basis, empirical equations and graphs were developed leading to determining the aerodynamic coefficients considering different wind directions and the height of ducts. The direction of the wind reveals a greater influence than the height of the ducts. Properly using deflectors or increasing the height of the duct ensures maintaining static rarefaction in the area of smoke and ventilation ducts. The creation of rarefaction ensures the reliability of the natural ventilation system and the safety of the health of residents.

PM2.5 levels affect human health. However, its relationship with other health vulnerability determinants has not been sufficiently explored. Furthermore, public access to PM2.5 datasets, linkable to health statistics, is not available. We built a georeferenced database and map of annual mean PM2.5 emissions and air concentrations values in Argentina in 2010 and explored their correlations with other health vulnerability determinants. We obtained data for montlhy PM2.5 values emissions and air concentrations in Argentina from public sources. We evaluated health vulnerability by the “Sanitary Vulnerability Index (SVI)”. Non-parametric correlations between variables below 0.22, corresponding to a R2=5%, were deemed meaningless. PM2.5 emissions concentrated in urban and intensive agricultural areas of Argentina. PM2.5 air concentrations were acceptable (≤10 microg/m3) in only 15% of the Argentinean territory, respectively. The correlation between air concentration of PM2.5 and human emission was meaningless. Emissions, but not air concentrations correlated &gt;0.22 with indicators of human activity. SVI correlated meaninglessly with PM2.5 air concentration. In conclusion, PM2.5 levels were above acceptable levels in 85% of the Argentinian territory in 2010. The lack of meaningful correlations between PM2.5 and SVI suggest that these coefficients might be used in combination to assess health vulnerability. Further research is warranted.

The cornea is an avascular tissue which has attracted much attention by the uniqueness of its anatomical characteristics, it has, in proportion, an enormous size, in relation to the number of vessels, because on average few cells in the organism are away more than 30 microns of a blood vessel. However, the cornea, with a diameter of between 11 and 12 mm, is a unique example. It has been tried to explain the notable absence of blood vessels in the cornea, arguing that corneal tissues are able to take oxygen directly from the air. In this article we are explaining that based on the physicochemical characteristics of molecular oxygen and the cell membrane, cytoplasm, water, and cellular metabolism, it is not possible that epithelial corneal cells directly take oxygen from the air, instead, corneal cells have molecules that can dissociate the water molecules thereby these cells, like any other eukaryotic cells, take the oxygen from the intracell water, like plants.

Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) is one of the critical factors for global atmospheric conditions, climate change, and air pollution. AOT has been exposed as a major component of air pollution in Bangladesh. This paper aims to map the seasonal distribution of AOT from 2002-2022 and to explore the internal relationship between AOT and ten air pollutants using remote sensing and machine learning tools. These ten air pollutants are Particulate matter (PM2.5), Methane (CH4), Carbon monoxide (CO), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Formaldehyde (HCHO), Ozone (O3), Sulfur dioxide (SO2), Aerosol Particulate Radius (APR), Nitrogen oxide (NOx) and Black carbon (BC). The results show that the concentrations of AOT were higher in December-January-February (mean value 0.50) and March-April-May (mean value 0.50) seasons, mostly in the central, western, and southern parts of Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Munshiganj districts. AOT was a bit less in June-July-August (mean value 0.33) and September-October-November (mean value 0.37). This paper also revealed that the AOT was correlated positively with PM2.5 (0.60), CH4 (0.80), NO (0.76), and BC (0.83) while correlated negatively with CO (-0.66), HCHO (-0.16), SO2 (-0.41), APR (-0.48), and NOx (-0.20). From the machine learning, the Rational quadratic GPR (RME-0.0024, MAE-0.0015, R2-0.96), Matern 5/2 GPR (RMSE-0.0023, MAE-0.0015, R2-0.96), and Squared Exponential GPR (RMSE-0.0015, MAE-0.0015, R2-0.96) were found good classifiers to predict AOT. UN agencies, government line departments, and local and regional development councils for air pollution mitigation and long-term protective measures may use the paper's key results.

Cigarette smoking and air pollution (particulate matter) are recognized as two major etiological factors for lung cancer. Of all the risk factors, cigarette smoking is significantly associated with lung carcinogenesis. The main mechanism lies in the metabolically activated carcinogens (majorly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines), which could covalently bind with DNA molecules and lead to irreversible mutations in pivotal cancer genes, such as TP53 and KRAS. Another major etiological factor for lung cancer is air pollution, which is with complex compositions and ubiquitous in daily life, especially in developing countries as China and India. The latest literatures on lung cancer epidemiology and etiology have been briefly summarized and reviewed in this work.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multifactorial lung inflammatory disease affecting 174 million people worldwide, with a recently reported increased incidence in female patients. Patients with COPD are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of environmental exposures, especially from air particulate and gaseous pollutants. Exposure to air pollution severely influences COPD outcomes, resulting in acute exacerbations, hospitalizations, and death. In the current study, we conducted a review of the literature addressing air pollution induced acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) in order to determine whether air pollution affects COPD patients in a sex-specific manner. We found that while the majority of studies enrolled both male and female patients, only a few reported results disaggregated by sex. Most studies had a higher enrollment of male patients, only four compared AECOPD outcomes between sexes, and only one study identified sex differences in AECOPD, with females displaying higher rates. Overall, our analysis of the literature confirmed that air pollution exposure is a trigger for AECOPD hospitalizations and revealed a significant gap in our knowledge of sex-specific effects of air pollutants on COPD outcomes, highlighting the need for more studies considering sex as a biological variable.

Background: Exposure in utero to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) is associated with maladaptive health outcomes. Although exposure to prenatal PM2.5 and PM10 have cord blood DNA methylation signatures at birth, signature persistence into childhood and saliva cross-tissue applicability has not been tested. Methods: In the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a United States 20-city birth cohort, average residential PM2.5 and PM10 during pregnancy was estimated using air quality monitors with inverse distance weighting. Saliva DNA methylation at ages 9 (n=749) and 15 (n=793) was measured using the Illumina HumanMethylation 450k BeadArray. Cumulative DNA methylation scores for particulate matter were estimated by weighting participant DNA methylation at each site by meta-analysis effect estimates from Gruzieva et al. 2019 and standardizing the sums. Using mixed effects regression analysis, we tested the associations between cumulative DNA methylation scores at ages 9 and 15 and PM exposure during pregnancy, adjusted for child sex, age, race/ethnicity, maternal income to needs ratio, nonmartial birth status, and saliva cell type proportions. Results: Our study sample was 50.5% male, 56.3% non-Hispanic Black, and 19.8% Hispanic, with median income to needs ratio of 1.4. In the third trimester, mean PM2.5 exposure levels were 27.9 ug/m3/day (standard deviation: 7.0, 23.7% of observations exceeded safety standards) and PM10 were 15.0 ug/m3/day (standard deviation: 3.1). An interquartile range increase in PM2.5 exposure (10.73 g/m3/day) was associated with -0.0287 standard deviation lower cumulative DNA methylation score for PM2.5 (95% CI: -0.0732, 0.0158, p=0.20) across all participants. An interquartile range increase in PM10 exposure (3.20 g/m3/day) was associated with -0.1472 standard deviation lower cumulative DNA methylation score for PM10 (95% CI: -0.3038, 0.0095, p=0.06) across all participants. The PM10 findings were driven by the age 15 subset where an interquartile range increase in PM10 exposure was associated with -0.024 standard deviation lower cumulative DNA methylation score for PM10 (95% CI: -0.043, -0.005, p=0.012). Findings were robust to adjustment for PM exposure at ages 1 and 3. Conclusion: In utero PM10 associated DNA methylation differences persist until age 15 and can be detected in saliva. Benchmarking the persistence and cell type generalizability is critical for epigenetic exposure biomarker assessment.