Evapotranspiration (ET) is a critical component of the hydrological cycle, and it has a decisive impact on the ecosystem balance in arid and semi-arid regions. The Yinchuan Plain, located in the Gobi of Northwest China, has a strong surface ET, which has a significant impact on the regional water resource cycle. However, there is a current lack of high-resolution evapotranspiration datasets and a substantial amount of time is required for long-time series remote sensing evapotranspiration estimation. In order to assess the ET pattern in this region, we obtained the actual ET (ETa) of the Yinchuan Plain between 1987 and 2020 using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. Specifically, we used Landsat TM+/OLI remote sensing imagery and the GEE Surface Energy Balance Model (geeSEBAL) to analyze the spatial distribution pattern of ET over different seasons. We then reproduced the interannual variation in ET from 1987 to 2020, and statistically analyzed the distribution patterns and contributions of ET with regard to different land use types. The results show that (1) the daily ETa of the Yinchuan Plain is the highest in the central lake wetland area in spring, with a maximum value of 4.32 mm day−1; in summer, it is concentrated around the croplands and water bodies, with a maximum value of 6.90 mm day−1; in autumn and winter, it is mainly concentrated around the water bodies and impervious areas, with maximum values of 3.93 and 1.56 mm day−1, respectively. (2) From 1987 to 2020, the ET of the Yinchuan Plain showed an obvious upward and downward trend in some areas with significant land use changes, but the overall ET of the region remained relatively stable without dramatic fluctuations. (3) The ETa values for different land use types in the Yinchuan Plain region are ranked as follows: water body > cultivated land > impervious > grassland > bare land. Our results showed that geeSEBAL is highly applicable in the Yinchuan Plain area. It allows for the accurate and detailed inversion of ET and has great potential for evaluating long-term ET in data-scarce areas due to its low meteorological sensitivity, which facilitates the study of the regional hydrological cycle and water governance.
蒸散发(ET)是水文循环的重要组成部分,对干旱和半干旱地区的生态系统平衡具有决定性影响。银川平原地处中国西北戈壁,地表蒸散发强烈,对区域水资源循环有重要影响。然而,目前缺乏高分辨率的蒸散量数据集,且长时间序列遥感蒸散量估算需要大量时间。为了评估该地区的蒸散发模式,我们利用谷歌地球引擎(GEE)平台获取了银川平原 1987-2020 年间的实际蒸散发(ETa)。具体而言,我们利用 Landsat TM+/OLI 遥感图像和 GEE 地表能量平衡模型(geeSEBAL)分析了不同季节的蒸散发空间分布模式。然后,我们再现了 1987 年至 2020 年的蒸散发年际变化,并统计分析了不同土地利用类型的蒸散发分布模式和贡献。结果表明:(1)银川平原的日蒸散发a在春季以中部湖泊湿地区最高,最大值为4.32 mm day-1;夏季主要集中在耕地和水体周围,最大值为6.90 mm day-1;秋冬季主要集中在水体和不透水区周围,最大值分别为3.93和1.56 mm day-1。(2)1987-2020 年,银川平原的蒸散发在部分土地利用变化较大的地区呈明显的上升和下降趋势,但区域整体蒸散发保持相对稳定,未出现剧烈波动。(3)银川平原地区不同土地利用类型的 ETa 值排序为:水体 > 耕地 > 不透水 > 草地 > 裸地。结果表明,geeSEBAL 在银川平原地区具有很强的适用性。它可以对蒸散发进行精确而详细的反演,由于对气象敏感性较低,在数据稀缺地区评估长期蒸散发具有很大的潜力,有利于区域水文循环和水治理的研究。
{"title":"Tracking Evapotranspiration Patterns on the Yinchuan Plain with Multispectral Remote Sensing","authors":"Junzhen Meng, Xiaoquan Yang, Zhiping Li, Guizhang Zhao, Peipei He, Yabing Xuan, Yunfei Wang","doi":"10.3390/su16188025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188025","url":null,"abstract":"Evapotranspiration (ET) is a critical component of the hydrological cycle, and it has a decisive impact on the ecosystem balance in arid and semi-arid regions. The Yinchuan Plain, located in the Gobi of Northwest China, has a strong surface ET, which has a significant impact on the regional water resource cycle. However, there is a current lack of high-resolution evapotranspiration datasets and a substantial amount of time is required for long-time series remote sensing evapotranspiration estimation. In order to assess the ET pattern in this region, we obtained the actual ET (ETa) of the Yinchuan Plain between 1987 and 2020 using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. Specifically, we used Landsat TM+/OLI remote sensing imagery and the GEE Surface Energy Balance Model (geeSEBAL) to analyze the spatial distribution pattern of ET over different seasons. We then reproduced the interannual variation in ET from 1987 to 2020, and statistically analyzed the distribution patterns and contributions of ET with regard to different land use types. The results show that (1) the daily ETa of the Yinchuan Plain is the highest in the central lake wetland area in spring, with a maximum value of 4.32 mm day−1; in summer, it is concentrated around the croplands and water bodies, with a maximum value of 6.90 mm day−1; in autumn and winter, it is mainly concentrated around the water bodies and impervious areas, with maximum values of 3.93 and 1.56 mm day−1, respectively. (2) From 1987 to 2020, the ET of the Yinchuan Plain showed an obvious upward and downward trend in some areas with significant land use changes, but the overall ET of the region remained relatively stable without dramatic fluctuations. (3) The ETa values for different land use types in the Yinchuan Plain region are ranked as follows: water body > cultivated land > impervious > grassland > bare land. Our results showed that geeSEBAL is highly applicable in the Yinchuan Plain area. It allows for the accurate and detailed inversion of ET and has great potential for evaluating long-term ET in data-scarce areas due to its low meteorological sensitivity, which facilitates the study of the regional hydrological cycle and water governance.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article explores the question of the rate of digital progress in the context of the labour market. Specific features of the current situation are discussed: the temporality of socio-technological transformations, which is becoming less and less compatible with the harmonious development of man and society; the pace at which machines acquire intelligence; the total devaluation of mental labour; the unresolved issue of the role of man in the world of intelligent machines; and the criticality of the problem of the labour market due to its global nature, social significance and the rate of socio-technological changes. It is emphasised that these circumstances, already in the short term, threaten the sustainable development of global society, whose reactions to the transformation of technological and socio-economic infrastructure are significantly lagging behind. It is concluded that there is an urgent need to strengthen social responsibility, determined by the new ethics of relations between humans and machines with AI, supplemented by the primacy of the dignity of the social role of humans. The authors point out the urgent need to revise ideas about work as the main purpose of a person and about realisation in the profession as the main factor that determines the self-esteem of an individual and his social status.
{"title":"The Era of Digital Transition in the Prism of the Existential Threat of Job Loss: Corporate Social Responsibility","authors":"Irina Shestakova","doi":"10.3390/su16188019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188019","url":null,"abstract":"This article explores the question of the rate of digital progress in the context of the labour market. Specific features of the current situation are discussed: the temporality of socio-technological transformations, which is becoming less and less compatible with the harmonious development of man and society; the pace at which machines acquire intelligence; the total devaluation of mental labour; the unresolved issue of the role of man in the world of intelligent machines; and the criticality of the problem of the labour market due to its global nature, social significance and the rate of socio-technological changes. It is emphasised that these circumstances, already in the short term, threaten the sustainable development of global society, whose reactions to the transformation of technological and socio-economic infrastructure are significantly lagging behind. It is concluded that there is an urgent need to strengthen social responsibility, determined by the new ethics of relations between humans and machines with AI, supplemented by the primacy of the dignity of the social role of humans. The authors point out the urgent need to revise ideas about work as the main purpose of a person and about realisation in the profession as the main factor that determines the self-esteem of an individual and his social status.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD), as a model depicting the correlation between traffic flow parameters at the network level, offers a new way to understand regional traffic state using derived traffic flow data from detectors directly. The accuracy of MFD construction is directly related to factors such as the type of detectors, their distribution, and their quantity within the road network. Understanding these influencing factors and mechanisms is crucial for enhancing the reliability of MFD-based applications such as congestion pricing and threshold control. Present investigations on factors that affect MFD construction’s accuracy have frequently been confined to sensitivity analysis of single-source data and individual influencing factors such as the penetration rate. However, the accuracy of MFD is influenced by a multitude of factors, including the spatial distribution equilibrium, penetration rate, and coverage rate of traffic flow detection equipment. Despite this, this paper utilized the Q-paramics simulation software V6.8.1 to acquire simulated data and employed the orthogonal experimental method from statistics to explore the impact mechanisms of factors on the accuracy of MFD construction. The results of the case study demonstrated that when the penetration rate reaches 20%, the error remains approximately around 10%; once the coverage rate surpasses 45%, the errors stabilize at around 10%. This study provides practical guidance for traffic management and planning decisions aimed at promoting sustainable development through the application of MFD in real-world road networks.
{"title":"Analysis of Factors Affecting the Accuracy of MFD Construction in Multisource Complex Data Scenarios","authors":"Rongrong Hong","doi":"10.3390/su16188018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188018","url":null,"abstract":"The macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD), as a model depicting the correlation between traffic flow parameters at the network level, offers a new way to understand regional traffic state using derived traffic flow data from detectors directly. The accuracy of MFD construction is directly related to factors such as the type of detectors, their distribution, and their quantity within the road network. Understanding these influencing factors and mechanisms is crucial for enhancing the reliability of MFD-based applications such as congestion pricing and threshold control. Present investigations on factors that affect MFD construction’s accuracy have frequently been confined to sensitivity analysis of single-source data and individual influencing factors such as the penetration rate. However, the accuracy of MFD is influenced by a multitude of factors, including the spatial distribution equilibrium, penetration rate, and coverage rate of traffic flow detection equipment. Despite this, this paper utilized the Q-paramics simulation software V6.8.1 to acquire simulated data and employed the orthogonal experimental method from statistics to explore the impact mechanisms of factors on the accuracy of MFD construction. The results of the case study demonstrated that when the penetration rate reaches 20%, the error remains approximately around 10%; once the coverage rate surpasses 45%, the errors stabilize at around 10%. This study provides practical guidance for traffic management and planning decisions aimed at promoting sustainable development through the application of MFD in real-world road networks.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The exploitation and utilization of coal resources are closely related to sustainable social and economic development. To uncover the deformation and seepage patterns of coal on the mining process, this study devised a new stress program with simultaneous changes in axial and confining pressures, then performed coal seepage experiments at various gas pressures. The results show that the residual deformation exhibited a stepwise change, the relative residual deformation at the same level decreased gradually, and the increase in gas pressure led to a reduction in residual deformation. In each stress grade, the absolute permeability damage rate increased gradually, while the relative permeability damage rate decreased with the number of cycles, and the growth of gas pressure could decrease the permeability damage rate. The higher gas pressure led to a lower average energy dissipation ratio at each stress level and increased the rate of growth of elastic energy before destruction of the specimens. A higher gas pressure led to a quicker rate of change in damage variables at high stress levels. The findings have implications for the effective mining and sustainable development of coal resources.
{"title":"Deformation, Seepage, and Energy Characteristics of Gas-Containing Coal Rocks under Complex Stress Paths","authors":"Dongming Zhang, Xingfeng Mao, Zhenglin Guo, Jiabo Geng","doi":"10.3390/su16188001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188001","url":null,"abstract":"The exploitation and utilization of coal resources are closely related to sustainable social and economic development. To uncover the deformation and seepage patterns of coal on the mining process, this study devised a new stress program with simultaneous changes in axial and confining pressures, then performed coal seepage experiments at various gas pressures. The results show that the residual deformation exhibited a stepwise change, the relative residual deformation at the same level decreased gradually, and the increase in gas pressure led to a reduction in residual deformation. In each stress grade, the absolute permeability damage rate increased gradually, while the relative permeability damage rate decreased with the number of cycles, and the growth of gas pressure could decrease the permeability damage rate. The higher gas pressure led to a lower average energy dissipation ratio at each stress level and increased the rate of growth of elastic energy before destruction of the specimens. A higher gas pressure led to a quicker rate of change in damage variables at high stress levels. The findings have implications for the effective mining and sustainable development of coal resources.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":"85 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Gulf of Gabès, located off the southern coast of Tunisia, is a region of significant ecological and economic importance, yet it faces a growing threat from abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear, commonly known as ghost gear. This paper addresses the urgent need for a comprehensive conservation code of conduct to mitigate the impacts of ghost gear on marine ecosystems and local communities. Drawing on data and insights from the Life MedTurtles and MedBycatch projects, as well as consultations with local stakeholders, we propose a set of principles and guidelines tailored to the specific socio-economic and political context of Tunisia. Our findings indicate that ghost gear not only endangers marine biodiversity but also affects the livelihoods of local fishers and the sustainability of the region’s fishing industry. The proposed code of conduct emphasizes the roles of government, local communities, and non-governmental organizations in implementing effective management strategies. We also explore the alignment of the proposed measures with existing international laws and policies, ensuring no conflicts arise while reinforcing global conservation efforts. This paper concludes by highlighting the feasibility of the proposed code within the Tunisian context, identifying potential challenges and opportunities for its implementation. Our recommendations aim to foster a collaborative approach to managing ghost gear, contributing to the long-term sustainability of the Gulf of Gabès and serving as a model for similar regions worldwide.
{"title":"Ghost Gear in the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia): An Urgent Need for a Conservation Code of Conduct","authors":"Wiem Boussellaa, Mohamed Nejmeddine Bradai, Hamed Mallat, Samira Enajjar, Bechir Saidi, Imed Jribi","doi":"10.3390/su16188003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188003","url":null,"abstract":"The Gulf of Gabès, located off the southern coast of Tunisia, is a region of significant ecological and economic importance, yet it faces a growing threat from abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear, commonly known as ghost gear. This paper addresses the urgent need for a comprehensive conservation code of conduct to mitigate the impacts of ghost gear on marine ecosystems and local communities. Drawing on data and insights from the Life MedTurtles and MedBycatch projects, as well as consultations with local stakeholders, we propose a set of principles and guidelines tailored to the specific socio-economic and political context of Tunisia. Our findings indicate that ghost gear not only endangers marine biodiversity but also affects the livelihoods of local fishers and the sustainability of the region’s fishing industry. The proposed code of conduct emphasizes the roles of government, local communities, and non-governmental organizations in implementing effective management strategies. We also explore the alignment of the proposed measures with existing international laws and policies, ensuring no conflicts arise while reinforcing global conservation efforts. This paper concludes by highlighting the feasibility of the proposed code within the Tunisian context, identifying potential challenges and opportunities for its implementation. Our recommendations aim to foster a collaborative approach to managing ghost gear, contributing to the long-term sustainability of the Gulf of Gabès and serving as a model for similar regions worldwide.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":"69 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniel Alexandru Cosnita, Flaviu Sabin Iorgulescu, Neculai Eugen Seghedin
The literature and practice have proven the connection between competitiveness at all levels (company, region, national) and its position in international value chains, hence the need to “measure” their economic impact. Traditionally, this has been conducted by using complex quantitative data based on statistical sources translated into input/output tables that are difficult to calculate and interpret and rely on outdated data. While the contribution of clusters as drivers of economic competitiveness has been extensively debated over the last 30 years, it is more recently, after the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to tremendous disruptions in international value chains, that their role of generators and drivers of international value chains has been recognized, proven by the rapid response they have been able to provide in “repairing” the disturbances. The current paper proposes a cluster-based value chain analyses method in which the main measurement unit is the density of the chosen indicator along the value chain links (number of enterprises, turnover, R&D expenditure, exports). The results were checked by classical methods and proven to be congruent. The method allows for a rapid response to sudden disruptions and can be used for both cluster managers as well as economic policymakers at regional and national levels.
{"title":"Clusters as Tools to Measure Sustainable Value Chains","authors":"Daniel Alexandru Cosnita, Flaviu Sabin Iorgulescu, Neculai Eugen Seghedin","doi":"10.3390/su16188013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188013","url":null,"abstract":"The literature and practice have proven the connection between competitiveness at all levels (company, region, national) and its position in international value chains, hence the need to “measure” their economic impact. Traditionally, this has been conducted by using complex quantitative data based on statistical sources translated into input/output tables that are difficult to calculate and interpret and rely on outdated data. While the contribution of clusters as drivers of economic competitiveness has been extensively debated over the last 30 years, it is more recently, after the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to tremendous disruptions in international value chains, that their role of generators and drivers of international value chains has been recognized, proven by the rapid response they have been able to provide in “repairing” the disturbances. The current paper proposes a cluster-based value chain analyses method in which the main measurement unit is the density of the chosen indicator along the value chain links (number of enterprises, turnover, R&D expenditure, exports). The results were checked by classical methods and proven to be congruent. The method allows for a rapid response to sudden disruptions and can be used for both cluster managers as well as economic policymakers at regional and national levels.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study centers on sustainable operations management within the energy sector, identifying and synthesizing effective strategies for integrating sustainability into business practices. We perform a systematic literature review covering contributions from January 2000 to June 2024 extracted from Web of Science and Scopus databases. The methodology includes an explicit search and selection protocol to ensure relevant and unbiased insights into the evolution of sustainable practices in the energy sector. The results indicate an increase in publications over the years, particularly in areas such as low-carbon economies, environmental management, and innovation, all of which are crucial for reducing carbon footprints and enhancing operational sustainability. This study categorizes existing research into five main streams: Closed Loop Supply Chains (CLSC), Low Carbon Economy (LCE), Environmental Management and Performance (EMP), Innovation (INN), and Social Responsibility (SR). The review underscores the significant gap between current practices and the potential for incorporating renewable energy sources into existing systems. In addition, it highlights the need for robust governmental policies and international cooperation in order to foster a more rapid transition towards sustainable operations on the energy sector. Furthermore, our findings suggest that despite technological advances, significant implementation gaps remain that require focused research and policy adjustments in order to achieve sustainability targets in the energy sector.
{"title":"Sustainable Operations Management in the Energy Sector: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature from 2000 to 2024","authors":"Mariana Losada-Agudelo, Sebastian Souyris","doi":"10.3390/su16187999","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16187999","url":null,"abstract":"This study centers on sustainable operations management within the energy sector, identifying and synthesizing effective strategies for integrating sustainability into business practices. We perform a systematic literature review covering contributions from January 2000 to June 2024 extracted from Web of Science and Scopus databases. The methodology includes an explicit search and selection protocol to ensure relevant and unbiased insights into the evolution of sustainable practices in the energy sector. The results indicate an increase in publications over the years, particularly in areas such as low-carbon economies, environmental management, and innovation, all of which are crucial for reducing carbon footprints and enhancing operational sustainability. This study categorizes existing research into five main streams: Closed Loop Supply Chains (CLSC), Low Carbon Economy (LCE), Environmental Management and Performance (EMP), Innovation (INN), and Social Responsibility (SR). The review underscores the significant gap between current practices and the potential for incorporating renewable energy sources into existing systems. In addition, it highlights the need for robust governmental policies and international cooperation in order to foster a more rapid transition towards sustainable operations on the energy sector. Furthermore, our findings suggest that despite technological advances, significant implementation gaps remain that require focused research and policy adjustments in order to achieve sustainability targets in the energy sector.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Josinaldo Dias, José Nilson França de Holanda, Sílvia Cardinal Pinho, Gilson Mendonça de Miranda Júnior, Angelus Giuseppe Pereira da Silva
To ensure that metal recovery processes in electronic waste are truly sustainable from an industrial perspective, studies on the performance of such methodologies are necessary to verify the economic, environmental, social, and technological viabilities. The importance of conducting multicriteria and comparative investigations into the actual performances of methods used in the recovery of these materials is emphasized, considering trade-offs such as high efficiency in metal extraction balanced against intense consumption of energy and chemical reagents. The analytical hierarchy process, multicriteria decision support tool, and the life cycle assessment tool are proposed to be used in combination in this work to assess and contrast the environmental effects of two hydrometallurgical paths for the recuperation of copper in electronic circuit boards (PCBs). The results indicate that the sulfuric acid method had a copper solubilization efficiency of 90.05%, whereas the route employing the combination of ammonium sulfate and ammonia had an estimated copper solubilization efficacy of 49%. It was feasible to calculate the life cycle effects of the hydrometallurgical procedures connected to the copper recovery activities on the PCBs with regard to the LCA. Compared to the acidic leaching pathway, alkaline leaching was responsible for about 71% of the environmental damage discovered in the study, according to the AHP tool.
{"title":"Systematic LCA-AHP Approach to Compare Hydrometallurgical Routes for Copper Recovery from Printed Circuit Boards: Environmental Analysis","authors":"Josinaldo Dias, José Nilson França de Holanda, Sílvia Cardinal Pinho, Gilson Mendonça de Miranda Júnior, Angelus Giuseppe Pereira da Silva","doi":"10.3390/su16188002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188002","url":null,"abstract":"To ensure that metal recovery processes in electronic waste are truly sustainable from an industrial perspective, studies on the performance of such methodologies are necessary to verify the economic, environmental, social, and technological viabilities. The importance of conducting multicriteria and comparative investigations into the actual performances of methods used in the recovery of these materials is emphasized, considering trade-offs such as high efficiency in metal extraction balanced against intense consumption of energy and chemical reagents. The analytical hierarchy process, multicriteria decision support tool, and the life cycle assessment tool are proposed to be used in combination in this work to assess and contrast the environmental effects of two hydrometallurgical paths for the recuperation of copper in electronic circuit boards (PCBs). The results indicate that the sulfuric acid method had a copper solubilization efficiency of 90.05%, whereas the route employing the combination of ammonium sulfate and ammonia had an estimated copper solubilization efficacy of 49%. It was feasible to calculate the life cycle effects of the hydrometallurgical procedures connected to the copper recovery activities on the PCBs with regard to the LCA. Compared to the acidic leaching pathway, alkaline leaching was responsible for about 71% of the environmental damage discovered in the study, according to the AHP tool.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mamadou Sanogo, Roland Yonaba, Abdou Lawane, Malicki Zorom, Fonzia Tassembédo, Hamed Ali Sahad, Isidore Bazié
Supplemental irrigation based on runoff harvesting is a sustainable solution in the current context of water scarcity that is prevalent in Sahelian countries. Runoff water harvesting ponds (RWHPs) are increasingly being utilized for vegetable cultivation by producers. This study aims to analyze the cropping choices of producers benefiting from RWHPs in the Kadiogo and Bazèga provinces of Burkina Faso in the West African Sahel. A sample of 27 surveyed producers revealed a dominant preference for vegetable crops (93.46% of the total production) over cereals. The cropping choices are influenced by factors such as the crop resistance to dry spells, the water demand, the economic return, and the market demand. For the effective utilization of the basins, crop choices should consider the water retention capacity of the basin. Additionally, to enhance the retention capacity, it is advisable to line them using appropriate waterproofing techniques. Similarly, the selection of basin installation sites should consider the soil characteristics and site-specific considerations. The findings of this research highlight the potential of runoff water harvesting basins to significantly improve agricultural productivity and resilience in the West African Sahel, thereby contributing to enhanced food security and improved livelihoods for local farmers.
{"title":"Do Runoff Water Harvesting Ponds Affect Farmers Cropping Choices? Insights from Smallholders in the West African Sahel","authors":"Mamadou Sanogo, Roland Yonaba, Abdou Lawane, Malicki Zorom, Fonzia Tassembédo, Hamed Ali Sahad, Isidore Bazié","doi":"10.3390/su16188000","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188000","url":null,"abstract":"Supplemental irrigation based on runoff harvesting is a sustainable solution in the current context of water scarcity that is prevalent in Sahelian countries. Runoff water harvesting ponds (RWHPs) are increasingly being utilized for vegetable cultivation by producers. This study aims to analyze the cropping choices of producers benefiting from RWHPs in the Kadiogo and Bazèga provinces of Burkina Faso in the West African Sahel. A sample of 27 surveyed producers revealed a dominant preference for vegetable crops (93.46% of the total production) over cereals. The cropping choices are influenced by factors such as the crop resistance to dry spells, the water demand, the economic return, and the market demand. For the effective utilization of the basins, crop choices should consider the water retention capacity of the basin. Additionally, to enhance the retention capacity, it is advisable to line them using appropriate waterproofing techniques. Similarly, the selection of basin installation sites should consider the soil characteristics and site-specific considerations. The findings of this research highlight the potential of runoff water harvesting basins to significantly improve agricultural productivity and resilience in the West African Sahel, thereby contributing to enhanced food security and improved livelihoods for local farmers.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Qiang Tu, Han He, Xiaomin Lai, Chuan Jiang, Zhanji Zheng
The primary traffic-based indicators for identifying critical links account for travel time, transportation efficiency, and traffic demand. These indicators are seldom applied to scenarios in which link capacity degradation occurs across the entire network. In addition, the commonly used traffic demand-based indicator, known as unsatisfied demand, can only work when there are disconnected origin–destination (OD) pairs in the network. In this context, this study incorporates the concept of a degradable road network to represent such scenarios and introduces a new network-wide traffic demand-based indicator, defined as late arrival demand (LAD), to identify critical links. Specifically, we built a late arrival rate (LAR)-based user equilibrium (UE) model to capture travel behavior and estimate the LAD in degradable road networks. Then, LAD and four other indicators were introduced to identify critical links in the framework of the LAR-based UE model. Finally, the Nguyen–Dupuis and Sioux Falls networks were employed for numerical experiments. The results, under various levels of traffic demand and degradation, demonstrate that LAD is a flexible and effective network-wide traffic demand-based indicator. This new approach provides insights that can help managers assess link criticality in degradable road networks from the perspective of traffic demand.
{"title":"Identifying Critical Links in Degradable Road Networks Using a Traffic Demand-Based Indicator","authors":"Qiang Tu, Han He, Xiaomin Lai, Chuan Jiang, Zhanji Zheng","doi":"10.3390/su16188020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188020","url":null,"abstract":"The primary traffic-based indicators for identifying critical links account for travel time, transportation efficiency, and traffic demand. These indicators are seldom applied to scenarios in which link capacity degradation occurs across the entire network. In addition, the commonly used traffic demand-based indicator, known as unsatisfied demand, can only work when there are disconnected origin–destination (OD) pairs in the network. In this context, this study incorporates the concept of a degradable road network to represent such scenarios and introduces a new network-wide traffic demand-based indicator, defined as late arrival demand (LAD), to identify critical links. Specifically, we built a late arrival rate (LAR)-based user equilibrium (UE) model to capture travel behavior and estimate the LAD in degradable road networks. Then, LAD and four other indicators were introduced to identify critical links in the framework of the LAR-based UE model. Finally, the Nguyen–Dupuis and Sioux Falls networks were employed for numerical experiments. The results, under various levels of traffic demand and degradation, demonstrate that LAD is a flexible and effective network-wide traffic demand-based indicator. This new approach provides insights that can help managers assess link criticality in degradable road networks from the perspective of traffic demand.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":"75 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}