Resources Environment and Sustainability最新文献

Pyrolysis technology is a green and efficient method for recycling enameled wires. However, since waste enameled wires are typically recovered from electronic waste, they often contain small amounts of wires and cables. Therefore, during the pyrolysis process of waste enameled wires, it is inevitable for the paint film and the cable sheath to undergo co-pyrolysis. Polyesterimide enameled wires (EPEsI) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were chosen as represent enameled wires and cable sheath materials, respectively. Using thermogravimetric analysis with various pyrolysis kinetic analysis methods, the pyrolysis characteristics and kinetics of EPEsI and Mixture (mixture of EPEsI and PVC) were studied. Through synergy analysis and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis, the influence of PVC on the pyrolysis of EPEsI was elucidated from aspects such as pyrolysis characteristics and product distribution. Based on density functional theory calculations and wave function analysis, the role of endogenous metal Cu in EPEsI on the pyrolysis processes of PEsI and PVC, as well as the mechanism of HCl from PVC on the pyrolysis of PEsI, were clarified.

Population and agricultural resource distribution disparities drive the multidimensional challenge of ensuring food security, especially in large and diverse nations like China. Agricultural practices and trade patterns have profound implications not only for national food security but also for global environmental and health outcomes. Although regional agricultural trade has great potential to alleviate food supply pressures, little is known about the environmental and health consequences of agricultural trade on a national scale in China. This study firstly estimated ammonia (NH₃) emissions, a precursor of PM${}_{\mathrm{2.5}}$, driven by interprovincial grain and meat trade (GMT) for 2017 in mainland China. Then, PM${}_{\mathrm{2.5}}$ pollution and associated health risks induced by GTM were simulated using a coupled meteorology atmospheric chemistry model and integrated exposure–response model. We found that approximately 30% of NH₃ emissions from grain and meat production were trade-related, demonstrating a dramatic virtual transfer from Northern China to Southern China. Interprovincial GMT dramatically reduced PM${}_{\mathrm{2.5}}$ levels and the associated health burden in Southern China, but enhanced in Northern China. Given higher population intensity and reduced PM${}_{\mathrm{2.5}}$ levels in Southern China, interprovincial GMT was estimated to avoid 4,851 (95% confidence interval: 3,444–5,870) premature deaths in China in 2017. Our results illustrate the need for rethinking trade patterns for optimality to minimize the mixed impacts of the GWT on the environment, human health, and food security, and to provide supports to the development of more effective policies to achieve these goals.

The Planetary Boundaries (PBs) pioneering approach defines environmental sustainability in terms of a Safe Operating Space (SOS) for human’s society to develop and thrive. The approach has found fertile ground in combination with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - a standardised method for assessing the environmental impacts of product systems. In this article, we conduct a detailed review of existing approaches to embed PBs in LCA. We start by exploring the links between PBs control variables and LCA impact categories and then focus on reviewing three approaches (i) absolute environmental sustainability assessment (AESA), (ii) PBs-based normalisation and (iii) PBs-based weighting. We examine four key methodological aspects covering harmonisation of units (between PBs control variables and LCA indicators), definition and allocation of the SOS, regionalisation of boundaries and temporal aspects. We conclude the review with a discussion on applicability, limitations, policy implications and conclusions.

Direct land application of conventional compost may cause ecological risks due to the presence of heavy metals. To effectively reduce heavy metal bioavailability in compost, a multi-component passivator comprising Candida utilis, sodium humate, zeolite and attapulgite was developed, which showed passivation rates of 59.28%, 86.93% and 38.95% for zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and ferrum (Fe), respectively, in compost. The addition of customized multi-component passivator in compost not only reduced the mobility of heavy metals, but also improved the quality of the compost and further increased the abundance of lignocellulose-degrading beneficial microorganisms in compost. Subsequent fertilization results showed that the compost product fermented with customized multi-component passivator greatly improved the growth of Chinese cabbage, with significant increases in height, weight, root length, and total chlorophyll contents of 97.63%, 210.13%, 20.42%, and 40.38%, respectively. It can be concluded that the custom-made multi-component passivator is expected to be a good additive for heavy metal passivation, high-quality compost, and plant growth.

Organic composts are significant sources of microplastic (MP) pollution in soils, and their input is much higher in greenhouse agriculture than open-field agriculture. However, how long-term compost application affects MPs pollution in greenhouse soil profiles remains unclear. This study examined MPs characteristics in chicken manure compost and earthworms, exploring the long-term impacts of compost application on MPs accumulation and vertical migration in 0–100 cm soil depth through a 15-year greenhouse experiment. Microplastics abundance was 3965 items kg${}^{-1}$ in compost, 191–248 items kg${}^{-1}$ in compost-amended soils, and 2.73–4.52 items individual${}^{-1}$ in earthworms from compost-amended soils; the latter two increased significantly with compost application and were significantly higher than unamended soils. Soil MPs accumulation from long-term compost amendment contributed 45.4% of the total. The proportion of MPs <2 mm in compost (49.7%) was less than in compost-amended soils (65.5%) and earthworms (65.4%). Microplastics size and abundance decreased with increasing soil depth. Microplastics polymer types and shapes in composts, compost-amended soils, and earthworms exhibited similarities, mainly including polyethylene and polypropylene fragments and fibers. Compost-derived MPs in soils exhibited complex weathering morphology and adhered to mineral colloids. Therefore, soil MPs originating from compost gradually weathered and degraded into smaller particles and migrated to deeper soil, maybe resulting in more serious ecological issues.

Heavy metal (HM) contamination affects the composition and structure of soil microbial communities, but there are few studies on the assembly process and co-occurrence network of soil microbial community succession driven by Cd in volcanic ecosystem. To address this gap in knowledge, we collected and analyzed soil samples from the Nvshan Volcanic area to understand the microbial characteristics in primary succession soil (PS) and secondary succession soil (SS). We found that the soil was contaminated with different levels of Cd (PS > SS), resulting in obvious heterogeneity of microorganisms. The absolute abundance of bacteria (16S rRNA gene copies) varied significantly between the two successions (P < 0.0001). The co-occurrence networks analysis showed that the number of nodes in bacterial communities was lower in PS compared to SS (1002 vs. 1004), indicating that heavy metal contamination would reduce the number of soil microbial communities. Compared with PS, bacterial communities exhibited stronger competitiveness in SS (positive: negative, P/N: 25.69 vs. 64.22), whereas fungal communities were closer symbiotic relationships (positive/negative, P/N: 15.85 vs. 14.29). The neutral community model (NCM) analysis revealed that stochastic processes predominantly governed the microbial assembly process (bacterial R²: 0.657, fungal R²: 0.686). The Mantel test analysis revealed that Cd was negatively associated with cbbLR, amoA, and phoD. The results of the Sankey diagram showed that fungi were more resistant than bacteria (27 vs. 13). This study contributes to understanding the process of soil microbial succession under Cd stress and identifying microbial strains with potential for Cd remediation.

In response to regulatory demands for sustainable practices, there has been a significant increase in the use of recycled materials in food packaging, particularly when incorporated behind functional barriers. This study, conducted as part of the “ABA Modeling” project, evaluates the migration of contaminants from the non-decontaminated, recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) B-layer, which is sandwiched between two virgin A-layers in three-layer trays. The study aims to assess the long-term implications for food safety within the context of the European and French circular economy frameworks. Using a migration modeling approach based on “worst-case” scenarios for ten contaminants – similar to methodologies employed for decontaminated direct food contact PET – the levels of chemical residues are analyzed and compared. Findings highlight the significant impact of the co-extrusion process on the suitability of rPET for food contact. Additionally, the study discusses the risks and challenges for the recycling sector, particularly in managing chemical contamination during mechanical recycling. Recommendations are provided to improve industrial practices, emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring to ensure the long-term sustainability of these recycling practices.

Today, options to reduce the climate impacts of high-speed passenger transport over hundreds of kilometres are limited to using low-carbon synthetic fuels in aviation and high-speed trains. In the future, alternatives like battery electric airplanes might be available. Further, vehicles operating in near-vacuum tubes, so-called “hyperloop systems”, could represent an alternative. Our first-of-its-kind environmental life cycle assessment (LCA), considering its construction, operation, and end-of-life, shows that such a hyperloop system is energy-efficient and can exhibit very low greenhouse gas emissions (<8 g CO${}_2$/pkm) if low-carbon sources provide electricity for its operation and relatively high occupation rates can be realised. The environmental performance of a hyperloop system can be regarded as very similar to that of a train offering the same transport service. Compared to air travel, environmental burdens can be substantially reduced (<5% impact on climate change compared to conventional aircraft). This fundamental finding holds despite uncertainties regarding technical properties and design choices, which reflect the current development status of the hyperloop.

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a major source for CO₂ emission, and strongly involved in the transformation of many pollutants in the environmental medium. Neglecting the transformation of DOC in deep soil (>100 cm) may lead to a high degree of uncertainty in the estimation of the soil C budget, greenhouse gas emission and environmental risk. Using an envelope soil profile in a representative agricultural region of eastern China, this study provides kinetic and molecular evidence for DOC transformation in deep soil. Deep soil remained rich in DOC, with 52.53–65.46% of the DOC sequestered in soil below 100 cm. DOC in deep soil may be derived more from leaching from shallow soil than from the decomposition of in situ SOC. As the incubation process progressed, the DOC changed in three stages: (I) DOC accumulation; (II) DOC decomposition; and (III) slow DOC accumulation, with CO₂ emissions exhibiting corresponding kinetic patterns. Soil CO₂ release from deep soil accounted for a non-negligible portion (12.9–57.4%) of the soil profile. Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry indicated that during the incubation process, less aromatic, and more saturated DOC molecules with lower molecular weights may be preferentially decomposed. During the early stages of incubation, lipids and peptides were preferentially degraded. In the later stages, due to the depletion of active components, lignin began to undergo partial degradation. DOC transformation in deep soil was favored under anaerobic conditions. This study might shed new light on the greenhouse effect and the environmental risk management.

The utilization of in-situ resources will be crucial for the survival of astronauts in space. Therefore, plants and crops will be important for humans in space as they serve as food, provide oxygen, and remove carbon dioxide, enhancing habitability. The aim of this research is to explore the growth of crops on celestial bodies prior to human arrival. The paper outlines the creation of a novel capsule by Green Moon Project (GMP) designed to meet essential criteria for monitoring and enhancing crop cultivation on the lunar terrain, tackling key obstacles such as self-propagation, fluctuating light patterns, water provision, and monitoring germination and growth stages. The Center of Space Exploration (hereafter COSE) managed to sprout the first seed on another celestial body during the Chang’e 4 mission on the Moon in January 2019. This achievement means an important step in space agriculture and widens the biological research of crops that will sustain future crewed missions and human bases in space. Space farming requires greater understanding if humans are to survive in space without constant contact from Earth and that is why GMP goals are aligned COSE’s. Therefore, GMP and COSE work in synergy to boost the research of space farming, future crops, habitability, and close controlled environmental systems. Due to the similarities between both projects, both teams decided to join efforts and cooperate in future space missions. To provide scientific support and technical solutions for future long-term crewed exploration missions, it is mandatory to conduct ground verification experiments of controllable extraterrestrial ecosystems.