Resources Environment and Sustainability最新文献

NO₂ is one of the main pollutants in the atmospheric environment, which can directly or indirectly cause harm to human health. Jiangsu province is economically developed and densely populated, and the conflict between economic development and ecological environment protection is more prominent, which causes its mean annual NO₂ concentration to be higher than other neighboring provinces. The study takes the formation mechanism of NO₂ concentration distribution heterogeneity at different spatial scales as the research object. By using OMI satellite remote sensing data and NO₂ concentration ground monitoring data in Jiangsu Province from 2015 to 2020, the paper studies NO₂ concentration distribution heterogeneity at macroscopic and microscopic scales, respectively, to analyze the formation mechanism. The results show that: (1) The spatial distribution characteristics of NO₂ concentration obtained based on the analysis of two data sources have good consistency, with the overall performance of high NO₂ concentration in the south of Jiangsu where the concentration of NO₂ column reached 16.3 × 10¹⁵ molec/cm ² and the monitoring concentration reached $46.3\mu g$/m³, while the concentration of NO₂ in central Jiangsu is relatively low, with average concentrations of 6 × 10¹⁵ molec/cm ² and $26\mu g$/m³. (2) Under the macroscopic spatial scale, the average NO₂ column concentration in the south of Jiangsu is 9 × 10¹⁵ molec/cm ² higher and the monitoring concentration is $15\mu g$/m³ than that in the north of Jiangsu; natural factors such as temperature are the important influencing factors for the heterogeneity of NO₂ concentration distribution under this scale. (3) At the microscopic spatial scale, NO₂ concentration is 5–10% higher in industrial concentrations in southern Jiangsu, some heating cities in northern Jiangsu, and industrial parks in northern Jiangsu. In addition, NO₂ concentration decreases gradually with distance from this area; anthropogenic factors such as population density, GDP, and car ownership are important factors to influence the heterogeneity of NO₂ concentration distribution at this scale. Based on the above findings, the paper proposes to adjust the industrial structure, limit the number of high energy-consuming and high-emission enterprises, and develop seasonal emission reduction measures.

Europe has increased its production, processing, and export of vegetables in recent decades due to changing dietary patterns supporting a greater consumption of vegetables high in nutrition. The growing interest in environmental issues has led to advocacy for sustainable vegetable production and consumption. Thus, this study assessed the ecological impacts of producing 1 kg of frozen spinach (functional unit) by a food processor in central Italy (cradle-to-factory gate approach). We evaluated the global warming potential (GWP) for distributing the final to different destinations. We also compare the potential environmental credits for different spinach residue management strategies, residue reduction through improved process efficiency, and as a feedstock for biogas production (avoided maize silage) based on the total volatile solids content. The life cycle assessment was used following the CML_IA impact assessment method based mainly on primary data related to 2019/2020. The GWP was 1.55 kg CO₂eq. with respect to the functional unit. Excluding the dominant cultivation phase, packaging, particularly corrugated board boxes, electricity, and wastewater treatment were significant contributors across the midpoint impact categories assessed. The GWP for distributing the packaged frozen to Australia was 24 times more impactful than regional inland distribution. When spinach residue is reduced to 20% and 10%, total impacts for all impact categories also decrease by 12% and 22%, respectively. The benefit of using the current amount of spinach residue to produce biomethane was less than 7% across all impact categories except terrestrial ecotoxicity (13%). Therefore, reducing spinach waste along the processing line and efficient end-of-packaging life management through recycling and reuse by the manufacturer can considerably reduce the environmental impacts of frozen spinach.

China’s population–income structure has undergone significant changes. However, the impact of population expansion and changes in consumption patterns of specific income groups on regional water withdrawal has not been quantitatively assessed. Here we incorporate multiregional input–output (MRIO) tables with national survey data to capture the water footprint (WF) in the consumption of each income group in China by considering each group’s consumption patterns and population changes. The results show that the middle and rich classes contributed 83% (2012) and 89% (2015) of embodied water withdrawal, respectively. Among the driving factors leading to changes in water withdrawal, changes in consumption patterns and the population–income structure led to increases of approximately 15.4 billion $m^3$ and 12.4 billion $m^3$ , respectively. Households on the East Coast (EC), and South Coast (SC), as well as in Central China (CC), and Southwest (SW) were the key contributors to the increase. Our findings highlight essential water conservation policies to consider to meet the needs of transforming society.

Diversification is widely considered to positively influence the environmental sustainability of livestock farming. Multiple options exist to diversify cattle farms, but few have been examined at a systems level for grass-based livestock farms. Three nature-based diversification options recommended for livestock farms were examined in this study: mixed grass–white clover swards (GWC), organic farming (OFS) and agroforestry (AGF). They were applied on dairy and suckler calf-to-beef farming systems common in the Republic of Ireland. Both of these bovine systems were evaluated over a 3-year period (2017–2019) and were nationally representative. The environmental impact and resource use of dairy and suckler calf-to-beef systems were modelled using life cycle assessment (LCA). The system boundary of the LCA model extended from the extraction of raw materials to the sale of milk and cattle from the farm, i.e. cradle to farm-gate. Six of the major environmental impacts of cattle farming were simulated; global warming potential (GWP), non-renewable energy (NRE) depletion, land occupation (LO), acidification potential (ACP), freshwater and marine eutrophication potential (FEP and MEP). Impacts were scaled to the following functional units: land area, fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) for dairy and carcass weight (CW) for beef. The result illustrated that GWC swards reduced the GWP of milk production by 9% and cut the GWP of beef LW by 3%. Per unit of product, this strategy decreased ACP by 4%–5%, NRE depletion by 13%–19% and LO by 6%–7%. However, it increased MEP by 5%–12% due to clover fixing more N than it replaced. Cattle farms based on GWC were more productive than conventional farms, but tended to increase impacts per hectare. Organic farming had the lowest environmental impacts per unit of land and reduced GWP and NRE depletion. Without carbon sequestration, organic farming had the opposite effect on GWP of FPCM and increased ACP and MEP per product unit. Declines in productivity in organic systems led to the rise in these impacts per unit of product and increases in LO relative to conventional systems. Partial conversion (10%–20%) of grassland to silvopasture decreased milk and beef output, and slightly improved environmental performance. Carbon sequestration was greater in silvopasture than in grassland, albeit LCA models struggle to accurately quantify the influence of management change on this process. This issue can be overcome through more field and modelling research on sequestration. Further research is also required on combining diversification options to optimise the environmental sustainability of cattle farming.

An energy-efficient disintegration approach used to produce biohydrogen from marine macroalgae biomass (Chaetomorpha antennina) was demonstrated in this study. The suggested research aimed to explain the function of macroalgae disintegration by sonication (DS) and disintegration by a sonic surfactant (DSS) in biohydrogen production. Biosurfactant dosage (3 $\mu$L/g TS), sonic intensity (50%) and disintegration duration (30 min) were found to be an optimum conditions for DSS with respect to dissoluted organics release (DOR). Volatile fatty acids (VFA) generation was higher in DSS (1845 mg/L) than DS (864 mg/L) When DS and DSS were compared, DSS had a substantially higher disintegration efficiency (DE) and biohydrogen yield (26%, 147 mL $H_2$/gCOD) than DS (21.5%, 121 mL $H_2$/gCOD). Net energy (NE) obtained in DSS (0.044 kWh/kg of biomass) was more than the DS (−0.02 kWh/kg of biomass). DSS had a higher energy ratio of 1.8, while DS had a lower energy ratio of 0.7. Overall, DSS was found to be an energetic way to produce biohydrogen.

Switzerland is a country that has ambitious agri-environmental objectives, but its targets are continuously missed. The paper at hand examines this contradiction by describing and analysing three recent attempts to transform agricultural policies and change the unfortunate situation. The three cases were compared in a qualitative multimethod research design and along dimensions that are potentially relevant for explaining reform failures. While the attempts depicted involved distinctive governance pathways, they all failed to meet their objectives because of the large disadvantages their realisation would have generated. These included, above all, a reduction of the national self-sufficiency rate. It is concluded that the strategy of providing incentives for mere extensification has reached a dead end. New strategies to tackle food consumption patterns appear to be more promising.