Environmental Science and Technology: Sustainable Development II

The nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the exhaust gas of diesel vehicles cause a series of severe environmental problems. The development of highly active catalysts for ammonia selective catalytic reduction (NH3-SCR) of NO in a wide temperature range and the exploration of efficient catalytic active sites is attractive, but there are great challenges. At present, Cu2+ exchanged SSZ-13 zeolite (Cu-SSZ-13) as the core of NH3-SCR technology, although it has been commercialized in diesel vehicle exhaust treatment, it still faces the problems of poor high-temperature hydrothermal stability and poor sulfur resistance. In this work, a series of Cu-Ni-SSZ-13 zeolites were synthesized by aqueous ion exchange strategy. The result turned out that the NH3-SCR activity and hydrothermal stability of Cu-SSZ-13 were effectively enhanced by introducing Ni2+ ions. After hydrothermal aging, the NO conversion rate of Cu-Ni-SSZ-13 achieved 10~30% higher than the original Cu-SSZ-13 in the temperature range of 460–550 ℃, and the sulfur resistance is significantly enhanced. Combined with the characterization analysis, the introduction of secondary Ni2+ promoted the dispersion of Cu2+, effectively inhibited the formation of CuOx, and obtained more highly active Cu2+ species. Meanwhile, the increase of chemisorbed oxygen species improved the activation ability of NO. This work provides a new insight for constructing Cu-SSZ-13 zeolite by introducing secondary metal cation to improve the performance of NH3-SCR.

The field monitoring of atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during ozone pollution at three observation sites in Taian High-tech Zone, Daiyue district and Taishan district was carried out. Combined with the monitoring data, the characteristics of atmospheric ozone and VOCs pollution of three observation sites were analyzed. The results showed that the ozone mass concentration ranged from 21 to 276 µg/m3, and the concentration of VOCs ranged from 31.63 to 36.35 ppbv. Characteristics of species ratio results showed that the concentration of ambient VOCs in Gaoxin districts was strongly influenced by motor vehicle emissions, coal combustion, oil/gas and gasoline volatilization. In addition, the concentration of VOCs of Daiyue districts mainly came from vehicle emissions, biomass combustion source and solvent evaporation, Taishan district VOCs in the atmosphere mainly came from vehicle emissions, liquefied oil/gas and gasoline evaporation. Finally, the control of VOCs emitted from vehicle emission, solvent volatilization and LPG should be strengthened to reduce the concentration of VOCs in Taian, further reducing the pollution process of ozone.

Macro-monitoring and dynamic assessment of spatial and temporal status indicators of ecological environment quality and their changes in the land area of the Shandong Peninsula Blue Economic Zone are of great significance for ecological protection and regional high-quality development under the coordination of land and sea. Using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform, based on the long-time dense sequence of Landsat series remote sensing images, we constructed the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI). This allowed us to achieve high-precision dynamic inversion and spatiotemporal analysis of regional ecological environment quality from 2000 to 2021. The results showed that: (1) The linear transformation relationship reduces the uncertainty caused by the difference of sensors, which is conducive to time-series analysis and spatiotemporal characteristics; (2) The ecological environment quality of the Shandong Peninsula Blue Economic Zone showed a fluctuating upward trend on the intensive time-series spatiotemporal change in past two decades, and the whole is at the medium level; (3) In the pattern of spatiotemporal change, the trend changed and the coefficient of variation showed that the spatial variation of ecological quality is significant, and the whole tends to be in the stable development of lower fluctuation, with significant improvement in the ecological quality of Dongying and Binzhou, basic stability in Yantai. These results affirmed the effectiveness of Shandong Province's commitment to land-sea integrated ecological sustainable development, resulting in improved ecological quality within the Shandong Peninsula Blue Economic Zone since its inception.

The impact of airport noise on communities around airports is an important issue in the field of environmental acoustics. Noise maps can directly reflect the exposure of noise pollution and the impact of different noise sources. Current airport noise environmental impact assessment studies were focused on the calculation of the influence range of airport noise and aircraft noise contour map, but seldom were focused on the influence of building spatial distribution and road traffic noise on the acoustic environment of the airport surrounding area. In this paper, the simulation method in Technical guidelines for noise impact assessment ISO 9613–2:1996 is adopted to build a comprehensive acoustic model including buildings, roads and ground factors for selected areas around Nanjing Lukou Airport based on GIS, and to complete the calibration of the intensity of the simulated sound source with field measured noise data. The influence of different noise sources is studied by numerical simulation and field measurement and the acoustic environment around Nanjing Lukou Airport is evaluated comprehensively. The results show that the fitting deviation between the simulated sound pressure level and the measured sound pressure level is within 1 dB, which verifies the validity of the simulation results. The spatial distribution of buildings cannot be ignored in the acoustic environment of the community around the airport. Road traffic noise also has an important impact on the noise level in the area around the airport, which cannot be ignored compared with the impact of aircraft take-off and landing noise.

Advanced oxidation is a highly efficient method for the degradation of alizarin red S (ARS). The process generates both free and non-free radicals which are the main active substances in the oxidative degradation of ARS. Based on the fact that the degradation mechanism is still unclear on the atomic scale, the initial reaction pathways and mechanism of $$SO_4^{ \bullet - }$$ S O 4 ∙ - and ·OH and 1O2 with ARS are explored in this paper. The results of quantum chemical calculations demonstrate that the energy barrier (ΔG≠) of $$SO_4^{ \bullet - }$$ S O 4 ∙ - addition reactions to C-sites attached to the hydroxyl substituents < ·OH addition < other reactions. Additionally, free radicals prefer to attack α-sites than adjacent β-sites. Among all reactions channels, the initial addition of $$SO_4^{ \bullet - }$$ S O 4 ∙ - to the C5 α-site has the lowest energy barrier of 5.63 kcal/mol, highest apparent rate constants, and branching radio of 4.74 × 108 M−1 s−1 and 93.81% at 298 K, respectively. Thus, it is the most dominant initial reaction channel.

An integrated method that can simulate the temporal trends of CO2 emissions is crucial for aligning with China’s dual carbon targets and achieving carbon reduction within Hebei Province. In this study, a BNN-FA method integrating Bayesian neural network and factorial analysis is developed to explore the temporal variation of CO2 emissions. BNN-FA has the advantages of quantifying the effects of various factors and their contributions and predicting future trends of dependent variables. Then, the BNN-FA method is applied to analyzing Hebei Province's CO2 emissions (HBCE) under 64 scenarios. The results indicate that: (i) the two factors that contribute the most are the consumption of fossil energy (COFE, 72.7%) and the consumption of non-fossil energy (CONF, 21.3%), representing the significant impact of the energy consumption on HBCE; (ii) the range of CO2 emissions reduction potential is 2.5 × 108 tonnes ~ 8.5 × 108 tonnes (t) under all scenarios, and HBCE shows downward trends during 2040–2060 when more negative high-level factors are involved (e.g., scenarios 43–55); (iii) under the optimal development mode (scenario 43), the maximum emissions reduction potential is 8.5 × 108 t and the industrial transformation rate is 253.1% compared to the extreme development mode (scenario 64).

In order to correctly evaluate the soil conditions in arid areas and facilitate the sustainable management of the land. Our research was performed at the Liangucheng National Reserve in Minqin, Gansu province, China. We examined soil physical and chemical properties of different landforms and vegetation. The results showed that the soil conditions in the reserve are poor and water and nutrient content are low. The ranges of the values of soil properties in the reserve were very small. Among the plant communities, soil conditions in the area where Zygophyllum xanthoxylon and Potaninia mongolica were located were the best. The communities of Haloxylon ammodendron, Nitraria tangutorum, Artemisia desertorum, and Caragana korshinskii showed the strongest adaptability to the environment of the reserve. Among these geomorphic types, desert bottomland landforms had the best soil conditions, with low salt content, high soil moisture, and good nutrient conditions, and the content of organic matter and other soil properties there was high.

This study is in the area of sustainable development and focuses on innovative design solutions for reducing domestic water consumption. Drawing from a literature review, the paper identifies current water management issues and proposes research hypotheses. A questionnaire survey gathers data on residents’ attitudes towards water conservation, their understanding of water use, and their willingness to adopt water-saving technologies. This survey informed the conceptual design direction, and the resulting design work aims to meet these identified needs. Findings indicate that the research can elevate public awareness about water conservation and yield economic benefits. Additionally, it provides valuable insights for design guidance in the realm of sustainability. While the study is regionally and sample-limited, its applicability and scalability can be further tested in future research, particularly in the context of increasing global water scarcity.

Environmental liabilities comprise facilities, effluents, contaminated sites, and residues or waste deposits that have a real, potential, or permanent impact on people's health and environmental quality. This study focuses on the evaluation of calcium carbonate extracted from limestone as a neutralizing agent due to its abundance, low cost, and low toxicity for the treatment of acid mine drainage in the “La Calzada” mining environmental liability in Canchayllo, Peru. Wastewater analyses were conducted at Continental University, where metal levels and pH were determined. The results revealed that “La Calzada” mining liability has high levels of iron (3,266–9,287 mg/L), arsenic (0.24–0.35 mg/L), copper (1,560–2,313 mg/L), and an acidic pH of 3.14, exceeding environmental quality standards for water. To address this issue, calcium carbonate with 87% purity, obtained from crushed limestone, was used as a neutralizing agent. The application of this compound in the samples resulted in an increase in pH from 3.14 to 7.50, as well as a reduction in concentrations, yielding final concentrations of arsenic (0.039 mg/L), copper (0.107 mg/L), and iron (0.056 mg/L). These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of calcium carbonate as a flocculant in the treatment of acid mine drainage in the “La Calzada” mining liability, suggesting its potential application in other areas affected by similar mining environmental liabilities.

This paper systematically reviews the national urban water-saving assessment work from 2016 to 2020, and summarizes the achievements and relevant outcomes of water supply network leakage control from the aspects of hardware facilities, operation and maintenance management and personnel training. In response to the national strategy of rural revitalization in the 14th Five-Year Plan, this paper puts forward the working ideas of focusing on the transformation and intelligent management of rural water supply facilities on the basis of urban renewal.

Rapid urbanisation increase the magnitude and frequency of urban flooding risks. This study constructs a flooding model using InfoWorks ICM model and evaluates the drainage capacity of Tangxun Lake catchment, pipe networks and urban channel. We analyze the distribution and cause of flooding points across the Tangxun Lake Catchment. The finding of this study will provide important technical support for the urban flooding risk assessment and prevention plan of shallow lakes in large cities.

Urban and rural integrated water supply is an important part of the implementation of rural revitalization strategy. Make rural and urban residents enjoy the same water services. The mountainous terrain is complicated, which makes the problem of water supply more prominent. Taking the integrated construction of water supply in typical mountainous DX city as the research object, scheme analysis was conducted on water supply layout, water supply operation plan, optimization of access and control points, hydraulic calculation and pipe diameter optimization. Water hammer protection and safety guarantee were also studied to ensure water supply safety.

This study explores residential organic waste management in Chiba City, Japan, from an industrial design perspective. Through a comprehensive approach involving literature review, a pilot study, and a survey, the research evaluates key aspects such as public awareness, waste collection infrastructure, incentive mechanisms, and the accessibility of recycling facilities. Findings highlight that 89.8% of participants identify a lack of incentives as a significant barrier to effective waste management. In response, this study proposes a novel system design that incorporates QR codes on disposal bags, aiming to enhance waste segregation accuracy through a reward-point incentive. Crafted for practical applicability and resource feasibility, this initial study seeks to contribute to global sustainable waste management efforts, marking a step towards broader societal sustainability. The conceptual framework presented showcases the transformative potential of design thinking in addressing the complexities of ecological sustainability challenges, offering a scalable blueprint for similar global challenges.

Litter from fallen leaves of the Cerbera manghas plant is commonly found throughout Indonesia. Various studies have shown that briquettes formed from the falling leaves of Cerbera manghas may be able to reduce waste and be used as a new energy source. However, previous studies employed tapioca as a binding agent for briquettes, which is an edible starch, and their use as a binder competes with the availability of food resources. Alternatively, rejected pineapple would be used as a binding agent to remedy the problem since it is not edible and reduces unused waste. The briquette was subsequently researched to determine the optimal production parameters as well as its potential as a sustainable fuel. The 95% to 5% ratio of biomass to briquette is used to achieve a high calorific value of 4338.79 kcal/kg while maintaining the structure of the briquette in check. The usage of this briquette is supported by both the calorific value test and ultimate analyses. According to the research on the four combustion characteristics (ignition time, burning temperature, combustion rate, and burning time), the composition that gives the best briquette is obtained by using a particle size of 60 mesh and compressed by the hydraulic pressure of 2 MPa.

The study focuses on the design of the MK3 kiln as an eco-friendly solution to mitigate the pollution of (PM2.5 and PM10) generated by artisanal brick kilns. The MK3 kiln consists of three chambers constructed with construction and demolition waste (CDW), interconnected by lower ducts that aid in the continuous flow of heat and filter pollutants. Each kiln has a 5 cm opening in the dome to accommodate a copper industrial torch with a power of 1080 BTU/h, equivalent to 0.32 kW. Additionally, a 220 V axial fan is installed in the chimney to supply the necessary air to the kilns through upper ducts, allowing complete combustion during the brick baking process. As a result, PM2.5 was measured at a quantity of 23 μg/m3, and PM10 emissions at 90 μg/m3, both of which do not exceed Environmental Quality Standards (ECA). Regarding the brick baking process, heat is recovered from the “combustion kiln” to the “recovery kiln,” reaching a temperature of 70.8 °C through the cogeneration system. Furthermore, the brick baking process reaches a temperature of 746.3 °C over a period of 4 h (240 min), ensuring high levels of strength. Finally, the energy of the combustion process is continuously optimized, presenting an efficient alternative by using propane gas as fuel, which is versatile for brick baking.

The phosphogypsum was first roasted into construction gypsum following the national standard GB/T 9776–2008, and then the gypsum-based material properties were investigated in all aspects by using various admixtures and adjuvants, and the gypsum-based material properties such as standard consistency, setting time, mechanical properties, softening coefficient and water absorption, and microstructure were tested and analysed. The experimental results showed that the material components were 62% phosphate gypsum, 15% cement, 23% metakaolin, 1.0% high efficiency water reducing agent type Melflux 5581, 0.3% dispersible emulsion powder type Vinnapas LL 5999/2, 0.3% cellulose ether type Mecelloze 7117, 0.1% protein-based retarder type XY SJ 12, The best performance of the phosphate gypsum-based lightweight concrete material was achieved with a 10% admixture of river sand.

This case study from Chiba, Japan, yields critical insights into consumer behavior and strategies for reducing food waste, advocating for an integrated approach. It introduces an ‘Information Purchased Food’ (IPF) system paired with a smartphone application tailored for household food management. Features include meal planning, expiration alerts, and waste tracking to promote reduction through technology. The study emphasizes cultural content adaptation and the importance of educational programs in enhancing waste reduction. A survey utilizing methods was conducted among Tokyo and Chiba City residents, highlighting diverse environmental policies. From December 2022 to January 2023, data were collected from 345 residents, aged 18–85, with a gender distribution of 48.8% male and 51.3% female. This research underscores technology’s critical role in addressing food waste, which carries significant environmental and economic implications, and examines the integration of behavioral incentives and user feedback to refine the system's effectiveness.

In order to study the characteristics of microwave pyrolysis in multi-mode resonant cavity and guide the industrial application of microwave pyrolysis technology, pyrolysis of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) oxidation residue at various temperatures were carried out by using the self-developed combined multi-mode cavity microwave pyrolysis device and ordinary tubular atmosphere furnace. The effects of the number and distribution of microwave feeders on the pyrolysis heating characteristics, solid product yield, solid product characteristics and device energy consumption were analyzed. The results show that compared with the conventional tubular furnace pyrolysis at the same pyrolysis temperature, the yield of microwave pyrolysis solid products under different feed forms is significantly reduced, the solid products of microwave pyrolysis O/C and H/C are lower, the high calorific value is higher, and the energy consumption is lower. When the four feed ports EH–HE type distribution is adopted, the heating rate of microwave pyrolysis is the fastest, the solid product yield, O/C and H/C under 600 ℃ pyrolysis are the lowest, and the high calorific value is 23.19 MJ/kg, but the energy consumption is only 54.48% of that of the tube furnace. The above results imply that microwave pyrolysis treatment of PTA oxidation residue has advantages in heating efficiency, solid product yield, calorific value and unit energy consumption, and the four feeder EH–HE distribution scheme is more suitable for high-temperature pyrolysis.

Closed cycle is the most commonly used type of cycle in ocean thermal energy conversion. In order to recover and utilize the pressure energy of ammoniac-poor solution in the process of non-azeotropic working fluid circulation, this study proposes an ocean thermoelectric power generation cycle using an ejector, analyzes the working principle of the cycle and the model of key equipment, and builds the mathematical model and calculation process of the cycle based on the first law of thermodynamics. By calculating the performance of the circulating system, analyze and discuss the impact of changes in conditions such as seawater temperature, working fluid concentration, and circulating pressure on the net output power and thermal efficiency of the cycle.

A photovoltaic (PV) panel's ability to produce renewable energy effectively is a potential alternative to address the growing world energy needs while simultaneously reducing harmful emissions and their associated environmental effects. In this paper, an experimental study was conducted to compare clean, dusty, and muddy photovoltaic panels in Al Seeb, Oman. Moreover, the effect of the water-dust ratio on the performance of solar panels was investigated in outdoor climatic conditions. It was observed that the maximum efficiencies for clean, dirty, and muddy panels were 25%, 20%, and 19%, respectively. Output power decreased by 52% when dust accumulated on the solar panel and by 65% when the panel was covered with mud. The results showed that when the water-dust ratio increases, the power reduces; when the ratio reaches 1 ml/g, the resulting power was 26 W with an efficiency of 17%. For 0.3 ml/g, output power reaches 32 W with an efficiency of 20%.

In order to study the problems related to the vibration characteristics of an ocean thermal energy dual-turbine generator set, we established a three-dimensional model of the unit's rotor system and used harmonic response analysis based on ANSYS software to investigate the effect of gas bearing air film pressure on the dynamic characteristics of the rotor system. At the same time, we also conducted an experimental study to understand the vibration characteristics of the unit during transient speed increase and decrease. Through harmonic response analysis, we obtained the amplitude-frequency characteristic curves of the impeller and rotor system, and determined the variation relationship between the frequency of the external excitation force and the radial and axial amplitudes. The analysis results show that the generator set can maintain stable operation when the excitation force fluctuates. In addition, through the experimental study, we found that the vibration amplitude of the unit during transient speed increase and decrease is small, showing good stability. These research methods provide certain theoretical and experimental bases for further in-depth study of the air-floating dual-turbine unit.

A single dwelling archetype design subjected to be constructed in Gaziantep City to provide accommodation for the earthquake victims was researched in this paper. It is aimed to find out the optimum building orientation, window-to-wall ratio, and aspect ratio as design variables to achieve Zero Emission Building target. In this regard, the GenOpt Optimisation tool was coupled with the EnergyPlus simulation tool to run the simulations and optimise proposed design scenarios. A threshold value for primary energy use based on the EPBD recommendation document as a guide was improved to determine ZEB design scenarios. It is evident from the 56.43% primary energy use difference between the lowest and highest energy performance among design scenarios that optimum design variables are highly effective in terms of energy efficiency. Besides, 82 design scenarios achieving the ZEB threshold were elaborated from the design variables’ point of view that rectangular forms and low WWRs are optimal for the selected region.

Using low-carbon/zero-carbon energy sources and negative emission technologies, and economic policies have proven to be effective measures for electric power plants’ CO2 emission mitigation. This study constructs an interval fractional electric power system planning (IFES) model for minimizing CO2 emission intensity considering the interactions between the measures and other constraints under uncertainty. The model is applied to Fujian Province as a real-case study, which contains electricity mix improvement, three types of CO2 emission reduction technologies, one policy. It was found that: (i) System carbon emission intensity is [170, 213] g/RMB; (ii) The proportion of clean energy power generation in Fujian Province will reach [92.32, 93.13]% in the 2055–2060, with nuclear energy, wind power and photovoltaic power generation ranking the top three; (iii) The electricity mix improvement has made the greatest contribution to the carbon neutrality of the power system (74.62%), and the contributions of CCS, DAC, and ESC are (9.11, 5.25, 11.02%) respectively. The research results provide scientific planning solutions for carbon reduction in the power industry in Fujian Province. The developed IF-ESP model can also be used in other regions around the world.

The heat transfer process of the cross-seasonal borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) is mainly affected by the structural parameters, material thermal parameters and operating parameters of the pipes. In this paper, on the basis of validation with experiments, a numerical model was established using FLUENT to simulate the heat storage characteristics of the soil in Chongqing. It analyses the influence law of the number of borehole and heat storage boundary, fluid inlet flow velocity, temperature and soil type on the soil temperature field and heat injection. The results of the study show that: the heat storage boundary of 15.5 m is considered to be a reasonable boundary size, and the radius of heat diffusion at the end of the heat storage and transition period are 13.48 and 14.72 m. The average soil temperatures of sand, sandstone and clay were 19.89, 20.24 and 21.07 °C. Therefore, clay soil is more suitable as a heat storage medium and sandy soil is more suitable for use in areas where intensive heat transfer is required. When the inlet flow rate is 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 m/s, the enhancement effect on the soil heat storage performance is not obvious, so the recommended flow rate does not exceed 0.6 m/s. The increase in the inlet temperature can increase the amount of heat exchange, but the degree of enhancement decreases gradually.

Natural environment has an important impact on human health and longevity. The concentrations of major and trace elements in environmental media have significant impact on corresponding elements in human body. This study aims to compare the impact of different environmental media on the concentrations of major and trace elements in human hair in a longevity county Yongfu in Guangxi Province, China. The soil, water, local rice, and human hair samples were collected and analyzed the concentrations of major and trace elements. The correlation degree between major and trace element concentrations in soil, water, rice with those in hair were studied and compared with Gray Relation Analysis (GRA). Gray Relation Analysis (GRA) is a relatively simple and effective method examining the correlation of two factors from geometrical perspective, and especially suitable for small sample size data analysis. In addition, the performance of GRA was compared with traditional correlation analysis. The results showed that GRA is better suited for small sample size data analysis. Traditional correlation analysis method might lead to erroneous results for small sample analysis. The concentrations of Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Sr, Zn, Se in drinking water have a much higher combined correlation degree with those in hair than soil and rice. The combined correlation degree between concentrations of Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Sr, Zn, Se in drinking water and human hair is 0.91, whereas the combined correlation degree for soil and rice is 0.75 and 0.79. Drinking water has more impact on the concentrations of major and trace elements in human hair.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are essential precursors of second organic aerosol (SOA), they have significant impact on air quality and human health. The aim of this study was to characterize VOCs in Shandong Province, Eastern China during haze pollution episode in December 2017 to January 2018, and described their spatial distribution, SOA formation potential, and provided a health risk assessment. The average concentrations of total VOCs ranged from 50.6 to 737.4 μg·m−3, showed significant spatial distributions. The mean values of total benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) ranged from 6.53 to 92.7 μg·m−3, which were at a normal level when compared with other researches. High levels of benzene were observed in Heze (15.0 μg·m−3), Zibo (28.8 μg·m−3), exceeded US Environment Protect Agency Exposure Inhalation limitation (13.9 μg·m−3), and the highest concentration of benzene in Jining was 16.1 μg·m−3. Based on the specific ratio method, VOCs in Shandong Province were possibly due to coal combustion and biomass burning, local emissions were the dominant sources, while Taian, Heze, Binzou, Jining, Zibo, and Dongying sites were controlled by aging air mass. Fractional aerosol coefficient method was used to estimate SOA formation potential, and the SOA formation potential ranged 0.4–13.4 μg·m−3, and the SOA formation ability in the studied area was at a normal level when compared with other areas. Carcinogenic risks of benzene had definite risk for residents in ZB, and the hazard risk index higher than the threshold value 1.

Climate change resulting from CO2 emissions from industrial activities has got people’s attention. Over the past 30 years, China has undergone rapid process of urbanization, leading to a substantial increase in CO2 emissions from the cement industry. This study employs the STIRPAT model to examine the effects of economic growth, real estate investment, infrastructure investment, and energy efficiency on carbon emissions in the cement industry. We utilize both the panel fixed-effect regression model and the panel quantile regression model, using panel data from 30 provinces from 2004 to 2017. The panel quantile regression analysis reveals a dynamic relationship between the factors and CO2 emissions. Economic growth demonstrates a positive impact on CO2 emissions across all quantile levels, with a stronger effect observed as CO2 levels increase. Real estate and infrastructure investment exhibit positive influence on CO2 emissions, although the impact patterns vary. Energy efficiency exhibits a negative impact on CO2 emissions across most quantile levels, excluding the upper 80th quantile where the correlation is relatively weaker. In contrast, the fixed-effect regression model shows that economic growth and real estate investment has negative relationship with CO2 mission. Different result might be influenced by extreme values. The main findings will be useful to policy makers for enabling and accelerating progress achieving sustainable development in China’s cement industry.

Economic activities release pollutants and carbon (mainly CO2) directly by consuming energy resources and indirectly by using energy-intensive goods. This research put forwards a grey model (GM) (1, 1) based input–output model (GIOM) for simulating pollutants and CO2 emissions in Fujian Province under varied socio-economic development scenarios. Major findings are: (i) in the planning period, Agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery (AGR) is the main sector for wastewater emissions in the planning period, and manufacturing and materials and energy conversion (MEC) sectors will be the main sectors for emissions of waste gases and CO2 in the planning period; (ii) through the simulation, the total energy consumption in Fujian Province increases by 13.53–51.08%, Metal and nonmetal products (MAN), MEC and Wholesale and retail transportation and warehousing (WRT) are the main energy consumers; (iii) the COD, NH3–N, SO2, and NOx emissions decrease 24.55–70.11%, 24.53–70.83%, 27.11–70.55% and 22.47–72.00% over time, and the CO2 emissions range from an increase of 36.35% to a decrease of 5.98% over time.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is situated along the southern coast of China and hence susceptible to hazards brought about by the passage of tropical cyclones (TC) including high winds, torrential rainfall and storm surge. Often in an operational setting, the prediction of atmospheric and oceanic phenomena is based on separate model systems, where the atmospheric model provides forcing to its oceanic counterpart in an offline manner. To represent the flow of forecast uncertainties from the atmospheric to oceanic state also calls for an ensemble-based approach. This paper presents a first study on air-sea coupled ensemble prediction for GBA using an experimental online coupling configuration involving a regional Mesoscale Ensemble Prediction System (MEPS) for the atmosphere together with corresponding ocean and wave model components. Preliminary findings from a high-impact TC case indicate that the experimental coupled ensemble is able to retain the atmospheric prediction skills of the MEPS while additionally providing useful indications of changes in the oceanic state. Results can potentially inform the development of multi-hazard prediction technology for high-impact weather over GBA.

In this study, we identify the seasonal evolution of the teleconnection between the western Pacific warm pool and the Greenland blocking from spring to summer. The March, April and May (MAM) tropic Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies trigger the Rossby wave train propagation into the high latitudes, which contribute to a negative anomalous Greenland blocking. The response of tropical atmosphere caused the abnormal circulation of atmosphere at high latitudes. In the meantime, it caused significant cold SST anomalies in the eastern tropical Pacific, which in turn weakened and shifted the convective response to the east along the equator, resulting in the instability of the teleconnection between the tropics and the high latitudes in summer.

Functional nanomaterials have been a research hotspot in recent years. Graphene nonwoven fabric, as a new type of environmentally friendly material, possesses characteristics such as degradability, recyclability, high adsorption, and excellent antibacterial properties. This paper provides an overview of several preparation methods for graphene nonwoven fabric, including impregnation, coating, electrospinning, and the latest plasma spray technology. The article analyzes and summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of various preparation techniques, and reviews the latest applications of graphene nonwoven fabric in the environmental field, such as gas filtration, water treatment, electromagnetic shielding, and more. Finally, recommendations are provided for the future development of graphene nonwoven fabric.

This study examined the level of understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) icons among individuals residing in Chiba City and Tokyo, Japan, as a case study. The complexity of the icons, as well as cultural and linguistic factors, have contributed to a notable deficiency in comprehension, despite their extensive utilization. According to the survey findings, a considerable majority of respondents, specifically 86.2%, encountered challenges in comprehending the icons, while an even higher percentage of 89.2% lacked knowledge regarding the intended meanings of certain icons. The results of the study indicate a need for the implementation of culturally responsive design, educational programs, and effective dissemination of information regarding the interrelated nature of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This emphasizes the critical role of design in effective communication and global awareness. The study lays the foundation for adaptive, culturally sensitive redesigns of the SDG icons. Furthermore, the findings could inform broader strategies for public engagement and education in sustainable practices, contributing to a more inclusive approach to achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.