Corncob-derived bioadsorbents (CBAs) were synthesized through pyrolysis catalyzed by biodegradable malic acid. The effects of various pyrolysis temperatures (500, 700, 800 and 900 °C) and chemical impregnation ratios (1:1 and 1:3) were investigated. The results indicate that the CBA produced by two-step pyrolysis (initially at 500 °C followed by 900 °C with a 1:1 malic acid-to-CBA ratio) exhibited

Feeding wet lignocellulosic biomass slurries into high-pressure and high-temperature reactors at an industrially relevant scale presents significant challenges, such as process equipment plugging. In this study, we investigate the possibility of improving the flowability of biomass slurries in an industrial scale wet biorefinery by tuning the physical and chemical characteristics of the biomass particles

This review explores the roles of microbial cell factories (MCFs) in the valorization of lignocellulosic biomass for the development of sustainable biorefineries. MCFs are engineered microorganisms optimized to produce valuable bioproducts from renewable resources. Advances in strain engineering, metabolic pathway optimization, and enzyme production are driving the development of efficient consolidated

Dwindling fossil fuel supplies and the world's increasing carbon footprint has led to the emergence of biofuels as a solution. However, utilizing conventional plant sources for biofuels require resource-intensive cultivation and pose a food security issue. Microalgae biomass are sustainable alternative over conventional biomass for the generation of biofuels. This review critically analyses current

As drought events become more frequent and intense around the world, ecosystem gross primary productivity (GPP) is greatly associated with the responses of plants to drought stress. Drought avoidance is a critical strategy for plants to maintain internal water status under water deficit. However, the relative importance of this strategy to GPP has yet to be investigated. In this study, we first developed

Assessing forest vulnerability to disturbances at a high spatial resolution and for regional and national scales has become attainable with the combination of remote sensing-derived high-resolution forest maps and mechanistic risk models. This study demonstrated large-scale and high-resolution modelling of wind damage vulnerability in Norway. The hybrid mechanistic wind damage model, ForestGALES, was

With increasing environmental pressures, the energy-intensive ironmaking industry is seeking alternatives to reduce coke dependency, with waste crayfish shell (abundant in China) offering a promising solution as a carbon-neutral fuel. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of using waste crayfish shells (WCS) as an additive on the performance of hematite briquettes through roasting and

Biomass-based activated porous carbon materials are crucial for energy storage due to their cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, high specific surface area, and electrical conductivity. This report presents activated carbon derived from dried banana leaves (BLAC), which can serve as supercapacitor electrodes through a pyrolysis process followed by KOH chemical activation at various temperatures

The global energy structure's excessive reliance on fossil fuels has triggered dual energy security challenges and climate change, leading to increased attention on the sustainable pathway of converting lignocellulosic biomass into bioethanol. Cellulose hydrolysis, a critical phase in bioethanol production, has historically been impeded by the inhibitory effects of lignin. It has traditionally been

Biodiesel is a renewable energy which can be blended with petrodiesel due to its similar properties. However, biodiesel has several weaknesses, such as being more hygroscopic, polar, and biodegradable, resulting in microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in the storage system. While MIC has been widely reviewed, limited attention has been given to its occurrence in biodiesel-related systems, and

The fraction of sunlit leaf area, fsun, is a critical parameter for simple scaling of plant biophysical models from leaf to canopy, and is a useful bulk parameter describing interactions between canopy structure and function. Because of the highly non-linear response of many plant biophysical processes (e.g., photosynthesis) to light, using canopy-averaged light fluxes as the basis for scaling calculations

Mating disruption is a highly effective pest control technique without the negative impacts of most chemical plant protection products. Traditionally, this control method has been implemented using passive dispensers that release the synthetic sex pheromone of the target pest. However, new sprayable formulations are now available. Due to the recent introduction of these formulations, their application

This study systematically investigates the CO2-assisted slow pyrolysis of oil palm leaf biomass, focusing on the influence of operating parameters—including carrier gas flow rate, reaction time, temperature (400–800 °C), CO2/N2 gas composition, and limestone catalyst loading—on the yield and properties of biochar, heavier bio-oil (HBO), lighter bio-oil (LBO), and syngas. Pyrolysis temperature was identified

This study investigates how growth conditions—specifically synthetic media (Z8 and BBM) and light wavelength (white, red, and blue)—affect lipid accumulation in psychrophilic microalgae species: Chlorella sp., Haematococcus lacustris, Scenedesmus sp., and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Red and blue light negatively impacted biomass production in Chlorella sp. and Scenedesmus sp. when grown in BBM. H. lacustris

Feedstock greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions constitute a significant component of the carbon intensity (CI) of biofuels. However, little research has explored whether CI crediting for feedstock production practices might be cost-effective. We use a new biofuels feedstock CI calculator, along with conservation practice cost estimates and monetary values for CI incentives, to examine whether feedstock CI

Staged pyrolysis offers a promising approach for the stepwise conversion of major biomass components. However, optimizing this process for selective conversion remains challenging due to a limited understanding of biomass pyrolysis behavior. Herein, pyrolysis temperature and alkali/alkaline earth metals (AAEMs) are shown to be crucial in governing conversion efficiency and product selectivity, respectively

This study presents a novel numerical framework for modelling reverse smouldering in a packed bed of biomass particles, relevant to the pyrolysis zone of a two-stage downdraft gasifier. The method couples a three-dimensional CFD model of the biomass bed (EBiTCoM) with a detailed two-dimensional single-particle pyrolysis model (SPY), enabling the integration of intra-particle gradients and multi-step

Addressing global water scarcity and food security, quantifying crop water footprints is essential for improving agricultural water use efficiency. Field trials in Horqin Left Wing Middle Banner, Inner Mongolia (2021–2022) explored efficient water use. A C-WOFOST model with a water balance module was developed, achieving Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) values over 0.8 for maize, beet, and sunflower’s

Tropospheric ozone (O3), as a harmful air pollutant and greenhouse gas, is globally increasing in concentration, raising concerns about its detrimental effects on ecosystems. To develop scientific strategies for protecting vegetation from O3 damage, a comprehensive understanding of vegetation responses to O3 is essential. Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) offers a novel approach to studying

Leaf Area Index (LAI) is a key parameter that reflects canopy structure and influences photosynthetic activity. Traditional remote sensing methods using spectral indices usually struggle with saturation at LAI > 3.0 m2 m–2 in crop fields. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems offer a solution by capturing detailed canopy structures.

As global warming persistently alters and rapidly reshapes landscapes and habitats, conventional species distribution models relying solely on maintaining static conditions within the current climate are likely to falter, particularly at the genus level. Hence, we hypothesize that climate change will differentially affect ecological niches of the same genus species with various latitudinal positioning

Nature-Based Solutions have been largely investigated and technically improved in the last decades. Thanks to their multiple benefits, these solutions can largely contribute to the sustainable urban development, especially if diffusely installed over large areas. A key point to support their implementation is to actively involve citizens, increasing interest and willingness to pay for installation

Parks and green spaces are essential components of urban areas as they provide ecological, economic, health and social functions. Their positive outcomes are closely linked with both the quality of the parks as well as their accessibility, especially via walking and cycling. This is particularly relevant for youth who largely depend on active modes for independent travel. To date, most studies have

Ammonia inhibition remains a critical barrier in high-solid anaerobic digestion (AD) of nitrogen-rich chicken manure. This study demonstrates an ex-situ ammonia air stripping pretreatment system integrated with semi-continuous AD, achieving dual objectives of nitrogen mitigation and inorganic solids removal. Through 90-day operation at t an organic loading rate (OLR) of 3.1 g-COD/(L·d), pretreated

Eucheuma cottonii is a seaweed rich in κ-carrageenan, with great potential as a biodegradable polymers substitute for synthetic polymers. Due to the fragility of seaweed films, plasticizing agents are added to improve the elasticity of the films. This study investigated the effects of various concentrations (25–50 %, w/v) of glycerol as a plasticizer on the mechanical, physical, thermal, and morphological

The increasing GHG emissions from energy systems over the past decades have prompted the transition towards renewable energy. Agro-residues, such as rice straw, maize cobs, and sugarcane trash, can be converted into hydrogen, biofuels and electricity, providing a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. However, the consistent availability of feedstock for bioenergy systems is impacted by the ineffective

This study explores hydrogen production using Scenedesmus sp. algae grown in municipal landfill leachate water (MLW) over 10 days. Unlike traditional freshwater systems, MLW serves as a nutrient source. A PANI-Ni catalyst, synthesized on-site and pyrolyzed at 550 °C, enhances gasification. This integrated approach significantly Enhances hydrogen yield and efficiency, offering a sustainable and innovative

The Amazon basin has experienced severe deforestation in recent decades; however, the impact of this deforestation on vapor pressure deficit (VPD) remains unclear. VPD is a key variable used to characterize atmospheric aridity. Here, we analyze idealized deforestation experiments with coupled Earth system models, exploring the bidirectional relationship between deforestation and increased VPD. In simulations

Institutions and residents play important roles in the planning, delivery, and management of urban greenspaces (UGS) in urban Africa. Whereas addressing the deteriorating (quality) and declining state (size) of greenspaces through governance structures has become important, there has been very little attention on the UGS governance, particularly at the subnational level. Focusing on three suburbs in

Grassland ecosystems are particularly sensitive to human disturbances due to their relatively simple structure and limited resource availability. However, the responses of ecosystem carbon and water exchanges to grazing, the dominant human activity in grasslands, remain insufficiently understood. During growing seasons in 2023 and 2024, a grazing gradient experiment was conducted in a meadow steppe

The eddy covariance (EC) technique remains a cornerstone for direct, continuous monitoring of greenhouse gases fluxes, particularly for carbon dioxide (CO2). Traditionally, EC-derived net ecosystem exchange (NEE) is partitioned into gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco) using model-based approaches. Here, we present a novel, fully empirical partitioning method that applies

Identifying the temporal variations in transpiration (T) and its contribution to evapotranspiration (ET) (T/ET) is of great significance for understanding the mechanisms of ecosystem water distribution and energy partitioning. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the long-term variations in T and ET in high-altitude subalpine regions with low temperature and high humidity. Therefore, the T and

Mature trees growing in towns and cities provide many benefits to people and ecosystems, but they also pose risks to life and property in the event of failure. Practitioners often install support systems (e.g., cabling and bracing) to reduce risk, but the effectiveness of such arboricultural interventions remains unclear. We conducted a field experiment to investigate the effect of cabling and bracing

Accurately predicting crop yields at regional scales is crucial for optimizing agricultural management, early planning agricultural markets, and ensuring socio-economic stability. This study developed a yield forecasting framework for summer maize based on Ensemble Kalman Filtering (EnKF) and 4DVar assimilation methods to dynamically assess the performance across various forecasting dates. The application

Optimizing light conditions is essential for enhancing microalgae cultivation, particularly for high-value bioactive compounds like pigments and biomass. This study investigates the growth performance of spirulina under two different LED illumination spectra - warm white (3000 K) and daylight (6500 K) over a 14-day cultivation period. The results indicate that both lighting conditions supported nearly

Four integrated CW-MFC reactors were employed namely R1 (single anode with plants), R′1 (multi-anode with plants), R2 (single anode unplanted), and R′2 (multi-anode unplanted) for real domestic wastewater treatment. Reactors R1, R′1, R2, and R′2 rendered 95.9 %, 97.4 %, 88.1 %, and 91.6 % COD removal. Reactor R′1 showed the highest FC inactivation (log 4.23 ± 0.20) in closed circuit, but the efficiency

Microbial electrolysis cell-assisted anaerobic digestion (MEC-AD) has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance anaerobic digestion efficiency. However, recent studies reveal a paradoxical trend: systems operating under continuous power supply exhibit reduced methanogenic performance and elevated energy consumption compared to those employing intermittent voltage application, suggesting that prolonged

This study addresses the inefficient valorization of fish processing waste, a significant challenge in sustainable waste management. Current methods typically focus on either fertilizer production or collagen extraction, lacking integrated approaches that maximize resource recovery. This research develops a dual-purpose strategy for utilizing carp and mackerel residues (bones, skin, head meat) through

Coarse woody debris (CWD) plays a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity in forest ecosystems by supporting habitat complexity and influencing soil properties. This study investigates the effects of CWD on gastropod diversity within managed spruce (Picea abies) forests in the Czech Republic, comparing results to nearby nature reserves (NRs). Gastropod species richness and composition were evaluated

Root defects, especially circling roots, are a major concern when planting container-grown trees. In this study, we compared survival, growth, crown dieback, plant water relations, and root development of container-grown trees of four common urban species (Carpinus caroliniana, Liriodendron tulipifera, Ostrya virginiana, and Platanus × acerifolia) in response to root modifications prior to planting