Higher education institutions (HEIs) consume significant energy and water and contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. HEIs are under pressure internally and externally to improve their overall performance on reducing GHG emissions within their boundaries. It is necessary to identify critical areas of high GHG emissions within a campus to help find solutions to improve the overall sustainability

Landfills have been considered the most convenient approach for dealing with waste from time immemorial, even though some have led to disasters of catastrophic proportions. Moreover, recent findings by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggest that the decomposing fraction of landfill waste that generates greenhouse gases (GHGs) may not be adequately accounted for and could become a

When data on the degradation of a chemical substance have been collected in a number of environmental media (e.g., in different soils), two strategies can be followed for data evaluation. Currently, each individual dataset is evaluated separately, and representative degradation parameters are obtained by calculating averages of the kinetic parameters. However, such averages often take on unrealistic

Unabated urbanization has led to environmental degradation and subsequent biodiversity loss across the globe. As an outcome of unmitigated land use, multi-jurisdictional agencies have developed land use plans that attempt to protect threatened or endangered species across selected areas by which some trade-offs between harm to species and additional conservation approaches are allowed among the partnering

The uncontrolled disposal of olive oil mill wastewater (OMW) is hazardous for the health of water and soil, since this wastewater shows low pH and high contents of organic matter and polyphenols (PP). Lagooning is one of the most common treatment systems for agro-industrial wastewater (such as OMW), due to its low cost and easy management. Aeration allows reducing the low depuration time, which is

The physical-chemical characterization of plastic litter from the marine environment requires the prior removal of the biofouling attached to their surface without causing any degradation in the polymer. The absence of a standardized protocol for digesting biofouling and organic matter of both macro and microplastic samples extracted from seawater has been the main motivation for this research work

As the global demand for renewable electricity grows, hydropower development of river basins increases across the world. Hydropeaking, i.e., streamflow alteration consisting of daily or subdaily rapid and marked discharge fluctuations, can affect river reaches below hydropower units. Environmental effects of hydropeaking include geomorphological alterations and possible modifications of the freshwater

The increasing use of tungsten in the production of green energy in the aerospace and military industries, and in many other hi-tech applications, may increase the content of this element in soil. This overview examines some aspects of the behavior of tungsten in soil, such as the importance of characteristics of soils in relation to bioavailability processes, the chemical approaches to evaluate tungsten

Agrivoltaic systems, comprising photovoltaic panels placed over agricultural crops, have recently gained increasing attention. Emerging interest in these systems led us to investigate their influence on rice crops. Various factors affecting rice crop yield, including fertilizer application, temperature, and solar radiation, were directly observed, and measured to evaluate changes associated with the

As plastic has become an integral component of daily life, microplastic has become a ubiquitous, unavoidable constituent of nearly all ecosystems. Besides monitoring the amount and distribution of microplastic in the environment, it is necessary to understand the possible direct effects, especially toxicity and how it is affected by environmental factors where it is discarded. The present study investigated

Phytoremediation of mine soils contaminated by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) requires the use of tolerant plants given the specific conditions of toxicity in the altered soil ecosystems. In this sense, a survey was conducted in an ancient Hg-mining area named “El Terronal” (Asturias, Spain) which is severely affected by PTE contamination (As, Hg, Pb) to obtain an inventory of the spontaneous natural

This study shows the results of a local biomonitoring plan developed by a regional beekeeping association, Aspromiele, in several areas of Piedmont (Italy), in order to understand the status of contamination from pesticides present in the environment and eventually to evaluate their impact on apiculture. Glyphosate was the most abundant chemical found in the bee bread and honey samples. The other pesticides

(1) Background: A large body of literature is available on the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of alternative food systems, but not much of it is devoted to the dynamics underlying their design and implementation, more specifically the processes that make an alternative food system successful or not in terms of its sustainability aims. This gap seems to be particularly critical in

Woody plant encroachment (WPE), the expansion of native and non-native trees and shrubs into grasslands, has led to degradation worldwide. In the Canadian prairies, western snowberry and wolfwillow shrubs are common encroachers, whose cover is currently unknown. As the use of remote sensing in grassland monitoring increases, opportunities to detect and map these woody species are enhanced. Therefore

More than 50% of the UK coastline is situated in Scotland under legislative jurisdiction; therefore, there is a great opportunity for regionally focused economic development by the rational use of sustainable marine bio-sources. We review the importance of seaweeds in general, and more specifically, wrack brown seaweeds which are washed from the sea and accumulated in the wrack zone and their economic

There is growing concern about the environmentally relevant concentrations of new emerging persistent organic pollutants, such as perfluorinated compounds and pharmaceuticals, which are found to bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms at concentrations suspected to cause reproductive toxicity due to the activation of estrogen receptor (ER) α and β subtypes. Here, we use a combined in silico and in vitro

According to various sources, Southern Morocco has stood out as an outstanding tourist destination in recent decades, with global appeal. Dakhla City, including Dakhla Bay, classified by the Convention on Wetlands in 2005 as a Wetland of International Importance, offers visitors various entertainment opportunities at many city sites. Therefore, human activity and social benefits should be considered

Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that make up the 2030 Agenda and refer to different areas of social, economic and environmental development, goal 11.2 concerns access to safe, cheap, accessible and sustainable transport systems, increasing road safety particularly through the enhancement of public transport. Universities can also contribute to increasing the use of more sustainable

In this study the influence of forest management on the characteristics of snags and tree cavities in the Hyrcanian forests of Iran was investigated. In particular, the effect of two sylvicultural treatments (shelter wood and single-tree selection) was assessed in comparison to protected stands. The abundance, diameter, height, and degree of decay of snag species, and the characteristics of birds excavated

Both landfill leachate and sewage sludge are complex mixtures of many potentially toxic substances in unknown and unpredictable amounts and concentrations. Both types of matrices can pose a risk to human health and the functioning of ecosystems if released into the environment. Therefore, constant monitoring of the toxicity of these mixtures is necessary. However, traditional methods of analysis of

During the last century, industrialization has grown very fast and as a result heavy metals have contaminated many water sources. Due to their high toxicity, these pollutants are hazardous for humans, fish, and aquatic flora. Traditional techniques for their removal are adsorption, electro-dialysis, precipitation, and ion exchange, but they all present various drawbacks. Membrane technology represents

Our cities are often characterised by a complex, ungrammatical articulation of spaces, volumes, intended uses, and values. The residual green urban areas are representative of a low level or absence of order, but above all, of functions and values. The study proposes a new methodological and operational approach to the rehabilitation of green residual urban areas, participatory type that can generate

Fuzzy set theory has shown potential for reducing uncertainty as a result of data sparsity and also provides advantages for quantifying gradational changes like those of pollutant concentrations through fuzzy clustering based approaches. The ability to lower the sampling frequency and perform laboratory analyses on fewer samples, yet still produce an adequate pollutant distribution map, would reduce

Illegal dumps and landfills with disposed of tires are a fact of today, which should not be neglected as they represent a great ecological burden for the environment, affect the surrounding nature and disturb the landscape. This research was focused on testing the phytotoxicity of aqueous leachates from the fractions of tires in two sets of experiments—to simulate laboratory conditions (tire leaching

The São Pedro da Cova waste pile (Porto, Portugal) is composed of coal mining residues that have been self-burning since 2005 and is located close to an inhabited area and social infrastructures, further adding to effects on the environment and human health. Therefore, there is a great interest in the environmental monitoring of this waste pile. This work describes an integrative multi-approach that

This paper presents the results of a laboratory-based experimental investigation on the properties of asphalt binder and hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixes modified by locally available crumb rubber, which was used as a partial replacement of asphalt by weight. In this study, fine crumb rubber with a particle size in the range of 0.3–0.6 mm, obtained from scrap tires, was added to the asphalt binder through

The use of natural organic correctives is a current agricultural practice that may have advantages for the production of plants in contaminated soils. Cork powder is a natural sub-product of the cork industry that has several potential benefits compared to more commonly used soil amendments. In this work, an evaluation was performed of the use of cork powder (a non-conventional organic residue) and

Global elevation datasets such as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model (DEM) are the best available terrain data in many parts of the world. Consequently, SRTM is widely used for understanding the risk of coastal inundation due to climate change-induced sea level rise. However, SRTM elevations are prone to error, giving rise to uncertainty in the quality of the inundation

Orange peel (OP), the main residue of the citrus industry, is usually used for animal feeding and soil fertilisation if more advanced options are lacking. In areas with warm and dry climatic conditions, OP is land-spread for solar-drying on the fields, the leachate produced is a potential pollution factor for soil especially due to the release of organic matter; heavy rainfalls could even aggravate

Biological invasions can affect ecosystems in different ways. Invasive forest species, such as Acacia dealbata Link., affect forests’ productivity, because they compete directly with native species for access to light and nutrients, contributing to the loss of biodiversity. In this study, an area occupied by A. dealbata, located in Casal do Rei (Seia, Portugal) was studied to evaluate the influence

We reviewed studies linking COVID-19 cases and deaths with the environment, focusing on relationships with air pollution. We found both short- and long-term observational relationships with a range of regulated pollutants, although only two studies considered both cases (i.e., infections) and deaths within a common analytical framework. Most of these studies were limited to a few months of the pandemic

The excessive application of phosphorus in agricultural lands leads to serious environmental issues. Efficient application is beneficial from an economic and environmental perspectives. Biochar can be used as a carrier for slow release of phosphate. However, its adsorption capacity is limited. In this work, biochar was prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures (350–550 °C). The biochar prepared

A Sustainability Index for Traditional Agroecosystems (SITA) applied in Yaonáhuac, Puebla, Mexico was built. The index was composed of 16 indicators, with which the analysis of diversity-resilience, self-management-autonomy, integration, and self-sufficiency was carried out. To determine the type of sustainability, 62 in-depth interviews were applied to inhabitants of the municipality of Yaonáhuac

The present status of public participation in EIA particularly concerning biodiversity in West Bengal, India was studied. The issues raised in 50 public hearings were analyzed and chapters on biodiversity in 20 EIA reports were studied. Areas needing improvement were identified. Scientific literature was studied to gather best practices/concepts. It was observed that, despite all enabling legal provisions

Fertilization and mowing affects the physico-chemical properties of soils, as well as the characteristics of the plants growing on them. Changes in the management techniques are causing semi-natural grasslands to disappear all over Europe. These grasslands host a great amount of diversity, thus their conservation is a top priority. This work studies whether the kind of management has an influence on

The progress of scientific research and technological innovation are contributing to an increase in the use of rapid systems for monitoring and identifying geo-environmental processes related to natural and/or anthropogenic activities. The aim of this study is identifying autumnal beach litter using ground-based IR thermography. Starting from quarterly autumn monitoring data of air temperature and

Microplastics (MPs) constitute a known, undesirable contaminant of the ecosystems. Land-based pollution is considered to be an important contributor, but microplastics in the terrestrial environment remains largely unquantified. Some agriculture practices, such as plastic mulch and compost application, are suspected to be major sources of microplastics as plastics are exposed to weathering or are present

Bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) are environmental contaminants that have been associated with the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Two organs that are often implicated in the development of insulin resistance are the skeletal muscle and the adipose tissue, however, seldom studies have investigated the effects of bisphenols on their metabolism. In this review we discuss

The diffusion of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) impacted the whole world, changing the life habits of billions of people. These changes caused an abundant increase in personal protective equipment (PPE, e.g., masks and gloves) use by the general population, which can become a concerning issue of plastic pollution. This study aims to evaluate the negative effects of the abundant PPE use following the

Marine macroalgae offers a promising third generation feedstock for the production of fuels and chemicals, avoiding competition with conventional agriculture and potentially helping to improve eutrophication in seas and oceans. However, an increasing amount of plastic is distributed into the oceans, and as such contaminating macroalgal beds. One of the major plastic contaminants is nylon 6 derived

The management of large volumes of organic residues generated in different livestock, urban, agricultural and industrial activities is a topic of environmental and social interest. The high organic matter content of these residues means that their application as soil organic amendments in agriculture is considered one of the more sustainable options, as it could solve the problem of the accumulation

Many governments have imposed the public use of face masks and they are now moving towards enforcing disposable masks to abate COVID-19 transmission. While disposable masks consistently provide higher protection, they also carry multiple environmental burdens, from greenhouse gases released during production to the landfilling and littering. Conversely, reusable masks’ protection can vary from >90%

Note: In lieu of an abstract, this is an excerpt from the first page. This Special Issue is concerned with treatment wetlands, which are artificial (or constructed) wetlands usually treating municipal or industrial wastewater, greywater and storm water runoff [...]

Background: The aim of this preliminary study was to measure radon concentrations in a hospital in order to verify to what extent these concentrations depend on various environmental variables taken into consideration, and consequently to determine the urgency to implement mitigation actions. Methods: The rooms where the concentration of the gas was potentially highest were monitored. Investigators

Assessing the water quality by using biological indicators is a reliable and economically feasible way to promote environmental conservation in developing tropical countries. Here, we report one of the few examples of river biomonitoring in Honduras. In June 2005, benthic macroinvertebrates were collected from six sites in the Río Cangrejal basin. An adapted version of the Biological Monitoring Working

Gas transport parameters such as gas diffusivity (Dp/D0), air permeability (ka), and their dependency on void space (air-filled porosity, ε) in a waste body govern convective air and gas diffusion at solid waste dumpsites and surface emission of various gases generated by microbial processes under aerobic and anaerobic decompositions. In this study, Dp/D0(ε) and ka(ε) were measured on dumping solid

The reintroduction of the extinct beluga sturgeon (Huso huso L.), an anadromous species with economic and traditional relevance, is a priority in next conservation strategies in Northern Italy. The EU-LIFE NATURA project aims to reintroduce the beluga sturgeon in the Po River basin through a captive breeding program. Critical requirements for the success of the program are river connectivity and knowledge

Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is associated with insulin resistance while folic acid (FA) may offer a protective effect. However, the paternal contribution to metabolic phenotypes in offspring is not well known yet. Hence, we investigated whether maternal exposure to POPs affects glucose homeostasis and whether maternal FA supplementation counteracts POP effects transmitted via male

We report a comparative environmental study of organic and conventional open-field eggplant cultivation systems under Mediterranean (northern Greece) climatic conditions. Actual life cycle inventory (LCI) data were collected from local farm systems. Using life cycle assessment (LCA), organic eggplant cultivation exhibited better environmental performance per unit area (24.15% lower total environmental

To assess environmental risks related to the mobility and toxicity of AgNPs, the chemical availability of AgNPs and polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated AgNPs (PVP-AgNPs) in three agricultural soils was quantified in a pot experiment. Porewater collection and soil extractions with 0.01 M CaCl2, 0.4 M Glycine (pH 1.5) and 0.05 M NH4-EDTA were performed. The effect on soil exoenzyme activities was also assessed

Microplastic contamination has been linked to a range of impacts on aquatic environments. One important area that is only beginning to be addressed is the effect of microplastics on marine carbon cycling and how these compare to the effects related to inorganic particles typically present in ocean waters. The present study explores these impacts on dissolved organic matter dynamics by comparing three

This review systematically outlines the recent advances in the application of circular bioeconomy technologies for converting agricultural wastewater to value-added resources. The properties and applications of the value-added products from agricultural wastewater are first summarized. Various types of agricultural wastewater, such as piggery wastewater and digestate from anaerobic digestion, are focused

Nowadays, climate change and global warming have become the main concerns worldwide. One of the main causes are the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by human activities, especially by the transportation sector. The adherence to international agreements and the implementation of climate change policy are necessary conditions for reducing environmental problems. This paper investigates the lead–lag

The improper treatment of landfill leachates is one of the major problems associated with waste landfilling and causes serious environmental pollution at waste landfill sites and their surroundings. To develop a suitable landfill leachate treatment system and to minimize the risk of environmental pollution, it is important to characterize seasonal and temporal variations of landfill leachates. This

Climate change is likely to have large impacts on freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem function, especially in cold-water streams. Ecosystem metabolism is affected by water temperature and discharge, both of which are expected to be affected by climate change and, thus, require long-term monitoring to assess alterations in stream function. This study examined ecosystem metabolism in two branches of

The role of methane as a greenhouse gas in the concept of global climate changes is well known. Methanogens and methanotrophs are two microbial groups which contribute to the biogeochemical methane cycle in soil, so that the total emission of CH4 is the balance between its production and oxidation by microbial communities. Traditional identification techniques, such as selective enrichment and pure-culture

The toxicological effects of nanoparticles mixtures in aquatic organisms are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the tissue metal loadings and sublethal effects of silver (nAg), cerium oxide (nCeO), copper oxide (nCuO) and zinc oxide (nZnO) nanoparticles individually at 50 µg/L and in two mixtures to freshwater mussels Dreissena bugensis. The mixtures consisted of 12.5 µg/L <