Biological desalination is emerging as a promising alternative to conventional technology. In the current study, Chlorella kessleri was employed as a model microalga to evaluate its potential for salinity reduction and its effects on biomass production and quality. The microalgae were cultivated in BG11 medium added with different NaCl concentrations (2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 g L-1). The impact of salinity was assessed using growth performance, growth inhibition, sedimentation rate, biochemical composition, chlorophyll a content, and desalination efficiency. Results show that the highest biomass was achieved in BG11 medium, whilst the lowest was in 30 g L- 1 NaCl. The highest lipid and carbohydrate contents of 25.57% and 32.26%, respectively, were observed in 20 g L- 1 NaCl, which were 37.87% and 44.24%, respectively, higher than the control. The protein yield in the control was 23.42, 35.83, 50.12%, and 58.02% higher than at 10, 15, 20, and 30 g L- 1 NaCl, respectively. Overall, C. kessleri grown in 10 g L- 1 NaCl demonstrates strong potential for integrated desalination, biomass generation, and biochemical production, with a desalination efficiency of 39.88% and NaCl removal of 4 g L-1. The CO2 fixation rates at 10, 5, and 2.5 g L- 1 NaCl were relatively similar (0.13-0.15 g CO2 L- 1 d-1), indicating that C. kessleri maintained stable carbon assimilation at lower salinity. The findings were further supported by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Overall, results show that C. kessleri has promising potential as a green, environmentally friendly desalination technology, offering an alternative to conventional approaches and opening new opportunities for industrial water treatment.
The worldwide shift to sustainable energy supply has led to extensive incorporation of renewable energy sources into modern power systems incorporating specifically with wind-turbine and solar-photovoltaic systems. The stochastic and intermittent nature of such renewable energy sources, however, poses significant challenges in their operation and planning, especially regarding optimization and system coordination. This paper provides a detailed overview of various advanced optimization problems and solution methods for the integration of renewable energy in today's power systems. The study divides important optimization problems into three categories: active and reactive power management, uncertainty modelling and real-time stochastic operation of power systems. Coordination of active and reactive power resources is a critical issue that needs to be addressed to ensure voltage stability and reliability of the grid with high penetrations of renewables. The review also explores the concept of stochastic energy and reactive power markets, which entails optimizing ancillary services like voltage support and reactive power dispatch together, considering interactions between transmission system operators and distribution system operators. Moreover, the traditional optimization techniques such as linear programming, nonlinear programming and mixed-integer programming are compared with the new ones such as the intelligent and hybrid techniques. The current review is a structured reference which combines technical analysis with bibliometric analysis and indicates future research directions to develop resilient, intelligent and market-oriented power system optimization frameworks.
Green chemistry is defined as a set of principles that reduce or prevent the use or generation of hazardous substances during the design, production, and utilization of chemical products. The vision of such a paradigm shift in the chemical sciences is that the concept of being green is directly introduced to the molecular design process and is centered on atom economy and the prevention of waste. This review examines the principles of green chemistry in relation to agro-industrial waste valorization, with specific reference to the ecological and economic conditions of India, where approximately 350 million metric tons of annual agro-residues have become a source of serious environmental management issues, such as greenhouse gas emissions through open burning, leachate waste generation through landfills, and effects on the health of the population through poor disposal practices. The analysis summarizes the latest developments in nanotechnology-based catalytic systems, new solvent platforms (ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, and supercritical fluids), and integrated biorefineries, and critically reviews the scalability limitations and commercial feasibility. It also discusses more recent developments, such as systems based on nanotechnology, catalyst transformations (homogeneous, heterogeneous, and biocatalysts), and the creation of alternative solvents, such as ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, and supercritical fluids. The virtues of agri-industrial residues and biomass-based feeds are given particular attention in terms of their role in models of the circular economy and the generation of value-added chemicals, fuels, and materials. By illustrating how green chemistry can minimize the environmental footprint of traditional processes and create safer and more economically viable alternatives, this review makes it clear why green chemistry has become a revolution in the field of industrial practice. Lastly, the paper addresses contemporary issues of scalability, economic competitiveness, and regulatory integration and outlines opportunities that will make green chemistry the foundation of sustainable, resource-efficient, and environmentally responsible chemical companies.
Perovskite materials have emerged as a focal point for scientific research, owing to their ability for plausible applications in optoelectronic and photovoltaic systems. We have explored Al-based fluoro-perovskite compounds AlMF3 (M = Ca, Zn, Ge) studied through Density Functional theory (DFT) and Time-Dependent (TD)-DFT methodology. Functional CAM-B3LYP/ LanL2MB and CAM-B3LYP/LANL2DZ are employed for geometry optimization. This study examined the structural, optoelectronic, and thermochemical properties of these materials. The tolerance factors of AlCaF3, AlZnF3, and AlGeF3 are found as 0.85, 0.93, and 0.96. The negative formation energy of AlMF3 compounds indicates thermodynamic stability. The HOMO-LUMO gap of AlCaF3, AlZnF3, and AlGeF3 using LANL2MB is obtained as 2.82, 2.44, and 2.40 eV, respectively, whereas using LANL2DZ it is found in the range of 1.90-2.40 eV. AlGeF3 and AlCaF3 exhibit a minimum and maximum energy gap, respectively. CDFT-based descriptors of AlMF3 are analyzed and discussed. Among the examined fluoro-perovskites, AlCaF3 exhibits high stability. AlGeF3 shows the maximum value of electronegativity, which indicates that it has high electron-accepting capability. The refractive index and dielectric constant of these fluoro-perovskite increase as the replacement of the M-site cation, Ca to Zn to Ge, takes place. The thermochemical properties of these materials are also calculated. The estimated findings show a pattern consistent with earlier reports on perovskite materials.
PurposeConsumers are increasingly purchasing organic food via e-commerce platforms. However, limited research has explored factors driving this behavioural shift. This study aims to address this gap by examining how push (limited local availability), pull (wide selection, transparency), and mooring factors (brand familiarity, price fairness) influence repurchase intentions for organic food in an emerging economy.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the Push-Pull-Mooring (PPM) framework, this study surveyed 473 organic food consumers in India. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe results show that limited local availability and time constraints (push factors), combined with a wide selection and transparency (pull factors), significantly influence consumers' intentions to switch to online platforms. Furthermore, brand familiarity positively moderates the relationship between switching intention and repurchase intention, whereas price fairness does not.Research limitations/implicationsThis study extends the Push-Pull-Mooring (PPM) framework to the context of organic food e-commerce by identifying how wide selection, transparency, time constraints, and limited availability shape switching and repurchase intentions.Originality/valueThis study applies the PPM framework to organic food e-commerce, offering new theoretical and managerial insights into channel-switching behaviour in the context of sustainable food consumption in a developing economy.
