Winter wheat competitive ability against weeds in agrophytocenoses is determined, in part, by varietal characteristics, with implications for the grain yield of this globally important crop. Field experiments conducted in 2021–2023 were aimed at evaluating the competitive ability of the newest winter wheat cultivar of Ukrainian selection (Tsarychanka, Koshova, Oleksiyvka, Hratsiya Myronivska, Vezha Myronivska, Estafeta Myronivska) in the Steppe arid conditions. Weed abundance and pressure were determined by the dominant species Sinapis arvensis, Fumaria officinalis, Raphanus raphanistrum, and Thlaspi arvense, and varied depending on the crop development phase, maturity group of cultivars, and weather conditions. Early- maturing wheat cultivar displayed the highest biometric and structural parameters, such as plant height, leaf surface area, spike length, grain number per spike, and 1000 kernel weight, and were also characterized by the lowest weed air-dry mass in crops. Grain yield varied depending on the growing season conditions, reaching the highest average for all maturity groups in 2022 (7.12 t/ha), which was the highest for early-maturing cultivar in all years of research (6.31 t/ha). Thus, early-maturing cultivar excelled in terms of resistance to weed competition, adaptation to adverse climate conditions, and productivity, and were determined to be the most competitive among the newest cultivar of winter wheat created by Ukrainian breeders.
The intermittency of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems poses reliability challenges for off-grid energy systems. This study explores hydrogen energy integration into PV systems via two strategies: in-situ hydrogen production using electrolysis and ex-situ hydrogen supply through periodic external delivery. Three system configurations, base PV-battery, in-situ hydrogen, and ex-situ hydrogen systems, were modelled and simulated using HOMER Pro to evaluate their technical and economic performance. Component sizing was based on local solar potential and load data. Both hydrogen-based systems eliminated unmet electric load and improved battery performance by reducing deep discharges. The in-situ system offered greater energy independence but incurred high capital expenditure (CAPEX) (USD 57,369.75), net present cost (NPC) (USD 101,367.00), and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) (USD 2.39/kWh), with an annual operating expenditure (OPEX) of USD 3403.38. In comparison, the ex-situ system reduced CAPEX by 64% (USD 20,798.25), achieved a significantly lower NPC (USD 32,740.26), and reduced LCOE to USD 0.73/kWh, with an annual OPEX of USD 1170.11. This comparative analysis demonstrates hydrogen’s potential as a long-duration storage solution for off-grid renewable systems. The findings support strategic planning for rural electrification and propose the feasibility of a green hydrogen hub in Ranau, Sabah.
The most significant UN event on sustainable development was the 1992 Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro. The summit was based on the Gro Harlem Brundtland Commission Report Our Common Future, in which the official definition of sustainable development was presented: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
This study addresses the challenge of low efficiency and limited scalability in microbial fuel cells (MFCs), particularly regarding electron transfer between microorganisms and electrodes. These limitations hinder their potential as sustainable technologies for clean energy generation while treating wastewater. Conductive hydrogels and hybrid polymers are proposed as promising solutions, as they facilitate the formation of electroactive biofilms and enhance electron conductivity. However, research in this field remains fragmented, with limited methodological standardization and comparability across studies. The methodology involved a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications from 2010 to 2024, sourced from the Scopus database. An advanced search strategy was employed using keywords related to hydrogels, MFCs, conductive polymers, and sustainability. The initial corpus was refined to 360 documents, analyzed using Bibliometrix (in RStudio) and VOSviewer. Key indicators assessed included annual production, average citations, leading authors, co-authorship networks, top journals, and contributing institutions. Results reveal exponential growth in publications since 2015, peaking in 2024. The most influential authors were El-Naggar A.M. and Aziz S.B., recognized for both productivity and impact. Journals such as Polymers and ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces host the highest number of publications in the field. China and Saudi Arabia stood out for their publication volume, with institutions like King Saud University noted for high levels of international collaboration. Emerging topics include nanomaterial-doped hydrogels, circular economy strategies, and electro fermentation applications. This analysis provides a strategic overview of how functional materials are driving the advancement of MFCs toward clean, sustainable, and entrepreneurially viable energy solutions.
Wind energy, offers strong potential for tropical regions, yet low and variable wind speeds limit the efficiency of conventional turbines. Therefore, this study proposes a hybrid optimization technique integrating particle swarm optimization (PSO) with the Limited-memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (L-BFGS-B) algorithm to determine the optimal blade length and hub height of small-scale horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs). Multi-year wind datasets (2017–2020) from five Indonesian sites Jambi, South Sulawesi, NTB, NTT, and Maluku were statistically characterized using Weibull and Bi-Weibull distribution and incorporated into annual energy production (AEP) modelling. The hybrid PSO–L-BFGS-B method achieved 5–15% higher AEP than standard PSO, and 11–25% higher AEP compared to the baseline TSD-500 turbine, while also exhibiting smoother convergence and reduced interquartile variability across 30 independent runs. Sensitivity analysis showed that hub height exerts a stronger influence on AEP than blade length, reflecting the aerodynamic advantage of elevated rotors under low-wind tropical conditions. The results demonstrate that hybrid meta-heuristic optimization effectively tailors small-scale wind turbines for reliable and sustainable energy generation in tropical developing regions.
The post-closure phase of landfills poses ongoing challenges due to the continual production of leachate. Leachate is a complex liquid mixture of toxic pollutants that are characterized by the presence of complex inorganic and organic contaminants that can potentially impact human health and the natural environment. There is need for the selection and application of appropriate treatment technologies to minimize potential contamination risks in soil, surface water, groundwater and the environment at large. A commonly applied treatment technology for landfill leachate is the aerobic biological treatment. This study conducted a comprehensive review of the most suitable aerobic biological treatment technologies for leachate from closed landfill sites. A Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) was employed to evaluate five aerobic biological leachate treatment technologies for closed landfill. The MCA used a structured approach that considers 16 criteria, grouped into environmental, technical, economical, and social categories to help breakdown the contribution of each category to the leachate treatment technologies and to select the most suitable treatment technology. The results of the MCA showed that Sequencing batch reactor (SBR) outperformed other treatment technologies, with an overall index score ranging from 6.84 to 8.25 out of a maximum of 10.00. The next ranked treatment technology was membrane bioreactor (MBR), with an overall index score ranging from 5.35 to 6.55. The lowest ranked treatment technology was activated sludge (AS), with an overall index score ranging from 4.18 to 5.34. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the influence of variation in weighting factors under 7 scenarios and the results of the best performing treatment technology remain unchanged. Although, rotating biological contactors (RBC) had second best performance in 3 scenarios due to the reduction of the priority group weight for environmental category. In real world, emphasis is placed on the environmental performance of treatment technology due to the stringent environmental regulations that is applicable to a closed landfill leachate. This study is beneficial for selecting optimal treatment technology that improves treatment efficiency, supports long term leachate management and ensures regulatory compliance at closed landfills. Hence, MCA is a good decision-making tool that can assist waste management experts for selection of optimal treatment technology for long-term leachate management in closed landfills.
The growing accumulation of coastal plastic waste presents both environmental challenges and opportunities for energy recovery. This study experimentally investigates electrical power generation from coastal plastic waste via catalytic pyrolysis under variable thermal conditions. Experiments were conducted using shredded plastic feedstock (particle size 2–5 mm, sample mass 1 kg per run) under a nitrogen atmosphere with a controlled heating rate of 10 °C/min. A natural zeolite catalyst was employed to enhance thermal cracking and improve the quality of pyrolysis gas. Each experimental condition was performed in triplicate (n = 3), and results are reported as mean ± standard deviation to account for variability and uncertainty. The produced pyrolysis gas was combusted in a boiler–steam turbine–generator system, and electrical power output was calculated based on measured steam parameters and generator performance rather than estimated volumetric flow rates. The results show that operating temperature significantly influences power output, with polyolefin plastics (PP and LDPE) yielding the highest electrical power and efficiency at 650°C. The presence of the zeolite catalyst improved gas calorific value and overall system performance by promoting secondary cracking reactions. These findings demonstrate the technical feasibility of catalytic pyrolysis as a waste-to-energy pathway and provide experimentally validated insights into power performance from heterogeneous coastal plastic waste.
Atmospheric particulate matter poses significant risks to the environment and human health, depending on its mass concentration and chemical composition. This study aims to quantify the mass concentrations of total suspended particles (TSP) and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 µm (PM10), as well as to determine their elemental composition. Particulate samples were collected from three ambient air monitoring sites within the City of Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi Province, during the peak dry season (May to September 2025). The measured concentrations of PM10 and TSP were evaluated against the Primary Impact Zone (PIA) standards of the Indonesian Air Quality (IAQ) guidelines. A high-volume air sampler (HVAS) was employed to collect particulate samples, and gravimetric analysis was conducted to determine their mass concentrations. The elemental composition of the particles was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The mean concentrations of PM10 and TSP were 34.20 µg/m3 and 73.22 µg/m3, respectively. The findings indicate that the mean mass concentrations of both TSP and PM10 were below the Indonesian regulatory standards, although temporal and spatial variations were observed. The identified elemental constituents included Al, Ca, K, Na, Rb, and Sr, suggesting contributions from crustal sources. These results provide valuable insights into the characteristics of particulate matter in residential areas of Makassar and support the development of improved, source-oriented air quality management strategies.
This study investigates the influence of hyperthermia on test plants as a proxy for complex stress factors affecting growth activity under kerosene-induced toxicity. A full factorial experimental design was employed to quantitatively evaluate the non-additive interactions (synergism or antagonism) between thermal seed treatment and soil kerosene content. Morphological parameters, specifically shoot and root length, were monitored over a nine-day period to establish the dynamics of these effects. Based on the empirical data, regression models were developed to assess the impact of these factors on growth characteristics within a petrochemical-polluted soil biotesting framework. The results indicate that at kerosene concentrations equivalent to or below the Allowable Permissible Concentration (APC), pre-sensitization via hyperthermia does not amplify the toxic effect. Conversely, potentiation between the factors was observed only at elevated kerosene concentrations, particularly within ranges previously associated with stimulatory responses in plant bioassays.
Across the Baltic Sea region, municipalities are sending the same alarming message. At national level, there are signs of abandoning or at least watering down the existing environmental commitments such as climate targets. At the same time, there are critical voices that frame green public procurement as an expensive burden. These kinds of perspectives are worryingly short-sighted and risk, at their worst, reducing the resources allocated to green public procurement. Green Public Procurement (GPP) refers to the procurement of goods, services, and works with a reduced environmental impact. When done correctly, GPP can help lessen the negative environmental effects of public sector consumption while bringing long-term savings and positive impacts on public health, and the economy. When economic conditions are difficult, it is essential to make the most of limited resources. GPP is a powerful instrument for this, not despite scarcity, but because of it.
This study aims to optimize the sequential performance of a nitrification-denitrification (ND) biofilter reactor for nitrogen removal from tofu industry wastewater. The study also supports the Indonesian government’s policy to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through the implementation of sustainable water management in Indonesia. Seeding and acclimatization were conducted at hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 24, 12, and 6 hours. During nitrification, removal efficiency improved with increasing substrate concentration at a 24-hour HRT. At 100% substrate concentration (915 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal increased until day 19, reaching a maximum of 77.95% at pH 7.3. The maximum ammonia nitrogen (NH3–N) removal was 86.95% at pH 7.3. However, COD removal efficiency dropped below 70% when the HRT was reduced to 12 and 6 hours at both 50% and 100% substrate concentrations. At a 24-hour HRT, the denitrification reactor achieved 83.25% NH3–N and 67.55% COD removal, while nitrate removal reached 90.75%. Proper HRT was directly related to nitrate removal efficiency, and higher influent nitrate concentrations tended to increase the denitrification rate. The highest nitrate removal efficiency (90.75%) occurred at a 24-hour HRT and pH 7.8
bacteria and antibiotics in hospital effluents indexed in Scopus between 2010 and 2024, identifying key trends and applications. A total of 199 documents were processed using Boolean operators and tools such as VOSviewer and Biblioshiny-based RStudio. China, India, and Japan led publication output, followed by the United States and Brazil; in Europe, the United Kingdom and Germany stood out for their high levels of international collaboration. Original research articles accounted for 86% of the publications, while reviews made up 11%. Chen L., Diwan V., and Tamhankar AJ. emerged as the most prolific authors. The co-authorship map revealed five thematic clusters focused on genetic modeling, metagenomic characterization, chemical monitoring, bioremediation, and molecular mechanisms. Dominant methodologies included isolation on selective media, minimum inhibitory concentration assays, HPLC-DAD, LC-MS/MS, quantitative PCR, and shotgun metagenomics. Identified gaps include the lack of standardized protocols, limited coverage of Latin America and Africa, and insufficient integration of chemical and genomic data for predictive modeling. Future directions point to CRISPR-based biosensors, digital twins of treatment plants, artificial intelligence applications, and advanced purification technologies to mitigate the “hidden threat” posed by these effluents.
The Sidoarjo mudflow disaster has persisted for 19 years in Gempol Sari Village, Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. It has resulted in mudflows that have engulfed thousands of hectares of land and affected dozens of villages. Therefore, it is important to explore the positive aspects of this mud disaster, particularly the potential for utilizing the mud. This study investigates the activation of Sidoarjo volcanic mud using sulfuric acid and its application as an adsorbent for decolorizing wastewater from small-scale Batik textile production. The research examines the effects of various operational parameters such as contact time, dosage, pH, and dye concentration. The adsorption process is conducted in a batch system utilizing an orbital shaker. Characterization of the modified Sidoarjo volcanic mud as an adsorbent is performed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Meanwhile, dye concentration is measured spectrophotometrically. Elemental analysis through EDX indicates that acid modification removes certain elements such as chlorine (Cl), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and titanium (Ti), while increasing the surface area of Sidoarjo volcanic mud from 25.405 m2/m3 to 69.734 m2/m3. The study achieved a decolorization rate of 95% within 120 minutes of adsorption at an initial color concentration of 880 Platinum-Cobalt (Pt-Co), with an adsorbent dosage of 3 g/L and a pH of 3. The reusability tests showed modest removal efficiency, likely due to pore blockages. The reusability assessment highlighted challenges with the adsorbent's long-term performance, especially regarding irreversible dye deposition.
The journal retracts the article titled “Prospects for Environmental Management Accounting in the Age of Decarbonization: Focusing on Internal Carbon Pricing” (Vadera et al., 2025).Following publication, the Editorial Board of Environmental Research, Engineering and Management received credible evidence that substantial portions of this article reproduce, almost verbatim, the content, structure, and conceptual framework of a research paper originally published in Japanese (Wang, 2022). The similarities extend to the analytical sections, the case study, and large parts of the text. After contacting the authors and their institutions, the corresponding author admitted to the issue and agreed to the retraction.This decision was approved by the Editorial Board on 15 December 2025 and follows COPE guidelines. The original article remains online to maintain the scholarly record but is clearly marked as “Retracted.”We apologize to readers and the original author for any inconvenience caused.
The relevance of this study lies in the need to preserve biodiversity and enhance the effectiveness of environmental policy in the context of unprecedented climate change and continually changing anthropogenic pressures. The purpose of the study was to conduct a well-founded comparative analysis of the current state of biodiversity and protected areas, covering Ukraine, Azerbaijan, as well as the countries of the European Union, in particular Germany and France. To achieve this goal, an interdisciplinary approach was employed: a combination of statistical analysis, economic and mathematical modelling, correlation and regression analysis, as well as the use of forecasting tools to determine current development scenarios. It was found that in Ukraine, the area of the protected area fund remains significantly lower than average European standards, while in France and Germany, this indicator consistently exceeded 19% of the total area of the country. Obviously, targeted financing of nature conservation initiatives is a decisive factor that significantly stimulates the expansion of protected areas, but uncontrolled urbanisation and high industrial loads have a clearly expressed negative correlation with the nature of the protected areas. Forecast models, calculated for the period 2025–2030, indicate an excessively complete, almost stagnant, increase in protected areas in both Ukraine and Azerbaijan, which is an alarming signal that clearly increases the current acceleration of the pace of fund expansion and deep integration of European strategies into the domestic nature conservation policy. The practical value of the study is explained by the fact that the recommendations and multi-criteria assessments provide an opportunity to increase the efficiency of management of existing protected areas, ensure the systematic development of a cellular ecological network, and contribute to the formation of a qualitatively new level of environmental awareness among a wide range of the population.
The Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) concept has emerged as a critical strategy for sustainable industrialization, yet its practical transition in developing nations requires careful scholarly evaluation. This study characterizes the early-stage performance of Indonesia's national EIP demonstration projects, focusing on the interplay between governance structure, industrial symbiosis, and financial viability. Using mixed-methods analysis, this research identifies that while initial results show promising improvements in resource efficiency, the overall transition is impeded by major regulatory fragmentation and a policy-practice gap. The result of this study contributes to the scholarly community by identifying specific challenges, such as regional infrastructural gaps and institutional thickness, that are often overlooked in centralized EIP models. The findings highlight that scaling sustainable production systems requires a reconsideration of EIP governance that balances international best practices with local administrative realities. This evidence-based characterization offers academically and practically important insights for scaling pilot initiatives into nationwide sustainable production systems and provides recommendations for the Indonesian EIP roadmap.
The geometric configuration of helical tubes was assessed in relation to the hydraulic flocculation efficiency in the treatment of highly turbid water. The effect of evaluating different tube geometries (diameters of 0.019–0.025m), loop diameters (0.45–1 m) and flow rates (7.5–25·10−6 m3/s) on head loss, camp number (Gt), and residence time was evaluated. The highest turbidity removal efficiency of 85.56% was achieved with the optimized configuration of a 0.019 m tube diameter with a 0.45 m loop. The performance was less if flow rates were higher, the tubes or loops were larger and the flow rates were higher due to inadequate turbulence and less time for particle interaction. Results validate that compact helical configurations aid in low turbulence condition improvement of mixing and particle collision. The helical flow devices were proven to be easy and low cost alternatives to these systems. Future work should focus on scaling and the optimizing the coagulant. The study illustrated that helical flow devices are easy and inexpensive alternatives to decentralized systems. Future work should focus on scaling and coagulant optimization.
A modified borehole charge stemming, consisting of a suspension of clay material (CM) (> 30% mass) and a surfactant complex (up to 2.5% mass) is proposed. It is justified not only to pursue the goal of increasing blasting efficiency by reducing the borehole charge stemming departure velocity, but also to mitigate the environmental impact of blasting by altering the densitometric and rheological properties of the stemming material. For modifying the composition of the stemming, a densitometric study of CM suspensions in the concentration range of 20–70% mass has been carried out. The deviation of such systems from the additivity law and the behavior of these systems as non-Newtonian fluids due to structure formation processes have been proven; the relative deviations of experimental density values from their additive values have been calculated. Based on densitometric studies of clay suspensions, an approximate polynomial model of the second degree has been developed, that makes it possible to determine the density of suspensions almost up to the critical concentration of structure formation. An important aspect of the proposed technological solution is the availability of the stemming material, its relative cheapness and ease of preparation, and significant adsorption properties. All components of the stemming are eco-friendly; surfactants decompose easily and are permitted in Ukraine and the EU. To substantiate the technological, environmental, economic and legal feasibility of modifying the borehole charge stemming, the authors’ methodology, system of criteria, and computer program have been developed based on Thomas L. Saaty’s analytic hierarchy process using RStudio; the proposed solution is feasible with a probability of 83.4%. The developed methodology also investigates the compliance with the concepts of a circular green economy and sustainable development, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles
The present study contributes to the understanding of agricultural water stress in the southern Mediterranean basin. Despite the effectiveness of dynamic multivariate analysis using principal component analysis (PCA) for identifying the potential causes of agricultural water scarcity, its application in this context has received limited attention in the existing literature. By applying this methodology to the Safsaf irrigated perimeter (North-Eastern Algeria) from 1992 to 2018, our research aims to investigate the causes driving irrigation deficits, which are typically attributed to climatic constraints. The results reveal a strong association between institutional failures and agricultural water scarcity, where institutional governance factors (52.33%) and management dysfunctions (24.38%) together explain approximately 76% of the observed irrigation deficits. This study demonstrates the value of dynamic multivariate analysis as a powerful tool for deconstructing the multidimensional temporal aspects of this composite issue. The challenge is not merely in implementing solutions that address physical water scarcity in agriculture, but in diagnosing its systemic accumulated root causes in order to achieve sustainable management and develop comprehensive, effective strategies.
The research investigates the in-situ chlorine generation potential and durability of graphite, titanium, newly identified Ti6Al4V, and coated Ti6Al4V electrodes under varying electric voltage, electrolysis time, inter-electrode distance, and electrolyte concentration, through experimental investigations using a solar-powered electro-chlorination (EC) lab-scale set-up. The experimental observations revealed that the maximum concentration of Chlorine Stock Solution (CSS) was achieved for the coated Ti6Al4V electrode (35.45 mg/L) under optimized conditions: 10 V electric potential, 60 min electrolysis time, 4 cm inter-electrode distance, and 4 g/L electrolyte concentration, for the developed laboratory set-up. The coated Ti6Al4V electrode outperforms both graphite and the Ti6Al4V electrode without coating in terms of electrode durability, indicating the effectiveness of the coated Ti6Al4V electrode in terms of maximum chlorine generation and durability. The CSS was used for water disinfection, and the quantum of trihalomethanes (THMs) generated was measured using gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). It was observed that the THMs formed after disinfection using the EC-generated CSS are below the permissible limit for drinking water. The research concludes that the solar-powered EC set-up provides a safe, sustainable, and energy-efficient solution for water disinfection. The novel coated Ti6Al4V electrode exhibits effectiveness and durability during EC, with minimum THMs formation.
