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Topic Review
Biosafety of Genome Editing Applications
In the European Union plants developed by novel genomic techniques for directed mutagenesis are have to undergo an Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) prior to release or placing on the market. However, specific guidance for such an ERA is still lacking. In this review we discuss the limited suitability of general denominators of risk/safety to predict the risks associated with individual genome edited (GE) plants and argue that there is no safety by default for whole groups of GE applications encompassing different individual GE organisms. We suggest integrating the following two sets of considerations into the ERA to address particular characteristics of GE plants: considerations related to the traits developed by GE and considerations addressing the assessment of method-related unintended effects, e.g. due to off-target modifications. In conclusion, we recommend that further specific guidance for the ERA and monitoring should be developed to facilitate a focused assessment approach for GE plants. 
  • 518
  • 08 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Organophosphate Esters in Aquatic Environment
Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are increasingly used as flame retardants and plasticizers in various products. Most of them are physically mixed rather than chemical bonded to the polymeric products, leading to OPEs being readily released into the surrounding environment. Due to their relatively high solubility and mobility, OPEs are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and may pose potential hazards to human health and aquatic organisms. 
  • 518
  • 16 May 2023
Topic Review
Past and Future of Permafrost Monitoring
Changes in the thermal state of permafrost under the influence of climatic variations have occurred over the years, but have not reached their maximum. This circumstance significantly increases the risks in fuel and energy complex stability. Everywhere in the Russian Arctic, there is a loss of the bearing capacity in the bases of buildings and structures. The vast majority of the permafrost data are outdated and need to be actualized in the formation of a unified monitoring system. The development of the fuel and energy complex in the Russian Arctic complements the impact of background climate change. As a result of the joint effect of climate warming and large-scale man-made impacts on permafrost, a cumulative effect arises. Its consequences critically accelerate the loss of the stability of frozen foundations, which leads to major accidents of natural–technical systems.
  • 517
  • 26 May 2022
Topic Review
Geodiversity and Geotourism
Geodiversity has recently emerged as a key idea for recognizing the value of abiotic nature. The concept has vital implications for informing tourism sustainability research; however, to date, tourism scholarship has not shown adequate engagement with this concept. The issue also assumes further significance in the Anthropocene, where our species has become a geological force. It is argued that, in the Anthropocene, it is no longer enough for tourism sustainability research to remain preoccupied with the human predicament in the Anthropocene or the decline of biotic nature at some prominent tourism destinations, and it is imperative that tourism scholars embrace the concern for abiotic diversity and dynamic earth processes that provide vital resources and services for tourism planetwide.
  • 516
  • 17 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Methodological Improvement in SF6 of Malaysia's National Inventory
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas is one of the high global warming potential (GWP) gases regulated under the Kyoto Protocol. In Malaysia’s Biennial Update Report 3, the Revised 1996 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Guidelines were followed to estimate the SF6 emissions in the country, including the time series from 1990 to 2016. The majority of SF6 emissions originate from the use of this gas in electrical equipment, where it is predominantly used in transmission switch gears, which have increased rapidly because of increasing electricity demand. SF6 gas plays a significant role in greenhouse gas emissions in Malaysia because this gas has a higher GWP than carbon dioxide.
  • 516
  • 14 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Ecosystem Services Potential of Endemic Floras
Natural, sustainable products arise in many fields, wild plants are reconsidered as providers of traditional or innovative applications. The notion of ecosystem services (ES) provides a frame to evaluate their benefits, but is still scarcely applied to endemic floras.
  • 515
  • 31 May 2022
Topic Review
Carbon Dioxide Separation Technologies
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from burning fossil fuels play a crucial role in global warming/climate change. The effective removal of CO2 from the point sources or atmosphere (CO2 capture), its conversion to value-added products (CO2 utilization), and long-term geological storage, or CO2 sequestration, has captured the attention of several researchers and policymakers. 
  • 514
  • 15 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Agri-Environmental Indicators and Stakeholders’ Assessment of Their Quality
The degree to which economic goals have been prioritized over environmental and social objectives has caused dissatisfaction with conventional agricultural practices and stimulated the adoption of sustainable farming methods. One way to consider the multidimensionality of sustainable agriculture is to refer to indicators, more precisely, to agri-environmental indicators (AEIs). 
  • 512
  • 01 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Pollution Levels in Various Environmental Compartments
Population growth is another source of pollution in the environment. Heavy metal pollution wreaks havoc on soil and groundwater, especially in China. COVID-19 has pros and cons. The COVID-19 epidemic has reduced air pollution in China and caused a significant reduction in CO2 releases globally due to the lockdown but has a harmful effect on human health and the economy. Moreover, COVID-19 brings a huge amount of biomedical waste. COVID-19’s biomedical waste appears to be causing different health issues. On the other hand, it was discovered that recycling has become a new source of pollution in south China. Furthermore, heavy metal contamination is the most severe ecological effect. Likewise, every problem has a remedy to create new waste management and pollution monitoring policy. The construction of a modern recycling refinery is an important aspect of national waste disposal. 
  • 512
  • 29 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Salt Lake Aerosols' Chemical Composition and Health Effects
Salt Lakes, having a salt concentration higher than that of seawater and hosting unique extremophiles, are predominantly located in drought-prone zones worldwide, accumulating diverse salts and continuously emitting salt dust or aerosols. Salt Lake aerosols are produced through various processes, including lake-water spray, evaporation-induced salt crystallization, wind-driven dust emissions, microbial activities, chemical reactions, and anthropogenic influences. The primary mechanism involves the breaking of wind-driven waves at the lake surface. As the wind blows across the water, it generates waves. When these waves reach a critical size, they break and release tiny droplets into the air, which become airborne particles and form aerosols.
  • 512
  • 29 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Quick Approaches for Assessing Ocular Toxicity with Zebrafish
The presence of contaminants in the environment has increased, and studies have demonstrated that these contaminants have the ability to penetrate the blood–retinal barrier and directly affect the visual systems of organisms. Zebrafish are recognized as an ideal model for human eye diseases due to their anatomical and functional similarities to the human eye, making them an efficient and versatile organism for studying ocular toxicity caused by environmental contaminants in the field of environmental toxicology. Meanwhile, zebrafish exhibit a diverse repertoire of visually mediated behaviors, and their visual system undergoes complex changes in behavioral responses when exposed to environmental contaminants, enabling rapid assessment of the ocular toxicity induced by such pollutants. 
  • 511
  • 30 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Social Vulnerability to Floods in Malaysia
Flood disasters, a natural hazard throughout human history, have caused significant damage to human safety and infrastructure. Demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and access to healthcare crucially determine social vulnerability to adverse flood events. 
  • 510
  • 08 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Chemical and Biological Degradation for Perfluorooctanoic Acid
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a perfluoro compound that contains an eight-carbon perfluoroalkyl chain followed by a carboxylic acid function group. It has found applications in water-resistant coating and is produced either by degrading other long-chain perfluorinated carboxylic acids or fluorotelomer alcohol. PFOA is challenging to further degrade during water treatment processes, leading to its accumulation in natural systems and causing contamination. Research has been conducted to develop several methods for its removal from the water system.
  • 510
  • 01 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Smart Irrigation for Improving Water Productivity in Drylands
By using several factors, including soil and climate variation, soil properties, plant responses to water deficits, and changes in weather factors, smart irrigation can drive better irrigation decisions that can help save water and increase yields. Various smart irrigation approaches, such as artificial intelligence and deep learning (artificial neural network, fuzzy logic, expert system, hybrid intelligent system, and deep learning), model predictive irrigation systems, variable rate irrigation (VRI) technology, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could ensure high water use efficiency in water-scarce regions. These smart irrigation technologies can improve water management and accelerate the progress in achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where no one gets left behind.
  • 510
  • 26 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Women in Climate Change
The contributions of women in climate change have received increasing attention in the early 21st century. Feedback from women and the issues faced by women have been described as "imperative" by the United Nations and "critical" by the Population Reference Bureau. A report by the World Health Organization concluded that incorporating gender-based analysis would "provide more effective climate change mitigation and adaptation."
  • 509
  • 06 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Horticulture 4.0 in Horticulture for Meeting Sustainable Farming
The United Nations emphasized a significant agenda on reducing hunger and protein malnutrition as well as micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) malnutrition, which is estimated to affect the health of up to two billion people. The UN also recognized this need through Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2 and SDG 12) to end hunger and foster sustainable agriculture by enhancing the production and consumption of fruits and vegetables. Previous studies only stressed the various issues in horticulture with regard to industries, but they did not emphasize the centrality of Industry 4.0 technologies for confronting the diverse issues in horticulture, from production to marketing in the context of sustainability. 
  • 507
  • 27 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Anaerobic Co-Digestion
The anaerobic mono-digestion treatment of organic waste can be challenging due to nutrient imbalances and a lack of microbial diversity. However, anaerobic co-digestion has been shown to effectively address both challenges without the need for additives.
  • 507
  • 27 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Potential for Recovery of Valuable Minerals
Remining can be defined as the use of mine waste, including solid and liquid waste, as the source material from which to extract metals or create other materials of economic value. The socioeconomic appeal of remining derives from its ability to increase domestic supply, create jobs, and improve environmental conditions in areas affected by existing and historic mining activity. Renewable energy metals from remined materials can be sourced from legacy and modern mine wastes for original target metals/minerals and for metals/minerals that were not originally targeted. 
  • 505
  • 27 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Nitrogen and Phosphorus in the Northern Adriatic Sea
In the last two decades of the 21st century, a gradual decrease in nitrogen and phosphorus has been observed along the coastal area of the Northern Adriatic Sea. This depletion is attributed to reduced river flows. Studies conducted over the past four decades have indicated that the N/P ratio in the open sea is unlikely to undergo significant change. In fact, it tends to increase due to the unique characteristics of the Northern Adriatic Sea, which experiences slow water turnover and is influenced by strong winds. Additionally, the Northern Adriatic Sea receives a substantial amount of freshwater from rivers, accounting for about one-third of the total freshwater flow into the Mediterranean. These rivers carry nutrient loads that contribute to the high productivity and abundance of fish in this sea, making it one of the most productive areas in the Mediterranean. It has been observed that the cessation of anthropogenic phosphorus input, which has been regulated since the late 1980s with legislation limiting its use in detergents, has significantly affected the trophic chain.
  • 504
  • 01 Sep 2023
Topic Review
ROS and Antioxidants in Halophytes
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are excited or partially reduced forms of atmospheric oxygen, which are continuously produced during aerobic metabolism like many physiochemical processes operating throughout seed life. Previously, it was believed that ROS are merely cytotoxic molecules, however, now it has been established that they perform numerous beneficial functions in plants including many critical roles in seed physiology. ROS facilitate seed germination via cell wall loosening, endosperm weakening, signaling, and decreasing abscisic acid (ABA) levels. Most of the existing knowledge about ROS homeostasis and functions is based on the seeds of common plants or model ones.
  • 502
  • 30 Aug 2023
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