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Topic Review
Plant Ecological Treatment Technology for Livestock Wastewater
After antibiotics are used in livestock and poultry, on the one hand, selection pressure will be formed to make the intestinal microorganisms of livestock and poultry develop resistance, thus making livestock and poultry manure carry a large amount of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG); on the other hand, about 30-90% of antibiotics will be discharged into the environment with livestock and poultry manure, and the antibiotics entering the environment will not only cause chemical pollution, but most importantly, may induce antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and ARG in the environment generation in the environment. The sources of ARGs in livestock wastewater may be threefold: (1) livestock wastewater receives ARGs already present in livestock manure; (2) pollutants such as antibiotics and heavy metals in wastewater induce microorganisms to produce ARGs; and (3) proliferation of microbial host bacteria leads to proliferation of ARGs. Unlike traditional chemical pollutants, which exhibit unique environmental behaviors such as replicability, transmissibility, and environmental persistence due to their inherent biological properties, ARGs are promoted by mobile genetic elements such as plasmids, transposons, integrons, insertion sequence common regions, and complex integrons. These ARGs are transmitted between different microorganisms in environmental media through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) mechanisms and may enter the food chain and humans through direct or indirect routes, increasing human drug resistance and endangering human public health.
  • 745
  • 21 Mar 2023
Topic Review
The Physical Setting of Amazonian Floodplains
Amazonian floodplain forests along large rivers consist of two distinct floras that are traced to their differentiated sediment- and nutrient-rich (várzea) or sediment- and nutrient-poor (igapó) environments.
  • 743
  • 01 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Preparing Public Opinion to Accept Distributed Energy Systems
Global energy consumption has reached unprecedented levels over the last century due to population growth and economic growth. There have been significant changes in the global energy economy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants. Due to this trend, many countries around the world are promoting electric technologies as fuel-saving alternatives. Israelis know too little about smart meters, energy storage systems, and other modern power grid technology, which enables a decentralized approach to energy management referred to as distributed energy systems (DES). Using distributed energy systems to generate energy on-site and manage loads can reduce costs, improve reliability, and secure revenue. An effective public education program can help prepare public opinion and reduce barriers to smart use and energy efficiency in the home. 
  • 738
  • 28 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Farmland Consumption of Biogas Slurry
Biogas slurry (BS) is an attractive agricultural waste resource which can be used to regulate soil microbial communities, enhance nutrient absorption capacity of crops, promote plant–soil interactions, and consequently, increase crop productivity.
  • 736
  • 16 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Landfill Gas Emission Reduction in Brazil
Brazil has established a strong public policy using Clean Development Mechanism Projects to reduce methane emissions from landfills. An important component of these projects is the sale of avoided emissions by the private market to generate revenue.
  • 733
  • 10 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Immobilized Nanomaterials for Energy Production
Nanomaterials (NMs) have been extensively used in several environmental applications; however, their widespread dissemination at full scale is hindered by difficulties keeping them active in engineered systems. Thus, several strategies to immobilize NMs for their environmental utilization have been established and are described in the present text, emphasizing their role in the production of renewable energies, the removal of priority pollutants, as well as greenhouse gases, from industrial streams, by both biological and physicochemical processes. The challenges to optimize the application of immobilized NMs and the relevant research topics to consider in future research are also presented to encourage the scientific community to respond to current needs.
  • 732
  • 01 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Circularity and Energy Production in the Built Environment
Building materials, due to their mass and energy-consuming production processes, drastically increase the embodied energy of construction. There is a significant decrease in environmental impacts results from a shift to recycled materials in the construction phase, as well as from changing the landfill disposal method to recycling. In particular, it was found that the use of recycled building materials (such as recycled cement, metal, concrete, or glass) during the construction phase and recycling disposal methods lead to an overall decrease of impact up to 65%. 
  • 730
  • 16 May 2022
Topic Review
Thermal Treatment Emissions Focusing on CO2 Parameter
Waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies can offer sustainable solutions for waste that cannot be further reused or recycled, such as the part of municipal solid waste (MSW) that is not suitable for recycling processes. The two main (most widely used) thermal treatment technologies that can be applied to MSW are direct combustion in an incineration plant and gasification. 
  • 729
  • 08 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Surface Water under Growing Anthropogenic Loads
The increase in the fluxes of elements and compounds into the environment, such as the emission of greenhouse gases and dispersion of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), acidifying gases, and toxic elements and compounds that adversely affect water quality, are considered. 
  • 727
  • 01 Dec 2022
Topic Review
COVID-19 and Housing Injustice
In the United States, there has been a long history of environmental injustice that disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities and low-income communities due to racially targeted policies and widespread discrimination. Environmental racism can be revealed in housing discrimination that perpetuates inequities in exposure to environmental pollutants. Biased credit and mortgaging practices such as redlining have led to housing segregation of racial and ethnic minorities in the USA, permitting policymakers to diminish and disinvest in these communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified housing instability for families of color, including Black and Hispanic/Latinx communities, putting them at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure. There is a need to investigate how environmental injustice intensifies the COVID-19 pandemic, illuminates racial and ethnic inequities in exposure to environmental contaminants, and fuels disparities in COVID-19 outcomes.
  • 726
  • 14 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Mechanisms of Magnetoreception of Hypomagnetic Fields
The Earth’s magnetic field is one of the basic abiotic factors in all environments, and organisms had to adapt to it during evolution. On some occasions, organisms can be confronted with a significant reduction in a magnetic field, termed a “hypomagnetic field—HMF”, for example, in buildings with steel reinforcement or during interplanetary flight. HMFs can modify cell signalling by affecting the contents of ions (e.g., calcium) or the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, which participate in cell signal transduction. Additionally, HMFs have different effects on the growth or functions of organ systems in different organisms, but negative effects on embryonal development have been shown. Embryonal development is strictly regulated to avoid developmental abnormalities, which have often been observed when exposed to a HMF. Only a few studies have addressed the effects of HMFs on the survival of microorganisms. Studying the magnetoreception of microorganisms could be useful to understand the physical aspects of the magnetoreception of the HMF.
  • 723
  • 02 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Health of Coastal Environments in the Pacific Region
Coastal areas provide important ecological services to populations accessing, for example, tourism services, fisheries, minerals and petroleum. Coastal zones worldwide are exposed to multiple stressors that threaten the sustainability of receiving environments. Assessing the health of these valuable ecosystems remains a top priority for environmental managers to ensure the key stressor sources are identified and their impacts minimized. 
  • 722
  • 23 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Alternative Sources of Energy in Transport
The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has shown a significant increase as compared to the preindustrial era. The CO2 concentration level stood at 402.31 ppm, approximately 42% higher than the mid-1800 levels (around 280 ppm). Additionally, there have been notable increases in CH4 and N2O levels. The transport sector is considered one of the most polluting sectors, which is why alternative technologies to traditional combustion engines and fuels are being explored, such as battery electric (BEV), hybrid electric (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), compressed natural gas (CNG), biogas (BG), and more.
  • 722
  • 21 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Pollution Control of Industrial Mariculture Wastewater
The main targets of mariculture wastewater treatment are organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, while the other pollutants, such as chemicals, need to be controlled from the feed sources. That is to say, the main target of mariculture wastewater is to remove most of the organic solid wastes containing the above pollutants. The conventional physical, chemical, biological and ecological technologies are feasible for the treatment of all the biodegradable pollutants.
  • 720
  • 13 May 2022
Topic Review
Roles, Formation Processes and Investigation Methods of Rhizosheath
The rhizosheath, defined as the complex of root hair, exudates and soil that strongly adheres to plant roots, is a promising root adaptive trait in facing conditions of water and nutrient deficits, as well as acidic soil. Several beneficial ecological functions are attributed to the rhizosheath, such as enhancing water and nutrient uptake; protecting from dehydration, heat and acid stresses; and stimulating microbial activities. It has been described in several Angiosperm species, including crops grown in severe habitats. 
  • 719
  • 19 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Climate Change Impacts Beach Microbiota
Global climate change is affecting beach microbial contamination, via changes to conditions like water temperature, sea level, precipitation, and waves. In addition, the world is changing, and humans travel and relocate, often carrying endemic allochthonous microbiota. 
  • 717
  • 10 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Huizhou Fire Seal Walls in Chinese Traditional Buildings
In the history of human civilization, traditional villages and buildings have been significantly threatened by fire. As an essential part of Huizhou traditional architecture, fire seal walls play a crucial role in preserving Huizhou architecture by effectively blocking the spread of fire. 
  • 714
  • 01 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Climate Change Mitigation Strategies for Improved Agriculture
Climate change refers to a long-term and significant change in measures of climate such as rainfall, temperature, wind or snow patterns. Global warming and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are considered major factors responsible for adversely accelerating the degree of climate change. Climate change-induced abiotic stresses such as salinity, drought and temperature fluctuations are devastating crops’ physiological responses, productivity and overall yield, which is ultimately posing a serious threat to global food security and agroecosystems. The applications of chemical fertilizers and pesticides contribute towards further deterioration and rapid changes in climate. Therefore, more careful, eco-friendly and sustainable strategies are required to mitigate the impact of climate-induced damage on the agricultural sector.
  • 709
  • 03 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Industry 4.0 and Renewable Energy Production Nexus
In line with the fourth industrial revolution, most countries have imposed a variety of regulations or policies for the goals of energy conservation, sustainable development, and industrial transition. Renewable energy production and its production process, which is widely discussed, especially in the context of sustainable energy, has become more important with Industry 4.0. 
  • 705
  • 08 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Impact of Micro- and Nanoplastics on Aquatic Organisms
Anthropogenic activities on the aquatic ecosystem have direct and indirect effects that negatively affect biodiversity both in freshwater and sea. Among the main threats to aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity is climate change. Climate change can impact marine and freshwater ecosystems in several ways: ocean warming; sea level rise; the loss of sea ice; a decrease in pH due to increased ocean surface acidity; an increased risk of diseases in marine biota; the loss of habitats such as Coral Reef; pollution; nutrient enrichment; hydrological modifications; the spread of invasive species; and increasing levels of UV light. The production of plastic and its release into the environment is contributing to the loss of biodiversity and is becoming a serious threat to animal redox homeostasis and, subsequently, for human health.
  • 700
  • 09 Oct 2023
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