Topic Review
Cellular Automata in Modeling and Predicting Urban Densification
The creation of an accurate simulation of future urban growth is considered to be one of the most important challenges of the last five decades that involves spatial modeling within a GIS environment. Even though built-up densification processes, or transitions from low to high density, are critical for policymakers concerned with limiting sprawl, the literature on models for urban study reveals that most of them focus solely on the expansion process. Although the majority of these models have similar goals, they differ in terms of implementation and theoretical assumptions. Cellular automata (CA) models have been proven to be successful at simulating urban growth dynamics and projecting future scenarios at multiple scales.
  • 514
  • 05 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Portable X-ray Fluorescence Analysis of Organic Amendments
Portable XRF spectrometry (pXRF) has recently undergone significant technological improvements and is being applied in a wide range of studies. Despite pXRF advantages, this technique has rarely been used to characterize organic amendments and residues. pXRF correctly measures elements such as Fe, Pb, Zn, Mn, Ca, and K but gives conflicting results for elements such as Cr, Ni, and As. Among the reasons that may cause the low performance of the technique with certain elements or under certain measurement conditions would be the inadequacy of the analytical comparison procedures used (i.e., digestion with aqua regia), the lack of knowledge of the interfering effects of organic matter, and sample moisture on the XRF signals and the need for a standardized protocol for performing the measurements. However, the speed and low cost of the procedure forecast a greater future use of this technique, especially in cooperation with other fast spectroscopic techniques based on near-infrared (NIRS) or mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopies. Chemometric procedures based on one or more of these techniques will allow the prediction of elements below the detection limit of pXRF instruments (Cd, Hg), or other properties of organic amendments (organic matter, N, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity).
  • 594
  • 05 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Genes-Encoding Transporters for Cadmium Uptake, Translocation, and Accumulation
Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that is highly toxic for plants, animals, and human beings. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in Cd accumulation in plants is beneficial for developing strategies for either the remediation of Cd-polluted soils using hyperaccumulator plants or preventing excess Cd accumulation in the edible parts of crops and vegetables. As a ubiquitous heavy metal, the transport of Cd in plant cells is suggested to be mediated by transporters for essential elements such as Ca, Zn, K, and Mn. Identification of the genes encoding Cd transporters is important for understanding the mechanisms underlying Cd uptake, translocation, and accumulation in either crop or hyperaccumulator plants.
  • 304
  • 05 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Gas Radiant Heaters’ Flue-Gas Heat Recovery
In view of EU environmental policy, reducing energy consumption, developing energy-saving technologies and solutions, and reducing pollutant emissions are immensely relevant concerns. Waste heat recovery (WHR) systems enable these tasks to be achieved, and the favorable global situation implies that solutions for waste heat recovery from gas-fired radiant heaters for large-hall heating should attract the interest of many stakeholders.
  • 601
  • 04 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Omics in the Persistent Organic Pollutants Assessment
Human beings and wild organisms are exposed daily to a broad range of environmental stressors. Among them are the persistent organic pollutants that can trigger adverse effects on these organisms due to their toxicity properties. There is evidence that metabolomics can be used to identify biomarkers of effect by altering the profiles of endogenous metabolites in biological fluids or tissues. This approach is relatively new and has been used in vitro studies mainly. 
  • 305
  • 04 Aug 2022
Topic Review
The Fungi That Degrade Plastic
Plastic has become established over the world as an essential basic need for our daily life. Plastics have many characteristics such as low production costs, inertness, relatively low weight, and durability. The primary disadvantage of plastics is their extremely slow natural degradation. The latter results in an accumulation of plastic waste in nature. Many fungi can be used to degrade plastics.
  • 1.1K
  • 03 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Nanotechnological Approaches for Removal of Persistent Organic Pollutants
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a group of hazardous chemical compounds that originate from anthropogenic activities during production, utilization, and disposal. They can impact living beings and the environment adversely because of their ease of transportation by wind and water. The level of hazardous persistent organic pollutants is increasing every day in the environment.
  • 1.2K
  • 02 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Remote Sensing Land Surface Temperature-Based ET Algorithms
Evapotranspiration (ET) is a process that includes evaporation from the surface, such as open water bodies, soil and vegetation, and transpiration as the water released mostly by the plant leaves transported from the root system. ET is a key factor in the hydrological cycle, since it describes the mechanism and energy needed to transport the liquid water stored in the soil-watershed-canopy system to the atmosphere, converted into water vapour.  Remote sensing technology is a globally consistent and economically feasible means to estimate ET values at regional and meso-scales on the Earth’s surface, since the approach directly links surface radiances and the components of the surface energy balance. Over the past, combined use of satellite remote sensing data from optical and thermal infrared sensors has provided substantial progress in the estimation of ET. Based on the concept of surface energy balance and net radiation, most remote sensing models have estimated ET for application studies such as water consumption, water resources planning and management over watersheds or modeling ecological processes and analyzing biophysical characteristics of landscape.
  • 746
  • 02 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Microseismic Monitoring and Analysis with Cutting-Edge Technology
Microseismic monitoring is a useful enabler for reservoir characterization without which the information on the effects of reservoir operations such as hydraulic fracturing, enhanced oil recovery, carbon dioxide, or natural gas geological storage would be obscured. The global energy demand is projected to increase. To meet the increasing energy demand requires new technologies to exploit unconventional reserves. Similarly, calls for climate actions such as carbon geosequestration, hydrogen generation, and geological hydrogen storage will require an improvement in reservoir characterization methods.
  • 453
  • 02 Aug 2022
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Bioplastic as a Substitute for Plastic in Construction Industry
Bioplastics have proven to be a viable substitute for plastics in some sectors, although their use in construction is still limited. The construction sector currently uses 23% of the world’s plastic production, both for the materials themselves and for their packaging and protection. A considerable part is not recycled and is dispersed into the environment or ends up in landfills. In response to the environmental problems caused by oil-based plastic pollution, the development of biocomposite materials such as bioplastics represents a paradigm shift. This entry aims to explain what bioplastics are, providing a classification and the description of the different properties and applications. It also lays out the most interesting uses of these materials in the construction field. 
  • 1.9K
  • 02 Aug 2022
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