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. 
  • 292
  • 16 May 2023
Topic Review
Contaminations in Ion-Adsorption Type Rare Earths Tailings
Rare earth elements, particularly middle and heavy rare earth, are among the most valuable resources in the pursuit of a greener economy. The production of middle and heavy rare earth elements heavily relies on ion adsorption, which constitutes over 80% of global output and is centered in southern China. Unfortunately, the extensive mining activities have led to severe environmental pollution, resource depletion, and risks to human health.
  • 447
  • 16 May 2023
Topic Review
Geoethical Thinking in the Educational System of Greece
Geoethics is a relatively new and interdisciplinary field that addresses the ethical implications of the use and management of the Earth’s resources and environment. It encompasses ethical considerations related to geosciences and the environment, such as the protection of geological heritage, the management of natural resources, and the mitigation of natural hazards. Furthermore, it includes the ethical implications of the use of geotechnology, such as the use of geothermal energy and the handling of geological waste. It aims to ensure that the needs and well-being of present and future generations are considered when making decisions regarding the use and management of natural resources, including geoheritage.
  • 321
  • 16 May 2023
Topic Review
Dripping Rainfall Simulators for Soil Research
Rainfall simulators represent often-used equipment for soil research. Depending on their performance, they could be appropriate for some soil research or not. Dripping rainfall simulators (DRS) can provide rainfall that corresponds to natural rainfall, except in terms of the drop size distribution and wetted area. However, usually there are more factors that do not correspond to natural rainfall, such as the median drop size, volume and kinetic energy. The sizes of the drops generated by the simulator drippers are mostly in the range between 2 and 6 mm, while the number of drops smaller than 2 mm is relatively small. The intensity and duration of the simulated rain can be successfully produced to match natural values, with the most frequently simulated short-term rainfall of a high intensity. Most simulations were conducted at a fall height of up to 2 m, and then their number gradually decreases as the height gets closer to 5 m. Most simulations (58.6%) occur in the range between 20–90% KE, then 33.0% in a range of 90–100%, with only 8.4% lower than 20% KE.
  • 692
  • 15 May 2023
Topic Review
Plant Growth Promoting Microorganisms in Soilless Systems
Soilless systems, such as hydroponics and aquaponics, are gaining popularity as a sustainable alternative to traditional soil-based agriculture, aiming at maximizing plant productivity while minimizing resource use. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM) have emerged as a promising solution to overcome these issues. Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Azospirillum are the most extensively studied genera for their effectiveness as growth promoters, inducing changes in root architecture morphology. Furthermore, PGPM inoculation, either alone or in synergy, can reverse the effects of nutrient deficiency and salt stress. The genera Pseudomonas and Trichoderma were recognized for their solid antagonistic traits, which make them highly effective biocontrol agents in hydroponic systems. The findings indicate their ability to significantly reduce disease severity index (DSI) through mycoparasitism, antibiosis, and induced systemic resistance. In aquaponic systems, the inoculation with Bacillus subtilis and Azospirillum brasilense demonstrated increased dissolved oxygen, improving water quality parameters and benefiting plant and fish growth and metabolism. 
  • 501
  • 15 May 2023
Topic Review
Reducing Carbon Emissions from Maritime Tourism
Reducing the carbon emissions from hotels on non-interconnected islands (NII) is essential in the context of a low carbon future for the Mediterranean region. Maritime tourism is the major source of income for Greece and many other countries in the region, as well as hot-temperate and tropical regions worldwide. Like many NIIs, Rhodes attracts a high influx of tourists every summer, doubling the island’s energy demand and, given the high proportion of fossil fuels in the Rhodian energy supply, increasing carbon emissions.
  • 189
  • 15 May 2023
Topic Review
Coherence of Bangui Magnetic Anomaly
The interactions between the geophysical processes and geodynamics of the lithosphere play a crucial role in the geologic structure of the Earth’s crust. The Bangui magnetic anomaly is a notable feature in the lithospheric structure of the Central African Republic (CAR) resulting from a complex tectonic evolution.
  • 320
  • 12 May 2023
Topic Review
Hybrid Artificial Intelligence in Groundwater
As one of the world’s most valuable and vital water sources, groundwater is integral to many facets of human life, including food production, economic growth, and safe drinking water. Developing precise soft computing methods for groundwater management, which includes quality and quantity, is crucial for improving water resources planning and management. Significant progress has been made in groundwater management using hybrid machine learning (ML) models as artificial intelligence (AI). 
  • 438
  • 12 May 2023
Topic Review
Public Acceptance of Autonomous Vehicles in Public Transportation
The field of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is advancing rapidly, with prototype development and on-road testing of AVs frequently occurring, suggesting that AV deployment for public transportation may soon become a reality.
  • 499
  • 11 May 2023
Topic Review
Microplastics in Coastal Agglomerations
Microplastics are ubiquitously in various environments from the equator to the poles. Coastal agglomerations act as both a source and sink connecting the global microplastic cycles of oceans and continents. While the problem of microplastics is particularly severe and complex in the coastal zones, where both inland and marine pollution are concentrated, the present research aimed to provide hot topics and trend of coastal urban microplastic studies and to review the researches on microplastic pollution in the atmosphere and water bodies in coastal agglomerations in terms of characteristics, behavior and health threat of microplastics. The results of the bibliometric analysis showed an increase in the annual output of microplastic research. Research hot topics and clusters were analyzed using the VOSviewer. Characteristics of microplastics varied in abundance, size and polymer type in different environments and countries. Furthermore, coastal cities are taken as a system to sort out the input, output, and internal transmission pathways of microplastics. The health threat of microplastics to urban residents was briefly reviewed and the exposure and health risks of microplastics to infants and young children were of particular concern. Detailed and comprehensive studies on intervention and reduction in the transmission of microplastics between the atmosphere and water bodies, whether microplastics are harmful to infants and young children, and measures to reduce the risk of microplastic exposure are needed.
  • 335
  • 11 May 2023
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