Summary

Environmental science emerged from the fields of natural history and medicine during the Enlightenment. Today, it provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems. Environmental studies are incorporating more of the social sciences in order to understand human relationships, perceptions and policies towards the environment. This entry collection features information about design and technology for improving environmental quality in every aspect.

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Topic Review
Bio-Oil
Bio-oil is a the liquid phase obtained from the pyrolysis of biomass. The composition and amount of bio-oil generated depend not only on the type of the biomass but also on the conditions under which pyrolysis is performed. Most fossil fuels can be replaced by bio-oil-derived products. Thus, bio-oil can be used directly or co-fed along with fossil fuels in boilers, transformed into fuel for car engines by hydrodeoxygenation or even used as a more suitable source for hydrogen production than biomass. On the other hand, due to its rich composition in compounds resulting from the pyrolysis of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, bio-oil co-acts as a source of various value-added chemicals such as aromatic compounds.
  • 5.4K
  • 12 May 2021
Topic Review
Hydrogen Peroxide and Dental Environment
Hydrogen peroxide is an effective biocide in its gaseous (vaporized and aerosolized) form against viruses, spores, fungi, and bacteria. The vaporized solution of hydrogen peroxide, which is based on water, is activated by plasma and acts as an oxidizing and disinfecting agent when it settles and contacts the surfaces of all objects in the room.
  • 996
  • 12 May 2021
Topic Review
Biopollution
Biopollution describes the biological pollution caused by the introduction of non-indigenous species into biogeographic regions where they were not present before. It is considered one of the main threats to environmental health, and it is a factor of disturbance that can be consistently viewed as a pollution agent, albeit of a different nature if compared with physical and chemical factors. Ecosystem deterioration may be induced by the development of massive alien population outbreaks following introduction events. Biopollution assessment procedures have been proposed, adopting criteria already used for xenochemical compounds. Also prevention and mitigation measures to reduce biopollution impact have been developed in a similar way as for chemical pollution.
  • 1.9K
  • 12 May 2021
Topic Review
Agroecology-The Case of Cereals
Transformative agroecology has been recognized as a stepping stone to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), due to its great potential to build climate change-resilient farming systems while enhancing ecosystem services and reducing biodiversity loss. Understanding the agroecological elements that underlie the sustainability of an agroecosystem is an urgent matter, serving as the foundation for designing a truly transformative agroecosystem. 
  • 2.3K
  • 12 May 2021
Topic Review
Sustainability in City-Regionalism
Sustainability concerns transgress jurisdictional boundaries compelling multi-scalar and inter-jurisdictional responses. The city-region is one of the scales at which governance actors may mobilise for sustainability and this is now recognised in literatures on integrated food systems, for example. However, within the mainstream debates on city-regions, sustainability as a motivation for inter-jurisdictional governance is still given scant attention. In practice also the connections between city-regionalism and sustainability are often limited and fractious. However, there are emergent practices which offer the potential for a stronger relationship, especially where there are growing pressures for addressing environmental threats and spillovers at the regional scale. 
  • 838
  • 10 May 2021
Topic Review
Mycotoxins Biocontrol Methods
Contamination of crops with phytopathogenic genera such as Fusarium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, and Penicillium usually results in mycotoxins in the stored crops or the final products (bread, beer, etc.).
  • 892
  • 08 May 2021
Topic Review
Bismuth-Graphene Nanohybrids
Photocatalysis is a classical solution to energy conversion and environmental pollution control problems. In photocatalysis, the development and exploration of new visible light catalysts and their synthesis and modification strategies are crucial. It is also essential to understand the mechanism of these reactions in the various reaction media. Recently, bismuth and graphene’s unique geometrical and electronic properties have attracted considerable attention in photocatalysis. 
  • 1.2K
  • 08 May 2021
Topic Review
Seaweed Phenolic Compounds
Seaweeds are a potential source of bioactive compounds that are useful for biotechnological applications and can be employed in different industrial areas in order to replace synthetic compounds with components of natural origin. Diverse studies demonstrate that there is a solid ground for the exploitation of seaweed bioactive compounds in order to prevent illness and to ensure a better and healthier lifestyle. Among the bioactive algal molecules, phenolic compounds are produced as secondary metabolites with beneficial effects on plants, and also on human beings and animals, due to their inherent bioactive properties, which exert antioxidant, antiviral, and antimicrobial activities. 
  • 2.3K
  • 07 May 2021
Topic Review
Antioxidant
The primary objectives of modern agriculture includes the environmental sustainability, low production costs, improved plants’ resilience to various biotic and abiotic stresses, and high sowing seed value. Delayed and inconsistent field emergence poses a significant threat in the production of agri-crop, especially during drought and adverse weather conditions. To open new routes of nutrients’ acquisition and revolutionizing the adapted solutions, stewardship planswill be needed to address these questions.One approach is the identification of plant based bioactive molecules capable of altering plant metabolism pathways which may enhance plant performance in a brief period of time and in a cost-effective manner.A biostimulant is a plant material, microorganism, or any other organic compound that not only improves the nutritional aspects, vitality, general health but also enhances the seed qualityperformance.
  • 1.5K
  • 07 May 2021
Topic Review
Organic Residues and Soils
The management of large volumes of organic residues generated in different livestock, urban, agricultural and industrial activities is a topic of environmental and social interest. The high organic matter content of these residues means that their application as soil organic amendments in agriculture is considered one of the more sustainable options, as it could solve the problem of the accumulation of uncontrolled wastes while improving soil quality and avoiding its irreversible degradation. However, the behavior of pesticides applied to increase crop yields could be modified in the presence of these amendments in the soil.
  • 2.0K
  • 29 Apr 2021
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