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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Entries
Topic Review
The Eco-Wellbeing Performance in China
After rapid development in recent decades, China has laid a strong economic foundation and established material conditions. Despite this, the country still confronts a range of challenges that impede higher-quality economic and social development. To measure high-quality regional development, eco-wellbeing performance (EWP) has become an important tool that seeks to strike a balance between economic development, human wellbeing, and environmental protection.
  • 464
  • 17 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Integrating Environment with Health
With the increasing challenge of addressing environmental health issues, various approaches have been proposed to reduce environmental problems. For Muslims all over the world, the Qur’an, Hadith, and Sunnah are recognised as the authoritative messages for spiritual and behavioural guidance on how humans can react to protect the environment and health.
  • 390
  • 17 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Polyethylene Terephthalate Recycling Techniques
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a widely used thermoplastic with excellent properties, making it a popular choice for various packaging and single-use plastic products. Its exceptional tensile strength, processability, transparency, thermal stability, barrier properties, toughness-to-weight ratio, and chemical resistance have contributed to its widespread use. However, the significant consumption of PET has led to a substantial amount of PET waste, especially in the form of single-use packaging. This has raised concerns about the environmental impact of plastic waste, such as marine pollution and landfill accumulation.
  • 364
  • 14 Aug 2023
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. 
  • 291
  • 15 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Ecological Compensation and Ecosystem Function Offsets
Ecological compensation, which is widely applied, is presumed to be an important mechanism to address environmental degradation that commonly occurs due to activities related to development projects and resource use. In comparison to carbon offsets, the implementation of biodiversity offsets are more challenging due to difficulties in biodiversity measurement, determining ecological equivalence, the relatively longer time taken, the higher level of uncertainty, the uniqueness of ecosystems, and the irreversibility of species loss. Generally, there is a positive relationship between biodiversity and carbon stocks; however, there are also cases where there are no clear or even negative relationships between biodiversity and carbon stocks. Ecosystem functions are directly or indirectly affected by environmental degradation, and ecological compensation measures usually compensate for only a few components of the ecosystem functions.
  • 335
  • 14 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Environmental Factors in Water Systems
Microplastics, MPs, in aquatic environments pose serious threats when associated with other pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, PHs. MPs and PHs are considered emerging and ubiquitous contaminants in water bodies, and their interaction has a complex chain effect.
  • 235
  • 26 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Applications of Nanostructured Bioaerogel in Particulate Matter Removal
Particulate matter (PM) pollution is a significant environmental and public health issue globally. Exposure to high levels of PM, especially fine particles, can have severe health consequences. Conventional air filters are fabricated from non-biodegradable and non-ecofriendly materials which can cause further environmental pollution as a result of their excessive use. Nanostructured biopolymer aerogels have shown great promise in the field of particulate matter removal. Their unique properties, renewable nature, and potential for customization make them attractive materials for air pollution control.
  • 266
  • 27 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Bacteriophages in Agriculture
Bacteriophages, more commonly referred to as phages, are a class of viruses discovered for their bactericidal effects even before the discovery of penicillin and other antibiotics. An increasingly popular alternative to antibiotics is bacteriophages to control bacterial diseases. Their unique bactericidal properties make them an ideal alternative to antibiotics, as many countries begin to restrict the usage of antibiotics in agriculture. The recent evidence from within the past decade on the efficacy of phage therapy on common foodborne pathogens are analyzed, namely, Escherica coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter jejuni. 
  • 747
  • 21 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Predicted Changing Danube Delta Ecosystems for Fish Species
The Danube Delta is one of Earth’s biodiversity hotspots and includes many endemic, rare, and important species of both major conservation and economic value. This unique complex of ecosystems also plays a key role for Danube River and Black Sea fish fauna through its role as a natural safe buffer, shelter, feeding, reproduction, and smooth transitional area for a large number of fish species. Climate change is inducing a progressive sea level rise in the Black Sea, a fact that is expected to impact the delta’s key complex and dynamic habitats, biocoenoses, and associated biota, and last but not least the key taxonomic group, namely, fish. Around one-third of the fish species of this delta will be greatly affected, sometimes negatively, by this climate change scenario, another one-third to a lesser extent, and the final one-third not at all.
  • 427
  • 20 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Implementation of Soil and Water Conservation in Indonesia
Soil and water are natural resources that support the life of various creatures on Earth, including humans. The main problem, so far, is that both resources can be easily damaged or degraded by human-induced drivers. The threat of damage or degradation is increasing due to rapid human population growth and humans’ insatiable daily necessities.
  • 334
  • 13 Jul 2023
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