• Title/Summary/Keyword: natural sustainability

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Future Directions and Perspectives on Soil Environmental Researches (토양환경분야 연구동향 및 전망)

  • Yang, Jae-E.;Ok, Yong-Sik;Chung, Doug-Young
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.44 no.6
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    • pp.1286-1294
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    • 2011
  • This paper reviews the future directions and perspectives on the soil environmental researches in the 21 century. Previously, the principal emphasis of soil environmental researches had put on the enhancement of food and fiber productions. Beside the basic function of soil, however, the societal needs on soil resources in the 21st century have demands for several environmental and social challenges, occurring regionally or globally. Typical global issues with which soil science should deal include food security with increasing agronomic production to meet the exploding world population growth, adaptation and mitigation of climate change, increase of the carbon sequestration, supply of the biomass and bioenergy, securing the water resource and quality, protection of environmental pollution, enhancing the biodiversity and ecosystem health, and developing the sustainable farming/cropping system that improve the use efficiency of water and agricultural resources. These challenges can be solved through the sustainable crop production intensification (SCPI) or plant welfare concept in which soil plays a key role in solving the abovementioned global issues. Through implementation of either concept, soil science can fulfill the goal of the modern agriculture which is the sustainable production of crops while maintaining or enhancing the ecosystem function, quality and health. Therefore, directions of the future soil environmental researches should lie on valuing soil as an ecosystem services, translating research across both temporal and spatial scales, sharing and using data already available for other purposes, incorporating existing and new technologies from other disciplines, collaborating across discipline, and translating soil research into information for stakeholders and end users. Through the outcomes of these approaches, soil can enhance the productivity from the same confined land, increase profitability, conserve natural resource, reduce the negative impact on environment, enhance human nutrition and health, and enhance natural capital and the flow of ecosystem services. Soil is the central dogma, final frontier and new engine for the era of sustainability development in the $21^{st}$ century and thus soil environmental researches should be carried according to this main theme.

Economic and Environmental Sustainability Assessment of Livestock Manure Gasification for Fuel Gas Production (축분 가스화를 통한 연료가스 생산 공정의 경제적, 환경적 지속가능성 평가)

  • Ji Hong Moon;Kyung Hwan Ryu
    • Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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    • v.34 no.3
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    • pp.291-298
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    • 2023
  • This research evaluates the sustainability of gasifying livestock manure to produce fuel gas from an economic and carbon emission perspective. The entire process, including gasification, fuel gas purification, and pipeline installation to transport the produced fuel gas to the demanding industrial complex, is analyzed for realistic feasibility. The study is conducted using an ASPEN PLUS simulation with experimental data. The results of the economic and CO2 life cycle assessments confirm that the fuel gas produced from livestock manure is competitive with natural gas despite having a lower calorific value. When used as a fuel with a high hydrogen content, the fuel gas emits less CO2 per calorific value, making it more environmentally friendly. A scenario analysis is also performed to determine the expected economics, with price competitiveness being influenced by several factors. Although a significant decrease in natural gas prices could reduce the price competitiveness of the proposed process, it can still be supported by government policies. The cash flow analysis also confirms the economic viability of the process.

Sustainable SCC with high volume recycled concrete aggregates and SCMs for improved mechanical and environmental performances

  • Zhanggen Guo;Ling Zhou;Qiansen Sun;Zhiwei Gao;Qinglong Miao;Haixia Ding
    • Advances in concrete construction
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    • v.16 no.6
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    • pp.303-316
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    • 2023
  • Using industrial wastes and construction and demolition (C&D) wastes is potentially advantageous for concrete production in terms of sustainability improvement. In this paper, a sustainable Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) made with industrial wastes and C&D wastes was proposed by considerably replacing natural counterparts with recycled coarse aggregates (RCAs) and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) (i.e., Fly ash (FA), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and silica fume (SF)). A total of 12 SCC mixes with various RCAs and different combination SCMs were prepared, which comprise binary, ternary and quaternary mixes. The mechanical properties in terms of compressive strength and static elasticity modulus of recycled aggregates (RA-SCC) mixes were determined and analyzed. Microstructural study was implemented to analyze the reason of improvement on mechanical properties. By means of life cycle assessment (LCA) method, the environmental impacts of RA-SCC with various RCAs and SCMs were quantified, analyzed and compared in the system boundary of "cradle-to-gate". In addition, the comparison of LCA results with respect to mechanical properties was conducted. The results demonstrate that the addition of proposed combination SCMs leads to significant improvement in mechanical properties of quaternary RA-SCC mixes with FA, GGBS and SF. Furthermore, quaternary RA-SCC mixes emit lowest environmental burdens without compromising mechanical properties. Thus, using the combination of FA, GGBS and SF as cement substitution to manufacture RA-SCC significantly improves the sustainability of SCC by minimizing the depletion of cement and non-renewable natural resources.

Biological aspects and population dynamics of Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) in Barru, Makassar Strait, Indonesia

  • Andi Asni;Hasrun;Ihsan;Najamuddin
    • Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.27 no.6
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    • pp.392-409
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    • 2024
  • The present study aims to analyze the biological aspects and population dynamics of Indian mackerel in Barru waters. Data was collected in Barru for 11 months, from June 2022 to April 2023. The observed parameters of biological aspects included gonadal maturation stages (GMSs), size at first gonadal maturation, and length-weight relationship. Meanwhile, the aspects of population dynamics encompass age group, growth, mortality rate, and exploitation rate. Data analysis consisted of morphological selection of general maturation stages, Spearman-Kärber method in estimating gonadal first maturation size, Bhattacharya method in identifying age group, von Bertalanffy function through FISAT II to measure growth (L and K), Pauly Model to estimate mortality rate, Beverton & Holt Model to estimate Y/R, and virtual population analysis (VPA) analysis to estimate stock and fish yield. The results demonstrated that GMS I was observed to be dominant, followed by stages II and III. The initial gonadal maturation was estimated to be 17.98-19.28 cm (FL) for females and 17.98-19.27 cm (FL) for males. The length-weight relationship in male and female Indian mackerels indicated a positive allometric growth. The mode grouping analysis results from the fork length measurement revealed three age groups. It was also identified that the asymptotic length (L) = 29.5 cm (fork length), growth rate coefficient (K) = 0.46 per year, and theoretical age at zero length (t0) = -0.3576 per year. Total mortality (Z) = 2.67 per year, natural mortality (M) = 1.10 per year, fishing mortality (F) = 1.57 per year, and exploitation rate (E) = 0.59, the actual Y/R = 0.083 gram/recruitment, and optimal Y/R 0.03 gram/recruitment. Fishing mortality is higher than the natural mortality rate, and a high exploitation value (E > 0.5) also reflects over-exploitation. VPA analysis on fish yields and stock estimation reported a highly exploited rate between the 11.5 cm and 14.5 cm length classes and an exceeding current yield of 467.07 tons/year with a recommended yield of 233.53 tons/year to ensure population sustainability.

Performance Analysis of Ink for Digital Textile Printing Using Natural Indigo (천연 인디고를 활용한 Digital Textile Printing용 잉크의 성능 분석)

  • Lee, Won Kyoung;Sung, Eun Ji;Moon, Joung Ryul;Ahn, In Yong;Yoon, Kwang Ho;Park, Yoon Cheol;Kim, Jong Hoon
    • Textile Coloration and Finishing
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    • v.33 no.4
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    • pp.202-209
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    • 2021
  • Natural dyes are more expensive than synthetic dyes and the dyeing process, which is mainly immersion of dye, is complicated. For this reason, relatively small-scale production methods were predominant. However, awareness and interest in environmental sustainability is rising globally, and the use of synthetic dyes causes various environmental problems such as wastewater and CO2 emission, so the consumption of natural dyes is increasing. In addition, interest in digital textile printing, an eco-friendly dyeing method that can produce products of various designs and uses less water, is growing. In this study, natural indigo dye (Indigofera tinctoria) was used as a raw material for Digital Textile Printing ink, and 14C (Biocarbon) present in it was measured to confirm whether it was derived from natural ingredients. The performance was confirmed by testing the pH, viscosity, electrical conductivity, surface tension, and particle size analysis of natural indigo ink. In addition, the performance of natural indigo DTP ink and printing fabric was evaluated by inspecting the change in color fastness and corresponding index substances before and after digital printing with natural indigo DTP ink on textiles. Through this, the possibility of commercialization of DTP ink and printing fabric using natural indigo was confirmed.

Strength Modeling of Mechanical Strength of Polyolefin Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites

  • Sakthievel, P.B.;Ravichandran, A.;Alagumurthi, N.
    • Journal of Construction Engineering and Project Management
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.41-46
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    • 2014
  • RCC consumes large quantities of natural resources like gravel stone and steel, and there is a need to investigate on an innovative material that utilizes limited quantities of natural resources but should have good mechanical strength. This study deals with the experimental investigation of strength evaluation of cementitious composites reinforced with polyolefin fibers from 0% to 2.5% (with interval of 0.5%), namely Polyolefin Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites (PL-FRCC) and developing statistical regression models for compressive strength, splitting-tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength of PL-FRCC. Paired t-tests (for each PL fiber percentage 0 to 2.5%) bring out that there is significant difference in compressive and splitting-tensile strength when curing periods (3, 7, 28 days) are varied. Also, a strong relationship exists between the compressive and flexural strength of PL-FRCC. The proposed mathematical models developed in this study will be helpful to ascertain the mechanical strength of FRCC, especially, when the fiber reinforcing index is varied.

Reduction of Energy and Food Security in DPRK due to Deforestation

  • SHIN, Eunsoo Justin;Ahn, Ji Whan
    • Journal of Energy Engineering
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    • v.27 no.3
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    • pp.63-67
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    • 2018
  • The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or the DPRK, is one of the poorest country in world facing chronic economic, energy and food security issues. Prolonged improper management of economic and natural resources has led to extreme poverty, malnutrition and critically vulnerability to nature's forces. Presistent deforestation and forest degradation in the DPRK has national and global consequences which has attracted attention from international community, whose offering financial and technical assistance for targeted interventions. Through REDD+ programs, the DPRK has the opportunity to establish its credentials as a responsible nation while improving the quality of life of its population. This study offers an enabling context under which suitable climate change action related to forestry can be identified and implemented in the DPRK.

Deforestation and Forest land Use in Côte d'Ivoire: Policy and Fiscal Instruments

  • Djezou, Wadjamsse Beaudelaire
    • Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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    • v.32 no.1
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    • pp.55-67
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    • 2016
  • This paper investigated policies that drive the sustainable management of Ivorian forest which disappear at an annual rate of 250000 hectares. Based on an inter-temporal model for optimum allocation of forest land to three competing uses, the article found that sustainability depends on the incentive structure, of which forest taxes and fees are a key, though obviously not the sole, component. The study proposed to increase the area fee level by accounting for environmental externalities generated by forest harvesters and farmers. The paper showed that the area fee is a decreasing function of the forest natural rate of regeneration and the reconversion rate of agricultural surfaces. Finally, at the given forest natural rate of regeneration and the reconversion rate of agricultural surfaces, the model argued that the area fee need to be progressive (arithmetic progression) in the context of ecological equilibrium break while it should remain constant in normal situation.

Experimental investigation on hardened properties of recycled coarse aggregate concrete

  • Shohana, Shanjida A.;Hoque, Md. I.;Sobuz, Md. H.R.
    • Advances in concrete construction
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    • v.10 no.5
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    • pp.369-379
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    • 2020
  • Reduction of disposal of waste materials due to construction demolition has become a great concern in recent decades. The research work presents the hardened properties of concrete where the partial substitution of recycled coarse aggregate with natural aggregate in amount of 0%, 10%, 30% and 50%. By using different mixed proportions, fresh and hardened properties of concrete were conducted for this investigation. These properties were compared with control concrete. It can be seen that all of the hardened properties of concrete were decreased with the increasing percentage of recycled aggregate in concrete mixes. It was noticed that up to 30% recycled aggregate replacement can be yielded the optimum strength when it used in normal concrete. Finally, it can be said that disposed recycled concrete utilizing as a partial replacement in natural aggregate is a great way to reuse and reduce environmental hazards which achieve sustainability approach in the construction industry.

Utilization of Satellite Technologies for Agriculture

  • Ju-Kyung Yu;Jinhyun Ahn;Gyung Deok Han;Ho-Min Kang;Hyun Jo;Yong Suk Chung
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
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    • v.33 no.7
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    • pp.547-552
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    • 2024
  • Satellite technology has emerged as a powerful tool in modern agriculture, offering capabilities for Earth observation, land-use pattern analysis, crop productivity assessment, and natural disaster prevention. This mini-review provides a concise overview of the applications and benefits of satellite technologies in agriculture. It discusses how satellite imagery enables the monitoring of crop health, identification of land-use patterns, evaluation of crop productivity, and mitigation of natural disasters. Farmers and policymakers can make informed decisions to optimize agricultural practices, enhance food security, and promote sustainable agriculture by leveraging satellite data. Integrating satellite technology with other advancements, such as artificial intelligence and precision farming techniques, holds promise for further revolutionizing the agricultural sector. Overall, satellite technology has immense potential for improving agricultural efficiency, resilience, and sustainability in the face of evolving environmental challenges.