Search

Investigating effective fluorescence strategies for real-time monitoring of dipicolinic acid (DPA) is of paramount importance in safeguarding human health. Herein, we present the design of a desirable red-emissive carbon nanostructure anchoring a molecularly imprinted Er-BTC MOF as a fluorescence biosensor for the visual determination of DPA. DPA is a biomarker of Bacillus anthracis, a subcategory of serious infectious diseases and bioweapons. We introduce a paper test strip sensitized with the aforementioned nanostructure, which is integrated with online UV excitation and smartphone digital imaging, resulting in a DPA signal-off sensing platform. The proposed fluorometric visual paper-based biosensor demonstrates wide linear ranges for DPA (10–125 μM) with a LOQ and LOD of 4.32 and 1.28 μM, respectively. The designed platform exhibits impressive emission properties and adaptable surface functional groups, which confirm its desirable selective sensing capabilities against other biological molecules and DPA isomers. As a proof of concept, DPA monitoring is successfully applied to real samples of tap water and urine. This integrated selective paper-based nano-biosensor, coupled with smartphone signal recording, holds great promise for state-of-the-art practical applications including fluorometric/colorimetric detection in healthcare and environmental monitoring, food safety analysis, and point-of-care testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generalized target detection algorithms perform well for large- and medium-sized targets but struggle with small ones. However, with the growing importance of aerial images in urban transportation and environmental monitoring, detecting small targets in such imagery has been a promising research hotspot. The challenge in small object detection lies in the limited pixel proportion and the complexity of feature extraction. Moreover, current mainstream detection algorithms tend to be overly complex, leading to structural redundancy for small objects. To cope with these challenges, this paper recommends the PCSG model based on yolov5, which optimizes both the detection head and backbone networks. (1) An enhanced detection header is introduced, featuring a new structure that enhances the feature pyramid network and the path aggregation network. This enhancement bolsters the model's shallow feature reuse capability and introduces a dedicated detection layer for smaller objects. Additionally, redundant structures in the network are pruned, and the lightweight and versatile upsampling operator CARAFE is used to optimize the upsampling algorithm. (2) The paper proposes the module named SPD-Conv to replace the strided convolution operation and pooling structures in yolov5, thereby enhancing the backbone's feature extraction capability. Furthermore, Ghost convolution is utilized to optimize the parameter count, ensuring that the backbone meets the real-time needs of aerial image detection. The experimental results from the RSOD dataset show that the PCSG model exhibits superior detection performance. The value of mAP increases from 97.1% to 97.8%, while the number of model parameters decreases by 22.3%, from 1,761,871 to 1,368,823. These findings unequivocally highlight the effectiveness of this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the impact of environmental protection tax on green technology innovation of Chinese resource-based enterprises and behavior of thirdparty environmental monitoring institutions. It uses game theory to analyze participants' strategy selections, and uses the triple difference method to empirically test the promotion effect. Our robust results find that (1) Chinese environmental tax policy effectively promotes the green innovation of resource-based enterprises and standardizes the behavior of third-party monitoring institutions; (2) local governments' actions such as increasing environmental protection tax, penalizing third-party monitoring agencies for violations, and promoting public preference for green consumption, all contribute to accelerating enterprises' green innovation; (3) the central government's increased regulation of local governments has a positive impact on enterprises and third-party monitoring institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have developed the SEMAR (Smart Environmental Monitoring and Analytics in Real-Time) IoT application server platform for fast deployments of IoT application systems. It provides various integration capabilities for the collection, display, and analysis of sensor data on a single platform. Recently, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become very popular and widely used in various applications including IoT. To support this growth, the integration of AI into SEMAR is essential to enhance its capabilities after identifying the current trends of applicable AI technologies in IoT applications. In this paper, we first provide a comprehensive review of IoT applications using AI techniques in the literature. They cover predictive analytics, image classification, object detection, text spotting, auditory perception, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and collaborative AI. Next, we identify the characteristics of each technique by considering the key parameters, such as software requirements, input/output (I/O) data types, processing methods, and computations. Third, we design the integration of AI techniques into SEMAR based on the findings. Finally, we discuss use cases of SEMAR for IoT applications with AI techniques. The implementation of the proposed design in SEMAR and its use to IoT applications will be in future works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid and accurate detection of ammonia is very important for manufacture and environmental monitoring, which needs to be developed urgently. Herein, a thin film‐based fluorescence sensor is fabricated by using a ternary europium (III) complex probe for ammonia. The new complex Eu(TPM)3(2‐PBO) (1) was designed and synthesized by utilizing a trifluoromethyl substituted β‐diketone ligand TPM and a diimine ligand 2‐PBO (TPM = 1,1,1‐trifluoro‐5,5‐dimethyl‐2,4‐hexanedione, 2‐PBO = 2‐(2′‐pyridyl)‐benzoxazole). This complex probe was synthetically characterized by elemental analysis, crystallographic and spectroscopic analysis, and photoluminescence (PL) study. The crystallographic analysis revealed complex 1 as a neutral complex structure with the Eu(III) center in a distorted square antiprism EuO6N2 coordination polyhedron. Based on this complex probe, a thin film fluorescence sensor with highly sensitive and selective response to ammonia was developed by polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA): complex composite and cellulose paper support. When the paper‐based sensor was exposed to ammonia, its PL emission showed a sensing behavior of rapid quenching. Surprisingly, this new method can achieve excellent limit of detection as low as 2.740 × 10−6 ppm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective environmental monitoring has become a worldwide concern, requiring the development of novel tools to deal with pollution risks and manage natural resources. However, a majority of current assessment methods are still costly and labor-intensive. Thanks to the rapid advancements in microfluidic technology over the past few decades, great efforts have been made to develop miniaturized tools for rapid and efficient environmental monitoring. Compared to traditional large-scale devices, microfluidic approaches provide several advantages such as low sample and energy consumption, shortened analysis time and adaptabilities to onsite applications. More importantly, it provides a low-cost solution for onsite environmental assessment leveraging the ubiquitous materials such as paper and plastics, and cost-effective fabrication methods such as inkjet printing and drawing. At present, devices that are disposable, reproducible, and capable of mass production have been developed and manufactured for a wide spectrum of applications related to environmental monitoring. This review summarizes the recent advances of low-cost microfluidics in the field of environmental monitoring. Initially, common low-cost materials and fabrication technologies are introduced, providing a perspective on the currently available low-cost microfluidic manufacturing techniques. The latest applications towards effective environmental monitoring and assessment in water quality, air quality, soil nutrients, microorganisms, and other applications are then reviewed. Finally, current challenges on materials and fabrication technologies and research opportunities are discussed to inspire future innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades, the increase in global industrialization and the consequent technological progress have damaged the quality of the environment. As a consequence, the high levels of hazardous compounds such as metals and gases released in the atmosphere and water, have raised several concerns about the health of living organisms. Today, many analytical techniques are available with the aim to detect pollutant chemical species. However, a lot of them are not affordable due to the expensive instrumentations, time-consuming processes and high reagents volumes. Last but not least, their use is exclusive to trained operators. Contrarily, colorimetric sensing devices, including paper-based devices, are easy to use, providing results in a short time, without particular specializations to interpret the results. In addition, the colorimetric response is suitable for fast detection, especially in resource-limited environments or underdeveloped countries. Among different chemical species, transition and heavy metals such as iron Fe(II) and copper Cu(II) as well as volatile compounds, such as ammonia (NH3) and acetaldehyde (C2H4O) are widespread mainly in industrialized geographical areas. In this work, we developed a colorimetric paper-based analytical device (PAD) to detect different contaminants, including Fe2+ and Cu2+ ions in water, and NH3 and C2H4O in air at low concentrations. This study is a "proof of concept" of a new paper sensor in which the intensity of the colorimetric response is proportional to the concentration of a detected pollutant species. The sensor model could be further implemented in other technologies, such as drones, individual protection devices or wearable apparatus to monitor the exposure to toxic species in both indoor and outdoor environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past decade, new biological assessment methods have been developed for use in inland waters. Less work has gone into objective testing of the individual methods and their diagnostic or other capabilities, and very little effort has been devoted to comparing methods. This special issue of Hydrobiologia brings together a number of the most recently developed bioassessment methods, or aspects of them, so readers can begin to compare their potential value and practical usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful application of cutting-edge computer vision technology to automatic insect classification has long been a focus of research in insect taxonomy. The results of this research have a wide range of applications in areas such as environmental monitoring, pest diagnosis and epidemiology. However, there is still a gap between the current techniques used in automatic insect classification and the latest computer vision techniques. The research in this paper is conducted on Lepidoptera, a class of insects that are widely infested, including butterflies and moths. The study focuses on the application of deep learning algorithms in image processing of Lepidoptera insects. In order to improve the recognition rate for Lepidoptera insect recognition, this paper uses a detection model based on deep neural networks to realize the recognition of Lepidoptera insects in complex environments. Specifically, the yolov7 algorithm is adopted as the basic model for this experiment, and the reasons for using this model are explained in terms of the splicing of network modules, loss function, positive sample allocation strategy, and the merging of convolution and normalization, respectively. Through experiments, it is proved that the algorithm can effectively improve the gesture recognition rate, the recognition accuracy reaches 79.5%, and the recognition speed is as high as 33.08it/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft actuators have demonstrated promising applications in artificial muscles, bionic robotics, smart apparatus, and beyond. Nevertheless, most of the current soft actuators only present actuating features without any real‐time sensory feedbacks, which may prohibit the timely correction of actuation error leading to the damage of the systems and target objects especially in some interactive applications. Here, a multi‐responsive actuator with self‐sensing function is enabled by a bilayer structure composing of MXene coated‐paper and polyethylene. This actuator can be triggered by multi‐stimuli and performs large deformation with low power consumption but high response speed because of the remarkable photothermal and hygroscopic performance of MXene. Meanwhile, this actuator can detect its own deformation with an amplified sensing signal on the basis of the synergetic strain‐ and stimulus‐resistance response of the MXene coated‐paper. It is demonstrated that this actuator can not only serve as a multi‐responsive switch to monitor the environmental temperature and humidity, but also as a smart gripper. This multi‐responsive actuator with self‐sensing function provides a potential application in the field of soft robotics, intelligent switch, and bionic prosthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs) have become promising tools offering various analytical applications for chemical and biological assays at the point-of-care (POC). Compared to traditional microfluidic devices, µPADs offer notable advantages; they are cost-effective, easily fabricated, disposable, and portable. Because of our better understanding and advanced engineering of µPADs, multistep assays, high detection sensitivity, and rapid result readout have become possible, and recently developed µPADs have gained extensive interest in parallel analyses to detect biomarkers of interest. In this review, we focus on recent developments in order to achieve µPADs with high-throughput capability. We discuss existing fabrication techniques and designs, and we introduce and discuss current detection methods and their applications to multiplexed detection assays in relation to clinical diagnosis, drug analysis and screening, environmental monitoring, and food and beverage quality control. A summary with future perspectives for µPADs is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screen-printing technology has revolutionized many fields, including that of electrochemical biosensing. Due to their current relevance, this review, unlike other papers, discusses the relevant aspects of electrochemical biosensors manufactured using this technology in connection to both paper substrates and wearable formats. The main trends, advances, and opportunities provided by these types of devices, with particular attention to the environmental and biomedical fields, are addressed along with illustrative fundamentals and applications of selected representative approaches from the recent literature. The main challenges and future directions to tackle in this research area are also pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based lateral-flow assays (LFAs) have achieved considerable commercial success and continue to have a significant impact on medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring. Conventional LFAs are typically performed by examining the color changes in the test bands by naked eye. However, for critical biochemical markers that are present in extremely small amounts in the clinical specimens, this readout method is not quantitative, and does not provide sufficient sensitivity or suitable detection limit for a reliable assay. Diverse technologies for high-sensitivity LFA detection have been developed and commercialization efforts are underway. In this review, we aim to provide a critical and objective overview of the recent progress in high-sensitivity LFA detection technologies, which involve the exploitation of the physical and chemical responses of transducing particles. The features and biomedical applications of the technologies, along with future prospects and challenges, are also discussed. • High-sensitivity detection methods for paper-based LFA are reviewed. • Operating principles, features, and applications of diverse LFA detection methods are described. • Future perspectives for high-sensitivity LFA detection methods are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new boronic acid functionalized MoS 2 QDs (B-MoS 2 QDs) was synthesized. • B-MoS 2 QDs as a fluorescent mode used for ultra-selectivity analysis of Hg2+. • A unique quenching mechanism of the sensor for Hg2+ detection was studied in detail. • The relevant test paper can use to detect the trace amounts of Hg2+ under UV lamp. • This method has potentially applied in on-site monitoring of environmental Hg2+. In this study, the B-MoS 2 QDs, boronic acid functionalized MoS 2 quantum dots, are synthesized by a simple aminoacylation reaction between MoS 2 QDs and 3-aminobenzeneboronic acid (APBA). It not only exhibits excellent thermo-stability, photo-stability and good salt tolerance, but shows excellent fluorescence stability even under industrial wastewater with high concentration. These good characters can be used to construct a new fluorescence sensor for sensitive and selective detection of mercury ions (Hg2+). The fluorescence intensity of B-MoS 2 QDs linearly decreases with the increase of Hg2+ concentration ranging from 0.005 to 41 μmol L−1, and the limit of detection as low as 1.8 nmol L−1. Due to the mercury ion-promoted transmetalation reaction of aryl boronic acid, this proposed method exhibits fast response, ultra-sensitivity and high selectivity for analysis of Hg2+ in different environmental water, and which also uses to online monitoring of Hg2+. The B-MoS 2 QDs–based test paper can be used to detect the trace amounts of Hg2+ under UV lamp by naked eyes, suggesting that the proposed method has potential application in on-site monitoring of environmental Hg2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H. Malon et al. in their paper entitled "Application of Low-Cost Sensors for the Development of a Methodology to Design Front-End Loaders for Tractors" developed a methodology to design tractor front-end loaders with a view of obtaining their accurate design during the bucket loading process. Sensors and applications in agricultural and environmental monitoring have become more essential to (1) farming practices, (2) crop growth estimation, (3) environmental changes, (4) global and regional observations on the earth's environment, and (5) monitoring/environmental analysis. M. Li et al. in their paper entitled "Response Mechanism of Cotton Growth to Water and Nutrients under Drip Irrigation with Plastic Mulch in Southern Xinjiang" studied the effects of water and nutrient control measures on cotton plant height, stem diameter, biomass, seed yield, and soil moisture under an irrigated plastic mulch production system. [Extracted from the article]

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) have experienced rapid growth over the past decade due to their simple design, low cost, minimal sample requirement, and good sensitivity, selectivity and accuracy. While designed originally for point-of-care medical diagnostics, biological, and food safety applications, μPADs are now used increasingly for environmental monitoring purposes. This review provides a detailed overview of the μPADs developed over the past ten years for the environmental analysis of soil, air, ecology (pesticides) and river water. The review commences by introducing the fabrication techniques and detection methods used in μPAD technology. A detailed description of the main μPAD frameworks proposed in the past decade for environmental monitoring is then provided. The review concludes by examining the challenges facing μPADs for environmental monitoring and identifying probable avenues of future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree species classification based on multi-source remote sensing data is essential for ecological evaluation, environmental monitoring, and forest management. The optimization of classification features and the performance of classification methods are crucial to tree species classification. This paper proposes Angle-weighted Standard Deviation Elliptic Cross-merge Rate (ASDER) as a separability metric for feature optimization. ASDER uses mutual information to represent the separability metric and avoids the difficulty of differentiation caused by multiple ellipse centers and coordinate origins forming straight lines by angle weighting. In classification method, Multi-head Self-attention Long Short-Term Memory—Full Convolution Network (MALSTM-FCN) is constructed in this paper. MALSTM-FCN enhances the global correlation in time series and improves classification accuracy through a multi-head self-attention mechanism. This paper takes Beijing Olympic Forest Park (after this, referred to as Aosen) as the research area, constructs a tree species classification dataset based on an actual ground survey, and obtains a classification accuracy of 95.20% using the above method. This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of ASDER and MALSTM-FCN by comparing temporal entropy and LSTM-FCN and shows that the method has some practicality for tree species classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impedance analysis is a powerful technique that has become increasingly important in various applications, it represents a leap forward in the field of electronic measurments and diagnostics. In this work, we present the development of miniaturized, multiplexed, and connected platform for impedance spectroscopy. Designed for online measurements and adapted to wireless network architectures, our platform has been tested and optimized to be used for multi-selective chemical organic sensor nodes. This compact and versatile circuit is built from low cost and low power consumption (250 mW) microelectronics components that achieve long duration operability (5 days and 16 h) without compromising on sensor measurement accuracy and precision. We used the well-known impedance network analyzer AD5933 (Analog Devices, Norwood, MA, USA) chip which can measure a spectrum of impedances in the range 5 kHz to 100 kHz. The proposed system is based on ESP32-C3 Microcontroller enabling the management of the AD5933 through its I2C interface. Our system benefits from two multiplexer components CD74HC4067 allowing calibration process and the interface of 15 conductimetric sensors with real time acquisition (less than 90 ms per acquisition). The system is capable of relaying information through the network for data analysis and storage. The paper describes the microelectronics design, the impedance response over time, the measurement’s sensitivity and accuracy and the testing of the platform with embedded chemical sensors for gas classification and recognition.Article Highlights: Single calibration process: The main contribution of this paper is to propose a portable multiplexed impedance measurement system with a unique self-calibration capability. This capability is facilitated through the use of a single calibration resistor, which significantly enhances the speed of data acquisition. Materials study: To validate our system, a materials study was conducted, focusing on the use of a conductive polymer poly(3hexylthiophene) P3HT doped with various triflate metals. This research aims to assess the system's effectiveness in gas recognition applications, demonstrating its potential for accuracy and speed crucial attributes for modern detection technologies. Gas recognition: Our developed system has been designed to be suitable to assess volatile samples by their quality, to systematically expose them to the miniaturized array under a static blow (the PCA of the partial dataset of resistance modulation published in our former studies quantifies on the systematicity of the exposures by the organization of the data clusters).These labels are indeed crucial to quantify the materials response with environmental physical variables which may greatly vary within an environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing integration of the Internet of Things in smart buildings, it is crucial to ensure the precise implementation and operation of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). This paper aims to study the implementation aspect of WSNs in a commercial multi-story building, specifically addressing the difficulty of dealing with the variable environmental conditions on each floor. This research addresses the disparity between simulated situations and actual deployments, offering valuable insights into the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and responsiveness of building management systems. We obtain real-time sensor data to analyze and evaluate the system's performance. Our investigation is grounded in the growing importance of incorporating WSNs into buildings to create intelligent environments. We provide an in-depth analysis for scrutinizing the disparities and commonalities between the datasets obtained from real-world deployments and simulation. The results obtained show the significance of accurate simulation models for reliable data representation, providing a roadmap for further developments in the integration of WSNs into intelligent building scenarios. This research's findings highlight the potential for optimizing living and working conditions based on the real-time monitoring of critical environmental parameters. This includes insights into temperature, humidity, and light intensity, offering opportunities for enhanced comfort and efficiency in intelligent environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the benefits of the high sensitivity, real-time response, no labeling requirement, and good selectivity, fiber optic sensors based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) have gained popularity in biochemical sensing in recent years. The current research on such sensors is hot in enhancing sensitivity, improving detection accuracy, and achieving the detection of biochemical molecules. The goal of this work is to present a thorough overview of recent developments in the optical fiber SPR biosensor research. Firstly, it explores the basic principles and sensing structures of optical fiber SPR biosensors, focusing on four aspects. Subsequently, this paper introduces three fiber optic surface plasmon biosensors: SPR, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), and long-range surface plasmon resonance (LRSPR). Each concept is explained from the perspective of the basic principles of fiber optic SPR biosensors. Furthermore, a classification of fiber optic SPR biosensors in health monitoring, food safety, environmental monitoring, marine detection, and other applications is introduced and analyzed. Eventually, this paper summarizes the current research directions of SPR biosensors. Meanwhile, it provides a prospective outlook on how fiber optic SPR sensors will develop in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper introduces an innovative system that utilizes the Internet of Things (IoT) to provide an enhanced approach for reporting weather conditions at a specific location and making this information accessible globally. The IoT technology serves as the underlying mechanism for connecting various devices, such as electronic gadgets, sensors, and automotive electronic equipment, to the internet and establishing a network that encompasses a wide range of interconnected objects. In this system, sensors are employed to monitor and regulate environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity, and pressure levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile and digital do‐it‐yourself technique is proposed to fabricate inexpensive sensors on flexible substrates (paper, cloth, and plastic film). A set of office‐grade equipment (i.e., laserjet printer, thermal laminator, computer‐aided paper cutter), and commercially available supplies (i.e., baking wax paper, furniture restoration metal‐leaf) are used. Forming electrodes through traditional printing and defining a fluidic confinement region through crafting practice enable fabrication of a wide range of devices without requiring customized specialty instruments, costly infrastructure, and complicated fabrication steps, unlike previously introduced methods. Three different levels of experiments are designed to assess the comprehensiveness and responsiveness of the proposed method to the needs of existing research fields. The performances of the fabricated features at each level are evaluated to cover various application domains in environmental monitoring and biomedical diagnostics utilizing conductometric, colorimetric, biochemical, and chemoresistive detection principles. Devices with varying size of features, from nanometers to centimeters, are fabricated and characterized. This method provides an alternative route to decentralized production of low‐cost flexible sensors and other devices, with a minimal step, time, and facilities. The operation of such devices is simple and can be further empowered by smartphones for data analysis and transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent Transport System (ITS) is a typical class of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), and due to the special characteristics of such systems, higher requirements are placed on system security. Runtime verification is a lightweight verification technique which is used to improve the security of such systems. However, current runtime verification methods often ignore the effects of the physical environment (e.g., the effects of rain, snow, and other weather changes on road conditions), which results in the inability of the monitor to effectively monitor the system according to the changes in the environment. To address this problem, this paper proposes a method for constructing a runtime monitor with environmental context-awareness capability. First, the physical environment factors affecting the system are formally described and constructed into an environment model, then the system statute is transformed into a Büchi automaton, and then a synthesis algorithm combining the environment model and the Büchi automaton is designed based on the network of automatons, and the corresponding monitor is generated. Finally, the proposed method is applied and verified on simulation and real objects. The experimental results show that the monitors generated based on the method of this paper can effectively monitor unsafe events in different environments, thus improving the safety of intelligent driving systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing scientific advances and networks in NPs research can provide valuable insights into the evolving trends, research gaps, and priorities for future research efforts, highlighting the importance of scientific research in pollution control and risk management of uncontrolled and unknown nanoplastics (NPs) that pose a potential global threat, and have raised concerns in the scientific community and media. A total of 2055 nanoplastics (NPs) studies published from 1995 onwards were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Bibliometric methods were applied to assess evolving scientific advances and networks. The general term, "nanoplastics," was first introduced in 1995 as "intelligent" materials. Before 2009, defined as the ambiguous stage, NPs were produced and applied in many different manufacturing areas and processes. The first research referring to nano-scale plastic particles/debris as potential hazardous contaminants appeared in 2010. Thereafter, the number of annual publications on NPs has increased rapidly, particularly from 2018 onwards. Results showed China published 822 scientific papers, overtaking the United States' 229 papers, whereas European researches, i.e., the Netherlands, Portugal, German, and the United Kingdom, led in quality and citation with extensive international collaborations. Furthermore, we concluded three main research themes from keyword cluster analysis: environmental monitoring (identification, quantification, fresh-water, marine-environment); environmental behaviors (fate, adsorption, aggregation, transport); and toxicology (toxicity, exposure, ingestion, oxidative stress). Toxicology and environmental behaviors of NPs were the leading themes. An overview of the current understanding of NPs in the above three major themes provides perspectives to identify future research directions based on knowledge gaps, e.g., advancing analytical methods, and exploring the mobility and fate of NPs in different ecosystems. Scientific research on NPs is a key fundamental requirement for their pollution control and risk management. To bridge the gap between research and reality, future efforts are required to promote the dissemination of scientific research findings and encourage actions in engineering, policy, education, etc., to support a sustainable society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long-term monitoring study was conducted on effluents from a bleached kraft pulp and paper mill located in Eastern Canada. The study was designed to gain insights into temporal effluent variability with respect to fish reproduction as it related to production upsets, mill restarts and conditions affecting biological treatment performance. Final effluent quality was monitored between February 2007 and May 2009 using biochemical and chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, resin and fatty acids, a gas chromatographic profiling index, and the presence of methyl substituted 2-cyclopentenones. Selected effluent samples were evaluated for effects on fish reproduction (egg production) using a shortened version of the adult fathead minnow reproductive test. The events relating to negative effects on fish reproduction were upsets of the pulping liquor recovery system resulting in black liquor losses, operational upsets of the hardwood line resulting in the loss of oxygen delignification filtrates, and conditions that reduced the performance of biological treatment (e.g., mill shutdown and low ambient temperatures). The reductions in egg production observed in fathead minnow were associated with biochemical oxygen demand values > 20 mg/L, GC profiling indices > 1.2 and the presence of methyl-substituted 2-cyclopentenones at concentrations > 100 μg/L. This study demonstrated the importance of both in-plant measures for controlling the loss of organics as well as the optimum operation of biological effluent treatment for eliminating effluent-related effects on fish reproduction (egg production) in the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, significant efforts have been made to accelerate the economic development of the Arctic zone, leading to intense environmental pollution of this region, accompanied by the significant impact of accumulated environmental damage in the region. The solution to these problems is difficult due to the remoteness of these areas and severe climatic conditions. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the potential for restoration of arctic soils. For this purpose, various indicators are used, including biological ones. In the analyzed arctic soil samples, high concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons (up to 47,000 mg/kg) and chloride-ions (0.10-0.14 wt %) were established. Microbioassay demonstrated a presence of hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms: Penicillium, Azotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas oleovorans. A low enzymatic activity and specific Arctic climate point out a low self-restoration ability of the soil, demonstrated the need for its remediation. The microbioassay with microbial strains identification and soil remediation methods suitable for the Arctic zone were recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescence dual-mode responsive chemosensor was prepared to detect toxic oxalyl chloride. • The chemosensor could determine oxalyl chloride with high sensitivity (LOD: ∼95 nM), high selectivity and fast response. • The flexible and portable AC-HPD-based test strip could semi-quantitatively determine oxalyl chloride vapor. • The AC-HPD-based kit could respond toward oxalyl chloride vapor with obvious color and fluorescence alteration. The screening of highly toxic chemical vapor is critical for environmental monitoring and human health maintenance. Herein, we reported a chemosensor (AC-HPD) for rapid and specific detection of highly toxic oxalyl chloride vapor, which adopted anthracene carboxyimide as a fluorophore and 3-aminopropanol as the reaction site. Upon coupling of oxalyl chloride with NH and OH groups, AC-HPD exhibited remarkable colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescence dual-mode responses towards oxalyl chloride via the intramolecular charge transfer effect. AC-HPD could determine oxalyl chloride with features of rapid response, excellent specificity, low detection limit (95 nM), as well as obvious color and fluorescence change. Furthermore, AC-HPD-embedded test strip was successfully fabricated and used as a flexible sensing device for rapid, sensitive and visible monitoring oxalyl chloride vapor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water contamination by heavy metals poses a significant threat to human health and to the environment. Cr3+ is a common contaminant in aqueous media; therefore, innovative sensing technologies for reliable detection are in demand. In this study, we demonstrate that NaGdF 4 : Yb3+, Er3+ up-converting nanoparticles can be used as ratiometric luminescence probes to detect low concentrations of Cr3+ contaminating ions in water. Excitation in the near-infrared region provides a fluorescence-based detection method with large depth penetration and is autofluorescence-free. Based on this ability, a paper-based sensor was manufactured in which the incorporated up-converting nanoparticles allowed a limit of detection of Cr3+ ion concentrations as low as 2 nM. This represents a new step towards the practical application of rare-earth-doped nanoparticles in environmental monitoring, addressing the critical need for efficient detection methods of contaminating ions in water. • Conventional water pollutant measurement often needs functionalized sensing probes or multiple probes. • This work presents a simple method to measure Cr3+ concentration in water using luminescent rare-earth-doped nanoparticles. • Detecting Cr3+ in water with Yb, Er-NPs does not require functionalization or combination with other nanoparticles. • Integrating Yb, Er-NPs into paper substrates enables simple, quick ratiometric paper-based water quality sensors. • The ratiometric paper-based sensors used in this work shows a limit of detection of 2.4 nM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphate rock is mined on a large scale as a source material for fertilizers and other phosphorous containing products, such as phosphoric acid and gypsum. The potential problem of high concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in the phosphate industry has been recognized for many years. The industry is responsible for the production of millions of tons of phosphogypsum waste, which is usually stockpiled and might impact the surrounding environment. The presented study aims to assess the natural radioactivity concentrations in raw and waste sub-products from phosphate mining and fertilizer production in South Africa and determine the potential radiological risk associated with the industry. Activity concentrations of 238U, 226Ra and 232Th in phosphate rock, phosphogypsum, tailings, fertilizer, soil and sediment were found to be similar to values reported in previous studies conducted in South Africa. Concentrations of the 232Th decay series were higher than those of the 238U series in rock and ore. The low concentrations of 238U and 226Ra in rock and ore, compared to other countries, makes it more suitable to be used for fertilizer production, and therefore increases the demand for export of rock phosphate and fertilizer from South Africa. 228Ra concentrations in phosphogypsum were higher than 226Ra. The activity of 228Ra was also enriched compared to 232Th, with a ratio of 0.45–19.8. Similar equilibria as described in literature were observed, with almost all the 228Ra and 226Ra present in the phosphate rock observed in the phosphogypsum. Only a low percentage of 232Th present in the original rock remained in the phosphogypsum, with more than 60% present in the fertilizer. The activity concentrations of all nuclides in the analysed samples from the phosphate industry were less than the 1000 Bq kg−1 exclusion value proposed internationally for regulation of NORM. With the exception of phosphate rock samples, concentrations in all solids were lower than the 500 Bq kg−1 limit proposed by the National Nuclear Regulator in South Africa. The obtained values of Ra eq for all phosphogypsum, tailings and soil samples were less than the recommended limit of 370 Bq kg−1. The gamma index for the majority of samples was less than 0.5. The index exceeded the limit of unity only for phosphate rock and fertilizer samples, indicating some radiological risk to people living in the vicinity of the industry. The results suggested that members of the public were unlikely to receive any significant dose from the use of phosphate rocks and fertilizers, with an annual effective dose of less than 0.5 mSv.a−1. The highest external dose of 0.45 mSv a−1 is expected from phosphate rock. The suitability of use of phosphogypsum as building material was evaluated. Based on the calculated gamma index [ I γ = 0.52 ± 0.14] use of phosphogypsum as building material is permitted. • Characterization of natural radioactivity in samples from the phosphate fertilizer production industry in South Africa. • Comparison of measured activity concentrations in these samples with those in similar products worldwide. • Evaluation of the radiological impact associated with the phosphate industry in South Africa. • Evaluation of utilization of by-products such as phosphogypsum as building material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms serve as a dynamic platform for diverse missions, including communication relays, search and rescue operations, and environmental monitoring. The success of these operations crucially depends on the resilience of their electrical support systems, especially in terms of battery management. This paper examines the reliability of electrical support for UAV swarms engaged in missions that require prioritization into high and low categories. The paper proposes a dynamic resource allocation strategy that permits the flexible reassignment of drones across different-priority tasks, ensuring continuous operation while optimizing resource use. By leveraging the Markov chain theory, an analytical model for the evaluation of the resilience of the battery management system under different operational scenarios was developed. The paper quantitatively assesses the impact of different operational strategies and battery management approaches on the overall system resilience and mission efficacy. This approach aims to ensure uninterrupted service delivery for critical tasks while optimizing the overall utilization of available electrical resources. Through modeling and analytical evaluations, the paper quantifies the impact of various parameters and operating strategies on overall system resilience and mission availability, considering the utilization strategies of batteries and their reliability and maintenance metrics. The developed models and strategies can inform the development of robust battery management protocols, resource allocation algorithms, and mission planning frameworks, ultimately enhancing the operational availability and effectiveness of UAV swarms in critical special missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne particulate matter (PM) is of great concern in the modern-day atmosphere owing to its association with a variety of health impacts, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Of the various size fractions of PM, it is the finer fractions that are most harmful to health, in particular ultrafine particles (PM0.1; UFPs), with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 100 nm. The smaller size fractions, of ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5; fine particles) and ≤0.1 µm (PM0.1; ultrafine particles), have been shown to have numerous linkages to negative health effects; however, their collection/sampling remains challenging. This review paper employed a comprehensive literature review methodology; 200 studies were evaluated based on the rigor of their methodologies, including the validity of experimental designs, data collection methods, and statistical analyses. Studies with robust methodologies were prioritised for inclusion. This review paper critically assesses the health risks associated with fine and ultrafine particles, highlighting vehicular emissions as the most significant source of particulate-related health effects. While coal combustion, diesel exhaust, household wood combustors' emissions, and Earth's crust dust also pose health risks, evidence suggests that exposure to particulates from vehicular emissions has the greatest impact on human health due to their widespread distribution and contribution to air pollution-related diseases. This article comprehensively examines current sampling technologies, specifically focusing on the collection and sampling of ultrafine particles (UFP) from ambient air to facilitate toxicological and physiochemical characterisation efforts. This article discusses diverse approaches to collect fine and ultrafine particulates, along with experimental endeavours to assess ultrafine particle concentrations across various microenvironments. Following meticulous evaluation of sampling techniques, high-volume air samplers such as the Chem Vol Model 2400 High Volume Cascade Impactor and low-volume samplers like the Personal Cascade Impactor Sampler (PCIS) emerge as effective methods. These techniques offer advantages in particle size fractionation, collection efficiency, and adaptability to different sampling environments, positioning them as valuable tools for precise characterisation of particulate matter in air quality research and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community care encompasses inherent risks for both clients and healthcare providers. Maintaining a safe environment for the delivery of care services ensures that any risk of unintentional or intentional personal harm is minimised. The aim of this scoping review is to (a) provide an overview of existing knowledge by summarising the current literature and (b) identify gaps pertaining to understanding and managing environmental risk in community care settings. Guided by the Population/Concept/Context approach and PRISMA guidelines, this paper used two questions to answer how a score-based tool for assessing client suitability in community care is developed and how an environmental screening tool assists with reducing risk to community care workers. Literature searches of CINAHL, PubMed (Medline), Web of Science and PsychINFO databases were conducted between September 2023 and November 2023. We included full text articles published from 2018 to 2023. The following four broad areas were identified as key components in the structure of an environmental screening tool: environmental factors, health factors, socioeconomic factors and cultural factors. The results of this review provide valuable information which can be utilised by care organisations to develop and/or refine tools to ensure the safety and wellbeing of workers within the community care sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent Comment on our paper ‘Life cycle environmental impacts of UK shale gas’ ( Applied Energy 134 (2014) 506–518), Westaway et al. ( Applied Energy , available online 20th March 2015) allege that we exaggerated the potential impacts of shale gas extraction in the UK. They first take an issue with our inclusion of worst case scenarios despite our clear declaration in several places in the paper that this is indicative of what could happen within the confines of a very ill-defined and highly variable future reality. Secondly, Westaway et al. claim that key assumptions in the modelling reflect illegal practices that would not occur, when in fact this is an exaggeration of the legal situation and these practices are still viable. This rebuttal addresses some of the claims made by Westaway et al. while welcoming further open and impartial discourse in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To strengthen cooperation among local governmental departments and improve water ecology, China has proposed the river management policy "river chief system + procurator". However, it remains to be verified that intergovernmental cooperative policies contribute to the improvement of China's water ecology. Based on data from 87 national water quality monitoring sites released by the China Environmental Monitoring Station from 2015 to 2022, this paper constructed a multiperiod differences-in-differences model to evaluate the effectiveness of the cooperative governmental policy, the "river chief system + procurator", on the improvement of the water quality of rivers and lakes. The results of the study show that cooperative government policy helps to improve the water environment of rivers and lakes, which means that the implementation of the "river chief system + procurator" policy has significantly improved water quality conditions where implemented. In addition, further analysis revealed that intergovernmental cooperative policies had a limited impact on relevant indicators of river and lake pollutants that are more susceptible to different pollution sources compared to the comprehensive indicator of water quality class. This study helps further the understanding of the effects of cooperative intergovernmental policies and the policy practice of environmental governance in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel, discrete lanthanide–macrocycle binary complexes for the detection of hydrogen sulfide are reported. The hydrogen sulfide sensing mechanism utilises the copper sequestration at a secondary binding site, with resulting bimetallic lanthanide(III)/copper(II) complexes (Ln = Eu3+ and Tb3+) exhibiting high selectivity, good sensitivity and excellent reversibility for aqueous hydrogen sulfide. The inclusion of the DO2A macrocycle and 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole dipicolinic acid ligand, results in a complex with good solubility and stability. The europium(III) complex also displayed a low limit of detection (665 ppb) with a response time of 30 seconds with gaseous hydrogen sulfide. The improved water solubility and stability over a previous complex results in these sensors having the potential for use in environmental monitoring and biological studies for various functional settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including, "‘caring community' Recognising and shielding civic environmental monitoring", and "Decolonial Considerations of Environmentalism: Observations from a (US) State Park".

The negative impact humans have on the environment directly affects the environmental security. Over the years, it has been proven that wars make drastic and sometimes unrecoverable environmental damage. Remote sensing has played a main role in providing necessary data for spatiotemporal analysis. This paper reviews remote sensing implementation of war activities for environmental monitoring. This review is timely due to the exponentially increasing number of works published in recent years. This paper's main objective is to locate the papers and find geographic link, sensor use, and environmental degradation type. Following a discussion of remote sensing's capabilities, this overview illustrates numerous environmental damages caused by military operations in various world places. Our study found that wars have a detrimental influence on the ecosystem across the world, with major reasons being forest loss, oil spills, and urban growth. According to the findings, remote sensing, particularly middle‐resolution satellite images, is extensively and successfully employed for environmental security monitoring. The rehabilitation of a deteriorated environment should be one of the key areas of future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate representations of mean climate conditions, especially in areas of complex terrain, are an important part of environmental monitoring systems. As high-resolution satellite monitoring information accumulates with the passage of time, it can be increasingly useful in efforts to better characterize the earth's mean climatology. Current state-of-the-science products rely on complex and sometimes unreliable relationships between elevation and station-based precipitation records, which can result in poor performance in food and water insecure regions with sparse observation networks. These vulnerable areas (like Ethiopia, Afghanistan, or Haiti) are often the critical regions for humanitarian drought monitoring. Here, we show that long period of record geo-synchronous and polar-orbiting satellite observations provide a unique new resource for producing high resolution (0.05°) global precipitation climatologies that perform reasonably well in data sparse regions. Traditionally, global climatologies have been produced by combining station observations and physiographic predictors like latitude, longitude, elevation, and slope. While such approaches can work well, especially in areas with reasonably dense observation networks, the fundamental relationship between physiographic variables and the target climate variables can often be indirect and spatially complex. Infrared and microwave satellite observations, on the other hand, directly monitor the earth's energy emissions. These emissions often correspond physically with the location and intensity of precipitation. We show that these relationships provide a good basis for building global climatologies. We also introduce a new geospatial modeling approach based on moving window regressions and inverse distance weighting interpolation. This approach combines satellite fields, gridded physiographic indicators, and in situ climate normals. The resulting global 0.05° monthly precipitation climatology, the Climate Hazards Group's Precipitation Climatology version 1 (CHPclim v.1.0, http://dx.doi.org/10.15780/G2159X), is shown to compare favorably with similar global climatology products, especially in areas with complex terrain and low station densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economists have greatly criticized regulations that impose uniform environmental standards. Such a critic ignores that the implementation of the standards may vary significantly across plants, thus giving rise in fact to non-uniform standards. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the determinants of the regulator's monitoring activities. We show that greater inspection effort, ceteris paribus, is allocated towards those plants whose emissions are likely to generate a higher level of damages. On the other hand, we show that the behavior of the regulator is also a function of variables that may not be directly related to abatement cost and damages. In particular, we show that variables pertaining to local labor market conditions have an impact on the monitoring strategy adopted by the regulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluid flow behaviour in paper is of increasing interest due to the advantages and expanding use of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (known as μPADs). Applications are expanding from those which often have low sample fluid volumes, such as diagnostic testing, to those with an abundance of sample fluid, such as water quality testing. The rapid development of enhanced features in μPADs, along with a need for increased sensitivity and specificity in the embedded chemistry requires understanding the passively-driven fluid motion in paper to enable precise control and consistency of the devices. It is particularly important to understand the influence of parameters associated with larger fluid volumes and to quantify their impact. Here, we experimentally investigate the impacts of several properties during imbibition in paper, including geometry (larger width and length) and the surrounding conditions (humidity and temperature) using abundant fluid reservoirs. Fluid flow velocity in paper was found to vary with temperature and width, but not with length of the paper strip and humidity for the conditions we tested. We observed substantial post-wetting flow for paper strips in contact with a large fluid reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This position paper gives an overview of how the COMET project (COordination and iMplementation of a pan-European instrumenT for radioecology, a combined Collaborative Project and Coordination and Support Action under the EC/Euratom 7th Framework Programme) contributed to the integration and sustainability of radioecology in Europe via its support to and interaction with the European Radioecology ALLIANCE. COMET built upon the foundations laid by the FP7 project STAR (Strategic Network for Integrating Radioecology) Network of Excellence in radioecology. In close association with the ALLIANCE, and based on the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), COMET developed innovative mechanisms for joint programming and implementation of radioecological research. To facilitate and foster future integration under a common federating structure, research activities developed within COMET were targeted at radioecological research needs identified in the SRA. Furthermore, COMET maintained and developed strong mechanisms for knowledge exchange, dissemination and training to enhance and maintain European capacity, competence and skills in radioecology. In the short term the work to promote radioecology will continue under the H2020 project EJP-CONCERT (European Joint Programme for the Integration of Radiation Protection Research). The EJP-CONCERT project (2015–2020) aims to develop a sustainable structure for promoting and administering joint programming and open research calls in the field of radiation protection research for Europe. In the longer term, radioecological research will be facilitated by the ALLIANCE. External funding is, however, required in order to be able to answer emerging research needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storage conditions play a vital role in maintaining biomass quality as a suitable bioenergy feedstock. Research has shown that biomass undergoes significant changes under different storage conditions and that these may influence its suitability for various biorefining and bioenergy opportunities. This study explores the effects of different tarp covers on the properties of stored-comminuted forest harvest residue from the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Forest. Characteristics of the biomass were evaluated upon harvesting and after one year in storage. The physical state of the different tarps used for pile coverage was monitored onsite. Results indicated that tarp material considerably affects micro-climatic conditions inside piles, yielding variation in the characteristics of stored biomass over the storage period. While plastic based tarps were easier to work with and lasted longer than paper-based tarps, the paper-based tarps were more breathable and resulted in less degradation of biomass. However, the paper-based tarps did not maintain their structural integrity for the full duration of the storage period. Moisture content of original biomass (48.99%) increased to a maximum of 65.25% under plastic cover after 1 year of storage. This negatively influenced the net heating value of the biomass, causing it to decrease from 8.58 MJ/kg to 4.06 MJ/kg. Overall, the use of covers was not considered successful in preserving the original quality of biomass but may enhance its quality for other biorefinery opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) defines the federal environmental assessment (EA) process for evaluating the likelihood that development projects (e.g., roads, buildings, factories) will have impacts on the environment. Environmental effects monitoring (EEM) programs for mining and pulp and paper mills under the Federal Fisheries Act, define the process that is to be used to evaluate existing effects caused by liquid effluents discharged by operating facilities. The EA process occurs before a project is approved, and involves predicting whether the project is going to cause significant environmental impacts. The EEM process occurs after a project is operational, and involves determining whether an existing project has had or is continuing to have significant impacts on the environment. Ideally, the processes are complimentary, with the EA process identifying environmental attributes considered important, and the EEM process demonstrating whether predicted or unpredicted impacts occurred. The two processes are usually done in isolation so potential synergies are lost. The point of this manuscript is to justify bridging the two processes. We use the aquatic environment as the example, and briefly describe the EEM process, aquatic environment indicators, experimental designs, and typical environmental thresholds, to illustrate how the EEM and EA processes link. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airflow sensor is a crucial component for monitoring environmental airflow conditions in many engineering fields, especially in the field of aerospace engineering. However, conventional airflow sensors have been suffering from issues such as complexity and bulk in structures, high cost in fabrication and maintenance, and low stability and durability. In this work, we developed a facile direct-writing method for fabricating a low-cost piezoresistive element aiming at high-performance airflow sensing, in which a commercial pen was utilized to drop solutions of single-walled carbon nanotubes onto tissue paper to form a piezoresistive sensing element. The encapsulated piezoresistive element was tested for electromechanical properties under two loading modes: one loading mode is the so-called pressure mode in which the piezoresistive element is pressed by a normal pressure, and another mode is the so-called bending mode in which the piezoresistive element is bended as a cantilever beam. Unlike many other developed airflow sensors among which the sensing elements are normally employed as cantilever beams for facing winds, we designed a fin structure to be incorporated with the piezoresistive element for airflow sensing; the main function of the fin is to face winds instead of the piezoresistive element, and subsequently transfer and enlarge the airflow pressure to the piezoresistive element for the normal pressure loading mode. With this design, the piezoresistive element can also be protected by avoiding experiencing large strains and direct contact with external airflows so that the stability and durability of the sensor can be maintained. Moreover, we experimentally found that the performance parameters of the airflow sensor could be effectively tuned by varying the size of the fin structure. When the fin sizes of the airflow sensors were 20 mm, 30 mm, and 40 mm, the detection limits and sensitivities of the fabricated airflow sensors were measured as 8.2 m/s, 6.2 m/s, 3.2 m/s, 0.0121 (m/s)−2, 0.01657 (m/s)−2, and 0.02264 (m/s)−2, respectively. Therefore, the design of the fin structure could pave an easy way for adjusting the sensor performance without changing the sensor itself toward different application scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental strategy is currently in transition from a reductionist view of individual technologies in isolation to a holistic and interdisciplinary view of the relationship between society, technology, and environmental impact. As a contribution to this larger effort, this paper uses a systems analytic approach to develop a ‘sector-stream matrix’ of functions and objectives that have an impact on the environment. In particular, the overall ‘built-and-natural-environment system’ is divided into two subsystems, labeled the ‘people’ and ‘product’ streams; analysis of the two streams can be used both qualitatively and quantitatively in order to gain insight into the causes of environmental impact. As an example of the latter, an application of the sector-stream matrix to the breakdown of energy use in the UK is presented. Advantages of the matrix approach over the traditional division into sectors (industrial/transport/other) and other applications and side issues are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WSNs play a crucial role in monitoring physical or environmental conditions in scenarios where traditional wired networks are impractical. The study focuses on various clustering techniques and energy-efficient protocols, emphasizing their impact on Packet Drop Ratio (PDR) and overall network efficiency. The paper evaluates the strengths and limitations of protocols such as LEACH, DEEC, SEP, and EDEEC. The evaluation of energy-aware schemes in WSNs includes a thorough comparison of clustering algorithm techniques based on parameters like energy load, algorithm efficiency, and balancing complexity. The presented research not only consolidates existing knowledge but also identifies avenues for future improvements. As the field of WSNs continues to evolve, advancements in clustering algorithms and energyefficient protocols are crucial for meeting the diverse demands of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies in recent years have been devoted to estimating the per-pixel proportions of three broad classes of materials (e.g., photosynthetic vegetation, non-photosynthetic vegetation and bare soil) using data from multispectral sensors. Oftentimes, the estimated proportions are used to monitor environmental change in both urban and non-urban environments. Many of these papers use proportion estimation methods based on the linear mixture model. Very few of these papers assess the accuracy of their estimators. This paper shows how to produce confidence intervals (CIs) and joint confidence regions (JCRs) for the proportions associated with various linear mixture models. There are two main models, both of which assume that the coefficients in the model are non-negative. The first model assumes that the coefficients sum to 1. The second does not, but uses rescaling of the estimated coefficients to produce estimated proportions. Three variants of these two models are also analysed. JCRs are shown to be particularly informative, because they are typically better at localising the information than CIs are. The methodology is illustrated using examples from Landsat Thematic Mapper data at 1169 locations across Australia, each of which has associated field observations. There is also a discussion about the extent to which the methodology can be extended to hyperspectral data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]