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• A green value chain-based supply chain is designed for pomegranate fruit. • A circular economy based on biochar production is applied for waste management. • Multi-stage stochastic program is designed to address dynamic uncertainty. • Both EVPI and VSS with new metrics are calculated for validation. • An application of the proposed model is investigated with a real case study. Food security is a fundamental prerequisite of human survival. This study focuses on providing a novel bi-objective model for the design of a green closed-loop pomegranate supply chain based on the value chain. To maximize the benefits of circular economy, we propose a thermochemical conversion process and develop a novel hybrid risk-neutral and risk-averse multi-stage stochastic programming (RNRAMSSP) approach to cope with supply uncertainty. We employ the expected value of perfect information (EVPI) and value of stochastic solution (VSS) to validate the proposed approach. For the VSS metric, we define a novel measure to compare the worst-case cost of the stochastic and deterministic model solutions. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model, we provide a real case study in Iran. Based on the VSS metric, the risk-neutral and risk-averse stochastic model solutions save up to 1% and 1.76% in the worst-case cost, respectively, compared to the deterministic model. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar addition to soil has been found to be a useful practice to control erosion. However, few studies have explored the effects of biochar produced from husk of rice on rill erosion, due to overland flow in deforested areas. This study has evaluated the rill detachment capacity (D c) and erodibility (K r) in soil samples treated with rice husk biochar in comparison to untreated sites (control), collected in deforested hillslopes of Northern Iran. D c was measured in a lab-scale hydraulic flume at four-bed slopes (9.7, 14.3, 19.5, and 24.2%) and five water discharges (0.24, 0.36, 0.47, 0.59, and 0.69 L m−1 s−1). Moreover, organic carbon, aggregate stability and bulk density of soils were measured. D c was lower (on average − 32%) in the treated soil compared to the control. D c was not correlated to the other physico-chemical properties of soil. K r , estimated by linear regressions between D c and shear stress, was noticeably lower (−79%) in the treated soil compared to the control. These results evidence that rice husk biochar is effective at controlling and mitigating soil detachment, and at improving organic matter content and aggregate stability in deforested hillslopes. The proposed values of rill erodibility and shear stress of deforested hillslopes (treated or untreated) are helpful to model soil resistance to rill erosion in process-based erosion models. • Scarce knowledge exists about biochar effects on rill detachment capacity (D c). • D c was lower by 32% in the soil treated with biochar compared to the untreated soil. • This reduction was due to organic matter addition to soil treated with biochar. • D c was not correlated to the other physico-chemical properties of soil. • Rill erodibility was lower (−79%) in the soil treated with biochar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although pesticides are widely used in agriculture, industry and households, they pose a risk to human health and ecosystems. Based on target organisms, the main types of pesticides are herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, of which herbicides accounted for 46% of the total pesticide usage worldwide. The movement of pesticides into water bodies occurs through run-off, spray drift, leaching, and sub-surface drainage, all of which have negative impacts on aquatic environments and humans. We sought to define the critical factors affecting the fluxes of contaminants into receiving waters. We also aimed to specify the feasibility of using sorbents to remove pesticides from waterways. In Karun River in Iran (1.21 × 105 ng/L), pesticide concentrations are above regulatory limits. The concentration of pesticides in fish can reach 26.1 × 103 μg/kg, specifically methoxychlor herbicide in Perca fluviatilis in Lithuania. During the last years, research has focused on elimination of organic pollutants, such as pesticides, from aqueous solution. Pesticide adsorption onto low-cost materials can effectively remediate contaminated waters. In particular, nanoparticle adsorbents and carbon-based adsorbents exhibit high performance (nearly 100%) in removing pesticides from water bodies. Image 1 • Pesticides concentrations in water varied widely from 6.8 to 121222 ng/L. • A high concentration of Endosulfan was detected in Rohu Fish in India. • Carbon-based adsorbents and nano-adsorbents could remove up to 100% pesticides. • Mostly organic desorbents have been used for regeneration of adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]