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Solar cells are considered one of the most important and widespread solar applications in the world. However, the performance of the PV modules is significantly affected by the dust in the air. This paper, therefore, presents a comparison of an outdoor experimental study of dust effect on monocrystalline, and polycrystalline photovoltaic (PV) modules. For analysis, four 100 W PVs were installed horizontally in Sohar, Oman. For each pair of PV modules, one was left dusty due to environmental impact, and the second was cleaned daily. PV performance and environmental parameter measurements were conducted every 30 min for 35 days. The effects of dust on current, voltage, power, and energy were discussed in terms of time and normalized values. Also, cleaning methods were tested to determine the optimum one. It is found that power degradation of monocrystalline (20%) is higher compared with polycrystalline (12%) due to dust accumulation. For monocrystalline, the current, voltage, and power losses ranged between 10.0-24.0%, 2.0-3.5%, and 14.0-31.0%, respectively. However, for polycrystalline, the degradation rates were 16.88-27.92%, 0.455-0.455%, and 17.14-28.1% for current, voltage, and power losses after exposure to outdoor conditions for the same period, respectively. The dust accumulation on the PV surface found after 5 weeks is 0.493 mg/cm 2 , which can be considered the lowest accumulation rate compared to other Gulf countries, but which, however, leads to less energy degradation as well. It is found that water is sufficient to clean PV in the study area. However, sodium detergent as a cleaner introduced better results compared to water, especially when there is high pollution in the location., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Organic dust exposure can influence the development and symptoms of immune-related diseases such as atopy and asthma, but has rarely been examined in relation to systemic autoimmunity. The present analyses explore the association of lifetime farm and occupational organic dust exposures with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in recently diagnosed patients (n = 265) compared with controls (n = 355) frequency matched by age, sex and state. Questionnaire data included childhood farm residence, childhood and adult experience with specific crops, and adult work in textiles, hog or poultry processing and paper or furniture manufacture. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by logistic regression models including age, sex, state, race, education and silica exposure. Overall childhood or adult farm contact and childhood farm residence were not associated with SLE. Farm contact with livestock was inversely associated with SLE (OR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.35, 0.88). This effect was most pronounced among those with childhood farm residence and both childhood and adult livestock exposure (OR = 0.19; 95% CI 0.06, 0.63), but was difficult to separate from adult exposure to grains or corn. Other adult occupational exposures were not associated with SLE risk overall, regardless of childhood farm residence or livestock exposure, although an inverse association was seen among non-smokers (OR = 0.59; 95% CI 0.33, 1.1), particularly for textile work (OR = 0.34; 95% CI 0.19, 0.64). These exploratory findings support the development of studies to specifically investigate the effects of organic dust exposure on SLE risk, with particular attention to exposure assessment and characterization of demographics, smoking and other occupational exposures.

In this work, the performance of residual iron dust (RID) from metallurgic industry was assessed as Fenton catalyst for the treatment of real pulp bleaching wastewater. The focus was on the removal of recalcitrant pollutants AOX (adsorbable organic halides), by a novel, cleaner, and cost-effective circular solution based on a waste-derived catalyst. The behaviour of RID as iron source was firstly assessed by performing leaching tests at different RID:wastewater w/v ratios and contact time. Afterwards, RID-catalysed homogeneous and heterogeneous Fenton processes were conducted to maximise AOX removal from the pulp bleaching wastewater. Reusability of RID was assessed by a simple collect-and-reuse methodology, without any modification. Similar AOX removal under less consumption of chemicals was achieved with the novel heterogeneous Fenton process. Reaction in the bulk solution was the main pathway of AOX removal, given that the low surface area and porosity of the material did not allow for a high contribution of surface reaction to the overall performance. Moreover, AOX removal was similar over two consecutive treatment cycles, with Fenton process being responsible for 56.7–62.1% removal of AOX from the wastewater, and the leaching step adding 11.4–13.2%. At the end of treatment, COD either decreased (1st cycle) or remained unchanged (2nd and 3rd cycle). The operating cost of the optimised heterogeneous Fenton was 3–11% lower than under conventional Fenton process. This work presented a novel, circular solution based on a low-cost waste-derived catalyst, advancing the knowledge needed to foster industrial application of such technologies to increase industrial environmental performance and efficiency. [Display omitted] • Residual iron dust successfully catalysed Fenton process, acting mainly as iron supplier. • Catalyst performance in removing AOX was maintained over consecutive treatment cycles. • The catalyst was successfully reused without any modification or regeneration. • Operating cost of the heterogeneous Fenton was 3–11% lower than conventional Fenton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ZIF-67 particles can be evenly distributed and tightly attached to the cellulose paper substrate. • Mild synthesis conditions combined with papermaking processes are suitable for mass production. • The composite filter has a hierarchical porous structure with a large specific surface area. • The optimum sample exhibited removal efficiencies of 98.52% for PM 2.5 and 99.00% for PM 10. • Composite papers possessed excellent mechanical properties and reusability. The combination of functional zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) with suitable substrates is promising for the preparation of advanced filtering materials. In this study, the bleached kraft softwood pulp (NBKP) was composited with ZIF-67 particles via an in situ growth method to fabricate functional paper. Enabled by the traditional papermaking process, ZIF-67 crystals were uniformly and tightly anchored on cellulosic fibers in a facile and economic way. The introduction of ZIF-67 boosted the mechanical performances of the composite paper owing to the presence of electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds. Meanwhile, the resultant paper presents hierarchical porous structure with a large specific surface area of 327.07 m2·g−1. The filters with hierarchical pore structure will provide a complex tortuous channel for passing particulates, which can increase the frequency of effective collision between filters and particulates. Air filtering tests demonstrated that the ZIF-67 entrapped paper has superior particle removal efficiency with a low pressure drop and a large dust holding capacity. The optimal ZP-3 sample displayed removal efficiencies of 98.52 % for PM 2.5 and 99.00 % for PM 10. Meanwhile, filtration quality factors were calculated to be 0.15 (PM 2.5) and 0.17 (PM 10), respectively. The filter also has good antibacterial activity. In addition, ZP-x composite paper is easy to regenerate and possesses good reusability. The high-efficient ZP-x filter will have potential applications in fields of air purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Paper dust has previously been linked to adverse health effects. However, a comprehensive dataset of paper dust exposures does not appear to have been published previously. Our study was intended to address this need by describing a large dataset of measurements made in Swedish soft tissue paper mills. Methods We compiled personal and area total dust exposure measurements collected from a range of operations by our research staff at four soft tissue paper mills in Sweden. We also compiled measurements made by the occupational health staff at each mill and the Swedish Work Environment Authority. We analyzed these measurements to describe patterns and trends in exposures and used mixed-effects regression models to identify measurement characteristics that predicted exposure levels. Results We compiled 1578 measurements from 1971 to 2009, of which 1026 (65%) were personal samples. Statistically significant differences were found between measurements made by research, mill, and Swedish Work Environment Authority staff, as well as between personal and area measurements. The measurement data suggest that, beginning in the 1980s, exposures declined at three of the four mills, but that overexposures were still common at the end of the period. Papermaking and converting operations had the highest observed dust exposures. One mill had significantly lower exposures than the others. Type of measurement (personal versus area) and source of measurement (research staff, company, or regulatory agency) were not significant predictors of measured total dust exposure after controlling for mill, operation, and time. Conclusions Our analysis of measured paper dust exposures may be useful for historical and contemporary exposure assessment in our own and other epidemiological studies. We have identified specific characteristics (i.e. papermaking operations and mill) and time trends that are important data features to consider, and documented continuing overexposure situations. Our results highlight the ongoing need for application of exposure controls to reduce paper dust exposures in the soft tissue paper industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To correlate the prevalence of respiratory tract symptoms and diseases with dust and fibre exposure in the soft tissue industry in Germany., Methods: Ambient monitoring was performed for inhalable, respirable dust and fibres in seven soft tissue producing factories. In 441 workers (72 controls, 90 moderate, 279 high exposure) a standardised questionnaire on respiratory symptoms, diseases, occupational history, and smoking habits was used. Crude differences in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and diseases were assessed. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relation between the respiratory symptoms/diseases and the cumulative dust and fibre exposure, respectively, while adjusting for age, gender, smoking habits, and factory. The effects of exposure intensity and duration were differentiated by categorising dust/fibre concentrations and years of exposure separately and setting up logistic regression models., Results: The mean concentrations for inhalable, respirable, and fibrous dusts were 10.3 mg/m(3), 0.22 mg/m(3), and 415,000 fibres/m(3). Adjusted odds ratios (OR) with relation to cumulative dust exposure intensity were significantly raised for blocked nose (18.2), mucosal irritation (6.5), dry nose (8.9), cough (3.5), phlegm (7.5), exercise induced dyspnoea (2.6), hoarseness (11.3), and sneezing attacks (7.9) (ORs for highest exposure categories). Cumulative dust or fibre exposure had no significant effects on the prevalence of respiratory diseases. For all symptoms with significantly raised ORs, combined effects of intensity and duration of exposure were found., Conclusions: Because of the high prevalence of respiratory symptoms a reduction of dust exposures is recommended. Chronic exposure effects could not be found in this study, however, a healthy worker effect has to be considered.

Cremation is commonly practiced around the world because it requires small space for the disposal of ashes. Among various options for ash disposal, many people choose to scatter the ashes of their loved ones in a scattering garden. What are the impacts of ash scattering on the vegetation of the garden? Is scattering garden a sustainable solution to the disposal of cremated ashes? This study aimed at answering these questions by characterizing and assessing the vegetation performance of a scattering garden using remote sensing techniques and field measurements. The results indicated that, overall, approximately half of vegetation was degraded to either unhealthy or bare soil. The area of bare soil in the lawns of high scattering level was larger than that of low scattering level. Furthermore, the belowground biomass of vegetation in the lawns of high scattering level was significantly lower than that of low scattering level. It is concluded that the current practice of ash scattering in Hong Kong was not sustainable and the intensity of impacts was dependent upon the level of ash scattering. The findings of this study may provide a reference for the policy and management of ash scattering in Hong Kong and other cities around the world., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Nasal hyperreactivity occurs quite frequently while reading newspapers. This study consisted of 15 patients with vasomotor rhinitis with such problems and six asymptomatic volunteers. All subjects were exposed to printing ink and paper dust from newspapers. The effect was registered by nasal symptom score and rhinomanometry. Patients with vasomotor rhinitis reacted upon exposure to paper dust but not to printing ink. This exposure had no effect on the control group. The results indicate that paper dust is the causative agent in hyperreactivity to newspapers.

Copyright of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A complex and varied antibody response to allergens, in particular Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, is observed in the serum of allergic patients. To examine the role of cross-reacting antigenic determinants in allergy, a strategy has been devised for isolating antibody populations that bind to individual polypeptides of an allergen source separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis and electroblotted to nitrocellulose. Polypeptides are identified on the blots, desorbed and coupled to CNBr-activated paper discs. The coupled discs are then used as immunoadsorbent surfaces for the binding of antibodies from allergic sera. Antibodies eluted from the polypeptide immunoadsorbents are then used to reprobe protein blots of the allergen. Results are presented which demonstrate strong cross-reaction between two major mite allergens, Der p I and Der p III, and some weaker intra-species cross-reactivities.

The material most commonly used to filter and clean the intake air of vehicle internal combustion engines is pleated filter paper, which in most cases is shaped in the form of a cylinder or panel. The production technology has a low cost and is not complicated. In addition to high separation efficiency and filtration performance, pleated filter media are required to have low initial pressure drop, which depends on the geometry of the bed. Much research has been conducted in this area. Dust accumulated in the filter bed causes an increase in pressure drop, which is the cause of deformation and sticking of pleats. The lack of stability of the pleats, the need to strengthen them, and the need to obtain small sizes while achieving high efficiency and accuracy of filtration of engine intake air was the reason for the development of a different design and a new technology for making filter cartridges called PowerCore. The distinctive feature of these filters is axial flow in one direction of the air stream, which avoids turbulence and thus minimizes pressure drop. This paper presents a comparative analysis of a standard PowerCore and PowerCore G2 filter bed and two cylindrical filters with a pleated filter bed made of cellulose and polyester. The conditions and methodology of experimental testing of filters with test dust are presented. During the tests, the characteristics of separation efficiency and filtration performance, as well as pressure drop as a function of the mass of dust retained on the filter of two PowerCore filters and two cylindrical filters were performed. Three specimens of test filters with the same filtration area were made from each sample of filter bed. The results showed that in each test of the filter bed, there is an initial filtration period characterized by low (96–98%) initial separation efficiency and the presence of large (dpmax) dust grains. As the dust loading of the bed increases, the separation efficiency and filtration performance obtain higher and higher values. The initial period of filtration ends when the conventional value (99.9%) of separation efficiency is reached. The duration of this period depends on the type of filter bed and for the PowerCore G2 filter ends for a dust loading of km = 33.1 g/m2, and for the cellulose filter for km = 117.3 g/m2. During the initial period, the air behind the PowerCore G2 filter contains grains with sizes in the range of dpmax = 9–16 µm. Behind the cellulose filter, dust grains are much larger, dpmax = 17–35 µm. The total operating time of the PowerCore G2 filter, limited by the achievement of the permittivity resistance Δpwdop = 3 kPa, is twice that of the other filter compositions tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Asbestos in Australia: From Boom to Dust" is a comprehensive and highly readable edited volume that explores the intersection of environment, industry, and public health in Australian life. The book synthesizes diverse literatures on asbestos in Australia, providing an overview of its business, economic, and social history from its rise as a "miracle mineral" in the late nineteenth century to its decline in the face of mounting medical evidence and public outcry. The collection includes historical, legal, and medical perspectives, as well as oral histories from communities affected by asbestos mining. It serves as a valuable reference work and highlights the ongoing challenges posed by industrial pollutants in Australia. [Extracted from the article]

Sustainability in road construction can be achieved by integrating recycled materials in the production of new pavement. One such approach is using reclaimed asphalt pavement materials (RAPM) in hot mix asphalt (HMA). Successful implementation of RAPM in HMA can only be achieved by having good comprehension of the essential material characterisation and design process. The main objective of this review is to summarise the literature and provide a keen understanding of the characterisation of materials involved (RAPM and rejuvenators) and mix design, by giving due consideration to the interaction of virgin and recycled materials. Widely used techniques for extraction and recovery of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) binder have been reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of different characterisation techniques are identified. The effect of various factors on the volumetrics of the recycled mixes is presented. Insight in to the requirements of a rejuvenator by taking into account the changes in binder after ageing is provided. Aspects that need further exploration to normalise and increase the confidence of RAPM in HMA are also highlighted as the future recommendations., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) commonly used as plasticizers are distributed ubiquitously in the living environment. We conducted a field study to examine the associations between PAE residue in dust and home characteristics/living habits in 47 rural homes in Taiwan. A questionnaire regarding home characteristics/living habits and composite sampling of house dust were conducted in each participating home. Five PAEs were selected for analysis on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with the limits of quantification being 0.5 ng/g or lower. Uni- and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed for examining the associations. The five PAEs were prevalently detected from the samples, and the concentrations were below 1000 ng/g; di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was the most frequently detected PAE (85%), whereas di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP) appeared to the most abundant congener with the maximum concentration of 807.65 ng/g. Floor cleaning frequency and use of detergents for floor cleaning were significantly associated with DEHP in dust (P < 0.05), suggesting additives of plasticizers in detergent products. The factors of plastic wraps in storage and use of disposable cups were both significantly related to DiBP (P < 0.01), which could be extensively used in food packaging products. We confirmed that several home characteristics/living habits were related to certain PAE residue in dust., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We report a simple paper filter-based cross flow filtration method for air purification. We have examined a monolith filter array with a cross flow ratio of 1.0 and parallel and staggered filter arrays with a cross flow ratio of about 0.7 in terms of pressure drop and collection efficiency. The monolith filter array shows a monotonic increase in pressure drop from approximately 0.9 to 2.1 kPa. The parallel and staggered filter arrays reduce the increase in pressure drop, which can be maintained as low as 0.8 kPa over the entire range of dust loadings examined. The monolith filter array shows the highest collection efficiency, which is more than 95% over the entire range of dust loadings examined. The collection efficiency of the parallel and staggered filter arrays is initially as high as 70% and decreases to 30% when the dust loading increases to 40 and 100 g m−2, respectively. In particular, collected particles are more uniformly distributed on the staggered filter array than on the parallel filter array, resulting in the initial collection efficiency of 70% being sustained for a longer time. This uniform distribution in the staggered filter array may prevent a rapid increase in local pressure drop. This study provides insight into the development of filtration systems using simple paper filters without increasing the pressure drop and decreasing the collection efficiency. Copyright © 2022 American Association for Aerosol Research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensitive skin is related to environmental factors., Objectives: We aimed to investigate the roles of poorly known associated and triggering factors on sensitive skin in a large global population., Methods: A survey was administrated to a representative sample of the adult population aged 18-75 years in five different countries (Brazil, China, France Russia, and the United States). All participants answered a web-based questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, sensitive skin and environmental factors., Results: Among the 10 743 included individuals (5285 men and 5458 women), 48.2% declared that they had sensitive skin. The group with sensitive skin reported significant increases in fatigue, dust or sweating and to a lesser extent food or tobacco consumption. The members of this group also declared that they experienced more sleep disorders than individuals without sensitive skin. Sensitive skin was very frequent in pregnant women, women with painful menstruations or women using contraceptive pills., Conclusions: This large cohort study identified new factors, including female hormonal status, fatigue, sleep disorders and food, associated with sensitive skin. These associations suggest that sensitive skin is not restricted to an epidermal disorder but may be included in a larger context. The identified factors are potential upstream drivers of neurogenic inflammation in sensitive skin., (© 2021 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Fuel cell air filter can absorb harmful impurities and gases to fuel cell and is an important component to ensure the service life of fuel cell. The previous researches mainly focus on the activated carbon and filter paper materials in the laboratory. The object of this paper is the fuel cell air filter product assembly being used by the main engine plant. According to the tests of air filters with different carbon contents, it was found that the adsorption efficiency of current products for NO2 was better than that of C7H8, SO2 and C4H10. Based on the adsorption mechanism of activated carbon for different gases, the adsorption difference was explained. The testes also found that there was no direct relationship between the change of carbon content of products containing activated carbon and the fractional filtration efficiency. The main reason is that the gap between the activated carbon particles is large, which cannot effectively intercept dust particles. The filtering of small size particles still depends on the melt-blown layer material in the air filter element and its electrostatic electret process. It was also found that there was a positive correlation between inlet air resistance and carbon content, and a negative correlation between dust holding capacity and carbon content. This test results can help the main engine factory understand the performance and improvement direction of products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil fugitive dust pollution caused by urban construction sites is a significant problem. To improve the dust suppression efficiency on the urban construction sites, hydroxypropyl guar (HPG), dodecyl dimethyl amine oxide (OB-2), and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) were selected as individual components of the composite dust suppressant using a single-factor test. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to determine the optimal mixing proportions. After preparation, the characteristics of the composite dust suppressant were tested. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the composite dust suppressant and explore its mechanism. The results showed that 0.327% HPG, 0.6% OB-2, and 0.5% HPMC were the best compound concentrations. Under optimum conditions, the viscosity of the composite dust suppressant was 151.1 [Formula: see text], penetration time was 61.4 s, and water retention rate was 30.67%. Compared with traditional dust control by spraying water, it showed better resistance to evaporation at high temperatures and better wind erosion resistance. The antievaporation rate was 39.42% at 60 °C. After 11 d of continuous wind erosion at level 7, the wind erosion resistance rate was as high as 98.24%. The reason for the excellent dust suppression effect of the composite dust suppressant is that the methyl and hydroxyl groups in the solution diffuse to the surface of the soil fugitive dust particles using Brownian motion and gradually approach the corresponding groups in the soil fugitive dust particles. When the distance between the two reaches 10 [Formula: see text], adsorption occurs, causing small dust particles to stick together. Because of the stability of the covalent bonds in the methyl and hydroxyl groups, a stable solidified layer is formed on the soil fugitive dust surface after the evaporation of the composite dust inhibitor solution, thereby avoiding secondary dust. In addition, the composite dust suppressant is noncorrosive and friendly to the construction site environment. Therefore, the composite dust suppressant can effectively reduce soil fugitive dust, alleviate environmental pollution, and provide a reference for preventing and controlling soil fugitive dust on urban construction sites and preparing composite environment-friendly dust suppressants., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This article investigates the Dust Storm Index (DSI) and its trend using the Mann-Kendall test, across urban areas of Iran on the monthly, seasonally, and annually scales from 2000 to 2018. The results showed that cities located in the humid region, especially Khoram Abad and Avaj, had the lowest DSI values, and the cities located in arid regions, particularly Zabol, Sarakhs, and Zahedan, had the highest DSI values during the study period. On a monthly basis, the positive trends were observed in most cities of Iran in March, October, and August, while the negative trends were mainly observed in Feb, May, and June. Birjand, Torbat Heydariyeh, Saveh, Shiraz, and Kerman showed an increasing trend of DSI in most months of the study period. On a seasonal scale, the autumn and summer DSI changes showed significant positive trends in 18% of the urban environments in Iran. A similar trend was observed for 17% and 15% of study urban areas in the spring and winter, respectively. On an annual scale, the significant upward trends in DSI were observed in 13% while its negative changes were found in 10% of study cities. These results can be useful for decision-makers and managers to take appropriate measures to reduce and control dust events in urban areas that have suffered from the increasing trend of dust events in the past years., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In order to ensure the best dust removal on the basis of the optimal gas emission, and to determine the best dust and gas exhaust air volume, numerical simulation research was carried out on the airflow-dust-gas field of the fully mechanized driving face. The results indicate that under different air volumes, with an increase in the distance from the head-on, the airflow velocity of the fully mechanized driving face first increased and then decreased, and gradually tended to be stable. When Q = 800-900 m 3 /min, the head-on gas dilution ability is strong and the range of high gas content was the minimum. When Q > 900 m 3 /min, the gas dilution efficiency was reduced and easy to cause secondary dust. In the height of the respiratory zone, the relationship between the dust concentration distribution and air volume is [Formula: see text], and that between the gas content and air volume is [Formula: see text]. Finally, the optimal air volume range was determined to be Q = 800-900 m 3 /min. By comparing the measured and simulated airflow velocity, dust concentration, and gas content, the average errors were 6.77%, 6.83%, and 7.73%, respectively, which proves the reliability of the numerical simulation results., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The article focuses on the bacterial aspects of dirty money and the historical concern regarding the transmission of infectious material through currency. While previous worries highlighted the potential danger of dirty paper money, bacteriological investigations failed to find significant microbial distribution on paper currency, suggesting that the composition of printed bills might inhibit bacterial growth.

Due to production technologies such as blasting, transportation, and loading, large quantities of dust are produced in surface mines. This dust not only pollutes the environment but also restricts the development of coal mining enterprises. This work aims to use waste paper as raw material for the efficient extraction of cellulose, in which waste materials can be converted to useable materials. This work can broaden the sources of raw materials and provide new methods for the efficient preparation of dust suppressants. As a matrix, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is a novel crust-dust suppressant that is synthesized by graft copolymerization with polyvinylalcohol and N-vinylpyrrolidone in this study. The results of experiments revealed the high purity of sodium carboxymethylcellulose prepared in flotation for 20 min, the degree of substitution DS > 0.8, and the viscosity of 2% aqueous solution>300 mPa s, which can satisfy the requirements of the experiments. The microscopic reaction and structure of the product are analyzed by infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetry, and the microscopic mechanism of a crust-dust suppressant is investigated. The reaction process and structural characteristics of the product were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and the product reaction process and final structure were deduced. Thermogravimetric experiments showed that the product had strong thermal stability and ensured the performance of the product during use. This paper reveals the combination of dust suppressants and coal via molecular dynamics simulation. The product performance experiments show that the product has a high shell strength of 98 HA, satisfactory freeze-thaw resistance and high temperature resistance, permeability higher than 15 mm/min, and dust suppression rate of approximately 88% when the wind speed reaches 15 m*s−1 and it can degrade without pollution. In general, the product can effectively suppress coal dust and other forms of dust. Image 1011236 • A new kind of dust suppressing material with excellent properties was prepared. • Conduct comprehensive tests on the characterization and properties of materials. • Raw materials for preparation are cheap. • Final product can be degraded after being extracted from waste paper. • MS technique was used to analyze the action mechanism of the dust inhibitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal solid waste (MSW) severely threatens human health and the ecological environment owing to its toxicity, mutagenic activity and carcinogenicity. The continuous increase in MSW together with stringent regulations makes sanitary disposal imperative. Waste sorting and recycling has been recognized as an efficient and economical treatment strategy. By analysing research data from 31 provinces between 2000 and 2017, the overarching goal of this work was to determine the characterizations and the compositions of MSW in China and then provide advices for sorting, transporting, storing and disposing of MSW. The results showed that the amount of MSW that was generated ranged from 0.08 to 2.34 kg d−1 ca−1 and averaged 0.73 kg d−1 ca−1 in China. The average bulk density, moisture content and the wet basis of the low calorific value of the MSW were 325 kg m−3, 50.3% and 4649 kcal kg−1. The MSW in China could be classified into four main categories, food waste, recycling waste, landfill waste and hazardous substances, and could be further classified into ten sub-categories. Overall, food waste was the most common and could be best managed via compost production. Bulk density was highly positively correlated with the ratio of the dust and bricks in all MSW and highly negatively correlated with the ratio of the food waste, metal, glass, plastic and rubber. The wet basis of the low calorific value was highly positively correlated with the ratio of the plastic and rubber, and the water content was highly positively correlated with the ratio of the food waste. Temporally, most of the components, especially waste paper and plastics, increased, while wood, dust and bricks decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the spatial correlation characteristics and influencing factors of industrial agglomeration and pollution discharge, which is of great significance to reduce industrial pollution discharge and promote China's construction of an ecological civilization. Taking 284 prefecture-level cities in China in 2017 as the research object, this study used spatial autocorrelation analysis method to explore the spatial agglomeration characteristics and spatial correlation of industrial agglomeration and industrial pollution discharge, and spatial econometric analysis method was used to explore the main factors affecting industrial pollution discharge. The research results showed that the level of industrial agglomeration in China exhibited a spatial distribution characteristic of "high in the east and low in the west". The total discharge and discharge intensity of industrial pollutants showed a spatial pattern of "high in the north and low in the south" in general, and industrial agglomeration, total discharge, and discharge intensity of industrial pollution showed significant spatial autocorrelation. Moreover, industrial agglomeration had a strong local spatial correlation with the total and intensity of industrial wastewater, industrial SO 2 , and industrial smoke and dust, and the main agglomeration types were high agglomeration-low pollution, low agglomeration-high pollution, and low agglomeration-low pollution. In addition, industrial agglomeration had a positive impact on the total industrial wastewater discharge, and had a negative impact on the total industrial smoke and dust discharge, industrial wastewater discharge intensity, industrial SO 2 discharge intensity, and industrial smoke and dust discharge intensity., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Cement is an essential material used in constructional activities. An emerging concern in the industry however is the CO 2 emissions, which are triggered by cement manufacturing units. These emissions can be controlled to some extent by not using cement exclusively and instead replacing a percentage of it with waste material with properties similar to cement. Electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) and rice straw ash (RSA) are waste materials from industrial and agricultural sources which also contain similar constituents that are present in cement. Thus, the objective of this study is to check the effect of EAFD and RSA on concrete properties with the application of Aspergillus niger and Bacillus megaterium. Taguchi's design of experiments has been utilised to explore the effect of operating parameters (i.e. EAFD and RSA replacement (5%, 10% and 15%), curing period of concrete cubes (7, 14 and 28 days) and cell count of fungus/bacteria (10 4 , 10 6 and 10 8 CFU/ml)) on the compressive strength and water absorption capacity of concrete blocks in three different scenarios. Optimisation has then been carried out by using the multi-objective genetic algorithm to evaluate the maximum performance of concrete. However, the results of the study indicate best performance in the 2nd context where dust replacement, curing time and cell count were 5%, 18 days and 9.39 × 10 7 cells per ml of water, respectively, for concrete production utilising Aspergillus niger., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Developing a flexible nano-composite material which is not only impermeable to low-polar oil, but also has the ability of daytime radiation cooling, remains a huge challenge for both academia and industry. By modifying the fiber network of the dust-free paper using nano-ZnO particles (ZnO-DF), we strategically designed and demonstrated dual capabilities of superhydrophilicity/superoleophobicity and daytime radiant cooling for the flexible cellulose nano-composite simultaneously. A superior surface with superhydrophilic/superoleophobic (oil contact angle up to 159° and water contact angle down to 0°) was attained by regulation of surface energy components and roughness. Furthermore, the materials revealed outstanding corrosion and mechanical damage resistance, 152,788 L m−2 h−1 high permeation flux and >99.2% continuous and efficient oil-water separation performance. In addition, a cooling effect of about 5.6 °C of ZnO-DF paper could be achieved by cooperative function of both radiative cooling and sweat evaporation. It is expected that the ZnO-DF paper is promising for the thermal management of wearable products integrated with passive radiant cooling, phase change cooling (e.g., sweat evaporation) and large-scale industrial oil-water separation. [Display omitted] • A novel and stable flexible cellulose "ZnO-DF paper" nanocomposites were fabricated. • Nanocomposites have multi-functions covering superhydrophilic/superoleophobic and passive radiant cooling. • ◆Cetane-water mixture separation efficiency is up to 99.2%, and the extremely high water permeation flux up to 152,788 L m−2 h−1. • 5.6 °C of moist ZnO-DF paper could be achieved by cooperative function of both radiative cooling and sweat evaporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]