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The European Council completed the legislative procedure to establish the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on April 25, 2023, which will be launched in 2027. The iron and steel sector is the main target of the forthcoming CBAM due to the industry's energy-intensive consumption with high carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions. However, minimal existing research has been conducted in this regard. This study employs GTAP-e 11.0 and TOPSIS models to estimate the effects of CBAM implementation on the major nations around the world from 2027 to 2030, examining countries' GDP, social welfare, iron and steel production, trade balance, and CO 2 emissions to the global environment. This study concludes: (1) The GDP and social welfare of important iron and steel trade partners throughout the world will be significantly impacted by the application of CBAM. Most nations, including those in the EU, will experience negative GDP effects, with China undergoing the most pronounced social welfare declines followed by India. In contrast, the EU27 will benefit the most in terms of social welfare, followed by the US, Japan, and Russia. (2) Iron and steel production will decrease in all countries outside the EU, but it will have a positive impact on the trade balance of most countries. (3) The CO 2 emissions of all countries except for the EU and Japan will decrease, with a positive impact on preventing carbon leakage in the international iron and steel trade. (4) Comprehensive analysis demonstrates that the EU will benefit the most, and China will suffer the most from CBAM application. Based on the above conclusions, this study proposes corresponding policy recommendations., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

China, being the world's largest exporter, has now certain environmental commitments such as to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. These commitments of China has raised a reasonable concern regarding the expected reduction in the production and export of pollution intensive goods in the future. Besides China, the most efficient countries in the region to produce these goods are most of the member countries from ASEAN. The current study therefore aims to analyze if in the future, China reduces the production and export of these goods, whether the selected ASEAN countries can be the next choice for the export of pollution intensive goods. Based on the data availability for the period 1990–2019, this study considers five selected ASEAN countries (ASEAN-5). The results are based on the Auto Regressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) bound testing approach to cointegration and Error Correction Modeling (ECM). The aggregate analysis of five pollution intensive goods (pulp and paper (341), industrial chemicals (351), non-metallic minerals products (369), iron and steel (371) and non-ferrous metals (372)) suggests that Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow can significantly increase the export of pollution intensive goods only in case of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. However, there is no significant effect of FDI on the export of pollution intensive goods in case of Philippines and Singapore. The disaggregate analyses of the five pollution intensive goods suggest that in each of the ASEAN-5 countries, FDI inflow can significantly increase the export of pollution intensive goods in some of these industries rather than in all of them. In nutshell, it is concluded that ASEAN-5 countries can be a potential choice for the export of pollution intensive goods in some of the pollution intensive industries but not in all of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the data of listed companies in China's iron and steel industry from 2007 to 2020, the article investigates the impact mechanism and the path of action of China's carbon emissions trading pilot on the green total factor productivity of iron and steel enterprises by constructing a multi-period difference-in-difference model difference-in-differences. The study finds that: 1) China's iron and steel enterprises significantly improve their green total factor productivity driven by the carbon trading pilot, and the findings pass the corresponding robustness tests. 2) the mechanism analysis indicates that the carbon trading pilot promotes the green total factor productivity of iron and steel enterprises by forcing the technological progress of enterprises. 3) The heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive effect is more significant for large iron and steel enterprises with high social responsibility rating and high local government competition intensity, but not for small enterprises with low social responsibility rating and low local government competition intensity. 4) the dynamic effect shows that there is a certain lag in the promotion effect of the carbon emission trading pilot on the green total factor productivity of iron and steel enterprises, but its long-term effect is more obvious. This paper puts forward corresponding suggestions for accelerating the construction of a national unified green and low-carbon market system and actively promoting the deepening of the "dual-carbon" goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The iron and steel industry (ISI) is a significant source of sulfur dioxide and particulate matter pollution in China. Existing research on regional environmental regulation or ISI emission reduction strategies tends to overlook spillover effects and the enterprise perspective. During the heating season, production limitations in ISI are potential policy measures for achieving structural emission reductions in heavily polluted cities in China's Jing-Jin-Ji and surrounding regions. We adopt a bottom-up modeling approach, incorporating effective production time to describe enterprise behavior and establishing a quantitative trade model based on trade theory. By modeling three types of production restriction policies outlined in policy documents, we evaluate the emission reduction effects of structure-adjustment measures using the example of reduced effective production time for steel-producing enterprises in the air pollution transmission channel in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area. The results indicate the following: (1) Reducing the effective production time of ISI enterprises can help decrease domestic production value and total factor productivity in pollution-intensive industries, including but not limited to ISI. It also leads to reduced emissions of various pollutants in the implementation regions. (2) Due to interprovincial trade and input-output linkages, structural reduction measures in certain regions have implications for almost all other provinces' industrial structures. Differences in initial industrial structures, factor endowments, and geographical locations contribute to varying directions and magnitudes of industrial structural changes. Pollution-intensive industries' share tends to increase higher in less developed regions. (3) Our estimated pollution reduction is smaller compared to the literature evaluating clean air policies in similar regions using top-down strategies. This discrepancy arises because we analyze a single policy tool rather than modeling industry-wide emission fluctuations from the top down. Additionally, our modeling approach allows us to examine dynamic changes in comparative advantages. The increase in production scale for certain industries in policy-affected regions partially offsets the decline in pollution emissions. These findings enhance our understanding of structure-adjustment reduction measures' role and highlight their potential advantages and limitations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

High levels of Iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) in soils may contribute to secondary contamination of groundwater. However, there is limited understanding of the cycling mechanisms of Fe and Mn in groundwater and soil. This study aimed to investigate the biogeochemical processes constituting the Fe and Mn cycle by combining hydrochemistry, sequential extraction and microbiological techniques. The results indicated a similar vertical distribution pattern of Fe and Mn, with lower levels of the effective form (EFC-Fe/Mn) observed at the oxygenated surface, increasing near the groundwater table and decreasing below it. Generally, there was a tendency for accumulation above the water table, with Mn exhibiting a higher release potential compared to Fe. Iron‑manganese oxides (Ox-Fe/Mn) dominated the effective forms, with Fe and Mn in the soil entering groundwater through the reduction dissolution of Ox-Fe/Mn and the oxidative degradation of organic matter or sulfide (OM-Fe/Mn). Correlation analysis revealed that Fe and Mn tend to accumulate in media with fine particles and high organic carbon (TOC) contents. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis disclosed significant variation in the abundance of microorganisms associated with Fe and Mn transformations among unsaturated zone soils, saturated zone media and groundwater, with Fe/Mn content exerting an influence on microbial communities. Furthermore, functional bacterial identification results from the FAPROTAX database show a higher abundance of iron-oxidizing bacteria (9.3 %) in groundwater, while iron and manganese-reducing bacteria are scarce in both groundwater and soil environments. Finally, a conceptual model of Fe and Mn cycling was constructed, elucidating the biogeochemical processes in groundwater and soil environments. This study provides a new perspective for a deeper understanding of the environmental fate of Fe and Mn, which is crucial for mitigating Fe and Mn pollution in groundwater., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Recently, the newly discovered anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled with iron reduction (i.e., Feammox) has been proven to be a widespread nitrogen (N) loss pathway in ecosystems and has an essential contribution to gaseous N loss in paddy soil. However, the mechanism of iron-nitrogen coupling transformation and the role of iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) in Feammox were poorly understood. This study investigated the Feammox and iron reduction changes and microbial community evolution in a long-term anaerobic incubation by 15 N isotope labeling combined with molecular biological techniques. The average rates of Feammox and iron reduction during the whole incubation were 0.25 ± 0.04 μg N g -1 d -1 and 40.58 ± 3.28 μg Fe g -1 d -1 , respectively. High iron oxide content increased the Feammox rate, but decreased the proportion of Feammox-N 2 in three Feammox pathways. RBG-13-54-9, Brevundimonas, and Pelomonas played a vital role in the evolution of microbial communities. The characteristics of asynchronous changes between Feammox and iron reduction were found through long-term incubation. IRB might not be the key species directly driving Feammox, and it is necessary to reevaluate the role of IRB in Feammox process., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Zhengbo Yue reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Ding Ma reports financial support was provided by Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation. Ding Ma reports financial support was provided by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The iron and steel industry is an important foundation of the national economy. It is the inevitable choice, to achieve high-quality development in the new era of the iron and steel industry, to speed up the green development of the iron and steel industry. This paper studies the effect of steel industry agglomeration on regional economic growth and air pollution. Through the analysis of the characteristics of iron and steel industry agglomeration, and the empirical analysis of the relationship between iron and steel industry agglomeration, regional economic growth, and air pollution, it is found that: (1) Iron and steel industry agglomeration helps to promote economic growth; (2) Iron and steel industry agglomeration has an obvious spatial correlation effect and obviously drives the development of surrounding areas; (3) Iron and steel industry agglomeration will cause air pollution. The marginal effect of air pollution will decline rapidly with the development of iron and steel industry agglomeration. (4) The impact of green process innovation investment on air pollution presents an inverted U-shaped effect, which has a positive effect on air recovery after exceeding the critical point. (5) The air self-purification capacity represented by precipitation, helps to reduce air pollution. Based on the above conclusions, this paper puts forward some policy suggestions, such as making a scientific development plan for the iron and steel industry, accelerating green process innovation, effectively improving regional precipitation and precipitation times, vigorously promoting high-quality development of the regional economy, and comprehensively promoting coordinated development of the iron and steel industry, so as to cope with the dilemma of the coordinated development of the iron and steel industry, regional economic growth, and smog pollution, and strive for international development in the future. In the competition, we should gain the first opportunity and obvious competitive advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In southern China, winter green manure is widely used in rice cropping systems for improving grain yields and soil fertility. Cd pollution has recently been reported in some of these paddy fields. Research on the in-depth understanding of how green manuring affects Cd absorption in rice is limited. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of different green manures, including single plantation and mixed plantation on the absorption of Cd by rice and explore the underlying mechanisms. Pot experiments demonstrated that compared with winter fallow-rice, green manuring treatments considerably decreased rice Cd content, promoted the conversion of bioavailable Cd fraction into a more stable form, induced the formation of iron plaque, and increased the content of humic-like fraction (HF) in soil dissolved organic matter (DOM). Treatment with mixed plantation resulted in a greater decrease in rice Cd content and an increase in HF and iron plaque contents than single plantation. Hydroponic experiments confirmed that both iron plaque and green manure-derived DOM significantly reduced the Cd content in rice seedlings. In conclusion, green manure incorporation is an efficient measure for the safe utilization of Cd-contaminated soil, and mixed plantation of different green manures exerts stronger effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The coupling relationship between the <1 kDa, 1-3 kDa, 3-10 kDa, 10-100 kDa, and 100 kDa-0.45 μm Fe fractions and the environmental factors in the Bohai Sea (BS) was investigated. The 1-100 kDa Fe in the surface water exhibited a non-conservative phenomenon during the river-sea mixing process, which was related to the removal of colloidal Fe via flocculation during this process. For the bottom water, the ligands released by the sediments may form additions to the <100 kDa Fe. The COC and DOC were mainly closely related to the behavior of the Fe in the bottom water. The <1 and 3-10 kDa Fe was mainly significantly positively correlated with the DOC, while the <100 kDa-0.45 μm Fe was significantly negatively correlated with the DOC. <100 kDa LMW colloidal Fe exhibited more synergistic behavior with easily absorbed ammonium salts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Iron (Fe) plaques in coastal wetlands are widely recognized because of their strong adsorption affinity for natural particles, but their interaction behaviors and mechanisms with plastics remain unknown. Through laboratory incubation experiments, paired with multiple characterization methods and microbial analysis, this work focused on the characteristics of Fe plaques on low-density polyethylene plastic surfaces and their relationship with environmental factors in coastal wetlands (Mangrove and Spartina alterniflora soil). The results showed that iron plaques increased the adhesive force of the plastic surface from 65.25 to 300 nN and promoted the oxidation of the plastic surface. Fe plaque formation was stimulated by salinity, anaerobic conditions, natural organic matter, and a weak alkaline scenario (pH 8.0-8.3). The Fe content showed a stable positive correlation with heavy metals loading (i.e., As, Mn, Co, Cr, Pb, and Zn). Furthermore, we revealed that Fe plaque was positively regulated by Nitrospirae through 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing analysis. Meanwhile, Verrucomicrobia and Kiritimatiellaeota. may act as depressants by consuming salt. This work illustrated that iron plaques could enhance the role of plastics in contaminant migration by altering their adsorption performance, providing new insights into plastic interface behavior and potential ecological effects in coastal wetlands., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An emission trading system (ETS) has been consistently recognized as a promising instrument to stem massive carbon emissions from energy-intensive industries. However, it remains ambiguous whether the ETS can achieve emission mitigation without undermining economic activity in specific industries in emerging running markets. This study focuses on the impact of China's four independent ETS pilots on carbon emissions, industrial competitiveness, and spatial spillover effects in the iron and steel industry. With a synthetic control method for causal inference, we find that the achievement of emission reductions was generally accompanied by losses of competitiveness in the pilot regions. An exception to this trend was seen in the Guangdong pilot, where the aggregate emissions increased due to the incentivized output created by a specific benchmarking allocation approach. Despite impaired competitiveness, the ETS did not cause significant spatial spillovers, which alleviates concerns about potential carbon leakage under unilateral climate regulation. Our findings could enlighten subsequent sector-specific assessments of the effectiveness of ETSs and are also valuable to policymakers in and outside China now considering ETSs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The deployment of energy storage systems can play a role in peak and frequency regulation, solve the issue of limited flexibility in cleaner power systems in China, and ensure the stability and safety of the power grid. This paper presents a comprehensive environmental impact analysis of a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery system for the storage and delivery of 1 kW-hour of electricity. Quantities of copper, graphite, aluminum, lithium iron phosphate, and electricity consumption are set as uncertainty and sensitivity parameters with a variation of [90%, 110%]. The results show that global warming potential is 9.08E+01 kg CO2 eq. and fossil resource use is 1.21E+03 MJ, with uncertainty ranges of [8.54E+01, 9.23E+01] and [1.15E+03, 1.23E+03], respectively. Electricity consumption during the manufacture and installation process is the greatest contributor to climate change (CO2 eq. emissions), accounting for 39.71% and largely owing to non-renewable sources, followed by cathode materials at 27.85% and anode materials at 18.36%. The disposal and recycling process offers emission reductions but requires an additional 1.17% use of fossil resources. Sobol T indices for the quantity of electricity are the highest for acidification, climate change, fossil resource use, and ionizing radiation. By considering the pathway of China's electricity mix from 2020 to 2050 under the Paris Agreement's 2° target, the potential for environmental emission reduction in the system is evaluated. The results show that the greener electricity mix could lead to a 24.59% reduction in acidification impact, a 35.74% reduction in climate change impact, a 33.24% reduction in fossil resource use, and a 44.13% reduction in ionizing radiation impact. This study offers a comprehensive view of the environmental impact reductions associated with the lithium iron phosphate battery and its industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The average grade of iron ore is low in China, and it is significant for the effective utilization of iron ore to obtain grades. In the paper, the high-precision model was constructed based on the spectrum of hematite and the multiple hidden layers extreme learning machine with random values and dense connection, which took the output of all previous layers as the input of each hidden layer. It has achieved high precision during the detection of the total iron content for hematite, which meets the requirements for the construction and development of new green and intelligent mines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the ongoing China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR) studies, this work focused on the study of the electromagnetic (EM) loads distribution on inboard (IB) and outboard (OB) blanket vertical segments. In this paper, a major central disruption scenario with a 36-ms linear current quench was performed in the ANSYS finite element software. EM forces and moments, both on the single module and the complete blanket segment, were calculated for the updated helium-cooled ceramic breeder (HCCB) blanket. Furthermore, the effect of EM loads with respect to poloidal segmentations on the back plate (BP) was studied. Results show that the EM forces and moments in the IB blanket barely changed, but in the OB blanket, great changes occurred. With poloidal segmentations increasing, EM forces loads on the BP will be reduced. This paper may provide important data to support subsequent optimization of the BP of CFETR and could also be a technical reference for other fusion organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of the Chinese Ceramic Society is the property of Bulletin of the Chinese Ceramic Society Editorial Office 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.)

This paper studies the relationship between firms' excess capacity and their environmental behaviour by matching the environmental data of China's major iron and steel firms with the Chinese Industrial Enterprises database. The findings are as follows. (1) A firm's excess capacity leads to myopic decisions, and firms will pay more attention to short‐run economic benefits at the cost of long‐run environmental benefits, which strengthens their dependence on the polluting path. (2) The dependence is positively correlated with the transformation barriers, and either a higher innovation cost or a higher possibility of regulatory capture in local official governance would lead to greater dependence on the pollution path. (3) Mergers & acquisitions (M&As) may hopefully cut such dependency, but only cross‐provincial M&As led by central state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) can effectively alleviate the "pollution effect" of excess capacity, while intra‐provincial M&As led by local SOEs fail to achieve such a goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is currently the world's largest producer and consumer of iron and steel. This industry is one of the most energy- and emission-intensive industries in China. It is unsuspicious that energy conservation and emission reduction in this industry are crucial for China to fulfill its obligations of reducing greenhouse gas emission and mitigating global climate change. An appropriate allocation of CO2 emissions permit is the most important precondition for establishing an efficient and effective emissions trading system that had recently been launched in China's pilot regions. This paper proposes a new emissions permit allocation method based on a Nash equilibrium data envelopment analysis model. This method is more appropriate in emissions permit allocation for China's iron and steel firms in an imperfectly competitive market where the product price is endogenous. A noncooperative game is formulated and the mixed complementarity problem is utilized to identify a Nash equilibrium in the allocation of emissions permit (AEP). The most up-to-date AEP using a unique data set of China's major iron and steel enterprises in 2014 is provided in this paper. The results show that the AEP improves the desirable output generation by satisfying the reduction targets of the undesirable outputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Naxiguole Banded Iron Formation (BIF), located in the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt, Northwest China, is hosted by the Jinshuikou Group and has a Fe of 75 Mt at a grade of 15–28.83 wt.% Fe. In this paper, we use integrated petrological, geochemical, and geochronological data to limit the age and origin of the Naxiguole BIF. Country rocks mainly comprise marble, felsic paragneiss, plagioclase amphibolite schist, and biotite plagioclase gneiss. The features of sedimentary structure (blastopsammitic texture and blastobedding structure) and trace elements (e.g. La, Ni, Zr) from the country rock indicate that their protoliths are sedimentary rock. The 141 detrital zircons from the Jinshuikou Group yield a minimum age of 908 Ma, which can be considered the upper limit for the Naxiguole BIF. According to the age (602 Ma) of the mafic rocks intruding into the Jinshuikou Group, it is reasonable to assume that the formation age of BIF can be limited at 908–602 Ma (i.e. Neoproterozoic). The high contents of Al2O3 + TiO2 (3–6 wt.%), ΣREE (36–135 ppm) for BIF samples suggest that terrestrial clastic material contributed to BIF formation. The BIF samples show seawater-like features, such as depletion in LREEs, positive Y anomaly and high Y/Ho ratios (30.7–57.5, average = 42.5), implying that the Naxiguole BIF precipitated from seawater. The positive Eu/Eu*PAAS anomalies (average 1.52) suggest the influence of high-T hydrothermal fluids. Based on positive Eu anomalies and high terrestrial clastic components and no obvious Ce anomalies, the Naxiguole BIF was formed in an anoxic or suboxic sedimentary basin within active continental island arc, and is similar to Superior-type BIFs worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater resources are an essential component of global water resources. Long-term consumption of groundwater exceeding the standard levels for iron and manganese can lead to chronic diseases, posing a threat to human health. The Sanjiang Plain is the largest swamp wetland area in China and has high levels of iron and manganese in the groundwater, but the cause still needs to be clarified. Based on the results of water quality tests of 41 groundwater samples in the Eastern Sanjiang Plain, this paper analyzes the distribution characteristics and causes of iron and manganese from the perspectives of the original strata environment, redox conditions, pH conditions, and hydrochemical indicator factors in the research area, using statistical methods and GIS technology. The results show that high iron and manganese content in groundwater is prevalent in the Eastern Sanjiang Plain, and the exceedance rate of manganese is higher than that of iron (87.80% and 82.90%, respectively). The primary sources of iron and manganese in groundwater are iron and manganese minerals in the original strata environment. Influenced by factors such as acidic conditions, reducing environment, and rich organic matter, insoluble high-valent iron and manganese oxides are reduced to low-valent and soluble divalent iron and manganese. At the same time, groundwater's high mineralization and evaporation concentration are conducive to increased iron and manganese content, while the influence of human activities is small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Circular Economy Promotion Law of People's Republic of China came into force in 2009, the concept of circular economy (CE) has gained a rising attention from governments and researchers. Policy makers, companies and researchers have started to establish different sets of principles and strategies for adoption. This paper introduces the CE within China's economy background and reviews the drivers to adopt and facilitate its CE. It integrates several current CE practices in China and conducts an analysis on the recycling rate from the government official reports that show China has made some progress in recycling industrial tangible waste and major renewable resources such as iron and steel with remaining challenges and barriers. Further analysis suggests that China requires a more systematic approach to promote CE by individuals, organizations and the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the 2030 carbon peak target, this paper studies the top-down provincial carbon quota allocation in China's iron and steel industry. Considering the principles of fairness, efficiency, sustainability and development, three provincial carbon quota allocation schemes are constructed based on entropy method, three-stage DEA and ZSG-DEA model respectively, which make up for the gap of carbon quota allocation scheme with the total amount of carbon peak target of the iron and steel industry. The allocation results show that the allocation based on the entropy method can roughly solve the problem of uneven distribution of carbon quota of the steel industry in various provinces, and the carbon quota in the steel industry decreases from the eastern region to the western region. Considering the two environmental indicators of local government competition and urbanization level, the initial carbon quota allocation scheme can be effectively adjusted, which is conducive to promote the enthusiasm of some underdeveloped areas. The allocation scheme, which combines the entropy method with the ZSG-DEA model, can enhance the efficiency of carbon quota allocation among provinces while ensuring fairness. However, this fairness is limited and more advantageous to economically developed regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Nanhai I shipwreck was a large wooden merchant ship (22.15 m in length and 9.85 m in width) built in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279 A.D.) of China, which was heavily loaded with a large number of porcelain and iron artifacts. In the South China Sea, it was found in 1987 and lifted as a whole in 2007. Its excavation provides a precious opportunity to reveal the preservation status of Nanhai I shipwreck. Iron compounds give rise to challenges in conservation procedures and the long-term stability of Nanhai I shipwreck. In this paper, the degradation of the wood and the iron deposits in the wood structure are investigated from the aspects of microscopic morphology, composition, and distribution to evaluate the preservation state of the waterlogged wood. Physical parameters, chemical composition, and the results of elemental analysis, and FTIR analysis suggest that the cellulose of wood is degraded, and the relative concentration of lignin increases. The ash content varies greatly among different samples, and the element of the highest content in ash is iron. The study on transverse and longitudinal sections from samples indicate that the deposits are unevenly concentrated in the cell lumen, middle lamella, rays, and pits of the cell wall. The cell lumen is filled with deposits in areas close to the surface of the samples. The XRD analysis demonstrates that the deposits in wood are mainly iron deposits, containing compounds pyrite (FeS2), siderite (FeCO3), iron oxyhydroxides (FeOOH), and magnetite (Fe3O4). The micro-X-ray Fluorescence mapping analysis suggests that the content of iron is relatively richer while containing less sulfur on the exterior of the sample. The presence of iron deposits accelerates wood degradation and increases the safety hazards of shipwrecks in the preservation process. We hope that our findings can make a modest contribution to iron removal from waterlogged archeological wood and shipwreck conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal raw materials are essential for industrial production. Global metal markets have changed considerably since the start of the twenty-first century, China being the most influential driver of this change. With China's economic rise, metal demand has skyrocketed, and global production shares in metal raw materials and trade volumes have shifted towards the People's Republic. While China has become the dominant location for global metal production and consumption, older industrial economies like the European countries or the US have lost global share. This paper aims to compare the different developments in China, the European Union and the US regarding markets for the base metals aluminium, copper, lead, nickel, tin and zinc as well as iron and steel. The analysis covers movements in industrial production, metal production locations (mining – refined production – refined consumption) and metal trade volumes (ores and concentrates – waste and scrap – refined products and articles thereof). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Max Weber came to see his "rational bureaucracy" as also something of an "iron cage." The reliance on regularized paperwork can result in a separation of the administrative procedure from actual substance, and the level-by-level transmission of documents can result in the resolution of problems on paper only. The complex specialized and standardized procedures of the formal, hierarchical bureaucracy are therefore often ineffective because they have lost touch with reality. In China, the problem of the "involution" of public power found by central inspection teams 中央巡视组 during the course of their inspections is in essence the "formalist" 形式主义 response of bureaucracy when supervised and reviewed. Weber believed that the iron cage of bureaucracy, or the irrationality of rationality, needs an outside "charismatic" authority to check and counterbalance it. The practice of the central inspection teams, however, shows how bureaucratic organizations only further intensify formalism to preserve themselves in the face of such outside authority. That is to say, if the charismatic authority does not break through the trap of bureaucratized patterns of thought and behavior, the iron cage will only be further strengthened and perpetuated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to consider the economic, resource, energy and environmental factors in a low-carbon economic efficiency evaluation system and to analyze the factors affecting iron and steel enterprises. A combined data envelopment analysis and Malmquist index model have been used in this paper. We empirically investigate the low-carbon efficiency of the Chinese steel industry using observations of 17 listed enterprises from 2009 to 2013. The results show that the economic efficiency of China's iron & steel enterprises is generally low. The Malmquist productivity index also shows a decreasing trend. Based on our findings, some policies are proposed to improve the low-carbon economic efficiency of China's steel industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony is classified as a critical/strategic metal. Its primary production is predominated by China via pyrometallurgical routes such as volatilization roasting—reduction smelting or direct reduction smelting. The performance of most of the pyro-processes is very sensitive to concentrate type and grade. Therefore, technology selection for a greenfield plant is a significant and delicate task to maximize the recovery rate of antimony and subsequently precious metals (PMs), mainly gold, from the concentrates. The current paper reviews the conventional pyrometallurgical processes and technologies that have been practiced for the treatment of antimony concentrates. The blast furnace is the most commonly used technology, mainly because of its adaptability to different feeds and grades and a high recovery rate. In addition, several other more environmentally friendly pyrometallurgical routes, that were recently developed, are reviewed but these are still at laboratory- or pilot-scales. For example, decarbonization of antimony production through the replacement of carbonaceous reductants with hydrogen seems to be feasible, although the process is still at its infancy, and further research and development are necessary for its commercialization. At the end, available refining methods for removal of the most important impurities including arsenic, sulfur, lead, iron, and copper from crude antimony are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Confluenze. Rivista di Studi Iberoamericani is the property of Universita di Bologna, Dipartimento di Lingue, Letterature e Culture Moderne 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.)

In this paper, a novel descriptor estimator-based incipient fault estimation scheme is designed for Lipschitz nonlinear descriptor systems with process disturbances and measurement output noises. By using the proposed estimator, incipient sensor faults, abrupt actuator faults, and measurement noises can be estimated asymptotically. Application results conducted on a three-phase inverter system of China railway high-speed trains are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed approach. The main contributions are summarized in two aspects: 1) the unified framework designed for actuator and sensor fault reconstruction/estimation problem is capable of dealing with actuator and sensor faults at the same time and 2) a linear matrix inequality optimization method is formulated to achieve optimal performance of signal estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron (Fe) is a micronutrient and plays an important role in regulating ocean primary production and consequently changing oceanic CO 2 uptake. However, approaches for high-resolution of Fe records in marine environment has been a great challenge. In this study, we report for the first time an annual Fe record on black coral organic skeleton from the northern South China Sea (SCS) as an archive to study the environmental change during the past century. In situ micro-Raman, synchrotron micro X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (μ-XANES) and synchrotron micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) were applied to investigate the Fe speciation and the radial Fe profile in black coral. The preliminary results from micro-Raman and synchrotron micro XANES analysis demonstrated that Fe in black coral was mainly combined with 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa) as tris-DOPA-Fe complex. Such spatial coordination structure of complexation makes Fe have high affinity with dopa in black coral. Furthermore, elevated Fe concentration in Fe profile recorded on synchrotron μ-XRF spectra with 2.5 μm resolution corresponded well to the exploitation history of the adjacent onshore Tiandu Iron Mine (Sanya, China) from 1939 to 1960. Other distinct Fe peak coincides with the war activities in 1970s. The findings presented in this work indicate that the high-resolution iron record with low annual growth rate (~17.8 μm year -1 ) of black coral may serve as a proxy of marine environmental record., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Iron supplementation has been recommended for healthy pregnancy, but concerns have been raised regarding the potential adverse effects. We sought to examine the impact of periconceptional iron supplement use on subsequent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk., Methods: Participants (N = 5101) with information on periconceptional micronutrient supplementation and diagnosis of GDM were involved. Information on iron supplementation and general characteristics were collected at enrollment and follow-up visits. GDM was diagnosed by oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) conducted at 24-28 weeks of gestation. Robust Poisson regression model was used to estimate the relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the effect of iron supplement use on GDM., Results: 10.5% of the participants were diagnosed with GDM and the incidence was significantly higher in users with iron >30 mg/d for more than 3 months (Iron >30-L) than in nonusers. Adjusted RRs (95% CI) were 1.53 (1.21, 1.93) in Iron >30-L group, 1.14 (0.80, 1.61) in users with iron >30 mg/d for<3 months (Iron > 30-S) and 1.15 (0.86, 1.54) in users with iron ≤30 mg/d for any duration (Iron ≤30) respectively, compared to nonusers. This link in Iron >30-L group was even stronger (adjusted RR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.25, 2.31) when restricting the analysis among primiparous and iron-replete participants without family history of diabetes. There were no significant differences in birth outcomes among groups., Conclusions: Periconceptional iron supplementation >30 mg/d for long-term was associated with increased GDM risk. The need and safety of prophylactic iron supplement in iron-replete pregnant women should be reconsidered., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The southern Yellow Sea (SYS) is considered to be of the most prolific fishing grounds in the China Sea. In this study, the seasonal and spatial distributions of total dissolved iron (DFe) are investigated across four seasons in the SYS, from July 2013 to January 2016. This investigation showed that the DFe values of all samples exhibited seasonal variations: summer (1.7-15.8 nM), autumn (0.9-38.5 nM), winter (3.0-69.8 nM), and spring (3.0-100.2 nM). The DFe values in both surface and bottom waters also exhibited distinct temporal changes. The influence of water masses on the distribution of DFe as well as other factors, such as major nutrient concentrations of total dissolved nitrogen, total dissolved phosphate, and hydrologic factors, was investigated in this study. Based on the investigation of DFe and major nutrients in the SYS, the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass was identified as the most conservable water mass in the study area. The results of this study further indicate that in winter, DFe 0.4 μm (using a 0.4 μm filter) is considerably higher than DFe 0.2 μm (using a 0.2 μm filter) in the surface water of the SYS coastal area. Therefore, the dissolution of colloidal Fe in this area had a significant effect on DFe., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

With the thriving development of China's steel industry, iron tailings have become one of the most deposited industrial solid wastes in China, the treatment of which has become a key link faced by mining and smelting enterprises. With the perspective of effective utilization of iron tailings resources, the paper discussed the current research status of iron tailings in China used as concrete raw materials, sand slurry raw materials, roadbed materials, brick fabrication materials, aerated concrete materials, mine backfill materials and so on, as well as the existing problems and outlook for future development, in hope that it can provide references for the comprehensive utilization of iron tailings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is a new form of regulated cell death which is different from apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy, and results from iron-dependent lipidperoxide accumulation. Now, it is found that ferroptosis is involved in multiple physiological and pathological processes, such as cancer, arteriosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, antiviral immune response, acute renal failure, hepatic and heart ischemia/reperfusion injury. On the one hand, it could be found the appropriate drugs to promote ferroptosis to clear cancer cells and virus infected cells, etc. On the other hand, we could inhibit ferroptosis to protect healthy cells. China has a wealth of traditional Chinese medicine resources. Chinese medicine contains a variety of active ingredients that regulate ferroptosis. Here, this paper reported the research of ferroptosis pathway, targets of its inducers and inhibitors that have been discovered, and the regulatory effects of the discovered Chinese herbs and its active ingredients on ferroptosis to help clinical and scientific research., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.)

Xuxiebian is an iron‐smelting site located in Pujiang county of Sichuan province, China. Two excavations were carried out in 2007 and 2011, and four bowl‐shaped furnaces were excavated. Ten slag samples from the site were prepared and analysed. The present paper reports the results of metallographic and elemental examination of the specimens. It is concluded that both pig‐iron‐smelting and refining process were applied at the Xuxiebian site, and the bowl‐shaped furnaces are possibly refining furnaces. The function of the site was probably to produce pig iron and refine the pig iron into wrought iron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Industrial Minerals & Processing / Huagong Kuangwu yu Jiagong is the property of Industrial Minerals & Processing Editorial Office 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.)

Some toe-deck crack cases in China have been reported after about 10 years of service in suspension and beam bridge steel orthotropic decks with trough stiffeners. In this paper, a reference stress method used in design practice and a hot-spot stress method provided by the International Institute of Welding are used to investigate toe-deck fatigue of the newly built Taizhou Yangtze River Bridge. Shell and solid finite element models with different mesh sizes are compared. The hot spot at the weld toe and the point at the trough-deck intersection are discussed. One is a shell-model hot spot with no weld. The other is a solid-model hot spot with the weld. Hot-spot stress calculated with the shell model is larger than that with the solid model. Different extrapolation methods of hot-spot stress are discussed; stress calculated with the linear extrapolation method is almost the same as with the quadratic method. The stress of the joint under a moving unit wheel load is studied. Fatigue strengths against reference and hot-spot stresses are derived. Fatigue damages under the truck load, evaluated based on the reference stress method and the hot-spot stress method, are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fluid overpressure plays a key important role in the formation of skarn iron deposit. Skarn iron deposits are important resources for iron-rich ores and their genesis has been a topic of debate. The Nanminghe iron deposit is a typical skarn iron deposit in Wu'an, Hebei Province, China which provides a good example to investigate the metallogenic mechanism. In this paper, we present a detailed study of the geology, petrography, and geochemical characteristics of magnetite in the Nanminghe iron deposit. Two types of magnetite can be identified in the massive ores: Mag1 is euhedral with radial cracks developed in the margin. It is a low-Si magnetite, with SiO 2 content ranging from 0.07% to 0.92%, with an average value of 0.49%. The SiO 2 content of Mag2 is from 0.90% to 3.29%, and an average value of 2.03%. The Mag2 is associated with quartz, goethite, and apatite. Geochemical characteristics of Mag1, together with the ore textures suggest its crystallization from an iron magma. There are significant differences in the geochemical characteristics between Mag1 and Mag2. Mag2 is rich in Nb, Ta, high field strength elements, large ion lithophile elements and has higher silica content. The Nb/Ta of Mag2 is higher than that of the original mantle. These characteristics as well as La/Ta vs Th/La, Th/U vs Sm/Nd and Nb/Ta vs Nb features show that Mag2 is formed in the environment of supercritical fluids. The δ56Fe of Mag1 is 0.157‰-0.172‰, with an average value of 0.166‰, and the δ56Fe of Mag2 is 0.119‰-0.160‰, with an average value of 0.139‰. The Fe isotope of Mag2 is lighter than Mag1. There is a negative correlation between δ56Fe and SiO 2 of Mag1 and Mag2, suggesting that the lighter δ56Fe of Mag2 was caused by injection of Si-rich fluids. We propose a genetic model where we envisage that the iron-rich melt formed in the deep magma chamber by reaction of dioritic rocks and carbonates. Mag1 formed by cooling of the iron-rich magma, following which Si-rich supercritical fluid were injected into the deep chamber resulting in fluid overpressure. The iron-bearing melt-fluid migrated upward along the magmatic conduit, when Mag2 formed. Our study provides insights into the formation mechanism of skarn iron deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Decarbonisation of the industrial sector is key to achieve net-zero emission target on schedule. • For the cement and iron and steel industry, some new technologies which based on their production material(CaO, steel slag) have been gradually developed. • The economic benefits generated by chemical industry can promote the application of carbon reduction technologies in other fields. • The small-scale projects can reduce economic costs through enhancing regional synergy. With the continuous increase in anthropogenic CO 2 emissions, many countries have researched and implemented carbon reduction technologies for large-scale industrial processes. In addition to the power industry, the cement, steel and iron, and chemical production industries are large sources of CO 2 emissions. However, the processes and flue gas characteristics of each industry differ; thus, the carbon capture methods applicable to each industry differ. This paper reviews the key technologies, status, and development trends of carbon reduction methods for each industrial source with a focus on the unique characteristics of each industry. As emission reduction targets become stricter, the large-scale development of carbon reduction demonstration projects will inevitably lead to a decrease in the costs of emission reduction technology. This review would be useful for obtaining an overview of the current progress and future prospect for carbon reduction of nonpower industries in both fundamental research and commercial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-stage Malmquist-Luenberger index model is constructed for the multiple production of iron and steel industry. • The proposed model can evaluate environmental total factor productivity (ETFP) growth of whole system and sub-process. • Technical regression of steel-making sub-process is the main source of restricting system ETFP growth. • The change of system ETFP varies greatly, being highest in the eastern region, and lowest in the western region. • Compared with the single-stage conventional MLPI, the multi-stage MLPI is smaller and has more discriminatory power. This paper develops a multi-stage Malmquist-Luenberger index (MLPI) model by considering the joint production of desirable and undesirable outputs in multiple production processes. The proposed approach not only evaluates the environmental total factor productivity (ETFP) growth of the whole system but also investigate the progress and regress of each sub-process, i.e., the iron-making sub-process and the steel-making sub-process. Driving factors of ETFP change are identified through multi-stage MLPI decomposition. With an application of the proposed model in China's 48 iron and steel enterprises over the period of 2009–2013, the validity of the proposed models has been demonstrated. Moreover, this study explores the regional difference analysis of system and multi-stage ETFP among 31 provinces in eastern, central and western regions. Results show that the ETFP of system, iron-making sub-process and steel-making sub-process experienced increase annually, the most important finding is that the environmental efficiency increase is the most critical driving factor in promoting ETFP growth. Technical regression of steel-making sub-process is the main source of restricting system ETFP growth. In addition, the change of system ETFP varies greatly in different regions, being highest in the eastern region, and lowest in the western region. Compared with the single-stage conventional MLPI, the multi-stage MLPI is smaller and has more discriminatory power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of deindustrialisation remains dominated by studies of the OECD countries. The process has only recently been studied in newly industrialised countries and regions yet in a geographically constrained manner, dominated by macro-level, sectorial-based analytical frameworks. China so far has not featured highly in this emerging literature as its deindustrialisation is a more recent phenomenon overshadowed by ongoing industrialisation. This article contributes to an understanding of deindustrialisation in a microscopic empirical analysis of a China case. The microscopic approach is particularly relevant in China where state-owned, self-contained enterprises, or 'danweis', used to shape the industrial and social lives of urban Chinese, but it is also relevant to understanding processes of deindustrialisation elsewhere where these involve iconic, single industry or company communities. Adopting a case-study ethnographic approach, this study examines the transformation experienced by the iconic Wuhan Iron and Steel Company (WISCO) in Wuhan, Central China, and reveals variations in the pace of change in industrialisation and the 'half-life' of deindustrialisation as it is moderated by the institutionalisation and social life of danweis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kaladawan iron deposit is located in the North Altyn Tagh and exhibits occurrences of iron ore bodies at the contact zone between Ordovician magmatic rocks (basalts, rhyolite, and granodiorite) and marble. However, controversy persists regarding the genetic classification and metallogenic mechanism of this deposit. Through a field investigation, single mineral in situ geochemical analysis, whole-rock geochemical analysis, and Fe isotope determination, the following conclusions are made: (1) Ti-(Ni/Cr) and (V/Ti)-Fe diagrams indicate that the magnetite from all studied rocks underwent hydrothermal metasomatism, while (Ni/(Cr + Mn))-(Ti + V) and (Ca + Al + Mn)-(Ti + V) diagrams suggest a skarn origin for these magnetites. Therefore, it can be inferred that the Kaladawan iron deposit is skarn-type. (2) The iron ore exhibits similar rare-earth-element characteristics to the altered basalt. Additionally, the altered basalts (δ56Fe = 0.024~0.100‰) are more enriched in light Fe isotopes than the unaltered basalts (δ56Fe = 0.129~0.197‰) at the same location, indicating that the ore-forming materials of the Kaladawan iron ore are mainly derived from basaltic rocks. (3) According to the law of mass conservation and the intermediate Fe isotopic composition of the iron ore between the granodiorite and basalt, the hydrothermal fluid for the formation of iron ores was inferred to be derived from the late intrusive granodiorite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron isotope compositions, along with the partial extraction of iron in its various forms, can be utilized to investigate the complex interplay of iron migration and transformation with respect to iron isotope patterns. This study investigated the iron composition of a typical loess-paleosol sequence in Northeast China and aimed to understand the influence of iron migration and transformation of the typical loess-paleosol sequence on iron isotopes and environmental and climatic changes that occurred in the region over time by analyzing the distribution and characteristics of iron compositions in sedimentary layers. Samples were collected from Chaoyang in Northeast China, and the iron isotopic composition was analyzed using the multi-receiver inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS). The findings revealed depth-dependent variations in the content of different iron forms, reflecting paleoclimatic shifts primarily through pedogenic transformation processes. Notably, iron migration within the section was observed to be limited. The variations in the reddening index and magnetic susceptibility of the loess-paleosol were primarily influenced by the presence of free iron (Fed), exhibiting a range of colors from yellow to red-yellow and red. The δ56Fe values for loess and paleosols ranged from 0.097 ± 0.035‰ to 0.167 ± 0.010‰, with an average of 0.133 ± 0.024‰ and a coefficient of variation (CV) of 15.66% at the stratum scale. These values indicated a systematic enrichment of heavy iron isotopes and a significant negative correlation with the slightly fluctuating total iron content. Specifically, our analysis highlighted distinct differences in δ56Fe values between paleosol (0.126 ± 0.024‰) and loess (0.146 ± 0.021‰). The δ56Fe in Fed was negative, averaging −0.101 ± 0.022‰, while the δ56Fe in silicate-bound iron was positive, averaging 0.156 ± 0.032‰. Intense pedogenesis, driven by warm and wet climates, facilitated iron transformations and migrations, resulting in the accumulation of light iron isotopes in the paleosols. These transformations and migrations were predominantly observed in microdomains characterized by iron depletions and concentrations, as reflected in the profile morphologies. However, the limited iron transformations and migrations did not result in significant Fe redistribution within the soil section, as evidenced by the limited variations in δ56Fe with soil depth at the stratum scale. Sampling from the stratum or pedogenic horizon could potentially create the illusion of the minimal fractionation of iron isotopes within the sequence. Therefore, a detailed examination of the iron isotope composition in the micro-domains of the loess-paleosol sequence is crucial to elucidate the fractionation processes and mechanisms of iron isotopes during the formation of these sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic reactions during the daytime, alongside aqueous-phase reactions occurring during both daytime and nighttime, are identified as the two primary processes facilitating the conversion of aerosol iron (Fe) from the insoluble state to the soluble state within the atmospheric environment. This study investigated the levels of total Fe (Fe T) and soluble Fe (Fe S) in PM 2.5 samples collected during daytime and nighttime in Qingdao, a coastal city in eastern China, evaluating the distinctive roles of these two pathways in enhancing aerosol Fe solubility (%Fe S , defined as the ratio of Fe S to Fe T). Under clean and humid conditions, characterized by prevailing sea breezes and a relative humidity (RH) typically above 80 %, an average daytime %Fe S of 8.7 % was observed, which systematically exceeded the nighttime %Fe S (6.3 %). Photochemical conversions involving oxalate contributed to the higher %Fe S observed during daytime. Conversely, in scenarios where air masses originated from inland areas and exhibited slightly polluted, daytime %Fe S (3.7 %) was noted to be lower than the nighttime %Fe S (5.8 %). This discrepancy was attributable to the variations in RH, with nighttime RH averaging around 77 %, conducive to the more efficient generation of acidic compounds, thereby accelerating Fe S production compared to the daytime, when RH was only about 62 %. Furthermore, the oxidation rates of sulfur (SOR) displayed a strong correlation with RH, particularly when RH fell below 75 %. A 10 % increase in RH corresponded to a 7.6 % rise in SOR, which served as the primary driver of the higher aerosol acidity and %Fe S at night. These findings highlight the RH-dependent activation of aqueous-phase reactions and the augmentation of daytime photocatalysis in the formation of Fe S in the coastal moist atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the conventional data envelopment analysis (DEA) window analysis, a decision-making unit (DMU) in each window is treated as different units in each period so that the evaluation for one unit is performed on different scales over time. This paper proposes a novel window analysis based on common weight across time (CWAT), which evaluates each unit in each window by its common scale independent of time. The model for obtaining common weights is described as linear programming. And the paper suggests the Malmquist productivity index (MPI) on CWAT, CWAT MPI, to analyze productivity change by inheriting the result of window analysis. The numerical experiments are illustrated to examine the validity of CWAT and MPI, and the result shows that the proposed method provides a new evaluation scale compared to previous studies. The proposed model is applied to evaluate the performance of China 45 iron and steel enterprises during 2009–2017. The energy and environmental efficiency are calculated using CWAT, and CWAT MPI analyzes the productivity change. • We study a DEA window analysis based on common weights. • The proposed DEA window is represented by linear programming. • We discuss the Malmquist index in the DEA window. • The MPI is the geometric mean of all indices calculated in individual windows. • The performance of the iron and steel enterprises is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero-valent iron (ZVI)-based materials are among the most widely used engineered particles in the field of environmental remediation. To provide a comprehensive overview of the status and trend of the research on them, this study conducted a quantitative and visual analysis of 6296 relevant publications obtained from Web of Science between 1994 and 2022 using CiteSpace software. By using the bibliometric method, this work systematically analyzed the knowledge structure, research hotspots and trends of ZVI-based materials in this field. The results show that the research on ZVI-based materials in this field developed rapidly over the past 28 years. China is the greatest contributor with the most published articles and collaborations. Still, the USA has the most academic influence with the highest average citations per article. Chinese Academy of Sciences and Tongji University are the primary establishments that produced the greatest number of publications and had the highest h-index. Keyword cluster analysis indicates that the primary research topics are related to reductive dechlorination, sulfate radical, arsenic removal, graphene oxide, porous media, peroxymonosulfate, groundwater remediation, and permeable reactive barrier. Meanwhile, keyword burst analysis reveals that the primary research hotspots and frontiers of ZVI focus on its modification, the refractory and emerging contaminants treatment, persulfate activation, and electron transfer. However, no keywords or topics related to the environmental impact and toxicity of ZVI-based materials are available in the keyword clustering and burst analysis results, indicating this direction deserves more attention in future research. Through a comprehensive and in-depth bibliometric analysis, this paper provides new insight into the research hotspots and development trends of the research on ZVI-based materials in environmental remediation. [Display omitted] • Application of scientometrics to analyze ZVI in environmental remediation. • 6296 publications of ZVI-based materials in environmental remediation were analyzed. • The most influential countries, institutions, and authors were identified. • Research hotspots and trends of ZVI in environmental remediation were revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]