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Risk assessment of pesticides has its roots in the same process for chemicals in general, both of which are relatively recent. Pesticides such as oxides of sulfur and some minerals were also used by early civilizations but the concepts of dose-response and risk as a probability were only documented in the literature (books) in the 1500s and 1600s, respectively. Formal use of toxic dose and safety factors for humans was developed as inorganic and organic pesticides entered the market after the 1930s, but only made use of simple hazard ratios to characterize danger. This approach continued until adoption of the concept of probability of exposure of humans to pesticides via dietary exposure, but not sensitivity of humans. It was in 1980s–90s that the use of probability was suggested as a way of characterizing variation in sensitivity of species in the environment as well as the exposures in environmental matrices. As we move into the future, risk assessment of agrochemicals will evolve to include new frameworks and approaches for dealing with conflicting data, such as Weight of Evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) belongs to the highly reactive group of gases familiar as "Oxides of Sulfur". SO2 has lots of adverse effects on plants, respiratory system and many other environmental issues. Sulfur dioxide is a primary pollutant which is regulated worldwide, due to the combustion of fuel. Different approaches are adopted to economically control the SO2 in the environment which causes the production of sulfuric acid that is reflected in acid rain. The aim of this study is to investigate the invariant regions and solution pathways for the formation of H2SO4 in a multi-step reaction mechanism. The employed Model Reduction Techniques (MRTs) such as Spectral Quasi Equilibrium Manifold (SQEM) and Intrinsic Low Dimensional Manifold (ILDM) give the solution curves, which functions as a primary approximation to invariant manifold. It is achieved that each chemical specie can be assessed rather than taking the overall mechanism. The new discovery suggests that we could achieve the invariant regions for SO2 and H2SO4. SO2 emissions, along with emission norms, will be disclosed. The comparison of MRTs is depicted through tabular and graphical representations, while theoretical results are demonstrated through computer simulations using MATLAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IMO 2020 regulations, introduced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), came into effect on January 1, 2020, with the primary goal of reducing sulphur oxide emissions from ships by capping the allowable sulphur content in marine fuels at 0.50%. This measure aims to minimize the harmful environmental and health impacts of sulphur emissions, which contribute to air pollution and acid rain. However, the implementation of these regulations has posed considerable challenges for Malaysia’s maritime sector, particularly due to increased operational costs and difficulties in complying with the stringent requirements. This study critically analyses the challenges associated with the enforcement of IMO 2020 regulations in Malaysia, focusing on regulatory compliance. By conducting a comprehensive review of existing literature and integrating insights from key stakeholders and regulatory authorities, this research evaluates the current state of implementation. The findings reveal that the enforcement of IMO 2020 in Malaysia has been suboptimal, largely due to gaps in regulatory execution and industry preparedness. For Malaysia to fully align with international standards and contribute to the preservation of a sustainable maritime ecosystem, concerted efforts are essential to enhance enforcement mechanisms and ensure compliance with global emission reduction targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of carbonization on emission characteristics of rice husk briquettes in a fixed-bed reactor were investigated in this study. Rice husk briquettes were combusted in a fixed bed operated under counterflow mode of flame propagation. Emissions levels for NOx, SOx, unburnt hydrocarbons (CxHy), CO and CO2 were measured under varying biochar and air-mass flow rate conditions. Biochar in the fuel samples were varied uniformly between 25 and 100% while air mass flux was varied uniformly between 0.02 and 0.6 kg/m2.s. It was established that carbonization increases emissions of NOx, SOx, CO2 and decreases emissions of CxHy. Briquettes with high amount of carbonized rice husks emitted high amount of NOx and SOx contrary to the amount of N and S present in these fuels indicating a stronger contribution from higher combustion temperatures. On the other hand, all emissions except CO were directly proportional to air mass flux up to stoichiometric condition which was approximately at 0.31 kg/m2.s. These findings underscore the potential of carbonized rice husk briquettes as a cleaner alternative for biomass combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microemulsion based fuels (MBF) have gained significant attention in recent years due to their potential to enhance combustion efficiency, reduce emissions, and improve overall engine performance. This research paper enlightens the effects of physiochemical properties on the emission characteristics of CI engine. The microemulsions are formulated using surfactants, co‐surfactants, water or alcohols, and fuel components. The effects of density, viscosity, calorific value, cold flow properties, and cetane number along with the stability and the multi‐component characteristics of (MBF) has been taken into consideration to examine its effects on Emission characteristics such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), and unburned hydrocarbons (UHC). Microemulsion‐based fuels lower emissions of NOx and PM, recognized to the more complete combustion. The review highlights various studies that have investigated the benefits of microemulsion fuels, including reduced emissions of different pollutants and thus reduce the adverse effect on environment. In conclusion, microemulsion‐based fuels show likely physiochemical properties, as well as favorable emission characteristics, with reduced NOx, SOx, CO, PM, and UHC emissions. This study highlights the potential of microemulsion‐based fuels as environment friendly alternatives, flagging the way for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of energy in the economic development of countries in transition is almost vital, especially in countries with large coal mineral resources, such as our country, Kosovo. Quantification and accurate analysis of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from lignite power plants are done to inform environmental stakeholders, improve regulatory compliance, protect public health, improve emission control technologies, and support environmental practices. sustainable energy. This study investigated the quantification and accurate analysis of SO2 emissions from lignite power plants to inform environmental stakeholders, improve regulatory compliance, protect public health, improve emission control technologies, and support sustainable energy practices. The laboratory analyses performed with standard methods have resulted in different values for the parameters: Moisture, ash, and sulfur content in lignite is up to 45%, 20%, and 1.2% during the year 2023, through these results we have calculated the SO2 emission that resulting in an average value of 777.4 kg/h. The realized correlation o between the SO2 emission and parameters such as Moisture, sulfur in lignite (total and organic), and High thermal, has increased the accuracy of SO2 emission estimates, the components that are active components during the coal combustion process. Better estimates facilitate a more accurate assessment of the environmental impact of organic SO2 emissions, such as their role in acid rain formation and ecosystem damage. This assessment reflects the poor state of current lignite combustion technologies and suggests their improvement in terms of controlling SO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxy-combustion is a promising carbon-capture technology, but atmospheric-pressure oxy-combustion has a relatively low net efficiency, limiting its application in power plants. In pressurized oxy-combustion (POC), the boiler, air separation unit, flue gas recirculation unit, and CO2 purification and compression unit are all operated at elevated pressure; this makes the process more efficient, with many advantages over atmospheric pressure, such as low NOx emissions, a smaller boiler size, and more. POC is also more promising for industrial application and has attracted widespread research interest in recent years. It can produce high-pressure CO2 with a purity of approximately 95%, which can be used directly for enhanced oil recovery or geo-sequestration. However, the pollutant emissions must meet the standards for carbon capture, storage, and utilization. Because of the high oxygen and moisture concentrations in POC, the formation of acids via the oxidation and solution of SOx and NOx can be increased, causing the corrosion of pipelines and equipment. Furthermore, particulate matter (PM) and mercury emissions can harm the environment and human health. The main distinction between pressurized and atmospheric-pressure oxy-combustion is the former’s elevated pressure; thus, the effect of this pressure on the pollutants emitted from POC—including SOx, NOx, PM, and mercury—must be understood, and effective control methodologies must be incorporated to control the formation of these pollutants. This paper reviews recent advances in research on SOx, NOx, PM, and mercury formation and control in POC systems that can aid in pollutant control in such systems.

This article presents the results of the automatic monitoring of the concentrations of gaseous impurities of sulfur and nitrogen oxides in the ground-level atmosphere of the urban and rural areas in the Southern Baikal region (East Siberia, Russia). The study was conducted from 2020 to 2023 at the urban Irkutsk station and the rural Listvyanka station located at a distance of 70 km from each other. We calculated the main statistical characteristics of the variations in the concentrations of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide in the ground-level atmosphere and determined a nature of variability in their concentrations on various time scales: annual, weekly, and daily. Annual variabilities of gaseous pollutants in the ground-level atmosphere above the Irkutsk city and the Listvyanka settlement were similar and showed the highest values in winter and the lowest in summer. The daily and weekly dynamics of the nitrogen oxide concentrations in the urban area clearly depended on the increase in the road traffic during rush hours (morning and evening). In the rural area, there was no such dependence. In this area, the daily and weekly variability in the concentrations of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide mainly depended on natural meteorological processes. The work systematizes the meteorological parameters at which the largest amount of anthropogenic impurities enters the air basin of Lake Baikal. The maximum values of acid-forming gas concentrations were observed when the air masses were transferred from the northwest direction, which corresponds to the location of sources in the territory of the Irkutsk–Cheremkhovo industrial hub—the largest concentration of anthropogenic objects in the Irkutsk region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combustion of fuel with high sulfur concentrations produces a large number of sulfur oxides (SOx), which have a range of negative effects on human health and life. The preparation of catalysts with excellent performance in the oxidative desulfurization (ODS) process is highly effective for reducing SOx production. In this paper, cross-linked polyvinylimidazole (VE) was successfully created using a simple ontology aggregation method, after which a catalyst of polyvinylimidazolyl heteropolyacid clusters (VE-HPA) was prepared by adding heteropolyacid clusters. Polyvinylimidazolyl-phosphotungstic acid (VE-HPW) showed an outstanding desulfurization performance, and the desulfurization efficiency reached 99.68% in 60 min at 50 °C with H2O2 as an oxidant. Additionally, the catalyst exhibited recyclability nine consecutive times and remained stable, with a removal rate of 98.60%. The reaction mechanism was eventually proposed with the assistance of the free radical capture experiment and GC-MS analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the hydrolysis of TiCl4 was utilized to synthesize titanium dioxide clusters (TiO2 NCs) at a sub-nanometer scale. Precise control over the synthesis process resulted in the production of stable particles with well-defined size distributions. These TiO2 NCs were specifically developed to facilitate the conversion of SOx into organo-sulfonic acid derivatives under visible light irradiation. Various characterization techniques such as TEM, EDX, XRD, UV–Vis-DRS, Raman, and FTIR were employed to analyze the formed photocatalysts, including TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and NCs. The efficiency of catalytic SOx removal depended significantly on the particle size and surface area of the nanocatalysts, as well as the presence of thymol or naphthol (1,2). These materials (1,2) proved to be highly effective in removing SOx from flue gas under ambient conditions, specifically at room temperature. The conversion of thymol or naphthol involved a combination of adsorption and catalytic oxidation–reduction reactions. This photocatalytic approach for SOx conversion offers several advantages, including high performance, elimination of the need for high temperature or pressure, and rapid catalytic removal within a short reaction time of 10 min. TiO2 NCs demonstrate high efficiency in SOx removal, offering a promising solution for pollution control. Unlike some other methods, TiO2 nanoparticles can be potentially regenerated and reused, making them a more sustainable approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead ore/concentrate and spent lead paste are main resources for lead production currently. Though pyrometallurgical processes are mostly applied in industry, they usually suffer from the potential pollution of lead particulates and sulfur oxides released to the environment. More attention has been paid to hydrometallurgical processes for lead extraction from various lead resources especially the spent lead paste. The alkaline leaching-crystallization process has high efficiency in impurity removal. However, they usually are relatively expensive, and corrosion from hot concentrated alkali solution is inevitable. The process using organic reagent leaching followed by calcination is not effective in controlling the impurities in lead oxide products. Though the current hydrometallurgical processes generally have problems of high cost, complicated process, and difficulty in disposing of waste liquid, researchers believe that the hydrometallurgical methods may find their way in practical application because of their relatively low pollution, flexible flowsheet, and versatility in final products and, more important, the challenge to healthy and sustainable development for the lead industry. All these hydrometallurgical processes included in this review offer valuable insights for researchers developing novel hydrometallurgical processes, especially those environment-friendly processes with broad economic potentials in the context of carbon neutrality and carbon peak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A system combining gas-phase oxidation and liquid-phase collision absorption for removing NO from marine diesel engine exhaust was proposed. This method was the first to utilize different physical states of the same mixed solution to achieve both pre-oxidation and impingement reduction absorption of exhaust gases. During the pre-oxidation stage, a mixture of (NH4)2S2O8 and urea solution was atomized into a spray using an ultrasonic nebulizer to increase the contact area between the oxidant and the exhaust gas, thereby efficiently pre-oxidizing the exhaust gas in the gas phase. In the liquid-phase absorption stage, the (NH4)2S2O8 and urea solution was used in an impingement absorption process, which not only enhanced gas–liquid mass transfer efficiency but also effectively inhibited the formation of nitrates. Experimental results showed that, without increasing the amount of absorbent used, the maximum NO removal efficiency of this method reached 97% (temperature, 343 K; (NH4)2S2O8 concentration, 0.1 mol/L; urea concentration, 1.5 mol/L; NO concentration, 1000 ppm; pH, 7; impinging stream velocity, 15 m/s), compared to 72% using the conventional liquid-phase oxidation absorption method. Additionally, this method required only the addition of a nebulizer and two opposing nozzles to the existing desulfurization tower to achieve simultaneous removal of sulfur and nitrogen oxides from the exhaust gas, with low retrofitting costs making it favorable for practical engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the current challenges is the reduction of sulfur emitted into the atmosphere, usually in the form of sulfur oxides generated by fossil fuel combustion. To achieve this goal, the sulfur content should be reduced in fuel. In this context, vanadium-containing materials based on SBA-15 mesoporous silica supports and two different sources of vanadium were prepared, characterized, and applied as catalysts for oxidative desulfurization (CODS) and extractive oxidative desulfurization processes (ECODSs). The novelty of this work was the comparative study of vanadium-containing materials in two desulfurization systems. The properties of the catalysts, the concentration and state of vanadium species, and their role in the catalytic process were examined by low-temperature nitrogen physisorption, XRD, UV-Vis, XPS, and chemisorption of pyridine combined with FTIR spectroscopy. The catalytic performance of the material prepared using ammonium metavanadate was superior to that of the catalyst obtained using vanadium(IV) oxide sulfate, which was explained by a higher concentration of vanadium species on the surface of the support and their lower oxidation state in the former. Both types of catalysts showed high activity and stability in the ECODS process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial chemical processes require sulfur‐resistant catalysts, which reduce catalyst replacement costs and simplify process operations. Herein, a high‐entropy‐stabilized strategy was put forward for sulfur‐resistant catalysis. A spinel high entropy (Zn0.2Mg0.2Cu0.2Mn0.2Co0.2Al2O4) was introduced by ball milling process with aluminum isopropoxide as the main precursor. Zn0.2Mg0.2Cu0.2Mn0.2Co0.2Al2O4 possessed a high surface area of 171.2 m2 g−1, higher than typical high‐entropy oxides (HEOs). The high‐entropy spinel catalyst exhibited better SO2‐resistance performance in the oxidation of carbon monoxide, better than the simple oxides. The SO2‐resistance of Zn0.2Mg0.2Cu0.2Mn0.2Co0.2Al2O4 was primarily improved by reinforcing the stability of the oxide using a high‐entropy structure to decrease the absorption of SO2 on its surface. Any adsorbed SO2 on the surface of the HEO was then selectively trapped by sacrificial metal ions with stronger electron‐withdrawing ability, protecting the active center (Cu2+, Co2+) from poisoning. This work reveals the significance of high‐entropy structures in sulfur resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating air pollutants such as SOx and PM emitted from ships is an important task for marine environmental protection and improving air quality. To address this, exhaust gas after-treatment devices have been introduced, but treating pollutants like SOx and PM individually poses challenges due to spatial constraints on ships. Consequently, a Total Gas Cleaning System (TGCS) capable of simultaneously reducing sulfur oxides and particulate matter has been developed. The TGCS combines a cyclone dust collector and a wet scrubber system. The cyclone dust collector is designed to maintain a certain distance from the bottom of the wet scrubber, allowing exhaust gases entering from the bottom to rise as sulfur oxides are adsorbed. Additionally, the exhaust gases descending through the space between the cyclone dust collector and the wet scrubber collide with the scrubbing solution before entering the bottom of the wet scrubber, facilitating the absorption of SOx. In this study, the efficiency of the developed TGCS was evaluated, and the reduction effects based on design parameters were investigated. Furthermore, the impact of this device on ship engines was analyzed to assess its practical applicability. Experimental results showed that increasing the volume flow rate of the cleaning solution enhanced the PM reduction effect. Particularly, when the height of the Pall ring was 1000 mm and the volume flow rate was 35 L/min, the sulfur oxide reduction effect met the standards for Sulfur Emission Control Areas (SECA). Based on these findings, suggestions for effectively controlling atmospheric pollutants from ships were made, with the expectation of contributing to the development of systems combining various after-treatment devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The noncovalent chalcogen interaction between SO2/SO3 and diazines was studied through a dispersion-corrected DFT Kohn–Sham molecular orbital together with quantitative energy decomposition analyses. For this, supramolecular circular chains of up to 12 molecules were built with the aim of checking the capability of diazine molecules to detect SO2/SO3 compounds within the atmosphere. Trends in the interaction energies with the increasing number of molecules are mainly determined by the Pauli steric repulsion involved in these σ-hole/π-hole interactions. But more importantly, despite the assumed electrostatic nature of the involved interactions, the covalent component also plays a determinant role in its strength in the involved chalcogen bonds. Noticeably, π-hole interactions are supported by the charge transfer from diazines to SO2/SO3 molecules. Interaction energies in these supramolecular complexes are not only determined by the S···N bond lengths but attractive electrostatic and orbital interactions also determine the trends. These results should allow us to establish the fundamental characteristics of chalcogen bonding based on its strength and nature, which is of relevance for the capture of sulfur oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE PURPOSE. To justify the need to transfer boiler houses from fuel oil to furnace domestic fuel. METHODS. Comparative studies of the main indicators of the quality of fuel oil and domestic heating oil (DHO) (heat of combustion, kinematic viscosity, flash point, pour point, ash content, humidity, sulfur content) were carried out. The environmental parameters of pollutants formed during the combustion of fuel oil and domestic stove fuel are calculated and compared with the values regulated by the EkoNiP 17.01.06-001-2017 "Environmental protection and nature management. Requirements of environmental safety" and TCU 17.02-XX-2019 "Environmental protection and nature management". RESULTS. As a result of comparative studies of the main indicators of the quality of fuel oil and furnace household fuel (PBT), it was shown that combustion in PBT boilers in comparison with fuel oil is preferable in terms of environmental consequences in terms of emissions into the atmosphere. As a result of the comparative analysis, it was found that during the transition from fuel oil to furnace household fuel, compliance with the basic environmental standards regulated by these regulatory documents is ensured by reducing by 70 times the amount of sulfur dioxide released into the atmospheric air during 10 days of burning furnace household fuel, as well as reducing the concentration of this type of emission by 72.5 times. When switching from fuel oil to furnace household fuel, pollution and equipment wear are also reduced due to the ash content index for furnace household fuel being 7 times lower than that of fuel oil, as well as a 2-fold reduction in the formation of soot and 70-fold reduction in sulfur dioxide during ten-day use of a new reserve type of fuel. CONCLUSION. Thus, as a result of experimental and calculated studies, it was shown that combustion in DHO boilers in comparison with fuel oil is preferable in terms of environmental consequences in terms of emissions into the atmosphere, reducing corrosion, stopping boilers for repairs, reducing fuel heating costs to facilitate transportation, reducing steam and fuel costs. When switching from fuel oil to furnace household fuel, pollution and equipment wear are also reduced due to the ash content index for furnace household fuel that is 7 times lower than that of fuel oil, as well as a 2-fold reduction in the formation of soot and 70-fold reduction in sulfur dioxide during ten-day use of a new reserve type of fuel.

Higher country taxes on noxious manufacturing emissions lead to substantial increases in firms' R&D spending. The R&D response is entirely driven by those high-pollution firms most affected by emissions taxes. Pollution taxes increase the marginal value of R&D spending in polluting firms, even when this spending does not lead to new innovation. Pollution taxes have the strongest effect on R&D investment in sectors in which new invention is difficult to appropriate and outside knowledge is easier to acquire, suggesting an important reason dirty firms invest in R&D is to expand their capacity to absorb external knowledge and technical know-how. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high concentration of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) released from pig farming is one of the major environmental problems affecting surrounding communities. In modern pig farms, the bioscrubber is used to eliminate H2S, which is found to be driven mainly by the sulfuroxidizing bacteria (SOB) community. Therefore, in this study, molecular biology techniques such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) and DNA microarray are proposed to study the linkage between enzyme activity and the abundance of the SOB community. The starting sludge (SFP1) and recirculating sludge (SFP2) samples were collected from the bioscrubber reactor in the pig farm. The abundance of microbial populations between the two sampling sites was considered together with the gene expression results of both soxABXYZ and fccAB. Based on the NGS analysis, the members of phylum Proteobacteria such as Halothiobacillus, Acidithiobacillus, Thiothrix, Novosphingobium, Sulfuricurvum, Sulfurovum, Sulfurimonas, Acinetobacter, Thiobacillus, Magnetospirillum, Arcobacter, and Paracoccus were predominantly found in SFP2. The presence of Cyanobacteria in SFP pig farms is associated with increased biogas yields. The microarray results showed that the expression of soxAXBYZ and fccAB genes involved in the oxidation of sulfide to sulfate was increased in Halothiobacillus, Paracoccus, Acidithiobacillus, Magnetospirillum, Sphingobium, Thiobacillus, Sulfuricurvum, Sulfuricurvum, Arcobacter, and Thiothrix. Both NGS and DNA microarray data supported the functional roles of SOB in odor elimination and the oxidation of H2S through the function of soxABXYZ and fccAB. The results also identified the key microbes for H2S odor treatment, which can be utilized to monitor the stability of biological treatment systems and the toxicity of sulfide minerals by oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel gas desulfurization is an important technological step toward achieving environmental neutrality in industrial production. The presence of sulfur compounds in fuel not only significantly increases the rate of corrosion processes, but also increases the amount of sulfur oxides in flue gases. Adsorption technologies are actively used to purify fuel. Materials that are mainly chosen as sorbents are determined by economic feasibility. These materials include bentonite clays. The paper presents an analysis of scientific works on the possible methods of using bentonite clays in industry. Due to its natural properties, this material has high adsorption properties. The authors present experimental laboratory studies to determine the adsorption efficiency of bentonite clay with a carbon substrate. Results on the adsorption capacity after regeneration of the composition are also presented. Based on the data obtained, the adsorption unit was calculated, and the process flow diagram was designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the implementation of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) sulfur cap 2020, shipowners have had to choose suitable sulfur oxide emission abatement solutions to respond to this policy. The use of Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) and the installation of scrubbers are the main response solutions for bulk carriers today. In recent years, the epidemic has gradually improved, and the options facing shipowners may change. Based on the Clarkson Shipping Intelligence Network, this paper collects data related to newbuilding bulk carriers after the implementation of this policy, considers several factors affecting shipowners' decision, and adopts a machine learning approach for the first time to build a model and make predictions on emission abatement solutions to provide some reference for shipowners to choose a more suitable solution. The results of the study show that the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model is more suitable for the problem studied in this paper, and the highest prediction accuracy of about 84.25% with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) value of 0.9019 is achieved using this model with hyperparameter adjustment based on a stratified sampling divided data set. The model makes good predictions for newbuilding bulk carriers. In addition, the deadweight tonnage and annual distance traveled of a ship have a greater degree of influence on the choice of its option, which can be given priority in the decision making. In contrast to traditional cost–benefit analyses, this study incorporates economic and non-economic factors and uses machine learning methods for effective classification, which have the advantage of being fast, comparable, and highly accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this work was to investigate the simultaneous removal of refractory sulfur (dibenzothiophene, DBT) and nitrogen compounds (indole, IND) from model gasoline. This research aimed to develop an efficient adsorption process to mitigate the emission of sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxides, which pose direct threats to human health and the environment. Additionally, the study focused on addressing technical challenges encountered in the refinery process, particularly the poisoning of catalysts due to the presence of these compounds. To achieve the study's goals, granular activated carbon (GAC) was subjected to acid treatment for modification. Molybdenum species were then incorporated into the acid‐treated GAC using the wet impregnation technique. The composition and distribution of elements on the surface of the modified GAC (Mo‐AAC) were analyzed via X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Various characterization techniques were employed to confirm the uniform dispersion of molybdenum species on the GAC surface. The specific surface area of the adsorbent was increased from 257 m2/g to 316 m2/g following the acid treatment and molybdenum modification. The study explored the impact of several key parameters on the removal of DBT and IND using central composite design (CCD). A regression model was derived using CCD through hybrid central composite design, and its adequacy was verified with the means of tests such as analysis of variance (ANOVA), a lack of fit test, and residuals distribution consideration. Experimental results match well with the results obtained by CCD model, justifying the accuracy of models. The results showed that all four parameters have a significant impact on removal of DBT and IND. Increasing temperature and the adsorbent dose positively affected the removal of both DBT and IND, indicating that higher temperatures and greater adsorbent dosages improved removal efficiency. On the other hand, the concentration of DBT and IND had a negative impact, signifying that higher initial contaminant concentrations hindered removal efficiency. The study determined the optimum initial contaminant concentrations for DBT and IND, temperature, and adsorbent dose to be 186 mg/L, 50 mg/L, 25.5°C, and 32 g/L, respectively. These conditions yielded the highest removal efficiency. The research demonstrated that Mo‐AAC has the capability to effectively reduce the sulfur and nitrogen content of model gasoline, making it a promising solution for addressing environmental and refinery challenges associated with these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have shown that emission inventories are one of the inputs with the most critical influences on the results of air quality modelling. Comparing emission inventories among themselves is, therefore, essential to build confidence in emission estimates. In this work, we extend the approach of Thunis et al. (2022) to compare emission inventories by building a benchmark that serves as a reference for comparisons. This benchmark is an ensemble that is based on three state-of-the-art EU-wide inventories: CAMS-REG, EMEP and EDGAR. The ensemble-based methodology screens differences between inventories and the ensemble. It excludes differences that are not relevant and identifies among the remaining ones those that need special attention. We applied the ensemble-based screening to both an EU-wide and a local (Poland) inventory. The EU-wide analysis highlighted a large number of inconsistencies. While the origin of some differences between EDGAR and the ensemble can be identified, their magnitude remains to be explained. These differences mostly occur for SO 2 (sulfur oxides), PM (particulate matter) and NMVOC (non-methane volatile organic carbon) for the industrial and residential sectors and reach a factor of 10 in some instances. Spatial inconsistencies mostly occur for the industry and other sectors. At the local scale, inconsistencies relate mostly to differences in country sectorial shares that result from different sectors/activities being accounted for in the two types of inventories. This is explained by the fact that some emission sources are omitted in the local inventory due to a lack of appropriate geographically allocated activity data. We identified sectors and pollutants for which discussion between local and EU-wide emission compilers would be needed in order to reduce the magnitude of the observed differences (e.g. in the residential and industrial sectors). The ensemble-based screening proved to be a useful approach to spot inconsistencies by reducing the number of necessary inventory comparisons. With the progressive resolution of inconsistencies and associated inventory improvements, the ensemble will improve. In this sense, we see the ensemble as a useful tool to motivate the community around a single common benchmark and monitor progress towards the improvement of regionally and locally developed emission inventories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur and silicon oxides loaded self‐supporting binder and collector free CNT sheets have been synthesized using floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition technique and investigated for their application as anodes in lithium/sodium ion battery. The CNT sheets have been characterized thoroughly using various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The addition of sulfur improves the interplanar spacing in the lattice and also generated abundant defects. The silicon oxides help in enhancing the specific capacity of the CNT sheet via conversion reactions. These features lead to enhanced electrochemical properties and the best performance has been demonstrated by the co‐loaded CNT/S/silicon oxide electrode. As anode in LIB, it delivers 830 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density after 250 cycles. More importantly, the kinetic analysis confirms that sulfur/silicon oxide co‐loading can improve the Li+ diffusion coefficient in CNT anode and enhance the metal ion storage. The structural modifications also enhance Na+ ion storage and the CNT/S/Silicon oxide anode delivers 368 mAh g−1 after 250 cycles at a current rate of 1 A g−1 with a superior initial coulombic efficiency of 77.5 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presently, there is growing discourse surrounding climate change, global warming, and the possibility of urban smog. Daily, we encounter air pollutants unwittingly, often oblivious to the substantial adverse impacts they may impart on our health. This manuscript furnishes a thorough examination of the shifts in the concentrations of distinct air pollutants, namely, sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10, within the contexts of the United Kingdom (a country progressively transitioning to alternative energy sources) and Poland (a country in the EU with the second lowest climate policy evaluation in the climate change performance index or CCPI) from 1970 to 2020. This comparative study between the two countries clearly showed the importance of the transition to clean energy sources. The UK's efforts towards cleaner energy sources have led to reduced emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter. In contrast, Poland's heavy dependence on energy primarily from coal over the years has resulted in elevated pollution levels, notably in the concentration of pollutants such as particulate matter. This study also revealed that changes in emissions predominantly stem from technological advancements and economic activities. Additionally, political regulations and the gradual phase-out of specific fuels or energy-rich substances and their substitution with alternative energy sources have also imparted considerable influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The triple oxygen isotope composition (Δ'17O) of sulfate minerals is widely used to constrain ancient atmospheric pO2/pCO2 and rates of gross primary production. The utility of this tool is based on a model that sulfate oxygen carries an isotope fingerprint of tropospheric O2 incorporated through oxidative weathering of reduced sulfur minerals, particularly pyrite. Work to date has targeted Proterozoic environments (2.5 billion to 0.542 billion years ago) where large isotope anomalies persist; younger timescale records, which would ground ancient environmental interpretation in what we know from modern Earth, are lacking. Here we present a high-resolution record of the [Formula: see text]O and Δ'17O in marine sulfate for the last 130 million years of Earth history. This record carries a Δ'17O close to 0o, suggesting that the marine sulfate reservoir is under strict control by biogeochemical cycling (namely, microbial sulfate reduction), as these reactions follow mass-dependent fractionation. We identify no discernible contribution from atmospheric oxygen on this timescale. We interpret a steady fractional contribution of microbial sulfur cycling (terrestrial and marine) over the last 100 million years, even as global weathering rates are thought to vary considerably.

Thermogravimetry coupled with thermal analysis and quadrupole mass spectroscopy TGA/DTA-QMS were primarily used to assess the oxidation susceptibility of a pool of nanocrystalline powders of the semiconductor kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 for prospective photovoltaic applications, which were prepared via the mechanochemically assisted synthesis route from two different precursor systems. Each system, as confirmed by XRD patterns, yielded first the cubic polytype of kesterite with defunct semiconductor properties, which, after thermal annealing at 500 °C under neutral gas atmosphere, was converted to the tetragonal semiconductor polytype. The TGA/DTA-QMS determinations up to 1000 °C were carried out under a neutral argon Ar atmosphere and under a dry, oxygen-containing gas mixture of O2:Ar = 1:4 (vol.). The mass spectroscopy data confirmed that under each of the gas atmospheres, a distinctly different, multistep evolution of such oxygen-bearing gaseous compounds as sulfur oxides SO2/SO3, carbon dioxide CO2, and water vapor H2O was taking place. The TGA/DTA changes in correlation with the nature of evolving gases helped in the elucidation of the plausible chemistry linked to kesterite oxidation, both in the stage of nanopowder synthesis/storage at ambient air conditions and during forced oxidation up to 1000 °C in the dry, oxygen-containing gas mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the amount of sulfur in fuels is the simplest way to reduce the emission of sulfur oxide gases into the air. Among various desulfurization methods, adsorptive desulfurization stands out for its mild conditions and affordability. This research used ZSM-5 zeolite as a desulfurization adsorbent. However, adsorption capacity and selectivity are two major challenges that adsorptive desulfurization is facing. Introducing mesoporosity into zeolite is a potential solution. The study focused on mesoporous formation via desilication and dealumination. Desilication involved treating zeolite with 0.2 M and 0.5 M NaOH, while dealumination used 1 M HCl at 80 °C. Adsorbent properties were analyzed using XRD, BET, FT-IR, and FE-SEM. Initial findings indicated dealumination removed only extra-framework aluminum. Conversely, desilication removed silicon, producing a hierarchical structure even at reduced concentrations. Des-0.5M also exhibited the highest adsorption capacity for thiophene compared to the Parent sample, increasing from 4.5 to 11 mgS/g. Moreover, the adsorption capacity for larger sulfur molecules such as dibenzothiophene increased from 2.5 to approximately 6 mgS/g, indicating the significance of the hierarchical structure developed in the adsorbents. In summary, this study highlights the potential of mesoporous formation through desilication to enhance the adsorption capacity of ZSM-5 zeolite for the adsorptive desulfurization of fuels. [Display omitted] • Mesoporous ZSM-5 boosts fuel desulfurization by adsorption. • Desilication and dealumination enhance sulfur removal. • DesNa-0.5 M shows top adsorption, removing 220 mgS/L thiophene, 98 mgS/L dibenzothiophene. • Increasing mesopores while maintaining micropores enhances sulfur removal. • DesNa-0.5 M exhibits high surface area, structure, and crystallinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are used in various fields such as industrial, environmental remediation, catalytic, and antibacterial applications. However, their ability to absorb visible light is limited due to their high-energy bandgap and fast electron-hole recombination, which restricts their use. To enhance the efficiency of ZnO-NPs in medical and other applications, surface functionality can be modified through doping. Here, we investigated the effects of S and N doping on the energy bandgap of ZnO-NP and their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The results showed that the optical bandgap energy of pure ZnO-NPs was 2.98 eV while that of 6% N-ZnO, 4% S-ZnO, and S4-N6-ZnO was 2.78, 2.69, and 2.63 eV, respectively. The energy bandgap reduction is attributed to the changes in the electronic level of zinc oxide as the result of doping. The crystal size of pure ZnO-NPs, 6% N-ZnO, 4% S-ZnO, and S4-N6-ZnO was 29.06, 27.05, 29.02, and 25.06 nm, respectively, as calculated from XRD data using FWHM. Following the bandgap and particle size reduction, the antimicrobial activities of the dual-doped ZnO-NPs surpassed that of the pure ZnO-NPs. Moreover, dual doping improved the antioxidant activity of ZnO-NPs from 52.45% to 88.89% for the optimized concentration. Therefore, incorporating S and N as dual dopants can enhance the functionality and efficiency of ZnO-NPs in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Reduced graphene oxide (rGO/polycation/sulfur) composites are promising cathode materials for Li-S battery applications because homogeneously dispersed sulfur nano/micro clusters in suitable carbon hosts enable remarkable cycle life for Li-S battery cells. New, benign and economic synthesis methods based only on aqueous colloidal dispersions are demanded for achieving high dispersity grade of sulfur within the carbon host. Colloidal interactions leading to heteroaggregation between carbonaceous lamellae and polycation-modified sulphur nanoparticles at ambient conditions in water are foreseen to afford nanocomposite cathodes, which maintain excellent electrochemical performance. Hydrophilic sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) were coated by low doses of polycation (PDDA) until reaching the isoelectric point (IEP), and in high dose to achieve charge reversal. Streaming potential titrations were performed to reveal appropriate mass ratios of PPDA, SNP and GO. Positively charged SNPs formed stable heteroaggregated structures with GO, and were employed to fabricate rGO/polycation/sulphur cathodes. Charge reversal characteristics of SNPs, polycation and GO were characterized quantitatively and mass ratios of PDDA to SNP beyond IEP were found to mediate attractive interactions leading to rapid heteroaggregation between SNPs and GO and also alleviate lithium polysulfide migration. The composite cathode showed an initial discharge capacity of 522 mAhg−1 at 0.2C rate with an excellent capacity retention of 91.4 % and coulombic efficiency of 98.5% after 100 charge–discharge cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental protection is becoming increasingly important in the maritime sector, particularly in the port area. Both sectors have a significant impact on the environment due to activities such as cargo handling, road and rail traffic and marine vessel operations. One of the significant aspects of port operations is emissions to the atmosphere. However, building atmospheric emission inventories in ports is a challenging task that includes intensive data collection campaigns as well as significant financial investments in data processing and analysis. This assists the decision-makers to undertake timely corrective actions and curb adverse impacts. However, current methodologies for building emission inventories have a considerable time lag since emissions are evaluated weeks or months after they have occurred. This paper aims at solving this issue by providing a methodology for building air emission inventories in real-time using IoT data sources with an emphasis on building comprehensive emission inventories in an automated fashion. To validate the approach, an atmospheric emission inventory was built based on Internet of Things (IoT) data for the port of Piraeus. The results indicate that nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions are prevalent during both operating phases of vessels, followed by sulphur oxides (SOX) emissions. Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) and particulate matter (PM) emissions are considerably lower. Emissions during hotelling time are on average 7.1 time higher than the emission generated during the vessel manoeuvring time. In the discussion section, the advantages and constraints of the approach are given with guidelines for further refinement of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When designing power plants of a new type or equipping them with new generation equipment, the problem of estimating capital investments is solved with the uncertainty of information on its cost. The lack of reliable methods suitable for use in engineering setting complicates decision-making on the technical development of power units and thermal power plants. When evaluating investments in the equipment of power plant units, it is convenient to use continuous functions. Their use makes it possible to carry out the analysis without cost restrictions. The article proposes a method for estimating capital investments in the boiler island of power units of power plants based on a power parametric function. The method includes an assessment of the cost of a boiler unit with fuel preparation systems within the boiler shop, draught and blast. A specific feature of the method is that the cost of the boiler includes the cost of flue gas purification systems from harmful combustion products in the form of ash, sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides. The method was developed in an engineering setting. The methodological section demonstrates the performance of the method in assessing capital investments in a boiler island in comparison with the same indicator for the EU countries, the USA and China. When discussing the results of the study, it was found that capital investments in a coal-fired boiler with flue gas purification systems is in the range of US$ 25–200 million, depending on the power and initial steam parameters. The share of the cost of environmental flue gas purification systems is 28–50 % of the total cost of the boiler unit. It is demonstrated that the design of coal-fired power units with flue gas purification systems for supercritical parameters with a capacity of less than 300 MW is inefficient due to low competitiveness in terms of specific investments in the boiler.

The sulfur poisoning mechanism of low-temperature SCR de-NOx catalyst has always been one of the hot spots in academic circles. By studying the surface sulfur poisoning mechanism, low-temperature catalysts can be developed pertinently. In this paper, the mechanism of sulfur poisoning on the surface of LaMnO3 catalyst was studied by DFT method, and the adsorption process of sulfur oxides on the surface and its influence on SCR reaction process, as well as the morphology and decomposition process of ammonium sulfate on the surface were calculated. The results show that sulfur oxides will be adsorbed on the surface and occupy the adsorption site, which will adversely affect the subsequent SCR reaction. At the same time, ammonium sulfate will accumulate on the catalyst surface, which will lead to sulfur poisoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a known pollutant that must be captured from gas streams. Dry desulfurization processes are investigated due to their lower energy requirement and potentially high capture efficiency. Carbon materials and metal oxides have been shown to have an affinity with SO2. The aim of this study was to combine iron oxide and graphene oxide (GO) as a composite material for SO2 capture for low-concentration streams. Iron oxide particles were prepared using a polyol method in which the precursor was dispersed in ethylene glycol, heated under reflux and then deposited on GO, a two-dimensional, single-layer material with a surface area of 400 m2/g. The synthesized material was tested for continuous desulfurization in a flow-through capture system with a stream of gas containing 25 ppm SO2 entering at 20 °C and 100 °C. Under all conditions tested, the breakthrough times, evaluated when the SO2 started to be detected at the outlet with a concentration of 1 ppm, as well as the capture capacities, were significantly higher for the iron oxide GO composite than for the pristine GO alone. The presence of sulfur compounds as well as the composite composition were confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The breakthrough experiment results at various temperatures also suggest that the capture was not governed only by pure physical adsorption with the presence of iron oxide. Addition of iron oxide particles positively influences SO2 affinity with the synthesized material as shown by the increase in breakthrough time and capture capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal has been used as the most commonly energy source for power plants since it is relatively cheap and readily available. Thanks to these benefits, many countries operate coal-fired power plants. However, the combustion of coal in the coal-fired power plant emits pollutants such as sulfur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) which are suspected to cause damage to the environment and also be harmful to humans. For this reason, most countries have been strengthening regulations on coal-consuming industries. Therefore, the coal-fired power plant should also follow these regulations. This study focuses on the prediction of harmful emissions when the coal is mixed with high-quality and low-quality coals during combustion in the coal-fired power plant. The emission of SOx and NOx is affected by the mixture ratio between high-quality and low-quality coals so it is very important to decide on the mixture ratio of coals. To decide the coal mixture, it is a prerequisite to predict the amount of SOx and NOx emission during combustion. To do this, this paper develops a deep neural network (DNN) model which can predict SOx and NOx emissions associated with coal properties when coals are mixed. The field data from a coal-fired power plant is used to train the model and it gives mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 7.1% and 5.68% for SOx and NOx prediction, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emissions of anthropogenic sulfur and nitrogen oxides form secondary pollutants that impact human health, ecosystems, and climate. Accurate estimates of emissions trends are needed to verify the effectiveness of the regulation of these species. We explore the utility of deposition measurements of SOx (=SO2 + SO42−) and TNO3 (=HNO3 + NO3−) as constraints on emissions trends of SOx and NOx in the conterminous United States (CONUS) from 1990 to 2021. The GEOS‐Chem model captures observed annual SOx and TNO3 wet deposition at NADP‐NTN sites in 2011 with a −15% and +15% normalized mean bias (NMB), respectively. The model overestimates the dry deposition of SOx and TNO3 estimated at CASTNET sites in 2011 (NMB >100%), however, this bias is substantially reduced when using an alternate derived dry deposition data set at the same sites, highlighting the uncertainty in dry deposition velocities. Despite this, we find that the model (driven by scaled NEI emissions) captures the relative trend in dry deposition of SOx (−93% observed and −94% simulated) and TNO3 (−66% observed and −68% simulated) from 1990 to 2021 and that these decreases closely reflect the trends in anthropogenic SO2 emissions (−93%) and anthropogenic NOx emissions (−71%), respectively. SOx and TNO3 wet deposition observations are dominated by soluble secondary products and are more influenced by natural and transboundary sources, and therefore have decreased more modestly over the same period (−78% and −52%). Natural sources of NOx are relatively constant during this time and therefore moderate the reduction in total NOx emissions (−55%). Plain Language Summary: Sulfur and nitrogen oxides (SOx and NOx) are emitted into the atmosphere by a variety of natural and anthropogenic source and have significant impacts on ecosystems, human health, and climate. These wide‐ranging effects have made these compounds the subject of sweeping regulatory action in the United States, thereby requiring an accounting of the changes in their emissions over time. However, such an accounting is challenged by the wide range of emission sources and the complexity of SOx and NOx chemistry in the atmosphere. These pollutants are ultimately removed either by precipitation (wet deposition) or by uptake by land and vegetation (dry deposition). In this work, we explore whether a continuous, consistent, spatially heterogeneous data set (observed wet deposition and derived dry deposition) in the United States over several decades is able to constrain trends in SOx and NOx emissions. We find that secondary pollutant dry deposition estimates follow the trend in local anthropogenic emissions of SOx and NOx, and that wet deposition measurements reflect the trend in total regional emissions (anthropogenic, natural, and transboundary). We conclude that deposition measurements can be a useful constraint on the long‐term trends in emissions of environmental pollutants, even when complex atmospheric chemistry is involved. Key Points: The GEOS‐Chem model captures the substantial decrease in deposition of sulfur oxides and inorganic nitrate over the United States from 1990 to 2021Derived dry deposition observations constrain local anthropogenic emission trends, while wet deposition measurements reflect total sourcesThe GEOS‐Chem model is unable to simultaneously replicate ambient and deposited nitrate, providing evidence for under‐explored sinks of NOy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite advances in cancer therapy, the existence of self-renewing cancer stem cells (CSC) can lead to tumor recurrence and radiation resistance, resulting in treatment failure and high mortality in patients. To address this issue, a near-infrared (NIR) laser-induced synergistic therapeutic platform has been developed by incorporating aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active phototheranostic agents and sulfur dioxide (SO2) prodrug into a biocompatible hydrogel, namely TBH, to suppress malignant CSC growth. Outstanding hydroxyl radical (·OH) generation and photothermal effect of the AIE phototheranostic agent actualizes Type I photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy through 660 nm NIR laser irradiation. Meanwhile, a large amount of SO2 is released from the SO2 prodrug in thermo-sensitive TBH gel, which depletes upregulated glutathione in CSC and consequentially promotes ·OH generation for PDT enhancement. Thus, the resulting TBH hydrogel can diminish CSC under 660 nm laser irradiation and finally restrain tumor recurrence after radiotherapy (RT). In comparison, the tumor in the mice that were only treated with RT relapsed rapidly. These findings reveal a double-boosting ·OH generation protocol, and the synergistic combination of AIE-mediated PDT and gas therapy provides a novel strategy for inhibiting CSC growth and cancer recurrence after RT, which presents great potential for clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of international shipping, ship source pollution is increasingly non-negligible. To control emissions of sulphur oxides from ships, many Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs) have been established, in which stricter emission restriction policies were implemented. Because there are some genuine connections between SECA and PSC (Port State Control), it is natural to ask whether will the SECA policy make a difference on PSC's inspection outcome? Therefore, this study investigates the effect of the SECA establishment, reflected by changes in the deficiency rate in PSC inspections, on the PSC's inspection result. The deficiency rate in PSC inspections represents the percentage of deficiencies in the ship inspected, which can embody the overall outcome of the PSC inspections. It employs the difference-in-differences (DID) model to evaluate the effect as which is a common and mature tool for evaluating policy effectiveness. Robustness tests of parallel trend and Placebo tests both confirm the appropriateness of the DID model. The empirical results find that after the implementation of the SECA emission control policies, PSC inspections become stricter, thus changing the rate of deficiencies recorded during those inspections. A more stringent SECA policy is beneficial to identify more deficiencies and further ensure ships' compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical and electronic structures of 15 different sulfates are studied using S L2,3 soft X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES). Sulfur L2,3 XES spectra of sulfates are distinctively different from those of other sulfur compounds, which makes XES a powerful technique for sulfate detection. Furthermore, subtle but distinct differences between the spectra of sulfates with different cations are observed, which allow a further differentiation of the specific compound. Most prominently, the position and width of the emission from "S 3s" derived bands systematically vary for different compounds, which can be understood with electronic structure and spectral calculations based on density functional theory.

The fabrication of a heteroatom-doped nanocomposite based on cobalt oxide modified sulfur, phosphorus co-doped carbon nitride (Co3O4/SP-CN) with increased active sites is reported. The synthesized nanocomposite offers surprisingly high electrocatalytic oxidation efficacy toward human albumin (HA) despite its agglomeration. This improved efficacy of Co3O4/SP-CN nanocomposite could be attributed to its increased adsorption sites and surface defects, fast charge transportation capability, and conductivity. Additionally, morphological and compositional analysis of the fabricated Co3O4/SP-CN material has been performed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy. The fabricated electrode shows remarkable amperometric response against the HA with a limit of detection of 8.39 nM and linear range of 20–4000 nM at applied potential of 0.25 V versus Ag/AgCl in 0.1 M PBS (pH 8.2). The designed Co3O4/SP-CN electrode has been successfully applied to monitor HA in urine samples of diabetic patient with recovery percentage from 94.1 and 92.1% and with relative standard deviation (RSD) values of 5.8 and 7.8%. According to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to use a Co3O4/SP-CN–based graphitic pencil (GP) electrode for monitoring of HA for early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of drought induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) and the alleviatory effect of nitric oxide (50 µM) and sulphur (S, 1 mM K2SO4) were studied in Vigna radiata. Drought stress reduced plant height, dry weight, total chlorophylls, carotenoids and the content of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and sulphur. The foliar applications of NO and sulphur each individually alleviated the decline, with a greater alleviation observed in seedlings treated with both NO and sulphur. The reduction in intermediates of chlorophyll synthesis pathways and photosynthesis were alleviated by NO and sulphur. Oxidative stress was evident through the increased hydrogen peroxide, superoxide and activity of lipoxygenase and protease which were significantly assuaged by NO, sulphur and NO + sulphur treatments. A reduction in the activity of nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase was mitigated due to the application of NO and the supplementation of sulphur. The endogenous concentration of NO and hydrogen sulphide (HS) was increased due to PEG; however, the PEG-induced increase in NO and HS was lowered due to NO and sulphur. Furthermore, NO and sulphur treatments to PEG-stressed seedlings further enhanced the functioning of the antioxidant system, osmolytes and secondary metabolite accumulation. Activities of γ-glutamyl kinase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase were up-regulated due to NO and S treatments. The treatment of NO and S regulated the expression of the Cu/ZnSOD, POD, CAT, RLP, HSP70 and LEA genes significantly under normal and drought stress. The present study advocates for the beneficial use of NO and sulphur in the mitigation of drought-induced alterations in the metabolism of Vigna radiata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution can have a significant impact on stone materials used in monuments, buildings, and sculptures. Sulfur and nitrogen oxides are particularly harmful pollutants, especially in carbonate stones. These oxides, reacting with moisture in the air, result in the formation of acids able to erode the stone surface and gradually compromise its structural integrity. The acids can also combine with airborne particulate matter, heavy metals, and salts, leading to the development of black crusts. These not only have detrimental effects on the stone's integrity but also affect the original appearance of the surfaces, threatening the conservation of important monuments and buildings. This review discusses the characteristics of black crusts and their relation to the environment and stone materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring environmental efficiency is a key tool for monitoring the progress of EU countries in achieving common environmental policy goals. The presented study deals with this issue on a sample of 27 EU countries in the period 2000-2020 using the DEA method. The results point to persistent differences between member countries, with new member states achieving better values compared to old member states. Despite the significant reductions in greenhouse gases, sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides that have been recorded for all EU countries, there is no improvement in environmental efficiency over time for countries with average and low efficiency, which represent eight Member States. The study also confirmed that it is possible to achieve high environmental efficiency even while achieving economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gases containing sulfur oxides can cause corrosion and failure of bellows used as furnace blowers in high-temperature environments. In order to mitigate this issue, the behavior of an effective blast furnace blower has been examined in detail. Firstly, the Sereda corrosion model has been introduced to simulate the corrosion rate of the related bellows taking into account the effects of temperature and SO2 gas; such results have been compared with effective measurements; then, the average gas velocity in the pipeline and the von Mises stress distribution of the inner draft tube have been analyzed using a Fluid-Structure Interaction model. Finally, the semi-closed internal corrosion environment caused by a 5 mm radial gap between the inner draft tube and the bellows has been considered. The gas flow rate in the residential space has been found to be low (0.5 ms–this value leads to a stable semi-closed internal corrosion environment for exhaust gas exchange); water phase in the exhaust gas is prone to accelerate the corrosion rate. On this basis, a bellows with an optimized inner draft tube has proposed, which includes corrosion-resistant honeycomb buffer rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]