by Sofia Silva  , Alexandra Cravo  , João Rodrigues  , Cátia Correia  and Cristina M.M. Almeida

Received: 09 April 2021;  Published: 19 June 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2102015

The use of biomarkers in bivalves has gained significance as a reliable method for the assessment of the presence and effect of contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. However, it is important to note that the biomarkers respond not only to contaminant loadings and bioavailability but also to environmental stress. Therefore, the association between biomarkers and contamination/pollution should be conducted cautiously as the environmental factors also affect their response. These factors should be integrated into the as [...]

by Daniela Milagros Rivas Aybar  , Wahidul Biswas  and Michele John

Received: 18 December 2024;  Published: 27 February 2025;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2501014

The construction industry, a cornerstone of global economic and social progress, is under increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices due to its significant environmental footprint. Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has gained attention as a renewable material for building applications, offering potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption. However, its broader sustainability performance remains underexplored. This study develops a comprehensive Life Cycle Sustainability Asses [...]

by Miles Nevills  , Spencer Jones  and Ethan Languri

Received: 31 October 2024;  Published: 24 June 2025;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2502024

Across the industrial sector, compressed air is utilized as an easy-to-use and readily accessible tool in a variety of applications. This tool is commonly misunderstood as being more efficient than it is in reality. Air compression is energy intensive and thus both economically and environmentally costly. Compressed air typically only achieves around ~15% efficiency if judged by the energy delivered from the air, meaning approximately 5-6 kWh are wasted for every 1 kWh of useful work performed by compressed air. Du [...]

by Rukiye Öztekin  and Delia Teresa Sponza

Received: 27 August 2024;  Published: 17 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404019

The aim of this study was to photodegrade the Polyethersulfone (PES), Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microplastics using Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8/Zinc oxide/Carbon (ZIF-8/ZnO/C) nanocomposite generated under laboratory conditions. The produced nanocomposite was analysed using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Photo Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectra (DRS) and Electron Spin R [...]

by Robert M. Sullivan  and John P. Hileman

Received: 15 November 2021;  Published: 22 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2201009

Our study sought to identify a regional explanation for declining fertility in stocks of co-occurring salmonids in the upper Trinity River, northern California, USA. We focused on evaluating the relationship between thermal variance in river water and hatchery-measured estimates of female fertility as a function of highly managed annual flow regimes. We evaluated annual and seasonal variation in volume of flow and water temperature in response to managed flows associated with annual in-river restoration actions. We [...]

by Ghulam Ali  and Jan Nisar

Received: 22 July 2022;  Published: 01 November 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2204044

Due to the massive increase in polymer manufacture, there has been a remarkable increase in plastic waste. With fewer landfills being used to dump plastic waste each year, it is becoming increasingly important to use effective recycling methods for plastic waste decomposition. In the present work, waste polystyrene was degraded in the presence of natural clay (K0.02, Ca0.15 [Mg0.25, Al0.69, Fe0.06], [Si2.0, Al0.6] O6.8 (O10) nH2O). The waste polymer was pyrolyzed at different heating rates i.e., 5, 10, 15 and 20&#x [...]

by Aghogho Ogwala  , Eugene Onori  , Cornelius Ogabi  , Oluwafunmilayo Ometan  , Yusuf Kayode  , Rasaq Adewemimo Adeniji-Adele  , Emmanuel Somoye  and Janet Odewale

Received: 13 September 2022;  Published: 05 December 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2204048

Ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray radiation are the primary causes of ionization that produce electron density in sufficient quantities to promote the propagation of satellite radio signals in the ionosphere. The electron densities suffer from spatio-temporal variations, and this poses different degrees of threats to satellite radio signals propagating through the ionosphere. We aimed to characterize the maximum electron density of the F2 layer (NmF2) in the middle-latitude ionosphere over Grahamstown, South Africa (Geogr [...]

by Jessica White  and Tom Deweerdt

Received: 28 July 2023;  Published: 17 February 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2401007

Carbon management is imperative to curb global temperature increases and mitigating climate change impacts. This report explores the carbon management strategies employed by Diebold Nixdorf, a multinational financial and retail technology company. As of 2021, the company has not established specific reduction targets and has not committed to achieving net zero emissions. The company employs diverse carbon reduction strategies, such as carbon offsetting, solar energy, and fleet improvements, with notable projects li [...]

by Lordwin Girish Kumar Jeyakumar  , David B. McKenzie  , Laura E. Christianson  and Evan Derdall

Received: 29 December 2020;  Published: 15 April 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2102005

Denitrifying bioreactor technology, where a solid carbon source (woodchips) acts as a reactive medium to intercept agricultural tile drainage water, has been successfully used to convert N (NO3-) to di-nitrogen (N2) gas. Four replicated field-scale (24 m long × 3 m wide × 1 m deep), bioreactors were built and operated at the St. John's Research and Development Centre and were successful at removing a notable amount of nitrate (N) from agricultural subsurface drainage water. The objective of this study [...]

by Omar Alkhalil

Received: 23 May 2022;  Published: 11 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2203029

Multi-rotor and fixed-wing drones are extensively used to collect the data needed for producing large-scale topographic maps and plans. Several types of drone products are available, and the most important one for surveyors is an orthophoto. Flight planning, the quality of the control data, the assessment of drone products, and the image processing software need to be considered when using thes e drones. In this study, we explained these concepts and discussed their theoretical and practical importance in providing [...]

by Ralph Schöpke

Received: 30 October 2022;  Published: 28 February 2023;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2301023

The water balance is severely disturbed in post-mining landscapes like Lusatia/Germany. Mine waters (amd) enter the environment and spread in groundwater and surface waters. Groundwater containing high amounts of pyrite weathering products flows into receiving waters due to lignite mining for several years. The Chair of Wassertechnik & Siedlungswasserbau at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg/Germany has developed a subsurface rehabilitation method using microbial sulfate reduction over the [...]

by Diana Eréndira Lara-Llanderal  , Juan Carlos Castro Dominguez  and Karla Graciela Cedano Villavicencio

Received: 02 September 2024;  Published: 07 February 2025;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2501010

This article explores a strategy to empower vulnerable communities by transferring solar technology as a path to energy justice development. The proposed methodology is based on preliminary research on energy uses according to the needs, practices, and customs of the communities. The study focuses on the cases of three women with productive vocations based on entrepreneurship in different phases of incubation found in a peri-urban community in central Mexico. In this community, productive energy uses include a) the [...]

by Benjamin Bwadi. Ezekiel  , Temitope G. Adelalu  , James N. Christopher  and Tijjani Alhassan

Received: 06 November 2022;  Published: 17 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2301008

Water bodies have been severely degraded in recent years due to the indiscriminate use of agro-allied chemicals. The study assesses the agro-allied chemical pollution on the surface water quality in River Lamurde and Mayo Gwoi. Water samples were collected from twenty-one (21) sample locations along the River Lamurde and Mayo-Gwoi to determine the seasonal variation during the wet and dry seasons through field determination of water quality and laboratory-based analysis at Taraba State Rural Water Supply and Sanita [...]

by Shih-Ang Hsu

Received: 27 December 2021;  Published: 14 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2201006

In September 2020 Hurricane Sally impacted two National Data Buoy Center (www.ndbc.noaa.gov) buoys near its track: 42040 in the deep water and 42012 in the shallow. Using pertinent air-sea interaction formulas from the literature, analyses of these buoy data indicate that, under fully rough airflow and wind sea conditions, U* = a Hs2 /Tp3 + b, here U* is the friction velocity, Hs is the significant wave height, and Tp is the peak wave period. It is found that a = 28 and b = 0.12 for the deep water environment, a = [...]

by Sai Vamsi Krishna Vissa  and Mileva Radonjic

Received: 21 March 2022;  Published: 29 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2202017

Oil and gas wellbores that are drilled into the earth’s crust need to be plugged and abandoned, to restore the geological seals once they are no longer producing. The main aim of Plugging and abandonment (P&A) is to ensure that there is no leakage of hydrocarbons into the environment. Since offshore P&A is challenging due to subsurface temperature and pressure conditions, testing zeolite as an additive for improvement of cement properties is an intriguing research topic. This initial research aims to [...]

by Roland Bardy  , Helen Akolgo-Azupogo  and Arthur Rubens

Received: 29 April 2022;  Published: 26 September 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2203036

Regulating land use and the biodiversity of a region requires lasting accords between those who make the decisions and those who are affected by the rules and regulations. In Africa, these accords depend on the effectiveness of the collective efforts of the representatives of the legal authorities and the civil society (the traditional leaders in the tribal system). In this study, we investigated the role of tribal leaders in conserving biodiversity (which is a base for obtaining accords with statutory regulations) [...]

by Nicole Mölders

Received: 11 August 2020;  Published: 17 August 2020;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2003001

by Danae M. Maes  , August Finke  , Chuck R. Smallwood  , J. Bryce Ricken  , Jerilyn A. Timlin  and Anne M. Ruffing

Received: 11 April 2022;  Published: 14 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2202025

Expanded industrial globalization has resulted in the release of high concentrations of heavy metals into environmental water sources and soils. Phytoremediation may help to remove these heavy metals from contaminated soils. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Shreb.) exhibits phytoremediation potential due to its endurance and high stress tolerances. Here, we report photochemical and structural responses in tall fescue to acute and chronic doses of heavy metals, copper (Cu) and hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). Visual si [...]

by Giorgos Mountrakis  and Sheng Yang

Received: 24 March 2021;  Published: 26 October 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2104026

While numerous studies have considered forest loss factors at local scales, there is a gap of comparative quantitative regional modeling at the U.S. national level. Here, we investigated statistical relationships between gross forest cover loss (GFCL) and numerous socioeconomic, biophysical and ownership variables between two decades, the 1990s and the 2000s. A spatial error model was employed to compensate for spatial autocorrelation effects. Models from the 2000s had stronger explanatory power than the 1990s mode [...]

by Pratima Pandey  , Narges Sadat Shamabadi  , Ewen McLean  and Omar Bagasra

Received: 28 August 2020;  Published: 07 May 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2102009

Normally we encounter a myriad of chemicals in our daily lives. Endocrine disrupting chemicals [EDCs] are ubiquitous in our environment and upon bodily entry many be stored in adipose tissue and, in pregnant woman, can reach the developing fetal brain, disrupting normal fetal brain development. EDC-induced aberrant levels of sex hormones can alter sexual dimorphism [i.e. degree of feminization or masculinization; sex differences in brain and behavior] and may contribute to the differential susceptibility of males a [...]

by Brizeida Hernández Sánchez  , Massiel Coronado-Morán  , Greisy González-Cedeño  and Tancredi Pascucci

Received: 15 July 2024;  Published: 19 February 2025;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2501012

Equity in the educational system is crucial to addressing the needs of all students without distinction, from their initial access to education through to graduation. Achieving equity requires implementing reasonable adjustments to ensure that all students can attend classes, actively participate, and learn effectively. Equity entails transforming inequality into inclusion, enhancing students' well-being and quality of life. Education for all prioritizes equity and quality as fundamental principles of the education [...]

by Siera Sylvester  , Jalaycia Hughes  and Clayton Clark II

Received: 23 March 2022;  Published: 07 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2202023

Building performance is often expressed according to primary energy use; however studies should also include environmental load. To mitigate the effects of increased CO2 emissions, green building designs are now increasingly popular options for stakeholders. In contrast, impacts of green design parameters, building performance assessment, and design optimization objectives are not addressed sufficiently for American infrastructure. Designing low-energy architecture to minimize carbon emissions requires thoughtful a [...]

by Sonal Mishra  , Neha Kumari  , Varsha K. Singh  and Rajeshwar P Sinha

Received: 18 January 2023;  Published: 03 August 2023;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2303041

Cyanobacteria have great potential as a platform for biofuel production because of their fast growth, ability to fix CO2 gas, and genetic tractability. They also preserve the sustainability of an ecosystem without harming the environment. High-performance biofuels made from cyanobacteria can be utilized as a base for the production of green energy. Although a lot of studies have been conducted where plants and crops are used as the source of energy, cyanobacteria have been reported to have a more efficient photosyn [...]

by Emma Larsen  , Simon Ghanat  and Scott Curtis

Received: 11 February 2022;  Published: 07 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2202020

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is not well understood, especially within the cityscape. This editorial is from the perspective of an undergraduate student Cadet Emma Larsen, as she comes to understand the UHI through mentorship from professors Simon Ghanat and Scott Curtis, personal experiences as a cadet at a military academy in Charleston, SC, USA, and active learning through participation in a national heat observation campaign, the NOAA HeatWatch, and related independent research. HeatWatch seeks to underst [...]

by Shih-Ang Hsu

Received: 28 August 2022;  Published: 21 October 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2204042

In August 2021 Hurricane Ida devastated southeast Louisiana. On the basis of numerous pertinent meteorological-oceanographic (met-ocean) information including datasets and graphics as supplied by various public agencies, several unique topics related to marine meteorology and air-sea-land interactions are investigated. It is found that a newly proposed revised relation between minimum sea-level pressure and maximum sustained wind speed is verified during Ida. Characteristics of the rapid intensification, defined as [...]