by Advances in Environmental and Engineering Research Editorial Office

Received: 02 January 2025;  Published: 02 January 2025;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2501002

The editors of Advances in Environmental and Engineering Research would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2024. We greatly appreciate the contribution of expert reviewers, which is crucial to the journal's editorial process. We aim to recognize reviewer contributions through several mechanisms, of which the annual publication of reviewer names is one. Reviewers can download a certificate of recognition directly from our submission system. Additionally, r [...]

by Annette Siakamba  , Mehdi Seraj  and Huseyin Ozdeser

Received: 20 June 2024;  Published: 01 January 2025;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2501001

Over the years, energy poverty has been seen as a major struggle in Zimbabwe and globally. This paper tries to find the relationship between energy poverty and environmental change. Ecological footprint represents a degradation in this paper. The findings showed an insignificant relationship between renewable energy and ecological footprint in Zimbabwe. This study employs the ARDL technique. This study employs time series data from 1990-2021. This study uses the ARDL framework to get robust results. The ARDL bound [...]

by Hatem Al-Dois  , Farhan Nashwan  , Neil J Rowan  , Amnnah Alhabeeb Shoushan  , Niall O’Brolchain  and Saeed Hamood Alsamhi

Received: 01 August 2024;  Published: 24 December 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404028

This proposed FlowingLife framework addresses the challenges of optimizing altered flow regimes in Irish plans and programs to improve Irish aquatic ecosystems' economic and environmental outcomes. The framework uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to revolutionize flow regime management and decision-making processing, providing sustainable resource allocation, climate change adaptation, and aquatic habitat conservation. The potential of identifying optimization guides thoroughly evaluating Irish Plans, inc [...]

by Jaydev Kumar Mahato  , Shivam Saw  , Brahmdeo Yadav  and Ajay Kumar

Received: 07 August 2024;  Published: 06 December 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404027

The present study assessed the spatial distribution of trace elements in the groundwater near the Subarnarekha River Basin - Jamshedpur, India. Half of this city's water need (48.11%) relies on groundwater resources. GIS-based maps were constructed using ArcGIS 10.3 software to describe the spatial distribution of Arsenic (As), Barium (Ba), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo), Nickel (Ni), Selenium (Se), and Strontium (Sr). The concentration of trace ele [...]

by Marina Maier  , Amela Ajanovic  and Reinhard Haas

Received: 23 June 2024;  Published: 06 December 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404026

The transport sector accounts for approximately 25% of CO2-emissions in the EU and Austria, primarily due to passenger car transport powered by fossil fuels. Replacing conventional cars with sustainable alternatives is crucial for reducing emissions, improving air quality, and mitigating climate change while decreasing vehicle kilometers driven. This study analyzes policy strategies for Austria’s road passenger transport sector up to 2050 to determine their potential for significant CO2 reduction. Four scenar [...]

by G.-Fivos Sargentis  , Romanos Ioannidis  , Panayiotis Dimitriadis  , Nikolaos Malamos  , Olga Lyra  , Olga Kitsou  , Matina Kougkia  , Nikos Mamassis  and Demetris Koutsoyiannis

Received: 28 August 2024;  Published: 05 December 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404025

The modern globalized civilization is sustained by interactions, trade, the transportation of goods, and energy. Energy self-sufficiency is crucial in rural and disaster-prone areas like North Euboea because dependence on external energy supplies can leave regions vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, price volatility, and geopolitical risks. In such isolated regions, energy independence ensures resilience in natural disasters and economic instability. The alternative to self-sufficiency often involves reliance o [...]

by Clint Sutherland  and Beverly S. Chittoo

Received: 29 July 2024;  Published: 28 November 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404024

Global efforts to develop low-cost solutions for the treatment of contaminants in wastewater continue unabated. The conversion of eggshells, a waste material, into a high-value product can be economical and environmentally sustainable. The recent developments in applying eggshells towards the biosorption of contaminants are presented. Eggshells effectively remove pollutants such as metal cations, metal anions, and reactive, basic, and direct dyes. Promising advances in modifying eggshells, elucidating the critical [...]

by Fubara Gift Evans  , Ukoima Hudson Nkalo  , Dokuboba Amachree  and Morufu Olalekan Raimi

Received: 12 May 2024;  Published: 05 November 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404023

The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of various bioremediation approaches on microbial diversity in crude oil-contaminated soil over three to six months in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The objective was to assess the impact of different bioremediation strategies on microbial populations, particularly focusing on hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria and fungi. Microbial populations were quantified using serial dilution and microbial count techniques. The vapor phase transfer mechanism was employed to estimate hydrocarbon-u [...]

by Mahmood Haji-Rahimi  , Kiana Bahmanzad  and Hamed Ghaderzadeh

Received: 06 August 2024;  Published: 31 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404022

Current production and distribution models in agriculture primarily operate based on the 'linear economy' approach. This means that after the exploitation of natural resources and the production of the final product, a significant portion of these resources and products, now contaminated or turned into waste, exit the economic cycle. The circular economy approach in agriculture seeks to reuse waste products and depleted inputs, thereby reducing the intensity of resource exploitation and taking a step towards sustai [...]

by Ana Teresa Rodrigues de Sousa  , Gustavo Coxev Wolski  , Max Filipe Silva Gonçalves  and Marcos Paulo Gomes Mol

Received: 16 May 2024;  Published: 21 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404021

Using thermal treatment in the waste management process has advantages such as reducing volume and the possibility of energy recovery. There are several incineration technologies with different characteristics and potential. Incineration, however, requires efficient environmental control to reduce associated risks, such as the emission of harmful compounds. The paper aims to compare solid waste treatment processes in grate and fluidized bed incinerators based on technical and environmental characteristics. For this [...]

by Fuad Bin Nasir  and Jin Li

Received: 30 July 2024;  Published: 17 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404020

Increasing urban wastewater and rigorous discharge regulations pose significant challenges for wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) to meet regulatory compliance while minimizing operational costs. This study explores the application of several machine learning (ML) models specifically, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Gradient Boosting Machines (GBM), Random Forests (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and hybrid RF-GBM models in predicting important WWTP variables such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Tot [...]

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 Christiana Chioma Efe-Onakpojeruo  , Mehdi Seraj  and Huseyin Ozdeser

Received: 11 March 2024;  Published: 26 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2403018

This study addresses the critical issue of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, focusing on understanding the intricate interplay between four major variables Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDPC), Renewal Energy (RE), Fossil Fuel energy consumption (FF), and Patent application (PTS). This research is crucial due to the emerging negative impacts of climate change, which will create a disastrous future for human beings. It focuses on three decades from 1990 to 2020 and compares the results between the United States an [...]

by Kristin Drexler  and Ed Boles

Received: 02 March 2024;  Published: 25 July 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2403017

Watershed health and integrity are essential to human and ecosystem health and well-being. New River watershed communities in northern Belize, Central America are vulnerable to annual ‘cultural eutrophication’ - natural eutrophication exacerbated by human activity. Human-caused pollution from agriculture, septic effluent, and industrial drainage, in combination with extended drought and the slow flow of New River, has caused more frequent and prolonged periods of eutrophication. In this qualitative study, 42 New Ri [...]

by Sami Goren

Received: 02 January 2024;  Published: 01 July 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2403016

Waste production is experiencing a significant increase in correlation with the growth of the human population and industrial activities. The kind of waste that is expanding at a rapid rate is known as "e-waste," which stands for electronic waste. In the context of electronic waste, the term refers to the waste produced during the disposal of electronic devices and any other components utilized in making or operating these devices. In the same way that different types of waste occur, electronic waste pollutes the e [...]

by Rakesh Chandra Nainwal  , Premchand Chaurasiya  , Arun Kumar  , Mohan Singh  , Devendra Singh  and Shri Krishna Tewari

Received: 14 March 2024;  Published: 12 June 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2402015

Soil salinization is a significantconstraint affecting the productivity of agricultural land worldwide. This led to the abandoning of the production of farmcrops on colossalland. Soil salinity inversely affects seed germination and plant growth and influences the plant’s biological activities like photosynthesis, respiration, plant metabolism, enzymatic activities, hormone regulation, etc. Therefore, efforts are being made to bring the saline soil under cultivation by improving itthrough a proper drainage sys [...]

by Ernesto de Titto  and Atilio Savino

Received: 22 December 2023;  Published: 11 June 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2402014

Management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is frequently not properly performed. Whenever this happens, those working in the different stages of the process, as well as residents close to the dumps, face health risks. Here, we revised the documented evidence of emissions liberated during MSW management and associated health problems to investigate if systematic and reproducible relationships can be established. Besides substances released during collection and transportation, various toxic substances, predominantly [...]

by R. Lalitha S. Fernando  and M.K.M. Natharka Rushan

Received: 25 December 2023;  Published: 28 May 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2402013

Ensuring the sustainability of hospital waste management practices has become a burning issue. Due to the growing population coinciding with rapid urbanization and industrialization, practicing sustainable methods of medical waste management is an urgent requirement. Like other developing countries, Sri Lanka also faces various difficulties when dealing with high-risk hospital waste material, spreading diseases rapidly and making the environment unclean. Thus, moving towards sustainable hospital waste management ha [...]

by Salah Vaisi  , Honia Modares Gorji  and Narmin Shafei

Received: 07 January 2024;  Published: 17 May 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2402012

Visual comfort affects the quality of classrooms as well as student learning. A practice-oriented approach discovers how the gap between academic research and its application in building design can be addressed. Nevertheless, the physical characteristics design of daylighting systems, including window sizes, shapes, dimensions, and materials, are considered fundamental challenges for their practicability. In this study, the physical characteristics design of daylighting systems, including window sizes, shapes, dime [...]

by Shisir Ruwali  , Bharana Ashen Fernando  , Shawhin Talebi  , Lakitha Wijeratne  , John Waczak  , Prabuddha M. H. Madusanka  , David J. Lary  , John Sadler  , Tatiana Lary  , Matthew Lary  and Adam Aker

Received: 19 December 2023;  Published: 08 May 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2402011

Breathing clean air is crucial for maintaining good human health. The air we inhale can significantly impact our physical and mental well-being, influenced by parameters such as particulate matter and gases (e.g. carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide). Building on previous research that explored the effects of particulate matter (PM) in specific environments, analyzed using biometric indicators and machine learning models; this work focuses on the effects and estimation of inhaled nitrogen dioxide ( [...]

by Yenlajai JaneFrances Banseka  and Suiven John Paul Tume

Received: 03 March 2024;  Published: 19 April 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2402010

Bacteriological contamination of water sources, often due to improper handling of human waste, poses significant public health risks. This study investigates coliform bacteria contamination in water sources across the Fako Division of Cameroon. Twenty water samples were collected from various sources, including streams, community water, springs, boreholes, and wells, and analyzed for total coliforms using Violet-Red-Bile-Lactose (VRBL) Agar. Additionally, 352 household questionnaires were administered in four towns [...]

by G. S. N. V. K. S. N. Swamy Undi  and Rohit Kantikar

Received: 07 September 2023;  Published: 01 March 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2401009

Particulate matter (PM) constitutes a significant risk factor for environmental health regarding ambient air quality. An epidemiological investigation has determined that inadequate air quality is associated with the development of lung and cardiovascular diseases, chronic ailments, respiratory infections, and a significant number of fatalities on a global scale. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the annual mortality rate due to air pollution is around 7 million individuals. The necessity for resear [...]

by Joana Sousa

Received: 05 October 2023;  Published: 29 February 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2401008

The consistent associations between dampness and health-related problems, such as allergies and asthma symptoms, explain the growing scientific interest in assessing housing characteristics. Due to a growing interest in the built environment, the present study performed a systematic review to investigate the prevalence of dampness related to specific building characteristics. The built environment is gaining significance in population well-being due to the substantial time spent indoors. This aspect is especially n [...]

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 Edoardo Sperone  and Tom Deweerdt

Received: 26 July 2023;  Published: 30 January 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2401006

As climate change is becoming an increasingly crucial issue, it has become critical for firms to report on their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects. In particular, this research analyzes how environmental indicators are dealt with and reported on. In the case study examined, namely the company American Water Works, GHG emissions and water management were the most important issues to the stakeholders according to the materiality assessment. It was found that the firm has significantly reduced its GH [...]