JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Year:2023 | Volume:25 | Issue:3|Papers Count:10

Background and Objective: Presently, the upsurge in population and construction under the pretext of development, particularly in ecological areas, has caused the natural environment to be devastated to achieve residential lands by cutting down trees. Housing usually built in these areas is not harmonious with the climate of these areas, and by wasting energy resources and environmental pollution, the health of the surrounding environment is threatened. This study tries to identify the most important environmental components in the design of ecological housing from the perspective of experts in Mino Island. Material and Methodology: In this study, data were collected by library and field study and based on the judgment of experts based on the snowball method, and using the AHP questionnaire and hierarchical analysis, the research data were reviewed. Findings: Based on the results of this study, the chief criteria of ecological housing design in Mino Island from the experts’ viewpoint can be classified into three main groups: environmental adaptation, climate adaptation, and green architecture. The components of “naturalistic design and optimal supply of green space per capita, ” “benefit of sufficient light, ” and “benefit of optimal ventilation” are the most important among all components Discussion and Conclusion: By prioritizing the environmental components in the design of ecological housing in Mino Island, the attention of government decision makers and the local community is drawn to the construction of housing that is environmentally friendly while paying attention to climate and reducing fossil energy consumption.

Background and Objective: Increasing concerns about energy and greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel consumption have encouraged many researchers to be involved in developing sources of renewable energies. Biodiesel derived from biomass can play a crucial role in this context. The main objective of this paper is to present a mathematical programming model for the biomass supply chain. Material and Methodology: Researcher through library research and preparing a questionnaire to estimate parameters and data associated with the uncertainty of parameters and then through interviews, expert opinions about the limits and changes to the decision-making parameters have collected. Then a fuzzy multi-objective mixed integer programming model is presented that model to minimize costs, minimize environmental impact and minimize the time of delivery of product in Biodiesel Supply Chain. Findings: After running the model, increasing objective function is to minimize the total cost, minimize environmental impact and minimizing the time the product reaches the customer contact temperature limits for different values were obtained. Discussion and Conclusion: In this study, the proposed mathematical programming model is solved with the MOPSO algorithm. The results indicate the location and capacity of the facility, the amount of biodegradable and glycerin production, and the amount of extracted Jatropha oil and refined waste oils.

Background and Objective: One of the problems in the health systems of the world today is the prescription or overuse of drugs. Among these, antibiotics are of particular importance. Antibiotics are a group of drugs that are widely used in medicine and veterinary medicine. Cefixime (CFX) is also one of these antibiotics. The aim of this study was to investigate the removal efficiency of cefixime from synthetic sample using catalytic ozonation with Mg-Al layered double hydroxides Doped with zeolite. Material and Methodology: In this experimental and laboratory study MgAl-LDH/Zeolite nanocomposite was used in laboratory reactor and ozonation to remove cefixime. Effect of pH variables (5, 6, 7, 8, 9), amount of nanocomposite (0. 5, 1, 1. 5, 2, 2. 5 g/L), initial concentration of cefixime (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 mg/L) and reaction time (5, 18. 75, 32. 5, 46. 25, 60 min) were examined to find the maximum mineralization efficiency and response surface methodology based on central composite design (CCD) was used to design experiments, analyze data and achieve optimal conditions. Analysis of variance was also used to analyze the date. This research was done in 2021-2022. Findings: The maximum mineralization efficiency of cefixime under optimal conditions (pH=8. 70, nanocomposite value=1. 76 g/L, initial concentration of cefixime=24. 06 mg/L, contact time=40. 76 min) is 78%, which increases the target efficiency with increasing pH and contact time. Discussion and Conclusion: Catalytic ozonation process with Mg-Al layered double hydroxides nanocomposite Doped with zeolite can be used effectively and efficiency to remove cefixime in aqueous media.

Background and Objective: Today, due to high prices and destructive effects of uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers on the environment and the quantity and quality of agricultural products, use of sulfur as a micro element and also acidifying agent in soil is too important and necessary. Material and Methodology: In order to evaluate and compare the effect of sulfur on yield and the ability to micro elements absorption with oilseed safflower, canola, corn and fodder plants sorghum and pigweed in a calcareous soil a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications. The experimental factors were contain sulfur fertilizer in two levels (without application and consumed 500 kilograms per hectare). Findings: Results showed that the use of sulfur caused a significant increase in wet and dry weight in all plant species and the maximum increase was observed in corn and sorghum species. The use of sulfur causes significant increase absorption of iron and zinc in roots and shoots of all species of plant. Discussion and Conclusion: Among the oilseeds, the effect of sulfur application on corn and canola was higher than safflower and the sorghum forage had better performance than the pigweed.

Background & Objective: In order to quantify the response of canopy to environmental changes, leaf area index (LAI) and canopy cover characteristics are used, which are known as canopy photometric characteristics. Road construction in the forest, will change the photometry characteristics of the canopy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the LAI values and canopy cover along the secondary forest roads and compare with the value of mentioned characteristics in the Beech-Hornbeam forest type. Material and Methodology: This study was conducted in district 1 of Langa Forestry Project in Kelardasht. In the logged parcel, 10 transects were established randomly and perpendicular to the road at fillslope was constructed on 1984. On July 2019, the canopy was photographed by hemispherical photography at distances of zero (road edge), 15, 45, 75 and 105 meters. Then, the values of the mentioned characteristics were processed in GLA software based on the fourth ring of this software. Findings: According to the ANOVA test, the values of canopy cover and LAI are different between different distances of forest roads and according to the Tukey test, the values of the mentioned characteristics at the distance of zero meters from the road (road edge) is significantly lower than other distances (p < 0. 001). Discussion and conclusion: Due to the fact, this road is one of the secondary forest roads, so traffic is rare on this road, and on the other hand, a single selection cutting method (with low interference intensity) was used in this forest. Therefore, the forest in this area over time has been able to mitigate the negative effects of road construction and only at the road edge has a significant effect on the values of these characteristics.

Background & Objective: Investigating the causes of process accidents in industries emphasizes the importance of different aspects of Process Safety Culture (PSC). The purpose of this study was to design a PSC measurement model to identify the strengths and weaknesses of PSC and provide an appropriate background for improving the performance of Process Safety Management (PSM), leading to reducing or eliminating unfortunate process incidents. Material and Methodology: To extract the theoretical foundations, the international best practices in the field of PSM were examined, focusing on the PSC element, and the most comprehensive model was selected based on the defined criteria. Referring to the selected model, the key principles of PSC, their essential features, the activities required to implement each of the essential features and the different levels of performance expectations for each activity were developed. Based on the developed content, a system-field PSC audit checklist and a questionnaire were prepared and its validity and reliability were determined. The checklist and questionnaire were then completed in a petrochemical complex in 2022 and the results were analyzed. Findings: The most comprehensive model from the PSC perspective is the Risk Based Process Safety of the American Center for Chemical Process Safety. The confirmed validity and reliability of the PSC questionnaire as well as the findings from the audit process and filled questionnaires in the case study showed that the proposed model can be practical and applicable to be used in process industries. Discussion and conclusion: The PSC is a determining factor in how to manage process risks. The proposed model can be used as a suitable tool for implementation, operation, status assessment, performance measurement and finally maintenance and promotion of PSC in process industries.

Background & Objective: The compatability of biological control agents with pesticides is a central concern in integrated pest management programs. Beauveria bassiana (Bals. ) Vull is one of the entomopathogenics fungus. The fungal vegetative growth might change due to chemical pesticides that are used for protect of plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the compatibility of Achillea millefolium L. and Metha pulegium extracts with fipronil, phosalone, sulfur and benomyl pesticides with B. bassiana. Material and Methodology: The experiment was done based on a complete randomized design at Tabriz Azad University Iran, during 2018. PDA fungal cultivation medium was amended with plant extracts and chemical pesticides at concentrations of 250, 500, 750 and 1000 µl/l and the fungal vegetative growth was evaluated. Extraction was done by using acetone and methanol as solvents. Medium without pesticide and extract was used as control treatment. Findings: The highest inhibition in fungal mycelium development was observed in 250 and 500 µl/l of benomyl. Inhibition in fungal mycelium development in 750 µl/l was as follows: phosalone and benomyl > sulfur and fipronil >M. pulegium > A. millefolium extract. In 1000 µl/l pesticides had the highest inhibition in its development. The fungal vegetative growth showed that no significant difference between the acetonic and methanolic extracts of A. millefolium and M. pulegium. Discussion and conclusion: The results showed that extracts of A. millefolium, M. pulegium and fipronil in low concentration were compatible whit B. bassiana and it seemed that using of them with the defined concentration along the Entomopathogenic fungi could be propper in management integrated program.

Background & Objective: Concerns about environmental degradation have increased in the past few decades. In response to these concerns, consumers help preserve the environment by adopting green purchasing behavior and using green products. Environmental issues and environmental protection are one of the most important criteria that consumers should consider when purchasing. The aim of the research is to evaluate the effects of altruistic value, environmental awareness and social media on green purchasing behavior with the mediating role of normative goal and environmental concern. Material and Methodology: This study is considered as an applied research in terms of purpose and survey-descriptive research in terms data collection method. The statistical population of the research is the customers of organic food products in Tehran in 2022. Also, 415 questionnaires were distributed using available sampling method and 387 questionnaires were collected. The reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated by evaluating Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which was 0. 919. Validity of the research tool has been confirmed by performing confirmatory factor analysis technique. Structural equation modeling has also been used to analyze the information. Findings: According to the results of research hypotheses, the perceived effectiveness of the customer, social media, environmental awareness, and altruistic value have a significant effect on the normative goal and environmental concern. Also, the role of normative goal and environmental concern on green purchasing behavior has been shown. Discussion and conclusion: From the point of view of customers, the most influential factor on the environmental attitude is the altruistic value variable with the statistic of 13/363 and the least effective factor on the normative goal is the environmental awareness variable with a statistic of 3. 521.

Background & Objective: In today's world, increasing environmental changes,wastage,intensity of competition,The shortening of the product life cycle and on the other hand the movement of production towards new technology and knowledge have forced companies to develop green products as one of the competitive strategies. Therefore, in this research, it was carried out with the aim of presenting a presenting the new product development success model with the approach of green products appraisal in the food industry. Material and Methodology: The type of research methodology is mixed and based on the result, it is placed in the category of developmental research. In this research, interviews are used to collect data in the qualitative part, and matrix checklists based on pairwise comparisons are used in the quantitative part. The target population in the qualitative section was 14 university specialists who were considered experts both scientifically and experimentally. Sampling in the qualitative methodology section was theoretical sampling and how to determine the snowball sample. But the target population in the quantitative part was 24 managers of knowledge-based companies, who were selected based on work experience and level of technical and specialized knowledge through homogeneous sampling. Findings: The results of the research in the qualitative part of the existence of 810 open codes,there are 107 concepts and 20 categories in the form of a paradigm model for the development of green products in the food industry. Also, the results in the quantitative section showed that the percentage of impact of green technology is higher than the other consequences of green product development, which means that the most effective result of green product development at the level of knowledge-based companies is food products. Discussion and conclusion: The obtained result shows the fact that green technology, which is created during infrastructural processes based on green product development plans, provides the possibility of classifying and categorizing information from social platforms and customers to knowledge-based companies and provides the conditions So that companies can improve their level of knowledge about environmental changes and customers' tastes and expectations, and in this way, they can be ahead of the development of competitive functions in the field of green products in the long term.

Background and objective: CO2 originating from the combustion of fossil fuels will cause the greenhouse effect. Therefore, it is necessary to control it in production cycles, which are one of the most important factors of CO2 emission. In this research, by simulating the newly invented Allam cycle and creating a hybrid cycle based on Allam, CO2 produced in the Allam cycle is used as the working fluid, and in addition to reducing pollution, waste energy in the Allam cycle is used as an energy supplier. Two cycles of medium temperature and low temperature will be used. Reducing energy loss by creating a new foundation combined cycle will lead to an increase in the LHV efficiency of the power plant and as a result reduce global warming and environmental hazards. Material and Methodology: Using Thermo flow software, the Allam cycle, organic Rankine and also Steam cycle was simulated. Then the mentioned cycles were combined to reduce energy loss and the results were analyzed by Thermo flow and Excel software. Findings: The simulated combined cycle increased LHV by 0. 5% Compared with the Allam cycle. considering the energy loss by the components in the Allam cycle, and then creating a combined cycle, the LHV will increase by 0. 98%. Discussion and Conclusion: The creation of the combined cycle led to the reduction of energy loss in the system. CO2 produced in the power plant is contained in the system also by examining the environmental conditions of the power plant and increasing the pressure to 1. 127 bar, relative humidity of 0. 1, and temperature of zero degrees, it will increase the LHV efficiency of the power plant. Increasing power plant efficiency, reducing energy loss and CO2 absorption will all lead to a reduction in global warming and environmental protection.