Submit to Applied Sciences Review for Applied Sciences Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 34117

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Dibyendu Sarkar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA
Interests: environmental geochemistry; green technology development; environmental quality; environmental remediation; risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Rupali Datta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
Interests: plant biochemistry; molecular biology; microbiology; plant genetics; plant detoxification; environmental remediation; plant–microbe interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Pradip Bhattacharyya

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Agricultural and Ecological Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Giridih 815301, Jharkhand, India
Interests: soil quality; waste management; soil microbiology; arsenic pollution

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Applied Sciences will be publishing a Special Issue in 2020 to commemorate its 10th year of publication. The first volume of the journal was published in 2011, and it received its first Impact Factor in 2014. The IF has since jumped from 1.487 in 2014 to 2.217 in 2019, with an acceptance rate of approximately 28%. "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" is one of the newest sections of Applied Sciences that was founded in May 2018 by Prof. Dibyendu Sarkar. There were 310 submissions from May 2018 to December 2018, out of which 69 articles were accepted. The scope of this fast-developing section is broad and covers the exciting area of interdisciplinary environmental and sustainability research from science and technology perspectives. Both experimental and real-life applications of environmental and sustainable science and technology are sought. Many domains are covered, from geosphere to hydrosphere to pedosphere to atmosphere to biosphere. How these various natural systems and their interactions affect humans (anthroposphere) and their health is a topic of great interest.

This Special Issue intends to gather moderate-sized original research or review papers featuring important and recent developments in environmental and sustainable science and technology with a special emphasis on real-life applications. We will receive submissions from now until the end of October 2020. If you would like to be invited to submit an article for review and potential publication in the “10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: ‘Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology’ Section”, please send the abstract of your paper to any of the guest editors listed below. Please write “10th anniversary Issue of Applied Sciences” in the subject line of your email.

Prof. Dr. Dibyendu Sarkar
Prof. Dr. Rupali Datta
Prof. Dr. Pradip Bhattacharyya
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (10 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 8561 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Optimal Performance of the Energy Efficiency of a Pulse Dust Collection System towards Sustainability

by Chun-Ling Ho, Yung-Chih Tang and Wen-Chih Chiu

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 10941; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112210941 - 19 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2568

Abstract

A growing number of manufacturers are realizing cost and environmental benefits through the sustainability of innovation and optimization processes. Based on polluting less and creating less, the study is pursuing sustainability on increasing operational efficiency by reducing costs and waste. Pulse dust collection systems are commonly used filtration equipment in industries and have lots of energy consumption due to running all day. This study is focused on the optimal parameters for energy saving and cost reduction, and the model is represented by the pressure drop of the filter and the residual powder. The characteristic values of the cleaning efficiency and the air permeability reduction are used for MATLAB to analyze the optimization state. This study found that the material of filter elements, the type of dust, the conditions of pulse-jet, and the filtering speed are the factors that affect the operational efficiency. In terms of cost, the pulse interval time in 10 s is the best parameter, and the pulse time does not affect the overall cost of the filter. Considering energy saving, 0.1 s of the pulse time is the best parameter. In addition, a lower dust concentration is a way to improve efficiency for increasing the filter life and reducing cost. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 857 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Apply DEMATEL to Analyzing Key Barriers to Implementing the Circular Economy: An Application for the Textile Sector

by Wen-Kuo Chen, Venkateswarlu Nalluri, Hsing-Chun Hung, Ming-Cheng Chang and Ching-Torng Lin

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 3335; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11083335 - 8 Apr 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4565

Abstract

Continuous improvement and innovation are solid foundations for the textile sector to maintain excellent growth and active sustainability. As the limited resources possessed by textile companies generally result in the incapability of implementing circular economy (CE) strategies simultaneously, recently, researchers advocate that organizations should analyze the influential inter-relationship between key barriers to explore the more dominant determinants for designing improved actions for implementing CE in the textile sector. CE implementation in the textile sector appears to be in its infancy. Although much attention has been paid to CE implementation barriers, the present study tries to fill this research gap by analyzing the causal relationships among the CE barriers in the textile sector. Therefore, the twelve barriers are identified by an extensive literature review, and the application of the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) based on the expert options from the textile sector. Subsequently, the causal inter-relationship among the key CE barriers is based on expert opinions using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL). The results of this study indicate that three key barriers require quick action: “consumers lack knowledge and awareness about reused/recycle (B1)”, “lack of successful business models and frameworks to implement CE (B3)”, and “lack of an information exchange system between different stakeholders (B8)”. In addition, the results provide significant managerial implications, including implementations of CE in the textile sector. Not only should the government build regulations and friendly laws and encourage environmentally-friendly materials but the textile companies should also focus or monitor the recycling methods and quality to overcome the CE implementation issues. In addition, this study contributes to the textile sector transition toward CE by using the novel methodology for determining and prioritizing the key barriers. Finally, this work would help top management and the practitioners to better design effective infrastructural strategies for the textile sector transition towards CE. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 3227 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transient Cold Flow Simulation of Fast-Fluidized Bed Air Reactor with Hematite as an Oxygen Carrier for Chemical Looping Combustion

by Pulkit Kumar, Ajit K. Parwani, Dileep Kumar Gupta and Vivek Vitankar

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 2288; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11052288 - 5 Mar 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2755

Abstract

Chemical looping combustion (CLC) is the most reliable carbon capture technology for curtailing CO₂ insertion into the atmosphere. This paper presents the cold flow simulation results necessary to understand the hydrodynamic viability of the fast-fluidized bed air reactor. Hematite is selected as an oxygen carrier due to its easy availability and active nature during the reactions. The dense discrete phase model (DDPM) approach using the commercial software Ansys Fluent is applied in the simulation. An accurate and stable solution is achieved using the second-order upwind numerical scheme. A pressure difference of 150 kPa is obtained between the outlet and inlet of the selected air reactor, which is necessary for the movement of the particle. The stable circulating rate of hematite is achieved after 28 s of particle injection inside the air reactor. The results have been validated from the experimental results taken from the literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 7371 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Understanding the Origin and Mixing of Deep Fluids in Shallow Aquifers and Possible Implications for Crustal Deformation Studies: San Vittorino Plain, Central Apennines

by Marino Domenico Barberio, Francesca Gori, Maurizio Barbieri, Tiziano Boschetti, Antonio Caracausi, Giovanni Luca Cardello and Marco Petitta

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1353; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041353 - 3 Feb 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4202

Abstract

Expanding knowledge about the origin and mixing of deep fluids and the water–rock–gas interactions in aquifer systems can represent an improvement in the comprehension of crustal deformation processes. An analysis of the deep and meteoric fluid contributions to a regional groundwater circulation model in an active seismic area has been carried out. We performed two hydrogeochemical screenings of 15 springs in the San Vittorino Plain (central Italy). Furthermore, we updated the San Vittorino Plain structural setting with a new geological map and cross-sections, highlighting how and where the aquifers are intersected by faults. The application of Na-Li geothermometers, coupled with trace element and gas analyses, agrees in attributing the highest temperatures (>150 °C), the greatest enrichments in Li (124.3 ppb) and Cs (>5 ppb), and traces of mantle-derived He (1–2%) to springs located in correspondence with high-angle faults (i.e., S5, S11, S13, and S15). This evidence points out the role of faults acting as vehicles for deep fluids into regional carbonate aquifers. These results highlight the criteria for identifying the most suitable sites for monitoring variations in groundwater geochemistry due to the uprising of deep fluids modulated by fault activity to be further correlated with crustal deformation and possibly with seismicity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 4027 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving Soil Nitrogen Availability and Rice Growth Performance on a Tropical Acid Soil via Mixture of Rice Husk and Rice Straw Biochars

by Gunavathy Selvarajh, Huck Ywih Ch’ng, Norhafizah Md Zain, Palsan Sannasi and Siti Nuurul Huda Mohammad Azmin

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(1), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11010108 - 24 Dec 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3526

Abstract

Nitrogen deficiency frequently occurs at agricultural soil because of NH₃ volatilization to the environment which results in low urea-N use efficiency by rice plants. A pot experiment was conducted to assess the synergistic effects of a mixture of rice straw and rice husk biochars (RSRH) on (1) total N, soil exchangeable NH₄⁺, and available NO₃⁻, and (2) uptake of N, P, and K in rice plant. RSRH biochar at 5 and 10 t ha⁻¹ had significantly minimized ammonia volatilization by 33.5% and 40.7%. Further, RSRH biochars also had significantly increased available NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, available P, and available K in the soil over T1. In line to increase in soil nutrient availability, the rice plant height, tiller number, greenness, and panicle number were increased. This resulted in an increase of nutrient uptake, use efficiency, and dry matter production of the rice plant. RSRH biochar altered the soil environment by minimizing NH₃ loss and increasing soil nutrients for efficient plant uptake. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 4464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of the Surface Morphology of TiO₂ Nanotubes on Photocatalytic Efficacy Using Electron-Transfer-Based Assays and Antimicrobial Tests

by Frederick Lia, Clayton Farrugia, Maria Antonietta Buccheri, Giancarlo Rappazzo, Edwin Zammit, Alex Rizzo, Maurice Grech, Paul Refalo and Stephen Abela

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(15), 5243; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10155243 - 29 Jul 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3021

Abstract

The application of titanium oxide nanotubes for the removal of contaminants from freshwater is a rapidly growing scientific interest, especially when it comes to water conservation strategies. In this study we employed four different titanium oxide nanotube surfaces, prepared by a two-electrode anodic oxidation. Two of the surfaces were synthesised in aqueous media, while the other two surfaces were synthesised in ethylene glycol. One of the arrays synthesised in the organic medium was impregnated with silver nanoparticles, while the remaining surfaces were not. The chemical reactivity of the various surfaces was assessed using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) as free electron sensitive probe molecules, in parallel with tannic acid degradation and copper ion reducing capacity. The potential antimicrobial activity of the surfaces was assessed against a panel of microorganisms composed of yeast, fungi, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that surfaces produced in the aqueous medium had a smaller tube length and a smaller tube diameter. It was noted that one of the materials using sodium sulfate as the supporting electrolyte had the most irregular nanostructure morphology with tubes growing to the side rather than vertically. The structural variation of the surfaces directly reflected both the chemical and biological activity, with the nanotubes formed in ethylene glycol showing the fastest rates in the stabilization of DPPH and ABTS radicals, the fastest tannic acid decomposition under various pH conditions and the fastest metal reducing activity. Furthermore, the surface containing silver and its bare counterpart showed the most effective antimicrobial activity, removing approximately 82% of Gram-negative bacteria, 50% of Gram-positive bacteria, 70% of yeast and 40% of fungi, with Gram-negative bacteria being the most susceptible to these surfaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1839 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Equilibrium Study, Modeling and Optimization of Model Drug Adsorption Process by Sunflower Seed Shells

by Bahdja Hayoun, Mustapha Bourouina, Marta Pazos, Mª Angeles Sanromán and Saliha Bourouina-Bacha

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(9), 3271; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10093271 - 8 May 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3206

Abstract

The adsorption capacity of the medication methylthioninium chloride (MC) from aqueous solution onto sunflower seed shells (SSS), a low cost and abundant alternative adsorbent, was investigated in a batch system. The surface properties of the adsorbent were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), specific surface area (by using the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller equation), the liquid displacement method and pH_PZC. The ability of SSS to remove the medication was assessed through kinetic, thermodynamic and equilibrium investigations. The adsorption efficiency of the SSS adsorbent for the removal of MC was evaluated considering the effects of its concentration, temperature, adsorption contact time, and the pH of the medium. The results obtained from the kinetic and isotherm studies show that the adsorption of the MC on SSS follows pseudo-second-order kinetics (R² > 0.99) and the Temkin isotherm model (R² = 0.97), respectively. The thermodynamic study showed that the adsorption was endothermic and spontaneous, according to its physisorption mechanism. The mathematical modeling of this process was carried out by using the surface response methodology of Box–Behenken. It was possible to deduce a statistically reliable regression equation that related the adsorption yield to the chosen operating parameters, that is, the initial MC concentration, the adsorbent dosage and the pH. Analysis of the variance indicated that the most influential parameters were the SSS dosage, the pH and their interaction and showed the optimal values for ensuring the best adsorption capacity of 95.58%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 1502 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Microwave Radiation on Regeneration of a Granulated Micelle–Clay Complex after Adsorption of Bacteria

by A. Uğur Kaya, Selahaddin Güner, Marklen Ryskin, Azaria Stephano Lameck, Ana R. Benitez, Uri Shuali and Shlomo Nir

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 2530; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10072530 - 7 Apr 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3436

Abstract

Granulated micelle–clay complexes including the organic cation octadecyltrimethylammonium (ODTMA) were shown to be efficient in removal of total bacteria count (TBC) from water. Microwave (MW) heating of granules to restore bacterial removal was investigated. Drying of granules by MW required 20-fold less energy than by conventional heating. When water content of granules approached 10%, or less, their heating period by MW had to be below 1 min, e.g., 30 s, and less, in order to avoid ignition and irreversible structural changes. Structural and thermal properties of MW heated samples were studied by FT-IR spectra and thermo gravimetric analyses (TGA). Inactivation of bacteria in water was more efficient by MW than by conventional oven, or by electric plate. For elimination of bacteria from water, MW heating was at least five-fold more efficient than by conventional heating. The results have established an adequate regeneration procedure by MW heating at durations depending on the remaining percentage of water associated with the granules. Tests of first and second regenerations by MW heating, and HCl washing of columns, were carried out. It was concluded that MW treatment may be chosen for optimal regeneration of the granulated micelle–clay complex as an efficient and low-cost procedure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1052 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growing Biofuel Feedstocks in Copper-Contaminated Soils of a Former Superfund Site

by Virinder Sidhu, Dibyendu Sarkar and Rupali Datta

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(4), 1499; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10041499 - 22 Feb 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2477

Abstract

Copper mining in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the mid-19th century generated millions of tons of mining waste, called stamp sand, which was deposited into various offshoots of Lake Superior. The toxic stamp sand converted the area into barren, fallow land. Without a vegetative cover, stamp sand has been eroding into the lakes, adversely affecting aquatic life. Our objective was to perform a greenhouse study, to grow cold-tolerant oilseed crops camelina (Camelina sativa) and field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) on stamp sand, for the dual purpose of biofuel production and providing a vegetative cover, thereby decreasing erosion. Camelina and field pennycress were grown on stamp sands in columns, using compost to supply nutrients. A greenhouse study in wooden panels was also done to evaluate the effectiveness of camelina in reducing erosion. Results show that camelina significantly reduced erosion and can also be used commercially for generating biodiesel. A 25-fold reduction in Cu content in the surface run-off was observed in the panels with camelina compared to those of the control. Stamp sand-grown camelina seeds contained 20% and 22.7% oil and protein respectively, and their fatty acid composition was similar to previous studies performed on uncontaminated soils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 3896 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

A Circular Economy Virtuous Example—Use of a Stabilized Waste Material Instead of Calcite to Produce Sustainable Composites

by Ahmad Assi, Fabjola Bilo, Alessandra Zanoletti, Serena Ducoli, Giorgio Ramorino, Anna Gobetti, Annalisa Zacco, Stefania Federici, Laura E. Depero and Elza Bontempi

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(3), 754; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10030754 - 21 Jan 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3089

Abstract

This work reports and analyzes the mechanical properties of some composites obtained using stabilized waste with epoxy resins E-227. For comparison, correspondent composite samples were realized using calcite as a filler. The recovered stabilized waste was obtained by means of a new method to stabilize municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash (FA), based on the use of bottom ash (BA). The aim of this paper is to show that the stabilization process, which can be considered a zero—waste treatment, produces inert materials, that can be reused as a filler. The production of new filler was made on a pilot plant, designed to verify the transferability of the proposed stabilization technology. Mechanical analysis revealed that flexural modulus raises by increasing the filler content around 30% wt, independently of filler type, stabilized sample or calcium carbonate. Mechanical properties are lower in the samples with the high amount of filler due to the crowding effect. The morphology of composite materials showed a non-homogeneous dispersion of particles in stabilized sample filler, characterized by large particle agglomerates. Finally, according to the ESCAPE simplified method, the obtained composites result more sustainable in comparison with the corresponding ones produced by using natural resources (like calcite). These findings open new possibilities for the reuse of the stabilized material, in frame of circular economy principles, with environmental and economic advantages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

10th Anniversary of Applied Sciences: Invited Papers in "Environmental and Sustainable Science and Technology" Section

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (10 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI