Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2024-11-26"
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- Investigating the adsorption potential of coconut coir as an economical adsorbent for decontamination of lanthanum ion from aqueous solutionPublication . Javed, Tariq; Kausar, Fahmida; Zawar, Muhammad Danish; Khalid, Nasir; Thumma, Anusha; Ismail, Abdullah; Alzaidy, Asaad H.; Abed, May Jaleel; Jasim, Layth S.; Taj, Muhammad Babar; Tirth, Vineet; Haider, Muhammad NoumanCoconut coir was explored as economical sorbent for the adsorptive removal of lanthanum ion (La3+) from aqueous media. Both column and batch studies were conducted to assess the effective removal of La3+ on coconut coir by optimizing different adsorption variables such as bed height, flow rate, pH, adsorbent dosage, shaking time, initial metal concentration, and temperature. Characterization of coconut coir was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR, and BET studies prior and subsequent to adsorption. The effective removal of La3+ was defined in certain media by the pHzpc, which was found to be 5.7 +/- 0.1. The optimum 94.04 +/- 0.2% adsorption of La3+ on coconut coir was observed by shaking 4 cm3 of 90 mol/L solution of La3+ with 0.3 g adsorbent dose for 10 min at neutral pH. The Langmuir adsorption capacity was found to be qe=2.88 +/- 0.02 mg g-1 and Freundlich adsorption capacity was KF =0.1294 +/- 0.03 mg g-1. The pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models provided an ideal fit for the adsorption process. The column analysis also showed direct correlation of bed height and initial metal concentration with % adsorption, while % removal decreased as flow rate increased. The high regression coefficient values confirm that the BDST model is in line with the test data. Van't Hoff equation proved the spontaneous endothermic process. Effect of external ions and desorption are also studied. The results suggest that coconut coir is a cost effective and efficient bio-sorbent for La3+ ion adsorption from aqueous solution.
- Challenges and opportunities in monitoring and mitigating sea turtle bycatch in tuna regional fisheries management organizationsPublication . Baéz, Jose Carlos; Domingo, Andrés; Murua, Hilario; Macías, David; Camiñas, Juan Antonio; Poisson, Francois; Jorda, María José Juan; López, Jon; Griffiths, Shane; Roman, Marlon; Hall, Martín; Gilman, Eric; Bruyn, Paul De; Swimmer, Yonat; Ceballos-Roa, Elvira; Wallace, Bryan; Coelho, Rui; Abascal, FranciscoFisheries that target tunas and tuna-like species are managed by tuna regional fisheries management organizations (t-RFMO) and are known to interact with various bycatch species, including sea turtles, with potentially negative effects. Actions and management measures implemented by t-RFMO to monitor sea turtle fisheries interactions, reduce their bycatch in fisheries, and carry out best practices for the handling and safe release of sea turtles, with the ultimate aim of improving the conservation of sea turtles are revised. Specifically, the actions and regulations for each of the following areas are revised: (i) data collection requirements, (ii) bycatch estimates and assessments, (iii) management measures, and (iv) any other conservation and management actions for sea turtle conservation. The particular case of the Mediterranean Sea also was analyzed, given that it has the highest rate of sea turtle bycatch in the world. Tuna-RFMO have a great potential for reducing fisheries bycatch impacts in marine turtle populations globally, but their actions are limited by their geographic scopes and mandates and the variety of habitats used by sea turtles during their life history. Tuna-RFMO also have a potentially significant role in leading the reduction of incidental sea turtle mortality in fisheries under their purview, both regionally and globally, by bringing together different stakeholders and initiatives.
- Development and assessment of a carpooling applied system: Perspective of users from public-education sectorPublication . Delgado-Fernández, Vicente; Rey-Merchán, María del Carmen; Pires Rosa, ManuelaThe heavy reliance on private cars is linked not only to harmful environmental impacts, such as gas emissions and global warming, but also to other issues like traffic congestion, road infrastructure maintenance, and the limited availability of parking spaces—significant concerns in many cities. To address these challenges, carpooling has been shown to be an effective solution, as it directly reduces emissions, alleviates congestion, and mitigates the environmental effects of transportation.The aim of this research is to enhance the understanding of carpooling in our society. To achieve this, a carpooling initiative among teachers for their commuting journeys was developed and implemented, followed by an evaluation of the system by a panel of experts. The results showed a 31.9% reduction in the number of cars on the road among participants, with a total of 109,080 km saved based on the reduced number of vehicles.The primary motivation for participants to adopt carpooling was fuel savings, while the reduction of physical fatigue from driving was identified as the second most important factor. Although some barriers to participation were identified, their impact was generally lower than that of the perceived benefits. These findings suggest that carpooling programs should focus on optimizing matching conditions and addressing individual concerns to promote wider adoption.
- Growth and grazing mortality of microbial plankton in a shallow temperate Coastal Lagoon (Ria Formosa, SW Iberia)Publication . Santos, Yohann; Mosley, Benjamin A.; Nogueira, Patricia; Galvão, Helena; Domingues, RitaMicrozooplankton grazing is widely recognized as an important process of heterotrophic prokaryote and phytoplankton biomass removal. However, few studies have specifically addressed microbial mortality in the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon. This study aimed to assess the growth and mortality of heterotrophic prokaryotes and phytoplankton in this ecosystem using the dilution technique. The results revealed significant seasonal variations in the growth and grazing rates of both heterotrophic prokaryotes and phytoplankton, with mean grazing rates slightly exceeding the mean potential instantaneous growth rates. This indicates that microzooplankton consume a substantial proportion of both microbial groups in the lagoon. For specific phytoplankton taxa, the wide range of observed grazing rates suggests grazer selectivity, highlighting the need for future research to examine the dynamics of each phytoplankton group more closely.