World Journal of Environmental Research

Phytoremediation Potential of Helianthus annuus L (Sunflower) for the Reclamation of Lead (Pb) Spiked Soil

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Soil contamination from industrial processes, waste disposal, and natural disasters is a serious issue, endangering human health and ecosystems. Phytoremediation, a low-cost, eco-friendly soil remediation technique, has gained attention. This study evaluated Helianthus annuus L., a local plant, for its potential to remediate lead-contaminated soil under laboratory conditions. Plant phytotolerance was assessed in soil spiked with various lead (Pb) levels. Growth was monitored for lead tolerance, and Pb uptake was measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Results showed H. annuus exhibited substantial growth at low Pb concentrations compared to controls, with growth declining at higher Pb levels. Biomass analysis over 15 days indicated Pb exposure impacted biomass formation. Pb measurements showed significant root accumulation and translocation within the plant. Findings suggest H. annuus can accumulate lead without compromising biomass, making it a promising candidate for remediating Pb-polluted soils.

Keywords: Heavy metal; lead (Pb); phytoremediation; soil; sunflower.

Predicting the next decade of sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea using hybrid deep learning models

Ihsan Uluocak — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0300

The Mediterranean Sea plays a crucial role in regulating regional climate, supporting biodiversity, and sustaining coastal economies, making its temperature an essential factor for environmental stability. This study presents a forecast of sea level temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea for the next 10 years using historical data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), spanning from 1940 to 2024. Two hybrid deep learning models, CNN-LSTM and CNN-GRU, are employed to predict future temperature trends. The models are evaluated using Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) as primary accuracy metrics. The results will provide valuable insights into the potential impacts of climate change on the Mediterranean region’s sea level temperatures, contributing to better understanding and future planning efforts.

Keywords: Climate Change, Forecasting, Mediterranean, Deep Learning, Hybrid Deep Learning

Hot red pepper drying with a solar greenhouse dryer

Nadia Metidji, Hichem Bendjebbas — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Pepper, a globally essential ingredient, holds significant demand in the international food industry due to its role as a vital source of vitamins, minerals, and energy in the human diet. Despite its importance, efficient and cost-effective methods for drying agricultural products like pepper remain a challenge. Addressing this gap, this study investigates the efficiency and profitability of utilizing a solar greenhouse for drying hot red peppers. A 300 kg capacity greenhouse dryer was designed and constructed at the Unit Solar Energy Equipment Development (UDES) in Bou Ismail, Algeria. Drying experiments were conducted in June 2020, with hourly measurements of key parameters such as ambient air temperature, humidity, and greenhouse air temperature. These data were analyzed to assess the heat and mass transfer characteristics of the system. The findings provide valuable insights into optimizing greenhouse drying technology, offering potential economic and environmental benefits for sustainable agricultural practices.

Keywords: Drying; greenhouse dryer; greenhouse air temperature; hot red pepper; renewable energy source; solar energy.

Ambient temperature and solar radiation effects on absorber and collector mean temperature in a solar chimney

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0300

The growing interest in solar chimneys stems from their simple design and wide-ranging applicability, offering a sustainable solution for energy efficiency and climate adaptation. However, optimizing their thermal performance in various environmental conditions remains an area of active research. This study aimed to address this gap by experimentally analyzing the thermal behavior of a solar chimney prototype with a 1-meter collector diameter in an arid climatic setting. Ten temperature sensors, evenly distributed on the absorber and collector, recorded data alongside ambient temperature and solar radiation at one-minute intervals. Results revealed that solar radiation and ambient temperature exert a significant impact on the thermal performance of the absorber and collector, with their average temperatures showing a strong correlation to these variables. A polynomial model was developed to predict the mean temperature variations of the absorber and collector as functions of solar radiation and ambient temperature, offering a reliable analytical tool for system optimization. These findings contribute to the understanding of solar chimney dynamics and provide a foundation for enhancing their design and performance, particularly in arid regions where solar energy potential is abundant.

Keywords: Absorber; ambient temperature; collector mean temperature; solar chimney; solar radiation

Design, analysis, and implementation of a high-gain quasi-switched boost inverter for renewable energy applications

Majid Hosseinpour , Pooria Azimi — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0300

The increasing demand for efficient renewable energy conversion highlights the importance of advanced inverter technologies, particularly those capable of boosting DC voltage while converting it to AC. Conventional inverters face limitations in addressing challenges such as voltage stress, inrush current, and input current continuity. To address these gaps, this study introduces a modified quasi-Z-source inverter (qZSI) structure employing a quasi-switched boost inverter (qSBI). The proposed inverter achieves a high boost factor with a minimal shoot-through interval and a high modulation index, ensuring superior performance. Key features include continuous input current, reduced voltage stress on switches, and negligible input voltage ripple, along with the elimination of initial inrush current typically associated with impedance source inverters. Comprehensive operational analyses and parameter-based comparisons with similar inverters confirm the advantages of the proposed design. Experimental validation demonstrates its accuracy and effectiveness, underscoring its potential to enhance renewable energy systems through improved performance and reliability.

Keywords: boost factor; inrush current; modulation index; switched boost inverter; quasi-Z-source inverter

Absorption improvement of an ultra-thin silicon solar cell using cubic and disk-shape nanoclusters

Alireza Pilehroudi, Javad Javidan , Hamid Heidarzadeh — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0300

The increasing demand for highly efficient and cost-effective solar cells has driven advancements in ultra-thin solar technologies, addressing critical challenges in renewable energy. This study focuses on harnessing surface plasmon-induced electric fields to design an ultra-thin silicon-based solar cell with enhanced performance. A key innovation lies in integrating clustered nanoparticles with cubic and disk geometries across a range of sizes to improve light absorption and photocurrent generation. Initially, a baseline solar cell without nanoparticles was modeled, achieving a photocurrent of 4.779 mA/cm². By systematically optimizing nanoparticle size and cell thickness, the photocurrent significantly increased to 21.885 mA/cm² with cubic nanoparticles and 20.777 mA/cm² with disk-shaped clusters. These results highlight the transformative potential of nanoparticle incorporation in boosting photocurrent in ultra-thin silicon solar cells. The methodology and findings offer a scalable framework for enhancing various solar cell designs and geometries, paving the way for more efficient and adaptable photovoltaic technologies in sustainable energy applications.

Keywords: Nanoclusters; plasmonic solar cells; silicon solar cell; Surface plasmon resonances; ultra-thin

Design and optimization of polymer-based organic solar cells with enhanced photocurrent using plasmonic metal-metal core-shell nanoparticles

Hamid Heidarzadeh — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0300

This study explores the influence of shell thickness on photocurrent density in polymer-based solar cells incorporating gold-silver (Au-Ag) and silver-gold (Ag-Au) metal-metal core-shell nanoparticles. Efficient light trapping and absorption in polymer solar cells remain a key challenge, necessitating innovative approaches to improve performance. Addressing this gap, the research investigates how variations in shell thickness impact the plasmonic enhancement of photocurrent density. Simulations reveal that increasing shell thickness initially boosts photocurrent density due to enhanced plasmonic effects but stabilizes or declines slightly beyond an optimal thickness. For example, at a cell thickness of 80 nm, photocurrent densities of 13.74 mA/cm², 16.62 mA/cm², and 19.3 mA/cm² were achieved for the reference cell (without nanoparticles), a cell with Ag nanoparticles, and a cell with Au-Ag nanoparticles, respectively. These results underscore the critical role of shell thickness and material composition in optimizing core-shell nanoparticles for maximizing solar cell efficiency, offering insights for advancing polymer-based photovoltaic technologies.

Keywords: Core-shell nanoparticles; organic solar cell; photocurrent; plasmonic nanoparticles; polymer solar cell.

Comparison of total phenolic content and antioxidative activities of EU PDO Malatya apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) kernels

Caglar Mert Aydin , Ali Adnan Hayaloglu — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0300

This study investigates the bioactive content of kernels from four apricot varieties: Hacihaliloglu, Hasanbey, Kabaasi, and Zerdali, grown in Malatya over two consecutive years, 2018 and 2019. The research addresses the need to understand how harvest timing and varietal differences influence total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, which are critical for health-related applications. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. The findings revealed that sweet apricot varieties Hasanbey, Hacihaliloglu, and Kabaasi exhibited higher total phenolic and antioxidant content than the bitter Zerdali variety. Among these, Hasanbey kernels had the most favorable bioactive profile, while Hacihaliloglu and Zerdali generally exhibited the lowest levels. Harvest timing significantly impacted the bioactive content, except for the FRAP assay results, underscoring the role of developmental stages in kernel quality. Furthermore, year-to-year variations in bioactive content suggest that external factors such as soil composition, climate, and growing conditions also play a critical role. A strong positive correlation was observed between FRAP and both total phenolic and DPPH antioxidant activity, indicating shared reactive compounds. These results highlight the potential of sweet apricot kernels as a bioactive rich resource and underscore the influence of genetic, environmental, and temporal factors on their nutritional value.

Keywords: Antioxidant activity; apricot; Prunus aremeniaca L.; total phenolic content

Synthesis of Ag-ZnO/MOF nanocomposite for degradation of dye from aqueous solution under UV light

Hayder Mahmood Hameed , Israa Abbas Hasan , Afrah Turki Awad — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Water pollution, a critical environmental challenge, threatens the availability of clean water essential for human survival. Industrial waste streams frequently discharge hazardous dyes such as Congo Red, Methyl Orange, and Methylene Blue, posing severe risks to aquatic ecosystems and human health. These dyes, widely used in industries like plastics, textiles, and cosmetics, contribute significantly to water contamination, necessitating effective treatment methods. This study addresses the research gap by synthesizing a silver-zinc oxide metal-organic framework (Ag-ZnO-MOF) nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation of Methyl Orange dye using a chemical precipitation method. The nanocomposite's morphology, crystalline structure, and photocatalytic properties were characterized through SEM, FTIR, XRD, and DRS analyses, confirming its powdery nature and activity in the UV region with a bandgap of 3.3 eV. Key parameters influencing dye degradation, including solution pH, reaction time, pollutant concentration, and photocatalyst dosage, were systematically studied. The results revealed that optimal conditions (pH 2, 0.03 g photocatalyst, 30 ppm dye) achieved a remarkable 96% degradation efficiency. This research highlights the Ag-ZnO-MOF nanocomposite's potential for addressing industrial dye pollution, offering an effective and sustainable solution for water purification.

Keywords: Dye removal; metal-organic framework; methyl orange; photocatalyst.

Insight review on solar still application

Alaa Ahmed Hamdoon, Afrah Turki Awad — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Access to drinkable water is essential for life, and solar energy offers a sustainable method for water purification. Solar stills, which use solar energy to distill water, have been widely studied to improve efficiency. However, challenges such as low productivity and reliance on sunlight remain. This study reviews advancements in solar still technology, focusing on enhancements using nanoparticles, phase change materials (PCM), and design modifications. Due to their high surface area and thermal conductivity, Nanoparticles improve heat transfer when applied to the glass surface of solar stills. However, their effectiveness depends on factors such as type, size, shape, and concentration. PCM is incorporated to address the limitation of solar availability by storing energy and enabling water production during cloudy conditions and nighttime. Additionally, various solar still designs have been explored to enhance efficiency. This review critically examines these techniques, highlighting their benefits and limitations. The findings provide valuable insights for optimizing solar still performance, contributing to the development of more efficient and reliable solar water purification systems.

Keywords: Distillations, review; nanoparticles; phase change; solar still.