Towards Zero Solid Waste in the Sedimentary Phosphate Industry: Challenges and Opportunities

The phosphate industry produces huge volumes of waste (hundred million tons per year). These wastes are generally surface landfilled, leading to significant environmental impacts and a large footprint. The current practices of phosphate waste management, the typology of the waste streams and their characteristics, and finally their potential applications are reviewed. All the waste streams generated during the life cycle of phosphoric acid production going from the extraction of phosphate rock to its enrichment and transformation are considered. Great circularity opportunities have been identified and they aim (i) to recover the residual phosphorus and other critical minerals and metals, and (ii) to consider phosphate wastes as alternative resources in the civil engineering and building sectors. The purpose is to shift from linear thinking to circular thinking where synergy between different mining and other industries is highly encouraged. By doing so, opportunities to safeguard natural resources and to minimize the environmental and societal impacts are limitless. However, many challenges are still limiting this shift: economic and technical constraints, societal and policy-makers’ awareness, regulation harmonization and finally knowledge gaps. More efforts and investment in research and development are still required to reach the zero-waste target.

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A Comprehensive Framework for Standardising System Boundary Definition in Life Cycle Energy Assessments

Buildings ◽

10.3390/buildings11060230 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 230

Author(s):

Hossein Omrany ◽

Veronica Soebarto ◽

Jian Zuo ◽

Ruidong Chang

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Energy Use ◽

Embodied Energy ◽

Building Energy Efficiency ◽

System Boundary ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Energy Assessment ◽

Boundary Definition ◽

Comprehensive Framework

This paper aims to propose a comprehensive framework for a clear description of system boundary conditions in life cycle energy assessment (LCEA) analysis in order to promote the incorporation of embodied energy impacts into building energy-efficiency regulations (BEERs). The proposed framework was developed based on an extensive review of 66 studies representing 243 case studies in over 15 countries. The framework consists of six distinctive dimensions, i.e., temporal, physical, methodological, hypothetical, spatial, and functional. These dimensions encapsulate 15 components collectively. The proposed framework possesses two key characteristics; first, its application facilitates defining the conditions of a system boundary within a transparent context. This consequently leads to increasing reliability of obtained LCEA results for decision-making purposes since any particular conditions (e.g., truncation or assumption) considered in establishing the boundaries of a system under study can be revealed. Second, the use of a framework can also provide a meaningful basis for cross comparing cases within a global context. This characteristic can further result in identifying best practices for the design of buildings with low life cycle energy use performance. Furthermore, this paper applies the proposed framework to analyse the LCEA performance of a case study in Adelaide, Australia. Thereafter, the framework is utilised to cross compare the achieved LCEA results with a case study retrieved from literature in order to demonstrate the framework’s capacity for cross comparison. The results indicate the capability of the framework for maintaining transparency in establishing a system boundary in an LCEA analysis, as well as a standardised basis for cross comparing cases. This study also offers recommendations for policy makers in the building sector to incorporate embodied energy into BEERs.

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IoT Technologies during and Beyond COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review

Future Internet ◽

10.3390/fi13050105 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 105

Author(s):

Mohamed Yousif ◽

Chaminda Hewage ◽

Liqaa Nawaf

Keyword(s):

Social Impact ◽

Contact Tracing ◽

Privacy And Security ◽

Comprehensive Review ◽

Iot Applications ◽

Depth Analysis ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Potential Applications ◽

Readiness Level ◽

Improved Performance

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a much-needed sanity check for IoT-inspired frameworks and solutions. IoT solutions such as remote health monitoring and contact tracing provided support for authorities to successfully manage the spread of the coronavirus. This article provides the first comprehensive review of key IoT solutions that have had an impact on COVID-19 in healthcare, contact tracing, and transportation during the pandemic. Each sector is investigated in depth; and potential applications, social and economic impact, and barriers for mass adaptation are discussed in detail. Furthermore, it elaborates on the challenges and opportunities for IoT framework solutions in the immediate post-COVID-19 era. To this end, privacy and security concerns of IoT applications are analyzed in depth and emerging standards and code of practices for mass adaptation are also discussed. The main contribution of this review paper is the in-depth analysis and categorization of sector-wise IoT technologies, which have the potential to be prominent applications in the new normal. IoT applications in each selected sector are rated for their potential economic and social impact, timeline for mass adaptation, and Technology Readiness Level (TRL). In addition, this article outlines potential research directions for next-generation IoT applications that would facilitate improved performance with preserved privacy and security, as well as wider adaptation by the population at large.

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Understanding needs and barriers to using geospatial tools for public health policymaking in China

Geospatial health ◽

10.4081/gh.2018.594 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dohyeong Kim ◽

Yingyuan Zhang ◽

Chang Kil Lee

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Policy ◽

Policy Development ◽

Policy Making ◽

Geographical Information Systems ◽

Geographical Information ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Adoption And Implementation ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Geospatial Tools

Despite growing popularity of using geographical information systems and geospatial tools in public health fields, these tools are only rarely implemented in health policy management in China. This study examines the barriers that could prevent policy-makers from applying such tools to actual managerial processes related to public health problems that could be assisted by such approaches, e.g. evidence-based policy-making. A questionnaire-based survey of 127 health-related experts and other stakeholders in China revealed that there is a consensus on the needs and demands for the use of geospatial tools, which shows that there is a more unified opinion on the matter than so far reported. Respondents pointed to lack of communication and collaboration among stakeholders as the most significant barrier to the implementation of geospatial tools. Comparison of survey results to those emanating from a similar study in Bangladesh revealed different priorities concerning the use of geospatial tools between the two countries. In addition, the follow-up in-depth interviews highlighted the political culture specific to China as a critical barrier to adopting new tools in policy development. Other barriers included concerns over the limited awareness of the availability of advanced geospatial tools. Taken together, these findings can facilitate a better understanding among policy-makers and practitioners of the challenges and opportunities for widespread adoption and implementation of a geospatial approach to public health policy-making in China.

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Life-cycle cost as basis to optimize waste collection in space and time: A methodology for obtaining a detailed cost breakdown structure

Waste Management & Research ◽

10.1177/0734242x18774618 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (9) ◽

pp. 788-799 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Vitor Sousa ◽

Celia Dias-Ferreira ◽

João M Vaz ◽

Inês Meireles

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Life Cycle Cost ◽

Spatial Optimization ◽

Detailed Knowledge ◽

Waste Collection ◽

Waste Streams ◽

Equipment Operation ◽

Time Optimization ◽

Cost Breakdown Structure ◽

Cost Breakdown

Extensive research has been carried out on waste collection costs mainly to differentiate costs of distinct waste streams and spatial optimization of waste collection services (e.g. routes, number, and location of waste facilities). However, waste collection managers also face the challenge of optimizing assets in time, for instance deciding when to replace and how to maintain, or which technological solution to adopt. These issues require a more detailed knowledge about the waste collection services’ cost breakdown structure. The present research adjusts the methodology for buildings’ life-cycle cost (LCC) analysis, detailed in the ISO 15686-5:2008, to the waste collection assets. The proposed methodology is then applied to the waste collection assets owned and operated by a real municipality in Portugal (Cascais Ambiente – EMAC). The goal is to highlight the potential of the LCC tool in providing a baseline for time optimization of the waste collection service and assets, namely assisting on decisions regarding equipment operation and replacement.

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Earth Long-Wave Infrared Emission, New Ways to Harvest Energy

Innovative Materials and Systems for Energy Harvesting Applications - Advances in Environmental Engineering and Green Technologies ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-8254-2.ch001 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 1-25

Author(s):

Luciano Mescia ◽

Pietro Bia ◽

Onofrio Losito

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Dielectric Substrate ◽

Infrared Emission ◽

Long Wave ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Future Challenges ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Potential Applications ◽

Long Wave Infrared ◽

Thz Antennas

This chapter summarizes the physical properties of THz antennas, provides a summary of some of the most important recent developments in the field of energy harvesting of Earth long-wave infrared radiation, discusses the potential applications and identifies the future challenges and opportunities. In particular, a THz antenna is designed in order to transform the thermal energy, provided by the Sun and re-emitted from the Earth, in electricity. The proposed antenna is a square spiral of gold printed on a low cost dielectric substrate. Simulations have been conducted in order to investigate the behavior of the antenna illuminated by a circularly polarized plane wave with an amplitude chosen according to the Stefan-Boltzmann radiation law. Moreover, these THz antennas could be coupled with other components to obtain direct rectification of T radiation. As a consequence, these structures further optimized could be a promising alternative to the conventional photovoltaic solar cells.

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The Future of the Natural Resources Sector in Russia

Geospatial Research ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-9845-1.ch087 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 1817-1840

Author(s):

N.S. Kasimov ◽

N.N. Alekseeva ◽

A.A. Chulok ◽

A.V. Sokolov

Keyword(s):

Environmental Management ◽

Natural Resources ◽

Research University ◽

Competitive Advantages ◽

Ministry Of Education ◽

Research Project ◽

Expert Opinions ◽

Potential Market ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Potential Applications

Environmental management, technologies, products and services are commonly expected to provide significant economic opportunities for companies and countries. This is mainly due to increasing awareness among politicians, academics and the wider population on the importance of environmental aspects in daily life. Consequently demand for environmentally friendly solutions is expected to grow continuously in the next decade. The present study is part of a broader research project which examines the long-term science and technology (S&T) agenda in Russia up to 2030. The project's results were approved by the Prime Minister of Russia in early January 2014. Researchers from the National Research University Higher School of Economics carried out the research project at the request of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science between 2011 and 2013. The research comprised six interrelated spheres: ICT; biotechnology, medicine and public health; new materials and nanotechnologies; environmental management; transport and space systems; and energy efficiency and energy conservation. For each sphere, the project explored in-depth the global emergent challenges and opportunities, the risks, and their degree of influence on Russia. The authors analysed the most important potential market niches, products and services that are capable of radically shaping world markets and highlighted their competitive advantages. Within the framework of these priority science areas authors emphasised several spheres of particular potential value and compared the level of research carried out in Russia and the leading countries. The current chapter also covers the analyses the natural resources sector made within a project aimed at integration of national and sectoral S&T Foresight studies funded by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science. Findings show that the potential applications for environmental products and services are manifold. The study is based on a thorough analysis of expert opinions and their assessment of future applications and the development of demand for these applications. However the authors note that the expert opinions included in the assessment of prospective products, services and markets, despite being based on rigorous assessment, still reflect expectations. Their opinions incorporate a degree of uncertainty especially with regard to how and when (or whether) the markets, technologies, products and services will develop in the expected ways.

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Biomimicry in Bio-Manufacturing: Developments in Melt Electrospinning Writing Technology Towards Hybrid Biomanufacturing

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app9173540 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (17) ◽

pp. 3540 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Ferdows Afghah ◽

Caner Dikyol ◽

Mine Altunbek ◽

Bahattin Koc

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Tissue Engineering ◽

Cell Attachment ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Future Perspective ◽

Melt Electrospinning ◽

Wide Range ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Potential Applications ◽

Homogeneous Cell

Melt electrospinning writing has been emerged as a promising technique in the field of tissue engineering, with the capability of fabricating controllable and highly ordered complex three-dimensional geometries from a wide range of polymers. This three-dimensional (3D) printing method can be used to fabricate scaffolds biomimicking extracellular matrix of replaced tissue with the required mechanical properties. However, controlled and homogeneous cell attachment on melt electrospun fibers is a challenge. The combination of melt electrospinning writing with other tissue engineering approaches, called hybrid biomanufacturing, has introduced new perspectives and increased its potential applications in tissue engineering. In this review, principles and key parameters, challenges, and opportunities of melt electrospinning writing, and particularly, recent approaches and materials in this field are introduced. Subsequently, hybrid biomanufacturing strategies are presented for improved biological and mechanical properties of the manufactured porous structures. An overview of the possible hybrid setups and applications, future perspective of hybrid processes, guidelines, and opportunities in different areas of tissue/organ engineering are also highlighted.

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Challenges and Opportunities in Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-332-25 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 332 ◽

Author(s):

John A. Sidles ◽

Joseph L. Garbini

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Magnetic Force ◽

Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Single Spin ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Potential Applications ◽

Biomolecular Imaging ◽

Spin Detection ◽

Physical Principles

ABSTRACTRecently the first experiments in magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) have been conducted. In these experiments a force microscope cantilever is used to detect the magnetic force exerted by electrons and nuclei in a sample. The magnetization of the sample is modulated at the resonant frequency of the cantilever, using standard magnetic resonance techniques. The resulting excitation of the cantilever is detected optically. This article reviews the present status of MRFM technology, emphasizing the physical principles involved and the opportunities for further research and development. Particular emphasis is placed on single spin detection by MRFM and potential applications in biomolecular imaging.

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Youth Justice in the Digital Age: A Case Study of Practitioners’ Perspectives on the Challenges and Opportunities of Social Technology in Their Techno-Habitat in the United Kingdom

Youth Justice ◽

10.1177/1473225419869568 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 185-205

Author(s):

Ravinder Barn ◽

Balbir S. Barn

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Social Technology ◽

Youth Justice ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Practitioner Perceptions ◽

The Law

This article draws on original, empirical research that focused on the use of an experimental mobile application developed by the authors and used in the domain of youth justice in England. Against a backdrop of the theory of the paradox of technology with ideas of the networked self and child rights, the article explores the use of social technology with vulnerable/marginalised young people. Given the dearth in knowledge and understanding, in this area of social technology and young people in conflict with the law, the article focuses on an important, original and fast-developing issue in contemporary youth justice. Principally, the article explores the experiences and views of practitioners to promote a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges in the adoption of social technology in working with marginalised young people. Practitioner perceptions on the use of social technology in their own practice and its associated risks and benefits are also revealed. Study findings indicate that digital opportunities and challenges are embedded in organisational and cultural structures and practices. The article discusses implications for youth justice and ultimately for young people in conflict with the law who are caught up in the system. The article raises important issues about the likely increasing use of technology as a tool in rehabilitation and desistance; and its key messages will be of considerable interest to practitioners, managers and policy-makers who will have little option, as time goes on, to enter this controversial field.

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Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization through Bio-processing: Opportunities and Challenges

BioResources ◽

10.15376/biores.9.4.5774-5777 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 5774-5777 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Xavier Turon ◽

Joachim Venus ◽

Mehrdad Arshadi ◽

Michalis Koutinas ◽

Carol S. K. Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Food Waste ◽

Renewable Resources ◽

Food Supply ◽

Working Group ◽

Critical Mass ◽

Waste Streams ◽

Food Supply Chain ◽

Cost Action

The bioeconomy era will rely on efficient fractionation of renewable resources via integrated biorefineries. The food supply chain waste, despite its inherent variability, could evolve into an important industrial feedstock on account of its availability, versatility, and sustainability, for the production of bio-based products. Waste streams generated from all stages of the life cycle of food products could be refined into different fractions, which will be either purified to high-value molecules or converted via green chemical and/or biotechnological routes for the production of bio-based products. A working group of the EUBis COST Action TD1203 is taking steps to gather a critical mass of knowledge and expertise to create innovation and technological breakthroughs.

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