A New Biofertilizer Formulation with Enriched Nutrients Content from Wasted Algal Biomass Extracts Incorporated in Biogenic Powders

Raw algae waste naturally thrown on shores could pose serious threats for landfilling and its reuse for composting or further processing as added-value by-products require knowledge-based decisions and management for the sustainable development of local ecosystems. Raw marine waste containing salt (halite) and heavy metals that eventually accumulate in algae hamper their safe applicability in soil fertilization or in other exploitations. Here, the suitability of algal biomass for use as an environmentally safe fertilizer was investigated, thereby supporting sustainable coastal management. The simple extraction of the dry algal biomass of three abundant Mediterranean species, Enteromorpha intestinalis, Corallina elongata, and Gelidium pulchellum, in water containing sodium carbonate resulted in a greenish extract containing a reduced heavy metals content, and nutrients such as K+, PO43−, SO42−, NO3−, Ca2+, and Mg2+. UV-Vis and Raman techniques, including surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), were employed for the fast evidencing of polyphenols, carotenoids, and chlorophylls in the extracts content, while E. intestinalis extract additionally exhibited polysaccharide signals. Heavy metals analysis showed that the major metals in the extracts were Fe, Ni, Zn, and Cu; however, their levels were an order of magnitude lower than in the dry biomass. The extracts also showed a mild antibacterial effect. The combination option of aqueous extracts with powdered crustacean shells to obtain a novel, eco-friendly, solid biofertilizer complex was further shown, which could be pelleted for convenient use. The immersion of solid biofertilizer pellets in water is accompanied by re-solubilization of the compounds originating from algae extracts, presenting the opportunity for dry storage and easier handling and land applicability. In summary, aqueous extracts of marine algae waste present an environmentally safe and attractive way to recycle excessive algal biomass and to formulate a new, eco-friendly biofertilizer complex.

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The sustainable development of the knowledge based economy in Lithuania

Management Theory and Studies for Rural Business and Infrastructure Development ◽

10.15544/mts.2014.072 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 775-783

Author(s):

Aurelija Čižauskaitė-Butkaliuk

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Information And Communications Technology ◽

Growing Up ◽

Environmental Innovation ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

Knowledge Based Economy ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Effective Development

In this century the management of the country is in a dynamic, multiplicity and controversial environment. For their competitiveness is necessary to look for the interaction between the knowledgebased economy and the sustainable development. A strong correlation between those objects.forces scientists to analyze, create new evaluation methodologies. The aim of this study – to examine the role of importance between knowledge–based economy and sustainable development, create and calculate an integrated sustainable knowledge–based economy index of Lithuania and according to the results or research, make proposes for more effective development of Lithuania’s sustainable knowledge–based economy. The index consists of Socio-economic, environmental, innovation, human resources and information and communications technology sub–indices..The calculation showed that the development of a knowledge–based economy is not sustainable, because not all the development of sub–indices.is the same. The biggest positive changes taking place in information and communication technology, and negative – socio-economic areas. The sustainable development of the knowledge–based economy in Lithuania since 2010 is growing up.

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Design of Inverted Nano-Cone Arrayed SERS Substrate for Rapid Detection of Pathogens

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11178067 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (17) ◽

pp. 8067

Author(s):

Zixun Jia ◽

Sarah Asiri ◽

Asma Elsharif ◽

Widyan Alamoudi ◽

Ebtesam Al-Suhaimi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Raman Spectroscopy ◽

Rapid Detection ◽

Close Contact ◽

Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy ◽

Sers Substrate ◽

Label Free ◽

Surface Enhanced Raman ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

The Right ◽

Pathogen Diagnosis

Rapid detection of bacteria is a very critical and important part of infectious disease treatment. Sepsis kills more than 25 percent of its victims, resulting in as many as half of all deaths in hospitals before identifying the pathogen for patients to get the right treatment. Raman spectroscopy is a promising candidate in pathogen diagnosis given its fast and label-free nature, only if the concentration of the pathogen is high enough to provide reasonable sensitivity. This work reports a new design of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate which will provide high enough sensitivity and fast and close contact of the target structure to the optical hot spots for immunomagnetic capturing-based bacteria-concentrating technique. The substrate uses inverted nanocone structure arrays made of transparent PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) to funnel the light from the bottom to the top of the cones where plasmonic gold nanorods are located. A high reflective and low loss layer is deposited on the outer surface of the cone. Given the geometry of cones, photons are multi-reflected by the outer layer and thus the number density of photons at hotspots increases by an order of magnitude, which could be high enough to detect immunomagnetically densified bacteria.

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Seasonal content of heavy metals in the "soil–feed–milk–manure" system in horse husbandry in Kazakhstan

Veterinary World ◽

10.14202/vetworld.2021.2947-2956 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 2947-2956

Author(s):

Nazym Kozhanova ◽

Nurzhan Sarsembayeva ◽

Bozena Lozowicka ◽

Zhassulan Kozhanov

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Adverse Effects ◽

Soil Samples ◽

Mixed Feed ◽

Animal Products ◽

Limit Values ◽

Horse Manure ◽

Environmentally Safe ◽

Living Organisms

Background and Aim: The quality of food, especially animal-based food, is crucial for human health. However, the quality of milk and other animal products has become an acute cause for concern in Kazakhstan . Technogenic dispersion of heavy metals (HMs) causes adverse effects on living organisms and creates unfavorable conditions for the existence of humans, animals, and plants. The purpose of this study was to analyze the content of several HMs in samples of soil, horse feed (hay, mixed feed, and bran), mare's milk, and manure to assess bioaccumulation and possible adverse effects on the bodies of horses. An additional purpose was to identify areas with acceptable conditions for obtaining environmentally safe horse breeding products in the agricultural zones of the Almaty region, Kazakhstan. Materials and Methods: Samples were obtained from two farms in the Almaty region in 2020 (spring, summer, and autumn). In total, 72 soil samples were analyzed, which were taken from the upper humus horizon to the depth of the arable layer. Eighty-six samples were taken from the feed of horses. Green feed was represented by perennial and annual grasses (alsike clover, Medicago sativa, sweet yellow clover, as well as pea and oat mix). Barley and wheat bran stored in the warehouses of the farm were sampled for the research as feed supplements. The mixed feed comprised components such as maize and sunflower. In addition, 46 samples of mare's milk and 28 samples of horse manure were collected. The HM analysis was performed in the laboratory of the Kazakh-Japanese Innovation Center. The residual amounts of HMs were determined using an absorption spectrometer with a voltammetric analyzer. The content of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) in all the studied samples of soil, feed, mare's milk, and manure did not exceed the threshold limit values (TLVs), suggesting that the intake of these toxic elements into the human body with food was low. Results: The average Cd concentration was in the range of 0.29-0.31 mg/kg in soil samples and in the range of 0.20-0.27 mg/kg in feed samples. In milk, the Cd concentration varied from 0.01 to 0.02 mg/L and was lower in summer and higher in fall. The total average Cd content in horse manure was 0.1844 mg/kg. The concentration of Pb in soil samples ranged from 1.09 to 1.30 mg/kg with the lowest value in spring and the highest in fall. In the feed, the concentration of Pb varied from 0.14 to 0.76 mg/kg and in milk from 0.03 to 0.15 mg/L. The average concentrations of Hg and As in soil samples averaged 0.022 and 0.019 mg/kg, respectively, and were within the TLVs. Conclusion: In the study areas, the calculated transition rates in the soil–feed–milk–manure system revealed that the greatest transition of HMs was observed for Pb and Cd, and a smaller migration was observed for Hg and As. The tendency of accumulation of trace elements continued in the feed.

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Heavy metal pollution and macrobenthic assemblages in soft sediments in two Sydney estuaries, Australia

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf97188 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 49 (6) ◽

pp. 533 ◽

Cited By ~ 57

Author(s):

Jonathan S. Stark

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Environmental Variables ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

Matter Content ◽

Soft Sediments ◽

Lead And Zinc ◽

Macrobenthic Assemblages ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Copper Lead

The influence of heavy metals (copper, lead and zinc) associated with urban runoff, on assemblages of macrofauna in intertidal soft sediments was studied in two estuaries in the Sydney region. The patterns of distribution and abundance of fauna and assemblages was found to vary significantly at several spatial scales: within bays in an estuary, between bays within an estuary and between bays from different estuaries. Significant differences were found in concentrations of heavy metals in sediments, but there was very little difference among bays in other environmental variables: grain-size characteristics and organic matter content of sediments. Bays polluted by heavy metals had significantly different assemblages to unpolluted bays, were generally less diverse and were characterized by an order-of-magnitude greater abundance of capitellids, spionids, nereids and bivalves. Unpolluted bays had greater abundance of crustaceans and several polychaete families, including paraonids and nephtyids and were generally more diverse. There was a significant correlation between patterns of assemblages and concentrations of heavy metals, but not with other environmental variables.

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Knowledge Management Practice in Private Sector: Building the Way for Saudi Arabia Strategic Growth and Transformation To Knowledge-Based Economy

International Journal of Engineering & Technology ◽

10.14419/ijet.v7i2.34.13915 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (2.34) ◽

pp. 69

Author(s):

Abdulrahman Gharamah ◽

Mohamad Fauzan Noordin ◽

Najma Imtiaz Ali ◽

Imtiaz Ali Brohi

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Knowledge Management ◽

Private Sector ◽

Global Economy ◽

Management Practice ◽

Growth Strategy ◽

Added Value ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

Knowledge Based Economy ◽

Major Player

The Kingdome of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and its growth objective is to be a major player in the global economy and moving toward a knowledge-based economy. To achieve its objectives, the private sector in various fields in KSA needs to be in line with country’s ambitious goal; Knowledge Management (KM) handling and readiness for the foreseen customer demand need to be in line with goals. This study presents a critical review to evaluate existing KM practice in the private sector in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to see the readiness of this sector to play an integral role of knowledge-based economy and support nation’s growth strategy. The paper will examine current states in term of how knowledge management is practiced in the country. This paper addressed various aspects of knowledge management ranges from the need of implementing knowledge management systems to the added value by deploying such systems. In addition, the review was discuss if the private sector is heading in the right direction, and coherent with KSA strategic goal by examining a sample of four major firms in private sector. The outcome of the sample reflected that the private sector is harmonized with KSA objective.

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The Influence of the Knowledge-Based Network Structure Hole on Enterprise Innovation Performance: The Threshold Effect of R&D Investment Intensity

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12156155 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (15) ◽

pp. 6155

Author(s):

Jiajia Hao ◽

Chunling Li ◽

Runsen Yuan ◽

Masood Ahmed ◽

Muhammad Asif Khan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Network Structure ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Threshold Effect ◽

Innovation Performance ◽

Short Term ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

D Investment ◽

Positive Effect

The purpose of innovation is to consume fewer natural resources in order to create sustainable performance; therefore, innovation can ease the pressure of the ecological load and promote the sustainable development of the economy. Taking the 269 enterprises listed on the main board of the electronic information industry from 2010 to 2019 as samples, using the threshold panel data model, the nonlinear relationship between the knowledge-based network structure hole and the short-term and long-term innovation performance of the enterprises were studied, and the threshold effect of R&D investment intensity was discussed. When the R&D investment intensity is from 1.96% to 15.96%, the knowledge-based network structure hole has a significant positive impact on short-term innovation performance. When the R&D investment intensity is from 5.72% to 10.64%, the knowledge-based network structure hole has a significant positive effect on long-term innovation performance. Lower R&D investment intensity can make the knowledge-based network structure hole promote the increase of short term innovation performance, but to make the knowledge-based network structure hole have a positive impact on long term innovation performance, the R&D investment intensity should be increased by more than 5.72%. When R&D investment intensity is not higher than 15.96%, the knowledge-based network structure hole has a significant positive impact on short term innovation performance, but to make the knowledge-based network structure hole maintain the positive effect on long term innovation performance, R&D investment intensity should not exceed 10.64%. Therefore, enterprises should be guided to optimize the knowledge-based network structure according to the R&D investment intensity in order to improve the short term and long-term innovation performance of an enterprise. These research results can help enterprises to save resources and promote the sustainable development of the economy.

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Novel aspects for management of xenobiotic compounds in wastewater treatment plants – linking theory, field studies, regulation, engineering, and experience

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2000.0584 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 42 (7-8) ◽

pp. 315-322 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

B. N. Jacobsen ◽

T. Guildal

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Endocrine Disruption ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Environmental Contaminants ◽

Environmental Issues ◽

Field Studies ◽

Future Research ◽

Order Of Magnitude

Management aspects for control of environmental contaminants has widened from being focussed on heavy metals to a broader approach including specific organic compounds, inhibition of sensitive bacteria or algae, and newly identified environmental issues, e.g., endocrine disruption and antibiotic resistance. Studies conducted at the Avedøre WWTP confirm the relevance of such newly discovered environmental problems, however, the order of magnitude of the effects do not seem alarming. It is recommended in future research to establish links between occurrence of specific organic compounds and heavy metals to various measures of toxicity and bioaccumulation. Also data for specific biodegradation rates in WWTPs represent a bottleneck for simulating fate of specific organic compounds in the plants.

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Recovery of Heavy Metals from the Spent Catalyst of the Hydrotreating Unit (HDT) for the Use of the Impregnation of Supported Catalysts

Key Engineering Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.792.133 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 792 ◽

pp. 133-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Toapanta Germania ◽

Caterine Donoso ◽

María José Cárdenas ◽

Amón Bolívar ◽

Vladimir Ortiz

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Nitric Acid ◽

Acid Concentration ◽

Supported Catalysts ◽

Nitric Acid Concentration ◽

Added Value ◽

High Tech ◽

Spent Catalyst ◽

X Ray ◽

Spent Catalysts

Spent catalysts contain metals that have a high added value. From all metals, lanthanum has attracted a lot of attention due to the growing demand in the high-tech. The spent catalyst of the hydrotreatment unit is a material composed of lanthanum-enriched matrix of amorphous aluminosilicates. The experiment was carried out with a spent catalyst with a constant particle size of 90 μm. The treatments were obtained applying of two level factorial design to investigate the effect of following factors: temperature (20 - 60 °C), nitric acid concentration (3 - 6 M), leaching time (1 - 4 h) and percent solids (10 - 20 %). The research is carried out in two steps process: pretreatment of the catalyst and leaching with nitric acid. The leaching results show a yield of lanthanum of 99.44% using the following conditions: temperature (20 °C), nitric acid concentration (3M), leaching time (1 h), percent solids (20%) and 300 rpm. The principal analysis of the spent catalyst was carried out using the X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) technique, 3.08%, while the percentage of lanthanum recovery in the extract, washing and refining was carried out using the Inductive Coupling Plasma (ICP) technique.

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Knowledge-Based Environmental Information System Support for Wetland Resources Protection and Utilization

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.113-116.1256 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 113-116 ◽

pp. 1256-1260

Author(s):

Jun Luo ◽

Wei Guo Zhang ◽

Bing Shan Wu

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Information System ◽

Knowledge Base ◽

Environmental Information ◽

Base System ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

Environmental Information System ◽

Protection And Utilization ◽

Wetland Resources

Unsuitable development of wetland area will cause serious environmental problems. Thus, wetland development and environmental protection has become an issue of national emphasis for the environmental management in the world. There is a demand for planning and decision strategies in this complex area. Because of the complexity and the enormous amount of relevant data, the decision makers need effective support for their decisions. The use of a knowledge-based approach is a solution for reducing this complexity. Accordingly, this study adopts knowledge management techniques and information technology to acquire and retain all kind of knowledge needed for the decision making process, and discusses the development of knowledge-based environmental information system promote the sustainable development wetland. The aim of this paper is to develop knowledge base system integrate with the existing information database and improve the knowledge base associated with environmental decision processes to help the sustainable development of wetland.

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Antifouling Napyradiomycins from Marine-Derived Actinomycetes Streptomyces aculeolatus

Marine Drugs ◽

10.3390/md18010063 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 63 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Florbela Pereira ◽

Joana R. Almeida ◽

Marisa Paulino ◽

Inês R. Grilo ◽

Helena Macedo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mytilus Galloprovincialis ◽

Cost Effective ◽

In Silico Prediction ◽

Antifouling Activity ◽

Marine Biofouling ◽

Immersed Surfaces ◽

Madeira Archipelago ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Environmentally Safe ◽

Approved Drugs

The undesired attachment of micro and macroorganisms on water-immersed surfaces, known as marine biofouling, results in severe prevention and maintenance costs (billions €/year) for aquaculture, shipping and other industries that rely on coastal and off-shore infrastructures. To date, there are no sustainable, cost-effective and environmentally safe solutions to address this challenging phenomenon. Therefore, we investigated the antifouling activity of napyradiomycin derivatives that were isolated from actinomycetes from ocean sediments collected off the Madeira Archipelago. Our results revealed that napyradiomycins inhibited ≥80% of the marine biofilm-forming bacteria assayed, as well as the settlement of Mytilus galloprovincialis larvae (EC50 < 5 µg/ml and LC50/EC50 >15), without viability impairment. In silico prediction of toxicity end points are of the same order of magnitude of standard approved drugs and biocides. Altogether, napyradiomycins disclosed bioactivity against marine micro and macrofouling organisms, and non-toxic effects towards the studied species, displaying potential to be used in the development of antifouling products.

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