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        <title>Frontiers in Environmental Science | Environmental Systems Engineering section | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-science/sections/environmental-systems-engineering</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Environmental Systems Engineering section in the Frontiers in Environmental Science journal | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
        <generator>Frontiers Feed Generator,version:1</generator>
        <pubDate>2026-05-13T11:10:48.826+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1811768</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1811768</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Multi-criteria ranking of renewable energy alternatives for smart grids using expert-weighted TOPSIS]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Wenfeng Geng</author><author>Sen Song</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionHigh penetration of renewable energy sources increases operational variability and planning uncertainty in smart grids. Transparent prioritization of technologies is required before detailed sizing and dispatch analysis.MethodsA decision support framework based on expert weighted Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution is applied. Four alternatives, solar PV, wind, hydropower, and biomass, are assessed using four criteria: efficiency, cost, emissions, and resource availability. Criteria weights from pairwise comparisons are 0.562, 0.254, 0.125, and 0.059.ResultsCloseness coefficients from the weighted normalized matrix rank the options as follows: solar PV (0.9211), wind (0.6220), hydropower (0.3759), and biomass (0.0253). Sensitivity analysis with ±30% weight variation and equal weighting preserves the ranking.DiscussionThe framework is shown to be transparent, robust, and easy to replicate. Adaptation to other regions is enabled through updated local data and stakeholder defined weights.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1799258</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1799258</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Research on photovoltaic power generation based on multi-dimensional indicators and models]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Pengying Fan</author><author>Zhenlin Chen</author><author>Yile Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionPhotovoltaic (PV) power generation is vital for sustainable energy and carbon reduction, yet existing studies often focus on single aspects, lacking integrated planning support.MethodsThis study develops a framework combining power forecasting, optimization, and carbon assessment using a multidimensional indicator system, PCA, t-SNE, and PSO.ResultsA 1% increase in PV generation could reduce China’s power sector carbon emissions by 2.05% by 2035; the model achieved an R2=0.9975.DiscussionThe framework supports regional energy planning, though future models should incorporate policy shifts and market dynamics.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1768889</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1768889</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Sustainable land management for expressway slopes: a SHAP-based analysis of runoff and erosion trade-offs between natural and artificial slopes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yidan Qiu</author><author>Ruifang Hao</author><author>Cong Ma</author><author>Long Wan</author><author>Minquan Chen</author><author>Yan Zhang</author><author>Zhaolei Xue</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe linear infrastructure of expressways greatly disturbs neighboring lands and creates slope systems that are fragile, but critical to environment management. Understanding the complex interactions between ecosystem disservices of surface runoff and soil erosion in slope systems is key for slope stability. However, the difference and associated drivers of the trade-offs on natural versus artificial slopes remain poorly understood.MethodIn this study, we addressed this gap by conducting a comparative analysis of the trade-offs between surface runoff and soil erosion on 250 natural and 194 artificial slopes at the Hekou section of the Xinhe expressway in Yunnan, China. We used root mean square error to quantify the trade-offs and applied the SHAPLE Additive exPlanations model to interpret the different contributions of environmental and management factors to the trade-offs.ResultsThe results show that soil erosion is significantly higher on the artificial slopes compared to the natural slopes. The trade-off between soil erosion and surface runoff was stronger on natural slopes compared to the artificial slopes, suggesting a more complex nonlinear interaction between the two in natural slope systems. Precipitation is the main contributing factor, but its influence is in the opposite direction on the two types of slopes. Precipitation strengthens the trade-offs for natural slopes and weakens those for artificial slopes. This important finding suggests that anthropogenic interventions simplify the hydrological erosion response of artificial slopes, making them more linearly dependent on hydrodynamics. Similarly, elevation positively affects the natural slopes but negatively affects the artificial slopes. Increased normalized vegetation index enhanced the trade-off, while the implementation of soil and water conservation measures increased the complexity and intensity of the trade-off for the artificial slopes.DiscussionThis study demonstrates that land management measures can fundamentally alter the mechanisms underlying soil and water interactions in the slope systems. These findings provide a scientific basis for linear infrastructure projects to achieve sustainable land management.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1813954</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1813954</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Performance evaluation of a moving bed biofilm reactor for hospital wastewater treatment: removal efficiency, seasonal variability, and risk assessment]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Shiyu Guo</author><author>Lianchuan Xiao</author><author>Chunming Tao</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Hospital wastewater poses significant environmental and public health risks due to pathogenic microorganisms, pharmaceutical residues, and heavy metals. A 1-year temporal analysis of the hospital wastewater treatment system was conducted, involving a systematic evaluation of seasonal and monthly variations of above pollutants. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration at the hospital wastewater treatment plant (HWTP) outlet peaked at 85 mg/L in summer. The suspended solids (SS) concentration exhibited an increasing trend over time, reaching a maximum of 38.3 mg/L at the end of the year. The highest concentration of fecal coliforms (FCs) (3.2 × 103MPN/L) appeared in May 2024. The moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) process demonstrates good performance in removing pollutants, such as ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), COD, SS, FCs for hospital wastewater. The average removal rates of above pollutants reached 99.9%, 79.0%, 82.6%, and 71.5% respectively. Moreover, this study further investigates the emission patterns of fugitive gases (H2S, NH3, Cl2) from different azimuths around the HWTP. The concentrations of the six heavy metals in the effluent of the HWTP were all lower than the discharge standards. Both the single-factor pollution index (Pi) and the Nemerow pollution index (PN) were less than 0.1, indicating a low risk of heavy metal pollution. It provides a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the regulation of hospital wastewater and the optimization of operational parameters for treatment processes.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1784632</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1784632</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Nanobiotechnology-enabled enhancement of process stability and methane production in anaerobic digestion]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Eman Elbealy</author><author>Rahmah N. Al-Qthanin</author><author>Rakesh Choudhary</author><author>Moharana Choudhury</author><author>Sushobhan Majumdar</author><author>Kailash Rajaram Harne</author><author>Ajay Kumar</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Anaerobic digestion (AD) is widely recognised as a sustainable technology for managing organic waste and generating renewable energy. Despite its potential, slow kinetics, instability under varying operational conditions, and inhibition from toxic intermediates often hinder AD processes. Nanobiotechnology has emerged as a mechanistically promising approach to enhance process stability and methane production by strengthening microbial performance, accelerating hydrolysis kinetics, and reinforcing syntrophic electron transfer pathways. The addition of zero-valent iron, carbon nanotubes, and metal oxides enhances hydrolysis rates, stimulates methanogenic pathways, and facilitates direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). These mechanisms collectively improve methane yield while maintaining redox balance, buffering capacity, and long-term operational stability. Evidence from laboratory- and pilot-scale studies indicates that nanomaterial amendments can enhance methane production, typically by 10%–60% under optimised dosing conditions in most systems, with higher enhancements reported for selected conductive transition metal carbides under controlled experimental regimes. Reductions in lag phase duration of 15%–40% and improved tolerance to ammonia concentrations exceeding 1.5–3.0 g L−1 NH4+–N have also been documented, depending on reactor configuration and substrate type. These enhancement ranges are derived from condition-resolved extraction of experimental studies meeting predefined inclusion criteria and were normalised against non-amended controls under identical operational settings rather than selectively cited maximum values. Additionally, integrating nanomaterials with pretreatment techniques, bioaugmentation, and bio-electrochemical systems offers synergistic pathways for optimising biogas production. However, the application of nanomaterials also raises important environmental and biosafety concerns, including their transformation during digestion, partitioning into digestates, potential impacts on soil and aquatic systems following land application, and challenges related to dose optimisation, recovery, and lifecycle risk assessment. This review applies a condition-resolved quantitative synthesis by extracting methane yield and production rate and stability indicators (e.g., lag phase, VFA, alkalinity, TAN/FAN tolerance) and normalising enhancements against non-amended controls within operational clusters (temperature regime, reactor configuration, ISR/SIR, substrate class, and nanomaterial dose).]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1814281</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1814281</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Correction: Implementing solutions: a review exploring determinants for the implementation of solutions to food–energy–water system challenges]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Correction</category>
        <author>Frontiers Production Office </author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1725063</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1725063</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Decentralized rooftop and container agriculture using greywater and fog harvesting: a feasible strategy for water–food–energy security in mediterranean urban environments]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-25T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Behrouz Pirouz</author><author>Stefania Anna Palermo</author><author>Hana Javadi Nejad</author><author>Patrizia Piro</author><author>Michele Turco</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in urban environments, such as zero hunger and agriculture and food security, requires strategies that increase food and biofuel production without adding extra pressure on urban freshwater resources. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of rooftop and container agriculture in Mediterranean urban environments using two alternative water sources, including domestic greywater and atmospheric fog harvesting. Maize and sunflower are studied as strategic multipurpose crops due to their suitability for selected systems, adaptability to urban microclimates, and double applications in food and biofuel production. The analysis includes an assessment of urban cultivation areas, fog harvesting potential, greywater quality, and selected crop water requirements, besides the importance of simultaneous consideration of food and energy security. Moreover, the detection methods for suitable areas, the potential rooftop and garden agriculture in some case studies, and the feasibility analysis of urban farming in rooftop and container agriculture using fog and greywater has been explored. Results indicate that domestic greywater, produced continuously within households, can satisfy the full irrigation demand for both crops across the entire growing season, while fog harvesting can supply a maximum value of 28% for sunflowers and 34% for maize water requirements. Moreover, the analysis determined that fog water is suitable for direct irrigation, whereas greywater may be used directly for biofuel-oriented agriculture or applied to food crops following a pre-treatment. In conclusion, the investigation demonstrates that combining fog harvesting with greywater reuse provides a practical and decentralized approach to support urban agriculture for multipurpose crops, enhance local food and energy resilience, and reduce dependence on potable-water networks.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1718472</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1718472</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Implementing solutions: a review exploring determinants for the implementation of solutions to food–energy–water system challenges]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Systematic Review</category>
        <author>Paula Williams</author><author>E. Jamie Trammell</author><author>Leah Jones-Crank</author><author>Erich Seamon</author><author>Ruchie Pathak</author><author>Alyssa S. Thomas</author><author>Daniel R. Cronan</author><author>Andrew Kliskey</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This article examines the advancements that food, energy, and water systems (FEWS) researchers have made in proposing and implementing solutions to FEWS issues. We examined 483 FEWS articles published between 2015 and 2023 to determine whether solutions were proposed or implemented and the factors leading to solution proposal and implementation. Our research suggests that only 18 of the articles led to solutions. Factors that contributed to finding solutions included the integration of stakeholders into the research project, the inclusion of governmental stakeholders, and the inclusion of diverse stakeholders. Although most manuscripts included computational or statistical models, our research suggests that they do not lead to the proposal or implementation of solutions, even when stakeholders are included. We call for greater incorporation of stakeholders in FEWS projects in order to more effectively address the environmental issues that arise in these systems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1757418</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1757418</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Refuse-derived fuel gasification for energy production: a science mapping analysis and systematic literature review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Systematic Review</category>
        <author>Isaac Mensah</author><author>Satyanarayana Narra</author><author>Julius Cudjoe Ahiekpor</author><author>Nana Yaw Asiedu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) gasification presents a promising pathway for sustainable municipal solid waste (MSW) management and renewable energy generation, while aligning with the principles of the circular economy. Despite its growing relevance, structured reviews of RDF gasification remain limited. This study is novel in its integration of bibliometric science mapping with systematic literature review (SLR) methodologies, providing both a quantitative mapping of research trends and a qualitative synthesis of thematic clusters—an approach not previously applied to RDF gasification. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) protocol, a bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer to examine citation patterns by documents and author keyword co-occurrence. A total of 257 peer-reviewed articles published from 1986 to 2025 were retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection databases. Next, the SLR then narrowed this to 195 articles published from 2015 to 2025 (10-year period). In addition, five relevant peer-reviewed articles were independently retrieved from Google Scholar and incorporated into the SLR dataset to enrich the qualitative analysis. The bibliometric analysis identified the most influential publications, authors, journals, and five thematic research clusters in RDF gasification. The systematic analysis revealed that RDF gasification is both economically viable and environmentally beneficial, though its commercial success depends on factors such as plant scale and consistent feedstock supply, among others. Key technical drivers include feedstock optimization, catalyst–temperature interactions, contaminants abatement, and process integration. Future research should prioritize multi-criteria optimization of RDF gasification systems, including the integration of techno-economic and life cycle assessments to inform policy and investment decisions. This review advances understanding of RDF gasification and supports progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 13 (Climate Action), offering a strategic foundation for guiding future research, policy, and investment in sustainable energy solutions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1740795</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1740795</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Carbon emission efficiency system of wastewater treatment in China’s Yangtze river economic belt: spatial-temporal evolution and influencing factors]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Xu Chu</author><author>Ping Jiang</author><author>Xinling Jiang</author><author>Haoxuan Cheng</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionImproving the carbon emission efficiency of wastewater treatment (CEEWT) is essential for achieving the coordinated goals of pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. As a key economic and ecological region in China, the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB) provides an important context for examining the low-carbon performance of regional wastewater treatment systems. However, existing studies mainly focus on plant-level efficiency or single environmental indicators, with limited attention to regional-scale efficiency and its spatiotemporal evolution.MethodsBased on the IPCC carbon accounting framework and an entropy weight–TOPSIS method, this study evaluates the CEEWT across provinces in the YEB from 2011 to 2020. The spatiotemporal evolution and regional disparities are systematically analyzed, and the underlying mechanisms are discussed from economic, technological, and institutional perspectives.ResultsThe results indicate that CEEWT in the YEB shows an overall upward but fluctuating trend, while significant and persistent regional disparities remain. Downstream provinces such as Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Zhejiang consistently exhibit higher efficiency levels, whereas many midstream and upstream provinces lag behind. No clear convergence pattern is observed, suggesting strong path dependence shaped by long-term structural conditions.Discussion/ConclusionThese findings highlight the necessity of differentiated, region-specific policy approaches to promote the low-carbon transition of wastewater treatment systems. This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing regional pollution and carbon reduction strategies in large-scale economic belts.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1650031</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2026.1650031</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The contributions of livelihood resilience to reshaping adaptive capacity in rural China]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-11T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Lei Gu</author><author>Qiantao Zhu</author><author>Shanshan Zhao</author><author>Xinhong Luo</author><author>Jiayi Liu</author><author>Marcus Feldman</author><author>Wei Liu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[More quantitative evidence is necessary on the link between livelihood resilience and livelihood adaptive capacity (LAC) in disaster resettlement. This study used 459 field research data collected from Ankang Prefecture, southern Shaanxi, China, examining how livelihood resilience influences adaptive capacity in the context of disaster-induced relocation. The resilience of rural household livelihood systems is described in terms of two components, general resilience, and specific resilience, which are quantified using the space vector method from systems engineering. The awareness, ability, and action framework is used to measure the LAC of rural households, and quantile regression is applied to explore the impact of livelihood resilience on LAC. Guided by the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) and awareness, ability, action framework, we differentiate between cognitive, resource-based, and behavioral dimensions of adaptive capacity. The space vector method further reveals that individual adaptive capacity is reinforced by community-level resilience. It is found that: 1. livelihood resilience has a significant positive effect on high LAC levels, with the strongest effects observed at lower quantiles; as livelihood resilience increases, LAC also increases significantly. For rural households with low LAC levels, the impact is not significant; 2. general resilience and education have significant positive effects on all levels of LAC, with high levels being the most affected; 3. specific resilience has a significant negative effect on the lowest level of LAC only, and no significant effect on other levels. This study deepens our understanding of the relationship between livelihood resilience and LAC in the context of disaster resettlement, while testing the relationship between the two provides a methodological contribution to the study of disaster resettlement and community development.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1722292</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1722292</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mapping radiative cooling potential for africa under different climate change scenarios]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jesús Monterrubio</author><author>Roger Vilà</author><author>Marc Medrano</author><author>Ingrid Martorell</author><author>Albert Castell</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Africa, with a significant portion of its territory located within the tropical latitudes, experiences high cooling demands. Addressing these requirements in a renewable way is possible thanks to Radiative Cooling (RC). RC utilizes the atmospheric window from 8 to 13 µm to emit radiation to outer space, enabling the achievement of sub-ambient temperatures. A Kriging geospatial interpolation method is applied in this work to develop maps of RC potential, considering broadband emitters, for the typical meteorological year from 1991 to 2010 and predictions for 2030–2050 based on future emissions scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. A comparison is made between nighttime and all-day RC potential. The results reveal that all-day RC power potential is at least 22% higher than nighttime potential, while in terms of energy, the difference exceeds 156%. No significant variation is observed among future emissions scenarios. The average nighttime RC power potential exceeds 70 W⋅m−2, while the average all-day potential surpasses 87 W⋅m−2. Mean values for the nighttime RC energy potential are above 294 kWh·m-2, while all-day results are over 763 kWh·m-2. The potential of RC in many regions of Africa is promising and these maps will be a useful resource to estimate this RC potential.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1709717</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1709717</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Comparative carbon accounting of multi-stream food waste management: insights from a megacity case study]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Guodong Yang</author><author>Zuotai Zhang</author><author>Feng Yan</author><author>Jianguo Jiang</author><author>Yuchen Gao</author><author>Shuling Chen</author><author>Fangnon Firmin Fangninou</author><author>Xiaoxiang Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundFood waste (FW) management can contribute to emission reduction when low-carbon pathways such as anaerobic digestion or composting are adopted instead of landfilling.MethodsThis study quantified emissions across four treatment modules for five household (HHFW), one kitchen (KW), and two fruit and vegetable (FVW) waste sites.ResultsBaseline operations emitted 66,086.2 t CO2, with HHFW and KW contributing 69.9% and 22.9%, respectively. Pollutant treatment dominated (93.4%), mainly from residue and sewage management. FW intensities ranged from 54.34–162.13 kg CO2/t-HHFW, 122.1 kg CO2/t-KW, and 59.2–84.3 kg CO2/t-FVW. Resource recovery presented both offsets and burdens: grease recycling avoided up to −10.87 kg CO2/t-KW, while composting added 74.7 kg CO2/t-FVW. Compared to landfill disposal, the project reduced carbon intensity 7–16 fold, exceeding 800 kg CO2/t at top-performing sites (V1 and H4). Relative to incineration, reductions were smaller and site-dependent, though most treatment streams still achieved net savings. Scenario optimization highlighted the transformative potential of advanced interventions: a Moderate pathway integrating anaerobic acid production (AOP) cut emissions 1.6–1.7 fold, while optimistic pathways, anaerobic digestion (AD) and insect bioconversion (BSFL), achieved net-negative emissions of −308.4 kg CO2/t for HHFW and −117.41 kg CO2/t for FVW, respectively.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate that source separation, targeted resource recovery, and coupling bioenergy with value-added products can convert FW management from a carbon source to a net sink, supporting deep decarbonization strategies.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1634272</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1634272</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Investigating tradeoffs between competing agricultural objectives using multi-objective optimization under uncertainty]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Philip Margarit</author><author>John Doherty</author><author>Leslie Ludtke</author><author>John Nieber</author><author>Bruce Wilson</author><author>Joseph Magner</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Management of groundwater quality in agricultural areas requires tradeoffs between competing objectives. These objectives include economic benefit, respect for regulatory-imposed water quality standards, and an equitable distribution of revenue that is foregone in order to meet these standards. It also requires recognition of the fact that the calculated outcomes of a proposed management strategy are accompanied by uncertainty. In this study, we apply formal multi-objective optimization under uncertainty to investigate these tradeoffs as they apply to nitrate-N leaching rates in the northern Pineland Sand Aquifer System in Central Minnesota. This region is important both to agricultural producers and the Anishinaabe Peoples of White Earth Nation. The methodologies that we demonstrate exemplify a scientific framework in which simulation-based, management-pertinent analyses can support negotiations between different stakeholder groups wherein the risks and consequences associated with different management strategies are clearly delineated. At the same time, it is able to advance stakeholder understanding of the environmental factors that are salient to optimal groundwater management, and the necessity to accept uncertainty, and hence risk, when exploring management options. It also provides insights into sources of uncertainty, and strategies that can most effectively reduce it.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1643195</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1643195</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Promoting landfill mining for sustainable resource recovery, circular economy, and climate mitigation: a review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-11-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Kai Chen Goh</author><author>Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan</author><author>Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman</author><author>Khurmatbek Jumaniyozov</author><author>Faissal Aziz</author><author>Abdelkader Anouzla</author><author>Imran Ali</author><author>M. Imran Khan</author><author>G. Abdulkareem Alsultan</author><author>Dongdong Zhang</author><author>Kasim Sakran Abass</author><author>Hin Yong Wong</author><author>Mohammad Tariqul Islam</author><author>Kasun Kumara Dissanayake</author><author>Wou Onn Choo</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Recently, landfill mining (LFM) has emerged as a promising strategy for addressing the challenges of waste management, resource recovery, and climate change mitigation. This work explores the potential of landfill mining to transform traditional landfills from environmental liabilities into assets. By recovering nutrients, energy, and materials from landfill leachate, landfill mining can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly methane (CH4), while contributing to the circular economy. This study evaluates the technologies applied in landfill mining, such as bioreactors, anaerobic digestion, and leachate recirculation, based on published literature from 2000 to 2025, focusing on their value in resource recovery. More specifically, this study aims at recovering renewable CH4 energy from leachate and extracting macro-nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) which can be turned into commercial fertilizers. This study further analyzes the advantages of landfill mining, which include reducing CH4 emissions by up to 30% and the potential energy value of 15 GWh from 1.5 million m3 of CH4. The study also explores the socio-economic consequences of landfill mining, focusing on employment opportunities, improved waste management systems, and enhanced local community welfare. Additionally, this work discusses the technological, financial, and regulatory challenges that hinder the widespread adoption of landfill mining for promoting circular economy. Finally, this work calls for further investment, research, and policy development to unlock the full potential of landfill mining as a sustainable waste management strategy and a key contributor to resource recovery in the circular economy paradigm.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1646009</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1646009</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Industry-wide life cycle assessment for improved decision-making: a case study on carbon emissions of petrochemicals]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-10-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jana Enking</author><author>Stefano Cucurachi</author><author>Raoul Meys</author><author>Arnold Tukker</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Emission reduction in the petrochemical industry is essential to meet climate targets, as the chemical industry is a major contributor to industrial greenhouse gas emissions. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) allows for assessing the environmental impacts of alternative production pathways. Still, interlinked industries, such as the petrochemical industry, are difficult to assess in LCA due to the so-called multifunctionality problem. To this end, there are at least two options in LCA to assess industry-wide emissions: a products-wise approach and a product basket-wise approach. Here, we show that optimized technology decisions differ between the two approaches. Optimizing supply chains product-wise leads to 20%–155% higher greenhouse gas emissions compared to a product basket-wise optimization due to (1) a higher amount of by-products, (2) increased raw material need and processing, and (3) suboptimal technology decisions in the supply chain. In contrast to that, a product basket-wise approach is able to adapt in response to changes in demand. Therefore, this approach has advantages over a product-wise assessment due to its possibility to simultaneously assess multifunctional processes. On the other hand, it might also require a complex model and more data.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1665509</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1665509</link>
        <title><![CDATA[How to scientifically guide expressway construction carbon emission reduction: the establishment and application of a carbon emission accounting and evaluation system]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-10-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Moyou Xiong</author><author>Yangqing Li</author><author>Yinsheng Wang</author><author>Tiesen Zeng</author><author>Jinhui Wang</author><author>Lu Yang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Amid global climate change, reducing carbon emissions from expressway construction is crucial for achieving carbon peaking and neutrality goals. However, the existing expressway carbon emission accounting and assessment methods remain inadequate, failing to accurately characterize the level of carbon emissions and hindering the systematic promotion of low-carbon emission reduction work. Thus, a systematic carbon emission accounting and evaluation system is built by defining the emission boundaries during the construction period of expressways extensively, integrating the CRITIC method and the Hemming proximity Degree theory, and combining these with the "14th Five-Year Plan." Five typical sections in Hunan Province were selected to carry out empirical research. Key findings reveal significant disparities in carbon emissions across sections: S4 and S5 were rated Grade C (high emissions), whereas S1, S2, and S3 achieved Grade B (moderate emissions). The materialization stage was identified as the dominant source, contributing over 90% of the total across all sections. Its emissions were dominated by cement production, which contributed 27.10%. And steel-related materials (e.g., carbon steel reinforcement and plain carbon steel) contributed approximately 12% each of the materialization-stage total. Besides, transportation and construction stages accounted for only 2.18% and 2.69%, respectively. Notably, the carbon loss stage caused by vegetation clearance also constituted a significant emission source, especially the shrubs and scrub in S4, where it accounted for 47.9% of the total carbon emissions from all sections during the carbon loss stage. Critical section-specific hotspots included: the extensive use of steel supports in tunnel-intensive sections such as S2; high-strength cement and prestressed steel strands in bridge-dominant sections such as S4 and S5; transport activities in S2; and substantial diesel consumption in earthwork-heavy sections such as S1 and S2. These results comprehensively assess the carbon emissions of these projects during the construction process and clarify the advantages and shortcomings of each section. The system can scientifically guide the targeted carbon emission reduction work during the expressway construction period, and provide scientific decision-making support for the preparation of expressway construction carbon emission accounting and evaluation standards.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1657859</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1657859</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Assessment of elevated road traffic pollution on roadside trees and vegetation in urban environments]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-10-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Avnish Chauhan</author><author>Gaurav Pandey</author><author>Man Vir Singh</author><author>Muneesh Sethi</author><author>Prateek Gururani</author><author>Amit Awasthi</author><author>Shshank Chaube</author><author>Abhishek Lodh</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Road traffic pollution is one of the most important factors among other environmental factors that influence the roadside vegetation. The present research examines the impact of motorway flyovers and at-grade roads on air pollution (PM10, SOx, NOx, and air quality index (AQI)) and roadside vegetation in Dehradun by considering the important biochemical parameters such as chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, leaf pH, and the air pollution tolerance index (APTI). Five varieties of plants were selected along the busiest highway in Dehradun, including Mangifera indica (mango) and four varieties of bougainvillea in red, pink, gold, and white colors. The monthly monitoring of PM10, SOx, and NOx concentrations during the study period showed significant seasonal variations at all three sites. Maximum PM10 (58 μg/m3) and NOx (33 μg/m3) were observed at Site 2 (on-flyover) during December 2024, while the highest air quality index (AQI) value at this site was 270. Regression analysis showed that the AQI trends from winter to spring declined, and Site 2 experienced the greatest monthly reduction (−13.25 units month-1; R2 = 0.88). PM10 and NOx were the most influential factors about AQI (r = 1.00 and r = 0.90), indicating that these pollutants are a major component of urban pollution. Biochemical parameters were used as markers to assess the responses to pollution in mango and bougainvillea (red, white, pink, and gold varieties). Mango showed a higher tolerance (APTI 8.09) than bougainvillea varieties, where the maximum stress was caused (APTI up to 4.65) and also exhibited a marked reduction in the levels of chlorophyll and ascorbic acid. Results show meteorological emission effects on urban air quality, supporting plant-based biomonitoring programs.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1656031</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1656031</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mitigating dye and organic pollutant-driven surface water pollution using ZnO nanoparticles: a sustainable strategy for climate resilience]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-10-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Navneet Kaur</author><author>Mamta Bansal</author><author>Prabhjot Kaur</author><author>Kirandeep Kaur</author><author>Amit Awasthi</author><author>Satya Krishna Nippani</author><author>Sumanta Das</author><author>Abhishek Lodh</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Surface water pollution consists of various pollutants like heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Pb, and Ni), metalloids (Se, As, and Ag), and organic pollutants (dyes, antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and phenolic compounds). The escalating issue of water pollution requires innovative solutions for mitigation and climate resilience. Although various advanced techniques are being developed for removing organic pollutants from surface water, nanoparticles (NPs) for the treatment of toxic dyes, antibiotics, and other organic pollutants are not yet efficiently used. In recent years, ZnO NPs have been studied for photocatalytic degradation of dyes and other organic pollutants. In the present review, efforts have been made to understand the role of ZnO NP in the area of treating contaminated surface water due to dyes and organic pollutants, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for clean water and sanitation. The review starts with the bibliographical analysis of the last 10 years from 2015 to June 2025, retrieved from the SCOPUS database. Based on the bibliographic analysis, an increasing trend has been noted in scholarly interest and publications related to ZnO NPs in the last decade. The review offers a detailed understanding of the role of ZnO NPs in removing organic pollutants and dyes from surface wastewater. The mechanisms of degradation, adsorption, and photocatalysis are discussed alongside environmental consequences due to the use of ZnO NPs. Additionally, challenges and future directions for enhancing the environmental performance of ZnO-based nanomaterials are explored. In conclusion, ZnO NPs play an important role in surface water purification; however, further research is needed to fully understand their long-term environmental impacts.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1670365</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1670365</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Municipal waste recycling in the EU: a multi-method analysis of determinants and country profiles (2005–2023)]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-09-25T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Michal Cehlár</author><author>Marcela Taušová</author><author>Viera Ivanková</author><author>Samer Khouri</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionMunicipal waste recycling plays a central role in European Union’s (EU) transition to a circular economy and in meeting long-term sustainability goals. Identifying key macro-level drivers of recycling outcomes remains essential for effective policy development.MethodsThe study aimed to examine the macro-level determinants of municipal waste recycling in EU countries over the period 2005–2023, and to identify country groupings based on shared characteristics. The dependent variable was the municipal waste recycling rate, while independent variables included real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, urban population size, environmental tax revenues, government expenditures on environmental protection, government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD) directed at environmental objectives, and private investment in circular economy sectors. The analysis employed multiple linear regression with backward elimination to identify statistically significant predictors of recycling performance. Temporal patterns were assessed using a simple linear trend analysis. Ward’s hierarchical clustering based on five-year averages was conducted to group countries with similar characteristics.ResultsRecycling rates varied substantially across countries and time, with the EU average reaching 33.29%. A positive and statistically significant trend was observed over time; however, only a small group of countries exceeded the EU’s 2025 target (55%). Regression analysis revealed that higher recycling rates were statistically associated with real GDP, environmental tax revenues, private investment in circular economy sectors, and GBARD (% GDP). Interestingly, urban population size and government expenditures on environmental protection (% GDP) were negatively associated with recycling rates, possibly reflecting structural pressures in densely populated areas and inefficiencies in public spending. GBARD expressed as a share of total GBARD also showed a negative relationship, possibly reflecting time lags between research funding and observable effects. One of the more advanced clusters included Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, which combined high recycling rates with strong economic and investment profiles. The least performing cluster, comprising Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Croatia, Poland, Malta, and Cyprus, was characterized by low recycling outcomes alongside less favorable economic and institutional conditions.DiscussionThe findings underscore the need for differentiated fiscal and investment strategies, improved efficiency in public spending, and tailored support for countries facing demographic or infrastructural challenges.]]></description>
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