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We investigated how a community of microbial decomposers adapted to a reference site responds to a sudden decrease in the water quality. For that, we assessed the activity and diversity of fungi and bacteria on decomposing leaves that were transplanted from a reference (E1) to a polluted site (E2), and results were compared to those from decomposing leaves either at E1 or E2. The two sites had contrasting concentrations of organic and inorganic nutrients and heavy metals in the stream water. At E2, leaf decomposition rates, fungal biomass, and sporulation were reduced, while bacterial biomass was stimulated. Fungal diversity was four times lower at the polluted site. The structure of fungal community on leaves decomposing at E2 significantly differed from that decomposing at E1, as indicated by the principal response curves analysis. Articulospora tetracladia, Anguillospora filiformis, and Lunulospora curvula were dominant species on leaves decomposing at E1 and were the most negatively affected by the transfer to the polluted site. The transfer of leaves colonized at the reference site to the polluted site reduced fungal diversity and sporulation but not fungal biomass and leaf decomposition. Overall, results suggest that the high diversity on leaves from the upstream site might have mitigated the impact of anthropogenic stress on microbial decomposition of leaves transplanted to the polluted site.

This chapter discusses the present scenario and market trend of regenerated cellulosic fibers, and the properties of principal fibers existing in the market as well as some new fibers recently developed and yet to be explored. Production technologies of these fibers are discussed and their potential applications are presented. Various sustainability issues related to the production of regenerated cellulosic fibers are dealt within this chapter. The last section discusses the results of research studies conducted to assess the environmental impacts and sustainability aspects of regenerated cellulose fibers. Serie: Textile science and clothing technology, ISSN 2197-9863

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with focus on carbon footprint, followed by Life Cycle Costing (LCC) of municipal solid waste (MSW) management were conducted in a residential area of a medium-sized European city of 80,000 inhabitants. The initial results showed high environmental impacts and lack of economic sustainability, due to the high amounts of waste landfilled, the low extent of separate collection, low performance of mechanical-biological treatment as well as absence from alternatives to landfilling of non-recyclable materials. Taking this result as a baseline scenario, three improvement.s were tested with the aim of turning the carbon footprint of the local MSW management system into a neutral value: (i) increased separate collection of recyclables, (ii) enhanced biogas production and (iii) refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production. Successively adding the improvements, three alternative improved scenarios were defined, until reaching a negative carbon footprint, meaning that an optimised system would avoid GHG emissions. The proposed changes were sufficient to achieve carbon neutrality, as well as reduce overall environmental impacts, but were not enough for achieving economic sustainability due to the great influence of collection costs, especially for separate collection. It was concluded that by using an adequate combination of several treatment options and increasing the separate collection of recyclable materials it is possible to turn MSW management into a carbon neutral activity as well as improve its economic balance.

Esta dissertação explora o modo como a empresa multinacional Unilever tem por objetivo a reconciliação da lógica Comercial e a de Sustentabilidade nas suas principais atividades de negócio, de modo a atingir o hibridismo organizacional. Baseando-se num estudo de caso, demonstra como a Unilever interliga estas duas lógicas através de três fatores distintos: liderança, comunicação e ações. O estudo qualitativo revela que o sucesso desta integração e a sustentação das mesmas não deriva de um único fator em específico, mas sim da interação planeada entre esses três fatores. De acordo com os resultados da minha análise, desenvolvi um modelo que demonstra como as duas lógicas mudam ao longo do tempo, influenciadas por dinâmicas tanto internas como externas. This dissertation explores how the multinational company Unilever aims at reconciling two logics, a Sustainability and a Commercial Logic within its core business activities to achieve organizational hybridity. Based on a case study, it shows that Unilever reconciles the two logics through three distinct drivers: leadership, communication and actions. The qualitative study reveals that there is not a specific single driver that can lead to a successful integration and sustaining of logics, but rather the planned interplay between the three drivers. Resulting from my findings, I developed a model that elucidates how the two logics change over time through both internal and external dynamics.

The current fashion design, production, and consumption system, known as ‘fast fashion’, is characterized by the manufacturing of low-quality garments in a short period of time carried out in developing countries. In parallel with the deficits in social responsibility and human rights, the prevailing ‘take-make-dispose’ system in the fashion industry is one of the main causes of environmental pollution that concerns the climate change, scarcity of natural resources and health problems for the living beings. Due to these facts, discussions on Circular Design strategies – for waste reduction, components recycling, and materials reuse – became increasingly relevant throughout the globe. This paper’s aspiration is to outline a perspective towards a Circular Fashion. The concept of the Design for Sustainability requires a holistic view throughout de-signing strategies as well as the establishment of cyclical systems for the production site. Notwithstanding, the efficient integration of social and cultural dimensions are vital for Sustainable Fashion’s triumph. This work is supported by FEDER funds through the Competitiveness Factors Operational Programme - COMPETE and by national funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Abstract Cutting costs in farms is the main concern for several stakeholders, specifically for farmers. Reducing energy costs allows for, at the very least, two relevant outcomes, one concerning increases in the net farm income and the other relating to the environment and the promotion of more sustainable farming and rural development. In turn, the agricultural sector may itself be a relevant source of renewable and clean energies. Considering these motivations, this research/study has intended to explore the concept of agricultural energy, highlighting the main insights from literature, and to stress the relationships between this concept and relevant farming indicators. The findings obtained may provide interesting support for the several related stakeholders, namely, policymakers, farmers and researchers. To achieve these objectives, literature available on scientific platforms was explored and statistical relationships were established, through econometric approaches (allowing for spatial effects), between structural characteristics from farms in the European Union. The findings reveal that the several instruments within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should further address the relationships between financial support and sustainability. For example, it could be interesting to index the direct payments from the 1st CAP Pillar with farm indicators that consider dimensions related with the efficiency and savings in costs. In the current context, it is possible to increase the output and area with energy cost growths of 0.423 and 0.375% points, respectively, and increase the total crops output/ha growth and the utilised agricultural area with energy costs/ha growth of 0.243 and −0.225% points, respectively.

The cleaning of syngas is one of the most important challenges in the development of technologies based on gasification of biomass. Tar is an undesired byproduct because, once condensed, it can cause fouling and plugging and damage the downstream equipment. Thermochemical methods for tar destruction, which include catalytic cracking and thermal cracking, are intrinsically attractive because they are energetically efficient and no movable parts are required nor byproducts are produced. The main difficulty with these methods is the tendency for tar to polymerize at high temperatures. An alternative to tar removal is the complete combustion of the syngas in a porous burner directly as it leaves the particle capture system. In this context, the main aim of this study is to evaluate the destruction of the tar present in the syngas from biomass gasification by combustion in porous media. A gas mixture was used to emulate the syngas, which included toluene as a tar surrogate. Initially, CHEMKIN was used to asses...

Introduction: Active modes of transport can be defined as means of travel and transport at reduced speed, which take up little space on public roads and do not emit air pollutants or noise, being seen as an economic, social, and environmental asset, and a real alternative to motorized vehicles. Given its characteristics, the environmental benefits retrieved from active modes of transport should not serve only as a justification for its promotion but as a decisive and active factor in the scope of its actual use, which translates into the provision of pleasant and less polluted routes. Thus, the main objective of this paper is the development of a model for planning and generating urban routes for active modes that have a less negative influence on active users (pedestrians and cyclists) regarding their exposure to air and noise pollution. Methods: Conventional route planners are mostly designed to find the shortest, fastest, or less expensive route. In this research, the model to assign the best route will be presented for pedestrians and cyclists from an environmental point of view, by defining the least polluted, less noisy, and most health-friendly path. Based on the production of noise and air pollution maps, the model proposes the contamination of the network routes, which are used to determine healthoriented routes. The model is carried out through the calculation of the noise and pollution exposure for the routes found, compared to the shortest route. Conclusion: It was possible to conclude that less polluted routes may imply a small increase in the length of routes, but a significant gain in terms of reduction in exposure to PM10 and noise for active modes. Thus, the use of health-friendly routes can be seen as a matter of public health and a way for promoting more sustainable mobility. Available online 12 June 2022 (undefined)