Environmental Sustainability

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Browsing Environmental Sustainability by Publisher "Wiley"

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    In situ layered double hydroxide for efficient remediation of acidic water
    (Wiley, 2025) Qian, Zhongyang; Hu, Jiaojing; Chao, Jingbo; Huang, Jinlou; Coulon, Frederic; Zhang, Jingqi; Hu, Qing; Yang, Xiao Jin
    The efficient and sustainable in situ remediation of high‐strength acidic groundwater contaminated by complex micropollutants with minimal use of chemicals is a challenge. Here it is reported that MgAl alloy achieves neutralization and a complete removal of 20 mg L−1 Cd2+, Cr(VI), Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ in 15 min from acidic water free of chemicals. The removal rate of heavy metals and nitrate increases with decreasing pH and is not significantly reduced after 5 cycles of treating acidic water. The excellent performance of MgAl alloy in reactivity, durability, and efficiency is attributed to a synergistic effect of chemical reduction and eutectic reactions, which is catalyzed by intermetallic compound Mg17Al12 and in situ layered double hydroxide (iLDH). The pH 2.47 of an acid mine drainage sample from copper ore mines is raised to 7.4 ± 0.4 and the concentrations of Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn ions are reduced to <0.55 mg L−1 from 5–559 mg L−1. In contrast, quick lime treatment increases the pH to 12.45, whereas activated carbon, zerovalent iron, and conventional LDH are not able to neutralize or remove Al3+ and heavy metals. The findings of this study provide new insights into the efficient, green, and sustainable approach for acidic water remediation.
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    Perennial flower strips can be a cost‐effective tool for pest suppression in orchards
    (Wiley, 2025) Howard, Charlotte; Burgess, Paul J.; Fountain, Michelle T.; Brittain, Claire; Garratt, Michael P. D.
    Flower strips can provide many economic benefits in commercial orchards, including reducing crop damage by a problematic pest, rosy apple aphid (Dysaphis plantaginea [Passerini]). To explore the financial costs and benefits of this effect, we developed a bio‐economic model to compare the establishment and opportunity costs of perennial wildflower strips with benefits derived from increased yields due to reduced D. plantaginea fruit damage under high and low pest pressure. This was calculated across three scenarios: (1) a flower strip on land that would otherwise be an extension of the standard grass headland, (2) a flower strip on land that could otherwise be used to produce apples and (3) a flower strip in the centre of an orchard. Through reduction of D. plantaginea fruit damage alone, our study shows that flower strips on the headland can be a positive financial investment. If non‐crop land was not available, establishment of a flower strip in the centre of an orchard, instead of the edge, could recoup opportunity costs by providing benefits to crops on both sides of the flower strip. Our study can help guide the optimal placement of flower strips and inform subsidy value for these schemes.
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    Rivers as natural capital assets: a quick scoping review to assess the evidence linking river asset condition to changes in the flow of ecosystem services
    (Wiley, 2025) Zini, Valentina; Johnson, Natalie; Crouch, Alice; Lenagan, Gerard; Cooper, Chris; Naura, Marc; Speck, Imogen; Rouquette, Jim
    River managers are beginning to adopt natural capital approaches in practice. However, while it is crucial for river management, the link between river asset condition and the flow of ecosystem services is poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a Quick Scoping Review (QSR) of the research into river asset condition and ecosystem service delivery to explore the current state of knowledge. The review team developed a PICO (Population, Intervention, Control, Outcome) model to transpose the concepts of the research enquiry into a search strategy for the evidence base and used a Delphi screening exercise to prioritise a subset of literature for the narrative findings. VOSviewer was used to analyse the high‐level linguistic themes from the full list of references. This co‐designed, collaborative and objective QSR approach allowed us to examine a large body of literature in a reproducible manner while minimising bias, demonstrating best practice for evidence review that should be continuously updated, generating a ‘living evidence’ knowledge asset. The results of the review demonstrate there is some knowledge of the mechanisms linking the condition of river assets to the delivery of ecosystem services for the majority of the broad range of ecosystem services analysed, with the exception of some of the cultural services, where comparatively fewer studies explore this link. However, a clear understanding of the quantitative evidence of the relationships between condition and ecosystem service delivery is missing for all of the ecosystem services. This gap stems from a lack of standardised methodologies used across the studies and a focus on a narrow range of definitions of condition. The gap needs to be addressed in future research on the topic, and a first step is to adopt more standardised indicators of river asset condition.