Monsoon-dependent rivers, such as the Thamirabarani and Cauvery play critical roles in South India’s water and livelihoods. This review compares the hydroenvironmental and socio-economic characteristics of two important peninsular India river basins—the Thamirabarani and the Cauvery—over 2014-2023. The Thamirabarani River, a short perennial river originating in the Western Ghats, flows through Tamil Nadu. The Cauvery River spans Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, with complex hydrology. Both basins are influenced by the southwest and northeast monsoons (NEM). The Thamirabarani Basin receives over 55% of its annual rainfall during the NEM, averaging around 1,050 mm/year. The Cauvery Basin shows wide spatial variability, from 600 mm to 2,000 mm/year, depending on elevation and location. Groundwater dynamics show contrasting patterns. The Thamirabarani Basin maintains shallow water tables (2-3 m pre-monsoon), relatively stable due to consistent recharge and lower abstraction. In contrast, several heavily agricultural blocks in the Cauvery Basin exhibit seasonal fluctuations of 5-7 m, with pre-monsoon depths exceeding 12 m. Spatial and statistical analyses indicate strong correlations between rainfall variability and groundwater responses, especially in agriculturally intensive regions. Rainfall trend and groundwater fluctuation analyses highlight the influence of shifting monsoons on aquifer recharge and water security. The socio-economic assessment—highlighting the implications for agriculture, urban demand, and inter-state conflicts—emphasizes the need for integrated water resource management. These strategies include rainwater harvesting, regulated groundwater extraction, and crop planning based on climatic trends. These insights are relevant to other monsoon-dependent basins facing similar hydrological and socio-economic pressures under changing climate conditions.

The evaluation of humanity’s ecological footprint has become imperative in contemporary discourse due to escalating environmental concerns. Approaches to economically assess this footprint now employ concrete tools, such as cost-benefit analysis, input-output modeling, contingent valuation, and ecological efficiency ratios, which capture both direct and indirect impacts on ecosystems. This study provides an overview of these prevailing approaches in economic evaluation, emphasizing their methodological application and their significance in quantifying the ecological consequences of human activities. Particular attention is given to the valuation of ecosystem services, including measurable processes, such as oxygen production, carbon sequestration rates, water purification efficiency, and biodiversity indices, which are critical for a comprehensive assessment of humanity’s ecological footprint. The article also examines assessment frameworks through legislative and policy instruments, highlighting the role of environmental impact assessment, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and international agreements, such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. The analysis evaluates the adequacy of these measures and identifies areas where legislative improvements are required, particularly in climate action, technological innovation, water resource management, sustainable production, and biodiversity conservation. This paper integrates scientific perspectives from seminal scholars. It applies empirical data on the ecological and economic role of forests, focusing on carbon storage potential, biodiversity preservation metrics, soil and water protection functions, and modeling impacts of air quality improvement. The study concludes by underscoring the need for legislative enhancements and the adoption of open data practices at both national and international levels to comprehensively address and mitigate the ecological footprint. Overall, this article combines economic valuation techniques, quantitative indicators, and policy analysis to provide a scientifically rigorous perspective on evaluating and reducing the ecological footprint to support sustainable development.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are non-degradable pollutants that pose a growing threat to the sustainable management of natural resources, particularly aquatic resources. This study aims to support the better management of aquatic resources in Burkina Faso by identifying the pesticides used and assessing their potential to contaminate surrounding aquatic environments. A field survey was conducted by interviewing 20 pesticide sellers and 80 agricultural producers to identify the types of pesticides sold and used near rice-farming plains. The identified pesticides were then compared against the Sahelian Pesticides Committee and the Rotterdam Convention lists to determine their registration status, bans, and hazard classifications. The half-lives (DT₅₀), organic carbon partition coefficients (Koc), and groundwater ubiquity scores of these pesticides were calculated. The survey revealed 52 commercial products from sellers (35 herbicides, 14 insecticides, 1 fungicide, and 1 acaricide) and 29 products used by farmers (17 herbicides, 10 insecticides, 1 fungicide, and 1 acaricide). These pesticides contain 30 active compounds, 11 of which were found to be persistent in the environment due to their high DT₅₀. All the active compounds were approved by the Rotterdam Convention and classified by the World Health Organization as follows: 17 moderately dangerous (Class II), six slightly dangerous (Class III), two very dangerous (Class Ib), and one extremely dangerous. In addition, some compounds also showed high leaching potential, indicating a high risk of surface water contamination.

Globally, groundwater is a critical source of freshwater that supports drinking water, agriculture, and industry. Its protection is vital for long-term water safety and public health. In Lebanon, groundwater provides nearly half of the nation’s water supply; however, it faces significant challenges from unregulated extraction, poor infrastructure, and widespread contamination. The city of Tripoli is particularly vulnerable, where defective underground fuel storage tanks, unmanaged waste, and unrestricted well usage have led to alarming levels of toxins such as benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX). Such conditions pose serious risks to both water sustainability and human health, emphasizing the critical need for regular monitoring and effective regulation. This study aims to investigate the presence of BTX in the groundwater of Tripoli, Lebanon, and to quantify their compound concentrations using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 24 water samples were collected on multiple occasions from private wells during the winter, spring, and summer seasons and subsequently analyzed. Results indicated that BTX concentrations in many of the sampled wells, across most seasons, exceeded the maximum contaminant levels established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for safe drinking water (0.005 ppm for benzene, 1 ppm for toluene, and 10 ppm for xylene), rendering the water unsuitable for drinking. The study revealed seasonal variations in BTX concentrations, with higher levels detected in spring and summer, and lower levels in winter, likely due to seasonal dilution effects from rainfall and infiltration. Among the BTX compounds, xylene exhibited the highest concentrations, followed by toluene, with benzene present at the lowest levels. The detection of BTX in the sampled groundwater clearly indicates pollution. Consequently, remediation measures are necessary to mitigate long-term health risks associated with these pollutants, and continuous monitoring of BTX levels is strongly recommended to effectively assess and manage groundwater pollution.

Certain frontline dam safety management personnel lack the ability to diagnose dam hazard issues and often find it difficult to identify potential risks in practice. Existing causal analysis methods for dam safety diagnosis struggle to provide specific reasoning paths and quantify risk probabilities. To address this gap, this study proposes a dam safety diagnostic method based on Bayesian networks (BNs). First, historical cases of dam safety hazards were collected and classified to extract various types of hazard issues, abnormal manifestations, and underlying causes, which were used as nodes within the BN. Correlation analysis was then performed to identify relationships among the nodes, enabling the construction of directed edges that form the BN structure. The degree centrality algorithm was employed to analyze the prior probabilities of parent nodes, while Bayes’ theorem was applied to calculate the conditional probabilities of the child nodes, generating conditional probability tables for all nodes within the network. Using the BN’s posterior probability inference method, the probabilities of hidden hazards in a target dam were calculated, facilitating accurate diagnosis and root cause tracing of potential risks. Finally, a case study involving a hidden hazard in a domestic earth-rock dam was used to validate the proposed method. The results demonstrate that the method efficiently utilizes a large number of scattered dam hazard cases, is less affected by subjective factors, provides clear reasoning links and risk probabilities, and can accurately identify dam hazard issues and trace their root causes, offering technical support for dam operation and safety management personnel.

The localization of vulnerability, hazard, and risk assessments to advance disaster risk reduction is critical. Although several models of vulnerability, hazard, and disaster risk exist, their applicability at a microscale level remains largely untested, limiting their ability to inform stakeholders directly involved in disaster risk management (DRM) in Malawi. Different regions of Malawi face distinct levels of risks and vulnerabilities, prompting stakeholder participation in the DRM discourse, but with limited access to evidence-based decision-making tools. Therefore, this study applies the Hazards-of-Place Model to assess vulnerability, hazard, and disaster risk in the traditional authorities (TAs) of Lundu and Kalembo, located in the disaster-prone districts of Chikwawa and Balaka, respectively, in southern Malawi. The model was employed to evaluate vulnerability and disaster risk; analyze mitigation, resilience, and adaptive capacity (AC); and develop a community engagement and resilience framework. Designed as a qualitative study, it employed 15 focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with 352 participants to provide in-depth, locally specific insights into community values, perceptions, practices, and social contexts. Findings indicate that households in both TAs are exposed to multiple hazards due to the biophysical characteristics of their areas, while AC measures remain insufficient to mitigate risks. Furthermore, land governance and leadership structures exacerbate vulnerability. This study highlights that the degree of exposure to hazards in Lundu and Kalembo significantly influences vulnerability to disaster risk. This study provides a community engagement resilience framework that can be applied to hazard and risk mitigation and serves as a tool to support the implementation of adaptive and transformative interventions aimed at reducing multiple vulnerabilities and risks in these communities.

Current research lacks an integrated model explaining how the digital economy influences sustainable energy adoption in the Philippines. This study fills that gap by proposing a unified framework to analyze the mediating role of e-governance and non-linear drivers within an urban context. This study integrates the technology acceptance model, the technology-organization-environment framework, and the theory of planned behavior to analyze the role of digital technologies and e-governance in the Philippines’ energy transition (ET). Using a two-stage structural equation modeling-artificial neural network approach on survey data from the urban context of Manila, we reveal that e-governance mediates the relationship between the digital economy and sustainable energy adoption, despite the digital economy’s insignificant direct impact. Key drivers include positive perceptions of renewable energy and energy efficiency. While blockchain and smart contracts show potential, their adoption faces regulatory barriers. Our analysis uniquely captures both linear and non-linear relationships, highlighting renewable energy as the paramount driver, followed by blockchain and energy efficiency. Supportive policies are crucial for leveraging digital technologies to achieve climate goals. This validated framework offers insights for accelerating ETs in developing economies. While the findings provide a critical urban perspective, future multi-regional validation is recommended to ensure nationwide applicability.

River regulation works (RRWs) are a globally implemented strategy to enhance water security, primarily by increasing dry-season flows. However, this intervention can trigger unintended and often paradoxical consequences, fundamentally altering the nature of hydrological risk. This study investigates the profound impact of RRW development on drought characteristics in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, a region of immense agricultural importance and ecological sensitivity. Building upon the established understanding of the Mekong’s altered flow regimen, we analyze how this engineered shift has transformed drought dynamics. Using the standardized precipitation index-3 and standardized streamflow index (SSI-3) from 2000 to 2024, we uncover a critical paradigm shift. While the frequency of traditional dry-season hydrological droughts has significantly decreased as intended, the system’s vulnerability to severe, prolonged wet-season droughts has increased dramatically. Correlation analysis reveals a significant “decoupling” between regional rainfall and streamflow in the current mega-dam era (2010-2024). The most alarming finding is the emergence of wet-season hydrological droughts, with the 2019-2020 event being the most extreme in the 25-year record, during which SSI values dropped to below −2.0 despite only a moderate meteorological drought. We introduce and define the concept of a “brittle” river system: By dampening the natural flood pulse, intensive regulation has removed the river’s inherent buffering capacity against monsoon rainfall deficits, making the delta extremely vulnerable to climatic shocks. These findings challenge the conventional understanding of drought in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta and have urgent implications for water management, emphasizing the need for strategies that enhance wet-season resilience while addressing growing risks.

Forests play a crucial role in global carbon cycling by sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide in their biomass, with dipterocarp forests recognized as one of the most important carbon sinks in tropical Asia. This study aims to determine carbon storage in the aboveground biomass of the dipterocarp forest at the University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand, using an allometric equation, comparison of carbon sequestration across tree species, and social data analysis. Field data were collected across approximately 4,800 m2 by establishing three sampling plots. The biomass area calculation was performed to evaluate carbon storage and analyze the elements and importance of plants (important value index [IVI]). The results identified 943 trees belonging to 18 families and 41 species across the three studied stations, with an estimated carbon storage of 49.02 t C/ha in the total area of the University of Phayao. In addition, the tree species with the highest IVI was Dipterocarpus tuberculatus Roxb. (77.40%), followed by Shorea obtusa Wall. ex Blume. (64.76%), Pentacme siamensis (Miq.) Kurz. (37.59%), and Dipterocarpus obtusifolius Teijsm. ex Miq. (23.04%). Species diversity was measured at 2.19, species richness at 6.86, and species evenness at 0.59. The relationship between physical factors and carbon storage was inversely correlated at a correlation coefficient of −0.33, indicating a moderate negative relationship. Overall, the findings highlight the ecological importance of the dipterocarp forest at the University of Phayao as both a reservoir of biodiversity and a significant contributor to carbon storage, emphasizing its role in climate change mitigation and sustainable forest management.

Synthetic dyes and mordants are widely used in the textile industry, contributing significantly to environmental degradation. While natural substances offer environmental advantages, their application processes are often not well-documented. This study explores the potential of banana sap mordant and mahogany sawdust extract natural dye as an eco-friendly dyeing approach, with an emphasis on ecological sustainability. The effectiveness of these natural substances was analyzed against conventional chemical and synthetic agents by examining the color strength, reflectance, and fastness properties of polyester fabric. The aqueous extraction of natural mordant and dye from locally sourced banana stems and mahogany sawdust, a form of bio-waste, resulted in improved yields (20% and 25%, respectively), highlighting both the efficiency of the process and a reduction in waste volume. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of identical peaks in the natural dye, indicating strong molecular bonding. Polyester fabric treated with the natural mordant demonstrated satisfactory color strength (Kubelka-Munk [K/S] value of 1.1) and reflectance (28), supporting these materials’ potential to mitigate the severe environmental impact associated with synthetic dye. In addition, the fabric displayed high rubbing and wash fastness ratings (4/5 and 5, respectively) as well as satisfactory bursting strength, indicating superior resistance to fading and adequate durability. Shade uniformity was verified through evenness, based on the Color Measurement Committee Delta E and K/S values across prominent areas of the test sample. All results were statistically significant (R²≥0.9).

Microplastics pose serious threats to both the environment and human health. Although governments have introduced various policies and promoted international cooperation to address this issue, the effectiveness of these efforts is closely linked to the importance of individuals’ engagement, which is shaped by their perceptions. However, limited research has examined how such perceptions interact with perceived policy effectiveness in shaping pro-environmental behavioral intentions. To address this gap, this study aims to examine how risk perceptions (perceived severity and perceived vulnerability) and efficacy beliefs (self-efficacy and response efficacy) influence behavioral intentions to reduce microplastic emissions within the framework of protection motivation theory, and whether perceived policy effectiveness moderates these relationships. We conducted a nationwide survey of South Korean adults and analyzed the data using hierarchical regression to test the proposed hypotheses. The results revealed that both risk perception and efficacy had significant positive effects on behavioral intentions, with response efficacy emerging as the strongest predictor, followed by perceived severity, self-efficacy, and perceived vulnerability. Perceived policy effectiveness did not directly affect behavioral intentions but moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and behavioral intentions. The moderation effect indicated that higher perceived policy effectiveness attenuated the positive relationship between self-efficacy and pro-environmental behavioral intentions, suggesting a potential motivation crowding-out effect. These findings highlight the importance of integrating psychological factors and perceptions of policy effectiveness into policy design. They offer valuable insights for environmental campaigns, communication strategies, and governance efforts aimed at promoting sustainable behaviors to mitigate microplastic emissions.

Risks and hidden dangers in dam safety management may occur suddenly, such as piping effects and dam overflow. Faced with these problems, several frontline dam managers are often at risk due to a lack of experience. To address this, a dam safety emergency response decision-making method based on a graph database and language model was proposed. First, a dam safety emergency knowledge system was constructed by identifying the potential components involved in the decision-making process. Relevant data were collected, organized, and stored according to this system, forming a knowledge graph of dam safety emergencies. Then, a Siamese Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers Network was used to build a semantic matching model that effectively links dam safety emergency retrieval statements with corresponding cases in the graph database. A matching and sorting method was also developed to enable precise retrieval and intelligent recommendation of the most similar cases. The practical application of this method shows that it can effectively leverage professional expertise and typical cases in the dam safety domain, automatically providing decision support to dam operation safety management personnel through the integration of subgraphs and texts.

In Ukraine, administrative acts in land relations remain insufficiently studied, particularly regarding adoption, appeal, and control. In contrast, EU countries such as Germany, Latvia, and France have clearer and more transparent procedures. The absence of comparative research analyzing these established models highlights the relevance and novelty of this study. This study investigates the juridical character of administrative acts concerning land relations, addressing their classification, form, content, and appeal procedures. It analyzes the statutory regulation of these acts, judicial practice, and enforcement challenges. The research employs methods of legal analysis and synthesis, comparative law, and a systemic-structural approach. It includes a detailed analysis of court decisions from 2020 to 2024, drawing on the practices of the Supreme Court, the European Court of Human Rights, and others. The study found that the outward-looking nature of an administrative act, as a tool for shaping and executing state policy in land matters, means that the administrative authority directs its rulings toward individuals who are not members of the public administration and have no employment or service ties with it. The work points out that such an administrative act, serving as a means of forming and implementing state policy in the sphere of land relations, qualifies as a legal act because it derives from legislative provisions. The discussion highlights the distinction between administrative acts and technical or simple acts of public law. It establishes that decisions denying a person’s request constitute negative administrative acts used as instruments of state policy in land relations. To distinguish public law from private law, the theories of interests, subordination, and subjects are applied. Based on the findings, the study concludes that administrative acts used as tools for shaping and carrying out state policy in land relations possess the following traits: outward orientation; character as a legal act; belonging to the public-law domain; adoption by a competent body; targeting specific individual(s); and the ability to establish, modify, or terminate legal relations, or record the factual state.

The fatigue characteristics of asphalt mixtures in terms of permanent deformation were investigated using a triaxial repeated creep test and a small accelerated loading test. The results indicate that when the specimens in the small accelerated loading tests reach fatigue failure, the variation trend of the vertical residual resilient modulus under different test conditions is consistent with that of the residual resilient modulus at the end of the triaxial repeated creep tests. In addition, the vertical strain, displacement, and laminar base strain in the small accelerated loading test exhibit three stages, which are similar to the three stages observed in the triaxial repeated creep tests. Based on a phenomenological method, the test results of the triaxial repeated creep tests and the small accelerated loading tests can be correlated—under the same test conditions, there is a linear relationship between the fatigue lives obtained from the two types of tests. Furthermore, a temperature-equivalent curve for the fatigue life of the triaxial repeated creep tests influenced by temperature is established, thereby defining the failure criteria for the small accelerated loading test. These findings provide a scientific basis for determining the fatigue failure criteria of small accelerated loading tests and offer a new approach to studying the fatigue failure behavior of asphalt mixtures.

Gornostay Bay, located near the city of Vladivostok (Far East of Russia), has long served as a site for the placement and operation of a solid domestic waste landfill. The functioning of the landfill resulted in extensive and complex pollution of the coastal water area. Remediation and closure measures in 2010 were expected to improve the ecological condition of the bay. This study demonstrates the application of biochemical markers of oxidative stress as indicators of metabolic recovery processes in marine invertebrates, using bivalves as a model group. The results demonstrated a time-dependent decrease in the concentrations of potentially toxic elements in mussel tissues and a reduction in oxidative lipid degradation to control levels. These findings indicate an improvement in the quality of the marine environment in the years following the 2010 landfill remediation activities. Based on molecular indicators of oxidative stress and the content of heavy metals in the digestive gland and gills of Crenomytilus grayanus from polluted Gornostay Bay, the study concludes that a gradual restoration of the marine environment has occurred.

Water quality assessment is essential for understanding pollutant dynamics, supporting evidence-based watershed management, and protecting public health. While numerous studies have utilized statistical and modeling approaches, limited attention has been paid to how stream order influences water quality variability, particularly in urban catchments of sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigates spatial patterns of water quality in a hierarchically structured stream network in Tunduma, Tanzania, by integrating Strahler stream order classification with multivariate statistical techniques, based on monthly monitoring of six surface water points over 12 months (n = 72) during both wet and dry seasons to analyze physicochemical, nutrient, and microbial parameters. Hierarchical cluster analysis, combined with Pearson correlation matrices and significance testing, was employed to assess pollutant similarity and accumulation patterns across different stream orders. Results revealed that phosphate (PO₄³⁻) concentrations ranged from 0.42 to 1.49 mg/L and nitrate (NO³⁻) levels ranged from 4.3 to 13.2 mg/L. Strong positive correlations (r > 0.95) were observed among ion-derived parameters, such as electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and the concentrations of calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺). Third-order stream segments exhibited elevated concentrations of total suspended solids (0.990), biochemical oxygen demand (0.982), and microbial indicators, with fecal coliforms of 0-5 CFU/100 mL and total coliforms of 0-18 CFU/100 mL, reflecting cumulative pollutant loading in downstream reaches. The integration of Strahler stream ordering and cluster-based analytics enabled the identification of pollution hotspots and revealed the critical role of hydrological connectivity in shaping water quality trends. This research contributes a novel spatial-statistical framework for stream-based water quality assessment in East African urban contexts, offering practical insights for catchment-scale pollution control and resource management.

Guangxi’s rapid urbanization and rising environmental pressures have made balanced water-ecology governance a core regional policy concern. Using annual data for prefecture-level cities in Guangxi, China, from 2004 to 2022, this study constructs an ecological indicator system encompassing “water resources-pollutants-clean governance” and conducts a comprehensive evaluation with a coupling-coordination diagnosis. Data sources included the Guangxi Statistical Yearbook, the China Environmental Statistical Yearbook, and relevant editions of the Guangxi Statistical Bulletin of National Economic and Social Development. Methodologically, indicators were first standardized via minimum-maximum scaling. Using the driver-pressure-state-impact-response framework, indicators were selected. Objective weights were determined through the criteria importance through the intercriteria correlation method. The technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution method was used to compute composite scores for the three subsystems. We then established models for the coupling degree (C) and coupling-coordination degree (D). Across 2004-2022, the D ranged from 0.458 to 0.798, indicating predominantly low-to-moderate coordination with discernible phase fluctuations rather than extreme imbalance. In 2022, the headline metrics were measured at 0.958 for C and 0.798 for D, representing the upper end of the observed coordination level over the sample period. Overall, urban ecological governance in Guangxi remained only partially coordinated during 2004-2022, although with episodic improvements. Policy pathways should prioritize high-weight, high-dispersion dimensions to enhance subsystem matching and raise coordination.

Understanding long-term trends in local wind resources is a critical prerequisite for sustainable energy planning. This study provides a detailed investigation of historical wind-speed trends in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, a region with significant untapped wind power potential. We employed the advanced innovative trend analysis (ITA) method to analyze a 30-year (1985-2014) daily wind-speed dataset from four key meteorological stations, which was rigorously checked for homogeneity. While the observational period concluded in 2014, we established a critical historical baseline and a robust methodological framework. Unlike conventional monotonic tests, the graphical ITA method detected and visualized hidden, non-linear trends across different data sub-series. The analysis revealed highly heterogeneous and localized trend patterns. A statistically significant decreasing trend was identified at Bao Loc station during the wet season (p<0.05). In contrast, stations like Ayun Pa exhibited opposing trends between seasons, indicating an intensification of wind seasonality. This study demonstrates that a granular, site-specific, and methodologically advanced understanding of wind resource dynamics is essential, revealing nuances completely overlooked by traditional methods and providing crucial insights for climate-resilient energy planning.

During the drilling process, reservoir fractures may lead to drilling-fluid loss, thereby slowing drilling progress and reducing well productivity. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the appropriate materials and formulations for plugging, and the leakage amount and rate are the most important indicators for selecting plugging agents. In this study, the amount of rigid mineral particles and plant fibers commonly used in drilling, as well as the width of formation fractures, were used as input variables, while leakage volume served as the output variable. By combining the multiple-population genetic algorithms (MPGA) and the backpropagation neural network (BPNN), an MPGA-BPNN prediction model was established to predict the leakage amount under different plugging formulations. The results showed that the correlation coefficient of the established prediction model reached 0.9741, indicating strong predictive accuracy for leakage volume and plugging performance under varying formulation conditions, providing useful reference and guidance for the optimization of plugging agents.

Anthraquinone (AQ) derivatives are persistent environmental pollutants with documented genotoxicity, necessitating efficient methods for their selective removal. This study was therefore designed to characterize the in vitro intercalative interaction between THAQ and DNA, determine the binding affinity and thermodynamics, and evaluate DNA-based removal of THAQ. The interaction characteristics of 1,4,5,8-tetrahydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone (THAQ) with DNA in vitro were investigated through multiple spectroscopic techniques. Results from ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism, fluorescence microscopy, and resonance light scattering spectroscopy demonstrated the formation of a stable complex via intercalation of THAQ into the base pairs of DNA in vitro. Collectively, these findings indicate an intercalative binding mode between THAQ and free DNA under in vitro conditions. DNA thermal denaturation experiments revealed an 8.40°C increase in the melting temperature upon the addition of THAQ, suggesting enhanced stability of the DNA double helix due to intercalation. Fluorescence microscopy indicated that THAQ was selectively adsorbed onto DNA in a manner analogous to the classical intercalator ethidium bromide. The DNA binding saturation value further confirmed strong intercalative binding, with a value of 4.57 for THAQ, significantly higher than those of its analogs (emodin: 0.53, emodin methyl ether: 0.15, and alizarin: 0.19). Under optimal conditions (35°C), the removal efficiency of THAQ by DNA reached 96.67%, in stark contrast to the 3.78% removal achieved by activated carbon. The binding stoichiometry and binding constant were determined to be 0.9479 and 1.4457 × 10⁴ L/mol, respectively. Adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics revealed that the process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (0.9922 < R² < 0.9967) and the Langmuir isotherm model, with spontaneous binding (ΔG < 0). This study elucidates the interaction mechanisms between THAQ and DNA in vitro and proposes a novel strategy for THAQ removal based on DNA intercalation.

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) generated by industrial extraction units in olive oil mills is a significant source of pollution for the ecosystem. This pollution manifests through inhibited soil microbial activity and reduced plant germination rates due to high acidity, excessive salinity, and the presence of heavy metals. This study aimed to enhance the value of these effluents by restoring soil microbial activity and promoting plant germination through a series of increasing dilutions to determine the optimal dose. This dilution process effectively neutralized the pH and rebalanced the microbial load, facilitating the reappearance of various bacterial species, such as fecal coliforms, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus. This resurgence significantly contributed to improved soil fertility. Furthermore, at a 10/100 dilution ratio, wheat seed germination reached 98%, with seedling growth reaching 18 cm - observations comparable to the control batch. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of this dilution strategy in mitigating the negative effects of OMW on agricultural soils.

Drinking water quality in East Java is a significant concern for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. This study analyzed and monitored drinking water quality over 12 months, with monthly sampling at six water source points in East Java, covering physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters. We used a case study method with Spearman’s rank correlation analysis. Based on our analysis, the physical parameters were odorless, met regulatory standards, and were suitable for consumption. In addition, color values remained below 0.33 on the Pt-Co scale. Chemical parameters showed that the average pH ranged from 7.36 to 7.42, total dissolved solids levels between 131.83 and 135.42 mg/L, and Fe levels between 0.032 and 0.043 mg/L. Most locations showed Mn levels below the detection limit (<0.006 mg/L), with occasional detectable values up to 0.033 mg/L. Residual chlorine concentrations during the monitoring period ranged from 0.35 to 0.41 mg/L, and no indicator bacteria were detected. Microbiological indicators did not detect Escherichia coli or coliform bacteria, indicating that the drinking water met microbiological safety requirements. Our results underscore that drinking water quality at the six monitoring stations in East Java is satisfactory, though there are temporal differences in some locations. Emphasis should be placed on regular monitoring to ensure that water quality is maintained in reservoirs and remains suitable for consumers, thereby supporting progress toward SDG 6.

Crop production is threatened by both water scarcity and poor soil water retention in arid or semi-arid regions. At the same time, the industrial-scale accumulation of municipal sludge creates substantial environmental and resource pressures. The goal of this work was to recycle municipal sludge into a low-cost, environmentally friendly, and multifunctional sludge-based water-retaining material (SBWRM) for enhancing soil water retention capacity and nutritional status. Sludge was used as the primary raw material, and extracellular polymeric substances were extracted using a combined alkaline ultrasonic method. These extracts were then mixed with polyvinyl alcohol to prepare the sludge-based material. The water retention capacity of the material, as well as its effects on seed germination and plant growth in a planting substrate, were systematically evaluated. The results suggested that the SBWRM achieved a maximum water retention capacity of 18.7 times its own weight. The addition of 40% SBWRM effectively promoted ryegrass seed germination and plant height, increased soil moisture and pH value, and enhanced the nutrient contents of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The findings indicate that SBWRM can effectively enhance water conservation, soil quality, and nutrient supply, thereby providing a practical approach for utilizing sludge resources and supporting ecological restoration in agricultural systems.

Rising residential electricity demand, driven by population growth and appliance proliferation, strains non-renewable energy resources and increases carbon emissions. In India, households consume ~25% of total electricity, yet most users receive only monthly aggregated bills without real-time insights or control over individual loads. Existing commercial energy monitors are costly (>USD 100) and lack remote access, whereas open-source alternatives (Raspberry Pi, Arduino) suffer from complexity, high power use, or missing cloud integration. This work presents a low-cost (<USD 20), web-based, self-hosted energy management system using NodeMCU and PZEM-004T V3.0, enabling real-time monitoring, remote control, and data-driven optimization for sustainable residential energy use. This study presents an efficient energy management system for residential buildings, addressing the increasing demand for electrical energy and the need for improved management practices. The system integrates a NodeMCU (ESP8266) microcontroller and a PZEM-004TV3.0 module to monitor and manage electrical energy loads. Real-time data on voltage, current, power, and energy were acquired and transmitted to Google Firebase via the MQTT protocol, enabling remote monitoring and control. Users can manage appliances locally through manual switches and light-emitting diode indicators or remotely through a web interface. The system achieved a calibration efficiency of 98.58% compared to standard instruments, with voltage and current errors of 0.15% and 3.12%, respectively. By providing detailed insights into energy usage and control capabilities, this cost-effective solution empowers users to optimize consumption, reduce wastage, and contribute to energy sustainability efforts.