Lotta Ternieten, Martina Preiner, Peter Kraal et al.

• 0

<jats:p>Motivated by the goal to increase our knowledge of the impact of hydrothermal iron (Fe) nanoparticles on ocean chemistry and to explore their unique catalytic capabilities, we sampled suspended and dissolved matter in the water column above the Rainbow (36&amp;#176;-33&amp;#176;N) hydrothermal vent field at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Innovative sampling techniques were used to constrain the (trans)formation of hydrothermal iron-based nanoparticles. Instead of filtration of plume particles, freezing, and later resuspension, which is commonly used to separate particles from their surrounding solution and preserve them1, we immediately drop cast small amounts of the fluid on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids and plunge-freeze them, resulting in vitrification of dissolved compounds and preservation of containing nanoparticles. Using an array of (micro)spectroscopic techniques, TEM, and a machine learning approach, we can characterize the Fe nanoparticles and unravel their fate in the ocean biogeochemical cycle.Initial results show that the new sampling approach allows us to successfully collect Fe colloids with minimal artifacts &amp;#8211; specifically avoiding aggregation of various suspended phases during filtration, which can result in spurious spatial correlations. The hydrothermal plume samples collected closest to an active vent show crystalline spherical Fe-nanoparticles that predominantly consist of poorly-ordered Fe-oxyhydroxide and are in parts enriched in P, S, Ni, and/or Cu. Using the machine learning model SIGMA2 further allows us to explore the distribution of distinct Fe phases and reveals the local occurrence of reduced Fe as chalcopyrite and pyrite. On the outside, the Fe-nanoparticles are covered with an amorphous phase enriched in Mg, Cl, &amp;#177; P, and S. Amorphous silica clusters are omnipresent and often co-occur with the Fe colloids. Notably, our results do not show associations of Fe with (organic) carbon.These observations suggest that a higher local concentration of P within the Fe-colloids is potentially a crucial component affecting the Fe-nanoparticle's properties and environmental fate. Furthermore, this shows that C-rich phases do not significantly affect, at least in the early stages, the particles at the Rainbow vent field, contrasting previous studies, which suggest that organic compounds play a key role in stabilizing and transporting hydrothermal Fe1,3. While Si is abundant in the hydrothermal fluid and often interacts with Fe precipitates similar to P, we show spatial decoupling suggestive of a distinct precipitation mechanism. Neither in the hydrothermal plume away from the active vent nor in the sediment did we observe much transformation of the poorly-ordered Fe-colloids, suggesting that these were stable early on. However, we do observe an enrichment in organic compounds associated with the Fe-colloids further up in the buoyant plume.Our research presents the first indications that during the early formation of hydrothermal Fe colloids, the properties of the Fe-based nanoparticle and, subsequently, the environmental fate and impact are more likely affected by P and Si than by organic carbon compounds.&amp;#160;1. Toner, B. M., et al. Acc. Chem. Res. 49, 128&amp;#8211;137 (2016).2. Tung, P., et al. Geochem., Geophys., Geosystems 24, (2023).3. Bennett, S. A. et al. Deep Sea Res. Part&amp;#8239;: Oceanogr. Res. Pap. 58, 922&amp;#8211;931 (2011).</jats:p>

Tanuj Shukla, Sanjay Shukla

Anusandhaan - Vigyaan Shodh Patrika • 0

<jats:p>The study of geomorphological system not only gives information about environmental processes operating there but also relate them whith global environmental system. The geomorphological analysis of Dokriani glacier, Garhwal Himalaya shows five phases of glacial advaent and retreat in the form of well preserved lateral and terminal ncemmoraines. The observed retreat rate of glacier in last two decades is about 17.2 m/yr which represents its negative mass balance followed by change in snout position, area and surface height. The farthest glacier expansion of the valley represented as terminal moraine is situated at 8.3 km from present day snout. Whereas, the other sucsessive glacial stages has followed the similar fashion of glacial advancement due to climatic sensitiveness.</jats:p>

Sean K. Bay, Gaofeng Ni, R. Lappan et al.

• 2024

Most aerated cave ecosystems are assumed to be oligotrophic given they receive minimal inputs of light energy. Diverse microorganisms have nevertheless been detected within caves, though it remains unclear what strategies enable them to meet their energy and carbon needs. Here we determined the processes and mediators of primary production in aerated limestone and basalt caves through paired metagenomic and biogeochemical profiling. Based on 1458 metagenome-assembled genomes, over half of microbial cells in caves encode enzymes to use atmospheric trace gases as energy and carbon sources. The most abundant microbes in these systems are chemosynthetic primary producers, notably the novel gammaproteobacterial methanotrophic order Ca. Methylocavales and two uncultivated actinobacterial genera predicted to grow on atmospheric hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide. In situ and ex situ biogeochemical and isotopic measurements consistently confirmed that these gases are rapidly consumed at rates sufficient to meet community-wide energy needs and drive continual primary production. Conventional chemolithoautotrophs, which use trace lithic compounds such as ammonium and sulfide, are also enriched and active alongside these trace gas scavengers. These results indicate that caves are unique in both their microbial composition and the biogeochemical processes that sustain them. Based on these findings, we propose caves are the first known ecosystems where atmospheric trace gases primarily sustain growth rather than survival and define this process as ‘aerotrophy’. Cave aerotrophy may be a hidden process supporting global biogeochemistry.

D. Park, B. Jeon, I. Jung

Solar Cells - New Aspects and Solutions • 2011

Atmospheric carbon dioxide has been increased and was reached approximately to 390 mg/L at December 2010 (Tans, 2011). Rising trend of carbon dioxide in past and present time may be an indicator capable of estimating the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the future. Cause for increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide was already investigated and became general knowledge for the civilized peoples who are watching TV, listening to radio, and reading newspapers. Anybody of the civilized peoples can anticipate that the atmospheric carbon dioxide is increased continuously until unknowable time in the future but not in the near future. Carbon dioxide is believed to be a major factor affecting global climate variation because increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide is proportional to variation trend of global average temperature (Cox et al., 2000). Atmospheric carbon dioxide is generated naturally from the eruption of volcano (Gerlach et al., 2002; Williams et al., 1992), decay of organic matters, respiration of animals, and cellular respiration of microorganisms (Raich and Schlesinger, 2002; Van Veen et al., 1991); meanwhile, artificially from combustion of fossil fuels, combustion of organic matters, and cement making-process (Worrell et al., 2001). Theoretically, the natural atmospheric carbon dioxide generated biologically from the decay of organic matter and the respirations of organisms has to be fixed biologically by land plants, aquatic plants, and photosynthetic microorganisms, by which cycle of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be nearly balanced (Grulke et al., 1990). All of the human-emitted carbon dioxide except the naturally balanced one may be incorporated newly into the pool of atmospheric greenhouse gases that are methane, water vapor, fluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide (Lashof and Ahuja, 1990). The airborne fraction of carbon dioxide that is the ratio of the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide to the emitted carbon dioxide variation was typically about 45% over 5 years period (Keeling et al., 1995). Canadell at al (2007) reported that about 57% of human-emitted carbon dioxide was removed by the biosphere and oceans. These reports indicate that the airborne fraction of carbon dioxide is at least 43-45%, which may be the balance emitted by human activity. The land plants are the largest natural carbon dioxide sinker, which have been decreased globally by deforestation (Cramer et al., 2004). Especially, tropical and rainforests are being

Claire Perrott

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History • 0

<p>In February 1943, a small but powerful volcano emerged from a cornfield in the vicinity of Uruapan, Michoacán, México. A stunned farmer, Dionisio Pulido, alerted the nearby town of San Juan Parangaricutiro, and a group of villagers went to investigate the growing mound in Pulido’s field. The new volcano, named Parícutin by Mexican scientist Dr. Ezequiel Ordóñez, emitted smoke, ash, and lava until 1952. The ash fall and lava flows severely changed life in five of the surrounding villages. Most villagers in the affected areas were reluctant to move, but the ash fall made it nearly impossible to cultivate their crops, polluted the air and water sources, and made their animals sick. In the end, two villages completely evacuated with the help of the national government.</p> <p>A few days after the volcano emerged, scientists from México and the United States flocked to the area for the unique opportunity to study a volcano from its birth. They recorded lava flows, eruption patterns, ash fall, and damage to the surrounding agricultural land. A significant relationship blossomed between a U.S. Geological Survey scientist, Carl Fries Jr., and a local Purépecha man, Celedonio Gutiérrez. Although Gutiérrez had only a minimal education, his knowledge of the environment and the local people proved essential to foreign academics studying the volcano. Working together, the two men published at least eight scientific articles in the U.S. weekly magazine <italic>Eos</italic>, based on daily observations of the volcano.</p> <p>Parícutin fascinated people from México and the United States since the moment it grew into a cinder cone. Artists such as Dr. Atl used the volcano for inspiration, producing countless sketches and paintings, some of which were published. Reporters, tourists, and artists from around the world visited Parícutin, excited at the possibility of seeing an active volcano up close. Authors and illustrators also expressed the fascinating story of the volcano and the affected Purépecha community in children’s stories. In the 21st century, Parícutin remains a popular tourist destination.</p> <p>A half-buried church in what was San Juan Parangaricutiro is all that remains of a once lively village and stands as a testament to the strength and reach of Parícutin. Despite the destruction, the eruption serves as a reminder of the importance of volcanoes in Mexican culture and provides a lens to examine the long-established relationship between people and volcanoes. The study of Parícutin fits into the wider scholarship of Latin American environmental history because it highlights the connections between culture and environment. This story demonstrates the interplay between the perspectives different groups of people had of the volcano and how landscape affects the social and cultural history of a place and its people.</p>

Maren Jenrich, M. Angelopoulos, S. Liebner et al.

Permafrost and Periglacial Processes • 2024

Arctic permafrost coasts, affected by rising sea levels and increasing coastal erosion in a warming climate, undergo significant changes. Simulating how permafrost is impacted by inundation with fresh, brackish and marine water enhances our understanding of permafrost carbon stock responses to increasingly marine conditions. We investigated CO2 and CH4 production during key transitions in a coastal thermokarst landscape on the Bykovsky Peninsula, Siberia, assessing short‐ and long‐term microbial responses to varying salinities in anaerobic 1‐year incubation experiments. Initially, CO2 production from saltwater‐inundated permafrost was low due to the low abundance of salt‐tolerant microbial communities. Over the long term, after simulated lagoon formation and the growth of sulfate‐reducing bacteria, CO2 production surpassed that of the terrestrial sites by 8 times. CO2 and CH4 production was lowest under fully marine conditions, suggesting incomplete adaptation of microbes. Rapid ecosystem changes stress microbial communities, with greenhouse gas production highest under near‐natural conditions. With an increase in lake drainage events and rising sea levels, thermokarst lagoon distribution on Arctic coasts will escalate, resulting in a further increase of carbon mineralization and CO2 release. With this study, we provide first estimations on greenhouse gas production during the transition from terrestrial to submarine conditions in permafrost‐affected aquatic systems.

Clarisse Goar, Pierre-Antoine Dessandier, Giuliana Panieri et al.

• 0

<jats:p>Here, we present data focusing on the diversity and ecology of benthic foraminifera from different hydrothermal vent fields on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at low and high latitudes and mud volcanoes leaking methane. This study aims to understand the controlling factors ruling the communities&amp;#8217; structure, including environmental parameters (sediment nature, geochemical dynamic associated with seafloor massive sulfide areas) and food source (primary production and chemosynthetic microbial communities). This study aims to i) fulfil a lack of knowledge of hydrothermal vent biodiversity, ii) determine interactions between foraminifera and their ecosystem, and iii) establish a bio-indicator of extreme environments, environmentally dynamic.We collected samples from two active vent sites, TAG and Snake Pit, in their periphery at low latitude and on the under-ice Aurora vent in the Arctic, showing contrasted mineralogy, pore water chemistry and organic matter compounds. The response of benthic foraminifera shows quite a stable community in the large periphery, while particular communities are observed in sediment with clear evidence of hydrothermal influence. For the mud volcano and active vents, a specific community of soft-body foraminifera and/or agglutinated species seems to be adapted to extreme environments, including species poorly known. Environmental data highlight a stronger impact of the habitat connected to microbial mats than organic matter availability. These preliminary results support the powerful use of benthic foraminifera in extreme environments to evaluate biodiversity and environmental changes but also highlight the need to improve the taxonomy of deep-sea soft-shelled foraminifera. &amp;#160;</jats:p>

Shin-ichi Motoda, Susumu Uematsu, Tadashi Shinohara

ECS Transactions • 2012

<jats:p>The electrochemical measurement and surface morphology analysis of TiO2 coatings were conducted to improve the performance of microbial fuel cell (MFC) in natural seawater. From the experimental results, the 95.2% TiO2 purity electrode caused the noble shift of electrode potential which resulted from suppression of the photocatalytic effect. This phenomenon did not occur in 99.9% purity coatings, so the influence of impurities such as Si or Zr contained in the coatings was considered. Furthermore, the localized potential at the segregation of Si or Zr was higher than that of the rest, so the electrode potential of TiO2 coated anode was considered to be affected by the localized corrosion which had occurred beneath the deteriorated TiO2 coatings.</jats:p>

Felix Schwock, Shima Abadi

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America • 2021

<jats:p>Characterizing the ocean noise floor is important for tracking long-term acoustic changes and creating environmental regulations to mitigate the effects of human activities on the ocean soundscape. Underwater noise levels have been measured at two sites in the northeast Pacific off the coast of Oregon between 2015 and 2019. The acoustic data were recorded continuously at a sample rate of 64 kHz at 81 m depth and 581 m depth at the continental shelf and slope, respectively. Sequential one-minute power spectral density estimates are computed and used to calculate spectral probability density functions (SPDFs) for every month of the measurement period. The ocean noise floor is then defined as the 5th percentile of the SPDF. Multi-year data are used to compute time series of the ocean noise floor at various frequencies, which are then examined for long-term trends and seasonal patterns. The frequency dependence of the noise floor is analyzed and the results are compared between two measurement sites. Environmental data from surface buoys and Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) instruments collocated with the hydrophones are used to study how the ocean noise floor changes with wind, temperature, and sound speed. [Work supported by ONR.]</jats:p>

Yilong Wang, Yongkai Xu, Yun Zhang et al.

Chirality • 2018

We previously identified and characterized 1 novel deep-sea microbial esterase PHE21 and used PHE21 as a green biocatalyst to generate chiral ethyl (S)-3-hydroxybutyrate, 1 key chiral chemical, with high enantiomeric excess and yield through kinetic resolution. Herein, we further explored the potential of esterase PHE21 in the enantioselective preparation of secondary butanol, which was hard to be resolved by lipases/esterases. Despite the fact that chiral secondary butanols and their ester derivatives were hard to prepare, esterase PHE21 was used as a green biocatalyst in the generation of (S)-sec-butyl acetate through hydrolytic reactions and the enantiomeric excess, and the conversion of (S)-sec-butyl acetate reached 98% and 52%, respectively, after process optimization. Esterase PHE21 was also used to generate (R)-sec-butyl acetate through asymmetric transesterification reactions, and the enantiomeric excess and conversion of (R)-sec-butyl acetate reached 64% and 43%, respectively, after process optimization. Deep-sea microbial esterase PHE21 was characterized to be a useful biocatalyst in the kinetic resolution of secondary butanol and other valuable chiral secondary alcohols.

Francesco Ricci, William Leggat, Marisa Pasella et al.

• 0

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Deep sea benthic habitats are low productivity ecosystems that host an abundance of organisms within the Cnidaria phyla. The technical limitations and the high cost of deep sea surveys have made exploring deep sea environments and the biology of the organisms that inhabit them challenging. In spite of the widespread recognition of Cnidaria's environmental importance in these ecosystems, the microbial assemblage and its role in coral functioning have only been studied for a few deep water corals. Here we explored the prokaryotic diversity of deep sea corals by recovering nucleic acids from museum archive specimens. Firstly, we amplified and sequenced the V1-V3 regions of the 16S rRNA gene of specimens held in museum archival storage and utilised these to shed light on the microbial diversity associated with seven families of corals collected from depth in the Coral Sea (depth range 1,309 to 2,959 metres) and Southern Ocean (depth range 1,401 to 2,071 metres) benthic habitats. Most surprisingly, Cyanobacteria were consistently associated with six out of seven coral families from both sampling locations, suggesting that these bacteria are potentially ubiquitous members of the microbiome within these cold water and deep sea organisms. Consistent with previous studies, we show that the bacterial phyla Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes and Acidobacteriota dominate the microbial community of corals in the deep sea. We also explored the genomes of the genus <jats:italic>Mycoplasma</jats:italic>, which we identified as associated with specimens of three deep sea coral families, finding evidence that these bacteria may aid the host immune system. Importantly our results show that museum specimens retain components of host microbiome that can provide new insights into the diversity of deep sea coral microbiomes (and potentially other organisms), as well as the diversity of microbes writ large in deep sea ecosystems.</jats:p>

Francesco Ricci, William Leggat, Marisa Pasella et al.

• 0

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Deep sea benthic habitats are low productivity ecosystems that host an abundance of organisms within the Cnidaria phyla. The technical limitations and the high cost of deep sea surveys have made exploring deep sea environments and the biology of the organisms that inhabit them challenging. In spite of the widespread recognition of Cnidaria's environmental importance in these ecosystems, the microbial assemblage and its role in coral functioning have only been studied for a few deep water corals. Here we explored the prokaryotic diversity of deep sea corals by recovering nucleic acids from museum archive specimens. Firstly, we amplified and sequenced the V1-V3 regions of the 16S rRNA gene of specimens held in museum archival storage and utilised these to shed light on the microbial diversity associated with seven families of corals collected from depth in the Coral Sea (depth range 1,309 to 2,959 metres) and Southern Ocean (depth range 1,401 to 2,071 metres) benthic habitats. Most surprisingly, Cyanobacteria sequences were consistently associated with six out of seven coral families from both sampling locations, suggesting that these bacteria are potentially ubiquitous members of the microbiome within these cold and deep sea water organisms. Additionally, we show that Cnidaria might benefit from symbiotic associations with a range of chemosynthetic bacteria including nitrite, carbon monoxide and sulfur oxidizers. Consistent with previous studies, we show that sequences associated to the bacterial phyla Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes and Acidobacteriota dominated the microbial community of corals in the deep sea. We also explored genomes of the genus <jats:italic>Mycoplasma</jats:italic>, which we identified as associated with specimens of three deep sea coral families, finding evidence that these bacteria may aid the host immune system. Importantly our results show that museum specimens retain components of host microbiome that can provide new insights into the diversity of deep sea coral microbiomes (and potentially other organisms), as well as the diversity of microbes writ large in deep sea ecosystems.</jats:p>

Noor Baha Aldin

Black Sea Journal of Engineering and Science • 0

<jats:p xml:lang="en">Bacterial and fungal leaf diseases significantly impact the productivity of agricultural, which causing annually billions of dollars in crop losses and threatening global food security. Conventional detection methods even though effective, but they are labor intensive, consuming more time, and inappropriate for real time applications or large-scale ones. In order to address the limitations of other studies, this study proposes an AI solution that using a fine-tuned ResNet50 model trained on the PlantVillage dataset to classify the plant leaves as Healthy, Bacterial, or Fungal (Mold). The model was optimized using TensorFlow Lite and deployed on a Raspberry Pi 4, achieving 87% accuracy, a recall of 86%, and inference speeds around 1.2 to1.5 seconds per image. To enhance the overall generalization, the data augmentation techniques were applied which including rotation, flipping, and scaling. For early disease detection in agricultural and environmental applications, this research provides a scalable and a cost effective. Compared to traditional methods and other systems, this study provides faster inference speeds and lower costs, making it ideal for designs with limited resource.</jats:p>

Massimiliano Molari, Tobias R. Vonnahme, Felix Janssen et al.

• 0

<jats:p> &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Industrial-scale mining of deep-sea polymetallic nodules will remove nodules in large areas and impact the physical integrity of the seafloor. However, environmental standards for seafloor integrity and studies of recovery from environmental impacts are still largely missing. Further we have only a poor understanding of the role of nodules in shaping benthic microbial diversity and element cycles. We revisited the deep-sea disturbance and recolonization experiment carried out with a towed plough harrow in 1989 in the Peru Basin nodule field within a circular area of approx. 3.5 km diameter (&amp;gt;4100 m water depth). In the experimental area, the 26 years old plough tracks were still visible and showed different types and levels of disturbance such as removal and compaction of surface sediments. Microbial communities and their diversity were studied in disturbance tracks and undisturbed sites and related to habitat integrity, remineralization rates, and carbon flow. Locally, microbial activity was reduced up to 4 times in the impacted areas. Microbial cell numbers were reduced by ~50% in fresh, and by &amp;lt;30% in the old tracks. Our data suggest that microbially-mediated biogeochemical functions need more than 50 years to return to undisturbed levels in the sediments. In areas with nodules (i.e., outside the disturbance tracks) microbial communities in the nodules themselves were studied. Nodule communities were distinct from sediments and showed a lower diversity and a higher proportion of sequences related to potential metal-cycling bacteria (i.e. Magnetospiraceae, Hyphomicrobiaceae), bacterial and archaeal nitrifiers (i.e. &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;AqS1&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;, unclassified Nitrosomonadaceae, &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Nitrosopumilus&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;, &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Nitrospina&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;, &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Nitrospira&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;), as well as bacterial sequences typically found in ocean crust, hydrothermal deposits and sessile fauna. Our results confirm that nodules host specific microbial communities with potentially significant contributions to organic carbon remineralization and metal cycling. This study contributes to developing environmental standards for deep-sea mining and highlights the limits for maintaining and recovering ecological integrity and functions during large-scale nodule mining.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt; </jats:p>

Eleftheria Antoniou, Efsevia Fragkou, Georgia Charalampous et al.

Energies • 0

<jats:p>Hydrocarbon biodegradation rates in the deep-sea have been largely determined under atmospheric pressure, which may lead to non-representative results. In this work, we aim to study the response of deep-sea microbial communities of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS) to oil contamination at in situ environmental conditions and provide representative biodegradation rates. Seawater from a 600 to 1000 m depth was collected using a high-pressure (HP) sampling device equipped with a unidirectional check-valve, without depressurization upon retrieval. The sample was then passed into a HP-reactor via a piston pump without pressure disruption and used for a time-series oil biodegradation experiment at plume concentrations, with and without dispersant application, at 10 MPa and 14 °C. The experimental results demonstrated a high capacity of indigenous microbial communities in the deep EMS for alkane degradation regardless of dispersant application (&gt;70%), while PAHs were highly degraded when oil was dispersed (&gt;90%) and presented very low half-lives (19.4 to 2.2 days), compared to published data. To our knowledge, this is the first emulation study of deep-sea bioremediation using undisturbed deep-sea microbial communities.</jats:p>

Maciej Telesiński, Marek Zajączkowski

• 0

<jats:p>The western Fram Strait, a critical gateway connecting the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, is presently characterized by the dominance of cold, sea-ice-laden waters from the Arctic Ocean. Nevertheless, the dynamics of the Return Atlantic Current, facilitating direct east-west recirculation across the Fram Strait, contributes significantly to the southward flow along the East Greenland shelfbreak. This study delves into the influence of Atlantic Water (AW) in the western Fram Strait over the past ~35 thousand years, employing a comprehensive analysis of marine sediment cores, including two newly acquired records.Our investigation utilizes planktic foraminiferal assemblages, stable isotopes, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) data to unravel the historical patterns of AW advection. During late Marine Isotope Stage 3 and the Last Glacial Maximum, the findings reveal a noteworthy influx of AW, likely occurring beneath a substantial layer of surface Polar Water. The spatial extent of AW varied, reflecting the dynamic interplay with the Greenland Ice Sheet's expansion.Throughout the deglaciation phase, the western Fram Strait experienced disruptions in AW inflow due to the influence of meltwater, further shaping the regional dynamics. The interplay between AW and environmental factors, such as the evolving Greenland Ice Sheet, emerges as a key driver influencing the spatial distribution of AW during this critical climatic transition.Challenges arise in reconstructing the Holocene history of the western Fram Strait, marked by carbonate dissolution and low sedimentation rates. However, our data point towards persistent and robust AW advection to the region, extending at least since the onset of the present interglacial period. Despite limitations in the Holocene reconstruction, the cumulative evidence underscores the enduring influence of AW on the western Fram Strait, revealing a complex interplay of climatic and glacial dynamics.This research sheds light on the intricate relationship between AW dynamics and regional environmental changes, offering valuable insights into the past variability of the western Fram Strait. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors driving oceanic circulation patterns in this pivotal gateway, with implications for comprehending broader climate dynamics and projecting future changes in the Arctic-Atlantic interface.</jats:p>

Fangwu Liu, Weibo Zheng, Guanghui Tong et al.

Earth and Space: From Infrared to Terahertz (ESIT 2022) • 2023

The life ecology experimental cabinet on China Space Station is a microgravity scientific experimental platform which is suitable for plant individuals, fish, snails, fruit flies and other biological individuals as the research objects. It includes a general biological culture module (GBCM), a small general biological culture module (SGBCM), a small centrifugal experiment module (SCEM), a small controlled life ecological experiment module (SCLEEM) and a microbial online monitoring module (MOMM). The GBCM provides suitable environmental conditions for biological experiments, including temperature, humidity, light, gas concentration, visible light imaging detection, fluorescence imaging detection, program-controlled instructions, etc. The SGBCM internally provides temperature control and imaging monitoring. Other functions are realized by the replaceable culture unit. The SCEM can realize 1-2g gravity simulation in microgravity environment, and is able to support variable gravity biology research and microgravity comparison experimental research. In SCLEEM, it is planned to carry out a closed aquatic organism culture experiment with algae, fishes and snails as members. Algae provides necessary oxygen for fishes and snails through photosynthesis. MOMM is a payload used to detect the presence and classification of microorganisms in the environment. Each module works independently and has an independent electronic control system with the same architecture.This paper will introduce its basic functions, experimental conditions and expandable interface resources module by module. It provides a basis for space biologists to design experiments and a reference for payload engineers.

Shuichi Ichimura, Yosuke Alexandre Yamashiki

Frontiers in Space Technologies • 0

<jats:p>Life support systems in space have been developed to recover a certain amount of oxygen and water. However, we still rely on resupplies for gas tanks, water bags, and food. To achieve sustainable human space exploration, we must also consider the astronauts’ wellbeing. This research analyzes and assesses the status of essential life support elements, which are air, water, and food, as well as wellbeing elements, including clothing, hygiene, and healthcare, on the International Space Station. The types and quantities of resupplies for each element were estimated by synthesizing data from multiple sources and compared against baseline values established by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for one crew member per day. To evaluate the qualitative and psychological dimensions of dependence on resupply missions, astronaut feedback and comments documented in reports and articles from space agencies were also analyzed as important references. The results show that resupplies involve not only gas tanks and water bags but also a significant number of spare items to maintain recovery systems. Food completely relies on resupplies, and regarding wellbeing elements, although the mass supplied from Earth seems to meet the space agency’s requirements, astronauts feel uncomfortable wearing the same clothes and using the same towels for days, especially exercise clothes, which can develop odors. It was also discovered that each resupply mission is inefficient as resupplies account for only 0.21% of the total launch mass. Relying on resupply missions has been associated with negative effects on both physical and psychological aspects, such as anxiety about the risk of running out of life support consumables, issues with stowage and odors caused by waste, and stress due to complicated cargo unloading and loading transfer operations. As humans explore the Moon and beyond, frequent resupplies will become impractical due to higher launch costs and longer delivery times, and suggestions for developing technologies to realize a sustainable human presence in space are being proposed.</jats:p>

Zhao Yin, Zongpeng Zhu, Pei Guo et al.

Space: Science &amp; Technology • 2023

<jats:p>China’s Tiangong space station has been completed in 2022 to support large-scale multidisciplinary space science research and technology experiments. With a large payload capacity and long operating time, Tiangong space station has many irreplaceable advantages over other spacecraft, such as space transportation, global tracking, on-orbit care for astronauts, and the ability to replace and upgrade experiment equipment. The resources available to the space station and its affiliated spacecraft provide an excellent open verification platform for experimental programs. The modular design of the intravehicular experiment rack can support different combinations of normal payloads for experiment, and an extravehicular exposed platform is planned to support different sizes of normal payloads for experiment. This paper firstly discusses the mission objectives of China’s Tiangong space station and the development of new space systems. Secondly, it sorts out the conditions for China’s Tiangong space station to conduct experiments for space technology. On this basis, a systematic layout for the missions of space technology experiments on China’s Tiangong space station is made. Five research topics are proposed, i.e., robotics and autonomous system technology, on-orbit assembly and construction technology for spacecraft, environmental control and life support system technology, new energy and propulsion technology, and new generic technology for spacecraft. Centering on the key technologies that restrict the development of China’s future space missions and systems, this study gives an outlook on the on-orbit space technology experiment and verification project for China’s Tiangong space station. Finally, development strategy and suggestions are put forward for China’s space technology.</jats:p>

Ifeoma R Ugwuanyi, Andrew Steele, M. Glamoclija

Astrobiology • 2024

Jotun springs in Svalbard, Norway, is a rare warm environment in the Arctic that actively forms travertine. In this study, we assessed the microbial ecology of Jotun's active (aquatic) spring and dry spring transects. We evaluated the microbial preservation potential and mode, as well as the astrobiological relevance of the travertines to marginal carbonates mapped at Jezero Crater on Mars (the Mars 2020 landing site). Our results revealed that microbial communities exhibited spatial dynamics controlled by temperature, fluid availability, and geochemistry. Amorphous carbonates and silica precipitated within biofilm and on the surface of filamentous microorganisms. The water discharged at the source is warm, with near neutral pH, and undersaturated in silica. Hence, silicification possibly occurred through cooling, dehydration, and partially by a microbial presence or activities that promote silica precipitation. CO2 degassing and possible microbial contributions induced calcite precipitation and travertine formation. Jotun revealed that warm systems that are not very productive in carbonate formation may still produce significant carbonate buildups and provide settings favorable for fossilization through silicification and calcification. Our findings suggest that the potential for amorphous silica precipitation may be essential for Jezero Crater's marginal carbonates because it significantly increases the preservation potential of putative martian organisms.

Majed Albokari, Mohammad A. A. Al-Najjar, Ibrahim Mashhour et al.

International Journal of Astrobiology • 2018

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Al Wahbah Crater, located in a remote area in western Saudi Arabia as part of The Harrat extinct volcanic chain, is 2 km wide with a depth of 250 m. It is registered by the General Commission for Tourism and National Heritage as an ancient and archaeological site. The crater is subjected to extreme environmental conditions as its bottom is rarely subjected to rainfall and mudflows. Because of high temperature, high evaporation rates and extremely limited rainfall, the crater leaves behind dried thick white sodium phosphate crystals. Here, we studied the chemical composition and the microbial community composition using 16S rRNA pyrosequencing in different vertical layers (2, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 cm) of the crater sediment. Total sodium concentrations were 28 000– 46 700 ppm and calcium levels were 31 400– 56 500 ppm. In addition, samples were very sulphuric, with sulphate and sulphite levels exceeding 2157 ppm and 5.54 ppm, respectively. Ferric ions concentrations were &lt;0.2 ppm, while nitrate, ammonium and nitrite levels were &lt;2 ppm, 1.5 ppm and 0.05 ppm, respectively. Archaea dominated the surface and the bottom, while bacteria were most common at 20–60 cm. Extremely halophilic archaea and bacteria including<jats:italic>Halorhabdus</jats:italic>spp.<jats:italic>Halorubrum</jats:italic>spp.,<jats:italic>Salinibacter iranicus</jats:italic>and<jats:italic>Halorhodospira halophila</jats:italic>were identified in all samples. Moreover, the relative abundance of<jats:italic>Halanaerobiaceae</jats:italic>accounted for 22% of the species in the top of the crater.<jats:italic>S. iranicus</jats:italic>and species belonging to<jats:italic>Halorhabdus</jats:italic>and<jats:italic>Halorubrum</jats:italic>that were identified between 60 and 100 cm could be considered as extreme organisms.</jats:p>

GA Zharikov, O. Krainova, M. Khaitov et al.

Medicine of Extreme Situations • 2022

Heptyl rocket fuel and aviation kerosene are widely used in the propulsion systems of the Proton and Soyuz spacecraft. The propellant components (RFC) enter the environment, causing strong toxic effects, when the separating first stages of rockets fall away or in case of emergencies. The study was aimed to isolate strains of microorganisms-destructors of RFC, as well as to assess their safety for bioremediation of contaminated soils. Microorganisms capable of decomposing heptyl, formalin, and aviation kerosene were isolated from natural soils. An association of two strains of bacterial destructors Pseudomonas putida 5G and Rhodococcus erythropolis 62М/3 was obtained, and a method of their use in recultivation of soil contaminated with RFC was developed. The results of laboratory and field tests showed high efficiency of the microbial destruction of pollutants, the decrease in integral toxicity and phytotoxicity of the cleaned soil to safe levels, and an increase in the soil biological activity. Thus, dehydrogenase activity increased by 2.4 times, hydrolase activity by 2.1 times, and cellulase activity by 5.1 times. Microbial association can be recommended for recultivation of soil contaminated with RFC.

Gabriele Ellena, Rosa Santomartino, Arianna Mazzoli et al.

• 0

<jats:p>In 2025, the Artemis II marks the first crewed mission orbiting the Moon, with plans for subsequent missions landing astronauts near the lunar South Pole and NASA aims to reach Mars by the 2030s. The growing interest in space underscores the increasing importance of long-term human presence in space missions. Challenges such as human health and sustainable food preservation persist in establishing settlements on other planetary bodies. Space agencies are developing regenerative life support systems utilizing hydroponic cultivation of plants and microalgae, fueled by crew waste as fertilizers. While biological systems could sustain astronauts, the predominantly vegan diets lack essential micronutrients. To address this, integrating microbial-based food supplements into current bioregenerative systems is crucial for ensuring a balanced diet and maintaining the health of space explorers.</jats:p> <jats:p>The <jats:bold>aim of this project</jats:bold> is to develop an alternative food system by growing microorganisms in space-related conditions and using their biomass, or products thereof, as food supplements for space travelers on long-duration space missions, e.g. to Mars. We select and study the impact of space conditions on microorganisms that can provide useful micronutrients for future space travelers, which cannot be fully provided by vegan diets. This will be done by selecting a range of candidate beneficial microorganisms. Various options are available, including <jats:italic>Bacillus subtilis spp.</jats:italic>, which can produce riboflavin (vitamin B2) and whose spores have already been tested on Mars analog surfaces (Cortesão et al., 2019). <jats:italic>Limosilactobacillus reuteri</jats:italic> could be used as supplement of riboflavin (Spacova et al., 2022) and has previously been shown to increase its production of reuterin under simulated microgravity conditions (Senatore et al., 2020). In addition, the yeast <jats:italic> Yarrowia lipolytica</jats:italic> is a well-known producer of essential amino acids, PUFA, MUFA, and vitamin B complexes (Jach &amp; Malm, 2022). Final strain selection will be based on (i) their ability and efficiency to produce micronutrients, (ii) their safety and health promoting (incl. Radiation protective) properties, (iii) their ability to survive and maintain production efficiency under extreme environments, including ionizing radiation and microgravity, and (iv) their compatibility with bio-based <jats:italic>in situ</jats:italic> resource utilization techniques (e.g., gas or mineral sources from Martian atmosphere or regolith through biomining) to increase loop-closure. The selected strains will be stored, revived and grown in simulated Martian conditions, to test their long-term stability and preservation as food supplement source. Through international collaborations, we will test these conditions using reduced-gravity simulators, space radiation analogs, and substrates based on lysed cells of bacteria previously grown on regolith simulants, such as <jats:italic>Chroococcidopsis sp.</jats:italic> (Billi et al., 2021), and <jats:italic>Anabaena sp.</jats:italic>, which has already been used to grow <jats:italic> Bacillus subtilis </jats:italic>from its inactivated biomass (Verseux, 2018).</jats:p> <jats:p>At the end of this 4-year PhD research project, the expected outcome is to improve the nutritional well-being of future space travelers settling on other planets, and also to generate innovative insights applicable to Earth-based fields such as biotechnology, radioprotection, and environmental science.</jats:p> <jats:p/> <jats:p> <jats:bold>References</jats:bold> </jats:p> <jats:p>Billi, D., Gallego Fernandez, B., Fagliarone, C., Chiavarini, S., &amp; Rothschild, L. J. (2021). Exploiting a perchlorate-tolerant desert cyanobacterium to support bacterial growth for in situ resource utilization on Mars. <jats:italic>International Journal of Astrobiology</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>20</jats:italic>(1), 29–35. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550420000300</jats:p> <jats:p>Cortesão, M., Fuchs, F. M., Commichau, F. M., Eichenberger, P., Schuerger, A. C., Nicholson, W. L., Setlow, P., &amp; Moeller, R. (2019). Bacillus subtilis spore resistance to simulated mars surface conditions. <jats:italic>Frontiers in Microbiology</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>10</jats:italic>(FEB). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00333</jats:p> <jats:p>Jach, M. E., &amp; Malm, A. (2022). Yarrowia lipolytica as an Alternative and Valuable Source of Nutritional and Bioactive Compounds for Humans. In <jats:italic>Molecules</jats:italic> (Vol. 27, Issue 7). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27072300</jats:p> <jats:p>Senatore, G., Mastroleo, F., Leys, N., &amp; Mauriello, G. (2020). Growth of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM17938 under Two Simulated Microgravity Systems: Changes in Reuterin Production, Gastrointestinal Passage Resistance, and Stress Genes Expression Response. <jats:italic>Astrobiology</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>20</jats:italic>(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2019.2082</jats:p> <jats:p>Spacova, I., Ahannach, S., Breynaert, A., Erreygers, I., Wittouck, S., Bron, P. A., Van Beeck, W., Eilers, T., Alloul, A., Blansaer, N., Vlaeminck, S. E., Hermans, N., &amp; Lebeer, S. (2022). Spontaneous Riboflavin-Overproducing Limosilactobacillus reuteri for Biofortification of Fermented Foods. <jats:italic>Frontiers in Nutrition</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>9</jats:italic>. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.916607</jats:p> <jats:p>Verseux, C. (2018). <jats:italic>Resistance of cyanobacteria to space and Mars environments, in the frame of the EXPOSE-R2 space mission and beyond</jats:italic>. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.28437.88808</jats:p>

Shuyao Wang, Yehuda Kleiner, Shawn M. Clark et al.

Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology • 2024

Hydroponic cultivation is an efficient, resource-saving technology that produces high yields of high-quality products per unit area without soil. While this technology can save water and fertilisers, water recirculation increases the accumulation of root exudates known to be toxic to the plant, causing growth inhibition. The usage of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) is well-documented for wastewater treatment, desalination, contamination remediation, bioelectricity generation, etc. In this review we explore the issues associated with the usage of traditional approaches in detecting and removing the phytotoxic substances exudated from plant roots. Furthermore, we investigate the prospects of deploying BESs in hydroponic systems and highlight potential benefits and challenges. The application, feasibility and scalability of BES-hydroponic systems, as well as the possibility of integration with other technologies are all critically discussed. It is concluded that the use of BESs for hydroponic wastewater treatment and for real-time plant growth monitoring represents a novel and valuable strategy. This approach has the potential to overcome limitations of the existing treatment methods and contribute to the advancement of sustainable agriculture. Graphical abstract

Jalal Ahmed, Sunghyun Kim

RSC Advances • 0

<jats:p>Polyaniline nanofibers can significantly improve the power density of microbial fuel cells by providing an ideal platform to accommodate as many bacterial cells as possible.</jats:p>

Connor E. Sauceda, Adam L. Smith

Environmental Science: Water Research &amp; Technology • 0

<jats:p>While acetate selected for high <jats:italic>Geobacter</jats:italic> spp. activity in the biofilm and a higher range of acetate detection, complex substrate selected for a more diverse biofilm community with a lower but steady current production and lower range of detection.</jats:p>

J. Prasad, R. K. Tripathi

International Journal of Energy Research • 2019

Sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) is a bio‐electrochemical device that generates direct current by microbes present in the soil. The main drawback of SMFC is the low voltage and fluctuations. Therefore, a suitable scheme is required to obtain sufficient voltage with insignificant fluctuation. This paper proposes an energy harvester power management system (PMS) to get rid of low voltage and fluctuation problem of SMFC. The proposed PMS is composed of a dc‐dc boost converter, switches, and super capacitors. The boost converter (using LTC3108 IC) successfully steps up the voltage up to 2.658 V and provides it to the load for 1.5 minutes. Four SMFCs connected with four individual super capacitors and a single boost converter has been used to implement this scheme. In this strategy, the charging and discharging time of the SMFCs are controlled in such a way that the continuous power will be supplied to the load with the optimum number of SMFCs. This scheme is tested on an experimental setup. It is found that the energy harvester PMS supplies a continuous voltage of 2.658 V with the efficiency of 85.46%, which is sufficient to power for small devices such as remote environment sensors, temperature sensors, LED lighting, and submersible ultrasonic receiver.

Moses Jeremiah Barasa Kabeyi, Oludolapo Akanni Olanrewaju

Intellectual Journal of Energy Harvesting and Storage • 0

<jats:p>Energy modelling has become important because of the global concern over greenhouse gas emissions. Governments use energy-economy models to develop climate policy. Models vary in methodology and purpose. The design of the energy transition pathways for sustainable electricity requires modelling tools that can accommodate high penetration of renewable energy sources while considering the evolution of fossil fuel sources, the cost of technology, natural dynamics of renewable sources and inherent benefits of low carbon sources like nuclear and cleaner fossil fuel technologies and other sources of energy for power generation. The study identified a wide range of models and tools with long range, short term and real time planning and decision-making capabilities. Various tools and software for modeling and optimization of grid electricity but, green smith energy management system (GEMS), modelling energy and grid services (MEGS), wien automatic system planning package (WASP), home energy management system (HEMS) showed promise for optimized real time as well as middle range grid connected energy system with a mix of renewable, variable energy sources and thermal electricity/energy sources. For use in middle as well as long range energy modeling, identified models include EnergyPLAN, model for analysis of energy demand (MAED), model for energy supply strategy alternatives and their general environmental impact (MESSAGE), and long- range energy alternatives planning system (LEAP).</jats:p>

Umesh Ghimire, Veera Gnaneswar Gude

Scientific Reports • 0

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>This study reports an investigation of the concept, application and performance of a novel bioelectrochemical nitritation-anammox microbial desalination cell (MDC) for resource-efficient wastewater treatment and desalination. Two configurations of anammox MDCs (anaerobic-anammox cathode MDC (AnA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC) and nitration-anammox cathode MDC (NiA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC)) were compared with an air cathode MDC (CMDC), operated in fed-batch mode. Results from this study showed that the maximum power density produced by NiA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC (1,007 mW/m<jats:sup>3</jats:sup>) was higher than that of AnA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC (444 mW/m<jats:sup>3</jats:sup>) and CMDC (952 mW/m<jats:sup>3</jats:sup>). More than 92% of ammonium-nitrogen (NH<jats:sub>4</jats:sub><jats:sup>+</jats:sup>-N) removal was achieved in NiA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC, significantly higher than AnA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC (84%) and CMDC (77%). The NiA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC performed better than CMDC and AnA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC in terms of power density, COD removal and salt removal in desalination chamber. In addition, cyclic voltammetry analysis of anammox cathode showed a redox peak centered at −140 mV Vs Ag/AgCl confirming the catalytic activity of anammox bacteria towards the electron transfer process. Further, net energy balance of the NiA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC was the highest (NiA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC-0.022 kWh/m<jats:sup>3</jats:sup>&gt;CMDC-0.019 kWh/m<jats:sup>3</jats:sup>&gt;AnA<jats:sub>mox</jats:sub>MDC-0.021 kWh/m<jats:sup>3</jats:sup>) among the three configurations. This study demonstrated, for the first time, a N-E-W synergy for resource-efficient wastewater treatment using nitritation-anammox process.</jats:p>

Xiumin Niu, Xufeng Luo

Distributed Generation &amp; Alternative Energy Journal • 0

<jats:p>The technique of directly converting solar energy into electricity using PV modules is distributed photovoltaic (PV) power generation. It is frequently used in a system and is referred to as a distributed PV power system. The system generates power in the surrounding areas and connects to the neighbouring utility grid. A distributed energy storage (DES) system is a bundled solution that stores energy for future use. In the short term, one of the most significant problems with solar power storage is that the batteries utilized for the application are still costly and giant. The more power requires the bigger battery must be. Further research revealed that maximizing solar and wind energies minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and lower the total cost of energy. The ability to store energy is crucial in balancing because it makes the grid more adaptable and stable. The mission of energy conservation and energy storage (ECES) aims to help integrate energy-storage technology research, production, deployment, and integration to improve the energy efficiency of all energy systems and enable the increased use of renewable energy in place of fossil fuels. Storage benefits are examined in terms of distribution transformer loads and storage support during energy fluctuations from renewable energy. However, the results show that the methodology’s recommended framework is successful and obtained with enhanced performance with a reliability of 95.6%. The proposed technique improves the Reliability analysis ratio of 95.4%, Performance analysis comparison ratio of 98.6%, accuracy analysis ratio of 91.3%, ECES model’s efficiency is estimated at 95.6%.</jats:p>

International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering • 2020

As the future energy generation, renewable energy as a cleaner energy is more targeted area of research. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) in hybrid energy sources, one can use wind, solar and MFC with its capability to use bio-catalytic and microorganisms to generate an electrical current. This research focuses on the impact of temperature on generation of energy for Maharashtra regions. The proposed framework presents the study about MFC bio-catalysts and its ability to produce electrical power. The proposed MFC model generates an optimum current by making use of bio-waste as the single electron donor. This paper presents impact of different weather temperatures on the power generation by proposed model.

Matthew Lo

2023 IEEE International Conference on Energy Technologies for Future Grids (ETFG) • 2023

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are a promising renewable and sustainable energy solution for low-power field electronic devices, but remain in the research phase mainly due to low power output efficiency. Based on the author’s previous studies, this research focused on the development of a proposed novel plant-based hybrid MFC, with two different configurations (dry and wet). Additionally, three main factors of the MFC systems were studied: the effect of plants through rhizodeposition and photosynthetic efficiency, the impact of soil physiochemical and biological characteristics, and the configuration design of an efficient MFC. All hybrid MFC systems were carefully constructed using three types of soils (potting soil, yard soil, and river soil), six plants (Bonnie Curly Spider, Peace Lily, Lemongrass, Tomato Plant, Basil, and Lettuce), and three electrode types (zinc mesh, copper spiral, and graphite felt). Power density from each system was calculated as a function of days during growth and was based on the experimental measurement of the open voltage of every setup. Statistical t-tests were applied for data analysis. The results indicated that adding water to the MFC systems increased power output and decreased internal resistance. T-test analyses showed that the differences between wet and dry systems were statistically significant, with the wet system reducing internal resistance by up to 2 times and increasing power density by up to 3 times. Furthermore, the hybrid systems displayed significant advantages over their S-MFC and P-MFC counterparts, especially in sustained power output and lowered internal resistance, and reached a maximum power density of 0.28 W m-2, suggesting that future implementation of this technology in a scaled-up setting is more feasible. Therefore, it is suggested that plant-based hybrid MFC systems will be the future direction of S-MFC and P-MFC technology.

Matthew Lo

2023 IEEE Green Technologies Conference (GreenTech) • 2023

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are a promising renewable and sustainable energy solution for low-power field electronic devices, but still remain in the research phase due to low power output efficiency. This research systematically studied three tubular MFC systems including standalone soil microbial fuel cells (S-MFCs), plant microbial fuel cells (P-MFCs), and a proposed hybrid MFC (H-MFC) system. All tubular MFC systems were carefully constructed using three types of soils (potting soil, yard soil, and river soil), four plants (Bonnie Curly Spider, Peace Lily, Lemongrass, and Tomato Plant), and two types of electrodes (zinc mesh as the cathode and copper spiral as the anode). Power density from each system was calculated as a function of the days during growth and was based on the experimental measurement of the open voltage of every setup. The results showed that a standalone S-MFC system had easy implementation and a higher power density initially than some P-MFCs but was not as sustainable as P-MFCs, whereas both P-MFC and hybrid systems could produce power densities for sustained periods of time. However, the difference in power density between P-MFC and hybrid systems was observed after 18 days for potting soil and 11 days for yard soil, and after 30 days, the power density of all hybrid systems was roughly 2 times that of all P-MFC setups. Furthermore, the hybrid systems displayed significant advantages over their S-MFC and P-MFC counterparts, especially in the sustained power output and ease of replaceability, meaning that future implementation of this technology in a scaled-up setting is more feasible. Therefore, it is suggested that hybrid MFC systems will be the future direction of S-MFC and P-MFC technology.

Suriya Ponnambalam, M. K. Ilampoornan

Advances in Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering • 2024

<jats:p>In response to the growing energy crisis, increasing environmental awareness, and adverse effects of climate change, adopting renewable energy (RE) technology for electric vehicle (EV) charging has emerged as a promising solution. While EVs demonstrate high efficiency, their effectiveness in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is directly linked to the source of electricity used for charging. This review examines several key aspects of RE integration with EV charging. First, it analyzes current RE sources utilized in EV charging infrastructure and their global deployment patterns. Second, it investigates various energy storage technologies, charging systems, and intelligent grid integration methods that facilitate RE adoption in the EV sector. Third, it evaluates implemented smart charging strategies that align with current global trends in EV energy consumption. Finally, the review addresses critical challenges and opportunities in grid integration, infrastructure modernization, standardization protocols, maintenance requirements, network security, and supply chain optimization.</jats:p>

Akawu Shekari Biliyok, Salawudeen Ahmed Tijani

Renewable Energy - Recent Advances • 0

<jats:p>This chapter discuss an improvement on the novel computational intelligent algorithm using the smell phenomenon. In the standard smell agent optimization algorithm, the olfactory capacity is constant thereby assuming that every smell agent has the same sensing capacity. In the improved smell agent optimization algorithm, that is changed to account for the difference in smell agent capacity. The algorithm was run against the standard smell agent optimization on Matlab to find the best HRES design using annual cost, Levelized cost of electricity (LCE), loss of power supply probability (LPSP) and excess energy. It was shown after the comparative analysis that there was a 79%, 99.9% and 53.4% improvement for annual cost, LCE and LPSP respectively. Statistically, results showed that the iSAO obtained the most cost effective HRES design compared to the benchmarked algorithms.</jats:p>

Loso Judijanto

Journal of Renewable Engineering • 0

<jats:p>This study aims to examine the potential contribution of the Hybrid Renewable Energy System in supporting sustainable energy transitions in the future, especially in the context of reducing carbon emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. This study uses a descriptive-quantitative research type with an engineering simulation approach. The study focuses on modeling and analyzing the contribution of a hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) in reducing carbon emissions and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. . Based on the results of observations and analysis of technical data on solar radiation and daily wind speed, photovoltaic (PV)-based renewable energy systems show significant technical potential in generating electricity consistently throughout the year, especially in tropical areas. Meanwhile, although the potential for wind energy is relatively smaller, especially in areas with low average wind speeds, wind turbines can still provide additional contributions — especially when solar conditions are limited such as at night or in the rainy season. By combining these two energy sources into a hybrid system (HRES), the efficiency of renewable energy utilization can be maximized. The combination of PV and wind turbines allows : 1 ) Direct carbon emission reduction, which is ~22.7 tons of CO₂ per year from the PV system alone. 2) Diversification of energy sources, which reduces vulnerability to single dependence on fossil fuels. 3) Increasing the reliability of the electricity system, especially for remote areas and areas not yet covered by the PLN network. Overall, HRES provides a practical, efficient, and sustainable solution to meet the energy needs of small to medium-scale communities. It also opens up opportunities for energy decentralization, promotes a green economy, and strengthens Indonesia's commitment to net zero emissions targets in the future.</jats:p>

Primož Medved

Družboslovne razprave • 2023

<jats:p>To reach the ambitious EU 2030 renewable energy targets, new innovative models and collective investment schemes are needed to release citizens’ socio-economic potential to fully participate in the energy transition. The article aims to set the direction and basis for a concrete renewable energy communities (RECs) platform able to encourage the multiplication of RECs while ensuring the inclusion and empowerment of the most vulnerable parts of society. The REC platform is an interactive meeting, learning and investing point – a “one-stop shop” which connects REC producers with the customers, the urban and rural population, local and virtual members, (crowdfunding) investors and the most vulnerable individuals.</jats:p>

Journal of Electronics and Sensors • 0

<jats:p>There are many renewable energy sources in nature today. The most commonly used of these are solar, wave, wind and flow energy. The weakest aspect of these renewable energy sources in nature is that the amount of energy produced depends on the nature conditions. The power generation capacities of these energy sources depending on the weather conditions in order to more stable them are necessary to combine. By combining more than one renewable energy source, a hybrid power generation system is created. Hybrid energy storage units are added to this hybrid power generation system to ensure persistence of energy. In this study, sea flow energy and offshore wind energy are combined and a hybrid power generation system has been created. In addition, a hybrid energy storage unit consisting of a battery and ultracapacitor has been created in order to ensure the persistence of the energy produced. All two hybrid units were simulated using MATLAB/Simulink program. By integrating these systems with each other, their dynamic behaviors were investigated under possible working conditions. The results of the simulation show that the hybrid energy storage unit supports the wind and sea flow energy.</jats:p>

Shilaja C, Dr. S. Jeyanthi

Psychology and Education Journal • 0

<jats:p>Power generation is more important to fulfill power demand throughout the world. Population and their electric power demand are increasing day by day. Achieve the energy demand from end-users, and recent research works have concentrated on designing a hybrid energy system. This paper proposed a multi-objective optimized model of a hybrid renewable energy system for a grid. The optimal model can choose a suitable design model of solar, wind, diesel, and batteries interconnected in the hybrid energy system. Optimization is applied for minimizing the system cost, fuel cost and diminish the fuel emission. It also aimed to improve the reliability of renewable sources. Initially, the problem is defined as a multi-objective problem and solved by a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. From the simulation results, it is identified that the proposed multi-objective evolutionary algorithm performs better. </jats:p>

Sonia, Anil Kumar Dahiya

Energy Storage • 2023

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The need to incorporate renewable energy sources in the present grid due to energy demand and environmental issues has led the power industry to face new challenges and unexpected transformations. This new epitome to build a flexible power system with coordination of increasing intermittent renewable energy resources and delivering power efficiently with reliability demand new technologies. This work investigates the coupling of static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) with the most exclusive superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) device designed for the improved functioning of a grid network that is incorporated with a wind farm. The widespread integration of intermittent wind generators in the grid is disturbing its stability and reliability. The SMES is interlinked with the grid system via a power electronic interface and chopper for the energy exchange. This work suggests STATCOM as a power electronic interface and a three‐level chopper configuration with novel control scheme for enhancing the functioning of the test system. This integrated controller (STAT‐SMES) has been analyzed for grid‐connected doubly fed induction generator wind farm under different fault conditions and time durations. The results have been compared without any controller, with STATCOM only, and with the proposed STAT‐SMES controller using MATLAB. The simulation outcomes prove that coupled control scheme is effective and better in handling wind farm integration issues.</jats:p>