Journal: Environmental Chemistry Letters

Abbreviation

Environ. Chem. Lett.

Publisher

Springer

Journal Volumes

ISSN

1610-3653
1610-3661

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Publications 1 - 7 of 7
  • High-resolution mapping of premature mortality induced by atmospheric particulate matter in China
    Item type: Journal Article
    Zheng, Sheng; Wu, Xue; Lichtfouse, Eric; et al. (2022)
    Environmental Chemistry Letters
    Air pollution, measured by the concentration of airborne particulate matter with diameter below 2.5 μm (PM2.5), is known to cause globally adverse health effects leading to premature mortality, yet high-resolution spatial distribution of premature deaths is lacking due to the absence of detailed data for the calculation of premature mortality. Here, we mapped the impact of PM2.5 on premature mortality at high resolution in 2018 using the global exposure mortality model, then we carried out statistical analysis in provincial-level administrative divisions. Results show that the PM2.5 threshold of 35 μg/m3 is exceeded in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and in mideastern, highly urbanized and industrial regions of Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Hubei, Anhui, and Shanghai. Premature deaths due to PM2.5 exposure in China amounted to 1.44 million, including 510,847 from ischemic heart disease, 471,487 from cerebrovascular disease, 220,837 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 131,321 from lung cancer, and 103,658 from lower respiratory infection. Premature mortality was higher in men, of 879,521 persons accounting for 61%, than women, of 558,629 persons. In provincial-level administrative divisions, high premature deaths were mainly concentrated in the North China Plain, with the highest per capita premature mortality in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Henan, Hebei, and Shandong. Our finer resolution data, together with the age- and sex-specific population data, have improved the estimation of health impacts of PM2.5 exposure.
  • Catalyst-free synthesis of alpha-acyloxycarboxamides in aqueous media
    Item type: Journal Article
    Paprocki, Daniel; Wilk, Monika; Madej, Arleta; et al. (2019)
    Environmental Chemistry Letters
  • Hydrogen production, storage, utilisation and environmental impacts: a review
    Item type: Review Article
    Osman, Ahmed I.; Mehta, Neha; Elgarahy, Ahmed M.; et al. (2022)
    Environmental Chemistry Letters
    Dihydrogen (H-2), commonly named 'hydrogen', is increasingly recognised as a clean and reliable energy vector for decarbonisation and defossilisation by various sectors. The global hydrogen demand is projected to increase from 70 million tonnes in 2019 to 120 million tonnes by 2024. Hydrogen development should also meet the seventh goal of 'affordable and clean energy' of the United Nations. Here we review hydrogen production and life cycle analysis, hydrogen geological storage and hydrogen utilisation. Hydrogen is produced by water electrolysis, steam methane reforming, methane pyrolysis and coal gasification. We compare the environmental impact of hydrogen production routes by life cycle analysis. Hydrogen is used in power systems, transportation, hydrocarbon and ammonia production, and metallugical industries. Overall, combining electrolysis-generated hydrogen with hydrogen storage in underground porous media such as geological reservoirs and salt caverns is well suited for shifting excess off-peak energy to meet dispatchable on-peak demand.
  • Recent advances in carbon capture storage and utilisation technologies: a review
    Item type: Review Article
    Osman, Ahmed I.; Hefny, Mahmoud; Abdel Maksoud, M.I.A.; et al. (2021)
    Environmental Chemistry Letters
    Human activities have led to a massive increase in CO2 emissions as a primary greenhouse gas that is contributing to climate change with higher than 1∘C global warming than that of the pre-industrial level. We evaluate the three major technologies that are utilised for carbon capture: pre-combustion, post-combustion and oxyfuel combustion. We review the advances in carbon capture, storage and utilisation. We compare carbon uptake technologies with techniques of carbon dioxide separation. Monoethanolamine is the most common carbon sorbent; yet it requires a high regeneration energy of 3.5 GJ per tonne of CO2. Alternatively, recent advances in sorbent technology reveal novel solvents such as a modulated amine blend with lower regeneration energy of 2.17 GJ per tonne of CO2. Graphene-type materials show CO2 adsorption capacity of 0.07 mol/g, which is 10 times higher than that of specific types of activated carbon, zeolites and metal–organic frameworks. CO2 geosequestration provides an efficient and long-term strategy for storing the captured CO2 in geological formations with a global storage capacity factor at a Gt-scale within operational timescales. Regarding the utilisation route, currently, the gross global utilisation of CO2 is lower than 200 million tonnes per year, which is roughly negligible compared with the extent of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions, which is higher than 32,000 million tonnes per year. Herein, we review different CO2 utilisation methods such as direct routes, i.e. beverage carbonation, food packaging and oil recovery, chemical industries and fuels. Moreover, we investigated additional CO2 utilisation for base-load power generation, seasonal energy storage, and district cooling and cryogenic direct air CO2 capture using geothermal energy. Through bibliometric mapping, we identified the research gap in the literature within this field which requires future investigations, for instance, designing new and stable ionic liquids, pore size and selectivity of metal–organic frameworks and enhancing the adsorption capacity of novel solvents. Moreover, areas such as techno-economic evaluation of novel solvents, process design and dynamic simulation require further effort as well as research and development before pilot- and commercial-scale trials.
  • Recycling traditional Chinese medicine residues: a review
    Item type: Review Article
    Wu, Xiaowei; Dai, Dai; Li, Na; et al. (2025)
    Environmental Chemistry Letters
    Traditional Chinese medicine has a rich history in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, yet the disposal of medicine residues by incineration and landfilling is challenging. Here we review methods to recycle Chinese medicine residues with focus on challenges, recycling solutions, and case studies. Cases studies include extraction of bioactive compounds, use as feed additives, and biochar-based materials. We observed that residues from single-compound medicines are easier to extract and recycle into animal feed additives or adsorbents. Technical and economic analysis show that the valorisation of single-compound medicine residues is profitable. For instance, the re-extraction cost of flavonoids is 25.8-36.6% lower than the market price, and the cost as feed additives represents 14.7% of the market prices.
  • Review of fly ash inertisation treatments and recycling
    Item type: Journal Article
    Zacco, Annalisa; Borgese, Laura; Gianoncelli, Alessandra; et al. (2014)
    Environmental Chemistry Letters
  • Manganese-Catalyzed Degradation of Phosphonic Acids
    Item type: Journal Article
    Nowack, Bernd; Stone, Alan T. (2003)
    Environmental Chemistry Letters
Publications 1 - 7 of 7