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Open AccessArticle

Pollution Risk Prediction for Cadmium in Soil from an Abandoned Mine Based on Random Forest Model

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 5097; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065097 - 14 Mar 2023

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Abstract

It is highly uncertain as to the potential risk of toxic metal(loid)s in abandoned mine soil. In this study, random forest was used to predict the risk of cadmium pollution in the soils of an abandoned lead/zinc mine. The results showed that the [...] Read more.

It is highly uncertain as to the potential risk of toxic metal(loid)s in abandoned mine soil. In this study, random forest was used to predict the risk of cadmium pollution in the soils of an abandoned lead/zinc mine. The results showed that the random forest model is stable and precise for the pollution risk prediction of toxic metal(loid)s. The mean of Cd, Cu, Tl, Zn, and Pb was 6.02, 1.30, 1.18, 2.03, and 2.08 times higher than the soil background values of China, respectively, and their coefficients of variation were above 30%. As a case study, cadmium in the mine soil had “slope” hazard characteristics while the ore sorting area was the major source area of cadmium. The theoretical values of the random forest model are similar to the practical values for the ore sorting area, metallogenic belt, riparian zone, smelting area, hazardous waste landfill, and mining area. The potential risk of soil Cd in the ore sorting area, metallogenic belt, and riparian zone are extremely high. The tendency of pollution risk migrates significantly both from the ore sorting area to the smelting area and the mining area, and to the hazardous waste landfill. The correlation of soil pollution risk is significant between the mining area, the smelting area, and the riparian zone. The results suggested that the random forest model can effectively evaluate and predict the potential risk of the spatial heterogeneity of toxic metal(loid)s in abandoned mine soils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

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Open AccessArticle

Quantitative Assessment of Water Quality Improvement by Reducing External Loadings at Lake Erhai, Southwest China

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 5038; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065038 - 13 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 777

Abstract

To quantitatively evaluate the effects on water quality improvement caused by reducing external loadings entering Lake Erhai through inflow rivers, a one-dimensional hydrodynamic and ecological model (DYRESM–CAEDYM) was set up to simulate the water quality and water level variations. The calibrated and validated [...] Read more.

To quantitatively evaluate the effects on water quality improvement caused by reducing external loadings entering Lake Erhai through inflow rivers, a one-dimensional hydrodynamic and ecological model (DYRESM–CAEDYM) was set up to simulate the water quality and water level variations. The calibrated and validated model was used to conduct six scenarios for evaluating the water quality responses to different amounts of external loading reduction at Lake Erhai. The results show (1) the total nitrogen (TN) concentration of Lake Erhai will be higher than 0.5 mg/L without any watershed pollution control during April–November 2025, which cannot meet Grade II standard of the China Surface Water Environmental Quality Standards (GB3838-2002). (2) External loading reductions can significantly reduce the concentrations of nutrients and Chla at Lake Erhai. The effects of water quality improvement will be proportional to the reduction rate of external loading reductions. (3) Internal release might be an important source of pollution It needs to be seriously considered as well as external loading for mitigating the eutrophication at Lake Erhai in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

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Open AccessArticle

Linking Ecosystem Service Supply and Demand to Evaluate the Ecological Security in the Pearl River Delta Based on the Pressure-State-Response Model

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4062; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054062 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 635

Abstract

The increase in population and economic development has made environmental issues more serious and threatens regional ecological security and sustainable development. Currently, most indicators in the related research field of ecological security tend to be socio-economic and neglect depicting the state of the [...] Read more.

The increase in population and economic development has made environmental issues more serious and threatens regional ecological security and sustainable development. Currently, most indicators in the related research field of ecological security tend to be socio-economic and neglect depicting the state of the ecosystems. This study, therefore, assessed the ecological security by constructing the evaluation index system embedded in the ecosystem service supply and demand based on the pressure–state–response model and identified the key obstacles to ecological security in the Pearl River Delta from 1990 to 2015. Our results showed that soil retention, carbon sequestration, and water yield increased with fluctuation except for grain production and habitat quality. The grain demand, carbon emission, and water demand increased sharply by 10.1%, 769.4%, and 17.5%, respectively. The ecosystem service supply areas were mainly located in the low hills, while the demand regions were mainly in the low plain areas. The ecological security index’s decline in vitality was caused by the decrease in the pressure index, indicating that the ecological security showed an inevitable deterioration and increased pressure on the ecosystem. During the study period, the source of the five key obstacle factors changed from the state layer and response layer to the pressure layer. The accumulative degree of the five top obstacle factors was above 45%. Therefore, governments should grasp the key indicators to improve ecological security as this study provides the theoretical basis and scientific information for sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

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Open AccessArticle

Socioeconomic Factors Influence the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Blue–Green Infrastructure Demand: A Case of Nanjing City

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 3979; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053979 - 23 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1003

Abstract

Blue–green infrastructure provides a variety of ecosystem services and is becoming an increasingly vital part of urban ecosystem protection. It is an ecological facility for ecological conservation and environmental protection, and a foundation for realizing people’s needs for a better life. This study [...] Read more.

Blue–green infrastructure provides a variety of ecosystem services and is becoming an increasingly vital part of urban ecosystem protection. It is an ecological facility for ecological conservation and environmental protection, and a foundation for realizing people’s needs for a better life. This study selects indicators from four dimensions: social, economic, environmental, and ecological, and the demand for blue–green infrastructure is assessed comprehensively. The results show that: (1) the demand for blue–green infrastructure varies spatially with the development of the city; (2) the total demand for blue–green infrastructure in Nanjing from 2000 to 2020 shows a pattern of “high in the center and low in the periphery”; (3) the level of economic development, urban spatial pattern, and decision management orientation have different degrees of influence on the demand for blue–green infrastructure, with the urban spatial pattern having the greatest impact. Therefore, in the future, blue–green infrastructure should be optimized by taking into account the spatial characteristics of demand in Nanjing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

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Open AccessArticle

Impact of Vanadium-Containing Stone Coal Smelting on Trace Metals in an Agricultural Soil–Vegetable System: Accumulation, Transfer, and Health Risks

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2425; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032425 - 30 Jan 2023

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Abstract

Dietary exposure to trace metals (TMs) through vegetable consumption has been identified as a potential risk to human health. Fifty-one paired agricultural soil and leaf vegetable samples were collected around V-containing stone coal smelting sites in Hunan Province, China, to study the contamination [...] Read more.

Dietary exposure to trace metals (TMs) through vegetable consumption has been identified as a potential risk to human health. Fifty-one paired agricultural soil and leaf vegetable samples were collected around V-containing stone coal smelting sites in Hunan Province, China, to study the contamination and transfer characteristics of TMs (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, V, and Zn) in the soil–vegetable system. The health risk to local residents through vegetable ingestion was evaluated using Monte Carlo simulations. The results showed that 96.2%, 23.1%, 53.8%, 30.8%, 96.2%, and 69.2% of the soil samples had Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, V, and Zn contents exceeding their related maximum allowable values, respectively. Cadmium and V were the primary pollutants based on the I_geo values. Moreover, 46.9% and 48.4% of vegetable samples exceeded the maximum permissible levels for Cd and Pb, respectively. There was a negative correlation between the bioaccumulation factors for Cd and V of the vegetable and soil physicochemical properties, including pH, organic matter, and free Fe₂O₃ content. Ingestion of garland chrysanthemum and pak choi posed high health risks, and Cd, V, and Pb were the primary contributors. These findings will help design strategies to minimize contamination and human exposure to soil–vegetable systems caused by V-containing stone coal smelting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

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Open AccessArticle

Bibliometric Analysis for Carbon Neutrality with Hotspots, Frontiers, and Emerging Trends between 1991 and 2022

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 926; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020926 - 04 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1142

Abstract

The proposal of carbon neutrality is a manifestation of actively responding to global warming and sustainable development, which means all greenhouse gases achieve near-zero emissions. China is also fulfilling its national mission in this regard. This paper collected 4922 documents from the “Web [...] Read more.

The proposal of carbon neutrality is a manifestation of actively responding to global warming and sustainable development, which means all greenhouse gases achieve near-zero emissions. China is also fulfilling its national mission in this regard. This paper collected 4922 documents from the “Web of Science Core Database” and used Citespace (6.1.R2 Advanced) and Vosviewer (1.6.18) software and Bibliometrix functions to carry out descriptive statistics on the number of publications, cooperation mechanisms, and keyword hotspots, finding that the literature mainly focused on China’s carbon neutrality, carbon emissions, energy efficiency, sustainable development, and other related topics in the past two years. Further, the 2060 carbon neutrality action plan for China is discussed, focusing on the implementation plan and technical route and proposing the corresponding plans. The purpose of this paper is to accelerate the pace of China’s achievement of this goal and to provide feasible solutions and pathways to its achievement through insight into global carbon neutrality hotspots and new trends. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

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Open AccessArticle

Spatial and Temporal Variation and Prediction of Ecosystem Carbon Stocks in Yunnan Province Based on Land Use Change

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Mingcan Luo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16059; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316059 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 996

Abstract

The function of ecosystems as carbon sinks has emerged as a key strategy for advancing the concept of “carbon neutrality” and “carbon peaking”. Ecosystem carbon stocks are impacted by land use changes that alter ecosystem structure and function. We evaluated the ecosystem carbon [...] Read more.

The function of ecosystems as carbon sinks has emerged as a key strategy for advancing the concept of “carbon neutrality” and “carbon peaking”. Ecosystem carbon stocks are impacted by land use changes that alter ecosystem structure and function. We evaluated the ecosystem carbon stocks of Yunnan Province in different periods with the aid of the carbon stock module of the InVEST model, analyzed the relationship between land use type shift and ecosystem carbon stock changes, and combine them with the CA-Markov model to predict land use types in 2030. The results showed that between 1990 and 2020, changes in land use primarily affected cropland, grassland, and forested areas. The ecosystem’s average carbon stock from 1990 to 2020 was 8278.97 × 10⁶ t. The carbon stocks of cropland, grassland, and unused land decreased by 31.36 × 10⁶ t, 32.18 × 10⁶ t, and 4.18 × 10⁶ t during 1990–2020, respectively, while the carbon stocks of forest land, water area, and construction land increased by 24.31 × 10⁶ t, 7.34 × 10⁶ t, and 22.08 × 10⁶ t. The main cause of the increase in carbon stocks in the ecosystem in Yunnan Province throughout the process of land use type shift was the development of forest land area, whereas the main cause of the decline was the shrinkage of cropland and grassland areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

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Open AccessArticle

Ecological Sustainability and Households’ Wellbeing: Linking Households’ Non-Traditional Fuel Choices with Reduced Depression in Rural China

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15639; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315639 - 24 Nov 2022

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Abstract

A sustainable and pleasant environment is deemed to offer various positive externalities such as scenic, visual and behavioral archetypes and patterns exhibiting in various forms. Such a scenario can significantly relieve households from many psychological and personal complications such as depression. Depression has [...] Read more.

A sustainable and pleasant environment is deemed to offer various positive externalities such as scenic, visual and behavioral archetypes and patterns exhibiting in various forms. Such a scenario can significantly relieve households from many psychological and personal complications such as depression. Depression has aroused great concerns in recent years due to its personal and social burdens and unforeseeable damage. Many studies have explored the effects of air pollution caused by traditional fuel consumption on depression. However, limited evidence is available on how household non-traditional fuel choices affect depression. Based on a nationally representative dataset collected from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2012, this paper employs an endogenous switching regression (ESR) model and an endogenous switching probit (ESP) model to address the endogenous issue and to estimate the treatment effects of non-traditional fuel choices on depression in rural China. The empirical results show that non-traditional fuel users have significantly lower Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scores, indicating non-traditional fuel users face a lower risk of depression. Compared to solid fuels, employing non-traditional fuels will lead to a 3.659 reduction in depression score or decrease the probability of depression by 8.2%. In addition, the results of the mechanism analysis show that household non-traditional fuel choices affect depression by reducing the probability of physical discomfort and chronic disease. This study provides new insight into understanding the impact of air pollution in the house on depression and how to avoid the risk of depression in rural China effectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

Open AccessArticle

Urbanization Impact on Regional Sustainable Development: Through the Lens of Urban-Rural Resilience

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15407; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215407 - 21 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1220

Abstract

The urban–rural system is an economically, socially, and environmentally interlinked space, which requires the integration of industry, space, and population. To achieve sustainable and coordinated development between urban and rural systems, dynamic land use change within the urban–rural system and the ecological and [...] Read more.

The urban–rural system is an economically, socially, and environmentally interlinked space, which requires the integration of industry, space, and population. To achieve sustainable and coordinated development between urban and rural systems, dynamic land use change within the urban–rural system and the ecological and social consequences need to be clarified. This study uses system resilience to evaluate such an impact and explores the impact of land use change, especially land conversion induced by urbanization on regional development through the lens of urban–rural resilience. The empirical case is based on the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration (BTHUA) in China from 2000 to 2020 when there was rapid urbanization in this region. The results show that along with urbanization in the BTHUA, urban–rural resilience is high in urban core areas and low in peripheral areas. From the urban core to the rural outskirts, there is a general trend that comprehensive resilience decreases with decreased social resilience and increased ecological resilience in this region. Specifically, at the city level, comprehensive resilience decreases sharply from the urban center to its 3–5 km buffer zone and then remains relatively stable in the rural regions. A similar trend goes for social resilience at the city level, while ecological resilience increases sharply from the urban center to its 1–3 km buffer zone, and then remains relatively stable in the rural regions in this region, except for cities in the west and south of Hebei. This study contributes to the conceptualization and measurement of urban–rural resilience in the urban–rural system with empirical findings revealing the impact of rapid urbanization on urban–rural resilience over the last twenty years in the BTHUA in China. In addition, the spatial heterogeneity results could be used for policy reference to make targeted resilience strategies in the study region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

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Open AccessArticle

Trade and Embodied CO₂ Emissions: Analysis from a Global Input–Output Perspective

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14605; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114605 - 07 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1473

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Global trade drives the world’s economic development, while a large amount of embodied carbon is transferred among different countries and regions. Based on a multi-regional input–output model, the trade embodied carbon transfers of bilateral trade between 185 countries/regions around the world were calculated. [...] Read more.

Global trade drives the world’s economic development, while a large amount of embodied carbon is transferred among different countries and regions. Based on a multi-regional input–output model, the trade embodied carbon transfers of bilateral trade between 185 countries/regions around the world were calculated. On the basis, regional trade embodied carbon transfer patterns and major national trade patterns in six continents, eight major economic cooperation organizations, and six representative countries/regions were further analyzed. The results showed that Europe was the continent with the largest embodied carbon inflows from trade and Africa was the continent with the largest embodied carbon outflows from trade. China was the country which had the largest embodied carbon outflows from trade, while the United States, France, Japan, and Germany were countries which had embodied carbon inflows from trade. OECD, EU, and NAFTA were the economic cooperation organizations with embodied carbon inflows from trade, while BRICS, SCO, RCEP, OPEC, and ASEAN were economic cooperation organizations with embodied carbon outflows from trade. Developed countries such as the United States, France, and the United Kingdom protected their environment by exporting high-value products and importing low-value and carbon-intensive products. Developing countries such as China and Russia earned foreign exchange by exporting carbon-intensive and commodity products at a huge environmental cost. In contrast, Germany, China, and Russia played different roles in the global industrial chain, while Germany exchanged more trade surpluses at lower environmental costs. Therefore, for different countries and regions, their own industries should be actively upgraded to adjust the import and export structure, the cooperation and coordination in all regions of the world should be strengthened, and the transfers of embodied carbon needs to be reduced to make the trade model sustainable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

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Open AccessArticle

Food, Energy, and Water Nexus at Household Level: Do Sustainable Household Consumption Practices Promote Cleaner Environment?

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12945; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912945 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1430

Abstract

Governments around the globe are trying to find sustainable solutions for lessening pressure on natural resources and reducing carbon emissions. Daily household consumption of food, energy, and water has an impact on stocks of natural resources, environmental quality, and climate change. Households have [...] Read more.

Governments around the globe are trying to find sustainable solutions for lessening pressure on natural resources and reducing carbon emissions. Daily household consumption of food, energy, and water has an impact on stocks of natural resources, environmental quality, and climate change. Households have significant potential for increasing conservation actions for efficient use of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions. Households could contribute to a clean and healthy environment by adopting sustainable household practices through lower per capita consumption and carbon emissions. This study explored the role of different sustainable household consumption practices in promoting a clean environment as well as the factors affecting the adoption of these practices in Pakistan. Factor analysis and an ordered probit model were used to analyze the data from 1424 participants chosen through a multistage random sampling technique. The factor analysis identified 35 sustainable household practices for sustainable consumption. These 35 practices were grouped into the underlying factors of “Food” (14 items), “Energy” (12 items), and “Water” (9 items). The results from the econometric model showed a significant relationship between gender, education, residential area, family size, and income and the adoption of sustainable household consumption practices. Statistically, higher levels of reported sustainable consumption practices were apparent among females, households living in urban areas, more educated people, individuals of large family sizes, and more affluent households. Therefore, public policies for taking care of the environment need to put households at the center while at the same time promoting mass uptake of sustainable consumption practices related to food, energy, and water. In addition, the sector-specific policies also need to be augmented through focus on household-level consumption and production dynamics for achieving the UN’s SDGs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Environmental Ecology and Management)

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