Unveiling the environmental impact of corn production in China: evidence from panel ARDL approach

Understanding the cycle of carbon emissions resulting from agricultural practices is critical for evaluating their effect on environmental quality. This study investigates the influence of corn production on environmental quality across six major corn producing provinces in China: Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Shandong, and Sichuan, using panel datasets spanning from 1990 to 2022. Utilizing a robust methodological framework and advanced econometric techniques such as the Panel Mean Group Autoregressive Distributed Lag model (PMG-ARDL), Panel Quantile Regressions (PQR), Panel Least Square regression (PLSR), this study offers a comprehensive analysis of both short-term and long-term impacts of several agricultural inputs, agricultural GDP, and temperature on environmental quality. The findings reveal significant long-term contributions to carbon emissions from the use of agricultural water, agricultural credit, and fertilizers use, indicating the environmental costs associated with intensive agricultural practices. The study shows carbon emissions have a long-term negative relationship with corn production. The results from the PMG-ARDL model are consistent with those obtained from the PQR, and PLSQR analyses, demonstrating strong positive correlations between agricultural loans, fertilizer use, agricultural water usage, and carbon emissions. The Dumitrescu and Hurlin results show unidirectional causation of carbon emissions from pesticide use, temperature, and agricultural GDP, and bidirectional causal relationship between carbon emissions, corn production, fertilizer use, agricultural water usage, and agricultural credit. The study underscores the critical need for policies that balance agricultural productivity with environmental quality, suggesting directions for future research to explore diverse agricultural systems and incorporate more dynamic modeling approaches to better understand and mitigate the environmental impacts of agriculture

Sensor technologies for the detection and monitoring of endocrine-disrupting chemicals

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a class of man-made substances with potential to disrupt the standard function of the endocrine system. These EDCs include phthalates, perchlorates, phenols, some heavy metals, furans, dimethoate, aromatic hydrocarbons, some pesticides, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). EDCs are widespread in the environment given their frequent use in daily life. Their production, usage, and consumption have increased many-fold in recent years. Their ability to interact and mimic normal endocrine functions makes them a potential threat to human health, aquatics, and wild life. Detection of these toxins has predominantly been done by mass spectroscopy and/or chromatography-based methods and to a lesser extent by advanced sensing approaches such as electrochemical and/or colorimetric methods. Instrument-based analytical techniques are often not amenable for onsite detection due to the lab-based nature of these detecting systems. Alternatively, analytical approaches based on sensor/biosensor techniques are more attractive because they are rapid, portable, equally sensitive, and eco-friendly. Advanced sensing systems have been adopted to detect a range of EDCs in the environment and food production systems. This review will focus on advances and developments in portable sensing techniques for EDCs, encompassing electrochemical, colorimetric, optical, aptamer-based, and microbial sensing approaches. We have also delineated the advantages and limitations of some of these sensing techniques and discussed future developments in sensor technology for the environmental sensing of EDCs

Redox-Active Hybrid Materials for Pseudocapacitive Energy Storage

We aim to show the exciting development of sustainable pseudocapacitive hybrid materials for small and large scale electrochemical energy storage systems.1–5 In our approach, we combine redox-active organic molecules with suitable carbon nanostructures and/or highly conductive metal carbides (MXenes) to improve the conductivity of organic materials. These combinations result in high energy and power density pseudocapacitive electrodes with improved cyclability. Using experimental and simulation techniques, we will discuss the interfacial organic-inorganic interactions, charge storage mechanisms, and preferred molecular orientations of organic molecules at the interface. We will also highlight the remaining challenges and future opportunities for improvement in nanostructured hybrid materials for the electrochemical energy storage. 1. M. Boota et al., Adv. Mater., 28, 1517–22 (2015) 2. M. Boota, K. B. Hatzell, E. C. Kumbur, and Y. Gogotsi, ChemSusChem, 8, 835–843 (2015). 3. M. Boota, C. Chen, M. Bécuwe, L. Miao, and Y. Gogotsi, Energy Environ. Sci., 9, 2586–2594 (2016). 4. M. Boota et al., ChemSusChem, 8, 3576–3581 (2015) 5. K. B. Hatzell, M. Boota, and Y. Gogotsi, Chem. Soc. Rev., 44, 8664–8687 (2015) </jats:p

(Industrial Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering Division H. H. Dow Memorial Student Achievement Award Address) Electrochemically Active Hybrid Materials for Pseudocapacitive Energy Storage

Electrochemically active hybrid materials are an emerging class of materials for both small and large-scale electrochemical energy storage applications. The possibility of nanoscale engineering inorganic and organic components in a unique hybrid material provides new and sometimes exceptional sets of properties, which makes them attractive for a variety of applications.1 While organic/inorganic hybrid nanomaterials exhibit tremendous potential for the pseudocapacitive energy storage, the choice of an optimal organic material and nanostructured inorganic support impedes their energy storage applications.2 We will present the exciting development of pseudocapacitive hybrid materials for both static and flowable energy storage systems.3–7 Our approach includes a combination of suitable redox active organic molecules with various types of carbon nanostructures and/or highly conductive metal carbides (MXenes).8 These combinations improve conductivity, resulting in high energy and power density pseudocapacitive electrodes with improved cycling performance. Using experimental techniques and molecular simulations, we will discuss the interfacial organic-inorganic interactions, charge storage mechanisms, and preferred molecular orientations of organic molecules at the interface. Remaining challenges and future opportunities for improvement in nanostructured hybrid materials for the electrochemical energy storage will be highlighted. 1. H. Wang and H. Dai, Chem. Soc. Rev., 42, 3088–3113 (2013) 2. D. Vonlanthen, P. Lazarev, K. a. See, F. Wudl, and A. J. Heeger, Adv. Mater., 26, 5095–5100 (2014). 3. M. Boota et al., Adv. Mater., 28, 1517–22 (2015) 4. M. Boota, K. B. Hatzell, E. C. Kumbur, and Y. Gogotsi, ChemSusChem, 8, 835–843 (2015). 5. M. Boota, C. Chen, M. Bécuwe, L. Miao, and Y. Gogotsi, Energy Environ. Sci., 9, 2586–2594 (2016). 6. M. Boota et al., ChemSusChem, 8, 3576–3581 (2015) 7. K. B. Hatzell, M. Boota, and Y. Gogotsi, Chem. Soc. Rev., 44, 8664–8687 (2015) 8. M. Naguib, V. N. Mochalin, M. W. Barsoum, and Y. Gogotsi, Adv. Mater., 26, 992–1005 (2014) </jats:p

Growth of GaN on lattice matched AlInN substrates

This project was planed in order to study the effect of growth and crystalline quality of GaN on lattice matched Al1-xInxN seed layer. The GaN lattice matched Al0.81Ino.19N seed layer was grown by co-sputtering of Al and In target using only N2 as a sputtering gas in a direct current (DC) reactive magnetron sputter deposition chamber under UHV conditions at low temperature (230 oC) on different substrates. The Indium composition was calculated using vegards law from lattice parameters determined by XRD. The Indium composition was determined by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) as well. X-rays diffraction (XRD) showed high crystalline quality wurtzite hexagonal Al1-xInxN seed layers grown at this temperature. The GaN was grown on top of Al0.81Ino.19N seed layer by halide vapour phase epitaxy (HVPE) using a mixture of N2 and H2 and only N2 as a carrier gas in order to study the effect of carrier gas on crystalline quality of GaN. The GaN films were characterised by high resolution X-rays diffraction (HRXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cathode luminescence (CL) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) in order to study stress, strain, crystalline quality, surface morphology and optoelectronic properties in relation with the defect density and the microstructure of grown GaN films