GeoBlockchain: The Analysis, Design, and Evaluation of a Spatially Enabled Blockchain

Land ownership and supply chain use cases are an enormous business challenge for both the public and private sectors. Every organization has different needs and wants, and they are researching and exploring ways to add value and impact their ownership tracing processes. Geospatial and Blockchain technologies are two emerging trends that could help an organization add value in this manner. The combination of blockchain and geospatial technologies would result in the new concept of GeoBlockchain, defined here as an artifact that could be used to study the trends and behaviours of participants (users) geographically and spatially, based on distributed nodes, transactions, and geo-locations through the blockchain technology. GeoBlockchain can also be used to visually display geo-ownership tracing processes (points, lines, and polygons) demonstrating the importance of geography. The result of this research was the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of a Spatially Enabled Blockchain ICT artifacts. Each prototype artifact was built using ArcGIS Enterprise and Hyperledger Fabric. The architecture designs were implemented with on-premises and cloud environments and evaluated based on users’ usability and sociotechnical metrics. This research indicates that blockchain technology can be integrated with geospatial technology, resulting in the GeoBlockchain framework along with its attendant implementation criteria in the age of GeoBlockchain

Selecting Implementation Criteria in the Age of GeoBlockchain

Today, the growing use of public blockchain, private blockchain, and hybrid blockchain advances in geospatial technology. Geography is a significant factor in identifying locations and spatial trends related to blockchain activities through distributed and immutable networks. Besides that, as the understanding that blockchain and location intelligence has value for many organizations. Our study examined the merge of the two technologies and identified the implementation criteria in the age of GeoBlockchchain. Moreover, it will examine the rules and roles of participants within GeoBlockchain by using Q Methodology and Q set. The ICT artifact for a supply chain use case is the result of a solution proof of concept

Enterprise Solutions Criteria in the Age of GeoBlockchain: Land Ownership and Supply Chain

Land ownership and supply chain use cases are an enormous business challenge for both the public and private sectors. Every organization has different needs and wants, and industry leaders are researching and exploring ways to improve and impact their business transaction processes. Blockchain and Geospatial technologies are two tools that could help an organization add value in this manner. The combination of blockchain and geospatial technologies would result in the new concept of GeoBlockchain, defined here as a solution artifact that could be used to trace the trends and behaviors of participants (users) geographically and spatially, based on distributed nodes, transactions, and geo-locations via blockchain technology. The result of this research was the design, development, and implementation of two enterprise solution prototypes for land ownership and supply chains. This research indicates that blockchain technology can be integrated with geospatial technology, resulting in the GeoBlockchain implementation

Nanoporous activated carbon derived via pyrolysis process of spent coffee: Structural characterization. Investigation of its use for hexavalent chromium removal

Featured Application This work deals with the development of an activated carbon adsorber via the exploitation of spent coffee waste. Economic and environmental benefits from such processes are extended. The application on hexavalent chromium removal was tested. Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a heavy metal that is highly soluble and exhibits toxic effects on biological systems. Nevertheless, it is used in many industrial applications. The adsorption process of Cr(VI), using activated carbon (AC), is under investigation globally. On the other hand, around six million tons of spent coffee is sent to landfill annually. In the spirit of cyclic economy, this research investigated the production of AC from spent coffee for the removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater. The AC was produced via pyrolysis process under a nitrogen atmosphere. Chemical activation using potassium hydroxide (KOH) occurred simultaneously with the pyrolysis process. The produced AC was tested as an absorber of Cr(VI). The best fitted kinetic model was the diffusion-chemisorption model. A 24-h adsorption experiment was carried out using a solution with a pH of 3 and an initial Cr(VI) concentration of 54.14 ppm. This resulted in an experimental maximum capacity of 109 mg/g, while the theoretical prediction was 137 mg/g. It also resulted in an initial adsorption rate (r(i)) of 110 (mg/(g h)). The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (S-gBET) was 1372 m(2)/g, the Langmuir surface area (S-gLang.) was 1875 m(2)/g, and the corrugated pore structure model surface area (S-gCPSM) was 1869 m(2)/g. The micropore volume was 84.6%, exhibiting micropores at D-micro1 = 1.28 and D-micro2 = 1.6 nm. The tortuosity factor (tau) was 4.65.Web of Science1024art. no. 881