Yukio Tamura, Fumiaki Kobayashi, Osamu Suzuki, Yasushi Uematsu and Yasuo Okuda
Human beings spend their daily lives within the range of the atmospheric boundary layer, where airflow is affected by friction from Earth's surface. The airflow in this area is…
Abstract
Human beings spend their daily lives within the range of the atmospheric boundary layer, where airflow is affected by friction from Earth's surface. The airflow in this area is generally called wind. Strong wind occasionally causes severe damage to infrastructures and people because of its aerodynamic effects, but even weak and moderate winds can have serious environmental impacts on human society such as those seen with air-pollution problems and thermal effects.
Seven years after the government of President Rafael Correa signalled its intention to make mining one of the key pillars of its economic and political programme, the sector…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB213723
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
Topical
Rana Bahaa Elsayed, Eman EZZ Elsharkawy and Ahmed Abdelbaky Sharkawy
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and concentrations of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in raw buffalo milk samples obtained from four different seasons: winter…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and concentrations of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in raw buffalo milk samples obtained from four different seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn in Sohag City, upper Egypt, and compared the determined findings against the several regulations regarding AFM1 that have been legislated by the European Union, US Food and Drug Administration and Egyptian Regulations.
Design/methodology/approach
Simultaneous determination of aflatoxins in raw buffalo milk samples trailed in different seasons, in Sohag City, Egypt. The aflatoxin that has been included in this survey is AFM1. Milk samples were obtained from February to October 2021. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used as a methodology technique.
Findings
The results of AFM1 presented the highest frequency of occurrence, with a detected incidence of 85.5% in winter samples, 64.2% in spring samples, 78.5% in summer samples and 78.5% in autumn samples. The positive samples showed concentration range levels of AFM1 between 0.0 and 0.9 µg/kg (12 samples) in winter samples, 0.03 and 1.2 µg/kg in spring milk samples (9 samples), 0.06 and 0.8 µg/kg in summer milk samples (11 samples) and lasted with 0.028 and 0.9 µg/kg in autumn milk samples (11 samples). The percentage of AFM1samples exceeded the maximum residues limit of Egyptian Standard Regulation 2010/7136 last updated, 78%, 57%, 100% and 64% in the four examined seasons, respectively.
Originality/value
The residue levels of AFM1 obtained in the investigated samples represented a serious concern about the health risk of consumers. Milk is introduced to the diet plan all over the people units especially the offspring ones as it is a complete food that contains a lot of important nutrients. So it is worth to set a regular schedule for monitoring and inspection of dairy products for aflatoxin residues.
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John Dadzie, Goran Runeson and Grace Ding
Estimates show that close to 90% of the buildings we will need in 2050 are already built and occupied. The increase in the existing building stock has affected energy consumption…
Abstract
Purpose
Estimates show that close to 90% of the buildings we will need in 2050 are already built and occupied. The increase in the existing building stock has affected energy consumption thereby negatively impacting the environment. The purpose of this paper is to assess determinants of sustainable upgrade of existing buildings through the adoption and application of sustainable technologies. The study also ranks sustainable technologies adopted by the professionals who participated in the survey with an in-built case study.
Design/methodology/approach
As part of the overall methodology, a detailed literature review on the nature and characteristics of sustainable upgrade and the sustainable technologies adopted was undertaken. A survey questionnaire with an in-built case study was designed to examine all the sustainable technologies adopted to improve energy consumption in Australia. The survey was administered to sustainability consultants, architects, quantity surveyors, facility managers and engineers in Australia.
Findings
The results show a total of 24 technologies which are mostly adopted to improve energy consumption in existing buildings. A factor analysis shows the main components as: lighting and automation, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HAVC) systems and equipment, envelope, renewable energy and passive technologies.
Originality/value
The findings bridge the gap in the literature on the adoption and application of sustainable technologies to upgrade existing buildings. The technologies can be adopted to reduce the excessive energy consumption patterns in existing buildings.
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Jeremy Galbreath, Daniel Tisch, Mohammed Quaddus and Fazlul Rabbanee
The purpose of this study was to test the effects of climate change, as manifested in both temperature and rainfall changes, on adaptive practices in a sample of wine firms…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to test the effects of climate change, as manifested in both temperature and rainfall changes, on adaptive practices in a sample of wine firms operating in South Australia. Given that firms’ adaptation to the external environment can be advanced through effective internal learning systems, a further purpose was to explore the moderating effect of absorptive capacity.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used a survey as well as secondary sources to collect data. Regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. To test the robustness of the results, alternative measures of temperature and rainfall changes were used.
Findings
By studying 207 wine firms, the analysis suggests that climate change is significantly and positively associated with adaptive practices. Further, as hypothesized, absorptive capacity positively moderates both relationships.
Research limitations/implications
The use of a single industry in a specific location limits the generalizability of the results. Implications suggest that when the effects of climate change are considered the natural environment might be accorded salient stakeholder status. Further, when absorptive capacity is high, firms appear to adapt to climate change at a greater rate, suggesting that internal learning systems are important.
Originality/value
This is one the few studies in the business literature that considers the effects of actual physical changes in the natural environment on firm behaviour. Further, the paper is one of the few to incorporate natural stakeholder-based theory as a means of exploring climate change. The research paves the way for future studies of responses to such changes.
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Earth retaining and structural foundation works are commonly built from rolled steel piling products which are designed and manufactured to cover a wide range of structural…
Abstract
Earth retaining and structural foundation works are commonly built from rolled steel piling products which are designed and manufactured to cover a wide range of structural applications. Product data must not only provide design and application information, but also steel corrosion rates in the full range of service environments and, in this context, the corrosion of steel piling has been extensively studied both from examinations of actual structures and from more fundamental studies. Corrosion researches cover both corrosion‐protected and bare steel piling and, in order to appreciate fully the value of these researches, a simplified but adequate explanation of steel corrosion is given.
Aarti P. More, Ravindra Abhimanyu Kute and Shashank T. Mhaske
The purpose of this paper is synthesis of polyesteramide resin from jatropha oil and monomer from recycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) to get the excellent benefit of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is synthesis of polyesteramide resin from jatropha oil and monomer from recycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) to get the excellent benefit of individual structure. Along with the synthesis of polyesteramide resin, this research work will also help in recycling of PET waste and help for the conversion of monomer obtained from recycling of PET to value-added application.
Design/methodology/approach
Polyesteramide resin was synthesized by conventional method, i.e. by converting jatropha oil to corresponding fatty amide, i.e. hydroxyl ethyl jatropha oil fatty acid amide (HEJA), and treating it with dicarboxylic acid, i.e. sebacic acid but bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terepthalamide (BHETA) is added, i.e. monomer of PET, and then resin synthesis is carried out. Synthesized resin is cured with isocyanate and used for coating application. Coating is characterized for physical, mechanical, thermal and anticorrosive properties.
Findings
Coating shows excellent balance of flexibility and hardness due to structural difference in BHETA and HEJA. Aromatic structure of BHETA was helpful for increasing hardness and for retardation of degradation, and at the same time, aliphatic structure of HEJA was helpful for increasing flexibility of the coating. Amide linkage present in both help for better adhesion of coating to metal surface, which also helps to improve the mechanical properties and anticorrosive properties.
Practical implications
This method is the practical solution for synthesis of polyesteramide resin and then coating from PET waste and jatropha oil. Hence the method developed is simple and it helps for recycling of PET waste and conversion of recycled product to value-added material.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study which use jatropha oil (fatty amide of jatropha oil) and PET waste (monomer of PET waste) simultaneously for the synthesis of polyesteramide resin and then coating.
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Sonika Pandey, Amrita Poonia and Suman Rai
To overcome the need of seasonal fruit ber, consumers prefer to use fruits in such a form that can be prepared easily or consumed instantly. By transforming them into powders…
Abstract
Purpose
To overcome the need of seasonal fruit ber, consumers prefer to use fruits in such a form that can be prepared easily or consumed instantly. By transforming them into powders, they can be effortlessly attained as well as preserved, stored and processed.
Design/methodology/approach
To optimize the spray drying conditions for development of ber fruit powder, response surface methodology was used. The experimental design consisted of 13 runs. The levels of independent variables, i.e. inlet air temperature, varied from 153.79ºC to 196.21ºC and maltodextrin concentration, from 4.17 to 9.83 per cent. The responses were moisture content, bulk density, solubility, vitamin C, ΔE and L value.
Findings
The second-order polynomial model fitted for moisture content, bulk density, solubility, vitamin C, ΔE and L value was highly significant (p < 0.001) for each response. The inlet air temperature showed maximum influence on moisture content, bulk density, solubility and vitamin C, whereas the maltodextrin concentration showed maximum influence on bulk density, solubility, ΔE and L value. The predicted values were attained as moisture 4.90 per cent, bulk density 0.35g/ml, solubility 89.11 per cent, vitamin C 91.06mg/100g, ΔE 31.03 and L 87.78. The recommended optimum spray drying conditions were inlet air temperature and maltodextrin concentration of 166.64°C and 9.26 per cent, respectively.
Originality/value
Spray drying of the underused Indian fruit ber has enhanced its utility. Ber powder can further be used as an instant beverage, in sweets, as a flavoring agent and in soft drinks.
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Ammar Moohialdin, Fiona Lamari, Marc Miska and Bambang Trigunarsyah
Hot and humid climates (HHCs) are potential environmental hazards that directly affect construction workers' health and safety (HS) and negatively impact workers' productivity…
Abstract
Purpose
Hot and humid climates (HHCs) are potential environmental hazards that directly affect construction workers' health and safety (HS) and negatively impact workers' productivity. Extensive research efforts have addressed the effects of HHCs. However, these efforts have been inconsistent in their approach for selecting factors influencing workers in such conditions. There are also increasing concerns about the drop-off in research interest to follow through intrusive and non-real-time measurements. This review aims to identify the major research gaps in measurements applied in previous research with careful attention paid to the factors that influence the intrusiveness and selection of the applied data collection methods.
Design/methodology/approach
This research integrates a manual subjective discussion with a thematic analysis of Leximancer software and an elaborating chronological, geographical and methodological review that yielded 701 articles and 76 peer-reviewed most related articles.
Findings
The literature included the physiological parameters as influencing factors and useful indicators for HHC effects and identified site activity intensity as the most influencing work-related factor. In total, three main gaps were identified: (1) the role of substantial individual and work-related factors; (2) managerial interventions and the application of the right time against the right symptoms, sample size and measurement intervals and (3) applied methods of data collection; particularly, the intrusiveness of the utilised sensors.
Practical implications
The focus of researchers and practitioners should be in applying nonintrusive, innovative and real-time methods that can provide crew-level measurements. In particular, methods that can represent the actual effects of allocated tasks are aligned with real-time weather measurements, so proactive HHC-related preventions can be enforced on time.
Originality/value
This review contributes to the field of construction workers' safety in HHCs and enables researchers and practitioners to identify the most influential individual and work-related factors in HHCs. This review also proposes a framework for future research with suggestions to cover the highlighted research gaps and contributes to a critical research area in the construction industry.