Water quality sensors have recently received a lot of attention due to their impact on human health. Due to their distinct features, environmental sensors are based on carbon quantum dots (CQDs). In this study, CQDs were prepared using the electro-chemical method, where the structural and optical properties were studied. These quantum dots were used in the environmental sensor application after mixing them with three different materials: CQDs, Alq3 polymer and CQDs and Alq3 solutions using two different methods: drop casting and spin coating, and depositing them on silicon. The sensitivity of the water pollutants was studied for each case of the prepared samples after measuring the change in resistance of the samples at a temperature of 30 oC. Through the results, it was found that the highest sensitivity of sample 3 to the carbon continuous dot was in the case of the contaminant fructose and was 99.55%, while the highest sensitivity of sample 4 was for the one sensitive to the contaminant (mercury chloride) and was 81. As for sample 1, the highest sensitivity was in the case of detecting the contaminant lead chloride and was 80. The results showed that the best sensor was obtained using a spin-coating technique when the solution sample of CQDs+Alq3 was placed on a silicon slide in fructose and the sensitivity was 200%. This demonstrates the importance of quantum dots in measuring the sensitivity of water pollutants. The thin film thickness was measured to be 500 nm.
Perennial biofuel and cover crops systems are important for enhancing soil health and can provide numerous soil, agricultural, and environmental benefits. The study objective was to investigate the effects of cover crops and biofuel crops on soil hydraulic properties relative to traditional management for claypan soils. The study site included selected management practices: cover crop (CC) and no cover crop (NC) with corn/soybean rotation, switchgrass (SW), and miscanthus (MI). The CC mixture consisted of cereal rye, hairy vetch, and Austrian winter pea. The research site was located at Bradford Research Center in Missouri, USA, and was implemented on a Mexico silt loam. Intact soil cores (76‐mm diam. by 76‐mm long) were taken from the
... Show MoreThis study explores the role of nanomaterials in the performance of asphalt binders and mixtures. Two commonly available nanomaterials, i.e., nanosilica (NS) and nanoalumina (NA), were used at contents of 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% by weight of asphalt binder. A set of experiments was carried out at the binder level to investigate properties such as penetration, softening point, aging-related mass loss, nanomaterial dispersion (storage stability), and workability (rotational viscosity). In addition, the suitability of NS and NS was also assessed through the testing of nanomodified asphalt mixtures, which focused on Marshall properties, the resilient modulus, moisture susceptibility, permanent deformation, and fatigue resistance. The findings in
... Show MoreThis review delves deep into the intricate relationship between urban planning and flood risk management, tracing its historical trajectory and the evolution of methodologies over time. Traditionally, urban centers prioritized defensive measures, like dikes and levees, with an emphasis on immediate solutions over long-term resilience. These practices, though effective in the short term, often overlooked broader environmental implications and the necessity for holistic planning. However, as urban areas burgeoned and climate change introduced new challenges, there has been a marked shift in approach. Modern urban planning now emphasizes integrated blue-green infrastructure, aiming to harmonize human habitation with water cycles. Resil
... Show MoreThe combination of high protein content and a soft seed coat makes the wheat-rye hybrid Triticale (Triticosecale) vulnerable to attack by rice weevils. Drying triticale grain to moisture contents safe for storage can prevent infestation by rice weevils, but if grain is being stored for seed, high drying temperatures can affect seed germination. Grain can be effectively dried at low temperatures, but low-temperature drying is difficult in hot, humid regions such as the Gulf Coast. This study nvestigated the effects of drying temperatures from 35°C to 45°C on triticale seed germination and found no statistical differences between the germination rates of the seed at any of the drying temperatures and the germination rates of controls. Final
... Show MoreThis research study examines the impact of information technology on firm profitability and stock returns. Using a comprehensive dataset of firms across various industries, this research employs rigorous statistical analysis techniques to investigate the relationship between IT investments, firm profitability metrics, and stock returns. The study focuses at how IT investments affect financial performance measures including return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE), with P-values of 0.34 and 0.12, respectively. Furthermore, the study investigates the influence of IT on stock returns, taking into account market capitalization, industry trends, and macroeconomic variables. This study's conclusions center on the beneficial assoc
... Show MoreRecent population studies have shown that placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders remain undiagnosed before delivery in half to two-thirds of cases. In a series from specialist diagnostic units in the USA, around one-third of cases of PAS disorders were not diagnosed during pregnancy. Maternal
In this study, sulfur was removed from imitation oil using oxidative desulfurization process. Silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO-11) was prepared using the hydrothermal method with a concentration of carbon nanotubes (CNT) of 0% and 7.5% at 190 °C crystallization temperature. The final molar composition of the as-prepared SAPO-11 was Al2O3: 0.93P2O5: 0.414SiO2. 4% MO/SAPO-11 was prepared using impregnation methods. The produced SAPO-11 was described using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms). It was found that the addition of CNT increased the crystallinity of SAPO-11. The results showed that the surface area of SAPO-11 cont
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