Bioluminescent plankton are marine organisms capable of emitting visible light through chemical reactions in their bodies.This unique biochemical trait is attributed to a luciferin-luciferase reaction,which produces a...Bioluminescent plankton are marine organisms capable of emitting visible light through chemical reactions in their bodies.This unique biochemical trait is attributed to a luciferin-luciferase reaction,which produces a striking blue light.This fascinating phenomenon,often referred to as the“blue tears”effect,has become a major attraction for tourist attractions in many countries.Since their discovery,most investigations related to these marine organisms have primarily focused on the fields of biology,ecology,oceanography,and microbiology.However,there has been limited to almost no study of their potential applications in the area of energy or lighting.This paper provides viewpoints on the opportunities for using these marine organisms and their light-emitting characteristics as an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly lighting solution,rather than just as a tourist attraction.Additionally,it addresses the challenges associated with sustaining the growth of bioluminescent plankton collected from the marine environment,the importance of establishing suitable protocols for in-house cultivation,challenges in stimulating the light-production at desired time,constraint imposed by the circadian rhythm,the toxicity of certain bioluminescent plankton,and the capacity of their luminous intensity.展开更多
Throughout the industrial period,anthropogenic aerosols have likely offset approximately one-third of the warming caused by greenhouse gases.Marine cloud brightening aims to capitalize on one aspect of this phenomenon...Throughout the industrial period,anthropogenic aerosols have likely offset approximately one-third of the warming caused by greenhouse gases.Marine cloud brightening aims to capitalize on one aspect of this phenomenon to potentially mitigate global warming by enhancing cloud reflectivity through adjustments in cloud droplet concentration.This study employs a simplified yet comprehensive modeling framework,integrating an open-source parcel model for aerosol activation,a radiation transport model based on commercial computational fluid dynamics code,and assimilated meteorological data.The reduced complexity model addresses the challenges of rapid radiation transfer calculations while managing uncertainties in aerosol–cloud-radiation(ACR)parameterizations.Despite using an uncoupled ACR mechanism and omitting feedback between clouds and aerosols,our results closely align with observations,validating the robustness of our assumptions and methodology.This demonstrates that even simplified models,supported by parcel modeling and observational constraints,can achieve accurate radiation transfer calculations comparable to advanced climate models.We analyze how variations in droplets size and concentration affect cloud albedo for geoengineering applications.Optimal droplet sizes,typically within the 20–35-µm range,significantly increase cloud albedo by approximately 28%–57%across our test cases.We find that droplets transmit about 29%more solar radiation than droplets.Effective albedo changes require injection concentrations exceeding background levels by around 30%,diminishing as concentrations approach ambient levels.Considerations must also be given to the spray pattern of droplet injections,as effective deployment can influence cloud thickness and subsequently impact cloud albedo.This research provides insights into the feasibility and effectiveness of using a reduced complexity model for marine cloud brightening with frontal cyclone and stratus cumulus clouds,and emphasizes the need to also consider background droplets size and concentration than just meteorological conditions.展开更多
Petroleum-based plastics have been associated with several environmental issues,including land and water pollution,green-house gas emissions,and waste accumulation due to their non-biodegradable properties.Bioplastics...Petroleum-based plastics have been associated with several environmental issues,including land and water pollution,green-house gas emissions,and waste accumulation due to their non-biodegradable properties.Bioplastics derived from renewable natural resources have emerged as an eco-friendly substitute for conventional plastics,leading to a reduced carbon footprint and conservation of non-renewable fossil fuels.Seaweed is an attractive material for bioplastic production due to its abundant polysaccharide content,high biomass,rapid growth rate and suitability for consumption.This work aimed to explore the fea-sibility of producing seaweed bioplastics,specifically starch and carrageenan from Kappaphycus alvarezii,along with chitin extracted from ramshorn snails(Planorbarius corneus).The surface morphology of the bioplastics was assessed through scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and their biodegradability was also examined through a soil burial biodegradation test.Starch-based bioplastics incorporated with carrageenan and chitin exhibited a more substantial network structure,rougher surface texture and smaller void sizes with improved mechanical strength and water barrier properties.The bioplastics under-went decomposition,resulting in fragmentation into small pieces(with more than 76%weight loss)or complete degradation through the enzymatic activity of Acinetobacter spp.and Burkholderia cepacia.Therefore,seaweed-chitin-based bioplastics demonstrate their potential as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastics.展开更多
基金supported by UCSI University through Research Excellence and Innovation Grant(REIG)with project code REIG-FETBE-2024/032.
文摘Bioluminescent plankton are marine organisms capable of emitting visible light through chemical reactions in their bodies.This unique biochemical trait is attributed to a luciferin-luciferase reaction,which produces a striking blue light.This fascinating phenomenon,often referred to as the“blue tears”effect,has become a major attraction for tourist attractions in many countries.Since their discovery,most investigations related to these marine organisms have primarily focused on the fields of biology,ecology,oceanography,and microbiology.However,there has been limited to almost no study of their potential applications in the area of energy or lighting.This paper provides viewpoints on the opportunities for using these marine organisms and their light-emitting characteristics as an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly lighting solution,rather than just as a tourist attraction.Additionally,it addresses the challenges associated with sustaining the growth of bioluminescent plankton collected from the marine environment,the importance of establishing suitable protocols for in-house cultivation,challenges in stimulating the light-production at desired time,constraint imposed by the circadian rhythm,the toxicity of certain bioluminescent plankton,and the capacity of their luminous intensity.
文摘Throughout the industrial period,anthropogenic aerosols have likely offset approximately one-third of the warming caused by greenhouse gases.Marine cloud brightening aims to capitalize on one aspect of this phenomenon to potentially mitigate global warming by enhancing cloud reflectivity through adjustments in cloud droplet concentration.This study employs a simplified yet comprehensive modeling framework,integrating an open-source parcel model for aerosol activation,a radiation transport model based on commercial computational fluid dynamics code,and assimilated meteorological data.The reduced complexity model addresses the challenges of rapid radiation transfer calculations while managing uncertainties in aerosol–cloud-radiation(ACR)parameterizations.Despite using an uncoupled ACR mechanism and omitting feedback between clouds and aerosols,our results closely align with observations,validating the robustness of our assumptions and methodology.This demonstrates that even simplified models,supported by parcel modeling and observational constraints,can achieve accurate radiation transfer calculations comparable to advanced climate models.We analyze how variations in droplets size and concentration affect cloud albedo for geoengineering applications.Optimal droplet sizes,typically within the 20–35-µm range,significantly increase cloud albedo by approximately 28%–57%across our test cases.We find that droplets transmit about 29%more solar radiation than droplets.Effective albedo changes require injection concentrations exceeding background levels by around 30%,diminishing as concentrations approach ambient levels.Considerations must also be given to the spray pattern of droplet injections,as effective deployment can influence cloud thickness and subsequently impact cloud albedo.This research provides insights into the feasibility and effectiveness of using a reduced complexity model for marine cloud brightening with frontal cyclone and stratus cumulus clouds,and emphasizes the need to also consider background droplets size and concentration than just meteorological conditions.
基金Funding was provided by UCSI University(REIG-FAS-2021/036).
文摘Petroleum-based plastics have been associated with several environmental issues,including land and water pollution,green-house gas emissions,and waste accumulation due to their non-biodegradable properties.Bioplastics derived from renewable natural resources have emerged as an eco-friendly substitute for conventional plastics,leading to a reduced carbon footprint and conservation of non-renewable fossil fuels.Seaweed is an attractive material for bioplastic production due to its abundant polysaccharide content,high biomass,rapid growth rate and suitability for consumption.This work aimed to explore the fea-sibility of producing seaweed bioplastics,specifically starch and carrageenan from Kappaphycus alvarezii,along with chitin extracted from ramshorn snails(Planorbarius corneus).The surface morphology of the bioplastics was assessed through scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and their biodegradability was also examined through a soil burial biodegradation test.Starch-based bioplastics incorporated with carrageenan and chitin exhibited a more substantial network structure,rougher surface texture and smaller void sizes with improved mechanical strength and water barrier properties.The bioplastics under-went decomposition,resulting in fragmentation into small pieces(with more than 76%weight loss)or complete degradation through the enzymatic activity of Acinetobacter spp.and Burkholderia cepacia.Therefore,seaweed-chitin-based bioplastics demonstrate their potential as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastics.
