Evaluation the impact of electricity consumption on China's air pollution at the provincial level.

As the world's largest electricity-consuming country, China faces the challenge of energy conservation and environmental pollution. Therefore, it is imperative that China takes decisive action to address these issues. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces (cities, districts) in China from 2011 to 2020, we use the entropy method to measure the air pollution index in different provinces, construct two fixed effects models, panel quantile model, and spatial Durbin model to empirically analyze the impact of electricity consumption on air pollution in China's provincial regions. The experimental results show that: (1) Electricity consumption has a significant positive impact on the provincial air pollution index in China and the higher the index is, the more serious the air pollution is. When the electricity consumption increases 1%, the air pollution index will increase of by 0.0649% as accompanied. (2) Through comparison of different times, we found that the degree of increase in air pollution index caused by electricity consumption would be reduced due to the improvement of environmental protection efforts. From the perspective of different geographical locations, the electricity consumption in the southeast side of the "Hu Line" has exacerbated the impact on air pollution index. (3) According to the panel quantile regression results, the marginal effect of electricity consumption on air pollution is positive. With the increase of quantiles, the impact of electricity consumption on air pollution is increasing. (4) Spatial effect analysis shows that electricity consumption has a significant positive spatial spillover effect on air pollution index. The increase in electricity consumption not only increases the air pollution index in the local region, but also leads to an increase in the air pollution index in surrounding areas. These findings contribute to the governance of air pollution and the promotion of sustainable economic, environmental and energy development.

Does green investment affect environment pollution: Evidence from asymmetric ARDL approach?

Pollution in the environment is today the biggest issue facing the globe and the main factor in the development of many fatal diseases. The main objective of the study to investigate green investments, economic growth and financial development on environmental pollution in the G-7 countries. This study used annual penal data from 1997 to 2021. The panel NARDL (Non-linear autoregressive distributed lag) results affirm that the positive change of green investment and negative shock in green investment have a significant and positive association with environment pollution in G-7 nations. Our findings provide more evidence for the long-term asymmetry between financial development and environmental performance. However, the findings confirm that a positive modification in financial development has a positive and significant effect on environment pollution. Whereas negative shock in financial development is negative and insignificant relationship with environment pollution. Moreover, the outcomes of the study reveal that both positive shock in gross domestic product growth and negative shock of economic growth have a significant and positive link with environment pollution in G-7 countries. According to the findings, by lowering carbon dioxide emissions, green investments reduced environmental pollution in the G-7 nations over the long and short term. Moreover, it is an innovative research effort that provides light on the connection between green investments, financial development, and the environment while making mention to the EKC in G-7 countries. After all these, our recommendation is to increases green investment expenditures to reduce environmental pollution in the G-7 nations based on our findings. Additionally, one important way for the nation to achieve its sustainable development goals is to improve advancements in the financial sector.

Revisiting the relationship between natural resources and environmental quality- can ICT break the "resource curse" in the environment?

Despite the prevalence of discussions on the "resource curse", the impact of natural resources on environmental quality for better or for worse has not been clearly answered, this study aims to answer the question by introducing the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). To that end, by using the Instrumental Variable Generalized Method of Moments (IV GMM) estimator and a sample of 102 developing and emerging economies from 2006 to 2016, this paper studies the impact of ICT on the relationship between natural resources and environmental quality. Specially, the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) captures the environmental quality. The results show that natural resources have a significant negative effect on EPI, specially, EPI decreases by one unit with a 1% increase in natural resource rents. ICT significantly mitigates this adverse effect, and marginal effects analysis further confirms its positive moderate effects. The results proved to be robust by Lewbel 2SLS and Driscoll-Kraay techniques or other robust tests. It is noteworthy that the adverse effect of natural resources on EPI is greater and the mitigating effect of ICT is more pronounced in low-income countries and lower-middle income countries. Overall, these results remind resource-based countries to vigorously develop ICT, and apply intelligent exploration, digital monitoring, or other digital technologies to realize the high-efficiency use of natural resources, reducing environmental pollution and ecological damage.

Soil pollution indices and health risk assessment of metal(loid)s in the agricultural soil of pistachio orchards.

Elevated levels of metal(loid)s in soil may pose potential threats to the ecosystem and can be harmful for human health. The concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Cr and Ni were determined in agricultural soil collected from 45 pistachio orchards around Feizabad city, Khorasan Razavi province, Iran using ICP-OES. Also, soil pollution indices including contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) were evaluated. In addition, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk indices were estimated. The mean concentrations of metal(loid)s were in the order of Ni = 466.256 > Cr = 120.848 > Pb = 12.009 > As = 5.486 > Cd = 0.394 mg/kg. Concentrations of As, Cd and Pb in the soil samples were within their respective permissible limits set by World Health Organization (WHO). But concentrations of Cr and Ni in 84.4 and 100% of the samples, respectively exceeded the WHO allowable limits. The CF, PLI and Igeo showed that soil of some of the pistachio orchards was contaminated with some metals. The possible sources of the metals in the soil are application of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, manures as well as irrigation water. Hazard quotient (HQ) ad Hazard index (HI) values from soil of all the orchards were found to be well below the respective threshold limit (1), suggesting that there is no immediate non-cancer threat arising from the contamination at all the orchards with metal(loid)s for children and adults. The highest cancer risk values (1.13E-02 for children and 1.25E-03 for adults) were estimated for Ni in the soil. Collectively, this study provides valuable information to improve the soil in the pistachio orchards to reduce metal(loid)s contamination and minimize the associated health risks to the population in the area.

[Pollution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soils of Guangzhou].

In order to comprehensively study the pollution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons （PAHs） in soils of Guangzhou， 222 topsoil samples were collected and analyzed. The ecological risk of soil PAHs pollution was evaluated using the effect interval low/median method （ERL/ERM） and the （BaP） toxicity equivalent method， and the health risk of soil PAHs pollution was evaluated using the lifelong cancer risk increment model. The source of PAHs was analyzed using the characteristic compound ratio method and PMF model. The results indicated that： the content of surface soil （∑16PAHs） in Guangzhou was 38-11 115 µg·kg-1， with an average of 526 µg·kg-1， and 16 types of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon monomers showed strong variation. There was a certain degree of ecological risk of PAHs in Guangzhou， and there was already a significant ecological risk of PAHs pollution in individual sampling points， which were generally in a state of mild pollution. Based on the results of the health risk assessment， the contribution rates of total cancer risk in both adults and children were presented as follows： skin contact > ingestion of soil > respiratory intake. The health risk of children was greater than that of adults， and the overall health risk was within an acceptable range. Source analysis showed that the main sources of soil PAHs in Guangzhou were coal （37.1%）； diesel （32%）； coking （17.3%）； and mixed sources of traffic emissions， biomass combustion， and petrochemical product volatilization （13.6%）. The overall source of soil PAHs belonged to mixed sources. The research results have enriched our understanding of the pollution status of PAHs in the surface soil of Guangzhou and are helpful in promoting soil pollution prevention and control actions.

[Health Risk Assessment for an Arsenic-contaminated Site Based on Monte Carlo Simulation and Parameters Optimization].

Risk assessment is a critical part of risk management for contaminated sites. However， in the specific management practice of As-contaminated sites， it is difficult to obtain realistic health risks for contaminated sites based on the total amount of pollutants and determined values of the model， thus preventing the control requirements of later remediation to be met. An increasing number of studies have recently been conducting risk assessments by considering bioavailability， modification parameters， and combined probabilistic models. To improve the accuracy of risk assessment results， taking a large As-contaminated site as a case， 432 sampling sites were set up and collected at different depths to analyze the level and distribution characteristics of As pollution， and probabilistic risk assessment was conducted with the modification of model parameters through literature research and Monte Carlo simulation. Then， the impact of traditional methods and probabilistic methods on health risk assessment was explored in comparison. The results indicated that ω（As） in the top soil of the study area ranged from 2.70-97.0 mg·kg-1， with a spatial variation coefficient of 0.61 and weaker spatial continuity. The carcinogenic risk and hazard index obtained by the traditional risk assessment method were 2.12E-4 and 8.36， respectively， which obviously overestimated the actual risk level and were not conductive to the refined management of As-contaminated sites. Combined with modification of model parameters and probabilistic risk assessment， the non-carcinogenic risk for adults and children was found to be at an acceptable level， and the carcinogenic risk was reduced by nearly an order of magnitude compared to that in the conventional method. Considering the relative biological effectiveness （RBA） of As， the 95% quantile of the total carcinogenic risk was 1.24E-5， a reduction of up to 36.41% compared to the uncorrected corresponding risk value of 1.95E-5. The carcinogenic risk of soil As for adults and children in the study area exceeded acceptable risk levels 1E-6， with oral ingestion of soil being the primary route of exposure. In addition， the results of the sensitivity analysis of the parameters showed that As concentration， daily oral ingestion rate of soils， and exposure duration of children had relatively larger effects for health risks. This work will provide a methodological and theoretical basis for achieving accurate risk assessment of As-contaminated sites and provide concepts for refined risk management.

Major influencing factors identification and probabilistic health risk assessment of soil potentially toxic elements pollution in coal and metal mines across China: A systematic review.

Deposition of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils due to different types of mining activities has been an increasingly important concern worldwide. Quantitative differences of soil PTEs contamination and related health risk among typical mines remain unclear. Herein, data from 110 coal mines and 168 metal mines across China were analyzed based on 265 published literatures to evaluate pollution characteristics, spatial distribution, and probabilistic health risks of soil PTEs. The results showed that PTE levels in soil from both mine types significantly exceeded background values. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) revealed metal-mine soil pollution levels exceeded those of coal mines, with average Igeo values for Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cu, and Zn being 3.02-15.60 times higher. Spearman correlation and redundancy analysis identified natural and anthropogenic factors affecting soil PTE contamination in both mine types. Mining activities posed a significant carcinogenic risk, with metal-mine soils showing a total carcinogenic risk an order of magnitude higher than in coal-mine soils. This study provides policymakers a quantitative foundation for developing differentiated strategies for sustainable remediation and risk-based management of PTEs in typical mining soils.

Advancing nuanced pollution control: Local improvements and spatial spillovers of policies on key enterprises.

This paper examines the impact of air pollution control policies targeting key polluting enterprises, highlighting a strategic shift towards precision pollution control that concentrates on high-emission, high-risk businesses. The paper explores the efficacy of these policies and their potential spatial spillover effects, utilizing panel data from 259 Chinese cities from 2013 to 2021. Employing the difference-in-differences (DID) model and spatial Durbin model, the study analyzes both the direct local effects and the broader spatial consequences of these regulatory measures on air quality. The findings indicate a significant reduction in air pollutant concentrations in urban areas, attributing this improvement to factors such as industrial restructuring, increased investment in science and technology, and economic growth. Spatial econometric analysis further reveals a substantial positive correlation in air quality among Chinese cities. However, estimates of the spillover effect indicate that while such policies successfully reduce pollution locally, they could unintentionally degrade air quality in adjacent areas. The study highlights the need for nuanced policy strategies to mitigate unintended spatial spillovers and enhance overall effectiveness. It recommends tailored policies that integrate environmental and socioeconomic objectives, national and regional coordination for consistent enforcement, technology-driven compliance strategies, and incentives for sustainable enterprise practices.

Assessment of the stabilization effect of ferrous sulfate for arsenic-contaminated soils based on chemical extraction methods and in vitro methods: Methodological differences and linkages.

Stabilization of arsenic-contaminated soils with ferrous sulfate has been reported in many studies, but there are few stabilization effects assessments simultaneously combined chemical extraction methods and in vitro methods, and further explored the corresponding alternative relationships. In this study, ferrous sulfate was added at FeAs molar ratio of 0, 5, 10 and 20 to stabilize As in 10 As spiked soils. Stabilization effects were assessed by 6 chemical extraction methods (toxicity characteristic leaching procedures (TCLP), HCl, diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), CaCl2, CH3COONH4, (NH4)2SO4), and 4 in vitro methods (physiologically based extraction test (PBET), in vitro gastrointestinal method (IVG), Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium (SBRC) method, and the Unified Bioaccessibility Research Group of Europe method (UBM)). The results showed that the HCl method provides the most conservative assessment results in non-calcareous soils, and in alkaline calcareous soils, (NH4)2SO4 method provides a more conservative assessment. In vitro methods provided significantly higher As concentrations than chemical extraction methods. The components of the simulated digestion solution as well as the parameters may have contributed to this result. The small intestinal phase of PBET and SBRC method produced the highest and lowest ranges of As concentrations, and in the range of 127-462 mg/kg and 68-222 mg/kg when the FeAs molar ratio was 5. So the small intestinal phase of PBET method may provide the most conservative assessment results, while the same phase of SBRC may underestimate the human health risks of As in stabilized soil by 51 %(at a FeAs molar ratio of 5). Spearman correlation analysis indicated that the small intestinal phase of PBET method correlated best with HCl method (correlation coefficient: 0.71). This study provides ideas for the assessment of stabilization efforts to ensure that stabilization meets ecological needs while also being less harmful to humans.

The impact of technological innovations on the environmental Kuznets curve: evidence from EU-27.

The EKC hypothesis expresses the inverted U-shaped relationship between per capita income and environmental quality. In the literature, the role of technological innovations and income inequality on pollution is a relatively recent discussion in the studies testing the EKC hypothesis. The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of technological innovations, income inequality, exports, urbanization, and growth on CO2 emissions in EU-27. In addition, while investigating this relationship, exports and urbanization are also considered and panel vector autoregression (PVAR) analysis is applied for the 2005-2019 period. According to the coefficient estimation results, while income inequality, exports, and urbanization increase pollution, technological innovations contribute to environmental quality. Also, the results demonstrated that the EKC hypothesis is invalid in these countries and there is a U-shaped relationship between growth and emissions. The causality test results revealed the presence of unidirectional causality running from all explanatory variables to CO2 emissions. Moreover, impulse-response graphs demonstrated that the reply of emissions to the shocks in the explanatory variables is similar to the long-run coefficient results. In conclusion, all available empirical evidence for this relationship highlights that income inequality and technological innovations should be considered in policy-making processes to ensure environmental quality in EU-27 countries.

Anthropological responses to environmental challenges in SAARC nations: A comparative analysis.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationships and potential impacts of environmental pollutants, human resources, GDP, sustainable power sources, financial assets, and SAARC countries from 1995 to 2022. Board cointegration tests, D-H causality, cross-sectional reliance (CSD), Saville and Holdsworth Restricted (SHL), and the DSK Appraisal Strategy were among the logical techniques employed to discover long-term connections between these components. Results demonstrate that GDP growth, renewable energy sources (REC), and environmental pollution (ENP) all contribute to SAARC countries' progress. However, future opportunities and HR are negatively impacted by increased ecological pollution. The results of the two-way causality test demonstrate a strong correlation between HR and future possibilities. Opportunities for the SAARC countries are closely related to the growth of total national output, the use of green electricity, and public support sources. Ideas for tackling future projects are presented in the paper's conclusion. These include facilitating financial development, reducing ecological pollution, financing the progress of human resources, and promoting the use of sustainable power sources.

Potentially toxic elements in sediments near mines-a comprehensive approach for the assessment of pollution status and associated risk for the surface water environment.

This research is focused on the assessment of the pollution status of river and lake sediments near Pb, Zn, and Cu mines and tailings in the southeastern part of Serbia-Krajiste area. The study is based on hypothesis that investigated rivers and lakes in the Krajiste area could be polluted by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and that these elements could pose considerable ecological risk to the studied surface water environment. High PTE contents are detected in studied river sediments (up to 7892 mg kg-1 for Zn, 3224 mg kg-1 for Cu, 36,790 mg kg-1 for Pb, 64.2 mg kg-1 for Cd, and 1444 mg kg-1 for As). Given that the contents of the studied elements in most of the river sediments exceeded the background values, values prescribed by regulations of the Republic of Serbia, as well as probable effect concentration (PEL), it is possible to conclude that sediments were heavily polluted and that detrimental effects can be expected. Contamination indices including the enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), index of geoaccumulation (Igeo), potential ecological risk index (Eri), ecological risk index (RI), pollution load index (PLI), and aggregative toxicity index (ATI) were used to assess the degree of pollution by PTEs. The ecological risk assessment revealed that there is a significant risk observed for toxic elements (primarily Pb, Cu, Cd, and As) at this moment. The highest contamination indices (EF, Igeo, CF, PLI, and ATI) are mainly associated with historical and current mining activities. The Monte Carlo analysis based on the risk assessment indices was used to evaluate the uncertainty. The most pronounced toxic risk is found for the Pb, Cu, Cd, and As which assessment was in the range of high and extremely high-risk probabilities. The obtained results suggest that levels of toxic elements pose a significant ecological risk to the surface water environment near Pb, Zn, and Cu mines in the Krajiste area. The methodology applied in this paper could be very useful for other researchers dealing with the problem of environmental pollution by toxic elements.

Integrated geochemical and magnetic potentially toxic elements assessment: a statistical solution discriminating anthropogenic and lithogenic magnetic signals in a complex area of the southeast Nile Delta.

Magnetic proxy approaches proved to be efficient for potentially toxic elements (PTEs) pollution assessment when targeting forests or areas with a homogenous background where anthropogenic magnetic signals could be easily distinguished. Here, we present a multidisciplinary approach for magnetic susceptibility ([Formula: see text]) and HM assessment in a complex area in the Nile Delta, where geogenic input, land use, and various industries with different fly ash and surface water emissions interfere. Statistical analysis discriminates between the effects of lithologic elements and the concentrations of toxic anthropogenic elements. The studied elements are classified into lithogenic and anthropogenic-related (HMs, Au industry, and fertilizers industry) groups with maximum contamination levels of eight anthropogenic-related and highly toxic PTEs (Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, Sb, Pb, Hg, and As) in the Akrasha industrial area (pollution load index = 15.84). Considering the whole data set, the numerical correlation of [Formula: see text] with most PTE concentrations and the pollution load index (PLI) is weak, while it is moderate to strong with lithogenic elements. However, a comparison of lithogenic elements and PTE concentrations along with x-values in two separate clusters supports the correspondence of lithology with elevated x-values in silt and clay-rich soil samples as well as HM concentration in industrial sandy soils. Correspondence between magnetic maps and chemistry data with land use reflects the potential of magnetic proxy methods for qualitative PTE pollution pre-delineation of the polluted spots, provided that lithological conditions are carefully considered.

Does FDI mitigate CO2 emissions intensity? Not when institutional quality is weak.

Foreign direct investment benefits developing countries. However, concerns have arisen that the influx of FDI potentially exacerbates environmental pollution. While this debate continues, growing attention has recently emerged on the role of institutions in mitigating FDI's potential damages, although the empirical findings remain inconclusive. This paper examines how institutional quality shapes the relationship between FDI and CO2, both at the aggregate level and across different income groupings, using a reduced-form CO2 emissions model, panel data from 2000 to 2018 and the IVGMM techniques. Three key conclusions emerge. First, the findings show that FDI reduces CO2 emissions, but its magnitude depends on the measure used. Second, institutional quality is directly associated with higher emissions across income groups, suggesting current regulations inadequately ameliorate environmental pollution. Third, we find a positive interaction effect between CO2 emissions and institutional quality. We argue that, for FDI to consistently curb CO2 emissions, the quality of institutions must improve to better regulate foreign investors' activities, especially in low and high-income nations. Enhancing the quality of institutions will help translate FDI into improved environmental outcomes across income groups.

Assessment of environmental pollution and human health risks of mine tailings in soil: after dam failure of the Córrego do Feijão Mine (in Brumadinho, Brazil).

The dam failure of the Córrego do Feijão Mine (CFM) located in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, killed at least 278 people. In addition, large extensions of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems were destroyed, directly compromising the environmental and socioeconomic quality of the region. This study assessed the pollution and human health risks of soils impacted by the tailing spill of the CFM dam, along a sample perimeter of approximately 200 km. Based on potential ecological risk and pollution load indices, the enrichments of Cd, As, Hg, Cu, Pb and Ni in soils indicated that the Brumadinho, Mário Campos, Betim and São Joaquim de Bicas municipalities were the most affected areas by the broken dam. Restorative and reparative actions must be urgently carried out in these areas. For all contaminated areas, the children's group indicated an exacerbated propensity to the development of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic diseases, mainly through the ingestion pathway. Toxicological risk assessments, including acute, chronic and genotoxic effects, on people living and working in mining areas should be a priority for public management and mining companies to ensure effective environmental measures that do not harm human health and well-being over time.

Rapid assessment of soil accessible Cr(â ¥) in the field by a portable RGB color sensor.

Field rapid determination of soil accessible Cr(Ⅵ) is of great significance for on-site assessment and decision-making about the health risks of contaminated sites. When the thickness of solutions with various concentrations of Cr(Ⅵ) is constant, there would be a quantitative relationship between the chromogenic difference of Cr(Ⅵ) solutions and the concentration of Cr(Ⅵ). The chromogenic difference could be described by Red (R), Green (G), Blue (B) values. Based on the chromogenic reaction between 1,5-diphenylcarbazide and Cr(Ⅵ), this study first established the calibration curve between the chromogenic difference and the concentration of Cr(Ⅵ) in standard solution with or without 0.01 M CaCl2, using an RGB color sensor. This is the subsequent determination basis of the method for rapidly assessing accessible Cr(Ⅵ) in the field (M-RGB). Then, the concentration of accessible Cr(Ⅵ) of contaminated soil with "hand-shaking + standing" field extraction method was compared with "end-over-end shaking" laboratory extraction method. Finally, the accessible Cr(Ⅵ) of contaminated soil extractants was determined via M-RGB integrating the field extraction method. Results indicated there was a highly significant linear relationship between colorimetric difference value (∆E) and Cr(Ⅵ) concentration in the range of 0.1-3 mg/L (R2 > 0.99, P < 0.01), based on the Euclidean formula for calculating ∆E. The "hand-shaking + standing" field extraction method was effective in obtaining accessible Cr(Ⅵ) extractants with or without 0.01 M CaCl2, with the high extraction efficiency within 100±1%. The concentrations of accessible Cr(Ⅵ) in various polluted soils determined by M-RGB were consistent with that determined by the ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, with the relative error within ±5%, and the relative standard deviation ≤ 20%. The spiked recovery experiments showed that the recovery of M-RGB was between 95% and 105%, which means M-RGB could realize the trace analysis for accessible Cr(Ⅵ) in the field.

A DiffeRential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis (DREAM)-based inverse model for continuous release source identification in river pollution incidents: Quantitative evaluation and sensitivity analysis.

The identification of continuous pollution sources for rivers is of great concern for emergency response. Most studies focused on instantaneous river pollution sources and associated incidents. There is a dire need to address continuous pollution sources, as pollutant discharge may impose a major impact on the water ecosystem. Therefore, in this study, a novel inverse model is proposed to identify the continuous point sources in river pollution incidents that would estimate the source strength, location, release time, and spill time. The proposed inverse model combines the advanced DiffeRential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis (DREAM) algorithm and the forward transport advection-dispersion equation to infer the posterior probability distribution of source parameters for quantifying uncertainties. In addition, the performance of the DREAM-based model is compared with those of the Metropolis-Hastings (MH)-based and genetic algorithm (GA)-based models. The results show that the DREAM-based model performs accurately for both the hypothetical and the field tracer cases. The comparative analysis shows that the DREAM-based model performs better in saving computation time, improving the accuracy of results, and reconstructing pollutant concentrations. Observation errors significantly influence the accuracy of the identification results from the DREAM-based model. In addition, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis of the DREAM-based model is conducted. The identification results from the DREAM-based model are sensitive to the dispersion coefficient and river velocity. The accuracy of the inverse model could be improved by increasing the monitoring number and by monitoring locations closer to the spill site. The findings of this study can improve decision-making during emergency responses to sudden river pollution incidents.

Assessment of microplastic abundance and impact on recreational beaches along the western Algerian coastline.

Microplastics (MPs) have attracted global attention due to their ubiquity and potential impact on the environment. However, MPs are poorly documented along the Algerian coast. To address this data gap, this study investigated the presence of MPs on three recreational beaches in western Algeria (Stidia, Sablettes and Mersat El Hadjaj). The mean MP abundance for the three beaches was estimated at 55.47 ± 48.01 items/m2. Characterization of MPs shape revealed that fragments (79.81 %) were dominant, followed by pellets (10.58 %), filaments (5.57 %), and foam (3.85 %). An assessment of the Microplastic Pollution Index, the Pellet Pollution Index, and the Coefficient of Microplastic Impact, revealed the presence of very low to moderate levels of MPs on the beaches. This presence was associated with minimal beach pollution and moderate overall impact. The sector analysis approach results confirm that there are two different magnitudes of MPs presence that can negatively impact on the environmental quality of the studied beaches.

Innovation driver and county air pollution: cost-benefit analysis perspective.

Innovation is the first power to drive the county's green and low-carbon. It is crucial to explore the impact of innovation on air pollution from the perspective of counties at the bottom of the administrative division hierarchy. The article is aimed at exploring the direct impact effects, spatial spillover effects, impact mechanism pathways, non-linear relationships, and cost-benefits of innovation drive on air pollution in counties. To this end, based on the collection of county-level data from 2007 to 2020 in mainland China, the article constructs a fixed-effects model, a dynamic panel model, and a spatial Durbin model for analysis. For every 1% increase in the quantity of innovation, the county SO2 emission concentration decreases by 0.2% on average; for every 1% increase in the quality of innovation, the county SO2 emission concentration decreases by 0.3% on average. When the county innovation quantity driver increases by one standard deviation, the county SO2 concentration decreases by an average of 0.29%; when the county innovation quality driver each standard deviation increases, the county SO2 concentration is reduced by 0.33% on average. The significant entry of high-end factors, the increased frequency of regulation by the environmental protection department, and the increasing efficiency of energy use are the important mechanism pathways for innovation-driven reduction of air pollution in counties. There is no significant "(inverted) U-shaped" relationship between innovation-driven air pollution in the county samples. There is a negative spatial spillover effect of the innovation quality drive on air pollution control in all Chinese county samples. Innovation to drive the declining size of the county's sulfur dioxide can bring about one billion yuan (about 139.81 million U.S. dollars) in comprehensive economic benefits. In the coming period, county governments should build a new pattern of "blue sky and white clouds" with neighboring regions in terms of spatial agglomeration of high-end elements, green transformation and utilization of energy, and intelligent monitoring and supervision of pollution.

Fintech, green imports, technology, and FDI inflow: their role in CO2 emissions reduction and the path to COP26: a comparative analysis of China.

This study uses a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model to investigate the relationships between CO2 emissions, green energy imports, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow, and financial technology (fintech) in China. It examines both short- and long-term asymmetries, reflecting the positive and negative effects of variables of interest on CO2 emissions. The results indicate that increasing fintech and green energy imports will decrease environmental pollution, as fintech and green technology negatively affect CO2 emissions in a positive shock and have positive effects in a negative shock. We also found that imports negatively affected CO2 emissions in the context of green energy imports. However, FDI inflows have conflicting outcomes, being positively beneficial during positive shocks and adversely significant during negative shocks. Moreover, green energy imports led to a considerable increase in CO2 emissions during negative shocks. These findings highlight the importance of considering economic factors when developing environmental regulations. Policy recommendations for COP26 include fostering sustainable fintech innovation, investing in green technology research, bolstering renewable energy imports, and improving climate legislation to build a greener and more sustainable future for China.