Fraudulence in cosmetic ingredients is becoming increasingly prevalent, alongside the rising demand and utilization of cosmetics within the populace. One of the whitening agents still utilized in cosmetics is mercury, present in forms such as mercury chloramide (HgNH₂Cl₂) and mercury chloride (HgCl₂). Prolonged mercury exposure can have adverse health effects. To address this issue, alternative mercury analysis methods in samples have been developed, including the utilization of silver nanoparticles amalgamated with sweet potato starch as a stabilizing agent. This paper aims to delve into the roles of silver nanoparticle AgNO₃ and sweet potato starch (as a stabilizer) as a sensor for mercury detection, which can be applied in cosmetic products. Detection of mercury utilizing nanoparticles is based on the Surface Plasmon Resonance phenomenon, which endows a high level of selectivity and sensitivity toward the presence of mercury metal ions. When interaction occurs between mercury metal and silver nanoparticles, the liquid undergoes a color change from yellowish-brown to transparent. This phenomenon arises from the oxidation of AgO (yellow) to Ag⁺ ions (transparent) by the mercury metal. Consequently, a silver nanoparticle sensor utilizing sweet potato starch as a stabilizing agent exhibits the potential to detect mercury metal within a substance with high efficacy.

Forests have ecological functions in water conservation, climate regulation, environmental purification, soil and water conservation, biodiversity protection and so on. Carrying out forest ecological quality assessment is of great significance to understand the global carbon cycle, energy cycle and climate change. Based on the introduction of the concept and research methods of forest ecological quality, this paper analyzes and summarizes the evaluation of forest ecological quality from three comprehensive indicators: forest biomass, forest productivity and forest structure. This paper focuses on the construction of evaluation index system, the acquisition of evaluation data and the estimation of key ecological parameters, discusses the main problems existing in the current forest ecological quality evaluation, and looks forward to its development prospects, including the unified standardization of evaluation indexes, high-quality data, the impact of forest living environment, the acquisition of forest level from multi-source remote sensing data, the application of vertical structural parameters and the interaction between forest ecological quality and ecological function.

Photocatalysis, an innovative technology, holds promise for addressing industrial pollution issues across aqueous solutions, surfaces, and gaseous effluents. The efficiency of photodegradation is notably influenced by light intensity and duration, underscoring the importance of optimizing these parameters. Furthermore, temperature and pH have a significant impact on pollutant speciation, surface chemistry, and reaction kinetics; therefore, process optimization must consider these factors. Photocatalytic degradation is an effective method for treating water in environmental remediation, providing a flexible and eco-friendly way to eliminate organic contaminants from wastewater. Selectivity in photocatalytic degradation is achieved by a multidisciplinary approach that includes reaction optimization, catalyst design, and profound awareness of chemical processes. To create efficient and environmentally responsible methods for pollution removal and environmental remediation, researchers are working to improve these components.

Objective: To evaluate the ponticulus posticus according to the skeletal relationship found in strict lateral radiographs at the Centro Dental Docente of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia during the period 2015–2017, using the classification according to the degree of mineralization described by Selby and Steiner’s skeletal relationship classification. Material and methods: It was performed on digital strict lateral radiographs using a 20-inch screen using the SIDEXIS XG program, observing the degree of mineralization of the ponticulus posticus: without evidence of the bony spicule over the vertebral artery = absent bridge, when spicule formation and/or calcification was noted or evident in the middle of the bridge or incompletely = partial bridge, when the bony arch was evident finished visualizing = complete bridge and the classification of the skeletal relationship by measuring the ANB angle: Class I = 0–4°; Class II = >4° and Class III = <0°: the statistical analysis was done with the SPSS V program.22.0 for Windows using the Chi-square tests. Results: Of the 925 digital strict lateral radiographs evaluated, 283 radiographs were found to present ponticulus posticus and the highest frequency was found in the absent type (69.4%), the partial type (17.1%) and the complete type (13.5%). The ponticulus posticus was present in 25.1% of the female and 38.4% of the male. The skeletal relationship associated with ponticulus posticus was present in Class II (19.1%), Class I (10.4%) and Class III (1.1%). Conclusions: The ponticulus posticus is an anatomical variant present in 30.6% of cases. No statistically significant difference was found between the presence of ponticulus posticus and skeletal relationship or sex.

The emission trading scheme (ETS) is arguably one of the most effective approaches for encouraging industries to transition to a low-carbon economy and, as a result, assisting nations in meeting their goals under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to mitigate the challenge of climate change. ETS is gaining popularity as more governments throughout the world contemplate implementing it, particularly in developing countries. Much of the existing research has concentrated on debates concerning ETS operations in developed nations. This study is to give a discourse of the success criteria for ETS implementation that have been identified in the literature and then cross-referenced in the context of Malaysia. For this, the research used an integrated approach of scoping review of existing literature and in-depth interviews with Malaysian stakeholders. Using Narassimhan et al. (2018)’s ETS assessment framework, the scoping review identified five major attributes that lead to successful ETS implementation in a global context that are environmental effectiveness, economic efficiency, market management, stakeholder engagement, and revenue management. In-depth interviews with several groups of discovered stakeholder engagement as an essential attribute that would play a critical role in advancing ETS implementation in Malaysia. The study concludes by proposing a complete strategy based on empirical information and first-hand narratives, providing useful insights for politicians, industry players, and environmental activists. The recommendation is especially important as Malaysia strives to improve its commitment to sustainable and responsible development in light of the challenges posed by climate change.

In the present work, a series of butyl methacrylate/1-hexene copolymers were synthesized, and their efficiency as viscosity index improvers, pour point depressants, and shear stabilizers of lube oil was investigated. The effect of 1-hexene molar ratio, type, and concentration of Lewis acids on the incorporation of 1-hexene into the copolymer backbone was investigated. The successful synthesis of the copolymers was confirmed through FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Results obtained from quantitative 1H NMR and GPC revealed that an increase in the molar ratio of 1-hexene to butyl methacrylate, along with concentration of Lewis acids led to an increase in 1-hexene incorporation and a reduction in Mn and Ð. Similar trends were observed when the Lewis acid changed from AlCl₃ to organometallic acids. The maximum 1-hexene incorporation (26.4%) was achieved for sample BHY3, with a [1-hexene/BMA] ratio of 4 mol% and a [Yb(OTf)₃/BMA] ratio of 2.5 mol%. Evaluation of the synthesized copolymers as lube oil additives demonstrated that the viscosity index was more significantly influenced by samples with higher molecular weight. Sample BHA13 represents maximum VI of 137. The copolymer containing Yb(OTf)₃ as a catalyst exhibited superior efficiency as a pour point depressant. Furthermore, sample BHY3 showed the lowest shear stability index (6.4).