Lignite-derived activated carbon (L-AC) was fabricated via a microwave-assisted KOH activation process using a low-rank Mae Moh lignite and explored its potential as an adsorbent solid for post-combustion CO₂ capture. Optimization of the KOH ratio, microwave irradiation power, and activation time gave rise to a product with a BET surface area of 1349 m² g⁻¹ and total pore volume of 0.78 cm³ g⁻¹, which represented 165 times and 78 times enhancement compared with that of the initial lignite, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images proved the formation of a hierarchical macropore–mesopore–micropore structure, whereas Raman (I_D/I_G = 1.83) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses revealed a graphitic-like structure rich in defects with the existence of C=O and C–O–C functional groups involved in the Lewis acid–base interaction between L-AC and CO₂ molecules. Dynamic fixed-bed breakthrough tests performed at temperatures of 298, 328, and 353 K under post-combustion relevant conditions (CO₂ concentration: 15%, pressure: 1 atm) yielded CO₂ equilibrium uptake capacities of 47.34, 34.37, and 21.34 mg g⁻¹, respectively, with outstanding cyclic stability achieved after six consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles of temperature swing adsorption–desorption at 393 K. Among the seven nonlinear kinetic models, the Avrami, FL-PFO, and general-order models exhibited the highest fitting accuracy (R² = 0.9994–0.9998), suggesting that CO₂ adsorption onto L-AC proceeds through heterogeneous, multi-stage adsorption kinetics. A Weber–Morris intra-particle diffusion analysis identified a three-stage sequential transport mechanism in which mesopore diffusion constitutes the primary rate-limiting step. Thermodynamic parameters confirmed spontaneous (ΔG° = −24.20 to −26.87 kJ mol⁻¹), exothermic (ΔH° = −9.42 kJ mol⁻¹), and entropy-assisted adsorption (ΔS° = +49.93 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹) consistent with a physisorption mechanism, corroborated by a low activation energy of 9.11 kJ mol⁻¹. These findings demonstrate the viability of low-rank lignite as a low-cost precursor for the scalable synthesis of high-performance carbonaceous CO₂ adsorbents for post-combustion capture applications.

Duck bone, an under-used by-product of Southeast Asian poultry processing, was converted into hydroxyapatite-based bone char by single-step, reagent-free pyrolysis at 300, 400, and 500 °C and evaluated as a reusable Cu(II) adsorbent. Physical and chemical analyses showed progressive removal of the collagen–lipid matrix and preservation of a hydroxyapatite scaffold (98–99 wt% of the crystalline phases by Rietveld refinement, with minor calcite; apparent crystallite size ~7–8 nm across and ~23–25 nm along the c-axis). Surface area increased progressively from 33.0 to 84.2 m² g⁻¹ with pyrolysis temperature, whereas the Toth capacity increased steadily from 44.7 to 48.6 mg g⁻¹, indicating that uptake is governed mainly by apatite-site accessibility rather than scaling proportionally with surface area. Sigmoidal Avrami kinetics with exponents of 1.25–1.48, sharply saturating isotherms, an endothermic enthalpy of 71–90 kJ mol⁻¹, and points of zero charge of about pH 7–9.5 supported cooperative binding through Ca²⁺–Cu²⁺ ion exchange, phosphate and hydroxyl complexation, and proposed surface nucleation of Cu–phosphate clusters; Cu(OH)₂ precipitation was not expected at the pH used. After five HCl regeneration cycles, DKB retained 73.1–80.0% of its initial efficiency, and the first-order decay constant decreased from 0.078 to 0.056 cycle⁻¹ with increasing pyrolysis temperature. DKB produced at 500 °C combined the highest capacity, fastest kinetics, and greatest regeneration stability, establishing duck bone as a low-cost, circular feedstock for Cu(II) remediation.

Air-pollution source control is usually prioritised by emission mass, yet the health damage per tonne emitted varies widely in space. Using agricultural-residue open burning in Northern Thailand as a case study, we couple a GIS emission inventory with a province-resolved damage-function health model to quantify the health and economic burden, quantify how the health damage per tonne emitted varies across provinces, and apportion the co-benefits of diverting residue from open burning between air-quality and climate gains. In 2018, residue burning released about 21 kt of PM_2.5, 3.0 kt of black carbon and 0.84 Mt CO₂-eq of net non-biogenic greenhouse gases (methane and nitrous oxide), together with 6.2 Mt of biogenic CO₂ that is refixed by the following crop and is not a net climate source, with rice, sugarcane and maize contributing 39%, 35% and 20% of fine particles respectively, imposing costs of 59,600 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs; 97.5% from primary PM_2.5) and ~USD 1.07 billion per year. The damage caused per tonne emitted varied 4.8-fold among provinces (1.43–6.85 DALY per tonne of PM_2.5), so the largest emitter (Nakhon Sawan) was not the province whose emissions caused the largest attributable burden (Phetchabun); damage-weighted prioritisation therefore identifies where diversion yields the greatest benefit. Diverting rice and maize residue avoided 12 kt PM_2.5, 1.6 kt black carbon and 0.56 Mt CO₂-eq of net greenhouse gas, and 60% of the health and economic burden; extending diversion to sugarcane raised these to 20 kt, 2.9 kt, 0.79 Mt CO₂-eq and 95% (USD 1.02 billion per year), so a three-crop strategy is required. Rice-only and maize-only diversion were not clearly separable (rice-only was larger in 64% of the Monte Carlo draws).