Evan Paleologos

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• PhD Hydrology, The University of Arizona
• Professor and Chair at Abu Dhabi University

The transition to clean energy sources to combat climate change and new energy-intensive technological devices and equipment require some minerals, previously used in minute quantities. These critical minerals as described by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) include lithium, the family of 17 rare earths el...

The transition to a clean-energy economy in an effort to mitigate climate change has brought a need for intense mining exploration of a critical class of minerals, previously mined and used at a fraction of what is required today and for the upcoming decades. For some common metals, such as copper, major deficits are forecasted for 2030, and for so...

The rising demand for critical minerals essential for modern technologies, renewable energy solutions, and advanced electronics has intensified mining activities worldwide. While these minerals are vital for a sustainable future, their extraction and processing often pose significant threats to aquatic ecosystems. Findings indicate that mining oper...

Methane (CH4) emissions from the waste industry in the U.S.A. and the European Union (EU) have decreased by over 38% from 1990 to 2021. The success in CH4 emission reduction in the U.S.A. is attributable to two main reasons. Firstly, the increase in the recycling and composting share to 32% of managed waste, thus removing decomposable material from...

Methane (CH4) emissions from the waste industry in U.S.A. and the European Union (EU) have decreased by over 38% from 1990 to 2021. The success in CH4 emission reduction in U.S.A. is attributable to two main reasons. Firstly, the increase of the recycling and composting share to 32% of the managed waste, thus removing decomposable material from lan...

Surface and sub-surface fire in municipal solid waste landfills (including dumpsites) is a complex and intricate phenomenon, whose frequency is expected to increase due to climate change. Partial or incomplete combustion of landfill waste at low temperatures during fires leads to generation of toxic compounds, including hydrocarbons, particulate ma...

Wildfires have short- and long-term impacts on the geoenvironment, including the changes to biogeochemical and mechanical properties of soils, landfill stability, surface- and groundwater, air pollution, and vegetation. Climate change has increased the extent and severity of wildfires across the world. Simultaneously, anthropogenic activities—throu...

Wildfires have short- and long-term impacts on the geoenvironment, including the changes to biogeochemical and mechanical properties of soils, landfill stability, surface- and groundwater, air pollution, and vegetation. Climate change has increased the extent and severity of wildfires across the world. Simultaneously, anthropogenic activities—throu...

Plastics are an essential commodity due to their superior engineering properties, durability and low cost for utilization in various commercial products. However, the degradation of plastics due to several environmental stresses has led to the formation of microplastics (MPs). MPs have risen to the top of environmental concerns due to their affinit...

BOOKS REVIEW: Sustainable utilization of carbon dioxide in waste management. Detritus / Volume 26 - 2024 / pages I-IV by Marco Schiavon - Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Italy

Engineered canals and waterfront developments as a means to revitalize aging riverfront and coastal areas, dominated until the mid-thirties by industrial buildings and warehouses, have been at the forefront of many American and European cities. Urban revitalization is accomplished after prolonged public participation and has succeeded to transform...

The Arabian (Persian) Gulf, a shallow hypersaline sea, replenished with ocean water from the narrow Strait of Hormuz, is perhaps the most congested water body in the world. It is the most concentrated area of oil exploitation globally, a navigation center through which trillion US dollars of goods flow, the place where sensitive ecosystems exist, a...

Abu Dhabi’s recent coastal development in the Eastern Mangroves area involves the construction of a new bridge that will connect the main archipelago to newly urbanized islands. This bridge crosses over a major mangrove plantation resulting in a change in its geometry, surrounding water canals, and the marine environment. Over-the-sea bridges requi...

The quality of ambient air has improved in many cities as a result of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study utilized hourly averages of five ambient (outdoors) air quality indicators (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, and O3) to assess the impact on air quality of the reduced mobility, during the first 8 months of 2020, at two schools in A...

Environmental regulations on landfills contain detailed instructions for monitoring the impacts of pollution from leachate on water, air and soil. However, references to the impact of landfills on the landscape and the need to monitor the surrounding vegetation are described only in general terms. Studies have indicated that near-surface pollution...

Labor housing projects in many Gulf countries are located in less favorable sites in the desert hinterland. They are characterized by grid-based compositions, simple facades, and block buildings positioned on the outskirts of cities. This development type was implemented in the industrial sector of Abu Dhabi, known as Mussafah. Gradually, this indu...

The issue of groundwater contamination is one of several major global concerns, especially in areas exposed to the impact of waste disposal. The present study investigated the potential of combining both direct monitoring activities with computer-based model simulations to predict and describe contamination sources from two landfills and surroundin...

The current paper discusses some selected developments for efficient management of the globally increasing quantity of waste. Incinerator bottom ash (IBA), the heavier ash generated during incineration of municipal waste, is currently utilised in two distinct ways. One pathway is not to fragment IBA and use it as a building material in road constru...

The revitalisation of the global economy after the Covid-19 era presents environmental geotechnics with the opportunity to reinforce the need for a change in paradigm towards a green, circular economy and to promote aggressively the use and development of sustainable technologies and management practices. This paper aims to assist in this effort by...

Proper management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is crucial to avoid pollution, environmental impacts and threat to public health. The problem of MSW is mainly arising from inadequate landfill site management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of management practices and environmental risks at two landfill sites. The landfills...

COVID-19 is proving to be an unprecedented disaster for human health, social contacts, and the economy worldwide. It is evident that the SARS-CoV-2 may spread through municipal solid waste (MSW), if collected, bagged, handled, transported, or disposed of inappropriately. Under the stress placed by the current pandemic on the sanitary performance ac...

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic not only has created a health crisis across the world but is also expected to impact negatively the global economy and societies at a scale that is maybe larger than that of the 2008 financial crisis. Simultaneously, it has inevitably exerted many negative consequences on the geoenvir...

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has posed severe threats to humans and the geoenvironment. The findings of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (Sars-CoV-2) traces in waste water and the practice of disinfecting outdoor spaces in several cities in the world, which can result into the entry of disinfectants and their by-products int...

Environmental geotechnics provides a unique blend of science and engineering in the areas of geotechnics, earth sciences, and environmental science and engineering. Its multidisciplinary framework bridges scientific understanding with technological solutions in geoengineering problems with the aim to protect human health and environment. The outbre...

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging persistent contaminants in the terrestrial subsurface, and evidence has emerged for significant effects of MPs on soils’ biological and ecosystem functions. Main MPs sources include land spreading of sewage sludge and biowaste composts, plastic mulching film used in horticultural fields, wastewater irrigation, and l...

This chapter deals with (1) the basic theory of sound propagation; (2) an overview of noise pollution problem in view of policy and standards by the World Health Organization, the United States, and the European Union; (3) noise exposure sources from aircraft, road traffic and railways, in-vehicle, work, and construction sites, and occupations, and...

In this chapter, the impact of CO2 emissions from a specific industry, aviation, is detailed together with monitoring of CO2 by airlines. In addition, forward-looking schemes by the aviation industry, such as the European Union's Emission Trading Scheme, are presented. Technical discussions are provided related to (1) calculations of aircraft CO2 d...

In this chapter we discuss the various phases in site investigation. Phase I investigations are preliminary in nature and are designed to furnish a comprehensive overview of available site information. Phase II investigations consist of site characterization and groundwater monitoring of well installation. Direct methods such as boreholes, piezomet...

This chapter focuses on an evaluation of pollutant transport modeling in subsurface soils with an emphasis on the level at which these models represent actual physical conditions at the site. The physical and chemical interaction mechanisms that govern the transport of organic and inorganic pollutants in the subsurface environment are examined. Sin...

This chapter focuses on a global outlook on environmental problems, an assessment of pollution in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere from the viewpoint of sustainable development, and remedial measures to restore the environment. In addition, worldwide case studies in relation to the extensive use of natural systems, the degradat...

In this chapter, sources and characteristics of outdoor air pollutants are presented along with their effects on human health and the environment. In addition, emphasis is given to air pollutant monitoring by exploring the type of monitoring programs, sampling methods, and emission standards and by presenting the case of air pollution monitoring in...

This chapter presents an introduction to the essentials of risk analysis, assessment, and management. The use of decision trees and payoff tables is discussed together with some criteria to reach optimum decisions. The use of additional statistical measures to the expected value is shown to provide additional insight into decision-making. Furthermo...

The Abu Dhabi coastline is currently being connected at the Eastern Mangroves on the main island of Abu Dhabi to newly urbanized islands such as Al Jubail Island via an extensive bridge that will cross Umm Lafina Island and vast mangrove landscapes. This is part of a broader plan to create connections to new urban islands to mainland Abu Dhabi such...

Nuclear power plants split uranium atoms in a process called fission. In a nuclear power plant, heat is generated to produce steam that spins a turbine to generate electricity. Nuclear energy has been proposed in response to the need for a clean energy source compared to CO2 production plants. However, nuclear energy is not necessarily a source of...

The MENA region has been experiencing the highest population growth rate in the world since the last century. Concomitantly, energy needs in the region are projected to exceed 50% of the current demand in the upcoming two decades. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the newest addition to the countries that utilize nuclear energy for electric...

Our work analyzes some key public, late modernist and contemporary buildings in Abu Dhabi in order to examine how the capital of this Arab country has dealt with issues of local tradition versus modernization, at a time of rapid economic and social change. Modernist and contemporary interpretations of Arab architectural tradition are deliberated as...

Today, identity and social status are increasingly being manifested by housing typologies. The massive construction industry that has mushroomed in the Gulf region and parts of Asia is being supported by a large population of workers requiring accommodation. In the Industrial City, on the mainland of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) labor housing conglomerated on...

Treated wastewater has emerged in many countries as a component of the water stream and a way to supplement, primarily, landscape and agricultural irrigation. Several European and Asian states have, in addition, promoted the use of greywater in the interior of buildings. Regulations for greywater reuse are, by and large, not in place and quality st...

Mangrove forests are widely distributed in Asia, America, and Africa. These salt-tolerant bushes or trees grow at the intersection of fresh and saline waters in tidal lagoons, estuaries, and deltas creating rich ecosystems. They are used by communities for wood, and fish and shellfish harvesting, and they play an important role in soil stabilizatio...

Treated wastewater has emerged in many countries as a component of the water stream and a way to supplement, primarily, landscape and agricultural irrigation. Several European and Asian states have, in addition, promoted the use of greywater in the interior of buildings. Regulations for greywater reuse are, by and large, not in place and quality st...

Mangrove forests are widely distributed in Asia, America, and Africa. These salt-tolerant bushes or trees grow at the intersection of fresh and saline waters in tidal lagoons, estuaries, and deltas creating rich ecosystems. They are used by communities for wood, and fish and shellfish harvesting, and they play an important role in soil stabilizatio...

Dubai’s 2020 Expo is expected to authenticate Dubai’s status as an emerging Arab city that displays modernity through iconic projects, sequences of fragmented urban enclaves, and engineered landscapes. The new Dubai Canal creates a navigational route that interlaces the historic centre with newly emerging artificial islands. The new Canal accentuat...

The main shoreline of the Abu Dhabi City Main Island is facing the Arabian (Persian) Gulf from the north-west side and is exposed to continuous current wave action. Therefore, a shore protection system was developed on this side from the Main Island. The shore protection system consists of onshore and offshore breakwaters, huge volumes of damped sa...

Dike structures are used to restore the original bankline by redirecting the flow away from the banks towards the center of the stream. 2D-hydrodynamic models integrated with satellite images proved to be a powerful tool to enhance the design of dike structures in meandering streams and access dikes overall performance in controlling stream-bank er...

Dubai’s interest to attract investors through exclusive urban enclaves is best exemplified by the artificial islands that reshaped much of its shoreline. Several artificial islands such as Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and the World Islands reinforce the trend of fostering extensive urban development along shorelines. Creating artificial islands is...

Dike structures are used to restore the original bankline by redirecting the flow away from the banks towards the center of the stream. 2D-hydrodynamic models integrated with satellite images proved to be a powerful tool to enhance the design of dike structures in meandering streams and access dikes overall performance in controlling stream-bank er...

Dubai's interest to attract investors through exclusive urban enclaves is best exemplified by the artificial islands that reshaped much of its shoreline. Several artificial islands such as Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and the World Islands reinforce the trend of fostering extensive urban development along shorelines. Creating artificial islands is...

Coastal cities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lie on a flat terrain created by tidal inundation and with super-saline groundwater within a few meters of the ground surface. Construction requires almost always dewatering in order to allow activities to proceed in dry conditions. Due to the tidal environment the proper conceptual and numerical mod...

EXTENDED ABSTRACT The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has embarked on an ambitious plan to diversify its economy away from oil and gas production, having already achieved by 2013 a 45% contribution of non-oil activities to its total GDP. As a result of its growing population and economic expansion the installed capacity of power plants had to grow by ab...

Desalination constitutes the sole long-term reliable and sustainable source of fresh water for the desert Arabian Gulf Region. The region is facing unprecedented growth with continuous population increase and economies that diversify from oil production to manufacturing and industry, and real estate and tourism. The scarcity of water makes it in ad...

The new Central Business District (CBD) of Abu Dhabi to be constructed in its desert hinterland is planned as part of the 2030 vision to reflect the image of a global city, and to attract investors through creating a district similar in its skyline to Manhattan, London, Paris Singapore and Hong Kong. The location and site context that is surrounded...

Water in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is scarce and in addition to its life-sustaining role it is a limiting economic resource for the country. The current article presents a comprehensive study of the water resources of the UAE and analyses the water usage in the different economic sectors in order to provide suggestions for a sustainable water...

Waste incineration and coincineration plants in most European countries have frequently updated their flue gas cleaning systems, surpassing in most cases E.U. air emission standards. At the same time, in most developing countries, cement and other coincineration facilities follow less stringent emission regulations and have a mixed record of protec...

The study of emerging contemporary museums in the United Arab Emirates suggests that new forms of architecture are emerging that deal with the past and present at the same time. The opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2017 and the number of visitors that visited the museum highlights the emergence of new spaces of gathering in Al-Saadiyat Island as...

Water in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is scarce and in addition to its life-sustaining role it is a limiting economic resource for the country. The current article presents a comprehensive study of the water resources of the UAE and analyses the water usage in the different economic sectors in order to provide suggestions for a sustainable water...

The main shoreline of the Abu Dhabi City Main Island is facing the Arabian (Persian) Gulf from the northwest side and is exposed to continuous current wave action. Therefore, a shore protection system was developed on this side from the Main Island. The shore protection system consists of onshore and offshore breakwaters, huge volumes of damped san...

The polluter pays principle that has been adopted in environmental regulations worldwide places the economic burden of prevention, control, and cost of damage and mitigation on the pollution generator. The United States and Canada have established monetary penalties for air emission violations based on formulas and notions that account, among other...

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has embarked on an ambitious plan of nation-building transforming the landscape of the country. Whereas Abu Dhabi and Dubai with their modern architecture promote an international urban lifestyle, the third largest city in UAE, Al-Ain offers a relaxed, Oasis/villa experience a form of revival to Andrea Palladio's mans...

Desalination constitutes the sole long-term reliable and sustainable source of fresh water for the desert Arabian Gulf Region. The region is facing unprecedented growth with continuous population increase and economies that diversify from oil production to manufacturing and industry, and real estate and tourism. The scarcity of water makes it in ad...

The new Central Business District (CBD) of Abu Dhabi to be constructed in its desert hinterland is planned as part of the 2030 Vision to reflect the image of a global city, and to attract investors through creating a district similar in its skyline to Manhattan, London, Paris Singapore and Hong Kong. The location and site context that is surrounded...

Construction constitutes the largest economic sector after oil and gas in the Gulf region. Operational efficiency is hampered, among others, by scheduling and planning concrete deliveries simultaneously to different construction sites from different batching plant locations, with variable distances and operating costs to be considered, while at the...

Coastal cities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lie on a flat sabkha terrain created by tidal inundation and with super-saline groundwater found within a few meters of the ground surface. Construction in this environment requires almost always dewatering in order to allow activities to proceed in dry conditions. The two main technologies used are...

RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL: HOSTING ENVIRONMENT, ENGINEERED BARRIERS, AND CHALLENGES ABSTRACT Radioactive material is being used in many aspects of our life, from medicine to energy generation and to weapon systems. The increasing energy needs and the quest for clean energy makes it very likely that the use of radioactive material will expand in...

MANAGEMENT OF WASTES: AN INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTIVE ABSTRACT Hazardous waste needs to be carefully managed and disposed of as the material classified under this category can ignite, or explode, or react violently with water, air, and other substances, or corrode the drums that the waste is transported or temporarily stored in. Some of this materia...

STABILITY AND SAFETY OF ENGINEERED BARRIER SYSTEMS FOR WASTE CONTAINMENT ABSTRACT The current chapter analyzes the different engineered measures that are put in place in landfills to safeguard the environment and the population health from releases of wastes. The functions and types of covering systems are initially presented. Subsequently, the b...

Chapter 16 discussed the problems in data reduction techniques that are used to calculate the dielectric permittivity of soils and hence to predict its moisture content. In this chapter, we will introduce different methods, for extracting information from electrical signals, and how this could be utilized to predict soil moisture content. Before do...

SOIL - WATER INTERACTION Abstract This chapter commences by discussing the main functional groups, the atoms and bonds that determine the characteristic chemical reactions between molecules and hence, the accumulation, persistence and fate of compounds in the soil-water system. It continues by providing a detailed exposition of the forces between...

HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES OF SOILS ABSTRACT The current chapter addresses the hydraulic properties of soils, which are primarily expressed through the concept of the hydraulic conductivity parameter that enters Darcy’s law. In that respect it is a companion to chapter 5 of this book, which provides the background of the material discussed here. Initial...

FATE AND EFFECTS OF POLLUTANTS Abstract This chapter discusses initially the different pathways, soils and sediments, water and air through which contaminants are transported and become available to organisms and people posing health risks. The concept of bioavailability, the physical, chemical, and biological processes that define the exposure of...

GROUNDWATER Abstract This chapter presents an introduction to the basic concepts and developments in the study of the flow of water in the subsurface environment. The importance of groundwater as a natural fresh water reserve and for the public health is initially described. The relation between groundwater extraction and land subsidence is discus...

EMERGING POLLUTANTS: FATE, PATHWAYS AND BIOAVAILABILITY (NANOPOLLUTANTS AND MICROPLASTICS) Abstract A number of new products, which includes common personal-care products, prescription and nonprescription drugs, household items, as well as new generation pesticides, surfactants, and industrial products contain nanomaterials and/or microplastics. N...

4. The Soil System Material contained in this chapter: 4.1 Introduction 89 4.2 Soil Phases 89 4.2.1 The Gas Phase 89 4.2.2 The Fluid Phase 91 4.2.3 The Solid Phase 94 4.3 Mineral Composition 95 4.3.1 Primary and Secondary Minerals 95 4.3.2 Trace Elements in Soil Minerals 96 4.4 Soil Mineral Transformations 97 4.5 Crystal Chemistry of Silicates 98 4...

Magnetic Properties of Soil Abstract Iron containing minerals, i.e., magnetic minerals, constitute an intimate part of a soil. These can be derived from the parent rock from which the soil was developed, or can be formed in situ, or can be deposited from the atmosphere, originating from natural or anthropogenic sources. Recently, measurement of th...

GEOENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT ABSTRACT The global environmental problems and the demographic problem, which are the focus of the geoenvironmental engineering practice, and the actions towards restoration of the environment are the subjects of this chapter. In seeking solutions to restore the degradation of the environment, w...

Subsurface Contaminant Transport Material contained in Chapter: 9.1 Introduction 283 9.2 Modeling Process 283 9.3 Transport Processes in Soils 284 9.3.1 Advection 284 9.3.2 Diffusion 284 9.3.2.1 Effects of Soil Properties on the Magnitude of Ds 285 9.3.3 Dispersion 287 9.4 Transport Equation 289 9.5 Solute Transport Models 292 9.5.1 Conservative Tr...

SOIL AND CONTAMINANT INTERACTION Abstract The current chapter provides details of the complex interactions of the soil constituents and the chemicals that may exist in situ or find their way into the soil. These interactions have important implications for studies and predictions of the movement of contaminants in the subsurface environment as ad...

Introduction The response of soils to high frequency (100 – 1000 MHz) electromagnetic fields is of interest in groundwater resource evaluation, groundwater protection, waste disposal, and petroleum reservoir characterization. A variety of tools have been developed that rely on the link between dielectric properties and important variables such as s...

ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS ABSTRACT This chapter discusses the electric and electromagnetic methods that are used to evaluate the electrical properties soils. Electric techniques exploit the flow of a steady state current in the subsurface, while electromagnetic methods rely on the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction and the wave characte...

Abstract The technological, industrial, agricultural, and medical discoveries of the twentieth century and their massive application to daily life products have created a historically unprecedented economic prosperity to large segments of the human population. The negative by-product of all modern economic activities is the generation of huge volum...

Fundamentals of Geoenvironmental Engineering: Understanding Soil, Water, and Pollutant Interaction and Transport examines soil-water-pollutant interaction, including physico-chemical processes that occur when soil is exposed to various contaminants. Soil characteristics relevant to remedial techniques are explored, providing foundations for the cor...

The urban policies of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi are witnessing major urban developments that aim to rebrand main Emirate of the oil rich states as one that sustains cultural values and green infrastructures. New urban development's overviewing green areas, parks and palm tree farms reflect the strategies of the Urban Planning Council (UPC) regarding...

High-level radioactive waste (HLW) results from spent reactor fuel and reprocessed nuclear material. Since 1957 the scientific consensus is that deep geologic disposal constitutes the safest means for isolating HLW for long timescales. Nuclear power is becoming significant for the Arab Gulf countries as a way to diversify energy sources and drive e...

An ensemble-based Monte Carlo framework in conjunction with a particle tracking method was used to investigate contaminant movement into the subsurface environment from an instantaneous leak emanating from a random location near the ground surface. Our findings include the following. A large number of wells, exceeding in all cases 12 monitoring wel...