PurposeIt has been argued that behavioural models of technology acceptance do not serve equally across cultures. This study aims to extend technology acceptance model (TAM) to suit in a developing country context. The model attempts to identify the relationship between social norms, management support and moderating factors voluntariness and experience.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a quantitative methodology to investigate the correlational paths. A cross‐sectional survey was completed by 504 academics working in higher educational institutes of Pakistan. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) based on partial least squares (PLS) methods.FindingsThe extended model achieved acceptable fit and most of the hypothesised paths were significant. Determinant perceived usefulness was an important construct of the internet acceptance, i.e. R2=34 per cent more than behavioural intention. Moderator experience diminished the impact of usefulness on behaviour usage.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that expecting acceptance behaviour from individuals on the basis of only TAM's constructs is not enough for introducing new IT technologies. The study reveals that an individual's perceptions are formed/changed through attitudinal and social beliefs, along with management support and usage experience.Originality/valueThe study is useful in non‐western cultural contexts. Specifically, in contrast to previous studies, diversity of individuals' acceptance behaviour is examined within a single south‐Asian country's context.

Background Co-pyrolysis of wastes with other feedstock can synergistically improve the rate of biomass decomposition and also help to resolve the issues related to limited availability feedstock. In this regards, synergistic interaction between feedstock during co-pyrolysis is an important aspect of research. As the constituents of aquatic and lignocellulosic biomass are different, and the decomposition pattern of aquatic biomass is dissimilar when compared to lignocellulosic biomass, it is important to understand whether these two biomasses interact during co-pyrolysis. Results Synergism in the co-pyrolysis of microalgae (MA), swine manure digestate (SWD), and their blends (MA/SWD) (w/w %), 2.5/7.5 (MD-1), 5/5 (MD-2), and 7.5/2.5 (MD-3), was evaluated based on decomposition behavior, gas yields, extent of thermal degradation, and kinetics. Extractives and volatiles in biomass enhanced the reaction kinetics and products yields, as indicated by the reduction in apparent activation energy of the blends, accompanied by an increase in H 2 , total gas yield, and extent in degradation. Thermogravimetric data, via isoconversional methods, were interpreted to achieve the apparent activation energies for the thermal degradation of the MA, SWD, and their blends. The best fit reaction models were identified using compensation effect and generalized master plots methods. Semi-quantitative method was used to quantify the evolved gas species. H 2 , CO, and CO 2 were noted to be the dominant gases, implying that tar cracking and reforming reactions were predominant. Conclusions Overall, synergy was noticed with respect to the pyrolysis of SWD biomass to gas products in the presence of MA biomass, whereas synergy was witnessed up to 50 w/w % MA in view of kinetic parameters as evaluation criteria.

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Sugarcane variety Thatta-10 was sown. The experiment, was meant to observe the effect of inorganic NPK fertilizers under different proportions on growth, yield and juice quality of sugarcane; comprised different inorganic NPK fertilizer doses viz. Control (0-0-0 NPK kg ha-1), 100% recommended (225-112-168 NPK kg ha-1), 75% less than recommended (56.25-28.0-42.0 NPK kg ha-1), 50% less than recommended (112.5-56.0-84.0 NPK kg ha-1), 25% less than recommended (168.75-84.0-126.0 NPK kg ha-1) and 25% more than recommended (281.25-140.0-210.0 NPK kg ha-1). In the study agronomic, physiological, quality and nutrient uptake traits viz. tillers plant-1 , plant height, stem girth, internodes plant-1 ,millable canes, cane yield, leaf area plant-1 , leaf area index, crop growth rate, dry matter, brix, pol, purity, commercial cane sugar, NPK accumulation and uptake in plant and ratoon sugarcane crops were higher with the application of 100% recommended fertilizer at 225-112-168 NPK kg ha-1 and 25% more than recommended fertilizer at 281.25-140-210 NPK kg ha-1. The mean values of these both NPK levels were statistically non-significant. However, all inadequate applications beyond recommended applications significantly recorded less values of all traits of sugarcane plant and ratoon crop.

Pyrolytic characteristics of three different organic solid wastes, municipal solid waste (MSW), digested MSW (DMSW), and digested swine manure (SWD), were investigated at heating rates of 10, 15, and 20 °C min–1 in a thermogravimetric analyzer coupled with mass spectrometer. Three stages of devolatilization, dehydration (0–200 °C), decomposition of major structural components (200–500 °C), and decomposition of solid residue (500–800 °C), appeared during the pyrolysis of all the samples. The major devolatilization stage (stage II) is characterized with three peaks at 319, 379, and 438 °C for MSW, two peaks at 339 and 430 for DMSW, and one peak with a shoulder on the right at 332 and 444 °C for SWD, respectively. The evolved gas species were quantified by using a semiquantitative approach, and H2, CO and CO2 were noticed to be predominant gas species in the above-mentioned range. While the evolution of H2 is mostly temperature dependent, the evolution of CO and CO2 occurred all through the run. Isoconversional methods along with compensation effect and master plots were used to determine the kinetic triplet for the pyrolysis process. The mean activation energies were 172.02–172.3, 202.21–202.55, and 213.84–215.22 kJ mol–1, while the pre-exponential factors were 1.81 × 1010, 1.04 × 1018, and 2.26 × 1019 for MSW, DMSW, and SWD, respectively.

Four different microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris (CV), Spirulina (SP), Chroococcus (CC) and mix culture (MC), were pyrolyzed at heating rates of 10, 15 and 20 °C min−1 up to 800 °C in a thermogravimetric analyzer coupled with a mass spectrometer to investigate their pyrolytic characteristics.

Acidogenic fermentation of organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and it's components (food waste and paper wastes) was studied in batch percolator reactor without artificial pH adjustment.

BACKGROUND The bioremediation versatility of soil indigenous microbial community for the degradation of oil contaminated soils has been evidenced previously. In this study, three dominant bacterial strains, Pseudomonas putida (P. putida) and two Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) (accession numbers ATCC‐27853, BAA‐427, and ATCC‐49128), were isolated from three different oil‐contaminated sites to evaluate their bioremediation potential. Degradation potential was determined against two compounds, naphthalene and pyrene, from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in batch experiment. RESULTS The bacterial strains were effective in degrading naphthalene and pyrene. Further, the degradation potential of these compounds was correlated with total organic carbon (TOC). Among the bacterial strains, P. putida (accession number ATCC‐27853) effectively degraded naphthalene and pyrene by 92% and 83%, respectively. The other bacterial strain, P. aeruginosa (ATCC‐27853), equally degraded the naphthalene (83.6%) but differed considerably for pyrene, with the lowest removal efficiency of 24.2% at 3 ppm. Growth profiles of the proposed bacterial strains, P. putida (accession number ATCC‐27853), P. aeruginosa (accession number BAA‐427), and P. aeruginosa, ATCC‐49128), revalidated through colony‐forming unit (CFU·mL−1). P. putida showed the highest cell count 5.06 × 108 (CFU·mL−1) for naphthalene. CONCLUSION This study highlights that isolated Pseudomonas strains showed the highest degrading activity for naphthalene and pyrene‐degrading without the addition of any chemical or co‐substrate within a short interval. Overall, findings indicate that inoculation of the bacterial strains belonging to Pseudomonas species can stimulate low and high weight PAH compounds degradation and maintain the bacterial biomass, thus accelerating the dissipation of soil PAHs. It further provides evidence for perspectives on the potential of bacterial community assembly of PAH‐contaminated soils. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).