{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T18:08:51Z","timestamp":1777486131484,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,23]],"date-time":"2020-12-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1608681600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Entropy"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This paper explains a thorough exergy analysis of the most important reactions in soil\u2013plant interactions. Soil, which is a prime mover of gases, metals, structural crystals, and electrolytes, constantly resembles an electric field of charge and discharge. The second law of thermodynamics reflects the deterioration of resources through the destruction of exergy. In this study, we developed a new method to assess the exergy of soil and plant formation processes. Depending on the types of soil, one may assess the efficiency and degradation of resources by incorporating or using biomass storage. According to the results of this study, during different processes from the mineralization process to nutrient uptake by the plant, about 62.5% of the input exergy will be destroyed because of the soil solution reactions. Most of the exergy destruction occurs in the biota\u2013atmosphere subsystem, especially in the photosynthesis reaction, due to its low efficiency (about 15%). Humus and protonation reactions, with 14% and 13% exergy destruction, respectively, are the most exergy destroying reactions. Respiratory, weathering, and reverse weathering reactions account for the lowest percentage of exergy destruction and less than one percent of total exergy destruction in the soil system. The total exergy yield of the soil system is estimated at about 37.45%.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/e23010003","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,23]],"date-time":"2020-12-23T08:38:43Z","timestamp":1608712723000},"page":"3","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Exergy Analysis of a Bio-System: Soil\u2013Plant Interaction"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"23","author":[{"given":"Masoomeh","family":"Bararzadeh Ledari","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Energy Engineering of Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11365-8639, Iran"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4608-7469","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yadollah","family":"Saboohi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Energy Engineering of Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11365-8639, Iran"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Valero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zaragoza, ETSII, 50015 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sara","family":"Azamian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Energy Engineering of Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11365-8639, Iran"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"169","DOI":"10.1016\/0304-3800(79)90033-4","article-title":"A holistic approach to ecological modeling","volume":"7","author":"Mejer","year":"1979","journal-title":"Ecol. Modell."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Wall, G. (2020, November 20). Introduction To Life Support Systems and Sustainable. Available online: http:\/\/www.eolss.net."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"531","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cnsns.2004.11.009","article-title":"Scarcity of exergy and ecological evaluation based on embodied exergy","volume":"11","author":"Chen","year":"2006","journal-title":"Commun. Nonlinear Sci. Numer. Simul."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1100\/tsw.2001.15","article-title":"Toward a consistent pattern of ecosystem theories","volume":"1","author":"Jorgensen","year":"2001","journal-title":"Sci. World J."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4615-4659-7_12","article-title":"Thermodynamics and Measures of Ecological Integrity","volume":"Volume 1","author":"Kay","year":"1992","journal-title":"Ecological Indicators"},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"J\u00f8rgensen, S.E., and M\u00fcller, F. (2000). Handbook of Ecosystem Theories and Management, CRC Press\u2014Lewis Publishers."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"221","DOI":"10.1016\/S0304-3800(96)00069-5","article-title":"Ecosystems emerging: 1. Conservation","volume":"96","author":"Patten","year":"1997","journal-title":"Ecol. Model."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1016\/S0304-3800(98)00194-X","article-title":"Ecosystems emerging: 2. Dissipation","volume":"117","author":"Patten","year":"1999","journal-title":"Ecol. Model."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1016\/S0304-3800(98)00196-3","article-title":"Ecosystems emerging: Openness","volume":"117","author":"Patten","year":"1999","journal-title":"Ecol. Model."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1016\/S0304-3800(00)00268-4","article-title":"Ecosystems emerging: 4. Growth","volume":"126","author":"Patten","year":"2000","journal-title":"Ecol. Model."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2945","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2011.04.019","article-title":"Ecosystems emerging. 5: Constraints","volume":"222","author":"Patten","year":"2011","journal-title":"Ecol. Model."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2014.01.001","article-title":"Ecosystems emerging: 6. Differentiation","volume":"278","author":"Patten","year":"2014","journal-title":"Ecol. Model."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"J\u00f8rgensen, S.E. (2007). A New Ecology: Systems Perspective, Elsevier."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1016\/j.solener.2007.09.002","article-title":"An approach to the exergy analysis of photosynthesis","volume":"82","author":"Petela","year":"2008","journal-title":"Sol. Energy"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"151","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ces.2015.02.011","article-title":"Exergy efficiency of plant photosynthesis","volume":"130","author":"Silva","year":"2015","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. Sci."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"339","DOI":"10.1504\/IJEX.2007.015077","article-title":"Thermodynamic analysis of the living cell: Design of an exergy-based method","volume":"4","author":"Lems","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int. J. Exergy"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1504\/IJEX.2013.052542","article-title":"Exergetic analysis of glucose metabolism","volume":"12","author":"Borgert","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int. J. Exergy"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"152","DOI":"10.3390\/e9040152","article-title":"A Simple Thermodynamic Analysis of Photosynthesis","volume":"9","year":"2007","journal-title":"Entropy"},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Silow, E.A., Mokry, A.V., and J\u00f8rgensen, S.E. (2011). Eco-Exergy Use for Ecosystem Health Assessment. Int. J. Exergy, 1\u201322. Available online: https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Eugene_Silow2\/publication\/301747462_Eco-Exergy_use_for_ecosystem_health_assessment\/links\/5724d7b708ae586b21dbc4fe.pdf."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biosystems.2004.06.001","article-title":"Ecosystem growth and development","volume":"77","author":"Fath","year":"2004","journal-title":"BioSystems"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8477","DOI":"10.1021\/es0711415","article-title":"Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the naural environment (CEENE): A comprehensive Life Cycle Impact Assessment method for resource accounting","volume":"41","author":"Dewulf","year":"2007","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3007","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2015.10.055","article-title":"Exergy Life Cycle Assessment of soil erosion remediation technologies: An Italian case study","volume":"112","author":"Rocco","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Clean. Prod."},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"Mulder, J.A.N., and Cresser, M.S. (1994). Soil and Soil Solution Chemistry. Biogeochem. Small Catchments Tool Environ. Res., 107\u2013132."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"Warr, B., and Ayres, R. (2004). Accounting for soils: Towards an integrated sustainability and productivity assessment for soils. Insead Cmer, 1\u201311. Available online: https:\/\/flora.insead.edu\/fichiersti_wp\/inseadwp2004\/2004-19.pdf."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"David, M.M.C., and Nelson, L. (2004). Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, Macmillan."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"939","DOI":"10.1016\/0360-5442(93)90006-Y","article-title":"Theory of the exergetic cost","volume":"18","author":"Lozano","year":"1993","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Bejan, A., Tsatsaronis, G., and Moran, M.J. (1995). Thermal Design, and Optimization, John Wiley & Sons."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2012.01.042","article-title":"Environmental evaluation of a power plant using conventional and advanced exergy-based methods","volume":"45","author":"Petrakopoulou","year":"2012","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1016\/0360-5442(94)90113-9","article-title":"Exergoeconomic evaluation and optimization of energy systems\u2014Application to the CGAM problem","volume":"19","author":"Tsatsaronis","year":"1994","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/00908318208946020","article-title":"Estimation of energy (enthalpy) and exergy (availability) contents in structurally complicated materials","volume":"6","author":"Shieh","year":"1982","journal-title":"Energy Sources"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"521","DOI":"10.1346\/CCMN.1988.0360605","article-title":"Chemical weathering of crystalline rocks in the catchment area of acidic Ticino lakes, Switzerland","volume":"36","author":"Giovanol","year":"1988","journal-title":"Clays Clay Miner."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Flowers, P.P., Theopold, K., Langley, R., and Robinson, W.R. (2020, November 20). Chemistry 2e. OpenStax. Available online: https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/chemistry2eopenstax\/."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhazmat.2014.02.002","article-title":"Effect of acid rain pH on leaching behavior of cement stabilized lead-contaminated soil","volume":"271","author":"Du","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Hazard. Mater."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"559","DOI":"10.1890\/1051-0761(1998)008[0559:NPOSWW]2.0.CO;2","article-title":"Nonpoint Pollution of Surface Waters with Phosphorus and Nitrogen","volume":"8","author":"Carpenter","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ecol. Appl."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ayangbenro, A.S., and Babalola, O.O. (2017). A New Strategy for Heavy Metal Polluted Environments: A Review of Microbial Biosorbents. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph14010094"},{"key":"ref_36","unstructured":"Willard, L., and Dsay, L. (1979). Chemical Equilibria in Soils, John Wiley & Sons."},{"key":"ref_37","unstructured":"Ehmann, J.L., and Chroth, G.S. (2003). Chapter 7: Nutrient Leaching, Trees, Crops and Soil Fertility, CABI Publishing."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"587","DOI":"10.1080\/00380768.1986.10557540","article-title":"Relations between soil microbial activity and soil properties in grassland","volume":"32","author":"Higashida","year":"1986","journal-title":"Soil Sci. Plant Nutr."}],"container-title":["Entropy"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1099-4300\/23\/1\/3\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T10:48:47Z","timestamp":1760179727000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1099-4300\/23\/1\/3"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,23]]},"references-count":38,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]}},"alternative-id":["e23010003"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/e23010003","relation":{},"ISSN":["1099-4300"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1099-4300","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,23]]}}}