Peroxydisulfate (PDS)-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) activated by sludge-based biochar (SBC) hold great promise for antibiotic wastewater treatment. However, pristine SBC suffers from limited active sites and inferior catalytic activity, severely limiting its practical engineering application. In this work, a novel metal-free composite biochar (BPS@SBC) was fabricated via one-step co-pyrolysis of banana pseudostem (BPS) and municipal sludge. The optimized BPS@SBC exhibits excellent synergistic adsorption and catalytic PDS activation performance, achieving 95.5% gatifloxacin (GAT) degradation within 30 min, which far outperforms pure SBC (NA@SBC, 59.3%). Mechanistic investigations reveal that GAT degradation is governed by the synergistic coupling of ˙O2− radical oxidation, 1O2-mediated nonradical oxidation, and electron-transfer pathways. The incorporation of BPS constructs an electron-rich active network containing C–O, C–OH, pyrrolic N, and pyridinic N sites, which accelerates interfacial electron transfer and boosts catalytic performance. Liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) detection combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations systematically elucidates the complete GAT degradation pathways. T.E.S.T toxicity assessment verifies that the degradation products exhibit lower aquatic toxicity and weaker bioaccumulation potential than pristine GAT. Furthermore, BPS@SBC possesses excellent anti-interference ability, satisfactory reusability, and robust structural stability, enabling reliable remediation of practical water matrices. This study provides a feasible strategy for the collaborative resource utilization of agricultural and municipal bio-wastes and offers new insights into the design of high-efficiency and stable catalysts for advanced oxidation water treatment.

Conductive hydrogels are crucial to intelligent robotics and wearable devices, but their adoption is hindered by limited functionality and energy-intensive petrochemical synthesis. To address this challenge, a nanolignins (NLs)-reinforced polyacrylamide hydrogel (NL@PAM) was prepared via a green strategy at room temperature. Lignin nanoparticles were synthesized by a green method and integrated into the polyacrylamide network through extensive hydrogen bonding and interchain interactions. This structure imparts the NL@PAM hydrogel with a unique combination of mechanical and functional properties, including high tensile strength (1.32 MPa), ultrahigh stretchability (1880%), strong self-adhesion (196 kPa), and high ionic conductivity (13.96 mS cm-1). As a demonstration, the hydrogel was used as a wearable sensor on human fingers; it converted real-time finger movements into control signals for a robotic arm, which faithfully replicated the gestures. These results demonstrate a high-performance multifunctional hydrogel and establish a sustainable paradigm for soft electronics, leveraging green chemistry and renewable biomass for future intelligent systems.

Biochar exhibits multiple functions and has a long history of application. Its potential for carbon sequestration, soil remediation, and high-value waste disposal has also been extensively demonstrated. However, mainstream research often overstates biochar scalability prospects and pays insufficient attention to structural uncertainty and social ecological trade-offs, resulting in the underutilization of this technology in circular economy and sustainable development strategies. These unresolved challenges, including feedstock heterogeneity, ambiguous life-cycle performance, insufficient policy integration, and misaligned economic signals, collectively hinder its large-scale deployment. This commentary critiques the dominant techno-optimist narratives and brings attention to systemic barriers, particularly technical variability and regulatory incoherence. An integrative approach is advocated that couples spatially resolved techno-economic and life cycle assessments with coherent governance mechanisms. By repositioning biochar as a systems-level intervention, operating across interconnected domains of resource recovery, climate mitigation, and agro-ecological transformation, a more pragmatic roadmap for its deployment within circular economy frameworks is proposed. Scenario-based modeling and spatial risk integration are advanced as tools to contextualize trade-offs and operational constraints, thereby enabling a more grounded and policy-relevant discourse.

As an emerging adsorbent， biochar has shown a broad application prospect in the field of environmental remediation. However， in recent years， many studies have confirmed that their own pollutants have potential environmental risks in practical application. This paper summarizes the source of biochar endogenous inorganic pollutants （heavy metals， metalloid， etc.） and organic pollutants （PAHs， EPFRs， etc.）， occurrence characteristics， and potential environmental application risk and further explores the environmental release mechanism of biochar endogenous pollutants （physical release， chemical release， and biological-mediated release）. The study shows that the endogenous pollutants of biochar showed the dynamic migration characteristics in different environmental media （soil， water， and atmosphere）， and their migration behavior was influenced by many factors. Meanwhile， the ecotoxicological effects of endogenous pollutants of biochar were also summarized. Finally， this paper prospects the future research direction， pointing out that the key to reduce the risk of endogenous pollutant release of biochar is to consider the control of reaction process parameters and planning the application site of biochar.

The growing demand for sustainable flexible electronics has positioned cellulose as a promising candidate, yet its efficient dissolution and functionalization remain challenging due to its highly crystalline structure and strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding. While a wide variety of cellulose dissolution systems have been reported in the literature, most systems still depend on toxic initiators or complex processes. Herein, we report a sunlight-driven, initiator-free green synthesis of cellulose-based ionogels that enables direct dissolution and in-situ photopolymerization. Notably, the incorporation of cellulose, along with the intrinsic properties of the ionic liquid (IL) and ethylene glycol (EG) significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of the conductive ionogel, which exhibited outstanding mechanical performance (fracture strain of 935%, fracture stress of (166.5kPa) strain (935%), robust adhesive properties (1.48 MPa), excellent conductivity (0.028 mS·cm⁻¹) and wide work temperature range (-20~60 °C). These properties enabled the ionogel to function not only as a wearable strain sensor for motion detection but also as a self-powered controller for operating a remote-controlled car via human-computer interaction. This work provides a versatile and sustainable strategy for fabricating high-performance cellulose ionogels, paving the high value-added way for future soft electronic systems with multifunctional integration.

Bio‐based alternatives to conventional photothermal hydrophobic materials are urgently required for sustainable ice mitigation. However, integrating robustness, efficient photothermal conversion, and environmental sustainability in one material remains challenging. Here, a bio‐based photothermal hydrophobic elastomer (LPAT) is synthesized via solvent‐free ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of α‐lipoic acid (LA), with lignin (AL) incorporated as a renewable photothermal filler. Synergistic disulfide and hydrogen bonding endowed LPAT with high toughness (2.79 MJ·m −3 ) and fracture stress (4.45 MPa). Under simulated solar irradiation, LPAT exhibited rapid photothermal conversion, reaching 135 °C with a temperature rise of 112 °C. Hydrophobicity is retained after thermal and stretching cycles, with water contact angles above 116°. LPAT further demonstrated autonomous self‐healing with 80% efficiency and strong underwater adhesion. In deicing tests, it removed 3‐mm ice within 400 s and suppressed accretion under continuous freezing rain. Swelling resistance, reprocessability, and self‐cleaning enhanced its durability across repeated cycles. This work establishes a universal and sustainable platform for integrating high‐performance photothermal and hydrophobic properties, where efficient solar thermal management offers a fossil‐free alternative and facilitates the upcycling of solid waste into advanced energy materials.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of toxic organofluoride chemicals that should be effectively remediated from soil and water environments to avoid biotoxicity. This study employs tri-metallic nanoparticles (NiZnFe4O4) and halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) to assemble mesoporous alginate polymer beads (NiZnFe4O4-HNTs@alg) for the separation of multicomponent PFAS from realistic groundwater. NiZnFe4O4-HNTs@alg efficiently removed short- and long-chain PFAS compounds, including FASAAs (CnF2n+1SO2NHC2H4COOH), FASAs (CnF2n+1SO2NH2), FASEs (CnF2n+1SO2NHCH2CH2OH), PFSAs (CnF2n+1-SO2-R), PFCAs (CnF2n+1COOH), and FTSs (CnF2n+1C2H4-R). Synergistic mechanisms were identified, where NiZnFe4O4 provided magnetic separability, and HNTs increased the number of hydrophilic active sites. The adsorbent achieved >99.95 % removal efficiency for all the studied short- and long-chain PFAS from groundwater in the presence of heavy metals, including manganese (0.037 +/- 0.03 mu g/L), cobalt (0.138 +/- 0.14 mu g/L), arsenic (1.668 +/- 0.127 mu g/L), selenium (0.360 +/- 0.14 mu g/L), cadmium (0.360 +/- 0.14 mu g/L), and antimony (0.360 +/- 0.14 mu g/L). A higher adsorption performance of PFAS was achieved in the presence of a realistic groundwater matrix, including the metal ions, total organic carbon (3.93 +/- 0.04 mg/L), and inorganic carbon (21.66 +/- 0.45 mg/L). The unique capability of the adsorbent is its ability to facilitate easy separation of PFAS-exhausted adsorbents, which is a challenging issue for most conventional adsorbents. These findings establish a transformative platform for ex-situ groundwater remediation, highlighting the potential of NiZnFe4O4-HNTs@alg to address PFAS separation challenges and pave the way for enabling field-scale implementation.

Eutectogels present a promising platform for flexible sensors due to their high ionic conductivity and mechanical adaptability. However, conventional photochemical synthesis still relies on petrochemical-derived photo-initiators and crosslinkers, and poor recyclability contributes to resource waste and environmental impact. Here, we demonstrate a sustainable, solar-driven one-pot strategy to fabricate multifunctional nanocellulose eutectogels without any photoinitiators or crosslinkers. The resulting eutectogels exhibit high tensile strength (0.68 MPa) and elongation (806%), autonomous self-healing with a mechanical strength recovery of 64% within 2 h, and excellent ionic conductivity. The deep eutectic solvent (DES) system acts as a green hydrolytic medium for pretreating lignocellulose to yield high-purity cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and also functions as a dynamic hydrogen-bonding network that enhances mechanical and conductive properties. These cellulose eutectogels also show broad environmental tolerance, functioning between-20 degrees C and 60 degrees C. When applied in flexible sensing arrays, cellulose eutectogels enable rapid response and stable operation for robotic motion control. This work establishes a sustainable one-pot route integrating CNF extraction and eutectogel fabrication within a DES-based closed-loop process, avoiding hazardous reagents and enabling scalable green production of functional gels for next-generation electronics and human-machine interfaces.

Hydrothermal methods, renowned for their high efficiency, closed-loop systems, and absence of secondary pollution, have become a promising technology for removing residual antibiotics from fermentation residues in the pharmaceutical industry. Although machine learning has been increasingly applied to parameter optimization and performance prediction in thermochemical processes such as hydrothermal carbonization, systematic predictive frameworks for hydrothermal treatment of antibiotic fermentation residues remain limited. In this study, three machine learning models were employed to predict antibiotic degradation rates across heterogeneous hydrothermal systems of antibiotic fermentation residues. Among them, the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) model achieved the best predictive performance, with an R2 value of 0.85, outperforming both Random Forest (RF) and k-Nearest Neighbors (KNN). Interpretability analysis further identified the key factors influencing degradation efficiency and revealed their potential interactions during hydrothermal treatment, thereby improving mechanistic understanding of the degradation process. Furthermore, the XGB model was deployed as an interactive Streamlit-based web application. The application allows users to estimate degradation rates within the range of conditions represented in the current database by adjusting operational parameters such as temperature and reaction time. For a representative spiramycin fermentation residue case derived from the literature, the predicted degradation rate reached 59.4%, which was close to the experimentally reported value of 58.99%. Overall, this study provides an interpretable machine learning framework for predicting antibiotic degradation behavior in hydrothermal systems of antibiotic fermentation residues while also highlighting the challenges of model generalization across heterogeneous experimental systems.

This study examines the influence of tourmaline (TM) supplementation on nitrogen retention, microbial functionality, and lignocellulose degradation during composting. TM application significantly reduced ammonia emissions and promoted nitrate accumulation by upregulating key nitrification genes (amoA, nxrA) while suppressing denitrification genes (nirS, norB, nosZ). TM exhibited superior nitrogen retention, primarily attributable to its strong NH3 adsorption during the thermophilic phase of composting (qTM = 0.9-2.4 mg g- 1 TM d-1). Cooccurrence network analysis demonstrated that TM restructured microbial interactions by suppressing denitrifiers and enriching nitrifiers. Moreover, TM enhanced the activity of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes)-including GH51, AA3, GH16, and AA7-thereby expediting the degradation of cellulose and lignin. This process elevated the levels of fermentable sugars and facilitated the biosynthesis of amino acids, including Llysine and L-aspartate. Collectively, these findings indicate that TM enhances microbial metabolic efficiency, accelerates compost maturation, and conserves nitrogen, thereby offering a promising strategy for highefficiency composting.

The interaction strength between Hg0 and surface-active oxygen species of metal oxides is a core factor determining the removal efficiency of Hg0, and this effect is particularly pronounced under a reducing atmosphere of ambient-temperature natural gas. Transition metal doping provides an effective method to regulate the structure and activity of metal oxide oxygen species. However, its structure-activity regulation mechanism in Hg0 oxidation reactions remains unclear, which hinders the directional design of high-efficiency Hg0 removal materials. Herein, we developed a series of transition metal (Cu, Co, and Ce)-doped manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieve (OMS-2) sorbents, among which Cu-doped OMS-2 exhibited optimal ambient-temperature Hg0 oxidation performance, achieving a stable Hg0 removal efficiency of 97%. The type of transition metal and its occupancy site in the OMS-2 lattice directly determine the Hg0 removal performance by regulating the activity of surface lattice oxygen. The incorporation of Cu significantly improved the redox properties and enhanced the activity and mobility of lattice oxygen by adjusting the p-band center, which accelerated the conversion of Hg0 to Hg2+. This strategy provides valuable insights for guiding the design of Hg0 sorbents for application in a reducing natural gas atmosphere at ambient temperature.

Ionogels, as soft ionic conductors, face synthesis challenges including toxicity, complexity, and high energy consumption. Herein, we present a green one-pot strategy that effectively dissolves cellulose and undergoes sunlight-induced photopolymerization to form ionogels without the need for cross-linkers or initiators. 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM]Cl), as the solvent, enables the disruption of the extensive hydrogen-bond network of cellulose, resulting in rapid and complete dissolution. Subsequent one-step photopolymerization, which proceeds solely under sunlight, simultaneously drives in situ cross-linking and a controlled phase separation process, yielding high-performance ionogels. Importantly, the resulting cellulose ionogel exhibits superior fracture strength (2.75 MPa), high toughness (18.4 MJ m-3), and strong adhesion (6.6 MPa), ameliorating the traditional trade-off between mechanical strength and adhesion capabilities. This work develops an integrated ionogel platform as a soft TENG electrode for human motion monitoring, informing the design of sustainable self-powered electronics.

Efficient capture of radioactive iodine vapor during nuclear fuel reprocessing remains a critical challenge in nuclear cycle operations. To address this challenge, a hydrogel adsorbent (designated CSAG) has been synthesized via an aqueous-phase process using cellulose derived from agricultural waste (rice husks), sodium alginate, and gelatin as precursors. The optimized CSAG-50 formulation, with a 5:5 mass ratio, exhibits exceptional iodine adsorption performance, achieving a remarkable capacity of 2485.5 mg/g at 85 °C. Comprehensive characterization reveals that CSAG-50 possesses a distinctive wrinkled microstructure, which significantly enhances iodine retention efficiency. Kinetic analyses indicate that the adsorption process involves both physical diffusion and chemical interactions. The superior adsorption performance arises from enhanced capillary forces and mechanical resilience. Thermogravimetric analysis confirms the material's satisfactory thermal stability under moderate temperature conditions. Cycling performance tests demonstrate that CSAG-50 retains 42.5% of its initial adsorption capacity after three consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles, indicating robust reusability. The successful development of this fully bio-based CSAG hydrogel system represents a significant advancement in sustainable materials for nuclear waste management, while providing an environmentally compatible solution for radioactive iodine containment in nuclear industry applications.

Continuous cropping obstacles (CCOs) pose severe threats to the quality and yield of solanaceous vegetables. Biochar has emerged as an effective soil amendment to mitigate CCOs due to its nutrient-rich composition and unique structural properties. However, its performance can be affected by feedstock types, pyrolysis temperature, soil conditions, and crop species, resulting in inconsistent outcomes in the field. Thus, a review on the effect and mechanism of biochar in the prevention and control of CCOs of solanaceous vegetables is highly needed. This is the first systematic review focusing on the mechanism of biochar in alleviating CCOs in solanaceous vegetables. This review systematically delineates the causes and detrimental impacts of CCOs across major solanaceous crops (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and potatoes), and comprehensively evaluates biochar-based soil management strategies in comparison with conventional agronomic, physical, and chemical control measures. The underlying specific mechanisms of biochar in alleviating CCOs are explored, including improving soil properties and soil microbial community structure, as well as alleviating allelopathic autotoxicity in solanaceous plants. Based on the current research status and the nature of biochar, future research should focus on exploring the microscopic reaction mechanism and long-term effects of biochar and its composites on alleviating CCOs. In addition, further research on the allelopathic effects of biochar on the aboveground parts of crops should also be considered. This review provides a foundational reference for the use of biochar to combat CCOs in solanaceous vegetables.

Hydrogel-based flexible triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have garnered increasing attention due to the combined merits of high transparency, stretchability, and adjustable ionic conductivity. However, the inferior low-temperature tolerance and the non-biodegradability of the most conductive gel materials limit applications in extreme environment and result in adverse electronic waste. Herein, we report a binary-component composite eutectogel by direct solar-initiated in situ photopolymerization within bacterial cellulose (BC) template without cross-linker, yielding desirable anti-freezing, self-healing, and degradable gel electrode for the applications of self-powered TENG in energy harvesting and human-computer interaction. The composite eutectogels exhibited high mechanical strength (12.37 MPa), toughness (38.19 MJ-3), transparency (90 %), conductivity (0.049 mS/ cm), wide temperature tolerance (-40-60 degrees C), and excellent biodegradability (within 8 h). Notably, the eutectogels-assembled TENG exhibits remarkable performance in terms of open-circuit voltage (275 V), shortcircuit current (1.8 mu A), power density reaching high levels (165 mW/m2), and stable electrical output (Cycling 6000 times). The eutectogels-assembled TENG can be utilized for energy harvesting to power commercial electronics and served as a self-powered sensor for real-time human motion monitoring. As proof of concept, we present a compelling demonstration showcasing the potential application of TENGs as self-powered pianos for human-computer interaction, providing an elegant and sustainable new perspective to design ecofriendly and flexible electronics with superior environment adaptability.

Phytoremediation is a critical technique for remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils in coal gangue zones of mining areas. However, resource valorization of plant residues after heavy metal remediation poses considerable challenges. Converting these residues into biochar via thermochemical routes yields a material enriched with mineral nutrients (e.g., Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu), conferring potential as a soil amendment. This study focused on remediation plants in coal gangue-affected mining regions, selecting Artemisia annua (a typical restoration plant) to prepare biochar through pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for quantitative analysis of mineral nutrients, providing a scientific basis for resource valorization of heavy metal-laden biomass residues from mining area remediation plants. The results indicated that, except for slight Mg fluctuation in hydrothermally carbonized biochar relative to the raw material, mineral nutrient concentrations (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) in biochar prepared under other conditions were significantly enhanced (1.53 to 3.14 times via pyrolysis and 1.36 to 2.78 times via HTC). Furthermore, mineral nutrient concentrations under certain conditions complied with the Chinese agricultural industry standard for biochar (NY/T 4159-2022).

The direct synthesis of zeolites from silicoaluminates is an efficient preparation method characterized by a short process and low cost. However, natural and industrial silica-aluminates possess stable crystal structures and must be activated before they can be used for zeolite synthesis. The complex physical phases and varying silicaalumina compositions make the activation products and mechanisms unclear, which limits their practical application in zeolite production. In this study, five silicoaluminate raw materials, perlite tailings, coal fly ash, diatomite earth, montmorillonite and kaolinite, were selected to systematically investigate their phase evolution paths during the hydrothermal alkaline activation process. The results show that the coordination environment of silicon and aluminum in the raw materials is a key influencing factor determining their reactivity. During the activation process, the coordination of aluminium changes from six-coordination (AlVI) to four-coordination (AlIV), and at the same time, the chain-like or layered polycrystalline Si-Ox structure evolves into a stable multi-molecular network structure. Phase analysis reveals that at a hydrothermal temperature of 150 degrees C, the main product is analcime (ANA), while when the temperature rises above 250 degrees C, the product transforms into cancrinite (CAN). Thermodynamic calculations further indicate that the content of tetra-coordinated aluminum directly determines the depolymerization temperature of the raw material and ultimately affects the purity of the product. For instance, the depolymerization temperature of perlite tailings rich in 99 % AlIV is as low as 83.7 degrees C, indicating that a high content of tetra-coordinated aluminum is conducive to the formation of single-phase zeolites. Based on this, we prepared the activation products into Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst by solvent-free method. It demonstrated excellent NH3-SCR performance and showed a wide active window (T90: 200-530 degrees C) and high nitrogen selectivity (98 %) in the denitration test.

Hemp straw bark, a high-yield renewable resource, faces sustainable development challenges due to underutilized lignin in traditional fractionation processes, often discarded as low-value waste. Herein, a one-pot strategy using choline chloride/lactic acid (ChCl/LA, 1:5) deep eutectic solvent (DES) enables controllable depolymerization and nanoscale self-assembly of lignin from it. Optimal conditions (solid-liquid ratio 1:80, 6 h) achieve a 98.6 % lignin yield relative to the initial lignin content in the raw material. FTIR and HSQC NMR confirm a selective (3-O-4 ether bond cleavage with preserved aliphatic hydroxyls; 31P NMR shows 3.1 mmol/g phenolic hydroxy and 1.28 mmol/g carboxy, enhancing interfacial activity. GPC reveals regulated molecular weights (Mn 2160, Mw 3632 g/mol, PDI = 1.68). Depolymerized lignin (L33) self-assembles into 190.1-220.2 nm nanoparticles (-32.5 mV zeta potential, good stability) with high thermostability (40 % char at 800 degrees C) and antioxidant activity (DPPH scavenging 73.9 % +/- 1.1). LNPs (0.1 mg/mL) show potential as Pickering emulsion stabilizers, valorizing lignin into high-value materials. This study realized the effective and efficient separation of lignin from hemp straw bark, thereby offering a promising method for the industrial application of this lignin.