Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have emerged as a critical global threat to public health and environmental sustainability. Carbonate radical anion (CO3•−), a potent reactive species, plays a significant role in both aquatic environments and biological systems, contributing to various oxidative biochemical processes. However, the effects of CO3•− on the transfer of ARGs in aquatic ecosystems and the human intestinal microbiome remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the conjugative transfer of the RP4 plasmid, harboring ARGs, in both water environments and the human intestinal microbiome under CO3•− exposure. Our findings revealed that low concentrations of CO3•− in water significantly enhanced the transfer of ARGs, while higher concentrations suppressed this process. The inhibitory effects at elevated CO3•− concentrations were linked to a reduction in the SOS response, decreased ATP synthesis through the electron transport chain and tricarboxylic acid cycle, and diminished intercellular contact. Machine learning analysis further confirmed that SOS response, cellular contact, and energy supply are pivotal factors in regulating ARGs transfer under CO3•− exposure. Additionally, low CO3•− levels markedly altered the human intestinal microbiome, influencing pathogenic bacteria, ARGs, and transport proteins, resulting in a 47.5 % increase in the conjugative transfer of ARGs. This study elucidates the mechanisms by which CO3•− facilitates ARGs spread in aquatic and intestinal environments, offering novel insights into the potential health risks associated with ARG dissemination.

A nanoconfinement strategy was employed to encapsulate iron species within carbon nanotubes (Fe-CCNTs) in this study, enabling rapid degradation of sulfadiazine (SDZ) through sulfite (S(IV)) activation. The Fe-CCNTs catalyst enhanced the generation of reactive species during the S(IV) activation process. Nearly complete SDZ degradation was achieved within 10 min, with a reaction rate constant 1.8 times higher than that of the nonconfined system. Fe-CCNTs shifted the mechanism from a radical pathway (SO4 center dot- and center dot OH) to a non-radical pathway (1O2 and FeIV=O), thereby improving SDZ degradation efficiency. The nanoconfinement effect increased the local charge density, accelerating electron transfer and promoting the formation of reactive species. This system exhibited strong catalytic performance, high reusability, and resistance to interference. Furthermore, the Fe-CCNTs/S(IV) treatment reduced the abundance of intestinal pathogenic bacteria and the toxicity of byproducts. The Fe-CCNTs/S(IV) system offers a promising and low-toxicity solution for antibiotic removal in water treatment.

Microplastics (MPs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are emerging contaminants that pose significant threats to ecosystems and human health. However, their interactions and combined effects in soil ecosystems remain poorly understood. This study combined metagenomics and machine learning to assess the effects of MPs on soil properties, antibiotic resistance, potential pathogens, and their key environmental drivers. Results indicated that MPs increased soil pH, moisture content, and carbon and phosphorus storage. However, they inhibited the activities of key soil enzymes, including alkaline phosphatase, invertase, and urease, and disrupted the degradation of heavy metals and antimicrobial pesticides. Moreover, MPs altered the soil bacterial community structure, increasing alpha diversity indices (Chao, Ace, and Shannon) and elevating the abundance of potential pathogenic bacteria, including Pseudomonadota, by 18.2%. Concurrently, the abundances of 44 ARGs and 15 MGEs increased by 18.6% and 281%, respectively. Machine learning analyses identified the key factors affecting soil health, whereas structural equation modeling revealed the causal pathways through which MPs exposure drives these changes. By integrating multi-omics data with advanced modeling approaches, this study provides critical insights into the long-term impacts of MPs pollution on agricultural ecosystems and public health.

Advanced oxidation processes using persulfate (PS) have proven effective in degrading organic pollutants in water. The key to these processes is the development of catalysts that efficiently activate PS. Single-atom catalysts (SACs), where individual metal atoms are dispersed on a solid support, offer superior catalytic activity compared to traditional metal catalysts and hold great promise. In this study, we synthesized a tungsten-based SAC (W-SA-g-C3N4) by anchoring tungsten onto graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C3N4) for sulfadiazine (SDZ) degradation in water. The results showed that single-atom tungsten was mainly incorporated into the g-C3N4 in the W6 + state, which created more active sites for PS activation and enhanced electron migration. More than 92.3% of SDZ was decomposed within 60 min in the W-SA-g-C3N4/PS system, and appropriate catalyst dosage and solution pH favored SDZ decomposition processes. The presence of Cl−, SO42−, and NO3− had slight impacts on SDZ degradation efficiency, and over 85% of ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and oxytetracycline could also be removed in the W-SA-g-C3N4/PS system. Radical scavenger and EPR experiments identified 1O2 and •O2− as key species in SDZ degradation. The SDZ degradation processes mainly involved the fragmentation of the benzene ring and associated clusters. Additionally, the catalyst exhibited excellent stability and recyclability.

Global plastic production has increased exponentially since the mid-20th century, leading to the widespread accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial ecosystems. Agricultural soils have become major sinks for MPs due to inputs from plastic mulching, sewage sludge, compost, irrigation with reclaimed water, and atmospheric deposition. MPs alter soil physicochemical characteristics, affect nutrient cycling, and disrupt microbial diversity, structure, and enzymatic activities. They also interact with co-occurring pollutants, facilitating the transport and bioavailability of heavy metals and organic contaminants. Earthworms, as key soil engineers, are particularly vulnerable to MP exposure, exhibiting growth inhibition, oxidative stress, intestinal damage, and alterations in gut microbiota composition. Moreover, MPs enhance greenhouse gas emissions by influencing microbial metabolism and soil redox conditions, further impacting ecosystem stability. Human exposure through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact raises additional health concerns. This review demonstrates that MPs function as integrated stressors in terrestrial ecosystems, compromising soil health through physicochemical degradation of soil structure, destabilization of microbial communities, and direct toxicity to keystone soil fauna. Impact severity is highly context-dependent, governed by MP properties (size, polymer type), soil characteristics, and exposure duration. Without immediate source control and remediation strategies, continued MP accumulation will irreversibly impair critical soil ecosystem services, threatening agricultural productivity and food security.

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma combined with Fe2 + for periodate (PI) activation was proposed for emerging contaminants treatment. The feasible, activation mechanism, degradation mechanism were comprehensively analyzed. Results showed that within 6 min treatment time, the degradation efficiency of sulfadiazine (SDZ) could reach 68.1%, 78.5% and 90.2% in DBD, DBD/PI and DBD/PI/Fe2 + , respectively. The energy efficiency can also be improved from 47.24 mg/kWh (DBD) to 78.43 mg/kWh (DBD/PI/Fe2 + ). Compared with DBD system, the PI activation energy barrier in DBD/Fe2 + system is significantly decreased. Electron spin resonance (ESR) proved the existence of ' OH, 1 O2 and ' O2 - in DBD/PI/Fe2 + system, and the corresponding intensity are higher than that of DBD/PI system. The quenching experiments shown that ' OH, 1 O2 , ' O2 - and electron play important role for SDZ degradation. Reactive species dominant to SDZ degradation was explored by LC-MS and density functional theory (DFT) analysis. Higher input power, acid condition and higher conductivity were favorable to SDZ degradation. DBD/PI/Fe2 + system has good effect in treating other emerging contaminants and obtains good environmental adaptability. (c) 2026 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Selenium (Se) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) are crucial components that regulate redox dynamics and related ecological risks. This review elucidates the binding mechanisms between DOM and different Se species via functional groups in aquatic environments, as well as the intrinsic role of DOM as an electron shuttle in regulating microbial Se metabolism. It is further highlighted that low pH, reducing conditions, and the presence of competing ions can promote the desorption of Se from Se-DOM complexes. Beyond the traditional framework of Se biogeochemistry, this review summarizes the ecological risks of Se in aquatic environments, emphasizing its pronounced bioaccumulation capacity as a key intrinsic driver of toxicity to fish and other aquatic organisms. In addition, we examine the coupled effects of Se-DOM interactions across environmental compartments on Hg antagonism via HgSe precipitation, as well as on C and N transformations mediated by DOM co-metabolism and microbial community regulation. These cross-element linkages suggest that Se-DOM processes not only regulate Se bioavailability, but also influence greenhouse gas emissions and the broader potential for heavy metal remediation.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), emerging contaminants spreading via horizontal gene transfer, threaten ecosystems and human health. Biochar (BC) is a widely used agricultural soil amendment, yet its effects on ARG dissemination remain controversial, likely dependent on pyrolysis conditions. This study applied wheat straw BC prepared under three distinct pyrolysis conditions, including open-flame combustion (BC-ZJ), 500°C hypoxic pyrolysis, and 500°C anaerobic pyrolysis, to a Brassica rapa L.-soil system for exploring ARG transfer impacts and mechanisms. BC application increased plant stem/leaf total ARG relative abundance by 20.68-71.59% and selectively enriched specific subtypes. BC-ZJ enriched multidrug resistance ARGs, whereas BC-Y500 and BC-W500 dramatically elevated aminoglycoside and tetracycline ARGs, and vancomycin and sulfonamide ARGs became undetectable. BC-ZJ (rich in oxygen-containing functional groups) stimulated microbial co-metabolism and promoted ARG proliferation and translocation into plant tissues. In contrast, BC-Y500 and BC-W500 (with larger micropore volumes and stable aromatic structures) exerted dual effects: potential adsorption of partial ARGs but selective enrichment of key ARG-hosting taxa (e.g., Pseudonocardia), leading to the accumulation of aph(3')-I and tetC in plant tissues. Structural equation modeling revealed that BC exerted a direct negative effect on ARG abundance, but this was overwhelmed by positive indirect effects via enhanced soil properties and bacterial community restructuring, leading to a net increase in ARG abundance. The bacterial community emerged as the dominant driver integrating the influences of BC properties, soil conditions, and mobile genetic elements. These findings demonstrate that biochar-mediated ARG regulation balances adsorptive inhibition and microbial stimulation in a pyrolysis-dependent manner. This study provides a mechanistic basis for engineering pyrolysis-optimized BC to mitigate agricultural ARG dissemination.

Human health is seriously jeopardized by infections caused by pathogenic microorganisms. The current traditional disinfection technologies have many defects, such as producing harmful by-products, being affected by water turbidity, and high energy consumption. The growing concern for microbial safety has brought non-thermal plasma (NTP) disinfection technology into the spotlight. NTP is a promising disinfection technology with advantages such as environmental protection, safety, room temperature disinfection, short disinfection cycle, and wide applicability. Researchers are continuously optimizing NTP reactions to improve disinfection efficiency. This paper provides an integrated analysis of both plasma disinfection in water and plasma-activated water (PAW) disinfection on object surfaces. NTP can directly treat bacterial contaminated water, and can also be employed to produce PAW as a disinfectant for treating bacteria on surfaces. This review introduces the fundamental concepts and commonly used equipment related to NTP technology, analyzes the influencing factors and mechanisms of disinfection, and concludes by outlining the future directions of NTP technology in the field of disinfection. We hope to provide a reference for the research and practice of bacterial pollution issues.

Peracetic acid (PAA)-based advanced oxidation methods have emerged as promising solutions for the elimination of refractory antibiotics from wastewater; nevertheless, their catalytic effectiveness is frequently constrained by slow oxidant activation and inherent scaling relationships at single-metal sites. A Co-Fe dual-atom catalyst supported on nitrogen-doped carbon (Co-Fe/N-C) was engineered through spin-state manipulation to improve PAA activation and sulfadiazine (SDZ) degradation. The Co-Fe/N-C catalyst accomplished 94.7% SDZ removal in 60 min and 87.7% mineralization after 180 min, surpassing single-atom catalysts (Fe/N-C, Co/N-C) by a factor of 1.29 -2.58. Electron paramagnetic resonance and quenching tests demonstrated the concurrent production of various reactive oxygen species, primarily acetylperoxyl radicals and hydroxyl radicals, signifying the presence of both radical and non-radical mechanisms. The technology demonstrated significant tolerance to water matrix components. Density functional theory studies revealed that the Co/Fe-Na dual-atom arrangement significantly altered the electronic structure, optimized the D-band center, and lowered the energy barrier for PAA O-O bond breakage via a cooperative dual-metal activation mechanism. Furthermore, degradation pathway analysis and toxicity prediction confirmed the progressive detoxification of SDZ into environmentally benign products. This work provides fundamental insights into dual-atom-mediated oxidant activation and offers a viable strategy for designing high-efficiency catalysts for sustainable antibiotic wastewater treatment.

Expression of concern for ‘Potential of non-thermal discharge plasmas for activated sludge settling: effects and underlying mechanisms’ by Yun Chen et al., RSC Adv., 2023, 13, 19869–19880, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3RA02921B.

This review examines advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for removing emerging contaminants from water systems, using sulfadiazine (SDZ) as a representative sulfonamide antibiotic. Recent literature was systematically evaluated to compare major AOP classes using SDZ as the recurring case study, with focused analysis on peracetic acid (PAA) activation mechanisms. Laboratory studies reported PAA systems achieving 80-95% SDZ removal within 60 min, while UV/H2O2 systems showed 85-92% degradation under varying experimental conditions. Spatially confined Co catalysts demonstrated approximately 3x enhanced radical generation relative to homogeneous Co2+/PAA systems in comparative studies. Comparative analysis revealed technology-specific trade-offs: Fenton processes achieved >90% removal at circumneutral pH but generated iron sludge, while electrochemical methods eliminated chemical addition but required higher energy input. Challenges including parameter optimization and scalability were addressed through kinetic modelling and emerging monitoring technologies. Performance metrics represent ranges reported across reviewed studies conducted under diverse experimental conditions and are presented for illustrative purposes rather than direct comparison. The review provides insights into catalyst design, process optimization, and degradation mechanisms for sustainable water treatment solutions.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are extensively disseminated in soils through bacterial conjugation, posing significant ecological and public health risks. Soil moisture, which fluctuates naturally through repeated drying-wetting cycles, plays a key role in regulating the transfer and proliferation of ARGs, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using a sterile soil microcosm, this study systematically evaluated the effects of continuous dry (D), continuous wet (W), and dry-wet alternating (DW) conditions on ARGs conjugative transfer. All treatment group significantly enhanced transfer frequency, with the strongest effect observed under DW conditions (DW > D > W). Notably, conjugative transfer during the dry phase of DW treatment exceeded that during the wet phase, and all treatments exhibited a transient "increase-decrease" pattern. Mechanistic investigations revealed that dry-wet alternation induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS), triggering oxidative stress responses and SOS repair pathways, increasing membrane permeability and cell-to-cell contact, and elevating ATP production to support energy-demanding transfer processes. Transcriptomic analyses corroborated these findings, showing upregulation of genes associated with oxidative stress, membrane transport, and energy metabolism. This study demonstrates that dry-wet alternation synergistically enhances ARGs conjugative transfer by modulating iROS signaling, increasing membrane permeability, and supplying energy for transfer processes.

Controllable phenol polymerization offers a promising pathway for pollutant removal; however, its occurrence and regulation in electro-Fenton-like systems remain poorly understood. Herein, a strongly coupled CuO/graphene oxide cathode (CuO/GO-S) was constructed by anchoring ultrasmall CuO nanoparticles onto GO nanosheets. The CuO/GO-S electrode exhibits excellent phenol removal performance, achieving 99.9% degradation within 120 min with a kinetic rate constant of 0.0324 min(-1) and a TOC removal efficiency of 56.8%. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the strong CuO-GO interfacial coupling enhances the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction, promoting efficient in situ H2O2 generation and reconstructing the distribution of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In particular, the contribution of O-1(2) is significantly increased while center dot OH remains responsible for deep oxidation. As a result, O-1(2) preferentially induces phenoxy radical coupling to form aryl-ether-linked oligomers/ polymers, whereas center dot OH mainly drives further oxidation and mineralization. Spectroscopic analyses confirm the formation of oligomeric products with a characteristic m/z 136 repeating unit, indicating stepwise polymerization of phenol. These findings demonstrate that interfacial engineering can regulate ROS-mediated pathway competition and thereby shift phenol transformation from mineralization toward polymerization-assisted removal in electro-Fenton-like systems.

A high-magnetism and highly stable cobalt-substituted manganese ferrite (CMFO) catalyst was prepared through hydrothermal reaction. The material, as the core component of a heterogeneous catalytic system, can efficiently activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS), thereby effectively degrading the norfloxacin (NOR) pollutant. Experimental data have confirmed that the introduction of Co elements can significantly enhance the catalytic activity of MnFe2O4 (MFO), with a removal rate of 98.29 % for NOR within 40 min for CMFO-0.6, compared to 55.14 % for MFO. This is attributed to the fact that the doping of Co increases the specific surface area, enhances the reaction sites, and the substitution of cobalt can generate oxygen vacancies (OV). Oxygen adsorbed on OV can accept electrons transferred from PMS, forming superoxide radicals (center dot O2- ) that undergo dismutation reactions to generate singlet oxygen (1O2). Additionally, the doping of Co elements can effectively enhance the electron transport rate within the material system and promote the Co2+/Co3+, Fe2+/ Fe3+ and Mn2+/ Mn3+ cycles, accelerating the activation of PMS. Based on DFT calculations and product identification, possible degradation mechanisms for NOR were speculated. Toxicity predictions for the degradation products indicated a reduction in NOR toxicity, providing ample evidence for the superiority of this system in practical wastewater treatment.

The persistence and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in waters present a growing threat to global health and environmental safety. Conventional and advanced disinfection processes in wastewater treatment plants often exhibit limited efficacy against ARGs and can even facilitate horizontal gene transfer. This study systematically evaluated the synergistic disinfection performance and mechanisms of coagulants and peracetic acid (PAA) coupling system using FeCl3, polyferric chloride (PFC), Al2(SO4)3, and polyaluminum sulfate as coagulants. Coagulants and PAA displayed significant synergistic effects in ARB and ARGs removal, and sequential addition of coagulants followed by PAA (coagulant/PAA) exhibited better performances than their simultaneous application. The PFC/PAA system achieved 7.32-log ARB inactivation and 85% of ARGs removal within 40 min. Metal ions in coagulants, including redox transformation of Fe3+ and Lewis acidity of Al3+, activated PAA to generate 1O2 and CH3COOO center dot, which led to membrane disruption, oxidative DNA damage, and subsequent ARGs degradation. Quantum chemical calculations revealed that 1O2 preferentially attacked the phosphate backbone and base regions of DNA. These findings revealed the mechanisms underlying ARB inactivation and ARGs removal by coagulant/PAA, presenting an effective approach for mitigating antimicrobial resistance in aquatic environments.

The wide occurrence of sulfonamide antibiotics in water environments poses a great threat to ecological system and human health. Cobalt-based catalysts are well known for advanced oxidation processes (AOP), but the synergistic role of heteroatoms is still uncertain. In this work, a new type of heterogeneous Co based catalyst with sulfur as the ligand (Co@S-N-C) was transferred through a straightforward one-pot pyrolysis approach for efficient activating peracetic acid (PAA) to degrade sulfadiazine (SDZ). Systematic characterization confirmed that the co-doping by S and N in carbon induced the formation of several cobalt species (Co0, Co2+, and Co3+) and built a unique electronic structure featuring in abundant defects and large specific surface area. The Co@S-N-C/PAA system exhibited exceptional catalytic efficacy, accomplishing total SDZ degradation in 25 min and a substantial mineralization rate of 78.2% within 90 min, markedly surpassing the performance of single heteroatom-doped catalysts (Co@N-C and Co@S-C). Mechanistic investigations indicated that •OH and CH3COO• contributed 66.4% and 34.1% to SDZ degradation, respectively. DFT calculations revealed that S-N co-doping increased the electron transfer from low-valent cobalt sites to PAA, promoting O-O bond splitting. The catalyst exhibited excellent stability with 71% activity retention and minimal Co leaching (5%) after four cycles. Based on these results, five primary degradation pathways for SDZ were proposed, and the results of ecotoxicity analysis showed that the transformation products were less toxic. Overall, this work provides significant insights into the development of high-performance dual-heteroatom-doped catalysts to form the PAA-mediated AOP for wastewater treatment.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) driven by excess nitrogen and phosphorus threaten water security worldwide. Conventional treatments face challenges in achieving simultaneous algae demolition, phosphorus recovery, and nitrogen stripping, often leading to secondary pollution. This study introduces a novel plasma-electrosorption triplex system (PETS) that enables synergistic, one-step algae demolition, phosphorus recovery, and nitrate removal within an integrated unit without the need for externally supplied chemical additives. The system couples a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor with pulsed electrosorption using a single power source. Plasma-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) disrupt algal cells and oxidize organic phosphorus, while triggering an autocatalytic Fe(II/III) cycle for phosphate precipitation. Subsequent pulsed electrosorption achieves selective nitrate capture through modulated electric double layers. Under optimal laboratory conditions using synthetic water, PETS achieved high removal efficiencies of 99.9% for algae, 99.9% for phosphorus, and 85.1% for nitrate. Mechanistic studies revealed that ROS-induced membrane damage and Fe(OH)3-mediated adsorption are crucial for algal inactivation and phosphorus recovery, while pulsed electric fields enhance ion migration. The system exhibited excellent stability over multiple cycles and in various real water matrices, offering a transformative and sustainable framework for managing eutrophic waters.

Discharge plasma technology has received widespread attention for soil remediation as it has high efficiency and does not cause secondary pollution. However, its effect on soil quality is unclear. The chemical composition and fluorescence properties of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) are key indicators of its quality. Here, we conducted a non-thermal discharge plasma (NTP) experiment with different treatment times and studied how NTP influences the composition, characteristics, and ecological functions of DOM. NTP significantly affected DOM decomposition and transformation by generating reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and ultraviolet radiation. Short-term NTP promoted the formation of low-molecular-weight DOM components, and increased the DOC, DON, and DTP concentrations. Meanwhile, it enhanced the DOM stability and compositional complexity. Therefore, it increased the soil nutrient supply capacity and improved the DOM chelation ability with heavy metal ions and organic pollutant adsorption capacity. Additionally, long-term NTP (>100 min), increased the NH4+-N content and decreased the NO3−-N content by inhibiting nitrification and promoting ammonification. NTP treatment preferentially degraded DOM precursors in difficult-to-degrade plant residues. Short-term NTP (⩽ 100 min) increased UVA humic-like material to 47

The environmental co-occurrence of microplastics (MPs) and chiral pharmaceuticals complicates pollutant transport in soil-groundwater systems. While MPs are established vectors for contaminants, the potential for biodegradable MPs to induce stereoselective fractionation—unlike their conventional counterparts—remains a critical knowledge gap. This study investigates the differential transport behaviors of 2-aryl propionic acid (2-APA) enantiomers in saturated porous media in the presence of chiral (polylactic acid, PLA) versus achiral (polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS)) MPs. Integrating column experiments with spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we found a distinct divergence: conventional achiral MPs facilitated the transport of 2-APA without inducing stereoselectivity. Conversely, chiral PLA MPs (l-lactide (PLLA) or d-lactide (PDLA)) acted as specific “chiral recognition vectors,” driving significant enantiomeric separation during co-transport. Mechanistically, this behavior is governed by the interplay between homochiral attraction—where matching configurations amplify affinity via specific hydrogen bonding—and steric hindrance (site-blocking) that repels mismatched enantiomers. These findings demonstrate that the shift from conventional to chiral biodegradable plastics introduces new stereoselective pathways in the environment, fundamentally altering the fate and risk assessment of chiral contaminants. Consequently, future environmental monitoring and policy-making frameworks must account for this stereoselective transport to prevent the underestimation of highly toxic enantiomers enriched in aquifer systems.