The practical application of photo-Fenton processes for antibiotic removal is hindered by external H2O2 requirement and limited solar utilization. Herein, a ternary sulfidated zero-valent iron/lanthanum hydroxide/ graphitic carbon nitride (S-ZVI/La(OH)3/g-C3N4) heterojunction is developed, enabling a H2O2-free dual-mode catalytic mechanism under illumination, the S-scheme heterojunction promotes charge separation for center dot O2-and center dot OH generation; in the dark, electron storage in S-ZVI drives persistent Fenton-like reactions via in situ H2O2 production. The system achieves efficient tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) degradation (99.4%) and mineralization (86.2% total organic carbon (TOC) removal), with toxicity assessment confirming markedly reduced ecological risk of intermediates. In real aquaculture wastewater, it demonstrates robust performance under both high-light (TCH 71.7%, total phosphorus (TP) 74.8%, chemical oxygen demand (COD) 61.8%, TOC 41.9%) and low-light conditions (TCH 63.9%, TP 65.8%, COD 51.3%, TOC 34.5%). Estimated treatment cost ranges from 209.4 to 907.6 $ kg-1 TCH. This work provides a promising catalyst and a feasible strategy for deep purification of antibiotic-contaminated water under natural conditions.

Animal husbandry tailwater represents a significant contributor to phosphorus (P) release and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) dissemination in agricultural non-point source pollution. Conventional P adsorption nanomaterials may unintentionally act as carriers that promote ARGs propagation. This phenomenon is analogous to the "Trojan horse effect", attributed their large specific surface area and weaken oxidative activity. To address this limitation, we developed a novel dual-light-driven agent (Biochar/LaFeO3/TiO2, BLFT) that is capable of simultaneous P adsorption and ARGs inactivation. This material integrates the specific affinity of La sites for phosphate groups with the photocatalytic degradation capacity of a constructed S-scheme heterojunction. Characterization verified the successful loading of LaFeO3 and TiO2 as "grape - cluster" - like aggregates. These aggregates formed an S-scheme heterojunction that effectively promoted the separation and transfer of photogenerated charges. In actual animal husbandry tailwater, BLFT achieved removal rates of 91.17%-96.97% (ARGs) and 72.68%-76.96% (P) with both processes being light-driven. Mechanistic studies revealed that the synergistic effect stems from P adsorption via La-O-P Lewis acid-base interaction, coupled with oxidative degradation by a four-electron transfer pathway. Ultimately, energy consumption analysis estimated that BLFT production generated a surplus energy of 1017.2 kW & sdot;h/t for external supply. Moreover, its cost-benefit cost for water treatment remains lower than the combined expenses of conventional advanced oxidation process and flocculation P process. This study provides a cost-effective and efficient strategy to simultaneously mitigate both traditional and emerging pollutants, presenting a promising win-win solution for sustainable agricultural water management.

“Pre-rainfall topdressing” is a common practice in humid subtropical rainfed wheat systems. However, the impact of the interval between fertilization and subsequent rainfall on nitrogen losses, particularly N2O emissions and NH3 volatilization, has not well quantified. This study therefore aimed to identify the optimal fertilization-rainfall interval for minimizing such losses in rainfed wheat fields. A simulated rainfall experiment was conducted with the following treatments: a no-precipitation control (NP) and precipitation treatments where rainfall occurred at 1 (P1), 3 (P3), 5 (P5), and 7 days (P7) after topdressing fertilization. Topdressing timing significantly influenced both N2O emissions and NH3 volatilization. Compared with NP control, P3 and P5 treatments reduced NH3 volatilization during the regreening fertilization stage (RS) by 34.22

LaFeO₃-modified biochar hybrids (LFOB) exhibit outstanding adsorption performance. However, the presence of biochar induces severe light-shielding and light attenuation effects, which significantly restrict their photocatalytic activity and necessitate further structural optimization. Taking advantage of the superior light-harvesting capability of carbon quantum dots (CQDs), we rationally designed and synthesized a novel CQDs surface-anchored LFOB composite (denoted as C@LFOB). The morphology, physicochemical properties, photocatalytic performance and reaction kinetics of C@LFOB were systematically investigated. Characterization results confirmed the successful anchoring of CQDs on the LFOB surface. C@LFOB exhibits a significantly higher final removal rate and kinetic activity, achieving a 21.89

A sustainable upcycling strategy for polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) was developed using a mild nano-Fe3O4-catalyzed Fenton-like process. Specifically, the nanozyme exhibited exceptional peroxidase-like activity, enabling sustained center dot OH generation for efficient C-C bond scission at a low temperature of 100 degrees C. This approach achieved approximately 50 % conversion of PE-MPs within 7 h into valuable chemical feedstocks including alkanes, palmitic acid, and alcohols, which exhibited low biotoxicity and even functioned as alga growth promoters. The process demonstrates outstanding sustainability and economic viability, underscored by a minima footprint of 1.53 kg CO2 eq per kg of MPs treated and a favorable net value. This work establishes a practical pathway for plastic waste management, aligning carbon conservation with circular resource recovery in a scalable and environmentally benign manner.

Due to the large amount of nitrogen loss from crop production and the difficulty of controlling it, since 2015, different levels of Chinese government implemented many regulations i.e. fertilizer application strategy adjustments to reduce nitrogen loss. However, there lacks an exploration of the policy-driven changes in organic fertilizer substitution varying in nitrogen loss risk. Therefore, multiple surveys of fertilizer application strategy with diverse farming scale were carried out in Jinting Town of Suzhou City from 2015 to 2023. Based on the data of nitrogen input intensity and organic fertilizer substitution rate, the policies' responses resulting in nitrogen loss reduction were studied and analyzed in each crop types with different management models. The results showed the national "Two Actions" plans (based on 2020 ' s data) and Jinting's organic fertilizer subsidy policies (based on 2023 ' s data) reduced the nitrogen loss per unit weight crop yield by 14 % and 39 % respectively, though the nitrogen loss per unit area didn't pose a major change. Compared to smallholders' farms, scale farms showed greater environmental and economic advantages in lowering nitrogen loss risk and applying organic fertilizer. We concluded that the appropriate organic fertilizer substitution rate for each crop type is crucial to further reducing nitrogen loss and also guarantees crop yield, and scale farms should be the mainly entities of implementation of optimization fertilizer policy to achieve sustainable agricultural development in China.

Phosphorus (P) is a critical macronutrient in rice-paddy systems, essential for crop productivity. However, inefficient P management often leads to significant environmental issues such as nutrient leaching and eutrophication. This study investigated the impacts of different fertilization strategies conventional chemical fertilization (CT), partial organic substitution (MT), and fully organic fertilization (OT)-on P transport, rice yield, and environmental risks over a seven-year period. Using a combination of field experiments and HYDRUS-1D simulations, we analyzed how agricultural management influences P distribution in the soil profile, crop uptake, and leaching potential. Our results showed that HYDRUS-1D model could accurately simulate P transport, with RMSE range from 0.024 to 0.031 mg L- 1 during calibration in 2012 and 0.053-0.073 mg L- 1 during validation in 2018. The results demonstrated that the MT treatment achieved the highest P use efficiency, maintaining rice yields comparable to CT while significantly reducing P leaching into deeper soil layers. In contrast, OT resulted in excessive P buildup in the topsoil, increasing leaching risks. Model simulations further show that an increase in temperature by up to 2 degrees C had minimal effects on P transport, suggesting that proper P fertilization strategies are more critical than temperature variability for minimizing environmental pollution. According to model simulation, the recommended P application rates for CT, MT, and OT are 64.18, 55.86, 50.97 kg hm- 2 respectively, with MT providing the best balance between crop productivity and environmental sustainability. Overall, this study offers novel insights into how mixed fertilization practices can optimize P management in ricepaddy systems, contributing to sustainable agriculture by reducing P losses and enhancing environmental protection. Future research should assess the long-term applicability of these strategies across diverse agricultural landscapes.

Context: Enhancing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a promising strategy to mitigate nitrogen losses, including those from NH3 volatilization. Research question: Both NH3 volatilization and NUE are influenced by variables such as soil properties, fertilization practices, and rice varieties. However, the interplay of these factors may complicate the trade-off between NUE and paddy NH3 volatilization. Methods: To bridge this knowledge gap, we quantified the correlation between NUE and NH3 volatilization in paddies, along with the key factors influencing both, by integrating the results from a meta-analysis and a 2-year field experiment. Results: The meta-analysis revealed that the fertilization effect on NH3 volatilization was remarkably correlated with NUE and N application rate. NH3 volatilization exhibited a significant negative linear relationship with NUE (y =- 0.0238x + 2.6804, P < 0.001) and a positive linear relationship with N application rate (y = 0.006x + 2.6028, P < 0.001). Interestingly, subset analysis showed that the fertilization effect was unaffected by all predictors at low N application rate (<= 150 kg/ha), but was influenced by both soil pH and the type of N fertilizer at high rate (>= 250 kg/ha). The field experiments confirmed a trade-off between NH3 volatilization and NUE. Importantly, NH3 volatilization was significantly negatively correlated with N absorption only during the tillering stage (y =-0.68x + 0.779, P < 0.001), with no such correlation at other stages. Moreover, NH3 volatilization during the tillering stage showed a significant negative correlation with amount of root bleeding sap (y =-0.71x + 0.814, P < 0.01) and leaf area index (y =-0.61x + 0.672, P < 0.05). The leaf angle of functional leaves was significantly positively correlated with N absorption, amount of root bleeding sap, and leaf area index, which are closely related to NH3 volatilization. Conclusions: NUE exhibited a clear trade-off with paddy NH3 volatilization, predominantly driven by N absorption capacity during the tillering stage. The leaf angle of functional leaves emerged as a key factor influencing indicators related to NH3 volatilization, including N absorption capacity, amount of root bleeding sap, and leaf area index. Implications or significance: These findings provide new insights into the relationship between NUE and NH3 volatilization, offering theoretical support for reducing NH3 volatilization in paddies by enhancing NUE in rice production.

In order to optimize the management model of the rice-shrimp co-cropping system (IRCS), a full life cycle assessment (LCA) model was constructed using a traditional black box model to systematically explore and quantify the ecological and economic effects both in the rice-shrimp co-cropping system and monoculture rice system from the five perspectives including the cost of investment, economic benefit, ecological benefit, soil health benefit and manufacturing benefit of food safety. This life cycle assessment model was developed utilizing measured data from an on-site survey on various indicators of water quality, soil properties, and greenhouse gas emissions from both monoculture rice systems and rice-shrimp co-cropping systems. The results of this study showed that compared to the rice monoculture system, the soil quality was significantly improved in the rice-shrimp co-cropping system and contributed to the formation of soil aggregates. The proportion of aggregates greater than 0.25 mm increased by a percentage of 16.1 (P value less than 0.05), while the average weight diameter and geometric mean diameter of soil structure increased by a percentage of 26.1 (P value less than 0.05) and a percentage of 44.3 (P value less than 0.05), respectively. According to the evaluation results in the full life cycle assessment model, compared to the rice monoculture system, the soil fertility in the rice-shrimp co-cropping system was precisely improved, resulting in a positive economic benefit at a value of 1132 yuan hm(-2). However, the aggravated non-point source pollution from the agriculture drainage in the rice-shrimp co-cropping system was made worse by the increase in wastewater discharge amounts, which resulted in a negative ecological benefit at a value of-8393 yuan hm(-2). The local rice-shrimp co-cropping system in this study area had the typical function of a carbon sink and produced a positive ecological benefit at a value of 1575.6 yuan hm(-2). Meanwhile, the circular ditch surrounds the rice-growing area and occupies the rice-growing area. The rice-shrimp co-cropping system led to a reduction in rice production, resulting in a negative benefit at a value of-4249 yuan hm(-2). The net ecological and economic benefits of the rice-shrimp co-cropping system at a value of 44572.6 yuan hm(-2) were 4.0 times those of the rice monoculture system at a value of 11091.5 yuan hm(-2). A thorough assessment of the rice-shrimp co-cropping system based on the life cycle assessment model offers a new viewpoint on the improvement of soil cultivation, efficient utilization of nutrients in paddy fields, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, which will contribute to the sustainable development of the agricultural economy.

Extreme precipitation events have become increasingly prevalent globally. Runoff and leaching losses of nitrogen (N) are commonly observed after heavy rainfall, while post-rainfall N losses, particularly nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, are often overlooked. In this study, a field-simulated rainfall experiment was conducted under two conditions: with (CF) and without (CK) N fertilizer application, to examine the impact of precipitation on post-rainfall N2O emissions over a continuous 10-day period. Heavy rainfall (90 mm) was simulated on the 7th day after fertilization at basal (BFS), overwintering (WFS), and jointing (JFS) stages, based on CF treatment fertilization timing. Results showed a significant increase in soil nitrate N content after fertilization (F), leading to elevated N loss through runoff and leaching due to precipitation (P). Both P and F had significant effects on post-rainfall N2O emissions, though their interaction was not statistically significant. Average N2O emission intensity (NEI) in the CF treatment increased by 72.73 % relative to CK control, attributed to fertilization. Additionally, rainfall substantially intensified NEI during BFS and WFS stages (P<0.05 or 0.001), while it tended to decrease NEI during the JFS stage. Consequently, average NEI under rainfall conditions doubled compared to no-rainfall controls. Correlation analysis indicated that N2O emissions were primarily influenced by soil nitrate N content, nirS gene abundance, and denitrification potential in middle-lower layers (5-15 cm). Overall, the stimulating effect of heavy rainfall in the early growing period on post-rainfall N2O emissions in fertilized wheat fields warrants attention.

The excellent photocatalyst, g-C3N4, presents separation and regeneration challenges due to its tendency to aggregate in aqueous solutions, which not only increases the cost of practical applications but also represents a significant research hurdle. In this study, we report a simple method to use polyurethane sponge as a carrier to support photocatalyst (La modified g-C3N4, LACN) to form a floating photocatalytic mesh (PS-LACN). The PS-LACN shows an excellent methylene blue (MB) degradation performance in an outdoor reactor under sunlight irradiation. The tests also showed that the PS-LACN was stable and reusable over four cycle times without significant loss of efficiency. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated the low cost of PS-LACN. Taken together, this study provides a simple, economical and sustainable technology for dye wastewater treatment.

Previous studies have developed numerous adsorption composite materials demonstrating substantial removal efficiencies for phosphorus (P) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). However, most of materials targeted single contaminant and were inconvenient to apply in real water bodies owing to size limitation. In the current study, three composite materials-lanthanum ferrite-modified Quartz balls/Maifan stones/Honeycomb ceramics-were synthesized using one step co-precipitation method. Structural and morphological changes of pre- and post- adsorption were examined through Scanning Electron Microscope- Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEMEDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Kinetics, thermodynamics, and isotherm models were simulated for the analysis of P and COD adsorption. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were employed to elucidate the adsorption mechanisms. The results demonstrated that these materials achieved P maximal removal rate of 99.56 % and COD maximal removal rate up to 94.82 %. The second-order kinetic model for P adsorption was more excellent than that of the first-order model, and the intraparticle diffusion model more accurately described the COD adsorption. Both the Langmuir and Freundlich were used to fit the adsorption isotherm data for P and COD. XPS and FTIR revealed that the adsorption mechanisms for P were ligand exchange and chemical precipitation. Whereas the adsorption mechanisms for COD were ligand exchange and physical adsorption. The materials in the actual farmland drainage performed excellent and effectively reduced the concentration of P and COD up to 68.58 % and 53.98 %, respectively. The lanthanum ferrite-modified fillers provide accessible, universal and bifunctional option for controlling agricultural non-point source pollution.

(1) Background: Excessive nitrogen (N) fertilizer application in tea plantations leads to challenges such as soil acidification and nitrogen loss, impending the sustainable development of the plantation system. Yet, there is a lack of research on blended fertilization strategies, and limited data regarding N loss when substituting with organic fertilizer. (2) Methods: A year-long field monitoring experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of substituting compound fertilizer with organic fertilizer, specifically with respect to runoff N loss and uptake of chemical fertilizer N by tea trees. (3) Results: The annual runoff N loss ranged from 0.16 to 0.57 kg·hm−2 and accounted for a mere 0.22–0.48% of N from fertilizer applications. Substitution with organic fertilizer reduced runoff N loss by 21–53% and improved the tea tree utilization efficiency of chemical fertilizer N from 16% to 27%. A 50% organic fertilizer substitution (based on the amount of N) promoted a net soil N mineralization rate, creating an ammonium-rich environment favored by tea trees. (4) Conclusions: The positive effects of partially substituting N fertilizer with organic fertilizer in tea plantation systems on both N utilization efficiency and N loss were confirmed. If conditions permit, the study team would aim to expand the temporal scope of the study, and to investigate the impact of organic fertilizer substitution on N loss under various precipitation intensities.

Nitrogen loss from rice systems is an important source of agricultural non-point source pollution. Many studies revolve around reducing the rate of nitrogen fertilizer application. However, studies examining the characteristics of nitrogen loss in multiple loss paths （runoff, leaching, and lateral seepage） under different straw and fertilizer managements are lacking. Therefore, a study was carried out based on a rice field planted for more than 20 years with straw continuously returned to the field for more than 5 years in Taihu lake basin. The effects of straw and fertilizer managements on nitrogen loss in different paths during the whole growth period of rice were studied. Moreover, straw and fertilizer managements were evaluated by their production suitability and environmental friendliness based on crop yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and nitrogen loss. The results showed that straw removal from the field increased the response sensitivity of nitrogen accumulation in plant tissue to nitrogen application. The nitrogen loss in the rice season was 9-17 kg·hm-2, accounting for 5%-7% of the nitrogen application rate. Straw removal increased the risk of nitrogen loss when soaking water discharged. Straw returning could decrease the nitrogen loss by more than 15%, though the effect of straw on nitrogen loss via lateral seepage was not clear. Furthermore, the suitable substitution of organic fertilizer （30% in this study） could respectively reduce the amount of nitrogen loss via runoff, leaching, and lateral seepage by 16%, 26%, and 37% compared with the fertilizer application under the same nitrogen gradient. In conclusion, the implementation of straw returning and fertilizer type optimization measures effectively reduced the nitrogen loss for unit weight of rice production and realized the balance between agricultural production and environmental protection.

Antibiotics resistance genes (ARGs) is a global concern impairing public health and environmental quality. Chemical oxidation processes (COPs) can generate free radicals, to oxo-degrade DNA and limit ARGs spread. After a rigorous collation of literature related to COPs degrading ARGs, a meta-analysis was performed to evaluate five conventional COPs (photocatalysis, fenton-like oxidation, persulfate oxidation, ozone oxidation, and chlorination) in removing ARGs in aqueous environments. A random effects model was used to estimate the 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) and the amount of heterogeneity (R2) which signifies the influential capacity of specific factors. The results confirmed that COPs significantly diminish ARGs (95 % CI:-3.61, -3.17) with the subgroup analysis indicating that based heterogeneity (6.14 %) the type of COPs is crucial on ARGs removal performance. Specifically, Fenton delivers the highest oxidation effect (95 % CI: -6.06, -4.85). The type and location (intracellular, extracellular, or total) of such genes also influence removal efficiency (R2 of 7.45 % and 0.91 % respectively). Other factors, pH, COD content, temperature, oxidizer dosage, and reaction time were also found somewhat influential based on R2 (10.31 %, 3.36 %, 2.08 %, 0.70 %, and 0.26 % respectively). Overall, this meta-analysis summarizes on a quantitative manner the influential factors affecting ARGs pollution control via COPs in aqueous environments.

Adsorption technology for phosphorus (P) removal is considered promising and reutilization of post-adsorbent can contribute to promoting sustainable agricultural production. However, the long-lasting impact of the post-adsorbent on crop growth and P remains unclear. This study assessed the effects of P-adsorbed lanthanum-modified straw (La@straw-P) on the rice yield, P fractionation and associated water quality parameters. The findings indicated that, compared with traditional fertilizer regimes, La@straw-P expedited the P reduction in the flooding water achieving a rate of decline to the tertiary standard for surface water (0.20 mg/L) 3.8 times faster and enhanced increased the P harvest index by 17.00 %. Economic estimation proved the positive benefits of La@straw-P in planting-breeding combination system. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and co-occurrence network analysis (CONA) revealed that electrical conductivity (EC) and dissolved Fe played primary roles in regulating total P. Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and soil P fractions collectively demonstrated that the abundant adsorption sites on La@straw-P could facilitate the transformation of active P into moderately Ca-bound P. This study proposes a strategy for recycling P-adsorbed materials to mitigate agricultural non-point P pollution.

Microplastics (MPs) aggregate with phytoplankton to form aggregates that impede light and oxygen penetration, and the adsorbed nitrogen and phosphorus are either taken up by algae or released into the water column, thereby exacerbating water eutrophication. Therefore, it is imperative to simultaneously control nutrients (N and P) and MPs pollution in water. To address this, nano-Fe3O4 with different surface modifications (-COOH, -NH2, and -OH) was developed to control these mixed pollutants. The results showed that the surface modification can enhance the affinity for NH4+, PO43- and polyethylene microplastic (PE-MP), which can achieve exceptional adsorption capacities for NH4+-N (18.45 mg/g), PO43--P (30.04 mg/g), and PE-MP (1611 mg/g). OH-Fe3O4 efficiently removed NH4+-N (2 mg/L), PO43--P (5 mg/L), and PE-MP (1 g/L, 13 mu m) from two types of water, achieving removal rates of 80 %, 95 %, and 62 % in freshwater, and 78 %, 94 %, and 70 % in seawater, respectively. FTIR, XPS, kinetic analysis, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that nano-Fe3O4 provides abundant active sites for MPs and PO43- through electrostatic adsorption and hydrogen bonding, while there is a Fe-O-P bond with PO43-. The NH4+ can be adsorbed on MPs via ion exchange. In addition, -COOH enhances affinity for NH4+, -NH2 increases the holding capacity for PO43-, and -OH strengthens PE-MP adsorption. The environmental impact of the production of nano-Fe3O4 demonstrates the economic feasibility and environmental friendliness of this process. The findings of this study offer promising data that can inform the future development of sustainable and cost-effective materials to combat eutrophication and MPs pollution.