Heteroatom doping provides an effective approach to regulating the catalytic properties of single-atom catalysts for chemical reactions. However, the economical and controllable production of efficient single-atom catalysts with tailored coordination structures presents a formidable challenge. In this study, we demonstrate a novel core- shell confinement strategy to fabricate a single-atom iron catalyst on carbon nanoshells (Fe-N/S-C) for the bifunctional selective reduction of nitroarenes and epoxidation of olefins. Through the encapsulation of polydopamine-coated nano-Fe2O3 within sulfur-rich petroleum asphalt, atomically dispersed Fe-N3S1 with asymmetric coordination were meticulously engineered through one-step thermal treatment, obviating the need for additional sources of iron, nitrogen, or sulfur. Under mild reaction conditions, the Fe-N/S-C catalyst achieved a complete conversion of p-nitrophenol with over 99 % selectivity and a high overall turnover frequency (TOF) of 116.9 h-1. Meanwhile, the Fe-N/S-C catalyst could also accomplish an 80.2 % conversion in the epoxidation of styrene with a high selectivity of 93.6 %. The remarkable catalytic activities, as well as exceptional stability, notably surpass those of reported single-atom Fe-N-C and noble metal catalysts. Experimental results and theoretical calculations indicate that the negative charge induced by sulfur doping efficiently modulates the electron distribution of the active center and enhances the adsorption/desorption and activation of the reaction substrates, thereby accelerating the catalytic processes involved in selective reduction and oxidation. This work offers a promising approach to the development of cost-effective and potent catalysts for chemical transformations.

Efficient phosphorus (P) removal from agricultural drainage is crucial for making its removal and recovery economically viable and operationally feasible. This study evaluated cost-effective, green-synthesized nanoparticles (using grass extract) for rapid and efficient P adsorption. Batch experiments were conducted to assess the effect of pH, P concentration, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and temperature on P adsorption. The nanoparticles removed 20 mg/L of P in 5 min, demonstrating their significant potential for effective adsorption in short retention time. They achieved a maximum adsorption capacity of 77.5 mg g−1, outperforming their chemically synthesized counterparts. Moreover, smaller particles exhibited faster initial adsorption, while larger ones contributed more to overall adsorption over time. Modeling results revealed that rapid initial P adsorption was driven by physisorption, while chemisorption controlled the rate of adsorption in the later stages. After five regeneration cycles, the nanoparticles retained over 50 % of their adsorption capacity, demonstrating strong reusability potential. Further research is needed to optimize these nanoparticles for P removal from dynamic agricultural drainage, offering a cost-effective and sustainable solution for P management.

Plants communicate underground by secreting multiple amino acids (AAs) through their roots, triggering defense mechanisms against cadmium (Cd) stress. However, the specific roles of the individual AAs in Cd translocation and detoxification remain unclear. This study investigated how exogenous AAs influence Cd movement from the roots to the shoots in Cd-resistant and Cd-sensitive Chinese cabbage cultivars (Jingcui 60 and 16-7 cultivars). The results showed that methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) reduced Cd concentrations in the shoots of Jingcui 60 by approximately 44% and 52%, and in 16-7 by approximately 43% and 32%, respectively, compared to plants treated with Cd alone. However, threonine (Thr) and aspartic acid (Asp) did not show similar effects. Subcellular Cd distribution analysis revealed that AA supplementation increased Cd uptake in the roots, with Jingcui 60 preferentially storing more Cd in the cell wall, whereas the 16-7 cultivar exhibited higher Cd concentrations in the organelles. Moreover, Met and Cys promoted the formation of Cd-phosphate in the roots of Jingcui 60 and Cd-oxalate in the 16-7 cultivar, respectively. Further analysis showed that exogenous Cys inhibited Cd transport to the xylem by downregulating the expression of HMA2 in the roots of both cultivars, and HMA4 in the 16-7 cultivar. These findings provide insights into the influence of exogenous AAs on Cd partitioning and detoxification in Chinese cabbage plants.

Wetlands are the largest and most uncertain biological source of atmospheric methane, with hydrological fluctuations exacerbating this uncertainty. Here we critically explore the complex relationship between hydrological fluctuations and methane emissions in wetlands by integrating observations from 31 FLUXNET wetland sites with a comprehensive literature review. We present the prevalence and patterns of water table fluctuations and their contribution to uncertainty in methane fluxes. We also highlight key pathways through which these fluctuations affect methane production and emission, such as soil redox heterogeneity, changes in substrate availability and alternative electron acceptor pool, the contribution of different methane transport pathways, and the non-linear responses of community structure and activity of methanogens and methanotrophs to hydrological fluctuations. This review aims to improve the accuracy of wetland methane emission reports by carefully assessing biogeochemical kinetics under hydrological fluctuations. Water table fluctuations in wetlands impact methane production and emissions via biotic and abiotic pathways including soil redox, substrate availability, electron flow, gas transport, and microbial community structure, according to the analysis of observational data from 31 wetland sites and a broad literature review.

Transition metal selenides (TMSs) have emerged as promising electrode materials for potassium -ion batteries (PIBs), whereas the large volume expansion and sluggish reaction kinetics have seriously hindered the cycle life and rate performance. Herein, a hierarchical composite of flower-like CoSe 2 /N, P-doped carbon microspheres accommodated on carbon nanosheets (CoSe 2 -NPC@CNS) was rationally fabricated as the anode for PIBs through a one -pot hydrothermal and subsequent selenization method. The intimate hybridization of CoSe 2 /N, P-doped carbon microspheres can effectively alleviate the volume expansion of CoSe 2 during charge-discharge cycles, and the ultrathin carbon nanosheets derived from fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) slurry serves as a highly conductive and buffered substrate. By robustly merging them together, the interconnected hierarchical nanoarchitecture with exposed active sites achieves promoted potassium storage capacity, electrochemical reaction kinetics, and structural stability. As a result, the PIBs with CoSe 2 -NPC@CNS anode deliver high reversible capacities of 320.8 mAh g -1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g -1 and 213.9 mAh g -1 after 850 cycles at 1.0 A g -1 , excellent rate capability (188.8 mAh g -1 at 5 A g -1 ), and enhanced pseudo -capacitive contribution rate of 88.7 %. This work offers valuable insight into the rational design and development of hierarchical anode materials with high performance for PIBs and beyond.

The efficiency of direct electron flow from electron donors to electron acceptors in redox reactions is significantly influenced by the spatial separation of these components. Geobatteries, a class of redox-active substances naturally present in soil–water systems, act as electron reservoirs, reversibly donating, storing, and accepting electrons. This capability allows the temporal and spatial decoupling of redox half-reactions, providing a flexible electron transfer mechanism. In this review, we systematically examine the critical role of geobatteries in influencing electron transfer and utilization in environmental biogeochemical processes. Typical redox-active centers within geobatteries, such as quinone-like moieties, nitrogen- and sulfur-containing groups, and variable-valent metals, possess the potential to repeatedly charge and discharge. Various characterization techniques, ranging from qualitative methods like elemental analysis, imaging, and spectroscopy, to quantitative techniques such as chemical, spectroscopic, and electrochemical methods, have been developed to evaluate this reversible electron transfer capacity. Additionally, current research on the ecological and environmental significance of geobatteries extends beyond natural soil–water systems (e.g., soil carbon cycle) to engineered systems such as water treatment (e.g., nitrogen removal) and waste management (e.g., anaerobic digestion). Despite these advancements, challenges such as the complexity of environmental systems, difficulties in accurately quantifying electron exchange capacity, and scaling-up issues must be addressed to fully unlock their potential. This review underscores both the promise and challenges associated with geobatteries in responding to environmental issues, such as climate change and pollutant transformation.

Methane fluxes (FCH4) vary significantly across wetland ecosystems due to complex mechanisms, challenging accurate estimations. The interactions among environmental drivers, while crucial in regulating FCH4, have not been well understood. Here, the interactive effects of six environmental drivers on FCH4 were first analyzed using 396,322 half-hourly measurements from 22 sites across various wetland types and climate zones. Results reveal that soil temperature, latent heat turbulent flux, and ecosystem respiration primarily exerted direct effects on FCH4, while air temperature and gross primary productivity mainly exerted indirect effects by interacting with other drivers. Significant spatial variability in FCH4 regulatory mechanisms was highlighted, with different drivers demonstrated varying direct, indirect, and total effects among sites. This spatial variability was then linked to site-specific annual-average air temperature (17.7%) and water table (9.0%) conditions, allowing the categorization of CH4 sources into four groups with identified critical drivers. An improved estimation approach using a random forest model with three critical drivers was consequently proposed, offering accurate FCH4 predictions with fewer input requirements. By explicitly accounting for environmental interactions and interpreting spatial variability, this study enhances our understanding of the mechanisms regulating CH4 emissions, contributing to more efficient modeling and estimation of wetland FCH4.

Palladium (Pd) catalysts play a crucial role in facilitating Suzuki cross-coupling reactions for the synthesis of valuable organic compounds. However, conventional heterogeneous Pd catalysts often encounter challenges such as leaching and deactivation during reactions, leading to reduced catalytic efficiency. In this study, we employed an innovative intercalation templating strategy to prepare two-dimensional carbon nanosheets with high nitrogen doping derived from petroleum asphalt, which were utilized as a versatile support for immobilizing Pd nanoparticles (Pd/N-CNS) in efficient Suzuki cross-coupling reactions. The results indicate that the anchoring effect of high-pyridinic N species on the two-dimensional carbon nanosheets enhances interactions between Pd and the support, effectively improving both the dispersibility and stability of the Pd nanoparticles. Notably, the Pd/N-CNS catalyst achieved an overall turnover frequency (TOF) of 2390 h−1 for the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction under mild conditions, representing approximately a nine-fold increase in activity compared to commercial Pd/C catalysts. Furthermore, this catalyst maintained an overall TOF of 2294 h−1 even after five reaction cycles, demonstrating excellent stability. Theoretical calculations corroborate these observed enhancements in catalytic performance by attributing them to improved electron transfer from Pd to the support facilitated by abundant pyridinic N species. This work provides valuable insights into feasible strategies for developing efficient catalysts aimed at sustainable production of biaromatic compounds.

为高效溶解秸秆中木质素,制备出六种碱性三元低共熔溶剂,筛选并优化了低共熔溶剂溶解木质素的工艺条件.结果表明:最优低共熔溶剂氢氧化钠-乙二醇-水,在110℃,5 h下,木质素含量为1.13％,木质素溶解率为97.25％.利用傅里叶转换红外光谱、扫描电子显微镜、X射线衍射三种表征手段,分析官能团变化、表面形貌变化、晶体结构变化,揭示三元碱性低共熔溶剂溶解木质素的机理.

Cadmium (Cd) subcellular distributions and chemical forms of Cd is crucial for Cd accumulation in shoot and root-shoot translocation. However, amino acids (AAs) as a biostimulants to regulate the Cd translocation in China cabbage remains unclear. Four AAs treatments with 5 μM Cd stress were used to analyse the Cd subcellular distributions, chemical forms of Cd, functional groups of cell wall, Cd distributions in root cross section and oxidative damage of China cabbage (Jingcui 60 and 16-7) in hydroponic culture. Apart from the aspartic (Asp), methionine (Met), cysteine (Cys) and threonine (Thr) enhanced the dry biomass and SPAD of both cultivars to reduce the Cd toxicity. The highest decrease in total Cd content by the shoot of Jingcui 60 was about 43.39% and 56.15% with the application of Met and Cys, respectively, compared to Cd-alone treatment. However, AAs did not inhibit Cd absorption by the China cabbage root, thus, the translocation factor (TF) of both cultivars was decreased. The FTIR results exhibited that exogenous AAs tremendously affected the abundance of functional groups in cell wall of both cultivars. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed significant correlation between subcellular distribution of Cd, the chemical forms of Cd and Cd concentrations in the shoot of both cultivars. The energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) results revealed that Cd was mainly stored in the epidermis and xylem parenchyma, while Cys supplementation reduced the Cd concentration in xylem parenchyma of both cultivars. Further, the supplementation of AAs reversed Cd-induced oxidative damage (MDA and H2O2) by increasing the activity of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). In conclusion, the application of Met and Cys may effectively reduce Cd translocation from below- to aboveground part of the leafy vegetables.

This study estimates the environmental impacts of Bitcoin mining. Employing a top-down measurement approach, this paper assesses the carbon footprint of Bitcoin mining in China from 2017 to 2021. The findings reveal that mining activities during this period contributed to a total of 77.84 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions in China. By utilizing data at the provincial level, we find that the seasonal migration of Bitcoin mining pools will lead to regional power demand shocks in China. Additionally, this study predicts future carbon emissions from Bitcoin mining in China, projecting cumulative carbon dioxide emissions of 76.40 million tons and 722.18 million tons by 2030 and 2060 respectively, in the absence of any policy interventions. Based on these findings, this paper posits that governments worldwide should make efforts to restrict the carbon emissions from Bitcoin mining and opt for environmentally friendly technological methods to fundamentally alleviate Bitcoin's reliance on energy. The implication for central banks is that carbon emission should be taken into consideration when designing the central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

The study is conducted in tomato greenhouse in Damiao Town,Songshan District,Chifeng City,Inner Mongolia to evaluate the comprehensive effects of bio-organic fertilizer,saline-alkali resistant soil conditioner and functional water-soluble fertilizer package fertilization technology on tomato yield and soil remediation.The results show that compared with traditional treatment,the soil remediation technology reduces manure input by 25％and decreases soil available phosphorus and EC.It also significantly increases tomato yield by 5.93％-18.30％and promotes tomato quality and income.In conclusion,the combination of bio-organic fertilizer and soil conditioner is more effective for the greenhouse soil remediation.

采用盆栽方式,探究京津冀地区常见的15个大白菜品种对Cd富集能力的差异.结果表明:不同大白菜品种地上部干质量和Cd累积量均存在显著差异,Cd生物富集系数范围为0.003～0.117.虽然15个大白菜品种的地上部Cd含量均低于GB 2762—2017《食品安全国家标准食品中污染物限量》规定的0.20 mg·kg-1(FW),但聚类分析结果表明京翠60、京夏56号、15-13白菜、小杂60号为Cd高累积类群,地上部Cd含量为0.115～0.169 mg·kg-1(FW),与处于Cd中低累积类群〔地上部Cd含量为0.004～0.092 mg·kg-1(FW)〕的品种相比,存在较高的安全风险;14CR-2白菜对土壤中的Cd累积能力明显低于其他品种,适合广泛推广种植.

In order to identify the impact mechanism between income inequality and carbon emissions and clarify the nonlinear relationship between income inequality and carbon emissions in different degrees, so as to provide theoretical support for government departments to formulate policies of reducing carbon emission and optimizing resource allocation efficiency, we investigated the relationship between carbon emissions and domestic income inequality in the United States and France from 1915 to 2019 using wavelet decomposition and Quantile-on-Quantile regression. The results imply that 1) For France, the impact of income inequality on carbon emissions is negative when the income inequality is low. With the increase of income inequality, the impact of income inequality on carbon emission changes from negative to positive, and the increase of carbon emissions will amplify the effect. For United States, with the deepening of income inequality, its emission enhancing effect has been gradually reversed. In addition, the impacts of carbon emissions on income inequality in the two countries are quite similar. 2) In the short term, the relationship between income inequality and carbon emissions in the two countries has obvious random volatility characteristics. 3) In the medium term, there is a three-dimensional inverted “V” shaped relationship between income inequality and carbon emissions across quantiles in the United States. As mentioned for France, on the contrary, a three-dimensional “V” shaped relationship across quantiles exists. 4) In the long run, the relationship between income inequality and carbon emissions in the United States is “V” shaped across quantiles. Carbon emissions in France are mainly inhibited by domestic income inequality. According to the empirical results, we recommend that the governments should make greater efforts to ensure the synergy between income distribution and environmental governance to ensure a sustainable and prudent development of economy.

Al toxicity and Cd pollution are key limiting factors for agricultural production in the acidic soils in China. The application of amendments is an effective and promising measure for remediating strongly acidic Cd-contaminated soils. However, the information on applying amendments for alleviating Al toxicity and regulating plant Cd accumulation is still rare. Here, oyster shell (OS), red mud (RM), hydroxyapatite (HAP), and biochar (BC) at 30 g kg-1 were investigated for alleviating Al toxicity and decreasing Cd accumulation in spinach plants. The results showed that four amendments significantly increased soil pH, and reduced soil exchangeable Al3+ and DTPA-Cd, promoted spinach growth (P < 0.05). Al(OH)30 and Al-HA were the main forms of active Al in soil. The BC and OS were more effective to alleviate Al toxicity but significantly (P < 0.05) increased Cd accumulation in spinach. RM and HAP effectively reduced the uptake of Cd by spinach plants as well as alleviated Al toxicity (P < 0.05). Bivariate correlation analysis and the partial least squares path modeling analysis indicated that soil exchangeable Al3+ was the main limiting factor for biomass production. Our study demonstrated that HAP could significantly alleviate Al toxicity, promote spinach growth, and decrease Cd accumulation in strongly acidic Cd-contaminated soils. Besides, OS and BC effectively alleviated soil Al toxicity leading to promoting the growth of spinach. Compared with CK, RM treatment significantly reduced soil Cd bioavailability (61.2%) and decreased Cd concentration and uptake of spinach plants by 90.0% and 50.7%. These results indicated that RM could be used as an efficient amendment in Cd contaminated.

Although biochar supports were widely adopted to fabricate the biochar (BC) supported layered double hydroxides (LDHs) composites (LDH-BC) for efficient environmental remediation, few studies focus on the important role of biochar support in alleviating the stacking of LDHs and enhancing LDH-BC's performance. Through the analysis of the material structure-performance relationship, the "support effect" of fine biochar prepared by ball milling was carefully explored. Compared with the original LDHs on LDH-BC, the LDHs on ball milled biochar (LDH-BMBC) had smaller particle size (from 1123 nm to 586 nm), crystallite size (from 20.5 nm to 6.56 nm), more abundant O-containing functional groups, and larger surface area (370 m2 g-1) and porous structure. The Langmuir model revealed that the maximum theoretical phosphate adsorption capacity of LDH-BMBC (56.2 mg P g-1) was significantly higher than that of LDH-BC (27.6 mg P g-1). The leaching experiment proved that the addition of LDH-BMBC in calcareous soil could significantly reduce the release of soil total phosphate (46.1%) and molybdate reactive phosphate (40.4%), even though pristine BC and BMBC significantly enhanced the soil phosphate leaching. This work fabricated high-performance and eco-friendly LDH-BMBC for phosphate adsorption in solution and phosphate retention in soil and also provide valuable insights into fine biochar support effect on LDHs exfoliation, extending the practical use of the engineered ball milled biochars in environment remediation.

对重金属具有良好吸附能力的金属氧化物改性生物炭材料是近年来热门的土壤修复材料,然而关于不同金属氧化物改性生物炭对土壤中Cd钝化的研究较少.本研究采用Cd污染农田土壤开展菠菜盆栽试验,研究了铁氧体改性生物炭、磁铁矿改性生物炭和水滑石改性生物炭对菠菜生长和Cd积累的影响.结果表明:在施用量均为5 g·kg-1的条件下,金属氧化物改性生物炭处理可显著提高土壤pH和有机质含量.与对照相比,铁氧体改性生物炭、磁铁矿改性生物炭和水滑石改性生物炭使土壤DTPA-Cd含量分别降低了23.4％、24.8％和37.1％,生物富集系数降低了4.00％、13.3％和65.0％.此外,水滑石改性生物炭使植株干质量增加4.27倍,显著降低了Cd积累量(59.5％).金属氧化物改性生物炭能提高土壤pH,增加土壤有机质含量,降低土壤Cd的有效性和移动性,提高土壤质量,进而促进菠菜的生长和抑制菠菜对Cd的积累.研究表明,水滑石改性生物炭在促进菠菜生长和钝化土壤Cd方面具有较大优势.

Market-oriented environmental policy has made an indelible contribution to promoting sustainable development in China. We consider the introduction of the Sulfur dioxide Emissions Trading Pilot Scheme (SETPS) as a quasi-natural experiment and adopt PSM-DID method to study the reduction effect of SETPS on corporate carbon emissions. We find that SETPS can effectively promote the carbon emission reduction of enterprises, which highlights the dual significance of market-based environmental regulation policies in the field of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction. Considering the heterogeneity of enterprises, SETPS imposes a more significant effect on carbon emission reduction of enterprises with high energy consumption and high pollution. The mediation effect analysis indicates that the indirect reduction effects of SETPS on the carbon emission through the marketization process and the development of non-state-owned economy. In addition, results from the test of moderation effect suggest that both financing constraint and ownership are the moderation factors for SETPS to affect enterprise carbon emission reduction. The empirical results suggest that there exists such a green bonus: reduction effect of introducing the SETPS on firm level carbon emission and other pollutant discharges. It should be paid more attention by the authorities.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and LDHs-derived materials are emerging as potential engineered adsorbents for the protection of water environment. Particularly, LDHs intercalated with different guest compounds (GC-LDHs), which differ from traditional interlayer anions (such as Cl−, SO42−, NO3−, CO32−, and PO43−), are widely reported by recent studies showing their promising multifunctional roles in water purification. Herein, this review systematically presents the synthesis methods and characterization techniques of GC-LDHs and their application as adsorbents in removing potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from the aqueous phase. This review also elaborates on the important roles of complexation, chelation, precipitation, isomorphic substitution, and ion exchange in the process of PTE removal by GC-LDHs. Among them, compared with PTE cations, ion exchange is an additional mechanism for the removal of PTE oxyanions by GC-LDHs. Furthermore, the influence of pH, ionic strength, temperature, physiochemical properties of original LDHs and guest compounds on the GC-LDHs adsorption performance are also summarized. Finally, the development trends and future challenges related to GC-LDHs are proposed.

The non-point source pollution induced by phosphorus (P) leaching from fertile soils is accelerating the eutrophication phenomena in aqueous ecosystems. Herein, to alleviate and intercept the P leaching from the fertile soils, diverse P immobilization materials (PIM) which can transform labile P into stable P via a range of physicochemical and biological interactions have been adopted and received increasing research interest. However, the remediation mechanisms of different PIMs were complex and vary with soil properties and PIM application methods. In this review, the P fraction and mobility characteristics of different fertile soils were first introduced. Then, three kinds of PIM including inorganic materials (e.g., clay minerals and red mud), organic materials (e.g., polyacrylamide), and composites (e.g., modified biochar) applied in soil P leaching interception were concluded. The key factors (i.e., soil pH, soil texture, organic matter content and variable soil moisture) influencing PIM performance and potential PIMs used for reducing soil P leaching were also introduced. Current review can favor for proposing more suitable and insightful strategies to regulate the fertile soil P and achieve the dual goals of improving the crop land quality and yield, and preventing agricultural non-point source pollution.