Copper (Cu) pollution posed potential threats to ecological balance and human health due to its non-degradability and bioaccumulation, which highlighted the necessity of developing efficient remediation strategies. Nowadays, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)-assisted phytoremediation for soil heavy metals (HM) gradually attracted attention, but its removal efficiency was still limited due to some challenges. Bicarbonates, which participated in the precipitation of soil Cu2+ and regulation of rhizosphere microbial activities, might affect the PGPR-assisted phytoremediation efficiency. Therefore, this study explored the potential roles of NaHCO3 (0.75 g kg−1) in phytoremediation process for Cu-contaminated soil (150 mg kg−1) assisted by the Pseudomonas strain A2 with PGP traits during 30 d. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that under Cu pollution, adding bicarbonates improved the growth status of alfalfas compared to only inoculating strain A2, together with elevated soil pH, lower contents of soil exchangeable Cu (37.05%) and higher proportions of lower mobility forms. Meanwhile, adding bicarbonates further promoted the absorption of soil Cu by alfalfa roots and inhibited its transport to aboveground parts. Moreover, applying bicarbonates could also increase rhizosphere bacterial diversity and the abundance of some phyla (Gemmatimonadota, Myxococcota, and Patescibacteria) that might participate in soil remediation, thus restoring soil enzyme activities and nutrient cycling. In summary, NaHCO3 could improve PGPR-assisted phytoremediation efficiency for Cu-contaminated soil by directly acting on plant growth or enriching functional bacteria, further deepening the understanding of the transformation of soil Cu occurrence forms and restoration for soil ecological balance during the PGPR-assisted phytoremediation process under the influence of bicarbonates.

Malania oleifera Chun & S.K. Lee is a rare and endangered tree species endemic to the karst forests of southwestern China. Its seeds are rich in nervonic acid, a compound of significant ecological and economic value. However, habitat fragmentation, overharvesting, and climate change have imposed severe survival pressures on this species, leading to a risk of genetic diversity loss. In this study, we employed genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) to investigate the genome-wide genetic diversity and population structure of 89 individuals from 16 natural populations. A total of 332,551 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were obtained. The results showed moderate genetic diversity, with populations in Guangxi exhibiting significantly higher nucleotide diversity than those in Yunnan. Population structure analyses identified six genetic clusters that corresponded closely to their geographic distribution, indicating that geographic isolation is the main driver of genetic differentiation. Mantel tests revealed a highly significant positive correlation between genetic and geographic distances but no correlation with environmental distance, representing a typical isolation-by-distance (IBD) pattern. Redundancy analysis (RDA) identified 4,361 SNPs significantly associated with environmental variables suggesting potential local adaptation signals. Demographic reconstruction revealed that M. oleifera began a sharp and continuous decline in effective population size approximately 30 kya, likely triggered by climatic fluctuations during the Last Glacial Maximum. These findings provide valuable insights for the conservation, restoration, and regional management of this ecologically and economically important species.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in soil poses a serious threat to crop growth and agroecosystem stability. As a green technology, phytoremediation is often used for heavy metal-contaminated soil, while the efficiency is constrained by low plant biomass and poor viability of functional rhizobacteria. To address this, a plant-growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), Enterobacter sp. TK, was innovatively loaded into oxalic acid-modified biochar prepared from coffee grounds in this study. SEM and FTIR analysis revealed that oxalic acid modification endowed biochar with a porous structure and abundant oxygen-containing functional groups, possibly facilitating Cd2+ immobilization. The successful attachment of strain TK to biochar was further confirmed by SEM characterization. The potential role of the TK-biochar composite in phytoremediation was then investigated, and results indicated that compared to the control group, the application of the composite reduced soil bioavailable Cd by an additional 11.75%. Specifically, the composite increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacterial genera in maize rhizosphere soil, which might strengthen enzyme activities and nutrient cycling, thereby improving soil microenvironment and promoting maize root length (45.82%) and shoot height (19.90%). The enhanced photosynthesis in maize further confirmed that the Cd toxicity to maize was alleviated. Collectively, oxalic acid-modified biochar could directly adsorb and immobilize Cd2+ in soil using its porous structure and functional groups, while could also interact with PGPR to improve maize growth and increase Cd accumulation in maize, ultimately enhancing the efficiency of phytoremediation for Cd. The findings provided more effective strategies for applying the PGPR-biochar composite in the field of environmental remediation.

With the socioeconomic development and urbanization in China, the production of municipal sewage sludge is increasing rapidly. Untreated municipal sewage sludge contains significant amounts of phosphorus (P) and heavy metal elements: the latter are highly toxic to the natural environment, while excessive P can trigger eutrophication, collectively posing substantial threats to ecosystems and human health. In this study, two biochars derived from low-cost waste with high affinity for phosphate were successfully developed. The biochars were calcined from fish bones, eggshells, rice straw, and eggshells, respectively. Moreover, the maximum adsorption capacities were 246.75 mg P/g and 326.16 mg P/g. The simultaneous and efficient separation of phosphate and heavy metals (Cr, Mn, etc.) was achieved for the first time in a flow electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI) system using eggshell modified fish bone biochar (EFB) under low pH conditions, with activated carbon as the counter electrode. Efficient P capture in water was realized through the specific coordination behaviors between the calcium and P vacancy adsorption sites on the biochar surface, as confirmed by density functional theory calculations. The P removal efficiency was up to 99.28%, and the removal of numerous types of heavy metals exceeded 95%. The FCDI system showed the ability to concurrently recover P and a wide range of heavy metals, which could not only controlled the complicated pollution caused by P and heavy metals but also showed the potential for resource utilization, exhibiting a bright prospects in real applications.

One-step separation of C2H2 from CO2/C2H2 mixtures via CO2-selective adsorption offers an energy-efficient route, yet it remains challenging because C2H2 is more readily adsorbed by MOFs than CO2. By implementing a metal node substitutions strategy in the two flexible structure ([Co2(odp)(DMA)2(H2O)]n (Co-odp) and {[Zn2(odp)(DMA)(H2O)]·DMA}n (Zn-odp), H4odp = 2,2′-oxyditerephthalic acid), the local pore geometry of Zn-odp was slightly decreased in sub-angstrom level upon complete substitution of Co2+ with Zn2+, which limits π-complexation at the OMSs and consequently weakens the interaction strength with C2H2. As a result, activated Zn-odp-a achieves significantly enhanced CO2/C2H2 selectivity (3.1 for Zn-odp-a vs. 2.8 for Co-odp-a) and affords polymer-grade C2H2 (≥99.9%) with a productivity of 18.5 L kg−1 from a 10/90 CO2/C2H2 mixture, along with excellent regenerability, outperforming Co-odp-a by nearly three times (6.2 L kg−1).

As a promising amendment for stabilizing cadmium (Cd) in soil, sulfur/phosphorus co-doped cattle manure biochar (SBC) has gained increased attention, but systematic investigations on its impacts on soil ecological functions and soil quality remain limited. This study evaluated the practical potential of SBC for immobilizing Cd in soil and explored its effects on soil quality, spinach growth, Cd uptake, and soil bacterial ecological functions through a pot experiment. The results showed that SBC application (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%, w/w) significantly improved soil quality, increasing soil quality index by 132.1%, 290.8%, and 326.6% (p < 0.05), respectively. SBC application also reduced bioavailable Cd from 0.80 to 0.22, 0.18, and 0.22 mg/kg, with stabilization efficiencies of 72.50%, 77.50%, and 72.50%. Correspondingly, biomass of edible spinach parts increased by 300.26%, 388.86%, and 386.84%, and Cd content in edible spinach parts decreased by 89.47%, 94.21%, and 94.74% at SBC application of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%, w/w, respectively. Furthermore, SBC altered soil bacterial community composition, with available phosphorus and soil water holding capacity identified as primary predictive features driving these changes. Network analysis suggested that SBC may promote shared ecological niches among microbial communities, thereby potentially enhancing interspecific connectivity among bacteria. Meanwhile, SBC reshaped microbial metabolic pathways and enriched partly functional genes associated with soil nutrient cycles. These results indicate that SBC is a promising amendment for remediating Cd-contaminated soil.

This study addresses two critical challenges in electrochemical phosphorus recovery from waste activated sludge (WAS), low conductivity and insufficient radical generation. Through surface modulation, a waste-derived methyl/hydroxyl co-functionalized 3-dimensional (3D) carbon electrode was innovatively developed from waste phosphorus-free epoxy resin, establishing a sustainable "waste-treats-waste" strategy. The unique CH₃/OH dual functional groups on the electrode synergistically enhanced hydroxyl radical (*OH) generation, promoting the conversion of organic phosphorus to inorganic phosphorus. Moreover, the enhancement of *OH was quantitatively confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, demonstrating a more negative Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) for *OH formation on ERC-CH₃/OH during electrolysis. Experimental results of the lab-scale system performed a 76.39% organic-P conversion and an 81.41% total-P release (13.98% increase over the control) with a low energy consumption (5.24 kWh/kg P). Pilot-scale tests exhibited scalability with 79.07% P-release efficiency and operational stability. This work provides both functional material solution and mechanistic insight for advanced sludge resource recovery.

The utilization of waste biomass to develop green and efficient phosphorus adsorbents is of significant importance for the recycling of phosphorus in eutrophic water bodies. In this study, a novel shell-modified rice straw biochar (SRSB) was fabricated via a facile one-step pyrolysis of invasive Pomacea canaliculata shells and rice straw. Systematic optimization of the feedstock mass ratio yielded a composite with significantly enhanced phosphate adsorption capacity. The research results indicated that when the mass ratio of Pomacea canaliculata shells to rice straw was 3:1 and the mixture was pyrolyzed at 800 degrees C (labeled as SRSB3:1), the biochar exhibited excellent phosphorus adsorption performance over a broad pH range, with a maximum phosphorus adsorption capacity of 251.87 mg/g. The thermodynamic and kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption of phosphorus by SRSB3:1 was a spontaneous monolayer chemical adsorption process. Moreover, characterization suggested that SRSB3:1 reacted with phosphorus through a Ca-P chemical reaction, forming Ca5(PO4)3OH. Additionally, seed germination and plant pot experiments demonstrated that phosphorus-saturated SRSB3:1 (labeled as SRSB3:1-P) effectively promoted seed germination and growth. This study presents a triple-win strategy for the harmless utilization of invasive species, efficient phosphorus recovery from wastewater, and the production of valueadded biochar-based fertilizers, contributing to sustainable waste valorization and eutrophication mitigation.

A 90-day soil incubation study was performed to investigate impacts of four types (PE, PP, PVC and PET) of microplastics (MPs) on the physicochemical properties, nutrient contents, enzyme activities, and microbial community structure and diversity of agricultural soils. Effects of the four microplastic types and addition ratios on the microbiology of the agricultural soils were significant. With the addition of MPs, there was a positive correlation between physicochemical properties, nutrients (AN, AP, AK) and enzyme activities (CAT, Urease, ACP, SUC), which were all decreased to some extent. Overall PE and PVC surfaces were the roughest and had the greatest impact on soil physicochemical properties, nutrients and enzyme activities. The changes in soil microbial alpha-diversity were not significant (P > 0.05), but, PP and PVC led to an increase in community diversity and abundance. Clearly, the four types of the MPs reduced the physicochemical properties, nutrient content, enzyme activity and microbial community, and thus significantly affected the microbiology of the farmland soils.

Electrochemical activation of peroxymonosulfate (EA-PMS) was regarded as a powerful method for organic contaminants degradation. While the PMS behaviors and underlying mechanisms imposed inherent limitation in undivided cell. Herein, Mo and Co co-doped carbon felt (Mo, Co@CB-CF) was fabricated for EA-PMS to degrade carbamazepine (CBZ) in divided cell. The Mo, Co catalyst successfully loaded onto carbon felt which were confirmed by SEM, TEM and XRD. XPS analysis revealed that Mo, Co@CB-CF cathode had Mo4+ and more Co2+ compared with Mo@CB-CF and Co@CB-CF which enhanced CBZ degradation. EIS, LSV and Tafel analysis demonstrated that Mo, Co@CB-CF exhibited the excellent electrocatalytic performance. Benefiting from the low-valent state metal (Mo4+ and Co2+), Mo, Co@CB-CF achieved excellent performance for CBZ removal with rate constant of 0.14 min(-1), which were 11.89 and 6.87 times than that in Mo@CB-CF and Co@CB-CF system, respectively. In divided cell, the CBZ degradation efficiency and PMS consumption in cathode chamber were higher than that in undivided cell, indicating that PMS was activated at cathode. Quenching studies, EPR and electrochemical analysis revealed CBZ degradation involved synergistic radical (SO4 center dot- and (OH)-O-center dot) and nonradical pathways (O-1(2), DET and high-valent metal-oxo species), with Mo and Co valence transitions in Mo, Co@CB-CF enhanced reactive species generation and DFT calculations indicating that PMS activation was synergistic effect of Mo and Co. Notably, this system showed high removal efficiency, low energy consumption and resilience in complex wastewater, while effectively mitigating toxicity. This work provided an effective strategy to designed cathode for PMS activation with high efficiency and low cost.

Malania oleifera is a nationally Category II protected wild plant in China and a Vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, specifically distributed in the karst forest, playing a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance in karst fragile ecosystems. In this study, the potential suitable habitats for M. oleifera were simulated by the MaxEnt model using 126 distribution records and 19 environment variables. The key environmental variables influencing its distribution were identified: topsoil USDA texture classification (t_usda_tex), precipitation of warmest quarter (Bio18), isothermality (Bio03), precipitation of driest quarter (Bio17), precipitation seasonality (Bio15), and temperature annual range (Bio07), which are clay soil, 606-882 mm, 33.1-43.5, 40.7-67.2 mm, 76.9-86.7%, and 20.6-23.1 °C, respectively. Under the future climate scenarios, the total area of suitable habitats for M. oleifera is expected to decrease, with a more significant reduction under the SSP585 scenario compared to the SSP126 and SSP245 scenarios. Compared to the current centroid of the suitable habitat, the future centroid is projected to shift southeastward. This study identifies stable habitats of M. oleifera in the Guangxi-Yunnan-Guizhou border region, recommending prioritized in situ conservation and breeding base development. Environmentally sensitive zones require continuous monitoring and adaptive protection strategies. Climate-adaptive cultivation trials are proposed for expansion areas like Guangdong. These findings offer scientific and practical guidance for sustainable management of this vulnerable species under climate change.

Soil arsenic (As) contamination poses a significant threat to food security and human health. Diatomaceous earth (DE) as a representative exogenous mineral silicon can effectively regulate the migration and transformation of As in the soil-rice system. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of DE application on As uptake, translocation, and stress regulation in rice remain unclear. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of applying different amounts of DE on As uptake, translocation, and key physiological and biochemical indicators in rice. The results demonstrated that the application of DE significantly inhibited As uptake and translocation in rice, and reduced As content in brown rice by 40.96-85.88 %. The application of DE promoted As adsorption by iron plaque formation on rice root surface, increased the capacity of cell wall for As immobilization, and promoted greater As accumulation in husk by regulating the expression of transporter genes, thereby reducing As content in brown rice. The application of DE regulated antioxidant enzyme activities, and alleviated the toxic effects of As in rice. This study has deepened our understanding of the mechanisms by which DE inhibits As uptake and translocation in rice, and provided more biological knowledge for reducing arsenic accumulation and mitigating As stress in rice.

Sediment dredging is an effective way to control pollution in aquatic environments, but improper handling of the dredged sediment, particularly its phosphorus (P) content, could result in secondary pollution and the wastage of this non-renewable P resource as it is essential for plant growth. Enhancing the bioavailability of P in the dredged sediment is crucial for its resource utilization. This study proposed and successfully prepared an iron-loaded diatomite-based (Fe2O3@diatomite) heterogeneous Fenton system to improve P bioavailability. Under optimal conditions (diatomite/iron mass ratio = 1:0.25, Fe2O3@diatomite dosage = 50 g/kg, H2O2 dosage = 106 mM, initial pH = 5.0), the system significantly promoted the conversion of organic phosphorus (OP) to inorganic phosphorus (IP), and apatite phosphorus (AP) to non-apatite inorganic phosphorus (NAIP), and the increase rates were 103.8 % and 94.4 %, respectively. A minor portion of this promotion could be attributed to the effect of pH, while the major effect was due to the production of center dot O2-and center dot OH in the system, with center dot O2-in particular playing a dominant role. Thus, in this study, the iron-loaded diatomite-based (Fe2O3@diatomite) heterogeneous Fenton system has provided a theoretical basis and technical framework for efficient utilization of P resources from the dredged sediment.

The pervasive environmental contamination by microplastics (MPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represents a critical challenge of the Anthropocene. While historically studied in isolation, a growing body of evidence confirms that these pollutants interact to form a complex and dynamic MP-PFAS Nexus. This review synthesizes current knowledge to elucidate the multifaceted mechanisms of this interaction, where MPs act as vectors, concentrators, and secondary sources for PFAS. We detail how environmental aging and water chemistry modulate adsorption and transport, fundamentally altering the fate of both contaminants. Crucially, the review consolidates evidence demonstrating that co-exposure often leads to synergistic toxicity, disrupting physiological processes from photosynthesis in algae to lipid metabolism and neurogenesis in animals, with significant implications for trophic transfer. The nexus also presents formidable challenges for water treatment and soil remediation, while simultaneously offering opportunities for targeted destructive technologies like pyrolysis. Furthermore, we explore the emerging threats of this complex to human health via seafood and water, and the amplifying feedback of climate change. Finally, we argue that current regulatory frameworks, which assess pollutants individually, are inadequate and must evolve to account for combined effects. This review underscores the imperative to reframe MPs and PFAS as an interconnected pollutant system, necessitating integrated research and policy for effective environmental risk assessment and management.

Microbe-assisted phytoremediation is of great significance for the remediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals (HMs), and probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that can improve soil structure and fertility and promote plant growth. However, there are few studies on probiotics applied to remediate soil contaminated with HMs, and whether probiotics can improve the efficiency of phytoremediation still needs to be further investigated. This study aimed to investigate the effects of two kinds of probiotics, Lactobacillus casei (Lc) and Bacillus licheniformis (Bl), on activating the remediation potential of leaf mustard, Brassica juncea (L.) Czerniak., for soil contaminated with Cd and Zn using incubation and pot experiments. The results showed that the addition of the two probiotics significantly reduced soil pH by 0.05-0.32 units and improved the available contents of soil HMs (by 15.3%-60.0% and 7.1%-23.8% for Cd and Zn, respectively) in the incubation experiment. After probiotic addition, available Cd and Zn contents in soil treated with 1x109 colony forming units (cfu) mL-1 Bl were 1.65-and 1.66-folds of those in the control without probiotic, respectively, in the pot experiment. Meanwhile, soil alkaline phosphatase, urease, and sucrose activities were increased, indicating that soil microbial metabolic activities were also stimulated. Addition of Lc and Bl significantly improved the biomass and chlorophyll contents of leaf mustard. The contents of Cd and Zn in shoots and roots were significantly increased in the treatment with 1x105 cfu mL-1 Lc. Furthermore, the activities of plant antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase, were increased, and the content of plant malondialdehyde was reduced, indicating that the resistance of plants to HMs was enhanced. These results indicated that these two kinds of probiotics could enhance the availability of Cd and Zn directly in soil and promote the growth of leaf mustard, thereby increasing the efficiency of phytoremediation for HMs. The study provides a useful reference for probiotic-assisted phytoremediation of soil contaminated with HMs.

Flow-electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI) is a newly developed desalination technology with a high electrode loading for superior salt removal efficiency, even with high feed salinity. However, the improvement in FCDI performance could be restricted by obstacles such as poor charge transfer in the electrode slurry and agglomeration of the electrode particles. Therefore, various FCDI electrode materials have been studied to overcome these bottlenecks through various mechanisms. Herein, a mini-review is conducted to summarize the relevant information and provide a comprehensive view of the progress in FCDI electrode materials. Flow-electrode materials can be classified into three main groups: carbon materials, metal-based materials, and carbon–metal composites. Carbon-based capacitive materials with outstanding conductivities can facilitate charge transfer in FCDI, whereas metal-based materials and carbon–metal composites with ion-intercalative behaviors exhibit high ion adsorption abilities. Additionally, carbon materials with surface function groups can enhance electrode dispersion and reach a high electrode loading by electrostatic repulsion, further upgrading the conductive network of FCDI. Moreover, magnetic carbon–metal composites can be easily separated, and the salt removal performance can be improved with magnetic fields. Different electrode materials exhibit disparate features during FCDI development. Thus, combining these materials to obtain FCDI electrodes with multiple functions may be reasonable, which could be a promising direction for FCDI research.

The study presents a comparative analysis of the sorption properties of natural and modified diatomite and zeolite of Kazakhstani origin under dynamic conditions of adsorption of methylene blue (MB). The aim of the study was to experimentally identify the effect of thermal and chemical treatment on the physico-chemical characteristics of minerals and their sorption efficiency. The samples were characterized by BET analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), and determination of the residual dye concentration after passing the solution through the sorbent layer. It has been shown that moderate heat treatment of diatomite at 400 °C increases its specific surface area from 34.25 to 46.32 m2/g and improves sorption capacity (removal of MB ≈ 53 %), while heating to 700 °C leads to a decrease in porosity and sorption efficiency (≈ 39 %). For zeolite, it was found that the natural sample has limited sorption activity (≈ 58 %), but thermal activation (500 °C) increases the result to ≈ 72 %. The most pronounced effect is observed after acid modification and subsequent calcination: the specific surface area increases to 80.32 m2/g, and the degree of removal of methylene blue reaches about 86%, which is comparable or exceeds the literature data for similar materials. Comparative analysis shows that the sorption activity of diatomite is mainly determined by textural changes during moderate heat treatment, whereas the effectiveness of zeolite increases significantly due to chemical modification and an increase in the number of available ion exchange centers.