Soil salinization adversely affects agricultural productivity and carbon cycling. In anoxic saline-alkali soil, high salinity triggers reductive dissolution of Fe(III) oxides and weakens their binding capacity for labile organic carbon, while inhibited microbial activity accelerates organic carbon mineralization. Although biochar and organic fertilizer are recognized for ameliorating saline-alkali soil, their influences on Fe speciation and microbial functions related to carbon sequestration remain unclear. This study conducted organic amendment experiments using field-collected saline-alkali soil, and results showed that the porous structure of biochar and loose texture of organic fertilizer significantly improved soil aeration, elevating soil Eh from-75 mV to approximately-30 mV. This redox shift promoted the oxidation of Fe(II) to Fe(III), increasing the Fe(III) content from 15.55 to 18.64 g kg-1 soil. The combined amendment directionally enriched carbon-sequestering functional bacteria, including the autotrophic carbon-fixing bacterium Nitrosospira (relative abundance increased from 0.30% to 3.15%), and heterotrophic carbon-fixing bacteria Virgibacillus (from 0.01% to 3.22%) and Streptomyces (from 0.53% to 1.70%). This microbially derived organic carbon can bind to Fe(III) oxides to form "mineral-organic carbon complexes", which served as the core of soil organic carbon pool. Therefore, co-application of 1% biochar and 5% organic fertilizer increased soil organic carbon by an additional 20.68 g kg-1. Implementing this approach across China's saline-alkali land, combined with 30-day cultivation of Elymus dahuricus Turcz., increased soil organic carbon sequestration by about 130 t ha-1. This study clarifies the coupled mechanisms of Fe speciation and microbial regulation, providing a new perspective for enhancing saline-alkali soil organic carbon.

Phytoremediation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) contaminated soil remains inefficient, stemming from limited root adsorption, transmembrane transport, and root-to-shoot translocation. Nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI) as a slow-release iron supplement to plant could potentiate PFOA phytoremediation markedly without posing growth inhibition as other iron salts. In this study, 100mg/kg nZVI application to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) yielded remarkable improvements: root PFOA enrichment increased by 48.2% and shoot translocation by 84.9%, significantly outperforming both Fe2+ and micro-scale ZVI. For the first time, we systematically unraveled the underlying mechanisms across the entire “root surface adsorption-transmembrane transport-upward translocation” pathway: promoting root-surface iron composites that temporarily adsorb PFOA; inducing a transient ROS burst to increase membrane permeability while activating the Ca2+-CDPK-SLAC1 anion channel, enabling the transmembrane transport of the root-accumulated PFOA; and elevating shoot soluble protein levels and transpiration to facilitate upward translocation. Building on the observation that nZVI-enhanced phytoextraction exhibits an early-phase boost followed by time-dependent attenuation, we developed a rapid-cycle cultivation strategy with periodic nZVI replenishment, achieving 71.1% PFOA removal from industrial soil contaminated with 44 PFAS within 45 days, and demonstrated broad-spectrum enhancement across all PFAS. Given the conserved nature of PFAS uptake and translocation mechanisms in higher plants, the framework established in ryegrass suggests broad applicability of this nZVI-assisted strategy across diverse soil-plant systems. Our study elucidates the mechanistic basis for nZVI-mediated regulation of PFOA fate in soil-plant systems, resolving the long-standing inefficiency of PFOA phytoremediation.

Oxygen perturbation in subsurface environments often induces redox fluctuations. Generally, the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels manifest as sharp oscillations or gradual variations depending on the mass transfer rate. Unlike sharp DO oscillations, the impact of gradual DO variations remains unclear. This study demonstrated that gradual DO variations (47.3%) enhanced 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) attenuation in iron-rich soils compared with sharp DO oscillations (31.2%). Hydroxyl radicals (•OH) derived from surface-bound Fe(II) oxygenation were the primary oxidants in both systems. However, the gradual DO variation promoted surface-bound Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycling, favoring steady hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation and its selective decomposition to •OH in kinetics, while the sharp DO oscillations showed declined H2O2 generation and increased termination reactions producing nonradical species (e.g., Fe(IV)). Thermodynamic calculations confirmed that Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycling sustained the surface-bound Fe(II) reduction capacity by suppressing amorphous Fe(III) oxide formation under gradual DO variations, thereby providing an efficient thermodynamic force to maintain favorable reaction kinetics for •OH generation. These findings broaden the scope of natural contaminant attenuation, extending its relevance beyond narrow, sharp redox oscillation zones to wider regions governed by gradual DO fluctuations in the subsurface soils.

The ingestion of nanoplastics (NPs) poses a growing environmental health threat, yet how intrinsic host factors modulate their intestinal fate remains poorly defined. This study tests the hypothesis that dietary patterns govern NP bioaccumulation by differentially regulating gut motility and barrier integrity. Mice were fed a control (CD), high-fat (HFD), or high-fiber diet (HFib) and exposed to 0, 5, or 25 mg/kg/day of deuterium-labeled polystyrene NPs for 8 weeks. Dietary composition profoundly altered colonic NP accumulation: compared to CD-fed mice, an HFD exacerbated the burden by 2.83-fold (328.6 ± 23.5 μg/g dry weight), whereas a HFib attenuated it to 34% (38.9 ± 7.6 μg/g). This differential accumulation was linked to barrier damage and motility suppression, most severe under HFD. Multiomics analysis revealed that HFD promoted gut dysbiosis and deficiency of short-chain fatty acids, particularly butanoic acid. This metabolic deficit was associated with disrupted enteric nervous system signaling, notably suppressed serotonergic pathways. Integrative path modeling delineated two mechanistic landscapes: a barrier-centric pathogenic cascade driven by HFD and a microbiota-led protective network sustained by HFib. Our findings establish host nutrition as a potent modifier of NP intestinal fate and accumulation, highlighting dietary fiber as a plausible nutritional strategy to enhance intestinal resilience.

Although the mineralization pathway in conventional iron-carbon composite/persulfate (PDS) system has been widely recognized for pollutant removal, the role of the polymerization pathway has been largely overlooked. Herein, various iron-carbon composites, including zero-valent iron biochar composite loaded with 10% Fe (ZVI/ BC800-10), were used to activate PDS for 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) removal. Results showed that the optimal material, ZVI/BC800-10, achieved 98.01% removal of 2,4-DCP, primarily through degradation. On one hand, center dot OH and SO4 center dot-, generated via electron donation from Fe2+ contributed to mineralization of 2,4-DCP; on the other hand, obvious electron transfer from 2,4-DCP to surface-activated PDS produced phenoxy radicals (PhO center dot), which readily underwent polymerization pathways via C-C and C-O-C bond coupling. Overall, the 2,4-DCP degradation involved roughly 70% mineralization and 30% polymerization pathways. The underlying mechanism was collectively evidenced by multiple methods, including quenching experiments, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), electrochemical analysis, in-situ Raman test, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis. Besides, this catalytic system exhibited high performance for 2,4-DCP degradation in the presence of inorganic ions, natural organic matter, and in actual wastewater, as well as low-toxicity degradation products, which demonstrated its potential applicability in real-world scenarios. Overall, this work supplements the overlooked polymerization pathway in traditional iron-carbon/PDS system and offers a feasible strategy for pollutant removal in water treatment.

Iron (Fe)-driven biogeochemical processes are central to hydroxyl radical (•OH) production under redox fluctuations in soil. Although soil Fe and manganese (Mn) frequently coexist, their coupled effects on •OH generation remain poorly understood. This study revealed previously unrecognized synergistic interactions between Fe and Mn that enhanced •OH production during soil oxygenation, as demonstrated through soil microcosm incubation and mineral model experiments. In Fe- and Mn-enriched soils, substantial •OH (19.8-325 μM) accumulated. Pearson correlation analysis and scavenging experiments identified soil Fe(II) and Mn(II)/Mn(III) as concurrent electron donors. Mineral model systems containing both reduced Fe and Mn oxides further confirmed Fe-Mn synergism, where •OH accumulation surpassed theoretical additive values by 61.8%, and electron utilization efficiency increased nearly 3-fold. Wet chemical analysis, electron microscopy, and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy elucidated that Fe(II)-driven regeneration of Mn(II)/Mn(III) facilitated O2•- production, while atomic-scale Fe and Mn proximity induced the formation of peroxo bridging complex─both mechanisms synergistically enhancing •OH accumulation. The generated •OH further mediated oxidative transformation of soil organic carbon, copper sulfide, and organically bound copper. These findings unveil a novel pathway for •OH production under redox oscillations and underscore the overlooked role of Fe-Mn coupling in soil biogeochemical cycles.

Ferrihydrite (Fh), which plays a critical role in element cycling and contaminant sequestration in the environment, is susceptible to transformation. However, understanding and predicting its transformation process are challenging due to the multitude of influencing factors. Herein, we developed six machine learning (ML) models and selected the best performance model (Random Forest) to predict the transformation and fate of Fh. Key influencing factors for Fh transformation, including the C/Fe ratio and Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio, were identified. ML further implied a distinct transformation route between biological-induced and chemical-induced Fh transformation; that is, the former one resulted primarily in lepidocrocite (Lp), while the latter tended to more readily yield goethite (Gt) or magnetite (Mt) via intermediate phases. Linking with the fixation capacity of different Fe minerals, our ML model indicated the risk of emerging pollutants (e.g., perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS) and global warming during the Fh transformation under different environmental conditions. The predicted release risk of PFAS and soil organic carbon could reach up to 67.8% in paddy soil and 181.6 Pg globally, respectively. Through a data-driven approach, this study provides new insights into the transformation, fate, and implications of poorly crystalline iron minerals, highlighting their roles in pollutant turnover and carbon cycling.

Nuclear-contaminated water discharge from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan has raised concerns about seawater quality and potential environmental risks on coastal groundwater systems, especially in densely populated urban regions. This study develops a radionuclide decay and transport model tailored to Shanghai's hydrogeological conditions to assess the combined impacts of nuclear discharge, extreme drought, and Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) on groundwater quality. Under extreme drought conditions, lowered groundwater levels exacerbate seawater intrusion, intensifying seawater-groundwater interactions and leading to elevated radionuclide concentrations compared to normal scenarios. After 30 years of continuous discharge, concentrations of 137Cs and 90Sr at 160 m depth in Shanghai's aquifer increase by 33.93% and 46.40% under the assumed input scenario, respectively. Implementation of MAR demonstrates remarkable effectiveness, reducing radionuclide concentrations by up to 99.58% for 137Cs and 99.10% for 90Sr relative to non-MAR scenarios. Our findings highlight the critical role of proactive, nature-based interventions like MAR in mitigating nuclear contamination risks, enhancing the resilience and sustainability of coastal groundwater resources. This integrated modeling approach provides useful insights into coupled ocean-land water system behavior under climate stressors, and supports improved understanding for long-term environmental risk assessment and water resource management.

Persulfate (PS)-based in situ chemical oxidation in remediating organic-contaminated soils is significantly influenced by inherent soil constituents. However, the complex interactions between the various iron minerals and organic matter present in soils, and their combined impact on persulfate activation, are still not fully elucidated. Here, we investigated sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation by different Fe minerals and soil organic matter including low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs). Results showed that compared to lactic acid (LA), tartaric acid (TA) addition obviously enhanced SMX degradation in PS by goethite, chlorite, and magnetite. Specifically, SMX degradation was 98.3%, 83.8%, 99.0%, respectively, in goethite/TA/PS, chlorite/TA/PS, and magnetite/TA/PS systems. In goethite/TA/PS, stable Fe(IV)/SO4 center dot- dual-active species was obtained through interfacial confinement reaction for SMX degradation despite its slower electron transfer; in magnetite/TA/PS system, center dot OH and SO4 center dot- were the main reactive species though fast electron transfer and rapid release of aqueous Fe2+. Although magnetite exhibited fast electron transfer rate, its limited surface sites and weaker affinity restricted SMX degradation; in chlorite/TA/PS system, center dot OH was mainly responsible for SMX degradation due to low specific surface area and slow electron transfer. These were collectively examined by quenching experiment, ATR-FTIR analysis, electrochemical test, density functional theory calculations. Besides, Fe-bearing soils were effectively activated by TA to enhance SMX degradation by PS, further confirming the proposed mechanism. Therefore, the outcomes of this work will advance the current knowledge on potential application of LMWOAs to enhance degradation of organics in soil/PS systems.

Accidental ingestion of contaminated soil is one of the major routes of human exposure to heavy metals, with proven adverse effects on gastrointestinal health. However, the effects with transformation of heavy metals in soil in the gastrointestinal phase remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the bioaccessibility and conversion of Cr(VI) in two contaminated soils with different properties during the intestinal phase. The high- and low-Cr-contaminated soils showed 42% and 64% bioaccessibility of Cr in the small intestinal phase, respectively, followed by substantial reduction and detoxification of Cr(VI) from small intestinal to colonic phase. In the colonic liquid phase, nearly all Cr was present as reduced Cr(III) for the low-Cr soil, whereas Cr(III) accounted for more than 50% of dissolved Cr for the high-Cr soil. Such transformation was primarily microbiota-driven, with key genera including Phascolarctobacterium, Enterobacter, Lachnoclostridium, and Parasutterella. Functional analysis suggested that the tricarboxylic acid cycle and riboflavin metabolism provided electron-donating capacity that promoted Cr(VI) reduction. In parallel, Fe(II) generation supported a secondary Fe(III)/Fe(II)-associated indirect contribution. The PLS-PM modeling further indicated that direct microbial reduction is the major Cr(VI) detoxification route compared with Fe mediated pathways. Our findings show that the intestinal microbiota could induce reduction and detoxification of soil Cr(VI), offering new insights into how heavy metals can be detoxified from contaminated soils after accidental ingestion.

Biochar acts as a rhizosphere interface engineer, reshaping physical, chemical, and biological gradients across the root–soil–microorganism continuum. Physically, it enhances aggregation by 13.9–18.9 Highlights

Facing global climate change, converting crop straw waste to biochar with subsequent input into soil is a promising carbon sequestration strategy. This study addresses the lack of holistic assessment for biochar carbon sequestration from air CO2 capture by developing the ”Atmosphere-Plant-Biochar-Soil”(APBS) model to mechanistically track carbon from plant uptake, pyrolysis conversion, to soil storage. Applied to China's primary straw types (rice, wheat, corn), the APBS model reveals that the three straw biochar offers 3318-4542 kg C/ha/year photosynthetic carbon absorption, 1655-2353 kg C/ha/year biochar carbon retention, and ultimately 1598-2295 kg C/ha/year biochar carbon sequestered in soil, with corn straw biochar being the highest carbon sequestration. At the national scale, three straw biochar sequesters 1.58×108 t C in soil annually, corresponding to 22.4% of the initial photosynthetic carbon uptake of 7.05×108 t atmospheric C, and the three biochar shows the long-term sequestration potential of 8.47×107 t C in soil over centennial timescales. We further identified key regulatory factors (pyrolysis temperature, soil properties, climate) and revealed a critical spatial mismatch between high-yield biochar production zones and high-efficiency sequestration zones across China. This work provides a novel full-process modeling framework and quantitative insights for optimizing biochar-based climate mitigation strategies.

Biochar is widely recommended for ameliorating saline-alkali soil and enhancing soil organic carbon. However, its efficacy across different saline-alkali soils (chloride, sulfate, and soda-types) remains unclear. This study evaluated biochar's amelioration and carbon sequestration performances on distinct saline-alkali soils. Results showed biochar addition significantly reduced electrical conductivity in chloride and sulfate saline-alkali soils from 4.55 and 4.54 mS cm-1 to 2.97 and 2.74 mS cm-1, respectively, accompanied by a marked promotion of plant growth. In contrast, it failed to improve soda saline-alkali soil properties or plant growth, indicating strong type-dependent efficacy. After the plant growth, biochar addition increased organic carbon in chloride, sulfate, and soda saline-alkali soils by an additional 27.23, 25.61, and 8.40 g kg-1 soil, respectively, which was 59.67%, 52.03%, and 14.67% higher than that in the controls without biochar. Biochar's carbon sequestration capacity was strongest in chloride saline-alkali soil, intermediate in sulfate saline-alkali soil, and weakest in soda saline-alkali soil. Mechanistic analysis revealed that in chloride saline-alkali soil, biochar alleviated Cl-stress to halophytes, shifting metabolites from decomposable low-molecular-weight substances to stable high-molecular-weight substances. In sulfate saline-alkali soil, biochar-derived electrons were utilized by sulfate-reducing bacteria, reducing organic acid mineralization and increasing their proportion to 18.34%. In soda saline-alkali soil, Ca2+ from biochar promoted CaCO3 precipitation, enhancing physical protection of organic carbon. This study challenges biochar's universal applicability, showing not all saline-alkali soils suit biochar amendment, thereby providing a critical scientific basis for formulating differentiated biochar remediation and carbon sequestration strategies tailored to specific saline-alkali soil types.

To address the high mobility, environmental risks, and challenges in synergistically managing co-contamination of chromium (Cr) and per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in electroplating site soils, a cooperative strategy using nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) and ryegrass was proposed and evaluated under laboratory-scale conditions. Combined application of 100 μg/g nZVI and ryegrass simultaneously suppressed the migration of both pollutants, reducing PFAS and total Cr leaching by 75.8% and 91.2%, respectively. The acid-extractable Cr fraction decreased from ∼35-4%, while the stable Cr fraction increased to 76%. Mechanistically, nZVI reduced Cr(VI) to Cr(III), promoted Cr root surface accumulation, alleviated Cr toxicity, and supplied iron to promote ryegrass growth, thereby enhancing plant uptake of PFAS from pore water and contributing to the plant-assisted stabilization of Cr. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that nZVI up-regulated key pathways related to cell membrane structure, energy-dependent transmembrane transport, ion homeostasis, cell wall composition, and oxidative stress response, collectively enhancing PFAS phytoaccumulation, resulting in 103%-145% increases in per-plant uptake of PFOS and 6:2 Cl-PFAES. Furthermore, the combined treatment drove a positive shift in the soil microbial niche, leading to more balanced Cr-reduction-associated dominant taxa and enrichment of nutrient transformation functional groups, which fostered a more stable and functionally directed soil microbial ecosystem. This study provides a theoretical and technical basis for effectively immobilizing Cr and PFAS mobility and steering a positive ecological trajectory in contaminated electroplating site soils.

During soil humification, organic matter (OM) develops distinct compositional and chemical signatures across the progressive stages. However, how these evolving OM characteristics influence iron (hydr)oxide transformation and ultimately regulate carbon preservation remains unclear. Through controlled anaerobic incubation experiments with ferrihydrite (Fh) and straw-derived OM from sequential soil humification stages under Fe(II)-mediated conditions, we found that advancing humification increasingly inhibited Fh crystallization, reducing its transformation to lepidocrocite/goethite from 45.3% in the degradation stage to 21.5% in the maturation stage. This stage-dependent inhibition correlated strongly with the accumulation of highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds (HUPs), which disrupted interfacial electron transfer and mineral nucleation, which are key processes in secondary mineral formation. Mechanistically, HUPs facilitated ternary Fh-OM-Fe(II) complex formation via the C-O-Fe bond, enhancing Fe(II) adsorption while narrowing the Fe(II)-Fh redox potential gap to suppress interfacial electron transfer. Furthermore, HUPs reduced the mineral surface potential and impeded particle agglomeration, thereby disrupting the crystallization of nucleation precursors. Consequently, the inhibited Fh transformation facilitated the selective adsorption of HUPs and their molecular conversion to condensed aromatics, thereby preferentially preserving organic carbon from advanced humification stages. These findings highlight the stage-dependent regulation of Fh transformation by humified OM and its implication for carbon preservation, advancing our understanding of coupled carbon-iron biogeochemistry in soils.

The combination of surface adsorption and persulfate activation offers advantages of carbon materials in removing organic contaminants from wastewater. However, the specific surface chemical structures governing both processes and the synergy between them remain poorly understood. Herein, the surface oxygen-containing functional groups of carbon nanotubes were synthesized and tuned to explore such synergistic effects. To this end, we employed an approach that monitors contaminant concentrations in both liquid and solid phases over time in addition to surface structure characterization, analysis of reactive oxygen species, and modeling of the removal process. Results showed that annealing enhanced the adsorption of contaminants with high conjugated π systems via π-π interactions and significantly improved the degradation of electron-rich contaminants such as phenolic compounds. The key process of peroxymonosulfate activation was the generation of surface-bound superoxide radicals (O2 •-) and mobile singlet oxygen (1O2) at the carbonyl sites on the modified carbon nanotubes. The results of the investigation suggested a synergistic removal mechanism in which surface-bound O2 •- can directly attack pre-adsorbed bisphenol A through surface-bound radical pathway, resulting in faster removal efficiency compared to the case without pre-adsorption. This work provided insights into designing high-performance bifunctional materials and their synergistic relationship between adsorption and catalysis.

Solar energy conversion mediated by natural semiconducting minerals constitutes an abiotic pathway in terrestrial environments, but the drivers and biogeochemical consequences of this process remain poorly understood. Here, based on national-scale field and laboratory measurements, we identify silicate-bound iron, particularly a goethite–kaolinite association, as the primary photoelectrochemical response driver. An S-scheme heterojunction at the goethite–kaolinite interface enhances photogenerated carrier separation, yielding a photocurrent density four times that of pure goethite. A model predicts higher soil photogenerated electron fluxes in warm-humid regions, where intense weathering promotes secondary silicate-bound iron formation. Process-specific theoretical upper-bound estimates suggest that these photogenerated electrons could support alternative metabolic pathways in microorganisms (supplying ~0.01–3.49% of the metabolic electron demand), drive elemental cycling (e.g., donating ~0.16–9.49% of the electrons required for the reductive dissolution of Fe oxides), and promote pollutant degradation (e.g., contributing ~8.20–49.4% of the electrons required for Cr(VI) reduction), highlighting a potential energy flow in surficial Earth systems. These findings reveal a mineral-mediated abiotic pathway for solar energy conversion that fuels biogeochemical processes and sustains ecosystem functions. The study identifies silicate-bound iron as a key driver of soil photoelectrochemical response and shows how mineral interfaces convert sunlight into electrons that can support terrestrial biogeochemical processes.

Mineral-catalyzed Maillard reactions have been proposed as plausible abiotic pathways for the formation of organic carbon in soil. However, the molecular characteristics of the resulting Maillard products and their linkages to real soil organic matter (SOM) remain poorly understood. Here, we conducted abiotic incubation experiments using glucose and glycine as model soil precursors with ferrihydrite (Fh) and birnessite (δ-MnO2) catalysis under environmentally relevant conditions. FT-ICR-MS analysis revealed that both minerals significantly accelerated the polymerization, yielding products that were predominantly categorized as recalcitrant lignin-like compounds including C15H18O5N2, C16H23O6N3, C18H26O5N2, C19H28O6N2, and C23H33O4N3. Molecular reaction network analysis showed that glucose addition reaction (+C6H10O5), glycine addition reaction (+C2H3NO), Strecker degradation (-CO2), and retro-aldol reactions (-C3H6O3 or -C4H8O4) played key roles in molecular evolution. The catalytic mechanisms of Fh and δ-MnO2 were found to be consistent, involving electron acceptance from reducing sugars and cation bridges via dissolved metal ions. Notably, 52.2-84.8% Maillard-like molecules in real soil dissolved organic matter samples, suggesting that the Fh- and δ-MnO2-catalyzed Maillard reactions may represent a significant while previously underappreciated contributor to SOM formation. Together, these findings offer new insights into the mineralogy-mediated pathways that govern the molecular polymerization and persistence of organic carbon in soil systems.

Accidental ingestion of lead (Pb)-contaminated soils represents a major route of Pb exposure for both adults and children, and the development of accessible and cost-effective solutions to reduce Pb poisoning is urgently required. Here, we present an effective and straightforward technique, involving the consumption of cola beverages, for the purpose of lowering blood Pb levels following the ingestion of contaminated soils in animal models. This method facilitated the direct passage of Pb in contaminated soil through the digestive system, enhancing its elimination without absorption into systemic circulation. Our results demonstrated that cola effectively reduced Pb bioaccessibility in 22 contaminated soils by 32.6%-98.8%. In male rats and swine exposed to Pb-contaminated soils, cola treatment decreased blood Pb concentrations by 32.9%-96.0% and 31.5%-81.5%, respectively. This cola-induced reduction in Pb bioaccessibility and bioavailability was attributed to the rich phosphoric acid content in cola, which promoted the formation of insoluble Pb phosphate precipitate (pyromorphite [Pb5(PO4)3Cl]) during the gastric phase. The precipitate was directly excreted in feces, resulting in lower Pb absorption in the blood. These findings suggest that the consumption of cola beverages may be a practical strategy to mitigate the risk of Pb poisoning following the accidental ingestion of contaminated soils. However, the applicability of this approach in humans remains uncertain in the absence of population-based studies. While these findings underscore the potential for cola beverages to reduce Pb absorption following soil ingestion in animal models, further research is necessary to evaluate its safety, efficacy, and possible risks in humans before any such protocols are initiated.