In recent years, the pollution of microplastics (MPs) in water ecosystems has gained much attention. Polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) are stable and can accumulate in organisms, causing harm to fish and other aquatic life. This study used juvenile carp to examine the toxic effects of PE-MPs and the potential benefits of Opuntia Milpa alta extract. We optimized fluorescence labeling to prepare 30 μm PE-MPs and analyzed their distribution in juvenile carp. The results showed that they mainly accumulate in the liver and intestines, with some in the kidneys and gills. A 45-d exposure study revealed that PE-MPs caused liver cell damage, inflammation, and increased liver function biomarkers (AST, ALT, ALP) (P < 0.05). There was also a decrease in gut microbiota diversity and an increase in harmful bacteria like Desulfovibrionaceae. The intervention with Opuntia Milpa alta extract (0.50%, 1.00%, 2.00% in feed) significantly reduced AST and ALT levels (P < 0.05), improved liver health, and restored gut microbiota diversity. Analysis of the extract showed it contains bioactive substances like polysaccharides (23.15%) and alkaloids (55.96%). These components likely enhance liver function and balance gut health by modulating the gut-liver connection. This study offers new insights into ecotoxicological measures for microplastic pollution and suggests that natural plant extracts can help protect environmental health.

Harnessing renewable energy to decrease pollution is a significant area of investigation within environmental management. In this paper, tin-doped molybdenum disulfide (Sn-MoS₂) piezoelectric materials with excellent piezoelectric properties have been prepared. PFM and electrochemical test results show that Sn-MoS₂ has enhanced piezoelectric properties. The findings from UV-Vis diffuse reflectance and XPS valence band analysis indicate that the introduction of tin modifies the band gap of MoS₂, thereby facilitating electron flow within the material. In an ultrasonic environment, Sn-MoS₂ achieved a tetracycline removal efficiency of 98.3% in just 50 min, 1.51 times more effective than pure MoS₂. The EPR results revealed that hydroxyl (–OH) and superoxide radicals (–O₂⁻) significantly contribute to the breakdown of tetracycline (TC). In addition, the potential degradation mechanisms and pathways have been suggested. This research offers a viable approach for addressing waterborne organic contaminants and holds significant potential for wider applications.

This work first unraveled the response mechanism of marine anammox bacteria (MAB)-dominated anammox process to Zn(II) in treating saline wastewater. Low Zn(II) doses (≤ 3 mg/L) enhanced MAB activity, with the highest total nitrogen removal rate (TNRR) of 1.33 kg/(m³·d) achieved at 3 mg/L Zn(II). Additionally, the relative abundance of MAB (Candidatus Scalindua) sharply increased from 9.2% to 46.1%. It further increased to 53.0% at 5 mg/L Zn(II), even though TNRR collapsed to 0.22 kg/(m³·d). Furthermore, the production of nitrite reductase, nitrate reductase and hydrazine dehydrogenase was stimulated, with enzymatic activity and heme c content first increasing and then decreasing, reaching the maximum at 3 mg/L Zn(II). More extracellular polymeric substances were also secreted to resist high Zn(II) doses (≥ 4 mg/L) stress. This work clearly demonstrated that the addition of appropriate doses of Zn(II) is an effective strategy to stimulate MAB activity in the treatment of saline wastewater.

Biochar has emerged as a sustainable and cost-effective adsorbent for the removal of emerging contaminants from wastewater. This review critically explores recent advances in the design and application of engineered biochars derived from diverse waste biomasses, focusing on the link between structural modifications and pollutant-specific removal mechanisms. Functionalization strategies including physical and chemical activation, heteroatom doping, surface grafting, and hybrid composite formation are systematically analyzed for their impact on adsorption efficiency and selectivity toward dyes, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Particular attention is paid to performance in column systems, regeneration potential, and behaviour in complex real-world matrices, which remain underexplored in current literature. The diversity of adsorption mechanisms such as electrostatic interactions, π–π stacking, hydrogen bonding, ion exchange, and surface complexation is discussed in relation to surface chemistry and pollutant type. Despite promising results, critical challenges persist, including biochar heterogeneity, lack of standard production protocols, potential leaching of dopants, and limitations in large-scale implementation. This review highlights the need for unified assessment frameworks, life cycle analyses, and integration strategies aligned with circular economy principles. By bridging the gap between laboratory innovation and field-scale application, this work provides a comprehensive roadmap for researchers, engineers, and stakeholders seeking to deploy next-generation biochar-based sorbents in sustainable water treatment systems.

The presence of inorganic salts poses a significant challenge to the effective removal of petrochemical wastewater during the catalytic ozonation. However, the mechanism by which inorganic salts influence the catalytic ozonation of actual wastewater remains unclear and controversial. This study investigated the effects of inorganic salts (Na₂SO₄ and NaCl) on the catalytic ozonation of petrochemical wastewater. The TOC removal rate decreased from 59.89% to 32.12%–35.80% as Na₂SO₄ concentration increased from 0 to 5–10 g/L, whereas increasing NaCl had a slight impact on the TOC removal efficiency. Similar trends were observed for the removal of UV₂₅₄ and fluorescent organic substances. This is attributed to the superior ozone mass transfer enhancement and ·OH generation, as well as weaker inhibition of the adsorption process exhibited by NaCl compared to Na₂SO₄. Enhanced ozone mass transfer and elevated ozone concentrations promote direct oxidation by ozone molecules, reducing both the content and proportion of macro-molecule (molecular weight > 3 kDa) matters in the effluent. Conversely, weakened adsorption impedes the mineralization of micro-molecule (molecular weight < 3 kDa) fractions, leading to an increase in their content and proportion in the effluent. Our findings demonstrate that inorganic salts influence catalytic ozonation through a complex interplay of enhanced ozone supply, stronger direct oxidation, higher radical production, and hindered pollutant adsorption. These insights may guide future process optimization and catalyst design to improve the catalytic ozonation of saline petrochemical wastewater.

To address the current shortage of organic matter and enable the effective utilization of inorganic carbon resources in wastewater, a dual-particle carrier system was developed by integrating elemental sulfur (S⁰) particles with anammox granular sludge, aiming to establish a S⁰-driven partial denitrification coupled with anammox (S⁰PDA) process for the simultaneous removal of NH₄⁺ and NO₃^–. Under seasonal temperature fluctuations (11.9–26.6 °C, average 17.5 °C), the system achieved a total inorganic nitrogen removal efficiency (TIN_RE) of 95.7% ± 4.6%. Kinetic and mechanistic analyses revealed that NO₃^– was preferentially reduced over NO₂^– by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB), while anammox bacteria (AnAOB) competitively utilized NO₂^–, thereby enhancing NH₄⁺ reduction. Thiobacillus and Candidatus Brocadia were identified as the dominant bacterial genera, with both genera exhibiting niche differentiation under ambient temperature: Thiobacillus predominantly colonized S⁰ particle surfaces, whereas Candidatus Brocadia was preferentially enriched in granular sludge, thereby minimizing substrate competition. Overall, the dual-particle S⁰PDA system demonstrated robust performance under ambient conditions, providing a sustainable solution for low C/N wastewater treatment.

Discharge plasma technology has received widespread attention for soil remediation as it has high efficiency and does not cause secondary pollution. However, its effect on soil quality is unclear. The chemical composition and fluorescence properties of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) are key indicators of its quality. Here, we conducted a non-thermal discharge plasma (NTP) experiment with different treatment times and studied how NTP influences the composition, characteristics, and ecological functions of DOM. NTP significantly affected DOM decomposition and transformation by generating reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and ultraviolet radiation. Short-term NTP promoted the formation of low-molecular-weight DOM components, and increased the DOC, DON, and DTP concentrations. Meanwhile, it enhanced the DOM stability and compositional complexity. Therefore, it increased the soil nutrient supply capacity and improved the DOM chelation ability with heavy metal ions and organic pollutant adsorption capacity. Additionally, long-term NTP (＞100 min), increased the NH₄⁺-N content and decreased the NO₃⁻-N content by inhibiting nitrification and promoting ammonification. NTP treatment preferentially degraded DOM precursors in difficult-to-degrade plant residues. Short-term NTP (≤100 min) increased UVA humic-like material to 47% and decreased tryptophan-like to 6%. It had little effect on terrestrial humic-like material, showing limited impact on stable aromatics. Changes in fluorescence index (FI), humicity index (HIX), biogenicity index (BIX) and freshness index (β:α) further confirmed DOM transformation processes. Therefore, an appropriate treatment duration can optimise the composition and pollution remediation capability of DOM in practical applications, but excessive treatment may affect the soil microbial balance and nutrient cycling.

Removal of sulfonamides during the dewatering of sludge is critical to lighten the burden on downstream treatment processes such as anaerobic digestion. However, to this end, the preferred peroxide-based advanced oxidation processes are inadequate due to their insufficient oxidation efficiency, resulting in low removal of sulfonamides. The present study introduced a novel sludge dewatering approach, involving scrap iron combined with percarbonate (SPC) to produce high-valent iron for the removal of sulfonamide, with a focus on sulfamethoxazole (SMX) as the representative sulfonamide compound. Under optimized conditions, the treatment involving the combination of scrap iron and SPC resulted in a water content of 54.8% ± 0.3% and removed 46.9% ± 0.5% of SMX at a chemical cost of 19.6 $/t of total solids, demonstrating competitiveness to contemporary peroxides-based advanced oxidation processes. High-valent iron effectively broke down the key binding compounds and sites between extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and SMX, leading to a shift towards hydrophobic bonding sites, smaller and more dispersed particle configurations, and reduced capacity for retaining water. This facilitated the release of SMX into liquid phases, followed by degradation by reactive oxygen species. These findings collectively demonstrate that the proposed method of using scrap iron in conjunction with SPC can remarkably reduce the volume of sludge and enhance the removal of SMX during the dewatering of sludge.

The widespread use of acetaminophen (APAP) and ibuprofen (IBU) since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has strongly impacted the environment due to their incomplete metabolism and excessive discharge into sewer systems. This study evaluated the accumulation and transformation of APAP and IBU in a laboratory sewer system under long-term operation. APAP and IBU attenuation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics (R² > 0.95), with the maximum attenuation rates of 62.64% ± 0.02% and 47.38% ± 1.49%, respectively. Accumulation of APAP and IBU was observed in sediments, with enrichment increasing over time, reaching the maxima of 107.66 ± 4.71 ng/g and 35.60 ± 0.85 μg/g, respectively. The stabilization of APAP and IBU in sediments was primarily attributed to hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, as indicated by FTIR-2D-COS analysis and molecular docking simulations. Metagenomic analysis revealed enrichment of hydrolase and oxidase genes (amiA/B/C and CYP199A2) related to cell wall reconstruction and xenobiotic metabolism under APAP stress, as well as ACAT (a transferase related to energy metabolism) under IBU stress, suggesting potential transformation pathways of APAP and IBU in sewers. These findings indicate that the synergistic interaction between sediment adsorption and microbial degradation governs the spatiotemporal dynamics of pharmaceutical behavior in sewer systems. Notably, drug enrichment in sediments may increase long-term contamination risks due to delayed pollutant release and enhanced adhesion potential., This study provides crucial evidence for sewer system management and the effective control of emerging pharmaceutical contaminants.

Microplastics (MPs) represent a new class of pollutants that are widely distributed and significantly affect aquatic ecosystems. Until now, an expanding circle of studies has focused on the environmental behavior and effects of MPs. However, the strategies and technologies for effectively addressing and mitigating MPs pollution remain unexplored. As primary producers, algae play a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems and inevitably interact with MPs, positioning them at the forefront of MPs pollution. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of algal-MP interactions, the effects of MPs on algae, the resulting environmental behaviors, and the underlying mechanisms. Importantly, by analyzing the ability and mechanisms of algal-MP interactions, we highlight promising applications of using the environmental adaptability and biological properties of algae for mitigating aquatic plastic pollution, including mitigation of MPs toxicity, removal of MPs, and repurposing of aquatic plastic particles. Additionally, by discussing these applications leveraging the algal-MP interaction, this review enables future research and technology development of eco-friendly and cost-effective approaches that are crucial for global efforts to mitigate plastic pollution.

Landfill leachate has a highly complex composition containing hazardous substances and refractory organic compounds, which makes its treatment challenging. In this study, a microbial electrolysis cell coupled anaerobic digestion (MEC-AD) system was constructed and integrated with magnetic biochar (MBC). The critical parameters (i.e., applied voltage, anode-to-cathode area ratio, and cathode mesh size) were systematically optimized through orthogonal experiments to investigate their impacts on chemical oxygen demand (COD), organic transformation pathways, and microbial community succession in the system. The results demonstrated a maximum COD removal efficiency of 59.7%. The optimal combination of parameters included an applied voltage of 1.2 V, an anode-to-cathode area ratio of 1:0.5, and a cathode mesh size of 200 mesh. Furthermore, spectral analysis revealed significant degradation of aromatic compounds with conjugated double bonds and humic acid-like substances, which indicated that electrochemical stimulation effectively facilitated molecular chain cleavage and enhanced microbial metabolism. Long-chain amides (such as 13-Docosenamide, (Z)-) were hydrolyzed into fatty acids and further transformed into alkanes. On the other hand, aromatic pollutants like 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol underwent progressive mineralization through hydroxylation and ring-opening reactions. Under applied voltage of 1 V, electroactive bacteria (i.e., Comamonas (22.3%) and Pseudomonas (8.1%)) in anode biofilms formed metabolic networks with fermentative bacteria (Soehngenia) and synergistically enhanced electron transfer and organic reduction with heterotrophic bacteria at the cathode. This research provides theoretical insights into optimized degradation mechanisms of MEC-AD systems and the practical feasibility of its application for landfill leachate treatment.

Atomically dispersed metal catalysts (ADMCs) with dual reaction sites have been extensively utilized in permonosulfate (PMS)-based Fenton-like systems for the degradation of antibiotic wastewater, yet challenges remain in synthesizing cost-effective and highly active Cu-based catalysts. Herein, atomically dispersed Cu catalysts supported on N-doped cellulose-derived carbon (Cu₁/NC-700) are synthesized via a sol-gel combined with high-temperature pyrolysis method. The formed Cu−N_x and pyrrolic N dual reaction sites enhance the activation of PMS and adsorption of oxytetracycline (OTC), thereby shortening the migration distance of radicals towards the OTC. Moreover, graphitic N accelerates electron transfer to facilitate the Cu²⁺/Cu⁺ cycle for the generation of highly efficient active species, including •OH, ¹O₂, SO₄^•−, and O₂^•−. The Cu₁/NC-700 exhibits significant catalytic activity for the degradation of OTC, achieving 96.6% degradation efficiency within 60 min at an initial substrate concentration of 50 mg/L, a high turnover frequency (0.279/min) and apparent rate constant (0.0827/min), which markedly surpassed those of Cu₁/NC-600, Cu₁/NC-800, and Cu_NPs/NC. The results of chemical quenching experiments, electron paramagnetic resonance, and electrochemical analysis show that ¹O₂-dominated non-radical pathway is the main mechanism rather than the radical pathway in the Cu₁/NC-700+PMS+OTC system. This work presents a straightforward and cost-effective strategy for the synthesis of ADMCs for the treatment of tetracyclines wastewater.

As economic growth drives lifestyle changes and increased fashion consumption, the environmental footprint of the textile and apparel industry has expanded significantly. A comprehensive understanding of carbon emissions from the textile and apparel industry and their underlying drivers is essential for designing effective mitigation strategies that align economic development with net-zero targets. Using household consumption data and supply chain data, we quantified total carbon emissions from China’s textile industry between 2000 and 2018, considering both production- and consumption- based perspectives. Results indicate that the growing demand contributes to 85% (79.5% to 92.7%) of total carbon emissions from China’s textile industry. The results of decomposition analysis further suggest that household consumption and exports together can lead to a total increase of 349.6 Mt CO₂ in China’s textile industry from 2000 to 2018. To effectively curb the rapid increase in carbon emissions from the textile industry, we designed five scenarios to estimate the carbon reduction potential of measures such as the promotion of energy-saving technologies, adoption of renewable energy and enhanced clothing recycling. We found that a joint strategy combining renewable energy adoption and recycling can achieve significant reductions in total carbon emissions from China’s textile industry. These findings reveal the evolution process and drivers of carbon emissions in China’s textile industry, offering a scientific basis for achieving net-zero goals while sustaining the pursuit of high-quality development in the future.

The complexity of influent water quality and the diversity of predictive models pose significant challenges to the efficient identification of optimal membrane flux prediction models. This study proposes an integrated decision tree approach combined with AutoML to classify influent types simultaneously (with an accuracy > 96.08%) and rapidly screen the optimal model from 2400 candidates. By classifying the influent types under typical conditions such as groundwater, reservoir water, reclaimed water, and recycled water, the model optimization efficiencies increased by 43.59%, 52.35%, 51.52%, and 48.05%, respectively, compared with that of the unclassified treatment. The optimal model screened by AutoML demonstrated excellent predictive performance across varying influent parameter fluctuations (R² > 94.5%, RMSE < 0.061), with a reduction in optimization iterations of up to 60.48%. Parameter importance analysis revealed that accurate matching between influent parameter variations and model characteristics is key to achieving high prediction accuracy. Furthermore, the selected optimal models enabled accurate prediction of the optimal scale of inhibitor dosage under different influent conditions, providing theoretical and technical support for the scientific application of membrane treatment chemicals.

The increasing production of plastic products and inadequate waste management have resulted in the growing accumulation of plastic-derived waste in ecosystems. This has elevated the likelihood of humans and animals being exposed to microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs). These plastics gradually accumulate in animals through bioaccumulation along the food chain and trophic transfer, causing varying degrees of damage to multiple organs. Recent research on the accumulation and organ toxicity of micro/nanoplastics (M/NPs) in animals has provided critical insights into their accumulation patterns and mechanisms of damage. These studies have highlighted the urgent need for effective interventions to mitigate the harmful effects of M/NPs exposure on organisms and to assess the feasibility of addressing these problems. This review systematically summarises current research on interventions aimed at alleviating organ damage induced by M/NPs exposure. Specifically, existing strategies for organ-specific interventions are categorised and discussed, the current understanding of these approaches is elucidated and the need for further research is emphasised. While intervention strategies and substances, such as natural product extracts, compounds, probiotics and pharmaceuticals, are diverse, they remain nascent. The development of universal intervention methods for M/NPs, the structure and mechanism of intervention, the relationship between intervention effects and M/NPs accumulation, intervention objectives, mutual feedback between organs and the lack of respiratory system intervention research remain crucial challenges and future research directions. This review aims to deepen our understanding of the current state of research and provide guidance for future studies to advance interventions for M/NPs-related organ injury.

The foundation of solid waste resource utilization and disposal lies in identifying the types and characteristics of solid waste. However, owing to the complexity and mixed storage of solid waste types, classification is difficult, which hinders the development of solid waste recycling and a circular economy. This study, which was based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), carried out rapid quantitative detection of 16 heavy metal elements. By using the Kruskal-Wallis H test method, heavy metal element fingerprint factors were selected, and characteristic distribution curves of heavy metal elements in different solid wastes were plotted to construct classification and identification models. The study revealed that the random forest model achieved the highest classification accuracy of 96.8%. Finally, LIBS was used to detect the elemental content in actual samples, and when combined with the model, the classification accuracy reached a maximum of 74.2%. This paper provides a method for identifying solid waste fingerprint features and a recognition model based on fingerprint features for the rapid identification of unknown solid waste, laying the foundation for waste property recognition and resource recovery.