Solar-driven evaporation-adsorption for lithium extraction from seawater can improve the adsorption efficiency towards lithium ions, however, the fabrication of conventional solar-driven evaporation-adsorption materials often suffers from secondary pollution. To address these issues, this study developed a biomass-based evaporation-adsorption material PVV@VLJ-LIS by synergistically utilising multiple components of Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. leaves, enabling the integrated coupling of interfacial evaporation and selective lithium adsorption. A freezing and salting out strategy was employed to crosslink a poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel and a VLJ-modified titanium-based lithium-ion sieve on the evaporator surface, thereby achieving in situ self-assembly between the organic components from the leaves and the lithium-ion sieve. VLJ endows PVV@VLJ-LIS with broadband photothermal absorption and antibacterial activity, and simultaneously promotes interfacial Li⁺ diffusion kinetics. Meanwhile, P-VLR serves as a porous supporting framework, facilitating the fixation of the lithium-ion sieve and water transport. Under 1 sun irradiation, the PVV@VLJ-LIS evaporator achieved a photothermal evaporation rate of 1.61 kg/(m²·h) with an evaporation efficiency of 80%. Under 40 °C, an initial Li⁺ concentration of 100 mg/L, and pH 12, PVV@VLJ-LIS achieved an equilibrium Li⁺ uptake of 17.472 mg/g. Relative to dark conditions, the adsorption capacity increased by 104.3%, which was attributed to the photothermally driven interfacial heating and the enhanced lithium-ion migration. In addition, the as-developed multifunctional evaporator exhibited pronounced antibacterial performance, anti-oil fouling, mechanical stability, and effective salt rejection, indicating the broad application prospects of PVV@VLJ-LIS for simultaneous lithium extraction and seawater desalination in complex seawater environments.

Mariculture tailwater, characterized by high nitrate (NO₃⁻-N) and a low carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, presents a significant challenge for coastal environment protection. To address this, we developed a hybrid carrier biofilter combining pyrite and maifanite (PM) to enhance nitrogen removal performance. The PM biofilter achieved 88.98% total nitrogen (TN) removal—34.99% higher than that of a pyrite-only system. No secondary pollutants such as dissolved iron were produced during the treatment process. This enhancement was associated with synergistic effects, such as increased microbial biomass and activity, enhanced hydrophilicity and specific surface area of carriers, and elevated secretion of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), particularly tryptophan-like proteins and humic acid-like organics. Additionally, the enriched microbial communities and functional genes associated with nitrogen, sulfur, and iron metabolism further supported key biogeochemical pathways in the PM. These findings highlight the PM biofilter as a promising strategy for low C/N ratio mariculture tailwater treatment and coastal environmental management.

Antimony (Sb) is a persistent and highly toxic contaminant. Its environmental risk is dictated by its redox state, as Sb(III) and Sb(V) exhibit vastly different adsorption behaviors. Although previous machine learning (ML) studies have investigated Sb adsorption, this speciation-dependent behavior still hinders the rational design of biochars for effective Sb immobilization. Here, we establish a data-driven and mechanism-informed framework (BiMeSorb) that integrates interpretable ML with density functional theory (DFT) to quantitatively resolve interactions between Sb(III)/Sb(V) and biochars. Built on a curated database of 437 data points, our Gradient Boosting Decision Tree model achieves high predictive accuracy for adsorption capacity (test R² = 0.934). Interpretable ML analyses (SHAP and PDP) reveal that oxygen-containing functional groups, specific surface area, and Sb speciation dominate adsorption, while appropriate initial Sb concentration and adsorbent dosage are critical operational conditions for achieving high adsorption performance. DFT calculations confirm that Sb(III) and Sb(V) interact strongly with carboxyl and hydroxyl groups via hydrogen bonding, exhibiting distinct binding energetics. Targeted adsorption experiments with Fe-modified biochars further validated the ML-identified descriptor-performance relationships. By integrating prediction, mechanism, and validation, the BiMeSorb framework provides a quantitative and transferable strategy for rational design of biochar adsorbents to improve aqueous Sb adsorption performance under tested experimental conditions.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens and associated antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in tailwater pose a threat to public health and food safety. Bacteriophages have emerged as promising biocontrol agents for MDR pathogens, yet their efficacy in disinfecting tailwater for the elimination of MDR pathogens and ARGs remains unexplored. We developed a bacteriophage-mediated disinfection technique for targeted removal of MDR Vibrio parahaemolyticus and ARGs from aquaculture tailwater. A novel lytic Caudoviricetes phage VBY against MDR V. parahaemolyticus was isolated from aquaculture, while its disinfection performance in aquaculture tailwater outperformed ozone (O₃) and ultraviolet (UV) controls. Genomic and phylogenetic analyses identified VBY as a Caudoviricetes, lacking virulence factors and ARGs. The phage VBY exhibited robust stability under aquaculture-relevant environmental conditions and potential activity against biofilms, accompanied by significant ARGs reduction. In the real tailwater treatment system, the phage VBY achieved 5.5-log reduction in MDR bacterial loads and 4–6 log suppression of key ARGs over 72 h. Phage treatment maintained a remarkably long-term inhibitory effect. The phage VBY could preserve water quality during the removal of MDR V. parahaemolyticus, which overcame the key limitation of conventional chemical disinfection strategies. These findings demonstrated that phage-mediated disinfection, which could effectively remove MDR pathogens and the associated ARGs from recycled tailwater, was an environmentally sustainable water treatment technique.

Emerging contaminants (ECs) are becoming increasingly widespread in terrestrial ecosystems, with growing evidence that their presence poses substantial risks to plant health. As EC-induced effects can propagate across molecular, physiological, organismal, and ecological levels, a systematic framework is needed to organize and interpret their biological consequences across scales. In this review, the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework is employed to describe the progression of EC-induced effects in plants, from initial molecular interactions to final adverse outcomes (AOs). Major exposure routes in plant environments are first outlined, with particular attention to how uptake, translocation, biotransformation, and subcellular localization shape internal exposure, target-site availability, and potential interactions with biomacromolecular targets. The subsequent key event (KE) modules are then synthesized, linking upstream molecular and cellular perturbations to downstream physiological dysfunction and functional impairment. These mechanistic alterations are further related to plant-relevant AOs, including growth inhibition, deterioration in crop yield and quality, reduced carbon sequestration capacity, and potential broader impairment of ecosystem functioning. Current knowledge gaps are also highlighted, and the potential utility of an EC-plant AOP perspective in risk assessment and management is discussed. By integrating evidence along the AOP continuum, this review provides a mechanistic and multi-scale perspective on EC-induced plant effects and offers a scientific basis for assessing and managing EC risks in ecosystems.