Domestic water is of great importance to our modern lives and yet opportunistic pathogens like Legionella, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia are the largest cause of outbreaks and illnesses in our potable water supply. Previously, electric field treatment (EFT) in combination with copper (Cu) was studied at the microscale and found to have synergistic performance enhancing the inactivation of bacteria. In this study, a lab-on-a-chip device is used to better understand, observe, and quantify the synergistic effect when combining EFT with Cu and Ag for water disinfection. Staphylococcus epidermidis is studied as a model bacterium. Using Cu and/or Ag ions with various concentrations as the chemical disinfection agents and EFT as the physical disinfection aid, we can ultimately reduce the metal ion concentration and energy required to achieve effective inactivation of bacteria. In this study, the highest synergies were measured using EFT with Cu and Ag together, for example, achieving > 95 % inactivation using only 34 kV/cm electric field strength, 200 µg/L Cu, and 10 µg/L Ag. These results can be used to optimize and customize the disinfection performance of EFT devices to adapt for its various point-of-use applications.

River-connected lakes play a vital role in maintaining freshwater ecological functions because of their dynamic hydrological connectivity and biodiversity support. However, the distribution and environmental driving factors of microplastics (MPs) in river-connected lakes remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the abundance, morphology, size, and polymer composition of MPs across different hydrological periods in the Poyang Lake, the largest river-connected lake in China. MPs were detected in more than 90% of the water and sediment samples, with average abundances of 386.36 ± 179.00 items/m³ and 327.45 ± 258.36 items/kg, respectively. The abundance of MPs in both the water and sediment samples was significantly greater during the high-water period than during the low-water period, increasing by 35% (water) and 21.26% (sediment) from the low- to high-water periods. Fragmented particles were predominant (73.72%–83.99%), with sizes mostly ranging from 100 to 500 µm. Polymer analysis revealed polypropylene (PP), fluororubber (FB), and polyurethane (PU) as the major components. Structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed aquatic organisms and meteorological conditions as key factors influencing MP distribution in the water column. During the low-water period, zooplankton had a significantly negative effect (path coefficient, −0.916; response proportion, −39.78%), whereas chlorophyll a had a significantly positive effect (path coefficient, 0.890; response proportion, 38.63%). During the high-water period, water temperature and water level jointly shaped the MP distribution (path coefficient, 0.635; response proportion, 16.67%). These findings provide valuable insights into MP pollution patterns and influencing factors in river-connected lakes around the world.

The rapid expansion of shrimp farming has led to substantial accumulation of shell waste, coinciding with an increasing demand for fishmeal. Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) offer an environmentally friendly solution by effectively recycling shrimp shell waste into a high-quality protein alternative for aquafeeds. This study examined the effects of shrimp shell proportions and particle sizes on the bioconversion efficiency of BSFL, accompanied by an economic analysis. The results showed that the proportion of shrimp shells, rather than their particle size, significantly influenced the bioconversion efficiency. No significant difference (p > 0.05) in larval biomass yield (~120 mg/larva) was observed between substrates containing 20%–40% shrimp shell waste and wheat bran. However, larvae reared on shrimp shell–based substrates demonstrated optimal nutritional characteristics, containing 40.8%–42.4% crude protein, 5.4%–6.3% chitin, and up to 103.1 g/kg calcium, along with balanced amino acid and fatty acid profiles. Notably, concentrations of undesirable elements, such as lead and cadmium, remained within acceptable feed safety limits, although strontium may pose a health risk when used in food. The optimal substrate, 20%–40% shrimp shell waste with particle size < 2 mm, achieved nitrogen recovery of 27.0%–37.2%, phosphorus recovery of 12.6%–18.1%, and waste reduction of 47.8%–55.4%. This study demonstrates that BSFL-based bioconversion offers a sustainable approach for managing waste from intensive shrimp farming while supporting a circular economy potential.

As the most diverse form of life on Earth, environmental microorganisms represent a vast treasure trove for resource exploitation and environmental applications. Nonetheless, currently, over 90% of microorganisms remain uncultured, which is mainly due to the inherent limitations of the widely employed top-down cultivation methods. Therefore, in this review, we first comprehensively reviewed the progress in microbial cultivation technologies and methods, summarized the major obstacles existing in microbial cultivation, and then proposed a bottom-up cultivation strategy and associated roadmap to complement current top-down cultivation methods. The core of the bottom-up cultivation strategy is the establishment of a standardized, open-ended, and scalable “CPR Module Bank—comprising Core, Population-specific, and Redundant function modules” that can be continuously expanded, refined, and improved by pulling together ideas and efforts of the worldwide microbial cultivation society. Further integration of top-down and bottom-up cultivation strategies may facilitate the comprehensive cultivation of all microorganisms in the future and advance the field of environmental microbiology.

Characteristic parameters play a pivotal role in the precise quantification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)/formaldehyde emissions. The concentration history (C-history) method is currently widely used for determining characteristic parameters. However, for airtight chamber experiments, this method requires measuring the equilibrium concentration of pollutants. For ventilated chamber experiments, the calculation results of this method cannot reflect the concentration of pollutants released in the early stages accurately. Therefore, this paper presents an improved airtight chamber C-history method. It eliminates the need to determine the pollutant equilibrium concentration. Compared with the existing method, it can accurately determine parameters using only the first half of the experimental data. Furthermore, in a ventilated chamber, the first two terms of the infinite-series analytical solution for the mass transfer model are used as an approximation. On this basis, a double-exponential ventilated chamber C-history method is developed to determine characteristic parameters. Compared with the previous approach, this method shortens the experimental time required for parameter calculation by nearly 40 h. The correlation coefficients (R²) between the simulation results and the experimental data is greater than 0.90, confirming the effectiveness of the method. In addition, on the basis of the MIP testing results for porous building materials and dimensional balance principles, empirical formulas for the diffusion and partition coefficients are modified. The modified formulas yield R² values greater than 0.93, validating the credibility of the proposed relationships. Ultimately, an exponential empirical model was formulated to determine the coupling effects of temperature and relative humidity on formaldehyde emissions.

Viruses in aquatic environments pose a significant public health risk. Therefore, efficient virus sampling and accurate detection are crucial for the timely assessment of contamination and the interruption of transmission chains. Passive sampling overcomes traditional active sampling drawbacks through its low cost, high efficiency, sensitivity, and long-term monitoring abilities. Passive sampling has been successfully applied in various aquatic environments, including wastewater, surface water, groundwater, and seawater. In this work, first, we describe application scenarios for passive samplers and analyse the adsorption effects of different adsorbent materials, such as cotton-based substrates and negatively charged filter membranes. Second, we present two major detection methods, namely, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene sequencing, and we review the applications of the isothermal amplification of nucleic acid and the gene editing-clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas technique. Last, we consider the potential future integration of microfluidic and paper-based devices with these molecular tools to provide references for onsite rapid detection on the basis of passive sampling, thereby increasing the efficiency and practicality of this approach in environmental and public health monitoring.

Constructed seawater wetlands are widely used for industrial mariculture tailwater treatment in coastal areas. The fate and attenuation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in a constructed seawater wetland were investigated in this study. The absolute abundance of ARGs in water samples was much lower than in sediment and marine organism samples, indicating that attachment to sediment and organisms were important factors in ARG proliferation. The main factors driving ARG proliferation in water, sediment, and marine organisms were water quality, human activities, and internal microorganisms, respectively. The mariculture farm discharged 1.35 × 10¹⁴ copies/day of ARGs to the constructed seawater wetland and 6.88 × 10¹³ copies/day of ARGs to the adjacent coastal area ecosystem. The 49% reduction of ARGs in the constructed seawater wetland represented significant removal efficiency. Most of the ARGs (> 70%) were removed by the marine organisms including oyster, sea cucumber and Ulva. These findings provided initial information on the convenient, practical, and feasible removal technique for ARGs in industrial mariculture systems using constructed seawater wetlands and marine organisms.

Fe(II) commonly serves as a catalyst in environmental systems, driving the transformation of metastable iron minerals into more stable phases and thereby exerting a profound influence on the mobility and fate of metals. However, the underlying mechanisms underpinning this dual role—both catalytic and reactive remain unclear. In this study, jarosite was selected as a representative mineral to investigate its transformation into magnetite. A combination of Fe stable isotope tracing and Mössbauer spectroscopy was employed to track redox processes and structural evolution of iron phases at the molecular level. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provided direct evidence of intermediates, including green rust, akaganéite, and magnetite nanocrystals, revealing the crystallization pathway of magnetite formation. Isotope results confirmed that complete electron transfer between aqueous Fe(II) and structural Fe(III) in jarosite occurred within the first 30 min, triggering reductive dissolution and subsequent recrystallization. Meanwhile, Fe(II) released during jarosite dissolution underwent hydrolysis and transformation, thereby contributing to continued magnetite crystallization. These findings offered new insights into the function of Fe(II) in iron mineral transformations, particularly its role in electron transfer and structural evolution.

Nickel (Ni) recovery from steel pickling wastewater using electrochemical technology is crucially influenced by interfering ionic species, particularly fluoride ions (F^–), which constitute a predominant fraction of impurities and exert a substantial influence on Ni electrodeposition dynamics. Although traditional approaches often prioritize F⁻ removal due to its corrosiveness and toxicity, F⁻ may conversely enhance Ni recovery during electrodeposition. Nevertheless, the mechanistic role of F⁻ in Ni electrodeposition remains systematically underexplored. In this study, 2000 mg/L F^– enhanced the current efficiency of Ni electrodeposition from 52.75% to 70.76%. Speciation analysis revealed F^–-mediated transformation of free Ni²⁺ into NiF⁺ complexes, with the Ni²⁺/NiF⁺ ratio shifting from 19.4:1 to 0.8:1. Electrochemical and crystallographic characterization identified dual enhancement pathways. 1) The EIS and in situ Raman spectro-electrochemical analyses demonstrated that NiF⁺ is the primary electroactive species, undergoing a two-step electron transfer through adsorbed NiF_ads intermediates. 2) Crystallographic analysis confirmed F^–-induced preferential growth of (220) crystal planes, thereby enhancing Ni(II) reduction. These results indicate that F^– enhances Ni electrodeposition through both electroactive complex formation and crystallographic regulation, redefining its role from pollutant to process enhancer. The practicability and feasibility of electrodeposition technology were validated by its long-term stability and high current efficiency (64.96%) in treating actual wastewater. This study provides a novel perspective that F^– synergistically enhances Ni electrodeposition kinetics, fundamentally challenging the traditional model that prioritizes the removal of F^– in wastewater management.

Gas-liquid membrane contactor (GLMC) technology shows significant promise for industrial carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture, but its adoption is hindered by the poor wetting resistance or low CO₂ absorption rate of conventional monolithic hydrophobic membranes. This work presents a thin-film composite (TFC) Janus membrane fabricated by coating a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) layer featuring density and hydrophilicity onto a commercial hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane substrate for GLMC applications. The TFC Janus membrane demonstrated robust wetting resistance during a 72-h GLMC experiment while maintaining a relatively high CO₂ absorption rate (2.85 × 10⁻³ mol/(m²·s)), enabling robust and efficient CO₂ capture. Diffusion experiments and breakthrough pressure tests attributed the exceptional wetting resistance to a combination of size exclusion and high capillary pressure within the dense PVA layer, which effectively hinders CO₂ absorbent solutions from accessing the hydrophobic PVDF substrate. Furthermore, membrane impedance measurements and ultrasonic time-domain reflectometry analysis revealed that the high CO₂ absorption rate resulted from an expanded gas-liquid interface created by the PVA layer penetrating into the PVDF substrate. Overall, this work offers valuable insights into the design and optimization of high-performance GLMC membranes, advancing practical applications of GLMC technology.

Surfactants are frequently used to enhance the bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) contaminated soil; however, their complex role in the process of bioremediation has not been fully elucidated. In this study, a PAH-degrading strain, Pseudomonas aeruginosa DH-6, with excellent tolerance to Tween-80 was isolated, and the effect of Tween-80 on the bioremediation of PAHs was re-evaluated using this strain. It was found that Tween-80 not only promoted the solubility of PAHs, but also served as a preferred carbon source, leading to a massive proliferation of DH-6. Moreover, the study demonstrated that an optimal concentration window of Tween-80 maximized PAH biosorption by strain cells. As a result, with the multiple enhancing effects of Tween-80, the dissolved PAHs could be efficiently removed by the combined biosorption–biodegradation process. Whole-genome sequencing and intermediate metabolite analysis revealed that multiple functional genes accounted for the degradation capability of DH-6 for PAHs via salicylic acid and/or phthalic acid pathways. A slurry bioreactor supplemented with spiked Tween-80 achieved 88.1% PAHs removal for the contaminated field soil, significantly reducing remedial time compared with other traditional bioremediation methods. This study highlights the importance of selecting suitable Tween-80 concentration to enhance the remediation of hydrophobic organics in heterogeneous reaction systems such as soil slurry.

Cyanobacterial blooms persistently threaten the safety of drinking water. While UV₂₂₂ is highly effective and safe for inactivating microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria, its efficacy against cyanobacteria remains unclear. This study investigated the inactivation effects and mechanisms of UV₂₂₂ on laboratory-prepared Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) aggregates and unicellular cells. The M. aeruginosa aggregates and unicellular cells could be inactivated by a 1–15 mJ/cm² dose of UV₂₂₂, with the inactivation primarily involving damage to the photosystem, cell integrity, and biomacromolecules, along with impaired metabolic functions. The aggregates exhibited greater UV₂₂₂ resistance than that of the unicellular cells, attributable to the outer cell shielding and protective protein components exist in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Although UV₂₂₂ impaired the photosynthetic activity and damaged the cell membranes of the aggregates, their regrowth capacity persisted. Conversely, the unicellular cells suffered extreme inhibition of F_v/F_m and esterase activity, with near-complete loss of regrowth ability at UV₂₂₂ doses > 6 mJ/cm². UV₂₂₂ directly damaged the cell membrane, chlorophyll-a, and phycocyanin, reducing cyanobacterial activity. Additionally, M. aeruginosa was more readily inactivated during the late lag phase than during the exponential phase (e.g., membrane damage proportions were 95% vs. 87%, respectively). These findings demonstrate the potential of UV₂₂₂ for cyanobacterial control and highlight the need to consider practical factors such as aggregation morphology, growth-phase differences, and media effects on radiation efficacy in applications.

To address the challenges of low prediction accuracy and limited generalization capability in forecasting complex water quality at refineries, this study proposes a novel hybrid neural network model (CBG). This model integrates convolutional neural networks, bidirectional long short-term memory networks, and grey wolf optimization algorithms. The CBG model demonstrates excellent accuracy in predicting key pollutants such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), oil, and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N). Its correlation coefficients reach 0.95, 0.89, and 0.91 respectively, and the nash sutcliffe efficiency coefficients stand at 0.91, 0.79, and 0.83 respectively, which are significantly superior to those of other benchmark models. Additionally, the study innovatively developed a comprehensive warning water quality index (WWQI). This index, together with the CBG model, forms an integrated prediction and warning framework that triggers alerts when water quality indices exceed pre-set thresholds. This framework provides a valuable tool for the early detection and proactive intervention of risks within the water systems of integrated refining and petrochemical enterprises. This study holds significant practical implications for enhancing water resource utilization and maintaining the stability of production operations. By providing intelligent early warning and proactive risk management tools, this research contributes to improving the operational safety and resource efficiency of industrial water circulation systems. This comprehensive approach provides a clear, quantifiable method for forward-thinking, science-based decision-making in water systems management for integrated refining and petrochemical enterprises, ultimately helping to drive more sustainable industrial practices.

Membrane biofouling poses a major bottleneck hindering the large-scale application of membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Quorum quenching (QQ) technology, which disrupts bacterial communication, has emerged as a promising strategy for biofouling mitigation. This review comprehensively summarizes QQ mechanisms and strategies, including the inhibition of signal molecule biosynthesis, inactivation of signal molecules, and mimicking of signal molecules. It then details the application of conventional QQ technologies in MBR biofouling control, such as the utilization of QQ enzymes, singular QQ strains, QQ consortia, and genetic engineering QQ bacteria. Advanced QQ technologies and integrated approaches combining QQ with other techniques which greatly enhanced biofouling control efficacy are also introduced. The review critically assesses the advantages and limitations of these technologies. Notably, combining QQ with phage-based methods represents a promising future strategy for membrane biofouling control, leveraging their potential for synergistic interactions. However, the specific synergistic effects and underlying mechanisms require further verification and exploration. Future research should focus on developing novel materials, integrating artificial intelligence for enhanced monitoring and control, and expanding to practical engineering applications to improve the effectiveness and stability of QQ technology for better biofouling control in MBRs.

Remediation of sedimentary antimony (Sb) in lakes is highly challenging due to its strong sensitivity to alterations in the sediment microenvironment caused by climate changes and anthropogenic activities. This study monitored Sb dynamics at the sediment-water interface through high-resolution sampling. The feasibility of using Lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) and Vallisneria spiralis (V. spiralis) for remediating sedimentary Sb was assessed, and the dual mechanisms underlying their remediation effects were elucidated. The results showed that both LMB and V. spiralis successfully inhibited the conversion of sedimentary Sb to the soluble state individually, while their combination was the most effective, with the highest reduction of 60.21%. Specifically, LMB reduced soluble Sb in sediments through electrostatic adsorption of bentonite and inner-sphere complexation of La³⁺ with Sb. V. spiralis primarily enhanced the transformation of mobile Sb into more stable forms to control Sb release. Compared to individual treatments, the combined use of LMB and V. spiralis produced an additive effect, promoting the adsorption of Sb by more in-situ formed Fe(III)/Mn(IV) (hydr)oxides. This further drove ligand exchange and intra-sphere complexation between La³⁺ and Sb, thereby enhancing the adsorption capacity for Sb. The results emphasize the potential of LMB and V. spiralis for Sb passivation in sediments and provide implications for the control of similar contaminants in aquatic environments.

Current advanced oxidation technologies face critical limitations in sustainability and efficiency, where conventional transition metal catalysts require energy-intensive synthesis (> 800 °C) and exhibit severe metal leaching. Although carbon supports suffer from pH-dependent deactivation and poor cycling stability, natural silicate minerals present an eco-friendly alternative owing to global abundance, structural robustness, and intrinsic surface functionality. To overcome existing barriers, we engineered cobalt-anchored attapulgite (Co-ATP) through precisely controlled low-temperature synthesis (80 °C), achieving uniform cobalt dispersion. This mineral engineering strategy suppressed cobalt leaching while enabling ultrafast antibiotic degradation (> 99% tetracycline removal in 6 min). Optimized cobalt loading and oxidant dosage minimized chemical consumption and reduced sulfate byproducts. The catalyst demonstrated exceptional environmental resilience, maintaining > 90% efficiency across five reuse cycles under broad pH conditions (4.0–9.0) and in complex matrices, including lake water and wastewater, with < 3% activity loss. Mechanistic investigations revealed electron-transfer-dominated activation, generating radical/nonradical synergy. Through electrochemical analysis, electron paramagnetic resonance, and quenching experiments, it was confirmed that interfacial electron shuttling was the primary degradation pathway. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry identified non-toxic degradation intermediates, and Fukui function calculations rationalized selective bond cleavage at high-activity sites. This work establishes a new paradigm for sustainable water remediation, where mineral-anchored cobalt catalysis eliminates energy and toxicity barriers in practical water treatment scenarios, offering a scalable solution for antibiotic-polluted ecosystems.