Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have garnered increasing attention from regulatory authorities and the public because of their widespread presence in global water systems. However, data on PFAS in the aquatic environment of northwestern China, including Ningxia, are scarce. Surface water, sediment, and groundwater samples were analyzed to investigate the occurrence, spatiotemporal distribution, source apportionment, and human health risks associated with PFAS in the water environment of this region. In surface water, concentrations of the 19 PFAS ranged from 3.28 to 234.86 ng/L in the dry season and from 1.31 to 54.55 ng/L in the wet season. Eight PFAS were detected in the sediment and 17 in the groundwater. Their total concentrations ranged from Not Detected (ND) to 7.001 ng/g in sediment and from ND to 34.17 ng/L in groundwater. Positive Matrix Factorization analysis indicated that wastewater discharges from textile mills and other fluorine-containing manufacturers may be the primary source of PFAS in both surface and groundwater. The data from the human health risk assessment indicated that perfluorodecanoic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, and perfluorooctane sulfonate have significant adverse effects on human health in Ningxia, according to the latest health advisory issued by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Arsenic (As) contamination in agricultural soils endangers environmental health and food security by inducing phytotoxicity, disrupting nutrient balance, and impairing essential physiological functions in crops. A good and long-lasting method of reducing the negative effects of arsenic on plants is to use biofertilizers, which are microbial combinations that aid in plant growth and nutrient movement. This work describes new developments in the use of microbial biofertilizers, namely nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and bacteria that solubilize phosphate, sulfur, and zinc, to remove arsenic (As) from agricultural environments. These methods rely on microbial enzymes, including glutathione S-transferases, catalase, arsenate reductase (ArsC), and arsenite oxidase (AioA). Utilizing biofertilizers in conjunction with organic transporters such as biochar increases the activity of soil enzymes (urease, dehydrogenase), increases the soil’s capacity to retain As (from 21.4 to 35.9 mg/g), and reduces the accumulated As in edible tissues by 10.8% to 55.5%. In addition to increasing the amount of chlorophyll and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT), the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) with inorganic nanoparticles (ZnO, Fe₃O₄) decreased the movement of As by up to 30.3% in important vegetable crops such as chili pepper (Capsicum annuum), ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula), and pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata). Beyond improving nutrient solubilization, these microbial–nanoparticle consortia also activate systemic resistance pathways, strengthen glutathione-mediated chelation, and remodel root architecture to further limit As uptake. Despite these promising outcomes, scalable field application remains challenged by strain-specific efficacy, formulation stability across variable soils, and a paucity of integrated multi-omics studies.

Rare Earth Metals (REMs) are vital for advanced technologies, yet they face increasing supply risks, emphasising the need for efficient recovery from secondary resources such as NdFeB magnet waste. The present work details the development and characterisation of magnetically responsive vermiculite-based nanocomposites, with and without alginate immobilisation, aimed at the selective recovery of neodymium (Nd(III)) and dysprosium (Dy(III)) ions from synthetic solutions and real NdFeB magnet leachate. The composites were synthesised by incorporating Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles into vermiculite, and, in some cases, the resulting material was encapsulated in alginate beads. X-ray diffraction was utilised to confirm the formation of magnetite, while the magnetic responsiveness of all sorbents was sufficient for straightforward separation. The presence of additional functional groups, including hydroxyl, carboxyl, and silicate, was shown to enhance sorption performance. Although alginate immobilization significantly reduced sorption kinetics, it led to higher sorption capacities and enhanced structural stability. Non-immobilised materials exhibited greater selectivity for Nd(III) over Dy(III), a critical challenge in the separation of REMs. Regeneration studies confirmed the efficient metals desorption when complexing agents were utilised. The high sorption performance of these low-cost and eco-friendly nanocomposites in real leachate systems demonstrates their applicability for sustainable REM recovery from e-waste streams.

The growing demand for biodegradable polymers as sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics underscores the need for effective tools to monitor their environmental dispersion. Detecting bioplastics through remote sensing techniques poses a challenge because, unlike conventional plastics, bioplastics can undergo environmental degradation, potentially altering their spectral signatures and limiting their detectability. A laboratory experiment was conducted to assess the applicability of spectroradiometric techniques for identifying and distinguishing these materials under natural conditions. Two commercial polylactic acid (PLA)-based materials were subjected to pseudo-marine degradation conditions, and their spectral signatures were recorded throughout the degradation period. Infrared (IR) characterisation highlighted differences in the polymeric structure of the two materials. These peculiarities were detected through spectroradiometric analyses that successfully distinguished and characterised the two commercial products after 6 months of exposure to degradation conditions. This study demonstrates that spectroradiometry provides a reliable, cost-effective method for monitoring and distinguishing between various plastic and bioplastic types, supporting waste management and environmental monitoring efforts.

This study developed a monolithic Co₃S₄/FeOOH nanoflower(NF)-like catalyst through impregnation-boiling and mild hydrothermal methods (120 °C, 3 h), overcoming the drawbacks of both conventional ex-situ loading techniques (uneven distribution) and powdered catalysts (difficult separation). The in-situ grown nanoflower-like Co₃S₄/FeOOH composite on NF demonstrated superior peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, achieving 87.74% norfloxacin (NOR) removal under optimized conditions (1 cm² catalyst loading with 0.2 g CoCl₂·6H₂O precursor, 0.3 g/L PMS dose, initial pH 6.3), representing around 11-fold and 1.8-fold higher degradation rates than single-component FeOOH/NF and Co₃S₄/NF, respectively. Mechanistic insights of such performance enhancement revealed by electrochemical analysis and Density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Quenching experiments and Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis confirmed the coexistence of synergistic pathways involving radical species (SO₄^•−) and non-radical processes (¹O₂ and electron transfer). The Co₃S₄/FeOOH/NF & PMS system retains 84.73% NOR degradation after 3 cycles with stable morphology, while achieving broad-spectrum antibiotic removal (83.69%–99.88%). Fluorescence analysis confirms almost complete mineralization of recalcitrant humic substances from the real hospital wastewater within 40 min.