The boosting development of artificial intelligence (AI) is contributing to rapid exponential surge of computing power demand, which results in the concerns on the increased energy consumption and carbon emission. To highlight the environmental impact of AI, a quantified analysis on the carbon emission associated with AI systems was conducted in this study, with the hope of offering guidelines for police maker to setup emission limits or studies interested in this issue and beyond. It has been discovered that both industry and academia play pivotal roles in driving AI development forward. The carbon emissions from 79 prominent AI systems released between 2020 and 2024 were quantified. The projected total carbon footprint from the AI systems in the top 20 of carbon emissions could reach up to 102.6 Mt of CO₂ equivalent per year. This could potentially have a substantial impact on the environmental market, exceeding $10 billion annually, especially considering potential carbon penalties in the near future. Hence, it is appealed to take proactive measures to develop quantitative analysis methodologies and establish appropriate standards for measuring carbon emissions associated with AI systems. Emission cap is also crucial to drive the industry to adopt more environmentally friendly practices and technologies, in order to build a more sustainable future for AI.

● 3D printing enables rapid prototyping and optimisation of MES reactors.

Microbial electrochemical system (MES) offers sustainable solutions for environmental applications such as wastewater treatment, energy generation, and chemical synthesis by leveraging microbial metabolism and electrochemical processes. This review explores the transformative role of 3D printing in MES research, focusing on reactor body design, electrode fabrication, and bioprinting applications. Rapid prototyping facilitated by 3D printing expedites MES development while unlocking design flexibility, which enhances performance in optimising fluid dynamics and mass transfer efficiency. Tailored ink materials further improve the conductivity and biocompatibility of electrodes, paving the way for environmental applications. 3D-printed bio-anodes and bio-cathodes offer enhanced electrogenesis and boosted electron acceptance processes, respectively, by fine-tuning electrode architectures. Additionally, 3D bioprinting presents opportunities for scaffold fabrication and bioink formulation, enhancing biofilm stability and electron transfer efficiency. Despite current challenges, including material selection and cost, the integration of 3D printing in MES holds immense promise for advancing energy generation, wastewater treatment, resource recovery, carbon utilisation, and biosensing technologies.

● Insect damaging and penetrating plastic materials has been observed since 1950s.

Insects damaging and penetrating plastic packaged materials has been reported since the 1950s. Radical innovation breakthroughs of plastic biodegradation have been initiated since the discovery of biodegradation of plastics by Tenebrio molitor larvae in 2015 followed by Galleria mellonella in 2017. Here we review updated studies on the insect-mediated biodegradation of plastics. Plastic biodegradation by insect larvae, mainly by some species of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) and pyralid moths (Pyralidae) is currently a highly active and potentially transformative area of research. Over the past eight years, publications have increased explosively, including discoveries of the ability of different insect species to biodegrade plastics, biodegradation performance, and the contribution of host and microbiomes, impacts of polymer types and their physic-chemical properties, and responsible enzymes secreted by the host and gut microbes. To date, almost all major plastics including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyurethane (PUR), and polystyrene (PS) can be biodegraded by T. molitor and ten other insect species representing the Tenebrionidae and Pyralidae families. The biodegradation processes are symbiotic reactions or performed by synergistic efforts of both host and gut-microbes to rapidly depolymerize and biodegrade plastics with hourly half-lives. The digestive ezymens and bioreagents screted by the insects play an essential role in plasatic biodegradation in certain species of Tenebrionidae and Pyralidae families. New research on the insect itself, gut microbiomes, transcriptomes, proteomes and metabolomes has evaluated the mechanisms of plastic biodegradation in insects. We conclude this review by discussing future research perspectives on insect-mediated biodegradation of plastics.

Mineral scaling represents a major constraint that limits the efficiency of membrane desalination, which is becoming increasingly important for achieving sustainable water supplies in the context of a changing climate. Different mineral scales can be formed via distinct mechanisms that lead to a significant variation of scaling behaviors and mitigation strategies. In this article, we present a comprehensive review that thoroughly compares gypsum scaling and silica scaling, which are two common scaling types formed via crystallization and polymerization respectively, in membrane desalination. We show that the differences between scale formation mechanisms greatly affect the thermodynamics, kinetics, and mineral morphology of gypsum scaling and silica scaling. Then we review the literatures on the distinct behaviors of gypsum scaling and silica scaling during various membrane desalination processes, examining their varied damaging effects on desalination efficiency. We further scrutinize the different interactions of gypsum and silica with organic foulants, which result in contrasting consequences of combined scaling and fouling. In addition, the distinctive mitigation strategies tailored to controlling gypsum scaling and silica scaling, including scaling-resistant membrane materials, antiscalants, and pretreatment, are discussed. We conclude this article with the research needs of attaining a better understanding of different mineral scaling types, aiming to inspire researchers to take scale formation mechanism into consideration when developing more effective approaches of scaling control in membrane desalination.

● Environmental health research has surged in China over the past decade

Environmental health research aims to identify environmental conditions suitable for the healthy living and reproduction of human beings. Through the interdisciplinary research bridging environmental sciences and health/medical sciences, the impacts of physical, chemical, and biological environmental factors on human health are investigated. This includes identifying environmental factors detrimental to human health, evaluating human exposure characteristics to environmental factors, clarifying causal relationships between environmental exposure and health effects, analyzing the underlying biochemical mechanisms, linking environmental factors to the onset and progression of diseases, establishing exposure-response relationships, and determining effect thresholds. Ultimately, the results of environmental health research can serve as a scientific basis for formulating environmental management strategies and guiding prevention and intervention measures at both the public and individual levels. This paper summarizes the recent advances and future perspectives of environmental health research in China, as reported by a group of Chinese scientists who recently attended a workshop in Hainan, China. While it is not intended to provide a comprehensive review of this expansive field, it offers a glimpse into the significant progress made in understanding the health impacts of environmental factors over the past decade. Looking ahead, it is imperative not only to sustain efforts in studying the health effects of traditional environmental pollution, but also to prioritize research on the health impacts of emerging pollutants and climate change.

Developing an anthropogenic carbon dioxides (CO₂) emissions monitoring and verification support (MVS) capacity is essential to support the Global Stocktake (GST) and ratchet up Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The 2019 IPCC refinement proposes top-down inversed CO₂ emissions, primarily from fossil fuel (FFCO₂), as a viable emission dataset. Despite substantial progress in directly inferring FFCO₂ emissions from CO₂ observations, substantial challenges remain, particularly in distinguishing local CO₂ enhancements from the high background due to the long atmospheric lifetime. Alternatively, using short-lived and co-emitted nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) as a proxy in FFCO₂ emission inversion has gained prominence. This methodology is broadly categorized into plume-based and emission ratios (ERs)-based inversion methods. In the plume-based methods, NO₂ observations act as locators, constraints, and validators for deciphering CO₂ plumes downwind of sources, typically at point source and city scales. The ERs-based inversion approach typically consists of two steps: inferring NO₂-based nitrogen oxides (NO_x) emissions and converting NO_x to CO₂ emissions using CO₂-to-NO_x ERs. While integrating NO₂ observations into FFCO₂ emission inversion offers advantages over the direct CO₂-based methods, uncertainties persist, including both structural and data-related uncertainties. Addressing these uncertainties is a primary focus for future research, which includes deploying next-generation satellites and developing advanced inversion systems. Besides, data caveats are necessary when releasing data to users to prevent potential misuse. Advancing NO₂-based CO₂ emission inversion requires interdisciplinary collaboration across multiple communities of remote sensing, emission inventory, transport model improvement, and atmospheric inversion algorithm development.

● Wastewater treatment targets and processes change with demands.

The “dual-carbon” strategy promotes the development of the wastewater treatment sector and is an important tool for leading science and technology innovations. Based on the global climate change and the new policies introduced by China, this paper described the new needs for the development of wastewater treatment science and technology. It offered a retrospective analysis of the historical trajectory of scientific and technological advancements in this field. Utilizing bibliometrics, it delineated the research hotspots within wastewater treatment, notably highlighting materials genomics, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology. Furthermore, it posited that, in the future, the field of wastewater treatment should follow the paths of technological innovations with multi-dimensional needs, such as carbon reduction, pollution reduction, health, standardisation, and intellectualisation. The purpose of this paper was to provide references and suggestions for scientific and technological innovations in the field of wastewater treatment, and to contribute to the common endeavor of moving toward a Pollution-Free Planet.

● Recent progress on three non-radical oxidation systems was summarized.

The large amount of refractory organic wastewater produced from industry and agriculture sectors poses a significant threat to both water ecosystems and human health, necessitating the exploration of cost-efficient and efficacious removal techniques. Persulfate, when activated by various catalysts, can produce oxidative species, demonstrating promising potential in remediating organic wastewater. In recent years, numerous studies have unveiled that persulfate can be readily decomposed into non-radicals, which exhibits high selectivity toward pollutants and robust performance in complex wastewater environments. However, the challenges in identifying non-radicals and the unclear catalytic mechanism hinder its further application. This paper critically reviews the research progress on non-radical oxidation in persulfate-based heterogeneous catalytic system. The main advancements and existing challenges in three non-radical oxidation pathways, i.e., singlet oxygen, electron transfer, and high-valent metal oxides, are summarized, and the key factors influencing the production of non-radicals are elaborated. The engineering aspects of non-radical oxidation system are further discussed, and the future prospects of this technology in wastewater treatment are envisaged. This review aims to bridge the knowledge gaps between current research and future requirements.

�?Recent advances in promising CCUS technologies are assessed.

Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies play an essential role in achieving Net Zero Emissions targets. Considering the lack of timely reviews on the recent advancements in promising CCUS technologies, it is crucial to provide a prompt review of the CCUS advances to understand the current research gaps pertained to its industrial application. To that end, this review first summarized the developmental history of CCUS technologies and the current large-scale demonstrations. Then, based on a visually bibliometric analysis, the carbon capture remains a hotspot in the CCUS development. Noting that the materials applied in the carbon capture process determines its performance. As a result, the state-of-the-art carbon capture materials and emerging capture technologies were comprehensively summarized and discussed. Gaps between state-of-art carbon capture process and its ideal counterpart are analyzed, and insights into the research needs such as material design, process optimization, environmental impact, and technical and economic assessments are provided.

● Water vapor’s effect on VOC adsorption in various porous carbons was investigated.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) have been proven to cause considerable harm to both the ecological environment and human health. Anthropogenic VOC emissions are primarily generated by the industrial sector. The utilization of porous carbon as an adsorbent has emerged as an effective method for the efficient removal of VOC from industrial sources. However, during the actual production processes, VOC exhaust gases are often mixed with water vapor, which poses challenges for adsorption purification. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the remarkable advancements in various carbon materials in terms of their ability to adsorb both VOC and water vapor. Additionally, it systematically summarizes the influence of surface groups on adsorbents and the molecular properties of VOC on their adsorption by carbon materials. Furthermore, this review introduces the mechanism underlying adsorption-adsorbent interactions and discusses the construction of models for adsorbing water vapor and VOC. The challenges associated with the application of carbon materials for VOC adsorption in humid environments are also addressed. This review aims to offer theoretical and technical guidance for the effective purification of moist VOC waste gases emitted from industrial sources, thereby achieving precise control of VOC emissions.

● The safety and health of soil face global threats from widespread contamination.

Soil is a non-renewable resource, providing a majority of the world’s food and fiber while serving as a vital carbon reservoir. However, the health of soil faces global threats from human activities, particularly widespread contamination by industrial chemicals. Existing physical, chemical, and biological remediation approaches encounter challenges in preserving soil structure and function throughout the remediation process, as well as addressing the complexities of soil contamination on a regional scale. Viable solutions encompass monitoring and simulating soil processes, with a focus on utilizing big data to bridge micro-scale and macro-scale processes. Additionally, reducing pollutant emissions to soil is paramount due to the significant challenges associated with removing contaminants once they have entered the soil, coupled with the high economic costs of remediation. Further, it is imperative to implement advanced remediation technologies, such as monitored natural attenuation, and embrace holistic soil management approaches that involve regulatory frameworks, soil health indicators, and soil safety monitoring platforms. Safeguarding the enduring health and resilience of soils necessitates a blend of interdisciplinary research, technological innovation, and collaborative initiatives.

● Under thermodynamic, urban ecosystem fits scaling law due to self-organization.

Prior research has consistently demonstrated that urban economic and social systems adhere to the empirical scaling law. Furthermore, a plethora of evidence, including the scale-free networks of energy metabolism, the allometric growth patterns of species and populations, and the scaling law relationship between exergy and transformity in biosphere systems across various levels, indicates that urban ecosystems exhibit multi-level scaling law characteristics in energy metabolism under self-organization, alongside significant human activity imprints. This study synthesizes these findings to hypothesize that urban ecological components are also aligned with system-level scaling theory within the urban metabolism framework. This encompasses: 1) the existence of multistable coexistence and mutual transformation phenomena, mirroring the dynamic nature of scaling laws; and 2) a nuanced balance between the ecosystem and the socio-economic system, particularly in the realms of spatial competition and output efficiency. The ecosystem scaling theory hypotheses of urban metabolic processes offer a theoretical foundation for identifying ecological security tipping points, which are pivotal in the strategic decision-making for ecological planning and management in the future.

● A machine learning path for predicting biochar adsorption efficiency was constructed.

Heavy metals (HMs) represent pervasive and highly toxic environmental pollutants, known for their long latency periods and high toxicity levels, which pose significant challenges for their removal and degradation. Therefore, the removal of heavy metals from the environment is crucial to ensure the water safety. Biochar materials, known for their intricate pore structures and abundant oxygen-containing functional groups, are frequently harnessed for their effectiveness in mitigating heavy metal contamination. However, conventional tests for optimizing biochar synthesis and assessing their heavy metal adsorption capabilities can be both costly and tedious. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a data-driven machine learning (ML) approach to identify the optimal biochar preparation and adsorption reaction conditions, with the ultimate goal of maximizing their adsorption capacity. By utilizing a data set comprising 476 instances of heavy metal absorption by biochar, seven classical integrated models and one stacking model were trained to rapidly predict the efficiency of heavy metal adsorption by biochar. These predictions were based on diverse physicochemical properties of biochar and the specific adsorption reaction conditions. The results demonstrate that the stacking model, which integrates multiple algorithms, allows for training with fewer samples to achieve higher prediction accuracy and improved generalization ability.

● Modifying local environment can intensify the performance of flow-through electrodes.

Removing high-risk and persistent contaminants from water is challenging, because they typically exist at low concentrations in complex water matrices. Electrified flow-through technologies are viable to overcome the limitations induced by mass transport for efficient contaminant removal. Modifying the local environment of the flow-through electrodes offers opportunities to further improve the reaction kinetics and selectivity for achieving near-complete removal of these contaminants from water. Here, we present state-of-the-art local environment modification approaches that can be incorporated into electrified flow-through technologies to intensify water treatment. We first show methods of nanospace incorporation, local geometry adjustment, and microporous structure optimization that can induce spatial confinement, enhanced local electric field, and microperiodic vortex, respectively, for local environment modification. We then discuss why local environment modification can complement the flow-through electrodes for improving the reaction rate and selectivity. Finally, we outline appropriate scenarios of intensifying electrified flow-through technologies through local environment modification for fit-for-purpose water treatment applications.

● We integrate omics data to analyze the aquatic toxicodynamics of nanoplastics.

Amidst increasing concerns about plastic pollution’s impacts on ecology and health, nanoplastics are gaining global recognition as emerging environmental hazards. This review aimed to examine the complex molecular consequences and underlying fundamental toxicity mechanisms reported from the exposure of diverse aquatic organisms to nanoplastics. Through the comprehensive examination of transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics studies, we explored the intricate toxicodynamics of nanoplastics in aquatic species. The review raised essential questions about the consistency of findings across different omics approaches, the value of combining these omics tools to understand better and predict ecotoxicity, and the potential differences in molecular responses between species. By amalgamating insights from 37 omics studies (transcriptome 22, proteome six, and metabolome nine) published from 2013 to 2023, the review uncovered both shared and distinct toxic effects and mechanisms in which nanoplastics can affect aquatic life, and recommendations were provided for advancing omics-based research on nanoplastic pollution. This comprehensive review illuminates the nuanced connections between nanoplastic exposure and aquatic ecosystems, offering crucial insights into the complex mechanisms that may drive toxicity in aquatic environments.

● Major challenges of air pollution control in China are summarized.

Air pollution is one of the most challenging environmental issues in the world. China has achieved remarkable success in improving air quality in last decade as a result of aggressive air pollution control policies. However, the average fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentration in China is still about six times of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) and causing significant human health risks. Extreme emission reductions of multiple air pollutants are required for China to achieve the AQG. Here we identify the major challenges in future air quality improvement and propose corresponding control strategies. The main challenges include the persistently high health risk attributed to PM_2.5 pollution, the excessively loose air quality standards, and coordinated control of air pollution, greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions and emerging pollutants. To further improve air quality and protect human health, a health-oriented air pollution control strategy shall be implemented by tightening the air quality standards as well as optimizing emission reduction pathways based on the health risks of various sources. In the meantime, an “one-atmosphere” concept shall be adopted to strengthen the synergistic control of air pollutants and GHGs and the control of non-combustion sources and emerging pollutants shall be enhanced.

● “Forever chemicals” are being redefined in terms of environmental lifespans.

The discovery and widespread use of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have exemplified the beneficial role of chemistry in modern life, yet they have also underscored significant environmental and health concerns. Termed “forever chemicals” due to their remarkable persistence, PFAS present formidable challenges in terms of contamination and toxicity. Efforts to address these challenges have led to the development of innovative degradation technologies, such as hydrothermal alkali treatment (HALT), low-temperature mineralization, and mechanochemical degradation, offering promising solutions to PFAS remediation. However, these advancements must be accompanied by robust investment in research, collaboration among stakeholders, and global responsibility to ensure effective management of PFAS contamination and mitigate its adverse impacts on ecosystems and human health.

● Microbiologically influenced corrosion is reviewed focusing on its mechanisms and mitigation

Microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC) is a complex and destructive phenomenon that occurs in various sectors, involving the interaction between microorganisms and metal surfaces, resulting in accelerated corrosion rates. This review article provides a comprehensive analysis of MIC, encompassing microbial species involved, their metabolic activities, and influential environmental factors driving the corrosion process. The mechanisms of MIC, both in the presence and absence of oxygen, are explored, along with the diverse effects of microbes on different types of corrosion and their economic impacts. Assessment and monitoring techniques, including traditional and advanced methods such as microbiological and electrochemical methods, are discussed. Furthermore, it examines preventive and control measures, such as the use of biocides and their mechanisms of action. Strategies to enhance the performance of these control measures and the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents during disinfection processes, including surfactants and chelators, are discussed. Additionally, the review highlights enzymatic remediation as a sustainable alternative approach, providing detailed examples. The challenges in mitigating MIC and potential future developments and collaborative opportunities are also addressed. This systematic review is a valuable resource for researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers seeking a comprehensive understanding of the complex phenomenon of MIC and effective strategies for its management.

● H-CWs synergistically eliminate NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ while reducing N₂O emissions.

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are widely applied for decentralized wastewater treatment. However, achieving efficient removal of ammonia (NH₄⁺–N) has proven challenging due to insufficient oxygen. In this study, natural hematite (Fe₂O₃) was employed as a CW substrate (H-CWs) for the first time to drive anaerobic ammonia oxidation coupled with iron(III) reduction (Feammox). Compared to gravel constructed wetlands (G-CWs), ammonia removal was enhanced by 38.14% to 54.03% and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions were reduced by 34.60% in H-CWs. The synergistic removal of ammonia and nitrate by H-CWs also resulted in the absence of ammoxidation by-products. Inhibitor and ¹⁵N isotope tracer incubations showed that Feammox accounting for approximately 40% of all ammonia removal in the H-CWs. The enrichment of iron phosphate (Fe₃Fe₄(PO₄)₆) promoted the accumulation of the Feammox intermediate compound FeOOH. Microbial nanowires were observed on the surface of H-CW substrates as well, suggesting that the observed biological ammoxidation was most likely related to extracellular electron transfer (EET). Microbial and metagenomics analysis revealed that H-CWs elevated the integrity and enhanced the abundance of functional microorganisms and genes associated with nitrogen metabolism. Overall, the efficient ammonia removal in the absence of O₂ together with a reduction in N₂O emissions as described in this study may provide useful guidance for hematite-mediated anaerobic ammonia removal in CWs.

● Wildfire and emission patterns vary globally, intensifying at high latitudes.

Wildfires burn approximately 3%–4% of the global land area annually, resulting in massive emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Over the past two decades, there has been a declining trend in both global burned area and wildfire emissions. This trend is largely attributed to a decrease in wildfire activity in Africa, which accounts for a substantial portion of the total burned area and emissions. However, the northern high-latitude regions of Asia and North America have witnessed substantial interannual variability in wildfire activity, with several severe events occurring in recent years. Climate plays a pivotal role in influencing wildfire activity and has led to more wildfires in high-latitude regions. These wildfires pose significant threats to climate, ecosystems, and human health. Given recent changes in wildfire patterns and their impacts, it is critical to understand the contributors of wildfires, focus on deteriorating high-latitude areas, and address health risks in poorly managed areas to mitigate wildfire effects.

● Varied factors lead to uneven climate health outcomes were revealed.

Climate change significantly impacts human health, exacerbating existing health inequalities and creating new ones. This study addresses the lack of systematic review in this area by analyzing 2440 publications, focusing on four key terms: health, disparities, environmental factors, and climate change. Strict inclusion criteria limited the selection to English-language, peer-reviewed articles related to climate health hazards, ensuring the relevance and rigor of the synthesized studies. This process synthesized 65 relevant studies. Our investigation revealed that recent research, predominantly from developed countries, has broadened its scope beyond temperature-related impacts to encompass diverse climate hazards, including droughts, extreme weather, floods, mental health issues, and the intersecting effects of Coronavirus Disease 2019. Research has highlighted exposure as the most studied element in the causal chain of climate change-related health inequalities, followed by adaptive capability and inherent sensitivity. The most significant vulnerabilities were observed among populations with low socioeconomic status, ethnic minorities, and women. The study further reveals research biases and methodological limitations, such as the paucity of attention to underdeveloped regions, a narrow focus on non-temperature-related hazards, challenges in attributing climate change effects, and a deficit of large-scale empirical studies. The findings call for more innovative research approaches and a holistic integration of physical, socio-political, and economic dimensions to enrich climate-health discourse and inform equitable policy-making.

The photochemical interactions between nitrate (NO₃^–) and natural organic matter (NOM) are vital for aquatic chemistry. However, the effects of guest iron minerals, which may enter the aquatic environments due to both human and natural activities, on those interactions are widely ignored. This work evaluated the effects of hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) on the photochemical conversion products and pathways of NO₃^–, fulvic acid (FA) under 12 h of ultraviolet irradiation. The addition of 0.4 g/L of guest α-Fe₂O₃ accelerated the reduction of NO₃^– by 24.3%, with NH₄⁺ as the primary reduction product, and hampered the mineralization of FA. These effects were dependent on the dosage amount of α-Fe₂O₃ and FA concentrations. The studies on the molecule-level changes of FA revealed that the complete oxidation to CO₂ and the partial oxidation pathways that alter the molecular composition of FA were suppressed, and the mineralization rate decreased by 27.8%. Particularly, the conversion rates of CHON and CHONS were reduced by 21.0% and 20.3%, respectively, increasing the unsaturated products. The scavenging experiments and quantitative measurements of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) proposed that the photogenerated electrons and holes from α-Fe₂O₃ were the key for the altered transformation of NO₃^– and FA. This work revealed the guest effects of iron mineral particles on the photochemical interactions between NO₃^– and NOM in the natural surface waters.

● Express energy use and carbon emissions in understandable numbers.

There is a global need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the extent of climate change. A better understanding of how our own activities and lifestyle influence our energy use and carbon emissions can help us enable changes in activities that can lead to reductions in carbon emissions. Here we discuss an approach based on examining carbon emissions from the perspective of the unit C, where 1 C is the CO₂ from food a person would on average eat every day. This approach shows that total CO₂ emissions in China, normalized by the population, is 22.5 C while carbon emissions for a person in the US is 43.9 C. A better appreciation of our own energy use can be obtained by calculating carbon emissions from our own activities in units of C, for example for driving a car gasoline or electric vehicle a certain number of kilometers, using electricity for our homes, and eating different foods. With this information, we can see how our carbon emissions compare to national averages in different countries and make decisions that could lower our personal CO₂ emissions.

● Neutrons reveal the structure and dynamics of materials nondestructively.

The use of neutron methods in environmental and biological sciences is rapidly emerging and accelerating with the development of new instruments at neutron user facilities. This article, based on a workshop held at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), offers insights into the application of neutron techniques in environmental and biological sciences. We highlight recent advances and identify key challenges and potential future research areas. These include soil and rhizosphere processes, root water dynamics, plant-microbe interactions, structure and dynamics of biological systems, applications in synthetic biology and enzyme engineering, next-generation bioproducts, biomaterials and bioenergy, nanoscale structure, and fluid dynamics of porous materials in geochemistry. We provide an outlook on emerging opportunities with an emphasis on new capabilities that will be enabled at the Spallation Neutron Source Second Target Station currently under design at ORNL. The mission of scientific neutron user facilities worldwide is to enable science using state-of-the-art neutron capabilities. We aim to encourage researchers in the environmental and biological research community to explore the unique capability afforded by neutrons at these facilities.

● Toxicological effects of copper pyrithione on aquatic organisms were reviewed.

Copper pyrithione (CuPT) is an alternative to tributyltin that is widely used as an antifoulant and biocide in paint for ship hulls, fishing nets, and other marine environmental facilities. It gradually leaches from antifouling coatings into the aquatic environment, posing health risks to aquatic organisms. In recent years, there have been increasing concerns regarding the impacts of CuPT and its degradation products on organisms, as well as the associated health risks. Although the ecotoxicity of CuPT and its degradation products in various species has been studied, there are no comprehensive reviews in the literature that have collated and interpreted these data. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the ecotoxicological effects of CuPT and its degradation products on microorganisms, plants, invertebrates, fish, and mammals. CuPT and its degradation products can affect the light utilization of plants, thereby altering primary production in ecosystems. It can disrupt cell membranes, antioxidant capacity, and cellular pH gradients in animals, leading to developmental toxicity, deformities, morphological damages, endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, hepatotoxicity, and neurotoxicity. Mitochondria are believed to be the primary target of CuPT-induced toxicity in aquatic animals; however, further investigations are warranted to reveal the long-term (e.g., multigenerational and transgenerational) impacts and associated molecular mechanisms of CuPT and its degradation products—particularly at environmentally realistic levels. This will facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the health effects (both in terms of toxicity and hormesis) and environmental risks of CuPT and its degradation products, facilitating more effective regulation and mitigation.

● The Beautiful China Initiative (BCI) provides Chinese wisdom for the sustainable development and welfare of all humanity.

The Beautiful China Initiative (BCI) is a vivid embodiment of the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature during modernization. Implementing the BCI is an effective method for achieving the goals of building a beautiful China, while offering a “Chinese solution” to global sustainable development. This article summarizes the progress and main experiences of the BCI, as well as analyzing the primary challenges facing its future development. Finally, five policy recommendations are proposed, which emphasize the importance of top-level design, coordinated planning, and a robust support system in the implementation of the BCI.

The Ningxia region in Northwest China, a significant grain-producing area, heavily relies on the Yellow River for agricultural irrigation. Maintaining the ecological health of the Yellow River is crucial due to its role as the primary water source. This research comprehensively assessed heavy metal (HM) levels in surface water and sediments within the Ningxia section of the Yellow River basin. It specifically examined the concentrations of Sr, Zn, Mn, Cu, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Sb, Pb, Tl, Ni, and Hg, detailing their spatial distribution and associated risks. Sources of pollution were identified, and their relationships were explored using statistical analysis and positive matrix factorization (PMF). The risk assessment results indicated elevated pollution levels of Tl and slight pollution of Hg in surface water. Integrated Nemerow Pollution Index ($P_N$) calculations revealed that 18% and 20% of surface water samples exhibited pollution during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. In sediments, mean concentrations of Mn, As, Ni, Cr, Zn, Cu, Cd, Sr, Co, Sb, and Tl exceeded background levels, with Mn being the highest. Sediments exhibited low to moderate HM pollution, with higher concentrations found in northern Ningxia’s irrigated areas. Major sources of HM pollution included agriculture, traffic emissions, and natural sources. Overall, this study provides essential data to improve water resource management and mitigate HM pollution in the Ningxia section of the Yellow River Basin.

Phytoplankton serve as vital indicators of eutrophication levels. However, relying solely on phytoplankton parameters, such as chlorophyll-a, limits our comprehensive understanding of the intricate eutrophication conditions in natural lakes, particularly in terms of timely analysis of changes in limiting nutrients and their concentrations. This study presents machine learning (ML) models for predicting and identifying lake eutrophication. Five tree-based ML models were developed using the latest data on hydrological, water quality, and meteorological parameters obtained from 34 sites in the Huating Lake basin over 5 months. The extreme gradient boosting model exhibited high accuracy in predicting the total nitrogen/total phosphorus ratio (TN/TP) (R² = 0.88; RMSE = 24.60; MAPE = 26.14%). Analysis of the TN/TP ratio and output eigenvalue weight revealed that phosphorus plays a crucial role in eutrophication, probably because of the low-flow and deep-water characteristics of the basin. Furthermore, the light gradient boosting machine model exhibited outstanding performance and high accuracy in predicting phytoplankton parameters, especially the Shannon index (H′) (R² = 0.92; RMSE = 0.11; MAPE = 4.95%). The mesotrophic classification of the Huating Lake determined using the H′ threshold, coincided with the findings from the H′ analysis. Future research should cover a wider range of pollution sources and spatiotemporal dimensions to further validate our findings. Overall, this study highlights the potential of incorporating the TN/TP ratio and phytoplankton parameters into ML techniques for effective monitoring and management of environmental conditions.