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Front Cover Story (See: Yiqun Cao, Qingxin Ma, Biwu Chu, Hong He, 2023, 17(4): 48) Nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) play a central role in atmospheric chemistry, which are important precursors of photochemical smog, acid rain and haze pollution. The conversion of NOx to HNO3/nitrate has long been considered a permanent sink for NOx. However, recent studies have suggested that HNO3/nitrate, especially particulate nitrate, can be rapidly photolyzed to produce NOx, which is [Detail] ...
The combustion of vinyl chloride (VC) after the train derailment accident in Ohio, USA in February, 2023 has caused widespread concern around the world. This paper tried to analyze several issues concerning the accident, including the appropriateness of the VC combustion in the emergency response in this accident, the meanings of so-called “controlled combustion”, the potential environmental risks caused by VC and combustion by-products, and follow-up work. In our view, this accident had surely caused environmental and health risks to some extent. Hence, a comprehensive environmental risk assessment is necessary, and then the site with risk should be comprehensively remediated, hazardous waste should be harmlessly treated as soon as possible. Finally, this accident suggests that further efforts should be taken to bridge the gap between chemical safety management and their environmental risk management.
● We have provided an activated method to remove the toxicity of antibiotic residue. ● PFRB can greatly improve the salt adsorption capacity of MCDI. ● The hierarchical porous and abundant O/N-doped played the key role for the high-capacity desalination. ● A new field of reuse of penicillin fermentation residue has been developed.
Membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) is an efficient desalination technology for brine. Penicillin fermentation residue biochar (PFRB) possesses a hierarchical porous and O/N-doped structure which could serve as a high-capacity desalination electrode in the MCDI system. Under optimal conditions (electrode weight, voltage, and concentration) and a carbonization temperature of 700 °C, the maximum salt adsorption capacity of the electrode can reach 26.4 mg/g, which is higher than that of most carbon electrodes. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of the PFRB electrode were characterized through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with a maximum specific capacitance of 212.18 F/g. Finally, biotoxicity tests have showed that PFRB was non-biotoxin against luminescent bacteria and the MCDI system with the PFRB electrode remained stable even after 27 adsorption–desorption cycles. This study provides a novel way to recycle penicillin residue and an electrode that can achieve excellent desalination.
● N2O emissions from a denitrifying SBR were 23 times higher than that of the CSTR. ● Feast famine conditions in SBR uniquely lead to producing undesirable levels of N2O. ● An MAG closely related to previously identified Thauera is likely a major N2O driver. ● Post-transcriptional regulation may be linked to higher N2O production in SBR.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas that can be emitted during the biological treatment of wastewater. In this study, a comparison of the long-term performance characteristics and N2O production of sequencing batch reactors (SBR) and continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) during nitrite-based denitrification was undertaken. It was found that both reactors had NO2−-N removal efficiencies over 99.9 %, but the N2O-N emissions from the SBR reached ~2.3 % of the removal nitrite-N load, while in the CSTR it never exceeded 0.1 %. High frequency sampling during one operation cycle of the SBR demonstrated that the N2O accumulation ratio was ~0.1 % during the feast period, increased to ~1.9 % in the first five hours of the famine period, and then gradually reached ~2.3 % at the end of famine. Batch experiments showed that limiting extracellular electron donor is required for N2O accumulation in cells from the SBR-famine period and that cells from the CSTR do not accumulate N2O when either nitrite or carbon is limiting. Another notable difference in the two reactor communities was the high level of accumulation of intracellular granules, most likely polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), in cells during the feast period in the SBR. Metagenome assembly and binning found that one genome (PRO1), which is a Thauera, accounted for over half the metagenomic reads in both reactors. Neither shifts in gene regulation nor community composition explained the observed differences in reactor performance suggesting some post-transcriptional regulation obligatorily linked to antecedent conditions underly increased N2O production in the SBR.
● MnO x /Ti flow-through anode was coupled with the biofilm-attached cathode in ECBR. ● ECBR was able to enhance the azo dye removal and reduce the energy consumption. ● MnIV=O generated on the electrified MnO x /Ti anode catalyzed the azo dye oxidation. ● Aerobic heterotrophic bacteria on the cathode degraded azo dye intermediate products. ● Biodegradation of intermediate products was stimulated under the electric field.
Dyeing wastewater treatment remains a challenge. Although effective, the in-series process using electrochemical oxidation as the pre- or post-treatment of biodegradation is long. This study proposes a compact dual-chamber electrocatalytic biofilm reactor (ECBR) to complete azo dye decolorization and mineralization in a single unit via anodic oxidation on a MnOx/Ti flow-through anode followed by cathodic biodegradation on carbon felts. Compared with the electrocatalytic reactor with a stainless-steel cathode (ECR-SS) and the biofilm reactor (BR), the ECBR increased the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency by 24 % and 31 % (600 mg/L Acid Orange 7 as the feed, current of 6 mA), respectively. The COD removal efficiency of the ECBR was even higher than the sum of those of ECR-SS and BR. The ECBR also reduced the energy consumption (3.07 kWh/kg COD) by approximately half compared with ECR-SS. The advantages of the ECBR in azo dye removal were attributed to the synergistic effect of the MnOx/Ti flow-through anode and cathodic biofilms. Catalyzed by MnIV=O generated on the MnOx/Ti anode under a low applied current, azo dyes were oxidized and decolored. The intermediate products with improved biodegradability were further mineralized by the cathodic aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (non-electrochemically active) under the stimulation of the applied current. Taking advantage of the mutual interactions among the electricity, anode, and bacteria, this study provides a novel and compact process for the effective and energy-efficient treatment of azo dye wastewater.
● Recent advances in the photolysis of nitrate/HNO3 are reviewed. ● Mechanisms and key factors affecting the photolysis of nitrate/HNO3 are summarized. ● Atmospheric implications and future research recommendations are provided.
Nitrate is an important component of atmospheric particulate matter and affects air quality, climate, human health, and the ecosystem. Nitrate was previously considered a permanent sink for nitrogen oxides (NOx). However, this viewpoint has been challenged in recent years because growing research evidence has shown the transformation of nitrate into NOx (i.e., renoxification). The photolysis of nitrate/HNO3, especially in the particulate phase or adsorbed on particles, can be a significant renoxification process in the atmosphere. The formation and photolysis of nitrate in aerosol not only change the diurnal variation of NOx, but also provide long-distance transport of NOx in the form of nitrate, which affects local and regional atmospheric chemistry and air quality. This review summarizes recent advances in the fundamental understanding of the photolysis of nitrate/HNO3 under various atmospheric conditions, with a focus on mechanisms and key factors affecting the process. The atmospheric implications are discussed and future research is recommended.
● Decentralized composting (DC) is a profitable KW treating technology. ● SAC and BEC were economically attractive in rural area, while HDC was unprofitable. ● KW handling subsidy plays a vital role in making DC profitable. ● SAC and BEC have great potential in promoting rural KW treatment.
This study was designed to evaluate whether the decentralized rural kitchen waste (KW) composting technologies used in China can be widely applied. To this end, we completed a techno-economic analysis of three typical types of KW compositing, namely solar-assisted (SAC), bio-enhanced (BEC), and heat-dewatering composting (HDC). These evaluations revealed that all three technologies produce composting products that meet China’s organic fertilizer standard and that both SAC and BEC are economically self-sustaining and generate net profits (18824.94 and 17791.52 US$/a) and positive net present values (32133.11 and 25035.93 US$). Subsequent sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the KW-handling subsidy plays a critical role in making decentralized composting economically attractive. Based on these analyses, we believe that reducing the coverage area of SAC, reducing the operating cost of BEC and HDC, upgrading composting products, and strengthening secondary pollution control would aid in supporting the technological improvement of these processes. Moreover, providing appropriate subsidies and promulgating specific standards and policies for KW fertilizer are key strategies for decentralized rural KW composting management.
● 38 PhACs and 2 pesticides were detected in the three rivers of the Pearl River basin. ● Anti-inflammatory/analgesics drugs were the predominant PhACs. ● The concentrations of PhACs showed seasonal and spatial variation. ● Diazepam and ibuprofen were the two PhACs with a moderate environmental risk.
The occurrence, fate, and environmental risk of 40 pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) from surface waters and sediments were comprehensively investigated in the Beijiang River, Xijiang River, and Maozhou River of the Pearl River basin, South China. Salicylic acid and diclofenac (anti-inflammatory drugs), gemfibrozil (a lipid regulator), carbamazepine (an antiepileptic drug), diazepam (a psychoactive drug), and 2-methyl-4-chloro-phenoxyacetic acid (MCPA, a pesticide) were the most ubiquitous compounds in the studied region. The average concentrations of detected PhACs in surface waters and sediments ranged from 0.17 to 19.1 ng/L and 0.10 to 10.4 ng/g, respectively. Meanwhile, PhACs concentration in surface waters and sediments varied greatly among and within the Beijiang River, Xijiang River, and Maozhou River. The largest annual flux of PhACs of the Xijiang River and Beijiang River was more than 11 000 kg per annum, whereas only 25.7 kg/a in the Maozhou River. In addition, the estimated emissions of PhACs in the Beijiang River, Xijiang River, and Maozhou River ranged respectively from 0.28 to 4.22 kg/a, 0.12 to 6.72 kg/a, and 6.66 to 91.0 kg/a, and the back-estimated usage varied with a range from 12.0 to 293 kg/a, 6.79 to 944 kg/a, 368 to 17 459 kg/a. Moreover, the emissions of PhACs showed a close relationship with the gross domestic product (GDP) of each city along the Pearl River. The environmental risk assessment suggested that diazepam and ibuprofen had a moderate risk in this region.
● We review the framework of discovering emerging pollutants through an omics approach. ● High-resolution MS can digitalize atmospheric samples to full-component data. ● Chemical features and databases can help to translate untargeted data to compounds. ● Biological effect-directed untargeted analyses consider both existence and toxicity.
Ambient air pollution, containing numerous known and hitherto unknown compounds, is a major risk factor for public health. The discovery of harmful components is the prerequisite for pollution control; however, this raises a great challenge on recognizing previously unknown species. Here we systematically review the analytical techniques on air pollution in the framework of an omics approach, with a brief introduction on sample preparation and analysis, and in more detail, compounds prioritization and identification. Through high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS, typically coupled with chromatography), the complicated environmental matrix can be digitalized into “full-component” data. A key step to discover emerging compounds is the prioritization of compounds from massive data. Chemical fingerprints, suspect lists and biological effects are the most vital untargeted strategies for comprehensively screening critical and hazardous substances. Afterward, compressed data of compounds can be identified at various confidence levels according to exact mass and the derived molecular formula, MS libraries, and authentic standards. Such an omics approach on full-component data provides a paradigm for discovering emerging air pollutants; nonetheless, new technological advancements of instruments and databases are warranted for further tracking the environmental behaviors, hence to evaluate the health risk of key pollutants.
● State-of-the-art applications of machine learning (ML) in solid waste (SW) is presented. ● Changes of research field over time, space, and hot topics were analyzed. ● Detailed application seniors of ML on the life cycle of SW were summarized. ● Perspectives towards future development of ML in the field of SW were discussed.
Due to the superiority of machine learning (ML) data processing, it is widely used in research of solid waste (SW). This study analyzed the research and developmental progress of the applications of ML in the life cycle of SW. Statistical analyses were undertaken on the literature published between 1985 and 2021 in the Science Citation Index Expanded and Social Sciences Citation Index to provide an overview of the progress. Based on the articles considered, a rapid upward trend from 1985 to 2021 was found and international cooperatives were found to have strengthened. The three topics of ML, namely, SW categories, ML algorithms, and specific applications, as applied to the life cycle of SW were discussed. ML has been applied during the entire SW process, thereby affecting its life cycle. ML was used to predict the generation and characteristics of SW, optimize its collection and transportation, and model the processing of its energy utilization. Finally, the current challenges of applying ML to SW and future perspectives were discussed. The goal is to achieve high economic and environmental benefits and carbon reduction during the life cycle of SW. ML plays an important role in the modernization and intellectualization of SW management. It is hoped that this work would be helpful to provide a constructive overview towards the state-of-the-art development of SW disposal.
● Higher concentrations of PS, PS-NH2 and PS-SO3H inhibited seed germination. ● PS, PS-NH2 and PS-SO3H influenced seedling growth in a dose-dependent manner. ● PS, PS-NH2 and PS-SO3H reduced essential nutrients uptake and plant quality. ● PS, PS-NH2 and PS-SO3H increased antioxidant enzyme activities and MDA content. ● Nanoplastic toxicity was related to surface charges.
Nanoplastic pollution has become a significant problem in farmland systems worldwide. However, research on the effects of nanoplastics (NPs) with different charges on field crops is still limited. In our study, NPs with different charges, including unmodified polystyrene nanoplastics (PS), positively charged polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NH2), and negatively charged polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-SO3H), were investigated for their impacts on seed germination and seedling growth of rape. The results showed that seed water uptake (after 12 h), seed germination, seed vigour, and relative root elongation were all significantly reduced under exposure to NPs (200 mg/L). Similarly, remarkable decreases in plant biomass (root weight, shoot weight), growth (root length, plant height), photosynthesis ability (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids), essential nutrient uptake (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu), and plant quality (soluble protein, soluble sugar, crude fibre content) of rape seedlings were also observed after exposure to NPs. Among the three kinds of NPs, PS-NH2 showed stronger effects. Moreover, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities of rape seedlings were changed, and the content of malondialdehyde was significantly increased under exposure to NPs. Furthermore, positively charged PS-NH2 showed stronger effects on the phenotype, physiology, biochemistry, nutrient uptake, and plant quality of rape. Notably, a comprehensive toxicity evaluation revealed that PS-NH2 had the strongest toxicity to rape. The present study provides important implications for the interaction and risk assessment of NPs and crops in soil-plant systems.
● There was no significant difference in soil aggregates TP along altitude gradient. ● Overall, PAC dropped steadily as aggregate size increased. ● In soil aggregate sizes, TPi > TPo > R-P at 3009,3347 and 3654 m except 3980 m. ● Active NaHCO3-Pi was the main AP source. ● Proportion of small aggregate sizes was emphasized to increase AP storage.
The distribution and availability of phosphorus (P) fractions in restored cut slope soil aggregates, along altitude gradients, were analyzed. Samples were collected at 3009, 3347, 3654 and 3980 m of altitude. We examined soil aggregates total phosphorus (TP), available phosphorus (AP) and phosphorus activation coefficient (PAC), and discovered that there was no significant difference in TP levels between all four altitudes samples (p > 0.05). However, there was a significant difference in AP at 3009, 3347 and 3980 m of altitude (p < 0.05). At the altitudes of 3009, 3347 and 3654 m, the AP accumulation in small size aggregates was more advantageous. Overall, PAC dropped steadily as soil aggregates sizes increased, as shown: PAC (3654 m) > PAC (3347 m) > PAC (3009 m) > PAC (3980 m). In all particle size soil aggregates, the distribution of the P fractions was as follows: total inorganic phosphorus (TPi) > total organic phosphorus (TPo) > residual phosphorus (R-P), at 3009, 3347 and 3654 m, but a different registry was observed at 3980 m of altitude: TPo > TPi > R-P. Through correlation and multiple stepwise regression analysis, it was concluded that active NaHCO3-Pi was the main AP source. It was also suggested that more attention should be given to the ratio of small particle size aggregates to increase soil AP storage. In order to improve the activation capacity and supply of soil P, along with promotion of the healthy development of soil ecosystem on slope land, it was suggest that inorganic P fertilizer and P activator could be added to soil at both low (3009 m) and high altitudes (3980 m).
● Small molecular chains formed on photo-aged polylactic acid microplastics (MPs). ● Oxygen-containing functional groups generated on photo-aged polyamide MPs. ● Photo-aging has the opposite influence on the imidacloprid adsorption on two MPs. ● Electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds were the main mechanisms. ● High pH value and low ionic strength increase the adsorption capacity.
The photo-aging behavior of microplastics (MPs) in natural environment has become a global concern. The ultraviolet radiation has enough energy to change the polymer structure and physical-chemical properties of MPs. Less attention has focused on the interactions of the photo-aged polar and biodegradable MPs with organic pollutants. This work investigated the structural properties of aged polar polyamide (PA) MPs and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) MPs exposed to ultraviolet irradiation and their adsorption behavior and mechanism for neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid (IMI). The results showed that the MPs had extensive changes in surface morphology and chemical properties after photo-aging. The C–N bond of PA MPs was disrupted to form more carbonyl groups. The oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of aged PLA MPs were broken and generated relatively smaller molecules. The adsorption capacity of IMI on PA MPs decreased by 19.2 %, while the adsorption capacity of IMI on PLA MPs increased by 41.2 % after photo-aging. This depended on the natural structure of the MPs and their ability to absorb ultraviolet light. The electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonds, van der Waals interactions, and polar-polar interactions were the main adsorption mechanisms of IMI on MPs. High initial solution pH and low ionic strength favored the adsorption of IMI by altering charge distribution on the MPs surface. The formation of the humic acid-IMI complexes decreased the concentration of IMI in the water phase and further decreased the adsorption on MPs. These results are enlightening for a scientific comprehension of the environmental behavior of the polar MPs.
● Pd-Cu modified CNT membranes were prepared successfully by electrodeposition method. ● The deposition voltage and deposition time were optimized for Pd-Cu co-deposition. ● NO3−-N was removed efficiently from water by Pd-Cu modified CNT membranes. ● The presence of dissolved oxygen did not affect the nitrate reduction performance. ● Mass transfer rate was promoted significantly with the increase in membrane flux.
Excessive nitrate in water is harmful to the ecological environment and human health. Electrocatalytic reduction is a promising technology for nitrate removal. Herein, a Pd-Cu modified carbon nanotube membrane was fabricated with an electrodeposition method and used to reduce nitrate in a flow-through electrochemical reactor. The optimal potential and duration for codeposition of Pd and Cu were −0.7 V and 5 min, respectively, according to linear scan voltammetry results. The membrane obtained with a Pd:Cu ratio of 1:1 exhibited a relatively high nitrate removal efficiency and N2 selectivity. Nitrate was almost completely reduced (~99 %) by the membrane at potentials lower than −1.2 V. However, −0.8 V was the optimal potential for nitrate reduction in terms of both nitrate removal efficiency and product selectivity. The nitrate removal efficiency was 56.2 %, and the N2 selectivity was 23.8 % for the Pd:Cu=1:1 membrane operated at −0.8 V. Nitrate removal was enhanced under acidic conditions, while N2 selectivity was decreased. The concentrations of Cl− ions and dissolved oxygen showed little effect on nitrate reduction. The mass transfer rate constant was greatly improved by 6.6 times from 1.14 × 10−3 m/h at a membrane flux of 1 L/(m2·h) to 8.71 × 10−3 m/h at a membrane flux of 15 L/(m2·h), which resulted in a significant increase in the nitrate removal rate from 13.6 to 133.5 mg/(m2·h). These findings show that the Pd-Cu modified CNT membrane is an efficient material for nitrate reduction.
