A Unifi ed View of Carbon Neutrality:Solar-Driven Selective Upcycling of Waste Plastics

With the rapid development of plastic production and consumption globally,the amount of post-consumer plastic waste has reached levels that have posed environmental threats.Considering the substantial CO_(2)emissions throughout the plastic lifecycle from material production to its disposal,photocatalysis is considered a promising strategy for eff ective plastic recycling and upcycling.It can upgrade plastics into value-added products under mild conditions using solar energy,realizing zero carbon emissions.In this paper,we explain the basics of photocatalytic plastic reformation and underscores plastic feedstock reformation pathways into high-value-added products,including both degradation into CO_(2)followed by reformation and direct reformation into high-value-added products.Finally,the current applications of transforming plastic waste into fuels,chemicals,and carbon materials and the outlook on upcycling plastic waste by photocatalysis are presented,facilitating the realization of carbon neutrality and zero plastic waste.

Strategies of selective electroreduction of aqueous nitrate to N_(2) in chloride-free system:A critical review

Electroreduction of nitrate has been gaining wide attention in recent years owing to it's beneficial for converting nitrate into benign N_(2) from the perspective of electrocatalytic denitrification or into value-added ammonia from the perspective of electrocatalytic NH_(3) synthesis.By reason of the undesired formation of ammonia is dominant during electroreduction of nitrate-containing wastewater,chloride has been widely used to improve N_(2) selectivity.Nevertheless,selective electroreduction of nitrate to N2 gas in chloride-containing system poses several drawbacks.In this review,we focus on the key strategies for efficiently enhancing N_(2) selectivity of electroreduction of nitrate in chloride-free system,including optimal selection of elements,combining an active metal catalyst with another metal,manipulating the crystalline morphology and facet orientation,constructing core–shell structure catalysts,etc.Before summarizing the strategies,four possible reaction pathways of electro-reduction of nitrate to N_(2) are discussed.Overall,this review attempts to provide practical strategies for enhancing N2 selectivity without the aid of electrochlorination and highlight directions for future research for designing appropriate electrocatalyst for final electrocatalytic denitrifi-cation.

Photothermal catalytic C-C coupling to ethylene from CO_(2) with high efficiency by synergistic cooperation of oxygen vacancy and half-metallic WTe_(2)

Photothermal catalytic CO_(2) conversion provides an effective solution targeting carbon neutrality by synergistic utilization of photon and heat.However,the C-C coupling initiated by photothermal catalysis is still a big challenge.Herein,a three-dimensional(3D)hierarchical W_(18)O_(49)/WTe_(2) hollow nanosphere is constructed through in-situ embodying of oxygen vacancy and tellurium on the scaffold of WO_(3).The light absorption towards near-infrared spectral region and CO_(2) adsorption are enhanced by the formation of half-metal WTe_(2) and the unique hierarchical hollow architecture.Combining with the generation of oxygen vacancy with strengthened CO_(2) capture,the photothermal effect on the samples can be sufficiently exploited for activating the CO_(2) molecules.In particular,the close contact between W_(18)O_(49)and WTe_(2) largely promotes the photoinduced charge separation and mass transfer,and thus the~*CHO intermediate formation and fixedness are facilitated.As a result,the C-C coupling can be evoked between tungsten and tellurium atoms on WTe_(2).The ethylene production by optimized W_(18)O_(49)/WTe_(2) reaches 147.6μmol g^(-1)with the selectivity of 80%.The in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy(DRIFTS)and density functional theory(DFT)calculations are performed to unveil the presence and significance of aldehyde intermediate groups in C-C coupling.The half-metallic WTe_(2) cocatalyst proposes a new approach for efficient CO_(2) conversion with solar energy,and may especially create a new platform for the generation of multi-carbon products.

In-situ construction of abundant active centers on hierarchically porous carbon electrode toward high-performance phosphate electrosorption: Synergistic effect of electric field and capture sites

Phosphate removal is crucial for eutrophication control and water quality improvement.Electro-assisted adsorption,an eco-friendly elec-trosorption process,exhibited a promising potential for wastewater treatment.However,there are few works focused on phosphate electro-sorption,and reported electrodes cannot attach satisfactory removal capacities and rates.Herein,electro-assisted adsorption of phosphate via in-situ construction of La active centers on hierarchically porous carbon(LaPC)has been originally demonstrated.The resulted LaPC composite not only possessed a hierarchically porous structure with uniformly dispersed La active sites,but also provided good conductivity for interfacial electron transfer.The LaPC electrode achieved an ultrahigh phosphate electrosorption capability of 462.01 mg g^(-1) at 1 V,outperforming most existing electrodes.The superior phosphate removal performance originates from abundant active centers formed by the coupling of electricfield and capture sites.Besides,the stability and selectivity toward phosphate capture were maintained well even under comprehensive conditions.Moreover,a series of kinetics and isotherms models were employed to validate the electrosorption process.This work demonstrates a deep understanding and promotes a new level of phosphate electrosorption.

Phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted soils and water:Progresses and perspectives

Environmental pollution affects the quality of pedosphere,hydrosphere,atmosphere,lithosphere and biosphere.Great efforts have been made in the last two decades to reduce pollution sources and remedy the polluted soil and water resources.Phytoremediation,being more cost-effective and fewer side effects than physical and chemical approaches,has gained increasing popularity in both academic and practical circles.More than 400 plant species have been identified to have potential for soil and water remediation.Among them,Thlaspi,Brassica,Sedum alfredii H.,and Arabidopsis species have been mostly studied.It is also expected that recent advances in biotechnology will play a promising role in the development of new hyperaccumulators by transferring metal hyperaccumulating genes from low biomass wild species to the higher biomass producing cultivated species in the times to come.This paper attempted to provide a brief review on recent progresses in research and practical applications of phytoremediation for soil and water resources.

Spatial distribution and environmental characterization of sediment-associated metals from middle-downstream of Xiangjiang River,southern China

The contamination and environmental risk assessment of the toxic elements in sediments from the middle-downstream (Zhuzhou-Changsha section) of the Xiangjiang River in Hunan Province of China were studied. The results show that As, Cd, Pb and Zn are major contaminants in sediments, and average concentrations of these elements significantly exceed both the Control Standards for Pollutants in Sludge of China (GB4284-84) for agricultural use in acidic soils and the effect range median (ERM) values. The average concentrations of As, Cd and Pb in the river water slightly exceed the limit of Surface Water Environment Quality Standard (GB3838-2002). The concentrations of As and Cr in depth profiles extensively change, but slight changes are observed in Pb and Zn. Cd and Zn in most sediment samples can easily enter the food-chain and bring possible ecotoxicological risk to organisms living in sediments according to the risk assessment code.

The application and progress of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) in soil remediation: A review

Soil pollution endangers human health and ecological balance,which is why finding a highly efficient way to deal with pollutants is necessary.Biological method is an environmentally friendly treatment method.Bioelectrochemical systems(BESs),which combine electrochemistry with biological methods,have been widely used to remediate polluted environments,including wastewater,sludge,sediment,and soil.In BESs,redox reactions occur on electrodes with electroactive bacteria,which convert pollutants into low-polluting or nonpolluting substances.With BESs being a promising technology in the remediation field,the decontamination mechanisms and applications in soil conducted by BESs have attracted much attention.Therefore,to better understand the research progress of BESs,this paper mainly summarizes the mechanism of different classified BESs.The applications of microbial fuel cells(MFCs)in four pollutants(petroleum,heavy metals,pesticides,antibiotics)and the possible applications of microbial electrolysis cells(MECs)in soil are discussed.The main problems in BESs and possible future development directions are also evaluated.

Recent progress on copper catalysts with different surface states for CO_(2)electroreduction

The electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction(eCO_(2)RR),which converts CO_(2)into various hydrocarbons or alcohols,has been extensively researched because it promises a sustainable energy economy.However,only copper(Cu)can currently achieve stable and efficient hydrocarbon conversion in the eCO_(2)RR.Therefore,understanding the catalytic mechanisms and summarizing the research progress on synthesis strategies of Cu catalysts are essential for the eCO_(2)RR.This paper reviews Cu catalysts with different surface states of Cu catalysts:oxide-derived Cu,Cu nanoparticles,Cu single atoms,and Cu nanoclusters.It then reviews the development and progress of different Cu-catalyst preparation methods in recent years,focusing on the activity and selectivity of materials.Besides revealing the tendencies of catalytic selection and deep reactive mechanisms of Cu catalysts with four different surface states,this review can guide the subsequent construction of catalysts and provides an understanding of catalytic mechanisms.

Estrogenic activities of two synthetic pyrethroids and their metabolites

Synthetic pyrethroids （SPs） are among the most common pesticides in current use, and so far, several SPs have been assessed for their potential estrogenicities by various methods. Previous studies have shown that the estrogenicities partly come from their metabolites. Although considerable information is available with respect to the metabolism and environmental degradation of SPs, little is known about the estrogenicities of the metabolites. In this study, permethrin （PM） and β-cypermethrin （CP）, as well as their metabolites （3-phenoxybenzoic alcohol （PBCOH）, 3-phenoxybenzaldehyde （PBCHO） and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid （PBCOOH） were evaluated for their estrogenic activities in the MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cell line. In the MCF-7 cell proliferation assay, PM and CP exhibited significant estrogenic activities at 10-7 mol/L, comparable to 17β-estradiol （E2） of 10-9 tool/L, with the relative proliferative effect ratios of 55.4% and 56.3%, respectively. The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （qRT-PCR） results confirmed the estrogenicities of PM and CP with significant alteration of pS2 and ERα mRNA levels observed at 10-6 mol/L. For the three major metabolites, PBCOH and PBCOOH exhibited estrogenic activities in all assays, while no significant estrogenic responses was observed for PBCHO compared to the vehicle control. In particular, PBCOH had even slightly stronger estrogenic activity than its parent compounds, indicating that metabolism may be one of the reasons for the estrogenicities of the SPs. Given the widespread use of SPs, the toxicological effects of parent compounds and their metabolites should be taken into consideration in the risk assessment of SPs.

Effects of Amino Acids Replacing Nitrate on Growth,Nitrate Accumulation,and Macroelement Concentrations in Pak-choi (Brassica chinensis L.)

一个水耕法的实验被执行决定在小白菜(Brassica chinensis L.) 在氮(N) ，磷(P) ，和钾(K) 的生长，硝酸盐累积，和集中上用 20 单个氨基酸在营养液代替 20% nitrate-N 的影响射击。20% nitrate-N 什么时候与完整的硝酸盐处理，新鲜的小白菜射击和干燥重量相比被精氨酸( Arg )代替，但是20% nitrate-N 什么时候被丙氨酸(翼)代替，显著地增加了( P ≤ 0.05 )，缬氨酸(瓦尔)，白氨酸(列伊)，异白氨酸( Ile )，脯氨酸(专业版)，本氨基丙酸( Phe )，蛋氨酸(相遇)，天门冬酸(毒蛇)， glutamic ( Glu )，离氨酸( Lys )，甘氨酸( Gly )，丝氨酸(重量的单位)，苏氨酸( Thr )，半胱氨酸( Cys )，和酷氨酸( Tyr )，新鲜的射击和干燥重量显著地减少了( P ≤ 0.05 )。在用天门冬素(Asn ) 和夫酸安(Gln ) 代替 20% nitrate-N 以后，新鲜的射击和干燥重量是未受影响的。比作完整的硝酸盐处理，氨基酸代替处理除了 Cys， Gly，组氨酸(他的) ，并且 Arg，显著地减少了(P ≤ 0.05 ) 在植物射击的硝酸盐集中。显著地除了 Cys，列伊，专业版，和在另外的氨基酸处理的植物组织的遇见的、全部的 N 集中增加了(P ≤ 0.05 ) 。氨基酸也影响了全部的 P 和 K 集中，但是效果不同取决于单个氨基酸。改进小白菜射击质量， Gln 和 Asn 由于他们小白菜生长上的不足道的效果，他们在硝酸盐集中的重要减小，和他们宏元素的增加在植物满足，可以被用来部分代替 nitrate-N。

Effect of CO_2 Elevation on Root Growth and Its Relationship with Indole Acetic Acid and Ethylene in Tomato Seedlings

A hydroponic experiment was carried out to study the effect of elevated carbon dioxide(CO2) on root growth of tomato seedlings.Compared with the control(350 μL L-1),CO2 enrichment(800 μL L-1) significantly increased the dry matter of both shoot and root,the ratio of root to shoot,total root length,root surface area,root diameter,root volume,and root tip numbers,which are important for forming a strong root system.The elevated CO2 treatment also significantly improved root hair development and elongation,thus enhancing nutrient uptake.Increased indole acetic acid concentration in plant tissues and ethylene release in the elevated CO2 treatment might have resulted in root growth enhancement and root hair development and elongation.

Magnetic Properties as Indicators of Cu and Zn Contamination in Soils

Concentrations of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) and various magnetic parameters in contaminated urban roadside soils were investigated using chemical analysis and magnetic measurements. The results revealed highly elevated Cu and Zn concentrations as well as magnetic susceptibility in the roadside soils. The mean concentrations of Cu and Zn in these roadside soils were almost twice those in average Chinese soils, with the mean magnetic susceptibility of the roadside soils reaching about 179 × 10-8 m3 kg-1. This enhanced magnetic susceptibility was attributed to the presence of anthro-pogenic soft ferrimagnetic particles. A low frequency-dependent susceptibility (2.5% ± 1.0%) observed in the roadside soils indicated the coarse multidomain (MD) ferrimagnetic grains to be the dominant contributor to magnetic susceptibility. The Cu and Zn concentration of the soils had highly significant linear correlations with magnetic susceptibility (P ≤ 0.01), anhysteretic remanent magnetization (P ≤ 0.01), and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (P ≤ 0.01). This suggested that heavy metals were associated with ferrimagnetic particles in soils, which were attributed to input of traffc emissions and industrial activities. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectra of magnetic extracts of the roadside soils further suggested the link between the magnetic signal and concentrations of heavy metals. Thus, the magnetic parameters could provide a proxy measure for the level of heavy metal contamination and could be a potential tool for the detection and mapping of contaminated soils.

Detecting Agro-Droughts in Southwest of China Using MODIS Satellite Data

The normalized difference vegetation index （NDVI） has proven to be typically employed to assess terrestrial vegetation conditions. However, one limitation of NDVI for drought monitoring is the apparent time lag between rainfall deficit and NDVI response. To better understand this relationship, time series NDVI （2000-2010） during the growing season in Sichuan Province and Chongqing City were analyzed. The vegetation condition index （VCI） was used to construct a new drought index, time-integrated vegetation condition index （TIVCI）, and was then compared with meteorological drought indices-standardized precipitation index （SPI）, a multiple-time scale meteorological-drought index based on precipitation, to examine the sensitivity on droughts. Our research findings indicate the followings： （1） farmland NDVI sensitivity to precipitation in study area has a time lag of 16-24 d, and it maximally responds to the temperature with a lag of about 16 d. （2） We applied the approach to Sichuan Province and Chongqing City for extreme drought monitoring in 2006 and 2003, and the results show that the monitoring results from TIVCI are closer to the published China agricultural statistical data than VCI. Compared to VCI, the best results from TIVCI3 were found with the relative errors of -4.5 and 6.36% in 2006 for drought affected area and drought disaster area respectively, and 5.11 and -5.95% in 2003. （3） Compared to VCI, TIVCI has better correlation with the SPI, which indicates the lag and cumulative effects of precipitation on vegetation. Our finding proved that TIVCI is an effective indicator of drought detection when the time lag effects between NDVI and climate factors are taken into consideration.

Effects of sterilization treatments on the analysis of TOC in water samples

Decomposition experiments conducted with and without microbial processes are commonly used to study the effects of environmental microorganisms on the degradation of organic pollutants.However,the effects of biological pretreatment （sterilization） on organic matter often have a negative impact on such experiments.Based on the principle of water total organic carbon （TOC） analysis,the effects of physical sterilization treatments on determination of TOC and other water quality parameters were investigated.The results revealed that two conventional physical sterilization treatments,autoclaving and 60 Co γ-radiation sterilization,led to the direct decomposition of some organic pollutants,resulting in remarkable errors in the analysis of TOC in water samples.Furthermore,the extent of the errors varied with the intensity and the duration of sterilization treatments.Accordingly,a novel sterilization method for water samples,0.45 μm micro-filtration coupled with ultraviolet radiation （MCUR）,was developed in the present study.The results indicated that the MCUR method was capable of exerting a high bactericidal effect on the water sample while significantly decreasing the negative impact on the analysis of TOC and other water quality parameters.Before and after sterilization treatments,the relative errors of TOC determination could be controlled to lower than 3% for water samples with different categories and concentrations of organic pollutants by using MCUR.

Differential generation of hydrogen peroxide upon exposure to zinc and cadmium in the hyperaccumulating plant specie(Sedum alfredii Hance)

Sedum alfredii Hance has been identified as zinc(Zn) and cadmium(Cd) co-hyperaccumulator.In this paper the relationships of Zn or Cd hyperaccumulation to the generation and the role of H2O2 in Sedum alfredii H.were examined.The results show that Zn and Cd contents in the shoots of Sedum alfredii H.treated with 1000 μmol/L Zn2+ and/or 200 μmol/L Cd2+ increased linearly within 15 d.Contents of total S,glutathione(GSH) and H2O2 in shoots also increased within 15 d,and then decreased.Total S and GSH contents in shoots were higher under Cd2+ treatment than under Zn2+ treatment.However,reverse trends of H2O2 content in shoots were obtained,in which much higher H2O2 content was observed in Zn2+-treated shoots than in Cd2+-treated shoots.Similarly,the microscopic imaging of H2O2 accumulation in leaves using H2O2 probe technique showed that much higher H2O2 accumulation was observed in the Zn2+-treated leaf than in the Cd2+-treated one.These results suggest that there are different responses in the generation of H2O2 upon exposure to Zn2+ and Cd2+ for the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii H.And this is the first report that the generation of H2O2 may play an important role in Zn hyperaccumulation in the leaves.Our results also imply that GSH may play an important role in the detoxification of dissociated Zn/Cd and the generation of H2O2.

Effect of Phosphorus Deficiency on Leaf Photosynthesis and Carbohydrates Partitioning in Two Rice Genotypes with Contrasting Low Phosphorus Susceptibility

To study the effect of phosphorus （P） deficiency on leaf photosynthesis and carbohydrates partitioning and to determine whether the characteristics of leaf photosynthesis and carbohydrates partitioning are related to low P tolerance in rice plants, a hydroponic culture experiment supplied with either sufficient P （10 mg/L） or deficient P （0.5 mg/L） was conducted by using two rice genotypes different in their responses to low P stress. Results showed that the plant growth of Zhenongda 454 （low P tolerant genotype） was less affected by P deficiency compared with Sanyang＇ai （low P sensitive genotype）. Under P-deficient conditions, photosynthetic rates of Zhenongda 454 and Sanyang＇ai were decreased by 16% and 35%, respectively, and Zhenongda 454 showed higher photosynthetic rate than Sanyang＇ai. Phosphorus deficiency decreased the stomatal conductance for both genotypes, but had no significant influence on leaf internal CO2 concentration （Ci）, suggesting that the decrease in leaf photosynthetic rate of rice plants induced by P deficiency was not due to stomatal limitation. Phosphorus deficiency increased the concentration of soluble carbohydrates and sucrose in shoots and roots for both genotypes, and also markedly increased the allocation of soluble carbohydrates and sucrose to roots. Under deficient P supply, Zhenongda 454 had higher root/shoot soluble carbohydrates content ratio and root/shoot sucrose content ratio than Sanyang＇ai. In addition, phosphorus deficiency increased the concentration of starch in roots for both genotypes, whereas had no effect on the content of starch in shoots or roots. Compared to genotype Sanyang＇ai, the better tolerance to low-P stress of Zhenongda 454 can be explained by the fact that Zhenongda 454 maintains a higher photosynthetic rate and a greater ability to allocate carbohydrates to the roots under P deficiency.

Countermeasures of Reclaimed Municipal Wastewater for Safety of Agricultural Use in China

China is facing a severe water resource crisis, and the shortage of water for agricultural consumption is a prominent problem. Irrigation with reclaimed municipal wastewater that can reach the agricultural recycling standards is an important way to deal with water shortage in agricultural production. Owing to the complex sources of municipal wastewater, there are multifarious pollutants in municipal wastewater. Improper use of wastewater can cause potential risks to agoenvironment, agricultural products safety, and human health. This article deals with the current situation and the development prospects of reclaimed wastewater for agricultural use in China and abroad; the potential risks to human health and environmental pollution from the reclaimed municipal wastewater for agricultural reuse are also discussed. And some countermeasures and advices of reclaimed municipal wastewater for safety of agricultural reuse are provided.

Variation of bacterial community associated with Phaeodactylum tricornutum in response to different inorganic nitrogen concentrations

Specific bacterial communities interact with phytoplankton in laboratory algal cultures. These communities influence phytoplankton physiology and metabolism by transforming and exchanging phytoplankton-derived organic matter. Functional bacterial groups may participate in various critical nutrients fluxes within these associations, including nitrogen(N) metabolism. However, it is unclear how bacterial communities and the associated algae respond to changes of phycosphere N conditions. This response may have far-reaching implications for global nutrient cycling, algal bloom formation, and ecosystem function. Here, we identified changes in the bacterial communities associated with Phaeodactylum tricornutum when co-cultured with different forms and concentrations of N based on the Illumina HiSeq sequencing of 16 S rRNA amplicons.Phylogenetic analysis identified Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes as the dominant phyla, accounting for 99.5% of all sequences. Importantly, bacterial abundance and community structure were more affected by algal abundance than by the form or concentration of inorganic N. The relative abundance of three gammaproteobacterial genera(Marinobacter, Algiphilus and Methylophaga) markedly increased in N-deficient cultures. Thus, some bacterial groups may play a role in the regulation of N metabolism when co-cultured with P.tricornutum.

Halophyte Vegetation Influences Soil Microbial Community of Coastal Salt Marsh

Coastal wetlands are the most productive ecosystems worldwide and can provide important ecosystem services,yet the characteristics of microbial community within these systems remain poorly understood.Microbial community of salt marsh vegetation and the associated soil physio-chemical properties were investigated in this study.Three typical Suaeda australis,Phragmites australis,Spartina alterniflora wetlands,and non-vegetated bare mudflats in the Zhoushan Islands were studied to advance the understanding of the characteristics of soil bacterial communities in coastal wetlands.Results showed that the bare mudflats exhibited high pH value and soil moisture content compared with the vegetated samples.In different vegetation types,the organic matter content,total nitrogen,and total potassium content decreased in the order:S.alterniflora wetland>P.australis wetland>S.australis wetland,and there was no obvious difference in total phosphorous content.The halophytes could decrease soil salinity compared with bare mudflats.Proteobacteria,Nitrospinae,Bacteroidetes,Acidobacteria,and Nitrospirae were the predominant level across all samples.Functional prediction showed that SPA-covered soil might play vital roles in sulphur cycling,while SUA and PHR covered soils were involved in nitrogen cycling.This study could provide the first insight into the microbial community of this study area and contribute to a better understanding of vegetation microbiota and bioremediation in coastal wetland ecosystem.

GIS-Based Risk Assessment and Regionalization of Drought Hazards in China

Based on the monthly precipitation (1960-2009) of China and associated regional socio-economic data, the spatial and temporal pattern of drought in China was assessed by applying a conceptual framework of disaster system theory, which used the hazard and vulnerability as two variables to define the risk of drought. Sichuan province suffered from the severe risk of drought, while Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou provinces, and Chongqing city could be classified as the moderate drought risk area of China. Additionally, Tibet plateau in the Northwest of China had the lowest risk of drought. The integrated data from this result provided the valuable information to cope with the drought in respect of optimization utilization of land resources at the regional scale.