Search Results (1,010)

Tailings remediation alleviates ecosystem degradation and protects species. To conserve terrestrial biodiversity and address sustainability challenges while achieving economic growth, numerous researchers have devoted efforts to monitoring ecological functions and optimizing community structures. This study investigates the microbial characteristics and functional diversity across ecological succession stages of tailings. Selecting three typical restoration stages, including biological crust, moss, and grassland stages, we adopt 16S rRNA and ITS gene amplification, Illumina high-throughput sequencing, spectroscopy, and network correlation analysis to explore the responses of soil multifunctionality index, microbial communities, and carbon metabolism during tailings restoration. The experimental results indicate that the functional diversity index increases with ecological succession and is significantly correlated with the bacterial genera Rubrobacter and Arenimicrobium, whereas no significant correlation is observed with dominant fungi. The network interactions among bacterial communities are gradually strengthened along the succession process. In terms of carbon metabolic functions, the relative abundances of galactose, starch, and sucrose metabolism pathways increase obviously with restoration progression, while inositol phosphate metabolism, peroxisome metabolism, retinol metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, and xenobiotics metabolism exhibit no significant variations. These findings provide novel empirical evidence for explaining microbe-mediated ecological succession in tailing ecosystems and highlight the necessity of multi-perspective analysis for ecological restoration. Policy and practical implications emphasize that the application of specific microorganisms and their interspecific interactions to promote iron tailings ecological restoration should fully consider the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of tailings areas. This study deepens the understanding of differential microbial responses at different tailings restoration stages and provides actionable insights for balancing mining economic development and terrestrial ecosystem conservation. Full article

Straw return and tillage practices can alter the soil properties and regulate the bacteria communities, which mediate nitrogen (N) transformation and accumulation. This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms of microbially driven N retention, providing a foundation for soil management strategies. A field experiment was conducted in 2019–2022, six treatments were set up, including rotary tillage with/without straw (RTSR and RTNS), deep tillage with/without straw (DTSR and DTNS), subsoiling with/without straw (STSR and STNS). Soil properties, N pools/fractions and bacterial communities were measured. The results showed that straw return and tillage practices ameliorated soil environment (reducing bulk density (by 7–8% via DTSR and STSR) and salinity (with 57% and 26% increase in DTSR and STSR compared with RTSR, while rotary tillage significantly reduced salinity), increasing soil organic matter (via RTSR treatment, with 5–16% significant increase in two years) and effectively promoting N accumulation. The number of OTUs and the α-diversity significantly increased in 2022 compared with 2021. Specifically, tillage was the main driver of bacterial α-diversity, but there was no significant influence on bacterial β-diversity. Mental test results showed that N availability is a pivotal environmental factor shaping the bacteria α- and β-diversity. Structural equation modeling revealed that SON accumulation directly drove N accumulation via the “environmental improvement–specific microbial community structure” pathway. STSR is the optimal treatment for promoting N accumulation by maintaining active SON levels, which is an effective strategy for sustainable N management in the Yellow River Delta (YRD). Full article

Engineered nanomaterials are widely used in environmental remediation, agriculture, and industrial applications owing to their large specific surface area, high reactivity, and tunable physicochemical properties. However, their release into aquatic environments has raised increasing concerns regarding potential risks to primary producers. Microalgae are highly sensitive to environmental stressors and play essential roles in photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, carbon fixation, and aquatic food-web stability, making them important model organisms for assessing the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials. This review summarizes the toxic effects and mechanisms of representative engineered nanomaterials, including metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, nanoplastics, and carbon-based nanomaterials, on microalgae. Major toxic pathways include nanoparticle attachment and aggregation on algal surfaces, shading effects, membrane damage, altered permeability, cellular internalization, toxic ion release, reactive oxygen species overproduction, photosynthetic inhibition, and metabolic disturbance. The review further discusses how particle size, morphology, surface coating, dissolution, aging, light, pH, and natural organic matter regulate nanomaterial bioavailability and toxicity. Combined toxicity caused by coexisting nanoparticles or emerging pollutants is also considered, with emphasis on synergistic, antagonistic, and concentration-dependent effects. Finally, recent methodological advances, such as near-native imaging, Raman-based spectroscopy, particle-specific elemental analysis, and multi-omics approaches, are highlighted. This review provides an integrated perspective for understanding nanomaterial toxicity to microalgae and supports future ecological risk assessment in aquatic environments. Full article

Industrial activities have contributed substantially to the global economy but have also resulted in the release of hazardous substances into the environment. This systematic review aimed to identify extremophilic or extremotolerant bacteria capable of surviving high metal concentrations and actively remediating elevated levels of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a qualitative systematic review was conducted in the Web of Science and Scopus databases for studies published between 2000 and 2025 (last search: 5 January 2026). The synthesized dataset revealed distinct ecological and functional roles across different taxonomic levels. At the family level, Carnobacteriaceae, Cyclobacteriaceae, and Erythrobacteraceae were predominantly associated with high metal tolerance (“exposed” profiles) in alkaline environments. Conversely, at the genus level, Acidithiobacillus, Phenobacterium, Microbulbifer, and Roseobacter demonstrated high active remediation capacities in acidic settings through bioleaching, precipitation, or biosorption. Species such as Bacillus subtilis and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans exhibit a dual profile combining environmental tolerance and high bioremediation performance. These findings highlight methodologically heterogeneous studies, necessitating standardized experimental validation prior to large-scale technological deployment. Full article

The karst region of Southwest China represents a typical high geological background area characterized by extensive carbonate bedrock and secondary enrichment of heavy metals, particularly cadmium (Cd), in residual soils. Under natural carbonate-buffered conditions, Cd is largely immobilized through mineral associations and surface complexation, resulting in elevated total concentrations but low bioavailability. However, intensified anthropogenic pressures–including acid deposition, mining, excessive fertilization, and improper irrigation—have accelerated soil acidification in paddy fields. Acidification disrupts carbonate geochemical equilibria, weakens buffering capacity, and drives Cd speciation shifts toward more labile forms, thereby enhancing plant uptake and accumulation. These effects are especially pronounced in paddy fields and other systems subject to hydrological and redox fluctuations that further increase Cd mobility. To evaluate these coupled geogenic and anthropogenic controls, we conducted a structured literature synthesis (2016–2026) focusing on peer-reviewed studies of Cd dynamics in Southwestern China’s karst agroecosystems. We critically examine (i) the formation mechanisms and spatial heterogeneity of high-background Cd, (ii) acidification-driven speciation transformation and soil–crop transfer pathways, and (iii) in situ remediation and precision risk assessment strategies. By integrating geological inheritance, geochemical activation, and ecological risk perspectives, this review proposes a conceptual framework to support soil quality standard refinement and adaptive risk management in high-background karst regions. Full article

Soil salinization commonly prevails in global arid and semi-arid areas, shrinking farmland and endangering ecological, agricultural and social sustainability. Therefore, it is essential to develop effective strategies for salinized soil remediation. In this study, soil samples were collected from Nanliang Farm in Yinchuan, China. Compound microbial strains (CMS) and humic acid (HA) were selected as soil amendments. A total of eight treatments with different application rates of CMS and HA were set up in pot cultivation experiments, where oil sunflower was planted. The results showed that both amendments effectively elevated soil water content and chlorophyll content, as well as multiple physiological indices of sunflower. Meanwhile, they decreased soil total salinity, proline content and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. For single humic acid treatments, Treatment F1 achieved the optimal amelioration effect: it reduced soil total salinity by an average of 24.34%, and increased sunflower plant height, leaf area and aboveground fresh weight by 5.84%, 95.01% and 77.40%, respectively. Among the single CMS treatments, Treatment S3 performed best, with an average reduction of 31.04% in soil total salinity, and increases of 5.66%, 2.85% and 8.16% in plant height, leaf area and aboveground fresh weight correspondingly. Notably, among all eight groups, the control group CK1 exhibited the most prominent improvement effect, which was significantly superior to F1 and S3. This finding suggests that long-term application (one year or more) of CMS can produce an especially strong ameliorative effect on salinized soil. Full article

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants of concern in aquatic environments because of their stability, mobility, and resistance to conventional degradation. This review examines PFAS remediation technologies in water and wastewater treatment, with emphasis on membrane filtration, advanced oxidation processes, and biological approaches. Although many studies have reported high removal efficiencies, the limitations of these techniques are numerous, including membrane fouling, high energy consumption, incomplete destruction, formation of short-chain transformation products, and the management of concentrated residual streams. As a result, PFAS remain bioavailable in receiving waters for biological uptake, leading to ecological consequences in aquatic systems. PFAS can enter organisms through water, diet, sediment contact, and maternal transfer, and their bioaccumulation is associated with growth inhibition, developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, immunotoxicity, neurobehavioral changes, and hepatic damage. These effects can persist even when treatment systems achieve reductions in water concentrations. Therefore, PFAS management should be assessed not only by removal efficiency but also by the capacity of treatment systems to reduce trophic exposure in food webs. Full article

The switch in land use of abandoned tailings can precondition their reuse as newly built parks. This study investigated the feasibility of reusing a remediated mercury (Hg) retorting site in Wanshan, Guizhou Province, China, as a functional urban park by assessing residual heavy metal risks and associated vegetation responses. Field investigations were conducted across 31 park sites distributed along an east–west geographical gradient from the former mining area to urban parks, using replicated plots to sample the surface soils and dominant plant species. The concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), and lead (Pb) in soil and plant tissues were quantified using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry, and vegetation structure and diversity were evaluated using standard community indices. The results showed significant spatial variability in soil and plant metal concentrations, with higher levels generally observed near historically impacted areas of the mine. However, all soil metal concentrations were below the national safety thresholds. Plant tissues exhibit controlled metal accumulation within normal or regulated ranges, reflecting the effective screening of tolerant and hyperaccumulating species. Increasing heavy metal concentrations were associated with reduced vegetation coverage, height, and diversity along the gradient. Overall, the findings indicate that the reclaimed Hg retorting site almost met ecological safety requirements, but more data on deep soils, groundwater, and long-term observations are needed to draw more conclusive conclusions. Full article

Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae), a globally invasive weed native to the Americas, is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions and is listed as invasive alien species in many countries. Despite its ecological hazards, it possesses a long history of traditional use and substantial resource potential that remains incompletely synthesized. This review systematically compiles ethnobotanical records from 15 countries, documenting 60 traditional medicinal indications across 14 disease categories spanning Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. A structured cross-referencing analysis reveals that 26 (43.33%) of these traditional applications are supported by 17 verified pharmacological mechanisms, mediated by 19 classes of bioactive compounds, principally flavonoids, polyacetylenes, and phenolic acids. Among these, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antitumor, and antimicrobial activities are the most consistently validated. Moreover, this review synthesizes four non-medicinal utilization pathways: dietary use, animal feed, environmental remediation, and industrial raw materials. The resource value of B. pilosa has been independently recognized in the native and introduced ranges alike. Building on this evidence, we propose a “control-through-utilization” framework. To mitigate potential risks in practical exploitation, three targeted strategies are put forward, including timely harvesting, on-site processing and heavy metal safety inspection. This review supports the sustainable management of B. pilosa and offers methodological references for resource exploitation and control of other invasive plants. Full article

Urban wetlands are transitional sub-ecosystems, which have an important part in connecting the city sources of heavy metal pollution with freshwater ecosystems, and numerous studies have studied the nature of heavy metal pollution, though only several have investigated the consequences of heavy metals on the health of city dwellers residing in urban wetlands. The Monte Carlo simulation-based method of assessing health risks was employed to calculate the health risks related to the population residing within the study site as one of the measures taken within the framework of the present research to identify the health risks faced by the population when using the sediments of Huixian Wetland Mudong Lake, Guilin City, to evaluate health outcomes. The results showed that Cd and As had the highest geoaccumulation index values and were the most seriously polluted metals. The northeastern and northwestern areas of the lake exhibited a strong level of ecological risk, likely due to their proximity to anthropogenic pollution sources and slower water exchange rates. Non-carcinogenic risk indices (HI) for both adults and children were below 1, with children facing higher risk than adults. For carcinogenic risk, As, Cd, Cr, and Pb posed greater risks to children than adults, with 99.96% of the total carcinogenic risk (TCR) values exceeding the USEPA threshold of 1.00 × 10⁻⁴, indicating an unacceptable risk to children. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the hand–oral intake rate (IRing), As, and Cr were the main factors affecting the human health risk. These findings provide clear guidance for targeted risk control; priority should be given to pollution control of Cd and As, as well as protective measures in high-risk zones, to reduce children’s exposure. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for precise risk control and remediation measures in the region. Full article

Microplastic pollution has become a significant environmental concern due to its persistence and widespread impact across ecosystems. These plastic particles (1 μm to 5 mm), originating from larger plastic debris or industrial sources, accumulate in diverse habitats, affecting biodiversity and human health. Microplastics resist natural degradation, posing challenges to both ecological sustainability and waste management strategies. Although numerous studies have explored microbial degradation, most existing research focuses primarily on bacteria, leaving the role of filamentous fungi comparatively underexplored. This represents a significant research gap, because fungi secrete a variety of extracellular enzymes, including laccases, peroxidases, and esterases, which play crucial roles in the breakdown of synthetic polymers. These enzymes facilitate the depolymerization of microplastics by targeting polymer chains and increasing their susceptibility to further microbial degradation. However, the underlying enzymatic mechanisms and their effectiveness in microplastic remediation remain insufficiently characterized. Here, we critically review the potential of filamentous fungi for microplastic biodegradation, emphasizing their oxidative and hydrolytic enzyme systems, biosurfactant production, and mechanisms of adsorption and mineralization. The novelty of this review lies in consolidating the most recent mechanistic insights into fungal-driven depolymerization pathways, integrating them with advances in genetic engineering, bioprocess scale-up, and regulatory perspectives, areas rarely combined in previous reviews. We identify current limitations related to environmental applicability, enzyme accessibility, and the lack of standardized protocols, and propose strategies to overcome these challenges through enzyme immobilization, microbial consortia design, and synthetic biology approaches. By addressing these gaps, filamentous fungi may contribute to the development of sustainable strategies for plastic pollution mitigation and support circular economy approaches toward polymer biodegradation. Full article

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are ubiquitous toxic heavy metals in farmland soils, posing a threat to agricultural product safety and human health through food chain transmission. Biochar is widely used for in situ immobilization of heavy metals; however, systematic comparisons of the immobilization performance of rice straw biochar (RSB) and sugarcane bagasse biochar (SCB) under single and combined Cd–Pb contamination remain limited. This study systematically evaluated their immobilization performance and mechanisms through pot and batch adsorption experiments. Without altering total soil Cd and Pb contents, both biochars significantly regulated heavy metal bioavailability in the soil–plant system. In batch adsorption, RSB exhibited maximum Cd and Pb adsorption capacities 2.1 and 3.0 times those of SCB, respectively, with chemisorption as the dominant mechanism. In pot experiments, RSB reduced Pb uptake in pakchoi by 60.0% and 81.0%, but increased Cd uptake. SCB increased Cd uptake under single Cd contamination, had no significant effect on Pb under single Pb contamination, yet reduced Cd and Pb uptake under co-contamination by 44.4% and 31.6%, respectively. These differential effects are attributed to distinct mechanisms: Pb was primarily immobilized via stable mineral precipitation, whereas Cd was bound through weakly reversible ion exchange. Both biochars improved soil fertility and maintained core bacterial ecological functions without posing additional ecological risks. This study clarifies the feedstock-dependency and metal-specificity of biochar in remediating Cd- and Pb-contaminated farmlands, guiding precise biochar selection under varying contamination scenarios. Full article

Background/Objectives: The widespread presence of antimicrobial-resistant pharmaceutical contaminants in wastewater poses serious ecological and public health risks and remains difficult to address using conventional treatment technologies. Moreover, remediation strategies often involve overlooked environmental burdens, highlighting the need for technologies that are both efficient and environmentally sustainable. This study developed a novel GO/ZIF-60/CoNiAl -LTH (GO/ZIF-60/LTH) ternary nanocomposite adsorbent for removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP) from water matrixes while evaluating its environmental implications using Life cycle assessment (LCA). Methods: The adsorbent was synthesized by integrating graphene oxide (GO) and Ni–Al–Co layered triple hydroxide (LTH) into a ZIF-60 framework. Structural and surface characterization was conducted using XRD, FTIR, SEM–EDX, BET, and UV–Vis analyses. The adsorbent’s CIP aqueous uptake was evaluated through batch experiments supported by kinetic, isotherm, thermodynamic, and response surface methodology (RSM) analyses. Environmental performance was assessed through life cycle-based evaluation. Results: The composite achieved a maximum adsorption capacity of 291 mg g⁻¹ and 91.6% removal efficiency with adsorption following pseudo-first-order kinetics and the Freundlich isotherm. The process was spontaneous and exothermic, with 75% efficiency retained after three regeneration cycles. The LCA revealed an overall global warming impact of 0.953 kg CO₂ eq per functional unit, with the NiAlCo-LTH synthesis stage (1.04 kg CO₂ eq) as the dominant hotspot, followed by final composite formation stage (0.66 kg CO₂ eq). Adsorption and regeneration provided credits (−0.336 and −0.513 kg CO₂ eq), offsetting the upstream impacts. Conclusions: The study demonstrates a new MOF–GO–LTH hybrid adsorbent with high CIP removal efficiency combined with its environmental sustainability assessment, providing a more comprehensive basis for adsorbent evaluation. Although the NiAlCo-LTH component was primarily responsible for the enhanced adsorption performance, yet, it also constituted the major environmental hotspot during its synthesis. These findings highlight the relevance of trade-off between functionality and environmental burden for process optimization, cleaner production, and the sustainable development of advanced adsorbents for pharmaceutical-contaminated water treatment. Full article

Global salinization affects approximately one billion hectares of land in more than 100 countries, posing a severe threat to food security and ecosystem sustainability. Microbial remediation using plant growth-promoting microorganisms offers an eco-friendly alternative to physicochemical methods. However, bridging the gap between laboratory cultivation of single strains and field-scale application of synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) remains difficult, owing to inconsistent efficacy and a lack of unified design frameworks. This review examines the evolution from single strains to rationally designed SynComs for saline soil remediation. A ‘structure–function–mechanism’ framework is proposed, integrating five core microbial modules, namely ion regulation and osmotic stabilization, ethylene and phytohormone modulation, antioxidant activation, nutrient cycle activation, and systemic resistance induction. The review elucidates key determinants of synthetic community success, including functional complementarity, strain compatibility, and host–environment matching, while revealing a marked quantitative gap between controlled experiments and field performance. Key bottlenecks are identified, including the lack of high-throughput compatibility screening, poorly quantified long-term ecological risks, and the absence of standardized application guidelines across agro-ecological zones. Finally, emerging avenues are discussed, such as microbial–microalgal symbiosis and AI-assisted design, outlining a roadmap for next-generation smart microbial products integrated into climate-resilient farming systems. Full article