Search Results (2,277)

Numerous types of environmental toxicants alter human metabolomics, directly or indirectly, through gut microbial dysbiosis, upsetting immune homeostasis. Environmental toxicants capable of these direct and indirect effects have included heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The cell and molecular events induced by some diverse toxicants are reviewed, along with their potential additive, synergistic, and antagonistic effects on immune homeostasis (increasing proinflammatory immune cell activation and suppressing immunoregulation), which leads to systemic oxidative stress (OS). As people are exposed in varying degrees to countless chemicals and environmental factors over a lifetime, it is challenging to correlate specific diagnoses to any single toxicant or exposure, which is often a key challenge in linking environmental exposure to health outcomes. However, many toxicants have the common mechanistic effect of OS. The effects of toxicants are more pronounced with aging due to cumulative exposures and immunoaging (immunosenescence), with chronic low-grade inflammation referred to as “inflammaging”. The cell and molecular mechanisms of toxicants include altered calcium flux, mitochondrial dysfunction, and increased levels of damage-associated molecular patterns (alarmins) that trigger an inflammatory response and possibly promote autoimmune and neurological disorders. OS skews type-1 immunity for defenses against pathogens and cancers more toward type-2 immune responses to self-antigens (autoimmunity). The toxicants may directly affect the innate and adaptive immune cells inducing this skewing, or they may modify portions of gut microbial species and strains and their production of metabolites that indirectly affect systemic immunity. These latter toxicant influences require metabolomic analysis of the differential structures and activities of the microbial metabolites. The damaging effects of OS and inflammation disrupting immune homeostasis and leading to disorders are reviewed and discussed. The need for well-designed studies that allow for standardized comparison of exposures and related effects are emphasized, and their real-world limitations noted. Full article

Eco-friendly lubricant manufacturing focuses on using biodegradable, renewable base oils, such as waste oil, and green-synthesized nanomaterials, such as agricultural residue-based nanoparticles, in order to replace conventional toxic lubricants with biodegradable alternatives and reduce environmental impact. These nanolubricants are produced through low-energy methods like mechanical, microwave, or chemical-free synthesis that can result in improvement in their performance. The produced lubricants exhibit enhanced tribological properties, including reduced friction and wear. Several formulations also raise the thermal degradation onset above that of their mineral benchmarks, although oxidative stability remains the weakest property of bio-based systems. This approach addresses industrial demands for sustainable, cost-effective, and environmentally compliant lubrication technologies. Our study reviews sustainable, eco-friendly synthesis methods for producing high-performance nanolubricants from different waste oils, including cooking and mineral oils. In addition to the incorporation of residue-based nanoparticles (e.g., eggshell) in waste oils, the performance and properties of bio-based lubricants with engineered nanoparticles, such as metal nano-oxides and carbon-based nanomaterials, are also reviewed for comparison purposes. Within bio-based fluids at moderate contact severity, residue-derived additives are found to match their engineered counterparts in terms of friction and wear, while engineered two-dimensional lamellar additives retain an advantage under extreme-pressure conditions where residue-derived particles have not yet been evaluated. Neither class has been assessed by life cycle or biodegradation testing as a finished formulation. Full article

Ammonia, a toxic and volatile pollutant commonly found in chemical industrial environments, requires reliable real-time detection to ensure industrial safety and effective environmental monitoring. Conventional gas sensors typically operate at elevated temperatures, resulting in high power consumption. Moreover, pure metal oxides and conductive polymers often suffer from significant aggregation and exhibit suboptimal sensing performance under ambient conditions, limiting their practical applications. In this study, hierarchical porous V₂O₅/PANI composites were synthesized via a straightforward one-step coprecipitation method combined with in situ polymerization. The interlaced architecture of polyaniline (PANI) and vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) effectively reduces structural aggregation and increases the availability of surface active sites. Furthermore, the synergistic interaction at the bi-phase interface significantly enhances charge carrier transport, leading to improved ammonia-sensing capabilities at room temperature. Notably, the composite containing 20% V₂O₅ demonstrated superior response, selectivity, and reproducibility toward 10 ppm NH₃. Due to its simple fabrication process and room-temperature operation without external heating, the developed V₂O₅/PANI composite sensor holds significant potential for practical applications in low-concentration ammonia detection under ambient conditions. Full article

Corrosion of reinforcing steel remains a major cause of premature deterioration in concrete infrastructure, motivating the development of inhibitors with lower toxicity and reduced environmental impact. This review critically examines recent advances in green and bio-based corrosion inhibitors for reinforced concrete, including plant extracts, agro-industrial residues, naturally occurring organic compounds, proteins, polysaccharides, bio-based coatings, hybrid formulations, and microbial systems. The available evidence is synthesized in terms of chemical functionality, delivery route, adsorption and film-forming mechanisms, electrochemical response, compatibility with cementitious materials, and durability under chloride- and carbonation-related exposure. Many formulations provide substantial inhibition under optimized laboratory conditions through interfacial adsorption, coordination with iron species, passive-film stabilization, suppression of anodic and cathodic reactions, and restriction of aggressive-species transport. However, reported efficiencies are not directly comparable because experimental scale, exposure conditions, dosage, steel preparation, and calculation methods vary considerably. Moreover, long-term reinforced-concrete and field studies remain scarce, while extract standardization, cement compatibility, toxicity, biodegradability, and life-cycle performance are frequently insufficiently addressed. Green and bio-based inhibitors therefore represent a promising but heterogeneous technology class. Their practical implementation requires chemically reproducible formulations, complementary electrochemical and surface evidence, concrete-scale durability assessment, environmental validation, and stage-gated progression toward monitored field applications. Full article

Proteases are widely studied hydrolases as “green technologies” for degrading structures within complex matrices, although combining different classes poses challenges for catalytic stability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to specifically evaluate the biochemical control of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts using plant- and microbial-derived proteases. This study evaluated the compatibility and sanitizing potential of the microbial serine protease subtilisin Carlsberg (HPF-1SCA) and the plant cysteine protease papain (1PPP), both individually and in a 15% (w/v) combination, hypothesizing a synergistic effect due to their distinct catalytic specificities, as a potential biochemical approach to reduce contamination by these zoonotic protozoa of global importance, which are highly resilient to conventional disinfectants. The experimental design comprised five distinct treatment groups: a negative control (distilled water), a positive chemical control (0.04% v/v NaClO), treatment with isolated papain (15% w/v), treatment with isolated microbial HPF formulation (15% w/v), and a combined treatment using both enzymes simultaneously (15% w/v each). Concurrently, an in silico molecular docking investigation was conducted to elucidate the predicted binding scores, structural compatibility, and preferential binding mechanisms of these enzymes toward the Cryptosporidium Oocyst Wall Protein (COWP). In vitro compatibility assays revealed an immediate antagonistic effect due to mutual proteolysis, reducing overall proteolytic activity by 45% after 72 h. Despite this antagonism, the enzyme mixture (G5) and the isolated microbial protease (G4) achieved a 93% reduction in oocysts, equivalent to the conventional 0.04% NaClO treatment (G2), while papain (G3) achieved 65%. All these results represented statistically significant efficacy (p < 0.01) compared to the negative control (G1). In silico molecular docking studies provided a structural predictive basis for the experimental data, suggesting that subtilisin Carlsberg (HPF-1SCA) exhibits more favorable predicted binding scores and structurally compatible interfaces, compared to papain, particularly toward the major oocyst structural proteins COWP8 (estimated ΔG = −15.2 kcal·mol⁻¹) and COWP6 (estimated ΔG = −13.3 kcal·mol⁻¹). This provides robust evidence for initial target recognition and molecular anchoring, although these static models do not definitively confirm catalytically productive cleavage conformations. In summary, this in vitro proof-of-concept demonstrates that microbial proteases show promise for the biochemical destabilization of oocysts without generating toxic chlorinated byproducts. While these baseline findings align with the One Health concept, future field-scale validations assessing enzyme stability under variable environmental conditions and in vivo infectivity assays are required before practical application in sanitation protocols. Full article

Nanomaterials are increasingly used in manufacturing, medicine, consumer products, and environmental technologies due to their unique physicochemical properties. Although these materials offer substantial technological and societal benefits, their widespread use has raised concerns about potential health risks. Of particular importance is exposure during pregnancy, as certain nanoparticles can cross the placental barrier and reach the developing embryo. Fetal tissues are highly sensitive to environmental insults, so maternal exposure to nanoparticles may disrupt normal development and increase the risk of abnormal pregnancy outcomes. This review examines the current understanding of nanoparticle-induced developmental toxicity, with a focus on the vulnerability of the maternal–fetal unit. We discuss the structure and function of the placental barrier and the mechanisms that enable nanoparticle transfer from mother to fetus. Particular attention is given to how nanoparticle characteristics, including size, shape, composition, and surface chemistry, influence biodistribution, placental transport, tissue accumulation, and toxicity. We summarize the major molecular and cellular mechanisms implicated in fetotoxicity, highlighting oxidative stress, apoptosis, autophagy, and DNA damage as recurring pathways identified across experimental studies. These interconnected processes contribute to placental dysfunction, impaired fetal growth, developmental abnormalities, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. We also compare findings across different classes of nanoparticles, including metal, metal oxide, carbon-based, and polymeric nanomaterials, identifying both shared toxicological mechanisms and material-specific effects. Evidence from animal models demonstrates that susceptibility varies according to nanoparticle properties, exposure conditions, and species, underscoring the complexity of nanoparticle–biological interactions and the limitations of extrapolating experimental findings directly to humans. Overall, the available evidence indicates that nanoparticle exposure during pregnancy represents a potential risk to fetal health, although important knowledge gaps remain regarding human exposure and long-term developmental outcomes. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying nanoparticle-induced fetotoxicity is essential for improving human health risk assessment, refining experimental models, informing regulatory policies, and supporting the safe-by-design development of nanomaterials. Such knowledge will help ensure the responsible application of nanotechnology while minimizing potential risks during pregnancy. Finally, this review is distinguished by its integrated analysis of how the chemical characteristics of nanoparticles govern placental transfer and the mechanistic pathways of fetotoxicity across multiple nanomaterial classes, providing a unified framework that connects material properties with their potential for abnormal fetal development and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Full article

Environmental contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) poses a persistent threat to wildlife, yet their accumulation and neurotoxic effects in the avian nervous system remain poorly understood. Although birds are widely recognised as valuable bioindicators of environmental pollution, most biomonitoring studies have focused on conventional tissues such as the liver, kidney, blood and feathers rather than on neural tissues, despite the high susceptibility of the nervous system to toxic injury. This review synthesises current knowledge on the bioaccumulation and neurotoxicity of PTEs in the avian nervous system, with emphasis on the brain, retina, optic pathways and spinal cord. Mercury remains the best-characterised avian neurotoxicant, whereas increasing evidence indicates that lead, cadmium and interactions with essential elements also contribute to neural dysfunction through distinct but partially overlapping mechanisms. Taken together, the available evidence indicates that neurotoxicity cannot be interpreted solely based on total elemental concentrations but also depends on chemical speciation, regional and cellular localisation, disruption of neural metal homeostasis and the intrinsic vulnerability of different neural tissues. Despite increasing evidence of PTE accumulation in neural tissues, important knowledge gaps remain regarding tissue-specific susceptibility and the links between neural damage, behavioural impairment and ecological performance. This review highlights the avian nervous system as an underexplored but biologically relevant target of environmental PTE exposure and highlights the need for more integrative approaches combining chemical, histopathological and functional assessments to improve avian biomonitoring and ecological risk assessment. Full article

Environmental monitoring of freshwater ecosystems faces significant challenges in detecting illicit wastewater discharges, which often remain unrecognized due to their intermittent nature and limited spatial footprint. This study presents a novel integrated strategy combining satellite remote sensing, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based proximal sensing, and in situ measurements to enhance pollution detection in vulnerable aquatic environments. The methodology was applied to Lake Avernus (Italy), a volcanic lake historically affected by eutrophication and toxic cyanobacterial blooms. Landsat 8–9 thermal analysis revealed no detectable anomalies, reflecting the limitations of its coarse spatial resolution. Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery was then analyzed through spectral indices, band ratios, and reflectance signatures, revealing localized variations in surface reflectance and spatial heterogeneity in water optical properties. These satellite-derived anomalies guided targeted high-resolution UAV surveys. UAV-based thermal imaging revealed an elevated-temperature zone along the adjacent shoreline. In situ field screening flagged a candidate chemical anomaly at this location. The hierarchical framework demonstrates that satellite screening effectively identifies areas of concern, while UAV thermal imaging enables high-resolution localization of features invisible to satellite sensors, and in situ measurements provide essential ground-truth validation. This replicable, low-cost methodology offers a powerful tool for early warning, surveillance, and sustainable management of sensitive freshwater ecosystems. Full article

The concentrations of 18 chemical elements were determined in the upper soil horizons within the landscapes of river basins in the Eastern Caucasus, using the Ulluchay, Sulak, Sunzha, Samur, Shuraozen (Russia), Karachay, and Atachay (Azerbaijan) rivers as case studies. This research aims to provide an ecological and geochemical assessment of soil conditions in the mountain river basins of the Eastern Caucasus. The ecological status of the soils is largely governed by elevated concentrations of such elements as Zn, Ni, Cu, Mo, As, and Cr, which exhibit both accumulation tendencies and potential toxicity. Environmentally unfavorable areas were identified through an integrated scoring assessment that incorporates the values of four ecological and geochemical indices: the modified contamination factor (mCf), the Pollution Load Index (PLI), the Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI), and the total contamination index (Zc). According to each index, more than half of the study area is classified as uncontaminated. Low PLI values were recorded for 54% of the sampling sites, and low mCf values for 63%. Based on PERI and Zc, 82% of the sampling sites are categorized as uncontaminated. The integral scoring assessment enabled the delineation of more than a dozen environmentally unfavorable areas, with the highest concentrations observed in the Atachay and Karachay basins, spatially extensive in the Sunzha basin. The formation of environmentally unfavorable zones in terms of soil contamination is primarily driven by natural factors, including lithological conditions, climatic features, complex topography, and the directions of waterborne and mechanical migration. Anthropogenic factors contribute to a lesser extent to the development of high-contamination zones and exert only localized influences near major settlements. The results can be applied to mitigate public health risks and to promote sustainable development of mountain river basins. Targeted measures are proposed for the sustainable management of contaminated areas, including restrictions on agricultural activities and the use of drinking water sources. Full article

Copper and its alloys are indispensable for electronics, communications, new energy systems, and aerospace engineering due to their exceptional electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. However, the thin cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) layer that naturally forms on copper and its alloys is prone to failure under elevated temperatures and high humidity, particularly in chloride-rich environments, leading to accelerated localized corrosion. While conventional chromate-based passivation has long been the industrial standard for preventing corrosion, its use has been increasingly restricted by global regulations (such as RoHS and REACH) due to its severe toxicity and health risks. To address the conflict between environmental compliance and protective performance, this review systematically evaluates recent advances in environmentally friendly, chromium-free anti-corrosion coatings in the present review. These alternative coatings are critically analyzed and categorized into four mechanistic groups: (i) inorganic conversion coatings (including molybdate, tungstate, rare earth, and phosphate systems); (ii) organic films formed via chemical or physical adsorption (such as organic inhibitors, thiol-based monolayers, and organosilane self-assembled films); (iii) conversion coatings engineered through covalent bonding, coordination chemistry, and microstructural tailoring; and (iv) multifunctional coatings that integrate self-healing capability with high electrical conductivity. Beyond providing a technical summary, this review explored how the swift progression of electronic information technology, new energy infrastructure, and robotics has imposed more exacting, multifunctional demands on copper components. This review provides a strategic roadmap for future research and prioritizes the creation of protection strategies that operate robustly in multi-physics coupling environments—integrating high conductivity, autonomous self-healing, and long-term chemical stability to ensure the reliability of next-generation infrastructure. Full article

Lead (Pb) is a widespread environmental pollutant that induces systemic toxicity in aquatic organisms primarily through oxidative stress, hematological disruption, and immune dysfunction. This study investigated the protective effects of ellagic acid (EA) against Pb-induced toxicity in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) using a multi-biomarker approach and molecular docking. Fish were assigned to six experimental groups: control, EA-treated, Pb-I, Pb-I + EA, Pb-II, and Pb-II + EA. Fish in the Pb-I and Pb-II groups were exposed to 2.5 and 5 mg/L Pb, respectively, while EA was administered via diet at 100 mg/kg for 14 days. At the end of the exposure period, hematological indices, innate immune parameters, and oxidative stress biomarkers were assessed in blood, liver, kidney, and gill tissues. Pb exposure caused marked hematological impairment, suppressed immune responses, increased malondialdehyde levels, and disrupted antioxidant defense by reducing SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and GSH levels while increasing GST activity. In contrast, dietary EA supplementation significantly mitigated Pb-induced alterations, improved hematological and immunological responses, reduced lipid peroxidation, restored antioxidant capacity, and normalized GST activity to control levels. Molecular docking analyses further showed that EA interacts with hemoglobin and immunoglobulin M, supporting its potential role in preserving oxygen transport and immune functions under Pb-induced stress. Overall, the findings demonstrate that Pb-induced toxicity involves coordinated disruption of redox homeostasis and immune function, whereas EA exerts a multi-target protective effect through biochemical and molecular mechanisms. This study provides mechanistic insight into chemical–biological interactions and supports the potential application of natural bioactive compounds in mitigating heavy metal-induced toxicity. Full article

Environmental chemical exposures are increasingly recognized as contributors to metabolic dysfunction, particularly when they occur as chronic, low-dose mixtures rather than as isolated high-dose toxicants. However, current approaches often focus on exposure intensity, single-compound hazard or isolated biomarker associations, and provide limited explanation for why individuals with comparable exposure profiles may develop markedly different metabolic outcomes. This semi-systematic review proposes an Exposure–Adaptive Capacity (EAC) framework to interpret the metabolic consequences of environmental chemical mixtures through the interaction between exposure burden and host adaptive capacity. A structured literature search covered PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science records published through 30 June 2026; a reviewer-triggered PubMed/MEDLINE update was executed on 30 July 2026 using harmonized British and American dyslipidaemia/dyslipidemia terms, explicit eligibility domains and evidence-mapping procedures. The review integrates epidemiological, mechanistic, toxicological and translational evidence related to environmental chemicals, metabolic dysfunction, mitochondrial impairment, oxidative stress, inflammation, endocrine disruption, metabolic resilience and biomarkers. The evidence indicates that several chemical classes, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, bisphenols, phthalates, pesticides, persistent organic pollutants and selected metals, converge on mitochondrial bioenergetics, redox regulation, inflammatory signalling, endocrine and nuclear receptor activity, nutrient-sensing networks and adipose tissue function. The EAC framework defines exposure burden as the cumulative biological pressure imposed by chemical mixtures and adaptive capacity as the organism’s functional ability to buffer, compensate for or recover from exposure-induced metabolic stress. To make the framework empirically testable, we specify measurable domains for exposure burden, adaptive capacity and EAC mismatch, and distinguish biomarkers of exposure, early biological effect, adaptive capacity, metabolic dysfunction and vulnerability. A quotient-based expression is retained only as a heuristic representation, while empirical testing is proposed through exposure-by-adaptive-capacity interaction models and complementary multidimensional approaches. The framework provides a structured basis for future exposomic, epidemiological and translational studies by shifting attention from exposure alone to the balance between environmental pressure and biological resilience. Full article

In modern societies, the renewed concept of food as medicine coexists with unprecedented consumption of highly processed foods, food additives, environmental xenobiotics, and pharmacological agents, contributing to the increasing prevalence of metabolic and degenerative diseases and accelerated aging. Although modern pharmacotherapies have transformed disease management, long-term drug exposure introduces additional metabolic burdens, off-target effects, and cumulative toxicities that are profoundly influenced by nutritional status. Collectively, dietary constituents, environmental chemicals, endogenous metabolic by-products, and therapeutic agents constitute a complex exposome that requires continuous recognition, utilization, detoxification, and clearance. Within this context, the liver sinusoidal clearance system (LSCS) emerges as a central regulator of systemic homeostasis. We propose a conceptual framework in which circulating molecules are classified as self (S), modified self (M), and foreign (F) molecules according to their physiological handling by the LSCS. Through coordinated hepatic utilization of S molecules and selective clearance of M and F molecules, fenestrated liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) maintain metabolic homeostasis, immune tolerance, and physiological pharmacokinetics. Conversely, chronic dietary overload, poor dietary quality, food processing, and sustained exposure to pro-inflammatory and oxidative dietary and environmental molecules initiate chronic low-grade inflammation, which promotes LSEC capillarization, impairs hepatic clearance, increases the modification of S molecules into M molecules and establishes a feed-forward cycle that further amplifies chronic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Finally, we discuss recent advances in the programmable modulation of the LSCS, including its transient suppression to prolong therapeutic exposure and its activation to enhance the clearance of metabolically harmful M and F molecules through coordinated upregulation of the endoglin–stabilin-2–FcγRIIb axis and the LSEC markers Oit3 and Dnase1L3. We highlight dual-function supramolecular nanofiber platforms that enable bidirectional regulation of the LSCS through nanofiber complexes with therapeutic proteins, thereby expanding their therapeutic potential and enhancing efficacy in the treatment of metabolic, inflammatory, and age-related diseases. Full article

The study presents a sustainable, metal-free tanning system based on 2-chloro-4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine (CDMT) and N-methylmorpholine (NMM), which stabilizes collagen through a zero-length crosslinking mechanism. Reactive triazine intermediates, generated in situ, selectively activate collagen carboxyl groups, forming active esters that subsequently react with amine functionalities to form amide bonds. Unlike conventional tanning systems, no metals or toxic chemicals are incorporated into the tanned leather. Optimization of reagent concentration, temperature, and dosing strategy revealed that the gradual formation of reactive intermediates is essential to balance reaction kinetics and diffusion throughout collagen. Under pickle-free conditions, hydrothermal stability was achieved with only 2.5–3.4 wt% CDMT/NMM, yielding shrinkage temperatures of 81–85 °C that surpass most reported chrome-free tanning systems. The resulting leather displayed a bright white appearance, excellent dyeability, and outstanding physical-mechanical performance, including superior tear resistance and competitive tensile strength. These properties are consistent with the formation of a homogeneous collagen network reinforced by direct covalent amide crosslinks while maintaining fiber flexibility. Furthermore, avoiding pickling significantly reduces chemical consumption and improves wastewater biodegradability, enhancing the environmental sustainability of the process. Overall, CDMT/NMM emerges as a scalable, environmentally friendly tanning technology that combines mechanistically controlled collagen crosslinking with excellent leather performance. Full article

Heavy metal wastewater, characterized by high toxicity, poor biodegradability, and strong bioaccumulation potential, poses a serious threat to the ecological environment and human health. Conventional chemical treatment methods are costly and prone to secondary pollution. In contrast, using solid waste to prepare environmental functional materials for “waste control by waste” has emerged as a research hotspot in the field of synergistic water pollution control and resource recovery. This review systematically consolidates the sources, physicochemical properties, and compositional characteristics of typical industrial solid wastes—including red mud, electroplating sludge, fly ash, copper slag, and blast furnace slag—and elucidates how compositional variations constrain the selection of functionalization pathways. On this basis, key preparation techniques, namely hydrothermal synthesis, surface modification/impregnation, thermal treatment, geopolymerization, and sol–gel/polymerization, are critically reviewed and compared in terms of product structural regulation, process complexity, and engineering scale-up potential. Subsequently, the adsorption performance of the resultant materials toward heavy metals such as Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cr(VI), As(VI), Cd²⁺, Ni^2+, and Zn²⁺ is discussed, with particular emphasis on the pronounced effects of pH, temperature, initial concentration, coexisting ions, and adsorbent dosage on adsorption capacity. Notably, Pb²⁺ exhibits the highest adsorption capacity, whereas the removal of Cr(VI) and As(V) is strongly governed by the positive charge density and reduction efficiency of the material surface. In quinary heavy metal competitive systems, marked differences in the affinity of adsorption sites toward distinct metal ions have been observed. Mechanistic analysis identifies ion exchange, surface complexation, electrostatic attraction, and redox reactions as the predominant removal pathways. This review further incorporates engineering-oriented assessments, including multi-component competitive adsorption, fixed-bed column operation, and regeneration stability, and identifies the critical bottlenecks currently impeding the transition from laboratory-scale research to practical implementation—namely, performance instability arising from feedstock variability, attenuation of adsorption capacity during prolonged operation (with a 10–40% decline over 5–10 cycles), underdeveloped regeneration and recovery routes, and a systemic deficiency in techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment data. Finally, future research directions are proposed, emphasizing the development of low-carbon and energy-efficient preparation technologies, the promotion of synergistic valorization of multiple solid wastes alongside critical metal recovery, and the advancement of this field toward engineering applications through artificial intelligence-assisted design and life-cycle assessment, thereby furnishing theoretical references and technical support for the integrated management of industrial solid waste resource utilization and heavy metal wastewater treatment. Full article