In recent years, the application of green rusts (GRs) for water purification has received significant attention, but its full understanding has not been well achieved. Then, the comprehension about the synthesis and characteristics of GRs can highly favor their decontamination performances for the site-specific conditions. This review comprehensively summarized the synthesis, characteristics and performances of GRs including the GR (Cl⁻), GR (CO₃²⁻) and GR (SO₄²⁻) for sequestration of various aqueous pollutants (e.g., tetrachloride, Cr(VI), Se(VI), and U(VI), etc.). Generally, the different reactivity of GRs toward contaminants is strongly dependent on the GRs’ characteristics (e.g., interlayer distance, specific surface area, and Fe(II) content) and solution chemistry (e.g., pH, background electrolytes, dissolved oxygen, and contaminant concentration, etc.). In addition, the reaction mechanisms of GRs with the contaminants involve the redox reactions, adsorption, catalytic oxidation, interlayer and octahedral incorporation, which can mutually or singly contribute to the decontamination to varying degrees. Particularly, this review addressed the transformation pathways of GRs under various solution chemistry conditions and clarified that the stability of GRs should be the key challenge for the real application. Finally, how to effectively use the GRs for water decontamination was proposed, which will significantly benefit the rational control of environmental pollution.

As a redox-sensitive element, manganese (Mn) plays a critical role in Cd mobilization, especially in paddy soil. In an anoxic environment, the precipitation of Mn(II)-hydroxides specifically favors Cd retention, while draining the paddy fields results in substantial remobilization of Cd. However, how the change in Mn redox states during the periodical transit of anoxic to oxic systems affects Cd mobility remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that the radical effect generated during the oxidation of Mn(II)-hydroxides exerts a significant effect on the oxidative dissolution of Cd during the aeration of paddy soils. The extractable Cd concentration decreased rapidly during the reduction phases but increased upon oxidation, while Cd availability produced the opposite effect with soil pe + pH and the extractable Mn concentration. Inhibiting the oxidation of Mn(II)-containing phases by microbes suppressed the production of hydroxyl free radicals (•OH) and Cd mobilization in the drainage phase. Analysis of X-ray absorption spectroscopy and sequential extraction demonstrated that the transformation from the Mn phase of Mn(II) to Mn(III/IV) determines Cd solubility. Altogether, the oxidization of Mn(II)-hydroxides was associated with the generation of significant amounts of •OH. The dissolution of Mn(II)- incorporating phases lead to a net release of Cd into soils during soil aeration.

Seas and oceans are a global reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Only a few studies investigated the dynamics of ARGs along the water column of the Black Sea, a unique environment, with a peculiar geology, biology and history of anthropogenic pollution. In this study, we analyzed metagenomic data from two sampling campaigns (2013 and 2019) collected across three different sites in the Western Black Sea at depths ranging from 5 to 2000 m. The data were processed to annotate ARGs, metal resistance genes (MRGs) and integron integrase genes. The ARG abundance was significantly higher in the deep water layers and depth was the main driver of beta-diversity both for ARGs and MRGs. Moreover, ARG and MRG abundances strongly correlated (r = 0.95). The integron integrase gene abundances and composition were not influenced by the water depth and did not correlate with ARGs. The analysis of the obtained MAGs showed that some of them harbored intI gene together with several ARGs and MRGs, suggesting the presence of multidrug resistant bacteria and that MRGs and integrons could be involved in the selection of ARGs. These results demonstrate that the Black Sea is not only an important reservoir of ARGs, but also that they accumulate in the deep water layers where co-selection with MRGs could be assumed as a relevant mechanism of their persistence.

Understanding the processes that underlay an ecological disaster represents a major scientific challenge. Here, we investigated phytoplankton and zooplankton community changes before and during a fauna mass kill in a European protected wetland. Evidence on gradual development and collapse of harmful phytoplankton blooms, allowed us to delineate the biotic and abiotic interactions that led to this ecological disaster. Before the mass fauna kill, mixed blooms of known harmful cyanobacteria and the killer alga Prymnesium parvum altered biomass flow and minimized zooplankton resource use efficiency. These blooms collapsed under high nutrient concentrations and inhibitory ammonia levels, with low phytoplankton biomass leading to a dramatic drop in photosynthetic oxygenation and a shift to a heterotrophic ecosystem phase. Along with the phytoplankton collapse, extremely high numbers of red planktonic crustaceans-Daphnia magna, visible through satellite images, indicated low oxygen conditions as well as a decrease or absence of fish predation pressure. Our findings provide clear evidence that the mass episode of fish and birds kill resulted through severe changes in phytoplankton and zooplankton dynamics, and the alternation on key abiotic conditions. Our study highlights that plankton-related ecosystem functions mirror the accumulated heavy anthropogenic impacts on freshwaters and could reflect a failure in conservation and restoration measures.

Public health is threatened by air pollution and high temperature, especially in urban areas and areas impacted by climate change. Well-designed urban forms have co-benefits on promoting human health and mediating atmospheric environment-related threats (e.g., high temperature and air pollution). Previous studies overlooked these mediating effects of urban form on suicide mortality. This study used partial least squares modeling and countywide data in Taiwan to identify the crucial influences and pathways of urban environment, socioeconomic status, and diseases on suicide mortality. The model considered the impact of the characteristics of urban form (i.e., urban development intensity, land mix, and urban sprawl), urban industrial status (i.e., industrial level), urban greening (i.e., green coverage), disease (i.e., important diseases morbidity of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], cerebrovascular disease [CVD], chronic liver disease and cirrhosis [CLDC], nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis [NNSN], malignant tumor [MT]), socioeconomic status (i.e., income level and aging population rate), and the atmospheric environment (i.e., air pollution and high temperature) on suicide mortality. Optimizing land mix and minimizing urban development intensity and urban sprawl have been found to reduce suicide mortality. The mediating effect of urban form on suicide mortality originated from air pollution and high temperature, and mediating air pollution was greater than high temperature. Furthermore, industrial level, important diseases (HIV, CVD, CLDC, NNSN, and MT) morbidity, an aging population rate, air pollution, and high temperature were associated with an increase in suicide mortality, whereas green coverage and income level were associated with a reduction in suicide rates. The findings demonstrate that appropriate urban policy and urban planning may lower suicide mortality, be useful strategies for suicide prevention, and be a foundation for building a healthy city. Moreover, this study provides clarity on the complex relationship of suicide and the urban environment while identifying crucial factors.

The catalytic hydrogenolysis of a typical model compound of mulching film waste, polyethylene, was investigated as a potential way to improve economic efficiency of mulching film recycling. Nickel-based heterogeneous catalysts are proposed for polyethylene hydrogenolysis to produce liquid hydrocarbons. Among catalysts supported on various carriers, Ni/SiO₂ catalyst shows the highest activity which may due to the interactions between nickel and silica with the formation of nickel phyllosilicate. As high as 81.18% total gasoline and diesel range hydrocarbon was obtained from the polyethylene hydrogenolysis at relatively mild condition of 280 °C, and 3 MPa cold hydrogen pressure. The result is comparable to what have been reported in previous studies using noble metal catalysts. The gasoline and diesel range hydrocarbon are n-alkanes with a distribution at a range of C₄–C₂₂. The gas products are primarily CH₄ along with a small amount of C₂H₆ and C₃H₈. High yield of CH₄ as much as 9.68% was observed for the cleavage of molecule occurs along the alkane chain.

The combined effects of emerging pollutants and ocean acidification (OA) on marine organisms and marine ecosystems have attracted increasing attention. However, the combined effects of tralopyril and OA on marine organisms and marine ecosystems remain unclear. In this study, Crassostrea gigas (C. gigas) were exposed to tralopyril (1 μg/L) and/or OA (PH = 7.7) for 21 days and a 14-day recovery acclimation. To investigate the stress response and potential molecular mechanisms of C. gigas to OA and tralopyril exposure alone or in combination, as well as the effects of OA and/or tralopyril on bivalve biomineralization and marine carbon cycling. The results showed that the combined toxicity was between that of acidification and tralopyril alone. Single or combined exposure activated the general stress defense responses of C. gigas mantle, affected energy metabolism and biomineralization of the organism and the carbon cycle of the marine ecosystem. Moreover, acidification-induced and tralopyril-induced toxicity showed potential recoverability at molecular and biochemical levels. This study provides a new perspective on the molecular mechanisms of tralopyril toxicity to bivalve shellfish and reveals the potential role of tralopyril and OA on marine carbon cycling.

Responses to COVID-19 altered environmental exposures and health behaviours associated with non-communicable diseases. We aimed to (1) quantify changes in nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), noise, physical activity, and greenspace visits associated with COVID-19 policies in the spring of 2020 in Barcelona (Spain), Vienna (Austria), and Stockholm (Sweden), and (2) estimated the number of additional and prevented diagnoses of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, depression, and anxiety based on these changes. We calculated differences in NO₂, noise, physical activity, and greenspace visits between pre-pandemic (baseline) and pandemic (counterfactual) levels. With two counterfactual scenarios, we distinguished between Acute Period (March 15th – April 26th, 2020) and Deconfinement Period (May 2nd – June 30th, 2020) assuming counterfactual scenarios were extended for 12 months. Relative risks for each exposure difference were estimated with exposure-risk functions. In the Acute Period, reductions in NO₂ (range of change from −16.9 μg/m³ to −1.1 μg/m³), noise (from −5 dB(A) to −2 dB(A)), physical activity (from −659 MET*min/wk to −183 MET*min/wk) and greenspace visits (from −20.2 h/m to 1.1 h/m) were largest in Barcelona and smallest in Stockholm. In the Deconfinement Period, NO₂ (from −13.9 μg/m³ to −3.1 μg/m³), noise (from −3 dB(A) to −1 dB(A)), and physical activity levels (from −524 MET*min/wk to −83 MET*min/wk) remained below pre-pandemic levels in all cities. Greatest impacts were caused by physical activity reductions. If physical activity levels in Barcelona remained at Acute Period levels, increases in annual diagnoses for MI (mean: 572 (95% CI: 224, 943)), stroke (585 (6, 1156)), depression (7903 (5202, 10,936)), and anxiety (16,677 (926, 27,002)) would be anticipated. To decrease cardiovascular and mental health impacts, reductions in NO₂ and noise from the first COVID-19 surge should be sustained, but without reducing physical activity. Focusing on cities’ connectivity that promotes active transportation and reduces motor vehicle use assists in achieving this goal.

The intensification of anomalous events of seawater warming and the co-occurrence with local anthropogenic stressors are threatening coastal marine habitats, including seagrasses, which form extensive underwater meadows. Eutrophication highly affects coastal environments, potentially summing up to the widespread effects of global climate changes. In the present study, we investigated for the first time in seagrasses, the transcriptional response of different plant organs (i.e., leaf and shoot apical meristem, SAM) of the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica growing in environments with a different history of nutrient enrichment. To this end, a mesocosm experiment exposing plants to single (nutrient enrichment or temperature increase) and multiple stressors (nutrient enrichment plus temperature increase), was performed. Results revealed a differential transcriptome regulation of plants under single and multiple stressors, showing an organ-specific sensitivity depending on plants' origin. While leaf tissues were more responsive to nutrient stress, SAM revealed a higher sensitivity to temperature treatments, especially in plants already impacted in their native environment. The exposure to stress conditions induced the modulation of different biological processes. Plants living in an oligotrophic environment were more responsive to nutrients compared to plants from a eutrophic environment. Evidences that epigenetic mechanisms were involved in the regulation of transcriptional reprogramming were also observed in both plants’ organs. These results represent a further step in the comprehension of seagrass response to abiotic stressors pointing out the importance of local pressures in a global warming scenario.

Light pollution represents a widespread long-established human-made disturbance and an important threat to nocturnal pollination. Distance from the niche centroid where optimal environmental conditions join may be related to species sensitivity to habitat change. We estimated the environmental suitability of the plant species Erythrostemon gilliesii and of its guild of hawkmoth pollinators. We considered the overlap of suitability maps of both partners as the environmental suitability of the interaction. We used a three-year record of ten E. gilliesii populations to calculate pollination intensity as the number of individuals that received pollen per population. In addition, for each population, we measured the distance to the high light pollution source around a buffer of 15 km radius. Finally, we predicted pollination intensity values for environmental suitability ranging from 0 to 1, and distance to high light pollution sources ranging from 0 to 56 Km. Pollination intensity decreased along an axis of increasing environmental suitability and increased with distance to sources of light pollution. The highest values of pollination intensity were observed at greatest distances to sources of light pollution and where environmental suitability of the interaction was lowest. The prediction model evidenced that, when environmental suitability was lowest, pollination intensity increased with distance to sources of high light pollution. However, when environmental suitability was intermediate or high, pollination intensity decreased away and until 28 km from the sources of high light pollution. Beyond 28 km from the sources of high light pollution, pollination intensity remained low and constant. Populations under conditions of low environmental suitability might be more likely to respond to disturbances that affect pollinators than populations under conditions of high environmental suitability.