Combined contamination of tire and road wear microplastics with heavy metals in expressway tunnels: occurrence characteristics and risk assessment.

Tire and road wear microplastics (TRWMPs), as an important type of microplastics, have attracted increasing attention. However, current studies on their contamination within expressway tunnels remain limited. Therefore, we investigated the occurrence characteristics of TRWMPs in dusts from various tunnels, and combined contamination with heavy metals (HMs).

Covalent organic framework membranes with vertically aligned nanorods for efficient separation of rare metal ions.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as promising platforms for membrane separations, while remaining challenging for separating ions in a fast and selective way. Here, we propose a concept of COF membranes with vertically aligned nanorods for efficient separation of rare metal ions. A quaternary ammonium-functionalized monomer is rationally designed to synthesize COF layers on porous substrates via interfacial synthesis.

Driving sustainability in the sugarcane industry: Life Cycle Assessment of conventional and emerging spraying technologies in Tanzania.

Sugarcane dominates global sugar and bioethanol production, involving extensive cultivation and supply chain activities. The sugarcane development encounters challenges, such as climate change, diseases, pests, and water scarcity, affecting growth and yields. Sugarcane management often involves the use of pesticides, which risk soil and water contamination.

Mechanistic Study of Highly Active Bifunctional Double-Atom Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution Reactions.

Dual-atom catalysts (DACs) can be very effective for catalyzing both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we present theoretical evidence of a new class of highly active DACs, namely, the double-atom embedded in nitrogen-doped graphene sheet 2M-N-C (M = Mn, Fe) on the basis of density functional theory calculations. Importantly, we find that the double active sites of 2M-N-C DACs entail an unconventional catalytic reaction pathway for ORR and OER.

Simultaneous adsorption of ammonia nitrogen and phosphate on electro-assisted magnesium/aluminum-loaded sludge-based biochar and its utilization as a plant fertilizer.

Herein, Mg/Al-loaded sludge-based biochar was prepared via electro-assisted impregnation. The structure and chemical analysis of modified sludge-based biochar (MgSBC-0.5(@Al) showed that the material was loaded with MgO and Al2O3.

Chronic exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons alters skin virome composition and virus-host interactions.

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in polluted air influences the composition of the skin microbiome, which in turn is associated with altered skin phenotypes. However, the interactions between PAH exposure and viromes are unclear. This study aims to elucidate how PAH exposure affects the composition and function of skin viruses, their role in shaping the metabolism of bacterial hosts, and the subsequent effects on skin phenotype.

N-doped CoO-anchored ultrafine Pt nanoparticles for acidic hydrogen evolution reaction.

An efficient hydrogen evolution reaction catalyst of ultrafine Pt nanoparticles loaded onto N-doped CoO was synthesized. This catalyst displayed high electrocatalytic activity and stability. The outstanding performance is attributed to the interactions between the active sites and support, as well as the regulation of the electronic structure through covalent nitrogen bridging.

Solid Additive Engineering for Next-generation Organic Photovoltaics.

Solution-processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs) have emerged as a promising next-generation photovoltaic technology. In this emerging field, there is a growing trend of employing solid additives (SAs) to fine-tune the BHJ morphology and unlock the full potential of OSCs. SA engineering offers several significant benefits for commercialization, including the ability to i) control film-forming kinetics to expedite high-throughput fabrication, ii) leverage weak noncovalent interactions between SA and BHJ materials to enhance the efficiency and stability of OSCs, and iii) simplify procedures to facilitate cost-effective production and scaling-up.

Efficient Production of Bacterial Cellulose Using Komagataeibacter sucrofermentans on Sustainable Feedstocks.

The production of bacterial cellulose (BC) has indeed garnered global attention due to its versatile properties and applications. Despite potential benefits, the challenges like low productivity, high fermentation costs, and expensive culture media hinder its industrialization. Utilizing low-cost substrates, especially waste streams, can help address the challenges.

Out-of-plane coordination of iridium single atoms with organic molecules and cobalt-iron hydroxides to boost oxygen evolution reaction.

Advancements in single-atom-based catalysts are crucial for enhancing oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance while reducing precious metal usage. A comprehensive understanding of underlying mechanisms will expedite this progress further. Here we report Ir single atoms coordinated out-of-plane with dimethylimidazole (MI) on CoFe hydroxide (Ir/(Co,Fe)-OH/MI).

Advanced nanobubble flotation for enhanced removal of sub-10 µm microplastics from wastewater.

Sub-10 µm microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments pose significant ecological and health risks due to their mobility and potential to carry harmful microcontaminants. Our effluent analysis from a Hong Kong Sewage Treatment Works shows that traditional treatment often fails to effectively remove these MPs. These small-sized MPs are commonly neglected due to challenges in accurate quantification, analysis, and removal.

Distribution characteristics of TiO NPs in Daihai lake and their stability regulated by abiotic factors.

Accurate detection and stability analysis of titanium dioxide (TiO NPs) in surface water are critical for ecological risk assessment. Quantitative analysis of TiO NPs in water and sediment of Daihai Lake was performed and their occurrence forms was characterized by TEM, XRD and FTIR. Further investigation into the impact of pH, ionic strength (IS) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the stability of TiO NPs was carried out, along with a correlation analysis between abiotic factors and TiO NPs concentration.

Diverse and specialized metabolic capabilities of microbes in oligotrophic built environments.

Background: Built environments (BEs) are typically considered to be oligotrophic and harsh environments for microbial communities under normal, non-damp conditions. However, the metabolic functions of microbial inhabitants in BEs remain poorly understood. This study aimed to shed light on the functional capabilities of microbes in BEs by analyzing 860 representative metagenome-assembled genomes (rMAGs) reconstructed from 738 samples collected from BEs across the city of Hong Kong and from the skin surfaces of human occupants.

Molecular properties of dissolved organic matter leached from microplastics during photoaging process.

The occurrence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from microplastics (MPs) and its effect on aquatic systems has attracted great interest recently. However, the photoaging effect on the molecular structure of MP-derived DOM (MP-DOM) remains unclear. This paper presents the characteristics of DOM leached from three commercial MPs, i.

Physical Field Effects to Suppress Polysulfide Shuttling in Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSB) with high theoretical energy density are plagued by the infamous shuttle effect of lithium polysulfide (LPS) and the sluggish sulfur reduction/evolution reaction. Extensive research is conducted on how to suppress shuttle effects, including physical structure confinement engineering, chemical adsorption strategy, and the design of sulfur redox catalysts. Recently, the rational design to mitigate shuttle effects and enhance reaction kinetics based on physical field effects has been widely studied, providing a more fundamental understanding of interactions with sulfur species.

evolution of electrocatalysts for enhanced electrochemical nitrate reduction under realistic conditions.

Electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia (ENRA) is gaining attention for its potential in water remediation and sustainable ammonia production, offering a greener alternative to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. Current research on ENRA is dedicated to enhancing ammonia selectively and productivity with sophisticated catalysts. However, the performance of ENRA and the change of catalytic activity in more complicated solutions (i.

Advancing the Understanding of Microplastic Weathering: Insights from a Novel Polarized Light Scattering Approach.

Weathering is a significant process that alters the properties of microplastics (MPs) and consequently affects their environmental behaviors. In this study, we introduced a novel approach based on polarized light scattering technique, which offers advantages in terms of rapid, high-throughput, and submicron-sized detection. This technique was successfully applied to characterize the weathered MPs after a 180-day laboratory simulation of coastal environments.

Selective Hydrogenation of Furfural Under Mild Conditions Over Single-Atom Pd/α-MoC Catalyst.

The selective activation of C=O bonds was the key challenge in the field of biomass utilization. Researchers worked on this purpose by developing high-active and high-selective catalysts. In this study, a Pd/α-MoC single-atom catalyst was synthesized and applied in selective hydrogenation of biomass-derived furfural with 96.