Novel insights into PAHs accumulation and multi-method characterization of interaction between groundwater and surface water in middle Yangtze River: Hydrochemistry, isotope hydrology and fractionation effect.

To meet the challenge of water quality protection and management in the middle Yangtze River and understand the accumulation mechanism of PAHs in aquatic complexity systems, caused by hydro-chemical changes, anthropogenic and geological activities, and intensive surface water-groundwater interaction, a comprehensive study is urgently needed. The study investigated the pollution levels, potential sources, accumulation mechanism, and groundwater- surface water interaction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wet and dry seasons of the middle Yangtze River. There was no significant difference of PAHs accumulation between wet and dry seasons of the middle Yangtze River.

Mechanistic insights into the viral microorganism inactivation during lime stabilization for wastewater sludges.

The pathogens inactivation in wastewater sludges is vitally important for safely managing solid wastes and protecting public and environmental health especially in the emergency. Reports have shown the effectiveness of lime to kill virus pathogens in sludges, but mechanism of virus inactivation and related human diseases is unclear. This study evaluated representative limes of CaO/CaO on actual viral microorganism inactivation by viral metagenomic sequencing technology.

Three-Dimensional Vascular Structure of Caudal and Dorsal Fins of a Dwarf Sperm Whale.

Previous studies have described two distinct vascular systems in cetacean fins. However, these studies have been limited to Delphinoidea species, with little information on their three-dimensional structures. In this study, the anatomical analysis of the caudal and dorsal fins of a dwarf sperm whale was conducted using X-ray computed tomography and gross dissection with staining, providing the first confirmation of the two vascular systems in the fins of the family Kogiidae.

Spatiotemporal Mapping of the Evolution of Silver Nanoparticles in Living Cells.

Bioaccumulated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can undergo transformation and release toxic Ag, which can be further reduced and form secondary AgNPs (AgNPs). However, the intricate interconversions among AgNPs, Ag, and AgNPs remain speculative. Herein, we developed a bioimaging method by coupling the aggregation-induced emission method with the label-free confocal scattering and hyperspectral imaging techniques to quantitatively visualize the biodistribution and biotransformation of AgNPs, AgNPs, and Ag in living cells.

Revealing microbial compatibility of partial nitritation/Anammox biofilm from sidestream to mainstream applications: Origins, dynamics, and interrelationships.

Biofilms offer a solution to the challenge of low biomass retention faced in mainstream partial nitritation/Anammox (PN/A) applications. In this study, a one-stage PN/A reactor derived from initial granular sludge was successfully transformed into a biofilm system using shedding carriers. Environmental stressors, such as ammonium nitrogen concentration and organic matter, significantly affected the competitive dynamics and dominant species composition between Ca.

Bisphenols in indoor dust: A comprehensive review of global distribution, exposure risks, transformation, and biomonitoring.

Bisphenols (BPs) are pervasive environmental contaminants extensively found in indoor environments worldwide. Despite their ubiquitous presence and potential health risks, there remains a notable gap in the comprehensive reviews focusing on BPs in indoor dust. Existing literature often addresses specific aspects such as exposure pathways, transformation products, or biomonitoring techniques, but lacks a consolidated, in-depth review encompassing all these facets.

Molecular composition difference of electron donating moieties between natural organic matter and effluent organic matter probed by chlorine dioxide.

Lignin- and tannin-like phenolic compounds are shown to be the major compositions of electron donating moieties (EDM) of aquatic natural organic matter (NOM). However, little is known about the compositions of EDMs within effluent organic matter (EfOM). In the present study, chlorine dioxide (ClO) was used as a selectively oxidative probe to investigate the difference in the molecular composition of EDM between NOM and EfOM due to its high selectivity towards electron-rich compounds.

Social and knowledge diversity in forest education: Vital for the world's forests.

A global assessment of the status of tertiary, vocational, and technical forest education and training found deficits in inclusion of knowledge and student diversity. Coverage of forest services and cultural and social issues was characterized as weak in the curricula of many programs. The inclusion of traditional and Indigenous knowledge was frequently poor or absent.

A comprehensive pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis for the assessment of microplastics in various salts.

Analytical pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(Py-GC/MS) was chosen to quantify microplastics(MPs) in edible salts: sea salt(SS), deep-sea salt(DSS), rock salt(RS), and lake salt(LS). Samples were filtered by two-step using 20 μm(MPs20) and 1 μm(MPs1) filters. Two Py-GC/MS methods with split ratios of 100/1 for high-level and 10/1 for low-level MPs were used.

Synergized Effects of Amino Acids and NaCl to Enhance Silicate Mineral Dissolution in Aqueous Environments for Efficient Atmospheric CO Removal.

Enhanced weathering of silicate minerals is a promising approach for reducing atmospheric CO levels by increasing the aquatic pH and facilitating CO dissolution. However, the slow and unsustainable dissolution of silicate minerals in natural environments remains a challenge. This study proposed a new CO capture system that uses the combined effect of amino acids and NaCl to promote mineral dissolution, and its characteristics were investigated experimentally.

Terrestrial dissolved organic matter inputs affect the nitrous oxide emission revealed by FT-ICR MS.

Nitrous oxide (NO) emission from lake systems could be affected via intrusion of terrestrial organic matter, causing impairment in biogeochemical cycling. The sources and mechanisms by which DOM (Dissolved organic matter) alters emissions of NO are poorly understood. Here, we simulate different terrestrial DOM (anthropogenic sources, natural sources, and surface runoff) to assess the mechanisms affecting NO emissions with variations of DOM.

Effects of copper and lead on the sorption and desorption behaviors of benzene onto humic acids and black carbons.

Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, combined pollution caused by BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) and heavy metals has become ubiquitous in soils, which would pose serious health risks to humans. However, the effects of heavy metals on the sorption and desorption behaviors of BTEX have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the effects of Cu and Pb ions on the sorption and desorption of benzene onto humic acids and black carbons were investigated.

Diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) for in situ measurement of neonicotinoid insecticides (NNIs) in waters.

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NNIs) are among the most widely-used insecticides, although their threat to non-target organisms has attracted attention in recent years. In this study, a diffusive gradient in thin-films (DGT) passive sampling technique was developed for in situ monitoring of time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of NNIs in groundwater and wastewater. Systematic studies demonstrated that DGT with HLB as binding gels (HLB-DGT) is suitable for quantitative sampling of NNIs under a wide range of conditions, independent of pH (5-9.

Relative age effect on the physical activity and sedentary behavior in children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years old: a cross-sectional study in Japan.

Background: Few studies have shown that relatively younger children and adolescents (those born later in the same school year) were less likely to engage in physical activity in a phenomenon termed the relative age effect. Although these studies mainly targeted elementary and middle school students, no study has reported on the relative age effect on physical activity in ordinary high school students. Moreover, the relative age effect on sedentary behavior might show an opposite association with physical activity.

Outdoor thermal performance of urban development patterns in Greater Adelaide since the late 19 century.

Extreme heat events have become more common and more severe during summer than ever before as a result of the warming climate in Australia. The impact of urban morphology and green coverage on outdoor thermal comfort has been the subject of extensive research, however, their link to suburban developments of different historic periods is still underexplored. This paper investigates and compares the outdoor thermal performance of ten suburban areas constructed since the late nineteenth century in Greater Adelaide, which were built to different planning ideals and concepts of their time.

Transformation of Natural Organic Matter in Simulated Abiotic Redox Dynamic Environments: Impact on Fe Cycling.

Redox fluctuations within redox dynamic environments influence the redox state of natural organic matter (NOM) and its interaction with redox-active elements, such as iron. In this work, we investigate the changes in the molecular composition of NOM during redox fluctuations as well as the impact of these changes on the Fe-NOM interaction employing Suwannee River Dissolved Organic Matter (SRDOM) as a representative NOM. Characterization of SRDOM using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry showed that irreversible changes occurred following electrochemical reduction and reoxidation of SRDOM in air.

Fluoride contamination in African groundwater: Predictive modeling using stacking ensemble techniques.

Fluoride contamination of groundwater is a severe public health problem in Africa due to natural factors that include geological weathering of fluoride-bearing minerals and climatic conditions characterized by high evaporation rates that highly elevate fluoride levels. Anthropogenic activities further aggravate the problem and have affected millions of people in countries such as; South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Botswana, and Egypt. High fluoride levels of up to 10 mg/L have been encountered in parts of the East African Rift Valley, above the WHO's recommended limit of 1.

Integrated impacts of mariculture on nitrogen cycling processes in the coastal groundwater of Beihai, southern China.

Groundwater nitrogen (N) contamination in coastal zones is becoming an increasingly serious global issue. Mariculture, as a major anthropogenic activity, has profound impacts on coastal groundwater and constitutes an important source of coastal N contamination. However, a comprehensive understanding of the impact of mariculture on N cycling (especially N removal) is still lacking.

A Physically Constrained Deep-Learning Fusion Method for Estimating Surface NO Concentration from Satellite and Ground Monitors.

Accurate estimation of atmospheric chemical concentrations from multiple observations is crucial for assessing the health effects of air pollution. However, existing methods are limited by imbalanced samples from observations. Here, we introduce a novel deep-learning model-measurement fusion method (DeepMMF) constrained by physical laws inferred from a chemical transport model (CTM) to estimate NO concentrations over the Continental United States (CONUS).

Extended Spherical Diffusion Theory: Electrochemiluminescence Imaging Analysis of Diffusive Molecules from Spherical Biosamples.

Spherical biosamples such as immunobeads, cells, and cell aggregates have been widely used in bioapplications. The bioactivity of individual spherical biosamples in highly sensitive assays and individual analyses must be evaluated in a high-throughput manner. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) imaging was recently proposed for the high-throughput analysis of diffusive molecules from spherical biosamples.