Search Results (4,368)

Given the large natural gas (NG) reserves of the Intermountain West (I-WEST) region in the USA, it can emerge as a leader in hydrogen (H₂) production. Currently, H₂ production via steam methane reforming (SMR) of NG releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) and the natural gas infrastructure has fugitive NG and H₂ losses during production, conversion and transportation. Integrated carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is a promising approach for producing hydrogen and CO₂ from the SMR process for industrial uses including power, chemicals and fuels. However, the NG losses and regional water availability can be limiting factors for H₂ production. H₂ production assessments are often made at the global scale and neglect regional factors such as abundant gas and limited water in the I-WEST. We demonstrate that a regional SMR process unit sitting near NG wells offers opportunities to significantly reduce fugitive NG losses. We show that regional H₂ production by SMR has a lower emissions profile than widespread natural gas combustion in the I-WEST and reduces the H₂ production cost as well. Replacing the I-WEST transportation sector with H₂ fuel cell vehicles and using 100% H₂-powered electricity can provide substantial reductions in water consumption and fuel costs. This is better than blending H₂ with NG which is more expensive. The captured CO₂ can be effectively used for enhanced oil recovery in I-WEST. Finally, the potential of utilizing produced, brackish and treated impaired water sources is assessed to meet the water needs for H₂ production in the I-WEST. Full article

Direct Coal Liquefaction (DCL) is a promising route for converting abundant coal resources into liquid fuels, yet its efficiency remains strongly dependent on catalyst performance. In this work, we present an integrated computational framework combining density functional theory (DFT) calculations with machine learning (ML) to investigate iron–sulfur (FeS) cluster catalysts for DCL. DFT calculations were employed to examine hydrogen-donor dissociation and coal-derived radical hydrogenation on representative FeS clusters. The results indicate that the most favorable catalytic pathways arise from the cooperation between metallic Fe sites (Fe_2) and interfacial Fe sites adjacent to sulfur (Fe_1), while sulfur atoms mainly play an indirect structural and electronic modulation role. Based on these mechanistic insights, a database containing thermodynamic and kinetic data for 636 reactions across 50 FeS cluster models was constructed. This dataset was then used to train three ML classifiers, among which the Random Forest model showed the best performance, reaching accuracies of 80% for H-donor cleavage and 93% for radical hydrogenation on the held-out test sets. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis further showed that descriptors associated with Fe active-site identity were among the most influential variables in both tasks. Overall, this work provides a mechanistically informed and interpretable computational framework for understanding FeS-catalyzed DCL chemistry and for the preliminary screening of catalyst motifs within the chemical space covered by the present FeS cluster library. Full article

Forsythia suspensa flowers are a promising raw material for herbal infusions, but the effects of drying on their flavor and chemical composition remain unclear. Four drying methods, freeze-drying (FD), indoor shade drying (ID), sun drying (SD), and hot-air drying (HAD), were evaluated using an electronic nose, an electronic tongue, HS-GC-MS, LC-MS, sensory evaluation, and correlation analyses. Significant differences in aroma, taste, and overall acceptability scores were observed between drying treatments. HAD samples showed stronger sweetness, bitterness, and umami responses, whereas FD samples showed higher W1W (mainly responsive to terpenes) and W2W (mainly responsive to aromatic compounds) sensor responses. In total, 72 volatile and 148 non-volatile compounds were identified. Aldehydes were the main volatile class, showing the highest relative abundance in SD, whereas terpenes were highest in HAD. OAV analysis revealed 38 volatile compounds with OAV > 1, with nonanal as the major contributor in all groups. LC–MS screened 62 differential non-volatile compounds across the four drying treatments. Pairwise comparisons with FD showed 46 differential compounds, with HAD showing the most distinct changes. Overall, the flavor differences across drying treatments were closely associated with changes in volatile and non-volatile compounds, and HAD showed better potential for standardized processing. Full article

Alginate fiber has been widely recognized in the field of sustainable development due to its environmental friendliness, non toxicity, flame retardancy, biodegradability, good biocompatibility, abundant raw material sources, and the fact that its production process is not limited by arable land resources. However, in the application of textile and apparel, desizing efficiency and economic performance have constrained the application and development of alginate/cotton fiber shuttle-woven fabrics. To resolve the desizing problem of alginate/cotton blended fabrics in a green and effective manner, this study focuses on the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by aluminates and their crosslinking modification effect in enhancing the chemical corrosion resistance of alginate fibers; the catalytic effect of aluminates on hydrogen peroxide was investigated and applied to the oxidative decomposition of textile sizing agents, followed by a study of the oxidative desizing process. The results indicate that aluminum salts have excellent catalytic activity towards hydrogen peroxide; after adding aluminate and hydrogen peroxide to the simulated desizing starch slurry, the decomposition rate of starch reached 44.20%. Compared to traditional oxidation desizing processes, this treatment causes slight damage to the strength of alginate fibers, alginate fiber blended yarns, and pure cotton fabrics, with a loss rate of only 3.55 ± 0.08% for alginate fibers in the fabric. The application of this technology can provide important theoretical and practical support for the sustainable development of textiles and the green dyeing and finishing of alginate fibers. Full article

This paper presents a theoretical engineering feasibility analysis of the RK-X photocatalytic process for In Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) on Mars. Experimental validation under simulated Martian conditions is the essential next step before any mission deployment claim can be made. The RK-X process converts the two most abundant Martian resources, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) and subsurface water ice (H₂O), into formic acid (HCOOH) and oxygen (O₂) through a fulvic acid-based photocatalytic cycle validated at the industrial scale in Hungary. A reference module processing 10 tonnes of CO₂ per Earth year yields 10.459 tonnes of formic acid and 3.636 tonnes of oxygen, sufficient to sustain a six-person crew for approximately two Earth years with a 198% safety margin over nominal respiratory demand. The economic analysis indicates that importing equivalent oxygen from Earth costs $1.82–$3.64 million per year; equivalent energy storage (Li-ion) costs $30.5–$61 million for one-time use. Formic acid stores 15.25 MWh of energy in ambient-stable liquid form at a round-trip efficiency of 68.64% without cryogenic infrastructure. A photovoltaic array of 55.37 m² provides the primary energy source; a kilowatt-class nuclear fission reactor constitutes the strategic opportunity for continuous, dust-storm-immune operation with free thermal co-generation. Three critical research gaps have been identified requiring laboratory validation before Mars deployment: (i) catalyst performance at the Martian CO₂ partial pressure (p(CO₂) < 10 mbar, T = 15 °C); (ii) water ice and dry ice extraction at an operational scale; and (iii) integrated closed-loop system demonstration. Built on Earth-proven chemistry with identified, addressable development pathways, the RK-X process theoretically resolves the problems of oxygen supply, seasonal energy storage, water management, and cryogenic infrastructure within a single closed-loop chemical cycle. Full article

Global population growth poses major challenges to agricultural systems, demanding more efficient strategies to secure food production. Conventional approaches have relied heavily on chemical inputs; however, their overuse disrupts ecosystems, threatens biodiversity, and undermines human and environmental health. To ensure sustainable productivity, it is essential to explore alternative approaches that leverage microbial functions to enhance plant growth and resilience. Bacteria are among the most abundant soil microorganisms, playing central roles in biogeochemical cycles and plant health. While well-studied phyla such as Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota, and Bacillota have been widely applied as biofertilizers and biocontrol agents, members of the phylum Bacteroidota remain comparatively understudied despite being consistently abundant in plant-associated microbiomes. This review synthesizes current knowledge on Bacteroidota, highlighting their taxonomy, ecological diversity, contributions to nutrient cycling, and mechanisms that promote plant growth, as well as biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. We also discuss the limitations that hinder their application, particularly challenges in cultivation and isolation, and outline future research directions to harness their potential for sustainable agriculture. Full article

Macrozoobenthic communities function as important bioindicators of natural and anthropogenic pressures in transitional ecosystems and contribute to ecosystem processes. Transitional systems, such as lagoons, estuaries and coastal ponds, exhibit strong physico-chemical variability, often intensified by anthropogenic pressures and climate change. Changes in macrozoobenthic communities across five Veneto Po Delta lagoons were assessed through long-term monitoring (2008–2025) conducted within the Water Framework Directive and additional monitoring activities. The macrozoobenthic communities were analysed to assess temporal variability and inter-lagoon differences in the Po Delta system; ecological indices were generally stable, but organism density showed significant interannual fluctuations, with marked declines in 2008, 2009, 2024, and 2025. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified phases of community restructuring driven by temporal shifts in species composition and relative abundance. These patterns may reflect the interacting effects of multiple stressors, including long-term anthropogenic pressures and the recent expansion of the invasive blue crab Callinectes sapidus, although causality was not assessed. Increases in water temperature and suspended solids were observed across all lagoons, potentially affecting benthic communities. Overall, this study provides an assessment of macrozoobenthic variability and a preliminary analysis of the factors that may have influenced it, highlighting patterns that warrant further investigations to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Full article

Increasing consumer demand for natural and safe food products has led to the exploration of biocontrol alternatives to chemical preservatives, especially in the cured meat industry. The yeast Debaryomyces hansenii has emerged as a promising biocontrol candidate due to its antagonistic properties against spoilage fungi. This study assessed the impact of D. hansenii inoculation on the fungal community structure of Iberian cured pork loin using high-throughput sequencing of the ITS1 region. Ion Torrent ITS1 amplicon sequencing, QIIME2/DADA2 pipeline, and ALDEx2 differential abundance analysis were applied to this study. Pork loin samples inoculated with D. hansenii were compared to non-inoculated controls to evaluate changes in the fungal microbiome. Inoculation resulted in a marked decrease in fungal diversity and evenness, indicating strong competition by D. hansenii against native fungal populations. This effect was reflected in a significant reduction in alpha diversity in inoculated samples (Shannon, p = 0.0042; Pielou p = 0.0075; Gini–Simpson, p = 0.0081). Notably, genera associated with spoilage and mycotoxin production, particularly Aspergillus and Penicillium, were significantly reduced in inoculated samples. Simultaneously, D. hansenii became dominant, reducing other yeasts and filamentous fungi. These findings highlight the powerful competitive and biocontrol potential of D. hansenii, demonstrating its ability to improve microbial safety by potentially reducing mycotoxin-associated risks through the suppression of toxigenic genera. This is the first study to characterise the fungal community of Iberian pork loin using metabarcoding under D. hansenii inoculation. The findings confirm that the inoculation of D. hansenii can substantially reduce fungal contamination risks. Overall, the results contribute valuable insights into microbial interactions during meat curing and underscore the practical benefits of targeted starter cultures for enhancing food safety and quality. Full article

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a globally important high-value cash crop. However, long-term continuous cropping causes frequent soil-borne diseases and soil microecological imbalance, while overreliance on chemical pesticides leads to pesticide residues and water eutrophication. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are key resources for addressing tomato cultivation challenges, with their functions partly depending on the rhizosphere microenvironment inherently shaped by seedling tray materials. Using rhizosphere soil and substrates of tomato at different growth stages under biomass (BM) and plastic (PM) seedling tray treatments, this study combined culture-independent and culture-dependent techniques to analyze microbial community characteristics and screen high-efficiency PGPR. Results showed that pH and available nitrogen drove microbial community assembly. BM significantly enriched beneficial taxa (e.g., Trichoderma and Bacillus) and enhanced culturable microbial abundance and genetic diversity, while PM enriched potential pathogens (e.g., Fusarium and Pyrenochaeta). The multifunctional strain S25095 from BM, with phosphate-solubilizing, potassium-solubilizing, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-producing abilities, significantly promoted tomato shoot and root growth, outperforming single-functional strains and synthetic consortia. This study reveals the effects of growth stages and seedling tray treatments on tomato rhizosphere microorganisms, providing valuable PGPR resources for tomato cultivation. Full article

The oral cavity is home to a diverse community of microbiota comprising bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi. These microorganisms inhabit several oral niches and play a significant role in supporting both oral and systemic health. The fine balance between the microbial communities can be influenced by genetics and environmental factors, potentially leading to dysbiosis. Alterations in the oral microbiota have been implicated in periodontitis, chronic inflammation, and systemic disease. Tobacco has been identified as a major player in altering the oral microenvironment and disturbing the balance between potentially pathogenic and beneficial commensals. The resulting dysbiosis promotes inflammation and assists in the passage of pathogenic microorganisms into the blood system. This narrative review examines current evidence linking the use of tobacco with the dominance of pathogenic oral bacteria and a dysfunctional immune response. We explore how the chemicals and toxins in cigarettes promote a reduction in oxygen and cause changes in the abundance of anaerobic bacteria. After discussing the mechanistic pathways leading to periodontitis and the entry of microorganisms into the circulation, the review will interrogate previous studies and identify opportunities and priorities for future research. Full article

To address the problems of short-circuit flow and dead zones, complicated operation and control caused by intermittent influent, and the mismatch between aeration rate and oxygen demand in the Cyclic Activated Sludge System (CASS), a novel Multi-Compartment Fixed-Biofilm Cyclic Activated Sludge System (MCFCASS) was developed. This system operated in continuous-flow mode, and the aeration rate of each compartment was redistributed using a mathematical model. The results show that the plug flow ratio of the MCFCASS reactor increased from 18.75% to 31.25% compared with the CASS reactor. After aeration rate redistribution, the average total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency of the MCFCASS reactor rose from 83.34% to 86.80%, and the effluent TN concentration consistently met the Grade I-A limit (15 mg/L) specified in the Discharge Standard of Pollutants for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (GB 18918-2002). The average removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) increased from 91.58% and 93.39% to 92.98% and 94.57%, respectively. Microbial community analysis revealed that after aeration rate redistribution, the relative abundances of Pseudomonadota, Bacteroidota, and Bacillota in the pre-reaction zone of MCFCASS were 39.17%, 17.78%, and 10.33%, respectively. In addition, the abundances of some functional bacterial groups in the first and fourth compartments of the main reaction zone shifted adaptively in response to the aeration rate redistribution, consistent with the trends in pollutant removal contributions in these compartments. Hierarchical clustering and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) further indicated that aeration rate redistribution influenced the microbial community structure. The above laboratory-scale optimization results may provide a preliminary reference for aeration control and improvement of denitrification performance in similar processes. Full article

Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions exhibit strong process-level heterogeneity, yet regional source characterization still commonly relies on sector-average profiles, introducing substantial uncertainty into source identification and control prioritization. In this study, process-resolved VOC source profiles were established for five representative industrial sectors in Deyang, a typical industrial city in the Chengdu–Chongqing region, including pharmaceutical manufacturing, industrial coating, chemical industry, food manufacturing, and the textile industry. A total of 19 organized emission samples were collected from 9 enterprises, and 123 VOC species were quantified. These measured profiles were further integrated with literature-derived profiles and a bottom-up emission inventory to construct an emission-weighted regional composite source profile for 17 major industrial sectors. An emission-based hydroxyl radical (OH) reactivity-weighted framework was then introduced to compare mass-dominant and chemically dominant VOC sources. The results showed pronounced process- and sector-specific differences in composition. Pharmaceutical manufacturing was mainly dominated by oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs), industrial coating by low-carbon halocarbons, the chemical industry by methanol and reactive low-carbon compounds, food manufacturing by alkenes and OVOCs, and the textile industry by light alkanes. At the regional scale, industrial VOC emissions were dominated by OVOCs (35.67%), followed by alkanes (19.01%) and aromatics (15.99%). Ethyl acetate, 1,4-dioxane, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, and m/p-xylene were identified as the most abundant species. However, OH reactivity was largely dominated by alkenes, and substantial discrepancies were observed between emission contribution and OH-reactivity-weighted contribution across sectors. In particular, the chemical industry contributed 21.10 ± 8.43% of reactive organic gas emissions but 28.82 ± 11.61% of OH-weighted emissions, whereas printing contributed 13.55 ± 13.42% of mass emissions but only 7.66 ± 13.08% of OH-weighted emissions. These findings demonstrate that regional VOC management should move beyond bulk mass reduction and prioritize high-reactivity sectors and process units to maximize O₃ mitigation benefits. Full article

In order to evaluate the utilization potential and environmental risk of iron tailings in ameliorating soda saline–alkali soil, a leaching experiment of iron tailings was carried out by simulating the soil acid–base environment and the saline–alkali stress environment of soda saline–alkali, and the basic physicochemical properties and the content and leaching characteristics of metal elements of iron tailings were analyzed to evaluate the environmental risk. The results showed that the iron tailings sand had a large specific surface area (0.66~0.91 m²·g⁻¹) and a rich pore structure (pore diameter 9.07~11.48 nm), which was conducive to the adsorption of salt-alkali by iron tailings sand. The main chemical composition of iron tailings is SiO₂ (33.39%~57.32%) and Fe₂O₃ (8.47%~14.94%), the content of plant nutrient elements in iron tailings is abundant, and the content of risk elements is far below the national standard limit. The leaching experiment results indicated that under acid or alkali conditions, the leaching amounts of various metal elements from the iron tailings met the national water quality standards for farmland irrigation, with Cd, Hg, Mn, Al, Ca, and others being more readily leached under acidic conditions. Under the same pH conditions, Cd, Hg, As, Al, and others were more readily leached under the soda saline–alkali environment. Unlike in the soil acid–base environment, the correlations between the leaching amounts of different metals were weaker under the combined soda saline–alkali stress, with only As and Al showing a positive correlation with the pH of the leachate, though the correlation was not significant. This study confirms that the environmental risk of using iron tailings for the improvement of soda saline–alkali soil is relatively low, and long-term changes in the contents of heavy metals such as As and Al in the soil should be given focused attention in future work. Full article

The pulping and paper-making (P&P) industry is one of the world’s largest manufacturing sectors, yet it is plagued by high water/energy consumption and massive discharge of highly polluted wastewater. The effluents from pulping, bleaching and papermaking processes are characterized by high chemical oxygen demand (COD), intense color, toxic adsorbable organohalides (AOX) and abundant refractory lignin, which pose significant threats to aquatic ecology and human health. Although conventional physical, chemical and biological treatments have been widely applied, they are constrained by insufficient degradation efficiency toward recalcitrant organics, high cost and potential secondary pollution. In recent years, electrocatalytic technologies including electrocatalytic oxidation, electroreduction and their integrated processes, have demonstrated superior efficacy in specific scenarios of P&P wastewater treatment, such as lignin degradation, toxic side-streams treatment, pretreatment for enhancing biodegradability, and polishing steps in integrated treatment systems, which are not universally applicable solutions for P&P wastewater remediation. Meanwhile, biomass fuel cells typified by direct biomass fuel cells (DBFC) and microbial fuel cells (MFC) provide promising pathways for synchronous pollutant removal, energy production and resource recovery. Representative studies have reported COD removal efficiencies of 60–100% for electrochemical and advanced oxidation processes, while integrated electro-Fenton–biological treatment increased the BOD/COD ratio from 0.34 to 0.52 and achieved an overall COD removal of 94%. It should be noted that these advanced electrochemical technologies are still confronted with challenges in industrial scale-up, high energy and electrode material costs, and stable continuous operation. This review systematically elaborates on the physicochemical properties, generation mechanisms and environmental impacts of P&P wastewater, comprehensively summarizes the mainstream treatment technologies including physicochemical, biological, electrochemical and integrated processes, and analyzes their reaction mechanisms, efficiencies and applicable conditions. Particular emphasis is placed on electrocatalytic treatment and bio-electrochemical valorization strategies. This review is anticipated to provide a valuable reference for the efficient and targeted treatment as well as sustainable utilization of P&P wastewater, thereby supporting the green and low-carbon development of the P&P industry. Full article

To reveal the long-term anti-aging mechanisms of rubber–plastic elastomer-modified asphalt in complex service environments and overcome the inherent defects of single polymer modifiers—namely their susceptibility to degradation or phase separation—this study prepared styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), low Mooney rubber (LMMR), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE)-modified asphalts. Simultaneously, an LMMR-LDPE rubber–plastic thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) was fabricated utilizing twin-screw extrusion technology and subsequently used to prepare a composite-modified asphalt. Three aging protocols were simulated: short-term thermo-oxidative aging (RTFOT), long-term pressure aging (PAV), and ultraviolet light aging (UV). A multi-scale quantitative characterization was conducted using a dynamic shear rheometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy to evaluate the rutting factor, carbonyl index, and surface microroughness of each system before and after aging. The experimental results indicate that the coupled effect of long-term stress and thermal oxidation causes the most severe damage to the colloidal structure of modified asphalt. Conventional SBS-modified asphalt, due to its abundance of unsaturated double bonds, exhibits a sharp increase in the carbonyl index and aging index of the rutting factor after aging, making it highly susceptible to oxidative chain scission. Although LDPE-modified asphalt possesses chemical inertness, it is prone to crystalline phase separation under aging conditions, resulting in a microroughness distortion rate of up to 86.36%. In contrast, the LMMR-LDPE composite system, leveraging the high chemical stability of the saturated aliphatic carbon chain and the flexibility-enhancing and crystallization-inhibiting effects of LMMR, effectively reduces active oxidation sites and improves interfacial compatibility. This composite system exhibits the lowest carbonyl increment and rheological attenuation under all aging conditions, while effectively inhibiting the free migration and agglomeration of macromolecular components. The LMMR-LDPE composite modification technology effectively overcomes the inherent drawbacks of single polymers, such as susceptibility to degradation or segregation, demonstrating excellent long-term macroscopic rheological stability and microscopic phase morphology anti-aging capability. The present findings provide laboratory-scale mechanistic support for the design of durable rubber–plastic-modified asphalt systems, while further pilot-scale, economic, and field validation is still required before practical engineering application can be fully assessed. Full article