Search Results (297)

In global economic integration and rapid urbanization, the equilibrium between resource utilization efficiency and ecological preservation is confronted with significant challenges. Emerging contaminants have further exacerbated environmental pressures and posed threats to the ecosystem and human health. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a prominent area of research in ecological remediation, owing to their distinctive porous configuration, substantial specific surface area, and exceptional chemical stability. The Materials Institute Lavoisier (MIL) series (e.g., MIL-53, MIL-88, MIL-100, MIL-101, and MIL-125) has been shown to effectively promote the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers and significantly enhance the degradation of organic contaminants. This property renders it highly promising for the photocatalytic degradation of emerging contaminants. This paper provides a concise overview of the classification, synthesis methods, modification strategies, and application effects of MIL series MOFs in the removal of emerging contaminants. The advantages and limitations of MIL series MOFs in environmental remediation are further analyzed. Particularly, we offer insights and support for innovative strategies in the treatment of emerging contaminants, including POPs, PPCPs, VOCs, and microplastics, contributing to technological innovation and development in environmental remediation. Future development of MOFs includes the optimization of the performance of the MILs, reducing the high synthesis costs of MILs, applying MILs in real-environment scenarios, and accurate detection of degradation products of environmental pollutants. Full article

The discharge of synthetic dyes into aquatic ecosystems stands as a pointed environmental concern, with serious consequences affecting not only biodiversity and water quality but also human health. To address this challenge, this study introduces a natural Tunisian chert, a silica-rich sedimentary rock, as a promising, sustainable, and low-cost adsorbent for treating textile dye-polluted wastewater. For the first time, the adsorption capabilities of a Tunisian chert were systematically evaluated for both cationic (Methylene Blue; MB and Cationic Yellow 28; CY28) and anionic dyes (Eriochrome Black T; EBT). To assess the impacts of key operational parameters, such as pH (2–12), contact time (0–240 min), adsorbent dosage (0.02–0.25 g), and initial dye concentration (50–500 mg/L), batch mode adsorption trials were performed. The Langmuir isotherm model most accurately fits the adsorption data, yielding a maximum adsorption capacity of 138.88 mg/g for MB, 69.93 mg/g for CY28, and 119.04 mg/g for EBT, outperforming multiple conventional adsorbents. Kinetic modeling revealed that adsorption adhered to a pseudo-second-order model, with rapid equilibrium within 45–60 min, highlighting the efficiency of the Tunisian chert. Optimal dye removal was obtained at pH = 8 for cationic dyes and pH = 4 for EBT, driven by electrostatic interactions and surface charge dynamics. The current research work reveals that Tunisian chert is a low-cost and efficient adsorbent with a high potential serving for large-scale industrial applications in wastewater treatment. Using a locally abundant natural resource, this work provides a maintainable and economical approach for dye removal from polluted wastewater. Full article

Africa’s Critical Zones experience unprecedented environmental degradation but do not have effective governance modalities for policy implementation coordination across jurisdictional and stakeholder scales. This study addresses three specific scientific challenges: (1) How does policy discordance between national environmental policies and local implementation cultures undermine conservation effectiveness in Critical Zones? (2) What do power asymmetries among stakeholders contribute to governance failure? (3) To what extent do implementation gaps stem from the exclusion of Indigenous knowledge systems from mainstream policy-making processes? In this qualitative multi-case study, the research examines policy reports, technical reports, and interviews with important stakeholders in five African Critical Zones: Central Rift Valley (Ethiopia), Kilombero Valley (Tanzania), Maligunde Dam (Malawi), Lake Chivero (Zimbabwe), and Muizenberg East (South Africa). Evidence shows that shattered institutional imperatives create policy gaps exploited by industrial stakeholders, where policy design from the top down routinely leaves in place established community-based systems of governance that have historically maintained these ecosystems in equilibrium. Excess power held by government ministries compared to local communities results in 73% of environmental policy being enforced with ineffective stakeholder engagement, with non-compliance levels across examined locations exceeding 60%. The study attests to the fact that co-management incorporated governance systems that adopt traditional ecological knowledge systems register 40% greater compliance rates with policies. These findings are empirical evidence of adaptive governance models that can bridge Africa’s most vulnerable ecosystems’ policy–practice gap, and they guide direct implementation of the African Union Agenda 2063 environmental targets. Full article

Sustainable agricultural development requires ensuring food security while preserving essential ecological conditions. This study incorporated ecosystem service value and carbon emissions as the positive and negative ecological outputs of agriculture, respectively, to account for the AGEE of 31 Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2021 and to analyse its spatiotemporal characteristics. The Malmquist Index was employed to calculate the green total factor productivity (GTP) as a quantitative indicator of AGEE dynamics, providing further insights into the sources and equilibrium of AGEE growth, as well as provincial-level improvement paths. Furthermore, the Spatial Durbin Model was applied to systematically analyse the influencing factors and their associated spatial spillover effects. The results show the following: (1) AGEE demonstrated steady improvement, with a mean value of 0.576, and was spatially concentrated along a northeast–southwest axis, exhibiting regional disparities and polarisation. (2) GTP consistently exceeded 1, indicating overall AGEE growth, primarily driven by technological scale expansion. Regional imbalances in AGEE growth had emerged, with heterogeneous causes across economic regions. Three identified AGEE improvement paths—technological catch-up, green innovation, and technological progress—varied by province, with green innovation being the most common priority. (3) AGEE exhibited spatial autocorrelation, with rural income, adequate irrigation, and cropping structure promoting AGEE. Effective irrigation also exhibited a positive spatial spillover effect, whereas industrial structure hindered AGEE. These findings provide valuable insights for advancing green agricultural practices and sustainable regional development. Full article

Manganese (Mn) has emerged as a contaminant of concern due to its occurrence at concentrations exceeding regulatory limits in various environmental matrices, driven by both anthropogenic activities and natural geochemical processes. Although Mn is an essential micronutrient, excessive exposure poses risks to human health and ecosystems. This study investigates the potential application of Moringa oleifera seed pods, an agro-industrial byproduct, as low-cost biosorbents for Mn ion removal from aqueous solutions. Biosorbents were prepared from raw seed pods and chemically modified using NaOH and HCl. Surface characterization was performed using SEM, EDS, and FTIR techniques. Kinetic analysis indicated that Mn ion adsorption by all biosorbents followed a pseudo-second-order model, with equilibrium reached within 30 min. Among the tested materials, the alkali-treated biosorbent exhibited the highest removal efficiency (94%) under optimal conditions (288 K, pH 6.0, 60 min). Equilibrium data fitted both Langmuir and the Freundlich isotherms, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 7.64 mg g⁻¹ for alkali-treated pods and 6.00 mg g⁻¹ for the unmodified pods. Thermodynamic analysis revealed negative Gibbs free energy values, confirming the spontaneous nature of the biosorption process. Enthalpy values below 40 kJ mol⁻¹ (Pod_NA: 11.88 kJ mol⁻¹; Pod_AC: 1.08 kJ mol⁻¹; Pod_BA: 8.94 kJ mol⁻¹) suggest that physisorption is the predominant mechanism. These findings demonstrate the viability of Moringa oleifera pods as effective biosorbents for Mn ion remediation, supporting the valorization of agricultural waste within sustainable water treatment strategies. Full article

Phosphates pollution, primarily from agricultural runoff and wastewater discharge, is a major contributor to water eutrophication, adversely affecting aquatic ecosystems. This study reports the synthesis, characterization, and phosphates adsorption performance of a MgAlFe-layered double hydroxide (MgAlFe-LDH) with a 2:1:1 cationic ratio. The material was prepared via co-precipitation and characterized using digital microscopy, XRD, BET, XPS, and FTIR. Adsorption experiments were conducted at pH 3 and 9 to investigate equilibrium, kinetics, and reusability. The MgAlFe-LDH exhibited a high maximum adsorption capacity (q_max ≈ 215 mg/g) largely independent of pH, with adsorption well described by the Langmuir model. Kinetic studies revealed a pseudo-first-order mechanism, indicating that adsorption is dominated by surface diffusion and electrostatic interactions. Phosphate removal occurs through a dual mechanism involving rapid electrostatic attraction at protonated surface sites and slower ion exchange in the LDH interlayers. The material retained over 75% of its adsorption capacity after five consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles, highlighting its potential for sustainable phosphate recovery. Overall, the MgAlFe-LDH represents a promising, reusable adsorbent for phosphorus removal from wastewater, supporting circular economy strategies. Full article

Mosses are key players in semi-arid ecosystems; however, the functional roles of mosses on hydrologic buffering and water quality have hardly been assessed. In the present study, the water storage, saturation dynamics, and ion release experiment of a set of four moss species (Hypnum lacunosum, Homalothecium lutescens, Dicranum scoparium, and Tortella tortuosa) was performed by a more simplified immersion and drainage procedure with water chemistry analyses. All species reached a sorption equilibrium between 10 and 20 min, with pleurocarpous taxa retaining 20–35% more water than acrocarpous species and possessing water-holding capacities (WHCs) between 300% and 700% of dry weight. Species-specific differences in water chemistry (pH, EC, and TDS) were observed: Tortella tortuosa presented the greatest ionic flux, and Hypnum lacunosum presented little variation in pH and electrical conductivity. These findings imply that the mosses operate as micro-scale buffers regulating both water quantity and water quality, and thereby the soil stability, infiltration, and drought resilience. The combined hydrological and biogeochemical view offers a novel understanding of bryophyte ecohydrology and highlights the significance of mosses in the practice of watershed management and climate-change mitigation. Full article

Cross-category innovation in digital platform ecosystems is increasingly pivotal for competitive reconfiguration, and the value it generates for users primarily stems from the benefits of network effects. By extending the spatial competition framework of the Hotelling model through a four-stage sequential game comprising category competition, we formalize the strategic mechanism for expanding network effects governing benchmark competition and category dynamics. The cross-category innovation strategy proposed in this paper offers valuable insights in three key areas: investment in core technological advantages, reconstruction of user cognitive boundaries, and strengthening ecological dependency within the ecosystem. By transcending the limitations in the explanatory power of traditional management theories for cross-organizational boundary issues, this study integrates digital contexts into its analytical framework, thus providing a novel perspective for understanding the dynamic processes of cross-category innovation in digital platform ecosystems. Full article

Digital interventions are widely promoted as levers of institutional change, yet their effects often prove fragile. We examine why some interventions persist while others fade. Using crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (csQCA) on 13 large-scale cases from India and abroad, we identify the configurations of conditions under which digital systems become self-sustaining. We conceptualise persistence as a shift in the Nash equilibrium: when incentives realign, the new behaviour maintains itself without continuing external push. The analysis shows that software openness is neither necessary nor sufficient for durable change. Instead, six non-technological conditions—regulatory enablement, a credible revenue model, substantial scale, a clearly targeted systemic barrier, presence of enabling prerequisites, and sufficient time—are each necessary and, in combination, sufficient for an equilibrium shift; no single condition is enough on its own. Successful cases (e.g., Aadhaar, UPI, Chalo, Swiggy) meet these conditions in combination, whereas others (e.g., ONDC, DIKSHA, ICDS-CAS) illustrate how missing elements limit institutional embedding. The paper contributes a theory-informed diagnostic that links game-theoretic stability to configurational evaluation and provides practical “if–then” decision rules for appraisal. We argue that policy and investment decisions should prioritise incentive-compatible ecosystems over software attributes, and judge success by whether interventions reconfigure the rules of the game rather than by short-term uptake. This perspective clarifies when digital systems can contribute to sustainable, inclusive institutional transformation. Full article

China’s healthcare expenditure tripled during 2010–2019, prompting the nationwide implementation of centralized volume-based procurement (CVBP). While effective in reducing drug prices, CVBP introduces sustainability challenges including supply chain vulnerabilities and welfare trade-offs. This study develops a pharmaceutical sector-embedded computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to quantify CVBP’s multidimensional sustainability impacts. Using China’s 2020 Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) with simulated 10–50% price reductions, key findings reveal that (1) >40% price reductions trigger sectoral output reversal; (2) GDP exhibits an inverted U-shape; (3) household income declines despite corporate/government gains; and (4) industrial contraction impairs innovation capacity and employment stability. Our analysis identifies potential sustainability risks, emphasizing the need for rigorous empirical validation prior to implementing aggressive price reduction policies, and underscores the importance of integrating supply chain considerations into procurement policy design. This approach maximizes resource allocation efficiency while advancing socioeconomic resilience in healthcare systems. Full article

In recent years, industrial wastewater discharge containing heavy metals has increased significantly and has adversely affected both human health and the aquatic ecosystem. The increasing demand for metals in industry has prompted researchers to focus on developing effective and economical methods for removal of these metals. In this study, the removal of Ni(II) from wastewater using the Graphene oxide@Fe₃O₄@Pluronic-F68 (GO@Fe₃O₄@Pluronic-F68) nano composite as an adsorbent was investigated. The nanocomposite was characterised using a series of analytical methods, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The effects of contact time, pH, adsorbent amount, and temperature parameters on adsorption were investigated. Various adsorption isotherm models were applied to interpret the equilibrium data in aqueous solutions; the compatibility of the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich models with experimental data was examined. For a kinetic model consistent with experimental data, pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich, and intra-particle diffusion models were examined. The maximum adsorption capacity was calculated as 151.5 mg·g⁻¹ in the Langmuir isotherm model. The most suitable isotherm and kinetic models were the Freundlich and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, respectively. These results demonstrate the potential of the GO@Fe₃O₄@Pluronic-F68 nanocomposite as an adsorbent offering a sustainable solution for Ni(II) removal. Full article

The living roots of woody plants in forests play a crucial role in sustaining the soil temperature equilibrium. However, there is limited research investigating the effects of soil temperature balance disruption, influenced by living roots, on soil microarthropods, especially in the context of global climate change. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a three-year in situ simulation experiment involving either experimental warming or root trenching treatments to mimic environmental changes and their impacts on soil microarthropod communities in a temperate forest ecosystem in Northeast China. Statistical analysis focused on assessing the abundance and family richness of Collembola and Acari. Warming increased soil temperature, while root trenching had contrasting effects. In the absence of root trenching, warming positively influenced Collembola but negatively affected Acari. Conversely, when combined with root trenching, warming had a diminished impact on both Collembola and Acari. Our findings demonstrate that the interactive effects of warming on soil microarthropod communities vary depending on the presence or absence of root trenching. Specifically, within the context of root trenching treatment compared to no-root trenching treatment, warming exhibited a comparatively attenuated influence on soil microarthropod communities. Overall, living roots play a pivotal role in mediating soil temperature conditions, which significantly impact soil microarthropod communities in the context of global climate change. Full article

While water conservancy projects continuously enhance flood control and resource allocation capabilities, the adverse impacts on basin systems, particularly the structural disruption of surface water–groundwater continuity, have become increasingly pronounced. Therefore, establishing quantitative assessment of water system connectivity as a critical foundation for optimizing spatial water distribution, maintaining ecohydrological equilibrium, and enhancing flood–drought regulation efficacy is important. Focusing on the regulated reaches of the Panjiakou, Daheiting, and Taolinkou reservoirs in the Luan River Basin, this study established and integrated a three-dimensional assessment framework that synthesizes hydrological processes, hydraulic structural effects, and human activities as three fundamental drivers, and employed the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to develop a quantitative connectivity evaluation system. Results indicate that water conservancy projects significantly altered basin connectivity: surface water connectivity decreased by 0.40, while groundwater connectivity experienced a minor reduction (0.25) primarily through reservoir seepage. Consequently, the integrated surface–groundwater system declined by 0.39. Critically, project scale governs surface connectivity attenuation intensity, which substantially exceeds impacts on groundwater systems. The comprehensive assessment system developed in this study provides theoretical and methodological support for diagnosing river connectivity, formulating ecological restoration strategies, and protecting basin ecosystems. Full article

Elucidating the trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services is crucial for effective ecosystem management and the promotion of sustainable development in specific regions. The Hexi Corridor, a vital agricultural hub in Northwest China, is instrumental in both ecological conservation and socioeconomic advancement throughout the area. Utilizing an integrated “water–soil–carbon–grain” framework, this study conducted a quantitative assessment of four essential ecosystem services within the Hexi Corridor from 2000 to 2020: water yield, soil conservation, vegetation carbon sequestration, and grain production. Our research thoroughly explores the equilibrium and synergistic interactions between grain production and other ecosystem services, while also exploring potential strategies to boost grain yields through the precise management of these services. The insights garnered are invaluable for strategic regional development and will contribute to the revitalization efforts in Northwest China. Key findings include the following: (1) between 2000 and 2020, grain production exhibited a steady increase, alongside rising trends in water yields, soil conservation, and carbon sequestration, all of which demonstrated significant synergies with agricultural productivity; (2) in areas identified as grain production hotspots, there were stronger positive correlations between grain output and carbon sequestration services, soil conservation, and water yields than the regional averages, suggesting more pronounced mutual benefits; (3) the implementation of strategic initiatives such as controlling soil erosion, expanding afforestation efforts, and enhancing water-saving irrigation infrastructure could simultaneously boost ecological services and agricultural productivity. These results significantly enhance our comprehension of the interplay between ecosystem services in the Hexi Corridor and present practical approaches for the optimization of regional agricultural systems. Full article

The Internet of Vehicles (IoV) operates in an environment characterized by asymmetric security threats, where centralized vulnerabilities create a critical imbalance that can be disproportionately exploited by attackers. This study addresses this imbalance by proposing a symmetrical security framework that integrates Blockchain and Federated Learning (FL) to restore equilibrium in the Vehicle–Road–Cloud ecosystem. The evolution toward sixth-generation (6G) technologies amplifies both the potential of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications and its inherent security risks. The proposed framework achieves a delicate balance between robust security and operational efficiency. By leveraging blockchain’s symmetrical and decentralized distribution of trust, the framework ensures data and model integrity. Concurrently, the privacy-preserving approach of FL balances the need for collaborative intelligence with the imperative of safeguarding sensitive vehicle data. A novel Cloud Proxy Re-Encryption Offloading (CPRE-IoV) algorithm is introduced to facilitate efficient model updates. The architecture employs a partitioned blockchain and a smart contract-driven FL pipeline to symmetrically neutralize threats from malicious nodes. Finally, extensive simulations validate the framework’s effectiveness in establishing a resilient and symmetrically secure foundation for next-generation IoV networks. Full article