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Molybdenum (Mo) is essential for many enzymes but is often sequestered within minerals, rendering it not readily bioavailable. Metallophores, metabolites secreted by microorganisms and plants, promote mineral dissolution to increase the metal bioavailability. However, interactions between metallophores and Mo-bearing minerals remain unclear. In this study, catecholate protochelin and hydroxamate desferrioxamine B (DFOB) were utilized to examine their effects on dissolution of the common Mo-bearing mineral, molybdenite (MoS 2 ), under both oxic and anoxic conditions. Protochelin promoted molybdenite dissolution under oxic conditions, with the formation of MoO 3 on the surface and Mo-siderophore complexes in solution. This was attributed to air-oxidation of both molybdenite and protochelin, as evidenced by lack of dissolution under anoxic conditions but enhanced dissolution by either preoxidized protochelin or preoxidized molybdenite. Liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry analyses revealed degradation of protochelin and adsorptions of its byproducts on molybdenite surface to promote dissolution. Conversely, DFOB inhibited molybdenite dissolution under both oxic and anoxic conditions, likely attributed to surface adsorption of DFOB and its weak complexation with Mo(VI) at the circumneutral pH. This work highlights the need to consider the balance between promoting and inhibitory effects of different metallophores on Mo-mineral dissolution.

The escalating global trend of aging has intensified the focus on health concerns prevalent among the elderly. Notably, Dementia related diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), significantly impair the quality of life for both affected seniors and their caregivers. However, the underlying neural mechanisms of these diseases remain incompletely understood, especially in terms of neural oscillations. In this study, we leveraged an open dataset containing 36 CE, 23 FTD, and 29 healthy controls (HC) to investigate these mechanisms. We accurately and clearly identified three stable oscillation targets (theta, ∼5 Hz, alpha, ∼10 Hz, and beta, ∼18 Hz) that facilitate differentiation between AD, FTD, and HC both statistically and through classification using machine learning algorithms. Overall, the differences between AD and HC were the most pronounced, with FTD exhibiting intermediate characteristics. The differences in the theta and alpha bands showed a global pattern, whereas the differences in the beta band were localized to the central-temporal region. Moreover, our analysis revealed that the relative theta power was significantly and negatively correlated with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, while the relative alpha and beta power showed a significant positive correlation. This study is the first to pinpoint multiple robust and effective neural oscillation targets to distinguish AD, offering a simple and convenient method that holds promise for future applications in the early screening of large-scale dementia-related diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The co-authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Groundwater nitrate contamination poses a threat to both the ecological environment and human health. This study investigated the potential of using saturated Ca(OH) 2 to pretreat wheat straw and woodchips, aiming to enhance their efficacy as carbon sources for denitrification. The optimization of pretreatment conditions, and the elucidation of underlying mechanisms were explored. The pretreatment process involved the dissolution of lignin and hemicellulose, exposure of the cellulose structure, reduction of hydrogen bonds within cellulose, hydrolysis of polymerized cellulose, and the formation of cracks and hierarchical structures on the surface of the carbon source. These alterations improved the attachment and utilization of microorganisms. The maximum enzymatic reducing sugar yields for wheat straw and woodchips were achieved at solid-liquid ratios of 1:40 and soaking times of 5 and 2 days, respectively. The response surface predicted the optimal pretreatment conditions for wheat straw to be a solid-liquid ratio of 1:88.1 and a soaking time of 8.2 h. Alkaline treatment increased the denitrification rate of woodchips by fivefold and prevented the initial organic matter leaching rate of wheat straw, thereby reducing the risk of secondary pollution. The predominant microbial communities in all samples exhibited functions related to lignocellulose degradation and denitrification. The community composition of solid-phase carbon sources was found to be richer than that of liquid-phase carbon sources, and the pretreatment increased the abundance of lignocellulose degradation and denitrification functional microorganisms. The pretreatment liquid of wheat straw achieved the highest denitrification rate constant (0.43 h -1 ). Our result validated the feasibility of using the pretreatment liquid as a denitrification carbon source and presenting a novel approach for waste resource utilization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nitrate pollution in groundwater is a global environmental issue that poses significant threats to human health and ecological security. This study focuses on elucidating the mechanisms of heterotrophic-autotrophic cooperative denitrification (HAD) by employing wheat straw and elemental sulfur as electron donors in varying proportions. The research initially underscores that heterotrophic denitrification (HD) accelerates the denitrification process due to its high-energy metabolism. However, as readily degradable organic matter diminished, reliance on more complex substrates such as lignocellulose posed a challenge to HD. This marks a pivotal transition towards autotrophic denitrification (AD), which, despite a slower initial rate, exhibits a more sustained denitrification performance. A low proportion of heterotrophic denitrification layer (e.g., 3:1) at the bottom facilitating efficient and sustainable denitrification. HD is capable of simultaneous removal of nitrates and nitrites, whereas AD demonstrates a higher affinity for nitrates, with nitrite accumulation reaching 100% at high influent nitrate concentrations (100 mg/L). HD not only provides the necessary alkaline environment for AD but also reduces sulfate production, whereas AD utilizes the residual organic carbon and ammonia produced by HD. The heterotrophic layer is characterized by a diverse community, whereas the autotrophic layer is predominantly composed of Thiobacillus. By delineating the interactive mechanisms and characteristics of HAD, this study highlights the importance of balancing heterotrophic and autotrophic activities for the effective remediation of groundwater nitrates., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Wetlands exhibit a self-purification effect on Cr(VI) owing to the adsorption and reduction capabilities of their humic substance (HS)-Fe(III) coprecipitates. However, the similarities and differences in the adsorption and reduction of Cr(VI) by different types of HS-Fe(III) coprecipitates remains unknown. In this study, fulvic acid (FA)- and humic acid (HA)-Fe(III) coprecipitates were synthesized with initial C/Fe ratios ranging from 0.25 to 15, and a comparative analysis of their adsorption and reduction effects was conducted. The results showed that FA- and HA-Fe(III) coprecipitates exhibit similar abilities to adsorb Cr(VI) by forming inner-sphere complexes with ferrihydrite (Fh), as well as with FA/HA. The association between FA/HA and Fe(III) not only blocked certain FeOH adsorption sites, but also enhanced the electrostatic repulsion towards Cr(VI), resulting in a proportionate decrease in their adsorption ability. For reduction, inductive and intrinsic reduction were involved in both FA- and HA-Fe(III) coprecipitates. However, the synergism/antagonism differed with the inherent sites (e.g., phenolic hydroxyl, ArOH) and activated sites (e.g., alcoholic hydroxyl, AlOH). Based on the size differences between FA and HA, the AlOH contained in FA was more easily activated by Fe(III) than that in HA, owing to the shorter induction path required. Thus, consistent synergism was observed in FA-Fe(III) coprecipitates regardless of Fe(III) species. In contrast, synergism was only observed in HA-Fe(III) coprecipitates containing Fh, because the inductive ability of Fe(III) cations was too weak to activate AlOH through the longer path. Moreover, with irreversible consumption of AlOH, intrinsic reduction became the dominant pathway at concentrations >1 mM Cr(VI). The preferential elimination of ArOH subsequently led to a transition to antagonism. These outcomes deepen our scientifical understanding of the environmental effects of HS-Fe(III) coprecipitates and offer new perspectives for exploring their potential applications in the remediation of Cr-contaminated sites., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The understanding of activated sludge microbial status and roles is imperative for improving and enhancing the performance of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, we conducted a deep analysis of activated sludge microbial communities across five compartments (inflow, effluent, and aerobic, anoxic, anaerobic tanks) over temporal scales, employing high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons and metagenome data. Clearly discernible seasonal patterns, exhibiting cyclic variations, were observed in microbial diversity, assembly, co-occurrence network, and metabolic functions. Notably, summer samples exhibited higher α-diversity and were distinctly separated from winter samples. Our analysis revealed that microbial community assembly is influenced by both stochastic processes (66%) and deterministic processes (34%), with winter samples demonstrating more random assembly compared to summer. Co-occurrence patterns were predominantly mutualistic, with over 96% positive correlations, and summer networks were more organized than those in winter. These variations were significantly correlated with temperature, total phosphorus and sludge volume index. However, no significant differences were found among microbial community across five compartments in terms of β diversity. A core community of keystone taxa was identified, playing key roles in eight nitrogen and eleven phosphorus cycling pathways. Understanding the assembly mechanisms, co-occurrence patterns, and functional roles of microbial communities is essential for the design and optimization of biotechnological treatment processes in WWTPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This paper investigates the dynamics of market competition among manufacturers pursuing two types of green technology innovation: product innovation and process innovation, which provides a novel perspective on how green technological innovations contribute to enhancing product greenness. Using a two-tier supply chain framework, the study examines the differences in cost-sharing across various types of innovation and the impact of game players on product greenness. A stochastic differential game model involving a shared supplier and two competing manufacturers is constructed. Main findings are as follows: (1) In green product innovation, when market preference for greenness is relatively low, the formation of cost-sharing contracts is less influenced by the intensity of greenness-based market competition. In such scenarios, government subsidies emerge as a crucial tool to effectively guiding the market mechanism towards achieving its intended objectives. (2) As the market competition intensifies, manufacturers' incentives towards suppliers will shift from reducing costs to increasing demand. (3) When the intensity of green competitive is low, and supplier process innovation efficiency is high, manufacturers should bear a greater share of costs; Conversely, suppliers should bear more costs. When supplier process innovation efficiency is higher and market competition is stronger, suppliers should bear more costs if consumer green preferences are lower. (4) Over time, considering consumer preferences, a marginal increase in price exceeds the marginal increment in greenness with respect to contributing to stabilise price fluctuations. Conversely, it tends to raise the mean value of the price. (5) The increase in market competition intensity accelerates suppliers' and manufactures' strategy adjustments for green product innovation, but decelerates the strategy adjustment for suppliers' green process innovation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Rapid and accurate prediction of rice Cd (rCd) and rice As (rAs) bioaccumulation are important for assessing the safe utilization of rice. Currently, there is lack of comprehensive and systematic exploration of the factors of rCd and rAs. Herein, ensemble learning (EL) was first used to analysis the 23 factors in 8 categories (heavy metal pollution characteristics, soil properties, geographical characteristics, meteorological factors, socio-economic factors, environmental factors, rice type, and nutrient element) in typical regions of China based on the results of 193 research papers from 2000 to 2024 in Web of Science database. Three machine learning methods were used to predict rCd and rAs concentrations and identify the key factors in each region, and explored the mechanism of Cd and As uptake in rice. The results showed that there were large differences in the factors affecting rice enrichment for the same heavy metal in different regions. For Cd, rice type (48.30 %), soil characteristics (28.14 %), and environmental factors (61.30 %) were the most important factors in Central South, East China, and Southwest China, respectively. For As, soil properties (34.01 %) and geographical characteristics (50.22 %) had the greatest influence in Central South and East China, respectively. Our study provided valuable insights into the prediction of rCd and rAs, thus contributing to ensuring food safety and preventing Cd and As exposure-associated health risks., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Transportation and transformation of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) play a critical role in the regional carbon cycle. To clarify the natural and anthropogenic impacts on DIC, the concentration and isotopic composition of DIC (δ 13 C DIC ) in two typical urban rivers in northern China (Yongding River, YDR, and Chaobai River, CBR) were measured. Mass-balanced calculations were employed to quantify the impacts of different weathering processes. The results indicated that carbonate weathering under the influence of mixed weathering agents was the primary weathering process in the YDR and CBR. Carbonate dissolution by carbonic acid was an important source of DIC in both the YDR and the CBR. According to the end-member calculations of δ 13 C DIC , soil-respiration CO 2 was a key factor controlling the carbonate weathering by carbonic acid. A high contribution of sulfuric and nitric acids to carbonate weathering was found in the YDR, especially in downstream areas with high-level anthropogenic activities. This indicated that anthropogenic activities can profoundly impact the weathering processes in watersheds. This study provides insights into the complex interactions between human activities and natural processes in shaping the carbon dynamics of urban rivers, highlighting the importance of natural and anthropogenic factors on carbon dynamics in urban rivers and providing insights essential for predicting carbon flux changes amidst urbanization and climate change., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We have successfully synthesized bulk single crystals of S 0.66(2) WS 2 using a topochemical method, confirming the successful intercalation of sulfur into the interlayer space of M-WS 2 , which induces hole doping. The material exhibits superconductivity with a transition temperature of 6.5 K, making it the first anion-intercalated/hole-doped TMD material. This innovative approach to achieving hole doping through anion intercalation offers significant potential for application to other TMDs, enabling better control over their properties and potentially uncovering new quantum phenomena. This work marks a major step forward in the exploration and modulation of TMD-based materials.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) released from biochar may impact antibiotic mobility and environmental fate in subsurface environments. Here, DOM samples derived from biochars (BDOM) generated by pyrolyzing corn straw at 300, 450, and 600 °C were employed to elucidate the mobility characteristics of these organic substances and their influences on the transport of sulfamerazine (SMZ, a typical sulfonamide antibiotic) in soil porous media. The results demonstrated that BDOM produced at a lower pyrolysis temperature exhibited greater mobility owing to the weaker hydrophobic and H-bonding interactions between BDOM and soil particles. Additionally and importantly, BDOM facilitated the promotion of SMZ mobility owing to the increased electrostatic repulsion between SMZ - forms and soil grains, the steric hindrance effect induced by the deposition of organic matter, and the competitive retention between SMZ molecules and BDOM. Meanwhile, the promotion effects of BDOM enhanced with improving pyrolysis temperature owing to the promoted deposition of organic matter on soil surfaces and the strengthened electrostatic repulsion. Moreover, the facilitated effects of BDOM on SMZ mobility declined as the solution pH values were raised from 5.0 to 9.0 or the flow rate increased from 0.18 to 0.51 cm min -1 . This trend was due to decreased deposition competition and the steric effect caused by decreased retention of BDOM on soil particles. Furthermore, the cation-bridging effect emerged as an important mechanism contributing to the promotion effects of BDOM when the solution contained divalent cations (Cu 2+ or Ca 2+ ). Moreover, a two-site non-equilibrium model was used to interpret the controlling mechanisms for the effects of BDOM on the transport of SMZ. Findings from this work highlight that biochar-derived dissolved organic matter can remarkably affect the environmental behaviors of antibiotics in aquatic environments.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a large group of anthropogenic fluorinated chemicals. Ultrashort-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) have recently gained attention due to their prevalence in the environment and increasing environmental concerns. In this review, we established a literature database from 1990 to 2024, encompassing environmental and biological concentrations (>3,500 concentration records) of five historically overlooked ultrashort-chain PFAAs (perfluoroalkyl carboxylic and sulfonic acids with less than 4 carbons): trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPrA), trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMS), perfluoroethanesulfonate (PFEtS), and perfluoropropanesulfonate (PFPrS). Our data mining and analysis reveal that (1) ultrashort-chain PFAAs are globally distributed in various environments including water bodies, solid matrices, and air, with concentrations usually higher than those of longer-chain compounds; (2) TFA, the most extensively studied ultrashort-chain PFAA, shows a consistent upward trend in concentrations in surface water, rainwater, and air over the past three decades; and (3) ultrashort-chain PFAAs are present in various organisms, including plants, wildlife, and human blood, serum, and urine, with concentrations sometimes similar to those of longer-chain compounds. The current state of knowledge regarding the sources and fate of TFA and other ultrashort-chain PFAAs is also reviewed. Amid the global urgency to regulate PFASs, particularly as countries worldwide have intensified such efforts, this critical review will inform scientific research and regulatory policies.

There has been heavy application of chemical pesticides to farmland worldwide. As a state with a heavy emphasis on farming, China has extensively applied chemical pesticides to farmlands. Atrazine (ATZ), one of the most widely used herbicide in the world, has been used in large quantities in weed control in many crops, which poses a relatively large threat to groundwater utilization and agricultural safety. A nationwide sampling and analysis of ATZ in 8146 groundwater monitoring wells from 10 main grain producing areas were conducted during 2019. The results showed that the detection rate of ATZ in groundwater was 40.79 %, with detected concentrations up to 2.86 μg/L. ATZ detection rate was significantly higher in phreatic aquifers than confined aquifer. The concentration of ATZ decreased significantly with the depth increasing, the detected depth of ATZ in groundwater was varied from 5 to 1100 m, and 70.27 % of the detected ATZ was distributed in the depth of 0-51.8 m. The detection rate of ATZ in most north regions lower than south regions in China, and ATZ with high concentration was mainly occurred in southern regions. ATZ is more likely to migrate into the groundwater in the water resource rich areas. The concentration of ATZ decreased with TDS increasing, 74.39 % of the ATZ was detected in groundwater with TDS concentration <1 g/L. The hydrochemical type of groundwater in ATZ-enrichment environment were mainly Ca-HCO3 and Mixed type. According to classification and regression tree analysis, the high ATZ detection rate were closely related with groundwater depth (<51.8 m) and high organic matter content., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Air pollution mainly comes from fossil energy consumption (FEC), and it brings great threat to public health. The respiratory system of the elderly is highly susceptible to the effects of air pollution due to the decline in body functions. PM 2.5 is a major component of air pollution, so the study of the impact of PM 2.5 generated by FEC on the respiratory health of the elderly is of great significance. The existing studies have focused more on the effect of PM 2.5 on mortality, and this paper is a useful addition to the existing studies by examining the effect of PM 2.5 from FEC on the health of the elderly from the perspective of prevalence. In this paper, the binary Logistic regression model was used to calculate the exposure-response relationship coefficient for respiratory health in older adults using the data in 2018 from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. And referring to the Dynamic Projection model for Emissions in China, the changes in the number of older persons suffering from respiratory diseases due to PM 2.5 from FEC in the baseline scenario, the clean air scenario, and the on-time peak-clean air scenario were predicted. The results indicated that: (1) PM 2.5 from FEC mainly came from coal; (2) PM 2.5 from FEC was detrimental to the respiratory health of the elderly, and older seniors were more affected as they age; (3) In the on-time peak-clean air scenario, the number of elderly people suffering from respiratory diseases due to PM2.5 from FEC was growing at the slowest rate. Based on the above results, this paper raised recommendations for reducing the effect of PM 2.5 from FEC on the health of the elderly., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

High-arsenic (As) geothermal water has been found over the world. However, the spatial distributions of As contents and genesis in geothermal systems remain to be fully understood due to the complexity of the sources and processes associated with As. In this study, the hydrochemical and isotopic methods and the self-organized mapping (SOM) were employed to investigate the spatial distributions and enrichment mechanism of As in hot springs in the Red River Fault Zone, southwest China. The results showed that arsenic concentration is low (less than 10 µg/L) in hot springs in the south part of the fault, while it is relatively high with a mean value of 212.73 µg/L in the north part of the fault. The distinct spatial differences in arsenic concentration of hot springs may be attributed to the heterogeneity of lithologies along the fault zone, with sedimentary rocks dominated in the northern and metamorphic rocks dominated in the southern section of the fault. Two sources of arsenic can be identified in the study area: 1) As is correlated with typical geothermal species such as Li and B, indicating that rock leaching from deep geothermal reservoirs can be a dominant source of As; 2) high level of HCO 3 and weak alkalinity condition caused the desorption of arsenic from the sediment surface. In addition, the mixing with shallow groundwater also affects the As contents in hot springs. This study provides an insight into the formation and controls on high-arsenic geothermal water.- and weak alkalinity condition caused the desorption of arsenic from the sediment surface. In addition, the mixing with shallow groundwater also affects the As contents in hot springs. This study provides an insight into the formation and controls on high-arsenic geothermal water., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Fu Brick tea (FBT) extract has been demonstrated to lower blood lipids, protect liver, and prevent obesity. Despite these benefits, there are no products on the market that combine FBT with other foods or beverages., Result: In this study, we developed a novel product by combining FBT with high-alcohol Jiang-flavor baijiu, resulting in FBT-baijiu. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis revealed that FBT-baijiu contains health-promoting alkaloids, including eurocristatine (13.60 ± 0.13 mg/L), (-)-neoechinulin A (10.26 ± 0.09 mg/L), neoechinulin D (7.89 ± 0.05 mg/L), variecolorin G (6.94 ± 0.05 mg/L), and echinulin (25.46 ± 0.27 mg/L), which are known to be present in FBT. The aroma compounds of the FBT-baijiu and the base baijiu were analyzed using comprehensive gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS) technology. The major volatile compounds of two baijiu samples were identified using relative odor activity values (r-OAVs) analysis. The FBT-baijiu showed a significant reduction in ester content, but a remarkable enhancement in aromatic properties. The findings show that combining FBT with baijiu not only offers functional components but also enhances the flavor profile., Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of utilizing FBT as a functional food ingredient or additive, paving the way for the development of new health-promoting products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Lakes are sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), contributing to global climate change. Temporal variations in lake CO 2 emissions are pronounced, with algal growth and precipitation identified as important drivers. Eutrophic lakes often act as atmospheric CO 2 sinks during the growing season. However, these lakes can also emit CO 2 during the same period, a paradox that we hypothesize is driven by precipitation. This study tests this hypothesis and examines how rainstorms influence lake CO 2 emissions. To investigate, seven buoys were deployed in eutrophic Lake Taihu and a major inflow river to monitor water quality at 4-h intervals throughout 2021. CO 2 flux (FCO 2 ) was calculated using integrated methods, including gas diffusion models, the CO2calc program, and machine learning algorithms, based on water quality and meteorological data. Results revealed that only rainstorms (daily rainfall >50 mm) significantly increased FCO 2 . Although only three rainstorm events occurred, they accounted for 12.15% of the annual CO 2 emissions. During the growing season, the lake was a net CO 2 source, but without rainstorm-induced emissions, it would have functioned as a CO 2 sink, highlighting the crucial role of rainstorms in shifting lake dynamics. Piecewise structural equation modeling indicated that both abiotic factors (e.g., gas transfer velocity) and biotic factors (e.g., aquatic metabolism) influenced by rainstorms contributed to the elevated FCO 2 . These findings suggest that future reductions in lake FCO 2 due to eutrophication, combined with more frequent rainstorms under climate change, could amplify the impact of extreme precipitation on CO 2 emissions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

For resource-based cities, the rapid development of industrialization and urbanization has led to significant carbon emissions (CEs), accelerated the rise of urban land surface temperatures (LSTs) and hindered sustainable urban development. This study constructed a model to measure the carbon-heat relationship to clarify the complex relationship between LSTs and CEs in resource-based cities. The results show that:1) High-temperature areas are primarily concentrated around the urban center and large industrial zones, with average LSTs reaching a peak of 35.7 °C in 2015, indicating severe temperature polarization; 2) CEs exhibited an overall upward trend with a diffusion effect, particularly pronounced in the urban center and industrial zones. Areas with extremely significant, strong significant, and generally significant growth in CEs accounted for 4.64%, 3.81%, and 81.35%, respectively, showing a concentrated increase in the urban center; 3) A positive correlation between CEs and LSTs of the city was identified, and the distribution of urban heat island and the high value area of CEs are concentrated and similar; 4) The synergistic effects between LSTs and CEs varied between urban center, suburban and peripheral areas, due to human activities. Areas with a high positive correlation between CEs and LSTs are concentrated in urban centers and peripheral areas, while for urban suburbs, the correlation is weak or even absent. To mitigate the negative effects of carbon-heat accumulation, urban centers should avoid high population concentrations, and the carbon sink potential of green spaces near industrial zones and peripheral areas should be fully utilized. These insights provide actionable strategies for sustainability of resource-based cities, particularly in the governance of urban thermal environments and the mitigation of CEs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Jianjun Zhang reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Groundwater with high arsenic (As) concentration is widely distributed all over the world and seriously threatens human health. Due to the similar chemical properties, boron (B) would be used to understand the formation mechanism of high As groundwater. Thirty groundwater samples were collected from alluvial fan, transition area, and flat plain generally along the flow path in the northwestern Hetao Basin, China. Groundwater As concentration generally showed an increasing trend along the path. The δ 11 B values ranged from 3.36 ‰ to 26.19 ‰, and exhibited a decreasing trend (from alluvial fan to transition area; Stage I) followed by an increasing trend (from transition area to flat plain; Stage II). Boron release from incongruent dissolution of silicate minerals and B adsorption onto secondary clay minerals resulted in high δ 11 B values in groundwater with low As concentrations from the alluvial fan, where As was adsorbed and immobilized on Fe(III) oxides or clay minerals. During Stage I, B concentrations increased slightly and the δ 11 B values decreased, as the result of B desorption. A negative correlation between As concentrations and δ 11 B values illustrated that desorption was an important process of As enrichment. During Stage II, degradation of organic matter and reductive dissolution of Fe(III) oxides increased concentrations of B and As. However, the decreasing trend of B/Cl and the increasing trend of δ 11 B showed that co-precipitation of B and carbonates removed B from groundwater. The positive correlation between As and SI calcite+dolomite supported that secondary Ca precipitation decreased As adsorption by directly isolating As from Fe(III) oxides, which promoted As enrichment. This study provides insights into hydrogeochemical processes associated with As and B enrichment in groundwater., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Understanding the hydrochemical evolution of surface water and groundwater is crucial for protecting regional ecological environments. Currently, there are few quantitative studies on the relative contributions of different processes to salinity enrichment of water bodies. In this study, sixty-seven water samples were collected for chemical, and isotopic analysis, along with simulation calculations. The results reveal distinct hydrochemical types of river water, phreatic water, lake water and hot spring water in the investigated area are Ca-Mg-HCO 3 , Na-Ca-HCO 3 , Na-SO 4 -HCO 3 and Na-HCO 3 , respectively. Average temperature and depth of geothermal water storage are 196℃ and 1338 m, respectively. Average arsenic (As) content in hot spring water (298 μg/L) higher than that in lake water (39.2 μg/L), river water (9.59 μg/L) and phreatic water (4.02 μg/L). The ∑REEs content of river water in the study area is much higher than that of phreatic water and lake water. Result of δD and δ 18 O indicate that atmospheric precipitation is the source of recharge for all water bodies in the study area. Quantitative calculations indicate that evapo-concentration significantly enriches lake water salinity, contributing on average 90% of its salt content. In contrast, mineral dissolution contributes predominantly to the salinity of hot spring water (90.7%), phreatic water (65.8%), and river water (45.2%). Evapo-concentration emerges as the dominant mechanism for lake water salinity, while carbonate mineral dissolution primarily affects river water. Phreatic water and hot spring water are mainly controlled by the weathering and dissolution of silicate. The results can provide a theoretical basis for the study of the formation mechanism of water salinity in other regions with similar geological environment in the world., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Soil-plant system play an essential role in distribution and transformation of vanadium (V). V shapes the diversity of soil communities, while soil microorganisms mediate V transformation. Plants also absorb V from surrounding soil. However, the study of microbial response to V stress in different soil-plant compartments is limited, and the metabolic functions driving V transformation across these systems remain elusive. The study investigates the distribution of V in soil-plant systems nearby a V smelter. 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenomics are utilized to reveal the microbial adaptation and V transformation in bulk soil, rhizosphere, and endosphere. Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng. (BK) exhibits higher phytoextraction potential (TF = 0.74 ± 0.26). Environmental variables, including pH, V, OM, and AP, show significant (p < 0.05) influence in soil community composition, with homogeneous selection governing the assembly processes in bulk soil and rhizosphere, while stochastic process dominates endospheric assembly. Metagenomic investigation revealed a coordinated metabolic pathway between functional taxa in soil and plants, which lead to root uptake and translocation. V stress is mitigated through Nocardioide, Microvirga, and Solirubrobacter, putatively harboring V(V) reduction genes n arG and mtrC in soil. In rhizosphere, citrate synthase gltA and alkaline phosphatase phoD exhibit functional potential to facilitate formation of V-complexation to increase V mobility. In endoshere, endophytic Enterobacter further detoxifies V(V), and likely promotes V translocation through siderophore biosynthesis gene, iucA. These findings enhance our understanding on interplay between V and microbial community in soil-plant systems, which is instrumental in developing mitigation plan for V contaminated sites., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Intensive groundwater abstraction leads to hydrologic changes of groundwater. Nevertheless, the effects of hydrologic change on groundwater arsenic (As) mobilization remain controversial. Here, we investigated fluctuations in water levels and their effects on As mobilization in the shallow aquifer of the Hetao Basin. Results showed that large groundwater level fluctuations and high horizontal hydraulic gradients occurred in irrigation seasons. In the groundwater near the wetland with higher surface water levels than groundwater levels, biological index values of dissolved organic matter (DOM) ranged from 0.54 to 0.72, and a positive correlation between δ 18 O values and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was observed, indicating that groundwater DOM was mainly sourced from surface water. The degradation of allochthone labile DOM drove the reductive dissolution of As-bearing Fe(III) oxides to Fe(II). Both DOC and humification indices of DOM exhibited positive correlations with horizontal hydraulic gradients downstream of the study area, implying that the humified organic matter flushed from aquifer sediments contributed to groundwater DOM. The humified DOM controlled by hydraulic conditions participated in the redox reactions mainly by shuttling electrons to As-bearing Fe(III) oxides. These findings highlight distinct roles of hydrologic changes induced by groundwater abstraction in As mobilization., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Seawater-groundwater interactions can enhance the migration process of microplastics to coastal aquifers, posing increased associated environmental risks. Here, we aim to analyze the relationship between seawater intrusion (SWI) and groundwater microplastic pollution in Laizhou Bay (LZB), which is a typical area of sea-land interactions. The results showed that modern seawater intrusion was the main process controlling the migration of microplastics. The detected microplastics in the study area showed a migration pattern from nearshore marine areas to groundwater aquifers along the SWI direction. In addition, the microplastics also reached the brine formed by palaeo-saltwater intrusion through hydraulic exchange between aquifers. By comparing the spatial distributions of different microplastic parameters, we found that nearshore fisheries, commercial, tourism, textile, and agricultural activities were the main sources of microplastics in groundwater in the study area. A risk assessment model of microplastics associated with SWI was further optimized in this study using a three-level classification system by assigning appropriate weights to different potential influencing factors. The results showed moderate comprehensive ecological risks associated with microplastics from seawater intrusion in the study area, with high microplastic enrichment risks. This study provides a scientific basis for future research on seawater-groundwater interactions and microplastic pollution in coastal regions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

High geological background concentrations of toxic metal(loid)s arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) from natural enrichment in soils of karst regions have attracted much attention. In this study, paired soil-rice samples were collected from karst and non-karst regions in Guangxi, China to assess the potential risks of metal(loid) transfer from soil to rice grains, and rice grains to humans. Our results indicate that the karstic soils had greater As (25.7 vs. 12.4 mg·kg -1 ) and Cd (2.12 vs. 1.04 mg·kg -1 ) contents than those in non-karstic soils. However, metal(loid) transfer from soil to rice grains (ratio of rice grains to soil content) of As and Cd was 40 % and 49 % lower in karst regions, which may relate to their 42 % and 61 % lower HNO 3 -extractable As and CaCl 2 -extractable Cd, resulting in similar As/Cd contents in karstic and non-karstic rice grains. In vitro assay using a modified physiologically-based extraction test shows that karstic rice grains had a lower As/Cd bioaccessibility than non-karstic grains, which can be attributed to their ∼50 % greater P content, which negatively correlated with As/Cd bioaccessibility. Additionally, karstic rice grains had 39 % greater phytate and exhibited 45 % and 9.4 % lower As and Cd bioaccessibility in the gastric phase with phytate supplement at 0.6 %. Our work indicates that despite the greater As/Cd contents in karstic soils, the risks of As/Cd transfer from soil to rice grains as well as their exposure risks to humans via rice consumption may not be greater than non-karst regions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Groundwater sulfate contamination in mining areas has attracted widespread attention. However, deciphering the source and evolution of sulfate in large-scale mining areas remains a challenge due to intense anthropogenic influences and complex hydrogeological conditions. In this study, 94 groundwater samples were analyzed by a combination of self-organizing maps, MixSiar model, multi-isotope analyses (δ 34 S, δ 18 O SO4 , δD and δ 18 O water ) and hydrogeochemical methods to investigate the regional characteristics of groundwater sulfate source and evolution in China's largest coalfield (the Shenfuyu Coalfield). The results showed that the source and evolution of groundwater sulfate were controlled by human activities (mining and agricultural activities) and hydrogeological conditions. The groundwater sulfate primarily originated from pyrite oxidation, gypsum dissolution and human inputs. For the mining districts with shallow mining depths, pyrite oxidation and fertilizer contributed to groundwater sulfate. In addition, the ground cracks and abandoned mines controlled the BSR and pyrite oxidation processes. In contrast, the gypsum dissolution and cation exchange dominated the sulfate evolution in the mining districts with deep mining depths due to slow groundwater circulation. This study provided new insights into the source and evolution of groundwater sulfate in large coalfields, as well as references for regional water resource utilization and protection., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The environmental risk of Cd in soils strongly depends on the mobilization of Cd in soils. However, limited knowledge exists on the redistribution of exogenic Cd inputs in soils, especially across diverse lithological regions. Herein, we aimed to investigate the fate of Cd in soils from two mining areas with contrasting lithologies (siliceous and calcareous) using stable Cd isotopes. The isotope tracing results confirm that mining activities are the main Cd source in both areas. The positive correlation between δ 114/110 Cd values and goethite/dolomite content indicates the release of heavy Cd isotopes during the dissolution of exogenetic minerals. Additionally, high contents of exchangeable Cd (11 % to 36 %) and Fe oxide-bound Cd (29 % to 42 %) drive plant pumps to transport heavy Cd isotopes from the deeper to upper horizons of the soils from the siliceous area. In the calcareous area, the total organic carbon content is positively correlated with the Cd concentration and δ 114/110 Cd value, suggesting potential complexation of Cd with organic matter due to the stabilizing effect of carbonate minerals on soil organic matter. This study highlights the different redistributions of exogenous Cd in soils from diverse lithological regions, emphasizing the need to consider regional lithology when developing soil quality standards for Cd., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Non-ferrous mine waste dumps globally generate soil pollution characterized by low pH and high metal(loid)s content. In this study, the steel slag (SS), gypsum (G), and coal gangue (CG) combined with functional bacteria consortium (FB23) were used for immobilizing metal(loid)s in the soil. The result shown that FB23 can effectively decrease As, Pb, and Zn concentrations within 10 d in an aqueous medium experiment. In a 310-day field column experiment, solid waste including SS, G, and CG combined with FB23 decreased As, Cd, Cu, and Pb concentrations in the aqueous phase. Optimized treatment was obtained by combining FB23 with 1% SS, 1% G, and 1.5% CG. Furthermore, the application of solid waste (SS, G, and CG) increased the top 20 functional bacterial consortium (FB23) abundance at the genus level from 1% to 21% over 50 days in the soil waste dump. Moreover, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and pH were identified as the main factors influencing the reduction in bioavailable As, Cd, Cu, and Pb in the combination remediation. Additionally, the reduction of Fe and sulfur S was crucial for decreasing the mobilization of the metal(loid)s. This study provides valuable insights into the remediation of metal contamination on a larger scale., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effect of heat treatment on zircon color was studied from a new perspective of chromaticity of gemstones. The mechanism behind zircon color enhancement was investigated through the combination of infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The study reveals that the color of zircon has no significant correlation to the degree of metamorphism, which decreases as heating temperature rises. Type I and Type II defects in zircon are characterized by the deletion of an oxygen atom at the nearest site to Y 3+ occupied by the Zr 4+ and the loss of electrons at the next nearest oxygen atom to Y 3+ , respectively. These defects lead to broad absorption bands in the UV-vis spectra ranging from 340 nm and 500 nm, respectively. Additionally, there is a correlation between the color of zircon and the strength of the relationship between the two absorption bands. After undergoing heat treatment, the first defects to be repaired were type II, followed by type I. Subsequently, the zircon appeared colorless after both types of defects had been corrected., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The double spike (DS) technique is a highly effective approach for measuring the isotope ratios of many elements. However, it is common for some fraction of the prepared samples to be "overspiked." The usual solution for this problem involves repurifying and reanalyzing the samples to ensure data accuracy. Here, we propose a straightforward mathematical scheme to rectify the isotope ratios of overspiked samples, avoiding repetitive, time-consuming operations. The principle behind this scheme is that adding a standard solution with the certified isotope ratio decreases the overspiked ratio to the normal range. The related theoretical equations and a thorough error propagation model are presented. Taking nickel (Ni) isotopes as an example, we demonstrate how to utilize the spike-to-sample ratios of the overspiked sample and the sample-standard mixture, as well as the spike-subtracted isotope ratios of the mixture (δ 60 Ni mix ), to accurately determine the actual sample isotopes. This method's accuracy and precision (2SD) were evaluated by testing Ni, chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) isotope measurements. Precision consistent with traditional DS measurements can be achieved when the fraction of the added standard solution (f std ) is ≤0.60 (60%) in the mixture or when the overspiked multiple is ≤2.5. The added standard solution is recommended to be the same as the standard used to define the delta scale (e.g., δ 60 Ni = 0.000‰) to simplify the calculation procedures. This method expands the application of DS from the normal to the overspiked range and can be extended to isotope analyses of many elements where DS is applicable.

Chirality-dependent photocatalysis is an emerging domain that leverages unique chiral light-matter interactions for enabling asymmetric catalysis driven by spin polarization induced by circularly polarized light selection. Herein, we synthesize chiral inorganic polar BaTiO 3 /BaCO 3 nanohybrids for asymmetric photocatalysis via a hydrothermal method employing chiral glucose as a structural inducer. When excited by opposite circularly polarized light, the same material exhibits significant asymmetric catalysis, while enantiomers present an opposite polarization preference. More importantly, the preferred circularly polarized light undergoes reversal with reversal of the CD signal. Systematic experimental results demonstrate that more photogenerated carriers are generated in chiral semiconductors under suitable circularly polarized light irradiation, including more spin-polarized electrons, which inhibits the recombination of electron-hole pairs and promotes the activation of oxygen molecules into reactive oxygen species, thus inducing this asymmetric photocatalytic feature. This study provides valuable insights for the development of highly efficient polarization-sensitive chiral perovskite nanostructures as promising candidates for next-generation, multifunctional chiral device applications.

In this work, FeCo-Se and NiCo-PO 4 were electrodeposited on nickel foam (NF) successively to prepare a cathode material for asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) and NiCo//Bi batteries. FeCo-Se@NiCo-PO 4 combines the advantages of transition metal selenides (TMSs) and transition metal phosphates (TMPs). FeCo-Se electrodeposited in the underlying layer can facilitate electron transfer for higher conductivity. NiCo-PO 4 in the outer layer can facilitate OH - ions diffusion because TMPs can be intercalated into ions readily and the outer robust P-O bond of TMPs can stabilize the structure. Precisely because the hierarchical structure maximizes the synergy between FeCo-Se and NiCo-PO 4 , FeCo-Se@NiCo-PO 4 delivers a rapid electron/ion transfer capability and superior electrochemical performance. The FeCo-Se@NiCo-PO 4 exhibits a high specific capacitance of 2221.5 F g -1 (888.6 C g -1 ) at 1 A g -1 . Its aqueous ASC shows specific capacitance of 115.8 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 and all-solid-state ASC presents high reversibility. Its aqueous NiCo//Bi battery has superior durability of about 60% capacity retention and 98% Coulombic efficiency after 2300 cycles. And its all-solid-state NiCo//Bi battery possesses a higher energy density and power density.

Ischemic stroke poses a global health challenge, necessitating effective therapeutic interventions given the limited time window for thrombolytic therapy. Here, we present Res@LDH, a novel nanohybrid therapeutic agent boasting a dual reactive oxygen species scavenging efficiency of approximately 90%. Comprising Ge-containing layered double hydroxide nanosheets (Ge-LDH) as a drug nanocarrier and resveratrol as a neuroprotective agent, Res@LDH demonstrates enhanced permeability across the blood-brain barrier, ensuring high biocompatibility and stability. We explored the potential of Res@LDH in mitigating oxidative stress injury induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion in mice, as well as H 2 O 2 -induced cytotoxicity in HT22 cells. Our experiments unveil Res@LDH's capacity to ameliorate neurological deficits, reduce the infarction volume, mitigate blood-brain barrier disruption, exhibit a robust antioxidant activity, and dampen the release of proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, Res@LDH treatment markedly attenuates microglial and astrocytic activation. Leveraging a pioneering synthetic approach harnessing Ge-LDH and resveratrol, Res@LDH emerges as a promising strategy for addressing ischemia-reperfusion injury, offering a concise solution to current therapeutic challenges., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Min Liu et al.)

The development potential of CO 2 -enhanced shale oil recovery is significant, but shale reservoirs have developed nanoscale pores, often accompanied by fissures and micro/nanoscale fractures. This characteristic makes the micro-nanoscale CO 2 flooding mechanism unclear. In this study, the minimum miscible pressure (MMP) of CO 2 and n -octane was determined from a microscopic perspective using the nanofluidic method. Based on this, the displacement behavior of CO 2 in three types of micro-nano networks was investigated, and the degree of inter-fracture matrix utilization was studied for the first time using visualization techniques. It was found that compared to immiscible flooding, the stronger the heterogeneity, the more pronounced the improvement in recovery efficiency by miscible flooding. In addition, transfer and diffusion in the nanofracture network system are intense, and the displacement process can be divided into three stages: pressure-driven flow, matrix-fracture co-production, and matrix oil production. This study applies a novel nanofluidic method to extend the lower limit of the microscopic visualization experimental pore scale to 30 nm, filling the gap in experimental research on shale microscale flow and contributing to the understanding of the mechanism of CO 2 -enhanced recovery in shale reservoirs. Additionally, it provides necessary references for microscopic flow simulation.

Maintaining normal biomolecular levels in the human body plays a crucial role in controlling various diseases. In this work, we designed a portable microelectrochemical sensor based on laser-induced graphene (LIG) for the simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), and uric acid (UA). A simple electrode surface modification strategy, potentiostatic polarization in an alkali solution, was applied to functionalize the LIG surface with the aim of enhancing the LIG electrocatalytic activity, conductivity, and wettability. After electrochemical pretreatment, the modified electrode displayed significantly enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward AA, DA, and UA, with well-separated characteristic oxidation peaks for each analyte, thus achieving their simultaneous detection without further modification by nanomaterials. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was applied for determining these three analytes. Under optimal conditions, calibration curves were obtained in the ranges 10-5000 μM, 0.1-6000 μM, and 10-8000 nM for AA, DA, and UA, with the detection limits (S/N = 3) of 1.43 μM, 6.83 nM, and 1.07 nM, respectively. The microelectrochemical sensor achieved reliable and satisfactory results in detecting AA, DA, and UA in actual urine samples, demonstrating significant application prospects in human health monitoring and clinical diagnosis.

With the development of industrialization, environmental heavy metal pollution has become increasingly serious, and the growth of crops has been seriously affected by heavy metal pollution in the soil environment. Therefore, it is necessary to establish methods for distinguishing and monitoring heavy metal pollution. The application of hyperspectral remote sensing in heavy metal pollution monitoring demonstrates the great potential of using crop leaf spectra to accurately distinguish heavy metal pollution elements. At the same time, new spectral processing methods and models are required to provide support for accurate identification. In this study, greenhouse experiments were conducted to simulate the growth of corn plants under heavy metal Cu and Pb stress. Collect hyperspectral data from different leaf layers of maize plants during the heading stage. Multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD) was introduced, and the spectral data were preprocessed using MEMD, First derivative (FD), and second derivative (SD). At the same time, chemical analysis was used to examine the changes in copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and chlorophyll content in corn leaves. Competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and iteratively retaining informative variables (IRIV) were used to screen characteristic bands that were sensitive to copper and lead. Finally, machine learning SVM, ELM, and XGBoost were utilized to construct and propose a series of models such as MEMD-CARS-ELM for accurate discrimination of Cu and Pb pollution elements. The results indicated that the discriminative model established after the MEMD transformation of the spectrum exhibited the best performance. Among them, whether it is tender leaves, functional leaves, or basal leaves, the accuracy of the MEMD-CARS-SVM and MEMD-CARS-ELM models in the training group and validation group for distinguishing Cu and Pb elements is greater than 80%. Other models established by MEMD spectral transformation are also significantly better at identifying Cu and Pb than those established by FD and SD transformations. The signal time-frequency analysis method MEMD is feasible and excellent for hyperspectral data processing. Based on this method, the Cu and Pb pollution element identification method proposed in this study was reliable. The research results provide a new method for the preprocessing of hyperspectral data and a new perspective for the accurate identification of soil heavy metal contamination elements. This study showed that corn leaf spectra can be used to accurately identify heavy metal pollution elements, providing a powerful scientific reference for hyperspectral remote sensing to monitor heavy metal pollution in large areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The issue of nitrate leaching poses a substantial risk to the safety of groundwater resources. A critical aspect of mitigating this risk involves the quantification of the spatial heterogeneity of nitrate leaching and the identification of its primary drivers. In the present study, we developed a county-level DNDC database for the year 2020, specifically for the Yellow River Delta. This database was utilized to simulate the spatial distribution of nitrate leaching. Furthermore, we employed GWR to analyze the principal factors driving nitrate leaching. Our findings revealed considerable spatial variations in nitrate leaching, with an average value of 40.31 kg N ha -1 . Wudi and Hekou emerged as areas of low risk for nitrate leaching, while the remaining 17 districts were identified as high-risk areas. The spatial heterogeneity of nitrate distribution was primarily attributed to the heterogeneity of the driving factors. The absolute values of the regression coefficients for these factors were ranked in the following order: clay content > pH > organic fertilizer > chemical fertilizer > rainfall > nitrogen deposition. Based on these findings, we propose an optimal management practice that involves a 20% reduction in the use of both chemical and organic fertilizers. This approach could potentially result in a 43.8% decrease in nitrate leaching, with a minimal 3% reduction in crop yield. The insights gained from our research offer a scientific foundation for the development of a management strategy that balances economic considerations with environmental protection., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Kidney stones, as typical biominerals produced within the human body, pose a significant threat to human health, affecting over 12% of the global population. However, the exact mechanisms underlying their formation are not fully understood. Recent metal isotopic analysis provides a new way to study the roles of metal cations in biological processes within organisms. Here, we report the Mg isotope ratios of human kidney stones for the first time. The total range of measured values for δ26Mg in kidney stones is 1.05‰, from -1.12‰ to -0.07‰. Our data exhibit a significant 24Mg enrichment compared with the values calculated from density functional theory. We suggest that the Mg-isotopic fractionations in vivo are linked to active Mg transport mediated by proteins during intestinal absorption and preferential renal reabsorption of ionized Mg2+ via tight junctional proteins. Our results indicate that the inhibitory effect of Mg on kidney stones is related to the kink-blocking mechanism, and the incorporation of hydrated Mg lessens the extent of inhibition and the magnitude of isotope discrimination. We show that metal isotopes provide new insights into the underlying biological processes and human health., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Groundwater is a critical resource for economic growth and livelihoods in the dense agricultural plains of plateaus. However, contaminations from various sources pose significant threats to groundwater quality. Understanding the sources of groundwater contamination and the mechanisms of hydrochemical control is essential for the sustainable development of agriculturally intensive plains. This research utilizes 23 datasets of groundwater chemical measurements to apply hierarchical clustering analysis, positive matrix factorization, and hydrochemical analysis techniques. Through these methods, the study identifies the sources of groundwater contamination and deciphers the hydrochemical control mechanisms within a representative intensive agricultural plain region of Yungui Plateau. The finds indicate that groundwater in the plain primarily derives from the rainfall occurred in the surrounding mountains. During the long underground flow process, groundwater undergoes water-rock interactions and ion exchanges with various lithological strata, resulting in the formation of distinct hydrochemical types. As it traverses regions influenced by human activities, groundwater encounters varying levels and types of contamination. Consequently, there is a notable variation in groundwater quality across different areas of the plain. Groundwater is dominated by the hydrochemical faces of HCO 3 -Ca type in the southern part of the plain. Groundwater in the piedmont region of this part exhibits the highest quality, acting as the baseline for the overall groundwater quality of the plain. Groundwater in agricultural areas of this part is severely polluted by nitrate-rich agricultural wastewater. In the central urban area, under the control of municipal wastewater discharge and denitrification, groundwater is to some extent polluted by NH 4 . In the northern sector of the plain, groundwater chemistry exhibits greater diversity due to variations in geological strata and exposure to a range of pollution sources. The majority of the regions are contaminated with SO + . In the northern sector of the plain, groundwater chemistry exhibits greater diversity due to variations in geological strata and exposure to a range of pollution sources. The majority of the regions are contaminated with SO 4 and present a predominance of Cl-Na type for groundwater hydrochemical facies. Groundwater at the northernmost end is polluted by NO 2- and Cl - , and P. In addition, there is also a small amount of groundwater near the lake that is heavily polluted by fertilizers. This study provides valuable insights for the development of sound groundwater management strategies, applicable not only to the current agricultural plain but also to analogous regions worldwide. PRACTITIONER POINTS: This study probed the impact of agricultural pollution on the groundwater hydrochemistry in a cultivated plain. The research pinpointed the origins and contributions of groundwater chemicals in the cultivated agricultural plain. A conceptual model was established to illustrate groundwater chemistry formation in an intensive agricultural irrigation plain on Yungui Plateau.2 - , NH 4 + , and P. In addition, there is also a small amount of groundwater near the lake that is heavily polluted by fertilizers. This study provides valuable insights for the development of sound groundwater management strategies, applicable not only to the current agricultural plain but also to analogous regions worldwide. PRACTITIONER POINTS: This study probed the impact of agricultural pollution on the groundwater hydrochemistry in a cultivated plain. The research pinpointed the origins and contributions of groundwater chemicals in the cultivated agricultural plain. A conceptual model was established to illustrate groundwater chemistry formation in an intensive agricultural irrigation plain on Yungui Plateau., (© 2024 Water Environment Federation.)

The presence of fractures in the surrounding rocks of a radioactive waste disposal repository is recognized as a potential pathway for radionuclides to enter the public domain. As is well known, radionuclides transported by groundwater exhibit increased mobility in fractures, with flow velocities significantly faster than those in the pore spaces of the surrounding rock matrix. The principal objective of this study is to investigate the mobility of 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 238 U, and 238 Pu in fractures and their fate in the groundwater environment. Concurrently, batch and transport experiments were conducted to determine the sorption coefficients and transport parameters of each radionuclide. The results demonstrated that the adsorption and desorption isotherms of each radionuclide could be quantitatively described using the Freundlich isotherm. The hysteresis area "S" formed by the adsorption and desorption isotherm was utilized to quantify the irreversibility of the four radionuclides on granite particles, with a ranking of 238 Pu >  137 Cs >  90 Sr >  238 U. The distribution coefficients (real K d ) of the four radionuclides varied by 2-3 orders of magnitude, but the tendencies and concentrations of 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 238 U, and 238 Pu in the sampling holes were not significantly different. These findings suggest that it is essential to introduce the first-order rate constant (α ch ) and consider the kinetic process of adsorption to describe their migration process in granite single fractures. The sorbed concentrations of radionuclides on the surface of the upper and lower granite matrix were positively correlated with "real K d  × α ch  × time," while their concentrations in water flow were opposite. The irreversibility of radionuclides is another critical factor. The greater the irreversibility of radionuclides, the more challenging it is for them to desorb, resulting in a higher sorbed concentration remaining on the surface of the granite matrix and a smaller concentration in the water flow., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Jun Zhu reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Studies on the potential disruptions that future land use changes may have on trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services (ESs) in the ecologically fragile region of hilly red soil region (HRSR) are still lacking. We employed multi-source observational data to project the land use patterns expected for the year 2035 in Jiangxi Province - a typical HRSR in China - across three specific scenarios: nature development (ND), economic development (ED), and ecological protection (EP). Through the integration of the InVEST model, correlation analysis, and geographically weighted regression methods, we evaluated habitat quality, soil conservation, water yield, and soil conservation, as well as the associated trade-offs/synergies among ESs. The results showed that the built-up land will continue to increase and occupy a large amount of cropland and woodland, resulting in a 0.79-1.96% reduction for the above four ESs under ND scenario. Under the ED scenario, the cropland and built-up land will increase by 2.95% and 12.00%, respectively, and most of them will convert from woodland, which will reduce ESs by 1.07-1.99%. Under the EP scenario, the expansion rate of built-up land will slow down and woodland will increase by 1.55%, leading to a 0.02-1.58% increase in ESs relative to the ED and ND scenarios. In addition, there were clear trade-offs observed in the ES pairs related to the water yield, while other ES pairs showed synergies. The proportions of counties that will experience changes in trade-off intensity, synergy intensity and the direction of trade-offs/synergies are expected to be 1-31%, 1-47% and 1-37%, respectively, from 2010 to 2035 under different scenarios. The study can provide valuable insights for ecological managers in HRSR in developing land use management strategies that optimize the mutual benefits of various ESs according to local conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Zinc ion capacitor (ZIC) is regarded as a new generation of energy storage device because of high redox potential of zinc anode, eco-friendly and safety. Herein, using hemicellulose as precursor and self-made cubic CaCO 3 as template, the porous carbon spherical micron-cage (MCs) were prepared by template method assisted physical activation method. The prepared MCs are mainly rich in mesopores and micropores. Simultaneously, the porous spherical cage also helps cathode to fully contact with electrolyte, which provides a shortcut for the rapid transport of ions in the porous channel. The MC4 obtained by optimizing the ratio of hemicellulose to CaCO 3 exhibits high specific capacity of 128.4 mAh g -1 at 0.5 A g -1 and remains 57.5 mAh g -1 at 10 A g -1 . The energy density of 89.4 Wh kg -1 and power density of 6916 W kg -1 can be obtained. Besides, it can also achieve good cycle stability after 8000 cycles. The quasi-solid ZIC based on MC4 cathode and PVA/LiCl/ZnCl 2 (gel) electrolyte is able to achieve high energy density up to 155.7 Wh kg -1 at 0.1 A g -1 . This work may provide a novel idea for preparing advanced porous carbons for the cathode of ZIC., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Our study examines nitrogen sources and transformations in Xiamen Bay, where eutrophication has increased due to higher nitrogen levels. By analyzing dissolved organic matter (DOM) and nitrate stable isotopes (δ 15 N-NO 3 - and δ 18 ), the study finds that nitrate in low salinity areas is influenced by freshwater-seawater mixing and biogeochemical processes, while in high salinity areas, it is mainly affected by physical mixing. Bayesian mixing model (MixSIAR) results show that the primary nitrate sources are fecal matter and sewage, followed by atmospheric deposition. During the high flow period, DOM may facilitate nitrogen transformation and release through processes such as degradation or mineralization. In contrast, during the low flow period, the system is mainly influenced by the physical mixing of saline and freshwater. Studies have shown that DOM can indicate the biogeochemical intensity in water bodies, further identifying the main factors influencing the distribution and transformation processes of nitrate content, providing a basis for mitigating eutrophication in estuarine areas.3 - ), the study finds that nitrate in low salinity areas is influenced by freshwater-seawater mixing and biogeochemical processes, while in high salinity areas, it is mainly affected by physical mixing. Bayesian mixing model (MixSIAR) results show that the primary nitrate sources are fecal matter and sewage, followed by atmospheric deposition. During the high flow period, DOM may facilitate nitrogen transformation and release through processes such as degradation or mineralization. In contrast, during the low flow period, the system is mainly influenced by the physical mixing of saline and freshwater. Studies have shown that DOM can indicate the biogeochemical intensity in water bodies, further identifying the main factors influencing the distribution and transformation processes of nitrate content, providing a basis for mitigating eutrophication in estuarine areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The screening and evaluation of co-control technologies for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation represent a crucial prerequisite for researching pathways toward pollution and carbon reduction within petroleum refining industry. A systematic assessment method for technology synergies in pollution reduction and carbon mitigation remains deficient in China. In this study, we propose a method for evaluating the synergistic effects of technologies in pollution reduction and carbon mitigation in the petroleum refining industry. This model evaluates the synergistic control efficacy of technologies from multiple perspectives, including pollution-carbon synergy, synergistic reduction of pollutant-carbon emissions, cost-benefit analysis, and environmental benefits. The developed methodology is validated through its application to typical petroleum refining technology. The results confirm the synergistic benefits of pollution and carbon reduction through five petroleum refining technologies. With the increase in carbon trading prices, bio-jet fuels (T1) and microalgae carbon sequestration (T5) technologies have greater application potential. This study provides a scientific basis and theoretical support for the realization of collaborative control of carbon pollution in the petroleum refining industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Intense anthropogenic activities in a karst area will inevitably change the regional groundwater environment and affect the characteristics of the karst groundwater, such as the hydrochemistry and water quality. It is of great importance to study the evolution characteristics of the hydrochemistry and water quality of karst groundwater under intense anthropogenic activities to ensure the stability and sustainable development of karst ecosystems. In this study, a representative synclinal basin-type karst groundwater system in northern China was used as the study object, and the effects of intense anthropogenic activities on the evolution of the hydrochemistry and water quality of the karst groundwater were analyzed using a comprehensive application of a groundwater quality assessment, a multivariate statistical analysis, a hydrogeochemical analysis, and multi-factor regime monitoring of the karst groundwater quality. The results showed that during the time scale from 1991 to 2019, major ion components, such as Na + +K + , Ca 2+ +Mg 2+ , Cl - , SO 4 2- , NO 3 , and total dissolved solids (TDS), in the karst groundwater in discharge area increased by 1.73-4.59 times. In addition, the ion component contents primarily displayed a fluctuating equilibrium state from 2019 to 2023. At the spatial scale, the primary ion components in the karst groundwater in the discharge area were considerably higher than those in the recharge and runoff areas, and they also showed a gradual increasing trend from upstream to downstream and from the surrounding to the middle. CONCLUSION: Intense anthropogenic activities changed the circulation conditions of karst groundwater and deteriorated the karst groundwater quality. The primary human activity factors that controlled the evolution of the karst groundwater during the different periods were different. The large-scale exploitation of karst groundwater and other human activities primarily affected the karst groundwater quality. The construction of the Zhuangli Reservoir had a positive impact and improved the karst groundwater quality downstream, but its long-term impact on the karst groundwater environment requires long-term monitoring and study.- , HCO 3 - , and total dissolved solids (TDS), in the karst groundwater in discharge area increased by 1.73-4.59 times. In addition, the ion component contents primarily displayed a fluctuating equilibrium state from 2019 to 2023. At the spatial scale, the primary ion components in the karst groundwater in the discharge area were considerably higher than those in the recharge and runoff areas, and they also showed a gradual increasing trend from upstream to downstream and from the surrounding to the middle. CONCLUSION: Intense anthropogenic activities changed the circulation conditions of karst groundwater and deteriorated the karst groundwater quality. The primary human activity factors that controlled the evolution of the karst groundwater during the different periods were different. The large-scale exploitation of karst groundwater and other human activities primarily affected the karst groundwater quality. The construction of the Zhuangli Reservoir had a positive impact and improved the karst groundwater quality downstream, but its long-term impact on the karst groundwater environment requires long-term monitoring and study., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

When employing the TDCR method for standardization of low-activity liquid scintillation samples, fluctuations in system background can significantly impact both measurement uncertainties and minimum detectable activity (MDA). To mitigate this impact, a TDCR counting system with anti-coincidence detectors was developed. By analyzing the time difference distribution spectrum between the anti-coincidence channel and β channel, optimal parameters for the anti-coincidence module are determined. The objective of the study is to enhance the effectiveness of the anti-coincidence technique while minimizing the removal of real events. Finally, two sets of 3 H and 14 C samples with known activities of around 1 Bq are prepared via dilution to validate the performance of the system. Compared to without anti-coincidence, the background has been reduced by nearly 84%, leading to decreased fluctuations in the activity results., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Developing efficient photo-piezocatalytic systems to achieve the conversion of renewable energy to chemical energy emerges enormous potential. However, poor catalytic efficiency remains a significant obstacle to future practical applications. Herein, a series of unique Au@BaTiO 3 (Au@BT) yolk-shell nanostructure photo-piezocatalyst is constructed with single Au nanoparticle (Au NP) embedded in different positions within ferroelectric BaTiO 3 hollow nanosphere (BT-HNS). This special structure showcases excellent mechanical force sensitivity and provides ample plasmon-induced interfacial charge-transfer pathways. In addition, the powerful piezoelectric polarization electric field induced by the enhanced ferroelectric polarization electric field via corona poling treatment in BT-HNS further promotes charge separation, CO 2 adsorption and key intermediate conversion. Notably, BT with single Au NP encapsulated into hollow nanosphere shell with reinforced polarization (Au@BT-1-P) shows synergistically improved photo-piezocatalytic CO 2 reduction activity for producing CO with a high production rate of 31.29 µmol g -1 h -1 under visible light irradiation and ultrasonic vibration. This work highlights a generic tactic for optimized design of high-performance and multifunctional nanostructured photo-piezocatalyst. Meanwhile, these yolk-in-shell nanostructures with single Au nanoparticle as an ideal model may hold great promise to inspire in-depth exploration of carrier dynamics and mechanistic understanding of the catalytic reaction., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Lead-based organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites show promise as photovoltaic materials due to their high energy conversion efficiencies. However, concerns regarding lead toxicity and the poor environmental and operational stability of the organic cationic group have limited their widespread application. To address these challenges, the design of all-inorganic lead-free halide perovskites offers potential solutions for photovoltaic applications. Here, two layered perovskite derivatives, Rb 3 Mo 2 Cl 9 and Rb 3 Mo 2 Br 9 , are explored, and their electronic, structural, and photovoltaic properties are analyzed using advanced theoretical calculations. Rb 3 Mo 2 Br 9 exhibits a suitable direct bandgap of 1.60 eV, making it a promising candidate for use as a light absorber in low-cost, high-efficiency solar cells. On the other hand, Rb 3 Mo 2 Cl 9 demonstrates a wide direct bandgap exceeding 1.70 eV, positioning it as a viable option for use as a top cell in tandem photovoltaic systems alongside silicon. Both materials display ideal optical properties in the visible light region and hold promise as excellent inorganic lead-free perovskite alternatives., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Despite declining anthropogenic emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) due to global control strategies, forest fire emissions have been increasing, significantly affecting PAH dynamics in global sinks. This study investigated the spatiotemporal variations of sedimentary PAHs in three Tibetan lakes-Yiong Tso, Yamdrok Yumtso, and Urru Tso-to determine the influence of forest fires on PAH levels and historical trends. Yiong Tso Lake, located in a fire-affected watershed, exhibited the highest PAH concentrations (average of 43.4 ± 25.7 ng/g) with significant fluctuations since the 1920s, peaking in the 1960s (46.3 ng/g) and 1980s (91.3 ng/g), corresponding to periods of intense forest fires. This pattern aligned with source contribution estimates using the modified Cohen's d (mcd), indicating the dominance of forest fires as a PAH source until the 1990s. PAH concentrations decreased with increasing distance from the southeastern Tibetan Forest, as observed in Yamdrok Yumtso (average of 36.1 ± 19.9 ng/g) and Urru Tso (average of 16.4 ± 6.9 ng/g). Temporal variations in PAH concentrations and mcd values from these lakes also reflected a response to forest fires during the 1960s, suggesting a widespread influence of forest-fire-derived PAHs across the plateau. The impact of forest fires on sedimentary PAHs was expected to persist for decades, with an estimated half-life of approximately 11-12 years. These findings highlight significant emissions of PAHs from forest fires in the Tibetan Plateau, potentially transforming regional PAH dynamics and influencing global cycling., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Karst soils often exhibit elevated zinc (Zn) levels, providing an opportunity to cultivate Zn-enriched crops. (meanwhile) However, these soils also frequently contain high background levels of toxic metals, particularly cadmium (Cd), posing potential health risks. Understanding the bioaccumulation of Cd and Zn and the related drivers in a high geochemical background area can provide important insights for the safe development of Zn-enriched crops. Traditional models often struggle to accurately predict metal levels in crop systems grown on soils with high geochemical background. This study employed machine learning models, including Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), to explore effective strategies for sustainable cultivation of Zn-enriched crops in karst regions, focusing on bioaccumulation factors (BAF). A total of 10,986 topsoil samples and 181 paired rhizosphere soil-crop samples, including early rice, late rice, and maize, were collected from a karst region in Guangxi. The SVM and XGBoost models demonstrated superior performance, achieving R 2 values of 0.84 and 0.60 for estimating the BAFs of Zn and Cd, respectively. Key determinants of the BAFs were identified, including soil iron and manganese contents, pH level, and the interaction between Zn and Cd. By integrating these soil properties with machine learning, a framework for the safe cultivation of Zn-enriched crops was developed. This research contributes to the development of strategies for mitigating Zn deficiency in crops grown on Cd-contaminated soils., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Understanding the influence of microbial taxa and functions on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling, particularly concerning soil aggregate sizes, is crucial for ecosystem management. This study examines the taxonomic and functional dynamics of soil bacterial communities within different aggregate sizes over time. Soil samples from a reclamation forest on the Loess Plateau in North China were collected across reclamation ages of 0, 3, 18, and 28 years. Soil aggregates were categorized into large macro-aggregates (>2000 μm), small macro-aggregates (250-2000 μm), and micro-aggregates (<250 μm) using a modified dry-sieving method. Soil aggregate stability, C and N concentrations, newly derived plant C, enzyme activities, bacterial communities, and functional genes in each aggregate fraction were systematically analyzed. There was a notable increase in soil aggregate stability and a higher proportion of large aggregates was found with increasing forest age. There were significant differences in bacterial community structures, particularly between micro-aggregates and large macro-aggregates and across different forest ages. Reclamation led to an increased abundance of copiotrophic bacterial taxa. Decreases in N-acquiring enzyme activity in micro-aggregates were contrasted by an increase in C, N, and phosphorus (P) acquisition activities in larger aggregates over time. Larger aggregates showed a faster recovery of C and N cycling genes accompanied by a significant enhancement in acetyl-CoA and ammonia oxidation processes, underscoring their importance in soil nutrient cycling. These results highlight the critical role of aggregate size in shaping microbial community structures and functions that influence soil C and N cycling during reclamation and provide new perspectives highlighting the significance of incorporating aggregate size considerations into soil management and reclamation strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)