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Agricultural technology extension and social networks are the essential components of formal and informal institutions, respectively, and their influence on agricultural production has been the focus of academics. This article takes conservation tillage technology as an example, based on simple random unduplicated sampling, and uses survey data of 781 farmers in Heilongjiang, Henan, Shandong, and Shanxi provinces of China. This article empirically tests the interaction effects and heterogeneity of agricultural technology extension and social networks on farmers' adoption of conservation tillage technology and analyzes their substitution effect or complementary effect. The results showed the following: (1) From a single dimension, both agricultural technology extension and social networks can significantly promote farmers' adoption of conservation tillage technology, and the promotion effect of agricultural technology extension is greater. The average probability of farmers who accept agricultural technology extension and social networks adopting conservation tillage technology increases by 36.49% and 7.09%, respectively. (2) There is a complementary effect between agricultural technology extension and social networks in promoting farmers' adoption of conservation tillage technology. The two functions complement and support each other, and this complementary effect is more evident in social networks' reciprocity. (3) Further analysis reveals that the interaction effect between agricultural technology extension and social networks has significant group differences, technology type differences, and regional differences in farmers' adoption of conservation tillage technology. Therefore, to facilitate the extension and application of conservation tillage technology, efforts need to be made in both agricultural technology extension and social networks, fully leveraging the complementary effects of the two. In addition, differentiated policies and measures should be adopted according to local conditions, and precise policies should be implemented for different groups and technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PM2.5-bound metal contaminants are associated with multiple chronic diseases in human. At global level, the contamination status has not been well controlled yet. Here we report findings from a long-term air pollution surveillance in Jinan city of Shandong, China. During 2014–2022, the dynamics and trends of PM2.5-bound heavy metal contaminants were monitored in an industrial area and a downtown area. The surveillance targets included: antimony (Sb), aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), beryllium (Be), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se). The human exposure and health risks were calculated and we found that the health risks of most contaminants showed peak values in autumn and winter. But Al, Mn, Hg and Be were found to result in highest health risk in spring or summer in the downtown area. In the industrial area we identified 100% alarming health index >1 (ranged from 1.12 to 3.35) in autumn and winter. In winter the total non-carcinogenic HI was all above 1 (peak value 2.21). Mn and As together posed >85% non-carcinogenic risk. As and Cd were ranked as major drivers of carcinogenic risks (5.84 × 10−6 and 2.78 × 10−6). Pd and Cd both showed non-negligible environmental levels but risk assessment model for their air-exposure associated non-carcinogenic risks are not yet available. This study updates air pollution data and status for air pollution status in China. This study provides valuable 9 year long-term reference to experimental and field studies in the related fields. [Display omitted] • PM2.5-bound metals demonstrate element- and season-dependent environmental performances. • Jinan industrial area showed alarming health risk in cold seasons of 2014–2022. • Mn and As together pose >85% of total non-carcinogenic health risk associated with PM2.5-bound metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]