Journal of Environmental Management最新文献

Literature has shown the benefits of digital technologies, and there is no doubt that they create immense value. However, value creation, such as digitally produced, increased standardized social sustainability practices in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), can sometimes produce negative outcomes. However, these relationships were rarely examined and discussed by prior researchers. The current study investigates, first, how the adoption of globalized digital technology solutions influences standardized social sustainability practices in MSMEs under the moderating effect of institutional pressures. Second, the study examines the effect of standardizing social sustainability practices on localized social sustainability initiatives in MSMEs. Third, it investigates the role of sustainability innovation in the relationship between standardizing social sustainability practices and focusing on localized, community-specific social sustainability initiatives in MSMEs. The theoretical model is developed using Institutional theory, Resource-based view and Contingency theory. Using 500 survey data sets, the theoretical model is tested. The findings indicate that globalized digital technology solutions have a positive and significant impact on the standardization of social sustainability practices. In addition, institutional pressures moderate the relationship between globalized digital technology solutions positively and significantly influence the standardization of social sustainability practices. The interesting aspect of our study is that the standardization of social sustainability practices has a negative influence on the focus on localized, community-specific social sustainability initiatives in MSMEs. Nonetheless, sustainability innovation acts as a contingency factor and increased sustainability innovation softens the negative effect of standardization on social sustainability initiatives. This study demonstrates that adopting globalized digital solutions can help MSMEs enhance standardized social sustainability practices, particularly when institutional pressures are present. However, standardization can sometimes limit localized, community-focused initiatives. To address this, businesses should prioritize sustainability innovation, reduce these negative effects, and create a better balance between standardized and local sustainability efforts.

The management of invasive alien species represents a major challenge for the administration of protected natural areas. Understanding the factors that influence the spread of such taxa is essential for designing effective control and eradication strategies. This study investigates the interplay between abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic factors and the increasing distribution and abundance of Neurada procumbens, an invasive psammophilous plant species, within a protected arid aeolian sedimentary system subject to intensive tourist activity. Based on the comparative results of two chorological inventories conducted 16 years apart, we analysed the colonization dynamics of the taxon and contrasted these with the environmental factors considered to influence the colonization success of N. procumbens. Chorological cartography was applied to 417 UTM grid cells, and abundance increases were categorized to support statistical analysis. Eco-anthropic variables were derived from GIS-based zonal statistics, including aeolian sediment transport, vegetation density, and trail density. Correlation analyses revealed that aeolian sedimentary dynamics are the primary limiting factor for the expansion of the species in the Maspalomas dune field (Canary Islands, Spain). Vegetation density also showed a biotic resistance effect, while trail density indicates a propagule dispersal factor, particularly in newly colonized areas near urban access points. Given its dominance in stabilized dune areas and its expansion over 16 years, the inclusion of N. procumbens in the Spanish Catalogue of Invasive Alien Species is recommended. These insights are currently informing management actions for the monitoring and control of this invasive alien species in the Maspalomas Dunes Special Nature Reserve.

This study investigated the product characteristics of (co-)hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of staple food wastes (SW), vegetable waste (VW), and bone waste (BW) in food wastes (FW) and the potential synergistic effects. The result demonstrate that co-HTC showed a synergistic effect on oil production and antagonistic effects on gas and hydrochar production. Co-HTC further promoted decarboxylation, increased the carbon structure orderliness, and changed the surface chemical properties of hydrochars. Acid compounds were the main components of bio-oil, accounting for more than 50 %, followed by N-containing compounds. For the co-HTC of SW and VW, the decarboxylation of lipids, deoxygenation of carbohydrates, and reformation of cellulose and lipids resulted in the largest synergistic effect on hydrocarbons (interaction parameter, IP = 17.67 %). Aromatic compounds exhibited the largest synergistic effect (IP = 19.65 %) in the co-HTC of SW and BW, and N-containing compounds exhibited the largest synergistic effect (IP = 6.07 %) in the co-HTC of VW and BW. Accordingly, the reaction pathways for synergistic effects during the co-HTC of major FW components were analyzed.

To remediate cadmium (Cd)-arsenic (As) co-contaminated paddy soils, a novel silicon-magnetic biochar (SBC) was synthesized. Its microbial remediation mechanisms were investigated through a rice pot experiment combined with metagenomics. Results showed SBC significantly improved soil properties, including increased pH and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). This led to a drastic reduction in the rhizosphere bioavailability of Cd (by 69.9 %) and As (by 29.5 %). Consequently, SBC enhanced rice growth, with mature plant height and dry biomass increasing by 25.0 % and 46.7 %, respectively. Crucially, SBC reduced Cd and As accumulation in grains by 38.4 % and 55.6 %. Metagenomics revealed SBC enhanced microbial diversity, stability, and functional potential in both soil and phyllosphere, particularly in cellular processes and genetic information processing. SBC enriched key soil taxa linked to detoxification, such as Geobacter, Gemmatirosa, and Flaviaesturariibacter, and beneficial phyllosphere microbes like Ensifer adhaerens and Rhizobium rosettiformans. Functionally, SBC up-regulated microbial Cd efflux genes, while strong physicochemical adsorption and precipitation (with OH^-, Fe, and S^2-) further enhanced Cd immobilization. Concurrently, it up-regulated As reduction genes while down-regulating As efflux genes, promoting microbial As(III) sequestration. These findings demonstrate SBC passivates Cd and As through synergistic physicochemical immobilization and microbial pathway modulation, which underscore its significant environmental value for restoring soil health and mitigating contamination.

The Three-River-Source National Park (TNP) represents a vital ecological stronghold for China. Grazing, the primary anthropogenic disturbance activity in the region, is not only vital for sustaining local livelihoods but also a potential risk factor triggering ecosystem health degradation. However, comprehensive and dynamic analyses of grazing impacts on ecosystem health remain limited, hindering the development of strategies that simultaneously promote ecological conservation and community well-being. Based on multi-source data, this study quantified grazing intensity and ecosystem health dynamics in TNP from 2000 to 2020. We applied Geodetector and bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis to examine the spatiotemporal responses of ecosystem health to grazing intensity. The results indicate that the park's ecosystem health improved overall in 2000-2020, displaying a distinct southeast-to-northwest declining gradient. Grazing intensity initially increased and then decreased, with noticeably intensified grazing hotspots emerging in the eastern region. Grazing activities generally exerted positive ecological effects, yet these benefits diminished marginally as grazing intensity increased. Bivariate Moran's I analysis revealed a spatially heterogeneous relationship characterized by "overall synergy coupled with local conflict" between grazing and ecosystem health. Furthermore, climatic factors, particularly precipitation, regulate the response of ecosystem health to grazing activities. This study offers a scientific basis for formulating spatially targeted grazing management policies that enhance ecological resilience while supporting sustainable livelihoods in the national park.

Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution. However, most UK exposure studies focus on urban areas, mainly school environments and commutes. Rural settings, where distinct pollution sources and personal exposure patterns can differ, are often overlooked. This study assessed schoolchildren's personal PM_2.5 exposure across home, school, and commute settings on the Isle of Anglesey, a rural area in North Wales. Using low-cost sensors and a citizen science approach, it generated first-hand data while engaging children in monitoring. The pilot study involved 53 children from two primary schools, with 94 % providing valid data. Results showed that the average daily mean PM_2.5 exposure across all participants was 6.5 μg/m³, though individual daily means reached as high as 43.5 μg/m³. Home environments exhibited the highest and most variable PM_2.5 levels, linked to indoor sources such as wood burners and adult smoking reported by the participating students. The placement of sensors within households also significantly influenced exposure measurements. In contrast, levels during school hours and commutes were lower and more stable, with occasional spikes, for instance, during walks (depending on the route) or when exposed to second-hand smoke from adult smoking in cars. Children attending the rural school had slightly higher PM_2.5 exposure across all microenvironments when compared to the urban school, potentially tied to higher wood burner use, suggesting links between heating practices, fuel poverty, and socioeconomic factors. Crucially, the findings highlight that parents' behaviours play a more significant role in determining children's exposure levels than the children's own choices.

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is a promising nitrogen removal process, but its reliance on nitrite presents operational challenges. Here, we demonstrated that redox-active pyrogenic biochar could serve as an insoluble electron acceptor for NH₄⁺ oxidation by anammox consortia. Through batch incubations, over 95 % total nitrogen removal was consistently achieved with biochar as the sole electron acceptor across two consecutive cycles, though at a slower rate (0.77-1.18 mmol-N·d^-1 g^-1 VSS) compared to conventional anammox reaction. Isotopic tracing confirmed the role of biochar as an electron sink, and electrochemical and spectroscopic analyses illustrated that biochar's electron-accepting capability was attributed to surface quinone-like and pyridinic N groups. High-throughput sequencing and metagenomics revealed the dominance of anammox species Candidatus Brocadia in biochar-driven NH₄⁺ oxidation, with upregulated genes for extracellular electron transfer (EET) associated with c-type cytochromes. Metabolic reconstruction further elucidated the hydroxylamine pathway in biochar-driven anammox, distinctively different from the canonical nitrite-dependent route. These findings underscored biochar geobatteries as an inexpensive, environmentally sustainable electron acceptor, circumventing nitrite supply limitations. This work advances the understanding of EET-mediated anammox, thereby providing the potential for developing energy-efficient nitrogen removal technologies.

Bismuth-based ternary heterostructured photocatalysts have emerged as one of the most promising classes of materials for wastewater treatment, owing to their narrow band gaps, high structural versatility, and capacity to facilitate efficient charge carrier separation under solar irradiation. Recent studies demonstrate that integrating Bi₂WO₆, BiVO₄, BiOX, Bi₂MoO₆, Bi₂O₃, Bi₂S₃, or multi-bismuth phases into ternary configurations, particularly Z-scheme, S-scheme, and dual heterojunction architectures, substantially enhances photocatalytic performance by accelerating interfacial electron transport while preserving strong redox potentials. These systems consistently achieve high degradation efficiencies across dyes, pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, pesticides, and emerging contaminants, frequently outperforming binary and single-component counterparts. Key advances include the use of carbonaceous scaffolds to broaden visible-light absorption, magnetic and transition-metal components to strengthen redox cycling, and defect or vacancy engineering to intensify surface reaction kinetics. Comparative evaluation across recent reports reveals that the most efficient ternary systems often couple broad-spectrum light harvesting with strong built-in electric fields that drive directional charge migration. Despite these advances, persistent challenges remain regarding interfacial stability, secondary pollution risks, and scalability of synthesis routes. Overall, the rapidly evolving evidence indicates that bismuth-based ternary heterostructures represent a highly adaptable, high-performance platform for future solar-driven wastewater treatment, with clear opportunities for optimization through targeted band engineering, green synthesis strategies, and improved photonic utilization.

Nutrient recovery, particularly phosphorus, has gained attention as a sustainable solution to environmental and resource challenges. Wastewater treatment plants are key phosphorus reservoirs, with significant amounts found in sludge. Anaerobically digested sludge centrate (ADSC), rich in both phosphorus and nitrogen, presents an opportunity for nutrient recovery. This study investigates phosphorus recovery from ADSC through precipitation as vivianite (Fe₃(PO₄)₂·8H₂O), a promising alternative to struvite. Key factors such as pH, Fe/P molar ratio, stirring conditions, anoxic atmosphere (constant and initial N₂ injection), and ion interference were evaluated in a simulated solution. The results showed that both the Fe/P molar ratio and pH influenced vivianite formation, while stirring modes and an anoxic atmosphere provided optimal conditions for vivianite formation. An Fe/P ratio of 1.75 and a pH of 8 were selected as optimal conditions for vivianite formation. These conditions were applied to ADSC, along with an additional nitrogen recovery step using emerging membrane contactor technology. This membrane step was assessed before and after precipitation. It was observed that in both cases, recovery of both nutrients was achieved, showing more feasibility the process with nitrogen separation after vivianite precipitation. Although the presence of other precipitated minerals was detected by FESEM-EDX, vivianite formation was achieved in all cases. This study provides insight into effective strategies for sustainable nutrient recovery in ADSC streams.

Integrating well-managed grass into agricultural systems is a management target for enhancing soil carbon (C) storage in tropical agroecosystems. Yet, the mechanisms behind physical protection of soil C are not sufficiently lucid. Here we analyzed pore structure and particulate organic matter (POM) characteristics in structurally intact soil using synchrotron X-ray computed micro-tomography (μCT). We combined these analyses with bulk measurements and CO₂ respiration data to explore the interactions between pore structure and soil C characteristics in a mid-term experiment in the Southern Amazon, Brazil. The farming systems were: (i) crop succession (CS) with annual production of soybeans followed by corn; (ii) integrated crop-livestock (ICL) with soybeans and then corn intercropped with palisade grass; and (iii) well-managed pasture (MP) with continuous monoculture of palisade grass. Soils of ICL and MP exhibited higher soil C (18-27 %) and N (27-29 %) contents, along with increased microbial biomass C (25-45 %) compared to CS. Additionally, ICL and MP showed higher μCT-based porosity (26-30 %) than CS and a greater volume of pores in the 70-150 μm range, which are regarded as optimal microbial habitats. Image-determined POM fractions in ICL and MP were 71 % and 51 % higher compared to CS. The spatial distribution patterns of soil pores and POM influenced the magnitude of soil C decomposition. Greater distances to medium pores and to POM fragments in MP are likely associated with lower soil C losses via CO₂ emission, suggesting more effective soil C protection. We surmise that the intricacies of pore networks and their association with the spatial distribution of POM dictate C accrual in soils with greater presence of well-managed grass, thus providing the basis for target-oriented development of management strategies to rebuild soil C in Brazilian agriculture.