Journal of Environmental Management最新文献

Energy transition through the phase-in of renewables is a crucial pathway for sustainable development. The deployment of renewable energy is increasingly influenced by a country's underlying economic structure and capabilities, captured by economic complexity. This study examines the dynamic and heterogeneous effects of multidimensional economic complexity on renewable energy development. Panel data from 69 countries/regions during 1999-2021 are analyzed using Quantile Regression for Panel Data to investigate the non-linear effects of the multidimensional economic complexity index (ECI) on energy transition and cross-country heterogeneity. The results indicate that trade complexity (trade ECI) hinders energy transition, with the strongest inhibitory effect observed in developed regions. Technology complexity (technology ECI) is found to facilitate energy transition, and this positive effect is strongest in developed regions. Research complexity (research ECI) exhibits a shifting trend, initially negative and subsequently positive, as the quartile of energy structure increases. The robustness tests further confirm the baseline findings. Furthermore, threshold analyses reveal that the negative effect of trade ECI emerges only when industrial structure exceeds a critical value, the positive effect of technology ECI appears after green innovation exceeds its threshold, and the positive influence of research ECI occurs once research and development (R&D) expenditure exceeds the corresponding threshold. This study contributes to the literature by constructing a multidimensional framework of economic complexity, highlighting cross-country heterogeneity between developed and developing economies, and identifying the threshold conditions under which multidimensional ECI either promotes or impedes the transition toward renewable energy.

Photocatalytic water splitting is a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach for producing hydrogen. Herein, Fe-doped WSe₂ (Fe-WSe₂) photocatalyst is reported for improved dye degradation and visible light-driven hydrogen production. Fe, integrated into WSe₂ lattice, was prepared hydrothermally to enhance its electronic structure and improve the charge separation and light absorption. Under simulated solar irradiation, Fe-WSe₂ produced hydrogen gas at the rate of 18.45 mmol h^-1, which is twice the performance of the undoped WSe₂ (7.42 mmol h^-1). Fe-WSe₂ is an n-type semiconductor with an appropriately negative flat band potential, facilitating an effective electron transport according to the band structure analysis and Mott-Schottky experiments. Due to the formation of increased reactive oxygen species and extended charge carrier lifetimes, the material demonstrated exceptional photocatalytic degradation of Indigo Carmine dye to the extent of 93% in 3 h under visible light. These findings demonstrate the potential of Fe-WSe₂ as a noble-metal-free photocatalyst for environmental remediation and sustainable energy production. The research presents a scalable method for enhancing transition metal dichalcogenides' photocatalytic activity through selective doping for environmental applications.

Figuring out the influencing factors and spatiotemporal evolution of China's net ecosystem CO₂ exchange (NEE) is crucial for supporting the national dual carbon strategy goals. This study integrated 338 NEE observation records from 81 flux stations across China with multi-source remote sensing data to elucidate the spatiotemporal evolution of China's NEE since 2000. Results indicated that mean annual temperature (MAT), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and bulk density (BD) were the primary factors influencing NEE variation in China. The dominant factor (MAT) exhibited a gradual stimulatory effect on NEE, with a turning point at 6.39 °C. From 2000 to 2023, China's annual NEE averaged -1.31 ± 0.19 Pg C yr^-1, exhibiting a sustained carbon sinks trend. During this period, the Three-North Shelterbelt Engineering Region (TNSER) contributed approximately 30% of China's terrestrial carbon sinks, demonstrating the positive impact of ecological engineering initiatives. Since 2003, the gap between China's terrestrial carbon sinks and anthropogenic CO₂ emissions has shown an expanding trend. The research findings provide scientific reference for national ecosystem carbon management needs and policy formulation from a carbon budget perspective.

Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) and Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) represent a major clinical and epidemiological challenge and pose a growing threat to public health and the environment. Accordingly, CRPA and CRAB were investigated in hospital wastewater (HWW) collected during winter and summer 2024 from 64 healthcare facilities across all 16 Polish voivodeships. To our knowledge, this study constitutes the first nationwide, large-scale assessment in Poland of carbapenem resistance in these high-risk pathogens in hospital wastewater. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria (CRB) in HWW discharged into the public sewer system and municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In addition, associations between CRB prevalence, hospital geographic location, and sampling season were analyzed to identify spatial and temporal patterns of carbapenem resistance (CR). Carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa were predominant in all studied regions. Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii were identified in a smaller percentage of samples and were characterized by greater genotypic diversity. The ERIC-PCR assay confirmed the presence of both closely related strains and unique genetic profiles, which suggests that CRB emissions into the environment have a complex character. The statistical analysis revealed significant relationships between CRB counts, the physicochemical parameters of HWW, and antibiotic concentrations in HWW samples. In addition, the tested samples harbored many antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which confirms that HWW is a significant reservoir of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) involved in the spread of antibiotic resistance. The results of the study indicate that HWW should be rigorously monitored and managed to minimize risks to public health and environment.

Microorganisms play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem functions by transforming matter and energy. The impact of environmental perturbations on the cycling and loss of aquatic microbial communities remains poorly characterized, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, we present the shifts in active microbial community and the maintenance of glacier-derived microbial core along the Aconcagua Basin, Central Chile. Through metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA transcripts and genes in water samples from 13 sites along the river continuum-including glacier-influenced headwaters, mining-proximal zones, agro-industrial reaches, and estuarine environments-distinct shifts in microbial community composition were observed. Glacier-fed waters harbored rich, cold-adapted microbial communities with elevated viral pressure, while mining and/or natural acid drainage promoted the dominance (up to 52% relative abundance) of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and reduced overall diversity. Among the SOB taxa, Thiovirga, Sulfuricurvum, and Thiobacillus-affiliated ASVs dominated together with minor taxa such as Thiomonas, Longilinea, Alishewenella, and Acidithiobacillus. Downstream, runoff and wastewater inputs from agricultural and urban areas altered microbial assemblages, introducing new taxa (e.g., C39 and Cellvibrio) and further diminishing glacier-derived core members. Estuarine sites exhibited pronounced eutrophication and significant loss of upstream microbial diversity. Along the basin, the virus-to-prokaryotes ratio gradually decreased (i.e., 95 to 5) from the glacier-fed lagoon with low prokaryotic biomass to the estuarine wetland with high virus and prokaryotic abundances. This study underscores the importance of integrating microbial diversity into water resource management and conservation policy to ensure ecosystem resilience amid climate change and intensifying human impacts.

Water scarcity and industrial effluent discharge demand sustainable and efficient materials for water treatment applications. Cellulose-based adsorbents are attractive due to their renewability and low environmental impact, yet their practical use is often constrained by limited surface charge density and adsorption capacity. The aim of this study was to develop a green and easy-to-implement modification strategy to convert industrial Kraft fibers into highly anionic, reusable adsorbents for effective removal of cationic dyes from aqueous systems. To achieve this aim, a solvent-free mechanochemical phosphorylation approach was employed using ball milling, with condensed phosphoric acid and urea as phosphorylating agents, followed by an optional thermal curing step. Two processing routes were compared to elucidate the individual and synergistic effects of mechanochemical activation and post-curing on charge development and adsorption performance. Methylene blue was used as a model cationic dye. Mechanochemically phosphorylated Kraft fibers exhibited exceptionally high anionic charge densities, reaching up to 6845 ± 147 mmol kg^-1. Compared to unmodified fibers (∼20 mg g^-1), the modified materials achieved a maximum methylene blue adsorption capacity of up to 1800 mg g^-1 after curing, corresponding to a 90-fold enhancement. The adsorbents showed good operational stability, retaining approximately 90% dye recovery after three adsorption-desorption cycles. The adsorption isotherm data were best described by Langmuir/Sips-type behavior, and kinetics were consistent with pseudo-second-order models, while density functional theory calculations confirmed the key role of phosphate groups in dye binding. Overall, this study establishes a simple, solvent-free, and environmentally benign strategy for converting industrial Kraft fibers into high-performance, regenerable adsorbents. The approach not only enhances the anionic functionality and adsorption efficiency of cellulose but also supports the broader valorization of Kraft fibers as low-cost, sustainable materials for real-world water remediation applications.

Microalgae are ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems and play a pivotal role in carbon fixation and cycling. Toxicity of microplastics (MPs) on microalgae in aquatic ecosystems has been widely studied, but their influence on carbon fixation capacity of microalgae remains poorly understood. In this study, the influence of polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) MPs on carbon fixation capacity of Chlorella pyrenoidosa was investigated. During 14-day incubation, the maximum inhibition of carbon fixation was 37.0% and 39.25% for PE and PVC MPs at 50 mg/L, respectively. Moreover, MPs resulted in the decrease of dissolved organic matter (DOM) into water by destroying the algae integrity, while the increase of aromaticity and humification of DOM. The PE and PVC exposure resulted in the reduction of chlorophyll content, and the increase of intercellular oxidative stress, as evidenced by the increased production of stress-related biomarkers. Furthermore, a comprehensive transcriptomes analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes in GO enrichment analysis were mainly membrane, photosynthetic electron transport chain, chloroplast, etc. KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrated that MPs induced the downregulation of genes involved in chlorophyll metabolism and the Calvin cycle. The findings provide valuable insights into the potential environmental impacts of MPs on aquatic carbon cycles.

Antibiotics and denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) processes frequently coexist in natural ecosystems and wastewater treatment systems. This study investigated the performance and microbial ecology of a denitrification system coupled with Nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (N-DAMO) under oxytetracycline (OTC) stress. Specifically, 1 mg/L OTC enhanced nitrogen removal efficiency by 15% relative to the control, whereas 10 mg/L OTC exerted a significant inhibition of 58%. The Michaelis-Menten kinetic model predicted that the system could tolerate the maximum OTC concentration of 26.76 mg/L. Mechanistically, the secretion of protein-rich extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) served as a protective barrier against toxicity. The abundance of the DAMO bacterium Candidatus Methylomirabilis correlated negatively with OTC concentration. At 1 mg/L OTC, denitrification was enhanced through the enrichment of Thauera. However, 10 mg/L OTC damaged EPS structure and suppressed microbial activity, and led to a decrease in the abundance of related functional bacteria and an increase in the abundance of antibiotic resistant bacteria such as Hyphomicrobium and Thermomonas. Metagenomic analysis revealed that denitrification genes (e.g., norB, norC) were upregulated with 1 mg/L OTC, whereas high-concentration OTC induced pronounced enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), with frequently co-localization within the same hosts. This suggests an increased potential for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) occurred within the DAMO community, which may contribute to the dissemination of ARGs. These findings provide new insights into the adaptive mechanisms of N-DAMO systems under antibiotic stress and highlight their potential for nitrogen removal in contaminated environments.

The alpine grassland ecosystems of the core Sanjiangyuan region on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau play a crucial role in addressing global climate change. In this area, both natural alpine grasslands and artificial grasslands have become the predominant land use types due to climate change and human activities. This study employed Illumina MiSeq sequencing to investigate the microbial communities in the surface soil across three grassland types: alpine grasslands (AG), alpine desertified grasslands (ADG), and alpine artificial grasslands (AFG). We aimed to explore the response patterns and intrinsic relationships among vegetation, soil, soil microbes, and ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). Our findings revealed that alpine natural grasslands have higher vegetation diversity than AFG, which, despite having fewer species, possess significantly higher soil nutrient. These differences leads to distinct microbial community structures: ADG showed increase microbial variability, while AFG exhibits microbial homogenization. Prokaryotic communities are primarily influenced by deterministic processes, whereas fungal communities are mainly shaped by stochastic processes. Human disturbances can enhance EMF (AFG > AG > ADG) but may alter microorganisms' potential ecological connections and weaken fungal stability. In contrast, the resilience of natural grasslands and efficient aerobic processes in ADG support ecological recovery. In conclusion, although artificial grasslands can quickly improve certain functions, they cannot fully replicate the complex structure and benefits of native alpine grasslands. Thus, prioritizing native ecosystems protection and using artificial restoration as a supplementary strategy is recommended.