Nonthermal plasma wastewater treatment technology, which combines the advantages of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and advanced reduction processes (ARPs), has attracted increasing attention for remediating micropollutant-contaminated wastewater over the past few decades. This review article compiles and organizes peer-reviewed scientific publications from the last several years on the application

Heterotrophic nitrifying bacteria (HNB) are renowned for their high-efficiency nitrogen removal capabilities and exceptional resilience across a broad spectrum of environmental conditions. Despite this, their significant contribution to the nitrogen cycle has yet to be adequately recognized and emphasized. The heterotrophic nitrification pathways of HNB are distinctly unique, manifested in multiple

We, the Publisher of the journal Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, have retracted the following editorial:Lena Q. Ma, Dong-Xing Guan, Peng Gao & Kashif Hayat (2023) Enhancin...

Manganese (Mn)-induced water discoloration has been globally reported, with persistent impacts that remain incompletely resolved. This issue is largely attributed to the incomplete understanding of Mn-induced discoloration mechanisms and the lack of comprehensive control measures in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs). Therefore, this study presents a comprehensive review of Mn in DWDSs, including

The increasing environmental issues, driven by the depletion of fossil fuel reserves and excessive carbon emissions, have put the world’s attention toward finding sustainable solutions. Among various solutions, microalgae emerge as a promising zero-carbon alternative, addressing both biofuel production and carbon sequestration. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of cultivation methods for

Cyanobacteria and microplastics (MPs) inevitably coexist in eutrophic lake ecosystems, potentially posing considerable ­ecological risks. However, systematic summaries and discussions exploring their interactions and effects on ecosystem structure and function remain scarce. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview of the biological effects of MPs on cyanobacteria, the impact of cyanobacterial biofouling

Adsorption and advanced oxidation processes are frequently used technologies for the removal of organic pollutants from water. For adsorption there is no transformation of the pollutants and the adsorbent will be eventually saturated, which is the disadvantage of this technology for in situ application. Advanced oxidation processes can cause mineralization of the contaminants, but they are not cost-effective

The Periodically Flooded Soil (PFS) zone is a critical ecological interface, marked by high biodiversity and dynamic exchanges of matter and energy. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are central to chemical cycling in this zone, influencing pollutant degradation, ecosystem health, and environmental remediation. Recent findings highlight substantial ROS production in dark, redox-driven PFS environments

Peracetic acid (PAA) based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have received increasing attention in wastewater treatment. However, it is challenging to identify the radical and/or non-radical species and elucidate the intrinsic interaction mechanisms involved in PAA-based AOPs. This work presents a systematic review of the selective generation mechanisms of radicals (hydroxyl and organic radicals)

In recent decades, pharmaceuticals, lauded for saving millions of lives, have surfaced as a new class of environmental contaminants. These compounds, originating primarily from hospital and industrial settings, often resist traditional treatment technologies and can persist in the environment for extended periods. The scarcity of water resources underscores the urgent need for innovative strategies

Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis have become prevalent methods for treating inland wastewater because of superior separation efficiency and operational simplicity, yet they produce highly polluting membrane concentrates (e.g., from municipal potable water and municipal and industrial wastewater) containing biological, organic, and salt pollutants. Managing membrane concentrates poses significant

The built indoor environment, including domestic housing and commercial offices, has significantly lower air quality relative to ambient outdoor air. Methods of air purification typically rely on traditional mechanical filtration methods such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, which are energetically intensive and require routine maintenance to ensure adequate filtration. To reduce

Three-carbon chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (3C-CAHs) are a group of contaminants widely used in various industrial processes. Despite their frequent occurrence in diverse environmental matrices and established toxicity, these compounds receive much less attention compared to their shorter-chain counterparts such as trichloroethylene and dichloroethylene, leading to significant gaps in regulations

Dark fermentation (DF) of lignocellulosic biomass (LB) is expected to play a critical role in building a green hydrogen supply chain toward the carbon-neutral society. Due to its inherent recalcitrance, biomass demands pretreatment to increase its digestibility. Various pretreatment techniques have been extensively investigated to improve the digestibility of feedstocks. However, no systematic review

Investigating the fate of heavy metals, especially natural environmental processes, requires innovation and precise technologies that can offer knowledge at the microscopic scale. Breakthrough of the microfluidics involved in heavy metals control has accelerated in recent years along with realization of the ubiquity, non-degradability, bioaccumulation, mobility and reactivity of heavy metals in the

Microplastics (MPs) have been detected in human tissues and body fluids, triggering obvious toxicity to human health. However, the adverse effects of MPs on human ocular surface were usually ignored, but receiving increasing attention now. The human ocular surface, the outermost layer of the eye, acts as the mechanical barrier to exotic substances to minimize interior damage. Daily exposure to MPs

Estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from river networks remain highly uncertain in many parts of the world, leading to gaps in global inventories and preventing effective management. In-situ sensor technology advances, coupled with mobile sensors on robotic sensor-deployment platforms, will allow more effective data acquisition to monitor carbon cycle processes influencing river CO2 and CH4 emissions

Mineral-organic matter (OM) associations sequester metal(loid)s in the environment, controlling their mobility and bioavailability in soils. This review describes processes and mechanisms operating at the interfaces between OM and mineral phases in mineral-metal(loid)-OM and metal(loid)-OM-mineral associations. It will demonstrate the assumption that metal(loid)s interact with “pure” mineral and OM

Anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) has become a prominent research topic in municipal wastewater treatment. It features significant advantages such as reduced organic carbon demand, decreased sludge generation, and realized energy-saving operations. This review summarizes the implementation situation of the anammox process in municipal wastewater treatment. First, the performance, process, and applied

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that has attracted widespread attention due to its potent toxicity to humans. The transformations of Hg are critical to its global cycling and human exposure risk, considering that different Hg forms possess various mobility and toxicity. It is, therefore, essential to explore the mechanisms of Hg transformations. Both biotic and abiotic factors mediate Hg transformations

Adipogenesis, the process by which preadipocytes differentiate into mature fat cells, is closely associated with the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Identifying and classifying chemicals interfering with adipogenesis are needed for both human health and the environment. However, challenges remain in testing and interpreting data on chemical-induced adipogenesis. This study reviewed available

Research on sensor materials has expanded with the advancement of sensing technologies across industries. Carbon dots (CDs) derived from organic waste and biomass have attracted widespread interest in sensing applications with their prominent properties (e.g., photoluminescence and biocompatibility). The use of non-biomass waste (NBW) as a raw material thus becomes important to make their production

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an emerging contaminant that disrupts endocrine systems and poses significant risks to organisms. It is increasingly detected in municipal wastewater due to its widespread use and high production volume. Despite this, gaps remain in understanding the sources of BPA in municipal wastewater, its effects on nitrification and denitrification, and the potential for its co-removal with

Computer-assisted virtual screening using structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models is a surrogate method for reducing the need for costly animal experiments. However, traditional QSAR models face significant challenges, such as the ‘activity cliff’ phenomenon and small datasets, which limit their ability to generalize and predict toxicity. This review examines transistion of digital encodings

Anaerobic electrochemical membrane bioreactor (AnEMBR) is to combine anaerobic membrane bioreactor with electrochemical technology. Elucidating the mechanisms of methane production kinetics and membrane fouling under electric field has been an area of intense research interest in AnEMBR. In wastewater treatment and resource recovery, the AnEMBR has been proven as a promising technology especially to

Converting the widely present sulfide into elemental sulfur (S0) holds significant environmental protection and resource recycling value. Existing biotechnologies for producing S0 rely on regulating the O2/S or N O3− /S molar ratios, which face challenges of unstable yields under varying conditions. The complexity of sulfide oxidation process, involving numerous enzymes and diverse sulfur forms and

Corrosion is a pervasive issue that poses a significant risk across various industries, causing economic losses and safety hazards. Traditional corrosion control technologies may have some limitations in application, such as high cost, cumbersome construction, and even environmental pollution. Biomineralization, as an emerging anti-corrosion strategy, is effective and eco-friendly, demonstrating in

The viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state is a common phenomenon through which microorganisms respond to stress to ensure long-term survival. To date, more than 100 microbial species have been reported to enter the VBNC state under various stressful conditions. In the VBNC state, cells undergo morphological, physiological, and genetic changes, with the mechanisms of VBNC state formation differing

Human fecal waste is a global health risk associated with diarrheal diseases, responsible for approximately 1.2 million deaths annually. Microbial Source Tracking (MST) is a molecular method that evaluates environmental sources of fecal contamination, aiding quantification of this contamination and associated health risks. However, reported variations in global human gut microbiomes and geographic

Biochar, a carbonaceous solid produced by thermochemical conversion of biomass, is commonly used for soil improvement. In comparison with the biochars derived from wood chips and grass, the biochar produced from nutrient-enriched feedstocks (e.g., sewage sludge, animal manure, microalgae, and wetland plants) contained higher contents of nutrients and showed greater potential for soil application. To

Global concerns about increasing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), particularly methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), and toxic hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas from terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems warrant a comprehensive understanding of anaerobic microbial redox processes that contribute to these atmospheric emissions. Iron minerals that are widely distributed in natural environments mediate many

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has received continuous attention over the past few decades as an efficient biological process for converting waste materials into biogas, biohydrogen, and volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Given the intricacy of the AD microbiome, it is important to explore the microorganisms carrying out the AD process, especially the viruses, which have received insufficient attention thus far

Soil is a multifunctional sustainable pillar that holds the Earth by connecting and supporting the lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and anthroposphere. Circular economy (CE) has emerged as a solution to human-environmental sustainability needs. CE implementations have been popularized across various fields including engineering, agriculture, forestry, and waste management, but comprehensive

ANaerobic MEthanotrophic archaea (ANME) archaea play crucial roles in global geochemical cycles and exert significant influence on greenhouse gas emissions. They have coupled the methane cycle with the sulfur cycle, nitrogen cycle, and the metal element cycle by utilizing various electron acceptors such as sulfate, nitrate/nitrite, metal oxides. This review summarizes the potential mechanisms underlying

Pyrite is the most common sulfur-bearing iron mineral in Earth surface environments. Pyrite is extensively utilized as a catalyst in the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for wastewater treatment due to its impressive reductive capacity and high Fe(II) content. However, it is still controversial whether pyrite could play a truly favorable role in the decontamination processes, as most of the pyrite-based

Seafood is an important source for meeting future global nutrient demands. However, it also contributes disproportionately to the radiological ingestion dose of more than five billion world consumers– up to ∼70%–80% of the total-foods dose in some countries. Although numerous studies report seafood doses in specific populations, there is still no comprehensive evaluation answering basic questions such

Serious water pollution and energy demand issues are driving the rapid development of several advanced technologies to purify wastewater, generate energy, and reduce waste in the context of sustainable economic growth. Herein, the application of photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) to wastewater treatment, with simultaneous production of either energy or high value-added products, and even with recovery of

The pervasive presence of antibiotics and microplastics in aquatic environments poses a significant ecological concern. These contaminants, known for their environmental persistence and bioaccumulation potential, cause adverse effects on aquatic organisms, such as reduced growth, impaired reproduction, and altered behavior. However, few reviews exist on the ecotoxicological effects of co-exposure to

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are substitutes for bromine flame retardants and are used in various consumer products. While OPEs have been extensively studied, the lack of systematic comparison among major OPEs contributes to ambiguity regarding their risks. Classified by substituents of Cl-OPEs, alkyl-OPEs, and aryl-OPEs, this review conducted a retrospective comparison and comprehensive analysis

Rare earth elements (REE) are recognized as emerging pollutants due to their widespread use in modern society (e.g., in the production of electronics, renewable energy technologies, and advanced medical devices) which leads to anthropogenically elevated concentrations in the environment with potential consequences for ecosystem health. This article critically reviews the current scientific knowledge

Biological carbon fixation is essential to the Earth’s carbon cycle and serves as an effective means of converting CO2 and managing carbon emissions. Chemoautotrophic microorganisms, known for their unique metabolic strategies and environmental adaptability, play a significant role in this process. They can convert CO2 into valuable organic products, addressing the otherwise limited use of CO2. However

Biodegradable plastics show promise in addressing traditional plastic waste issues. However, most commercially available biodegradable plastic products are blended/composite materials, combining biodegradable polymers with other polymers, fillers and additives. Non-reactive functional additives, such as plasticizers and stabilizers, raise concerns due to potential leaching as well as release on degradation

Managing farmlands’ heavy metal (HM) pollution is crucial for improving plant growth and ensuring agricultural product safety. While low to medium doses of HM exposure may not directly result in crop reduction, they can lead to HM accumulation in plants and potential food-chain risks, as well as trigger the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Excessive ROS can cause oxidative stress and

Graphene family nanomaterials (GFNs), serving as vectors or catalysts for co-existing contaminants (e.g., heavy metal ions and organic chemicals) in water systems, have raised significant environmental and public health concern in the last 20 years. However, the influence of GFNs’ interactions with co-existing contaminants on their environmental fates and ecotoxicity remains poorly understood. The

Organophosphate esters (OPEs), a group of synthetic chemicals widely used as flame retardants and plasticizers, have garnered significant international attention due to their adverse effects on the environment and human health. Traditionally, environmental OPEs are thought to originate via direct emissions. Recent evidence suggests that OPEs also have an important indirect source: The transformation

The vigorous development of nuclear power is one of the main strategies to solve the energy crisis and environmental pollution due to clean and high energy density of nuclear energy. As the main nuclear fuel, uranium is not only the shortage of terrestrial resource but also pose potential threat to the environment. To figure out these dilemma, various polymers have been widely developed to remove U(VI)

Eutrophication remains a persistent global water quality challenge despite extensive investigations. Numerous reviews highlight multifaceted controversies, and scholars from diverse fields have attempted reconciliation, yet pessimism prevails. The authors perform a detailed exploration of the current controversies and debates surrounding eutrophication strategies. After leveraging a combination of

There exist two distinct pathways for the migration and conversion of organic pollutants in natural water, namely degradation and polymerization. From the perspective of the carbon cycle in the water purification process, compared with the degradation of organic pollutants, oxidative poly­merization could directly convert organic matter in water into solid organic polymers, which can not only realize

Fundamental knowledge gaps still exist in the exposome, especially regarding analytical space coverage, mapping and prioritization of a very large number of diverse chemical structures. This review focuses on the contributions of suspect and non-target screening (NTS) to contaminants characterization and toxicity assessment in drinking water. A comprehensive review of publications from 2013-2024 revealed

Dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) is an important form of microbial respirations and a key part of iron biogeochemical cycle. A wide range of both bacteria and archaea that can conserve energy through Fe(III) reduction are called dissimilatory iron-reducing microorganisms (DIRMs). They have been increasingly recognized as important for coupling organic carbon oxidation in diverse anaerobic environments

Nitrogen pollution poses a substantial threat to water bodies, making the exploration of effective treatment technologies imperative. Among these, biological denitrification stands out as one of the most efficient methods. Various materials, including biochar, graphene, carbon nanotubes, and nanoparticles, have gained widespread use across different industries due to their unique properties. Numerous

Uranium is a naturally occurring radionuclide with chemical toxicity, derived from deposits formed through complex processes. In recent years, uranium utilization activities have increased uranium levels in the soil environment, posing serious threats to soil quality, food safety, and human health. Phytoextraction of uranium contamination is currently a cutting-edge topic that has attracted significant

Article title: Far UV-C Radiation: An Emerging Tool for Pandemic ControlAuthors: Ernest R. Blatchley III, David J. Brenner, Holger Claus, Troy E. Cowan, Karl G. Linden, Yijing Liu, Ted Mao, Sung-Ji...

The rise of the global mean temperature as a consequence of incessant anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, led by CO2, is one of the direst challenges faced by humankind today. The need of the hour is to minimize fossil fuel usage and capture the atmospheric CO2. Broadly, the CO2 mitigation strategies employ carbon capture and storage (CCS) and biological carbon capture and utilization (bio-CCU)

Plastic pollution, a pervasive environmental crisis, arises from the improper disposal of non-biodegradable plastics, endangering species and ecosystems worldwide. While microplastics (MPs) have been extensively studied in various ecosystems, they have received scant attention in port environments, despite their pervasive presence. This review selected published articles conducted in ports worldwide

This review critically examines the long-term management of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) using constructed floating wetlands (CFW) as a sustainable approach for contaminated water treatment. PFAS, which are persistent and widely distributed environmental contaminants, pose significant challenges due to their resistance to natural degradation. CFW, featuring buoyant platforms that support

Drinking water is one of the primary sources of microplastic exposure in humans. However, the extent to which microplastics in drinking water contribute to overall human health remains unclear. The aim of this work is to assess the characteristics of microplastic contamination in bottled and tap water, explore and explain the geographical distribution of the selected studies, evaluate the extent of

Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs), prized for their unique optical properties, are ubiquitous in a range of electronic products. However, their growing use and disposal have led to a continuous influx of LCMs into the environment as contaminants. This review synthesizes information on the sources, environmental distribution, migration, transformation, toxicity, and risks associated with LCMs. It also

Microplastic pollution is a significant environmental issue caused by unsustainable plastic use and disposal. These tiny plastic particles (<5 mm) have been found in virtually every environmental compartment, and their environmental removal is currently deemed unfeasible. Microplastics have received a lot of attention over the past decade due to concerns over their ecological and health effects. However

Computational toxicology provides the basis for the accurate assessment and prediction of toxic effects at the molecular level. However, classical computing often lacks speed and accuracy for complex chemical systems, leading to bottlenecks. The emergence of quantum computing has the potential to fundamentally break through these constraints, allowing the exploration of toxic effects from molecular