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The ever‐increasing quantity of spent lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) is both a potential environmental pollutant and a valuable resource. The spent LIBs recycling mainly aimed at the separation of valuable elements. Some issues still exist in these processes such as high energy consumption and complex separation procedures. This study avoided element separation and proposed a facile approach to transform spent LiCoO2 electrode into a lithium (Li)‐doped graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4)/Co3O4 composite photocatalyst through one‐pot in situ thermal reduction. During the thermal process, melamine served as the reductant for LiCoO2 decomposition and the raw material for g‐C3N4 production. Li was in situ doped in g‐C3N4 and the generated Co3O4 was in situ integrated, forming a Li‐doped g‐C3N4/Co3O4 composite photocatalyst. This special composite exhibited an enhanced photocatalytic performance, and its photocatalytic H2 production and RhB degradation rates were 8.7 and 6.8 times higher than those of g‐C3N4. The experiments combined with DFT calculation revealed that such enhanced photocatalytic efficiency was ascribed to the synergy effect of Li doping and Co3O4 integrating, which extended the visible light absorption (450–900 nm) and facilitated the charge transfer and separation. This study transforms waste into a high‐efficient catalyst, realizing high‐valued utilization of waste and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been one of the global environmental concerns due to their huge quantity and hazardous and valuable character. The existing spent LIB processing mainly focuses on element separation, which is usually complex and energy consuming and even causes new environmental issues. This study breaks through the traditional element separation and utilizes spent LIBs for photocatalytic application. Through facile one-pot sintering of a spent LiCoO2 cathode, melamine and NH4Cl at 530 °C, we introduced a Li–Cl–Co anion–cation to synergistically regulate the π-conjugated structure of g-C3N4 for enhancing its photocatalytic activity. The Li–Cl–Co anion–cation was stabilized in g-C3N4 through Li–N, Li–Cl, Cl–C and Co–N bonds. The Co among the adjacent tri-s-triazine units decreased the bandgap to lower the electron transition energy. The Li and Cl intercalation respectively decreases and increases the interlayer spacing, leading to a gradient decrease in the energy barrier for dramatically boosting the charge migration and separation between g-C3N4 layers. These special characteristics synergistically contribute to the superior photocatalytic performance. The simulated sunlight photocatalytic H2 evolution and RhB degradation rates of this special photocatalyst were 12.6 and 15.3 times higher than those of pristine g-C3N4. This study avoids element separation and distinctively utilizes spent LIBs for photocatalytic application, which minimizes the environmental risks associated with recycling. Our study also reveals a synergetic concept of recycling wastes as high-efficiency photocatalysts for environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At present, the management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is mainly based on radiotherapy, but there are many radiation delivery techniques such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and 2-dimensional radiotherapy (2D-RT). Materials and methods: We searched all the eligible studies through the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medline, and Embase. The endpoint events in meta-analysis were overall survival (OS), tumor local control including local-regional free survival (LRFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and late toxicities. Results: A total of ten publications met the criteria and were identified through searches of the databases and references. We included 13304 patients in the meta-analysis, of whom 5212 received IMRT and 8092 were allocated to 2D-RT alone group. Compared with 2D-RT treatment, the IMRT group was associated with a better 5-year OS (OR = 1.70; 95% CI = 1.36–2.12), LRFS (OR = 2.08; 95% CI = 1.82–2.37), and PFS (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.26–1.56). Additionally, the incidence of late toxicities such as late xerostomia (OR = 0.21; 95% CI = 0.09–0.51), trismus (OR = 0.16; 95% CI = 0.04–0.60), and temporal lobe neuropathy (TLN) (OR = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.24–0.67) for NPC patients in IMRT group were significantly lower than 2D-RT. Conclusions: The meta-analysis demonstrates that IMRT provides improved long-term tumor overall survival and local control including LRFS and PFS. Additionally, IMRT yields a lower incidence of late toxicities induced by irradiation in NPC patients. Compared to 2D-RT, IMRT may be an effective treatment for patients with NPC. Further intensive studies should be pursued to examine the association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-batch application of lithium ion batteries leads to the mass production of spent batteries. So the enhancement of disposal ability of spent lithium ion batteries is becoming very urgent. This study proposes an integrated process to handle bulk spent lithium manganese (LiMn 2 O 4 ) batteries to in situ recycle high value-added products without any additives. By mechanical separation, the mixed electrode materials mainly including binder, graphite and LiMn 2 O 4 are firstly obtained from spent batteries. Then, the reaction characteristics for the oxygen-free roasting of mixed electrode materials are analyzed. And the results show that mixed electrode materials can be in situ converted into manganese oxide (MnO) and lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3 ) at 1073 K for 45 min. In this process, the binder is evaporated and decomposed into gaseous products which can be collected to avoid disposal cost. Finally, 91.30% of Li resource as Li 2 CO 3 is leached from roasted powders by water and then high value-added Li 2 CO 3 crystals are further gained by evaporating the filter liquid. The filter residues are burned in air to remove the graphite and the final residues as manganous-manganic oxide (Mn 3 O 4 ) is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new non-fermentative process for the transformation of biomass carbohydrates and lactic acid (LA) into propionic acid (PA) was first reported over a cobalt catalyst in water. The Co catalyst exhibited high catalytic activity for the formation of PA with Zn as a reductant. Various parameters, such as catalyst loading, Zn weight, water volume, temperature and reaction time, were investigated to improve the yield of PA, and the maximum value of 58.8% was achieved in the presence of 4 mmol Co and 10 mmol Zn in 7.5 mL H2O at 250 °C for 2 h. The recyclability of the Co catalyst showed that Co could be effectively repeated four times without the loss of activity. Moreover, the result showed that in situ-formed ZnO by oxidation of Zn in water could efficiently enhance the catalytic activity of the Co catalyst in the conversion of LA. Besides, direct conversion of carbohydrate biomass, such as glucose, cellulose and starch, or a similar compound such as glycolic acid also afforded the desired products. The present study provides great significance for practical application on the production of PA from LA and biomass carbohydrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a widely used plasticizer, also known as a developmental toxicant, but its neurobehavioral toxicity remains elusive. This study evaluated the neurobehavioral toxicity and its possible mechanism in larval zebrafish. Embryos at gastrula period (~6 h post fertilization, hpf) were exposure to DEHP (0, 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/L) for 7 days. Spontaneous tail movement in embryos and swimming activity in larvae were monitored. Alterations in the mRNA expression of genes involved in dopamine signaling and apoptosis pathway were assessed. In situ apoptotic cells were assessed by Acridine orange staining, and oxidative damage were measured using enzymatic assay. The behavior results showed that DEHP inhibited spontaneous tail movement and decreased locomotor activities in the light/dark behavioral test. Meanwhile, behavioral changes were accompanied by increased apoptosis and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and dopamine (DA) content, and perturbed the expression of genes associated with the synthesis (th), reuptake (dat) and metabolism (mao) of DA, with dopamine receptors (DRs), and with the apoptosis pathway (p53, bax, bcl2, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9). The findings will help to illuminate the possible neurobehavioral toxicity mechanisms of organism exposure to DEHP. [Display omitted] • Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were exposure to Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). • DEHP was developmentally toxic to zebrafish in early life stage. • DEHP-induced neurotoxicity characterized by tail coiling inhibition and hypoactivity. • Dopamine signaling was associated with DEHP-induced neurobehavioral toxicity. • DEHP induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in zebrafish larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A targeted extraction technology for recycling lithium from spent lithium transition metal oxides (LTMO) type batteries is developed in this paper. The chlorinating technology with ammonium chloride as the only additive is employed and controlled to selectively extract lithium. High lithium extraction rate with a low selectivity was first obtained at non-controlled chlorinating conditions. During this process, it was found that the reducing driving force (RDF) played a vital role in metals extraction. Once RDF was controlled at a low level, lithium elements could be targetedly extracted out while other metal elements still remained in the residues. The results showed that 91.73% lithium elements were leached out with a selectivity of 90.04% at the optimal conditions. Further, the mechanism was proposed to explain the release behavior of metals from cathode materials from the perspective of extracting driving force. These principles also offer inspiration for metal selective extraction fields such as metallurgy and recovery of complex systems including multiple metals. ga1 • Chlorination conversion is controlled to realized the targeted extraction of lithium. • Metal release behavior is studied from the perspective of extracting driving force. • High Li recovery and selectivity rate is gained by controlled chlorination technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has been reported to be widely distributed in the environment and wildlife with persistence. PFOS has various biological toxicity, especially disturbing the endocrine system. However, few studies have systematically evaluated its effect on sexual behaviors alteration and reproduction-related genes. This study was performed to assess the effect of PFOS exposure on sexual behaviors and genes in hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal–liver (HPGL) axis in adult zebrafish. Male adult zebrafish were exposed to PFOS (0, 2, 20, and 200 μg/L) and 5 μg/L estradiol (E 2) continuously for 21 days. Sexual behaviors were analyzed by zebrafish behavior tracking system and the mRNA levels of HPGL-related genes was detected by RT-qPCR. Body weight of the fish was increased in 2, 200 μg/L PFOS and E 2 groups, and body length was increased with exposure to 2 μg/L PFOS and E 2. The hepatic-somatic index was decreased significantly after 2 and 20 μg/L PFOS treatments. Highest PFOS (200 μg/L) and E 2 exposure impaired standard zebrafish sexual behaviors significantly such as chasing , nose-tail and tail-touching. In brains, the genes gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRHr) were down-regulated with exposure to PFOS with linear trend and E 2 exposure, and follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were also down-regulated with exposure to 20 and 200 μg/L PFOS. In livers, the genes vitellogenin 1 and 3 were upregulated with some concentrations of PFOS and E 2 , but estrogenic receptor α, β2 were upregulated in any concentration of PFOS and E 2. In testes, the expressions of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor, luteinizing hormone receptor, and androgen receptor genes were all significantly down-regulated with any exposure concentration of PFOS and E 2. PFOS may alter the zebrafish reproductive system by disrupting endocrine activity and impairing sexual behaviors. Image 1 • PFOS exposure (200 μg/L) impaired standard zebrafish sexual behaviors significantly. • Gene transcriptions in HPGL axis of zebrafish were systematically evaluated. • Zebrafish testis are more sensitive than brains and livers after exposure to PFOS. • PFOS alters the zebrafish reproductive system by disrupting endocrine activity. Exposure to PFOS of male zebrafish for 21 days led to impaired sexual behaviors (chasing , nose-tail and tail-touching) and changes in expression of genes on the HPGL axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known xenobiotic endocrine disrupting chemical, with estrogenic activity and many other potential biological effects. Although multiple toxicities have been reported for BPA, molecular mechanisms underlying the transgenerational toxic effects of BPA are still underestimated. Parental F0 fish were exposed to 1.0 μM BPA or control (0.1% DMSO, v/v) for 7 days. Eggs (F1) were collected and kept in control medium until 4.5 or 120 h post fertilization (hpf). RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was conducted on embryos and larvae, to discover differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and then KEGG pathway, GO enrichment and GSEA were performed to interpret functional ontology. Histopathology was performed to explore the morphological and structural alterations in liver tissues of zebrafish larvae (120 hpf) after parental BPA exposure. Parental BPA exposure induced global transcriptomic changes in zebrafish embryos and larvae. For embryos, epigenetic regulation genes were decidedly affected, highlighted epigenotoxicity might involve in the transgenerational effects during embryogenesis and early development. By further investigation on its delayed effects, our RNA-Seq data of larvae suggested ROS metabolic process, apoptosis, p53 and MAPK signaling pathway were concentrated, indicating defensive cellular processes still involved in protecting against BPA toxicity. Furthermore, parental BPA-treated larvae manifested hepatic injury by histopathological analysis. Parental BPA exposure led to global transcriptomic changes involved in epigenetic regulation, oxidative stress, apoptosis and DNA damage of offspring. These findings advanced the field of the parental-mediated subsequent generational toxic effects of BPA. Image 1 • Parental BPA exposure caused transcriptomic changes in zebrafish embryos and larvae. • Epigenetic inheritance may involve in the transgenerational effects of BPA. • Six KEGG pathways were enriched in zebrafish larvae after parental BPA exposure. • Parental BPA exposure induced hepatic lipids accumulation of F1 progeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been shown to influence expression of some biomarkers that are predictive/prognostic for breast cancer. Therefore, our study was conducted to further investigating associations of different functional PCBs in adipose tissue with breast cancer prognostic biomarkers. Two hundred and five breast cancer patients were recruited in Shantou, China. Breast adipose tissues were collected during their resection surgery and levels of 7 PCB congeners were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The PCB congeners were divided into 4 groups according to structure-activity. Socio-demographic, clinical and pathological information were obtained from questionnaire and digital medical records. Odds ratios (ORs) for associations between prognostic biomarkers and PCB levels (tertile 3 [T3], tertile 2 [T2] vs. tertile 1) were estimated from logistic regression models. Most PCB congeners were detectable, with a highest level (22.06 ng/g lipid) of PCB153. As for estrogenic PCBs, increased PCB52 exposure was positively associated with PR expression (OR T2 = 2.36, P trend = 0.054), but higher PCB101 level was negatively associated with HER-2 (OR T3 = 0.24, P trend = 0.029) and tumor size (OR = 0.43). Limited dioxin-like PCB138 exposure was positively associated with ER (OR T2 = 3.23, OR T3 = 3.77, P trend = 0.047) but negatively with Top-IIα expression (OR T2 = 0.35, OR T3 = 0.28, P trend = 0.080). Higher PCB153 (CYP inducer) level was negatively associated with ER (OR T2 = 0.32, OR T3 = 0.19, P trend = 0.038) but positively with Ki-67 expression (OR T2 = 1.43, OR T3 = 3.60, P trend = 0.055). Higher neurotoxic PCB28 was positively associated with HER-2 (OR T3 = 5.43, P trend = 0.006) and tumor size (OR = 2.37). Moreover, total PCBs exposure was positively associated with VEGF-C (OR T2 = 76.91, OR T3 = 97.96, P trend = 0.041) and tumor metastasis (OR = 2.25). Different functional PCB congeners have different associations (both positive and negative) with breast cancer prognostic biomarkers, as well as tumor classification stage. Therefore, the development and aggressiveness of breast cancer may depend upon exposure to specific structure-activity of PCBs. • Associations between PCBs and breast cancer prognostic biomarkers were investigated. • The PCB congeners were divided into 4 groups according to structure-activity. • Different functional PCB congeners have different associations with prognostic biomarkers. • The development of breast cancer may depend upon exposure to specific types of PCBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling valuable metals from the batteries has aroused much attention recently. However, the elimination of residual electricity is often neglected, and NaCl-discharging is commonly used to release residual electricity from spent LIBs without consideration of the environmental impacts. In this paper, experimental studies are carried out in different solutions to investigate the discharge efficiency and environmental impacts. The results show that the discharge rate is much slow only by water electrolysis, and the discharge rate can be greatly improved with the participation of solution ions in the discharge process. Besides, the high discharge efficiency always results in high risks of environment pollution. MnSO 4 solution with a mild discharge rate is proved as a choice to reduce galvanic corrosion and avoid organic leakage. Therein, the isolation layer was in-situ formed to avoid oxygen corrosion. Finally, the O 2 -control mechanism is proposed to explain the cleaner process of battery discharge in MnSO 4 solution. Image 1 • Battery discharge in salt solution is more than a simple short-circuit process. • High discharge efficiency always results in high risks of environment pollution. • An in-situ protection way is applied to mildly and environmentally discharge battery. • The O 2 -control mechanism is proposed to explain the battery discharge process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most common endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), bisphenol A (BPA) is a threat to aquatic ecosystems. Despite a rich literature addressing the adverse effects of BPA on various systems in fish models, the potential impact of parental BPA exposure on offspring pharyngeal cartilage development is poorly understood. Adult zebrafish (F0) were exposed to BPA (1.0 μM) or control for 7 days. Eggs (F1) were collected and exposed to BPA (control, 0.05, 0.1, 1, 10 μM) until 120 h post-fertilization. Histomorphometrical essay was used to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the effects of BPA on pharyngeal cartilage development. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to discover differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and KEGG pathway and GO enrichment analysis were performed to interpret functional ontology. Parental BPA exposure affected hatchability and heart rates of F1 progeny. By pathology analysis, parental BPA exposure caused craniofacial deformity, characterized by wider angles of cartilage elements, disrupted pharyngeal chondrocytes and promoted apoptosis and elongation of head length. RNA-seq suggested that many DEGs were involved in multiple biological processes and signaling pathways; defense responses, reactive oxygen species metabolic process, apoptosis, p53 signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway were closely associated with the toxicity of parental BPA exposure. Parental BPA exposure affected chondrogenesis in the viscerocranium of zebrafish offspring and led to global transcriptomic changes involved in apoptosis, hyperplasia and oxidative stress. These newly identified gene expression patterns, pathways and gene networks of zebrafish eleutheroembryos after early-life waterborne BPA exposure, may lead to severe and permanent morphological and functional consequences. Image 1 • The transgenerational effects were studied in progeny of adult fish exposed to BPA. • BPA affected hatchability and heart rates of offspring embryo-larvae. • Parental BPA exposure caused pharyngeal cartilage malformation of F1 progeny. • Parental BPA exposure induced global transcriptomic changes in eleutheroembryos. • 5 KEGG pathways were identified to be involved in response to parental BPA exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review discusses the critical role of fundamentals of battery recycling in addressing the challenges posed by the increasing number of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to the widespread use of electric vehicles and portable electronics, by providing the theoretical basis and technical support for recycling spent LIBs, including battery classification, ultrasonic flaw detection, pretreatment ( e.g. , discharging, mechanical crushing, and physical separation), electrolyte recovery, direct regeneration, and theoretical calculations and simulations. Physical chemistry principles are essential for achieving effective separation of different components through methods like screening, magnetic separation, and flotation. Electrolyte recovery involves separation and purification of electrolytes through advanced physical and chemical techniques. Direct regeneration technology restores the structure of electrode materials at the microscopic scale, requiring precise control of the physical state and crystal structure of the material. Physical processes such as phase changes, solubility, and diffusion are fundamental to techniques like solid-state sintering, eutectic-salt treatment, and hydrothermal methods. Theoretical calculations and simulations help predict the behaviour of materials during recycling, guiding process optimization. This review provides insights into understanding and improving the recycling process, emphasizing the central role of physical chemistry principles in addressing environmental and energy issues. It is valuable for promoting innovation in spent LIB recycling processes and is expected to stimulate interest among researchers and manufacturers.

The recycling of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is essential for promoting the closed-loop sustainable development of the LIB industry. However, progress in LIB recycling technologies is slow. There are significant gaps between academic research and industrial application, which hinder the industrialization of new technologies and the improvement of existing ones. Here we show a universal model for spent LIB-lithium recycling ( SliRec ) to evaluate the applicability and upgrading potential across various recycling technologies. Instead of modeling the entire recycling process, we focus on partial processes to enable a comparative analysis of environmental and economic impacts. We find a strong correlation between lithium concentration (LC) and the advancement of recycling technologies, where higher LC is associated with a reduced carbon footprint and increased economic benefits. The implementation of high-level recycling technology can result in an 85.91% reduction in carbon footprint and a 5.97-fold increase in economic returns. Additionally, we explore the effects of technological interventions through scenario analysis, demonstrating that while low-level recycling technology faces more substantial challenges in upgrading, it holds greater potential for reducing carbon emissions (-2.38 kg CO 2 -eq mol -1 ) and enhancing economic benefits (CNY 11.04 mol -1 ). Our findings emphasize the significance of process modeling in evaluating the quality of spent LIB recycling technologies, and can provide comparative information for the application of emerging technologies or the upgrade of existing ones., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Spent lithium ion battery (LIB) recovery is becoming quite urgent for environmental protection and social needs due to the rapid progress in LIB industries. However, recycling technologies cannot keep up with the exaltation of the LIB market. Technological improvement of processing spent batteries is necessary for industrial application. In this paper, spent LIB recovery processes are classified into three steps for discussion: gathering electrode materials, separating metal elements, and recycling separated metals. Detailed discussion and analysis are conducted in every step to provide beneficial advice for environmental protection and technology improvement of spent LIB recovery. Besides, the practical industrial recycling processes are introduced according to their advantages and disadvantages. And some recommendations are provided for existing problems. Based on current recycling technologies, the challenges for spent LIB recovery are summarized and discussed from technological and environmental perspectives. Furthermore, great effort should be made to promote the development of spent LIB recovery in future research as follows: (1) gathering high-purity electrode materials by mechanical pretreatment; (2) green metals leaching from electrode materials; (3) targeted extraction of metals from electrode materials.

Exposure to fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5 ) is associated with adverse health effects, varying by its components. The health-related effects of PM 2.5 exposure from ore mining may be different from those of environment pollution. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different concentrations of PM 2.5 exposure on the cardio-pulmonary function of manganese mining workers. A total of 280 dust-exposed workers who were involved in different types of work in an open-pit manganese mine were randomly selected. According to the different concentrations of PM 2.5 in the working environment, the workers were divided into an exposed group and a control group. The electrocardiogram, blood pressure, and multiple lung function parameters of the two groups were measured and analyzed. The PM 2.5 exposed group had significantly lower values in the pulmonary function indexes of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0), maximum mid expiratory flow (MMEF), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), percentage of peak expiratory flow out of the overall expiratory flow volume (PEFR%), forced expiratory flow at 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity (FEF 25, FEF75), forced expiratory flow when 25%, 50%, and 75% of forced vital capacity has been exhaled (FEF25%,FEF50%, FEF75%), and FEV1.0/FVC% (the percentage of the predicted value of forced vital capacity) than the control group (all p < 0.05). Both groups had mild or moderate lung injury, most of which was restrictive ventilatory disorder, and there was significant difference in the prevalence rate of restrictive respiratory dysfunction between the two groups (41.4% vs. 23.6%, p = 0.016). Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities, especially sinus bradycardia, were shown in both groups, but there was no statistical difference of the prevalence rate between the two groups ( p > 0.05). Also, no significant difference of the prevalence rate of hypertension was observed between the PM2.5 exposure and control groups ( p > 0.05). PM 2.5 exposure was associated with pulmonary function damage of the workers in the open-pit manganese mine, and the major injury was restrictive ventilatory disorder. The early effect of PM 2.5 exposure on the cardiovascular system was uncertain at current exposure levels and exposure time.

Lithium is a rare metal because of geographical scarcity and technical barrier. Recycling lithium resource from spent lithium ion batteries (LIBs) is significant for lithium deficiency and environmental protection. A novel approach for recycling lithium element as Li 2 CO 3 from spent LIBs is proposed. First, the electrode materials preobtained by mechanical separation are pyrolyzed under enclosed vacuum condition. During this process the Li is released as Li 2 CO 3 from the crystal structure of lithium transition metal oxides due to the collapse of the oxygen framework. An optimal Li recovery rate of 81.90% is achieved at 973 K for 30 min with a solid-to-liquid ratio of 25 g L -1 , and the purity rate of Li 2 CO 3 is 99.7%. The collapsed mechanism is then presented to explain the release of lithium element during the vacuum pyrolysis. Three types of spent LIBs including LiMn 2 O 4 , LiCoO 2 , and LiCo x Mn y Ni z O 2 are processed to prove the validity of in situ recycling Li 2 CO 3 from spent LIBs under enclosed vacuum condition. Finally, an economic assessment is taken to prove that this recycling process is positive.