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To gather enough energy to respond to harmful stimuli, most immune cells quickly shift their metabolic profile. This process of immunometabolism plays a critical role in the regulation of immune cell function. Triclosan, a synthetic antibacterial component present in a wide range of consumer items, has been shown to cause immunotoxicity in a number of organisms. However, it is unclear whether and how triclosan impacts immunometabolism. Here, human macrophages were used as model cells to explore the modulatory effect of triclosan on immunometabolism. Untargeted metabolomics using integrated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed that triclosan changed the global metabolic profile of macrophages. Furthermore, Seahorse energy analysis and

Thorough investigations of the environmental fate and risks are necessary for the safe application of engineered nanomaterials. Nevertheless, the current understanding of potential transformations of MoS

The performance optimization of isolated atomically dispersed metal active sites is critical but challenging. Here, TiO 2 @Fe species-N-C catalysts with Fe atomic clusters (ACs) and satellite Fe-N 4 active sites were fabricated to initiate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) oxidation reaction. The AC-induced charge redistribution of single atoms (SAs) was verified, thus strengthening the interaction between SAs and PMS. In detail, the incorporation of ACs optimized the HSO 5 - oxidation and SO 5 ·− desorption steps, accelerating the reaction progress. As a result, the Vis/TiFeAS/PMS system rapidly eliminated 90.81% of 45 mg/L tetracycline (TC) in 10 min. The reaction process characterization suggested that PMS as an electron donor would transfer electron to Fe species in TiFeAS, generating 1 O 2 . Subsequently, the h VB + can induce the generation of electron-deficient Fe species, promoting the reaction circulation. This work provides a strategy to construct catalysts with multiple atom assembly–enabled composite active sites for high-efficiency PMS-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs).

The peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-triggered radical and nonradical active species can synergistically guarantee selectively removing micropollutants in complex wastewater; however, realizing this on heterogeneous metal-based catalysts with single active sites remains challenging due to insufficient electron cycle. Herein, we design asymmetric Co–O–Bi triple-atom sites in Co-doped Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 to facilitate PMS oxidation and reduction simultaneously by enhancing the electron transfer between the active sites. We propose that the asymmetric Co–O–Bi sites result in an electron density increase in the Bi sites and decrease in the Co sites, thereby PMS undergoes a reduction reaction to generate SO 4 •- and •OH at the Bi site and an oxidation reaction to generate 1 O 2 at the Co site. We suggest that the synergistic effect of SO 4 •- , •OH, and 1 O 2 enables efficient removal and mineralization of micropollutants without interference from organic and inorganic compounds under the environmental background. As a result, the Co-doped Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 achieves almost 99.3% sulfamethoxazole degradation in 3 min with a k-value as high as 82.95 min −1 M −1 , which is superior to the existing catalysts reported so far. This work provides a structural regulation of the active sites approach to control the catalytic function, which will guide the rational design of Fenton-like catalysts.

Root rot is a common disease in soybean (Glycine max) and field pea (Pisum sativum), which restrain increased production in Canada. Sixty-seven isolates of Rhizoctonia were recovered from various diseased plants in Alberta, Canada along with three isolates from diseased soybean plants in Manitoba, Canada. According to their anastomosis behavior, 23 (32.9%) of the isolates were identified as anastomosis group (AG) 4 (AG4), 7 (10.0%) were AG2-1, 10 (14.3%) were AG2-2, 7 (10.0%) were AG5, 3 (4.3%) were AG-E and the AGs of the remaining 20 (28.6%) isolates could not be determined. Isolates belonging to AG4 produced typical symptoms of stem rot and root rot on seedlings of soybean and pea and were more aggressive than the AG2-1, AG2-2, AG5 and AG-E isolates. Selected isolates of AG4, AG2-1, AG2-2, AG5 and AG-E were to some degree able to infect common crops in Alberta, which included barley, canola, corn, faba bean, flax, lupin, lentil, pea, potato, soybean, and wheat. The genetic variability among these isolates was evaluated using phylogenetic analysis based on the rDNA ITS sequences and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. For the ITS sequence analysis, a neighbour-joining tree was constructed using the PAUP program, which clustered the Rhizoctonia isolates into five groups (Groups I to V). However, no correlation was observed between AGs, locations, aggressiveness or host origins. For the ISSR analysis, 54 polymorphic ISSR patterns were identified, indicating a high level of diversity among the isolates.

Biochar (BC) and nanoparticle-decorated biochar (NPs@BC) have emerged as potential high-performance function materials to facilitate simultaneous soil remediation and agricultural production. Therefore, there is an urgent need to incorporate environmental sustainability and human health targets into BC and NPs@BC selection and design processes. In contrast to extensive research on the preparation, modification, and environmental application of BC to soil ecosystems, reports about the adapted framework and material selection strategy of NPs@BC under environmental and human health considerations are still limited. Nevertheless, few studies systematically explored the impact of NPs@BC on soil ecosystems, including soil biota, geochemical properties, and nutrient cycles, which are critical for large-scale utilization as a multifunctional product. The main objective of this systematic literature review is to show the high degrees of contaminant removal for different heavy metals and organic pollutants, and to quantify the economic, environmental, and toxicological outcomes of NPs@BC in the context of sustainable agriculture. To address this need, in this review, we summarized synthesis techniques and characterization, and highlighted a linkage between the evolution of NPs@BC properties with the framework for sustainable NPs@BC selection and design based on environmental effects, hazards, and economic considerations. Then, research advances in contaminant remediation for heavy metals and organic pollutants of NPs@BC are minutely discussed. Eventually, NPs@BC positively acts on sustainable agriculture, which is declared. In the meantime, evaluating from the perspective of plant growth, soil characterizations as well as carbon and nitrogen cycle was conducted, which is critical for comprehending the NPs@BC environmental sustainability. Our work may develop a potential framework that can inform decision-making for the use of NPs@BC to facilitate promising environmental applications and prevent unintended consequences, and is expected to guide and boost the development of highly efficient NPs@BC for sustainable agriculture and environmental applications. Graphical Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have gained remarkable attention as a novel wastewater treatment that simultaneously generates electricity. The low activity of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) remains one of the most critical bottlenecks limiting the development of MFCs. To date, although research on biochar as an electrocatalyst in MFCs has made tremendous progress, further improvements are needed to make it economically practical. Recently, biochars have been considered to be ORR electrocatalysts with developmental potential. In this review, the ORR mechanism and the essential requirements of ORR catalysts in MFC applications are introduced. Moreover, the focus is to highlight the material selection, properties, and preparation of biochar electrocatalysts, as well as the evaluation and measurement of biochar electrodes. Additionally, in order to provide comprehensive information on the specific applications of biochars in the field of MFCs, their applications as electrocatalysts, are then discussed in detail, including the uses of nitrogen-doped biochar and other heteroatom-doped biochars as electrocatalysts, poisoning tests for biochar catalysts, and the cost estimation of biochar catalysts. Finally, profound insights into the current challenges and clear directions for future perspectives and research are concluded.

Clubroot caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae is an important disease on cruciferous crops worldwide. Management of clubroot is challenging, largely because of the millions of resting spores produced within an infected root that can survive dormant in the soil for many years. This study was conducted to investigate some of the environmental conditions that may affect the survival of resting spores in the soil. Soil samples containing clubroot resting spores (1 × 107 spores/g soil) were stored at various temperatures for 2 years. Additionally, other samples were buried in soil or kept on the soil surface in the field. The content of P. brassicae DNA and the numbers of viable spores in the samples were assessed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and pathogenicity bioassays, respectively. The results indicated that 4°C, 20°C, and being buried in the soil were more conductive conditions for spore survival than −20°C, 30°C, and at the soil surface. Most (99.99%) of the spores kept on the soil surface were nonviable, suggesting a negative effect of light on spore viability. Additional experiments confirmed the negative effect of ultraviolet light on spore viability because spores receiving 2 and 3 h ultraviolet light exhibited lower disease potential and contained less DNA content than the nontreated control. Finally, this work confirmed that DNA-based quantification methods such as qPCR can be poor predictors of P. brassicae disease potential because of the presence and persistence of DNA from dead spores.

Fine particulate matter (PM

Microbial electrochemical systems (MESs) can harvest bioelectricity from varieties of organic matter in wastewater through electroactive microorganisms. Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in a cathode plays an important role in guaranteeing high power generation, which can be enhanced by cathode catalysts. Herein, the tiny crystalline grain nanocrystal NiCo

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) as a representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is concerned by global scientists in various fields, but its biological and biochemical actions in soil-wheat systems are still rarely reported. The B[a]P as a ubiquitous soil pollutant possesses varied contents in real environment, and herein was studied in systems of soil and wheat to obtain relative results to reveal their variations in different systems. Its bioavailability (extractability and bioaccumulation) and basic biological toxicity were tested based on three typical soil types (red, black, and brown) in China and spiked amounts (0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg) with several orders of magnitude. Results showed that B[a]P concentrations in soil-wheat systems extracted by HPCD were insignificantly (p > 0.05) higher than Tenax-TA, and varied with soil types and spiked concentrations. Besides, the root and shoot length were mostly inhibited, in a range of -21.85%-26.35% and -0.48%-54.85%, respectively, by B[a]P in different soil types and increased with its increasing concentration. Comparatively, higher bioconcentration factor and translocation factor values were observed under lower group in red soil-wheat systems, and higher spiked groups in black and brown soil-wheat systems. Moreover, inhibitive effects posed by B[a]P were mainly targeted at wheat shoots in these soils. The simultaneous studies provided a comparable knowledge of B[a]P in ecosystems of different soil types combined with different plant species due to lots of variations, further to serve for contaminated soil remediation and sustainable agricultural management.

Graphene oxide (GO, a popular 2D graphene-based nanomaterial) has developed quickly and has received considerable attention for its applications in environmental protection and pollutant removal. However, significant knowledge gaps still exist about the interaction characteristic and joint toxicity mechanism of GO and cadmium (Cd) on aquatic organisms. In this study, GO showed a high adsorption capacity (120. 6 mg/g) and strong adsorption affinity (K

Solid-state ionic conductors are compelling alternatives to liquid electrolytes in clean energy-harvesting and -storage technologies. The development of novel ionic conducting materials is one of the most critical challenges for next-generation energy technologies. Several advancements in design strategies, synthetic approaches, conducting properties, and underlying mechanisms for ionic conducting metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been made over the past five years; however, despite the recent, considerable expansion of related research fields, there remains a lack of systematic overviews. Here, an extensive introduction to ionic conducting performance for MOFs with different design strategies is provided, focusing primarily on ion mobility with the aid of hydrogen-bonding networks or solvated ionic charge. Furthermore, current theories on ion conducting mechanisms in different regimes are comprehensively summarized to provide an understanding of the underlying working principles in complex, realistic systems. Finally, challenges and future research directions at the forefront of ionic conducting MOF technologies are outlined.

The union of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) and rhizosphere confers a series of functions beneficial to plant. However, the lack of an opearable in situ method limits the further understanding on the mechanism. In this study, a weak electric field was designed to regulate rhizospheric microflora in a constructed root-splitting reactor. Compared with the control, the aboveground and underground biomass of rice seedling increased by 17 % and 18 % (p0.05) respectively under the exist of weak electric field of 0.14 V/cm. The joint action of rhizosphere and PGPB displayed the detoxification ability in the condition of soluble petroleum hydrocarbons, where the height, stem diameter, biomass and root vigor of the plant was increased by 58 %, 32 %, 43 % and 48 % respectively than the control. The selective reproduction of endophytes and ectophytes (denitrifying, auxin-producing, hydrocarbon-degrading and electroactive bacteria) was observed under applied weak electric field, which enhanced the nitrogen utilization, cellular metabolic activity and resistance to toxic organics of plant. This was further confirmed by the up-regulated OTUs related to the hydrocarbon degradation function, tryptophan metabolism and metabolism of nicotinate and nicotinamide. Moreover, the weak electric field also enhanced the transfer ability of partial endophytes grown in the root to improve plant stress resistance. The results in this work inspired an exercisable method for in situ enrichment of PGPB in the rhizosphere to cope with food crisis and provided a new way to deal with sudden environmental events.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important food legume worldwide, providing a source of high-quality protein. Fifteen chickpea samples showing leaf yellowing and root rot were obtained from sout...

Soil pollution endangers human health and ecological balance, which is why finding a highly efficient way to deal with pollutants is necessary. Biological method is an environmentally friendly treatment method. Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), which combine electrochemistry with biological methods, have been widely used to remediate polluted environments, including wastewater, sludge, sediment, and soil. In BESs, redox reactions occur on electrodes with electroactive bacteria, which convert pollutants into low-polluting or nonpolluting substances. With BESs being a promising technology in the remediation field, the decontamination mechanisms and applications in soil conducted by BESs have attracted much attention. Therefore, to better understand the research progress of BESs, this paper mainly summarizes the mechanism of different classified BESs. The applications of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) in four pollutants (petroleum, heavy metals, pesticides, antibiotics) and the possible applications of microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) in soil are discussed. The main problems in BESs and possible future development directions are also evaluated.

Considering the stability and economy of immobilized enzymes, this study prepared co-modified biochar immobilized laccase product named Fe

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), especially transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC), have received great attention in recent years due to their advantageous properties and applications in various fields and are inevitably released into the environment during their life cycle. However, the effect of natural nanocolloids, widely distributed in the aquatic environment, on the environmental transformation and ecotoxicity of ENMs remains largely unknown. In this study, the effects of natural nanocolloids were compared to humic acid on the environmental transformation and ecotoxicity of single-layer molybdenum disulfide (SLMoS2), a representative TMDC. SLMoS2 with nanocolloids or humic acid (HA) enhanced their dispersion and Mo ion release in deionized water. Nanocolloids induced growth inhibition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) elevation, and cell permeability. Low-toxicity SLMoS2 combined with nanocolloids will enhance the above adverse effects. SLMoS2-nanocolloids induced serious damage (cell distortion and deformation), SLMoS2 internalization, and metabolic perturbation on Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris). In contrast, the addition of HA induced the growth promotion and lower ROS level, inhibited the internalization of SLMoS2, and mitigated metabolic perturbation on C. vulgaris. This work provides insights into the effect of natural nanocolloids on the behaviors and biological risks of ENMs in aquatic environments, deserving substantial future attention.

Cotton is one of the most important raw materials for textile and clothing production. The main drawbacks of cotton fibers are their poor mechanical properties and high flammability. Compared with some synthetic polymer fibers, cotton fabrics treated with modern flame-retardant and reinforcement finishes often cannot meet rigid military specifications. Polypyrrole–magnesium oxide (ppy–MgO) and polypyrrole–magnesium oxide–carbon nanotube (ppy–MgO–CNT) composites were prepared with various weight ratios by in situ chemical polymerization method. 1,2,3,4-Butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) was used as a cross-linking agent in the presence of sodium hypophosphite (SHP). The composite sol was coated on cotton fabric using the pad-dry-cure technique. The coated cotton fabrics were characterized by SEM, EDAX, XRD, UV-DRS and FT-IR analysis, and tested for flame retardant and UPF application. The flame-retardant study showed a maximum char length of 0.3 cm and the char yield was about 49% for the ppy–MgO–CNT composite. For that UPF application, a 30 UPF value was shown for the ppy–MgO–CNT composite. In the case of the antibacterial study, the zone of inhibition was observed for all of the test samples against MRSA and PAO1 bacteria. The zone of inhibition showed as 4.0, 3.0 mm for the ppy–MgO–CNT composite. Hence, the ppy–MgO–CNT composite was found to be efficient.

Solar steam generation has attracted interest in water purification and seawater desalination as an efficient solar energy conversion method. However, the complex preparation process and limited efficiency restrict the practical applications of solar-generated steam. Here, we report a three-dimensional wood membrane inside coated with MoS2 (WM-H, with S defects) for efficient seawater desalination. The vertically aligned mesoporous wood channels and their inner microstructures increase the contact interface between water and MoS2 in wood. The formation of S defects allows the surface temperature of the membrane to reach ∼53 °C under 1 sun illumination. The MoS2-coated wood with S defects exhibited an excellent evaporation flux (1.46 kg m−2 h−1, one sun), with a solar thermal conversion efficiency of 82.5%. The adsorption peak values of Na+ on the two sides of MoS2 with defects are 2.17 times and 1.49 times higher than those of MoS2 without defects. The wood-based design provides an inexpensive way to capture solar energy and generate steam.

Interactions between microorganisms and clay minerals influence the transport and cycling of metal contaminants in both marine and terrestrial environments. The present study was conducted to quantify the adsorption of dissolved cadmium, Cd(II), under seawater-like conditions to the marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, three common clay minerals (kaolinite, montmorillonite and illite), as well as cell-clay aggregates. We show here that the Synechococcus-only experiments removed the most Cd above pH 5.5, followed in decreasing order by aggregates of 50% cells:50% individual clays, aggregates of cells and all 3 clays, and individual clays. Electron microscope imaging showed that clays associated in a tangential edge-on orientation to the cells in Synechococcus-clay mineral aggregates. A non-electrostatic surface complexation modeling approach was used to fit Cd adsorption onto Synechococcus cells and individual clay minerals. The resulting Cd binding constants were then used in consort with surface functional group pKa values and site concentrations to accurately predict the extent of Cd adsorption onto the Synechococcus-clay mineral aggregates using the component additivity (CA) approach. We observed that the addition of cyanobacterial cells to clay mineral suspensions led to significantly larger mean aggregate sizes of clay minerals, enhancing the clay sedimentation rate. Although specifically focused on Cd, our study indicates that the ratio of bacterial plankton to clay minerals is an important determinant in terms of understanding the rate with which metals are transferred from the water column to the seafloor.

As extremely active sites processing terrestrially derived dissolved organic matter (DOM), lakes deserve sufficient attention. Because of high-complexity interactions between DOM and the surrounding environment, the natural and anthropogenic drivers controlling the composition and chemodiversity of DOM molecules in lakes remain unclear. Here, 13,952 DOM molecules were identified and assessed in 45 lakes across China via ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the effects of both natural and anthropogenic factors on the DOM composition, DOM chemodiversity, and greenhouse gas emissions were investigated. The majority of the variations in DOM chemical composition could be attributed to the differences in the hydrology and nutrient concentrations of the lakes, and human activities also played a role, mainly through atmospheric pollution. Environmental factors mainly influenced DOM chemodiversity in the form of S-containing compounds. N-containing compounds exhibited a positive correlation with CO

There is a growing need to eliminate antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment and mitigate widespread antibiotic resistance. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was successfully synthesized via facile thermal polymerization approach and its potential for adsorption treatment of ARGs in water was examined. Batch adsorption experimental results revealed that g-C3N4 powders had robust adsorption activity for the gene ampC and ermB. Adsorption kinetics and isotherms were systematically investigated to explain the adsorption mechanism. The apparent adsorption equilibrium could be reached within 180 min. The adsorption process effectively removed ARGs (ampC and ermB) from water with 3.2 log and 4.2 log reductions, respectively. In addition, experimental data were analyzed by several models and simulated well with Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order model. It indicated that adsorption process might be dominated by the chemical rate-limiting step. Moreover, the effects of temperature and pH on the removal of ARGs were conducted and the isoelectric point (IEP) was obtained. Finally, we have demonstrated that the g-C3N4 is a novel adsorbent and can be used as column packing to remove ARGs by filtration.

Bystander effects in biological systems are the responses shown by nontargeted neighboring cells, and critical to the bio-nano interface interactions. In addition to direct effects, bystander effects also determine the design, applications and safety of nanomaterials, although the related information of nanomaterial-induced bystander effects remain largely unknown. A coculture system of A549 and THP-1 was established to mimic the lung microenvironment to study the bystander effects of WS2 nanosheets (representative transition-metal dichalcogenide nanosheets) on microenvironment macrophages during the inhalation exposure or the nanomaterial biomedical application in the lung. Lung cells exposed to WS2 nanosheet resulted in an increase in reactive oxygen species and the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential in neighboring macrophages. Bystander exposure also induced macrophage polarization toward the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype, which is adverse to disease therapy. Metabolomics showed that WS2 nanosheets disturbed the energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism of macrophages, consistent with the metabolic characteristics of M2 macrophages. Nitric oxide-transforming growth factor-β1 played an important mediator in the bystander effects. Importantly, WS2 nanosheet bystander exposure affected macrophage phagocytosis and migration and altered the macrophage immune response to endotoxin. This study improves the current understanding of bio-nano interactions and highlights the importance of neighboring cell responses, allowing us to use the maximum benefits of nanomaterials while limiting their adverse bystander effects.

During land development, some important changes take place in the soil environment. Understanding these responses is of great significance for solving local and global environmental issues caused during land development. Till now, studies within education parks or university/college towns, especially inside and outside of a campus, were rarely reported. Herein, treating a campus as a semi‐open and coupled system, we collected soil samples (109 sites) inside and outside of a campus to reveal the variation in their soil‐geochemical parameters, available microelements, and microbial communities. Results shown that soil samples inside of the campus had lower pH (p

Graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs) are likely to be entering the soil environment in increasing amounts via consumer products. However, the disturbance of bacterial communities and their associated ecological functions by GBNs remains elusive. We performed a soil incubation experiment with the addition of graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO). The Illumina sequencing technique was used to investigate changes in bacterial communities, and the functional groups of the communities were analyzed using the functional annotation of prokaryotic taxa database. After 90 days of exposure, RGO induced a lower bacterial richness than GO. However, GO induced larger changes in community composition and functions than RGO. After exposure to GBNs, some of the functional groups associated with organic matter degradation and biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen and sulfur decreased. However, the functional group associated with aromatic compound degradation increased, possibly because GBNs contain rich aromatic hydrocarbon structures, which are tolerated by this functional group.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are considered to be a type of emerging contaminant; their interaction with biochar (BC) could affect their dissemination and fate in the environment. Although adsorption of ARGs onto bulk-BC has been reported, the interaction with nanosized BC (nano-BC) is largely unknown. In this study, the interactions of a model extracellular DNA (eDNA, calf thymus DNA) and two typical ARGs (ampC and ermB) extracted from a natural river with bulk- and nano-BCs from two pyrolysis temperatures (400 and 700 °C) were investigated. Only adsorption was observed on bulk-BCs, while not only adsorption but also fragmentation of these eDNA molecules was found to occur on nano-BCs. Also, their replication was greatly inhibited by nano-BCs. The electron paramagnetic resonance results indicated that hydroxyl radicals produced from persistent free radicals (PFRs) on nano-BCs played a major role in the damage of eDNA. Moreover, the direct contact with nonradical reacting sites and PFRs on nano-BCs also contributed to the decay of eDNA. Comparatively, PFRs in bulk-BCs were difficult to be reached by eDNA because of steric hindrance and played a negligible role in destroying eDNA. These findings highlight the importance of the size effect in evaluating the reactivity and related environmental risks of PFRs on BC and improve our understanding on the interaction between ARGs and BC.

Highly efficient approaches using nanomaterials for ion capture and desalination have been widely explored to address fresh water scarcity worldwide; however, the complex preparation process and the large-scale and high-density perforation of porous graphene layers remain technical challenges. Herein, we found that sunlight-assisted tailoring of surface nanostructures involving controllable morphological and structural alterations of graphene unequivocally improved the ion adsorption and ion filtration performance. Notably, the interlayer spacing of single-layer graphene could be sufficiently tuned via lighting control to promote selective interactions between ions and nanosheets. After 7 d simulated sunlight treatment, the transformed SLG (SLG-S7) exhibited 86.1%, 77.3% and 46.1% increases of adsorption capacity for Na+, Pb2+ and Fe3+ in the complex ion system, respectively. Notably, the adsorption capacity of SLG-S7 for single Pb2+ was even 2.3-fold greater than that of pristine SLG. Further, the layer-stacked SLG-S7 membrane achieved super water fluxes (167.1 L m−2 h−1 bar−1) and a high separation performance without sacrificing salt ion rejection, which was attributed to the sunlight-induced larger water transport channels and defect-free nanosheets in the membrane. This work provides new insight for the design of novel graphene-based nanostructures to address the increasingly serious water contamination issue and the scarcity of fresh water.

In Canada, clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) disease is managed mainly by planting clubroot resistant (CR) canola (Brassica napus). New pathotypes of P. brassicae have emerged recently, however, which are virulent on most CR canola cultivars. To understand the impact of cultivar rotation on pathotype abundance, greenhouse experiments were conducted in which different canola cultivar rotations were grown in a soil mix containing equal amounts of pathotypes 5X and 3, which are virulent and avirulent, respectively, on CR canola. The rotation treatments included: T1, the same susceptible cultivar planted over four cycles; T2, the same CR cultivar planted over four cycles; and T3, different CR cultivars planted in each cycle. Clubroot severity increased from cycles one to four in all treatments, with the exception of one CR cultivar in T3 that may carry a different source of resistance. Pathogen populations were recovered with a susceptible bait crop and pathotyped on the differentials of Williams plus a CR host (B. napus ‘Mendel’). The percentage of galls classified as pathotype 5X in T1 declined from 50% to 6.7% over the course of the experiment, while galls classified as pathotype 5X increased from 50% to 66.7% in both T2 and T3. Quantitative PCR analysis of the soil with pathotype 5X-specific primers generally confirmed an increase in 5X DNA. The results suggest that continuous planting of CR canola favours a rapid proliferation of virulent pathotypes of P. brassicae, as indicated by the increases in pathotype 5X observed in this study.

Nanocolloids (Ncs) are ubiquitous in natural surface waters. However, the effects of Ncs on the fate and ecotoxicity of graphene oxide (GO, a popular engineered nanomaterial (ENM)) remain largely unknown. Ncs exhibit strong adsorption affinity (KL = 1.93 L/mg) and high adsorption capacity (176.2 mg/g) for GO. After Ncs hybridization, GO nanosheets became scrolls, and the aggregation rate of GO decreased. The influence of humic acid and Ncs on GO toxicity was compared. Humic acid mitigated the phytotoxicity of GO. However, GO and GO-Ncs were found to have an envelopment effect on algal cells, and both could enter algal cells. GO-Ncs induced higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, stronger DNA damage and plasmolysis, and more obvious inhibition of photosynthesis compared to GO. Proteomic analysis revealed that photosystem I- and II-related proteins (e.g., E1ZQR2 and E1ZPG5) were regulated more significantly in the GO-Ncs groups than in the GO groups. A combined proteomic and metabolomic analysis showed that inhibition of carbohydrate, fatty acid, and amino acid metabolism contributed to ROS generation. Given the high concentrations and activity of Ncs, the above results highlight the need for reconsideration of the Ncs-mediated environmental behaviors and risks of ENMs and other pollutants.

Polycyclic musks (PCMs) are widely used in daily chemical products, so their mass production and wide use enable them to enter the environment in various ways. Their lipophilicity and persi...

Emerging transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) nanosheets, such as WS2 nanosheets, have shown tremendous potential for use in many fields such as intelligent manufacturing and environmental protection. However, considerable knowledge gaps still exist regarding the impact of TMDCs on environmental risks, especially risks involving organic pollutants. Here, a synergistic toxicity between WS2 nanosheets and organic pollutants (triclosan or tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate) was found using the median-effect and combination index equations. In particular, the effect of synergy had a higher magnitude at low cytotoxicity levels and a noncytotoxic concentration of WS2 nanosheets clearly enhanced the cytotoxicity and intracellular accumulation of organic pollutants. On the one hand, WS2 nanosheets damaged the plasma membrane and cytoskeleton, resulting in increased membrane permeability and organic pollutant uptake. On the other hand, as shown by fluorescence substrate accumulation experiments and molecular dynamics simulations, WS2 nanosheets affected the secondary structure of the efflux pumps and competitively bound with efflux pumps, blocking xenobiotic removal. This work emphasized that TMDCs, especially at the noncytotoxic level, in combination with organic pollutants caused damage that cannot be ignored, providing insight into comprehensive safety assessment and the specific toxicological mechanisms of TMDCs that accompany organic pollutant exposure.

Clubroot, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, is an important disease on canola in Alberta, Canada. The pathogen is grouped into pathotypes according to their virulence reaction on differential hosts. Multiple pathotypes or strains are known exist in one field, one plant, or even one gall. This study was conducted with the objective of testing the prevalence of the coexistence of multiple strains in a single gall. In all, 79 canola clubroot galls were collected from 22 fields across Northern Alberta in 2018. Genomic DNA extracted from these single galls was analyzed using RNase H-dependent PCR (rhPCR). The rhPCR primers were designed to amplify a partial sequence of a dimorphic gene, with one primer pair specific to one sequence and the other primer pair specific to the alternative sequence. The amplification of both sequences from DNA obtained from a single gall would indicate that it contains two different P. brassicae strains. The rhPCR analyses indicated that the P. brassicae populations in 50 of the 79 galls consisted of more than one strain. This result emphasizes the need for cautious interpretation of results when a single-gall population is subject to pathotyping or being used as inoculum in plant pathology research. It also confirms that the maintenance of pathotype diversity within single root galls is a common occurrence which has implications for the durability, and stewardship, of single-gene host resistance.

Endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a harmful substance commonly found in various environments that causes lung fibrosis. Exposure to PM

Many countries have developed university/college towns with specific characteristics (temporal, spatial, structural, and functional aspects). During the land development, there were obvious changes in soil metal levels and distribution patterns attributed to anthropogenic activities, thus having induced comparable results in university/college towns due to similar anthropogenic activities. Until now, specific studies on the metal status in university/college towns, especially the variation inside and outside of a campus were rarely involved. Herin we report on 109 soil samples around a new campus within a developing education park, in which the levels, spatial distributions, and possible sources of (alkali, alkaline‐earth, transition, and main group) metals and metalloids (Cd, Cr, As, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ba, Ni, Ti, Be, Bi, Sb, Sn, Co, V, and Zr) were systematically investigated. The Nemerow pollution indexes, spatial analysis, principal components analysis, and cluster analysis were calculated and analyzed. The results showed that the level of most metals within the campus with different functional areas (college, activity, and greening areas) was 1–1.3‐times as much as that outside in four directions and had greater variations. Moreover, the level of most metals was 1–1.5‐times as much as their background value and they distributed in the areas under specific developments and might mainly be attributed to anthropogenic sources. These findings provide the knowledge about effects of land development and anthropogenic activities on soil metal status that could be used by university/college towns in the similar context around the world.