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Lithium's (Li) ubiquitous distribution in the environment is a rising concern due to its rapid proliferation in the modern electronic industry. Li enigmatic entry into the terrestrial food chain raises many questions and uncertainties that may pose a grave threat to living biota. We examined the leverage existing published articles regarding advances in global Li resources, interplay with plants, and possible involvement with living organisms, especially humans and animals. Globally, Li concentration (<10 e30 0 mg kg-1) is detected in agricultural soil, and their pollutant levels vary with space and time. High mobility of Li results in higher accumulation in plants, but the clear mechanisms and specific functions remain unknown. Our assessment reveals the causal relationship between Li level and biota health. For example, lower Li intake (<0.6 mM in serum) leads to mental disorders, while higher intake (>1.5 mM in serum) induces thyroid, stomach, kidney, and reproductive system dysfunctions in humans and animals. However, there is a serious knowledge gap regarding Li regulatory standards in environmental compartments, and mechanistic approaches to unveil its consequences are needed. Furthermore, aggressive efforts are required to define optimum levels of Li for the normal functioning of animals, plants, and humans. This review is designed to revitalize the current status of Li research and identify the key knowledge gaps to fight back against the mountainous challenges of Li during the recent digital revolution. Additionally, we propose pathways to overcome Li problems and develop a strategy for effective, safe, and acceptable applications. (c) 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Iron (Fe) deficiency is a pervasive nutritional disorder, and producing vegetables enriched with Fe as a dietary source is imperative. Herein, Fe3O4, FeO(OH), alpha-Fe2O3, beta-Fe2O3, gamma-Fe3O4, and nZVI nanoparticles (NPs) were applied in soil as fertilizer to enhance the Fe nutrition in cherry radish. The highest enhancement of Fe content (58%) was observed in Fe3O4 treatment at 100 mg kg- 1, followed by FeO(OH) (49%), alpha-Fe2O3 (24%), nZVI (14%), beta-Fe2O3 (13%) and gamma-Fe3O4 (4%). The daily intake of Fe was 97-104% and 77-91% with Fe3O4 and FeO (OH) at 100-200 mg kg- 1, respectively. Moreover, the zinc, vitamin C and crude protein contents were also increased by 37, 48 and 67% under Fe3O4 treatment as compared to control. Fe3O4 at 100 mg kg- 1 also increased the essential amino acids (phenylalanine, leucine and isoleucine) contents by 11-14%. These data suggest that Fe3O4 and FeO(OH) NPs could be effective nanofertilizers to enhance Fe nutrition in plants.

Varios estudios han investigado la relación entre la satisfacción de los estudiantes y el entorno cultural. El presente estudio se centra en la satisfacción de los estudiantes internacionales con el entorno cultural del campus, la vida, la experiencia de aprendizaje sobre la calidad de la educación y las instalaciones disponibles. Se trata de una encuesta sistémica transversal basada en un cuestionario en elque se seleccionaron 119 estudiantes extranjeros para la recopilación de datos mediante una estrategia de muestreo de conveniencia no probabilístico. Para el procesamiento de los datos se utilizó el programa SPSS v 22.0 y se consideró que P≤0.05 era estadísticamente significativo. Para explorar la relación entre las variables, se realizaron las pruebas H de Kruskal-Wallis y U de Mann Whitney. Los resultados muestran que el alto nivel de satisfacción de los estudiantes extranjeros por el alojamiento adecuado, la influencia de la cultura china y la calidad de la educación. Este estudio evaluó que el nivel general de satisfacción es mejor en cuanto a la cultura, la vida, el nivel de educación, el sistema de aprendizaje, el coste del alojamiento y los deportes., Several research studies have investigated the relationship between students’ satisfaction and cultural environment given that university students are more persuaded to act pro environmentally as they partake in different activities, debates on the global crisis. This study focuses on international students’ satisfaction on-campus cultural environment, living, learning experience about the quality of education and available facilities. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional systemic survey where 119 foreign students were targeted for data collection using the strategy of non-probability convenience sampling. For data processing, SPSS v 22.0 was adopted and P≤0.05 was considered statically significant. To explore the relationship between variables, the Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests were carried out. The results show a high level of foreign students’ satisfaction with adequate accommodation, the influence of Chinese culture, and the quality of education. This study evaluated that the overall better level of satisfaction in culture, living, the standard of education, learning system, cost of accommodation, and sports. Moreover, these findings will also be helpful to the policy makers of higher education, administrators pertinent to educational governance. Moreover, these findings will also be helpful to the policy makers of higher education, administrators pertinent to educational governance.

Varios estudios han investigado la relación entre la satisfacción de los estudiantes y el entorno cultural. El presente estudio se centra en la satisfacción de los estudiantes internacionales con el entorno cultural del campus, la vida, la experiencia de aprendizaje sobre la calidad de la educación y las instalaciones disponibles. Se trata de una encuesta sistémica transversal basada en un cuestionario en elque se seleccionaron 119 estudiantes extranjeros para la recopilación de datos mediante una estrategia de muestreo de conveniencia no probabilístico. Para el procesamiento de los datos se utilizó el programa SPSS v 22.0 y se consideró que P≤0.05 era estadísticamente significativo. Para explorar la relación entre las variables, se realizaron las pruebas H de Kruskal-Wallis y U de Mann Whitney. Los resultados muestran que el alto nivel de satisfacción de los estudiantes extranjeros por el alojamiento adecuado, la influencia de la cultura china y la calidad de la educación. Este estudio evaluó que el nivel general de satisfacción es mejor en cuanto a la cultura, la vida, el nivel de educación, el sistema de aprendizaje, el coste del alojamiento y los deportes., Several research studies have investigated the relationship between students’ satisfaction and cultural environment given that university students are more persuaded to act pro environmentally as they partake in different activities, debates on the global crisis. This study focuses on international students’ satisfaction on-campus cultural environment, living, learning experience about the quality of education and available facilities. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional systemic survey where 119 foreign students were targeted for data collection using the strategy of non-probability convenience sampling. For data processing, SPSS v 22.0 was adopted and P≤0.05 was considered statically significant. To explore the relationship between variables, the Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests were carried out. The results show a high level of foreign students’ satisfaction with adequate accommodation, the influence of Chinese culture, and the quality of education. This study evaluated that the overall better level of satisfaction in culture, living, the standard of education, learning system, cost of accommodation, and sports. Moreover, these findings will also be helpful to the policy makers of higher education, administrators pertinent to educational governance. Moreover, these findings will also be helpful to the policy makers of higher education, administrators pertinent to educational governance.

Iron (Fe) deficiency is a pervasive nutritional disorder, and producing vegetables enriched with Fe as a dietary source is imperative. Herein, Fe3O4, FeO(OH), alpha-Fe2O3, beta-Fe2O3, gamma-Fe3O4, and nZVI nanoparticles (NPs) were applied in soil as fertilizer to enhance the Fe nutrition in cherry radish. The highest enhancement of Fe content (58%) was observed in Fe3O4 treatment at 100 mg kg- 1, followed by FeO(OH) (49%), alpha-Fe2O3 (24%), nZVI (14%), beta-Fe2O3 (13%) and gamma-Fe3O4 (4%). The daily intake of Fe was 97-104% and 77-91% with Fe3O4 and FeO (OH) at 100-200 mg kg- 1, respectively. Moreover, the zinc, vitamin C and crude protein contents were also increased by 37, 48 and 67% under Fe3O4 treatment as compared to control. Fe3O4 at 100 mg kg- 1 also increased the essential amino acids (phenylalanine, leucine and isoleucine) contents by 11-14%. These data suggest that Fe3O4 and FeO(OH) NPs could be effective nanofertilizers to enhance Fe nutrition in plants.

The presence of manufactured nano-objects (MNOs) in various consumer or their (future large-scale) use as nanoagrochemical have increased with the rapid development of nanotechnology and therefore, concerns associated with its possible ecotoxicological effects are also arising. MNOs are releasing along the product life cycle, consequently accumulating in soils and other environmental matrices, and potentially leading to adverse effects on soil biota and their associated processes. Earthworms, of the group of Oligochaetes, are an ecologically significant group of organisms and play an important role in soil remediation, as well as acting as a potential vector for trophic transfer of MNOs through the food chain. This review presents a comprehensive and critical overview of toxic effects of MNOs on earthworms in soil system. We reviewed pathways of MNOs in agriculture soil environment with its expected production, release, and bioaccumulation. Furthermore, we thoroughly examined scientific literature from last ten years and critically evaluated the potential ecotoxicity of 16 different metal oxide or carbon-based MNO types. Various adverse effects on the different earthworm life stages have been reported, including reduction in growth rate, changes in biochemical and molecular markers, reproduction and survival rate. Importantly, this literature review reveals the scarcity of long-term toxicological data needed to actually characterize MNOs risks, as well as an understanding of mechanisms causing toxicity to earthworm species. This review sheds light on this knowledge gap as investigating bio-nano interplay in soil environment improves our major understanding for safer applications of MNOs in the agriculture environment.

The presence of manufactured nano-objects (MNOs) in various consumer or their (future large-scale) use as nanoagrochemical have increased with the rapid development of nanotechnology and therefore, concerns associated with its possible ecotoxicological effects are also arising. MNOs are releasing along the product life cycle, consequently accumulating in soils and other environmental matrices, and potentially leading to adverse effects on soil biota and their associated processes. Earthworms, of the group of Oligochaetes, are an ecologically significant group of organisms and play an important role in soil remediation, as well as acting as a potential vector for trophic transfer of MNOs through the food chain. This review presents a comprehensive and critical overview of toxic effects of MNOs on earthworms in soil system. We reviewed pathways of MNOs in agriculture soil environment with its expected production, release, and bioaccumulation. Furthermore, we thoroughly examined scientific literature from last ten years and critically evaluated the potential ecotoxicity of 16 different metal oxide or carbon-based MNO types. Various adverse effects on the different earthworm life stages have been reported, including reduction in growth rate, changes in biochemical and molecular markers, reproduction and survival rate. Importantly, this literature review reveals the scarcity of long-term toxicological data needed to actually characterize MNOs risks, as well as an understanding of mechanisms causing toxicity to earthworm species. This review sheds light on this knowledge gap as investigating bio-nano interplay in soil environment improves our major understanding for safer applications of MNOs in the agriculture environment.

The presence of manufactured nano-objects (MNOs) in various consumer or their (future large-scale) use as nanoagrochemical have increased with the rapid development of nanotechnology and therefore, concerns associated with its possible ecotoxicological effects are also arising. MNOs are releasing along the product life cycle, consequently accumulating in soils and other environmental matrices, and potentially leading to adverse effects on soil biota and their associated processes. Earthworms, of the group of Oligochaetes, are an ecologically significant group of organisms and play an important role in soil remediation, as well as acting as a potential vector for trophic transfer of MNOs through the food chain. This review presents a comprehensive and critical overview of toxic effects of MNOs on earthworms in soil system. We reviewed pathways of MNOs in agriculture soil environment with its expected production, release, and bioaccumulation. Furthermore, we thoroughly examined scientific literature from last ten years and critically evaluated the potential ecotoxicity of 16 different metal oxide or carbon-based MNO types. Various adverse effects on the different earthworm life stages have been reported, including reduction in growth rate, changes in biochemical and molecular markers, reproduction and survival rate. Importantly, this literature review reveals the scarcity of long-term toxicological data needed to actually characterize MNOs risks, as well as an understanding of mechanisms causing toxicity to earthworm species. This review sheds light on this knowledge gap as investigating bio-nano interplay in soil environment improves our major understanding for safer applications of MNOs in the agriculture environment.

NiO NPs stress influence earthworms growth and reproduction with a dose-dependent negative effect. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd; Although, health and environmental hazards of Ni are ironclad; however, that of Nickle oxide nanoparticles (NiO-NPs) are still obscure. Therefore, impact of NiO-NPs exposure (0, 5, 50, 200, 500 and 1000 mg kg−1 soil) on the earthworm (Eisenia fetida) survival (at 28th day), reproduction (at 56th day), histopathology, ultrastructures, antioxidant enzymes and oxidative DNA damage was appraised in full life cycle study. Lower concentrations of NiO-NPs (5, 50 and 200) did not influence the survival, reproduction and growth rate of adult worms significantly. However, reproduction reduced by 40–50% with 500 and 1000 mg kg−1 exposure, which also induced oxidative stress leading to DNA damage in earthworms. Ultrastructural observation and histology of earthworms exposed to higher NiO-NPs concentrations revealed abnormalities in epithelium layer, microvilli and mitochondria with underlying pathologies of epidermis and muscles, as well as adverse effects on the gut barrier. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study unveiling the adverse effects of NiO-NPs on a soil invertebrate (Eisenia fetida). Our findings clue towards looking extensively into the risks of NiO-NPs on soil organisms bearing agricultural and environmental significance.