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This study focuses on the efficient removal of Ni(II) from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) to support environmental conservation and sustainable resource management. A composite material, known as molecular sieve (MS)-based metal–organic framework (MOF) composites (MMCs), consisting of a synthesized MS matrix with integrated MOFs, was developed for the adsorption of Ni(II). The structural and performance characteristics of the MMCs were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms (BET). Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to assess the Ni(II) adsorption performance of the MMCs. The results revealed that, under conditions of pH 8 and a temperature of 298 K, the MMCs achieved near-equilibrium Ni(II) adsorption within 6 h, with a maximum theoretical adsorption capacity of 204.1 mg/g. Further analysis of the adsorption data confirmed that the adsorption process followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model, indicating a spontaneous, endothermic chemical adsorption mechanism. Importantly, the MMCs exhibited superior Ni(II) adsorption compared to the MS. This study provides valuable insights into the effective recovery and recycling of Ni(II) from spent LIBs, emphasizing its significance for environmental sustainability and resource circularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution mainly comes from fossil energy consumption (FEC), and it brings great threat to public health. The respiratory system of the elderly is highly susceptible to the effects of air pollution due to the decline in body functions. PM 2.5 is a major component of air pollution, so the study of the impact of PM 2.5 generated by FEC on the respiratory health of the elderly is of great significance. The existing studies have focused more on the effect of PM 2.5 on mortality, and this paper is a useful addition to the existing studies by examining the effect of PM 2.5 from FEC on the health of the elderly from the perspective of prevalence. In this paper, the binary Logistic regression model was used to calculate the exposure-response relationship coefficient for respiratory health in older adults using the data in 2018 from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. And referring to the Dynamic Projection model for Emissions in China, the changes in the number of older persons suffering from respiratory diseases due to PM 2.5 from FEC in the baseline scenario, the clean air scenario, and the on-time peak-clean air scenario were predicted. The results indicated that: (1) PM 2.5 from FEC mainly came from coal; (2) PM 2.5 from FEC was detrimental to the respiratory health of the elderly, and older seniors were more affected as they age; (3) In the on-time peak-clean air scenario, the number of elderly people suffering from respiratory diseases due to PM2.5 from FEC was growing at the slowest rate. Based on the above results, this paper raised recommendations for reducing the effect of PM 2.5 from FEC on the health of the elderly., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Drawing upon data from the 2018 CHARLS, this paper utilizes MEPI and a 10% threshold indicator to, respectively, assess the energy poverty (EP) status among middle-aged and older adults in China, focusing on the unavailability and unaffordability of energy services. Additionally, an econometric model is constructed to investigate the effects of EP on the health and welfare of middle-aged and older adults. Regression results indicate that EP exerts a significant negative impact on the health and welfare of middle-aged and older adults. This conclusion remains robust after conducting endogeneity and robustness tests, demonstrating its validity. Finally, based on the calculation results, we propose relevant policy recommendations including enhancing energy services for older adults in rural areas, integrating household energy alternatives with targeted poverty alleviation, enhancing monitoring mechanisms, and conducting energy education activities to alleviate EP and improve the quality of life of middle-aged and older adults., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wang, Wu, Wang, Li, Lei, Wu and Qu.)