SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4248-2
Marine biofouling imposes substantial operational penalties on maritime assets, yet commercial silicone foul-release coatings rely on static, non-adaptive networks that cannot be reprocessed or repaired. This work introduces selenonium-salt-catalyzed dynamic siloxane exchange as a route to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) vitrimer coatings. The authors incorporate A16Se+ organoselenium catalysts into PDMS networks at loadings designated A16Se+xPDMS, enabling thermally activated siloxane bond exchange that confers vitrimeric stress relaxation, reprocessability, and high-temperature self-healing. Antibiofouling performance is benchmarked against pristine PDMS using colony morphology assays for Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, SEM imaging of bacterial adhesion after 3 h, Chlorella fluorescence adhesion quantification, zeta potential measurements, and 3-month seawater immersion panels. Reviewer 1 questioned the direct relevance of recyclability and high-temperature self-healing to marine antifouling and requested that surface elastic modulus and Pseudomonas antibacterial data be elevated to the main text. In response, the authors relocated scratch and self-healing results from Figure 5 to Supporting Information Figures S12 and S13, condensed the main-text discussion, and integrated surface elastic modulus data into Figure 4G and Pseudomonas antibacterial results into Figure 6A. The revised manuscript positions dynamic exchange as supporting evidence of network dynamics rather than as a primary antifouling metric, while foregrounding modulus and antibacterial performance as the application-relevant properties.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202605007
Reservoirs are significant sources of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. The nosZ-type denitrifying bacteria, which reduce N2O to inert N2, play a critical role in mitigating emissions. This study investigated the community structure, diversity, and abundance of nosZ-type denitrifiers in surface sediments (0-15 cm) from 18 reservoirs in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, including 10 in the Yellow River mainstem and 8 in the Huangshui River basin. Sampling occurred during dry (May 2023) and wet (August 2023) seasons. High-throughput sequencing of the nosZ gene and quantitative PCR were employed. Results showed that Proteobacteria dominated (78.91%). Paracoccus and Halomonas were biomarkers in the Yellow River mainstem. Diversity was significantly higher in the Huangshui basin (P<0.05), with no temporal difference. Gene abundance was higher in the Huangshui basin (165.24×10^5 copies/g) than in the Yellow River mainstem (34.43×10^5 copies/g), and higher in wet season (128.55×10^5 copies/g) than dry season (61.27×10^5 copies/g) (P<0.05). Redundancy analysis and hierarchical partitioning identified sediment temperature, pH, total phosphorus, and water total nitrogen as key drivers, explaining 17.14%, 16.89%, 13.83%, and 11.23% of community variation, respectively. These findings reveal significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity and provide a scientific basis for N2O mitigation in plateau reservoirs.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3897-6
Decoding the nature of catalytically active sites is an essential prerequisite for the rational design of catalysts for electrochemical H2O2 synthesis, but faces significant challenges, particularly for controversial cobalt single-atom catalysts (Co SACs). Herein, we report trace Co single-atom sites embedded within pyridinic N-rich carbon nanospheres (Co1-NNH3-C), synthesized via a self-assembly coupled surface-coating strategy. The Co1-NNH3-C catalyst demonstrates remarkable H2O2 selectivity (99%) and activity at current density of −3.5 mA cm−2 in 0.1 M H2SO4. Through a combined approach of molecular probe experiments, surface modification, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we disclose that pyridinic N, rather than Co single atoms, serves as the direct active site for 2e− oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The trace Co (0.05 wt%) indirectly facilitated pyridinic N formation during pyrolysis but exhibits negligible direct catalytic involvement. DFT reveals pyridinic N sites optimize OOH intermediate adsorption (ΔG*OOH = 4.0 eV) and minimize reaction overpotential of 0.20 V, enabling scalable H2O2 production (907.5 mmol gcat−1 h−1). This work redefines the role of trace metal in SACs, providing a paradigm for designing metal-induced carbon catalysts for sustainable electrosynthesis for H2O2.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202509020
The AAOA-MBR (anaerobic-anoxic-oxic-anoxic membrane bioreactor) process is widely used in municipal wastewater treatment, but its multi-stage internal recirculation complicates sludge retention time (SRT) and carbon source distribution. This study systematically regulated three reflux ratios (R1: membrane tank to oxic tank; R2: oxic tank to anoxic I tank; R3: anoxic II tank to anaerobic tank) in a pilot-scale system (0.24 m3·d−1) to reveal their effects on nutrient removal and membrane fouling. When R1:R2:R3 = 300%:200%:100%, effluent COD, TN, TP, and NH3-N met discharge standards. Reducing R1 and R2, thereby decreasing total reflux ratio from R=6 to R=3, shortened SRT, which suppressed nitrifier accumulation and increased effluent COD and TN, but decreased TP. High-throughput sequencing of anoxic I and oxic tanks showed that denitrifying bacteria (Thauera and Ottowia) relative abundances decreased from 0.68% to 0.42% and 0.51% to 0.24%, respectively, while the phosphorus-accumulating organism Candidatus_Accumulibacter increased from 0.78% to 1.12%, enhancing phosphorus removal. Additionally, lowering R1 to 200% caused sludge accumulation in the membrane tank, exacerbating membrane fouling. Thus, internal recirculation ratios must be adjusted based on influent characteristics to balance nutrient removal and membrane performance.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025031905
Land use types profoundly influence the accumulation, speciation, and ecological risk of heavy metals through differences in human activity intensity, pollution input pathways, and soil self-regulation capacity. This study investigated soils of different land use types in Longhua County, downstream of the Yixun River Basin, central Chengde City, Hebei Province. Using the Nemerow Index and Potential Ecological Risk Index, the overall regional pollution was mild (Pn=1.65) with low ecological risk (RI=121.17). Main pollutants were Cd, Pb, Zn, and Hg, with Cd and Hg as primary ecological risk factors. Construction land exhibited moderate pollution and medium risk, with a Nemerow Index of 2.37 and average RI of 190.78, significantly exceeding other land use types. PMF model identified four pollution sources: pedogenic parent material natural source (43.54% contribution) dominating Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn enrichment; metallogenic parent material natural source (19.88%) controlling Cd spatial differentiation; agricultural-transportation mixed source (24.79%) driving As and Pb accumulation; and industrial source (11.93%) causing local Hg enrichment. Natural sources contributed 63.42% of total heavy metals, being the primary contributor. As was generally below background values, not constituting pollution; Pb exceeded standards but posed low ecological risk; industrial Hg enrichment in construction land presented high pollution and ecological risk, requiring priority control.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607003
Co-firing municipal sludge with municipal solid waste (MSW) provides a viable solution for sludge disposal. This study evaluated the effect of sludge co-firing rate (0%, 5%, and 10%) on flue gas pollutant emissions, operational performance, and incineration byproduct characteristics in a waste-to-energy plant. The results showed that under all co-firing rates, the concentrations of SO2, NOx, CO, HCl, particulate matter, and dioxins complied with the limits specified in the Standard for Pollution Control on Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (GB 18485—2014). As the co-firing rate increased from 5% to 10%, concentrations of all flue gas pollutants except NOx and HCl exhibited an upward trend. The optimal operational performance under the test conditions was achieved at a 5% co-firing rate, when the flue gas volume, fan volume, and ammonia and lime consumption were minimized. Compared to the 5% rate, increasing the co-firing rate to 10% resulted in elevated flue gas volume, fan volume, and reagent consumption. Steam production decreased from 2.778 t/t (0% co-firing rate) to 2.358 t/t (5% co-firing rate) and 2.117 t/t (10% co-firing rate), indicating a reduction in power generation efficiency with increasing sludge co-firing rates. Leaching toxicity analysis of fly ash revealed significant reductions in the leached concentrations of Zn and Pb, while those of Hg, As, Ba, and Se showed slight increases, all remaining well below regulatory limits. This study confirms the technical feasibility of directly co-firing mechanically dewatered sludge (with a moisture content of 50% to 60%) without thermal drying. A 5% co-firing rate is identified as the optimal balance between operational economy and system efficiency.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607006
This study evaluates the global warming potential (GWP) of three typical air pollution control device (APCD) configurations in municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration under ultra-low emission standards. The configurations are APCD1 (SNCR+SDS+DS+ACI+FF), APCD2 (SNCR+SDS+DS+ACI+FF+SCR+WS), and APCD3 (SNCR+SDS+DS+ACI+FF+WS+SCR). Life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to quantify GWP. Results indicate that APCD3 exhibits the highest GWP due to increased electricity consumption, yet it achieves the lowest pollutant emissions among the three. APCD1 shows the highest NOx emissions, contributing significantly to GWP, and requires technological upgrades. APCD2 consumes more resources but does not proportionally reduce emissions, suggesting inefficiencies. Electricity consumption is the dominant factor influencing GWP across all processes; reducing electricity use and improving energy efficiency are critical for mitigating environmental impact. The study recommends further research on CO2 reduction strategies and adoption of more efficient DeNOx technologies to align MSW incineration with ultra-low emission and low-carbon goals.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3948-7
High-performance thermoelectric materials are typically narrow-band gap semiconductors. Here, by decoupling charge and heat transport in BaZrS3 with a band gap of about 1.9 eV, we made the emerging chalcogenide perovskite a high-performance thermoelectric material with only earth-abundant elements. Our first-principles calculations indicate that the high ionicity of BaZrS3 renders the electrons to propagate mainly through the Zr-4d orbitals, so that isovalent alloying Se on S sites minimally affects its charge transport while effectively suppressing lattice thermal conductivity. Using a flux-assisted solid-state method, we synthesized single-phase BaZrS3(1−x)Se3x samples with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25. As an indicator of decoupled charge and heat transport, the electron mobility is found barely degraded with increasing Se content, while the thermal conductivity is significantly reduced from 2.07 to 0.99 W m−1 K−1 at room temperature. This results in a record-high ZT of 0.81 at 750 K, a value never achieved for materials with band gaps greater than 1.5 eV, and the highest among all perovskite materials. Our work not only underscores the potential of wide band gap semiconductors as high-performance thermoelectric materials, but also demonstrates the strategy of decoupling the charge and heat transport for enhancing their thermoelectric performance.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202511055
To systematically investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of hydrodynamics and water quality under cascaded hydropower development in the upper Heihe River, a MIKE21-based water environment model was constructed for the mountainous reach. The model simulated the dynamic changes of total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) from January to August 2023. Calibration and validation against field data showed good performance: the hydrodynamic model achieved a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.89 and a mean relative error (MRE) of 11.3%; the water quality model achieved an average R2 of 0.86 and an average MRE of 14.21%. Hydrodynamic simulations revealed average flow velocities of 1.78, 0.72, and 0.36 m·s−1 during wet, normal, and dry periods, respectively. Natural river sections exhibited high velocities up to 4.3 m·s−1, while reservoir sections had near-stagnant flow due to hydraulic structures. Water quality simulations indicated that TN and NH3-N concentrations were higher in dry and normal periods, whereas TP was higher in the wet period. Spatially, concentrations in reservoir sections exceeded those in natural sections: natural sections had TP, TN, and NH3-N concentrations of 0.07–0.10, 0.25–0.50, and 0.025–0.250 mg·L−1, respectively, while reservoir sections had 0.12–0.17, 0.60–0.80, and 0.10–0.45 mg·L−1. These findings provide scientific references for water environment management in the Heihe River and similar inland river basins.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3951-4
Silicon anodes offer an ultrahigh theoretical capacity (4200 mAh g−1) but suffer from >300% volumetric expansion during cycling and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, leading to rapid capacity fading. Here, we design a hierarchical composite p-cSi@aSi@MgSiN2@C featuring a porous crystalline-amorphous silicon core (p-cSi@aSi), an in-situ MgSiN2 transition layer, and an outer nitrogen-doped carbon shell. The 3D interconnected pores accommodate volume expansion, while amorphous silicon enables isotropic lithiation-induced strain, eliminating crystalline phase transition barriers. The MgSiN2 layer transforms into a tough Li3N-rich SEI with ultra-fast ion channels, and the carbon shell provides mechanical confinement and electronic conductivity. This synergistic interface engineering achieves an initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 81.4%, a charge transfer resistance of 16.4 Ω after 200 cycles (64% reduction), and a Li+ diffusion coefficient of 1.72×10−11 cm2 s−1. The anode delivers 1719.3 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C after 200 cycles and 823.8 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C after 500 cycles. The molten salt electrolysis synthesis achieves a current efficiency of 68.12% and specific energy consumption of 12.76 kWh kg−1, with an estimated electricity cost of 1154.69 USD ton−1, only 20% of commercial Si/C anodes. This work resolves the ICE-cycle life trade-off and provides a scalable, cost-effective approach for next-generation high-energy batteries.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4056-1
Nanoparticle-based therapeutics have been intensively explored for tumor treatment. However, developing convenient and specific strategies that do not rely on exogenous energy-guided activation remains challenging. Herein, an ion-exchange-driven chemodynamic therapy is proposed based on the TME K+-mediated cation exchangeability of layered ferrous silicates (LFSs). LFSs were prepared by a facile "in situ 3D-to-2D structural transformation" strategy through valence bond transition from SiO–H–OSi to Fe–O, providing extensive convenience compared to conventional exfoliation methods. The structure-activity relationship and mechanism between surrounding TME ions and the cation exchange behavior of LFSs were revealed by both experimental investigation of the cation-exchange process and DFT calculations of the adsorption hydration behavior. As a result, the interlayered Fe ions were selectively and preferentially exchanged by TME K+ rather than surrounding TME Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, or Cl−, thereafter activating specific Fenton reaction together with TME H+, H2O2, and glutathione, demonstrating highly precise catalytic therapeutic efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. This study proposes an original tumor-specific therapy modality with high precision and safety through taking advantage of ionic exchangeability of layered silicate, and provides enlightenment to reverse the TME K+ disorder.