High Zn Research Articles

Searching of new gene donors for high Fe and Zn content from Indonesian rice varieties

Abstract High Fe and Zn content rice varieties are believed to be effective in reducing the high prevalence of deficiencies. Searching gene donors for high Fe and Zn content is required to further increase the Fe and Zn content of the existing varieties. This preliminary study that was conducted aiming to quantify the Fe and Zn content of rice genotypes of various local (set I) and released (set II) varieties in Indonesia. Set I experiment was conducted in 2014 in 328 Indonesian local variety measured using an ED XRF machine at the ICRR laboratory in Subang. Set II experiment was conducted in 32 rice genotypes using T XRF machine at BRIN laboratory in Bandung in 2022. The results showed the existence of variation of Fe and Zn content among local and improved varieties indicating the potential of breeding efforts to increase Fe/Zn content. Set I with more huge numbers of genotypes showed normal distribution for both Fe and Zn content but not for set II. Fe and Zn content were positively correlated in both sets. Further trial with replications at the same planting environment and uniform method is required to confirm these results.

Zinc phytotoxicity and cationic micronutrients contents in quinoa as influenced by high Zn levels and soil amendments

Contamination of soils with heavy metals (HMs) is a serious concern due to the non-biodegradability and accumulation of these metals in living organism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of fish scale powder, chitin, and chitosan in reducing zinc (Zn) accumulation of quinoa grown on Zn-polluted soil. A 3*4 factorial greenhouse trial was conducted with three levels of Zn contamination (0, 100, and 200 mg kg−1) and four types of amendment (control, and 0.15% of each fish scale powder, chitin, and chitosan). The quinoa seeds were sown in soil treated with Zn contamination and amendments. Results showed that application of amendments especially chitosan increased shoot and root dry weight and greenness index of quinoa leaf. While high soil Zn levels decreased cationic micronutrients uptake in quinoa shoot, chitosan addition desirably enhanced cationic micronutrients uptake in quinoa shoot. Overall, amendment addition significantly decreased Zn concentration and uptake in plant; the highest decrease was observed following the application of chitosan. Although the application of high Zn levels significantly increased the values of phytoextraction efficiency, application of chitin and chitosan significantly decreased it. The value of translocation factor was lower than one, demonstrating that a large amount of Zn was stabilized in the root tissues, while a small amount of this metal was transferred to aboveground parts of quinoa. Results of this study revealed that fish scales derivatives were effective in preventing Zn toxicity and at the same time increasing cationic micronutrients contents of quinoa grown on HMs-polluted soil.

Achieving high strength and antibacterial Zn−4Ag−Mn alloy with homogenous corrosion behavior via high-pressure solid solution

Achieving high strength and antibacterial Zn−4Ag−Mn alloy with homogenous corrosion behavior via high-pressure solid solution

Doping P heteroatoms into thin-wall polypyrrole hollow nanobelts with enhanced electrochemical performance for aqueous Zn ion storage

The aqueous zinc-ion batteries are promising to be large-scale energy technologies for solving the contradiction between the intermittency of renewable energy and the immediacy of growing electricity demand. Conductive polymers have been utilized as cathode materials for Zn ion storage but suffered from inadequate active sites, resulting in poor specific capacity. In this work, P doping polypyrrole hollow nanobelts (P-PPy HNBs) with long aspect ratio have been prepared by in-situ polymerization of pyrrole on a template of MoO3 nanotubes. Owing to the long-aspect-ratio hollow structure, the P-PPy HNBs perform thin wall, large surface area, porous structure with micropores and mesopores, which is beneficial to high and fast Zn ion storage. Remarkably, the as-obtained P-PPy HNBs cathodes in this work deliver favorable electrochemical performance for Zn2+ storage in terms of good capacity, rate capability and cycling stability. Moreover, kinetic analysis quantitatively confirms the capacitive contribution of NPCNTs is dominant for aqueous Zn ion storage. The capacitive properties are contributed that the synergistic effect of porous and hollow nanobelt structure construction and P doping strategy can provide abundant active sites and promote electronic conductivity and ion transport. Generally, the strategy for hollow structure with a long aspect ratio and heteroatom doping in our work causes excellent-performance properties, possibly bringing light on the future design of other cathodes for aqueous Znic-based energy storage devices.

Optimization and validation of a simple extraction method coupled with ICP-MS for the determination of essential and toxic elements in liquid dietary supplement products

This study aimed to develop and validate a fast, easy, cost-effective, and accurate method for determining Mn, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Fe, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, Sb, and Pb in liquid dietary supplements using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Two sample preparation methods were compared: microwave acid digestion and direct analysis after dilution. Both methods provided acceptable recovery values (87.7–111 %), with RSD values up to 6.35 %. The microwave digestion method was validated using various certified reference materials (CRMs) and a proficiency test (PT). Additionally, 34 domestic dietary supplements were analyzed using both methods, and the results were similar. Only one sample exceeded the maximum allowable limit for arsenic, which is 150 mg/kg set by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). Two products had high Fe and Zn levels exceeding the recommended daily allowance (RDA), according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This study demonstrates the effectiveness and advantages of the direct analysis method for measuring essential and toxic elements in liquid dietary supplements. This method promotes green chemistry principles and provides valuable information for ensuring consumer safety and product quality.

Metal(loid)s in urban soil from historical municipal solid waste landfill: Geochemistry, source apportionment, bioaccessibility testing and human health risks

Landfills, especially those poorly managed, can negatively affect the environment and human beings through chemical contamination of soils and waters. This study investigates the soils of a historical municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill situated in the heart of a residential zone in the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, with an emphasis on metal (loid) contamination and its consequences. Regardless of the depth, many of the soils exhibited high metal (loid) concentrations, mainly Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Sn and Zn (up to 24, 2620, 2420, 134, 811 and 6220 mg/kg, respectively), classifying them as extremely contaminated based on the geo-accumulation index (Igeo >5). The stable lead isotopic ratios of the landfill topsoil varied widely (1.1679–1.2074 for 206Pb/207Pb and 2.0573–2.1111 for 208Pb/206Pb) and indicated that Pb contained a natural component and an anthropogenic component, likely municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) ash and construction waste. Oral bioaccessibility of metal (loid)s in the topsoil was variable with Cd (73.2–106%) and Fe (0.98–2.10%) being the most and least bioaccessible, respectively. The variation of metal (loid) bioaccessibility among the soils could be explained by differences in their geochemical fractionation as shown by positive correlations of bioaccessibility values with the first two fractions of BCR (Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction for As, Cd, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn and Zn. The results of geochemical fractionation coupled with the mineralogical characterisation of topsoil showed that the reservoir of bioaccessible metal (loid)s was calcite and Fe (hydr)oxides. Based on aqua regia metal (loid) concentrations, a non-carcinogenic risk was demonstrated for children (HI = 1.59) but no risk taking into account their bioaccessible concentrations (HI = 0.65). This study emphasises the need for detailed research of the geochemistry of wastes deposited in urban soils to assess the potentially hazardous sources and determine the actual bioaccessibility and human health risks of the accumulated metal (loid)s.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increase the tolerance to excess zinc of a tropical legume grown in iron-ore mining waste

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) might amend the toxicity of trace elements and improve the nutritional status of plants, but little is known about these responses in tropical native plants in iron-ore-impacted sites with excess zinc (Zn). We evaluated how the association with AMF contributes to the resistance capacity of Stryphnodendron adstringens to high Zn concentrations in mining waste. Seeds were sown in pots containing iron-ore mining waste with different concentrations of Zn (0, 100, 200, 400 and 600 mg L−1) and two conditions (inoculated or not with AMF). The biomass accumulation and physiological processes were severely impacted in the mining waste with Zn concentration above 100 mg L−1. The relative growth rate (RGR) and the concentration of phosphorus (P) in the shoot were higher in the AMF-inoculated plants, mainly when cultivated without Zn excess. Non-inoculated plants presented the lowest net photosynthetic rate (An) mainly due to impairment in light use efficiency, especially under Zn excess. The treatments did not change stomatal conductance, transpiration, Rubisco carboxylation rate, triose-phosphate utilization and respiration rate. The AMF improved the plant resistance capacity in mining waste substrate by promoting decreased oxidative damage, ameliorated P nutrition, higher RGR, root biomass and An.

The high strength and ductility mechanism of Zn-0.45Mn-0.8Li alloys with heterogeneous lamellar structure

The high strength and ductility Zn–Mn–Li alloys with heterogeneous lamellar (HL) structure were prepared by rotary swaging. Li(Mn,Zn)4 phase was identified as the matrix phase. Grain refinement and hetero-deformation induced strengthening. Grain sliding and activation of more pyramidal slip system increase the strain.

Spatio-temporal variability of potentially toxic elements' pollution in road-deposited sediments according to health risk thresholds: a meta-analysis.

Road deposited sediments (RDS) are important sinks of potentially toxic elements (PTEs), which may have a significant impact on human health. A systematic review of published papers on the PTEs occurrence in RDS was carried out. The main goal was to assess the global RDS contamination by PTEs and human health risks linked with anthropogenic activities. A systematic search was made to collect information about the most cited PTEs in the published literature and perform a statistical analysis. Subsequently, health risks were assessed for 35 different areas worldwide. PTE concentrations showed high variability, and means were multiple times higher than the corresponding consensus-based threshold effect concentrations (5.2-, 10.3-, 5.3-, 3-, 7.3-, and 3.6-fold higher for Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, and Cd, respectively). PTEs concentrations were ranked as Zn > Pb > Cu > Mn > Cr > Ni > Cd. Non carcinogenic risks followed the trend Pb > Cu > Zn > Cd. Lead is responsible for the highest significant non carcinogenic risk to human health. Unacceptable exposition to carcinogenic risks is present in most areas. The top carcinogenic risk areas were Singapore > Beijing > Yixing > Shanghai > Zhuzhou for adult male, Dresden > Singapore > Ulsan > Huludao for adult females, and Dresden > Singapore > Ulsan > Huludao for children. Highest chromium and nickel carcinogenic risks occurred in Singapore, Cd in Dresden, and Cu in Huludao. Highest RDS contamination was seen in industrial areas due to pollutants deposition. Highest Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb concentrations occur in densely urbanized areas due to heavy-duty vehicular exhausts.

Revisiting porous foam Cu host based Li metal anode: The roles of lithiophilicity and hierarchical structure of three-dimensional framework

Lithium (Li) metal anode (LMA) is one of the most promising anodes for high energy density batteries. However, its practical application is impeded by notorious dendrite growth and huge volume expansion. Although the three-dimensional (3D) host can enhance the cycling stability of LMA, further improvements are still necessary to address the key factors limiting Li plating/stripping behavior. Herein, porous copper (Cu) foam (CF) is thermally infiltrated with molten Li-rich Li-zinc (Li-Zn) binary alloy (CFLZ) with variable Li/Zn atomic ratio. In this process, the LiZn intermetallic compound phase self-assembles into a network of mixed electron/ion conductors that are distributed within the metallic Li phase matrix and this network acts as a sublevel skeleton architecture in the pores of CF, providing a more efficient and structured framework for the material. The as-prepared CFLZ composite anodes are systematically investigated to emphasize the roles of the tunable lithiophilicity and hierarchical structure of the frameworks. Meanwhile, a thin layer of Cu-Zn alloy with strong lithiophilicity covers the CF scaffold itself. The CFLZ with high Zn content facilitates uniform Li nucleation and deposition, thereby effectively suppressing Li dendrite growth and volume fluctuation. Consequently, the hierarchical and lithiophilic framework shows low Li nucleation overpotential and highly stable Coulombic efficiency (CE) for 200 cycles in conventional carbonate based electrolyte. The full cell coupled with LiFePO4 (LFP) cathode demonstrates high cycle stability and rate performance. This work provides valuable insights into the design of advanced dendrite-free 3D LMA toward practical application.

The Burgeoning Zinc Powder Anode for Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries: from Electrode Preparation to Performance Enhancement

AbstractAqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) have emerged as a focal point of interest in academic research and industrial strategic planning. Zinc powder (ZP) is poised to assume a prominent position in both future research and practical applications due to its high Zn utilization rate and processability. However, critical challenges need to be addressed before realizing substantial progress. Notably, severe voltage polarization and gas production of ZP electrodes stand out as the primary causes of battery failure, differing with zinc foil where short circuits caused by zinc dendrites contribute to battery failure. While numerous comprehensive reviews have offered effective strategies for zinc foil, a systematic summary of ZP electrodes is still lacking. For ZP, electrode preparation dictates the performance. This review summarizes the criteria for optimal ZP electrodes, covering electrode components, preparation methods, and technique parameters. It emphatically introduces the underlying causes and strategies of water‐related side reactions and briefly analyzes the stripping/plating behaviors of ZP electrodes. The status quo of ZP‐based batteries is then discussed in categories of ZP, current collector, conductive scaffold, binder, and electrolytes. Finally, potential avenues for future research are proposed from three aspects to enhance the focus on ZP electrodes and facilitate the practical application of AZMBs.

Functional Aerogel Driven Synchronous Modulation of Zn2+ Interfacial Migration Behavior and Electrolyte Microenvironment Enables Highly Reversible Zn Anodes

AbstractUncontrolled dendrite growth and electrolyte‐induced intricate parasitic reactions are two great challenges that hinder the commercial applications of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries. Herein, a synchronous modulation strategy for Zn2+ interfacial migration behavior and electrolyte microenvironment is proposed by constructing a functional lanthanum hydroxide aerogel (LAG) interface layer on Zn anode surface. The in situ derivation of ion‐conducting zinc hydroxide sulfate (ZHS) from LAG layer results in the spontaneous generation of a hierarchic interface layer during the plating process, where the high Zn2+ selectivity of the upper dense ZHS layer can limit SO42− migration and allow for fast Zn2+ interfacial migration kinetics, while the aerogel layer with well‐defined nanochannels near the anode side can homogenize Zn2+ distribution, thus leading to the effective suppression of both dendrites and side reactions. Additionally, the pH microenvironment of the acidic electrolyte can be synchronously regulated by slightly soluble La(OH)3 aerogel, further inhibiting electrolyte corrosion and HER. Consequently, the modified Zn anode delivers highly reversible Zn plating/stripping and low‐voltage hysteresis, and the high areal‐capacity Zn||MnO2 full cells demonstrate considerable electrochemical performances under high Zn utilization conditions. This functional aerogel‐driven synchronous modulation strategy of Zn2+ migration behavior and electrolyte microenvironment provides new insight for stabilizing Zn metal anodes.

The Biochar-Enhanced Phytoextraction of Heavy-Metal-Polluted Tropical Soils by Thorny Amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus)

Abstract It was suggested that some tropical plants were able to lower toxic metal concentrations in soils. The phytoextraction potential of thorny amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus) in tropical soils treated with biochar was investigated. Soil samples high in heavy metals were taken from a 22-years old experimental field treated with industrial waste at 0-60 Mg ha-1. Soil samples were evaluated with thorny amaranth for 4 weeks. Planting was also conducted in 0-10 Mg ha-1-biochar-treated soil samples. The soil heavy metals increased with the industrial waste levels but were decreased by plant and/or biochar treatments. The plant growth as well as root and shoot dry-weights were lowered by the high soil Cu and Zn but attenuated in the presence of biochar. The accumulation of Cu and Zn in plant roots and shoots and their translocation factors were also lowered by soil Cu and Zn but were increased by biochar. The accumulation of Cu and Zn were higher in plant shoots than those in roots in good correlations with their concentrations in soils. The thorny amaranth was a good Cu and Zn phytoextractor in heavy-metal-polluted tropical soils and performed better in the presence of biochar.

Microstructure, mechanical properties and multiphase synergistic strengthening mechanisms of LPBF fabricated AlZnMgZr alloy with high Zn content

In this work, a novel aluminum alloy with high Zn content was designed for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) forming process. Aluminum alloy powder containing 14 wt% Zn and 2 wt% Zr was produced to conduct LPBF experiments with different process parameters. The analysis of the specimens revealed that the up facing surface exhibited an average microhardness peak value of 170.6 HV, achieving the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 573 MPa and the elongation of 11.6 %. There was no significant change in grain size and a large amount of plate-like η' (a metastable precipitate MgZn2 phase) phase precipitated within the grains after aging treatment (120°C, 21 h). The specimen reached the average microhardness peak of 181.7 HV and the UTS of 605 MPa. The principal strengthening mechanisms in the LPBF-formed samples were solid solution strengthening and grain refinement strengthening. After aging treatment, the precipitation of the second phase from solute atoms led to grain refinement strengthening and second-phase strengthening becoming the predominant factors to enhance the sample's strength. Al14ZnMgZr alloy have great application prospect in high strength and tough service environment.

Regulating Zn2+ Solvation Shell Through Charge‐Concentrated Anions for High Zn Plating/Stripping Coulombic Efficiency

AbstractThe plating/stripping efficiency of zinc (Zn) is directly related to the efficiency of zinc utilization and cycle stability of the battery, which is affected by factors such as the solvated water‐related hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), Zn corrosion, and dendrite formation. Therefore, creating a weak solvate shell for Zn2+ with reduced solvated water molecules can promote stable deposition and stripping of the zinc anode. In this work, a novel approach using the concentrated charge effect of anions is proposed to remove the solvated water and improve the efficiency of Zn plating/stripping. 3 mol kg−1 (3 m) ZnCl2, Zn(ClO4)2, and Zn(BF4)2 electrolytes are used as the representatives to investigate how anions regulate the solvent shell of zinc ion to achieve high Zn plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency (CE). Computational results show that Cl− has a more concentrated charge compared to ClO4− and BF4−, indicating a stronger interaction with Zn2+. This concentrated charge effect reduces the number of water molecules in Zn2+ solvation structures. Benefiting from weak solvent structure, the average coulomb efficiency, and cycling stability of the Zn─Cu asymmetric cell using ZnCl2 electrolyte is better. Additionally, the Zn‐NaV3O8 full cell of the ZnCl2 electrolyte exhibits good electrochemical performance.

Coupling High Hardness and Zn Affinity in Amorphous-Crystalline Diamond for Stable Zn Metal Anodes.

The highly reversible plating/stripping of Zn is plagued by dendrite growth and side reactions on metallic Zn anodes, retarding the commercial application of aqueous Zn-ion batteries. Herein, a distinctive nano dual-phase diamond (NDPD) comprised of an amorphous-crystalline heterostructure is developed to regulate Zn deposition and mechanically block dendrite growth. The rich amorphous-crystalline heterointerfaces in the NDPD endow modified Zn anodes with enhanced Zn affinity and result in homogeneous nucleation. In addition, the unparalleled hardness of the NDPD effectively overcomes the high growth stress of dendrites and mechanically impedes their proliferation. Moreover, the hydrophobic surfaces of the NDPD facilitate the desolvation of hydrate Zn2+ and prevent water-mediated side reactions. Consequently, the Zn@NDPD presents an ultrastable lifespan exceeding 3200 h at 5 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2. The practical application potential of Zn@NDPD is further demonstrated in full cells. This work exhibits the great significance of a chemical-mechanical synergistic anode modification strategy in constructing high-performance aqueous Zn-ion batteries.

Highly reversible zinc metal anode enabled by strong Brønsted acid and hydrophobic interfacial chemistry

Uncontrollable zinc (Zn) plating and hydrogen evolution greatly undermine Zn anode reversibility. Previous electrolyte designs focus on suppressing H2O reactivity, however, the accumulation of alkaline byproducts during battery calendar aging and cycling still deteriorates the battery performance. Here, we present a direct strategy to tackle such problems using a strong Brønsted acid, bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (HTFSI), as the electrolyte additive. This approach reformulates battery interfacial chemistry on both electrodes, suppresses continuous corrosion reactions and promotes uniform Zn deposition. The enrichment of hydrophobic TFSI– anions at the Zn|electrolyte interface creates an H2O-deficient micro-environment, thus inhibiting Zn corrosion reactions and inducing a ZnS-rich interphase. This highly acidic electrolyte demonstrates high Zn plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency up to 99.7% at 1 mA cm–2 ( > 99.8% under higher current density and areal capacity). Additionally, Zn | |ZnV6O9 full cells exhibit a high capacity retention of 76.8% after 2000 cycles.

Machine learning-assisted high-throughput screening of MOFs for efficient adsorption and separation of CF4/N2

There is an imperative need for top-performing materials with extraordinary adsorption selectivity and working capacity, in order to achieve productive adsorption of CF4 in a CF4/N2 mixture. In this work, the High-Throughput Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (HT-GCMC) simulation method and the Machine Learning (ML) method were employed to predict and screen the adsorption performance of 10 143 computation-ready experimental metal-organic frameworks (CoRE-MOFs) for separating CF4/N2 mixed gas. Through computational simulation and ML prediction, 15 and 73 highly promising adsorbents were selected out of the 690 randomly sampled MOFs and the CoRE-MOFs database. The selection process was based on criteria that balanced favorable CF4 selectivity, working capacity, and regenerability: selectivity >60, working capacity >70 mg g−1 (0.8 mmol g−1) and regenerability >70%. The maximum observed capacity of the 15 top evaluated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) was: 52.85 mg g−1 (0.6 mmol g−1) at 1 bar; and 204.90 mg g−1 (2.3 mmol g−1) at 10 bar. The maximum working capacity was 152.06 mg g−1 (1.7 mmol g−1) and the highest selectivity reached was 118.12 (YEGCUJ) and 101.80 (VEHLIE) at 1 bar and 10 bar, respectively. Notably, the most promising MOFs exhibited elevated Zn content relative to the overall MOF population and also possessed a significant nitrogen content. This result should serve as a compelling motivation to further investigate the utilisation of MOFs with a high Zn content (e. g. zeolitic imidazolate frameworks), for enhanced adsorption applications.

Variation of trace metal minerals among different soil orders under different land use systems falling in Malwa region of Punjab in North-western India

BackgroundTrace metal deficiency has become a major constraint on the productivity and sustainability of soils. Agriculture becomes more complex, advanced and intensive farming systems develop, however, the deficiency of trace metal are more frequent and extensive in different systems. MethodsThis study investigated the variation of trace metal minerals in soil profiles of diverse land use systems (LUSs), i.e. agriculture, horticulture and forestry, falling under three dominant soil orders (Entisol, Inceptisol and Aridisol) in Malwa region of Punjab. Through comprehensive analyses, we explore the intricate relationships between soil characteristics, land use practices, and the distribution of key trace metals—namely zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn). ResultsThe mean values of DTPA-extractable trace metal from soil profiles of different land uses varied from 1.75 to 2.09, 1.64–2.32, 1.18–1.69 mg kg−1 for Zn; 0.59–1.02, 0.59–0.99, 0.64–0.92 mg kg−1 for Cu; 12.12–16.49, 9.84–16.05, 7.94–11.56 mg kg−1 for Fe; 7.82–9.99, 4.66–9.39, 6.51–7.46 mg kg−1for Mn in soil orders Entisol, Inceptisol and Aridisol, respectively. The concentration of trace metals in different soil orders follows the pattern of ntisol>Inceptisol>Aridisol. In contrast, there is a considerable amount of variation and no discernible pattern in the distribution of trace metals under various LUSs in each soil order. Several LUSs were examined, and agriculture land use system (ALUS) had the greatest Fe and Mn content, while the horticulture land use system (HLUS) had the highest Zn and Cu content. The Irrespective of soil orders and LUSs, the concentration of trace metals decreased as soil depth increased. Diverse LUSs and management practices have a substantial impact on the physico-chemical characteristics of soils, which in turn influence the availability of trace metals. According to the Pearson correlation studies, trace metals were positively associated with soil OC and negatively associated with soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and there was also a positive correlation between DTPA-Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn in the investigated soils. The results of the principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that soil CaCO3 and organic carbon (OC) content were the most variable soil parameters influencing crop trace metal availability in different soil orders and land use systems. ConclusionThe findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of the dynamic interplay between soil properties and land use, providing valuable insights for sustainable agricultural practices and environmental management in the region.

High performance Zn–Al LDH modified forward osmosis membrane with antibacterial, anti-membrane fouling, and photocatalytic degradation ability

Forward osmosis membrane has shown great potential in the fields of seawater desalination and sewage treatment. However, the concentration polarization phenomenon and membrane fouling in the water treatment process greatly reduce the water treatment performance and restrict its application. To address these challenges, we employed a pre-buried seed-in-situ growth method to facilitate the Zn–Al layered double hydroxide (Zn–Al LDH) growth on the thin nanofiber membrane, and use it as the support layer for the preparation of a Zn–Al LDH modified forward osmosis membrane. Studies have shown that the introduction of Zn–Al LDH significantly improves the water treatment efficiency of the forward osmosis membrane (In Al-DS mode, the water flux increased by 87.5 %, up to 50.50 LMH, with a low specific salt flux of 0.13 g L−1). It also exhibits exceptional antibacterial, anti-membrane fouling, and photocatalytic degradation properties. This research presents a novel approach for the development of advanced high-efficiency forward osmosis membranes.