Facile Process Research Articles

Dispersal ability of the predatory mites Blattisocius tarsalis and Cheyletus malaccensis in grain piles and storage facilities

Predatory mites can be released into storage facilities to control various stored product pests. However, their ability to disperse within grain piles and structures (warehouses and processing facilities) has not been well assessed. This study aimed to evaluate two predatory mites, Blattisocius tarsalis and Cheyletus malaccensis, as biological control agents by examining their dispersal abilities in piles of rice grains and storage facilities. The mites were evaluated for their capacity to navigate vertically through polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes filled with paddy rice at depths of 40 and 100 cm to determine if they could reach the eggs of various lepidopteran pests at the bottom. Additionally, their dispersal ability over varying time intervals and their preferences concerning light intensity were assessed in 2-metre-long channels coated with rice flour residues. An integrated assessment of their vertical and horizontal dispersal capacities, along with the influence of light, was conducted in a controlled pilot storage room (4 × 3 × 3 m). Blattisocius tarsalis demonstrated impressive dispersal capabilities, reaching pest eggs at vertical depths of 40 and 100 cm through rice and dispersing 2 m horizontally in just 4 h. This proficiency extended to pilot storage room conditions, where it successfully navigated all distances, both horizontally and vertically, showing a preference for navigating away from the light. Cheyletus malaccensis proved to be an effective predator at close range to pest eggs but demonstrated limited dispersal capabilities in complex setups. This study underlines the suitability of B. tarsalis as a biological control agent capable of dispersing in various environments. Conversely, the utility of C. malaccensis may be more specialised and effective within a narrow movement range. These findings highlight the importance of understanding mite dispersal behaviours for optimising pest management strategies and contributing to the more sustainable and effective storage of rice grains.

Steering Acid-base Site Distribution and Hydrophobicity of Bioresourced Bifunctional Hybrid Materials for Direct Synthesis of γ-Valerolactone from Biomass-based Furfural.

The direct production of value-added chemicals from biomass via multiple conversion processes with a sole renewable solid catalyst is promising for carbon-neutral development while challenging. Herein, a series of novel bioresourced organic-inorganic hybrid materials were synthesized from bio-based ascorbic acid (Vc), zirconium chloride (ZrCl4) and p-toluenesulfonic acid (p-TSA) through a facile solvothermal process. The as-prepared Zr-Vc-3 catalyst with Vc, ZrCl4, and p-TSA in the 1:1:0.5 molar ratio displayed outstanding performance in direct furfural-to-γ-valerolactone (GVL) transformation, giving an ultrahigh GVL yield of 76.2%, with an ideal activation energy (55.46 kJ mol-1), outperforming state-of-the-art catalysts. The superior performance of Zr-Vc-3 could be ascribed to its good reusability, relatively large pore size, suitable amount of acid-base sites, and good hydrophobicity. Mechanistic studies unveiled that Lewis acid-base sites facilitate the conversion of furfural to furfuryl alcohol and isopropyl levulinate (IPL) to 4-hydroxypentanoate via transfer hydrogenation process, while Brønsted acid sites are instrumental in the ring-opening of furfuryl alcohol to IPL and the lactonization of 4-hydroxypentanoate to GVL, overall contributing to the multi-step conversion of furfural to GVL in a single pot. This work provides a valuable reference for precisely constructing bio-based OIHMs with tailored functionalities forone-pot valorization of biomass feedstocks via tandem reactions.

High‐performance and flexible thermoelectric generator based on a robust carbon nanotube/BiSbTe foam

AbstractOrganic thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are flexible and lightweight, but they often have high electrical resistance, poor output power, and low mechanical durability, because of which their thermoelectric performance is poor. We used a facile and rapid solvent evaporation process to prepare a robust carbon nanotube/Bi0.45Sb1.55Te3 (CNT/BST) foam with a high thermoelectric figure of merit (zT). The BST sub‐micronparticles effectively create an electrically conductive network within the three‐dimensional porous CNT foam to greatly improve the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient and reinforce the mechanical strength of the composite against applied stresses. The CNT/BST foam had a zT value of 7.8 × 10−3 at 300 K, which was 5.7 times higher than that of pristine CNT foam. We used the CNT/BST foam to fabricate a flexible TEG with an internal resistance of 12.3 Ω and an output power of 15.7 µW at a temperature difference of 21.8 K. The flexible TEG showed excellent stability and durability even after 10,000 bending cycles. Finally, we demonstrate the shapeability of the CNT/BST foam by fabricating a concave TEG with conformal contact on the surface of a cylindrical glass tube, which suggests its practical applicability as a thermal sensor.

Unraveling the Synergistic Role of Kinks in Zig-Zag Ag2Se Nanorod Arrays for High Room-Temperature zT and Improved Mechanical Properties: Experimental and First-Principles Studies.

Flexible thermoelectric materials are usually fabricated by incorporating conducting or organic polymers; however, it remains a formidable task to achieve high thermoelectric properties comparable to those of their inorganic counterparts. Here, we present a high zT value of 1.29 ± 0.31 at room temperature in the hierarchical zig-zag Ag2Se nanorod arrays fabricated using the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique followed by a facile selenization process. The high zT value at 300 K is ascribed to the ultrahigh power factor of 3101 ± 252 μW/m-K2 and the reduced thermal conductivity of 0.72 ± 0.01 W/mK. Based on ab initio computational and experimental evidence, we reveal that kinked Ag2Se nanorod arrays consisting of rough interfaces modulate the lattice thermal conductivity up to 48.5% at room temperature. The modulation results from interchanging of phonon modes at kink points and enhanced scattering from a large number of rough interfaces. Further, benefiting from kinked hierarchy, a notable improvement in the mechanical performance is observed for zig-zag Ag2Se nanorods which is confirmed by nanoindentation measurements. The synergic improvement in thermoelectric and mechanical performance not only unravels a paradigm to harness thermoelectric heat but also offers deeper insights into tuning the mechanical properties of inorganic thermoelectric materials.

Students’ Perception Towards Solid Waste Management and Environmental Sustainability of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Campus, Awka

Nigeria’s rising population makes waste generation an inevitable endeavour. In the journey of national development, waste generation is static. With a population of over 170 million, Nigeria produces a staggering volume of solid waste, of which less than 20% is collected through a formal system. Waste generation on the Nnamdi Azikiwe University campus, Awka, has remained contentious as generated waste is neither categorised nor recycled for re-usage purposes. The survey research method was adopted for this research, with the questionnaire utilised as research instrument. This study included the entire population due to size manageability. Statistically, descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were fit for purpose and, hence, utilised. Findings revealed that biological processing of waste and environmental waste management education would result in the environmental sustainability of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University campus, Awka. This study recommends that the university management prioritise building a biological waste processing facility and champion the creation of environmental waste management education awareness for improved harmful waste generation and control.

Magnesium Fluoride Interlayers Enabled by Wet‐Chemical Process for High‐Performance Solid‐State Batteries

AbstractGarnet‐type solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) exemplified by Li6.5La3Zr1.5Ta0.5O12 (LLZT) are chemically unstable when exposed to air, leading to the formation of impurities and poor wettability with Li metal. Herein, a protocol to address this Li/LLZT interface challenge is demonstrated by constructing a lithiophilic MgF2 nanofilm on the LLZT pellet. Specifically, a solution‐based process is developed for the surface engineering of LLZT, utilizing magnesium trifluoroacetate (MTF) as the molecular precursor while poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as the coordinating agent in a sol‐gel process. It is demonstrated that a facile spin‐coating treatment followed by high‐temperature annealing reliably forms crack‐free MgF2 nanofilms with precise thickness control. Introduction an MgF2 interlayer transforms the LLZT pellet into a highly lithophilic, facilitating close contact with the lithium anode, thereby leading to a significantly reduced interfacial resistance from 1190 Ω cm2 to 6 Ω cm2. Such an interfacial engineering enables stable cycling of full batteries with high reversibility and rate capability using commercial LiFePO4 and LiNi0.83Co0.07Mn0.1O2 as cathodes. This study unfolds the possibility of a solution‐based method as a facile and scalable process for the construction of fluoride nanofilms, which is promising to address the critical interfacial challenges of solid‐state batteries (SSBs) to facilitate its practical applications.

Development of a web-based platform for rainwater retention facility design

ABSTRACT This study develops a web-based operational platform to streamline the integration of GIS technologies, hydrological analyses, and regulation inspections in the design process of rainwater retention facilities. The system incorporates a comprehensive design procedure, which entails: (1) selecting the type and size of the retention facility based on predefined options, (2) conducting hydrological analyses specific to the development site, and (3) verifying the design’s compliance with relevant regulations. Users can visualize flow hydrographs before and after development, estimate the increase in runoff volume resulting from development, and assess the reduction in peak outflow achieved by the retention facility. The system can also validate the adequacy of the retention facility design in alignment with regional flood control objectives. It offers a user-friendly geographical interface for designing retention facilities and drainageways at development sites. Furthermore, design information displayed on the platform can be conveniently shared with regulatory authorities through a web link.

Accelerated Ion-Electron Transport in Bi-Heterostructures Constructed Based on Ohmic Contacts for Efficient Bi-Directional Catalysis of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Although lithium-sulfur batteries have satisfactory theoretical specific capacity and energy density, they are difficult to further commercialize due to the shuttle effect of soluble polysulfides and slow sulfur oxidation kinetics. Based on this, in this work, the catalyst MXene-VS4-SnS2 (MVS), a dual heterostructured catalyst with ohmic contacts, is prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method and electrostatic self-adsorption for lithium-sulfur battery cathode materials. Experimental and theoretical results show that the ohmic contact induces spontaneous charge rearrangement, resulting in the formation of a fast charge transfer pathway at the MVS heterojunction interface, which helps to reduce the energy barrier for polysulfide reduction and Li2S oxidation during the discharge/charge process. In addition, the inherent sulfophilicity of VS4 and SnS2 promotes the conversion of S species, while the pleated MXene nanosheets not only provide a highly conductive network for the active sulfur but also retain a rich internal space to maintain the integrity of the cathode structure during the continuous cycling process. As a result, the MVS cathode exhibits excellent electrochemical performance even under high sulfur loading. The integration of excellent performance with a facile synthesis process provides a promising approach for designing highly efficient electrocatalysts suitable for the energy field.

Editorial: How the application of antimicrobial hurdles in meat processing facilities shapes microbial ecology

Editorial: How the application of antimicrobial hurdles in meat processing facilities shapes microbial ecology

Layer-by-Layer Deposition of Hollow TiO2 Spheres with Enhanced Photoelectric Conversion Efficiency for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Applications

Fabricating photoanodes with a strong light-scattering effect can improve the photoconversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this work, a facile microwave hydrothermal process was developed to prepare Au@TiO2 core–shell nanostructures, and then the Au core was removed by etching, resulting in hollow TiO2. Morphological characterizations such as field emission scanning and transmission electron microscopy measurements have been used for the successful formation of core–shell and hollow TiO2 nanostructures. Next, we attempted to deposit the different-sized hollow TiO2-based microspheres simultaneously on the surface of small-sized TiO2 nanoparticles-based compact film as light-scattering layers via electrophoretic deposition. The deposited hollow TiO2 microspheres constitute bi- and tri-layers that not only improve the light-harvesting properties but also speed up the photogenerated charge transfer. Compared to commercial TiO2 compact film (4.75%), the resulting bi-layer and tri-layered films-based DSSCs displayed power conversion efficiencies of 6.33% and 8.08%, respectively. It is revealed that the deposited bi- and tri-layered films can enhance the light absorption ability via multiple photon reflection. This work validates a novel and controllable strategy to develop light-scattering layers with increased light-harvesting properties for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.

Fractal Analysis of Mining Wastewater Time Series Parameters: Balkhash Urban Region and Sayak Ore District

The population life and health quality are significantly reduced due to water resources pollution caused by heavy metals, especially in urban agglomerations located close to metal ore mining and processing facilities. The greatest environmental pollution occurs during the extraction of Cu, Zn, and Pb. In this study, a fractal R/S analysis of wastewater discharge indicators time series from a metal ore mining facility located in the Sayak ore district in the Republic of Kazakhstan (turbidity, electrical conductivity, flow magnitude, and pH level) was carried out. A sharp increase in the flow rate was recorded from 10 to 15 July 2024 and an increase in the electrical conductivity from 4 to 26 July 2024. However, the latest type of indicator assessment does not exceed the critical level for life. The presence of electrical conductivity indicators time series long-term memory and persistence was also recorded (the Hurst exponent for the electrical conductivity time series is fixed in the 0.56 to 0.59 range and does not go below the threshold value for randomness according to the Anis-Lloyd formula). Thus, the value-changing process is controlled and stable, and minor changes in turbidity indicate that these releases do not significantly harm the environment. Despite this, the results obtained do not allow for a comprehensive analysis of the state of releases as the data from all deposits is not available. Therefore, due to the time constraints of the data provided for analysis, it is difficult to fully assess the impact of specific metal ore mining facilities on the environmental safety of the Balkhash urban region. In addition, many studies indicate very high risks of chronic diseases for the population living in this region. The findings of this study enable us to conclude that the application of fractal analysis and the calculation of fractal characteristics for time series of emissions can serve as an indicator of the environmental status within the given area. This information can be used by environmental services to build reliable environmental pollution monitoring systems.

Processing, Value Addition and Post-Harvest Technology of Tomato: A Scoping Review on Global and Indian Perspective

India, with its favorable climatic conditions, is a major producer of tomatoes, ranking second globally. However, the tomato processing sector in India is underdeveloped, with only 1% of the produce being processed compared to developed nations such as Italy (64.02%), Spain (39.41%) and the United States (10.34%). Of the more than 180 million tonnes of tomatoes produced annually, around 40 million tonnes are processed. India's substantial tomato output, which occurs primarily in the winter, has made it a prominent participant in the global tomato processing industry. This would help the Indian market utilize tomato-based goods throughout the off-season. Lycopene, a beneficial compound, is found to be higher in processed tomato products compared to fresh tomatoes. Prominent companies in the Indian tomato processing industry include Hindustan Unilever, Nestle India, Mother Dairy, and Dabur India. Despite the potential, the sector faces challenges such as inadequate processing facilities and limited varieties suitable for processing, leading to substantial post-harvest losses. The demand for tomato-processed products in India has been increasing at 30% annually in recent years, with a rising variety of products being offered. Increased support, improved supply chain management, and adoption of advanced processing techniques could reduce wastage, add value, and enable India to become a prominent player in the global tomato processing industry. With the adoption of modern technologies such as automated sorting, grading, and cold storage facilities, the efficiency of the tomato processing industry can improve. This would reduce post-harvest losses and ensure better quality control.

Synthesis of Needle-like CoO Nanowires Decorated with Electrospun Carbon Nanofibers for High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitors.

Needle-like CoO nanowires have been successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process on an electrospun carbon nanofibers substrate. The as-prepared sample mesoporous CoO nanowires aligned vertically on the surface of carbon nanofibers and cross-linked with each other, producing loosely porous nanostructures. These hybrid composite electrodes exhibit a high specific capacitance of 1068.3 F g-1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s-1 and a good rate capability of 613.7 F g-1 at a scan rate of 60 mV s-1 in a three-electrode cell. The CoO NWs@CNF//CNT@CNF asymmetric device exhibits remarkable cycling stability and delivers a capacitance of 79.3 F/g with a capacitance retention of 92.1 % after 10,000 cycles. The asymmetric device delivers a high energy density of 37 Wh kg-1 with a power density of 0.8 kW kg-1 and a high power density of 16 kW kg-1 with an energy density of 23 Wh kg-1. This study demonstrated a promising strategy to enhance the electrochemical performance of flexible supercapacitors.

Nothing to hide: How governments justify the adoption of ag-gag laws.

Mainstream practices for producing meat, eggs, and dairy raise numerous concerns regarding public health, animal welfare, and environmental integrity. However, governments worldwide have expanded anti-whistleblower legislation that constrains informed public debate. Since 2019, several Canadian provinces have adopted so-called "ag-gag" laws designed to prevent hidden-camera investigations on farms and meat processing facilities. How do governments across Canada justify ag-gag laws as serving the public interest? To what extent do agricultural industry interests shape government adoption of ag-gag laws? Using Freedom of Information requests and debate records from provincial legislatures, we find that biosecurity is the most prominent justification for ag-gag laws, and that governments exhibit a close, collaborative relationship with industry actors. This case demonstrates that when it comes to contested sites of capital accumulation, governments are drawing on new spatial-legal tools to protect the status quo interests of private industry by dissuading dissent, debate, and public scrutiny.

2D Multifunctional Phototransistor Based on MoTe2/Graphene/SnS0.25Se0.75 Heterostructure with High Photogain and Reconfigurable Polarized Detection

Abstract2D van der Waals (vdWs) heterojunctions exhibit facile fabrication process and tunable optoelectronic properties. However, suppressing interfacial charge traps and multifunctional photoresponse remain significant challenges. Here, the study designs a 2D multifunctional phototransistor based on ambipolar MoTe2/graphene (Gr)/p‐type SnS0.25Se0.75 double vdWs vertical heterostructure via alloy engineering. The middle Gr interlayer is pivotal in reducing interfacial charge traps, facilitating vertical photocarrier transportation, and enhancing light absorption coefficient. Under photogating effect, the trapped electrons in SnS0.25Se0.75 promote the photogating effect, resulting in the maximum photogain of 8084 and specific detectivity (D*) of 8.2 × 1012 Jones. Under photoconductive effect, a high responsivity (R) of 36.9 A W−1 and D* of 7.17 × 1011 Jones are achieved. Under photovoltaic effect, the devices exhibit a remarkable R of 501 mA W−1, D* of 1.4 × 1011 Jones. Notably, a self‐driven photocurrent polarized ratio of 8 under 635 nm is achieved because of the anisotropic nature of SnS0.25Se0.75 and the effective double built‐in electric fields. By varying the gate voltage, the polarization ratio can be modulated from 1 to 2.5, enabling reconfigurable polarized‐sensitive detection. Above all, the designed heterojunction with multifunctional and reconfigurable polarization detection.

Enhanced steam-sanitizer strategies for eliminating Listeria biofilms on food-contact surfaces

Food processing equipment contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes is a major cause of listeriosis outbreaks implicated in various fresh produce, highlighting the need for effective surface sanitization strategies to eliminate this pathogen from food-contact surfaces. This study evaluated the effectiveness of steam treatments at temperatures ranging from 100 - 142 °C, with or without chemical sanitizers, against L. innocua (a surrogate for L. monocytogenes) biofilms on stainless steel (SS), polyester (PET), and rubber surfaces. Seven-day-old L. innocua biofilms on these surfaces were subjected to short-time steam treatments at 100, 125, and 142 °C, either alone or in combination with 10 ppm peroxyacetic acid (PAA) or quaternary ammonium compound (QAC). Culturable L. innocua cells were then detached and enumerated. Results showed that steam treatments exhibited quick killing efficacy during the come-up time (CUT, 8-12 s), regardless of steam temperatures or surface materials. For example, steam CUT at 100 - 142 °C led to reductions of culturable L. innocua of 3.0 - 4.2 log10 CFU/coupon on SS, 2.5 - 2.9 log10 CFU/coupon on PET, and 2.4 - 2.8 log10 CFU/coupon on rubber, respectively. However, killing rates decreased beyond CUT and at extended steam exposure, with more pronounced survival tails on PET and rubber compared to SS. To enhance the eradication of L. innocua biofilms, PAA or QAC at 10 ppm was applied for 1 min, followed by a short (CUT + 6 s) steam treatment at 125 °C, which resulted in ≥ 4.9 log10 CFU/coupon reductions of culturable L. innocua on all surfaces. Rubber surfaces showed the greatest resistance to these hurdle treatments compared to SS and PET. The findings from this study provide effective surface sanitization strategies for the food industry to control L. monocytogenes in processing facilities.

Electrochemical oxidation-driven formation of nickel/nickel-based compounds on hollow carbon shells: Mechanistic insights and energy storage applications

Hydrangea-like nickel/nickel-based compounds decorated hollow carbon shells were synthesized through low-temperature calcination and a facile electrochemical oxidation process. This three-dimensional hollow hierarchical structure ensures intimate contact between the electrically conductive nickel (Ni) substrate and uniformly distributed electrochemically active nickel-based compounds. This hierarchical structure offers abundant active sites and accessible pathways, maximizing energy storage, particularly during rapid charge–discharge cycles. With 30 min of electrochemical oxidation, the optimized Ni-compound-based electrode exhibits a specific capacity of 643 C g−1 at 1 A/g. When assembled into a nickel-zinc battery cell with a zinc foil anode, the cell demonstrates swift current responses, with full capacity recovery even after a twentyfold increase in current density, followed by a return to 1 A/g. Density functional theory computations reveal that the electrochemical oxidation, conducted for an optimized duration, results in partial oxidation of Ni(OH)2, reducing the surface adsorption energy of OH− from the electrolyte and improving charge storage capacity.

Heterointerfacial engineering of N,P-doped carbon nanosheets supported Co/Co2P nanoparticles for boosting oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions towards rechargeable Zn-air battery

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) with high electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are reckoned as a substitution of precious group metals catalysts in rechargeable Zn-air battery. In this work, Co/Co2P heterojunction nanoparticles supported N,P-doped carbon nanosheets (Co/Co2P@NPCNS) were designed and prepared via a facile one-step molten salt-assisted pyrolysis process. Density function theory calculations reveal that the heterogeneous interactions of Co/Co2P effectively enhance the bifunctional electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and OER. The synergistic interaction between the Co/Co2P heterojunction nanoparticles with highly exposed active sites and excellent catalytic activity and the two-dimensional doped carbon nanosheets with high conductivity contributes to Co/Co2P@NPCNS exhibiting preeminent bifunctional ORR/OER activity and stability with a high half-wave potential for ORR (0.87 V), a low overpotential for OER (302 mV at 10 mA cm−2) and a low potential gap (0.66 V). The homemade rechargeable Zn-air battery performs high peak power density (187 mW cm−2) and exceptional endurance. This heterogeneous interface tactic of integrating TMPs with heteroatom-doped carbon materials may shed light on the research and development of non-precious metal electrocatalysts.

Research on PbTiO3 nanoparticles optimized mesoporous layer for perovskite solar cells

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells have garnered significant attention due to their facile fabrication process and high photovoltaic conversion efficiency. The electron transport layer plays a crucial role in the carrier separation mechanism of perovskite solar cells, making it a focal point for enhancing cell performance. In this study, PbTiO3 was introduced into TiO2 mesoporous layers by modification and doping in order to optimize cell performance. Initially, the use of PbTiO3-modified mesoporous layers revealed issues such as non-uniform modification layers, low film coverage rates, and reduced light transmittance. These issues hindered the ability of PbTiO3 to facilitate carrier separation and resulting in suboptimal optimization effects. However, by utilizing PbTiO3-doped mesoporous layers for optimizing cell performance, we observed improved quality and higher light transmittance in the perovskite films. As a consequence of the improved carrier separation achieved by PbTiO3, the efficiency of the solar cell has been enhanced to 5.51%.

Facile constructing ZrO2 nanoparticles equipped with high conductivity carbon networks as pseudocapacitive anodes for removing phosphorus

Phosphorus pollution can seriously disrupt water quality and endanger ecosystem sustainability. Nonetheless, a few typical methods have been employed to remove phosphorus, but there are still challenges in controlling phosphorus from sewage. Capacitive deionization (CDI) displays the merits of having eco-friendliness and low energy consumption when capturing phosphorus. However, traditional carbon electrodes often suffer from the limitation that phosphorus uptake sites are insufficient. Herein, a novel ZrO2 nanoparticle equipped with a highly conductive carbon network (NZrC) was fabricated by a facile co-pyrolysis process. Na2EDTA can provide additional carbon backbones, N species, and metal chelation sites. Zr-MOF was applied as the ZrO2 precursor with abundant phosphorus trapping sites. The results suggested that Na2EDTA favors improving the ZrO2 dispersion, mesoporous channel formation, and pseudocapacitive behavior. NZrC-21 at 1.2 V displays low energy consumption and the optimal phosphorus uptake capacity of 10.99 mg P/g because of its rich mesoporous structure, abundant pyrrolic-N, graphitic-N, and ZrO2 active sites, and outstanding electrochemical properties. Furthermore, several key parameters were investigated for their effect on phosphorus removal performance. The mechanism revealed that hydrogen bonds, ligand exchange, and electrostatic attraction are the main uptake processes. This work presents a novel perspective for the facile construction and utilization of metal oxide nanoparticles equipped with a highly conductive carbon network for removing phosphorus.