Resources Environment and Sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Spatial divergence of nitrogen fate in China's wheat systems: a meta-analysis and machine-learning roadmap for region-specific management","authors":"Yan'ge Yan ,&nbsp;Shuiqin Zhang ,&nbsp;Yingqiang Zhang ,&nbsp;Meng Xu ,&nbsp;Jiukai Xu ,&nbsp;Yanting Li ,&nbsp;Bingqiang Zhao ,&nbsp;Liang Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100270","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100270","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Optimizing crop productivity while mitigating pollution requires a system-wide understanding of nitrogen (N) fertilizer fate and its loss pathways. However, regional variability in N fate and its linkage to yield response in China's wheat systems remains poorly quantified. We collected 4077 observations to analyze the effects of N fertilizer management, climate, and soil properties on wheat yield, N fate, and reactive nitrogen (Nr) losses using meta-analysis and machine learning. At the national scale, wheat yield increased by 65.40 ​% with N fertilization, with applied N partitioned into 41.56 ​% uptake, 29.66 ​% residual, and 38.81 ​% losses. The Nr losses comprised NH₃ (9.35 ​%), N₂O (0.73 ​%), NO (0.38 ​%), leaching (7.38 ​%), and runoff (4.68 ​%). At the regional scale, N uptake exhibited an increasing trend from north to south, whereas N residual and N loss gradually decreased. NH₃ volatilization accounted for 91.76 ​% of total N loss in northern China (NC). In central China (CC), NH₃ constituted 53.45 ​% of the losses, with N leaching accounting for 41.38 ​%. By contrast, southern China (SC) showed a more even distribution of losses across pathways. N application rate was the key determinant of N fate, whereas pH, mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature, and bulk density had the greatest influence on Nr losses. Nationally, N uptake was the dominant driver of yield response, accounting for 54.06 ​% of the variation. Regionally, uptake remained the key factor in CC (37.83 ​%), whereas NC (27.33 ​% uptake; 16.09 ​% loss) and SC (15.20 ​% uptake; 12.37 ​% loss) showed substantial sensitivity to N loss. N residual had minimal impact in most regions but was significant in CC (11.66 ​%). Enhancing nitrogen uptake is the top priority in increasing wheat yield across different regions of China, while the role of fertilizer N loss and residual regionally varied. Accordingly, N management should prioritize loss reduction in NC and SC, and residual management in CC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34479,"journal":{"name":"Resources Environment and Sustainability","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100270"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145157788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determinants of secondhand consumer choices on C2C online marketplace: Product-specific analysis in Japan","authors":"Dami Moon ,&nbsp;Kiyo Kurisu ,&nbsp;Kiyotaka Tahara","doi":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100250","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100250","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study hypothesizes that the relative importance of factors influencing the acceptance of secondhand products varies by product type. This premise was explored through a Japanese consumer survey analyzing factors influencing both adoption and rejection as well as key acceptance criteria across thirty diverse product types. The results revealed nuanced attitudes toward secondhand items. Hygiene and cleanliness were paramount for items with direct skin contact, while privacy concerns dominated for tablets. Notably, childhood-related items were often kept for sentimental value rather than being reused. Bulky furniture and small electronics were frequently stored or discarded due to the perceived inconvenience of reuse procedures. The study identified two consumer acceptance factors in online C2C markets: (1) the product condition and functional assurance and (2) product information and market appeal. Consumer decisions prioritized different factors depending on product type: hygiene-sensitive items required consideration of both factors, everyday wear showed less sensitivity to either, electronics emphasized product information and appeal, and life-stage products prioritized condition and functionality. These diverse preferences highlight the importance of product-specific strategies, which can foster consumer trust and facilitate robust secondhand transactions. Ultimately, by building trust, streamlining transactions, and acknowledging diverse product needs, businesses and policymakers can promote reuse and drive widespread adoption of secondhand products towards a sustainable consumption system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34479,"journal":{"name":"Resources Environment and Sustainability","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100250"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144865356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Divert or donate? Early experiences with California’s attempt to reduce organic waste and food insecurity","authors":"Yulia Lamoureaux ,&nbsp;Charles J. Corbett ,&nbsp;Scott Rodilitz ,&nbsp;Edward S. Spang","doi":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100252","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100252","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food waste poses significant environmental and societal challenges, with an estimated 30% of global food production lost or wasted along the supply chain, threatening both environmental sustainability and food security. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 aims to halve global food waste by 2030, linking waste reduction to hunger alleviation. California sought to address both priorities simultaneously through Senate Bill (SB) 1383, a novel organic waste law. This article contributes to the literature on food loss and waste (FLW) mitigation by examining tensions between SB 1383’s dual goals: diverting organic waste from landfills and redistributing surplus food to communities in need. While SB 1383 is a progressive policy, its implementation has revealed conflicts between these objectives. We assess the impact of SB 1383 on stakeholder compliance with its food waste reduction and recovery requirements. Specifically, we examine the two key objectives of this regulation: (1) mitigating climate change by diverting organic waste from landfills, and (2) addressing food insecurity by redistributing recovered food to communities in need. We interviewed 37 stakeholders, including food recovery organizations, jurisdiction representatives, and edible food generators involved in implementation. Additionally, we analyzed the distribution of Local Assistance Grant funds across California counties and between the policy’s dual goals. Our findings indicate a stronger focus on waste diversion than food recovery, and an uneven distribution of funding, with rural areas facing greater challenges in adapting to SB 1383’s requirements. We conclude by highlighting tensions in FLW policy design that seeks to advance multiple, sometimes competing, goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34479,"journal":{"name":"Resources Environment and Sustainability","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100252"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144860454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implications of a consumption-based accounting of greenhouse gas emissions from global dairy cattle systems","authors":"D. Caro ,&nbsp;F.M. Pulselli ,&nbsp;F. Sporchia","doi":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dairy systems at the national level are typically estimated at the point of production, following guidelines for national reporting. However, exploring the emissions allocated to the point of consumption also provides key insights into reducing emissions across all stages (inputs, production, trade, and consumption). In this study, the GHG emissions associated with global dairy cattle products were estimated using a consumption-based accounting approach. The analysis was based on data from 2015, covering 254 territories and considering 21 dairy cattle commodities. Our findings reveal that international trade in dairy products is dominated by a few countries, with the top 20 net importing/exporting countries accounting for about 70% of global emissions embodied in trade. Although, at the global level, GHG emissions embodied in the international trade of dairy cattle products represented a relatively small share of the total (133 Mt CO₂ eq, 9%), they were significant at the country level, particularly for countries heavily involved in trade. In some cases, imports accounted for more than 50% of consumption-related emissions. Trade among European Union countries was relevant representing 32% of the global GHG emission linked with the international trade of dairy products. By adopting a system-wide approach, this study aims to provide novel and critical information to reduce GHG emissions from the global dairy sector, contributing to initiatives such as Pathways to Dairy Net Zero. The results are discussed in the context of the importance of dairy products for global food security. The consumption-based analysis presented represents a different and original perspective in the computation of GHG emissions at the national level for a specific and relevant food item. This approach, guiding policymakers in identifying key impact areas across all stages of the supply chain, can foster the transition to low-carbon dairy products, and support circular economy practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34479,"journal":{"name":"Resources Environment and Sustainability","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100268"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145105302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tracking terbium metabolism in China with implications for its dominance in global rare earth supply","authors":"Wei Liu ,&nbsp;Wuhu Guo ,&nbsp;Jiaming Chen ,&nbsp;Shuhui Peng ,&nbsp;Lele Ru ,&nbsp;Yuejin Chen ,&nbsp;Zanxu Chen ,&nbsp;Dan Wang ,&nbsp;Shijie Dai ,&nbsp;Wending Huang ,&nbsp;Zhiwen Li ,&nbsp;Evgeny Abakumov ,&nbsp;Wenjuan Wang ,&nbsp;Yanqi Liu ,&nbsp;Xiaowen Ji ,&nbsp;Shuoyao Lian ,&nbsp;Huoqing Xiao ,&nbsp;Zugen Liu ,&nbsp;Hannan Ahmad Anjum ,&nbsp;Xianchuan Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100263","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100263","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Terbium (Tb), a critical heavy rare earth element, faces intensifying supply–demand imbalances driven by its irreplaceable role in green technologies and geopolitical supply chain complexities. To explore sustainable pathways for Tb, this study establishes a spatially and temporally explicit material flow analysis framework to map Tb’s life cycle dynamics across China’s socioeconomic systems (1990–2024) and global trade networks. Results reveal that Asia and Europe as pivotal hubs, with China dominating 68.57% (1.05 × 10⁴ t) of global Tb flows, primarily channeled into phosphors (peaking at 74.5% in 2007) and permanent magnets (90% of post-2021. Historically, Tb flows have been closely tied to industrial product cycles. From 1990 to 2024, approximately 1.16 × 10⁴ t of Tb were mined and processed into various end-use products. Fluorescent lamps were historically the dominant end use; however, since 2014, permanent magnets have become precedence, accounting for 90% of the market flow in 2024, followed by new energy technologies and household appliances. Tb demand in the new energy sector is expected to exceed that of household appliances and become the main driver of consumption. Therefore, the most significant potential for Tb recovery resides in fluorescent lamps and home appliances, which account for 63% of total recovery in 2023. However, an urgent imperative exists for the proactive development of systematic recycling industries to address the imminent surge in end-of-life products such as wind turbines and new energy vehicles. To achieve global sustainability of Tb, technology-accelerated pathways urgently require diversified supply sources and innovations in industrial-scale recycling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34479,"journal":{"name":"Resources Environment and Sustainability","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100263"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-term organic fertilization decreases soil carbon biodegradability by mediating molecular transformation of dissolved organic matter","authors":"Siwei Shi ,&nbsp;Danna Chang ,&nbsp;Ting Liang ,&nbsp;Songjuan Gao ,&nbsp;Guopeng Zhou ,&nbsp;Weidong Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil dissolved organic matter (DOM), the most biogeochemically active carbon fraction, plays a critical role in regional and global carbon cycling. However, the DOM molecular transformation pathways through which long-term organic fertilization influences soil carbon stability remain poorly understood. Here, we employed carbon quantification, multiple spectroscopic techniques, and ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry to characterize the quantity and quality of soil DOM across depths of 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80, and 80–100 cm in a 35-year field experiment with chemical fertilizer (CF), cattle manure (CM), and green manure (GM). Compared to CF, CM and GM increased DOM content by 73.0%–162.8% and 81.4%–101.7%, respectively, in the 0–40 cm layers, with CM also enhancing DOM by 24.9%–69.6% in the 40–100 cm layers. DOM in organic-fertilized soils exhibited higher molecular weights and contained 23.0%–26.2% more nitrogen-containing molecular formulas than in CF-treated soils. Organic fertilization also promoted the accumulation of humic-like fluorescence components and recalcitrant compounds such as lignin-, tannin-, and condensed aromatic-like structures. Transformation network analysis showed that organic fertilization increased total number of DOM molecular transformations by 10.4%–14.1%, with positive net transformations observed in tannin- and condensed aromatic-like compounds, suggesting their formation from lignin-like and aliphatic precursors. A 28-day laboratory incubation further suggested that soil DOM under CM or GM exhibited 10.3%–13.2% lower biodegradability than CF treatment. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that long-term organic fertilization drives DOM molecular transformations toward more chemically stable assemblages, thereby reducing its biodegradability and enhancing the potential for soil carbon sequestration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34479,"journal":{"name":"Resources Environment and Sustainability","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100261"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144907661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Technology to utilise and suppress weeds for sustainable maize production","authors":"Kaixian Wu ,&nbsp;Shiyong Zhou ,&nbsp;Guang Zeng ,&nbsp;Hongli Yang ,&nbsp;Bozhi Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100279","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100279","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Throughout agricultural history, controlling weeds to prevent yield loss has been a longstanding focus. However, a practical technology that leverages weeds as a beneficial biological resource without compromising crop yields has remained elusive. Our study proposes and evaluates an innovative integrated technology to utilise and suppress weeds (ITUSW) for sustainable maize cultivation. In brief, maize was planted in ultrawide rows (100 cm apart) with two plants per hill on strip-tillage beds. Interrow weeds were allowed to grow naturally. These weeds were mowed during the seedling, tillering, and flowering stages. The mowed material, combined with the previous year's maize stover that was laid on the interrows, was then used as mulch over the maize rows and eventually returned to the soil through the practice of strip-tillage. Our five-year field study suggest that maize yields under the ITUSW treatment did not differ from those achieved by the plastic film mulching for weeding (MFW), chemical weeding (CW), chemical weeding plus straw return (CWSR), and mechanical weeding by hand hoeing (MHW)(<em>p</em> ​&gt; ​0.05) treatments, yet they significantly surpassed those of the chemical weeding combined with straw mulching (CWSM)(<em>p</em> ​&lt; ​0.05) treatment. Importantly, the above-ground intra-row weed biomass under the ITUSW was notably reduced compared to the MFW treatment, resembling the levels observed in other treatments. Conversely, the inter-row weed biomass experienced substantial increases of up to 448 g/m² through maize growth season, specifically by 9.89-, 5.14-, 4.36-, and 3.51-fold in contrast to the SWSM, CW, MHW, and MFW, treatments respectively (<em>p</em> ​&lt; ​0.05). Our series of supplementary experiments confirmed that weeds beyond a 25 cm radius do not induce yield loss (<em>p</em> ​&lt; ​0.05). Moreover, ITUSW designed with a wide row layout, strip tillage, inter-row weed mowing, and intra-row weed mulching eliminated competition from inter-row weeds and achieved the resource utilisation of inter-row weeds, such as soil improvement and biomass mulching. Besides, ITUSW is compatible with winter crops such as wheat. Consequently, ITUSW shows potential to replace chemical herbicides in maize production, and weeds are redefined from foes to allies, propelling agriculture towards enhanced sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34479,"journal":{"name":"Resources Environment and Sustainability","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100279"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145690901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing the use of pyrolysis waste oil as a feedstock for the naphtha cracking process by hydrotreating and hydrocracking","authors":"Suk Hyun Lim ,&nbsp;Hai Hung Pham ,&nbsp;Eun Hee Kwon ,&nbsp;Nam Sun Nho","doi":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100277","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100277","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, a process using hydroprocessing technology was investigated to utilize waste plastic pyrolysis oil (WPPO) produced from a 10-ton/day commercial rotary kiln pyrolysis reactor as feedstock for the naphtha cracking center (NCC) process. Experiments were conducted using two continuous processes with different capacities to perform hydroprocessing and hydrocracking reactions. Reactivity according to feedstock processing, reaction stages, and process configuration, as well as the effects of process operating variables, were evaluated. Hydrocracking of the hydrotreated WPPO was found to result in particularly high performance compared to the single hydrocracking reaction alone. As the reaction severity increased, the yield and impurity reduction improved, finally achieving an impurity content close to commercial naphtha and a naphtha yield of approximately 93.3 ​wt%. Additionally, hydrogen consumption was confirmed to be comparable to that in conventional oil refineries. This study confirmed that the operating conditions can be adjusted according to the desired yield and impurity content levels or the feed ratio to the NCC process, to select the appropriate operating conditions, and that commercial-level naphtha or naphtha suitable for the specifications of the NCC process can be produced from WPPO.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34479,"journal":{"name":"Resources Environment and Sustainability","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100277"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145424433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gastrointestinal modification based on probiotic feed additive enviro-alleviators to reduce enteric methane production in ruminant and non-ruminant livestock","authors":"Benjamin Ndeshipanda Kashenye ,&nbsp;Jiachao Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100276","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Abatement of livestock enteric-produced methane (CH₄) has become an avenue of interest to improve global economical and environmental burdens. Among these approaches, probiotic feed additives (PFAs) are increasingly pointed out in literature to potentially facilitate effective gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiome manipulation. These modulations aim to improve enteric fermentation without harming livestock health or productivity, while also reducing CH₄ emissions to help ease food supply chain pressures. Agricultural by-product wastes have increased over the previous three decades, and notably, PFAs are also proposed as livestock feedstuff nutrient availability enhancers. While numerous studies have examined the effects of PFAs on fermentation parameters, direct comparative investigations into their specific impact on GIT CH₄ profiles across both ruminant and non-ruminant species remain limited in literature. Herein, we characterize and summarize the CH₄ status reported by previous studies based on dictating GIT fermentative parameters of ruminants and non-ruminants supplemented with PFAs, along with their corresponding comparable CH₄-reducing mechanism pathway. Simultaneously, we also evaluate PFA species for their potential to reduce enteric-produced CH₄ in livestock, alongside their intricate optimizing implications and delivery efficacy within farming systems. Justifiably, livestock productivity remains vital, as farming remains an essential practice for humans to derive dietary commodities. This review provides connected insights into existing gaps and prospective opportunities to better understand host-microbiome interactions in reducing agricultural CH₄ emissions, aiding farmers to better grasp the application potential of PFAs as a possible sustainable practice for future livestock-derived food security.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34479,"journal":{"name":"Resources Environment and Sustainability","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100276"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145361741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A sustainable strategy for upcycling spent NCM into Li1.2Ni0.13Co0.13Mn0.54O2 cathode material for advanced lithium-ion batteries","authors":"Jing Sun,&nbsp;Wenxin Chen,&nbsp;Shuo Lu,&nbsp;Zhanlong Song,&nbsp;Wenlong Wang,&nbsp;Xiqiang Zhao,&nbsp;Yanpeng Mao","doi":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resenv.2025.100257","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The recycling paradigm for spent lithium-ion batteries is undergoing fundamental transformation, as traditional recycling approaches that prioritize the extraction of valuable metals increasingly confront process complexity and marginal economic viability. Herein, we propose a sustainable upcycling strategy that directly converts spent LiNi<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>Co<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>y</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>Mn<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mi>x</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>y</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>O₂ (SNCM) into high-performance lithium-rich manganese-based cathode material (i.e., Li<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>Ni<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>13</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>Co<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>13</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>Mn<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>54</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>O₂, LNCM) through an innovative integrated approach. Crucially, microwave-assisted acetic acid leaching facilitates the effective and eco-friendly conversion of SNCM into soluble Ni/Co/Mn acetate, which can be then directly co-precipitated with oxalic acid to produce an oxalate precursor, simultaneously generating acetic acid that can be reused in the microwave-assisted leaching process, enabling a closed-loop for the leaching reagent. The pH of the leach solution emerges as a critical parameter, significantly influencing the co-precipitation process as well as the structural and morphological properties of the precursor. Through systematic optimization of precursor via pH adjustment and a two-stage calcination with a 5% excess of Li₂CO₃, the regenerated LNCM-7.5 (pH <span><math><mo>=</mo></math></span> 7.5) exhibits a well-ordered layered structure (<em>c</em>/<em>a</em> <span><math><mo>=</mo></math></span> 5.0016) with minimal cation mixing (I₀₀₃/I₁₀₄\u0000 <span><math><mo>=</mo></math></span> 1.46), uniform particle morphology, enhanced Li<span><math><msup><mrow></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup></math></span> diffusion and thereby exceptional cycling stability-delivering 165.7 mAh g<span><math><msup><mrow></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span> at 1 C after 100 cycles with 89.01% capacity retention, performance parity with virgin materials synthesized from commercial acetates. This work not only demonstrates the feasibility of upcycling SNCM into high-performance LNCM cathodes, but also establishes a sustainable and economically viable solution for advancing circular economy practices in the energy storage industry, mitigating resource scarcity and pollution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34479,"journal":{"name":"Resources Environment and Sustainability","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100257"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144885520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}