Yun Wang, Shu-Lin Wu, Wei Wei, Lan Wu, Sansi Huang, Xiaohu Dai, Bing-Jie Ni
{"title":"pH-dependent medium-chain fatty acid synthesis in waste activated sludge fermentation: Metabolic pathway regulation.","authors":"Yun Wang, Shu-Lin Wu, Wei Wei, Lan Wu, Sansi Huang, Xiaohu Dai, Bing-Jie Ni","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123722","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123722","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Transforming waste activated sludge (WAS) into medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) via chain elongation (CE) technology is sustainable, yet pH effects on this process are poorly understood. In this study, semi-continuous flow experiments demonstrated that WAS degradation was highest under alkaline pH (10) but unsuitable for CE. Continuous output of MCFAs indicated that CE could be successfully performed under acidic pH (5) and neutral pH (7). Moreover, neutral pH optimized MCFAs production, achieving higher MCFAs yield (8.9 ± 1.2 g COD/L), MCFAs selectivity (51.2 ± 7.3%), and WAS degradation (25.4 ± 0.4%) than acidic pH. Further metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analysis revealed that the reverse β-oxidation cycle was the primary CE pathway. The absence of CE-related microorganisms and enzymes under alkaline pH hindered MCFAs synthesis, while under acidic pH, carboxylate accumulation may reduce cellular protection capabilities and affect energy metabolism, thereby inhibiting anaerobic fermentation. Conversely, neutral pH enhanced amino acid and butyrate metabolic pathways, facilitating WAS degradation and SCFAs production, providing precursor substrates for MCFAs production. Additionally, neutral pH promoted the enrichment and activity of CE-related microorganisms and enzymes, contributing to the accumulation of high-concentration MCFAs. Notably, Clostridium_kluyveri and Sporanaerobacter_acetigenes were key CE-functional bacteria at neutral pH.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"373 ","pages":"123722"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142851851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuhua Su, Fuli Wu, Peng Xiao, Hang Zhang, Guanglei Lv, Mingjun Zhu, Qiyou Liu, Chaocheng Zhao
{"title":"Facile and green synthesis of Ag/Cu bimetallic nanoparticles using waste banana peel extract for effective corrosion inhibition of mixed sulfate-reducing bacteria.","authors":"Yuhua Su, Fuli Wu, Peng Xiao, Hang Zhang, Guanglei Lv, Mingjun Zhu, Qiyou Liu, Chaocheng Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123713","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123713","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC) is widespread in the oilfield industry, and new environmentally friendly materials are urgently needed to inhibit MIC with the increasing environmental requirements and microbial resistance problems. The synthesis method and cost of the materials are important factors that must be considered in the production and application. In this study, Ag/Cu bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs) were synthesized by eco-friendly and sustainable method using waste banana peel extract (BPE) as a green reducing. The antibacterial and corrosion inhibition properties of Ag/Cu BNPs were investigated by using the enriched mixed strains containing sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) as model bacteria. The results of electron microscopy showed that the prepared BNPs exhibited spherical structure with about 19.0 nm in size. The synthesized nanoparticles significantly inhibited the growth of mixed strains by antimicrobial experiments with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 9.38 μg/mL. The addition of Ag/Cu BNPs (9.38 μg/mL) inhibited the corrosion of X65 carbon steel induced by the mixed strains with 77.9% compared to the untreated condition. Correspondingly, the number of sessile SRB cells in the solution containing Ag/Cu BNPs (9.38 μg/mL) after 28 days of immersion decreased by 5-log compared with the treatment group without nanomaterials (1.1 × 10<sup>8</sup> cells/cm<sup>2</sup>). Furthermore, the observation of the surface morphology and strains cellular microstructure of carbon steel treated with nanoparticle materials illustrated that the corrosion inhibition mechanism mainly includes destroying cell structure, affecting metabolic activities and inhibiting biofilm formation. The environmentally friendly nanoparticle materials prepared in this study have great potential in the safe and clean production of oil fields.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"373 ","pages":"123713"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142862563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Location choice of Air quality monitors in China.","authors":"Xiangyu Meng, Sharad Kc","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123496","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123496","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Since 2013, China has added more than four thousand air quality monitoring stations that provide the public with real-time information on six airborne pollutants, i.e., particulate matter (PM) 2.5, PM10, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide. Authorities manage these monitors at four levels of the government: state, provincial, municipal, and county. Typically, pollution monitors are located where they could be deemed useful, for example, within more air-polluted areas or near schools, hospitals, road traffic, and industries. While the real-time information has helped individuals, firms, and governments make decisions; it is unclear how a government body makes siting decisions. This paper aims to answer three questions: Where are the pollution monitors located? What drives the decision to add a new monitor in a particular location? Is there a difference in location choice behavior between central and local governments in China? We find that, in 2021, central monitors were located in cleaner areas than local monitors, and both monitors were located around public buildings like hospitals. However, when it comes to new placements, both monitors are generally positioned in more polluted areas, with local monitors more likely to be placed in the \"dirtiest\" locations. We also find that central and local monitors are both clustered around each other.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"373 ","pages":"123496"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142851849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhangning Xu, Wei Liang, Jianhu Lei, Yingxin Wu, Zhenguo Wang
{"title":"Monitoring and assessment of desertification reversal in ecologically fragile areas: A case study of the Mu Us Sandy Land.","authors":"Zhangning Xu, Wei Liang, Jianhu Lei, Yingxin Wu, Zhenguo Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123695","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123695","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Desertification is a major obstacle to global sustainable development, and effective monitoring and understanding of its driving factors are crucial to the realization of sustainable development. Driven by national policies, the Mu Us Sandy Land has effectively reversed desertification, showing multiple win-win results in ecological, economic and social benefits. However, due to the lack of long-term continuous dynamic monitoring data, its dynamic development pattern and multidimensional driving factors are still controversial. Therefore, it is urgent to implement long-term desertification monitoring and quantitative assessment, especially to assess the contribution of ecological restoration policies to desertification control. Based on the Google Earth Engine and combined with multi-source remote sensing data, this study produced a set of high-precision LUCC and FVC data of the Mu Us Sandy Land from 1986 to 2020. The dataset of LUCC was verified by random sampling based on field surveys and remote sensing images, and the overall accuracy was 90.03%. Based on these two sets of data, the spatiotemporal dynamic characteristics of desertification and ecological restoration in the region are further analyzed and revealed. We found that the desertification land in the Mu Us Sandy Land decreased by 69.45% from 1986 to 2020, and the gravity center gradually moved to the northwest away from human aggregation. The area of various vegetation types increased and expanded to the original desertification area. The average FVC in the Mu Us Sandy Land increased by 26.98%, and Yulin contributed the most to the growth of FVC. These results show that the desertification in the Mu Us Sandy Land has been basically reversed. This study also provides solid data support and a scientific basis for evaluating the effectiveness of ecological restoration policies and guiding future desertification control.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"373 ","pages":"123695"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142851850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotics and elimination of N-nitrosodimethylamine formation potential by BiOCl/ZnIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub> heterostructure under visible-light irradiation.","authors":"Yunmeng Zhao, Chaojie Zhang, Yin Xue, Zhenyu Zhai, Xuefei Zhou, Yalei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123721","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123721","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Photocatalysis is an effective method for removing tetracycline antibiotics, which are important precursors to the potential carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Herein, a BiOCl/ZnIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub> heterojunction was successfully synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method. This heterojunction was applied for the first time to degrade various tetracycline antibiotics and reduce NDMA formation potential (NDMA-FP) under visible-light irradiation. Characterization of surface morphology, crystal structure, chemical composition and photoelectrochemical properties revealed that the BiOCl/ZnIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub> heterojunction significantly improved light absorption, charge transport and carrier separation efficiency, thereby enhancing photocatalytic performance. The BiOCl/ZnIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub> catalyst achieved high degradation efficiencies of 88.0%, 90.7%, 88.7% and 91.7% for tetracycline, minocycline, chlortetracycline and doxycycline, respectively, within 60 min of visible-light irradiation. Additionally, it exhibited the lowest NDMA-FP values of 1.5%, 3%, 0.9% and 1.4%, respectively. Radical trapping studies and EPR experiments identified •O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup> and •OH radicals as the primary reactive species involved in the photocatalytic process. Analysis of the degradation intermediates and structure-activity relationships indicated that the variations in NDMA-FP were closely associated with the number of dimethylamine groups in the antibiotics and the stability of the resulting carbocations. Notably, the BiOCl/ZnIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub> catalyst presented satisfactory stability and positive tetracycline degradation in real antibiotic wastewater. Incorporating BiOCl/ZnIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub>-loaded nonwoven fabric into a continuous-flow reactor efficiently degraded tetracycline in real wastewater under visible light. This work provides new insights on developing Z-scheme photocatalysts for the simultaneous degradation of various antibiotics and highlights their potential as commercially viable photocatalytic system.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"373 ","pages":"123721"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142851877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ghazal Srivastava, Kaoutar Aboudi, Vinay Kumar Tyagi, Absar Ahmad Kazmi
{"title":"Role of intracellular storage polymers in simultaneous biological nutrient removal and resources recovery.","authors":"Ghazal Srivastava, Kaoutar Aboudi, Vinay Kumar Tyagi, Absar Ahmad Kazmi","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123720","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123720","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Simultaneous biological nutrient removal (SBNR) using an anaerobic-anoxic-oxic phase is the key feature of advanced wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Removing ammonia, total nitrogen, and phosphorus concurrently with organic matter and suspended solids from wastewater is essential to meeting stringent effluent discharge standards via SBNR in WWTPs. More insight into the mechanisms of SBNR, i.e., simultaneous nitrification-denitrification (SND) and enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) processes, the intracellular carbon reserves, i.e., polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and specifically poly-β-hydroxybutyrates (PHB), will play a critical role in nutrients removal and resource recovery in WWTPs. Volatile fatty acids (VFA) in wastewater are the preferable source of PHA formation. However, municipal wastewater could not supply sufficient VFA fractions owing to short sewer lines; therefore, developing pre-fermentation chambers and other technological integration in the WWTPs can play an effective role in VFA production from raw sewage, resulting in the effective formation of PHA. On the other hand, PHA is a value-added biochemical, i.e., a potential substitute for fossil fuel plastics. WWTPs complying with SBNR are the bio-refineries for PHA (bioplastic precursors) production using diverse microbial populations. This review enlightens three dimensions of progressive systems and engineering-based viewpoints: (i) Increasing the SBNR by optimizing operational conditions subject to the substrate storage mechanisms of treatment systems; (ii) Technical solutions to enhance the VFA availability in sewage in WWTPs to achieve effective SBNR; and (iii) production of PHB (PHA) in WWTPs.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"373 ","pages":"123720"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142851880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Longfei Wang, Yuan Tian, Jie Sun, Yi Li, Zhengjian Yang
{"title":"The efficacy of bioretention systems amended with iron-modified biochar for the source-separated and component-specific treatment of rainwater runoff: A microbiome perspective.","authors":"Longfei Wang, Yuan Tian, Jie Sun, Yi Li, Zhengjian Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123728","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123728","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bioretention systems offer advantages in controlling non-point source pollution from runoff rainwater. However, the systems frequently encounter challenges, including insufficient stability of nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Limited research has been performed on bioretention systems which integrate actual data from non-point source pollution cases for the quantitative and qualitative refinement of initial and non-initial rainwater. Moreover, the potential linkages between amended media and microbial communities in bioretention systems with the addition of novel functional filler have not been explored. In this study, a system for treating both initial and non-initial rainwater was established through measurements including iron-modified biochar (FeBC) packing and the optimization of the layer structures. In system treating initial rainwater, the systems loaded with FeBC maintained stable NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N and NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>-N removal rates of over 95% and 80%, respectively under 12 rainfall simulation events. After a 10-day antecedent drying duration (ADD), the removal rates for NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N and PO<sub>4</sub><sup>3-</sup>-P remained above 78% and 85%. In systems designed to process non-initial rainwater, increasing the height of the transition layer effectively enhanced the NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N removal stability. Meanwhile, increasing the height of the drainage layer could promote PO<sub>4</sub><sup>3-</sup>-P removal rates to over 75%. The addition of FeBC facilitated the growth of certain denitrifiers improved overall NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>-N removal during successive rainfall events. The microbial communities may adapt to variations in the external environment by enhancing the synthesis of ribosome and the metabolism of pyrimidine and purine, further improving the stability of NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N removal. This study provides a theoretical basis for the precise enhancement of nitrogen and phosphorus removal and the design of bioretention systems for differentiated treatment of rainwater, guiding their design and applications in different regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"373 ","pages":"123728"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142862843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S Tenelli, A F Nascimento, F P Gabetto, M L Pimentel, M Strauss, R O Bordonal, C E P Cerri, M R Cherubin, J L N Carvalho
{"title":"Well-managed grass is a key strategy for carbon storage and stabilization in anthropized Amazon soils.","authors":"S Tenelli, A F Nascimento, F P Gabetto, M L Pimentel, M Strauss, R O Bordonal, C E P Cerri, M R Cherubin, J L N Carvalho","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123742","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123742","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Soils under anthropic use in the Amazon region are often associated with soil carbon (C) stock losses. More recently, the restoration of degraded pastures and the introduction of integrated systems have changed this pattern, and soil C accumulation is often observed. This study evaluated an 11-year field experiment to quantify soil C changes and elucidate C stabilization mechanisms in areas under anthropic uses in the southern Amazon of Brazil. Four land use systems were evaluated: crop succession (CS), integrated crop-livestock (ICL), integrated crop-livestock-forest (ICLF), and a well-managed pasture (MP). Land uses with a greater presence of well-managed grass increased soil C stocks, especially in the top 10 cm, with values of 30.9, 29.7, 36.5, and 39.4 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup> in the CS, ICLF, ICL, and MP systems, respectively. Compared to the baseline, ICL and MP systems showed soil C accumulation rates of 0.68-0.95 Mg C ha<sup>-1</sup> yr<sup>-1</sup>. Greater aggregate stability and higher mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) were observed in both MP and ICL. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified 11%, 38%, and 32% more recalcitrant C groups (aliphatic/aromatic) in the MP system than ICL, ICLF, and CS at 0-5 cm. In the ICLF system, the eucalyptus row showed 15% lower soil C stocks, less MAOC, and less abundance of recalcitrant groups than the inter-row position. Land use systems with long-term spatial-temporal use of grass in well-managed pastures or ICL promoted greater C stabilization through intra-aggregate occlusion, mineral sorption, and chemical recalcitrance, representing a good strategy to enhance C storage in Amazon anthropized soils.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"373 ","pages":"123742"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142862846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Transiting towards green productivity: Evidence from Indian organized manufacturing industries.","authors":"Himja Sharma, Balakrushna Padhi","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123662","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123662","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Promoting green growth and decarbonizing economies to achieve sustainable economic development has become critically important globally. This study calculated the energy-induced carbon emissions and green total factor productivity (GTFP) for the organized manufacturing sector in India utilizing factory-level Annual Survey of Industry datasets. The GTFP has been calculated utilizing the Global Malmquist-Luenberger index methodology at both the aggregate and industry levels. Additionally, it examines the convergence hypothesis for the major Indian states from 2001-02 to 2021-22 by employing the Phillips and Sul (2007, 2009) methodology to analyze the distribution dynamics of GTFP. It analyzes structural changes in carbon emissions and carbon productivity, while also identifying the most polluting industries at the sector level. The study's findings indicate that labour-intensive industries contribute the least to GVA while producing substantial emissions. There is a complete divergence across the regions in GTFP, indicating two clubs and one non-convergent group. Our findings offer novel insights to policymakers on the dynamics of GTFP and enhancements in productivity, while integrating environmental considerations.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"373 ","pages":"123662"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142851937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Does smart city construction promote urban green development? Evidence from a double machine learning model.","authors":"Yuchen Jiang, Jiasen Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123701","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123701","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The issue of whether smart city construction (SCC) can promote urban green development (UGD) is controversial. To address this problem, first, a UGD evaluation index system with four dimensions, namely, green production, green living, green growth, and green ecology, is developed in this study to measure the UGD level. Second, the causal relationship between SCC and UGD is examined by using a double machine learning model. Last, the influence mechanism of SCC on UGD is investigated in terms of industrial upgrading, resource allocation, information support, and technological innovation. Panel data from 282 Chinese prefecture-level cities from 2011 to 2021 are used in this study, and several valuable conclusions are drawn. First, the UGD level of the Chinese cities shows an upward trend. Second, SCC can substantially promote UGD and has a positive effect on the green production, green living, and green growth of the Chinese cities. Third, SCC can promote the UGD of the Chinese cities through industrial upgrading, resource allocation, information support, and technological innovation. Last, the effect of SCC on UGD in the Chinese cities displays regional heterogeneity.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"373 ","pages":"123701"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142851780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}