Soil & Environmental Health最新文献

{"title":"Spectroscopy reveals cooperation in bacterial biofilm resistance: Cross-Fed metabolites enable less-resistant species to dominate Cd immobilization","authors":"Jinzhao Chen ,&nbsp;Chenchen Qu ,&nbsp;Chenliao Wu ,&nbsp;Yonghui Xing ,&nbsp;Ming Zhang ,&nbsp;Yichao Wu ,&nbsp;Chunhui Gao ,&nbsp;Ke Dai ,&nbsp;Qiaoyun Huang ,&nbsp;Peng Cai","doi":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100190","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100190","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interspecies interactions within microbial biofilms play a critical role in shaping community responses to environmental stressors such as heavy metal exposure, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the cooperative behavior and Cd resistance mechanisms in dual-species biofilms of <em>Pseudomonas putida</em> and <em>Shewanella oneidensis</em>, which contain contrasting resistance strategies against heavy metals. Cadmium exposure reduced bacterial biomass by 67% in mono-species cultures but only by 38% in dual-species cultures throughout cultivation in triangular flask, demonstrating enhanced resistance to Cd in the bacterial consortium. Unexpectedly, <em>P. putida</em> dominated the dual-species biofilms (70% of total biomass) despite its six-fold lower Cd resistance than <em>S. oneidensis</em>, which contributed more effectively to Cd immobilization than <em>S. oneidensis</em> by secreting extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The combination of genome-scale metabolic models and X-ray absorption spectroscopy further demonstrated that bacterial cells immobilized Cd via Cd-S coordination, with <em>S. oneidensis</em> likely supplying sulfhydryl amino acids to <em>P. putida</em>, which enhanced Cd resistance and sequestration by dual-species biofilms. Concurrently, fluorescence and atomic force microscopy analysis revealed that <em>S. oneidensis</em> cells were encapsulated by EPS within the biofilm, facilitating survival of both species. These findings elucidate interspecies interactions in biofilms, paving the way for engineering microbial communities to enhance heavy metal bioremediation, but verification in natural environments remains essential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94356,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Environmental Health","volume":"4 1","pages":"Article 100190"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145940430","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":"Creating captivating and searchable titles in technical writing: Practical guides and sample analyses","authors":"Lena Q. Ma,&nbsp;Jing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100188","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100188","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A powerful title is your publication's most visible asset, serving as both a hook for broad readers and a label for search engines. This editorial provides practical guides and sample analyses to transform vague, lengthy titles into captivating and searchable headlines. We outline four common pitfalls to shun ineffective titles and provide four key strategies to create impactful titles. By adopting these principles and learning from annotated examples, you can ensure your publication captures attention and expands reach.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94356,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Environmental Health","volume":"4 1","pages":"Article 100188"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145940432","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":"Modeling and field trials optimize crop-based phytoremediation of soils contaminated with radioactive strontium and cesium","authors":"Tian Zhang ,&nbsp;Shaofei Cao ,&nbsp;Meie Wang ,&nbsp;Siqi Liu ,&nbsp;Yang Yang ,&nbsp;Weiping Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100191","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100191","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>When agricultural soils are contaminated by strontium-90 (⁹⁰Sr) and cesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs), remediation is needed to ensure effective decontamination and food safety. This study developed an integrated phytoremediation framework for ⁹⁰Sr- and ¹³⁷Cs-contaminated soils in Southern China, combining field trials with a novel kinetic model that accounts for soil-to-plant transfer, species-specific sensitivity distributions, and internal human dosimetry. Field trials were conducted to generate sufficient soil–plant transfer data, which were used to parameterize and validate the kinetic model describing radionuclide migration within the soil–plant–human system. Our work is among the first to couple field-based phytoextraction data with organ-specific dose modeling. The framework enables predictive evaluation of radionuclide transfer and dose, supporting optimized crop rotations in radiologically-impacted farmland. Field trials revealed significant soil contamination, with ⁹⁰Sr activity concentrations ranging from 5.50 × 10² to 6.59 × 10² Bq·kg⁻¹, and ¹³⁷Cs levels from 3.91 × 10² to 6.16 × 10² Bq·kg⁻¹. The study found that hyperaccumulating leafy vegetables, such as cabbage and spinach, exhibited high transfer factors for ⁹⁰Sr (up to 1.47) and ¹³⁷Cs (up to 3.90), making them effective for initial soil decontamination. Low-uptake crops, such as corn and wheat, were identified as suitable for long-term sustainable cultivation, as they exhibit minimal radionuclide transfer to edible parts, thereby reducing foodborne health risks. Predicted internal effective doses from crop consumption were calculated for male and female populations, with reductions being up to 70 % in model-predicted internal radiation exposure under optimized crop selection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94356,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Environmental Health","volume":"4 1","pages":"Article 100191"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145940431","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":"Sequestration and degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in soil: Opportunities and challenges","authors":"Zhenyu Cao ,&nbsp;Fugen Dou ,&nbsp;Youjun Deng ,&nbsp;Xingmao Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100175","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100175","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are increasingly detected in soils, posing potential risks to human health via their accumulation in food crops. Unfortunately, options for effective remediation of PFAS-contaminated soils are limited. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in soil remediation technologies aiming to lower PFAS bioavailability by focusing on either sequestration or <em>in situ</em> degradation. Specifically, highly effective soil amendments such as clay minerals and activated carbon are often used for PFAS immobilization. However, despite their initial effectiveness, the long-term stability of sequestered PFAS may be compromised as a result of sorbent aging and soil condition changes, leading to the potential remobilization of the sorbed PFAS. <em>In situ</em> chemical degradation including advanced oxidation and advanced reduction processes can achieve long-term PFAS removal, especially by combining with other downstream treatment technologies. However, detailed studies are still lacking. This review highlighted several urgent research needs to advance PFAS remediation in soil and proposed new approaches such as an integrated approach that combines sequestration with chemical degradation to achieve more sustainable long-term stabilization and removal of PFAS from contaminated soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94356,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Environmental Health","volume":"3 4","pages":"Article 100175"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145009976","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":"Reduction of porewater arsenic and accumulation in rice grains by novel composite membranes under flooded conditions","authors":"Qiao-Rui Ren ,&nbsp;Jing-Min Yang ,&nbsp;Xin Wang ,&nbsp;Delai Zhong ,&nbsp;Xiong-Hui Ji ,&nbsp;Bo Peng ,&nbsp;Qin-Bo Qin","doi":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100177","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100177","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reductive dissolution of As-bearing Fe-oxyhyr)oxides in paddy soils under flooded conditions can trigger mass As liberation into porewater as a primary hotspot of bioavailable As and thus favor As uptake by rice. To tackle this challenge, we fabricated a ferrihydrite-polyvinyl alcohol composite membrane to target and extract porewater As in paddy soils, aiming at decreasing As accumulation in rice grains. The treatment deploying the membranes at three depths reduced porewater As concentration by 34% and average diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT)-measured As levels by 36% at the 0–20 ​cm soil depth relative to control. The As content in rice grains decreased by 34% accordingly. Furthermore, ammonium phosphate application not only enhanced the As extraction efficiency of the composite membranes from porewater, but also increased the oxidation percentage of AsIII on the membranes based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy reveals Si enrichment on ferrihydrite surfaces within the membrane under flooded conditions. This surface-bound Si effectively inhibits ferrihydrite crystallization and retards its reductive dissolution, thereby sustaining high As removal efficiency throughout extended extraction cycles. This study provides a promising remediation strategy for <em>in-situ</em> removal of porewater As in paddy soils, significantly mitigating As accumulation in rice grains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94356,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Environmental Health","volume":"3 4","pages":"Article 100177"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145026997","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":"Oxygen-nanobubble-loaded biochar increases soil carbon sequestration in rice paddies","authors":"Yiyu Lan ,&nbsp;Qingnan Chu ,&nbsp;Xiangyu Liu ,&nbsp;Shuhan Xu ,&nbsp;Detian Li ,&nbsp;Chengming Zhang ,&nbsp;Ping He ,&nbsp;Xianwen Feng ,&nbsp;Hanlin Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhimin Sha","doi":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100174","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100174","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Enhancing soil carbon sequestration in flooded agroecosystems is critical for promoting soil health, improving crop productivity, and mitigating climate change. This study evaluated the role of oxygen nanobubble (ONB)-loaded biochar, an emerging oxygenation and carbon management tool, in modulating soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and microbial activity in rice paddy soil. A pot experiment was conducted with treatments involving biochar, ONB-loaded biochar, and iron plaque induction. The results show that ONB-loaded biochar increased SOC by 11–19% compared to the control group. This enhancement was attributed to two primary mechanisms: (1) suppression of hydrolase activity, including β-glucosidase and acid phosphatase, resulting in reduced decomposition of labile organic matter; and (2) increased oxidase activity, which facilitated the oxidation of phenolic compounds and promoted the formation of recalcitrant C-Fe complexes. Additionally, enzyme stoichiometry and vector analysis revealed stronger microbial carbon limitation and phosphorus limitation in ONB-loaded biochar treatments, particularly during the tillering and maturing stages. The formation of Fe plaques on the roots further modulated these effects by altering redox conditions and nutrient availability. These findings highlight ONB-loaded biochar as a sustainable soil amendment to strengthen long-term SOC storage, modulate microbial nutrient dynamics, and enhance soil biogeochemical functions in rice agroecosystems. This approach offers promising implications for advancing climate-smart and environmentally sound soil management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94356,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Environmental Health","volume":"3 4","pages":"Article 100174"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144921852","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":"Combined effects of fulvic acid and phosphate on FeII oxidation and Fe precipitation","authors":"Qian Sun ,&nbsp;Yida Li ,&nbsp;Sen Li ,&nbsp;Panbo Zhao ,&nbsp;Jiali Guo ,&nbsp;Xin Lin ,&nbsp;Tingting Fan ,&nbsp;Hu Cheng ,&nbsp;Qing-Long Fu ,&nbsp;Yujun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100176","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100176","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The chemical transformation of ferrous Fe (FeII) under aerobic conditions is a key process governing Fe cycling in soil and is strongly influenced by coexisting constituents such as phosphate and organic matter. Transient redox fluctuations result in the simultaneous presence of FeII and O₂. However, the combined effects of phosphate and fulvic acid (FA) on FeII oxidation in the presence of O₂ and Fe precipitation remain poorly understood. In this study, we used kinetic experiments and solid-phase characterizations to unravel the underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrate that FA impeded both FeII oxidation and Fe precipitation. This inhibition might be attributed to FeII complexation with FA and the subsequent adsorption of FA onto Fe mineral surfaces. When phosphate and FA coexisted, phosphate partially decreased the inhibitory FA effects, which is likely due to the formation of Fe hydroxyphosphate and competitive adsorption between phosphate and FA on Fe mineral surfaces. In the absence of phosphate, goethite was the predominant ferric (FeIII) product. However, phosphate addition favored the formation of lepidocrocite and Fe hydroxyphosphate. Increasing phosphate concentrations led to greater phosphate incorporation into Fe minerals. When both phosphate and FA were present, the crystallinity of lepidocrocite and Fe hydroxyphosphate decreased compared to the sole phosphate system. Overall, this study reveals that FA simultaneously inhibited FeII oxidation and Fe precipitation, and that phosphate mitigated these effects via Fe hydroxyphosphate formation and competitive interactions. These findings provide an insight into how coexisting organic and inorganic ligands regulate Fe redox kinetics and Fe precipitation, and underscore the importance of incorporating such interactions into future studies of Fe cycling under fluctuating redox conditions in soil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94356,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Environmental Health","volume":"3 4","pages":"Article 100176"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988489","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":"Stabilizing organic matter and reducing methane emissions during manure composting with biochar to strengthen the role of compost in soil health","authors":"Keiji Jindo ,&nbsp;Tomonori Sonoki ,&nbsp;Miguel A. Sánchez-Monedero","doi":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100164","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100164","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biochar is a promising additive for enhancing composting efficiency and long-term compost quality. This study investigated its effects on greenhouse gas emissions and organic matter stabilization during the composting of poultry (PM) and cattle manure (CM). Biochar addition significantly reduced methane emissions during the thermophilic phase—by 4.6-fold in PM+B and 3.7-fold in CM+B compared to PM and CM without biochar amendment, respectively—indicating improved aeration and microbial activity, as supported by higher CO₂ emissions. A novel aspect of this study is the focus on lignin, a recalcitrant carbon fraction. Biochar-amended composts showed 1.5-fold greater lignin degradation (29.0 ​% in PM ​+ ​B and 10.8 ​% in CM ​+ ​B) than controls, along with enhanced lignin stability, as evidenced by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy and thermal analysis. We assessed labile carbon fractions (e.g., water-soluble carbon and carbohydrates), ATP, and enzymes involved in carbon and nutrient cycling. PM and CM retained more labile carbon through the final stage, showing higher ATP, dehydrogenase, and β-glucosidase than their biochar-treated counterparts. Redundancy analysis indicated that microbial communities and structural traits influenced gas emissions during the thermophilic stage and compost stabilization at the final stage. CH₄ emissions were associated with <em>mcrA</em>, fungi, and total nitrogen, while CO₂ correlated with bulk density and Gram-negative bacteria. In the final stage, maturity indices were linked with microbial and physicochemical variables, underscoring their combined role in compost stabilization. Biochar amendment enhanced compost quality by reducing CH₄ emission and promoting selective carbon transformation, particularly lignin. These findings support biochar-amended composting as a strategy for producing composts with improved agronomic and environmental value.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94356,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Environmental Health","volume":"3 4","pages":"Article 100164"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144714388","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":"Soil pH and Fe/Al (oxyhydr)oxides govern fluoride leaching from flue gas desulfurization gypsum in acidic soils","authors":"Esther Álvarez-Ayuso ,&nbsp;Antonio Giménez ,&nbsp;Juan Carlos Ballesteros","doi":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100178","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100178","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to assess the dynamics of fluoride (F) leaching and the associated environmental risks of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum when applied to acidic agricultural soils. To evaluate the retention and mobility of F, batch and column leaching experiments were conducted on two representative acidic soils: a Luvisol (loamy sand texture) and an Acrisol (sandy loam texture), which were amended with FGD gypsum at application rates of 1–10 ​wt%. Complementary sequential extraction was performed to elucidate and quantify the main geochemical mechanisms underlying F immobilization within the amended soil matrices. The results demonstrate that the soils significantly attenuated fluoride release. Across all application rates, F leaching was reduced by &gt; 83% compared to that of soil-free controls. Although the content of leachable F increased proportionally with increased FGD gypsum application, the concentrations in leachates remained below the World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water (1.5 ​mg ​L⁻¹) at 1–2 wt% application. At these dosages, the ecological risk quotients were consistently &lt;1, indicating negligible chronic toxicity risks to key ecological receptors, including aquatic and terrestrial plants, and to sensitive aquatic invertebrates such as <em>Daphnia magna</em>. Vertical transport of F beyond the amendment incorporation zone was limited, with less than 20% of F leached to deeper soil layers at the highest application rate at 10 ​wt%. This restricted mobility was attributed primarily to the intrinsic geochemical properties of acidic soils, specifically the abundance of amorphous or poorly crystalline Al/Fe= (oxyhydr)oxides, along with exchangeable Al. These phases formed stable adsorption complexes with F or underwent pH-dependent precipitation upon gypsum-induced neutralization, effectively sequestering F. A secondary, albeit minor, contribution to F retention was associated with soil organic matter. Overall, the findings show that, when applied at agronomically practical rates at &lt;2 ​wt%, FGD gypsum releases F that is efficiently immobilized through soil-mediated geochemical processes, resulting in low environmental mobility and minimal ecotoxicological risks, thereby demonstrating the safe utilization of FGD gypsum as a soil amendment for acidic soil reclamation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94356,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Environmental Health","volume":"3 4","pages":"Article 100178"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145361411","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":"Calcium as a confounding variable in phosphorus attribution: A commentary on Hu et al. (2025)","authors":"Xiaoming Zou","doi":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100172","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seh.2025.100172","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This letter questions the sole attribution of enhanced plant growth and arsenic accumulation to P availability in Hu et al. (2025), arguing that Ca, a co-delivered nutrient in all treatments, may be a confounding factor. Emerging evidence highlights Ca's critical role in plant growth, water use efficiency, and arsenic uptake, necessitating careful consideration in experimental designs. The letter recommends experimental designs that disentangle P and Ca effects to strengthen the mechanistic understanding of nutrient-driven phytoremediation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94356,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Environmental Health","volume":"3 4","pages":"Article 100172"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144750637","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}