Trace elements and isotopes (TEIs) are important to marine life and are essential tools for studying ocean processes1. Two different frameworks have arisen regarding marine TEI cycling: reversible scavenging favours water-column control on TEI distributions2–5, and seafloor boundary exchange emphasizes sedimentary imprints on water-column biogeochemistry6,7. These two views lead to disparate interpretations of TEI behaviours8–10. Here we use rare earth elements and neodymium isotopes as exemplar tracers of particle scavenging11 and boundary exchange6,7,12. We integrate these data with models of particle cycling and sediment diagenesis to propose a general framework for marine TEI cycling. We show that, for elements with greater affinity for manganese oxide than biogenic particles, scavenging is a net sink throughout the water column, contrary to a common assumption for reversible scavenging3,13. In this case, a benthic flux supports increasing elemental concentrations with water depth. This sedimentary source consists of two components: one recycled from elements scavenged by water-column particles, and another newly introduced to the water column through marine silicate weathering inside sediment8,14,15. Abyssal oxic diagenesis drives this benthic source, and exerts a strong influence on water-column biogeochemistry through seafloor geometry and bottom-intensified turbulent mixing16,17. Our findings affirm the role of authigenic minerals, often overshadowed by biogenic particles, in water-column cycling18, and suggest that the abyssal seafloor, often regarded as inactive, is a focus of biogeochemical transformation19,20.
Current antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) disinfection techniques commonly rely on large dosages of oxidants, resulting in the presence of considerable amounts of residuals and toxic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in water. Herein, we propose a highly effective ARB disinfection approach via activating an ultralow concentration (10 μM) of chlorite (ClO2–) by naturally abundant sunlight to generate various reactive species (i.e., HO•, Cl•, ClO•, and ClO2) with negligible generation of halogenated DBPs. Combining in situ characterization with theoretical calculations, we reveal that, in addition to the photolysis of ClO2– in the bulk solution, ClO2– ions electrostatically adsorbed on the positive local sites of lipids can boost light absorption and facilitate the in situ generation of reactive species upon sunlight irradiation, enabling more efficient attacks toward cell membranes and the intracellular antioxidant enzyme system. The intracellular antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are then released and further degraded, inhibiting horizontal ARG transfer. This approach can also achieve excellent ARB disinfection performance in real water matrices (e.g., lake and river water) in 1 L tanks and 500 mL plastic bottles with natural sunlight irradiation. Overall, this work presents an efficient, safe, and sustainable method to inactivate ARB with deep insights into disinfection mechanisms at the subcellular level.
In this paper, we develop a new adaptive hyperbolic-cross-space mapped Jacobi (AHMJ) method for solving multidimensional spatiotemporal integrodifferential equations in unbounded domains. By devising adaptive techniques for sparse mapped Jacobi spectral expansions defined in a hyperbolic cross space, our proposed AHMJ method can efficiently solve various spatiotemporal integrodifferential equations such as the anomalous diffusion model with reduced numbers of basis functions. Our analysis of the AHMJ method gives a uniform upper error bound for solving a class of spatiotemporal integrodifferential equations, leading to effective error control.
Quorum quenching (QQ)-based strategies are efficient for biofouling control. However, the feasibility of using QQ bacteria in antibiotic-stressed membrane bioreactors (MBRs) remains unknown. In this study, we isolated three novel QQ strains (Bacillus sp. QX01 and QX03, Delftia sp. QX14) from the activated sludge of an actual MBR. They can degrade 11 N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) with high efficiencies and rates through intracellular QQ pathways involving putative acylases and lactonases. Running two lab-scale MBRs, we found that introducing antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, azithromycin, and ciprofloxacin, each at 100 μg/L) shortened the fouling cycle by 71.4 %. However, the immobilized inoculation of QX01 into one MBR extended the fouling cycle by 1.5-2.0 times. Quantitative detection revealed that QX01 significantly reduced the concentrations of two AHLs (C4-HSL and C8-HSL), which were positively correlated with the contents of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) (Pearson's r = 0.62-0.83, P < 0.01). This suggests that QX01 could perform its QQ activity robustly under antibiotic stress, thereby inhibiting EPS production (proteins especially) and biofilm formation. Moreover, QX01 notably altered the succession patterns of both sludge and fouling communities, with more pronounced effects on abundant taxa. Genera associated with AHL synthesis and EPS production, such as Terrimonas and Rhodobacter, were significantly depleted, contributing to the mitigated biofouling. Additionally, QX01 increased the bacterial community diversity (evenness especially), which was inhibited by antibiotics. Overall, we demonstrate that the novel QQ bacteria could be effective for biofouling control in antibiotic-stressed MBRs, though future work is needed to develop practical approaches for prolonging QQ activity.
The demand for aggressive scaling in integrated circuits technology has been a primary driving force behind the rapid advancement of nanotechnology, leading to groundbreaking innovations in nanoscience, engineering, and technology. Initially, the unique phenomena observed at nanoscale enable innovative applications in nanodevices. Now, as our understanding has greatly developed, nanodevices are increasingly being leveraged to provide solutions for a growing range of applications. In this perspective, several key areas are featured that are proposed to benefit significantly from advancements in nanodevices.
This study examines the socio-political landscape of the ancient city of Amastris (modern Amasra) through the lens of its road infrastructure, with a particular focus on the construction and significance of Aquila’s roads. Situated in the challenging terrain of northern Anatolia’s Küre Mountains, Amastris served as a vital maritime hub, linking diverse inland and coastal communities within Paphlagonia. Employing a multidisciplinary approach that integrates ancient literary analysis, archaeological evidence, and geospatial modeling, this paper reconstructs the network of primary and secondary Roman roads emanating from Amastris. The research highlights the dual role of these roads in fostering territorial coherence and enhancing regional connectivity, supporting both local autonomy and imperial governance. Key findings demonstrate that Aquila’s roads were not merely infrastructural projects but strategic undertakings that blended private investment with public utility. These projects reflect the intricate interplay between individual agency and state interests in Roman provincial administration. Furthermore, the study explores the broader cultural and economic impacts of road construction on Amastris, illustrating how connectivity shaped civic identity, social integration, and territorial integrity. The paper concludes that Aquila’s road-building initiatives were instrumental in sustaining Amastris’s strategic significance and functionality within the Roman Empire. By examining the dynamic relationship between local and imperial priorities, this study offers insights into how infrastructure functioned as a nexus of governance, economic development, and regional integration in ancient Anatolia.
Solar power is vital for China's future energy pathways to achieve the goal of 2060 carbon neutrality. Previous studies have suggested that China's solar energy resource potential surpass the projected nationwide power demand in 2060, yet the uncertainty quantification and cost competitiveness of such resource potential are less studied. Therefore, we applied an integrated framework to simulate China's solar photovoltaic (PV) technical potential, and incorporated potential uncertainty stemming from climate change, land use dynamics, and technological advancements. In addition, we constructed the solar energy supply curve for each province and calculated the economic potential. According to our results, approximately 78.6 % and 99.9 % of China's technical solar PV potential are priced lower than the benchmark price of coal-fired energy in pessimistic and optimistic scenario. These findings highlight the significant technical and economic potential of solar PV as a cost-effective alternative to coal-fired electricity to meet China's growing electricity demands.
The orientation of ice crystals plays a significant role in determining their radiative and precipitating effects; horizontally oriented ice crystals (HOICs) reflect up to ∼40 % more shortwave radiation back to space than randomly oriented ice crystals (ROICs). This study introduces an automatic range-resolved algorithm for HOIC identification using a combination of ground-based zenith-pointing and 15° off-zenith-pointing polarization lidars. The lidar observations provided high-resolution cloud-phase information. The data were collected in Beijing over 354 d in 2022. A case study from 13 October 2022 is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and the feasibility of the detection method. The synergy of lidars and collocated Ka-band cloud radar, radiosonde, and ERA5 data provides phenomenological insights into HOIC events. While cloud radar Doppler velocity data allowed the estimation of ice crystal size, Reynolds numbers, and turbulent eddy dissipation rates, corresponding environmental and radar-detected variables are also provided. HOICs were present, accompanied by weak horizontal wind of 0–20 m s−1 and relatively high temperature between −8 and −22 °C. Compared to the ROICs, HOICs exhibited larger reflectivity, larger spectral width, a larger turbulent eddy dissipation rate, and a median Doppler velocity of about 0.8 m s−1. Ice crystal diameters (1029 to 1756 µm for 5th and 95th percentiles) and Reynolds numbers (28 to 88 for 5th and 95th percentiles) are also estimated with the help of cloud radar Doppler velocity using an aerodynamic model. One interesting finding is that the previously found switch-off region of the specular reflection in the region of cloud base shows a higher turbulence eddy dissipation rate, probably caused by the latent heat released due to the sublimation of ice crystals in the cloud-base region. The newly derived properties of HOICs have the potential to aid the derivation of the likelihood of their occurrence in output from general circulation models (GCMs) of the atmosphere.
Ocean carbon removal represents a promising pathway for mitigating residual anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), yet existing methods are constrained by high energy demands and potential ecological risks. Here, inspired by the natural calcification process of corals, we present a bio-inspired capacitive decarbonization (CDC) reactor that sequesters dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) from seawater as CaCO3 using only seawater-derived Ca2+ and renewable electricity. The CDC system integrates a Ca2+-selective electrode with a weak electric field to regulate ion transport and disrupt the hydration shell of Ca2+, enhancing its reaction with CO32−. To address the limited concentration of CO32− relative to Ca2+ in seawater, we introduce an asymmetric electrosorption strategy to preferentially enrich CO32− at the electrode interface, achieving a DIC conversion rate of up to 34% with an ultralow intrinsic electrochemical energy input of 2.5 kJ mol−1 CO2 for the CDC reactor. The reactor exhibits stable continuous operation for over 100 h without fouling, enabled by spatially decoupled CaCO3 precipitation. To mitigate the reduction in seawater alkalinity, we introduce a mineral-assisted re-alkalinization step that effectively restores pH and supports continued CO2 absorption. A global integrated analysis model shows the CDC technology could remove up to 11–438 million tonnes of CO2 by 2050–2100. This work demonstrates a scalable and low-energy solution for durable ocean carbon removal.
