CO₂ is a major contributor to global warming, and considerable efforts have been undertaken to capture and utilise it. Herein, a nanomaterial based on ionic liquid (IL)–modified calcined magnesites was investigated for CO₂ capture. The synthesised nanomaterial (magnesite modified using [APMIM]Br) exhibited the best adsorption performance of 1.34 mmol/g at 30% IL loading amount, 50 °C, 0.4 MPa and 150 mL/min. In particular, the obtained nanomaterial could be regenerated at a low temperature of 90 °C for 3 h, and its CO₂ adsorption capacity of 0.81 mmol/g was retained after eight cycles. FT-IR results showed that the imidazole ring and C–N group are directly related to CO₂ adsorption capacity. Moreover, improving the conjugative effect of the imidazole ring enhanced the adsorption performance. Further, CO₂ was adsorbed on the adsorbent surface and incomplete desorption decreased the BET surface area and CO₂ adsorption capacity. Additionally, four models were selected to fit the adsorption kinetics. The results show that the adsorption mechanism fits the pseudo-first-order model well.

While air quality in China has improved significantly in recent years, the population is becoming increasingly vulnerable to air pollution due to the aging population. In this study, we assessed premature deaths attributable to long- and short-term exposures to PM_2.5 and O₃, as well as their driving forces in Shandong from 2014 to 2060 based on county-level near-real-time air pollutant concentration datasets and projected concentrations of PM_2.5 and O₃. We found that the concentrations of PM_2.5 and O₃ in most districts and counties from Shandong are still higher than the corresponding concentration limit of Grade II. Premature mortality caused by long- and short-term exposures to PM_2.5 decreased by 13,045 and 8092 in 2020 compared with those in 2014, respectively. Furthermore, premature mortality attributable to short-term exposure to O₃ was 36.08% higher than that due to short-term exposure to PM_2.5 in 2020. The results of the driving force analysis indicate that the health benefits brought about by the improvement in air quality have been offset by the changes in population age structure. In the future, the increase in O₃ concentration and population aging are the top two driving forces having adverse effects on the health burden. This study provides support for controlling the health risks of PM_2.5 and O₃ pollution, especially for the development of dual-pollutant concentration targets and synergistic control strategies.

Phase change absorbents are deemed a promising alternative for CO₂ capture due to their excellent CO₂ absorption performance, good stability, and low renewable energy consumption. To address the issues of insufficient loading capacity, low regeneration efficiency, and high energy consumption during regeneration in current chemical absorbents, a novel phase change absorbent was developed. As an amino acid ionic liquid phase change absorbent with tetraethylenepentamine as the cation, imidazole as the anion, and n-propanol as the phase separation agent, this absorbent offers a potential solution. The highest absorption capacity of the [TEPAH][Im]/NPA/H₂O system at the optimal n-propanol-H₂O ratio (1:1) reaches 1.34 mol·mol⁻¹, and the viscosity of the CO₂-rich phase amounts to a mere 3.58 mPa·s. Additionally, the desorption efficiency reached 91.1% at 363.15 K, while the loading capacity in the fifth cycle remained over 1.16 mol·mol⁻¹. As n-propanol is present in the [TEPAH][Im]/NPA/H₂O system, the rich phase makes up roughly 30% of the total volume. The energy consumption for regeneration of the [TEPAH][Im]/NPA/H₂O phase change absorption system is 2.20 GJ·t⁻¹ CO₂. Under identical regeneration conditions, the system can reduce the regeneration energy consumption by 41.6%.

Simultaneous measurements of atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs), conventional gases and meteorological parameters were performed at an urban site in Jinan, East China, in June 2021 to explore the formation and evolution mechanisms of summertime ozone (O₃) pollution events. O₃ Episode Ⅰ, O₃ Episode II, and non-O₃ episodes were identified based on the China Ambient Air Quality Standards and the differences in precursor concentrations. The O₃ concentrations in Episode I and Episode II were 145.4 μg/m³ and 166.4 μg/m³, respectively, which were significantly higher than that in non-O₃ episode (90 μg/m³). For O₃ precursors, VOCs and NOx concentrations increased by 48% and 34% in Episode I, and decreased by 21% and 27% in Episode II compared to non-O₃ episode days. The analysis of the m,p-xylene to ethylbenzene ratio (X/E) and OH exposure demonstrated that the aging of the air masses in Episode II was significantly higher than the other two episodes, and the differences could not be explained by localized photochemical consumption. Therefore, we speculate that the high O₃ concentrations in Episode II were driven by the regional transport of O₃ and its precursors. Backward trajectory simulations indicated that the air masses during Episode II were concentrated from the south. In contrast, the combination of high precursor concentrations and favorable meteorological conditions (high temperatures and low humidity) led to an excess of O₃ in Episode I. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) model results indicated that increased emissions from combustion and gasoline vehicle exhausts contributed to the elevated concentrations of VOCs in Episode I, and solvent usage may be an important contributor to O₃ formation. The results of this study emphasize the importance of strengthening regional joint control of O₃ and its precursors with neighboring cities, especially in the south, which is crucial for Jinan to mitigate O₃ pollution.

Emissions from civil aviation not only degrade the environmental quality around airports but also have the significant effects on climate change. According to the flight schedules, aircraft/engine combination information and revised emission factors from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Aircraft Engine Emission Databank (EEDB) based on meteorological data, the emissions of climate forcers (CFs: BC, CH₄, CO₂, H₂O, and N₂O), conventional air pollutants (CAPs: CO, HC, NO_X, OC, PM_2.5, and SO₂), and hazardous heavy metals (HMs: As, Cu, Ni, Se, Cr, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Zn) from flights of civil aviation of eight airports in Shandong in 2018 and 2020 are estimated in this study. Moreover, the study quantifies the impact of COVID-19 on civil aviation emissions (CFs, CAPs, and HMs) in Shandong, revealing reductions of 47.45%, 48.03%, and 47.45% in 2020 compared to 2018 due to flight cuts. By 2020, total emissions reach 9075.44 kt (CFs), 35.57 kt (CAPs), and 0.51 t (HMs), with top contributors being Qingdao Liuting International Airport (ZSQD) (39.60–40.37%), Shandong Airlines (26.56–28.92%), and B738 aircraft (42.98–46.70%). As byproducts of incomplete fuel combustion, the shares of CO (52.40%) and HC (47.76%) emissions during taxi/ground idle mode are significant. In contrast, emissions during cruise phase are the dominant contributor of other species with a share of 74.67–95.61% of the associated total emissions. The findings highlight the disproportionate role of specific airlines, aircraft, and operational phases in regional aviation pollution. By bridging gaps in localized emission inventories and flight-phase analyses, this research supports targeted mitigation strategies, such as fleet modernization and ground operation optimization, to improve air quality in Shandong. The study highlights how sudden shifts in demand, such as those caused by pandemics, can significantly alter emission profiles, providing insights for sustainable aviation planning.