The effect of electric stimulation on the phytoremediation of Pb-contaminated soil by tall fescue and wheat seedlings was investigated by monitoring the time-dependent changes in soil properties and Pb accumulation in plants with or without a direct current (DC) exchange field. The results showed that plants could strengthen electrical conductivity (EC) and current in the soil environment. The periodic exchange electrode helped maintain a stable soil pH. Electric stimulation enhanced phytoremediation efficiency, and the enhancement effect increased with plant growth. Compared with the treatments without a DC exchange electric field, the Pb content in plots with tall fescue and wheat seedlings under DC exchange electric field increased 107–250.6% and 32.7–84.4%, respectively, after 30 d of planting. DC exchange electric field significantly increased the Pb enrichment coefficient of tall fescue and wheat seedlings. The upward transport of Pb from wheat seedling roots to shoots was greatly promoted by electric stimulation for 18 d. However, Pb transport in both plants was restrained after 18 d of electric stimulation. Additionally, DC exchange electric stimulation can improve the phytoremediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soil. More attention should be paid to the selection and testing of promising hyperaccumulators for electrokinetic-assisted phytoremediation of Pb-contaminated soil.

Photocatalytic degradation is a promising strategy for environmental remediation. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) is the most extensively reported metal-free material. Hierarchical flower-shaped Bi₂WO₆ particles were obtained using a simple hydrothermal method, with petals of flower-like Bi₂WO₆ with oxygen vacancies (Bi₂WO₆ OVs) with controlled content successfully decorated on g-C₃N₄ nanosheets. A novel Z-scheme 2D/3D heterojunction photocatalyst, g-C₃N₄/Bi₂WO₆ OV, was successfully prepared, with its composition and structure studied using a series of material characterization techniques. Compared to single g-C₃N₄ and Bi₂WO₆ OVs, the g-C₃N₄/Bi₂WO₆ OVs exhibited improved photocatalytic activity for the degradation of tetracycline, with a degradation rate of more than 90%. Moreover, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Mott–Schottky measurements suggest that a Z-scheme heterojunction formed between the g-C₃N₄ nanosheets and Bi₂WO₆ OV floral forms and that the photoinduced electrons in Bi₂WO₆ OVs bind to holes in g-C₃N₄, thus enhancing the extraction and utilization of carriers under photoexcitation. Hence, this study presents an effective method for constructing 2D/3D heterojunctions for solar fuel conversion and photocatalytic water treatment.

Diclofenac, ibuprofen, and carbamazepine are frequently detected in the environment, where they pose a threat to organisms and ecosystems. We developed anaerobic–aerobic coupled upflow bioelectrochemical reactors (AO-UBERs) with different voltages, hydraulic retention times (HRTs), and types of electrode conversion, and evaluated the ability of the AO-UBERs to remove the three pharmaceuticals. This study showed that when a voltage of 0.6 V was applied, the removal rate of ibuprofen was slightly higher in the system with aerobic cathodic and anaerobic anodic chambers (60.2 ± 11.0%) with HRT of 48 h than in the control systems, and the removal efficiency reached stability faster. Diclofenac removal was 100% in the 1.2 V system with aerobic anodic and anaerobic cathodic chambers, which was greater than in the control system (65.5 ± 2.0%). The contribution of the aerobic cathodic–anodic chambers to the removal of ibuprofen and diclofenac was higher than that of the anaerobic cathodic–anodic chambers. Electrical stimulation barely facilitated the attenuation of carbamazepine. Furthermore, biodegradation-related species (Methyloversatilis, SM1A02, Sporomusa, and Terrimicrobium) were enriched in the AO-UBERs, enhancing pharmaceutical removal. The current study sheds fresh light on the interactions of bacterial populations with the removal of pharmaceuticals in a coupled system.

This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the advantages and latest progress of MHP materials for plant lighting. Efforts to enhance stability for plant lighting applications are explored.