Nonylphenol (NP) is an ultimate degradation product of nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPE) that is primarily used in cleaning and industrial processes. Its widespread use has led to the wide existence of NP in various environmental matrices, such as water, sediment, air and soil. NP can be decreased by biodegradation through the action of microorganisms under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Half-lives of biodegradation ranged from a few days to almost one hundred days. The degradation rate for NP was influenced by temperature, pH and additions of yeast extracts, surfactants, aluminum sulfate, acetate, pyruvate, lactate, manganese dioxide, ferric chloride, sodium chloride, hydrogen peroxide, heavy metals, and phthalic acid esters. Although NP is present at low concentrations in the environment, as an endocrine disruptor the risks of long-term exposure to low concentrations remain largely unknown. This paper reviews the occurrence of NP in the environment and its aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation in natural environments and sewage treatment plants, which is essential for assessing the potential risk associated with low level exposure to NP and other endocrine disruptors.

Nonylphenol (NP) is a degradation product of nonylphenol polyethoxylates, which are widely used in the production of industrial and consumer surfactants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of NP on the antioxidant capacity and cognitive ability of mice. NP was given orally by gavages at doses of 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg kg⁻¹ d⁻¹ for 90 days. The results showed that NP significantly decreased the activity of superoxide dismutases (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR) and at the same time increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in mice brains. Exploration, memory function and ability to learn a novel task were significantly decreased in NP fed mice. These results indicate that chronic high dose of NP exposure has the potential to generate oxidative stress and induce the cognitive impairment in male mice.

Carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems plays an essential role in coping with global climate change and achieving regional carbon neutrality. In mining areas with high groundwater levels in eastern China, underground coal mining has caused severe damage to surface ecology. It is of practical significance to evaluate and predict the positive and negative effects of coal mining and land reclamation on carbon pools. This study set up three scenarios for the development of the Yanzhou coalfield (YZC) in 2030, including: (1) no mining activities (NMA); (2) no reclamation after mining (NRM); (3) mining and reclamation (MR). The probability integral model (PIM) was used to predict the subsidence caused by mining in YZC in 2030, and land use and land cover (LULC) of 2010 and 2020 were interpreted by remote sensing images. Based on the classification of land damage, the LULC of different scenarios in the future was simulated by integrating various social and natural factors. Under different scenarios, the InVEST model evaluated carbon storage and its temporal and spatial distribution characteristics. The results indicated that: (1) By 2030, YZC would have 4341.13 ha of land disturbed by coal mining activities. (2) Carbon storage in the NRM scenario would be 37,647.11 Mg lower than that in the NMA scenario, while carbon storage in the MR scenario would be 18,151.03 Mg higher than that in the NRM scenario. Significantly, the Nantun mine would reduce carbon sequestration loss by 72.29% due to reclamation measures. (3) Carbon storage has a significant positive spatial correlation, and coal mining would lead to the fragmentation of the carbon sink. The method of accounting for and predicting carbon storage proposed in this study can provide data support for mining and reclamation planning of coal mine enterprises and carbon-neutral planning of government departments.

The phenol-degrading efficiency of Pseudochrobactrum sp. was enhanced by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. First, a bacterial strain, Pseudochrobactrum sp. XF1, was isolated from the activated sludge in a coking plant. It was subjected to mutation by UV radiation for 120 s and a mutant strain with higher phenol-degrading efficiency, Pseudochrobactrum sp. XF1-UV, was selected. The mutant strain XF1-UV was capable of degrading 1800 mg/L phenol completely within 48 h and had higher tolerance to hydrogen ion concentration and temperature variation than the wild type. Haldane’s kinetic model was used to fit the exponential growth data and the following kinetic parameters were obtained: μ_max = 0.092 h⁻¹, Ks = 22.517 mg/L, and Ki = 1126.725 mg/L for XF1, whereas μ_max = 0.110 h⁻¹, Ks = 23.934 mg/L, and Ki = 1579.134 mg/L for XF1-UV. Both XF1 and XF1-UV degraded phenol through the ortho-pathway; but the phenol hydroxylase activity of XF1-UV1 was higher than that of XF1, therefore, the mutant strain biodegraded phenol faster. Taken together, our results suggest that Pseudochrobactrum sp. XF1-UV could be a promising candidate for bioremediation of phenol-containing wastewaters.

Purpose: To describe sequential phacoemulsification–intraocular lens (IOL) implantation–posterior capsulorhexis–anterior vitrectomy in the management of phakic malignant glaucoma. Methods: Twenty consecutive patients (25 eyes) with phakic malignant glaucoma were enrolled at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University. All patients underwent phacoemulsification, IOL implantation and posterior capsulorhexis together with anterior vitrectomy via a clear corneal paracentesis. Visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), anterior chamber depth (ACD), surgical complications and medications required after the surgery were recorded. Results: After surgery, the mean LogMAR visual acuity and ACD increased significantly (visual acuity from −1.56 ± 1.17 to −0.54 ± 0.81, p < 0.001; ACD from 0.367 ± 0.397 mm to 2.390 ± 0.575 mm, p < 0.001), and mean IOP decreased significantly (from 39.6 ± 10.6 mm Hg to 14.5 ± 4.1 mmHg, p < 0.001). No serious perioperative complications occurred, and only five eyes required topical glaucoma medications after surgery. Conclusion: Combined phacoemulsification–IOL implantation–posterior capsulorhexis–anterior vitrectomy surgery is a safe and effective method for treating patients with phakic malignant glaucoma.

Soil microorganisms significantly influence the energy flow and material cycle of soil ecosystems, making them highly susceptible to environmental changes, such as those induced by mining activities. Studying the succession of soil microbial communities after mining subsidence is crucial for comprehending the significance of soil microbes in the natural recovery process following subsidence. Therefore, the soil properties, vegetation communities, and soil microbial communities of the subsidence area, as well as unexploited areas, were analyzed during the natural restoration process (1, 2, 5, 10, and 15 years). The results demonstrate that mining subsidence has a significant impact on the aboveground vegetation community, soil properties, and microbiological community. Following an extended period of natural recovery, a new stable state has emerged, which differs from that observed in non-subsidence areas. The total nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and ammonium nitrogen amounts may be key factors driving the natural recovery of bacterial communities, and total potassium and available potassium may be key factors driving the natural recovery of fungal communities. The natural recovery mechanism of soil microorganisms was analyzed along with the changes related to vegetation and soil physicochemical properties. The mechanism was explained from three perspectives, namely, plant-led, soil-led, and soil-microbial-led, which could provide a theoretical basis for the natural restoration of grassland ecosystems and provide guidance for the treatment of coal mining subsidence areas.