Lignocellulose, which consists of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, has very stable properties. Among them, cellulose makes up 30% to 50% of the content, and hemicellulose makes up 20% to 43%. Cellulose and hemicellulose can be converted into fermentable sugar through saccharification, and then into bioresources through fermentation. Pretreatment methods such as high temperature and high pressure, acid and alkali cooking, enzymatic digestion can effectively decompose the lignocellulose structure, remove lignin, increase the porosity of lignocellulose, specific surface area, etc., increase the efficiency of saccharification, and improve the utilization of lignocellulose. Pretreatment is a key stage in the production process of bioresources. However, the pretreatment process produces by-products known as inhibitors such as acetic acid, furfural, and phenols. These inhibitors tend to inhibit the activity of biological enzymes, impede the saccharification of cellulose and hemicellulose, disrupt the integrity of the cell membrane of the fermenting bacteria, lead to mutation of the fermenting bacteria, and result in a decrease in the yield of the bioresource. This paper reviews recent advances in pretreatment methods, analyzes the reasons for the emergence of inhibitors, and summarizes methods to reduce the effects of inhibitors.

The accumulation of steel slag has become a significant obstacle for the steel industry in achieving ultra-low emission targets. Given its composition is similar to that of road construction materials, steel slag holds substantial potential for application in sustainable road construction. This study investigated the current status and future trends of steel slag applications in road construction through a bibliometric analysis. The findings reveal that steel slag applications primarily focus on steel slag concrete, asphalt, steel slag aggregates, and steel slag processing technologies. The activation of its reactivity and stability emerged as a key research direction, with carbonated steel slag demonstrating exceptional performance in road construction. This study provides a scientific foundation for the high-value utilization of steel slag. It suggests optimizing its reactivity, stability, and carbonation, which will be crucial for expanding its use in road construction.

The real-time monitoring of food freshness in refrigerators is of significant importance in detecting potential food spoiling and preventing serious health issues. One method that is commonly reported and has received substantial attention is the discrimination of food freshness via the tracking of volatile molecules. Nevertheless, the ambient environment of low temperature (normally below 4 °C) and high humidity (90% R.H.), as well as poor selectivity in sensing gas species remain the challenge. In this research, an integrated smart gas-tracking device is designed and fabricated. By applying pump voltage on the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) membrane, the oxygen concentration in the testing chamber can be manually tailored. Due to the working principle of the sensor following the mixed potential behavior, distinct differences in sensitivity and selectivity are observed for the sensor that operated at different oxygen concentrations. Typically, the sensor gives satisfactory selectivity to H₂S, NH₃, and C₂H₅OH at the oxygen concentrations of 10%, 30%, and 40%, respectively. In addition, an acceptable response/recovery rate (within 24 s) is also confirmed. Finally, a refrigerator prototype that includes the smart gas sensor is built, and satisfactory performance in discriminating food freshness status of fresh or semi-fresh is verified for the proposed refrigerator prototype. In conclusion, these aforementioned promising results suggest that the proposed integrated smart gas sensor could be a potential candidate for alarming food spoilage.

Microalgae are known for their efficient removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) through biosorption and bioaccumulation, yet the subsequent release of Cr(VI) upon cell death remains a challenge. The reduction of Cr(VI) to the less toxic trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] is another critical remediation strategy that mitigates the risk of Cr(VI) re-release, but research on microalgal reduction of Cr(VI) is scarce. In this study, a microalgal strain designated as MQ-1 was isolated from chromium-contaminated mine effluent, demonstrating the capability to tolerate and remove Cr(VI). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MQ-1 is closely related to the genus Chlorella; hence, it is classified as Chlorella sp. MQ-1. This strain exhibited robust growth at Cr(VI) concentrations below 2 mg/L, achieving a removal rate higher than 82% for initial Cr(VI) concentrations between 0.5 and 1 mg/L after a 5-day incubation period. Mechanistic studies revealed that MQ-1 promoted the removal of Cr(VI) mainly through intracellular bioreduction and bioaccumulation processes, in which more than 60% of Cr(VI) was reduced to the less toxic Cr(III) and stocked in the cells. A two-stage cultivation strategy, involving initial biomass accumulation followed by Cr(VI) treatment, significantly enhanced the removal efficiency, which was further accelerated under illuminated conditions. Notably, MQ-1 cultures with initial OD₆₈₀ values of 4 and 6 accomplished 84.28% and 91.31% Cr(VI) removal from 2 mg/L solutions, respectively, within 30 hours under light exposure. These findings highlight the potential of MQ-1 to utilize renewable solar energy to reduce Cr(VI) and to mitigate the risk of its re-release into the environment. This characteristic positions MQ-1 as a potentially sustainable and cost-effective solution for Cr(VI) remediation and suggests its significant potential for large-scale implementation in bioremediation strategies aimed at Cr(VI)-contaminated waters.