Rui Xu

Agricultural and forestry waste is rich in renewable lignin, which holds natural potential for the production of fine chemicals and functional materials. However, lignin is tightly cross-linked with cellulose and hemicellulose. Traditional extraction processes using strong acids and bases can easily cause lignin molecular condensation and damage to the molecular framework. At the same time, there are problems such as high energy consumption and heavy environmental burden, which seriously restrict its resource utilization. Due to their advantages of simple synthesis, high tunability, and environmental friendliness, deep eutectic solvents (DES) have become a research hotspot for the green and efficient extraction of lignin. This paper systematically reviews the latest research findings on DES-based extraction of lignin from agricultural and forestry waste, summarizes the characteristics of different types of DES components, investigates the effects of process parameters on lignin extraction efficiency and structural retention, and provides an in-depth analysis of the lignin's characteristic bonds, functional group composition, and other microstructural features. The study confirms that DES can achieve selective dissolution of lignin and effectively cleave ether bonds such as β-O-4; the resulting lignin has a low molecular weight, a narrow distribution, and a high content of phenolic hydroxyl groups, laying an excellent structural foundation for subsequent chemical modification and deep processing. The paper also further summarizes the high-value application potential of this type of lignin in fields such as the preparation of phenolic compounds and the synthesis of functional materials. At the same time, it objectively analyzes the practical challenges currently faced by DES technology in process optimization, solvent recycling, and industrial-scale upscaling, and makes targeted predictions regarding future key development directions. The aim is to provide a theoretical basis and practical reference for the iteration of green lignin separation technologies and the construction of high-value conversion systems for waste biomass.

Liquid metal printed metal semiconductor junctions efficiently harvest photosynthetic electrons to achieve light and mechanical synergistic power generation.

The sensitive detection of n-butanol is of high scientific and practical importance for ensuring safety in industrial production. In this study, hollow Cu₂O@CuS core–shell nanocubic heterostructures were fabricated via a multistep templating method. The Cu₂O@CuS heterostructures demonstrated exceptional performance, with an ultrahigh Brunauer–Emmett–Teller specific surface area that provided abundant active sites and a unique hollow architecture that enhanced mass transport and improved gas adsorption/desorption kinetics. High-density surface oxygen vacancies on the Cu₂O@CuS nanocubic heterostructures provide a key structural basis for the preferential adsorption of n-butanol molecules on its surface. The p–p heterojunction configuration further enhanced selective sensor response by optimizing the charge carrier separation and band structure modulation. The developed sensor achieved a detection limit of 3.18 ppm while exhibiting outstanding sensitivity, stability, and response time, meeting the stringent requirements for n-butanol detection in both industrial and agricultural settings. This work provides new insights on how to design materials for gas sensors.

With the increasing environmental water pollution, there is an increasing demand for efficient and sustainable wastewater treatment technologies. Photocatalysis, as an environmentally friendly oxidation technology, shows significant promise for the degradation and mineralization of organic pollutants in wastewater. Porous structured materials have received much attention from scientists for the photocatalytic treatment of wastewater due to their good dispersibility and high specific surface area. Based on the exploration of the recent research papers about various porous materials in photocatalytic degradation of wastewater, we summarize the synthesis of porous materials and methods of loading catalysts, explore the applications for treating different types of pollutants, and finally present the challenges and prospects of porous materials in photocatalytic wastewater treatment. We hope that this review will inspire more researchers to focus on this important field.

To reduce pesticide pollution and promote sustainable agricultural development in China, we designed a pilot-scale biofilter system to treat residual imidacloprid wastewater in an orchard. The biofilter system demonstrated a high rate of removal of imidacloprid from the biodegradation wastewater, with removal rates from the outlet exceeding 99% at different concentrations of pesticides. Among environmental factors, imidacloprid concentration at the inlet and biomixture significantly affected the activity of imidacloprid-degrading bacteria. The dominant microbial communities during the stable operation of the biofilter system included Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes at the phylum level and Bacillus, Methylobacter, and unclassified_f__Microbacteriaceae at the genus level. In future initiatives to improve biofilter performance and applicability, increasing attention should be paid to the dominant microbial communities, the number of biofilter units, and important environmental factors. Orchard workers in China should improve the existing treatment of residual pesticide wastewater to mitigate agricultural non-point source pollution.