Xiaonan Deng

Background: In-situ fluorescent labeling of cotton fibers using biomass-derived carbon dots remains underexplored. Conventional labeling techniques may damage fiber structure, exhibit limited environmental stability, and incur relatively high costs, restricting their practical application in sustainable cotton traceability. Carbon dots possess favorable photoluminescence properties, good biocompatibility, and low toxicity, showing promising potential for plant bioimaging and in-situ tracking. This provides a feasible route for developing low-damage, cost-effective, and stable labeling approaches for cotton fibers. In this study, green fluorescent carbon dots (G-CDs) were hydrothermally synthesized using renewable cotton stalk waste as the carbon source, and their applicability for in-situ fluorescent labeling of cotton fibers was investigated. Results: The prepared G-CDs exhibited excitation-dependent photoluminescence, with optimal excitation at 410 nm, emission at 530 nm, and a quantum yield of 5.99%. TEM characterization revealed uniformly dispersed G-CDs nanoparticles with particle sizes ranging from 1.75 to 4.25 nm and an average diameter of 2.67 nm. FTIR and XPS analyses confirmed abundant hydrophilic functional groups (–OH, C = O, and C–N) on the G-CDs surface. G-CDs were supplied to cotton plants via root irrigation from the seedling stage to the boll-opening stage. CLSM observation and quantitative fluorescence analysis showed that G-CDs were absorbed by cotton roots (56.281 ± 1.073), translocated upward to stems (52.413 ± 2.003) and leaves (41.306 ± 2.063), and eventually accumulated in mature cotton fibers (29.985 ± 0.939). Furthermore, G-CDs labeling did not induce significant changes in cotton growth or fiber quality. All growth-related indicators and fiber quality parameters showed no statistically significant differences between the control and treatment groups ( p > 0.05). Conclusion: G-CDs achieved in-situ fluorescent labeling of cotton fibers without impairing plant growth or fiber quality, while the synthesis strategy enabled the reuse of agricultural cotton stalk waste. It is suggested that this dual advantage facilitates non-destructive cotton labeling and the sustainable utilization of biomass waste. This work illustrates the applicable potential of biomass-derived carbon dots for in planta fiber labeling and cotton traceability research.

Beyond nutrition, taste quality is a key quality trait driving the global popularity of Agaricus bisporus. This study systematically investigated non-volatile taste-related metabolite dynamics in caps and stipes during fruiting body development using non-targeted metabolomics. Among 1358 identified metabolites (974 in caps, 997 in stipes), 328 taste-related metabolites were screened. Applying screening criteria of VIP > 1, p < 0.01, and fold change ≥ 2 or ≤ 0.5, 492 and 446 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified in cap and stipe during fruiting body development, respectively. Cross-tissue comparison revealed 975 tissue-specific DAMs between cap and stipe across all developmental stages. Notably, 127 and 116 taste-related DAMs in cap and stipe, respectively, exhibited seven distinct accumulation profiles. Key umami-related compounds, aroma precursors, and antioxidants peaked in cap tissue at stage 3 (closed cup stage), suggesting a preliminary optimal harvest timing for market-quality mushrooms based on metabolic profiling of non-volatile taste-active compounds. Organic acids and nucleotides were more abundant in immature stages, while phosphorylated six-carbon sugars showed stipe-dominant accumulation at middle–late stages. Notably, all taste-related conclusions are inferred from non-volatile metabolite characterization rather than direct sensory measurements. KEGG pathway enrichment highlighted that taste-related metabolites primarily shaped taste via amino acid biosynthesis, cofactor metabolism, lysine biosynthesis, and nucleotide pathways. These insights provide a metabolic foundation for optimizing cultivation strategies and enhancing product quality in Agaricus bisporus.

Chemical regulation has beneficial effects on the growth, yield, and fiber quality of cotton with different plant architectures. This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of chemical regulators such as mepiquat chloride (1,1-dimethyl-piperidiniuchloride, DPC), chlormequat chloride (CCC), thidiazuron (TDZ), and ethephon (ETH) during the growth period of cotton. Different combinations of chemical regulators were applied to examine the growth, development, yield, and quality of cotton. The results showed that the application of different chemical regulators had varying effects on the yields of the two cotton varieties with distinct plant architecture. Specifically, K1C1 (before and after topping with 1:1 25% DPC, 50% TDZ, and 40% ETH) and K2C2 (before topping with 25% DPC and after topping with 50% CCC, 50% TDZ, and 40% ETH) were sprayed on ‘Wankemian-1’ and ‘Wanmian-191’, thereby increasing the cotton yield. The K2C2 treatment increased the upper half mean length and fiber strength of the two varieties but decreased the fiber length uniformity index. The fiber strength, fiber length uniformity index, and spinning consistency index of ‘Wankemian-1’ were higher than those of ‘Wanmian-191’. Based on comprehensive yield, quality, and economic benefits, K1C1 and K2C2 were determined to be the most effective chemical regulators of ‘Wankemian-1’ and ‘Wanmian-191’, respectively.

A novel magnetic bio-adsorbent was synthesized by modifying cotton linter (CL) cellulose with deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles. And the adsorption mechanism of Cu²⁺ by Fe₃O₄/CL-DESs in aqueous solution was proposed.

Cotton fiber is favored by people because of its good moisture absorption, heat preservation, soft feel, comfortable wearing and other excellent performance. In recent years, due to the destruction of the ozone layer, the intensity of ultraviolet radiation at ground level has increased. Cotton fiber will degrade under long time ultraviolet irradiation, which limits the outdoor application of cotton fiber. In this study, titanium dioxide (TiO₂) particles were prepared on the surface of cotton fibers with the help of supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO₂) to improve the UV resistance of cotton fibers. The effects of SCCO₂ treatment on the morphology, surface composition, thermal stability, photostability and mechanical properties of TiO₂ were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, UV-VIS spectroscopy, and single fiber test. The results showed that TiO₂ particles were generated on the fiber surface, which reduced the photo-degradation rate of cotton fiber. This is because TiO₂ can absorb UV rays and reduce the absorption of UV rays by the cotton fiber itself. The synthesis process of SCCO₂ is simple and environmentally friendly, which provides a promising technology for the synthesis of metal nitrogen dioxide on natural plant fibers.

The rapid economic and societal development have led to unprecedented energy demand and consumption resulting in the harmful emission of pollutants. Hence, the conversion of greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals and fuels has become an urgent challenge for the scientific community. In recent decades, perovskite-type mixed oxide-based catalysts have attracted significant attention as efficient CO₂ conversion catalysts due to the characteristics of both reversible oxygen storage capacity and stable structure compared to traditional oxide-supported catalysts. In this review, we hand over a comprehensive overview of the research for CO₂ conversion by these emerging perovskite-type mixed oxide-based catalysts. Three main CO₂ conversions, namely reverse water gas shift reaction, CO₂ methanation, and CO₂ reforming of methane have been introduced over perovskite-type mixed oxide-based catalysts and their reaction mechanisms. Different approaches for promoting activity and resisting carbon deposition have also been discussed, involving increased oxygen vacancies, enhanced dispersion of active metal, and fine-tuning strong metal-support interactions. Finally, the current challenges are mooted, and we have proposed future research prospects in this field to inspire more sensational breakthroughs in the material and environment fields.

Cotton fibers with ultra-high purity cellulose are ideal raw materials for producing nanocellulose. However, the strong hydrogen bond and high crystallinity of cotton fibers affect the dissociation of cotton fibers to prepare nanocellulose. The structures of two kinds of cotton fibers (CM and XM) in different growth stages from 10 to 50 days post-anthesis (dpa) were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In the process of cotton fiber growth, the deposition rate of cellulose macromolecules firstly increased and then stabilized. Then, the surface morphology, the chemical composition, and the crystal structure of the nanocellulose prepared from cotton fibers with different growth stages by deep eutectic solvent, a green solvent, were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, XRD, and Thermo Gravimetry (TG). The growth time of cotton fibers affected the properties of prepared nanocellulose, and nanocellulose obtained from cotton fibers at about 30 dpa had less energy consumption, higher yield, and milder reaction conditions.