The Yellow River Delta is a dynamic-equilibrium wetland system formed via the complex interactions between the Yellow River and the ocean across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Owing to the frequent shifts in the Yellow River’s course, the deltaic wetlands have undergone a cyclical evolution involving rapid formation, development, erosion or succession, and disappearance or remnant persistence. Under the combined stresses of intensive human activities and climate change, the Yellow River Delta is facing a series of challenges, including water and sediment variability, vegetation degradation, species invasion, habitat fragmentation, and functional decline. Many existing ecological problems have emerged throughout the evolutionary process of the delta’s wetlands, characterized by overlapping impacts across multiple spatial and temporal dimensions. Consequently, conservation and restoration strategies based on isolated timeframes, specific sites, or individual elements are increasingly showing limitations in mitigating habitat fragmentation, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation in the delta. This paper reviews extensive literature on ecological conservation and restoration in the Yellow River Delta, elucidating the influence mechanisms of biotic and abiotic disturbance factors on key ecological components, structures, and processes affecting the ecological functions of coastal wetlands. Moreover, it identifies the stability patterns of multifunctional wetland systems under multiple stressors, proposes an integrated optimization framework combining conservation, restoration, and regulation, and develops multiscale correlated and multiprocess coordinated conservation and restoration measures, thereby providing new insights for addressing ecosystem degradation in this region.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that is widely used in the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. Due to its potential harm to human health, its use has been restricted in many materials that come into contact with the human body. Other bisphenol compounds have emerged as alternatives, but they have similar structures and characteristics, with varying degrees of estrogenic activity and toxicity. With the rapid economic development in China, the demand for bisphenol compounds has been increasing, and so has the production capacity. The sources and distribution of bisphenol pollutants are emerging pollutants in various environmental media and human exposure to them in China deserve in-depth research. In this study, we reviewed the literature published in the past ten years (2014—2024), systematically summarized the sources and distribution patterns, human exposure levels, and health risks of bisphenol pollutants in various environmental media (surface water, sediments, and soil), and proposed various control measures and policy recommendations for bisphenol pollutants in China, aiming to provide a reference for the environmental risk control and environmental governance of bisphenol pollutants in China.

Residues of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are an emerging class of organic contaminants known for their endocrine-disrupting properties, pseudo-persistence, and ecotoxicity. Because of their wide application in the medical, animal husbandry, and cosmetic industries, PPCPs have been frequently detected in surface water, groundwater, industrial sludge, and even food such as milk in recent years, raising significant concerns about their safety. However, because PPCPs are present at very low concentrations in real samples and are affected by complex matrix effects, direct quantitative analysis is challenging. Therefore, before instrumental analysis, effective sample pretreatment methods are required for the enrichment analysis of PPCPs. In recent years, many novel materials have been developed for the extraction of trace contaminants. First, this paper provides a systematic introduction to the hazards and contamination status of PPCPs, followed by a detailed discussion of the contamination of two typical PPCPs: bisphenols and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Second, it lists several sample pretreatment techniques, highlighting the application of novel adsorbent materials in PPCP analysis and detection, while also exploring the development trends of these new adsorbent materials. Finally, the paper summarizes the obstacles and challenges that may be encountered in the analysis and detection of PPCPs.

Petroleum contamination in oil-field soils poses significant risks to both regional environmental safty and human health. The use of biotechnologies for the remediation of contaminated oil-field soils offers advantages such as ecological sustainability, economic feasibility, and high efficiency. This paper reviews the research progress on various biotechnologies used for the remediation of contaminated oil-field soils. By descrribing the mechanisms and methods of various bioremediation technogies, the study analyzes and evaluates microbial remediation, phytoremediation, and their combined applications with surfactants, chemical oxidation, and electrokinetic remediation. It also highlights the importance of assessing the effectiveness of bioremediation strategies. This study provides valuable guidance for the promotion and application of bioremediation technologies aimed at improving the quality of oil-field soils and restoring the ecological environment.

Key tasks in the construction of a “waste-free city” in Shandong Province are to formulate local regulations for solid-waste pollution prevention and control and to enhance the local standard system for solid-waste resource utilization. This study reviews the generation volume, comprehensive utilization rate, and industry-specific distribution of bulk industrial solid waste in Shandong Province in 2023. This study also investigates the current status of local standards for the resource utilization of bulk industrial solid waste across different provinces(autonomous regions) in China. Based on this comparative analysis, this study identifies existing issues in the local standard system for the resource utilization of bulk industrial solid waste in Shandong Province and proposes targeted countermeasures. These recommendations enhance pollution prevention and promote the establishment of a comprehensive local standard system for bulk industrial solid-waste resource utilization in Shandong Province.

Sea level rise and anthropogenic activities significantly affect the hydrological conditions of shallow groundwater in coastal wetlands. It is unclear how seed persistence responds to changes in the hydrological conditions of shallow groundwater. Seeds from four wild-resource plant species, Phragmites australis, Suaeda salsa, Chenopodium glaucum, and Cynanchum chinense, from coastal areas of the Yellow River Delta were selected for the study. Using indoor simulation methods, we investigated differences in seed persistence at two shallow groundwater levels (moist and saturated habitats), four gradients of shallow groundwater salinity, and under dry conditions based on mean germination time, germinability index, and viability index. Overall, mean germination time, seed germinability index, and viability index were consistent in evaluating seed persistence. The response trends of seed persistence of different plants to shallow groundwater level and salinity were different. Seed persistence was stronger in dry and saturated habitats than in moist habitats. Compared with storage in moist habitats, the seed persistence of P. australis, S. salsa, and C. glaucum was significantly stronger in saturated habitats (P<0.05). The effects of shallow groundwater salinity on seed persistence varied with changes in shallow groundwater level. In moist habitats, based on germinability index and viability index, seed persistence of S. salsa, C. glaucum, and C. chinense increased with the increase in shallow groundwater salinity. However, these trends did not exist when the seeds were in saturated habitats. The results will provide a scientific basis for the protection of resources in the degraded wetlands of the Yellow River Delta.

Bacillus velezensis, Bacillus thuringiensis and Brevibacterium frigoritolerans are three typical salt-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (ST-PGPR) known for their ability to alleviate salt stress in plants. To optimize the nutritional conditions for the growth and proliferation of these strains, experiment of single factor method was used to investigate the effects of different carbon-to-nitrogen ratios (n_C/n_N) on their development. The results showed that all three strains could grow and reproduce in a medium with a n_C/n_N of 3.25~6.00. However, the n_C/n_N had varying effects on their proliferation, i.e., the most significant impact was observed on the proliferation of velezensis, followed by thuringiensis and frigoritolerans. When the n_C/n_N was 4:1, velezensis exhibited the highest proliferation, with a viable bacterial count of 6.2 × 10⁸ CFU/mL. Similarly, thuringiensis achieved its highest proliferation at a n_C/n_N of 4:1, with a viable bacterial count of 5.1 × 10⁸ CFU/mL. Conversely, frigoritolerans achieved its highest proliferation at a n_C/n_N of 5:1, with a viable bacterial count of 3.5 × 10⁸ CFU/mL. In conclusion, the optimal n_C/n_N for the proliferation of velezensis and thuringiensis is 4:1, whereas that for frigoritolerans is 5:1.

Coal gasification slag is a solid waste generated during coal chemical production and accounts for a notable proportion of solid wastes. Leveraging the natural properties (e.g., high specific surface area and pore volume) and compositional characteristics (rich in carbon) of coal gasification slag, this study used the mechanical ball milling method to composite coal gasification slag using a conventional photocatalyst titanium dioxide (TiO₂) for broadening the photocatalytic response range of TiO₂. Dye wastewater was used as the treatment object to evaluate the photocatalytic performance of the resulting composite material. Characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate the optimal process conditions for the catalytic degradation of a methylene blue (MB) solution by the TiO₂/coal gasification slag composite material. Results show that under visible-light conditions, the degradation efficiency of the developed composite material (TiO₂∶slag ratio of 90∶10) is higher than those of anatase TiO₂, P25, and the coal gasification slag/P25 composite material. Infrared characterization and free-radical quenching experiments indicated that coal gasification slag and TiO₂ effectively bonded through Ti—O—Si bonds, expanding the photocatalytic response range of TiO₂ and increasing the photocatalytic reaction contact area. In addition, hydroxyl radicals were identified as the primary active substances responsible for degrading MB. Compared with anatase TiO₂, the catalytic efficiency of the composite material increased by 4.96 times. Furthermore, its catalytic degradation efficiency remained above 90% after three cycles, indicating that the TiO₂/coal gasification slag composite material has excellent degradation efficiency and stability.

The nine provinces(autonomous regions)along the Yellow River are important supporting regions for the economic and social development of China. The coordinated advancement of their green low-carbon and digital economies holds strategic significance for China to achieve its “dual-carbon” goals and high-quality economic development. Considering the nine provinces(autonomous regions) along the Yellow River from 2013 to 2022 as the research object, this study constructs an evaluation index system for the digital economy and green low-carbon systems from six dimensions: resource consumption, pollution emissions, governance effectiveness, communication capabilities, the Internet, and the information industry. The spatiotemporal coupling relationship and obstacle factors between the two were analyzed using entropy weight method, coupling coordination degree model, obstacle degree model, and gray prediction. The results demonstrated that the green low-carbon level of the nine provinces(autonomous regions) along the Yellow River has significantly improved, following a spatial pattern of “upper reaches green low-carbon level<lower reaches green low-carbon level<middle reaches green low-carbon level”. The evaluation indices of the digital economy systems exhibit regional imbalances, showing a gradually increasing trend from top to bottom. The coupling coordination degree of the digital economy and green low-carbon systems as a whole shows a steady upward trend, and the overall state of the nine provinces(autonomous regions) along the Yellow River has changed from being on the verge of disorder to an initially coordinated state. The information industry is the main obstacle to coupling coordination. The insufficient development of the digital information industry in the Yellow River Basin severely hinders the coordinated development of the digital economy and green low-carbon systems in these provinces(autonomous regions). Gray prediction analysis suggests that the coupling state of the digital economy and green low-carbon systems in the nine provinces(autonomous regions) along the Yellow River from 2025 to 2029 will steadily improve to an intermediate coordination level. On the basis of the research results, targeted suggestions are put forward to promote the coupling coordination of the green low-carbon systems and digital economy in the nine provinces(autonomous regions) along the Yellow River for them to advance to a higher stage of development. These insights provide a scientific basis and decision-making reference for the sustainable development of the region.

Under the “dual carbon” goals, high carbon emitting enterprises in industries, such as petrochemicals, are undergoing a low-carbon transformation and are reducing their carbon emissions, which have grown to become an important development trend. Oil and gas losses account for a large proportion of the total energy consumption in the petrochemical industry. In this study, focusing on the inability to automatically identify the high-value points of loss because of the change in the law of oil and gas loss data, a method for automatically identifying the high-value points of oil and gas loss based on the peak over threshold (POT) model is proposed. First, accounting of oil and gas losses was conducted in 35 links of an oil producing reservoir in Shengli Oilfield. Second, according to the leptokurtic distribution characteristics of the accounting data, the oil and gas loss tail data were segmented using the POT model and fitted with its probability distribution function (PDF). The corresponding high-value points of oil and gas losses in the PDF were identified according to the 3σ principle. Finally, the results determine the threshold of high-value points to be 869.34 m³/d, and the identification accuracy of high-value points to be 0.986, accuracy greater than other traditional methods. Therefore, the proposed method is conducive to the efficient development of loss control methods.

An ecological environmental damage compensation system is a key mechanism for promoting ecological protection and high-quality development in the Lower Yellow River Basin. This study focuses on 2 371 ecological environmental damage compensation cases across nine prefecture-level cities in the Lower Yellow River Basin in Shandong province, analyzes their characteristics, and uses the LMDI model to determine factors for these cases and thus identify the directions and degrees of the main drivers. The findings provide strategies for preventing and controlling ecological environmental damage in the Lower Yellow River Basin. This study reveals that air pollution cases are the highest (75.6%) in the Lower Yellow River Basin, and the compensation intensity and cost rate of ecological environmental damage are the primary factors inhibiting an increase in the number of cases. Specifically, the most notable inhibitory effect of the compensation intensity is observed in Dezhou city, with a contribution of -993.71%, while the highest inhibitory effect of the cost rate of ecological environmental damage is noticed in Jinan city, with a contribution of -301.96%. The economic development level and population size positively drive the increase in the number of cases, although the contribution of the population size to this increase is relatively small. The highest positive driving effect of the economic development level is observed in Jining city, with a contribution of 23.71%. Based on these findings, measures such as promoting green economic transformation and diversifying compensation models can help control ecological environmental damage. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for implementing the ecological environmental damage compensation system in the Lower Yellow River Basin.

Ecological effect evaluation is a critical component in ecological and environmental damage assessment, providing an essential foundation for ecological damage compensation and restoration efforts. We systematically analyze ecological effect evaluation indictors, assessment methodologies, and damage identification pathways through a comprehensive literature review. Case studies validate the effectiveness of the established model in scientifically assessing the impact of pollutants on ecosystem service value, offering both methodological references and practical insights for similar research in other regions, with significant theoretical and applied implications. To address existing challenges, we propose improvements in optimizing ecological evaluation methodologies, refining technical frameworks, establishing cross-sectoral coordination mechanisms, and developing professional expertise. The principles and strategies proposed in this paper aim to enhance the scientific rigor and accuracy of ecological assessments, advance the standardization of ecological and environmental damage assessment systems, and provide valuable references for future research in related fields.

With the rapid economic and social development, environmental pollution and ecological damage have become increasingly severe. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, China has initiated the establishment of an ecological and environmental damage compensation system and made significant progress. Biodiversity is fundamental to human survival and development, and environmental pollution is a major cause of the loss of plant diversity. This study examines the impact of environmental pollution on plant damage assessment and identification, highlighting key challenges in the assessment process, including causality judgment, quantification of physical damage, and valuation of damage. It also discusses the critical aspects of plant damage assessment and proposed recommendations, such as strengthening fundamental research, innovating damage assessment techniques, and improving the assessment system. The study aims to enhance the scientific rigor and accuracy of plant damage assessment, thus contributing to the development of an ecological and environmental damage assessment standard system, safeguarding public environmental rights, and promoting ecological civilization.