Plastic pollution is a global crisis, with polystyrene (PS) among the most recalcitrant polymers owing to its stable aromatic structure and resistance to natural degradation. Although insect larvae such as mealworms and wax moth caterpillars can partially biodegrade PS through gut microbiota, reported rates remain low (0.08–0.24 mg per individual per day). The potential of cockroaches—with more stable gut microbiomes, longer lifespans, and greater biomass—for efficient, scalable plastic bioremediation has remained unexplored. Here we show that Blaptica dubia cockroaches rapidly biodegrade PS microplastics via a tightly integrated host–microbiota enzymatic network. Individuals ingested 6.0 ± 0.2 mg PS daily, achieving 54.9 ± 2.3% mass loss over 42 days and a specific biodegradation rate of 3.3 ± 0.1 mg per cockroach per day. Biodegradation was confirmed by substantial molecular-weight reductions (Mn 46.4%, Mw 25.9%) and isotopic mineralization signatures. PS exposure selectively enriched plastic-degrading taxa and enzymes while strongly upregulating host fatty-acid β-oxidation and tricarboxylic acid cycle pathways, enabling the host to directly metabolize microbial cleavage products and reconstruct a complete PS catabolic pathway. These findings reveal that B. dubia can far outperform other insects in plastic biodegradation through evolved metabolic cooperation, expanding the biological repertoire for tackling persistent anthropogenic polymers and offering new insight into insect adaptation to synthetic substrates in the Anthropocene.

Effective water management in large river basins requires a comprehensive understanding of policy effectiveness and regulatory frameworks. However, quantitative assessments of water-related policies remain limited. Here, we propose a novel quantitative framework for evaluating water policies in large river basins, providing an intuitive and systematic approach for decision-makers. Using the Yellow River Basin—the second-largest river basin in China—as a case study, we constructed a database of 1271 water-related policies spanning 68 cities. We assessed the completeness of nine representative policies, identifying key gaps in water environment governance. To evaluate management effectiveness, we developed a system integrating two key subsystems: water resource utilization and water environment treatment, incorporating climatic, economic, and industrial factors. Our findings reveal that water environment governance policies were more effective than those targeting water resource utilization, though their impact was delayed by one to two years. Furthermore, a risk-based analysis pinpointed critical water management challenges in each city, offering actionable insights for policy optimization. This framework provides a robust and scalable approach for assessing the effectiveness of complex water policies in large river basins, with global applicability for improving water governance.

In recent years, there has been significant interest in photocatalytic technologies utilizing semiconductors and photosensitizers responsive to solar light, owing to their potential for energy and environmental applications. Current efforts are focused on enhancing existing photocatalysts and developing new ones tailored for environmental uses. Anthraquinones (AQs) serve as redox-active electron transfer mediators and photochemically active organic photosensitizers, effectively addressing common issues such as low light utilization and carrier separation efficiency found in conventional semiconductors. AQs offer advantages such as abundant raw materials, controlled preparation, excellent electron transfer capabilities, and photosensitivity, with applications spanning the energy, medical, and environmental sectors. Despite their utility, comprehensive reviews on AQs-based photocatalytic systems in environmental contexts are lacking. In this review, we thoroughly describe the photochemical properties of AQs and their potential applications in photocatalysis, particularly in addressing key environmental challenges like clean energy production, antibacterial action, and pollutant degradation. However, AQs face limitations in practical photocatalytic applications due to their low electrical conductivity and solubility-related secondary contamination. To mitigate these issues, the design and synthesis of graphene-immobilized AQs are highlighted as a solution to enhance practical photocatalytic applications. Additionally, future research directions are proposed to deepen the understanding of AQs' theoretical mechanisms and to provide practical applications for wastewater treatment. This review aims to facilitate mechanistic studies and practical applications of AQs-based photocatalytic technologies and to improve understanding of these technologies.

Effective management of large basins necessitates pinpointing the spatial and temporal drivers of primary index exceedances and urban risk factors, offering crucial insights for basin administrators. Yet, comprehensive examinations of multiple pollutants within the Yangtze River Basin remain scarce. Here we introduce a pollution inventory for urban clusters surrounding the Yangtze River Basin, analyzing water quality data from 102 cities during 2018–2019. We assessed the exceedance rates for six pivotal indicators: dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia nitrogen (NH₃–N), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total phosphorus (TP), and the permanganate index (COD_Mn) for each city. Employing random forest regression and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analyses, we identified the spatiotemporal factors influencing these key indicators. Our results highlight agricultural activities as the primary contributors to the exceedance of all six indicators, thus pinpointing them as the leading pollution source in the basin. Additionally, forest coverage, livestock farming, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, along with meteorological elements like precipitation and temperature, significantly impacted various indicators' exceedances. Furthermore, we delineate five core urban risk components through principal component analysis, which are (1) anthropogenic and industrial activities, (2) agricultural practices and forest extent, (3) climatic variables, (4) livestock rearing, and (5) principal polluting sectors. The cities were subsequently evaluated and categorized based on these risk components, incorporating policy interventions and administrative performance within each region. The comprehensive analysis advocates for a customized strategy in addressing the discerned risk factors, especially for cities presenting elevated risk levels.

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is a significant environmental concern due to its adverse effects and ecological risks. SMX elimination in aquatic environments via photocatalysis presents a viable solution, given its high oxidation potential. However, such a solution remains controversial, primarily due to a lack of selectivity. Here we introduce a molecularly imprinted TiO₂@Fe₂O₃@g-C₃N₄ (MFTC) photocatalyst designed for the selective degradation of SMX. To assess MFTC's selectivity, we applied it to degrade synthetic wastewater containing SMX alongside interfering species sulfadiazine (SDZ), ibuprofen (IBU), and bisphenol A (BPA). The results demonstrated a selective degradation efficiency rate of 96.8%, nearly twice that of competing pollutants. The molecularly imprinted sites within the catalyst played a crucial role by selectively capturing SMX and enhancing its adsorption, thereby improving catalytic efficiency. The degradation process involved •OH and •O₂⁻ free radicals, with a newly proposed double Z-scheme mechanism and potential pathway for SMX degradation by the MFTC photocatalytic system. This study enriches the application of photocatalysis using molecularly imprinted nanocomposite materials for treating complex pollutant mixtures in water.

An effective sponge city construction evaluation system plays a crucial role in evaluating sponge city construction schemes. The construction of a sponge city evaluation system still faces challenges related to incomplete index selection and unscientific weight division. Limited studies have focused on the comprehensive assessment of sponge city construction in the early stages. This study constructed a scientific assessment indicator system and a quantitative indicator weight at all levels by literature review and statistical analysis methods from an objective perspective. To demonstrate how to utilize our evaluation methods, three construction schemes randomly generated by MATLAB were evaluated under evaluation states of constant weight and variable weight, respectively. Scheme 3 had the highest score of 0.638 under the constant weight assessment, but it cannot practically be the final construction scheme due to the imbalance between indicators. Compared to the constant weight assessment, a variable weight assessment can effectively balance the states of the evaluation index with changes in the decision variable. Among the three schemes, Scheme 2 is the best choice with a value of 0.0355 under variable weight evaluation due to punishment and incentives in the variable weight method. The concept of “punishing” a disadvantageous indicator and “motivating” an advantageous indicator increases the relative advantages of the indices, ultimately affecting the assessment results of schemes and leading to a more balanced state. This study provides reasonable analysis and decision-making mechanisms to support decision-making and guide the scientific selection of a construction scheme.