Hepatitis B Virus-mediated m6A demethylation increases hepatocellular carcinoma stemness and immune escape.

Hepatitis B viral (HBV) persistent infection plays a significant role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis. Many studies have revealed the pivotal roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in multiple cancers, while the regulatory mechanism in stemness maintenance of HBV persistent infection-related HCC remains elusive. Here, we demonstrated that the level of m6A modification was downregulated by HBV in HBV-positive HCC, through enhanced stability of ALKBH5 mRNA. More specifically, we also identified that ALKBH5 mRNA was functionally required for the stemness maintenance and self-renewal in the HBV-positive HCC, but dispensable in HBV-negative HCC. Mechanistically, ALKBH5 demethylated the m6A modification in the 3'UTR region of the oncogenic gene SNAI2 to prevent the recognition of YTHDF2 therewith stabilize SNAI2 transcripts, contributing to cancer stem cell traits in HBV-positive HCC. Moreover, the expression of SNAI2 reversed the suppression of stemness properties by knocking down ALKBH5. Additionally, ALKBH5/SNAI2 axis accelerates tumor immune evasion through activated ligand of immune checkpoint CD155. Our study unveiled that the ALKBH5 induces m6A demethylation of the SNAI2 as a key regulator in HBV-related HCC, and identifies the function of ALKBH5/SNAI2/YTHDF2 axis in promoting the stem-like cells phenotype and immune escape during HBV infection. Implications: HBV promotes hepatocellular carcinoma stemness maintenance through elevate m6A modification of SNAI2 in an ALKBH5-YTHDF2 dependent manner and increases the expression of the ligand of immune checkpoint CD155.

[Research Progress in the Relationship Between Neurofilament Light Chain Protein and Cognitive Impairment in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus].

Metabolic abnormality in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)can cause damage to the central nervous system,leading to cognitive decline.Neurofilament light chain protein(NFL),as a blood marker of neuroaxonal injuries,is significantly associated with the onset of cognitive impairment and affected by the renal function.It can participate in the development of cognitive impairment in T2DM through inflammation,blood-brain barrier breakdown,interaction between microglia and neurons,and Tau protein phosphorylation.We reviewed the mechanism of the occurrence and development of NFL-involved cognitive impairment and the correlation between NFL and renal function in T2DM,hoping to provide a basis for early diagnosis and treatment of cognitive impairment in T2DM patients.

Unveiling the driving factors of urban land subsidence in Beijing, China.

Land subsidence, an insidious and gradual geological phenomenon, presents a latent threat to future urban development and socio-economic progress. Beijing City, renowned for its high population density, has encountered significant challenges associated with land subsidence. In this study, we leverage time-series interferometric synthetic aperture radar (time-series InSAR) method to analyze the spatio-temporal patterns of land subsidence in Beijing. Furthermore, we quantify the contributions of natural and anthropogenic factors to land subsidence. Our findings reveal that land subsidence primarily occurs in the plain area of Beijing, exhibiting an average rate of -5.6 mm/year (Positive values indicate uplift, while negative values indicate subsidence.). Notably, several large-scale subsidence centers are identified, with the maximum subsidence rate reaching an alarming -232.7 mm/year. The assessments indicate that geological factors, specifically fault activity, account for 33 % of the observed land subsidence, while human activities contribute to the remaining 67 %, with groundwater overexploitation playing a prominent role. The insights gained from this study provide a foundation for understanding the causative factors behind urban land subsidence and can aid in the formulation of effective intervention policies targeting this critical issue.

[Research Progress in the Role of Tamoxifen in Nervous System and Cognitive Function].

Neurological diseases include a variety of neurodegenerative diseases and other brain damage diseases.The treatment schemes for neurological diseases are still in research.The existing clinical and basic studies have confirmed that traditional estrogen therapy has certain protective effect on the nervous system,while it increases the risk of breast or endometrial cancer.The emergence of the selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) can avoid the above mentioned problems.The available studies have confirmed the protective effect of tamoxifen as a SERM on the nervous system.This paper reviews the role and functioning mechanisms of tamoxifen in the nervous system and cognitive function,aiming to provide guidance for the future application of tamoxifen in the treatment of neurological diseases and the improvement of cognitive function.

A High-Salt Diet Exacerbates Liver Fibrosis through Enterococcus-Dependent Macrophage Activation.

People consume more salt than the recommended levels due to poor dietary practices. The effects of long-term consumption of high-salt diets (HSD) on liver fibrosis are unclear. This study aimed to explore the impact of HSD on liver fibrosis. In this study, a carbon tetrachloride (CCL4)-induced liver fibrosis mouse model was used to evaluate fibrotic changes in the livers of mice fed a normal diet (ND) and an HSD. The HSD exacerbated liver injury and fibrosis. Moreover, the protein expression levels of transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) were significantly higher in the HSD group than in the normal group. The proportion of macrophages and activation significantly increased in the livers of HSD-fed mice. Meanwhile, the number of macrophages significantly increased in the small intestinal lamina propria of HSD-fed mice. The levels of profibrotic factors also increased in the small intestine of HSD-fed mice. Additionally, HSD increased the profibrotic chemokines and monocyte chemoattractant levels in the portal vein blood. Further characterization suggested that the HSD decreased the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and CLDN1), enhancing the translocation of bacteria. Enterococcus promoted liver injury and inflammation. In vitro experiments demonstrated that Enterococcus induced macrophage activation through the NF-κB pathway, thus promoting the expression of fibrosis-related genes, leading to liver fibrogenesis. Similarly, Enterococcus disrupted the gut microbiome in vivo and significantly increased the fibrotic markers, TGF-ß, and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression in the liver. IMPORTANCE This study further confirms that Enterococcus induce liver fibrosis in mice. These results indicate that an HSD can exacerbate liver fibrosis by altering the gut microbiota composition, thus impairing intestinal barrier function. Therefore, this may serve as a new target for liver fibrosis therapy and gut microbiota management.

Effects of water-coal interactions on coal mine water quality in China: a lixiviation experiment and actual water quality investigation.

Water-coal interactions are dominant factors that affect water quality in coal mines. Using lixiviation, the effects of water-coal interactions on pH, salinity, and hazardous elemental enrichment in coal mine water and associated trends were simulated and analyzed. The salinity and hazardous element contents were low in the alkaline solution filtrate. However, the salinity and contents of hazardous elements (As, Cr, Zn, Cu, Mn, Co, Ni, Cd, Pb, U, and Be) in acid solution filtrate increased significantly with a decrease in pH. The pH of the solution filtrate was affected by the mineral composition of the coal, wherein the pyrite content could generally determine the pH. In addition, the spatial distribution and utilization potential of coal mine water quality in China was determined based on water quality data surveys. For water-deficient regions in northern China, particularly in the northwest, the local mine water had high salinity, a high pH, and a low content of hazardous elements; therefore, the reuse of mine water for water consumption is feasible. Conversely, the mine water in the southwest region had high salinity and a low pH and was enriched in harmful elements with potential ecological and health risks. The actual water quality characteristics of the coal mine water matched the results of the laboratory simulation analysis, confirming the effect from water-coal interactions. This work provides a reference for understanding the determinants of coal mine water quality and the potential for water environment protection.

Education plays a crucial role in the pathway from poverty to smoking: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Disproportionately high rates of smoking have been found in low-income communities, but the causal direction and role of education in this relationship remains less well understood. Here, we used bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) to measure the causal relationships between smoking, income and education. DESIGN: Two-sample univariable and multivariable MR analyses were conducted to evaluate the total and direct effect of income and education on tobacco smoking. The effects of smoking on education and income were explored with reverse MR analysis. SETTING: European ancestry. PARTICIPANTS: The most recent large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data on educational attainment, household income and smoking (n = 143 210-766 345). MEASUREMENTS: Genetic variants for exposures including income, education and smoking. FINDINGS: Both income and education had protective effects against smoking, especially for smoking initiation (education: ß = -0.447, 95% CI = -0.508 to -0.387, P < 0.001; income: ß = -0.290, 95% CI = -0.43 to -0.149, P < 0.001) and cessation (education: ß = -0.364, 95% CI = -0.429 to -0.298, P < 0.001; income: ß = -0.323, 95% CI = -0.448 to -0.197, P < 0.001). Here, higher scores in cessation indicated a lower likelihood of quitting according to the coding scheme. There was little evidence that income influenced smoking once education was controlled for, whereas education could significantly affect smoking behaviours independently of income (P = 3.40 × 10-10 -0.0272). The reverse MR results suggested that smoking may result in a loss of years of schooling (ß = -0.190, 95% CI = -0.297 to -0.083, P < 0.001) and reduced earnings (ß = -0.204, 95% CI = -0.347 to -0.060, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Education appears to play an important role in the relationship between income and smoking. There is a bidirectional association of smoking with socioeconomic status.

Dissolution of harmful trace elements from coal and the environmental risk to mine water utilization.

Under the pressure of water shortages, coal mine water has been allocated as a national water resource in China. However, the existence of harmful trace elements (HTEs) in coal mine water causes environmental risks and health concerns over its reuse. Through a lixiviation experiment, the dominant factors affecting the dissolution of HTEs in coal were simulated and analyzed, and the environmental risks of HTEs in coal mine water in China were evaluated for the first time. The average dissolved content levels of HTEs from coal were Mn > Cu > Zn > Ni > Ba > Cr > Co > V > Mo > Se > U > Pb > Cd, and the average maximum dissolution rates were Ni > Co > Mo > Zn > Cu > Cd > Mn > Se > Ba > Cr > U > Pb > V. Oxidation-reduction potential (Eh) and pH are the dominant factors controlling HTE dissolution. Higher oxygen exposure levels induce Eh and pH development, resulting in more HTE dissolution. This study constructed the dissolution potential index (FC) of HTEs from coal. Based on the results of the FC model, the areas with the highest migration potential and environmental risk of HTEs from coal seams to mine water are located in southern China, especially in the southwest, followed by areas of eastern Inner Mongolia and Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces. The corresponding risks in other regions are relatively low; thus, mine water utilization remains an effective option. This study provides an effective reference for the analysis of HTE enrichment in coal mine water and an evaluation of its safe utilization.

Expression, Prognostic Value, and Functional Mechanism of Polarity-Related Genes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with high mortality and poor prognoses around the world. Within-cell polarity is crucial to cell development and function maintenance, and some studies have found that it is closely related to cancer initiation, metastasis, and prognosis. The aim of our research was to find polarity-related biomarkers which improve the treatment and prognosis of HCC. For the knowledge-driven analysis, 189 polarity-related genes (PRGs) were retrieved and curated manually from the molecular signatures database and reviews. Meanwhile, in the data-driven part, genomic datasets and clinical records of HCC was obtained from the cancer genome atlas database. The potential candidates were considered in the respect to differential expression, mutation rate, and prognostic value. Sixty-one PRGs that passed the knowledge and data-driven screening were applied for function analysis and mechanism deduction. Elastic net model combing least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and ridge regression analysis refined the input into a 12-PRG risk model, and its pharmaceutical potency was evaluated. These findings demonstrated that the integration of multi-omics of PRGs can help us in untangling the liver cancer pathogenesis as well as illustrate the underlying mechanisms and therapeutic targets.

Construction and validation of a prognostic risk model for breast cancer based on protein expression.

Breast cancer (BRCA) is the primary cause of mortality among females globally. The combination of advanced genomic analysis with proteomics characterization to construct a protein prognostic model will help to screen effective biomarkers and find new therapeutic directions. This study obtained proteomics data from The Cancer Proteome Atlas (TCPA) dataset and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to construct a prognostic risk model, which was consisted of 6 proteins (CASPASE7CLEAVEDD198, NFKBP65-pS536, PCADHERIN, P27, X4EBP1-pT70, and EIF4G). Based on risk curves, survival curves, receiver operating characteristic curves, and independent prognostic analysis, the protein prognostic model could be viewed as an independent factor to accurately predict the survival time of BRCA patients. We further validated that this prognostic model had good predictive performance in the GSE88770 dataset. The expression of 6 proteins was significantly associated with the overall survival of BRCA patients. The 6 proteins and encoding genes were differentially expressed in normal and primary tumor tissues and in different BRCA stages. In addition, we verified the expression of 3 differential proteins by immunohistochemistry and found that CDH3 and EIF4G1 were significantly higher in breast cancer tissues. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the 6 genes were mainly related to the HIF-1 signaling pathway and the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. This study suggested that the prognosis-related proteins might serve as new biomarkers for BRCA diagnosis, and that the risk model could be used to predict the prognosis of BRCA patients.

Uranium in Chinese coals: Concentration, spatial distribution, and modes of occurrence.

Uranium in coals is an environmental radionuclide with resource utilization value. To comprehensively understand the prevalence of uranium in Chinese coals, the concentration, spatial distribution, and modes of occurrence were analyzed based on the data acquired from 1326 coal samples. Chinese coals are relatively rich in uranium, with the arithmetic and weighted average concentrations of 3.08 and 2.38 mg/kg, respectively. The regions with high uranium enrichment in coals are Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan and Chongqing, which are mainly located in southwestern China. The uranium was more enriched in Late Permian coal and medium-to-high metamorphic coal. Organic matter is the main carrier of uranium in coals, followed by silicates and sulfides. The factors affecting uranium enrichment in coal at the national scale include magma intrusions, volcanic ash, seawater influence, low-temperature hydrothermal fluids, and paleoclimate. This paper provides a reference for further research on environmental management and resource utilization of uranium in Chinese coals.

Translational and post-translational control of human naïve versus primed pluripotency.

Deciphering the regulatory network for human naive and primed pluripotency is of fundamental theoretical and applicable significance. Here, by combining quantitative proteomics, phosphoproteomics, and acetylproteomics analyses, we revealed RNA processing and translation as the most differentially regulated processes between naive and primed human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Although glycolytic primed hESCs rely predominantly on the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-mediated cap-dependent pathway for protein translation, naive hESCs with reduced mammalian target of rapamycin complex (mTORC1) activity are more tolerant to eIF4E inhibition, and their bivalent metabolism allows for translating selective mRNAs via both eIF4E-dependent and eIF4E-independent/eIF4A2-dependent pathways to form a more compact naive proteome. Globally up-regulated proteostasis and down-regulated post-translational modifications help to further refine the naive proteome that is compatible with the more rapid cycling of naive hESCs, where CDK1 plays an indispensable coordinative role. These findings may assist in better understanding the unrestricted lineage potential of naive hESCs and in further optimizing conditions for future clinical applications.

Concentration and speciation of mercury in atmospheric particulates in the Wuda coal fire area, Inner Mongolia, China.

Coal-seam fire is a source of atmospheric mercury that is difficult to control. The Wuda Coalfield in Inner Mongolia, China, is one of the most severe coal fire disaster areas worldwide and has been burning for more than 50 years. To investigate atmospheric mercury pollution from the Wuda coal fire, gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) concentrations and atmospheric particulate mercury (PHg) speciation were measured using a RA-915+ mercury analyzer and the temperature-programmed desorption method. Near-surface GEM concentrations in the Wuda Coalfield and adjacent urban area were 80 ng m-3 (65-90 ng m-3) and 52 ng m-3 (25-95 ng m-3), respectively, which are far higher than the local background value (22 ng m-3). PHg concentrations in the coalfield and urban area also reached significantly high levels, 33 ng m-3 (25-45 ng m-3) and 22 ng m-3 (14-29 ng m-3), respectively (p < 0.05). There is no clear evidence that PHg combines with organic carbon or elemental carbon, but PHg concentration appears to be controlled by air acidity. PHg mainly exists in inorganic forms, such as HgCl2, HgS, HgO, and Hg(NO3)2·H2O. This work can provide references for the speciation analysis of atmospheric PHg and the safety assessment of environmental mercury.

Investigation and source analysis of bacterial contamination in groundwater in Liuzhou City, China.

Groundwater is an important water source to consider when ensuring the safety of urban water supply. Groundwater contaminated by bacteria poses a potential health risk to the drinking water supply. This study focuses on the water supply of Liuzhou City, a famous industrial city in China. Analyses of the concentrations, spatial distribution, and pollution sources of bacteria in the groundwater were conducted based on samples collected from 27 wells during the wet and dry seasons in 2018. The total colony counts and total coliform were high during both the wet and dry seasons, posing a severe threat to the emergency water supply security for more than one million people in the city. The groundwater in Liuzhou City is generally contaminated by bacteria, with higher pollution levels in the northern urban-rural fringe and central urban areas. Domestic pollution is the main sources of groundwater bacteria. In addition, bacterially contaminated rivers (Liujiang River) passing through the urban area likely transfer bacteria to the groundwater due to the circulation of the groundwater and surface river water. Controlling the bacterial pollution of groundwater in this region requires adherence to a long-term management plan.

Interleukin-33 as an early predictor of cetuximab treatment efficacy in patients with colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cetuximab is used for colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment. However, the early biomarker of treatment efficacy of cetuximab has not been identified. METHODS: After 1 year of cetuximab treatment, patients were divided into an effective group and an ineffective group. The interleukin-33 (IL-33) level and the distribution of lymphatic cells in patients were investigated by analyzing the peripheral blood mononuclear cells via flow cytometry analysis and ELISA. The correlation between IL-33 immunomodulatory effect and cetuximab treatment efficacy was determined through experiments in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: The IL-33 level in the peripheral blood was increased at 4 weeks after cetuximab administration of effective group, meanwhile, the osteopontin (OPN) was reduced. Whereas neither IL-33 level nor OPN level of ineffective patients changed. In the effective group, the number of natural killer (NK) and CD8+ T cells were increased. Moreover, CD137 and CD107a expression on NK cells were higher in the effective group compared to the ineffective group. In vitro cetuximab treatment also increased the number of NK and CD8+ T cells as well as CD137 and CD107a expression upon IL-33 stimulation. Moreover, the secretion of OPN was inhibited by IL-33 administration in cetuximab-treated PBMCs from the effective group patients. IL-33 upregulated the cytotoxicity of NK cells and inhibited tumor cells growth in the effective cetuximab treatment mice. CONCLUSION: Effective cetuximab treatment induced a change of IL-33 and OPN at the early stage and triggered the NK cells antitumor activity. Consequently, significantly increased IL-33 level and decreased OPN level in the peripheral blood at the early treatment are proposed as potential predictors of cetuximab treatment efficacy.

The low contagiousness and new A958D mutation of SARS-CoV-2 in children: An observational cohort study.

AIMS: To explore the contagiousness and new SARS-CoV-2 mutations in pediatric COVID-19. METHODS: This cohort study enrolled all pediatric patients admitted to 8 hospitals in Zhejiang Province of China between 21 January and 29 February 2020, their family members and close-contact classmates. Epidemiological, demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected. Bioinformatics was used to analyze the features of SARS-CoV-2. Individuals were divided into 3 groups by the first-generation case: Groups 1 (unclear), 2 (adult), and 3 (child). The secondary attack rate (SAR) and R0 were compared among the groups. RESULTS: The infection rate among 211 individuals was 64% (135/211). The SAR in Groups 2 and 3 was 71% (73/103) and 3% (1/30), respectively; the median R0 in Groups 2 and 3 was 2 (range: 1-8) and 0 (range: 0-1), respectively. Compared with adult cases, the SAR and R0 of pediatric cases were significantly lower (p<0.05). We obtained SARS-CoV-2 sequences from the same infant's throat and fecal samples at a two-month interval and found that the new spike protein A958D mutation detected in the stool improved thermostability theoretically. CONCLUSIONS: Children have lower ability to spread SARS-CoV-2. The new A958D mutation is a potential reason for its long residence in the intestine.

Environmental geochemical maps of harmful trace elements in Chinese coalfields.

Coal resource utilization and environmental protection is a critical global issue. This study aims to address the need for geochemical maps of harmful trace elements (HTEs) in Chinese coalfields and to extract scientific information from these maps. Based on data extracted from the Trace Elements in Coal of China database, geochemical maps of As, Cd, Cr, F, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Se in Chinese coalfields were generated, for the first time, using the ArcGIS platform. Differences in regional HTE concentrations were attributed to multiple factors, including the type of coal-forming environment, terrigenous debris, and groundwater effect. However, on a national scale, the spatial distribution pattern of HTEs in coal is affected by the abundance of elements in the earth's crust. Herein, the enrichment anomaly of HTEs in coal were found to be significantly correlated with fault locations, and hydrothermal fluid action was characterized as the primary causal factor. HTE abundance in coal is the result of geochemical cycles in the earth's crust. Additionally, stratum fracture zones may serve as conduits and material sources for the migration of HTEs from deep layers to shallow layers, including coal seams. This study provides an essential reference for extensive map applications and coal environmental management while advancing our understanding of the spatial distribution patterns of chemical elements in coal.

Role of H+, HF, SO42- and kaolin in fixing Hg of coal fire sponge.

Coal fire sponges (CFS) are common in coal-fire areas. Due to the enrichment of Hg in CFS, large amounts of Hg are released by CFS into the atmosphere via natural weathering or solar radiation. Therefore, CFS should be of concern in Hg pollution management and control globally. In addition, CFS changes the Hg cycle path by capturing Hg from coal fires that would have entered the atmosphere. In this study, the concentration, distribution, species, and enrichment mechanism of CFS Hg were investigated. The results showed that the Hg concentration in CFS ranged from 1008 to 35,310 ng/g, with an average of 8932 ng/g (CFS number, n = 153). The Hg concentration of CFS in different types of land was found to be significantly inhomogeneous. To determine the status of subterranean spontaneous combustion, the Hg concentration was added, which can improve the effect of coal-fire monitoring. Compared to the background area topsoil, CFS was enriched in Hg, acid, SO42-, and total fluoride. The Hg species in CFS was primarily HgSO4, followed by HgO. However, the primary Hg species in the surrounding topsoil were HgCl2 and HgO. By the simulation experiment, it was determined that hydrofluoric acid (HF) was beneficial to activate the stable species in the coal-fire areas. HgCl2, HgO, or Hg0 were ionized by acid liquor or HF, which can promote Hg migration and increase the adsorbed ratio; in the presence of SO42-, the primary Hg species was HgSO4. Ultimately, Hg was absorbed by clay minerals and organic matter. The high-efficiency activation of steady Hg species by the coal-fire HF should be studied further.

Spatial distribution of harmful trace elements in Chinese coalfields: An application of WebGIS technology.

Harmful trace elements in coal have caused serious damage to the environment and human health. Understanding their spatial distribution is helpful for environmental health assessment and for their effective control and utilization. To further explore the geospatial distribution of harmful trace elements found in Chinese coals, this work constructed the Trace Elements in Chinese Coals Database Management System (TECC), and analysed the spatial distribution of harmful trace elements by applying spatial data algorithms and visual technology of WebGIS. The main results are as follows: (1) The mean concentrations of 25 harmful trace elements (Ag, As, B, Ba, Be, Cd, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, F, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Th, Tl, U, V, Zn) in Chinese coals are provided, using the "reserve-concentration" weighted calculation method; (2) Using As, Hg, F, and U as examples, the spatial distribution of harmful trace elements in Chinese coalfields is visually displayed; (3) Harmful trace elements are extremely unevenly distributed in Chinese coalfields; they are mainly concentrated in south China, especially in the southwest region, and some elements may also be concentrated in coals from northwest, northeast, and north China. The enrichment of harmful trace elements in Chinese coals is the result of a combination of multiple factors, such as the nature of the region the coal is sourced from, sedimentary facies, coal-forming plants, and magmatic hydrothermal processes. This work can serve as a reference for the study of harmful trace elements in coal, including assessment of their environmental and health impacts.

Study on Mercury Species in Coal and Pyrolysis-Based Mercury Removal before Utilization.

Coal-fired mercury (Hg) pollution control is an important global environmental context. Eight coal samples from different coal fields in China were used to investigate Hg species and the Hg removal effects under different pyrolysis conditions in the presence of nitrogen. These conditions included temperature, particle size, and residence time. The study concludes that the temperature is the most important factor affecting Hg removal from coal, and the mercury release activity at specific temperatures depends on the species and content of Hg present. Large particle size limits the removal rate of Hg, and coal particles smaller than 40 mesh are more favorable for the rapid removal of Hg. For most coal types, pyrolysis of 10-15 min can achieve the ultimate Hg removal effect. Rapid pyrolysis at 600 °C in nitrogen is feasible to remove Hg from coal. Consequently, the Hg removal rate reaches 88-100%, the loss rate of coal calorific value is 2-12%, and approximately 17-58% of S is removed synergistically. HgS, HgSe, HgSO4, organic matter Hg, and HgO are the main types of Hg species detected in coal, whose thermal decomposition characteristics are the essential criteria for determining the type of Hg removal process. This research will facilitate the improvement of pollution control methods for coal-source Hg pollution.