Alkali-activated materials have gained increasing popularity in the field of soil barrier materials due to their high strength and low environmental impact. However, barrier materials made from alkali-activated materials still suffer from long setting times and poor barrier performance in acidic, alkaline, and saline environments, which hinders the sustainable development of green alkali-activated materials. Herein, coconut shell biochar, sodium silicate-based adhesives, and polyether polyol/polypropylene polymers were used for multi-stage material modification. The modified materials were evaluated for barrier performance, rapid formation, and resistance to acidic, alkaline, and saline environments, using metrics such as compressive strength, permeability, mass loss, and VOC diffusion efficiency. The results indicated that adhesive modification reduced the material's setting time from 72 to 12 h. Polymer modification improved resistance to corrosion by 15-20%. The biochar-containing multi-stage modified materials achieved VOC diffusion barrier efficiency of over 99% in both normal and corrosive conditions. These improvements are attributed to the adhesive accelerating calcium silicate hydration and forming strength-enhancing compounds, the polymer providing corrosion resistance, and biochar enhancing the volatile organic compounds (VOC) barrier properties. The combined modification yielded a highly effective multi-stage green barrier material suitable for rapid barrier formation and corrosion protection. These findings contribute to evaluating multi-level modified barrier materials' effectiveness and potential benefits in this field and provide new insights for the development of modified, green, and efficient alkali-activated barrier materials, promoting the green and sustainable development of soil pollution control technologies.

In order to improve the regional environment in light of the socioeconomic development that has taken place in China's coastal regions, ecological engineering construction projects must be designed and implemented, including (but not limited to) (1) the use of artificial beach restoration technology, (2) the construction of coastal protective forest belts, (3) the development of a shoreline farmland shelterbelt network, (4) the establishment of new mangrove forest areas, and (5) the restoration and protection of wetlands. The implementation of such projects can help prevent and mitigate against natural disasters, whilst at the same time protecting the environment, sheltering the land against wind and sand damage, conserving water and soil, preventing aquatic pollution, ensuring waterway security, purifying the atmosphere, and conserving biodiversity, ultimately forming an ecological barrier to achieve regional ecosystem balance. Therefore, the construction of coastal ecological engineering projects is crucial to securing ecological safety and improving the environmental status of coastal areas; plus, it is of great importance to the promotion of coordinated socioeconomic development in these regions.

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria are classified as microorganisms residing in the rhizosphere, possessing diverse capabilities linked to plant development and well-being. PGPRs through various direct and indirect mechanisms, exert their influence on plant development. The advantages offered by these bacteria encompass heightened accessibility to nutrients, synthesis of phytohormones, facilitation of shoot and root growth, defense against numerous plant pathogens, and diminished disease susceptibility. Furthermore, PGPR contributes to plant resilience against environmental stresses like salinity and drought, alongside the synthesis of enzymes that mitigate the damaging effects of heavy metals. In the realm of sustainable agriculture, PGPR has emerged as a pivotal strategy, showcasing the potential to curtail the reliance on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. This is achieved by fostering plant vigour and health, as well as augmenting soil quality. While a multitude of investigations regarding PGPR can be found in the literature, this review places emphasis on studies that have practically applied PGPR to sustainable production. These applications enable a reduction in the consumption of fertilisers like phosphorus and nitrogen, as well as fungicides, while concurrently enhancing nutrient absorption. With the overarching aim of advancing sustainable agricultural practices, diverse aspects are covered in this review, including various government schemes and initiatives, innovative fertilisation methods, the role of seed microbiomes in rhizosphere colonisation, the diversity of rhizospheric microorganisms, nitrogen fixation as a means to minimise chemical fertiliser use, phosphorus solubilisation and mineralisation, and the synthesis of siderophores and phytohormones to decrease reliance on fungicides and pesticides.