Ferroferric oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) are widely utilized as nanoenabled agrochemicals and soil remediation agents, with functional modification significantly enhancing their stability and biocompatibility. However, excessive use of Fe3O4 NPs may pose unassessed ecological risks in soils, particularly concerning the regulatory role of two most common surface modifiers as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and citric acid (CA) which influence the interactions of NPs with soil organisms and potential toxicity. This study evaluated the nanotoxic effects of bare Fe3O4 NPs (B-Fe3O4 NPs), CA-Fe3O4 NPs, and PVP-Fe3O4 NPs on Eisenia fetida in soil ecosystems. After 7 days of exposure, the B-, CA- and PVP-Fe3O4 NPs decreased the weight of the earthworms, caused oxidative stress and tissue damage. Functional Fe3O4 NPs showed increased accumulation in earthworms while alleviating oxidative stress and homeostatic imbalance by accelerating the activation of related enzymes. Moreover, hyperspectral and pathological observations indicated that CA and PVP modifications effectively alleviated tissue damage caused by Fe3O4 NPs via an improvement in NP biocompatibility, dispersion and stability evidenced by the levels of inositol metabolites, which has been upregulated more significantly by B-Fe3O4 NPs. Significant metabolic disturbances were observed, indicating that functional modifications forced earthworms to adjust amino acid metabolism and consume more energy to detoxify and repair damage. This work supplements the toxic assessment of Fe3O4 NPs and provides crucial insights for optimizing the safety of NPs through functionalization.

Recently, conventional viscosifiers exhibit limited effectiveness under deep formations due to their poor salt tolerance and low thermal resistance. To address the limitations, a thermo-responsive macromonomer (DAM) consisting of N,N-diethylacrylamide and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide was copolymerized with 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonate and chemically modified nano-silica (N-np) to obtain an effective thermo-thickening/Nano-SiO2 polymer composite (N-DPAM) via in-situ polymerization under optimal conditions. The molecular structure of N-DPAM was analyzed by FTIR and H-1 NMR, while rheological and rheometric responses under high temperature, salt dosages, and shear resistance were investigated. The rheometric results demonstrated that DPAM exhibits a viscosity increase of 235% from 65 to 160 degrees C, but rapidly decreased at 180 degrees C, whereas N-DPAM displayed stabilized thickening responses of 218% above 160 degrees C due to intercalation and self-assembly of N-np within the polymer matrix as temperature increases. The viscosity retention rate (VRR) at a high shear rate of 1021 s(-1) and 200 degrees C indicated that the solution viscosity of N-DPAM was observed at 55 mPa s, which is 13 times higher compared to DPAM solution at 4 mPa s. From the rheological results, the VRR of N-DPAM fluid observed at 68% was slightly lower than that of HE300 at 73%, a commercially available viscosity additive in a salt-free environment at 200 degrees C, but three times higher (63%) than HE300 (25%) in the salt-saturated environment (20% NaCl). Additionally, a study of N-DPAM fluid contaminated by shaly soil from Dagang Oilfield demonstrated excellent compatibility with a filtration control agent to control the viscosity and filtration volumes (< 10 mL) at 200 degrees C.