Pub Date : 2025-07-12DOI: 10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100544
Paolo Pastorino , Alessandra Maganza , Camilla Mossotto , Serena Anselmi , Francesca Provenza , Alice Gabetti , Giuseppe Esposito , Caterina Faggio , Antonia Concetta Elia , Monia Renzi , Marino Prearo
Gadolinium (Gd), a rare earth element widely used in medical imaging and industry, is increasingly detected in aquatic environments. This study examines tissue-specific bioaccumulation and antioxidant responses in Procambarus clarkii following exposure to environmentally relevant Gd concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μg/L) over 14 days. Bioaccumulation was evident in the gills and hepatopancreas at higher exposure levels (10 and 100 μg/L), whereas muscle concentrations remained below the limit of quantification. Oxidative stress responses varied by tissue, with no clear trend revealed by the non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDs), suggesting limited antioxidant activation likely due to low Gd accumulation and short exposure duration. However, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity significantly increased in the gills and hepatopancreas at higher Gd concentrations. In contrast, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity showed inconsistent trends, while glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was elevated in hepatppancreas and muscle only at 0.1 μg/L. Lipid peroxidation was most pronounced in the gills. The Integrative Biomarker Response-Threshold (IBR-T) index revealed low-dose effects consistent with hormetic responses, highlighting biologically relevant alterations observed at the lowest Gd concentrations. These findings suggest that P. clarkii exhibits tissue-specific Gd bioaccumulation and oxidative stress responses, albeit with variable biomarker activation. Further research is needed to assess the long-term effects of Gd exposure in freshwater crustaceans, particularly given rising anthropogenic Gd inputs.
{"title":"Gadolinium exposure in Procambarus clarkii: tissue-specific bioaccumulation and oxidative stress responses","authors":"Paolo Pastorino , Alessandra Maganza , Camilla Mossotto , Serena Anselmi , Francesca Provenza , Alice Gabetti , Giuseppe Esposito , Caterina Faggio , Antonia Concetta Elia , Monia Renzi , Marino Prearo","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100544","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100544","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gadolinium (Gd), a rare earth element widely used in medical imaging and industry, is increasingly detected in aquatic environments. This study examines tissue-specific bioaccumulation and antioxidant responses in <em>Procambarus clarkii</em> following exposure to environmentally relevant Gd concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μg/L) over 14 days. Bioaccumulation was evident in the gills and hepatopancreas at higher exposure levels (10 and 100 μg/L), whereas muscle concentrations remained below the limit of quantification. Oxidative stress responses varied by tissue, with no clear trend revealed by the non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDs), suggesting limited antioxidant activation likely due to low Gd accumulation and short exposure duration. However, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity significantly increased in the gills and hepatopancreas at higher Gd concentrations. In contrast, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity showed inconsistent trends, while glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was elevated in hepatppancreas and muscle only at 0.1 μg/L. Lipid peroxidation was most pronounced in the gills. The Integrative Biomarker Response-Threshold (IBR-T) index revealed low-dose effects consistent with hormetic responses, highlighting biologically relevant alterations observed at the lowest Gd concentrations. These findings suggest that <em>P. clarkii</em> exhibits tissue-specific Gd bioaccumulation and oxidative stress responses, albeit with variable biomarker activation. Further research is needed to assess the long-term effects of Gd exposure in freshwater crustaceans, particularly given rising anthropogenic Gd inputs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100544"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144695261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The degradation of organophosphate pesticides in aquatic ecosystems is influenced by various environmental factors. This study investigates the influence of nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate on the degradation of malathion, a commonly used organophosphate pesticide, in the North Oconee River watershed in Georgia. Microcosm experiments were conducted to simulate environmental conditions and assess both microbial and non-microbial transformation pathways. Nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate were found to enhance malathion degradation through microbially mediated oxidative and hydrolytic pathways. The presence of mercuric chloride, which suppressed microbial activity, resulted in slower degradation rates across all conditions, underscoring the pivotal role of microbial communities in pesticide transformation. Non-targeted analyses identified key degradation products, including malaoxon, succinic acid, and diethyl succinate, primarily under nitrate and sulfate conditions, supporting the involvement of these anions in the degradation process. These findings highlight the complex interactions between nutrient dynamics and pesticide persistence, offering valuable insights for sustainable water management and pollution control in agro-impacted freshwater systems.
{"title":"Anion-mediated pathways in organophosphate degradation in the Oconee River watershed in Georgia","authors":"Grace Stamm , Gayatri Basapuram , Srimanti Duttagupta , Avishek Dutta","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100542","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100542","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The degradation of organophosphate pesticides in aquatic ecosystems is influenced by various environmental factors. This study investigates the influence of nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate on the degradation of malathion, a commonly used organophosphate pesticide, in the North Oconee River watershed in Georgia. Microcosm experiments were conducted to simulate environmental conditions and assess both microbial and non-microbial transformation pathways. Nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate were found to enhance malathion degradation through microbially mediated oxidative and hydrolytic pathways. The presence of mercuric chloride, which suppressed microbial activity, resulted in slower degradation rates across all conditions, underscoring the pivotal role of microbial communities in pesticide transformation. Non-targeted analyses identified key degradation products, including malaoxon, succinic acid, and diethyl succinate, primarily under nitrate and sulfate conditions, supporting the involvement of these anions in the degradation process. These findings highlight the complex interactions between nutrient dynamics and pesticide persistence, offering valuable insights for sustainable water management and pollution control in agro-impacted freshwater systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100542"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-05DOI: 10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100539
Zhi Zhang , Cheng Xin Wu , Qin Hui Lu , Xiu Yi Liang , Zhi Cheng Liang , Yi Yang
Environmental pollution caused by nano titanium dioxide (nTiO2) has become an increasingly pressing issue. Investigating environmental organisms capable of tolerating nTiO2 stress, along with their molecular responses, can help us combat such pollution. In this study, we used multi-omics approaches, genetic manipulation, and physiological and biochemical methods to analyze the responses of Physarum melleum GZ381—which tolerates anatase-type nTiO2 (nTiO2-A) approximately 30 nm in size—and its responsive biomolecules. We observed that the primary molecular response characteristic of GZ381 was related to metabolism. Furthermore, we found that GZ381 utilizes circular RNA08121 in a competitive endogenous RNA network to regulate the transcriptional abundance of many metabolism-related genes, facilitating metabolic reprogramming and conferring obvious anti-nTiO2-A stress capabilities. Based on these findings, we designed mitigation schemes that markedly enhanced the tolerance of various non-tolerant cells to nTiO2-A of different sizes (approximately 30, 60, and 90 nm) under light and dark conditions. Overall, this study reports some important biomolecules that can enhance cellular nTiO2-A resistance and may be used to combat such pollution in the future, deepens the understanding of environmental organisms, especially those tolerant to nTiO2 stress, and provides new inspiration for combating such pollution challenges.
{"title":"Molecular response of Physarum melleum GZ381 to anatase TiO2 nanoparticles: Characteristic and application","authors":"Zhi Zhang , Cheng Xin Wu , Qin Hui Lu , Xiu Yi Liang , Zhi Cheng Liang , Yi Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100539","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100539","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental pollution caused by nano titanium dioxide (nTiO<sub>2</sub>) has become an increasingly pressing issue. Investigating environmental organisms capable of tolerating nTiO<sub>2</sub> stress, along with their molecular responses, can help us combat such pollution. In this study, we used multi-omics approaches, genetic manipulation, and physiological and biochemical methods to analyze the responses of <em>Physarum melleum</em> GZ381—which tolerates anatase-type nTiO<sub>2</sub> (nTiO<sub>2</sub>-A) approximately 30 nm in size—and its responsive biomolecules. We observed that the primary molecular response characteristic of GZ381 was related to metabolism. Furthermore, we found that GZ381 utilizes circular RNA08121 in a competitive endogenous RNA network to regulate the transcriptional abundance of many metabolism-related genes, facilitating metabolic reprogramming and conferring obvious anti-nTiO<sub>2</sub>-A stress capabilities. Based on these findings, we designed mitigation schemes that markedly enhanced the tolerance of various non-tolerant cells to nTiO<sub>2</sub>-A of different sizes (approximately 30, 60, and 90 nm) under light and dark conditions. Overall, this study reports some important biomolecules that can enhance cellular nTiO<sub>2</sub>-A resistance and may be used to combat such pollution in the future, deepens the understanding of environmental organisms, especially those tolerant to nTiO<sub>2</sub> stress, and provides new inspiration for combating such pollution challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100539"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144587977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-03DOI: 10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100541
Miranda Brohman , Gretchen H. Roffler , Dimitrios Giarikos , David W. Kerstetter , Amy C. Hirons
Salmon are important fish taxa for humans and animals in hemiboreal and subarctic ecosystems. The presence of trace elements and their bioaccumulation across a marine food web raises potential health risk concerns associated with human consumption. Sixteen trace element concentrations and their health risk assessments were determined in seven different tissues from two Southeast Alaska salmon species. Chum salmon consistently had higher trace element concentrations which may be attributed to a wider variety of diets, generally longer lifespans, and more ocean time compared to pink salmon. Chum kidney and liver samples exceeded the tolerable daily intake for arsenic, indicating a significant risk to wildlife. However, muscle tissues revealed a low risk for human consumption. The target hazard quotients for chronic toxicological risk of all tissue samples did not exceed the hazardous threshold, and the carcinogenic risk values for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead all indicate a negligible cancer risk from human consumption. These results highlight the critical need for continuous monitoring of trace elements in salmon and the potential implications for both human and animal health.
{"title":"Salmon as an ecological pathway of contaminants into Alaskan food webs","authors":"Miranda Brohman , Gretchen H. Roffler , Dimitrios Giarikos , David W. Kerstetter , Amy C. Hirons","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100541","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100541","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Salmon are important fish taxa for humans and animals in hemiboreal and subarctic ecosystems. The presence of trace elements and their bioaccumulation across a marine food web raises potential health risk concerns associated with human consumption. Sixteen trace element concentrations and their health risk assessments were determined in seven different tissues from two Southeast Alaska salmon species. Chum salmon consistently had higher trace element concentrations which may be attributed to a wider variety of diets, generally longer lifespans, and more ocean time compared to pink salmon. Chum kidney and liver samples exceeded the tolerable daily intake for arsenic, indicating a significant risk to wildlife. However, muscle tissues revealed a low risk for human consumption. The target hazard quotients for chronic toxicological risk of all tissue samples did not exceed the hazardous threshold, and the carcinogenic risk values for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead all indicate a negligible cancer risk from human consumption. These results highlight the critical need for continuous monitoring of trace elements in salmon and the potential implications for both human and animal health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100541"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144587897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-25DOI: 10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100540
Shuting Pang , Tao Li , Ye Li , Yadong Shi , Donghao Wu , Ce Wang
The source apportionment and ecological risk assessment of antibiotics in plain river network areas have become a research hotspot. In this study, the Changxing Plain River Network in the Taihu Lake Basin was chosen as the research area, where the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model was used for source apportionment and the Risk Quotient (RQ) and Hazard Index (HI) method were applied for ecological risk assessment. Seasonal variations revealed that antibiotic concentrations were higher during the dry season (N.D-138 ng/L) compared to the wet season (N.D ∼ 22 ng/L), with concentrations in the Jiapu River significantly exceeding those in the other three rivers. PMF model identified four major pollution sources: aquaculture (11 %), diffuse pollution (42 %), urban sewage (30 %), and agriculture (17 %), with diffuse pollution being the largest contributor to antibiotic pollution. Antibiotic flux calculations indicated that the Jiapu River contributed the highest antibiotic load to Taihu Lake, followed by the Changxing River. Ecological risk analysis based on RQ values revealed that erythromycin (ERY), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and enrofloxacin (ENO) posed moderate risks during the dry season. This study underscores the impacts of various human activities on riverine antibiotic emissions; highlights the need for effective regulation of urban and diffuse pollution; and provides a scientific basis for the formulation of pollution prevention strategies for antibiotic management in Taihu Lake.
平原河网地区抗生素来源分配及生态风险评价已成为研究热点。本研究以太湖流域长兴平原河网为研究区，采用正矩阵分解（PMF）模型进行污染源划分，采用风险商（RQ）法和危害指数（HI）法进行生态风险评价。季节变化表明，旱季抗生素浓度（n d -138 ng/L）高于雨季（n d - 22 ng/L），其中嘉浦江的浓度显著高于其他3条河流。PMF模型确定了四个主要污染源：水产养殖（11%）、弥漫性污染（42%）、城市污水（30%）和农业（17%），其中弥漫性污染是抗生素污染的最大来源。抗生素通量计算结果表明，嘉浦江对太湖的抗生素负荷最大，其次是长兴江。基于RQ值的生态风险分析显示，红霉素（ERY）、磺胺甲恶唑（SMX）和恩诺沙星（ENO）在旱季具有中等风险。这项研究强调了各种人类活动对河流抗生素排放的影响；强调需要有效管制城市和扩散污染；为制定太湖抗生素污染防治策略提供科学依据。
{"title":"Seasonal differences, source, and fate of antibiotics in a plain river network-informed watershed","authors":"Shuting Pang , Tao Li , Ye Li , Yadong Shi , Donghao Wu , Ce Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100540","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100540","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The source apportionment and ecological risk assessment of antibiotics in plain river network areas have become a research hotspot. In this study, the Changxing Plain River Network in the Taihu Lake Basin was chosen as the research area, where the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model was used for source apportionment and the Risk Quotient (RQ) and Hazard Index (HI) method were applied for ecological risk assessment. Seasonal variations revealed that antibiotic concentrations were higher during the dry season (N.D-138 ng/L) compared to the wet season (N.D ∼ 22 ng/L), with concentrations in the Jiapu River significantly exceeding those in the other three rivers. PMF model identified four major pollution sources: aquaculture (11 %), diffuse pollution (42 %), urban sewage (30 %), and agriculture (17 %), with diffuse pollution being the largest contributor to antibiotic pollution. Antibiotic flux calculations indicated that the Jiapu River contributed the highest antibiotic load to Taihu Lake, followed by the Changxing River. Ecological risk analysis based on RQ values revealed that erythromycin (ERY), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and enrofloxacin (ENO) posed moderate risks during the dry season. This study underscores the impacts of various human activities on riverine antibiotic emissions; highlights the need for effective regulation of urban and diffuse pollution; and provides a scientific basis for the formulation of pollution prevention strategies for antibiotic management in Taihu Lake.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100540"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-24DOI: 10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100538
M.K. Akhil Nazim , Amitha Unnikrishnan , Anastasia Penkova , Charuvila T. Aravindakumar , Usha K. Aravind
Point-of-use (PoU) drinking water treatment systems using reverse osmosis (RO) are becoming increasingly popular. Over time, the membrane cartridges in these systems accumulate a concentrated layer of contaminants on their surfaces. This study focuses on analysing this fouling layer by performing autopsies on spent membrane cartridges from PoU units. Four used RO membranes were collected from rural and urban locations in Kerala, India. Two of these membranes treated groundwater in rural areas, while the other two were supplied by municipal water and groundwater in urban settings. The foulants desorbed from the membrane surfaces were analysed using a combination of spectroscopic, microscopic, and chromatographic methods. Non-target analysis (NTA) revealed the presence of micropollutants, including herbicides, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals. Toxic transformation products of diuron, namely 3,4-dichloroaniline and 3,4-dichlorophenyl-N-methylurea, were also detected. Raman spectroscopy identified polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and cotton microfibers, while inorganic foulants such as calcium, iron, silicon, and aluminium were also found. Infrared spectra confirmed that the membranes were composed of polypropylene, polysulfone, and polyurethane. Improper disposal of these end-of-life membranes risks reintroducing these contaminants into the environment.
使用反渗透（RO）的使用点（PoU）饮用水处理系统正变得越来越流行。随着时间的推移，这些系统中的膜盒在其表面积聚了一层浓缩的污染物。本研究的重点是通过对PoU装置的废膜盒进行尸检来分析这一污染层。从印度喀拉拉邦的农村和城市地区收集了四个使用过的反渗透膜。其中两种膜处理农村地区的地下水，另外两种由市政用水和城市地区的地下水提供。从膜表面解吸的污物用光谱、显微和色谱相结合的方法进行分析。非目标分析（NTA）揭示了微量污染物的存在，包括除草剂、个人护理产品和药品。同时还检测到二脲的毒性转化产物3,4-二氯苯胺和3,4-二氯苯基- n -甲基脲。拉曼光谱鉴定出了聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯（PET）和棉微纤维，同时还发现了钙、铁、硅和铝等无机杂质。红外光谱证实膜是由聚丙烯、聚砜和聚氨酯组成的。对这些报废膜的不当处理可能会使这些污染物重新进入环境。
{"title":"Unveiling the presence of toxic transformation products and microfibers on end-of-life RO membranes","authors":"M.K. Akhil Nazim , Amitha Unnikrishnan , Anastasia Penkova , Charuvila T. Aravindakumar , Usha K. Aravind","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Point-of-use (PoU) drinking water treatment systems using reverse osmosis (RO) are becoming increasingly popular. Over time, the membrane cartridges in these systems accumulate a concentrated layer of contaminants on their surfaces. This study focuses on analysing this fouling layer by performing autopsies on spent membrane cartridges from PoU units. Four used RO membranes were collected from rural and urban locations in Kerala, India. Two of these membranes treated groundwater in rural areas, while the other two were supplied by municipal water and groundwater in urban settings. The foulants desorbed from the membrane surfaces were analysed using a combination of spectroscopic, microscopic, and chromatographic methods. Non-target analysis (NTA) revealed the presence of micropollutants, including herbicides, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals. Toxic transformation products of diuron, namely 3,4-dichloroaniline and 3,4-dichlorophenyl-N-methylurea, were also detected. Raman spectroscopy identified polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and cotton microfibers, while inorganic foulants such as calcium, iron, silicon, and aluminium were also found. Infrared spectra confirmed that the membranes were composed of polypropylene, polysulfone, and polyurethane. Improper disposal of these end-of-life membranes risks reintroducing these contaminants into the environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100538"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144500865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-24DOI: 10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100537
Alejandra Villa , Nafiseh Salehi Siavashani , Estanislao Pujades-Garnes , Nicola Montemurro , Sandra Pérez , Jan Willem Foppen , Marc Teixidó , Anna Jurado
Pharmaceuticals are present in the environment from anthropogenic pollution sources, leading to groundwater contamination when reaching urban aquifers. Once in the subsurface, their fate depends on the hydrochemical processes and environmental conditions within the aquifer. In this context, this study investigates how different redox and temperature conditions affect the natural attenuation of pharmaceuticals in the subsurface. Batch experiments were conducted under oxic and suboxic (i.e., up to nitrate reduction) conditions and at two temperatures (25 °C and 35 °C). The controlled conditions achieved with parallel batch reactor systems allowed us a systematic investigation of the processes and factors involved in the fate of ten pharmaceuticals (atenolol, citalopram, climbazole, irbesartan, lamotrigine, sitagliptin, carbamazepine, metoprolol, trimethoprim, and venlafaxine), providing insights into the mechanisms governing their attenuation. The results showed that oxic conditions were highly effective in reducing pharmaceuticals concentrations, achieving up to 91 % attenuation for irbesartan, followed by citalopram (90 %), climbazole (77 %), sitagliptin (76 %) and metoprolol (75 %). Atenolol and climbazole were also attenuated regardless of redox conditions. High temperatures increased the total removal of citalopram, irbesartan, sitagliptin, and trimethoprim by 5–12 %, while slightly enhancing the sorption affinity of carbamazepine, irbesartan, and atenolol by 5 %. However, trimethoprim, carbamazepine, and lamotrigine were the most persistent compounds, with average removal rates of 6 %, 15 %, and 24 %, respectively. Overall, more than half of the targeted pharmaceuticals showed significant average removal (>60 %), highlighting the influence of the processes involved in groundwater on the natural attenuation of these compounds. Sorption seemed to be the primary process contributing to the target pharmaceuticals attenuation in oxic conditions, while biodegradation played a secondary role, particularly for atenolol and metoprolol. These findings contribute to improve our understanding of the behaviour of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environment and thus to improve management practices for better water quality.
{"title":"Exploring the influence of redox and temperature variations on the attenuation of pharmaceuticals in groundwater: Insights from parallel batch reactor experiments","authors":"Alejandra Villa , Nafiseh Salehi Siavashani , Estanislao Pujades-Garnes , Nicola Montemurro , Sandra Pérez , Jan Willem Foppen , Marc Teixidó , Anna Jurado","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pharmaceuticals are present in the environment from anthropogenic pollution sources, leading to groundwater contamination when reaching urban aquifers. Once in the subsurface, their fate depends on the hydrochemical processes and environmental conditions within the aquifer. In this context, this study investigates how different redox and temperature conditions affect the natural attenuation of pharmaceuticals in the subsurface. Batch experiments were conducted under oxic and suboxic (i.e., up to nitrate reduction) conditions and at two temperatures (25 °C and 35 °C). The controlled conditions achieved with parallel batch reactor systems allowed us a systematic investigation of the processes and factors involved in the fate of ten pharmaceuticals (atenolol, citalopram, climbazole, irbesartan, lamotrigine, sitagliptin, carbamazepine, metoprolol, trimethoprim, and venlafaxine), providing insights into the mechanisms governing their attenuation. The results showed that oxic conditions were highly effective in reducing pharmaceuticals concentrations, achieving up to 91 % attenuation for irbesartan, followed by citalopram (90 %), climbazole (77 %), sitagliptin (76 %) and metoprolol (75 %). Atenolol and climbazole were also attenuated regardless of redox conditions. High temperatures increased the total removal of citalopram, irbesartan, sitagliptin, and trimethoprim by 5–12 %, while slightly enhancing the sorption affinity of carbamazepine, irbesartan, and atenolol by 5 %. However, trimethoprim, carbamazepine, and lamotrigine were the most persistent compounds, with average removal rates of 6 %, 15 %, and 24 %, respectively. Overall, more than half of the targeted pharmaceuticals showed significant average removal (>60 %), highlighting the influence of the processes involved in groundwater on the natural attenuation of these compounds. Sorption seemed to be the primary process contributing to the target pharmaceuticals attenuation in oxic conditions, while biodegradation played a secondary role, particularly for atenolol and metoprolol. These findings contribute to improve our understanding of the behaviour of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environment and thus to improve management practices for better water quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100537"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144522280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-19DOI: 10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100532
Raphael N. Biata , Wendy Mabhulusa , Lethula E. Mofokeng , Rudzani Ratshiedana , Tshimangadzo S. Munonde , Edward N. Nxumalo
The efficient photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals in wastewater is critically important for environmental protection. The synthesis and characterization of NiFe-LDH/C for the photocatalytic degradation of selected β-blockers, specifically metoprolol, under UV light conditions were investigated in this study. The study aimed to explore the potential of NiFe-LDH/C as a catalyst for the degradation of metoprolol, a commonly used pharmaceutical compound in the treatment of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and chest pains, which is frequently detected in wastewater. The selection of NiFe-LDH/C was driven by the need for materials with high photocatalytic activity, the ability to generate reactive oxygen species and enhance charge separation, and stability under solar light. Activated carbon was employed as a support to increase the surface area and improve the dispersion of the LDH particles, thereby enhancing overall photocatalytic efficiency. The results showed that NiFe-LDH/C exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in degrading metoprolol under both UV and sunlight-mediated conditions, with degradation efficiencies of over 89 %. Furthermore, the characterization of the NiFe-LDH/C catalyst revealed its stability and recyclability, making it a promising candidate for the efficient removal of pharmaceutical compounds from wastewater through photocatalytic degradation. The characterization results showed that the NiFe-LDH/C exhibited a high degree of crystallinity and a well-defined layered structure. The photocatalytic experiments demonstrated that the NiFe-LDH/C was effective in degrading metoprolol and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was used to elucidate the degradation products of metoprolol in water.
{"title":"Efficient photocatalytic degradation of metoprolol using activated carbon supported NiFe-layered double hydroxides (NiFe-LDH/C) under solar-driven simulation","authors":"Raphael N. Biata , Wendy Mabhulusa , Lethula E. Mofokeng , Rudzani Ratshiedana , Tshimangadzo S. Munonde , Edward N. Nxumalo","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100532","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100532","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The efficient photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals in wastewater is critically important for environmental protection. The synthesis and characterization of NiFe-LDH/C for the photocatalytic degradation of selected β-blockers, specifically metoprolol, under UV light conditions were investigated in this study. The study aimed to explore the potential of NiFe-LDH/C as a catalyst for the degradation of metoprolol, a commonly used pharmaceutical compound in the treatment of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and chest pains, which is frequently detected in wastewater. The selection of NiFe-LDH/C was driven by the need for materials with high photocatalytic activity, the ability to generate reactive oxygen species and enhance charge separation, and stability under solar light. Activated carbon was employed as a support to increase the surface area and improve the dispersion of the LDH particles, thereby enhancing overall photocatalytic efficiency. The results showed that NiFe-LDH/C exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in degrading metoprolol under both UV and sunlight-mediated conditions, with degradation efficiencies of over 89 %. Furthermore, the characterization of the NiFe-LDH/C catalyst revealed its stability and recyclability, making it a promising candidate for the efficient removal of pharmaceutical compounds from wastewater through photocatalytic degradation. The characterization results showed that the NiFe-LDH/C exhibited a high degree of crystallinity and a well-defined layered structure. The photocatalytic experiments demonstrated that the NiFe-LDH/C was effective in degrading metoprolol and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was used to elucidate the degradation products of metoprolol in water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100532"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144364950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-19DOI: 10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100536
A. Domínguez-Liste , L. Espín-Moreno , M.O. Schweiss , A. Rodríguez-Carrillo , V. Mustieles , M.F. Fernandez , J. Arrebola , C. Freire , O. Ballesteros , J. Pérez-del-Palacio , F. Vela-Soria
Over the past century, anthropic activities in industrialized countries have generated exposure to a vast array of environmental chemical families. Many of these may have harmful effects on human health, and xenobiotic exposure during the fetal period is particularly concerning. Large-scale, open-ended characterization of the chemical exposome is increasingly investigated using non-targeted screening (NTS) and suspect screening (SS) approaches. The aim of this study was to increase knowledge of fetal exposure to xenobiotics by using NTS and SS to identify the presence of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) in human placenta samples. After comparing the performances of salt-assisted liquid-liquid extraction plus dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (SALLE-DLLME) and enhanced matrix removal (EMR) as sample preparation techniques, EMR was applied in 65 placenta samples from the BAZA Spanish cohort. Twenty-one compounds from various chemical classes were identified, including agrochemicals, preservatives, plasticizers, cosmetics, fabric dyes, fragrances, additives, industrial intermediates, and drugs, and some of these have not previously been reported in placenta samples. The findings confirm the crucial value of non-targeted methodologies for the comprehensive assessment of human exposure during the prenatal period and their potential to unveil previously unknown or overlooked exposures.
{"title":"Elucidation of chemicals of emerging concern in placenta by non-targeted and suspect screening approaches","authors":"A. Domínguez-Liste , L. Espín-Moreno , M.O. Schweiss , A. Rodríguez-Carrillo , V. Mustieles , M.F. Fernandez , J. Arrebola , C. Freire , O. Ballesteros , J. Pérez-del-Palacio , F. Vela-Soria","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100536","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100536","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past century, anthropic activities in industrialized countries have generated exposure to a vast array of environmental chemical families. Many of these may have harmful effects on human health, and xenobiotic exposure during the fetal period is particularly concerning. Large-scale, open-ended characterization of the chemical exposome is increasingly investigated using non-targeted screening (NTS) and suspect screening (SS) approaches. The aim of this study was to increase knowledge of fetal exposure to xenobiotics by using NTS and SS to identify the presence of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) in human placenta samples. After comparing the performances of salt-assisted liquid-liquid extraction plus dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (SALLE-DLLME) and enhanced matrix removal (EMR) as sample preparation techniques, EMR was applied in 65 placenta samples from the BAZA Spanish cohort. Twenty-one compounds from various chemical classes were identified, including agrochemicals, preservatives, plasticizers, cosmetics, fabric dyes, fragrances, additives, industrial intermediates, and drugs, and some of these have not previously been reported in placenta samples. The findings confirm the crucial value of non-targeted methodologies for the comprehensive assessment of human exposure during the prenatal period and their potential to unveil previously unknown or overlooked exposures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100536"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-13DOI: 10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100534
Bulelwa Batayi , Cornelius Rimayi , Peter Daso , Jonathan Okonkwo
We present a study of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in water samples from 48 sites in 8 South African provinces. Twenty-six targeted PFASs were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), after solid phase extraction (SPE). Of the different PFAS classes detected, the PFAS precursor 8:2 Fluorotelomer alcohol (8:2 FTOH) was among the prominent PFAS detected, with the sum concentration (∑8:2 FTOH, all sites) of 1042.1 ng L−1 (mean = 4.9 ng L−1, median = 1.1 ng L−1). In comparison, the most dominant legacy PFAS was PFBA, with the sum concentration (∑PFBA, all sites) of 8174.8 ng L−1 (mean = 146.7 ng L−1, median = 25.7 ng L−1). Out of the groups of PFASs, perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) were the most detected PFASs, though the average concentrations were not statistically significant (p > 0.05) between all the provinces assessed. Seasonally, the individual concentrations varied in each province, but generally, the concentrations were higher during the wet season than the dry season. Moreover, detection frequency (DF%) amongst the PFASs varied with only detections during the dry season achieving >70 %. Since PFASs were never manufactured in South Africa, the potential sources of PFAS contamination were linked to the use of PFAS containing products that may be used in the surroundings of the sampling sites. The potential sources identified were domestic and industrial discharges, agricultural activities, wastewater effluents and other anthropogenic activities. The non-dominance of the long-chain legacy PFASs may indicate a shift on the use of fluorinated alternatives. The trend could also be due to long chain PFAS adsorption on to solids such as sediments in the aquatic environment. In addition, the health assessment risk to humans from contaminated surface water was low to moderate for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and no significant risk was observed for the rest of the compounds at the detected concentrations.
我们提出了一项研究的全氟烷基和多氟烷基物质（PFASs）的水样从48个地点在南非8个省。采用固相萃取（SPE）后的液相色谱-串联质谱法（LC-MS/MS）对26种靶向PFASs进行分析。在检测到的不同PFAS类别中，PFAS前体8:2氟端粒醇（8:2 FTOH）是检测到的最突出的PFAS，其总浓度（∑8:2 FTOH，所有位点）为1042.1 ng L−1（平均值= 4.9 ng L−1，中位数= 1.1 ng L−1）。相比之下，最主要的遗留PFAS是PFBA，其总浓度（∑PFBA，所有位点）为8174.8 ng L−1（平均值= 146.7 ng L−1，中位数= 25.7 ng L−1）。在全氟辛烷磺酸中，全氟羧酸（PFCAs）是检出最多的全氟辛烷磺酸，尽管平均浓度没有统计学意义(p >；0.05)。各省份的浓度在季节上存在差异，但总体上雨季浓度高于旱季。此外，PFASs的检测频率（DF%）各不相同，仅在旱季检测达到70%。由于南非从未生产过全氟辛烷磺酸，因此全氟辛烷磺酸污染的潜在来源与可能在采样点周围使用的含有全氟辛烷磺酸的产品有关。确定的潜在来源是家庭和工业排放、农业活动、废水排放和其他人为活动。长链遗留全氟辛烷磺酸的不占主导地位可能表明氟化替代品的使用发生了转变。这种趋势也可能是由于长链PFAS吸附在固体上，如水生环境中的沉积物。此外，经健康评估，受污染地表水对人类造成的全氟辛烷酸（PFOA）和全氟辛烷磺酸（PFOS）的风险为低至中等水平，其余化合物在检测到的浓度下未观察到重大风险。
{"title":"Distribution of legacy, precursor and emerging per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances in environmental waters in South Africa and their potential health risk to the population","authors":"Bulelwa Batayi , Cornelius Rimayi , Peter Daso , Jonathan Okonkwo","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100534","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100534","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present a study of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in water samples from 48 sites in 8 South African provinces. Twenty-six targeted PFASs were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), after solid phase extraction (SPE). Of the different PFAS classes detected, the PFAS precursor 8:2 Fluorotelomer alcohol (8:2 FTOH) was among the prominent PFAS detected, with the sum concentration (∑8:2 FTOH, all sites) of 1042.1 ng L<sup>−1</sup> (mean = 4.9 ng L<sup>−1</sup>, median = 1.1 ng L<sup>−1</sup>). In comparison, the most dominant legacy PFAS was PFBA, with the sum concentration (∑PFBA, all sites) of 8174.8 ng L<sup>−1</sup> (mean = 146.7 ng L<sup>−1</sup>, median = 25.7 ng L<sup>−1</sup>). Out of the groups of PFASs, perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) were the most detected PFASs, though the average concentrations were not statistically significant (p > 0.05) between all the provinces assessed. Seasonally, the individual concentrations varied in each province, but generally, the concentrations were higher during the wet season than the dry season. Moreover, detection frequency (DF%) amongst the PFASs varied with only detections during the dry season achieving >70 %. Since PFASs were never manufactured in South Africa, the potential sources of PFAS contamination were linked to the use of PFAS containing products that may be used in the surroundings of the sampling sites. The potential sources identified were domestic and industrial discharges, agricultural activities, wastewater effluents and other anthropogenic activities. The non-dominance of the long-chain legacy PFASs may indicate a shift on the use of fluorinated alternatives. The trend could also be due to long chain PFAS adsorption on to solids such as sediments in the aquatic environment. In addition, the health assessment risk to humans from contaminated surface water was low to moderate for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and no significant risk was observed for the rest of the compounds at the detected concentrations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100534"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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