Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127664
Valentin Mingo , Manousos Foudoulakis , James R. Wheeler
{"title":"Corrigendum to ‘Mechanistic modelling of amphibian body burdens after dermal uptake of pesticides from soil’ [Environ. Pollut. volume 346 (2024), 123614]","authors":"Valentin Mingo , Manousos Foudoulakis , James R. Wheeler","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127664","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127664","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"393 ","pages":"Article 127664"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146117327","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 : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127730
Hannah J. O'Toole , Anchaleena James , Nathifa Nasim , Dustin J. Hadley , Elizabeth J. Hale , Qing He , Keith J. Bein , Anthony Valenzuela , Tatu Rojalin , Brittany N. Dugger , Anthony S. Wexler , Pamela J. Lein , Randy P. Carney
Chronic exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is linked to increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease (AD). Ultrafine particulate matter (UFPM) is a suspected driver of TRAP neurotoxicity, but its spatial interactions with AD pathology remain poorly defined. We investigated the distribution, composition, and pathological context of TRAP-derived UFPM in the hippocampus of TgF344-AD rats chronically exposed to TRAP or filtered air (FA) for 14 months. Using a multimodal imaging workflow that combines enhanced darkfield hyperspectral imaging (EDF-HSI) with confocal immunofluorescence for microglia (CD68/Iba1) and amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques (Thioflavin S), we mapped the localization and spectral properties of UFPM in situ. UFPM accumulation was elevated in TRAP-exposed females, suggesting sex-specific vulnerability in blood-brain barrier permeability or particle accumulation. Particles near plaques showed red-shifted spectral signatures, suggestive of biochemical transformation. Dimension reduction revealed clustering of particle spectra by TRAP exposure and plaque proximity. However, UFPM was rarely found within plaques or microglia, implying indirect neuroimmune modulation. These findings highlight a novel spatial and spectral imaging approach for characterizing environmental nanoparticle interactions in the brain and suggests chronic TRAP exposure may influence AD-related inflammation and pathology in a sex- and region-dependent manner in this rodent model.
{"title":"Spatial and spectral mapping of traffic-related nanoparticles in hippocampal subregions of an Alzheimer disease model","authors":"Hannah J. O'Toole , Anchaleena James , Nathifa Nasim , Dustin J. Hadley , Elizabeth J. Hale , Qing He , Keith J. Bein , Anthony Valenzuela , Tatu Rojalin , Brittany N. Dugger , Anthony S. Wexler , Pamela J. Lein , Randy P. Carney","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chronic exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is linked to increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease (AD). Ultrafine particulate matter (UFPM) is a suspected driver of TRAP neurotoxicity, but its spatial interactions with AD pathology remain poorly defined. We investigated the distribution, composition, and pathological context of TRAP-derived UFPM in the hippocampus of TgF344-AD rats chronically exposed to TRAP or filtered air (FA) for 14 months. Using a multimodal imaging workflow that combines enhanced darkfield hyperspectral imaging (EDF-HSI) with confocal immunofluorescence for microglia (CD68/Iba1) and amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques (Thioflavin S), we mapped the localization and spectral properties of UFPM <em>in situ</em>. UFPM accumulation was elevated in TRAP-exposed females, suggesting sex-specific vulnerability in blood-brain barrier permeability or particle accumulation. Particles near plaques showed red-shifted spectral signatures, suggestive of biochemical transformation. Dimension reduction revealed clustering of particle spectra by TRAP exposure and plaque proximity. However, UFPM was rarely found within plaques or microglia, implying indirect neuroimmune modulation. These findings highlight a novel spatial and spectral imaging approach for characterizing environmental nanoparticle interactions in the brain and suggests chronic TRAP exposure may influence AD-related inflammation and pathology in a sex- and region-dependent manner in this rodent model.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"393 ","pages":"Article 127730"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074975","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}
This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the occurrence, seasonal variations, and ecological risks of 484 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in the surface waters of the Yangtze River Delta. In winter, 209 CECs were detected, with industrial chemicals representing the most dominant category in terms of both concentration and proportion, underscoring industrial discharge as the primary source of pollution in the region. Significant seasonal shifts in contaminant composition were observed: industrial intermediates, surfactants, and antibiotics dominated in winter, whereas industrial intermediates, plasticizers, and herbicides prevailed in summer, reflecting the combined influence of climatic conditions and anthropogenic activities. Spatially, pollution hotspots varied dynamically with the seasons, concentrating in the highly industrialized Yangtze River basin during winter and shifting to the agriculturally intensive Taihu Lake basin in summer. Ecological risk assessment identified 18 high-risk substances, predominantly PPCPs and pesticides, among which the antifungal agent clotrimazole exhibited an extreme hazard quotient (HQ) exceeding 500. A core list of six compounds consistently posed high risks across both seasons. The risk evaluation further revealed pronounced species-specific sensitivity, with Daphnia magna being the most vulnerable, as well as notable seasonal variability, indicating that single-season assessments may underestimate the annual ecological risk. These findings provide a scientific basis for developing targeted region-, risk-, and season-specific management strategies for CECs in the Yangtze River Delta.
{"title":"Seasonal dynamics, risk prioritization, and management implications for industrial chemicals, pesticides, and PPCPs in the Yangtze River Delta","authors":"Ying Peng , Luhang She , Qiang Xu , Chenyang Sun , Jinzhi Ren , Yining Zhang , Ziqiang Guan , Xiaowei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127729","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the occurrence, seasonal variations, and ecological risks of 484 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in the surface waters of the Yangtze River Delta. In winter, 209 CECs were detected, with industrial chemicals representing the most dominant category in terms of both concentration and proportion, underscoring industrial discharge as the primary source of pollution in the region. Significant seasonal shifts in contaminant composition were observed: industrial intermediates, surfactants, and antibiotics dominated in winter, whereas industrial intermediates, plasticizers, and herbicides prevailed in summer, reflecting the combined influence of climatic conditions and anthropogenic activities. Spatially, pollution hotspots varied dynamically with the seasons, concentrating in the highly industrialized Yangtze River basin during winter and shifting to the agriculturally intensive Taihu Lake basin in summer. Ecological risk assessment identified 18 high-risk substances, predominantly PPCPs and pesticides, among which the antifungal agent clotrimazole exhibited an extreme hazard quotient (HQ) exceeding 500. A core list of six compounds consistently posed high risks across both seasons. The risk evaluation further revealed pronounced species-specific sensitivity, with <em>Daphnia magna</em> being the most vulnerable, as well as notable seasonal variability, indicating that single-season assessments may underestimate the annual ecological risk. These findings provide a scientific basis for developing targeted region-, risk-, and season-specific management strategies for CECs in the Yangtze River Delta.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 127729"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048041","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 : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127717
Meiqin Xie , Qing Chang , Chenfei Li , Qi Liu , Jiali Weng , Yi Feng , Hai Zhang , Mengnan Li , Kian Fan Chung , Ian M. Adcock , Xiaoyun Fan , Feng Li
Ambient ozone (O3), a ubiquitous oxidant gas and key component of photochemical smog, damages the airway epithelium, provokes oxidative stress, and sustains chronic inflammation, which favors the onset and advancement of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Yet the molecular sensors linking long-term ozone exposure to COPD remain incompletely defined. We examined whether the oxidant-sensitive channel Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) mediates ozone-driven murine model of COPD through the Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway. C57BL/6J or TRPA1-deficient mice underwent ozone exposure (2.5 ppm, 3 h/session) every 3 days for 2 months, following administration of either the TRPA1 antagonist A967079 or the Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin inhibitor XAV-939. Similarly, BEAS-2B cells treated with A967079 or XAV-939 or TRPA1-silenced cells were subjected to ozone (1 ppm, 3 h/day) for 4 consecutive days. Oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, emphysematous changes, mitochondrial dysfunction, and airway remodeling were assessed. In addition, gene set variation analysis (GSVA) was used to quantify Reactome Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway activity through public COPD transcriptomic cohorts. Pharmacological inhibition or genetic deficiency of TRPA1 significantly attenuated ozone-induced lung function impairment, and ozone-triggered oxidative stress, emphysematous changes, mitochondrial dysfunction, and airway remodeling. Notably, pharmacological suppression of the Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway using XAV-939 produced comparable protective effects to TRPA1 blockade in both ozone-exposed murine models and BEAS-2B cells. GSVA demonstrated tissue-specific associations between TRPA1 and Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway in COPD patients. TRPA1 mediates crucially ozone-induced COPD through modulation of the Wnt5a/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling. Therapeutic targeting of both TRPA1 and Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway may represent a promising intervention strategy for ozone-associated COPD pathogenesis. This study elucidates the mechanisms through which ambient O3 impairs respiratory health across the general population.
{"title":"TRPA1 mediates ozone-induced murine model of COPD through the Wnt5a/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway","authors":"Meiqin Xie , Qing Chang , Chenfei Li , Qi Liu , Jiali Weng , Yi Feng , Hai Zhang , Mengnan Li , Kian Fan Chung , Ian M. Adcock , Xiaoyun Fan , Feng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127717","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127717","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ambient ozone (O<sub>3</sub>), a ubiquitous oxidant gas and key component of photochemical smog, damages the airway epithelium, provokes oxidative stress, and sustains chronic inflammation, which favors the onset and advancement of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Yet the molecular sensors linking long-term ozone exposure to COPD remain incompletely defined. We examined whether the oxidant-sensitive channel Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) mediates ozone-driven murine model of COPD through the Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway. C57BL/6J or TRPA1-deficient mice underwent ozone exposure (2.5 ppm, 3 h/session) every 3 days for 2 months, following administration of either the TRPA1 antagonist A967079 or the Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin inhibitor XAV-939. Similarly, BEAS-2B cells treated with A967079 or XAV-939 or TRPA1-silenced cells were subjected to ozone (1 ppm, 3 h/day) for 4 consecutive days. Oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, emphysematous changes, mitochondrial dysfunction, and airway remodeling were assessed. In addition, gene set variation analysis (GSVA) was used to quantify Reactome Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway activity through public COPD transcriptomic cohorts. Pharmacological inhibition or genetic deficiency of TRPA1 significantly attenuated ozone-induced lung function impairment, and ozone-triggered oxidative stress, emphysematous changes, mitochondrial dysfunction, and airway remodeling. Notably, pharmacological suppression of the Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway using XAV-939 produced comparable protective effects to TRPA1 blockade in both ozone-exposed murine models and BEAS-2B cells. GSVA demonstrated tissue-specific associations between TRPA1 and Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway in COPD patients. TRPA1 mediates crucially ozone-induced COPD through modulation of the Wnt5a/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling. Therapeutic targeting of both TRPA1 and Wnt5a/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway may represent a promising intervention strategy for ozone-associated COPD pathogenesis. This study elucidates the mechanisms through which ambient O<sub>3</sub> impairs respiratory health across the general population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"393 ","pages":"Article 127717"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034148","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 : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127728
Muhammad Naveed , Zulqarnain Satti , Muhammad Mateen Tahir , Qazi Muhammad Yasir , Hui Li , Faming Wang
Air pollution remains a major global health and climate challenge, contributing to 6.7–8 million premature deaths annually. Using six years (2019–2024) of monthly Sentinel-5P (NO 2, SO 2, CO, O 3, and HCHO) and ERA5-Land meteorological data, this study quantified the seasonal variability, spatial regimes, and temporal evolution of global atmospheric composition. Strong and statistically significant seasonality was confirmed (ANOVA p < 0.001), with NO2 increasing by up to 40 % in winter over South and East Asia and O3 increasing by 35 % in summer across the mid-latitudes. Seasonal Mann-Kendall trends revealed significant global increases in NO2 (τ = 0.50), HCHO (τ = 0.71), O3 (τ = 0.59), and temperature, while CO and SO2 displayed regionally mixed responses. Temperature was strongly correlated with O3 (r = 0.52) and NO2 (r = 0.68), whereas precipitation, humidity, and wind predominantly suppressed the accumulation of primary pollutants, highlighting the dominant influence of climate forcing. Biomass-burning regions in Africa and South America exhibited CO peaks exceeding two-fold background levels, whereas emission controls contributed to regional SO2 and NO2 reductions elsewhere. In particular, statistically significant declines in NO2 and SO2 across Europe and parts of East Asia are consistent with the effectiveness of emission control policies targeting the power generation, industrial activity, and transportation sectors. Despite providing globally consistent coverage, TROPOMI retrieval uncertainties and the absence of universal in situ validation introduce residual observational uncertainty. These insights into pollutant seasonality and short-term directional trends provide actionable information for air quality management, enabling improved seasonal forecasting, early warning assessments, and more targeted mitigation strategies at regional to global scales.
{"title":"Characterizing global air pollution seasonality and trends through integrated satellite and meteorological analytics","authors":"Muhammad Naveed , Zulqarnain Satti , Muhammad Mateen Tahir , Qazi Muhammad Yasir , Hui Li , Faming Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127728","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127728","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Air pollution remains a major global health and climate challenge, contributing to 6.7–8 million premature deaths annually. Using six years (2019–2024) of monthly Sentinel-5P (NO <sub>2</sub>, SO <sub>2</sub>, CO, O <sub>3</sub>, and HCHO) and ERA5-Land meteorological data, this study quantified the seasonal variability, spatial regimes, and temporal evolution of global atmospheric composition. Strong and statistically significant seasonality was confirmed (ANOVA p < 0.001), with NO<sub>2</sub> increasing by up to 40 % in winter over South and East Asia and O<sub>3</sub> increasing by 35 % in summer across the mid-latitudes. Seasonal Mann-Kendall trends revealed significant global increases in NO<sub>2</sub> (τ = 0.50), HCHO (τ = 0.71), O<sub>3</sub> (τ = 0.59), and temperature, while CO and SO<sub>2</sub> displayed regionally mixed responses. Temperature was strongly correlated with O<sub>3</sub> (r = 0.52) and NO<sub>2</sub> (r = 0.68), whereas precipitation, humidity, and wind predominantly suppressed the accumulation of primary pollutants, highlighting the dominant influence of climate forcing. Biomass-burning regions in Africa and South America exhibited CO peaks exceeding two-fold background levels, whereas emission controls contributed to regional SO<sub>2</sub> and NO<sub>2</sub> reductions elsewhere. In particular, statistically significant declines in NO<sub>2</sub> and SO<sub>2</sub> across Europe and parts of East Asia are consistent with the effectiveness of emission control policies targeting the power generation, industrial activity, and transportation sectors. Despite providing globally consistent coverage, TROPOMI retrieval uncertainties and the absence of universal in situ validation introduce residual observational uncertainty. These insights into pollutant seasonality and short-term directional trends provide actionable information for air quality management, enabling improved seasonal forecasting, early warning assessments, and more targeted mitigation strategies at regional to global scales.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"393 ","pages":"Article 127728"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033380","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 : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127726
Anna Lippold , Mélanie F. Guigueno , Marilou Lalumière , Chavy Dworkind , Alison Aube , Amy Smith-Dijak , Brenda Toscano-Marquez , Anna A. Cook , Alanna J. Watt , Jonathan Verreault
Exposure to environmental contaminants, such as halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) and trace elements, has been associated with a several health effects, including neurotoxicity. However, information on contaminant concentrations in brain tissue and factors influencing their accumulation and exposure-related effects are limited in wild birds. We quantified 45 HFRs and 16 trace elements in brain of ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) breeding in a highly urbanized environment and related their concentrations to foraging habitat use and a range of coarse and fine-scale neuroanatomical measures. Ten polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), and anti-dechlorane plus (anti-DP) were detected in over 80 % of brain samples, as well as cobalt, nickel, copper, selenium, silver, cadmium, lead, and mercury. For certain compounds or elements, brain concentrations correlated with foraging habitat use, for example, PBDEs and lead increased with the proportion of time gulls spent foraging in waste management facilities. Additionally, we found correlations between brain contaminant concentrations and certain brain measures. For example, the number of immature neurons in the nucleus pretectalis principalis (Pt), a region in the visual system in birds, correlated negatively with brain concentrations of PBDEs and lead. Our results showed that urban-adapted ring-billed gulls accumulate a wide range of HFRs and trace elements in brain tissue, and that some of these contaminants might be associated with variations in selected neural measures. Although the present correlative study cannot establish causality, these findings highlight potential toxicity pathways in the avian brain that warrant mechanistic investigation under controlled conditions.
{"title":"Brain concentrations of flame retardants and trace elements related to habitat use and brain measures in an urban-adapted gull","authors":"Anna Lippold , Mélanie F. Guigueno , Marilou Lalumière , Chavy Dworkind , Alison Aube , Amy Smith-Dijak , Brenda Toscano-Marquez , Anna A. Cook , Alanna J. Watt , Jonathan Verreault","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127726","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127726","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Exposure to environmental contaminants, such as halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) and trace elements, has been associated with a several health effects, including neurotoxicity. However, information on contaminant concentrations in brain tissue and factors influencing their accumulation and exposure-related effects are limited in wild birds. We quantified 45 HFRs and 16 trace elements in brain of ring-billed gulls (<em>Larus delawarensis</em>) breeding in a highly urbanized environment and related their concentrations to foraging habitat use and a range of coarse and fine-scale neuroanatomical measures. Ten polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), and <em>anti</em>-dechlorane plus (<em>anti</em>-DP) were detected in over 80 % of brain samples, as well as cobalt, nickel, copper, selenium, silver, cadmium, lead, and mercury. For certain compounds or elements, brain concentrations correlated with foraging habitat use, for example, PBDEs and lead increased with the proportion of time gulls spent foraging in waste management facilities. Additionally, we found correlations between brain contaminant concentrations and certain brain measures. For example, the number of immature neurons in the nucleus pretectalis principalis (Pt), a region in the visual system in birds, correlated negatively with brain concentrations of PBDEs and lead. Our results showed that urban-adapted ring-billed gulls accumulate a wide range of HFRs and trace elements in brain tissue, and that some of these contaminants might be associated with variations in selected neural measures. Although the present correlative study cannot establish causality, these findings highlight potential toxicity pathways in the avian brain that warrant mechanistic investigation under controlled conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 127726"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146045946","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}
Air pollution is a complex mixture of particles and gases, and its characterization by physical and chemical methods may not fully capture health-relevant effects. Assessing how pollutants interact with living cells provides complementary insight into their potential harmful effects. An integrated “Cells-on-Particles” platform was employed to assess the cytotoxicity of indoor and outdoor PM2.5 using human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. In this model, cells are directly cultured on collected aerosol particles, enabling an assessment of particle-induced cellular responses. The biological assay was complemented by an acellular dithiothreitol (DTT) assay, which quantifies the oxidative activity of particles and provides insight into their redox activity. Both indoor and outdoor PM2.5 induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with outdoor particles showing stronger effects and higher DTT activity. A strong inverse linear association between DTT activity and cell viability was observed (for indoor R2 = 0.96; for outdoor R2 = 0.99), consistent with oxidative activity contributing to the observed cellular effects within this dataset. Under the indoor sampling conditions and PM2.5 size-selective collection, indoor PM2.5 was consistent with predominantly infiltrated outdoor fine particles. The indoor-outdoor differences may reflect infiltration and indoor residence processes. These results demonstrate that integrating the “Cells-on-Particles” exposure model with the DTT assay provides an integrated, a deposition-relevant approach for evaluating the toxicological impact of complex aerosol mixtures.
{"title":"Combined cellular (Cells-on-Particles) and acellular (DTT) assessment of indoor vs outdoor PM2.5 toxicity","authors":"Gaile Poceviciute , Violeta Kauneliene , Edvardas Bagdonas , Darius Ciuzas , Martynas Tichonovas , Jurgita Ovadnevaite , Monika Eimutyte , Dainius Martuzevicius","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Air pollution is a complex mixture of particles and gases, and its characterization by physical and chemical methods may not fully capture health-relevant effects. Assessing how pollutants interact with living cells provides complementary insight into their potential harmful effects. An integrated “Cells-on-Particles” platform was employed to assess the cytotoxicity of indoor and outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> using human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. In this model, cells are directly cultured on collected aerosol particles, enabling an assessment of particle-induced cellular responses. The biological assay was complemented by an acellular dithiothreitol (DTT) assay, which quantifies the oxidative activity of particles and provides insight into their redox activity. Both indoor and outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with outdoor particles showing stronger effects and higher DTT activity. A strong inverse linear association between DTT activity and cell viability was observed (for indoor R<sup>2</sup> = 0.96; for outdoor R<sup>2</sup> = 0.99), consistent with oxidative activity contributing to the observed cellular effects within this dataset. Under the indoor sampling conditions and PM<sub>2.5</sub> size-selective collection, indoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> was consistent with predominantly infiltrated outdoor fine particles. The indoor-outdoor differences may reflect infiltration and indoor residence processes. These results demonstrate that integrating the “Cells-on-Particles” exposure model with the DTT assay provides an integrated, a deposition-relevant approach for evaluating the toxicological impact of complex aerosol mixtures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"393 ","pages":"Article 127727"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034149","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}
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in PM2.5 have received great attention due to their potential risks to human health and ecological balance. The distribution and abundance of ARGs are known to be influenced by various environmental factors. However, the effect of ozone—a major atmospheric pollutant—on the abundance of ARGs in PM2.5 remains poorly understood. In this study, we show that as ozone pollution levels increase, the abundance of eight typical ARGs in PM2.5 collected from four monitoring sites across three representative cities in China's Jianghuai region generally decreases. Notably, tetW, sul1, and blaTEM genes exhibit the most substantial reduction in abundance, demonstrating the highest sensitivity to ozone. Ozone affects the abundance of these three ARGs through both vertical and horizontal gene transfer, but with differing mechanisms. For vertical gene transfer, ozone reduces the abundance of these sensitive ARGs by inhibiting potential bacterial hosts. The identity of these potential hosts varies depending on the type of ARG and the sampling location. For horizontal gene transfer, ozone diminishes the abundance of tetW and blaTEM genes by reducing the abundance of mobile genetic elements. In contrast, the guanine-rich and ozone-responsive sul1 gene is primarily decreased through ozone-driven efficient degradation of extracellular sul1. These findings advance our understanding on the interactions between atmospheric pollutants and antibiotic resistance, providing a theoretical foundation for accurately assessing their human exposure risks.
{"title":"Mechanistic insights into ozone-induced reduction in antibiotic resistance gene abundance in PM2.5","authors":"Tong Li, Jiajia Wu, Zhenglong Kuai, Mulan Cui, Tingting Du, Lijun Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127725","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127725","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in PM<sub>2.5</sub> have received great attention due to their potential risks to human health and ecological balance. The distribution and abundance of ARGs are known to be influenced by various environmental factors. However, the effect of ozone—a major atmospheric pollutant—on the abundance of ARGs in PM<sub>2.5</sub> remains poorly understood. In this study, we show that as ozone pollution levels increase, the abundance of eight typical ARGs in PM<sub>2.5</sub> collected from four monitoring sites across three representative cities in China's Jianghuai region generally decreases. Notably, <em>tetW</em>, <em>sul1</em>, and <em>blaTEM</em> genes exhibit the most substantial reduction in abundance, demonstrating the highest sensitivity to ozone. Ozone affects the abundance of these three ARGs through both vertical and horizontal gene transfer, but with differing mechanisms. For vertical gene transfer, ozone reduces the abundance of these sensitive ARGs by inhibiting potential bacterial hosts. The identity of these potential hosts varies depending on the type of ARG and the sampling location. For horizontal gene transfer, ozone diminishes the abundance of <em>tetW</em> and <em>blaTEM</em> genes by reducing the abundance of mobile genetic elements. In contrast, the guanine-rich and ozone-responsive <em>sul1</em> gene is primarily decreased through ozone-driven efficient degradation of extracellular <em>sul1</em>. These findings advance our understanding on the interactions between atmospheric pollutants and antibiotic resistance, providing a theoretical foundation for accurately assessing their human exposure risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"393 ","pages":"Article 127725"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033382","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 : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127721
Zhou Fang , Xuan Hu , Yaqin Yu , Qiulai Yin , Qiu Qin
Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT) can be used as an effective supplement of the water pollutant monitoring. However, long-term application and verification of the DGT technique in nature waters have been limited due to the substantial effort required to compare DGT results with those obtained from grab sampling. This study compared the concentrations of a variety of trace elements and emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) measured using DGT and grab sampling method during long-term in field. The results show that the precision and accuracy of DGT can meet the technical requirements. The concentrations of selected trace elements, EOCs and phosphorus were determined in freshwater systems (six rivers and two lakes) across various cities and seawater systems (two sampling sites in Yancheng) during different seasons. The sources and seasonal variations of these pollutants were analyzed. The results show the concentrations of trace elements in the surface water of Nanjing and Yancheng were in the ranges of 0.010–8.97 and 0.010–47.1 μg L−1, respectively. While the EOCs in the surface water of Nanjing and Yancheng changed within the range of 0.111–390 and 0.110–207 ng L−1, respectively. Surface waters in Yancheng expressed lower EOC pollutant concentrations than the surface waters in Nanjing (except for PFOA, PFOS and OPFRs). During summer and autumn, the pollutant concentrations were lower than that during spring and winter (except for pesticides). Concentrations of NH4-N, NO3-N, and phosphorus were also measured via grab sampling and DGT for water quality assessment. The Predicted No-Effect Concentrations (PNECs) of the target trace elements and EOCs were calculated to evaluate the environmental risks of these substances on aquatic species. The levels of most target detected in this work did not appear to present risks to the aquatic species. However, a few substances showed moderate or high risk.
{"title":"Seasonal dynamics of multiple pollutants across a spectrum of aquatic environments: Insights from long-term diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) technique field monitoring","authors":"Zhou Fang , Xuan Hu , Yaqin Yu , Qiulai Yin , Qiu Qin","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127721","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127721","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT) can be used as an effective supplement of the water pollutant monitoring. However, long-term application and verification of the DGT technique in nature waters have been limited due to the substantial effort required to compare DGT results with those obtained from grab sampling. This study compared the concentrations of a variety of trace elements and emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) measured using DGT and grab sampling method during long-term in field. The results show that the precision and accuracy of DGT can meet the technical requirements. The concentrations of selected trace elements, EOCs and phosphorus were determined in freshwater systems (six rivers and two lakes) across various cities and seawater systems (two sampling sites in Yancheng) during different seasons. The sources and seasonal variations of these pollutants were analyzed. The results show the concentrations of trace elements in the surface water of Nanjing and Yancheng were in the ranges of 0.010–8.97 and 0.010–47.1 μg L<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. While the EOCs in the surface water of Nanjing and Yancheng changed within the range of 0.111–390 and 0.110–207 ng L<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. Surface waters in Yancheng expressed lower EOC pollutant concentrations than the surface waters in Nanjing (except for PFOA, PFOS and OPFRs). During summer and autumn, the pollutant concentrations were lower than that during spring and winter (except for pesticides). Concentrations of NH<sub>4</sub>-N, NO<sub>3</sub>-N, and phosphorus were also measured via grab sampling and DGT for water quality assessment. The Predicted No-Effect Concentrations (PNECs) of the target trace elements and EOCs were calculated to evaluate the environmental risks of these substances on aquatic species. The levels of most target detected in this work did not appear to present risks to the aquatic species. However, a few substances showed moderate or high risk.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"393 ","pages":"Article 127721"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033378","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 : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127713
Molly Hadley , Laura Rodwell , Matt Stewart , Daniel Crowther , Jasper Linley-Adams , Sian Craig , Suzanne Thomas , Anthony Gravell , Isabelle Durance , Ian P. Vaughan , S.J. Ormerod
Chemicals from pet flea-treatments or sheep-dips sometimes exceed no-effect concentrations in rivers. We investigated three such compounds – imidacloprid, fipronil and diazinon – in nine Welsh rivers during 2021–2023. We analysed 140 grab samples using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/Q-TOF-MS) to assess how concentrations varied i) within and among rural and urban rivers in relation to wastewater inputs; ii) with an indicator of wastewater contamination, caffeine, and iii) with flow. We assessed fish and macroinvertebrate communities along a concentration gradient in the most contaminated stream. Imidacloprid (0–76 ng/L) occurred in 77 % of samples and fipronil (0–35 ng/L) in 44 %. Odds of detection were 26X and 8X greater in urban than rural sites for imidacloprid and fipronil, respectively, exceeding predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) in 38 % and 44 % of urban samples. Both compounds increased downstream in urban reaches i) receiving wastewater outfalls and ii) where sewer misconnections apparently impacted invertebrate communities. Significant correlations with caffeine confirmed links with wastewater. Imidacloprid, fipronil and caffeine were modelled effectively from Wastewater Treatment (WWTP) discharge, but model residuals were consistent with additional effects from misconnected sewers. In contrast, diazinon occurred patchily linked to livestock farming in the Wye (174 ng/L), Tywi (29 ng/L) and Ely (94 ng/L). Flow effects on all concentrations were weak.
These data provide important support for the role of ‘down the drain’ routes through which compounds used as pet flea-treatments reach British rivers, for the first time revealing that misconnected sewers might increase imidacloprid concentrations sufficient for observable biological effects.
{"title":"Occurrence, patterns and previously overlooked sources of three veterinary ectoparasiticides in rural and urban Welsh rivers","authors":"Molly Hadley , Laura Rodwell , Matt Stewart , Daniel Crowther , Jasper Linley-Adams , Sian Craig , Suzanne Thomas , Anthony Gravell , Isabelle Durance , Ian P. Vaughan , S.J. Ormerod","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127713","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127713","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chemicals from pet flea-treatments or sheep-dips sometimes exceed no-effect concentrations in rivers. We investigated three such compounds – imidacloprid, fipronil and diazinon – in nine Welsh rivers during 2021–2023. We analysed 140 grab samples using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/Q-TOF-MS) to assess how concentrations varied i) within and among rural and urban rivers in relation to wastewater inputs; ii) with an indicator of wastewater contamination, caffeine, and iii) with flow. We assessed fish and macroinvertebrate communities along a concentration gradient in the most contaminated stream. Imidacloprid (0–76 ng/L) occurred in 77 % of samples and fipronil (0–35 ng/L) in 44 %. Odds of detection were 26X and 8X greater in urban than rural sites for imidacloprid and fipronil, respectively, exceeding predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) in 38 % and 44 % of urban samples. Both compounds increased downstream in urban reaches i) receiving wastewater outfalls and ii) where sewer misconnections apparently impacted invertebrate communities. Significant correlations with caffeine confirmed links with wastewater. Imidacloprid, fipronil and caffeine were modelled effectively from Wastewater Treatment (WWTP) discharge, but model residuals were consistent with additional effects from misconnected sewers. In contrast, diazinon occurred patchily linked to livestock farming in the Wye (174 ng/L), Tywi (29 ng/L) and Ely (94 ng/L). Flow effects on all concentrations were weak.</div><div>These data provide important support for the role of ‘down the drain’ routes through which compounds used as pet flea-treatments reach British rivers, for the first time revealing that misconnected sewers might increase imidacloprid concentrations sufficient for observable biological effects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 127713"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146043642","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}