Microbial degradation processes largely govern the fate of organic contaminants in the environment. Therefore, reliable evaluation of in situ biodegradation is essential for effective on-site contaminant management. Although compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) shows significant potential for assessing in situ attenuation and evaluating chemical and biodegradation mechanisms, empirical evidence supporting its application in the microbial degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is still lacking. Microbial degradation of trace persistent organic pollutants is a multifaceted process influenced by various factors, with substrate concentration being a key factor affecting isotopic fractionation. Herein, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time, batch biodegradation experiments were conducted for analyzing the kinetics and carbon/chlorine isotope fractionation of chiral substrates (−)/(+)-PCB132 by Dehalococcoides mccartyi CG1 at varying substrate concentrations (0.3, 1.7, 2.4, 3.5, and 4.7 μM). The dechlorination of (−)/(+)-PCB132 was predominantly consistent with pseudo-first-order kinetics (kobs) in most cases. However, when the ratio of substrate concentration to the density of functional microorganisms falls below a specific threshold (<5.3 × 10−3 μmol /(× 1010 CG1 cells)), a decline in observed kobs is noted as degradation time increases, ultimately approaching the lower limit of bioavailability (kobs = 0). Notably, substantial normal isotope fractionation was observed for the first time during the anaerobic degradation of (−)/(+)-PCB132, with the isotopic enrichment factor (ƐC) varying from −1.27 ± 0.18‰ to −2.22 ± 0.01 for (−)/(+)-PCB132. Our findings indicate that, in addition to the effect of substrate concentration, the observed isotope fractionation of (−)/(+)-PCB132 was considerably affected by putative biodegradation activity. Enhanced activity within the anaerobic degradation system resulted in pronounced isotope masking. This study aims to contribute to a foundational understanding of bacterial reductive dehalogenation of PCBs at differing substrate concentrations while considering bioavailability.
{"title":"Insights into anaerobic biotransformation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Dehalococcoides mccartyi CG1 through Kinetic and Stable Isotopic Analysis","authors":"Yanting Zhang, Yanhong Zeng, Chenchen Huang, Zijian Pan, Yiye Jiang, Qihong Lu, Shanquan Wang, Yankuan Tian, Shutao Gao, Xiaojun Luo, Ping’an Peng, Bixian Mai","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125826","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125826","url":null,"abstract":"Microbial degradation processes largely govern the fate of organic contaminants in the environment. Therefore, reliable evaluation of in situ biodegradation is essential for effective on-site contaminant management. Although compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) shows significant potential for assessing in situ attenuation and evaluating chemical and biodegradation mechanisms, empirical evidence supporting its application in the microbial degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is still lacking. Microbial degradation of trace persistent organic pollutants is a multifaceted process influenced by various factors, with substrate concentration being a key factor affecting isotopic fractionation. Herein, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time, batch biodegradation experiments were conducted for analyzing the kinetics and carbon/chlorine isotope fractionation of chiral substrates (−)/(+)-PCB132 by <em>Dehalococcoides mccartyi</em> CG1 at varying substrate concentrations (0.3, 1.7, 2.4, 3.5, and 4.7 μM). The dechlorination of (−)/(+)-PCB132 was predominantly consistent with pseudo-first-order kinetics (k<sub>obs</sub>) in most cases. However, when the ratio of substrate concentration to the density of functional microorganisms falls below a specific threshold (<5.3 × 10<sup>−3</sup> μmol /(× 10<sup>10</sup> CG1 cells)), a decline in observed k<sub>obs</sub> is noted as degradation time increases, ultimately approaching the lower limit of bioavailability (k<sub>obs</sub> = 0). Notably, substantial normal isotope fractionation was observed for the first time during the anaerobic degradation of (−)/(+)-PCB132, with the isotopic enrichment factor (Ɛ<sub>C</sub>) varying from −1.27 ± 0.18‰ to −2.22 ± 0.01 for (−)/(+)-PCB132. Our findings indicate that, in addition to the effect of substrate concentration, the observed isotope fractionation of (−)/(+)-PCB132 was considerably affected by putative biodegradation activity. Enhanced activity within the anaerobic degradation system resulted in pronounced isotope masking. This study aims to contribute to a foundational understanding of bacterial reductive dehalogenation of PCBs at differing substrate concentrations while considering bioavailability.","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143367611","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 : 2025-02-07DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125824
Lucía Rivas-Iglesias , Álvaro Gutiérrez , Eduardo Dopico , Sara Fernández , Verónica Soto-López , Eva Garcia-Vazquez
In the life of the endangered but still fished Anguilla anguilla, glass eels are recruited through estuaries. These fragile ecosystems are among the most disturbed on the planet. Here, heavy metals and microplastics were measured in estuary water and European glass eels entering bay of Biscay rivers of different size and anthropogenic stress. Eels from all the estuaries exhibited cadmium exceeding legal European limits, as happened with lead in samples from the highly disturbed Avilés estuary. Several water samples from small rivers surpassed the estimated limit of microplastic for ecotoxicological safety. In multiple regression analysis, both eel lead and microplastic content were significantly explained from shipping activity in the estuaries. Eel cadmium content was not associated with estuary stressors, being probably acquired during the oceanic migration of eel larvae. The presence in eels of new white polyethylene particles that had not been found previously in the region could be explained from the marine plastic spill of “Toconao” cargo in December. The same spill could explain a significant increase of microplastic bioconcentration in the glass eels in comparison with previous surveys. These risks for critically endangered eels, and for the consumers, highlight the urgent need for reducing the impact of contaminants on both local and global scales.
{"title":"Endangered, exploited glass eels (Anguilla anguilla) with critical levels of heavy metals and microplastics reveal both shipping and plastic spill threats","authors":"Lucía Rivas-Iglesias , Álvaro Gutiérrez , Eduardo Dopico , Sara Fernández , Verónica Soto-López , Eva Garcia-Vazquez","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125824","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125824","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the life of the endangered but still fished <em>Anguilla anguilla</em>, glass eels are recruited through estuaries. These fragile ecosystems are among the most disturbed on the planet. Here, heavy metals and microplastics were measured in estuary water and European glass eels entering bay of Biscay rivers of different size and anthropogenic stress. Eels from all the estuaries exhibited cadmium exceeding legal European limits, as happened with lead in samples from the highly disturbed Avilés estuary. Several water samples from small rivers surpassed the estimated limit of microplastic for ecotoxicological safety. In multiple regression analysis, both eel lead and microplastic content were significantly explained from shipping activity in the estuaries. Eel cadmium content was not associated with estuary stressors, being probably acquired during the oceanic migration of eel larvae. The presence in eels of new white polyethylene particles that had not been found previously in the region could be explained from the marine plastic spill of “Toconao” cargo in December. The same spill could explain a significant increase of microplastic bioconcentration in the glass eels in comparison with previous surveys. These risks for critically endangered eels, and for the consumers, highlight the urgent need for reducing the impact of contaminants on both local and global scales.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"369 ","pages":"Article 125824"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257891","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 : 2025-02-07DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125820
Maria I. Laranjeiro, José Seco, Ivo dos Santos, Albert Bertolero, Eduarda Pereira, João P. Coelho, Jorge M. Pereira, José M. Reyes-González, Vítor H. Paiva, Jaime A. Ramos, Sara C. Novais, Joan Navarro, Filipe R. Ceia
This study examines blood mercury (Hg) concentrations in Calonectris sp. shearwaters from three colonies along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of the Iberian Peninsula (southwestern Europe), investigating their relationship with foraging ecology through GPS tracking and stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C) data during the breeding season. Hg levels exhibited a spatial gradient, increasing from the Atlantic Ocean (1.8 ± 0.4 μg g-1 dw) towards the Mediterranean Sea, with shearwaters from the Columbretes Islands (NW Mediterranean) showing the highest Hg levels (6.5 ± 2.1 μg g-1 dw). Individuals breeding in the Alboran Sea, a transition area between both basins, had intermediate Hg concentrations (3.1 ± 1.5 μg g-1 dw). All individuals were above the Hg toxicity threshold associated with negative reproductive, body condition, and immune system outcomes. However, all shearwaters had a Se:Hg molar ratio above 4, indicating effective protection of Se against Hg toxicity. Positive significant relationships between Hg concentrations, δ15N values, and time spent foraging in deep sea waters were observed in Mediterranean colonies, highlighting the ecological context’s role in Hg accumulation. Results suggest that feeding on higher trophic level prey, in deep-sea areas, and geographic location contribute to Hg accumulation in these populations. Given the potential health risks associated with elevated Hg levels, further research is warranted to explore the ecological factors driving Hg accumulation and the implications for the health status of these populations.
{"title":"Calonectris shearwaters reveal a gradient of mercury contamination along the Atlantic and Mediterranean waters of the Iberian Peninsula","authors":"Maria I. Laranjeiro, José Seco, Ivo dos Santos, Albert Bertolero, Eduarda Pereira, João P. Coelho, Jorge M. Pereira, José M. Reyes-González, Vítor H. Paiva, Jaime A. Ramos, Sara C. Novais, Joan Navarro, Filipe R. Ceia","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125820","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125820","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines blood mercury (Hg) concentrations in <em>Calonectris</em> sp. shearwaters from three colonies along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of the Iberian Peninsula (southwestern Europe), investigating their relationship with foraging ecology through GPS tracking and stable isotopes (<em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N and <em>δ</em><sup>13</sup>C) data during the breeding season. Hg levels exhibited a spatial gradient, increasing from the Atlantic Ocean (1.8 ± 0.4 μg g<sup>-1</sup> dw) towards the Mediterranean Sea, with shearwaters from the Columbretes Islands (NW Mediterranean) showing the highest Hg levels (6.5 ± 2.1 μg g<sup>-1</sup> dw). Individuals breeding in the Alboran Sea, a transition area between both basins, had intermediate Hg concentrations (3.1 ± 1.5 μg g<sup>-1</sup> dw). All individuals were above the Hg toxicity threshold associated with negative reproductive, body condition, and immune system outcomes. However, all shearwaters had a Se:Hg molar ratio above 4, indicating effective protection of Se against Hg toxicity. Positive significant relationships between Hg concentrations, <em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N values, and time spent foraging in deep sea waters were observed in Mediterranean colonies, highlighting the ecological context’s role in Hg accumulation. Results suggest that feeding on higher trophic level prey, in deep-sea areas, and geographic location contribute to Hg accumulation in these populations. Given the potential health risks associated with elevated Hg levels, further research is warranted to explore the ecological factors driving Hg accumulation and the implications for the health status of these populations.","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257892","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 : 2025-02-07DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125800
Wei Yang , Wenpeng Lin , Yue Li , Yiwen Shi , Yi Xiong
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is one of the most severe factors contributing to urban air pollution, posing significant risks to human health and environmental quality. Urban vegetation, acting as a natural method for pollution mitigation, can effectively reduce harmful air particle concentrations through processes like adsorption and deposition. While much research has quantified urban vegetation's role in PM2.5 removal, the spatial variability and seasonal fluctuations of this process in urban environments remain poorly understood. Furthermore, few studies have quantitatively explored the environmental factors that influence this capability. Using Shanghai as a case study, this research estimates the PM2.5 reduction by urban vegetation in 2022, integrating the i-Tree Eco model with Local Climate Zones (LCZs) classification. The results indicate that vegetation plays a significant role in PM2.5 removal, with a total annual removal of 835 tons and an average removal rate of 0.51 g per unit leaf area. The maximum annual air quality improvement reached 21.7%, with an average of 4.09%. The removal flux exhibited a clear "double peak" pattern throughout the year, with peaks occurring in late spring and late summer. Significant spatial variations in PM2.5 removal capacity were observed across different LCZs, ranked as follows: Dense Trees > Open Lowrise > Large Lowrise > Bush/Shrub > Scattered Trees > Others. Notably, Open Lowrise areas demonstrated considerable potential in both removal flux and total removal. The 38–42 mm evapotranspiration range was found to be the most effective for PM2.5 removal. However, when evapotranspiration exceeded 50 mm, removal efficiency showed a clear diminishing marginal effect, closely linked to the regulation of leaf stomatal opening and closing. The findings of this study underscore the importance of vegetation in improving air quality and provide valuable insights for urban planning and environmental policy.
{"title":"Estimating the seasonal and spatial variation of urban vegetation's PM2.5 removal capacity","authors":"Wei Yang , Wenpeng Lin , Yue Li , Yiwen Shi , Yi Xiong","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) is one of the most severe factors contributing to urban air pollution, posing significant risks to human health and environmental quality. Urban vegetation, acting as a natural method for pollution mitigation, can effectively reduce harmful air particle concentrations through processes like adsorption and deposition. While much research has quantified urban vegetation's role in PM<sub>2.5</sub> removal, the spatial variability and seasonal fluctuations of this process in urban environments remain poorly understood. Furthermore, few studies have quantitatively explored the environmental factors that influence this capability. Using Shanghai as a case study, this research estimates the PM<sub>2.5</sub> reduction by urban vegetation in 2022, integrating the i-Tree Eco model with Local Climate Zones (LCZs) classification. The results indicate that vegetation plays a significant role in PM<sub>2.5</sub> removal, with a total annual removal of 835 tons and an average removal rate of 0.51 <em>g</em> <span><math><mrow><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>m</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mrow><mi>y</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> per unit leaf area. The maximum annual air quality improvement reached 21.7%, with an average of 4.09%. The removal flux exhibited a clear \"double peak\" pattern throughout the year, with peaks occurring in late spring and late summer. Significant spatial variations in PM<sub>2.5</sub> removal capacity were observed across different LCZs, ranked as follows: Dense Trees > Open Lowrise > Large Lowrise > Bush/Shrub > Scattered Trees > Others. Notably, Open Lowrise areas demonstrated considerable potential in both removal flux and total removal. The 38–42 mm evapotranspiration range was found to be the most effective for PM<sub>2.5</sub> removal. However, when evapotranspiration exceeded 50 mm, removal efficiency showed a clear diminishing marginal effect, closely linked to the regulation of leaf stomatal opening and closing. The findings of this study underscore the importance of vegetation in improving air quality and provide valuable insights for urban planning and environmental policy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"369 ","pages":"Article 125800"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143367613","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 : 2025-02-07DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125827
Linda Eberhardt , Halina Binde Doria , Burak Bulut , Barbara Feldmeyer , Markus Pfenninger
The emission of artificial light at night (ALAN) is rapidly increasing worldwide. Yet, evidence for its detrimental effects on various species is accumulating. While the effects of ALAN on phenotypic traits have been widely investigated, effects on the molecular level are less well understood. Here we aimed to integrate the effects of ALAN at the transcriptomic and the phenotypic level. We tested these effects on Chironomus riparius, a multivoltine, holometabolous midge with high ecological relevance for which genomic resources are available. We performed life-cycle experiments in which we exposed midges to constant light and control conditions for one generation. We observed reduced fertility under ALAN from which we predicted the population size to decline to 1% after 200 days. The transcriptomic analysis revealed expression changes of genes related to circadian rhythmicity, moulting, catabolism and oxidative stress. From the transcriptomic analysis we hypothesised that under ALAN, oxidative stress is increased, and that moulting begins earlier. We were able to confirm both hypotheses in two posthoc experiments, showing that transcriptomics can be a powerful tool for predicting effects on higher level phenotypic traits.
{"title":"Transcriptomics predicts artificial light at night's (ALAN) negative fitness effects and altered gene expression patterns in the midge Chironomus riparius (Diptera:Chironomidae)","authors":"Linda Eberhardt , Halina Binde Doria , Burak Bulut , Barbara Feldmeyer , Markus Pfenninger","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125827","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125827","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The emission of artificial light at night (ALAN) is rapidly increasing worldwide. Yet, evidence for its detrimental effects on various species is accumulating. While the effects of ALAN on phenotypic traits have been widely investigated, effects on the molecular level are less well understood. Here we aimed to integrate the effects of ALAN at the transcriptomic and the phenotypic level. We tested these effects on <em>Chironomus riparius</em>, a multivoltine, holometabolous midge with high ecological relevance for which genomic resources are available. We performed life-cycle experiments in which we exposed midges to constant light and control conditions for one generation. We observed reduced fertility under ALAN from which we predicted the population size to decline to 1% after 200 days. The transcriptomic analysis revealed expression changes of genes related to circadian rhythmicity, moulting, catabolism and oxidative stress. From the transcriptomic analysis we hypothesised that under ALAN, oxidative stress is increased, and that moulting begins earlier. We were able to confirm both hypotheses in two posthoc experiments, showing that transcriptomics can be a powerful tool for predicting effects on higher level phenotypic traits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"369 ","pages":"Article 125827"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143367612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-07DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125823
Tianwei Peng , Biao Song , Yuchen Wang , Jie Yuan , Zhengqing Yang , Lin Tang
Antibiotics, which have been identified as emerged pollutants, are creating an increase in environmental concerns, with sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs) being among the most commonly discovered antibiotics. Due to their widespread usage and inadequate sewage treatment, SAs are frequently released into the aquatic environment. The introduction of SAs into aquatic environments can kill or inhibit the growth or metabolic activity of microorganisms, thereby affecting biological communities and ecological functions and disrupting the equilibrium of aquatic ecosystems. The transmission of SAs to human beings can occur through trophic transfer of food chains, particularly when humans consume aquatic food. This study examines the trophic transfer of SAs along the aquatic food chain, provides a summarize of the spatial distribution of SAs in aquatic environments, and evaluates the environmental risks associated with it. The prevalence of SAs was predominantly noted in the aqueous phase, with relatively lower concentrations detected in sediments, solidifying their status as one of the most widespread antibiotics among aquatic organisms. SAs, characterized by their high biomagnification capacity and strong bioaccumulative properties in invertebrates, emerge as the antibiotic type with the greatest ecological risks. The ecological risk posed by sulfonamide antibiotics to aquatic organisms is more pronounced than the health risk to humans, suggesting that the adverse effects on aquatic life warrant greater attention. Additionally, this study offers practical recommendations to address the limitations of previous research, emphasizing the importance of regulating exposure and establishing a robust health risk prediction system as effective measures for antibiotic control.
{"title":"Trophic transfer of sulfonamide antibiotics in aquatic food chains: A comprehensive review with a focus on environmental health risks","authors":"Tianwei Peng , Biao Song , Yuchen Wang , Jie Yuan , Zhengqing Yang , Lin Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125823","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125823","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Antibiotics, which have been identified as emerged pollutants, are creating an increase in environmental concerns, with sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs) being among the most commonly discovered antibiotics. Due to their widespread usage and inadequate sewage treatment, SAs are frequently released into the aquatic environment. The introduction of SAs into aquatic environments can kill or inhibit the growth or metabolic activity of microorganisms, thereby affecting biological communities and ecological functions and disrupting the equilibrium of aquatic ecosystems. The transmission of SAs to human beings can occur through trophic transfer of food chains, particularly when humans consume aquatic food. This study examines the trophic transfer of SAs along the aquatic food chain, provides a summarize of the spatial distribution of SAs in aquatic environments, and evaluates the environmental risks associated with it. The prevalence of SAs was predominantly noted in the aqueous phase, with relatively lower concentrations detected in sediments, solidifying their status as one of the most widespread antibiotics among aquatic organisms. SAs, characterized by their high biomagnification capacity and strong bioaccumulative properties in invertebrates, emerge as the antibiotic type with the greatest ecological risks. The ecological risk posed by sulfonamide antibiotics to aquatic organisms is more pronounced than the health risk to humans, suggesting that the adverse effects on aquatic life warrant greater attention. Additionally, this study offers practical recommendations to address the limitations of previous research, emphasizing the importance of regulating exposure and establishing a robust health risk prediction system as effective measures for antibiotic control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"369 ","pages":"Article 125823"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143367624","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}
Light profoundly shapes ecosystems, influencing the behaviour and niche specialisation of many species. This is especially true for visual predators, particularly crepuscular and nocturnal animals, whose foraging depends on adequate illumination. Despite this, research on how animals perceive light sources and position themselves relative to these sources is scarce. Using a modified dead-reckoning protocol based on GPS, accelerometer, and magnetic compass data, we investigated the body orientation of foraging European Nightjars (Caprimulgus europaeus, hereafter nightjar) to determine their line of sight relative to bright sections of the nocturnal sky, created by natural or artificial light.We found that nightjars are more likely to align themselves with brighter sections of the sky, although not necessarily with the brightest patch. On full moon nights, they positioned the moon within their line of sight when it was low on the horizon, but this likelihood decreased as the moon rose higher. During other moon phases, the likelihood of having the moon within line of sight increased linearly with moon altitude. During moonless parts of the night, nightjars appeared to use skyglow as a background for prey detection, but only when it was sufficiently bright. When both moonlight and skyglow were present, nightjars showed a preference for moonlight.This study shows that European Nightjars use illuminated sections of the sky, including skyglow, as bright backgrounds to detect flying prey. This suggests that, in the absence of the moon, nightjars can actively take advantage of this form of light pollution while foraging. However, the success of their hunting under skyglow-induced lighting remains unclear. We hypothesise that the effectiveness of these backgrounds depends on their brightness and colour composition. Further research is needed to better understand the complex dynamics of contrast detection under varying lighting conditions.
{"title":"Skyglow facilitates prey detection in a crepuscular insectivore: distant light sources create bright skies","authors":"Jitse Creemers, Marcel Eens, Michiel Lathouwers, Ruben Evens","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125821","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125821","url":null,"abstract":"Light profoundly shapes ecosystems, influencing the behaviour and niche specialisation of many species. This is especially true for visual predators, particularly crepuscular and nocturnal animals, whose foraging depends on adequate illumination. Despite this, research on how animals perceive light sources and position themselves relative to these sources is scarce. Using a modified dead-reckoning protocol based on GPS, accelerometer, and magnetic compass data, we investigated the body orientation of foraging European Nightjars (<em>Caprimulgus europaeus</em>, hereafter nightjar) to determine their line of sight relative to bright sections of the nocturnal sky, created by natural or artificial light.We found that nightjars are more likely to align themselves with brighter sections of the sky, although not necessarily with the brightest patch. On full moon nights, they positioned the moon within their line of sight when it was low on the horizon, but this likelihood decreased as the moon rose higher. During other moon phases, the likelihood of having the moon within line of sight increased linearly with moon altitude. During moonless parts of the night, nightjars appeared to use skyglow as a background for prey detection, but only when it was sufficiently bright. When both moonlight and skyglow were present, nightjars showed a preference for moonlight.This study shows that European Nightjars use illuminated sections of the sky, including skyglow, as bright backgrounds to detect flying prey. This suggests that, in the absence of the moon, nightjars can actively take advantage of this form of light pollution while foraging. However, the success of their hunting under skyglow-induced lighting remains unclear. We hypothesise that the effectiveness of these backgrounds depends on their brightness and colour composition. Further research is needed to better understand the complex dynamics of contrast detection under varying lighting conditions.","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143258099","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 : 2025-02-06DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125790
Ioan Petculescu, Paul Hynds, R. Stephen Brown, Kevin McDermott, Anna Majury
Temporal studies of groundwater potability have historically focused on E. coli detection rates, with non-E. coli coliforms (NEC) and microbial concentrations remaining understudied by comparison. Additionally, “big data” (i.e., large, diverse datasets that grow over time) have yet to be employed for assessing the effects of high return-period extreme weather events on groundwater quality. The current investigation employed ≈1.1 million Ontarian private well samples collected between 2010 and 2021, seeking to address these knowledge gaps via applying time-series decomposition, interrupted time-series analysis (ITSA), and unsupervised machine learning to five microbial contamination parameters: E. coli and NEC concentrations (CFU/100 mL) and detection rates (%), and the calculated NEC:E. coli ratio. Time-series decompositions revealed E. coli concentrations and the NEC:E. coli ratio as complementary metrics, with concurrent interpretation of their seasonal signals indicating that localized contamination mechanisms dominate during winter months. ITSA findings highlighted the importance of hydrogeological time lags: for example, a significant E. coli detection rate increase (2.4% vs 1.8%, p = 0.02) was identified 12 weeks after the May 2017 flood event. Unsupervised machine learning spatially classified annual contamination cycles across Ontarian subregions (n = 27), with the highest inter-cluster variability identified among E. coli detection rates and the lowest among NEC detection rates and the NEC:E. coli ratio. Given the spatiotemporal consistency identified for NEC and the NEC:E. coli ratio, associated interpretations and recommendations are likely transferable across large, heterogeneous regions. The presented study may serve as a methodological blueprint for future temporal investigations employing “big” groundwater quality data.
{"title":"An investigation of microbial groundwater contamination seasonality and extreme weather event interruptions using “big data”, time-series analyses, and unsupervised machine learning","authors":"Ioan Petculescu, Paul Hynds, R. Stephen Brown, Kevin McDermott, Anna Majury","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125790","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125790","url":null,"abstract":"Temporal studies of groundwater potability have historically focused on <em>E. coli</em> detection rates, with non-<em>E. coli</em> coliforms (NEC) and microbial concentrations remaining understudied by comparison. Additionally, “big data” (i.e., large, diverse datasets that grow over time) have yet to be employed for assessing the effects of high return-period extreme weather events on groundwater quality. The current investigation employed ≈1.1 million Ontarian private well samples collected between 2010 and 2021, seeking to address these knowledge gaps via applying time-series decomposition, interrupted time-series analysis (ITSA), and unsupervised machine learning to five microbial contamination parameters: <em>E. coli</em> and NEC concentrations (CFU/100 mL) and detection rates (%), and the calculated NEC:<em>E. coli</em> ratio. Time-series decompositions revealed <em>E. coli</em> concentrations and the NEC<em>:E. coli</em> ratio as complementary metrics, with concurrent interpretation of their seasonal signals indicating that localized contamination mechanisms dominate during winter months. ITSA findings highlighted the importance of hydrogeological time lags: for example, a significant <em>E. coli</em> detection rate increase (2.4% vs 1.8%, p = 0.02) was identified 12 weeks after the May 2017 flood event. Unsupervised machine learning spatially classified annual contamination cycles across Ontarian subregions (n = 27), with the highest inter-cluster variability identified among <em>E. coli</em> detection rates and the lowest among NEC detection rates and the NEC:<em>E. coli</em> ratio. Given the spatiotemporal consistency identified for NEC and the NEC:<em>E. coli</em> ratio, associated interpretations and recommendations are likely transferable across large, heterogeneous regions. The presented study may serve as a methodological blueprint for future temporal investigations employing “big” groundwater quality data.","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257894","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 : 2025-02-06DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125817
Yiming Huang, Yuanan Hu, Hefa Cheng, Shu Tao
The spatial heterogeneity of trace element geochemical backgrounds in surface soils poses a significant challenge for accuratly assessing the anthropogenic contributions to soil pollution. To evaluate the natural variation in trace element abundance, the composition and spatial distribution of 50 trace elements across 153 sites in the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve, a pristine region in western China, were determined. While the contents of the rare earth elements and heavy metal(loid)s closely mirror the composition of continental crust, moderate to extremely high spatial heterogeneity was found for these elements. The coefficients of variation (CV) indicate that 46 of the 50 trace elements display moderate to high spatial heterogeneity (10% < CV < 100%), while the remaining ones show extreme spatial heterogeneity (CV > 100%). Notably, the chalcophile elements exhibit particularly high spatial heterogeneity, and the spatial heterogeneity in trace element abundance increased with the geospatial scale of assessment. Normalization of the contents of trace elements with those of rock-forming element, Ti, under different geospatial scales reveals that the intrinsic crustal heterogenity in elemental abundance and the preferential enrichment or depletion of elements due to regional geological processes are the primary factors shaping the spatial viariation in their distribution in the pristine surface soils. The significant spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of trace elements and its fractal characteristics have important implications for evaluating the pollution of surface soils by trace elements and apportioning the contribution of anthropgenic activities based on subtraction of the regional background values.
{"title":"Fractal Spatial Heterogeneity of Trace Element Abundance in Pristine Surface Soils: Implications for Pollution Assessment and Source Apportionment","authors":"Yiming Huang, Yuanan Hu, Hefa Cheng, Shu Tao","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125817","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125817","url":null,"abstract":"The spatial heterogeneity of trace element geochemical backgrounds in surface soils poses a significant challenge for accuratly assessing the anthropogenic contributions to soil pollution. To evaluate the natural variation in trace element abundance, the composition and spatial distribution of 50 trace elements across 153 sites in the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve, a pristine region in western China, were determined. While the contents of the rare earth elements and heavy metal(loid)s closely mirror the composition of continental crust, moderate to extremely high spatial heterogeneity was found for these elements. The coefficients of variation (CV) indicate that 46 of the 50 trace elements display moderate to high spatial heterogeneity (10% < CV < 100%), while the remaining ones show extreme spatial heterogeneity (CV > 100%). Notably, the chalcophile elements exhibit particularly high spatial heterogeneity, and the spatial heterogeneity in trace element abundance increased with the geospatial scale of assessment. Normalization of the contents of trace elements with those of rock-forming element, Ti, under different geospatial scales reveals that the intrinsic crustal heterogenity in elemental abundance and the preferential enrichment or depletion of elements due to regional geological processes are the primary factors shaping the spatial viariation in their distribution in the pristine surface soils. The significant spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of trace elements and its fractal characteristics have important implications for evaluating the pollution of surface soils by trace elements and apportioning the contribution of anthropgenic activities based on subtraction of the regional background values.","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"136 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143191876","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 : 2025-02-06DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125810
Margaret J. Eggers , W. Adam Sigler , Nicklas Kiekover , Paul M. Bradley , Kelly L. Smalling , Albert Parker , Robert K.D. Peterson , John I. LaFave
Across the United States, rural residents rely on unregulated and generally unmonitored private wells for drinking water, which may pose serious health risks due to unrecognized contaminants. We assessed the nature, degree, and spatial distribution of cumulative health risks from inorganic contaminants in groundwater. Our analysis included nearly 84,000 data points from 6500+ wells, across 51 of Montana's 98 watersheds, using a public groundwater database. We compared a drinking water screening level cumulative risk assessment (CRA) for inorganics based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protective health thresholds (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals, Health Advisories [MCLG-HAs]) to a CRA based on EPA public supply enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Based on median concentrations of 19 inorganics (antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, chromium, copper, fluoride, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, nitrate, lead, selenium, strontium, thallium, uranium, zinc), 75% of watersheds had MCLG-HA-based cumulative risk values > 1.0; arsenic and uranium contributed the most risk, followed by strontium, fluoride, manganese and boron. Hence, this screening level (Tier I) CRA indicated widespread potential for unrecognized human health risk to private well users from inorganic contaminants considering both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. Sensitivity analysis showed that benchmarks applied (MCLG-HAs versus MCLs) exerted the largest control on results. Our findings identify priority regions for Tier 2 risk assessments to elucidate local sources and distributions of geogenic versus anthropomorphic contaminants. Our study is the first statewide assessment of cumulative health risk from groundwater that we are aware of, and results support increased statewide drinking water education and testing to reduce human health risks from contaminated private well water.
{"title":"Statewide cumulative human health risk assessment of inorganics-contaminated groundwater wells, Montana, USA","authors":"Margaret J. Eggers , W. Adam Sigler , Nicklas Kiekover , Paul M. Bradley , Kelly L. Smalling , Albert Parker , Robert K.D. Peterson , John I. LaFave","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125810","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.125810","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Across the United States, rural residents rely on unregulated and generally unmonitored private wells for drinking water, which may pose serious health risks due to unrecognized contaminants. We assessed the nature, degree, and spatial distribution of cumulative health risks from inorganic contaminants in groundwater. Our analysis included nearly 84,000 data points from 6500+ wells, across 51 of Montana's 98 watersheds, using a public groundwater database. We compared a drinking water screening level cumulative risk assessment (CRA) for inorganics based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protective health thresholds (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals, Health Advisories [MCLG-HAs]) to a CRA based on EPA public supply enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Based on median concentrations of 19 inorganics (antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, chromium, copper, fluoride, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, nitrate, lead, selenium, strontium, thallium, uranium, zinc), 75% of watersheds had MCLG-HA-based cumulative risk values > 1.0; arsenic and uranium contributed the most risk, followed by strontium, fluoride, manganese and boron. Hence, this screening level (Tier I) CRA indicated widespread potential for unrecognized human health risk to private well users from inorganic contaminants considering both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. Sensitivity analysis showed that benchmarks applied (MCLG-HAs versus MCLs) exerted the largest control on results. Our findings identify priority regions for Tier 2 risk assessments to elucidate local sources and distributions of geogenic versus anthropomorphic contaminants. Our study is the first statewide assessment of cumulative health risk from groundwater that we are aware of, and results support increased statewide drinking water education and testing to reduce human health risks from contaminated private well water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"369 ","pages":"Article 125810"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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