Pub Date : 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127587
Qianhui Yu , Shunan Dong , Jianyou Zhu , Genhe He , Jingjie Dong , Yanan Sun , Liting Sheng , Yuanyuan Sun , Jichun Wu
The environmental risks and fate associated with N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine-quinone (6PPD-Q) have aroused increasing concern. This study investigated the transport of 6PPD-Q under various hydrochemical conditions (including pH and electrolyte conditions) and the influence of humic acid (HA) on 6PPD-Q transport via column experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. MD simulations revealed the interaction mechanism between 6PPD-Q and HA, including van der Waals (vdWs), electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bond. Generally, the mobility of 6PPD-Q decreased with lower pH and higher ionic strength. In the absence of electrolyte, HA inhibited the migration of 6PPD-Q through providing additional deposition sites and increasing its hydrophobicity. HA facilitated 6PPD-Q transport under neutral condition with CaCl2, while HA played negligible effect on 6PPD-Q transport under neutral condition with NaCl. Despite exhibiting stronger binding affinity, HA failed to remobilize 6PPD-Q which had been priorly retained on quartz sand. This study provides novel mechanistic insights into the environmental behavior of 6PPD-Q and quantifies its co-transport risks mediated by natural organic matter, contributing to the prediction of 6PPD-Q fate in subsurface environments.
{"title":"The humic acid-mediated mechanism of 6PPD-Q during transport process in porous media: Insights from column experiments and molecular dynamics simulations","authors":"Qianhui Yu , Shunan Dong , Jianyou Zhu , Genhe He , Jingjie Dong , Yanan Sun , Liting Sheng , Yuanyuan Sun , Jichun Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127587","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127587","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The environmental risks and fate associated with N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine-quinone (6PPD-Q) have aroused increasing concern. This study investigated the transport of 6PPD-Q under various hydrochemical conditions (including pH and electrolyte conditions) and the influence of humic acid (HA) on 6PPD-Q transport via column experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. MD simulations revealed the interaction mechanism between 6PPD-Q and HA, including van der Waals (vdWs), electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bond. Generally, the mobility of 6PPD-Q decreased with lower pH and higher ionic strength. In the absence of electrolyte, HA inhibited the migration of 6PPD-Q through providing additional deposition sites and increasing its hydrophobicity. HA facilitated 6PPD-Q transport under neutral condition with CaCl<sub>2</sub>, while HA played negligible effect on 6PPD-Q transport under neutral condition with NaCl. Despite exhibiting stronger binding affinity, HA failed to remobilize 6PPD-Q which had been priorly retained on quartz sand. This study provides novel mechanistic insights into the environmental behavior of 6PPD-Q and quantifies its co-transport risks mediated by natural organic matter, contributing to the prediction of 6PPD-Q fate in subsurface environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 127587"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823266","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 : 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127568
Adam D. Biales , Morgan S. Hu , David C. Bencic , Mary Jean See , Susan T. Glassmeyer , Edward T. Furlong , Julia M. Stelman , Weichun Huang , Dana W. Kolpin , Marc A. Mills , Laura D. Brunelle , Angela L. Batt , S. Thomas Purucker
Wastewater treatment effluents (WWTE) present complex risks to aquatic ecosystems that are difficult to characterize using traditional methods. This study systematically evaluated the consistency and performance of transcriptomic-based approaches over time with repeated sampling and with differing experimental approaches (selection of reference condition, grab vs. composite sampling, deployed vs. laboratory exposed). RNA-seq was performed on larval fathead minnow (FHM) exposed in the laboratory to moderately hard reconstituted water (MRHW) or individual grab samples collected from an upstream site and a WWTE in the morning and afternoon over two successive days, as well as FHM deployed concurrently with grab sampling at the same sites. Composite transcriptional profiles were generated by pooling count data from grab sample exposures. The choice of comparator significantly affected results. The use of the upstream site as the reference consistently yielded fewer differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and minimal overlap compared to DEG sets from the other comparisons. Using MRHW as a comparator, DEG sets showed high consistency across grab samples, with morning samples demonstrating larger, highly consistent gene expression sets (96 % overlap) compared to afternoon samples, revealing clear and consistent within-day expression patterns. With the MHRW comparator, DEG sets from grab sample composites and deployments also overlapped substantially, indicating that transcriptional profiles accurately reflect WWTE composition regardless of exposure method. Comparisons with non-targeted (NTA) and targeted analytical datasets confirmed that gene expression interpretations aligned with effluent composition while highlighting limitations of relying solely on targeted analyte sets for connecting expression to specific chemicals. Though highly dependent on experimental design, these results demonstrate that transcriptomic-based methods provide significant utility for characterizing the bioactivity of complex environmental mixtures, and when paired with NTA datasets, have the potential to deliver a comprehensive assessment of their environmental risk.
{"title":"Performance evaluation and methods comparison of transcriptomic-based approaches for the characterization of wastewater treatment effluent","authors":"Adam D. Biales , Morgan S. Hu , David C. Bencic , Mary Jean See , Susan T. Glassmeyer , Edward T. Furlong , Julia M. Stelman , Weichun Huang , Dana W. Kolpin , Marc A. Mills , Laura D. Brunelle , Angela L. Batt , S. Thomas Purucker","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127568","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127568","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wastewater treatment effluents (WWTE) present complex risks to aquatic ecosystems that are difficult to characterize using traditional methods. This study systematically evaluated the consistency and performance of transcriptomic-based approaches over time with repeated sampling and with differing experimental approaches (selection of reference condition, grab vs. composite sampling, deployed vs. laboratory exposed). RNA-seq was performed on larval fathead minnow (FHM) exposed in the laboratory to moderately hard reconstituted water (MRHW) or individual grab samples collected from an upstream site and a WWTE in the morning and afternoon over two successive days, as well as FHM deployed concurrently with grab sampling at the same sites. Composite transcriptional profiles were generated by pooling count data from grab sample exposures. The choice of comparator significantly affected results. The use of the upstream site as the reference consistently yielded fewer differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and minimal overlap compared to DEG sets from the other comparisons. Using MRHW as a comparator, DEG sets showed high consistency across grab samples, with morning samples demonstrating larger, highly consistent gene expression sets (96 % overlap) compared to afternoon samples, revealing clear and consistent within-day expression patterns. With the MHRW comparator, DEG sets from grab sample composites and deployments also overlapped substantially, indicating that transcriptional profiles accurately reflect WWTE composition regardless of exposure method. Comparisons with non-targeted (NTA) and targeted analytical datasets confirmed that gene expression interpretations aligned with effluent composition while highlighting limitations of relying solely on targeted analyte sets for connecting expression to specific chemicals. Though highly dependent on experimental design, these results demonstrate that transcriptomic-based methods provide significant utility for characterizing the bioactivity of complex environmental mixtures, and when paired with NTA datasets, have the potential to deliver a comprehensive assessment of their environmental risk.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"392 ","pages":"Article 127568"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823265","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 : 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127578
Huijing Yan , Junemo Koo , Doosam Song , Sowoo Park
Cooking fumes in school kitchens contain hazardous pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (HCHO), which pose significant health risks to staff. Conventional ventilation standards offer general guidelines but are insufficient for managing real-time fluctuations in pollutant concentrations. This study proposes a real-time monitoring and control strategy that integrates low-cost sensors, spatial correction for breathing zone exposure, and Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL)-based algorithms. The system dynamically adjusts exhaust ventilation to mitigate acute exposure peaks while minimizing unnecessary operation. Field application in a school kitchen demonstrated that 15-min STEL-based control effectively reduced short-term exposure risks and optimized blower operation, with a 67 % reduction in trigger frequency compared to 1-min monitoring. A visual alarm alerts staff when concentrations exceed thresholds, enabling timely action. By accounting for spatial and temporal variability in pollutant emissions, this approach addresses the limitations of fixed ventilation rates, providing a performance-based, responsive solution for cooking environments. The methodology is scalable to other institutional or commercial kitchens, enhancing indoor air quality (IAQ) management and occupational health protection. The findings offer practical guidance for policymakers and facility managers to implement adaptive ventilation systems that improve health outcomes and environmental safety in high-load indoor environments where pollutant concentrations can change rapidly.
{"title":"Real-time monitoring and control of cooking fumes: Implementation strategies for school kitchens","authors":"Huijing Yan , Junemo Koo , Doosam Song , Sowoo Park","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127578","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127578","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cooking fumes in school kitchens contain hazardous pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (HCHO), which pose significant health risks to staff. Conventional ventilation standards offer general guidelines but are insufficient for managing real-time fluctuations in pollutant concentrations. This study proposes a real-time monitoring and control strategy that integrates low-cost sensors, spatial correction for breathing zone exposure, and Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL)-based algorithms. The system dynamically adjusts exhaust ventilation to mitigate acute exposure peaks while minimizing unnecessary operation. Field application in a school kitchen demonstrated that 15-min STEL-based control effectively reduced short-term exposure risks and optimized blower operation, with a 67 % reduction in trigger frequency compared to 1-min monitoring. A visual alarm alerts staff when concentrations exceed thresholds, enabling timely action. By accounting for spatial and temporal variability in pollutant emissions, this approach addresses the limitations of fixed ventilation rates, providing a performance-based, responsive solution for cooking environments. The methodology is scalable to other institutional or commercial kitchens, enhancing indoor air quality (IAQ) management and occupational health protection. The findings offer practical guidance for policymakers and facility managers to implement adaptive ventilation systems that improve health outcomes and environmental safety in high-load indoor environments where pollutant concentrations can change rapidly.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 127578"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823264","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 : 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127590
Yu Lee Jang , Sang Hee Hong , Soeun Eo , Gi Myung Han , Sung Yong Ha , Hyungbeen Lee , Inwoo Han , Won Joon Shim
Plastic pollution and its impacts on marine environments are increasing, yet data on the status and characteristics of floating macroplastics remain limited in East Asian waters, particularly around the Korean Peninsula. This study investigated floating litter in three marginal seas—the Yellow Sea, the northern part of the East China Sea, and the East Sea—using visual observations from ships. The mean density of floating litter across the study area was 181 ± 176 n/km2. The offshore Yellow Sea exhibited the highest density (256 ± 150 n/km2), whereas the offshore East Sea had the lowest (48 ± 30 n/km2). Plastics (92%) were the dominant material type, with expanded polystyrene fragments (27%) and film-type fragments (16%) being the most abundant. Litter measuring 2.5–20 cm (72%) and white in color (59%) consistently predominated across all regions. Aquaculture activity and river discharge exhibited positive correlations with coastal pollution levels. These findings fill existing knowledge gaps on marine plastic pollution around the Korean Peninsula and provide insights into the distribution and characteristics of floating litter, thereby contributing to mitigation strategies in East Asian seas.
{"title":"Distribution and composition of floating litter in coastal and offshore waters surrounding South Korea","authors":"Yu Lee Jang , Sang Hee Hong , Soeun Eo , Gi Myung Han , Sung Yong Ha , Hyungbeen Lee , Inwoo Han , Won Joon Shim","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127590","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plastic pollution and its impacts on marine environments are increasing, yet data on the status and characteristics of floating macroplastics remain limited in East Asian waters, particularly around the Korean Peninsula. This study investigated floating litter in three marginal seas—the Yellow Sea, the northern part of the East China Sea, and the East Sea—using visual observations from ships. The mean density of floating litter across the study area was 181 ± 176 n/km<sup>2</sup>. The offshore Yellow Sea exhibited the highest density (256 ± 150 n/km<sup>2</sup>), whereas the offshore East Sea had the lowest (48 ± 30 n/km<sup>2</sup>). Plastics (92%) were the dominant material type, with expanded polystyrene fragments (27%) and film-type fragments (16%) being the most abundant. Litter measuring 2.5–20 cm (72%) and white in color (59%) consistently predominated across all regions. Aquaculture activity and river discharge exhibited positive correlations with coastal pollution levels. These findings fill existing knowledge gaps on marine plastic pollution around the Korean Peninsula and provide insights into the distribution and characteristics of floating litter, thereby contributing to mitigation strategies in East Asian seas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 127590"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823262","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 : 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127600
Zipei Dong , Wen-Xiong Wang
Globally, an overwhelming amount of micro(nano)plastic (MNP) is accumulated in ocean due to poor waste management. This study combined fluorescence imaging and toxicological modeling to evaluate the gut acidification and oxidative stress in a marine copepod Parvocalanus crassirostris induced by MNPs at varying concentrations and food conditions. Using aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens)-labeled MNPs and probes, we visualized and quantified pH and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in copepods to reveal the size- and burden-dependent spatial heterogeneous effects triggered by 5 μm MP and 200 nm NPs. MPs and NPs caused anterior midgut acidification (+21.6 % and +16.6 %, respectively), while reduced posterior gut acidity. Diatoms exacerbated the MNP -induced acidification (+59.6 %) but alleviated ROS overproduction. Despite limited internalization, MNP triggered systemic ROS elevation, with NPs inducing stronger stress (+58.8 % vs. MPs +10.4 %). A log-logistic toxicological model established a relationship between the in vivo MNP burden and ROS, with MPs eliciting steeper curves and lower oxidative stress induction thresholds, but lower maximum ROS production than NPs. The diatoms supply elevated oxidative stress level. This study highlighted the heterogeneity effects of MNPs, providing insights into the sublethal impacts on marine zooplankton.
{"title":"Micro(Nano)plastics triggered size- and burden-dependent gut heterogeneous acidification and oxidative stress in a marine copepod","authors":"Zipei Dong , Wen-Xiong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127600","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127600","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Globally, an overwhelming amount of micro(nano)plastic (MNP) is accumulated in ocean due to poor waste management. This study combined fluorescence imaging and toxicological modeling to evaluate the gut acidification and oxidative stress in a marine copepod <em>Parvocalanus crassirostris</em> induced by MNPs at varying concentrations and food conditions. Using aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens)-labeled MNPs and probes, we visualized and quantified pH and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in copepods to reveal the size- and burden-dependent spatial heterogeneous effects triggered by 5 μm MP and 200 nm NPs. MPs and NPs caused anterior midgut acidification (+21.6 % and +16.6 %, respectively), while reduced posterior gut acidity. Diatoms exacerbated the MNP -induced acidification (+59.6 %) but alleviated ROS overproduction. Despite limited internalization, MNP triggered systemic ROS elevation, with NPs inducing stronger stress (+58.8 % vs. MPs +10.4 %). A log-logistic toxicological model established a relationship between the <em>in vivo</em> MNP burden and ROS, with MPs eliciting steeper curves and lower oxidative stress induction thresholds, but lower maximum ROS production than NPs. The diatoms supply elevated oxidative stress level. This study highlighted the heterogeneity effects of MNPs, providing insights into the sublethal impacts on marine zooplankton.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 127600"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823258","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 : 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127582
Javier Terán-Baamonde, Rosa-María Soto-Ferreiro, Elia Alonso-Rodríguez, Alatzne Carlosena-Zubieta, Soledad Muniategui-Lorenzo
Bio-based plastics are widely regarded as a promising alternative to conventional plastics; however, assessing their impact on environmental and human health is critically important. This study evaluates the human bioavailability of Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Sn from microplastics (MPs) derived from the most common bio-based materials: polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV). Three scenarios were considered: raw material, material aged in a marine environment, and material subjected to a laboratory-based metal adsorption process. An in vitro gastrointestinal procedure, modified from the Unified Bioaccessibility Method (UBM) by incorporating a dialysis membrane, was employed to simulate intestinal absorption and determine the bioavailable fraction. MPs from both raw and marine-aged materials exhibited neither non-carcinogenic nor carcinogenic risks. However, non-carcinogenic risks were identified in metal-loaded MPs for Cd and Co (in PHAs and PLA) and Sb (in PHAs) in both adults and children, when considering the bioaccessible fraction. In contrast, when bioavailability was used, these risks were limited to Cd and Co. Carcinogenic risks associated with Cr in metal-loaded PHB and PHBV were identified for both adults and children, based solely on bioaccessibility. This study demonstrates that bioavailability provides a more reliable approach than bioaccessibility for evaluating human health risks associated with metals in bio-based MPs, because it accounts not only for the metal fraction that becomes solubilized during the digestive process, but also for the portion that, once solubilized, is subsequently absorbed into the bloodstream. Furthermore, the study highlights that each bio-based plastic type exhibits distinct metal-related behaviour.
生物基塑料被广泛认为是传统塑料的有前途的替代品；然而，评估它们对环境和人类健康的影响至关重要。本研究评估了银、Cd、Co、Cr、Cu、Fe、Hg、Mn、Ni、Pb、Sb和Sn在微塑料（MPs）中的人体生物利用度，这些微塑料来源于最常见的生物基材料：聚乳酸（PLA）、聚羟基丁酸酯（PHB）和聚（3-羟基丁酸酯- Co -3-羟基戊酸酯）（PHBV）。我们考虑了三种情况：原材料、在海洋环境中老化的材料和经过实验室金属吸附过程的材料。在统一生物可及性方法（UBM）的基础上改进了透析膜，采用体外胃肠道程序模拟肠道吸收并确定生物利用分数。来自原料和海洋老化材料的MPs既没有显示出非致癌风险，也没有显示出致癌风险。然而，考虑到生物可及性部分，在成人和儿童中，镉和钴（在pha和PLA中）和Sb（在pha中）的金属负载MPs中均确定了非致癌风险。相比之下，当使用生物利用度时，这些风险仅限于Cd和Co。仅基于生物可及性，成人和儿童都确定了与金属负载的PHB和PHBV中Cr相关的致癌风险。本研究表明，生物利用度比生物可及性提供了一种更可靠的方法来评估与生物基MPs中金属相关的人类健康风险，因为它不仅考虑了在消化过程中被溶解的金属部分，而且还考虑了一旦被溶解，随后被吸收到血液中的部分。此外，该研究强调，每种生物基塑料都表现出不同的金属相关行为。
{"title":"Human health risk assessment of metals from bio-based microplastics using a bioavailability gastrointestinal digestion model","authors":"Javier Terán-Baamonde, Rosa-María Soto-Ferreiro, Elia Alonso-Rodríguez, Alatzne Carlosena-Zubieta, Soledad Muniategui-Lorenzo","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127582","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127582","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bio-based plastics are widely regarded as a promising alternative to conventional plastics; however, assessing their impact on environmental and human health is critically important. This study evaluates the human bioavailability of Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Sn from microplastics (MPs) derived from the most common bio-based materials: polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV). Three scenarios were considered: raw material, material aged in a marine environment, and material subjected to a laboratory-based metal adsorption process. An in vitro gastrointestinal procedure, modified from the Unified Bioaccessibility Method (UBM) by incorporating a dialysis membrane, was employed to simulate intestinal absorption and determine the bioavailable fraction. MPs from both raw and marine-aged materials exhibited neither non-carcinogenic nor carcinogenic risks. However, non-carcinogenic risks were identified in metal-loaded MPs for Cd and Co (in PHAs and PLA) and Sb (in PHAs) in both adults and children, when considering the bioaccessible fraction. In contrast, when bioavailability was used, these risks were limited to Cd and Co. Carcinogenic risks associated with Cr in metal-loaded PHB and PHBV were identified for both adults and children, based solely on bioaccessibility. This study demonstrates that bioavailability provides a more reliable approach than bioaccessibility for evaluating human health risks associated with metals in bio-based MPs, because it accounts not only for the metal fraction that becomes solubilized during the digestive process, but also for the portion that, once solubilized, is subsequently absorbed into the bloodstream. Furthermore, the study highlights that each bio-based plastic type exhibits distinct metal-related behaviour.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 127582"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823259","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 : 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127581
Chao Qin , Jingyi Liu , Xinyu Ji , Wei Feng , Zhijuan Shao , Hong Liao , Yuhang Wang , Guofeng Shen , Mingjie Xie
In this study, paired integrated PM2.5 and PM10 samples, as well as time-resolved PM2.5 samples, were collected during summer and winter from two sampling campaigns in northern Nanjing, China. Synchronous wintertime PM2.5 samples from five urban sites in the center of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), China, were retrieved from another campaign. Four nitrophenols (NPs)—4-nitrophenol (4NP), 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (3M4NP), 2-methyl-4-nitrophenol (2M4NP), and 4-nitrocatechol (4NC)—were speciated in each sample. The concentrations of individual NPs in PM2.5 and PM10 were significantly correlated (r > 0.70, p < 0.05), and the majority (>70 %) of the four NPs were present in fine particles. All NPs showed similar temporal variations across the five urban sites in winter (r = 0.68 ± 0.15–0.78 ± 0.066, p < 0.05), with 4NC exhibiting the least spatial variability. The diurnal variations of PM2.5-bound 4NP, 3M4NP, and 2M4NP in winter showed two elevations during 8:00–14:00 and 16:00–2:00 (next day), likely dominated by the photooxidation of gaseous aromatics and nighttime NO3‧ chemistry, respectively. In summer, their diurnal patterns were characterized by a sharp increase during 16:00–20:00 and rapid removal after 20:00, which may correspond to NP formation from newly emitted precursors during rush hour and NO3‧-initiated degradation at night. The diurnal variations of 4NC were similar to those of anhydrosugars in winter and secondary sulfate in summer. By combining measurement data of NPs and source tracers in PM2.5, positive matrix factorization (PMF) was conducted to evaluate NP sources. A secondary NP production factor was identified as the largest contributor to total NPs in time-resolved samples for both summer (71.4 %) and winter (39.3 %). The biomass burning factor contributed significant fractions of NPs in all winter samples, particularly for 4NC (>80 %).
{"title":"Size, spatial distribution, and diurnal variations of particulate nitrophenols in the central Yangtze River Delta, China: Implications for their emissions and atmospheric processes","authors":"Chao Qin , Jingyi Liu , Xinyu Ji , Wei Feng , Zhijuan Shao , Hong Liao , Yuhang Wang , Guofeng Shen , Mingjie Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127581","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127581","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, paired integrated PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub> samples, as well as time-resolved PM<sub>2.5</sub> samples, were collected during summer and winter from two sampling campaigns in northern Nanjing, China. Synchronous wintertime PM<sub>2.5</sub> samples from five urban sites in the center of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), China, were retrieved from another campaign. Four nitrophenols (NPs)—4-nitrophenol (4NP), 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (3M4NP), 2-methyl-4-nitrophenol (2M4NP), and 4-nitrocatechol (4NC)—were speciated in each sample. The concentrations of individual NPs in PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub> were significantly correlated (<em>r</em> > 0.70, <em>p</em> < 0.05), and the majority (>70 %) of the four NPs were present in fine particles. All NPs showed similar temporal variations across the five urban sites in winter (<em>r</em> = 0.68 ± 0.15–0.78 ± 0.066, <em>p</em> < 0.05), with 4NC exhibiting the least spatial variability. The diurnal variations of PM<sub>2.5</sub>-bound 4NP, 3M4NP, and 2M4NP in winter showed two elevations during 8:00–14:00 and 16:00–2:00 (next day), likely dominated by the photooxidation of gaseous aromatics and nighttime NO<sub>3</sub>‧ chemistry, respectively. In summer, their diurnal patterns were characterized by a sharp increase during 16:00–20:00 and rapid removal after 20:00, which may correspond to NP formation from newly emitted precursors during rush hour and NO<sub>3</sub>‧-initiated degradation at night. The diurnal variations of 4NC were similar to those of anhydrosugars in winter and secondary sulfate in summer. By combining measurement data of NPs and source tracers in PM<sub>2.5</sub>, positive matrix factorization (PMF) was conducted to evaluate NP sources. A secondary NP production factor was identified as the largest contributor to total NPs in time-resolved samples for both summer (71.4 %) and winter (39.3 %). The biomass burning factor contributed significant fractions of NPs in all winter samples, particularly for 4NC (>80 %).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 127581"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145831897","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 : 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127583
Maria Virgínia Alves Martins , Fabrizio Frontalini , Inès Barrenechea Angeles , Fabio Francescangeli , Murilo Barros Saibro , Fabrício Leandro Damasceno , Thaise M. Senez-Mello , Josefa Varela Guerra , Egberto Pereira , João Graciano Mendonça Filho , Wania Duleba , Luzia Antonioli , Claudia Gutterres Vilela , Mirian Araújo Carlos Crapez , Raimundo Damasceno , Silvia Helena de Melo Sousa , Carlos Augusto Ramos e Silva , Fabio Ferreira Dias , Antonio Tadeu dos Reis , Fernando Rocha
The recent advances in molecular methodologies have further strengthened biomonitoring, which has become a fundamental approach for evaluating environmental quality in coastal ecosystems. In the present study, we evaluate the ecological quality status (EcoQS) within the Ilha Grande Bay (BIG, southeastern Brazil) by combining foraminiferal morphology-based and environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding along with a comprehensive analysis of environmental parameters. The Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR), based on exp(H'bc) (the effective number of species) for eDNA and morphological communities, is used to assess the EcoQS in the BIG. Statistical results reveal that the EQR of expH'bc and the relative abundance of living foraminiferal species in both the morphological and eDNA datasets decrease in response to environmental stress (i.e., organic carbon and metal pollution). The EcoQS values derived from the EQR of exp(H'bc) from foraminiferal morphology and eDNA reveal a consistent identification of EcoQS classes. The lowest EcoQS (i.e., bad) are located in the Paraty region, in front of the São Roque River in the internal area west of the BIG where the highest values of PLI, PERI and TOC are found. From an environmental management perspective, the EcoQS categorization enables separating healthy areas from those reflecting ecological degradation and requiring restoration measures. A high level of agreement (72.2 %) is found between the morphology- and eDNA-based approaches in the classification of EcoQS. This work highlights the importance of combining molecular and morphological methods in environmental impact studies.
{"title":"Ecological quality status of the Ilha Grande Bay (SE Brazil) through foraminiferal morphology and eDNA metabarcoding approaches","authors":"Maria Virgínia Alves Martins , Fabrizio Frontalini , Inès Barrenechea Angeles , Fabio Francescangeli , Murilo Barros Saibro , Fabrício Leandro Damasceno , Thaise M. Senez-Mello , Josefa Varela Guerra , Egberto Pereira , João Graciano Mendonça Filho , Wania Duleba , Luzia Antonioli , Claudia Gutterres Vilela , Mirian Araújo Carlos Crapez , Raimundo Damasceno , Silvia Helena de Melo Sousa , Carlos Augusto Ramos e Silva , Fabio Ferreira Dias , Antonio Tadeu dos Reis , Fernando Rocha","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127583","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127583","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The recent advances in molecular methodologies have further strengthened biomonitoring, which has become a fundamental approach for evaluating environmental quality in coastal ecosystems. In the present study, we evaluate the ecological quality status (EcoQS) within the Ilha Grande Bay (BIG, southeastern Brazil) by combining foraminiferal morphology-based and environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding along with a comprehensive analysis of environmental parameters. The Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR), based on exp(H'bc) (the effective number of species) for eDNA and morphological communities, is used to assess the EcoQS in the BIG. Statistical results reveal that the EQR of expH'bc and the relative abundance of living foraminiferal species in both the morphological and eDNA datasets decrease in response to environmental stress (i.e., organic carbon and metal pollution). The EcoQS values derived from the EQR of exp(H'bc) from foraminiferal morphology and eDNA reveal a consistent identification of EcoQS classes. The lowest EcoQS (i.e., bad) are located in the Paraty region, in front of the São Roque River in the internal area west of the BIG where the highest values of PLI, PERI and TOC are found. From an environmental management perspective, the EcoQS categorization enables separating healthy areas from those reflecting ecological degradation and requiring restoration measures. A high level of agreement (72.2 %) is found between the morphology- and eDNA-based approaches in the classification of EcoQS. This work highlights the importance of combining molecular and morphological methods in environmental impact studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 127583"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145812867","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}
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants that present potential health threats to children. Hydroxy-PAHs (OH-PAHs), as the metabolites of PAHs, are widely used in biological monitoring due to less physiological burden than blood or tissue sampling. However, the association between PAHs exposure through inhalation and the urinary OH-PAHs concentration is not clear and whether OH-PAHs can reflect the short-term exposure levels of respiratory PAHs remains controversial. In this study, child participants from an indoor coal combustion environment were selected, and a panel study was conducted after dietary control. A total of 10 OH-PAHs in morning urine were measured by a LC-MS/MS method. PAHs and Nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) associated with PM2.5 were collected by a personal sampler and measured by the GC-MS method. The response significance of urinary OH-PAHs to inhalation PAHs exposure was tested by Spearman analysis. The theoretical urinary OH-PAH values were estimated based on inhalation exposure and compared with the method limits of detection (LOD). Finally, the negative health influence of PAHs inhalation on children was quantitatively estimated. The results showed that no significant correlation was observed between urinary OH-PAHs and the inhalation exposure dose. Furthermore, the theoretical urinary OH-PAHs concentration estimated was much less than the current method LOD. The carcinogenic risk based on urine OH-PAHs (average risk: 1.79 × 10−5) was approximately two orders of magnitude higher than the risk derived from inhalation (average risk: 3.26 × 10−8). The study showed that urinary OH-PAHs were not suitable as indicators for short-term inhalation exposure in routine studies. The accurate assessment of inhaled PAH related health risks of children requires a comprehensive analysis combining environmental monitoring, biological monitoring, dietary exposure assessment, and behavioral data of the target population.
{"title":"Can urinary OH-PAHs serve as biomarkers for indicating inhalation exposure to PAHs of children: Evidence based on a panel study","authors":"Wenjing Zhao, Jiajun He, Zhangning Li, Huanming Li, Xiaojie Zhou, Sreynith Lis, Xinyi Wang, Suzhen Cao, Beibei Wang, Xiaoli Duan, Ning Qin","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants that present potential health threats to children. Hydroxy-PAHs (OH-PAHs), as the metabolites of PAHs, are widely used in biological monitoring due to less physiological burden than blood or tissue sampling. However, the association between PAHs exposure through inhalation and the urinary OH-PAHs concentration is not clear and whether OH-PAHs can reflect the short-term exposure levels of respiratory PAHs remains controversial. In this study, child participants from an indoor coal combustion environment were selected, and a panel study was conducted after dietary control. A total of 10 OH-PAHs in morning urine were measured by a LC-MS/MS method. PAHs and Nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) associated with PM<sub>2.5</sub> were collected by a personal sampler and measured by the GC-MS method. The response significance of urinary OH-PAHs to inhalation PAHs exposure was tested by Spearman analysis. The theoretical urinary OH-PAH values were estimated based on inhalation exposure and compared with the method limits of detection (LOD). Finally, the negative health influence of PAHs inhalation on children was quantitatively estimated. The results showed that no significant correlation was observed between urinary OH-PAHs and the inhalation exposure dose. Furthermore, the theoretical urinary OH-PAHs concentration estimated was much less than the current method LOD. The carcinogenic risk based on urine OH-PAHs (average risk: 1.79 × 10<sup>−5</sup>) was approximately two orders of magnitude higher than the risk derived from inhalation (average risk: 3.26 × 10<sup>−8</sup>). The study showed that urinary OH-PAHs were not suitable as indicators for short-term inhalation exposure in routine studies. The accurate assessment of inhaled PAH related health risks of children requires a comprehensive analysis combining environmental monitoring, biological monitoring, dietary exposure assessment, and behavioral data of the target population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 127585"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823263","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 : 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127589
Md Abu Noman , Stacey M. Trevathan-Tackett , Peter I. Macreadie , Rod M. Connolly , Zhao Liang Chen , Ding He , Tanveer M. Adyel
A disproportionately large accumulation of plastic waste has turned blue carbon ecosystems (mangrove forests, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows) into hotspots of plastic pollution. Although our understanding of the effects of plastics on coastal ecosystems has advanced considerably, the underlying effects on blue carbon sediment biogeochemistry are yet to be assessed. Here, we examined the potential organic matter turnover and degradability of conventional plastics, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) and biodegradable plastic, i.e. polylactic acid (PLA) in a controlled microcosm experiment containing mangrove sediments. We measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leaching, changes in sediment dissolved organic matter (DOM), and the simultaneous greenhouse gas emissions caused by plastics. After 90 days of incubation, low molecular weight PP was visibly degraded on the surface, but high molecular weight PET and PLA were not. The degradation of PP and granular structure of PET led to higher DOC content and number of DOM molecules in sediment compared to that of PLA. Initially, PET contributed higher bio-labile compounds to the sediment, but after 90 days of incubation biologically recalcitrant compounds were more prominent. Despite contributing less DOC and DOM, sediment with PLA emitted higher CO2, suggesting that PLA may accelerate the degradation of native organic matter, whereas PP reduced the cumulative emission. In short, both conventional and biodegradable plastics affect sediment biogeochemistry by altering DOC content, DOM composition and turnover. This study provides new insights into the signature of different plastics in blue carbon sediment dynamics.
{"title":"Unravelling the molecular fingerprint of plastic accumulation on blue carbon sediment","authors":"Md Abu Noman , Stacey M. Trevathan-Tackett , Peter I. Macreadie , Rod M. Connolly , Zhao Liang Chen , Ding He , Tanveer M. Adyel","doi":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127589","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127589","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A disproportionately large accumulation of plastic waste has turned blue carbon ecosystems (mangrove forests, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows) into hotspots of plastic pollution. Although our understanding of the effects of plastics on coastal ecosystems has advanced considerably, the underlying effects on blue carbon sediment biogeochemistry are yet to be assessed. Here, we examined the potential organic matter turnover and degradability of conventional plastics, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) and biodegradable plastic, i.e. polylactic acid (PLA) in a controlled microcosm experiment containing mangrove sediments. We measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leaching, changes in sediment dissolved organic matter (DOM), and the simultaneous greenhouse gas emissions caused by plastics. After 90 days of incubation, low molecular weight PP was visibly degraded on the surface, but high molecular weight PET and PLA were not. The degradation of PP and granular structure of PET led to higher DOC content and number of DOM molecules in sediment compared to that of PLA. Initially, PET contributed higher bio-labile compounds to the sediment, but after 90 days of incubation biologically recalcitrant compounds were more prominent. Despite contributing less DOC and DOM, sediment with PLA emitted higher CO<sub>2</sub>, suggesting that PLA may accelerate the degradation of native organic matter, whereas PP reduced the cumulative emission. In short, both conventional and biodegradable plastics affect sediment biogeochemistry by altering DOC content, DOM composition and turnover. This study provides new insights into the signature of different plastics in blue carbon sediment dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":311,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Pollution","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 127589"},"PeriodicalIF":7.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145812866","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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