Science of the Total Environment最新文献

Long-term trends of streamwater chemistry in an agricultural watershed: Effects of anthropogenic and climatic factors

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment

Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179017

Fengchao Sun , Rob A. Rioux , William A. Miller-Brown , Bibek Shrestha , James B. Shanley , Noah J. Planavsky , Peter A. Raymond , James E. Saiers

The chemistry of headwater streams is a key indicator of the health of riparian zones and surrounding terrestrial ecosystems. This chemistry is shaped by biogeochemical processes, including chemical weathering, and anthropogenic activities that interact with one another and are sensitive to climate. Elucidating trends in streamwater chemistry and the drivers that underpin them is essential for informing land-management decisions and anticipating water-quality issues that may affect downstream waters. In this work, we investigated the effects of anthropogenic and climatic factors on long-term variations in the chemistry of a first-order stream draining an agricultural catchment nested within the Sleepers River Research Watershed in Vermont, USA. We observed statistically significant increases in alkalinity and the concentrations of calcium and magnesium over a 31-year period for which 17 years of measurements were available. Through the application of generalized linear models, we found that the upward trends in alkalinity and calcium were associated with rising air temperatures, while a response to historical acid deposition played a minor role. We hypothesize that increased production of biogenic carbon dioxide and organic acids in soil and groundwater may lead to increases in chemical weathering rates under warmer climate conditions. This study emphasizes the important role of rising temperatures in the long-term increase in streamwater alkaline solutes, potentially overshadowing other influences like acidification recovery and agricultural practices. It also highlights the importance of comprehensive, long-term research to understand climate impacts on chemical weathering and inland water chemistry, which is critical for managing water quality and understanding regional and global carbon cycles.

{"title":"Long-term trends of streamwater chemistry in an agricultural watershed: Effects of anthropogenic and climatic factors","authors":"Fengchao Sun , Rob A. Rioux , William A. Miller-Brown , Bibek Shrestha , James B. Shanley , Noah J. Planavsky , Peter A. Raymond , James E. Saiers","doi":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The chemistry of headwater streams is a key indicator of the health of riparian zones and surrounding terrestrial ecosystems. This chemistry is shaped by biogeochemical processes, including chemical weathering, and anthropogenic activities that interact with one another and are sensitive to climate. Elucidating trends in streamwater chemistry and the drivers that underpin them is essential for informing land-management decisions and anticipating water-quality issues that may affect downstream waters. In this work, we investigated the effects of anthropogenic and climatic factors on long-term variations in the chemistry of a first-order stream draining an agricultural catchment nested within the Sleepers River Research Watershed in Vermont, USA. We observed statistically significant increases in alkalinity and the concentrations of calcium and magnesium over a 31-year period for which 17 years of measurements were available. Through the application of generalized linear models, we found that the upward trends in alkalinity and calcium were associated with rising air temperatures, while a response to historical acid deposition played a minor role. We hypothesize that increased production of biogenic carbon dioxide and organic acids in soil and groundwater may lead to increases in chemical weathering rates under warmer climate conditions. This study emphasizes the important role of rising temperatures in the long-term increase in streamwater alkaline solutes, potentially overshadowing other influences like acidification recovery and agricultural practices. It also highlights the importance of comprehensive, long-term research to understand climate impacts on chemical weathering and inland water chemistry, which is critical for managing water quality and understanding regional and global carbon cycles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":422,"journal":{"name":"Science of the Total Environment","volume":"970 ","pages":"Article 179017"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}

引用次数: 0

Tracking COVID-19 trends in communities with low population by wastewater-based surveillance

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment

Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179007

Aiswarya Rani Pappu , Ashley Green , Melanie Oakes , Sunny Jiang

Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) of SARS-CoV-2 is increasingly recognized as a valuable complement to clinical reporting for estimating COVID-19 infection rates. This acceptance stems from the strong correlation found between wastewater and clinical case data during the early stages of the pandemic. However, the cessation of COVID-19 restrictions, changes in clinical testing requirements by late 2021, and the widespread use of take-home antigen tests have diminished the reliability and volume of clinically reported case counts. This study explores the dynamics between clinical cases and wastewater-based results in a period of transition, focusing on student residential areas within a university campus. We analyzed wastewater from 13 sub-sewersheds, serving populations of 300 to 4000 individuals, three times weekly from December 2021 to June 2022. The analysis revealed two COVID-19 spikes in wastewater data during this time, whereas clinical reports indicated at most a single surge in infections across most communities. Further, in the first infection surge, clinical data plateaued sooner than wastewater trends and, in the second surge, either lagged or were completely absent. Correlations between wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations and the 3-day rolling average of clinical cases were weak in smaller communities (≤1000 people) but improved with larger community sizes (>1000 people). Normalization with PMMoV did not enhance these correlations. Given the challenges in executing widespread and accurate mass clinical testing, our findings advocate for the efficacy of WBS data in reliably forecasting infection surges, even in less populous settings, thereby facilitating swift, informed public health interventions.

{"title":"Tracking COVID-19 trends in communities with low population by wastewater-based surveillance","authors":"Aiswarya Rani Pappu , Ashley Green , Melanie Oakes , Sunny Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) of SARS-CoV-2 is increasingly recognized as a valuable complement to clinical reporting for estimating COVID-19 infection rates. This acceptance stems from the strong correlation found between wastewater and clinical case data during the early stages of the pandemic. However, the cessation of COVID-19 restrictions, changes in clinical testing requirements by late 2021, and the widespread use of take-home antigen tests have diminished the reliability and volume of clinically reported case counts. This study explores the dynamics between clinical cases and wastewater-based results in a period of transition, focusing on student residential areas within a university campus. We analyzed wastewater from 13 sub-sewersheds, serving populations of 300 to 4000 individuals, three times weekly from December 2021 to June 2022. The analysis revealed two COVID-19 spikes in wastewater data during this time, whereas clinical reports indicated at most a single surge in infections across most communities. Further, in the first infection surge, clinical data plateaued sooner than wastewater trends and, in the second surge, either lagged or were completely absent. Correlations between wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations and the 3-day rolling average of clinical cases were weak in smaller communities (≤1000 people) but improved with larger community sizes (>1000 people). Normalization with PMMoV did not enhance these correlations. Given the challenges in executing widespread and accurate mass clinical testing, our findings advocate for the efficacy of WBS data in reliably forecasting infection surges, even in less populous settings, thereby facilitating swift, informed public health interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":422,"journal":{"name":"Science of the Total Environment","volume":"970 ","pages":"Article 179007"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}

引用次数: 0

Particulate matter concentrations in UK schools: A nationwide study into the influence of ambient PM2.5 and the resulting exposure potentials

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment

Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178875

Alice E.E. Handy , Samuel G.A. Wood , Katherine Roberts , Christopher S. Malley , Henry C. Burridge , The SAMHE Project Consortium

This paper analyses the concentration of particulate matter PM_2.5 from monitors deployed, by the Schools' Air Quality Monitoring for Health and Education Initiative (SAMHE), to 490 schools across the United Kingdom throughout the academic year 2023–2024. The data shows that the PM_2.5 concentration in schools is closely correlated to the ambient outdoor PM_2.5 concentrations. Whilst the evidence gathered indicates that sources of PM_2.5 within schools contribute to the concentrations, it is shown that outdoor sources are the dominant signature within the PM_2.5 concentration measurements made indoors. Moreover, over the academic year, outdoor PM_2.5 events — periods of elevated outdoor PM_2.5 concentration — are shown to account for approximately 41% of the total potential exposure, whilst occurring on only around 13% of schooldays. These, and other findings presented herein, have important implications for school air quality and how air quality within schools, and beyond, is managed.

{"title":"Particulate matter concentrations in UK schools: A nationwide study into the influence of ambient PM2.5 and the resulting exposure potentials","authors":"Alice E.E. Handy , Samuel G.A. Wood , Katherine Roberts , Christopher S. Malley , Henry C. Burridge , The SAMHE Project Consortium","doi":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178875","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178875","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper analyses the concentration of particulate matter PM<sub>2.5</sub> from monitors deployed, by the Schools' Air Quality Monitoring for Health and Education Initiative (SAMHE), to 490 schools across the United Kingdom throughout the academic year 2023–2024. The data shows that the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration in schools is closely correlated to the ambient outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations. Whilst the evidence gathered indicates that sources of PM<sub>2.5</sub> within schools contribute to the concentrations, it is shown that outdoor sources are the dominant signature within the PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration measurements made indoors. Moreover, over the academic year, outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> events — periods of elevated outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration — are shown to account for approximately 41% of the total potential exposure, whilst occurring on only around 13% of schooldays. These, and other findings presented herein, have important implications for school air quality and how air quality within schools, and beyond, is managed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":422,"journal":{"name":"Science of the Total Environment","volume":"970 ","pages":"Article 178875"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}

引用次数: 0

Groundwater Safety and Availability Index (GSAI) and its association with salinity indicators

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment

Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179019

Justyna Kubicz , Paweł Lochyński , Joanna A. Kamińska

This study assesses the quality of groundwater in the Odra River Basin in Poland, focussing on environmental health risks, temporal variability, and their association with salinity indices. A new indicator, the Groundwater Safety and Availability Index (GSAI), was developed to evaluate groundwater resources by integrating health risk and resource quantity factors, providing a novel tool for ranking water resources and informing environmental and administrative decision-making. Groundwater samples were collected between 2005 and 2021 and analysed in accordance with national standards. The results demonstrate an improvement in groundwater quality over time, indicated by a reduction in Health Index (HI) values, particularly in Lower Silesia, Lubusz, and Silesia. Significant correlations were found between HI and NO₃⁻ (τ-Kendall = 0.40) and arsenic (τ-Kendall = 0.55). GSAI values varied across regions, with West Pomerania showing the highest groundwater safety and availability, while Silesia had the lowest. Elevated concentrations of contaminants such as arsenic and nitrates were found to significantly impact water safety, particularly during hydrogeological droughts. These findings support the need for region-specific management strategies to ensure sustainable groundwater use and mitigate health risks, with the GSAI serving as a valuable tool for policymakers and environmental planners.

{"title":"Groundwater Safety and Availability Index (GSAI) and its association with salinity indicators","authors":"Justyna Kubicz , Paweł Lochyński , Joanna A. Kamińska","doi":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assesses the quality of groundwater in the Odra River Basin in Poland, focussing on environmental health risks, temporal variability, and their association with salinity indices. A new indicator, the Groundwater Safety and Availability Index (GSAI), was developed to evaluate groundwater resources by integrating health risk and resource quantity factors, providing a novel tool for ranking water resources and informing environmental and administrative decision-making. Groundwater samples were collected between 2005 and 2021 and analysed in accordance with national standards. The results demonstrate an improvement in groundwater quality over time, indicated by a reduction in Health Index (HI) values, particularly in Lower Silesia, Lubusz, and Silesia. Significant correlations were found between HI and NO₃<sup>−</sup> (τ-Kendall = 0.40) and arsenic (τ-Kendall = 0.55). GSAI values varied across regions, with West Pomerania showing the highest groundwater safety and availability, while Silesia had the lowest. Elevated concentrations of contaminants such as arsenic and nitrates were found to significantly impact water safety, particularly during hydrogeological droughts. These findings support the need for region-specific management strategies to ensure sustainable groundwater use and mitigate health risks, with the GSAI serving as a valuable tool for policymakers and environmental planners.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":422,"journal":{"name":"Science of the Total Environment","volume":"970 ","pages":"Article 179019"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}

引用次数: 0

Direct impact of climate change on groundwater levels in the Iberian Peninsula

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment

Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179009

Amir Rouhani , Nahed Ben-Salem , Marco D'Oria , Rafael Chávez García Silva , Alberto Viglione , Nadim K. Copty , Michael Rode , David Andrew Barry , J. Jaime Gómez-Hernández , Seifeddine Jomaa

The Iberian Peninsula is a water-scarce region that is increasingly reliant on groundwater. Climate change is expected to exacerbate this situation due to projected irregular precipitation patterns and frequent droughts. Here, we utilised convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to assess the direct effect of climate change on groundwater levels, using monthly meteorological data and historical groundwater levels from 3829 wells. We considered temperature and antecedent cumulative precipitation over 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months to account for the recharge time lag between precipitation and groundwater level changes. Based on CNNs performance, 92 location-specific models were retained for further analysis, representing wells spatially distributed throughout the peninsula. The CNNs were used to assess the influence of climate change on future groundwater levels, considering an ensemble of eight combinations of general and regional climate models under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Under RCP4.5, an average annual temperature increase of 1.7 °C and a 5.2 % decrease in annual precipitation will result in approximately 15 % of wells experiencing >1-m decline between the reference period [1986–2005] and the long-term period [2080–2100]. Under RCP8.5, with a 3.8 °C increase in temperature and a 20.2 % decrease in annual precipitation between the same time periods, 40 % of wells are expected to experience a water level drop of >1 m. Notably, for 72 % of the wells, temperature is the main driver, implying that evaporation has a greater impact on groundwater levels. Effective management strategies should be implemented to limit overexploitation of groundwater reserves and improve resilience to future climate changes.

{"title":"Direct impact of climate change on groundwater levels in the Iberian Peninsula","authors":"Amir Rouhani , Nahed Ben-Salem , Marco D'Oria , Rafael Chávez García Silva , Alberto Viglione , Nadim K. Copty , Michael Rode , David Andrew Barry , J. Jaime Gómez-Hernández , Seifeddine Jomaa","doi":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Iberian Peninsula is a water-scarce region that is increasingly reliant on groundwater. Climate change is expected to exacerbate this situation due to projected irregular precipitation patterns and frequent droughts. Here, we utilised convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to assess the direct effect of climate change on groundwater levels, using monthly meteorological data and historical groundwater levels from 3829 wells. We considered temperature and antecedent cumulative precipitation over 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months to account for the recharge time lag between precipitation and groundwater level changes. Based on CNNs performance, 92 location-specific models were retained for further analysis, representing wells spatially distributed throughout the peninsula. The CNNs were used to assess the influence of climate change on future groundwater levels, considering an ensemble of eight combinations of general and regional climate models under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Under RCP4.5, an average annual temperature increase of 1.7 °C and a 5.2 % decrease in annual precipitation will result in approximately 15 % of wells experiencing >1-m decline between the reference period [1986–2005] and the long-term period [2080–2100]. Under RCP8.5, with a 3.8 °C increase in temperature and a 20.2 % decrease in annual precipitation between the same time periods, 40 % of wells are expected to experience a water level drop of >1 m. Notably, for 72 % of the wells, temperature is the main driver, implying that evaporation has a greater impact on groundwater levels. Effective management strategies should be implemented to limit overexploitation of groundwater reserves and improve resilience to future climate changes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":422,"journal":{"name":"Science of the Total Environment","volume":"970 ","pages":"Article 179009"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}

引用次数: 0

Complementing emergy evaluation and life cycle assessment for enlightening the environmental benefits of using engineered timber in the building sector

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment

Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179030

Fabio Sporchia , Morena Bruno , Elena Neri , Federico M. Pulselli , Nicoletta Patrizi , Simone Bastianoni

Engineered timber can represent a great opportunity to mitigate the large impacts due to the global building sector. However, the most applied environmental assessment methodologies such a life cycle assessment (LCA) might show limited advantages when comparing the impact on climate change of buildings made of traditional materials, such as concrete and steel, and building based on engineered timber. This work proposes emergy evaluation (EME) as a complementary environmental assessment methodology. By expanding the boundaries of the assessment, EME captures input flows and related features, especially in terms of renewability, that are overlooked in LCA. LCA and EME were applied to two identically modeled buildings composed of either only traditional materials or engineered timber as their replacement. EME reveals the higher sustainability level of engineered timber compared to traditional materials in the building sector, capturing larger environmental benefits compared to LCA. Ultimately, the robustness of the results is tested through a comparative sensitivity analysis performed for three geographic scenarios, different energy use scenarios, and different transport distances.

{"title":"Complementing emergy evaluation and life cycle assessment for enlightening the environmental benefits of using engineered timber in the building sector","authors":"Fabio Sporchia , Morena Bruno , Elena Neri , Federico M. Pulselli , Nicoletta Patrizi , Simone Bastianoni","doi":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179030","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179030","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Engineered timber can represent a great opportunity to mitigate the large impacts due to the global building sector. However, the most applied environmental assessment methodologies such a life cycle assessment (LCA) might show limited advantages when comparing the impact on climate change of buildings made of traditional materials, such as concrete and steel, and building based on engineered timber. This work proposes emergy evaluation (EME) as a complementary environmental assessment methodology. By expanding the boundaries of the assessment, EME captures input flows and related features, especially in terms of renewability, that are overlooked in LCA. LCA and EME were applied to two identically modeled buildings composed of either only traditional materials or engineered timber as their replacement. EME reveals the higher sustainability level of engineered timber compared to traditional materials in the building sector, capturing larger environmental benefits compared to LCA. Ultimately, the robustness of the results is tested through a comparative sensitivity analysis performed for three geographic scenarios, different energy use scenarios, and different transport distances.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":422,"journal":{"name":"Science of the Total Environment","volume":"970 ","pages":"Article 179030"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}

引用次数: 0

Incorporating microbiome analyses can enhance conservation of threatened species and ecosystem functions

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment

Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178826

Lauren Kezia Walling , Matthew H. Gamache , Raúl A. González-Pech , Valerie J. Harwood , Arig Ibrahim-Hashim , Jun Hee Jung , David B. Lewis , Mark J. Margres , Ryan McMinds , Kiran Rasheed , Frank Reis , Isolde van Riemsdijk , Diego Santiago-Alarcon , Carolina Sarmiento , Christopher J. Whelan , Paul-Camilo Zalamea , John Everett Parkinson , Christina L. Richards

Conservation genomics is a rapidly growing subdiscipline of conservation biology that uses genome-wide information to inform management of biodiversity at all levels. Such efforts typically focus on species or systems of conservation interest, but rarely consider associated microbes. At least three major approaches have been used to study how microorganisms broadly contribute to conservation areas: (1) diversity surveys map out microbial species distribution patterns in a variety of hosts, natural environments or regions; (2) functional surveys associate microbial communities with factors of interest, such as host health, symbiotic interactions, environmental characteristics, ecosystem processes, and biological invasions; and (3) manipulative experiments examine the response of changes to microbial communities or determine the functional roles of specific microbes within hosts or communities by adding, removing, or genetically modifying microbes. In practice, multiple approaches are often applied simultaneously. The results from all three conservation genomics approaches can be used to help design practical interventions and improve management actions, some of which we highlight below. However, experimental manipulations allow for more robust causal inferences and should be the ultimate goal of future work. Here we discuss how further integration of microbial research of a host's microbiome and of free living microbes into conservation biology will be an essential advancement for conservation of charismatic organisms and ecosystem functions in light of ongoing global environmental change.

{"title":"Incorporating microbiome analyses can enhance conservation of threatened species and ecosystem functions","authors":"Lauren Kezia Walling , Matthew H. Gamache , Raúl A. González-Pech , Valerie J. Harwood , Arig Ibrahim-Hashim , Jun Hee Jung , David B. Lewis , Mark J. Margres , Ryan McMinds , Kiran Rasheed , Frank Reis , Isolde van Riemsdijk , Diego Santiago-Alarcon , Carolina Sarmiento , Christopher J. Whelan , Paul-Camilo Zalamea , John Everett Parkinson , Christina L. Richards","doi":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178826","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178826","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conservation genomics is a rapidly growing subdiscipline of conservation biology that uses genome-wide information to inform management of biodiversity at all levels. Such efforts typically focus on species or systems of conservation interest, but rarely consider associated microbes. At least three major approaches have been used to study how microorganisms broadly contribute to conservation areas: (1) <em>diversity surveys</em> map out microbial species distribution patterns in a variety of hosts, natural environments or regions; (2) <em>functional surveys</em> associate microbial communities with factors of interest, such as host health, symbiotic interactions, environmental characteristics, ecosystem processes, and biological invasions; and (3) <em>manipulative experiments</em> examine the response of changes to microbial communities or determine the functional roles of specific microbes within hosts or communities by adding, removing, or genetically modifying microbes. In practice, multiple approaches are often applied simultaneously. The results from all three conservation genomics approaches can be used to help design practical interventions and improve management actions, some of which we highlight below. However, experimental manipulations allow for more robust causal inferences and should be the ultimate goal of future work. Here we discuss how further integration of microbial research of a host's microbiome and of free living microbes into conservation biology will be an essential advancement for conservation of charismatic organisms and ecosystem functions in light of ongoing global environmental change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":422,"journal":{"name":"Science of the Total Environment","volume":"970 ","pages":"Article 178826"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}

引用次数: 0

Removal of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from different water types by techniques based on anion exchange (AIX), powdered activated carbon (PAC), iron(III) chloride and nanofiltration (NF) membrane – A systematic comparison

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment

Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179004

Lutz Ahrens , Sandra Lundgren , Philip McCleaf , Stephan Köhler

Presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater and surface water used for drinking water production is a major concern, due to possible adverse effects of PFAS on human health. Stricter guidelines on PFAS levels in drinking water currently being implemented on global scale typically require use of advanced techniques for water treatment. The aim of this study was to systematically compare four different treatment techniques for removal of PFAS and to evaluate the impact of water type on the removal efficiency. We hypothesized that the water type has a significant influence on the removal efficiency for the tested treatment techniques. The four different treatment techniques included i) anion exchange (AIX) MIEX®, ii) powdered activated carbon (PAC), iii) coagulation with ferric chloride (FeCl₃), and iv) nanofiltration (NF) membrane. Mean ∑PFAS removal was found to be highest for NF membrane (48 ± 7.6 %), followed by AIX (30 ± 7.7 %), PAC (18 ± 3.7 %) and FeCl₃ (8.8 ± 8.9 %). For NF membrane, observed removal efficiency of PFAS was best described by a sigmoid curve centred around 400 Da, with low removal (25–35 %) of low-molecular-weight PFAS (<400 Da) and higher removal (47–75 %) of PFAS with greater molecular weight (>400 Da). For AIX and PAC, PFAS removal depended on perfluorocarbon chain length and functional group, e.g. mean ∑PFAS removal efficiency significantly increased (p < 0.05) from 12 % using a PAC dose of 20 mg L⁻¹ to 46 % using a PAC dose of 100 mg L⁻¹. Significant correlations were observed between removal of individual PFAS and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal and DOC characterisation parameters (specific ultra-violet absorbance (SUVA), humification index (HIX), freshness index (FI), absorbance at 254 nm (UV254)). This illustrates the importance of considering DOC characteristics and their seasonal variations when choosing PFAS removal technique and indicates potential of these parameters as predictors of PFAS removal efficiency.

{"title":"Removal of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from different water types by techniques based on anion exchange (AIX), powdered activated carbon (PAC), iron(III) chloride and nanofiltration (NF) membrane – A systematic comparison","authors":"Lutz Ahrens , Sandra Lundgren , Philip McCleaf , Stephan Köhler","doi":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Presence of <em>per</em>- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater and surface water used for drinking water production is a major concern, due to possible adverse effects of PFAS on human health. Stricter guidelines on PFAS levels in drinking water currently being implemented on global scale typically require use of advanced techniques for water treatment. The aim of this study was to systematically compare four different treatment techniques for removal of PFAS and to evaluate the impact of water type on the removal efficiency. We hypothesized that the water type has a significant influence on the removal efficiency for the tested treatment techniques. The four different treatment techniques included i) anion exchange (AIX) MIEX®, ii) powdered activated carbon (PAC), iii) coagulation with ferric chloride (FeCl<sub>3</sub>), and iv) nanofiltration (NF) membrane. Mean ∑PFAS removal was found to be highest for NF membrane (48 ± 7.6 %), followed by AIX (30 ± 7.7 %), PAC (18 ± 3.7 %) and FeCl<sub>3</sub> (8.8 ± 8.9 %). For NF membrane, observed removal efficiency of PFAS was best described by a sigmoid curve centred around 400 Da, with low removal (25–35 %) of low-molecular-weight PFAS (<400 Da) and higher removal (47–75 %) of PFAS with greater molecular weight (>400 Da). For AIX and PAC, PFAS removal depended on perfluorocarbon chain length and functional group, e.g. mean ∑PFAS removal efficiency significantly increased (<em>p</em> < 0.05) from 12 % using a PAC dose of 20 mg L<sup>−1</sup> to 46 % using a PAC dose of 100 mg L<sup>−1</sup>. Significant correlations were observed between removal of individual PFAS and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal and DOC characterisation parameters (specific ultra-violet absorbance (SUVA), humification index (HIX), freshness index (FI), absorbance at 254 nm (UV254)). This illustrates the importance of considering DOC characteristics and their seasonal variations when choosing PFAS removal technique and indicates potential of these parameters as predictors of PFAS removal efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":422,"journal":{"name":"Science of the Total Environment","volume":"970 ","pages":"Article 179004"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}

引用次数: 0

Aflatoxin B1 exposure induces Alzheimer's disease like pathology by disrupting redox homeostasis and activating ferroptotic signals in C57BL/6 J mice

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment

Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179049

Jinxian Lin , Huihui Hong , Sicheng Liu , Zhengwei Liang , Qixue Zheng , Kun Luo , Jiayi Li , Zhulin Du , Jinping Yu , Lingling Yang , Ping Deng , Huifeng Pi , Zhengping Yu , Wei Yuan , Zhou Zhou

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most toxic mycotoxins with neurotoxicity. Human exposure to AFB1 via contaminated foodstuffs has been linked to the risk of cognitive impairment, which may contribute to the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of AD in relation to AFB1 exposure is not clear. Herein, C57BL/6 J mice were exposed to 1.5 mg/L AFB1 in drinking water for 8 weeks. It was found that AFB1 damaged blood-brain barrier function, accumulated in the brain, and led to cognitive impairments and AD-like pathology in the hippocampus. Impaired cognitive function was indicated by the significant alterations in Morris' water maze and Y-maze tests at 8 weeks after AFB1 exposure. Concurrently, AD-like pathology was evinced by a marked neuronal loss and the up-regulated AD related gene and protein expressions in the hippocampus. AFB1 exposure remarkably disrupted redox homeostasis and induced ferroptosis both in the hippocampus at 8 weeks after AFB1 exposure and in cultured hippocampal neuron in vitro as indicated by the suppressions on SOD and CAT activities, the down-regulation of Slc7a11/Gpx4 expressions, the decline in GSH content, the increase in MDA and the lipid peroxidation. AFB1 exposure also increased Fe²⁺ content significantly at 8 weeks after exposure. In addition, we demonstrated that ferroptosis inhibition by Fer-1 obviously alleviated AFB1 neurotoxicity in HT22 cells. These results revealed an unknown pivotal role of ferroptosis in AFB1 neurotoxicity in relation to AD pathogenesis and emphasized the importance to reduce the health risk of AFB1 exposure as an etiology of AD in humans.

{"title":"Aflatoxin B1 exposure induces Alzheimer's disease like pathology by disrupting redox homeostasis and activating ferroptotic signals in C57BL/6 J mice","authors":"Jinxian Lin , Huihui Hong , Sicheng Liu , Zhengwei Liang , Qixue Zheng , Kun Luo , Jiayi Li , Zhulin Du , Jinping Yu , Lingling Yang , Ping Deng , Huifeng Pi , Zhengping Yu , Wei Yuan , Zhou Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most toxic mycotoxins with neurotoxicity. Human exposure to AFB1 via contaminated foodstuffs has been linked to the risk of cognitive impairment, which may contribute to the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of AD in relation to AFB1 exposure is not clear. Herein, C57BL/6 J mice were exposed to 1.5 mg/L AFB1 in drinking water for 8 weeks. It was found that AFB1 damaged blood-brain barrier function, accumulated in the brain, and led to cognitive impairments and AD-like pathology in the hippocampus. Impaired cognitive function was indicated by the significant alterations in Morris' water maze and Y-maze tests at 8 weeks after AFB1 exposure. Concurrently, AD-like pathology was evinced by a marked neuronal loss and the up-regulated AD related gene and protein expressions in the hippocampus. AFB1 exposure remarkably disrupted redox homeostasis and induced ferroptosis both in the hippocampus at 8 weeks after AFB1 exposure and in cultured hippocampal neuron in vitro as indicated by the suppressions on SOD and CAT activities, the down-regulation of Slc7a11/Gpx4 expressions, the decline in GSH content, the increase in MDA and the lipid peroxidation. AFB1 exposure also increased Fe<sup>2+</sup> content significantly at 8 weeks after exposure. In addition, we demonstrated that ferroptosis inhibition by Fer-1 obviously alleviated AFB1 neurotoxicity in HT22 cells. These results revealed an unknown pivotal role of ferroptosis in AFB1 neurotoxicity in relation to AD pathogenesis and emphasized the importance to reduce the health risk of AFB1 exposure as an etiology of AD in humans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":422,"journal":{"name":"Science of the Total Environment","volume":"970 ","pages":"Article 179049"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}

引用次数: 0

Genetic diversity of dissolved free extracellular DNA compared to intracellular DNA in wastewater treatment plants

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment

Pub Date : 2025-03-05 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178989

Soichiro Tamai , Miki Okuno , Yoshitoshi Ogura , Yoshihiro Suzuki

Dissolved free extracellular DNA (free-exDNA) coexists with intracellular DNA (inDNA) in aquatic environments. Free-exDNA can be taken up by bacteria through transformation, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are positioned as potential hot spots for genetic contamination. However, studies comparing the composition of free-exDNA and inDNA is limited. This study employed colloidal adsorption and foam concentration method to recover free-exDNA from different WWTP stages and compared its diversity with inDNA via metagenomic analysis. Free-exDNA concentrations were observed to increase after chlorination. Genetic analysis revealed a higher abundance of specific genes following chlorination, suggesting that free-exDNA in effluent originated from bacterial death in secondary treated water. This result indicates that free-exDNA, which increases due to chlorination, is subsequently released into the catchment. Additionally, several high-risk antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) were detected that colocalized with mobile genetic elements. These ARGs were expected to have a high potential for gene transfer via transformation, and the risk was highlighted. Overall, these findings deepen our understanding of horizontal gene transfer risks in WWTPs.

{"title":"Genetic diversity of dissolved free extracellular DNA compared to intracellular DNA in wastewater treatment plants","authors":"Soichiro Tamai , Miki Okuno , Yoshitoshi Ogura , Yoshihiro Suzuki","doi":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178989","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178989","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dissolved free extracellular DNA (free-exDNA) coexists with intracellular DNA (inDNA) in aquatic environments. Free-exDNA can be taken up by bacteria through transformation, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are positioned as potential hot spots for genetic contamination. However, studies comparing the composition of free-exDNA and inDNA is limited. This study employed colloidal adsorption and foam concentration method to recover free-exDNA from different WWTP stages and compared its diversity with inDNA via metagenomic analysis. Free-exDNA concentrations were observed to increase after chlorination. Genetic analysis revealed a higher abundance of specific genes following chlorination, suggesting that free-exDNA in effluent originated from bacterial death in secondary treated water. This result indicates that free-exDNA, which increases due to chlorination, is subsequently released into the catchment. Additionally, several high-risk antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) were detected that colocalized with mobile genetic elements. These ARGs were expected to have a high potential for gene transfer via transformation, and the risk was highlighted. Overall, these findings deepen our understanding of horizontal gene transfer risks in WWTPs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":422,"journal":{"name":"Science of the Total Environment","volume":"970 ","pages":"Article 178989"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}

引用次数: 0