Science of the Total Environment最新文献

Thermo-responsive membranes and hydrogels have gained significant attention for their multifunctional applications in tissue engineering, wound healing, controlled drug delivery, and filtration systems. These smart membranes and hydrogels respond to temperature changes, offering advantages such as self-cleaning properties, antifouling capabilities, and precise control of drug release through reversible swelling-deswelling and pore gating mechanisms. In biomedical applications, thermo-responsive membranes and hydrogels enhance patient care by accelerating wound healing, minimising infection risks, and reducing the frequency of interventions. Multiple reports in the literature have demonstrated that temperature-triggered hydrogels show 3 to 5 times higher drug release efficiency compared to non-responsive carriers. In water treatment, self-cleaning and antifouling features of thermo-responsive membranes have significantly reduced maintenance costs and enhance filtration efficiency by up to 99% flux recovery rate and more than 125% flux improvement in reported systems. This paper, in comparison with previous studies, explores the cost-saving potential and technological advantages of thermo-responsive membranes and hydrogels across diverse application sectors. It also examines industrial constraints such as energy demand, solvent systems, and cycling durability of these membranes and hydrogels to provide a deeper understanding of the behaviour of thermo-responsive materials in different operational environments. Unlike earlier reviews, membrane performance analysis was also integrated at critical transition points (flux, recovery ratio, release efficiency) and fabrication methods were linked to application-specific outcomes. Furthermore, these membranes and hydrogels have shown clear opportunities for future research and industrial implementation, particularly in reducing material and labour costs in healthcare and lowering operational expenses in filtration systems. The integration of these membranes and hydrogels with bioelectronics and smart systems, will likely further expand their utility and market viability in the coming years.

Road infrastructure is essential for urban connectivity and economic development, yet its construction phase often results in substantial environmental impacts, especially in developing regions where life-cycle data and assessment capacity remain limited. This study applies a cradle-to-site Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a 9.6 km four-lane road expansion project in El Salvador, using the ReCiPe 2016 impact assessment method and ELCD background data adapted to local conditions. The results indicate that cement, diesel, and steel dominate contributions to global warming potential, terrestrial and marine ecotoxicity, and resource depletion. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that relatively small reductions in material quantities and transport distances can lead to meaningful decreases in emissions and ecotoxic impacts. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating life cycle considerations into early-stage design and procurement decisions for road infrastructure. The study provides a replicable analytical framework to support climate-resilient and resource-efficient infrastructure planning in data-constrained contexts, contributing to both national sustainability priorities and broader international development targets.

The pervasive distribution of micro- and nanoplastics (M/NPs) across ecosystems necessitates a mechanistic investigation into their toxicological consequences. Chronic exposure to M/NPs through combined intestinal uptake and branchial contact in aquatic animals disrupts epithelial barrier integrity, alters gastric secretions and luminal pH, and induces microbial dysbiosis, evidenced by the depletion of commensal taxa and expansion of pathogenic strains. These local perturbations trigger systemic sequelae, including neurotoxicity and cardiotoxicity. Consequences on cross-species analyses demonstrate translational concordance, as human studies similarly link M/NP bioaccumulation with inflammatory bowel disease, cognitive decline, and cardiovascular dysfunction. Integrative multi-omics approaches, encompassing transcriptomic, metabolomic, and microbiome analyses, have begun to elucidate the molecular cascades underpinning M/NP toxicity, providing high-resolution insights into host-microbe-environment interactions. Notwithstanding these advances, critical gaps remain in chronic exposure modelling, capturing particle heterogeneity, and ensuring ecological realism. In this context, zebrafish (Danio rerio) provide a uniquely tractable system for gnotobiotic rearing, microbial transplantation, and live imaging, thereby enabling causal inference and functional validation in real-time. Collectively, this review establishes zebrafish as a pivotal model for elucidating M/NP-induced gut dysbiosis, neurotoxicity, and cardiotoxicity. Multi-omics analyses and translational evidence reveal systemic inflammation, immune-metabolic disruptions, and mechanistic links to human health, providing a foundation for targeted research, regulatory frameworks, and interventions to mitigate environmental M/NP exposure.

Microplastics (MPs), such as polystyrene (PS) and polybutylene succinate (PBS), are widespread environmental contaminants. While PBS is deemed biodegradable, its environmental impact remains uncertain. This study assesses the cytotoxicity and mercury (HgCl₂) adsorption capacity of PS-MPs and PBS-MPs (~16 μm) using the HT-29 human intestinal epithelial cell line. During long-term exposure, both microplastic types accumulated within and were trapped by the intestinal mucus layer, yet their toxicological profiles diverged significantly. Pristine PS-MPs significantly reduced cell viability to approximately 67% by day 28, whereas PBS-MPs had minimal cytotoxic effects. Short-term exposure (7 days) showed minimal cytotoxicity; however, PS-MPs increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and induced apoptosis. In contrast, PBS-MPs exhibited a higher mercury adsorption capacity, absorbing nearly 3-7 times more mercury than PS-MPs and releasing it more rapidly. Mercury-laden PBS (PBS-Hg) caused a significant increase in intracellular mercury levels, chromatin condensation in about 22% of cells, and an approximately 20% reduction in cell viability by day 14. Mercury-laden PS (PS-Hg), conversely, induced minimal genotoxicity or loss of viability. These findings suggest that the chemical properties facilitating PBS's biodegradability may also enhance its ability to adsorb and transport heavy metals. This "Trojan horse" mechanism indicates that labeling a plastic as "biodegradable" does not inherently reduce environmental hazards, underscoring the need to assess both polymer toxicity and contaminant vector potential in developing safer materials.

Nanoplastics (NPs) are emerging soil contaminants, yet their phytotoxic effects under realistic exposure conditions remain poorly understood. This study evaluated maize (Zea mays L.) responses to soil-applied polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs; ~47 nm, zeta potential ζ = -65 mV) across 0.1-50 mg kg^-1, spanning environmentally relevant to high-end concentrations. Growth responses were minimal at ≤0.1 mg kg^-1 but became strongly inhibitory from 1 mg kg^-1 onward. PSNP exposure reduced biomass and chlorophyll content, depleted soluble proteins and carbohydrates, and sharply increased proline and antioxidant enzymes-catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD). A severe decline in the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH:GSSG) indicated a marked impairment of glutathione redox buffering. Confocal imaging showed that PSNP-associated fluorescence was restricted to the epidermal and cortical tissues, with negligible signal in the stele, suggesting that systemic effects may arise from root-localized stress rather than particle movement. Untargeted liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) metabolomics of shoots revealed coordinated downregulation of amino-acid-related metabolites and suppression of porphyrin/chlorophyll-pathway intermediates, alongside selective engagement of phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways-consistent with oxidative stress-driven metabolic reprogramming. Together, these findings suggest that soil-applied PSNPs disrupt maize growth and redox homeostasis via oxidative and signaling-associated processes, even in the absence of detectable vascular translocation. This study provides ecologically realistic evidence of PSNP-induced metabolic and physiological impairment in a major food crop and underscores the need to incorporate nanoplastic monitoring into soil health and agricultural sustainability frameworks.

This study aimed to determine how different light spectra affect the growth and metabolism of the upside-down jellyfish, Cassiopea andromeda, which relies on symbiotic algae for energy. Jellyfish were reared for 60 days under seven light conditions-red, yellow, white, blue, green, ultraviolet (UV), or complete darkness-while monitoring survival, growth, and metabolic changes. White, blue, and green lights yielded the highest growth and 100% survival. By contrast, red and yellow light produced moderate growth, whereas UV or darkness caused severely stunted growth and high mortality. Untargeted metabolomic profiling (UHPLC-MS/MS) detected ~380 metabolites, with amino acids and fatty acids comprising the major metabolite classes. Different spectra induced distinct metabolic profiles: bell tissues under white and blue/green light showed broader metabolic shifts (e.g., upregulated osmolyte and amino acid pathways), while tentacle tissues maintained more stable profiles enriched in unsaturated fatty acid metabolism. These findings demonstrate that light spectrum significantly shapes jellyfish physiology and metabolism, advancing our understanding of cnidarian photobiology. Optimizing spectral exposure (e.g., using green or blue light) could enhance jellyfish health in aquaculture and inform strategies to mitigate jellyfish blooms under artificial lighting conditions.

Plastic has now been widely recognized as a prevalent, ubiquitous and consistently increasing source of pollution. The extent of this pollution is such that plastics are now considered as a threat to both terrestrial and aquatic environments, the economy and human well-being on a global scale. Beyond the widely acknowledged ingestion and subsequent damages related to the ingestion of plastic debris, a growing body of literature focuses on the various effects of plastics additives that are released in seawater, including on the chemosensory abilities of a range of invertebrates such as gastropods, mussels, hermit crabs, fish and seabirds. In this context, the objective of the present work was to assess the effects of leachates from conventional polymers (polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and polyamide (PA)), bio-sourced and biodegradable polymers (polylactic acid, PLA) and surgical masks on the feeding responsiveness of the helmet crab Telmessus cheiragonus. Using a sponge feeding assay, we show that PP and PE leachates did not impact T. cheiragonus feeding response. In contrast, leachates from PA, PLA and masks stimulated a feeding response similar to the one elicited by the chemical cues of a prey. Interestingly, the response to both leachates and prey cues did not exhibit any significant difference with the response to prey cues only. These results indicate a polymer-specific effect of plastic leachate on T. cheiragonus feeding response and an absence of any synergistic or antagonistic effects with the chemical cues from a prey. The observed short-term effects of plastic leachates are discussed in the context of their potential long-term implications on the ecology of T. cheiragonis in particular and decapods in general.

Urban trees represent a key nature-based solution and an essential component of green infrastructure, providing multiple ecosystem services but increasingly subjected to environmental stressors. We present a dynamic, mechanistic, and individual-based model designed to simulate growth of urban trees and associated ecosystem services supply under varying climate conditions. The model is modular, runs at daily temporal resolution and incorporates key biological processes including photosynthesis, water limitation and biomass allocation. It simulates single-tree growth and quantifies ecosystem services, e.g., carbon sequestration, air filtration, local climate regulation, using species-specific parameters and climate forcing. The model was calibrated and tested in a pilot application in Milan, simulating long-term growth of three common broadleaved species (Platanus x acerifolia, Populus nigra and Robinia pseudoacacia) across different planting ages and climate scenarios. This approach advances urban tree modelling by combining individual-based daily simulation of mechanistic processes with operational calibration using standard inventory data. A multi-objective calibration was used to fit stem diameter and crown width, and sensitivity analyses assessed parameter robustness and uncertainty propagation. Results show realistic growth trajectories with clear species-age contrasts. Tree growth declines under stronger climate forcing, and ecosystem service provision scales non-linearly with age, with mature trees providing substantially greater benefits. Carbon sequestration and air filtration decrease under extreme scenarios, whereas local climate regulation exhibits a compensatory response: lower productivity is offset by higher evaporative demand, yielding stable or slightly increased evapotranspiration-based cooling. Thus, the model provides a novel tool to support urban forestry planning, species selection, and long-term service assessment.

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs), classified as short-, medium-, and long-chain CPs (SCCPs, MCCPs, LCCPs), are extensively used additives in plastics, rubbers, electronics, and metal-processing industries. Their high release potential, persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity have raised increasing global concern, particularly in urban and industrial areas. Although SCCPs and MCCPs have been regulated under the Stockholm Convention, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding MCCPs' environmental behavior and ecological risks, while LCCPs have been largely overlooked. This study investigated all three CP classes in sediments from the Pearl River Delta (PRD), a major industrial and economic hub in China. Total CP concentrations ranged from 40.9 to 2450 ng g^-1 dry weight (dw) (627 ± 523 ng g^-1 dw), representing moderate to elevated levels globally (range (median): 0.661-11,400 (200) ng g^-1 dw) and exceeding those of other typical flame retardants in the PRD. In composition, MCCPs predominated, with SCCPs and LCCPs at lower yet comparable levels, reflecting China's consumption profile. Spatially, sedimentary CPs showed elevated levels in industrialized/urbanized areas and significant correlations with industrial wastewater discharges and electronics-related industries. Traditional and upgraded commercial CP-52 mixtures were identified as the primary source contributors (> 60%), followed by legacy SCCP-containing products and CP-70-related materials such as ship paints. Although hazard quotients (HQs) of CPs were < 1 in most sediments, > 50% of samples showed moderate risk (HQ > 0.1) and one exceeded the threshold. SCCPs contributed most to total risk, followed by MCCPs and LCCPs. These findings provide a comprehensive overview of CP pollution profiles, sources, and ecological risks in a typical industrial region, highlighting the emerging concern of LCCP contamination.

Hospital wastewater is a key interface between clinical and environmental reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance, fostering selection and horizontal gene transfer. Aeromonas spp. are aquatic opportunistic pathogens with highly plastic genomes and are increasingly recognized as potential intermediaries in resistance dissemination. We compared 72 cefiderocol-selected Aeromonas isolates recovered from untreated hospital wastewater collected at six tertiary care hospitals across Germany with 62 clinical isolates from patients with intestinal and extraintestinal infections, to characterize cefiderocol susceptibility, resistome composition, and genomic mobility features. Pangenome analysis revealed an open genome structure comprising 21,364 gene clusters, with a core genome of 2486 genes and a large cloud gene pool (15,612 clusters present in <15% of isolates), highlighting extensive genomic plasticity. Resistance phenotypes diverged markedly: cefiderocol-selected wastewater isolates exhibited high resistance rates to multiple clinically relevant agents - ciprofloxacin (93.1%), aztreonam (81.2%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (38.9%), whereas clinical isolates remained largely susceptible overall (<10%). Under iron limitation, siderophore production increased in both cohorts; however, in the presence of cefiderocol it remained robust in wastewater isolates while being suppressed in clinical isolates. Comparative genomics showed that wastewater isolates carried substantially expanded resistomes (mean 13.8 ARGs; range 2-27) relative to clinical isolates (mean 2.6; range 1-11), including enrichment of clinically relevant β-lactamases and carbapenemases. This resistance burden coincided with a larger and more transmissible plasmidome and a high insertion sequence load. Notably, extensive plasmid-backbone homology was detected between Aeromonas and co-occurring cefiderocol-resistant Enterobacterales isolated from the same wastewater samples, highlighting interspecies gene flow at the hospital-environment interface. Together, these findings identify hospital wastewater as a reservoir and convergence point for highly resistant, mobilome-enriched Aeromonas subpopulations captured under cefiderocol selection, supporting Aeromonas as a One Health sentinel and emphasizing the value of wastewater-based surveillance for tracking mobile resistance determinants bridging environmental and clinical compartments.