Pub Date : 2025-12-16DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100703
Syed Shabi Ul Hassan Kazmi , Muhammad Azeem , Hafiz Sohaib Ahmed Saqib , Zaher Mundher Yaseen , Gang Li
Plastic pollution is now a major microbiological and biogeochemical challenge. This review critically evaluates the plastisphere, the microbial biofilm colonizing plastic debris, and establishes its role as an engine of environmental change. We posit the central hypothesis that the plastisphere functions as a mobile hotspot of microbial activity that disrupts natural biogeochemical cycles and introduces novel pollutant dynamics. To evaluate this, we investigate three key questions: (1) how does the metabolic core of the plastisphere reconcile high in vitro enzymatic potential with limited in situ degradation efficacy? (2) what is the dual role of the plastisphere in pollutant fate, acting as both a transport vector and a bioreactor? (3) how are these functions intensified by global change drivers? Our synthesis concludes that the plastisphere collective metabolism short-circuits natural elemental cycles and introduces novel pollutant vectors. Addressing this multidimensional threat requires interdisciplinary research to inform both mitigation policies and the transition to a circular plastic economy.
{"title":"The plastisphere as an engine of environmental change: Impacts on biogeochemical cycling and pollutant fate","authors":"Syed Shabi Ul Hassan Kazmi , Muhammad Azeem , Hafiz Sohaib Ahmed Saqib , Zaher Mundher Yaseen , Gang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100703","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100703","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plastic pollution is now a major microbiological and biogeochemical challenge. This review critically evaluates the plastisphere, the microbial biofilm colonizing plastic debris, and establishes its role as an engine of environmental change. We posit the central hypothesis that the plastisphere functions as a mobile hotspot of microbial activity that disrupts natural biogeochemical cycles and introduces novel pollutant dynamics. To evaluate this, we investigate three key questions: (1) how does the metabolic core of the plastisphere reconcile high <em>in vitro</em> enzymatic potential with limited <em>in situ</em> degradation efficacy? (2) what is the dual role of the plastisphere in pollutant fate, acting as both a transport vector and a bioreactor? (3) how are these functions intensified by global change drivers? Our synthesis concludes that the plastisphere collective metabolism short-circuits natural elemental cycles and introduces novel pollutant vectors. Addressing this multidimensional threat requires interdisciplinary research to inform both mitigation policies and the transition to a circular plastic economy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 100703"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100700
Srinidhi Lokesh, Yasha Jathan, Eric A. Marchand, David Hanigan
Wildfires are increasing in frequency and severity and pose a significant threat to drinking water safety by altering the quantity and chemical nature of disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors. This review critically synthesizes recent field and laboratory studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of wildfire's impact on DBP formation. Published literature has demonstrated that wildfires lead to higher concentrations of regulated DBPs, which result in a greater number of regulatory violations. These effects are primarily driven by the increased precipitation-driven export of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from burned soils and ash deposits during post-fire runoff events. However, the reactivity (mass DBP formed/mass DOM) of fire-altered dissolved organic matter in forming carbonaceous DBPs (C-DBPs) is often reduced compared to pre-fire DOM. In contrast, the reactivity of DOM to form more toxicologically potent nitrogenous DBPs (N-DBPs) is, in many cases, increased by fire. This shift is exacerbated in wildland–urban interface (WUI) fires, where the combustion of anthropogenic materials can increase the potential toxicity of the resulting DBP mixture by over 100-fold compared to vegetative ash. Further, wildfire can also alter DBP speciation by mobilizing inorganic halides. The release of bromide from vegetation and, critically, iodide from structural materials in WUI fires can lead to the formation of brominated and iodinated DBPs which also potentially results in increased toxicity of the mixture. These findings highlight significant challenges to the production of safe drinking water post-fire and underscore the need for a shift in DBP regulations, moving beyond regulated C-DBPs.
{"title":"Recent improvements in understanding the impacts of wildfire on disinfection byproduct formation potential","authors":"Srinidhi Lokesh, Yasha Jathan, Eric A. Marchand, David Hanigan","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100700","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100700","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wildfires are increasing in frequency and severity and pose a significant threat to drinking water safety by altering the quantity and chemical nature of disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors. This review critically synthesizes recent field and laboratory studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of wildfire's impact on DBP formation. Published literature has demonstrated that wildfires lead to higher concentrations of regulated DBPs, which result in a greater number of regulatory violations. These effects are primarily driven by the increased precipitation-driven export of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from burned soils and ash deposits during post-fire runoff events. However, the reactivity (mass DBP formed/mass DOM) of fire-altered dissolved organic matter in forming carbonaceous DBPs (C-DBPs) is often reduced compared to pre-fire DOM. In contrast, the reactivity of DOM to form more toxicologically potent nitrogenous DBPs (N-DBPs) is, in many cases, increased by fire. This shift is exacerbated in wildland–urban interface (WUI) fires, where the combustion of anthropogenic materials can increase the potential toxicity of the resulting DBP mixture by over 100-fold compared to vegetative ash. Further, wildfire can also alter DBP speciation by mobilizing inorganic halides. The release of bromide from vegetation and, critically, iodide from structural materials in WUI fires can lead to the formation of brominated and iodinated DBPs which also potentially results in increased toxicity of the mixture. These findings highlight significant challenges to the production of safe drinking water post-fire and underscore the need for a shift in DBP regulations, moving beyond regulated C-DBPs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 100700"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100682
Xin Zuo , Changchun Xin , Cristina Postigo
In recent years, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has been widely applied in the field of water disinfection and disinfection byproduct (DBP) research. Its use has enabled not only DBP discovery but also the identification of DBP precursors and the elucidation of DBP formation mechanisms and toxicity modes of action. The present manuscript overviews the most recent (mainly from 2023 to present) HRMS-based applications, and discusses the main innovations, limitations, challenges, and knowledge gaps to inspire future research in the field.
{"title":"High-resolution mass spectrometry to advance DBP research","authors":"Xin Zuo , Changchun Xin , Cristina Postigo","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100682","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100682","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has been widely applied in the field of water disinfection and disinfection byproduct (DBP) research. Its use has enabled not only DBP discovery but also the identification of DBP precursors and the elucidation of DBP formation mechanisms and toxicity modes of action. The present manuscript overviews the most recent (mainly from 2023 to present) HRMS-based applications, and discusses the main innovations, limitations, challenges, and knowledge gaps to inspire future research in the field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100682"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145617693","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100687
Ana María Leiva , Gladys Vidal
Within the One Health framework, constructed wetlands (CWs) are increasingly recognized as sustainable systems for mitigating antibiotic resistance (AR). However, their effectiveness in reducing—or potentially contributing to—the dissemination of AR remains debated. This review analyzes recent literature (2024–2025) to clarify the capacity of CWs in AR control. Bibliometric analysis indicates that current research mainly focuses on (1) novel substrates such as biochar, (2) integration with innovative technologies such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs), and (3) characterization of resistant microbial communities. Reported performances of CWs with biochar or coupled with MFCs show antibiotic removal efficiencies of 41–99 % and AR genes (ARGs) reductions of 0.5–1.0 log units. These results evidence that CWs are capable of decreasing ARGs and antibiotics rates from wastewater. However, more research is needed for improving performance and for scaling laboratories prototypes to real-scale CWs. Focusing on ARGs’ occurrence, they are frequently detected in CW substrates and effluents, with abundances up to 104 copies/mL and 10−2 copies/16S rDNA gene copy, respectively. Microbial community studies further suggest ARGs mobilization within CWs—from influent to substrates and plants—and their potential release into surrounding environments. Overall, CWs appear to function as “AR buffer systems”: reducing ARGs levels in liquid streams while facilitating their accumulation in substrates. This reservoir may pose environmental risks, particularly through the reuse of CW biomass in agriculture. Therefore, future research should prioritize risk assessment of CW substrates as potential vectors of AR dissemination.
{"title":"Capacity of constructed wetlands to control antibiotic resistance during wastewater treatment: Removal or dissemination?","authors":"Ana María Leiva , Gladys Vidal","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100687","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100687","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Within the One Health framework, constructed wetlands (CWs) are increasingly recognized as sustainable systems for mitigating antibiotic resistance (AR). However, their effectiveness in reducing—or potentially contributing to—the dissemination of AR remains debated. This review analyzes recent literature (2024–2025) to clarify the capacity of CWs in AR control. Bibliometric analysis indicates that current research mainly focuses on (1) novel substrates such as biochar, (2) integration with innovative technologies such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs), and (3) characterization of resistant microbial communities. Reported performances of CWs with biochar or coupled with MFCs show antibiotic removal efficiencies of 41–99 % and AR genes (ARGs) reductions of 0.5–1.0 log units. These results evidence that CWs are capable of decreasing ARGs and antibiotics rates from wastewater. However, more research is needed for improving performance and for scaling laboratories prototypes to real-scale CWs. Focusing on ARGs’ occurrence, they are frequently detected in CW substrates and effluents, with abundances up to 10<sup>4</sup> copies/mL and 10<sup>−2</sup> copies/16S rDNA gene copy, respectively. Microbial community studies further suggest ARGs mobilization within CWs—from influent to substrates and plants—and their potential release into surrounding environments. Overall, CWs appear to function as “AR buffer systems”: reducing ARGs levels in liquid streams while facilitating their accumulation in substrates. This reservoir may pose environmental risks, particularly through the reuse of CW biomass in agriculture. Therefore, future research should prioritize risk assessment of CW substrates as potential vectors of AR dissemination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100687"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145617654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100686
Rakesh Kumar, Jasmeet Lamba
Prolonged contamination of soil and water ecosystems with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is reported globally due to their widespread use in various products. Hydrophobicity and strong covalent bonds in PFAS lead to interactions with surrounding media under varying environmental conditions, and PFAS exposure severely impacts human, animal, and environmental health. This opinion article presents novel insights on challenges and opportunities associated with biochar selection for PFAS remediation considering the influence of solution chemistry, batch/fixed-bed column sorption methods, pyrolysis temperature, and long-chain/short-chain length PFAS. Higher pyrolysis temperatures (>700 °C) lead to high PFAS sorption onto biochar surfaces due to pore filling, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatic attractions. Long-chain PFAS shows higher affinity due to its strong hydrophobic nature, and π-π interactions enhance the aromaticity of biochar. Also, long-chain PFAS possess high sorption at the biochar–soil interface due to the hydrophobicity of soil; however, in situ sorption–desorption at varying soil chemistry still poses challenges to retain PFAS in soil and leads to groundwater contamination. Lastly, considering agricultural and environmental sustainability, this review concluded with challenges for PFAS removal remediation strategies, including soil washing technology and adsorption, which aim to stabilize PFAS within the soil and water matrix, ultimately hindering their bioavailability and mobility.
{"title":"Remediation of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated substances using biochar from contaminated soil and water ecosystems: Challenges and environmental sustainability","authors":"Rakesh Kumar, Jasmeet Lamba","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100686","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100686","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prolonged contamination of soil and water ecosystems with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is reported globally due to their widespread use in various products. Hydrophobicity and strong covalent bonds in PFAS lead to interactions with surrounding media under varying environmental conditions, and PFAS exposure severely impacts human, animal, and environmental health. This opinion article presents novel insights on challenges and opportunities associated with biochar selection for PFAS remediation considering the influence of solution chemistry, batch/fixed-bed column sorption methods, pyrolysis temperature, and long-chain/short-chain length PFAS. Higher pyrolysis temperatures (>700 °C) lead to high PFAS sorption onto biochar surfaces due to pore filling, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatic attractions. Long-chain PFAS shows higher affinity due to its strong hydrophobic nature, and π-π interactions enhance the aromaticity of biochar. Also, long-chain PFAS possess high sorption at the biochar–soil interface due to the hydrophobicity of soil; however, <em>in situ</em> sorption–desorption at varying soil chemistry still poses challenges to retain PFAS in soil and leads to groundwater contamination. Lastly, considering agricultural and environmental sustainability, this review concluded with challenges for PFAS removal remediation strategies, including soil washing technology and adsorption, which aim to stabilize PFAS within the soil and water matrix, ultimately hindering their bioavailability and mobility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100686"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145617686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100683
Kirin Emlet Furst , Daniel Worthington Smith
Over one billion people gained access to disinfected drinking water in the last 25 years, which is a major public health achievement. However, this inadvertently expanded the population exposed to disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Conditions in low-income communities can exacerbate DBP formation but research is critically limited by 1) focus on trihalomethanes over likely toxicity drivers, 2) overabundance of case studies, 3) lack of epidemiologic studies in relevant communities, and 4) overemphasis on novel treatment technologies. Future research should prioritize the roles of institutional and individual behavior in DBP exposure and mitigation, and incorporating DBPs into global burden of waterborne disease calculations.
{"title":"Disinfection byproducts in low-income communities","authors":"Kirin Emlet Furst , Daniel Worthington Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100683","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100683","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over one billion people gained access to disinfected drinking water in the last 25 years, which is a major public health achievement. However, this inadvertently expanded the population exposed to disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Conditions in low-income communities can exacerbate DBP formation but research is critically limited by 1) focus on trihalomethanes over likely toxicity drivers, 2) overabundance of case studies, 3) lack of epidemiologic studies in relevant communities, and 4) overemphasis on novel treatment technologies. Future research should prioritize the roles of institutional and individual behavior in DBP exposure and mitigation, and incorporating DBPs into global burden of waterborne disease calculations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100683"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145617692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-30DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100696
Manish Kumar , Aseem Saxena , Sachin Tripathi , Durga Prasad Panday , Juan Antonio Torres-Martínez
Urban runoff, shaped by human activities and land use, is a key source of microplastics (MPs), contributing to the contamination of rivers, groundwater, and coastal systems. Understanding MP sources, variability, and behaviour in urban runoff remains challenging due to their diverse origins and dynamic transport processes. Flood events accelerate the mobilisation of MPs, redistributing particles across catchments and ecosystems. Processes like fragmentation, ageing, and retention alter MPs’ size, shape, and surface properties, influencing their transport, accumulation, and interactions in different environments. This opinion article examines the potential of MP profiling to evaluate the extent and pathways of surface-groundwater interactions in urbanizing landscapes, with a focus on flood impacts. The study further highlights the coexistence of MPs with other pollutants and their potential infiltration into groundwater. Through analysis of microplastic contaminant loads, composition, and transport during and after flood events, this opinion demonstrates their dual function as markers of flood occurrences and tools for evaluating hydrological connectivity altered by urban development. The findings highlight the promise of MP hydro(bio)logy as a sensitive, cost-effective approach for integrated water management, improved flood impact assessment, and the formulation of urban planning strategies tailored to mitigate environmental risks in rapidly changing catchments.
{"title":"Harnessing microplastic contaminant hydro(bio)logy: Proxies for flood impact, surface-groundwater connectivity, and urbanisation","authors":"Manish Kumar , Aseem Saxena , Sachin Tripathi , Durga Prasad Panday , Juan Antonio Torres-Martínez","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100696","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100696","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban runoff, shaped by human activities and land use, is a key source of microplastics (MPs), contributing to the contamination of rivers, groundwater, and coastal systems. Understanding MP sources, variability, and behaviour in urban runoff remains challenging due to their diverse origins and dynamic transport processes. Flood events accelerate the mobilisation of MPs, redistributing particles across catchments and ecosystems. Processes like fragmentation, ageing, and retention alter MPs’ size, shape, and surface properties, influencing their transport, accumulation, and interactions in different environments. This opinion article examines the potential of MP profiling to evaluate the extent and pathways of surface-groundwater interactions in urbanizing landscapes, with a focus on flood impacts. The study further highlights the coexistence of MPs with other pollutants and their potential infiltration into groundwater. Through analysis of microplastic contaminant loads, composition, and transport during and after flood events, this opinion demonstrates their dual function as markers of flood occurrences and tools for evaluating hydrological connectivity altered by urban development. The findings highlight the promise of MP hydro(bio)logy as a sensitive, cost-effective approach for integrated water management, improved flood impact assessment, and the formulation of urban planning strategies tailored to mitigate environmental risks in rapidly changing catchments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 100696"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Continuous accumulation of plastic litter in terrestrial ecosystems acts as a major pathway for the macroplastics (MaPs) and microplastics (MiPs) contamination into marine environment. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the sources, fate, and transport of plastic litter within soil–plant systems. It also presents a novel synthesis that connects plastic litter–induced modifications in soil properties and nutrient dynamics with physiological stress, root distortion, and reduced photosynthetic performance in plants. It was found that MaPs primarily affect soil structure by blocking pores and disrupting aggregation, whereas MiP impairs seed germination, nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, and redox imbalance via oxidative stress and leachates of toxic additives. Evidence indicates the uptake and vascular translocation of MiP in edible tissues causes potential risks to food chain. Finally, future research directions were proposed on soil remediation strategies, assessing long-term impact of MiPs and nanoplastics on plant genetic cycle.
{"title":"Impact of macroplastic and microplastic litter pollution on terrestrial soil–plant ecosystems: Pathways, fate, and transport","authors":"Deval Jugraj Singh , Anil Kumar Dikshit , Sunil Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100694","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100694","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Continuous accumulation of plastic litter in terrestrial ecosystems acts as a major pathway for the macroplastics (MaPs) and microplastics (MiPs) contamination into marine environment. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the sources, fate, and transport of plastic litter within soil–plant systems. It also presents a novel synthesis that connects plastic litter–induced modifications in soil properties and nutrient dynamics with physiological stress, root distortion, and reduced photosynthetic performance in plants. It was found that MaPs primarily affect soil structure by blocking pores and disrupting aggregation, whereas MiP impairs seed germination, nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, and redox imbalance via oxidative stress and leachates of toxic additives. Evidence indicates the uptake and vascular translocation of MiP in edible tissues causes potential risks to food chain. Finally, future research directions were proposed on soil remediation strategies, assessing long-term impact of MiPs and nanoplastics on plant genetic cycle.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 100694"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145790845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100693
Priyansha Gupta , Manuel D. Arciniegas-Pérez , Héctor A. Barrios-Piña
Desalination addresses freshwater scarcity, but hypersaline brine discharge raises ecological and health concerns. This review synthesizes 15 years of research on desalination brine impacts. Key stressors, high salinity, temperature, alkalinity, and metals, degrade water quality, biodiversity, and ecological balance. Effects include 40% plankton loss and 25–30% seagrass decline near outfalls. Elevated ions and residual chemicals disrupt microbes, fostering pathogens and disease. Regulatory frameworks remain fragmented. Advances in AI modeling and resource recovery offer mitigation, yet knowledge gaps persist on cumulative and synergistic impacts. Sustainable desalination requires integrated monitoring, AI-based management, and harmonized global regulations for ecosystem protection.
{"title":"Impact of brine discharge from desalination plants on marine ecosystems: A review","authors":"Priyansha Gupta , Manuel D. Arciniegas-Pérez , Héctor A. Barrios-Piña","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100693","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100693","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Desalination addresses freshwater scarcity, but hypersaline brine discharge raises ecological and health concerns. This review synthesizes 15 years of research on desalination brine impacts. Key stressors, high salinity, temperature, alkalinity, and metals, degrade water quality, biodiversity, and ecological balance. Effects include 40% plankton loss and 25–30% seagrass decline near outfalls. Elevated ions and residual chemicals disrupt microbes, fostering pathogens and disease. Regulatory frameworks remain fragmented. Advances in AI modeling and resource recovery offer mitigation, yet knowledge gaps persist on cumulative and synergistic impacts. Sustainable desalination requires integrated monitoring, AI-based management, and harmonized global regulations for ecosystem protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 100693"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145790884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-25DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100692
Justine Criquet
The formation of brominated and iodinated disinfection by-products is of concern due to impaired water quality, taste- and odor-issues, and health concerns. Progress in the identification of precursors among the complex organic matter reveals that low-molecular-weight by-products are the main toxicity drivers. These by-products could, however, originate from the degradation of high-molecular-weight organic matter, especially in the presence of iodide during chlorination or chloramination and algal bloom events. Alternative oxidants such as peracids or periodate reach different levels of assessment, considering the formation of by-products, demonstrating breakthroughs in this field but also remaining gaps to be filled.
{"title":"Brominated and iodinated disinfection by-products: Recent advances in formation, characterization, and toxicity","authors":"Justine Criquet","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100692","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100692","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The formation of brominated and iodinated disinfection by-products is of concern due to impaired water quality, taste- and odor-issues, and health concerns. Progress in the identification of precursors among the complex organic matter reveals that low-molecular-weight by-products are the main toxicity drivers. These by-products could, however, originate from the degradation of high-molecular-weight organic matter, especially in the presence of iodide during chlorination or chloramination and algal bloom events. Alternative oxidants such as peracids or periodate reach different levels of assessment, considering the formation of by-products, demonstrating breakthroughs in this field but also remaining gaps to be filled.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 100692"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号