Pub Date : 2025-08-05DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100654
Fernando António Leal Pacheco , Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra , Carlos Alberto Valera , Marília Carvalho de Melo , Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes
<div><div>Mine tailings are wastes from ore extraction and processing, which are frequently stored in hillslopes behind earth dams. Unfortunately, tailings dams have collapsed in a number of places worldwide, literally dumping the waste into nearby rivers as metal-rich debris and mud. The environmental impact of these accidents is systemic and often severe and long-lasting. This study reviewed recent cases from Brazil (the Mariana accident that affected the Doce River and the Brumadinho accident that affected the Paraopeba River), highlighting the impact of large tailings dams' failures on river water quality and implications derived therefrom. The review showed how the Mariana failure affected the entire course of the Doce River, even impacting the estuarine ecosystem for a decade so far; and how physical barriers such as the Igarapé weir helped delaying the propagation of contamination in the Paraopeba River. Invariably, the contamination of river water was characterized by concentrations of metals (e.g. iron, manganese) and turbidity above the legal thresholds and far exceeding the levels observed before the accidents, which in the Brumadinho case, led to the suspension of drinking water supply to the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, affecting 2 million people. Besides, bioavailable phases of metals have accumulated in various trophic levels across the food web, threatening human health. The role of storm events in the exacerbation of water quality degradation and the potential impact of floods on the health of riparian forests were also recognized, because contaminated sediments were resuspended during those events and riverbanks were inundated in the sequel. Moreover, contaminated surface water flowing from urban, industrial, and pastureland areas masked the water quality degradation of Paraopeba River caused by the tailings dams' failures, because this water also contained metals and other toxic elements. On the other hand, inflows of sediments and water from tributary rivers helped dilute the contamination in the main watercourses. The time required to bring the river water quality back to safe levels was assessed in some studies, which pointed to 6–8 years in the Brumadinho case and provided no clear timespan for the Mariana case. Dredging of mine waste from the impacted areas was said to accelerate the recovery of Paraopeba river. The reviewed articles suggested some institutional responses, both systemic and specific to tailings dam accidents. The systemic measures comprised reforestation and implementation of best management practices to prevent water erosion and contaminant transport across the river basins, coupled with integration of accountable water quality monitoring in landscape management plans and policies. The specific measures were mostly related with prevention through the design of promptly implementable emergency action plans, coupled with policies capable of making the mining companies pay the recovery costs in a r
{"title":"Tailings dam failures in Brazil: River contamination, ecosystem recovery, and institutional responses to the Mariana and Brumadinho disasters","authors":"Fernando António Leal Pacheco , Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra , Carlos Alberto Valera , Marília Carvalho de Melo , Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mine tailings are wastes from ore extraction and processing, which are frequently stored in hillslopes behind earth dams. Unfortunately, tailings dams have collapsed in a number of places worldwide, literally dumping the waste into nearby rivers as metal-rich debris and mud. The environmental impact of these accidents is systemic and often severe and long-lasting. This study reviewed recent cases from Brazil (the Mariana accident that affected the Doce River and the Brumadinho accident that affected the Paraopeba River), highlighting the impact of large tailings dams' failures on river water quality and implications derived therefrom. The review showed how the Mariana failure affected the entire course of the Doce River, even impacting the estuarine ecosystem for a decade so far; and how physical barriers such as the Igarapé weir helped delaying the propagation of contamination in the Paraopeba River. Invariably, the contamination of river water was characterized by concentrations of metals (e.g. iron, manganese) and turbidity above the legal thresholds and far exceeding the levels observed before the accidents, which in the Brumadinho case, led to the suspension of drinking water supply to the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, affecting 2 million people. Besides, bioavailable phases of metals have accumulated in various trophic levels across the food web, threatening human health. The role of storm events in the exacerbation of water quality degradation and the potential impact of floods on the health of riparian forests were also recognized, because contaminated sediments were resuspended during those events and riverbanks were inundated in the sequel. Moreover, contaminated surface water flowing from urban, industrial, and pastureland areas masked the water quality degradation of Paraopeba River caused by the tailings dams' failures, because this water also contained metals and other toxic elements. On the other hand, inflows of sediments and water from tributary rivers helped dilute the contamination in the main watercourses. The time required to bring the river water quality back to safe levels was assessed in some studies, which pointed to 6–8 years in the Brumadinho case and provided no clear timespan for the Mariana case. Dredging of mine waste from the impacted areas was said to accelerate the recovery of Paraopeba river. The reviewed articles suggested some institutional responses, both systemic and specific to tailings dam accidents. The systemic measures comprised reforestation and implementation of best management practices to prevent water erosion and contaminant transport across the river basins, coupled with integration of accountable water quality monitoring in landscape management plans and policies. The specific measures were mostly related with prevention through the design of promptly implementable emergency action plans, coupled with policies capable of making the mining companies pay the recovery costs in a r","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100654"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895554","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}
Biosensing techniques have been emerging as potent, sensitive, and highly selective techniques to identify contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water matrices. The significant levels of these classes of pollutants are extremely detrimental to human health and ecosystems even at trace concentrations. Enzyme-based biosensing techniques utilize the specificity and catalytic activity of enzymes to selectively interact with pollutants, producing measurable signals for their detection and quantification. Here, we summarize different enzyme-driven techniques for the detection of CECs. The use of enzyme-based sensors represents a promising, sustainable approach to address the global challenge of detecting CECs in water matrices.
{"title":"Biosensing contaminants of emerging concerns: A technological leap in emerging contaminant detection","authors":"Rakhya Ranjan Nanda , Jaya Sharma , Sasmita Chand , Lavanya Addagada , Prangya Ranjan Rout","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100649","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100649","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biosensing techniques have been emerging as potent, sensitive, and highly selective techniques to identify contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water matrices. The significant levels of these classes of pollutants are extremely detrimental to human health and ecosystems even at trace concentrations. Enzyme-based biosensing techniques utilize the specificity and catalytic activity of enzymes to selectively interact with pollutants, producing measurable signals for their detection and quantification. Here, we summarize different enzyme-driven techniques for the detection of CECs. The use of enzyme-based sensors represents a promising, sustainable approach to address the global challenge of detecting CECs in water matrices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100649"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144879096","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 : 2025-07-28DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100653
Stavros D. Veresoglou , Costas J. Saitanis , Evgenios Agathokleous
Dose-response curves are the basis for most public and environmental health decisions in ecology, environmental toxicology, pharmacology, and policymaking. Dose-response curves are often mistakenly assumed to be static in time. This gives rise to a major challenge in the field, correcting them for temporal variability. We review, here, evidence that there is unforeseen opportunity to predict temporal changes and that, by doing so, we might secure impactful progress in diverse disciplines such as ecotoxicology, conservation and restoration sciences, and precision agriculture. We develop a perspective on the steps that we need to take to realize this lost potential.
{"title":"Ecological dose-response curves against the clock","authors":"Stavros D. Veresoglou , Costas J. Saitanis , Evgenios Agathokleous","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dose-response curves are the basis for most public and environmental health decisions in ecology, environmental toxicology, pharmacology, and policymaking. Dose-response curves are often mistakenly assumed to be static in time. This gives rise to a major challenge in the field, correcting them for temporal variability. We review, here, evidence that there is unforeseen opportunity to predict temporal changes and that, by doing so, we might secure impactful progress in diverse disciplines such as ecotoxicology, conservation and restoration sciences, and precision agriculture. We develop a perspective on the steps that we need to take to realize this lost potential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100653"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827772","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}
Emerging contaminants (ECs) threaten water security and ecosystem health, with climate change intensifying their risks by altering hydrology and driving temperature changes. Process-based (PB) and data-driven (DD) models are vital for understanding EC dynamics and predicting long-term impacts under climate scenarios. This review highlights the integration of PB and DD models with climate change outputs to assess risks and inform sustainable water management. A proposed holistic framework combines these approaches to predict contaminant behavior, identify hotspots, and mitigate risks. Leveraging interdisciplinary insights, it offers a proactive strategy to address EC challenges and safeguard global water resources.
{"title":"Modeling approach to understanding the nexus of emerging contaminants, climate change, and water security","authors":"Xuneng Tong , Zhixin Xiang , Luhua You , Jingjie Zhang , Karina Yew-Hoong Gin","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100650","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100650","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Emerging contaminants (ECs) threaten water security and ecosystem health, with climate change intensifying their risks by altering hydrology and driving temperature changes. Process-based (PB) and data-driven (DD) models are vital for understanding EC dynamics and predicting long-term impacts under climate scenarios. This review highlights the integration of PB and DD models with climate change outputs to assess risks and inform sustainable water management. A proposed holistic framework combines these approaches to predict contaminant behavior, identify hotspots, and mitigate risks. Leveraging interdisciplinary insights, it offers a proactive strategy to address EC challenges and safeguard global water resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100650"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144858528","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 : 2025-07-28DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100648
Jian Zang , Bin Luo , Guangyan He , Chao Yue , Yu Yan
This review examines emerging contaminants (ECs) and transitional one in five environments, focusing on air (ground-level and atmosphere), water, soil, and indoor. Key pollutants—volatile organic compounds, microplastics, Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and bioaerosols—demonstrate cross-compartmental persistence, correlating with respiratory diseases, endocrine disruption, and immune risks. Indoor exposure dominates, driven by formaldehyde, microbial agents, and particulate matter. Advanced sensors and AI-enhanced monitoring enable real-time detection yet gaps persist in quantifying risks of novel ECs and scaling interventions. Prioritizing source control in built environments, alongside health-aligned and end point policies, is critical to mitigate exposure surrounded.
{"title":"The mini review of sustainable urban environment and emerging contaminants","authors":"Jian Zang , Bin Luo , Guangyan He , Chao Yue , Yu Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100648","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100648","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This review examines emerging contaminants (ECs) and transitional one in five environments, focusing on air (ground-level and atmosphere), water, soil, and indoor. Key pollutants—volatile organic compounds, microplastics, Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and bioaerosols—demonstrate cross-compartmental persistence, correlating with respiratory diseases, endocrine disruption, and immune risks. Indoor exposure dominates, driven by formaldehyde, microbial agents, and particulate matter. Advanced sensors and AI-enhanced monitoring enable real-time detection yet gaps persist in quantifying risks of novel ECs and scaling interventions. Prioritizing source control in built environments, alongside health-aligned and end point policies, is critical to mitigate exposure surrounded.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100648"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144843001","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 : 2025-07-26DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100652
Dandan Xu , Tuo Jin , Bin Xi , Haihe Gao , Xuran Li , Lei Huang , Jian Song
Microplastics (MPs, particle size<5 mm), as an emerging pollutant, can exist in the environment for a long time and have been widely found in global agricultural ecosystems. MPs can alter soil physical and chemical properties, interfere with microbial communities, adsorb and transmit pollutants, directly or indirectly affecting crop growth and agricultural product quality and safety. Generally, MPs in ecosystem could be originated from a diverse array of sources. Except for atmospheric deposition, tire wear, farmland irrigation, and sludge application, plastic-coated fertilizers and mulching films used in agriculture have become sources of concern. Recently, a large number of studies have reported on the distribution and pollution mechanisms of MPs in marine environments, but there are relatively few studies on the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of MPs generated by plastic film mulching in different regions. This paper will explore the distribution characteristics of MPs in farmland soil in different countries and regions and their impacts on crop physiology and ecology. It will also analyze the roles of factors such as farmland types, plastic film types, mulching years, mechanical recovery methods, cultivation systems, and farmland irrigation in the distribution characteristics of MPs originated from plastic film. Finally, it will propose to manage policy recommendations, research frontiers and focus fields.
{"title":"Distribution characteristics, influencing factors, and future prospects of microplastics derived from agricultural mulching film in farmland soil: a review","authors":"Dandan Xu , Tuo Jin , Bin Xi , Haihe Gao , Xuran Li , Lei Huang , Jian Song","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100652","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100652","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs, particle size<5 mm), as an emerging pollutant, can exist in the environment for a long time and have been widely found in global agricultural ecosystems. MPs can alter soil physical and chemical properties, interfere with microbial communities, adsorb and transmit pollutants, directly or indirectly affecting crop growth and agricultural product quality and safety. Generally, MPs in ecosystem could be originated from a diverse array of sources. Except for atmospheric deposition, tire wear, farmland irrigation, and sludge application, plastic-coated fertilizers and mulching films used in agriculture have become sources of concern. Recently, a large number of studies have reported on the distribution and pollution mechanisms of MPs in marine environments, but there are relatively few studies on the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of MPs generated by plastic film mulching in different regions. This paper will explore the distribution characteristics of MPs in farmland soil in different countries and regions and their impacts on crop physiology and ecology. It will also analyze the roles of factors such as farmland types, plastic film types, mulching years, mechanical recovery methods, cultivation systems, and farmland irrigation in the distribution characteristics of MPs originated from plastic film. Finally, it will propose to manage policy recommendations, research frontiers and focus fields.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100652"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887494","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}
Sand and dust storms (SDS) present significant challenges in assessing their health effects, particularly as climate change may exacerbate desertification in some regions, potentially leading to more frequent and intense dust storms. This paper examines the current limitations and methodological issues in evaluating the health impacts of desert dust. While ecological time-series studies have effective in addressing the short-term health effects of air pollution, desert dust exposure introduces unique complexities to conventional methods. Key challenges include dust exposure metrics, exposure assessment methods, desert dust origin, and the type of impacted areas. The potential for increased dust storm activity in some regions, driven by climate change and desertification, underscores the need for more accurate exposure methods to assess the health effects of SDS. Addressing these limitations is essential to improving our understanding of the health risks posed by desert dust, particularly in the current context of a changing climate.
{"title":"Overview of current limitations and challenges in data and methods for assessing the health effects of sand and dust storms under the climate change scenario","authors":"Aurelio Tobias , Massimo Stafoggia , Masahiro Hashizume , Xavier Querol","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sand and dust storms (SDS) present significant challenges in assessing their health effects, particularly as climate change may exacerbate desertification in some regions, potentially leading to more frequent and intense dust storms. This paper examines the current limitations and methodological issues in evaluating the health impacts of desert dust. While ecological time-series studies have effective in addressing the short-term health effects of air pollution, desert dust exposure introduces unique complexities to conventional methods. Key challenges include dust exposure metrics, exposure assessment methods, desert dust origin, and the type of impacted areas. The potential for increased dust storm activity in some regions, driven by climate change and desertification, underscores the need for more accurate exposure methods to assess the health effects of SDS. Addressing these limitations is essential to improving our understanding of the health risks posed by desert dust, particularly in the current context of a changing climate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100651"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827770","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 : 2025-07-26DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100647
Anastasia K. Paschalidou
{"title":"Intersecting crises: Air quality in a changing climate","authors":"Anastasia K. Paschalidou","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100647","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100647","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100647"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827771","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}
Contamination by polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, also known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), substituted PAHs (SPAHs) and heterocyclic PAHs (HPAHs) is widely reported in rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Substituted PAHs (SPAHs) are a subclass of PAHs characterized by the presence of various substituent groups, such as alkyl, nitro, and oxy groups. In contrast, heterocyclic PAHs (HPAHs) are in-ring substituted PAHs where nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O) replace one of the carbon (C) in the aromatic ring. These compounds are primarily produced through anthropogenic activities such as the combustion of fossil fuels, biomass burning, and industrial processes. The enhanced physicochemical complexity of SPAHs and HPAHs caused by side chain or in-ring substitution, respectively, modifies key properties such as water solubility, hydrophobicity, and environmental persistence, ultimately influencing their behavior, transformation, and bioavailability. Alkyl substitution in SPAHs generally increases hydrophobicity, while polar substituents enhance water solubility and increase the toxicity. PAHs and their derivatives undergo transformations such as photolysis, microbial degradation, and chemical oxidation in aquatic systems. Toxicity of PAHs, SPAHs, and HPAHs varies with the molecular structure. Nitrated PAHs (NPAHs) and HPAHs containing nitrogen in the ring (PANHs) depict high acute toxicity, mutagenicity without metabolic activation, and adverse effects caused by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Future research must focus on improving detection and quantification, assessing ecotoxicity and human health impacts, exploring environmental fate, and developing effective removal techniques, and regulatory strategies for the SPAHs and HPAHs.
{"title":"Fate and toxicity of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), substituted PAHs and heterocyclic PAHs in water","authors":"Nageshwari Krishnamoorthy , Prasenjit Ghosh , Suparna Mukherji","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100646","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100646","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Contamination by polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, also known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), substituted PAHs (SPAHs) and heterocyclic PAHs (HPAHs) is widely reported in rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Substituted PAHs (SPAHs) are a subclass of PAHs characterized by the presence of various substituent groups, such as alkyl, nitro, and oxy groups. In contrast, heterocyclic PAHs (HPAHs) are in-ring substituted PAHs where nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O) replace one of the carbon (C) in the aromatic ring. These compounds are primarily produced through anthropogenic activities such as the combustion of fossil fuels, biomass burning, and industrial processes. The enhanced physicochemical complexity of SPAHs and HPAHs caused by side chain or in-ring substitution, respectively, modifies key properties such as water solubility, hydrophobicity, and environmental persistence, ultimately influencing their behavior, transformation, and bioavailability. Alkyl substitution in SPAHs generally increases hydrophobicity, while polar substituents enhance water solubility and increase the toxicity. PAHs and their derivatives undergo transformations such as photolysis, microbial degradation, and chemical oxidation in aquatic systems. Toxicity of PAHs, SPAHs, and HPAHs varies with the molecular structure. Nitrated PAHs (NPAHs) and HPAHs containing nitrogen in the ring (PANHs) depict high acute toxicity, mutagenicity without metabolic activation, and adverse effects caused by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Future research must focus on improving detection and quantification, assessing ecotoxicity and human health impacts, exploring environmental fate, and developing effective removal techniques, and regulatory strategies for the SPAHs and HPAHs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100646"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144631995","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 : 2025-06-21DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100645
Farhan R. Khan , Nathaniel Clark , Elvis Genbo Xu
Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) research in the piscine gastrointestinal tract has been a significant area of study. Understanding the environmental presence of microplastics, their potential for both localised and systemic effects, and their role as a gateway for MNPs and associated chemicals to enter the tissues and the food web, including the human food chain, is crucial. The fish gut, as a critical intersection between environmental, biotic, and human health, aligns with the One Health concept. We review the likely uptake mechanisms and toxicological damage caused by ingesting MNPs and their associated chemicals in fish, contextualised within the realms of digestive physiology and biological plausibility.
{"title":"Micro(nano)plastics in the fish gastrointestinal tract: A mini review and relevance to One Health perspective","authors":"Farhan R. Khan , Nathaniel Clark , Elvis Genbo Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100645","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coesh.2025.100645","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) research in the piscine gastrointestinal tract has been a significant area of study. Understanding the environmental presence of microplastics, their potential for both localised and systemic effects, and their role as a gateway for MNPs and associated chemicals to enter the tissues and the food web, including the human food chain, is crucial. The fish gut, as a critical intersection between environmental, biotic, and human health, aligns with the One Health concept. We review the likely uptake mechanisms and toxicological damage caused by ingesting MNPs and their associated chemicals in fish, contextualised within the realms of digestive physiology and biological plausibility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52296,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100645"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144580160","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}
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