Environmental Sciences Europe最新文献

As the world faces growing environmental challenges, understanding the nature of microplastics—such as Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and Polyurethane (PU)—and their transformation in water-based environments is necessary for predicting and mitigating their effects. In this study, we investigated their physicochemical characteristics, presence of impurities, colloidal behavior, and sorption capacity to understand better how microplastics behave and transform in the environment, including their role in transporting heavy metals. The two types of microparticles investigated fall into distinct size ranges, approximately 70 microns for PE particles and around 5 microns for PU particles. Both samples showed a spherical morphology and an evident surface micro-roughness. The elemental and thermal analysis did not show the presence of any significant metal impurities. The zeta-potential measurements as a function of pH provided insights into the dispersion behavior of microplastics (MPs) in freshwaters, suitable for the growth of Zebrafish (Egg water) and Daphnia magna (Elendt M7 Water). Both materials showed in bidistilled water negative zeta potential (ZP) at natural pH (ZP = − 51.0 ± 4.3 mV at pH = 6.6 and ZP = − 29.5 ± 1.4 mV at pH = 5.6 for LDPE and PU, respectively), justified by the presence of surface-active charged impurities. In saline media, ZP vs. pH curves were flatter, with ZP values near 0 mV, confirming the reduced colloidal stability from higher ionic strength and double-layer compression. Finally, we assessed the metal adsorption capacity to establish the role of microplastics in the transport of heavy metals in the environment. We observed selective adsorption for Cu²⁺ ions, which was both medium-dependent (more ions adsorbed in Elendt M7) and plastic-dependent, with PU showing a stronger affinity for Cu²⁺ in MilliQ and Egg water. On the contrary, both plastics showed similar adsorption capacity for Fe³⁺ ions across all media.

In recent decades, rapid development has exacerbated climate challenges, posing serious threats to ecological sustainability. To address these issues, renewable energy, ICT technologies, financial development, and globalization have emerged as essential tools for mitigating ecological impacts and fostering green economic growth. These measures align closely with the goals of COP 28, the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. However, the United States faces considerable challenges in reconciling socio-economic development with environmental sustainability. This study, therefore, investigates the key drivers of CO₂ emissions (CO₂) in the United States using data from 1990Q1 to 2021Q4. The study employs wavelet quantile-on-quantile regression along with quantile cointegration to analyze these dynamics across different quantiles and timeframes. The results from the study showed that across all quantiles and periods, ICT adoption technologies and fiscal decentralization increase CO₂, while globalization, renewable energy consumption and financial development lessen CO₂.

The EU recently introduced four new hazard classes to the Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation (CLP) (EC) 1272/2008. The classes are endocrine disruption for human health (ED HH) and the environment (ED ENV), persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB), and persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) or very persistent and very mobile (vPvM). This action was a direct consequence of the EU’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, which aims at strengthening the protection of human health and the environment, as well as reinforcing the CLP Regulation as the central piece of the chemicals legislation. This study examined the regulatory obligations triggered by these new hazard classes, as well as the existing obligations for endocrine disrupters and PBT/vPvB substances identified in other EU regulations. In addition, we compared the CLP criteria for endocrine disruption and PBT/vPvB to criteria existing in other EU regulations and investigated how these criteria are used in the EU chemicals legislation. We found that the implementation of the new hazard classes under the CLP into existing EU chemicals legislation will require the revision of all regulations that rely on the CLP hazard criteria for risk management. Without revision, the immediate impact of the new hazard classes will only extend to six regulations and the regulatory obligations they contain, all of which apply to substances classified under any of the CLP hazard classes. Meanwhile, substances with endocrine disrupting and PBT/vPvB properties are already being identified and regulated using criteria from regulations other than the CLP. When comparing the criteria for identification of endocrine disrupters and PBT/vPvB substances across the chemicals legislation, we found that the criteria differed between regulations. The findings aim to support the efficient implementation of the new CLP hazard classes and harmonization of criteria across regulations, in line with the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability.

Background

After 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2015, Germany participated in the International Moss Monitoring 2020 (MM2020). The German contribution to MM2020 aimed at pilot studies on the suitability of bioindication with mosses for recording the atmospheric deposition of persistent organic pollutants and microplastics.

Results

This investigation was based on moss samples collected at 25 sites in Germany: Eight sites at which concentrations of persistent organic pollutants were determined in the Moss Survey 2015 were included. In addition, twelve sites were selected from the pool of the total of 400 moss collection sites in 2015. Further five sites of the German moss monitoring network 2015 were added, at which moss samples were collected in 2020 for developing the sample preparation and for preliminary investigations. The selection of the five test sites was based on the same criteria as for the 20 target sites of the 2020 monitoring to make the analysis data of the test phase usable for later evaluations. To ensure methodological transparency and objectivity, a procedure based on statistical methods and decision modelling was developed for this purpose. The decision algorithm enabled taking into account a large number of technical criteria. Selected features of the three subsamples comprising 8, 20 and 25 sites were compared with those of the full sample (n = 400 sites of Moss Survey 2015) and inferentially tested whether the thinning of the 2015 sampling network (n = 400) to 8, 20 and 25 sites, respectively, leads to significant changes in its information quality or not.

Conclusions

Methods of decision modelling and inferential statistics have proven their worth for transparently restructuring the moss monitoring network.

Despite episodic and variable patterns of exposure, the levels of glyphosate (GLY) detected in the urine of herbicide applicators and the general public are relatively stable across space (urban vs. rural) and time (weed spray season, not spray season). Substantial GLY metabolism data show that within minutes of entering the bloodstream, GLY moves into bone marrow, and then laterally through bone tissue and back into general circulation. As GLY moves through bone it comes into contact with calcium and a portion is immobilized via chelation. A novel two-part hypothesis is explored: first, the likely reason for the lack of variability in GLY levels in urine is that GLY stored in bone is excreted gradually over days to weeks, and augments the generally stable and modest levels of dietary exposure to GLY; and second, the prolonged systemic movement of GLY into bone marrow and bone extends contact between GLY and hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), increasing the risk of GLY-induced breaks and rearrangements in the DNA in HSCs. Studies confirm that GLY and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) can trigger oxidative stress and impair DNA-repair mechanisms. Animal bioassays and epidemiology studies link GLY/GBH exposures to heightened risk of blood cancers, and possibly other pathologies. The hypothesis proposed here provides a plausible pathophysiologic basis for these observations relative, in particular, to blood cancers.

RNAi-based applications aim to inhibit the expression of specific essential genes in target organisms by uptake and processing of double-stranded RNA and subsequent degradation of target gene mRNA. While the research on RNAi-based pesticides was initially limited to endogenous applications (i.e., production of the dsRNA by the crop), the development of technologies for exogenous applications like RNAi sprays in particular has increased in recent years. Due to the assumed beneficial properties of RNA molecules, such as degradability or target specificity, RNAi technology receives increasing attention in the development of plant protection products, as evidenced by a steadily increasing number of publications. A horizon scan was conducted with a specific emphasis to identify and illustrate the current state of RNAi developments and applications in crop protection as well as their biomanufacturing readiness levels. In this study, more than 180 publications were evaluated. Furthermore, we identified 268 patent families on this topic. A large variety with regard to treated crops, targeted pest species and target gene functions as well as application types was observed. In total, RNAi applications for more than 30 different pest species were identified, most of which belonged to the insect orders Lepidoptera, Hemiptera and Coleoptera. In addition, applications targeting fungi and viruses were found. RNAi applications were identified to be an upcoming topic in crop protection and, therefore, are becoming increasingly relevant for environmental risk assessment, due to the high number of targeted pest species as well as the variety of novel application types. With this review, we inform future work aimed to develop further adequate concepts and methods for environmental risk assessment of RNAi-based applications.

Background

Due to their intrinsic biological activity biocides can pose an unintended threat to various aquatic organisms. Monitoring data on the spatial distribution and temporal trends are needed to evaluate potential risks and the effectiveness of mitigation measures, but these are scarce for biocides in aquatic environments. In particular, even though many biocides tend to sorb to particles, there are only few studies investigating the contamination of suspended particulate matter (SPM). The aim of this study was to obtain an overview of the temporal trends of selected biocides in SPM using German rivers as an example. For this purpose, SPM from the German Environmental Specimen Bank was used for a retrospective trend assessment of a broad spectrum of biocides in integrated SPM samples (yearly composite) in six large German rivers between 2008 and 2021.

Results

Overall 16 of 23 analyzed biocides were found, whereof 10 substances were detected in all samples. Highest concentrations were found for quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs, the sum of four analyzed QACs were up to 8.7 µg/g) and methyl-triclosan (up to 280 ng/g), a transformation product of the bactericide triclosan. Considerably lower concentrations in the range of 0.08 to 88 ng/g and < 0.03 to 13 ng/g were detected for azoles and triazines, respectively. The pyrethroid permethrin, which is highly toxic to aquatic organisms (invertebrates: NOEC = 0.0047 µg/L; fish: NOEC = 0.41 µg/L) as well as to sediment-dwelling organisms (Chironomidae: LC50 = 2.1 mg/kg and NOEC 0.1 mg/kg), was detected at several sampling sites (up to 11.2 ng/g). Concentrations of the other analyzed pyrethroids were below the respective quantification or detection limits. In general, for most compounds, concentrations were higher for locations with higher wastewater proportion, but overall no clear differences in biocide concentration pattern between the different sampling locations were observed. For cybutryne and triclosan significant decreasing concentration trends were observed. This is consistent with regulatory use restrictions and confirms their effectiveness. For benthic organisms a toxicological risk from the individual azole fungicides and QACs seems to be low.

Conclusions

Explicit differences between sampling sites and temporary changes in local concentrations indicate regional variations of biocide emissions which hamper identification of long-term concentration trends. Moreover, time trends could be affected by remobilization of legacy contamination from contaminated sites. Hence, for biocides a continuous long-term monitoring is crucial to identify the effectiveness of recent restrictions and mitigation measures.

Microplastic (MP) pollution is a critical environmental issue affecting ecosystems globally, with significant implications for wildlife and human health. This systematic review examines MP contamination in animal taxa across Thailand from 2016 to 2024, highlighting the extensive presence of MPs in diverse habitats, particularly in benthic environments, which account for 55% of contamination. Fish, especially from the Cyprinidae family, are the most affected, followed by filter feeders like mussels and shrimp. The review identifies prevalent MP types, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyester (PES), with fibers being the dominant shape. The ingestion of MPs poses direct physical threats to wildlife and serves as a vector for harmful chemicals, raising concerns about bioaccumulation and biomagnification within food webs, ultimately impacting human health through seafood consumption. Despite increasing research activity, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding the long-term ecological and health effects of MP pollution. Future research should focus on the physiological impacts of MP ingestion, the dynamics of trophic transfer, and the effectiveness of waste management strategies. Enhanced detection methods and assessments of regional and seasonal variability in MP contamination are essential for a comprehensive understanding of this issue. Addressing MP pollution in Thailand necessitates a multidisciplinary approach that combines scientific inquiry, public awareness, and effective policy implementation. This review underscores the urgent need for targeted mitigation strategies to protect biodiversity and human health from the pervasive impacts of MP contamination.

Background

This article provides an overview of the iMulch joint project, which analysed the use of polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable mulch films made of a polylactide (PLA) and polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) on agricultural land as a source of microplastic. The development of a detection methodology using Raman spectroscopy and thermo-extraction desorption gas chromatography mass–spectrometry (TED-GC–MS), the adsorption behaviour, ageing in drainage water and soil, their transport behaviour in lysimeters, ecotoxicity, uptake in plants, a life cycle assessment (LCA) and upcycling were considered.

Results

The PE film tested showed hardly any degradation or fragmentation during the ageing tests. The biodegradable films showed incipient degradation after 8 weeks in drainage water and initial degradation after 12 weeks in soil ageing experiments. Additionally no degradation could be detected in the lysimeter test within the 24 months analysed. The biodegradable films could be metabolized in laboratory tests with some microorganisms present in the soil. This indicates that these films can be degraded in the environment if the conditions for degradation are optimal. No microorganisms or fungi that could degrade the PE film within a respective period of time were detected in the soil. Adsorption of the tested substances was not observed. Incorporated in soil, mulch film microplastic showed retention of extractable pesticides. In the ecotoxicological tests, both film types showed no acute toxic effects in the earthworm Eisenia fetida and the springtail Folsomia candida. Endocrine activity was observed in eluate samples from both films. However, aged films showed fewer effects than non-aged films.

Conclusion

Both types of film show no transport or degradation in the tests under real conditions, which means that they remain in the upper soil layer, where they are available to soil organisms and can lead to high concentrations in the future. As the biodegradable film could be degraded, at least under ideal conditions, we recommend its use. However, proof of degradation must first be verified under real field conditions. In addition, we recommend the use of thicker conventional mulch films to minimize the emission of plastic particles. For this purpose, a minimum lower limit for the material thickness should be defined.

Graphical Abstract

Background

Diethyl phthalate (DEP), used as a plasticizer, is more prevalent in the aquatic environment due to its widespread usage in plastics, cosmetics, and numerous pharmaceutical industries. It is a potential endocrine disruptor, but the underlying mechanism in fish needs to be investigated. The present study evaluated the toxic impacts of DEP exposure for 30 days on commercially important fish Labeo catla (Catla). Alterations at multiple level endpoints of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis (HPG axis) were assessed. DEP-induced changes in oxidative stress, histopathological changes (liver, kidney and brain) and bioaccumulation in fish muscle were also evaluated.

Results

DEP exposure to 1/10th (1.62 mg/L) and 1/50th (0.32 mg/L) LC₅₀ dose for 30 days to Catla revealed that it stimulated the expression of kisspeptin (Kiss 1 and Kiss 2) genes in the hypothalamus, leading to an increased GnRH concentration (36.75%) in the higher dose. The brain FSH levels increased by 11.24 and 55.42% times than control in both the doses. This led to an increase in circulating sex steroids E2 (41.62%) and 11 KT (24.59%) and eventually triggered hepatic Vtg production (23.90%) in a dose-dependent manner. DEP exposure lowered the concentration of antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), the effect being more pronounced in the higher dose. The histopathological alterations, such as hepatocyte vacuolization, sinusoidal congestion, loss of brush border, degeneration of lumen, infiltration of eosinophilic cells in liver, kidney and brain, respectively, were noted.

Conclusions

This pioneering study could provide detailed insight into the endocrine disruptive potential of DEP in fish, as evidenced by its impact at multiple endpoints, even at low doses after 30 days of exposure. The output of this investigation thus emphasized the need for regular monitoring of DEP for ecological risk assessment.