Themed collection Recent Open Access Articles - Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts

The widespread use of plastics and their improper disposal have released a large number of micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) into various environmental media.

Characterizing the degradation behavior of chemicals in the environment is a key component of chemical hazard and risk assessment.

A more ubiquitous use of process-based models will enhance the information gained from biogeochemical experimentation through both, a more rigorous interpretation of acquired data and the optimal design of future experiments.

While per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic organic substances with diverse structures, properties, uses, bioaccumulation potentials and toxicities, nearly all PFAS are highly persistent.

Bacteria degrading 1,2,3-trichloropropane were constructed by genetic engineering and may be applicable for groundwater bioremediation, following the example of 1,2-dichloroethane.

A multi-disciplinary perspective on connecting chemistry, exposure and medical information to “neurotoxicity” for mass spectrometry-based environmental assessment, including multiple interactive resources for readers to use and explore.

High persistence has important implications for chemicals regulation and management.

Applying POP screening to a large chemical domain requires less reliance on individual criteria and more on integrated assessment with models.

Lead (Pb) has been used in human civilization for centuries, but the quantity and source of Pb pollution released into the environment varies spatially and temporally. Ice cores and snowpits are an excellent record of past Pb use.

The distribution of trace elements (TEs) in the bituminous sands is dichotomous: V, Ni, Mo, Se and Re are found predominantly in the bitumen fraction, and all other TEs in the mineral fraction.

This critical review systematically compares pharmaceutical fate and exposure models, identifies key limitations and data gaps, and proposes innovative integration of mechanistic insights and machine learning to advance predictive capabilities.

Biodegradable plastic degradation in soils is highly complex. Without effective management, degradation poses potential risks to environmental and human health, soil quality, food security and safety, and environmental sustainability.

This review summarizes PFAS reproductive toxicity in five model organisms, highlighting gonadal damage, hormone disruption, and transgenerational effects, to support model selection and future research strategies.

The production and use of PFAS in some countries, coupled with uncertainties about their applications across Asia, underscore the urgent need to assess human exposure.

Tire wear particle emissions in the environment have low risk prioritization. This has been estimated from data on terrestrial and aquatic exposure and hazard. The risk of tire leachables is not yet known due to inconsistency in hazard data.

Microplastics represent a group of emerging environmental contaminants widely recognized for their potential impacts on human health, particularly concerning the pathogenesis of cancer.

This review analyses data on heavy metal contamination in wastewater-irrigated vegetables across four developing Asian countries, highlighting metal accumulation patterns, health impacts, regulatory gaps and calls for urgent coordinated action.

Antimony (Sb) has gained increased attention over the past few decades due to its possible detrimental effects on biota and its potential to leach and disperse from contaminated soils.

Microcontaminants and microplastics are released at every stage of production and use and end up in wastewater treatment plants and eventually in surface waters.

This work introduces the reader to machine learning principles and highlights its usage in examining microplastics in soil samples.

The critical review scrutinizes some of the public statements on fluorinated gases and gives a detailed overview of the available alternatives to fluorinated gases used as refrigerants.

Optical surrogates are used to characterize dissolved organic matter composition like aromaticity and molecular weight. We both review the genesis of surrogate-composition relationships and critically evaluate additional supporting evidence.

The Galician rías (NW Iberia, Spain) are responsible for most of the national shellfish production. This is the first review of red tides in that area including an historical overview, social challenges and proposals for improving their monitoring.

Recent findings on oxidized organic compounds in the atmosphere and analytical methodologies for their detection and quantification.

PFAS are widely used in lithium-ion batteries, which may be problematic for the rapidly growing battery recycling industry.

Approaches to regulatory assessment and management of polymers are reviewed and opportunities for improvements are highlighted based on a critical appraisal of current science on their environmental fate and effects.

Time series of contaminants in the Arctic are an important instrument to detect emerging issues and to monitor the effectiveness of chemicals regulation. Climate change can affect the link between primary emissions and concentrations in Arctic wildlife.

Direct and indirect effects of climate change influence contaminant sources, transport, re-distribution and circulation in the physical environment of the Arctic. Linkages of such observations to Arctic ecosystem exposure and effects are needed.

Global climate change-driven shifts in physical and ecological processes may alter POPs concentrations in Arctic food webs.

Future climate change in the Arctic will lead to loss of ice, snow and permafrost, increasing human activity and development, and changes in wind and ocean circulation patterns, that could alter the pathways, distribution and fate of contaminants.

This review covers 40 laboratory- and plot-scale wildfire and rainfall simulation experiments which focus on wildfire hydrologic and water quality effects, guiding future researchers in the optimal design of their own simulation experiments.

Our critical review compares ARG profiles in the atmosphere across different locations and discusses characterization methods, atmospheric transport, and future research questions.

Synthetic fibre release is an important source of microplastics to agricultural soils, through the application of sewage sludge. Microplastics are potential vectors for the transport of sorbed metal(loid)s from wastewater to soils and organisms.

Pathways of human exposure to MPs and associated risks.

With polystyrene nanoparticles being widely used in various applications, there is a great need for deeper knowledge on the safety, fate and biological effects of these particles on both individual living organisms and the whole ecosystems.

A synoptic review of aquatic plastics research from Australia, the United Kingdom and China is presented, highlighting (a) key research and management challenges, and (b) a need to converge on standardised methods and bioindicator species to make global comparisons more reliable.

The essential-use concept is a tool that can guide the phase-out of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and potentially other harmful substances of concern.

The fate of plastic in the ocean is influenced by physical, chemical and biological stressors. These cause fragemntation and the formation of micro and nanoplastics but also degradation of plastics.

Anaerobic aqueous corrosion of nZVI generates local interfacial H₂ supersaturation and intrinsic hydrogen nanobubble, revealed by multi-scale in situ visualization of discrete gas domains at the iron/water interfaces.

Geranyl esters, major components of many commercial fragrances, are extremely efficient by volume at restructuring aggregates of black carbon.

The presence of pigments in microplastics alters the photodegradation kinetics of sorbed anthracene, which warrants consideration of microplastic colour in future environmental assessment studies of microplastic-contaminant systems.

The changes in the secondary structure of albumin after incubation with particulate matter (PM) fractions of different compositions were studied, revealing a significant increase of the β-sheets in the presence of the metallic PM.

This novel investigation revealed substantial PFAS contamination and plastic-PFAS co-occurrence in yard waste compost. Insights gained from the distribution of PFAS in compost are valuable for improving its management and application.

The first step towards the urgently needed standardization of EOF methods for PFAS-total assessment is presented in this interlaboratory study.

Methodology for determining HgSe nanoparticles in aquatic mammals using spICP-ToF-MS was developed and validated.

Eu-doped nanoplastics (NPls) were traced in Chlorella vulgaris using single-cell ICP-MS and synchrotron nano-XRF, revealing heterogeneous cell association, subpopulation-specific burdens and spatial elemental distribution.

UVB irradiation and mechanical force break down larger polystyrene nanoparticles faster and more effectively compared with smaller nanoparticles.

The photo-degradation of p-ASA on hematite HNC and HNP was investigated. Results demonstrated that the catalytic function of hematite is facet-dependent, governing both the transformation of pollutants and their associated environmental risks.

This study uses advanced neutron scattering techniques to reveal how polystyrene nanoplastics interact with biomembranes, showing structural disruptions and highlighting potential molecular-level risks to cellular integrity and environmental health.

The direct formation of todorokite occurs through the photochemically generated Mn(III) and its stabilization by Mg²⁺ under environmentally relevant conditions.

Results are shown for methane emissions associated with oil loading operations to a shuttle tanker, using measurements obtained from a research aircraft and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), together with multiple modeling approaches.

Acidic phosphogypsum leachate (PGL) induces non-uniform rock dissolution and preferential flow paths in carbonate aquifers, driving element-specific retention through pH-dependent precipitation and surface-area-limited sorption.

Artificial turf fields release 6PPD-Q into stormwater runoff and act as recurring sources of aquatic contaminants throughout their typical lifetimes.

In the transition period to winter high-PM_2.5 nitrate in Seoul occurs in two modes: in situ accumulation under stagnant anticyclones and entrainment of transported plumes during boundary layer expansion upon frontal passage and subsequent stagnation.

Discrete UV wavelengths and their doses induce specific oxidation patterns in PET, PP, and PE microplastics, revealing non-linear carbonyl and hydroxyl index trends that refine understanding of UV-driven weathering.

RDCs were most stable stored in methanol at −20 °C, with adjustments to pH and redox environment failing to stabilize reactive antioxidants. Transformation of RDCs in storage produced both storage artifacts and environmentally relevant features.

4:2 FTOH + OH oxidation kinetics were measured using OFRPTR-ToF-MS. Products were detected and the reaction rate determined as a function of relative humidity, showing agreement with prior dry kinetics and a decreasing rate with increasing humidity.

Antibiotics are prevalent environmental pollutants with documented plant uptake and effects. Germination and seedling emergence are critical stages of plant development, making toxicity tests valuable for assessing the terrestrial risk.

Larger CWS were 7–8 times more likely than smaller systems to adopt advanced treatment processes over 2004–2022.

Mixtures of bisphenol A and five analogs showed concentration-additive effects at ratios found in European surface waters: BPS and BPB were most abundant, while BPB and BPAF drove cytotoxicity and estrogenic effects.

As compelling evidence of global warming, heatwaves are expected to elevate O₃ mixing ratios in highly polluted urban areas.

Chamber experiments and satellite solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) measurements reveal that early-season ozone exposure induces stronger physiological stress in soybean than later or cumulative ozone exposure.

We assessed potential exposures to a broad suite of contaminants (inorganic, organic and microbial) in culturally important surface waters from three watersheds in a northern plains Native American community with water insecurity concerns.

Worms exposed to sodium arsenite for 48 hours developed persistent changes in worm size and adiposity. Worms followed for three generations post-exposure were indistinguishable from progeny of non-exposed controls.

Rubber-derived compounds are ubiquitous in climbing halls. Climbing hall design and operational practice explain little variability in rubber-derived compound levels, emphasizing that mitigation needs to occur at the product design level.

Microplastic concentrations and types differed between biosolid-amended and unamended fields, with higher levels following biosolid application. These differences were influenced by the type of biosolid used and the number of applications.

We quantified solid–water partitioning as a function of pH and the extent of desorption for a diverse set of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) on two iron oxide minerals and two silica clay minerals.

Particle wettability selectively controls microplastic aerosolization during bubble bursting, reducing jet drop emissions while showing negligible influence on the film drop pathway.

Wildfires alter biogeochemical cycling and transport of nutrient elements, including nitrogen (N), from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems, with the potential to degrade water quality.

Our simulation study predicts that chemocline strength in Lake Kivu is maintained over the next half-millennium.