Themed collection Recent Open Access Articles

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.

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.

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.

Total degradation of commercial biodegradable glitter in purified and seawater was not achieved after 96 days.

The complexation of Pu(IV) to hydrated ferrihydrite surfaces was studied using the DFT+U approach. Results show that Pu(IV) binds strongly via the formation of multiple partially covalent Pu–O bonds, in good agreement with experimental findings.

This research integrates the volatility basis-set model with CFD to improve understanding of secondary organic aerosol formation near indoor occupants.

The type and concentration of dissolved organic carbon in combination with phosphate, calcium and other solutes determine the structure and composition of Fe(III)-precipitates formed by Fe(II) oxidation in near-neutral bicarbonate-buffered waters.

A conceptual model guides reviews and evaluation of evidence in the literature to identify important PFAS dietary exposure pathways as well as significant gaps in information.

Differences in lipid digestion efficiency and the extent of the fat flush effect contribute to differences in the biomagnification capability between different human individuals.

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High-resolution elemental mapping and spectroscopy analyses of root sections from uranium-treated plants demonstrated differences in uranium particle chemical and morphological characteristics depending on the presence of mycorrhizal fungi.

This work shows a reduction with respect to current IPCC and WMO recommendations of the global warming potential for isoflurane and for sevoflurane at a time horizon of 100 years.

Long-term Canadian monitoring programs for persistent organic pollutants have identified a significant rise in hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) air concentrations in the Canadian High Arctic.

Cannabis cultivation and processing are emerging sources of air pollutants, particularly malodorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), yet uncertainties remain regarding their emission rates and chemical composition.

Onsite wastewater treatment systems are seldom assessed for the removal of trace organic compounds. Here, we demonstrate a comprehensive approach to analyze, identify, and characterize PFAS in onsite wastewater.

Highest sediment MP concentrations in winter. No significant difference between MPs upstream and downstream of WWTPs. Negative correlation between concentrations of MPs and OPEs in sediments.

While trifluoromethylphenols (TFMPs) are environmental contaminants that can be precursors to the persistent trifluoroacetic acid, this study demonstrates that certain TFMPs can undergo complete hydrolytic defluorination in aqueous solutions.

This study quantifies and compares the health benefits of lower PFAS exposure via drinking water to the health burden of more frequent GAC regeneration.

The reduced sulfur required for arsenic thiolation in paddy soils comes mainly from the reduction of the soil's sulfate content. Here we show how the cryptic sulfur cycle offers a secondary sulfate pool, influencing thioarsenate biogeochemistry.

The air stream entering a building is enriched with various pollutants due to the effect of indoor emissions, making buildings a net source of emission and an important contributor to air pollution, especially in urban regions.

The indoor surfaces of dwellings across the United States range exhibit a wide range of chemical compositions and physical properties, which impacts semi-volatile partitioning, heterogeneous chemistry and the overall properties of indoor air.

The Indoor Air Quality Climate Change (IAQCC) model was applied to predict the long-term impact of atmospheric changes on indoor particle concentrations based on different climate scenarios.

Gas chromatography paired with proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry allows for a more accurate assessment of gas-phase chemicals in indoor air.

Filtration performance of do-it-yourself (DIY) box fan air filters deployed across a university campus was assessed over an academic year.

Ozone production can explain most indoor air quality impacts of 222 nm germicidal ultraviolet light (GUV₂₂₂). However, GUV₂₂₂ causes more new particle formation than is explained by ozone chemistry.

Cooking and cleaning are common sources of indoor air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Indoor oxidant concentrations in vehicles strongly depends on the ventilation rates and photochemistry within the vehicle.

The Chemical Assessment of Surfaces and Air (CASA) study investigated how chemicals transform in the indoor environment using perturbations (e.g., cooking, cleaning) and additions of indoor and outdoor pollutants in a test house.

Wildfire pyrolysis generates pyrogenic carbon having different physicochemical properties than commercial pyrolysis.

This study measures real-time concentrations of D5-siloxane, a VCP emitted from personal care products, in a residential area in Houston, Texas. Concentrations were then implemented into a box model in order to estimate per-person per-day emissions.

Ingredients from personal care products were found in Greenland snow, with higher levels tied to air masses from northern Europe and Russia. The study also assessed partitioning properties, phase distribution, and potential for long-range transport.

Assessment in a hydrologically-vulnerable, Mississippi River community revealed cumulative risks from co-occurring inorganic/organic contaminants, including PFAS, in alluvial-aquifer-sourced tapwater but not in deeper, sandstone-aquifer tapwater.

Quantitative assessment of contaminant exposure in seabirds in a changing Arctic environment, using mechanistic modelling and global emission estimates.

The increasing global plastic demand creates a critical need to gain insight into environmental processes that govern plastic degradation in order to inform novel design of sustainable polymers.

This multi-matrix study of contaminants of global concern (CGCs) in agricultural streams in Iowa (US) is the first to examine multiple CGCs in water, bed sediment, and fish to understand their occurrence in regions of intense agriculture activity.

Characterizing air-textile distribution of aromatic amines to understand importance of textiles in exposure to amines and transport from indoors to outdoors.

The bioaccessible fraction of metal(loid)s in tailings dust decreases along the climatic gradient from semiarid to arid environments as a function of differences in the mineralogical and geochemical compositions.