Themed collection Best Papers 2021 - Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts

We review how chemical properties govern human exposure to environmental chemicals through different routes from different sources.

Examination of literatures surrounding purported natural trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) reveals that all TFA observations can be reasonably altributed to anthropogenic sources.

This review integrates current understanding on uptake, accumulation and distribution of PFAS in the brain, along with potential neurotoxic outcomes.

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 contextualization of macroplastics in a budget framework can help to improve our understanding of the physical processes determining macroplastic behaviour and impacts in rivers. Hence, better management practices can be adopted.

Considering the explosive growth of the list of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), the scientific community is combatting increasing challenges to protect humans and wildlife from the potentially negative consequences of POPs.

Increased production and use of plastics has resulted in growth in the amount of plastic debris accumulating in the environment, potentially fragmenting into smaller pieces.

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.

Modern agricultural practices have triggered the process of agricultural pollution.

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

Acrolein is released by several sources into indoor air. As it impacts human health, an easy-to-handle, fast and robust method with low detection limits is needed.

Microplastics interact with molecules present in the environment. In this study, progesterone sorption on microplastics and its desorption were investigated, and it was found that desorption was promoted in gastrointestinal fluids.

Strontium and caesium are fission products of concern at many nuclear legacy sites. In this study we used a novel approach to EXAFS spectra to determine the details of Cs and Sr surface complexation in clayey soils.

We report on significant spatial gradients of accumulation mode particles emitted during the HOMEChem campaign and assess particle loss pathways.

Near urban oil and gas production sites, residents may face poorer air quality due to the oil and gas activities which may pose adverse health and environmental risks to fenceline communities.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from industrial and residential sources enter wastewater treatment facilities where they may be partially transformed, sequestered into sludge solids, or discharged into receiving water bodies.

Soil-based risk assessment shows a U.S. city to exceed federal acceptable risk levels for both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health outcomes in many areas, with total risk and soil contamination being correlated with socioeconomic factors.

VOCs are used ubiquitously in consumer products. This population study investigates a wide-range of VOC concentrations indoors and links high butane concentrations with universal and frequent aerosol use.

Local point sources (mainly firefighting stations) and diffuse sources contributed to the exposure of PFAS to the marine food web near Longyearbyen on Svalbard. Certain PFOS substitutes showed a bioaccumulation potential in marine invertebrates.

We document soil and groundwater contamination caused by industrial airborne PFAS emission over an area of ∼200 km² that has impacted over 1200 wells.

Field Antarctic sea-ice diatom supernatant samples showed ice nucleating abilities.

Reduced anthropogenic activities during COVID-19 lockdowns improved air quality and dampened LST in highly populated and polluted Indian megacities.

Microplastics are mainly transported in rivers where different fluvial processes occur that can defined by microplastic detection.