Groundwater constitutes a major source of fresh water globally. However, it faces serious quality challenges from both conventional pollutants and contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) such as pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), personal care products (PCPs) and pesticides. There exists a significant knowledge gap regarding the occurrence of CECs in groundwater, especially in Africa. This study presents unique data on the concentration of fourteen PhACs, five PCPs and nine pesticides in groundwater wells in Nzoia River basin, Kenya. Generally, PCPs were the most dominant class with concentrations up to 10 μg/L (methylparaben). Anti(retro)virals, being important in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, were more prevalent among the PhACs as compared to the developed world, with concentrations up to 700 ng/L (nevirapine). In contrast, pesticides were measured at lower concentrations, the maximum being 42 ng/L (metolachlor). A basic risk assessment shows that – among the detected CECs – carbamazepine may pose medium human health risk and requires further investigation among infants and children. Point-of-use (POU) technologies are being increasingly promoted especially in the developing nations to provide drinking water solutions at the household level, but very little data is available on their performance towards CECs removal. Therefore, besides measuring CECs in groundwater, we investigated ceramic filters and solar disinfection (SODIS) as possible POU treatment options. Both techniques show potential to treat CECs in groundwater, with removal efficiencies higher than 90% obtained for 41 and 22 compounds in ceramic filters and SODIS, respectively. Moreover, for the more recalcitrant compounds (e.g. sulfadoxin), the performance is improved by up to three orders of magnitude when using TiO₂ as a photocatalyst in SODIS.

GABA, a four-carbon non-protein amino acid, plays an important role in animals and plants. We previously found GABA could alleviate alkali stress in apple seedlings. However, its physiological mechanism under heavy metal cadmium (Cd) stress need to be further studied. Thus, we explored its biological role in response to Cd stress. It was verified that 0.5 mM GABA could effectively alleviate Cd toxicity. Using NMT technique, we found that exogenous GABA could significantly reduce the net Cd²⁺ fluxes in apple roots, and Cd content was significantly lower than that in roots under Cd stress. Further analysis indicated exogenous GABA could significantly reduce the expression of genes related to the uptake and transport of Cd in apples under Cd stress. In addition, exogenous GABA could significantly increase the content of amino acids in apple roots under Cd stress. GAD is a key enzyme in GABA synthesis, we obtained transgenic apple roots of overexpression MdGAD1. Compared with the control, transgenic roots accumulated less Cd, maintained lower Cd uptake by roots, and lower expression of related transport genes. These results showed that GABA could effectively alleviate Cd toxicity in apple seedlings and provide a new perspective of GABA to alleviate Cd stress.

Globally, amphibian species are experiencing dramatic population declines, and many face the risk of imminent extinction. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been recognised as an underappreciated factor contributing to global amphibian declines. In this regard, the use of hormonal growth promotants in the livestock industry provides a direct pathway for EDCs to enter the environment—including the potent anabolic steroid 17β-trenbolone. Emerging evidence suggests that 17β-trenbolone can impact traits related to metabolism, somatic growth, and behaviour in non-target species. However, far less is known about possible effects of 17β-trenbolone on anuran species, particularly during early life stages. Accordingly, in the present study we investigated the effects of 28-day exposure to 17β-trenbolone (mean measured concentrations: 10 and 66 ng/L) on body size, body condition, metabolic rate, and anxiety-related behaviour of tadpoles (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis). Specifically, we measured rates of O₂ consumption of individual tadpoles as a proxy for metabolic rate and quantified their swimming activity and their time spent in the upper half of the water column as indicators of anxiety-related behaviour. Counter to our predictions based on effects observed in other taxa, we detected no effect of 17β-trenbolone on body size, metabolic rate, or behaviour of tadpoles; although, we did detect a subtle, but statistically significant decrease in body condition at the highest 17β-trenbolone concentration. We hypothesise that 17β-trenbolone may induce taxa-specific effects on metabolic function, growth, and anxiety-related behaviour, with anurans being less sensitive to disruption than fish, and encourage further cross-taxa investigation to test this hypothesis.

Tire wear particles (TWPs), which are among the microplastic pollutants in the environment, can inevitably accumulate in coastal sediments. The present study comprehensively investigated the effect of pristine TWPs on bacterial community structure in coastal sediments and compared the effect of pristine TWPs and aged TWPs on nine strains of bacteria in sediments. In addition, the effect of the TWP leachate was studied with all the nine bacterial strains and the toxicity-causing substances in the leachate was investigated using Bacillus subtilis. Exposure to TWPs could lead to a shift in bacteria community and affect nitrogen metabolism in marine sediments. Aged TWPs were more toxic than pristine TWPs due to changes in particle surface characteristics. The leachate exhibited greater toxicity than TWPs as well, and Zn was identified to be the major toxicity-causing substance. The overall results of this study are important for understanding the effects of TWPs and the leachates on microorganisms in marine sediments.

Studies on the human body burden of dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in populations around municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) in China are limited. The objective of this study was to assess the potential adverse health effects of an 8-year MSWI on the surrounding population and identify possible exposure pathways. We hypothesized that the MSWI would result in different environmental impacts and population health outcomes between upwind and downwind of its 3 km vicinity. We conducted a 10-year retrospective mortality survey on the population surrounding the MSWI. Then, we selected 50 residents aged 50 years or older on each of the upwind and downwind sides of MSWI to test serum PCDD/Fs. Meanwhile, environmental and food exposures to PCDD/Fs were tested for selected residents. The age-adjusted mortality rates were significantly higher for residents downwind than upwind, but no significant difference was found in the standardized mortality ratio before and after the MSWI operation. The toxic equivalents (TEQ) and major congeners of PCDD/Fs were significantly higher in the sera of the downwind residents than in the upwind. The PCDD/Fs in air, soil, dust, and vegetables on the downwind side were not significantly different from those on the upwind side, but the mean concentrations of PCDD/Fs in downwind hen eggs was significantly higher than those from upwind. In conclusion, downwind residents living within 3 km of the MSWI had higher age-adjusted mortality and serum level of PCDD/Fs than upwind residents. This higher mortality rate among downwind residents was not associated with MSWI. However, the higher levels of PCDD/Fs in downwind hen eggs suggest that the downwind population dioxin exposure was related to their location.

Soil heavy metal contamination has increasingly become a serious environmental issue globally, nearing crisis proportions. There is an urgent need to find environmentally friendly materials to remediate heavy-metal contaminated soils. With the continuing maturation of research on using biochar (BC) for the remediation of contaminated soil, nano-biochar (nano-BC), which is an important fraction of BC, has gradually attracted increasing attention. Compared with BC, nano-BC has unique and useful properties for soil remediation, including a high specific surface area and hydrodynamic dispersivity. The efficacy of nano-BC for immobilization of non-degradable heavy-metal contaminants in soil systems, however, is strongly affected by plant rhizosphere processes, and there is very little known about the role that nano-BC play in these processes. The rhizosphere represents a dynamically complex soil environment, which, although having a small thickness, drives potentially large materials fluxes into and out of plants, notably agricultural foodstuffs, via large diffusive gradients. This article provides a critical review of over 140 peer-reviewed papers regarding nano-BC-rhizosphere interactions and the implications for the remediation of heavy-metal contaminated soils. We conclude that, when using nano-BC to remediate heavy metal-contaminated soil, the relationship between nano-BC and rhizosphere needs to be considered. Moreover, the challenges to extending our knowledge regarding the environmental risk of using nano-BC for remediation, as well as further research needs, are identified.

Fluoride (F) is an emerging pollutant that originates from multiple sources and adversely affects plant growth and nutrient bioavailability in soil. This greenhouse study investigated the effects of soil F (0, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 mg kg⁻¹) on morpho-physiological growth characteristics of wheat, soil F contents, and bioavailability and uptake of F, phosphorus (P), sulphur (S), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), aluminium (Al), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), silicon (Si) and zinc (Zn) by wheat. Higher F significantly reduced plant height and number of leaves particularly at early growth stages and increased visible leaf injury index. Powdery mildew infestation coincided with leafy injury and was higher in elevated soil F treatments. Fluoride treatments (>50 mg kg⁻¹) significantly increased water (H₂O)- and calcium chloride (CaCl₂)-extractable F contents in soil. Water-extractable soil F contents from soil in all concentration were higher than CaCl₂-extractable F. This increased F bioavailability resulted in significantly higher F uptake and accumulation in live leaves, dead leaves and grains of wheat which followed order: live leaves > dead leaves > grains. Leaf injury index and number of dead leaves correlated significantly positively with soil H₂O- and CaCl₂-extractable F contents. Patterns of nutrient (P, K, S) and trace metals (Al, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Si, Zn) varied significantly with F concentrations and between live and dead leaves, and grains except for Zn. Dead leaves generally had higher nutrients and trace metals than live leaves and grains. Fluoride contents in live leaves, dead leaves and grains showed positive correlations with nutrient elements but negative with trace metals. Number of dead leaves correlated negatively with Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, S and Si but positively with P and Zn contents in dead leaves whereas leaf injury index showed positive correlation with Fe, K, P, Si, Zn, S but negative with Al, Ca and Mg contents. These observations provided evidence of higher F uptake and associated impairment in nutrient and trace metal accumulation which caused leaf injury accompanied by powdery mildew infestation in wheat. However, further research in the region is required to confirm the relationship between F pollution, leaf injury and trace metal accumulation in crops under field conditions.

As non-biological molecules, molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) can be made as antibody mimics for the development of luminescence sensors for various targets. The combination of MIPs with nanomaterials is further recognized as a useful option to improve the sensitivity of luminescence sensors. In this work, the recent progresses made in the fabrication of fluorescence, phosphorescence, chemiluminescence, and electrochemiluminescence sensors based on such combination have been reviewed with emphasis on the detection of pesticides/herbicides. Accordingly, the materials that are most feasible for the detection of such targets are recommended based on the MIP technologies.

PM₂.₅ (fine particulate matter with aerodynamics diameter <2.5 μm) is the most important component of air pollutants, and has a significant impact on the atmospheric environment and human health. Using satellite remote sensing aerosol optical depth (AOD) to explore the hourly ground PM₂.₅ distribution is very helpful for PM₂.₅ pollution control. In this study, Himawari-8 AOD, meteorological factors, geographic information, and a new deep forest model were used to construct an AOD-PM₂.₅ estimation model in China. Hourly cross-validation results indicated that estimated PM₂.₅ values were consistent with the site observation values, with an R² range of 0.82–0.91 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 8.79–14.72 μg/m³, among which the model performance reached the optimum value between 13:00 and 15:00 Beijing time (R² > 0.9). Analysis of the correlation coefficient between important features and PM₂.₅ showed that the model performance was related to AOD and affected by meteorological factors, particularly the boundary layer height. Deep forest can detect diurnal variations in pollutant concentrations, which were higher in the morning, peaked at 10:00–11:00, and then began to decline. High-resolution PM₂.₅ concentrations derived from the deep forest model revealed that some cities in China are seriously polluted, such as Xi ‘an, Wuhan, and Chengdu. Our model can also capture the direction of PM₂.₅, which conforms to the wind field. The results indicated that due to the combined effect of wind and mountains, some areas in China experience PM₂.₅ pollution accumulation during spring and winter. We need to be vigilant because these areas with high PM₂.₅ concentrations typically occur near cities.

Legacy halogenated organic pollutants, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), remain ubiquitous in the environment and continue to pose potential (eco-)toxicological threats because of their ongoing releases from land-based sources. This study investigated the spatial trends of freely dissolved PCBs and OCPs by polyethylene passive samplers, and provided evidence of their land-use-based sources and ecological risk in an urbanized estuary area of Narragansett Bay. Dissolved Σ₂₉PCB concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 1.37 ng L⁻¹, and exhibited higher concentrations in the upper, more urban/built-up watershed, and in north coastal areas. Major inputs of PCBs were urban stormwater or treated wastewater that might carry past releases of Aroclors, pigment manufacturing byproducts, and volatilization-associated PCBs from ageing buildings from the Narragansett watershed to the bay. The dioxin toxicity equivalent values of Σ₅PCBs were 8.6E-03 pg L⁻¹ in water. Dissolved OCP concentrations had similar spatial trends to PCBs and were dominated by DDTs (average 230 pg L⁻¹), followed by chlordanes (average 230 pg L⁻¹), and HCB (average 22 pg L⁻¹). Secondary sources of past usage and historic contamination were expected to re-enter the surface water via atmospheric transport and deposition. The risk quotients of DDE, DDD, DDT and α-Endosulfane showed medium to high ecological risks in the northern area, while chlordane, HCB, oxychlordane, and heptachlor epoxide showed low to negligible risks in all zones. This study presented new insights into the presence, sources and transport of legacy halogenated organic contaminants in an urban estuary's watershed by combining passive samplers and geographic information system (GIS) technology. The approach is promising and could be extended to get better understand of terrestrial pollutant mobilization into estuaries affected by anthropogenic activities.