The global pollution of microplastics (MPs) has attracted widespread attention, and the atmosphere was an indispensable media for the global transmission of MPs. With the growing awareness of MPs, atmospheric microplastics (AMPs) have been proposed as a new topic in recent years. Compared with the extensive studies on MPs in Marine and terrestrial environments, the studies of AMPs remain limited. In this study, sampling and analysis methods, occurrence, source analysis and health risk of AMPs were summarized and discussed. According to the different sampling methods, AMPs can be divided into suspension microplastics (SAMPs) and deposition microplastics (DAMPs). Previous studies have shown that SAMPs and DAMPs differ in composition and abundance, with SAMPs generally having a higher fraction of fragments. The mechanism of the migration of AMPs between different media was not clear yet. We further collated global data on the composition characteristics of MPs in soil and fresh water, which showed that the fragment MPs in soil and fresh water was higher than that in the atmosphere. Polymers in soil and fresh water were mainly PP and PE, while AMPs in the atmosphere were mainly PET. The shape composition of the MPs in both atmospheric and freshwater systems suggests that there may be the same dominant factor. The transport of AMPs and source apportionment were the important issues of current research, but both of them were at the initial stage. Therefore, AMPs needs to be further studied, especially for the source and fate, which would be conducive to understand the global distribution of AMPs. Furthermore, a standardized manual on sampling and processing of AMPs was also necessary to facilitate the comparative analysis of data between different studies and the construction of global models.

The environmental load of organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants has caused a series of problems due to their extensive use. The soil matrix, as an ultimate sink for organic pollution, plays a vital part in the fate of OPEs in the environment. In this study, the spatial occurrence, composition profile and health risk of 13 OPE species in farmland soils from four provinces of China were characterized. Excluding tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (TDBPP) and ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP), the remaining eleven OPEs had a high detection frequency (DF) ranging from 60% to 100%. The range of total OPE (ΣOPE) concentrations were 62.3–394 ng/g dry weight (dw), with a median of 228 ng/g dw. Among these OPEs, tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) with a median of 143 ng/g dw) was the predominant species, followed by tricresyl phosphate (TCP; median of 20.1 ng/g dw) and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP; median of 17.9 ng/g dw). In terms of geographical distribution, significantly lower OPEs levels were found in samples from Heilongjiang (159 ± 47.0 ng/g dw) than in those of Guangxi (264 ± 66.0 ng/g dw), Henan (252 ± 74.5 ng/g dw) and Hubei (242 ± 52.8 ng/g dw) provinces. Principal component analysis and Spearman’s correlations were used to reveal potential sources of OPEs in the different provincial regions. Health risk exposure to OPEs in farmland soils was at an acceptable level (<1.20 × 10⁻⁵ for non-carcinogenic risk to children as the most sensitive age group; and <6.47 × 10⁻¹⁰ for carcinogenic risk to adults as the most sensitive age group) at the present detected concentrations. However, TCEP and TEHP, the predominant risk contributors, should be paid more attention.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has consistently been linked to ozone (O₃) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation, and ongoing emission policies are primarily focusing on total VOCs without addressing the association between regulation measures and secondary pollution characteristic. For enhancing VOCs emission policy, we investigated potential formation of O₃ and SOA based on analyses of node-specific VOCs concentration and species distribution in solvent-consuming industry. Although aromatics were found to contribute most to O₃ and SOA formation averagely (2.57 ± 2.14 g O₃/g VOCs, 1.91 ± 1.67 g SOA/g VOCs), however, large disparity concerning emission and secondary pollution profile were identified among different emission nodes which demonstrated that regulation policy should be formulated based on comprehensive pollution characteristic. Therefore, emission nodes were classified into four clusters through data normalization, formatting and classification process, including aromatics dominated (7 emission nodes), aromatics-alkene dominated (4 emission nodes), aromatics-alcohols dominated (4 emission nodes) and alcohols dominated (4 emission nodes). And different dominating VOCs species were further obtained in each cluster. Subsequently, focusing regulation measures of reducing O₃ and SOA for different emission source clusters were proposed to guide pollution prevention and enhance future VOCs emission policies.

Phthalates are plasticizers in various products and regarded as endocrine disruptors due to their anti-androgen effects. Environmental occurrence and toxicities of parent phthalates have been widely reported, while the current state of knowledge on their metabolites is rarely summarized. Based on the available literature, the present review mainly aims to 1) characterize the potential metabolites of phthalates (mPAEs) using the pharmacokinetics evidences acquired via animal or human models; 2) examine the molecular and cellular mechanism involved in toxicity for mPAEs; 3) investigate the exposure levels of mPAEs in different human specimens (e.g., urine, blood, seminal fluid, breast milk, amniotic fluid and others) across the globe; 4) discuss the models and related parameters for phthalate exposure assessment. We suggest there is subtle difference in toxic mechanisms for mPAEs compared to their parent phthalates due to their alternative chemical structures. Human monitoring studies performed in Asia, America and Europe have provided the population exposure baseline levels for typical phthalates in different regions. Urine is the preferred matrix than other specimens for phthalate exposure study. Among ten urinary mPAEs, the largest proportions of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolites (40%), monoethyl phthalate (mEP) (43%) and DEHP metabolites/mEP (both 29%) were observed in Asia, America and Europe respectively, and mono-5-carboxy-2-ethypentyl phthalate was the most abundant compounds among DEHP metabolites. Daily intakes of phthalates can be accurately calculated via urinary mPAEs if the proper exposure parameters were determined. Further work should focus on combining epidemiological and biological evidences to establish links between phthalates exposure and biological phenotypes. More accurate molar fractions (FUE) of the urinary excreted monoester related to the ingested diesters should be collected in epidemiological or pharmacokinetic studies for different population.

Per-and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals used in a wide variety of commercial products and industrial applications. These chemicals are persistent, can accumulate in humans' and animals' tissues and in the environment, representing an increasing concern due to their moderate to highly toxicity. Their global distribution, persistence and toxicity led to an urgent need to investigate bioaccumulation also in marine species. In 2013 PFAS contamination was detected in a vast area in Veneto region, mainly in Adige and Brenta rivers. In order to investigate any relevant presence of these substances in marine vertebrates constantly living in the area, PFAS were measured in hepatic tissue samples of 20 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) stranded along the northern Adriatic Sea coastline between 2008 and 2020. Using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, 17 target PFAS (PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnA, PFDoA, PFTrDA, PFTeDA, PFBS, PFHxS, PFOS, PFDS, PFHpS, PFPeS), were quantified in the samples. PFAS profiles were generally composed of the same five dominant PFAS (PFOS > PFUnA > PFDA ≈ PFDoA ≈ PFTrDA). The greatest PFOS concentration found was 629,73 ng/g wet weight, and PFOS accounted until 71% in the PFAS profiles. No significant differences between sexes were found, while calves showing higher mean values than adults, possibly indicating an increasing ability in the elimination of PFAS with age. Finally, a temporal analysis was carried out considering three different periods of time, but no temporal differences in concentrations were found. The results suggest that long-chain PFAS are widespread in bottlenose dolphins along the North Adriatic Sea. Furthermore, they represent a baseline to investigate the impact of PFAS on marine mammals’ conservation and health. Filling an important gap in the knowledge of PFAS accumulation in bottlenose dolphins, this study highlights the relevant role of Environmental and Tissue Banks for retrospective analyses on emergent contaminants.

In this study, we integrated a remote-sensing fire product (MOD14A1) and land-use product (MCD12Q1) to extract the number of crop-residue burning (CRB) spots and the fire radiative power (FRP) in China from 2001 to 2018. Moreover, we conducted three trend analyses and two geographic distribution analyses to quantify the interannual variations and summarize the spatial characteristics of CRB on grid (0.25° × 0.25°) and regional scales. The results indicated that CRB presents distinctive seasonal patterns with each sub-region. All trend analyses suggested that the annual number of CRB spots in China increased significantly from 2001 to 2018; the linear trend reached 2615 spots/year, the Theil-Sen slope was slightly lower at 2557 spots/year, and the Mann-Kendal τ was 0.75. By dividing the study period into two sub-periods, we found that the five sub-regions presented different trends in the first and second sub-periods; e.g., the Theil-Sen slope of eastern China in the first sub-period (2001–2009) was 1021 spots/year but was −1599 spots/year in the second period (2010–2018). This suggests that summer CRB has been effectively mitigated in eastern China since 2010. Further, the average FRP of CRB spots presented a decreasing trend from 27.5 MW/spot in 2001 to only 15.8 MW/spot in 2018; this may be attributable to more scattered CRB rather than aggregated CRB. Collectively, the fire spots, FRP, and average FRP indicated that spring, summer, and autumn CRB had dropped dramatically over previous levels by 2018 due to strict mitigation measures by local governments.

β-blockers are a class of medications widely used to treat cardiovascular disorders, including abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure, and angina pectoris. The prevalence of β-blockers has generated a widespread concern on their potential chronic toxicity on aquatic organisms, highlighting the necessity of comprehensive studies on their environmental distribution, fate, and toxicity. This review summarizes the up-to-date knowledge on the source, global distribution, analytical methods, transformation, and toxicity of β-blockers. Twelve β-blockers have been detected in various environmental matrices, displaying significant temporal and spatial variations. β-blockers can be reduced by 0–99% at wastewater treatment plants, where secondary processes contribute to the majority of removal. Advanced oxidation processes, e.g., photocatalysis and combined UV/persulfate can transform β-blockers more rapidly and completely than conventional wastewater treatment processes, but the transformation products could be more toxic than the parent compounds. Propranolol, especially its (S)-enantiomer, exhibits the highest toxicity among all β-blockers. Future research towards improved detection methods, more efficient and cost-effective removal techniques, and more accurate toxicity assessment is needed to prioritize β-blockers for environmental monitoring and control worldwide.

In China, the huge amounts of energy consumption caused severe carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) concentration in the soil and ambient air. This paper summarized that the references published in 2008–2018 and suggested that biomass, coal and vehicular emissions were categorized as major sources of PAHs in China. In 2016, the emitted PAHs in China due to the incomplete combustion of fuel was about 32720 tonnes, and the contribution of the emission sources was the sequence: biomass combustion > residential coal combustion > vehicle > coke production > refine oil > power plant > natural gas combustion. The total amount of PAHs emission in China at 2016 was significantly decreased due to the decrease of the proportion of crop resides burning (indoor and open burning).The geographical distribution of PAHs concentration demonstrated that PAHs concentration in the urban soil is 0.092–4.733 μg/g. At 2008–2012, the serious PAHs concentration in the urban soil occurred in the eastern China, which was shifted to western China after 2012.The concentration of particulate and gaseous PAHs in China is 1–151 ng/m3 and 1.08–217 ng/m3, respectively. The concentration of particle-bound PAHs in the southwest and eastern region are lower than that in north and central region of China. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) analysis demonstrates that ILCR in the soil and ambient air in China is below the acceptable cancer risk level of 10−6 recommended by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which mean that there is a low potential PAHs carcinogenic risk for the soil and ambient air in China.

The terrestrial biogeochemical cycle of mercury has been widely studied because, among other causes, it presents a global distribution and harmful biotic interactions. Forested ecosystems shows great concentrations from Hg and Litterfall is known as the major contributor to the fluxes at the soil/air interface, through the superficial adsorption on the leaves and by the gas exchange of the stomatal pores. The understanding of which processes control the stage of Hg cycle in these ecosystems is still not totally clear. The influences of physiological and morphological parameters were tested against the Hg concentrations in the leaves of 14 endemic species of an evergreen tropical forest in south-eastern Brazil, and an exotic species from Platanus genus. Pathways were studied through leaf areas and growing tree parameters, where maximum rate of net photosynthesis (Pnmax), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (Gs) were examined. The results obtained in situ indicated a positive correlation between Pnmax and the Hg concentration; Cedrela fissilis and Croton floribundus were the most sensitive species to the accumulation of Hg and the most photosynthetically active in this study. The primary productivity from Tropical forest should be a proxy of Hg deposition from atmosphere to soil, retained there while forests stand up, representing an environmental service of sequestration of this global pollutant. Therefore, forests and trees with great photosynthetic potential should be considered in predictions, budgets and non-geological soil content regarding the global Hg cycle.

Wildlife lead exposure is an increasing conservation threat that is being widely investigated. However, for some areas of the world (e.g., South America) and certain species, research on this subject is still scarce or only local information is available. We analyzed the extent and intensity of lead exposure for a widely distributed threatened species, the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus). We conducted the study at two different scales: 1) sampling of birds received for rehabilitation or necropsy in Argentina, and 2) bibliographic review and extensive survey considering exposure event for the species' distribution in South America. Wild condors from Argentina (n = 76) presented high lead levels consistent with both recent and previous exposure (up to 104 μg/dL blood level, mean 15.47 ± 21.21 μg/dL and up to 148.20 ppm bone level, mean 23.08 ± 31.39 ppm). In contrast, captive bred individuals -not exposed to lead contamination- had much lower lead levels (mean blood level 5.63 ± 3.08 μg/dL, and mean bone level 2.76 ± 3.06 ppm). Condors were exposed to lead throughout their entire range in continental Argentina, which represents almost sixty percent (>4000 km) of their geographical distribution. We also present evidence of lead exposure events in Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. Lead poisoning is a widespread major conservation threat for the Andean Condor, and probably other sympatric carnivores from South America. The high number and wide range of Andean Condors with lead values complement the results for the California Condor and other scavengers in North America suggesting lead poisoning is a continental threat. Urgent actions are needed to reduce this poison in the wild.