Microplastics (MPs) pollution in Tangxun Lake, the largest urban lake in China, was investigated. The average MPs pollution in sediment (1.81 ± 1.75 × 10⁴ items kg⁻¹) is at a high level, while the MPs in lakeshore water (917.77 ± 742.17 items m⁻³) is in the middle to low level compared with existing studies, which is related to the government's protection. Fragments and fibers are the most common shapes in sediment and water, respectively. MPs size <1 mm dominates in the sediment, while the MPs in water has a larger size. The distribution of MPs in the inner lake shows that pellets tend to “hidden” in sediments. Suspected MPs are randomly selected for polymer detection by Micro-Raman microscopy. Polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are the most common polymer types in water, sediment and atmospheric deposition MPs samples. The input of wastewater, fishery and surrounding human activities are the main sources of MPs in sediment. Atmospheric deposition has a great impact on the distribution of MPs, while the contribution of surface runoff to lake MPs is not remarkable. In addition, MPs in sediments have exceeded the environmental carrying capacity. More attention should be focused on the sediment, where huge amounts of MPs are “hidden”.

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are industrial chemicals produced in large quantities. Short-chain CPs (SCCPs) were classified as persistent organic pollutants under the Stockholm Convention in 2017. Medium-chain CPs (MCCPs) became candidate persistent organic pollutants in 2021. CPs are now ubiquitously found in the environment. Honey bees can be exposed to CPs during foraging, and this exposure subsequently results in the contamination of honey and other bee products along with colony food production and storage. Here, SCCP and MCCP concentrations in honey collected from Chinese apiaries in 2015 and 2021 were determined. Total CP concentrations in honey from 2021 to 2015 were comparable, but the ratio of MCCPs/SCCPs was higher in 2021 than in 2015. SCCP and MCCP congener group profiles in all honey samples were similar and dominated by C₁₀–₁₁Cl₆–₇ and C₁₄Cl₆–₇, respectively. MCCP concentrations were also higher than SCCP concentrations in bees, pollen, and wax but not in bee bread, which were all collected in 2021. The order of average CP concentrations was determined as wax > bee > pollen > bee bread > honey. Poor relationships were found between SCCP concentrations in honey and other samples, but a relationship between MCCP concentrations in honey and other samples was observed. Migration tests of CPs in plastic bottles showed essentially no migration into honey during storage. The risks to humans from CPs in honey are low.

Inhalation exposure to fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) represents a global concern due to the adverse effects in human health. In the last years, scientific community has been adopted the assessment of the PM₂.₅-bound pollutant fraction that could be released (bioaccessible fraction) in simulated lung fluids (SLFs) to achieve a better understanding of PM risk assessment and toxicological studies. Thus, bioaccessibility of 49 organic pollutants, including 18 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 12 phthalate esters (PAEs), 11 organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs), 6 synthetic musk compounds (SMCs) and 2 bisphenols in PM₂.₅ samples was evaluated. The proposed method consists of a physiologically based extraction test (PBET) by using artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF) to obtain bioaccessible fractions, followed by a vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (VALLME) and a final analysis by programmed temperature vaporization-gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (PTV-GC-MS/MS). The highest inhalation bioaccessibility ratio was found for bisphenol A (BPA) with an average of 83%, followed by OPFRs, PAEs and PAHs (with average bioaccessibilities of 68%, 41% and 34%, respectively). Correlations between PM₂.₅ composition (major ions, trace metals, equivalent black carbon (eBC) and UV-absorbing particulate matter (UVPM)) and bioaccessibility ratios were also assessed. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) suggested that PAHs, PAES and OPFRs bioaccessibility ratios could be positively correlated with PM₂.₅ carbonaceous content. Furthermore, both inverse and positive correlations on PAHs, PAEs and OPFRs bioaccessibilites could be accounted for some major ions and metal (oid)s associated to PM₂.₅, whereas no correlations comprising considered PM₂.₅ major ions and metal (oid)s contents and BPA bioaccessibility was observed. In addition, health risk assessment of target PM₂.₅-associated PAHs via inhalation was assessed in the study area considering both total and bioaccessible concentrations, being averaged human health risks within the safe carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic levels.

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are used as additives in metal processing in the metal smelting industry. Data on CPs in the environment near metal smelting plants are limited. The objectives of this study were to investigate the concentrations and congener profiles of CPs in soil around factories in a non-ferrous metal recycling park located in Hebei, China, and to investigate human exposure to CPs in the soil. The concentrations of short-chain CPs (SCCPs) and medium-chain CPs (MCCPs) were determined by two-dimensional gas chromatography with electron capture negative ionization mass spectrometry. The SCCP and MCCP concentrations in the soil samples were 121–5159 ng/g and 47–6079 ng/g, respectively. Generally, the CP concentrations in soils around the factories were relatively high compared with those near other contaminated sites and in rural and urban areas. There were significant correlations between the MCCP concentrations, some SCCP carbon homologs, and the total organic carbon content (p < 0.05). The major SCCP and MCCP congener groups were C₁₀Cl₆–₇ and C₁₅–₁₆Cl₅, respectively. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis indicated that SCCPs and MCCPs in the soil might originate from extreme pressure additives containing CP-42 and CP-52 and CP-containing waste material from the factories. The concentrations in two samples collected near a metal recycling factory posed a moderate risk according to a risk assessment conducted using risk quotients. Further risk assessment showed that the CPs concentrations in soil did not pose significant health risks to either children or adults.

The fungal species Fusarium can cause devastating disease in agricultural crops. Phenamacril is an extremely specific cyanoacrylate fungicide and a strobilurine analog that has excellent efficacy against Fusarium. To date, information on the mechanisms involved in the uptake, accumulation, and metabolism of phenamacril in plants is scarce. In this study, lettuce and radish were chosen as model plants for a comparative analysis of the absorption, accumulation, and metabolic characteristics of phenamacril from a polluted environment. We determined the total amount of phenamacril in the plant-water system by measuring the concentrations in the solution and plant tissues at frequent intervals over the exposure period. Phenamacril was readily taken up by the plant roots with average root concentration factor ranges of 60.8–172.7 and 16.4–26.9 mL/g for lettuce and radish, respectively. However, it showed limited root-to-shoot translocation. The lettuce roots had a 2.8–12.4-fold higher phenamacril content than the shoots; whereas the radish plants demonstrated the opposite, with the shoots having 1.5 to 10.0 times more phenamacril than the roots. By the end of the exposure period, the mass losses from the plant-water systems reached 72.0% and 66.3% for phenamacril in lettuce and radish, respectively, suggesting evidence of phenamacril biotransformation. Further analysis confirmed that phenamacril was metabolized via hydroxylation, hydrolysis of esters, demethylation, and desaturation reactions, and formed multiple transformation products. This study furthers our understanding of the fate of phenamacril when it passes from the environment to plants and provides an important reference for its scientific use and risk assessment.

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.

Contaminant vulnerability in the critical zones like groundwater (GW)-seawater (SW) continuum along the entire Gujarat coast was investigated for the first time through an extensive water monitoring survey. The prime focus of the study was to evaluate whether or not: i) seawater intrusion induced metal load translates to toxicity; ii) in the coastal groundwater, metal distribution follows the pattern of other geogenic and anthropogenic contaminants like NO₃- and F-; and iii) what future lies ahead pertaining to metal fate in association with saturation conditions of the coastal aquifers. The spatial distribution of contaminants depicts that the Gulf of Khambhat area is highly contaminated. Ecological risk assessment (ERA) indicates that the Gujarat coast is experiencing a high ecological risk compared to the southeast coast of India. Investigation results revealed that metals, pH, NO₃, and CO₃ are more vulnerable at the SW-GW mixing interface. An increase in pH is reflected in fewer ionic species of metals in the GW. Salinity ingress due to seawater intrusion (SWI) reduces the toxicities of all trace metals except Cu, attributed to the increase of Ca in GW, leading to dissociation of CuCO₃. Reactive species are dominant for Zn and Cd; and M-CO₃ ligands are dominant for Cu and Pb owing to the undersaturation of dolomite and calcite in the aquifer system. SWI tends to increase the metal load but the toxicity of metals varies with the density of industries, anthropogenic activities, changes in the mixing-induced saturation conditions, and intensive salt production across the coast. Multivariate analysis confirmed that the hydrogeochemical processes change due to GW-SW mixing and dictates over natural weathering. The ecological risk index (ERI) for the Arabian sea is experiencing moderate (300 ≥ ERI>150) to high ecological risk (ERI >600). Children population is likely to encounter a high health risk through ingestion and dermal exposure than adults. Overall, the study emphasizes the complexity of toxicity-related health impacts on coastal communities and suggests the dire need for frequent water monitoring along the coastal areas for quick realization of sustainable development goals.

Recently, with the rapid development of China's economy, the pollution of trace metal(loid)s (TMs) in soils has become increasingly severe and attracted widespread attention. Based on 1,402 published papers from 2000 to 2021, this study aimed to analyze the pollution intensity, ecological risk and driving factors for eight TMs (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in Chinese soils. Results showed that the average concentrations of eight TMs in Chinese soils all exceeded background values, and the pollution of Cd and Hg was the most serious. Based on Principal component analysis of pollution intensity and ecological risk, the priority control TMs were identified for the heavily polluted provinces. The results of Geo-detector model suggested that Urban development factors contributed most to the TM accumulation in Chinese soils. Further, spatial analysis using bivariate Moran's I indicated that industrial activities contributed most to soil TM accumulation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, while soil TM pollution in the southwest and northwest provinces was mainly caused by mining and metal smelting. This study investigated the relationship between soil TM pollution and anthropogenic activities, thus providing a scientific basis for controlling soil TM pollution at a large-scale level.

Mangroves play a vital role in protecting the coastal community from the climate change effect and in the restoration of the coastal ecosystem. This research has been designed to determine the spatial and seasonal changes of potentially toxic elements’ (PTEs) concentration in sediments and their potential source contribution among the different human-driven processes in Sundarbans, Bangladesh. Different pollution evaluation indices, random forest (RF) model, conditional inference tree (CIT), self-organizing map (SOM), geographical information system (GIS), and principal component analysis (PCA) were used for the interpretation of sources and risk assessment of PTEs. The mean concentration of PTEs both in winter and monsoon seasons has fallen below the threshold effect level but exceeded the rare effect level of marine sediments quality standards. Results showed that the PTEs were significantly enriched (EF > 1.00 < 70.00) in sediments, whereas the Cd enrichment (7.00% samples) was very alarming (EF = 60–70). Except for Zn and Cd, other PTEs were enriched in 30–60% samples. The highest geoaccumulation and contamination factors for Cd were observed in 46–72% of samples. The ecological risk (ER) factors showed similar results where Cd showed strong to very strong factors (ER = 110–2218) in 80% of samples. The CIT explained the natural/geogenic and anthropogenic sources of pollution, where the higher CIT values for Cd indicated industrial, aquaculture, and coal-based thermal powerplant. The RF model provided that shrimp firms, power plants, industry, and seaport were recognized as the influential sources for Zn, Pb, Cr, Cd, and As in sediments. Though Pb and As were found as the most significant pollutants, Cd was identified as a severe threat to ecology and public health. Based on CIT, RF, SOM and PCA the order of PTEs in mangroves sediment were:industrial/urban > aquaculture/shrimpfirm > powerplant > seaportoperation > tourism > geogenic/natural. The present study will help the policymakers for effective and sustainable management of the mangrove ecosystem.

Size segregated samples (<0.49, 0.49–0.95, 0.95–1.5, 1.5–3.0, 3.0–7.2 and > 7.2 μm) of atmospheric particulate matter (APM) were collected at a traffic site in the urban agglomeration of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, during the cold and the warm period of 2020. The solvent-extractable organic matter was analyzed for selected organic contaminants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and their nitro- and oxy-derivarives (NPAHs and OPAHs, respectively). Mean concentrations of ∑₁₆PAHs, ∑₆NPAHs and ∑₁₀OPAHs associated to total suspended particles (TSP) were 18 ng m⁻³, 0.2 ng m⁻³ and 0.9 ng m⁻³, respectively, in the cold period exhibiting significant decrease (6.4, 0.2 and 0.09 ng m⁻³, respectively) in the warm period. The major amount of all compounds was found to be associated with the alveolar particle size fraction <0.49 μm. The inhalation bioaccessibility of PAHs and O/N PAHs was measured in vitro using two simulated lung fluids (SLFs), the Gamble's solution (GS) and the artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF). With both SLFs, the derived bioaccessible fractions (BAFs) followed the order PAHs > OPAHs > NPAHs. Although no clear dependence of bioaccessibility on particle size was obtained, increased bioaccessibility of PAHs and PAH derivatives in coarse particles (>7.2 μm) was evident. Bioaccessibility was found to be strongly related to the logKOW and the water solubility of individual compounds hindering limited mobilization of the most hydrophobic and less water-soluble compounds from APM to SLFs. The lifetime cancer risk due to inhalation exposure to bioaccessible PAHs, NPAHs and OPAHs was estimated and compared to those calculated from the particulate concentrations of organic contaminants.