C₆₀ fullerene (C₆₀) is a nano-pollutant that can damage the respiratory system. Eugenol exhibits significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We aimed to investigate the time course of C₆₀ emulsion-induced pulmonary and spermatic harms, as well as the effect of eugenol on C₆₀ emulsion toxicity. The first group of mice (protocol 1) received intratracheally C₆₀ emulsion (1.0 mg/kg BW) or vehicle and were tested at 12, 24, 72 and 96 h (F groups) thereafter. The second group of mice (protocol 2) received intratracheally C₆₀ emulsion or vehicle, 1 h later were gavaged with eugenol (150 mg/kg) or vehicle, and experiments were done 24 h after instillation. Lung mechanics, morphology, redox markers, cytokines and epididymal spermatozoa were analyzed. Protocol 1: Tissue damping (G) and elastance (H) were significantly higher in F24 than in others groups, except for H in F72. Morphological and inflammatory parameters were worst at 24 h and subsequently declined until 96 h, whereas redox and spermatic parameters worsened over the whole period. Eugenol eliminated the increase in G, H, cellularity, and cytokines, attenuated oxidative stress induced by C60 exposure, but had no effect on sperm. Hence, exposure to C₆₀ emulsion deteriorated lung morphofunctional, redox and inflammatory characteristics and increased the risk of infertility. Furthermore, eugenol avoided those changes, but did not prevent sperm damage.

Co-occurrence of pesticides and heavy metals has attracted extensive attention. The enantioselective behaviors of dinotefuran to aquatic organisms have not been reported, and the effects of cadmium (Cd) was absent, which were investigated in this study at environmentally relevant concentrations. The enantioselective accumulation and elimination of dinotefuran enantiomers were observed in zebrafish, and it had tissue specificity. The S-dinotefuran concentrations were higher than R-dinotefuran in heads and viscera, but it was opposite in muscles. There existed competition between S-dinotefuran and R-dinotefuran, and the existence of S-dinotefuran might decrease the accumulation and elimination of the R-dinotefuran in zebrafish. When co-exposure to Cd and dinotefuran, the accumulation concentrations of dinotefuran enantiomers increased in zebrafish at the initial stage, which were opposite latterly. The accumulation concentrations of R-dinotefuran in R + Cd treatment in fish were 3.4 times higher than those in R-dinotefuran treatment, and the enantiomer fraction (EF) values changed from 0.484 to 0.195. The oxidative stress of S-dinotefuran on zebrafish was highest, followed by rac- and R-dinotefuran. Co-exposure to Cd led to toxicity increase for R-dinotefuran, the malonaldehyde (MDA) content decreased significantly in R + Cd treatment during 7–28 days, while obvious declination of MDA contents was found on the 28th day in R-dinotefuran treatment. Furthermore, compared to R-dinotefuran treatment, Cd increased the relative expression of cz-sod (3.4 times), cas3 (1.6 times) and p53 (5.7 times) in R + Cd treatment. The co-exposure of Cd might alter the environmental behaviors and toxicity effects of dinotefuran enantiomers in zebrafish, including the enantioselectivity. The effects of Cd on accumulation and toxicity of R-dinotefuran were greater than those on S-dinotefuran. Thus, it is necessary to consider the effects of coexistent metals to chiral pesticides in ecological risk.The enantioselective accumulation and elimination of dinotefuran enantiomers had tissue specificity. Cd increased the accumulation and toxicity of R-dinotefuran in zebrafish.

It is important to evaluate how ambient particles are deposited in the human respiratory system in view of the adverse effects they pose to human health. Traditional methods of investigating human exposure to ambient particles suffer from drawbacks related either to the lack of chemical information from particle number-based measurements or to the poor time resolution of mass-based measurements. To address these issues, in this study, human exposure to ambient particulate matter was investigated using single particle analysis, which provided chemical information with a high time resolution. Based on single particle measurements conducted in the Pearl River Delta, China, nine particle types were identified, and EC (elemental carbon) particles were determined to be the most dominant type of particle. In general, the submicron size mode was dominant in terms of the number concentration for all of the particle types, except for Na-rich and dust particles. On average, around 34% of particles were deposited in the human respiratory system with 13.9%, 7.9%, and 12.6% being distributed in the head, tracheobronchial, and pulmonary regions, respectively. The amount of Na-rich particles deposited was the highest, followed by EC. The overall deposition efficiencies of the Na-rich and dust particles were higher than those of the other particle types due to their higher efficiencies in the head region, which could be caused by the greater sedimentation and impaction rates of larger particles. In the head region, the Na-rich particles made the largest contribution (30.5%) due to their high deposition efficiency, whereas in the tracheobronchial and pulmonary regions, EC made the largest contribution due to its high concentration. In summary, the findings of this initial trial demonstrate the applicability of single particle analysis to the assessment of human exposure to ambient particles and its potential to support traditional methods of analysis.

China has effectively reduced the fine particulate (PM₂.₅) pollution from 2015 to 2020. Ozone pollution and related health impacts have become severe contemporaneously. The coordinated control of PM₂.₅ and ozone is becoming a new issue for China's air pollution control. This study quantitatively assessed the health impacts attributed to PM₂.₅ and ozone pollution in 338 Chinese cities from 2015 to 2020 and estimated the possible health benefits from achieving dual concentration targets during 2021–2025. Results show PM₂.₅ caused a total health impact of 2.45 × 10⁷ disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2020. All-cause and respiratory ozone-related health impact in 2020 was 1.04 × 10⁷ DALYs and 1.56 × 10⁶ DALYs. Between 2015 and 2020, the PM₂.₅-related health impacts decreased by 14.97%, while those ozone-related increased by 94.61% and 96.54% for all-cause and respiratory. Cities in the North China Plain have suffered higher health impacts attributable to PM₂.₅ and ozone pollution, indicating that the two-pollutant coordinated control is primarily needed. By achieving aggressive concentration target (decreasing 10%) between 2020 and 2025, China will reduce the PM₂.₅-related health impacts in 338 cities by 1.56 × 10⁶ DALYs (improving 6.37%). By achieving general target (decreasing 10% or within the Interim target-1 of World Health Organization), the PM₂.₅-related health benefit will be 7.98 × 10⁵ DALYs (improving 3.25%). The deteriorating ozone health risks will also be improved. Controlling air pollution in large cities and regional center cities can achieve remarkable health benefits. Due to the inter-region, inter-province, and inter-city difference of health impacts, targeted and differentiated pollution prevention and control need to be implemented.

Constructed wetlands (CWs) inoculated with exogenous microbes have great potential for removing pollutants in adverse environments. The rapid loss of functional bacteria and the high cost of repeated additions of inoculum, however, limit the practical application of this technology. In this study, C–F2 immobilized bacteria (i.e., immobilized salt-tolerant bacterium Alishewanella sp. F2 incorporated with a carbon source) were developed and utilized in CWs for solving the above problems. A 60-day experiment demonstrated that bioaugmented CWs (Bio-CWs) with the addition of C–F2 immobilized bacteria into the bottom gravel layer of CW microcosms (B-CF2 treatment) exhibited high nitrogen removal efficiency under a saline condition (electrical conductivity of 15 mS/cm). We measured mean nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N) and total nitrogen (TN) removal percentages of 97.8% and 88.1%, respectively, which were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those in Bio-CWs with microbial inoculum (MI-F2 treatment, 63.5% and 78.2%) and unbioaugmented CWs (CK, 48.7% and 67.2%). The TN content of the entire plant was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in B-CF2 (636.06 mg/microcosm) compared with CK (372.06 mg/microcosm). The relative abundances of the genera Alishewanella (i.e., the exogenous bacterium, 5.5%), Clostridium-XlVa (8.8%) and Bacteroides (21.1%) in B-CF2 were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in MI-F2 and CK, which improved the denitrification capacity of CWs. Overall, a high denitrification efficiency and durability were achieved in the newly developed Bio-CWs (i.e., B-CF2 treatment) with immobilized bacteria under saline conditions, which provides an alternative technology for the rapid removal of nitrogen from saline wastewater.

Global climate change (GCC) significantly affects aquatic ecosystems. Continual use of pyrethroid insecticides results in contamination of these ecosystems and concurrent GCC raises the potential for synergistic effects. Resistance to pyrethroids has been documented in Hyalella azteca, a common epibenthic amphipod and model organism. Resistant H. azteca can bioconcentrate elevated amounts of pyrethroids and represent a threat to consumers via trophic transfer. In the present study, a predator of H. azteca, the inland silverside (Menidia beryllina), was used to examine the impacts of GCC on pyrethroid bioaccumulation via trophic transfer from resistant prey organisms. M. beryllina were fed ¹⁴C-permethrin dosed pyrethroid-resistant H. azteca for 14 days at three salinities (6, 13 and 20 practical salinity units (PSU)) and two temperatures (18 and 23 °C). Fish were analyzed for total body residues, percent parent compound and percent metabolites. Gene expression in liver and brain tissue were evaluated to assess whether dietary bioaccumulation of permethrin would impact detoxification processes, metabolism, and general stress responses. M. beryllina bioaccumulated significant amounts of permethrin across all treatments, ranging from 39 to 557 ng g⁻¹ lipid. No statistically significant effect of temperature was found on total bioaccumulation. Salinity had a significant effect on total bioaccumulation, owing to greater bioaccumulation at 6 PSU compared to 13 and 20 PSU, which may be due to alterations to xenobiotic elimination. Permethrin bioaccumulation and the interaction with temperature and salinity elicited significant transcriptional responses in genes relating to detoxification, growth, development, and immune response. Given the increased prevalence of pesticide-resistant aquatic invertebrates, GCC-induced alterations to temperature and salinity, and the predicted increase in pesticide usage, these findings suggest trophic transfer may play an important role in pesticide bioaccumulation and effects in predatory fish.

Bacillus coagulans is regarded as a clean, safe and helpful probiotic additive in the production of livestock and poultry breeds. Some studies have also shown that Bacillus coagulans can adsorb heavy metals in water, even in the gut of animals. However, whether Bacillus coagulans feeding influences antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) abundance in the gut of lead-exposed laying hens is unknown. To better apply such probiotics in the breeding industry, the present study employed Bacillus coagulans R11 and laying hens in model experiments to test ARG changes in the cecum of laying hens under lead exposure and B. coagulans R11 feeding. The results showed that there was the trend for ARG abundance decreasing in feeding B. coagulans R11 without lead exposure to laying hens in the cecum; however, feeding B. coagulans R11 to laying hens exposed to lead obviously increased the abundances of aminoglycoside and chloramphenicol ARGs. Further experiment found that hydroquinone, dodecanedioic acid, gibberellin A14, alpha-solanine, jasmonic acid and chitin were involved in the abundances of ARGs in the cecum, in addition the abundances of these compounds were also significantly enhanced by lead exposure or combination effects of lead and B. coagulans R11. As a result, the ARG hazards increased with feeding B. coagulans R11 to laying hens exposed to lead, and the key compounds which influenced by the combination effects of lead and B. coagulans R11 might influence the ARGs abundance.

Fungicide application for controlling fungal diseases can increase copper (Cu) accumulation in soil. More urgently, Cu released from fungicides can associate with soil clay and favour the mutual aggregation of Cu and soil clay, thereby potentially intensifying the accumulation of Cu. We investigated the effects of Cu salt and six common Cu-based fungicides on colloidal dynamics of a clay fraction from citrus cultivated soil. Batch experiments were carried out to provide the loading capacity of the clay fraction for Cu. The colloidal dynamic experiments were performed over a pH range from 3 to 8 following a test tube method, while surface charge, the key electrochemical factor of the solid-liquid interface, was quantified by a particle charge detector. It was found that all the studied fungicides, via releasing Cu²⁺, acted to effectively favour clay aggregation. The dissolved organic matter obtained from the dissolution of polymers in fungicides can theoretically stimulate clay dispersion. However, their effects were obscured due to the overwhelming effect of Cu²⁺. Therefore, Cu²⁺ appears as the most active agent in the fungicides that intensifies clay aggregation. These findings imply that the intensive application of fungicides for plant protection purposes can inadvertently reduce clay mobility, favour the co-aggregation of clay and fungicides, and hence potentially exacerbate the contamination of the citrus soil.

PM₂.₅ pollution was associated with numerous adverse health effects. However, PM₂.₅ induced toxic effects and the relationships with toxic components remain largely unknown. To evaluate the metabolic toxicity of PM₂.₅ at environmentally relevant doses, investigate the seasonal variation of PM₂.₅ induced toxicity and the relationship with toxic components, a combination of general pathophysiological tests and metabolomics analysis was conducted in this study to explore the response of SD rats to PM₂.₅ exposure. The result of general toxicology analysis revealed unconspicuous toxicity of PM₂.₅ under environmental dose, but winter PM₂.₅ at high dose caused severe histopathological damage to lung. Metabolomic analysis highlighted significant metabolic disorder induced by PM₂.₅ even at environmentally relevant doses. Lipid metabolism and GSH metabolism were primarily influenced by PM₂.₅ exposure due to the high levels of heavy metals. In addition, high levels of organic compounds such as PAHs, PCBs and PCDD/Fs in winter PM₂.₅ bring multiple overlaps on the toxic pathways, resulting in larger pulmonary toxicity and metabolic toxicity in rats than summer.

Pharmaceutically active compounds are increasingly detected in raw and treated wastewater, surface water, and drinking water worldwide. These compounds can cause adverse effects to the ecosystem even at low concentrations and, to assess these impacts, toxicity tests are essential. However, the toxicity data are scarce for many PhACs, and when available, they are dispersed in the literature. The values of pharmaceuticals concentration in the environment and toxicity data are essential for measuring their environmental and human health risks. Thus this review verified the concentrations of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment and the toxicity related to them. The risk assessment was also carried out. Diclofenac, naproxen, erythromycin, roxithromycin, and 17β-estradiol presented a high environment risk and 17α-ethinylestradiol presented a high human health risk. This shows the potential of these pharmaceuticals to cause adverse effects to the ecosystem and humans and establishes the necessity of their removal through advanced technologies.