This paper provides a process-oriented perspective on the combined effects of ozone (O3), climate change and/or nitrogen (N) on vegetation. Whereas increasing CO2 in controlled environments or open-top chambers often ameliorates effects of O3 on leaf physiology, growth and C allocation, this is less likely in the field. Combined responses to elevated temperature and O3 have rarely been studied even though some critical growth stages such as seed initiation are sensitive to both. Under O3 exposure, many species have smaller roots, thereby enhancing drought sensitivity. Of the 68 species assessed for stomatal responses to ozone, 22.5% were unaffected, 33.5% had sluggish or increased opening and 44% stomatal closure. The beneficial effect of N on root development was lost at higher O3 treatments whilst the effects of increasing O3 on root biomass became more pronounced as N increased. Both responses to gradual changes in pollutants and climate and those under extreme weather events require further study.

We estimated net annual temperature-related mortality in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in Australia using 62 global climate model projections under three IPPC SRES CO2 emission scenarios (A2, A1B and B1). In all cities, all scenarios resulted in increases in summer temperature-related deaths for future decades, and decreases in winter temperature-related deaths. However, Brisbane and Sydney will increase the net annual temperature-related deaths in the future, while a slight decrease will happen in Melbourne. Additionally, temperature-related mortality will largely increase beyond the summer (including January, February, March, November and December) in Brisbane and Sydney, while temperature-related mortality will largely decrease beyond the winter in Melbourne. In conclusion, temperature increases for Australia are expected to result in a decreased burden of cold-related mortality and an increased burden of heat-related mortality, but the balance of these differences varied by city. In particular, the seasonal patterns in temperature-related deaths will be shifted.

The Banana Bat, Neoromicia nana, exploits pollution-tolerant chironomids at wastewater treatment works (WWTWs). We investigated how pollutant exposure impacts the detoxification organs, namely the liver and kidney of N. nana. (i) We performed SEM-EDS to quantify metal content and mineral nutrients, and found significant differences in essential metal (Fe and Zn) content in the liver, and significant differences in Cu and one mineral nutrient (K) in the kidneys. (ii) We performed histological analysis and found more histopathological lesions in detoxification organs of WWTW bats. (iii) We calculated hepatosomatic/renalsomatic indices (HSI/RSI) to investigate whole organ effects, and found significant increases in organ size at WWTWs. (iv) We quantified metallothionein 1E (MT1E), using Western Blot immunodetection. Contrary to predictions, we found no significant upregulation of MT1E in bats at WWTWs. Ultimately, N. nana exploiting WWTWs may suffer chronic health problems from sub-lethal damage to organs responsible for detoxifying pollutants.

In the Northern coast of Rio de Janeiro State is located the major urban centers of the oil and gas industry of Brazil. The intense urbanization in recent decades caused an increase in human use of the coastal areas, which is constantly impacted by agricultural, industrial and wastewater discharges. Franciscana dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei) is a small cetacean that inhabits coastal regions down to a 30 m depth. This species is considered the most threatened cetacean in the Western South Atlantic Ocean. This study investigated the levels of 52 PCB congeners and 9 PBDE congeners in liver of nine individuals found stranded or accidentally caught between 2011 and 2012 in the Northern coast of Rio de Janeiro. PCB mean levels ranged from 208 to 5543 ng g⁻¹ lw and PBDEs mean concentrations varied between 13.84 and 36.94 ng g⁻¹ lw. Contamination patterns suggest the previous use of Aroclor 1254, 1260 and penta-BDE mixtures in Brazil. While still few studies have assessed the organic contamination in cetaceans from the Southern Hemisphere, including Brazil, the levels found in this study could represent a health risk to these endangered species.

Thallium (Tl) is a toxic and non-essential heavy metal. Raw Pb–Zn ores and solid smelting wastes from a large Pb–Zn smelting plant – a typical thallium (Tl) pollution source in South China, were investigated in terms of Tl distribution and fractionation. A modified IRMM (Institute for Reference Materials and Measurement, Europe) sequential extraction scheme was applied on the samples, in order to uncover the geochemical behavior and transformation of Tl during Pb–Zn smelting and to assess the potential environmental risk of Tl arising from this plant. Results showed that the Pb–Zn ore materials were relatively enriched with Tl (15.1–87.7 mg kg−1), while even higher accumulation existed in the electrostatic dust (3280–4050 mg kg−1) and acidic waste (13,300 mg kg−1). A comparison of Tl concentration and fraction distribution in different samples clearly demonstrated the significant role of the ore roasting in Tl transformation and mobilization, probably as a result of alteration/decomposition of related minerals followed by Tl release and subsequent deposition/co-precipitation on fine surface particles of the electrostatic dust and acidic waste. While only 10–30% of total Tl amounts was associated with the exchangeable/acid-extractable fraction of the Pb–Zn ore materials, up to 90% of total Tl was found in this fraction of the electrostatic dust and acidic waste. Taking into account the mobility and bioavailability of this fraction, these waste forms may pose significant environmental risk.

Understanding how engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) interact with natural organic acids is important to ecological risk assessment of ENPs, but this interaction remains poorly studied. Here, we investigate the dispersion stability, ion release, and toxicity of yttrium oxide nanoparticles (nY2O3) suspensions after exposure to two low molecular weight natural organic acids (LOAs), namely benzoic acid and gallic acid. We find that in the presence of LOAs the nY2O3 suspensions become more stable with surface zeta potential more positive or negative, accompanied by small agglomerated size. LOA interaction with nY2O3 is shown to promote the release of dissolved yttrium from the nanoparticles, depending on the concentrations of LOAs. Toxic effects of the nY2O3 suspensions incubated with LOAs on Scenedesmus obliquus as a function of their mixture levels show three types of signs: stimulation, inhibition, and alleviation. The mechanism of the effects of LOAs on the nY2O3 toxicity may be mainly associated with the degree of agglomeration, particle-induced oxidative stress, and dissolved yttrium. Our results stressed the importance of LOA impacts on the fate and toxicity of ENPs in the aquatic environment.

Severe trace metal pollution due to industrial effluents releases was found in Jiulong River Estuary, Southern China. In this study, water samples were collected during effluent release events to study the dynamic changes of environmental conditions and metal partitioning among dissolved, particulate and colloidal phases controlled by estuarine mixing. Intermittent effluent discharges during low tide caused decreasing pH and dissolved oxygen, and induced numerous suspended particulate materials and dissolved organic carbon to the estuary. Different behaviors of Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr and Pb in the dissolved fraction against the conservative index salinity indicated different sources, e.g., dissolved Ni from the intermittent effluent. Although total metal concentrations increased markedly following effluent discharges, Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb were predominated by the particulate fraction. Enhanced adsorption onto particulates in the mixing process resulted in elevated partitioning coefficient (Kd) values for Cu and Zn, and the particle concentration effect was not obvious under such anthropogenic impacts. Colloidal proportion of these metals (especially Cu and Zn) showed positive correlations with dissolved or colloidal organic carbon, suggesting the metal-organic complexation. However, the calculated colloidal partitioning coefficients were relatively constant, indicating the excess binding capacity. Overall, the intermittent effluent discharge altered the particulate/dissolved and colloidal/soluble phase partitioning process and may further influence the bioavailability and potential toxicity to aquatic organisms.

The distribution and interaction of parent and alkyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (EPA-34 PAHs) among the multiple phases were investigated in estuarine water column of Humen outlet over a 12-months period. The water column was divided into 5 vertical layers, and each layer included dissolved phase, large- and small-size suspended particular matter (SPM). Regarding to EPA-34 PAHs, alkyl homologues were abundant, especially in the dissolved phase and small-size SPM. Moreover, SPM contributed a large proportion of EPA-34 PAHs in the water column especially for the large-size SPM, which therefore play an important role for the transportation of these pollutants. The EPA-34 PAHs concentrations in water column during wet season were higher than those in the dry season due to the decreasing of KD values which were affected by TSS and salinity obviously. Generally, the EPA-34 PAHs concentrations in the water column increased with the increasing of water depth, most of the highest concentrations of EPA-34 PAHs were found in the near-bottom layer due to the rapid sinking of large-size SPM and sediment resuspension. Additionally, during the ebb-flood tide period, the EPA-34 PAHs concentrations in different phases of the water column fluctuated oppositely based on the effects of hydrodynamic conditions.

Within the framework of the Spanish monitoring program, this study reports on air concentration of DDTs, HCB, HCHs, NDL-PCBs, DL-PCBs, PCDD/Fs and PBDEs measured during the five-year sampling period 2008–2013. Spanish coastal remote and urban locations were studied using PUF disk passive air samplers which were deployed and collected every three months. Despite the wide range of concentrations measured for most contaminants, a common pattern of relative abundance (median values): NDL-PCBs (36.6 pg/m³) > HCB (24.8 pg/m³) ≈ HCHs (17.9 pg/m³) ≈ DDTs (16.6 pg/m³) > PBDEs (3.65 pg/m³) > DL-PCBs (2.99 pg/m³) >> PCDD/Fs (0.060 pg/m³) was found fairly consistent across most seasons and locations. Nevertheless, important variations in yearly concentrations were measured for different POPs. In general, higher levels of DDTs, HCHs, NDL-PCBs, DL-PCBs and PCDD/Fs were found in urban sites highlighting important differences between remote and urban sampling locations for most target contaminants. Greater concentrations of the banned organochlorine pesticides in urban locations suggested the existence of unexpected pointed sources that need to be further investigated and characterized. The limited dataset collected thus far rendered no clear temporal trends for most study target compounds, which emphasizes the necessity of the Spanish monitoring program future maintenance in time.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been recognized as emerging environmental pollutants. However, there is limited information on the contamination level and spatial distribution of PFASs in the Shuangtaizi Estuary, where the Shuangtaizi Hekou Nature Reserve is located. In the present study, the contamination level and spatial distribution of PFASs in surface water (approximately 0.5 m below the surface) and bottom water (about 0.5 m above the bottom) of the Shuangtaizi Estuary were investigated. The data indicated that the Shuangtaizi Estuary was commonly contaminated by PFASs. The total concentration of PFASs in surface and bottom water of the Shuangtaizi Estuary ranged from 66.2 to 185 ng L−1 and from 44.8 to 209 ng L−1, respectively. The predominant PFASs were perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluoropentanoic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorohexanoic acid and perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS). In general, PFAS concentrations in surface water samples were lower than those in bottom water samples. The spatial distribution of PFASs in the Shuangtaizi Estuary was mainly affected by particular landform, tide and residual currents in Liaodong Bay. The total mass flux of 15 PFASs from the Shuangtaizi River to Liaodong Bay was estimated to be 352 kg year−1, which was lower than the total flux from the Daling River and the Daliao River. As short-chain PFASs, such as PFBS and PFBA, have been the prevalent compounds in some places and are continuously produced and used, long-term monitoring and effective pollution controls are suggested.