Glyphosate (GLY) is a broad-spectrum herbicide that is the most commonly applied pesticide in terrestrial ecosystems in the U.S. and, potentially, worldwide. However, the combined effects of warming associated with climate change and exposure to GLY and GLY-based formulations (GBFs) on terrestrial animals are poorly understood. Animals progress through several life stages (e.g., embryonic, larval, and juvenile stages) that may exhibit different sensitivities to stressors. Therefore, we factorially manipulated temperature and GLY/GBF exposure in the variable field cricket (Gryllus lineaticeps) during two life stages—nymphal development and adulthood—and examined key animal traits, such as developmental rate, body size, food consumption, reproductive investment, and lifespan. A thermal environment simulating future climate warming obligated several costs to fitness-related traits. For example, warming experienced during nymphal development reduced survival, adult body mass and size, and investment into flight capacity and reproduction. Warming experienced by adults reduced lifespan and growth rate. Alternatively, the effects of GBF exposure were more subtle, often context-dependent (e.g., effects were only detected in one sex or temperature regime), and were stronger during adult exposure relative to exposure during development. There was evidence of additive costs of warming and GBF exposure to rates of feeding and growth in adults. Yet, the negative effect of GBF exposure to adult lifespan did not occur in warming conditions, suggesting that ongoing climate change may obscure some of the costs of GBFs to non-target organisms. The effects of GLY alone (i.e., in the absence of proprietary surfactants found in commercial formulations) were non-existent. Animals will be increasingly exposed to warming and GBFs, and our results indicate that GBF exposure and warming can entail additive costs for an animal taxon (insects) that plays critical roles in terrestrial ecosystems.

Rice and vegetables cultivated in naturally arsenic (As) endemic areas are the substantial source of As body loading for persons using safe drinking water. However, tracing As intake, particularly from rice and vegetables by biomarker analysis, has been poorly addressed. This field investigation was conducted to trace the As transfer pathway and measure health risk associated with consuming As enriched rice and vegetables. Purposively selected 100 farmers from five sub-districts of Chandpur, Bangladesh fulfilling specific requirements constituted the subjects of this study. A total of 100 Irrigation water, soils, rice, and vegetable samples were collected from those farmers’ who donated scalp hair. Socio-demographic and food consumption data were collected face to face through questionnaire administration. The mean As level in irrigation water, soils, rice, vegetables, and scalp hairs exceeded the acceptable limit, while As content was significant at 0.1%, 5%, 0.1%, 1%, and 0.1% probability levels, respectively, in all five locations. Arsenic in scalp hair is significantly (p ≤ 0.01) correlated with that in rice and vegetables. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) for rice and vegetables is less than one and significant at a 1% probability level. The average daily intake (ADI) is higher than the RfD limit for As. Both grains and vegetables have an HQ (hazard quotient) > 1. Maximum incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) showed 2.8 per 100 people and 1.6 per 1000 people are at considerable and threshold risk, respectively. However, proteinaceous and nutritious food consumption might have kept the participants asymptomatic. The PCA analysis showed that the first principle component (PC1) explains 91.1% of the total variance dominated by As in irrigation water, grain, and vegetables. The dendrogram shows greater variations in similarity in rice and vegetables As, while the latter has been found to contribute more to human body loading compared to grain As.

The ongoing loss of global biodiversity is endangering ecosystem functioning and human food security. While environmental pollutants are well known to reduce fertility, the potential effects of common neonicotinoid insecticides on insect fertility remain poorly understood. Here, we show that field-realistic neonicotinoid exposure can drastically impact male insect fertility. In the laboratory, male and female solitary bees Osmia cornuta were exposed to four concentrations of the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam to measure survival, food consumption, and sperm traits. Despite males being exposed to higher dosages of thiamethoxam, females revealed an overall increased hazard rate for survival; suggesting sex-specific differences in toxicological sensitivity. All tested sublethal concentrations (i.e., 1.5, 4.5 and 10 ng g⁻¹) reduced sperm quantity by 57% and viability by 42% on average, with the lowest tested concentration leading to a reduction in total living sperm by 90%. As the tested sublethal concentrations match estimates of global neonicotinoid pollution, this reveals a plausible mechanism for population declines, thereby reflecting a realistic concern. An immediate reduction in environmental pollutants is required to decelerate the ongoing loss of biodiversity.

The release of reactive nitrogen (Nᵣ) from food production and consumption constitute the primary source of nitrogen pollution. However, nitrogen flows and the driving factors of food chain of Shanghai, China have not been previously studied. Here, we used a substance flow analysis model to analyze the changes in Nᵣ inputs and outputs in agricultural production, livestock and poultry farming, and food consumption related to the Shanghai food chain between 2000 and 2018. The driving forces of Nᵣ inputs, Nᵣ use efficiency, and Nᵣ surpluses/deficits in the food production and consumption system were also investigated. The results indicated that the main sources of Nᵣ input in the food production and consumption system were nitrogen fertilizers, livestock and poultry feed from external sources, and plant-based foods, which accounted for 36.28–59.45% of Nᵣ input in agricultural production, 37.32–76.57% of Nᵣ input in livestock and poultry farming, and 35.38–59.37% of Nᵣ input in food consumption, respectively. The main forms of Nᵣ outputs were surplus nitrogen in the soil, excretal nitrogen from livestock and poultry animals, and excretal nitrogen from humans, which accounted for 38.2–48.89% of Nᵣ output in agricultural production, 36.78–55.18% of Nᵣ output in livestock and poultry farming, and 85.36% of Nᵣ output in food consumption, respectively. From 2000 to 2018, the Nᵣ inputs per unit area from agricultural production decreased at a rate of 20.42% before 2012, and then increased at a rate of 5.72%. Moreover, the Nᵣ use efficiency of agricultural production component of Shanghai was at a low level, only 18.43–27.6%. Cultivation area of crops was the main driving forces of the Nᵣ input to food production and consumption system. These results provide essential data for controlling nitrogen pollution caused by Shanghai food production and consumption, which can serve as a reference for administrative agencies in formulating policies.

In recent years, an extensive exposure to antibiotics from various sources has been demonstrated in China by the biomonitoring method, but the temporal trend remains little known. The study aim was to explore the temporal trend of exposure to antibiotics and associated health risk in children. A dynamic child cohort was established in Shanghai, East China between 2017 and 2020. A total of 684 school children aged 7-11 years were included, and 280 in 2017, 279 in 2018, 288 in 2019, and 287 in 2020 participated in annual surveys. Twenty-three typical antibiotics and three metabolites from five categories (four tetracyclines, five qinolones, six macrolides, eight sulfonamides, and three phenicols), bisphenol A (BPA), and monobutyl phthalate (MBP) were determined in urine. Logistic regression analysis with generalized estimating equations was conducted to investigate the associations between various variables and the detection frequency of antibiotics in urine. Seventeen antibiotics and three metabolites were found in 51.9% of all urine samples. Compared to 2017, the detection frequency in urine reduced 31.8% in 2020 for all antibiotics (58.2% vs 39.7%) and reduced 36.8%–55.8% for tetracyclines (11.4% vs 7.0%), qinolones (34.3% vs 21.3%), macrolides (8.6% vs 3.8%), sulfonamides (16.4% vs 8.7%), and phenicols (19.3% vs 12.2%). After accounting for personal characteristics, food consumption, and urinary BPA and MBP, a decreasing temporal trend of detection frequencies was observed from 2017 to 2020 for most antibiotics. Urinary concentration, estimated daily intake, and acceptable daily intake-based health risk of antibiotics showed a temporal trend similar to detection frequency. There was an extensive exposure to antibiotics in children. However, a decreasing temporal trend occurred for the exposure during the period from 2017 to 2020. The trend was likely to be caused by decreased antibiotic use and/or decreased residues in food and/or drinking water.

This study investigates the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in water, sediment, and crayfish samples within pond and rice-crayfish co-culture breeding modes in Jianli prefecture, China. Microplastics in environmental and biological samples were systematically extracted by CaCl₂ solution, digested by H₂O₂ and KOH, and identified by μ-FTIR. A cleansing treatment for crayfish was performed in pure water before dissection and microplastic accumulation in different tissues (gill, stomach, gut, and flesh) of non-cleansed and cleansed crayfish were compared. The average microplastic abundances were 1.3 ± 0.1–2.5 ± 0.1 particles/L, 0.03 ± 0.01–0.04 ± 0.02 particles/g, and 0.17 ± 0.07–0.92 ± 0.19 particles/individual in water, sediment, and crayfish samples, respectively. Microplastics were detected in all studied crayfish tissues, except the flesh. There were no significant differences in microplastic abundances in water (P = 0.82), sediment (P = 0.90), and crayfish (P = 0.47 for non-cleansed samples; P = 0.30 for cleansed samples) between two breeding modes despite the detection of relatively higher microplastic abundances in the samples from the pond breeding mode. Microplastic accumulation in non-cleansed crayfish stomachs and guts (0.71 ± 0.18 particles/individual) was higher (P < 0.01) than that recorded in their gills (0.13 ± 0.06 particles/individual). Moreover, microplastics present in the stomachs and guts of cleansed crayfish were significantly less abundant (P < 0.01) than in non-cleansed crayfish, although this was not observed in the gills (P = 0.99). The majority of microplastic particles in this study had fiber-like shapes, blue and transparent colors, a size smaller than 1 mm, and polymer types of PP:PE and PE. The results demonstrate that microplastics in the environment can accumulate in the internal tissues of crayfish, which may pose a potential risk to humans through food consumption without the removal of the gills, stomach, and guts. This study provides valuable information for understanding microplastic accumulation in the different tissues of crayfish and the potential risk of human exposure to microplastics from crayfish as a food supplement.

Perchlorate is an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) that contaminate various foodstuffs. Exposure to perchlorate may cause severe health problems, mainly thyroid dysfunction. However, information on perchlorate contamination of consumer foods in Taiwan is limited. This study investigated perchlorate levels in 310 food samples belonging to 12 food groups collected from Taiwanese markets. A probabilistic risk assessment was conducted to assess the related exposure to Taiwanese people. Perchlorate was detected in 65% of the samples and high levels were identified in certain plant-origin, fruit, and processed food samples. A probabilistic approach was used to estimate daily dietary dose (Monte Carlo–estimated 95th percentile dietary exposure [MCS 95]) by using the Taiwan National Food Consumption database for 14 sex/age groups. The highest and lowest average daily doses (ADDs) were in the age groups of >65 years (MCS 95 = 3.60/3.90 [male/female] μg/kg bw/day) and 16–18 years (MCS 95 = 1.70/1.47 [M/F] μg/kg bw/day), respectively. The 95th percentile of the hazard index of exposure to perchlorate of all sex/age groups far exceeded the tolerable daily intake (0.3 μg/kg bw/day) and reference dose (0.7 μg/kg bw/day) set by the European Food Safety Authority and US EPA, respectively, but it was lower than the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (10 μg/kg bw/day) suggested by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. The intake quantity and concentrations of perchlorate from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are the critical contributors for the ADDs and integrated risk of dietary exposure to perchlorate. Long-term exposure through diets should be considered, instead of focusing on individual EDC during dietary risk assessment in specific populations. Furthermore, cumulative risks for exposure to multiple contaminants, particularly those causing thyroid adverse effects, may be higher than that from perchlorate exposure alone.

4-Nonylphenol (NP) and bisphenol A (BPA) are high-production and high-volume chemicals used to manufacture various commercial products. They are also ubiquitous contaminants that disrupt endocrine systems in wildlife and humans. We collected, from Taiwan cities with the highest food production, and analyzed, using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS), 278 food samples for NP and BPA from 11 categories. We found background levels of 100% for NP and 72% for BPA in total samples. High levels of contamination (up to 918 and 49.4 μg/kg) were found in some foods of seafood and animal origin. We used a probabilistic approach to calculate daily dietary dose (Monte Carlo-estimated 95th percentile dietary exposure [MCS 95]) from the Taiwan National Food Consumption database for each sex- and age-specified population. For NP and BPA, the highest average daily dose (ADDs) were in the 4- to 6-year-old group (MCS 95 = 1.57/1.28 and 0.157/0.147 [Male/Female] μg/kg bw/day, respectively), and the lowest ADDs were in the ≥65-year-old group (MCS 95 = 0.674/0.581 and 0.054/0.045 [M/F] μg/kg bw/day, respectively). Based on the European Food Safety Authority (4 μg/kg bw/day for BPA) and Danish Institute of Safety and Toxicology guidelines (5 μg/kg bw/day for NP), the 95th percentile HQ of NP and BPA intake in different sex- and age-specified groups in Taiwan posed no risks through dietary exposure. The intake quantity and concentrations of grains, livestock, and seafood are important variables for the integrated risk of NP and BPA. In conclusion, a combination of multiple and long-term exposure via food consumption should be considered rather than individual endocrine-disrupting chemicals during dietary risk assessment in specific populations.The 95th percentile HQ of NP and BPA intake in different age and sex groups in Taiwan posed no risks through dietary exposure based on probabilistic and sensitive approach.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that, due to their high toxicity, lipophilic property and widespread dispersal in the global environment, present a danger for human health and ecological systems. Although the inventory and use of PCBs are extensively reported worldwide, the status of PCBs in Iran is still unknown. In this study, the concentrations of PCBs were determined in the environmental matrices and in five commercially important fish species from Larak coral Island, Persian Gulf, Iran, in winter and summer 2015. A positive correlation was found among PCBs levels and congeners profiles in seawater (0.97–3.10 ng L⁻¹), surface sediments (2.95–7.95 ng g⁻¹dw) and fish samples (7.20–90.19 ng g⁻¹dw), indicating fish as suitable bioindicator of environmental PCBs contamination. In all matrices, a high contribution of light and medium chlorinated congeners was detected in both seasons. In fish, the higher PCBs levels were found for both sexes in both seasons in liver and kidney than other tissues (skin, gonad, muscle) due to their high lipid content and PCBs lipophilicity. More importantly, the risks for human health associated with fish consumption were also evaluated, and it was found that all the toxicity indices measured for PCBs were within the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limit of food consumption. However, it is highly recommended to inform the local population about potential risks attributable to dietary incorporation of locally caught fish, and establish a surveillance monitoring programme on PCBs in this region.

The ingestion of microplastics (plastic particles <5 mm) has been observed in a range of marine organisms, and adverse effects have been reported in several species after high concentration exposure. However, the long-term effects of low-dose ingestion remains unclear. The aim of this study was thus to assess the chronic effects of low concentrations of polystyrene microparticles to the intertidal amphipod Echinogammarus marinus, using food consumption, growth, and moulting as endpoints. Amphipods were fed a gelatinous algal feed spiked with microbeads (8 μm) in concentrations of ∼0.9, 9 and 99 microplastics/g for 35 days. E. marinus was also analysed for retention of microplastics, and egestion rate was calculated in a separate high-dose feeding experiment. No significant effects were found in the food consumption or growth assays. There was no accumulation of microplastics in the gut, with only one microbead recorded internally in three (8%) of the exposed amphipods. The low number is likely linked to gastrointestinal functions, allowing for easy egestion of indigestible items. This assumption was supported by the observation that after high-dose exposure, 60% of E. marinus egested all microbeads within 24 h. This study suggests that ingesting low concentrations of 8 μm microplastics do not impair the feeding or growth of amphipods along the exposure period. We hope that negative results such as these may further assist in assessing the impact posed by microplastics to marine organisms.