Emerging Contaminants最新文献

{"title":"Holographic imaging and machine learning for microplastic size and shape analysis in water","authors":"Ismaila Abimbola ,&nbsp;Thangavel Thevar ,&nbsp;Marion McAfee ,&nbsp;Leo Creedon ,&nbsp;Hanieh Khosravi ,&nbsp;Salem Gharbia","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics are a growing global concern, particularly in drinking water, due to their potential negative impacts on human health. To effectively monitor, quantify and understand the sources and implications of microplastics in water, it is critical to identify their physical and chemical properties. However, existing laboratory-based methods popularly used for characterising microplastics have several limitations. Using a novel method, this study explored the feasibility of quantifying the physical properties of microplastics in water. Specifically, we utilised a portable holographic camera to record digital holograms of commercial microplastics floating in water. Furthermore, we developed a simple Python algorithm to determine the size of the microplastics from the particle images. This study also evaluated and compared the performance of two deep-learning architectures, MobileNetV2 and ResNet101, in classifying the shapes of the microplastic particles into spherical and hemispherical shapes. Findings from this study demonstrate the capability of the proposed holographic system to rapidly and automatically produce particle images of microplastics while simultaneously measuring their sizes. Performance metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, confusion matrix and training time, showed that MobileNetV2 achieved the best performance despite being a more lightweight model with fewer parameters than ResNet101. Therefore, MobileNetV2 was recommended for classifying the shapes of microplastics from particle images. The time and cost-effectiveness of the proposed digital holographic method make it suitable for large-scale monitoring of microplastics in water. This will be significant in identifying the sources, understanding their behaviour and reducing the associated health risks to humans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 4","pages":"Article 100558"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144911678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A critical review of the methods being proposed to solve the PFAS problem in drinking water: Are they practically applicable in real world?","authors":"Davyd Urbanas,&nbsp;Edita Baltrėnaitė-Gedienė","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100563","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100563","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are hardly degradable and persistent chemical compounds being detected all over the world and becoming more and more relevant while preparing drinking water. The existing techniques used for PFAS removal from water are effective, but they have a lot of limitations that hinder their wide and easy large-scale application. Up to date, a lot of newly designed methods have been suggested and investigated to remove PFAS from drinking water. However, although the achieved results of PFAS removal and/or decomposition efficiency are usually quite positive, a detailed analysis of experimental conditions is often required to evaluate the practical applicability of the proposed methods. Practical applicability is determined based on both technical possibilities and economic feasibility for large-scale applications. Today, the main focus of environmentally oriented scientific research should be directly related to real-world applications. Therefore, this article aims to provide a detailed review of the methods being proposed for PFAS removal from the applicability perspective and identify the main limitations hindering the wide exploitation of these PFAS removal techniques. This review article will help both scientists and engineers to focus on solving the most relevant problems that should be considered to make practical application possible. Some methods which are out of competition from both technological and economical point of view can be just rejected.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 4","pages":"Article 100563"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in the Venice Lagoon: A suspect screening approach for the analysis of water and sediment contamination","authors":"P.P. Guolo ,&nbsp;L. Calgaro ,&nbsp;A. Bonetto ,&nbsp;Q. Xu ,&nbsp;J. Lu ,&nbsp;A. Marcomini","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100557","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100557","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The presence of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) in the environment poses significant concern, yet their occurrence, sources, and fate remain not fully understood. This study provides the first investigation of a broad range of CECs, including active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), plant protection products (PPPs), and personal care products (PCPs), across raw and treated wastewater, surface water, and sediment in the Venice Lagoon and selected tributaries. Using a suspect screening analysis methodology based on high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), 14 sampling stations were selected to identify contamination patterns and potential emission sources. APIs were the most frequently detected class of compounds (150 compounds), with flecainide, harman, carbamazepine, and venlafaxine found in more than 80 % of sampling stations. Analgesics were the dominant therapeutic class, followed by antidepressants and cardiovascular drugs. Among PCPs (17 compounds), icaridin, and climbazole were the most prevalent, detected at 11 and 9 sampling stations, respectively. PPPs (26 compounds) were also detected, with diuron being the most widespread as it was found at 10 sampling stations. To the best of the authors' knowledge, 92 compounds (68 APIs, 17 PCPs, and 7 PPPs) were qualitatively identified for the first time in the Venice Lagoon, although many of them are known to occur in natural waters worldwide.</div><div>The results highlight rivers and treated wastewater as major contributors to CEC emissions in the lagoon. These findings offer valuable insights for future research and targeted monitoring strategies, advancing the understanding of unmonitored contaminants in vulnerable aquatic environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 4","pages":"Article 100557"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel and legacy per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances in major wastewater treatment plants within the Lake Victoria basin, East Africa","authors":"Ashirafu Miiro ,&nbsp;Edward Mubiru ,&nbsp;Oghenekaro Nelson Odume ,&nbsp;Silver Odongo ,&nbsp;George William Nyakairu ,&nbsp;Henry Matovu ,&nbsp;Charles Drago Kato ,&nbsp;Ivan Špánik ,&nbsp;Mika Sillanpää ,&nbsp;Douglas Sifuna ,&nbsp;Liudmyla Khvalbota ,&nbsp;Patrick Ssebugere","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100580","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100580","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past two decades, rapid urbanization and industrialization in Uganda have generated wastewater containing emerging contaminants including per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). This study assessed PFASs contamination of wastewater from Bugolobi (Kampala) and Kirinya (Jinja) wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) by analyzing 80 influent and effluent samples for 15 PFASs using LC-MS/MS. We quantified 10 PFASs, with levels ranging from non-detectable (n.d) up to 372.4 ng/L (mean: 20.94 ± 0.42 ng/L). At Bugolobi WWTP, influent levels ranged from n.d to 190.01 ng/L (60.85 ± 1.03 ng/L) while effluents varied from n.d to 372.4 ng/L (237.91 ± 7.06 ng/L). At Kirinya WWTP, influent levels ranged from n.d to 29.37 ng/L (17.58 ± 3.54 ng/L) and effluents up to 30.21 ng/L (7.79 ± 0.85 ng/L). Short-chain PFASs (PFBS, PFBA) were more predominant, suggesting their possible use or degradation of the long-chain PFASs. Total mass loadings were higher at Bugolobi WWTP (5353.56 mg/day), serving the more densely populated Kampala, than at Kirinya WWTP (93.62 mg/day). PFSAs exhibited higher removal (72.45 % Bugolobi; 36.45 % Kirinya) than PFCAs (−127.38 % Bugolobi; −20.50 % Kirinya), which could be attributed to their stronger hydrophobic adsorption and partial biodegradation. Bugolobi, with ⁓82.59 % total removal outperformed Kirinya (∼25.19 %) due to its advanced conventional treatment. Ecological risk assessment revealed higher risks at lower trophic levels at Bugolobi compared to Kirinya, likely due to lower influx and partial mitigation by its pond-based system. These findings highlight the role of WWTPs as critical point sources of PFASs, posing ecological risks to aquatic ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 4","pages":"Article 100580"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145216801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Methyl and propylparaben elicit distinct thyroid-disrupting effects in a rat thyroid cell model","authors":"Alessia Greco ,&nbsp;Francesca Coperchini ,&nbsp;Elena Franchi ,&nbsp;Marco Denegri ,&nbsp;Laura Croce ,&nbsp;Marsida Teliti ,&nbsp;Benedetto Calì ,&nbsp;Tshering Dorji ,&nbsp;Flavia Magri ,&nbsp;Mario Rotondi","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100592","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100592","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Parabens, including methylparaben (MtP) and propylparaben (PrP), are synthetic preservatives commonly used in cosmetics and personal care products. Increasing evidence suggests that these compounds may act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), but their effects on thyroid function remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of MtP and PrP on cell viability, proliferation, oxidative stress, thyroid-related gene expression, genotoxicity, and effects on cAMP in differentiated FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells. FRTL-5 cells were treated with MtP or PrP at concentrations of 0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μg/ml for 24, 48, and 72 h. Cell viability and proliferation were assessed by WST-1 and crystal violet assays, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was measured using a DCFDA-based fluorescence assay. Gene expression of thyroid-related genes (<em>TG</em>, <em>TSHR</em>, <em>NIS</em>, <em>NKX2-1</em>, <em>PAX8</em>, <em>TPO</em>) was quantified by real-time PCR. Micronuclei formation was evaluated as a marker of genotoxicity. Intracellular cAMP levels were measured using an ELISA-based method. PrP at 100 μg/ml significantly reduced cell viability (after 72 h) and proliferation (after 48–72 h) at difference with MtP. Both PrP 100 μg/ml and MtP 10–100 μg/ml increased ROS levels. PrP and MtP induced complex, dose-dependent, and non-monotonic changes in gene expression. Notably, PrP 10 μg/ml upregulated most thyroid-related genes, while PrP 100 μg/ml suppressed them. cAMP levels increased significantly with PrP 100 μg/ml. No significant genotoxicity was observed. In conclusion, MtP and PrP exert different effects on thyroid cells, supporting their potential role as thyroid-disrupting chemicals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 4","pages":"Article 100592"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145462454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Persistent and emerging brominated flame retardants in indoor dust and human hair from remote agro-pastoral areas of Inner Mongolia: Pollution characteristics, source apportionment, and human exposure","authors":"Moson Dalutai ,&nbsp;Jianing Zheng ,&nbsp;Jie Sun ,&nbsp;Yuhao Fan ,&nbsp;Ye Wu ,&nbsp;Qiexue Yang ,&nbsp;Bolong Guo ,&nbsp;Ying Wang ,&nbsp;Jun Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widespread use of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), poses significant environmental and health risks, yet data on their contamination in remote agro-pastoral regions remain scarce. This study systematically investigated the pollution characteristics, sources, and human exposure risks of PBDEs and NBFRs in indoor dust and human hair from 11 households in Inner Mongolian grasslands. Results revealed that PBDEs were ubiquitous in all dust samples (median ∑₁₀PBDEs: 15.8 ng/g dw, with a 95 % confidence interval of 2.88–48.1 ng/g dw), dominated by BDE-209 (73.6–100 %), reflecting legacy Deca-BDE usage despite regulatory restrictions. NBFRs (median ∑NBFRs: 0.77 ng/g dw, 95 % CI: 0.42–1.14 ng/g dw) in dust were predominated by hexabromobenzene (HBB, 41.7 %) and pentabromobenzylacrylate (PBBA, 18.8 %). In human hair, PBDEs (median ∑₁₀PBDEs: 6.77 ng/g dw, 95 % CI: 2.31–52 ng/g dw) showed comparable levels to urban populations, with BDE-209 contributing 71.7–99.7 %, while NBFRs (median ∑NBFRs: 0.64 ng/g dw, 95 % CI: 0.23–1.97) mirrored dust profiles (HBB: 43.4 %), suggesting dust as a likely exposure route (<em>r</em> = 0.575–0.699, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). Source analysis identified Penta-/Octa-BDE degradation and industrial applications (plastics/textiles for tetrabromo-<em>p</em>-xylene (pTBX)-pentabromobenzene (PBBz)-pentabromotoluene (PBT); electronics for PBBA-HBB) as key contributors. Human age-dependent accumulation patterns was observed, with higher PBDEs in the elderly and increasing PBBz/PBT levels with age (<em>r</em> = 0.528–0.564, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). Despite lower dust contamination than urban areas, hair-based exposure highlighted non-dust pathways (e.g., air inhalation) for low-brominated congeners. These findings underscore the persistent risks of legacy PBDEs and emerging NBFRs in remote regions, advocating for stricter lifecycle management of BFR-containing products and long-term health monitoring.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 4","pages":"Article 100553"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144926052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of microplastic degradability and concentrations on antibiotic resistance genes between soil and phyllosphere","authors":"Jianzhong Xu ,&nbsp;Lingyue Lv ,&nbsp;Zheyu Li ,&nbsp;Xunqiang Mo ,&nbsp;Mengxuan He ,&nbsp;Yingchao Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100564","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100564","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics have emerged as significant environmental pollutants and notably facilitated the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs); however, their impacts and underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. So, this study investigated the effects of different types of microplastics (biodegradable microplastics; PGA and non-degradable microplastics; HDPE) and their concentrations (0.5 %, 1.0 %, and 1.5 % w/w) on ARGs distribution and transfer between soil and the phyllosphere, utilizing a greenhouse germination experiment. The results demonstrated that microplastic addition altered the characteristics of ARGs in both soil and phyllosphere. PGA, in particular, had a more pronounced effect on ARGs abundance in the phyllosphere. In soil, ARGs abundance were jointly regulated by both microplastic type and concentration: PGA exerted a stronger influence at lower concentrations, while HDPE had a greater effect at higher concentrations. Regardless of type or concentration, microplastic addition reduced microbial network modularity, leading to substantial shifts in ARGs community structure in both soil and phyllosphere. Notably, microplastic addition at 1 % concentration yielded the highest ARGs diversity in soil. Structural equation model revealed that microplastic types and concentrations influenced ARGs transfer via distinct pathways by changing soil physicochemical properties and microbial diversity. Specifically, PGA increased soil electrical conductivity (EC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to influence ARGs, while HDPE primarily affected ARGs through alterations in soil pH, available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK). These findings can offer important insights into the mechanisms by which microplastics influence ARGs dissemination in terrestrial ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 4","pages":"Article 100564"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evolution and associated environmental pollution risks of micro- and nanoplastics through landfill processes","authors":"Yicheng Yang ,&nbsp;Fan Lü ,&nbsp;Hua Zhang ,&nbsp;Pinjing He","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100593","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100593","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plastic pollution has garnered increasing global attention, with secondary micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) being recognized as emerging contaminants and becoming growing environmental challenges. Due to their ubiquity and persistence, MNPs pose a significant risk to ecosystems and human health. Landfills are the main sink for waste plastics and have become important a source of MNP generation. This review synthesized existing research on the distribution, impact, and toxicity of MNPs across diverse environments. Focusing on the complex environment in landfills, the fragmentation pathways of waste plastics and the occurrence of MNPs were reviewed, with particular attention to the analytical challenges posed by their detection. By analysing the evolution, leakage, and migration behaviours of waste plastics in landfills, their potential implications for the global carbon cycle as carbon-rich materials were revealed. Furthermore, this review also discussed MNP release risks during landfill remediation, such as landfill mining, providing insights for pollution control strategies for landfills.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 4","pages":"Article 100593"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145516950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global pharmaceutical pollution in waterways: Insights from sewage treatment point sources","authors":"Zarimah Mohd Hanafiah ,&nbsp;Wan Hanna Melini Wan Mohtar ,&nbsp;Khairul Nizam Abdul Maulud ,&nbsp;Wan Abd Al Qadr Imad Wan-Mohtar ,&nbsp;Mohamad Nazri Ebrahim ,&nbsp;Teh Sabariah Binti Abd Manan ,&nbsp;Antonius Indarto ,&nbsp;Haitham Abdulmohsin Afan ,&nbsp;Zaher Mundher Yaseen","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global presence of pharmaceutical residues in sewage is a growing environmental concern, driven by human excretion, improper disposal, and industrial waste streams. This study synthesized data from meticulously selected 101 peer-reviewed publications to evaluate the occurrence of 20 pharmaceuticals in sewage influent and effluent as a primary point source of pollutants across diverse geographical regions, analyzed based on Asia, America, Europe, Africa and Australia. The highest cumulative concentrations of pharmaceuticals, particularly analgesics/anti-inflammatory drugs, were observed in North and South America, while most of the publications were dominantly published under the European region. Diclofenac, ibuprofen, sulfamethoxazole, and ciprofloxacin were the most frequently detected compounds and were found at high concentrations, exceeding 100,000 ng/L in the influent of some STPs. Ibuprofen and naproxen demonstrated high removal efficiencies, consistently exceeding 80 %, with no instances of negative removal observed. Atenolol, simvastatin, and valsartan exhibited substantial removal, though some STPs showed increased effluent concentrations. Contradictorily, diazepam, carbamazepine, azithromycin, and clindamycin demonstrated persistence through the conventional treatment processes, as evidently shown by the predominantly negative removal percentages. The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in sewage treatment plants (STPs) represents a significant global risk to both ecosystems and human health. Ecotoxicological risk assessments, based on hazard quotients (HQs) derived from the maximum measured concentrations, revealed heightened vulnerability among primary producers and consumers in aquatic environments, with higher trophic levels facing risks from bio-accumulative compounds. This pervasive micropollutant contamination emphasizes the critical need for improved wastewater treatment technologies, rigorous regulatory frameworks, and sustainable pharmaceutical disposal practices to minimize ecological impacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 4","pages":"Article 100585"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145262253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diversity and functional genes of bacterial communities enriched from an estuarine sediment for degradation of polylactic acid microplastics","authors":"Saowaluk Krainara ,&nbsp;Ekawan Luepromchai ,&nbsp;Wantanasak Suksong ,&nbsp;Jira Kongpran ,&nbsp;Yin Nyein Myat ,&nbsp;Peerada Prommeenate ,&nbsp;Nichakorn Khondee ,&nbsp;Thinaporn Suttiviriya","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100582","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100582","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The accumulation of polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics (MPs) in estuaries presents significant environmental challenges. The potential biodegradation of PLA MPs was rarely studied in estuarine sediments from urban areas. This study examined PLA MPs biodegradation during enrichment and assessed microbial diversity and functional gene shifts between raw estuarine sediment (day 0) and enriched culture (day 60). The enriched culture at 60-day post-incubation reduced the 40 % weight of the initial 2 g L⁻¹ PLA MPs, accompanied by a decrease in the carbonyl peak at 1747 cm⁻¹, indicating oxidative polymer chain cleavage. In addition, the biodegradation process significantly altered microbial diversity and promoted key synergistic genera such as <em>Symbiobacterium</em>, <em>Sphingobacterium</em>, <em>Comamonas</em>, <em>Pseudomonas</em>, and <em>Alcaligenes</em> for cooperative PLA MPs biodegradation. Linear discriminant analysis scores highlighted the distinct differences in microbial profiles between the raw estuarine sediment and the enriched culture. In addition, functional genes including <em>pht2</em>, <em>tphA2</em>, putative chitinase, esterase, and lipase were enriched, which would facilitate biopolymer and phthalate degradation. These findings revealed how PLA MP exposure affected microbial carbon and nitrogen metabolism in estuarine sediment and uncovered synergistic bacterial taxa with biotechnological potential for sustainable plastic waste treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 4","pages":"Article 100582"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145262252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}