Emerging Contaminants最新文献

{"title":"Anion-mediated pathways in organophosphate degradation in the Oconee River watershed in Georgia","authors":"Grace Stamm ,&nbsp;Gayatri Basapuram ,&nbsp;Srimanti Duttagupta ,&nbsp;Avishek Dutta","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100542","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100542","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The degradation of organophosphate pesticides in aquatic ecosystems is influenced by various environmental factors. This study investigates the influence of nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate on the degradation of malathion, a commonly used organophosphate pesticide, in the North Oconee River watershed in Georgia. Microcosm experiments were conducted to simulate environmental conditions and assess both microbial and non-microbial transformation pathways. Nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate were found to enhance malathion degradation through microbially mediated oxidative and hydrolytic pathways. The presence of mercuric chloride, which suppressed microbial activity, resulted in slower degradation rates across all conditions, underscoring the pivotal role of microbial communities in pesticide transformation. Non-targeted analyses identified key degradation products, including malaoxon, succinic acid, and diethyl succinate, primarily under nitrate and sulfate conditions, supporting the involvement of these anions in the degradation process. These findings highlight the complex interactions between nutrient dynamics and pesticide persistence, offering valuable insights for sustainable water management and pollution control in agro-impacted freshwater systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100542"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596009","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":"Molecular response of Physarum melleum GZ381 to anatase TiO2 nanoparticles: Characteristic and application","authors":"Zhi Zhang ,&nbsp;Cheng Xin Wu ,&nbsp;Qin Hui Lu ,&nbsp;Xiu Yi Liang ,&nbsp;Zhi Cheng Liang ,&nbsp;Yi Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100539","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100539","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental pollution caused by nano titanium dioxide (nTiO₂) has become an increasingly pressing issue. Investigating environmental organisms capable of tolerating nTiO₂ stress, along with their molecular responses, can help us combat such pollution. In this study, we used multi-omics approaches, genetic manipulation, and physiological and biochemical methods to analyze the responses of <em>Physarum melleum</em> GZ381—which tolerates anatase-type nTiO₂ (nTiO₂-A) approximately 30 nm in size—and its responsive biomolecules. We observed that the primary molecular response characteristic of GZ381 was related to metabolism. Furthermore, we found that GZ381 utilizes circular RNA08121 in a competitive endogenous RNA network to regulate the transcriptional abundance of many metabolism-related genes, facilitating metabolic reprogramming and conferring obvious anti-nTiO₂-A stress capabilities. Based on these findings, we designed mitigation schemes that markedly enhanced the tolerance of various non-tolerant cells to nTiO₂-A of different sizes (approximately 30, 60, and 90 nm) under light and dark conditions. Overall, this study reports some important biomolecules that can enhance cellular nTiO₂-A resistance and may be used to combat such pollution in the future, deepens the understanding of environmental organisms, especially those tolerant to nTiO₂ stress, and provides new inspiration for combating such pollution challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100539"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144587977","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":"Salmon as an ecological pathway of contaminants into Alaskan food webs","authors":"Miranda Brohman ,&nbsp;Gretchen H. Roffler ,&nbsp;Dimitrios Giarikos ,&nbsp;David W. Kerstetter ,&nbsp;Amy C. Hirons","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100541","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100541","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Salmon are important fish taxa for humans and animals in hemiboreal and subarctic ecosystems. The presence of trace elements and their bioaccumulation across a marine food web raises potential health risk concerns associated with human consumption. Sixteen trace element concentrations and their health risk assessments were determined in seven different tissues from two Southeast Alaska salmon species. Chum salmon consistently had higher trace element concentrations which may be attributed to a wider variety of diets, generally longer lifespans, and more ocean time compared to pink salmon. Chum kidney and liver samples exceeded the tolerable daily intake for arsenic, indicating a significant risk to wildlife. However, muscle tissues revealed a low risk for human consumption. The target hazard quotients for chronic toxicological risk of all tissue samples did not exceed the hazardous threshold, and the carcinogenic risk values for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead all indicate a negligible cancer risk from human consumption. These results highlight the critical need for continuous monitoring of trace elements in salmon and the potential implications for both human and animal health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100541"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144587897","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":"Seasonal differences, source, and fate of antibiotics in a plain river network-informed watershed","authors":"Shuting Pang ,&nbsp;Tao Li ,&nbsp;Ye Li ,&nbsp;Yadong Shi ,&nbsp;Donghao Wu ,&nbsp;Ce Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100540","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100540","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The source apportionment and ecological risk assessment of antibiotics in plain river network areas have become a research hotspot. In this study, the Changxing Plain River Network in the Taihu Lake Basin was chosen as the research area, where the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model was used for source apportionment and the Risk Quotient (RQ) and Hazard Index (HI) method were applied for ecological risk assessment. Seasonal variations revealed that antibiotic concentrations were higher during the dry season (N.D-138 ng/L) compared to the wet season (N.D ∼ 22 ng/L), with concentrations in the Jiapu River significantly exceeding those in the other three rivers. PMF model identified four major pollution sources: aquaculture (11 %), diffuse pollution (42 %), urban sewage (30 %), and agriculture (17 %), with diffuse pollution being the largest contributor to antibiotic pollution. Antibiotic flux calculations indicated that the Jiapu River contributed the highest antibiotic load to Taihu Lake, followed by the Changxing River. Ecological risk analysis based on RQ values revealed that erythromycin (ERY), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and enrofloxacin (ENO) posed moderate risks during the dry season. This study underscores the impacts of various human activities on riverine antibiotic emissions; highlights the need for effective regulation of urban and diffuse pollution; and provides a scientific basis for the formulation of pollution prevention strategies for antibiotic management in Taihu Lake.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100540"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517488","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":"Unveiling the presence of toxic transformation products and microfibers on end-of-life RO membranes","authors":"M.K. Akhil Nazim ,&nbsp;Amitha Unnikrishnan ,&nbsp;Anastasia Penkova ,&nbsp;Charuvila T. Aravindakumar ,&nbsp;Usha K. Aravind","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Point-of-use (PoU) drinking water treatment systems using reverse osmosis (RO) are becoming increasingly popular. Over time, the membrane cartridges in these systems accumulate a concentrated layer of contaminants on their surfaces. This study focuses on analysing this fouling layer by performing autopsies on spent membrane cartridges from PoU units. Four used RO membranes were collected from rural and urban locations in Kerala, India. Two of these membranes treated groundwater in rural areas, while the other two were supplied by municipal water and groundwater in urban settings. The foulants desorbed from the membrane surfaces were analysed using a combination of spectroscopic, microscopic, and chromatographic methods. Non-target analysis (NTA) revealed the presence of micropollutants, including herbicides, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals. Toxic transformation products of diuron, namely 3,4-dichloroaniline and 3,4-dichlorophenyl-N-methylurea, were also detected. Raman spectroscopy identified polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and cotton microfibers, while inorganic foulants such as calcium, iron, silicon, and aluminium were also found. Infrared spectra confirmed that the membranes were composed of polypropylene, polysulfone, and polyurethane. Improper disposal of these end-of-life membranes risks reintroducing these contaminants into the environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100538"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144500865","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":"Exploring the influence of redox and temperature variations on the attenuation of pharmaceuticals in groundwater: Insights from parallel batch reactor experiments","authors":"Alejandra Villa ,&nbsp;Nafiseh Salehi Siavashani ,&nbsp;Estanislao Pujades-Garnes ,&nbsp;Nicola Montemurro ,&nbsp;Sandra Pérez ,&nbsp;Jan Willem Foppen ,&nbsp;Marc Teixidó ,&nbsp;Anna Jurado","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pharmaceuticals are present in the environment from anthropogenic pollution sources, leading to groundwater contamination when reaching urban aquifers. Once in the subsurface, their fate depends on the hydrochemical processes and environmental conditions within the aquifer. In this context, this study investigates how different redox and temperature conditions affect the natural attenuation of pharmaceuticals in the subsurface. Batch experiments were conducted under oxic and suboxic (i.e., up to nitrate reduction) conditions and at two temperatures (25 °C and 35 °C). The controlled conditions achieved with parallel batch reactor systems allowed us a systematic investigation of the processes and factors involved in the fate of ten pharmaceuticals (atenolol, citalopram, climbazole, irbesartan, lamotrigine, sitagliptin, carbamazepine, metoprolol, trimethoprim, and venlafaxine), providing insights into the mechanisms governing their attenuation. The results showed that oxic conditions were highly effective in reducing pharmaceuticals concentrations, achieving up to 91 % attenuation for irbesartan, followed by citalopram (90 %), climbazole (77 %), sitagliptin (76 %) and metoprolol (75 %). Atenolol and climbazole were also attenuated regardless of redox conditions. High temperatures increased the total removal of citalopram, irbesartan, sitagliptin, and trimethoprim by 5–12 %, while slightly enhancing the sorption affinity of carbamazepine, irbesartan, and atenolol by 5 %. However, trimethoprim, carbamazepine, and lamotrigine were the most persistent compounds, with average removal rates of 6 %, 15 %, and 24 %, respectively. Overall, more than half of the targeted pharmaceuticals showed significant average removal (&gt;60 %), highlighting the influence of the processes involved in groundwater on the natural attenuation of these compounds. Sorption seemed to be the primary process contributing to the target pharmaceuticals attenuation in oxic conditions, while biodegradation played a secondary role, particularly for atenolol and metoprolol. These findings contribute to improve our understanding of the behaviour of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environment and thus to improve management practices for better water quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100537"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144522280","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":"Efficient photocatalytic degradation of metoprolol using activated carbon supported NiFe-layered double hydroxides (NiFe-LDH/C) under solar-driven simulation","authors":"Raphael N. Biata ,&nbsp;Wendy Mabhulusa ,&nbsp;Lethula E. Mofokeng ,&nbsp;Rudzani Ratshiedana ,&nbsp;Tshimangadzo S. Munonde ,&nbsp;Edward N. Nxumalo","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100532","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100532","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The efficient photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals in wastewater is critically important for environmental protection. The synthesis and characterization of NiFe-LDH/C for the photocatalytic degradation of selected β-blockers, specifically metoprolol, under UV light conditions were investigated in this study. The study aimed to explore the potential of NiFe-LDH/C as a catalyst for the degradation of metoprolol, a commonly used pharmaceutical compound in the treatment of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and chest pains, which is frequently detected in wastewater. The selection of NiFe-LDH/C was driven by the need for materials with high photocatalytic activity, the ability to generate reactive oxygen species and enhance charge separation, and stability under solar light. Activated carbon was employed as a support to increase the surface area and improve the dispersion of the LDH particles, thereby enhancing overall photocatalytic efficiency. The results showed that NiFe-LDH/C exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in degrading metoprolol under both UV and sunlight-mediated conditions, with degradation efficiencies of over 89 %. Furthermore, the characterization of the NiFe-LDH/C catalyst revealed its stability and recyclability, making it a promising candidate for the efficient removal of pharmaceutical compounds from wastewater through photocatalytic degradation. The characterization results showed that the NiFe-LDH/C exhibited a high degree of crystallinity and a well-defined layered structure. The photocatalytic experiments demonstrated that the NiFe-LDH/C was effective in degrading metoprolol and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was used to elucidate the degradation products of metoprolol in water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100532"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144364950","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":"Elucidation of chemicals of emerging concern in placenta by non-targeted and suspect screening approaches","authors":"A. Domínguez-Liste ,&nbsp;L. Espín-Moreno ,&nbsp;M.O. Schweiss ,&nbsp;A. Rodríguez-Carrillo ,&nbsp;V. Mustieles ,&nbsp;M.F. Fernandez ,&nbsp;J. Arrebola ,&nbsp;C. Freire ,&nbsp;O. Ballesteros ,&nbsp;J. Pérez-del-Palacio ,&nbsp;F. Vela-Soria","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100536","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100536","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past century, anthropic activities in industrialized countries have generated exposure to a vast array of environmental chemical families. Many of these may have harmful effects on human health, and xenobiotic exposure during the fetal period is particularly concerning. Large-scale, open-ended characterization of the chemical exposome is increasingly investigated using non-targeted screening (NTS) and suspect screening (SS) approaches. The aim of this study was to increase knowledge of fetal exposure to xenobiotics by using NTS and SS to identify the presence of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) in human placenta samples. After comparing the performances of salt-assisted liquid-liquid extraction plus dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (SALLE-DLLME) and enhanced matrix removal (EMR) as sample preparation techniques, EMR was applied in 65 placenta samples from the BAZA Spanish cohort. Twenty-one compounds from various chemical classes were identified, including agrochemicals, preservatives, plasticizers, cosmetics, fabric dyes, fragrances, additives, industrial intermediates, and drugs, and some of these have not previously been reported in placenta samples. The findings confirm the crucial value of non-targeted methodologies for the comprehensive assessment of human exposure during the prenatal period and their potential to unveil previously unknown or overlooked exposures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100536"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517487","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":"Distribution of legacy, precursor and emerging per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances in environmental waters in South Africa and their potential health risk to the population","authors":"Bulelwa Batayi ,&nbsp;Cornelius Rimayi ,&nbsp;Peter Daso ,&nbsp;Jonathan Okonkwo","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100534","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100534","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present a study of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in water samples from 48 sites in 8 South African provinces. Twenty-six targeted PFASs were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), after solid phase extraction (SPE). Of the different PFAS classes detected, the PFAS precursor 8:2 Fluorotelomer alcohol (8:2 FTOH) was among the prominent PFAS detected, with the sum concentration (∑8:2 FTOH, all sites) of 1042.1 ng L⁻¹ (mean = 4.9 ng L⁻¹, median = 1.1 ng L⁻¹). In comparison, the most dominant legacy PFAS was PFBA, with the sum concentration (∑PFBA, all sites) of 8174.8 ng L⁻¹ (mean = 146.7 ng L⁻¹, median = 25.7 ng L⁻¹). Out of the groups of PFASs, perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) were the most detected PFASs, though the average concentrations were not statistically significant (p &gt; 0.05) between all the provinces assessed. Seasonally, the individual concentrations varied in each province, but generally, the concentrations were higher during the wet season than the dry season. Moreover, detection frequency (DF%) amongst the PFASs varied with only detections during the dry season achieving &gt;70 %. Since PFASs were never manufactured in South Africa, the potential sources of PFAS contamination were linked to the use of PFAS containing products that may be used in the surroundings of the sampling sites. The potential sources identified were domestic and industrial discharges, agricultural activities, wastewater effluents and other anthropogenic activities. The non-dominance of the long-chain legacy PFASs may indicate a shift on the use of fluorinated alternatives. The trend could also be due to long chain PFAS adsorption on to solids such as sediments in the aquatic environment. In addition, the health assessment risk to humans from contaminated surface water was low to moderate for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and no significant risk was observed for the rest of the compounds at the detected concentrations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100534"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365929","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":"Assessing contamination and risk profiles of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances across various types of water in South Africa: trends over the past decade (2014–2024)","authors":"Nhlanhla Hlongwa ,&nbsp;Victor Parry ,&nbsp;Kevin Winter ,&nbsp;David Ikumi ,&nbsp;Amber Abrams ,&nbsp;Kirsty Carden","doi":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100535","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emcon.2025.100535","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the occurrence, spatial distribution, and ecological and human health risks of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in South African water systems over the period 2014–2024. In the absence of direct drinking water data, ecological risk assessments and indirect human exposure evaluations via potential crop irrigation were conducted using PFAS concentrations measured in surface water and wastewater across four regional zones: north (Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northwest), west (Northern Cape), east (KwaZulu-Natal, Free State), and south (Eastern and Western Cape). Among the compounds analysed, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the most prevalent, with concentrations ranging from 315 ng/L in the Eastern Cape to 420 ng/L in the Vaal River (Gauteng), yielding ecological risk quotient (RQ) values of 3.15 and 4.05, respectively, both exceeding the RQ safety threshold of 1. Perfluoro butanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluoro hexanoic acid (PFHxA) also presented moderate ecological risks, with peak concentrations of 380 ng/L (west) and 267 ng/L (north), corresponding to RQ values of 1.10–1.78. The north zone, particularly sites like the Vaal River and Hartbeespoort Dam, exhibited the highest PFAS burden. A strong correlation (r = 0.95) between PFOA and PFHxA suggests common sources of contamination. Spatial variability was more pronounced for PFHxA (CV = 12.84 %) than for PFOA (CV = 9.92 %). Indirect human health risks from crop ingestion were negligible, with hazard quotient (HQ) values below 0.019 and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) estimates below 2.70 × 10⁻⁸. Despite minimal human health risks, the persistent ecological threats particularly in the north zone underscore the need for enhanced regulatory oversight, long-term monitoring, and targeted PFAS treatment strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11539,"journal":{"name":"Emerging Contaminants","volume":"11 3","pages":"Article 100535"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322938","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}