Journal of Environmental Sciences-china最新文献

{"title":"Water quality and biofilm growth in drinking water distribution systems with the low-dose sodium hypochlorite disinfection after ultrafiltration pretreatment","authors":"Yu Zhou ,&nbsp;Kangbing Zou ,&nbsp;Xiaokai Wang ,&nbsp;Zhihong Wang ,&nbsp;Wei Song ,&nbsp;Xing Du ,&nbsp;Dachao Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.083","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.083","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, the effects of low-dose sodium hypochlorite disinfection on water quality and biofilm growth in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) after ultrafiltration pretreatment was investigated. The influence of pipeline hydraulic residence time (HRT) on disinfection efficiency, by-product formation, microbial activity, and biofilm growth were considered. The results show that both microbial activities and metabolite secretion were stimulated by increasing HRT, aggravating the potential risk of microbial pollution in DWDS. The enhanced microbial metabolism could further weaken disinfection efficiency by consuming extra residual Chlorine, after which the formation of disinfection by-products was facilitated. Residual Chlorine was found negatively correlated with HRT. With prolonging HRT from 5 h to 40 h, the concentration of disinfection by-products (Chlorate, Chlorite, and Trichloromethane) was on a continuously increasing trend by 37 %, 140 %, and 75 %, respectively. But the water kept in pipeline still reliably satisfied the Standards for drinking water quality in China (GB5749–2022). Besides, more biofilm with denser morphologies developed on rubber pipeline gaskets rather than the iron/plastic ones. Rubber material was inappropriate for DWDS due to its potential risk of secondary biological pollution. Prolonging HRT also enhanced the accumulation of dominant bacteria (e.g. <em>Bradyrhizobium</em> and <em>Obscuribacter</em>) and decreased microbial diversity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15788,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Sciences-china","volume":"160 ","pages":"Pages 647-655"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145220109","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 interaction of uranyl and arsenate: Insights into the formation mechanisms of uranyl arsenate minerals","authors":"Penggang Li ,&nbsp;Ping Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhihui Yang ,&nbsp;Lin Yu ,&nbsp;Junhao Zheng ,&nbsp;Mengying Si ,&nbsp;Qi Liao ,&nbsp;Feiping Zhao ,&nbsp;Weichun Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.081","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.081","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Uranyl arsenate minerals, which exhibit low solubility, serve as major sinks for U and As, playing a crucial role in controlling the mobility of U and As in the environment. However, the specific mechanisms underlying the formation of uranyl arsenate minerals have remained largely elusive. Herein, the formation pathway of the non-charged UO₂(H₂AsO₄)₂·<em>n</em>H₂O⁰ complex was investigated to elucidate the early formation of the UO₂(H₂AsO₄)₂·<em>n</em>H₂O mineral (where <em>n</em> represents the stoichiometric number of H₂O), a representative uranyl arsenate mineral. Based on the combination experiments of U(VI) and As(V), our findings underscore the significant dependence of UO₂(H₂AsO₄)₂·<em>n</em>H₂O⁰ formation on solution pH (4.0–10.0). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal a two-step reaction involving two distinct pathways (Pathway 1 and Pathway 2) for the formation of UO₂(H₂AsO₄)₂·<em>n</em>H₂O, and the intermediate was confirmed by in situ Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy. Specifically, the hydroxyl‑connected uranyl (UO₂OH⁺) reacts with the protonated arsenate (H₂AsO₄^-) species to form the intermediate UO₂HAsO₄·H₂O (Pathway 1) or UO₂OH<img>H₂AsO₄ (Pathway 2) with a U/As ratio of 1:1. Meanwhile, all the transition states also were obtained and the energy barrier suggested that the UO₂(H₂AsO₄)₂·2H₂O⁰ formed by Pathway 1 is thermodynamically favored over Pathway 2, and may serve as the primary fundamental structural unit or precursor for the early formation of the UO₂(H₂AsO₄)₂·<em>n</em>H₂O mineral phase. Altogether, this study contributes to advancing the understanding of the formation of uranyl arsenate minerals at the molecular scale and provides a theoretical basis for predicting and regulating uranium and arsenic mobilization in their coexisting environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15788,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Sciences-china","volume":"159 ","pages":"Pages 460-470"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827001","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 removal of diclofenac sodium from water by chitosan/microcrystalline cellulose@polyethyleneimine hydrogel beads: Adsorption performance and mechanism study","authors":"Hongyu Wang ,&nbsp;Henglin Xiao ,&nbsp;Yi Xie ,&nbsp;Xibei Tan ,&nbsp;Wenbin Guo ,&nbsp;Lu Li ,&nbsp;Rongfan Chen ,&nbsp;Bin Wang ,&nbsp;Mingfei Wang ,&nbsp;Dao Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.05.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.05.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, chitosan (CS) was combined with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) to fabricate composite hydrogel beads. These beads were further modified through blending and grafting with polyethyleneimine (PEI) to develop chitosan/microcrystalline cellulose@polyethyleneimine (CS/MCC@PEI) composite gel spheres for the efficient adsorption of diclofenac sodium (DS) from aqueous solutions. The adsorbent was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The CS/MCC@PEI composite exhibited a spherical morphology with a porous structure, abundant surface functional groups, and a high adsorption capacity of 274.84 mg/g for DS. Kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order model, dominated by physical adsorption, with both surface and internal diffusion influencing the adsorption rate. The Freundlich isotherm model best described the adsorption behavior, indicating multilayer adsorption on heterogeneous surfaces. Environmental adaptability tests demonstrated minimal interference from co-existing anions and humic acid, while regeneration experiments confirmed excellent reusability (&gt;77 % removal after five cycles). The adsorption mechanism involved electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl/amino groups of the composite and DS. These findings highlight the potential of CS/MCC@PEI as a cost-effective and sustainable adsorbent for DS removal from water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15788,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Sciences-china","volume":"159 ","pages":"Pages 480-489"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827014","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 composition of water soluble fraction of petroleum products and crude oils: Insights into groundwater contamination potential and environmental forensics","authors":"Wang Yu ,&nbsp;Yuruo Wan ,&nbsp;Wei Zhou ,&nbsp;Jiayi An ,&nbsp;Liting Tian ,&nbsp;Jie Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.05.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.05.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Petroleum leakage is a major groundwater contamination source, with chemical composition of water soluble fractions (WSFs) from diverse oil sources significantly impacting groundwater quality and source identification. The aim of this study was to assess impact of 15 diverse oils on groundwater quality and environmental forensics based on oil-water equilibrium experiments. Our results indicate that contamination of groundwater by gasoline and naphtha is primarily attributed to volatile hydrocarbons, while pollution from diesel, kerosene, and crude oil is predominantly from non-hydrocarbons. Rapid determination of the extent of non-hydrocarbon pollution in WSFs was achieved through a new quantitative index. Gasoline and naphtha exhibited the highest groundwater contamination potential while kerosene and light crude oils were also likely to cause groundwater contamination. Although volatile hydrocarbons in the WSFs of diesel and jet fuel do not easily exceed current regulatory standards, unregulated non-hydrocarbons may pose a more severe contamination risk to groundwater. Notably, the presence of significant benzene and toluene, hydrogenation and alkylation products (e.g., C4-C5 alkylbenzenes, alkylindenes, alkyltetralins, and dihydro-indenes), cycloalkanes in WSFs can effectively be utilized for preliminary source identification of light distillates, middle distillates, and crude oils, respectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15788,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Sciences-china","volume":"159 ","pages":"Pages 437-444"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144826335","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":"Environmental sustainability assessment of remediation alternatives for highly contaminated marine sediments","authors":"Alessia Amato,&nbsp;Alessandro Becci,&nbsp;Giulia Merli,&nbsp;Francesca Beolchini,&nbsp;Antonio Dell’Anno","doi":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.084","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.084","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study compares the environmental sustainability of five alternatives for the remediation of marine sediments of one of the most polluted coastal sites in Europe (Bagnoli-Coroglio bay, Mediterranean Sea), using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. The treatments are either <em>in-situ</em> or <em>ex-situ</em>, the latter requiring an initial dredging to transport the contaminated sediments to the management site. More in detail, four <em>ex-situ</em> remediation technologies based on landfilling, bioremediation, electrokinetic technique and soil washing were identified. These technologies are compared to an <em>in-situ</em> strategy currently under validation for enhancing bioremediation of the polluted sediments of the Bagnoli-Coroglio site. Our results indicate that the disposal in landfilling site is the worst option in most categories (e.g., 650 kg CO₂ eq./t of treated sediment, considering the nearest landfilling site), followed by the bioremediation, mainly due to the high energy demand. Electrokinetic remediation, soil washing, and innovative in-situ technology represent the most sustainable options. In particular, the new <em>in-situ</em> technology appears to be the least impacting in all categories (e.g., 54 kg CO₂ eq./t of treated sediment), although it is expected to require longer treatment time (estimated up to 12 months based on its potential efficiency). It can reduce the impact on climate change more than 12 times compared to the disposal and 7 times compared to bioremediation in addition to the possibility to avoid/reduce the dredging operations and the consequent dispersion of pollutants. The results open relevant perspectives towards more eco-sustainable and costly effective actions for the reclamation of contaminated marine sediments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15788,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Sciences-china","volume":"159 ","pages":"Pages 731-740"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144852077","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":"Adsorption capacity of single and twin-tailed cationic and anionic surfactant-modified chitosan hydrogel beads for PAH removal from aqueous solutions","authors":"Hina Kouser Qadri,&nbsp;Showkat Rashid,&nbsp;Arjumund Shaheen,&nbsp;Firdaus Ahmad Ahanger,&nbsp;Sohail Amin Malik,&nbsp;Aijaz Ahmad Dar","doi":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.05.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.05.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a thorough investigation into the use of single and twin-tailed cationic and anionic surfactant-modified chitosan (SMCS) hydrogel beads as effective adsorbents for the elimination of hazardous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from aqueous solutions. The Chitosan (CS) hydrogel beads were modified with single/twin-tailed anionic surfactants, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT), and cationic surfactants, dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB), to enhance their adsorption capacity of PAHs. The CS and SMCS beads were evaluated for their structural, mechanical, and adsorption properties using a range of techniques, including infrared spectroscopy (IR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), rheometry, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Adsorption experiments of naphthalene (Nap), acenaphthene (Ace), and phenanthrene (Phe) on SMCS beads demonstrate that they have significantly higher adsorption capacities than CS beads, due to increase in hydrophobic interactions. Adsorption capacity followed the trend, Phen &gt; Ace &gt; Nap for all the beads revealing that twin-tailed SMCS bead possess much higher adsorption capacities (<em>Q</em>_max) compared to single-tailed SMCS beads. For twin tailed surfactants, the maximum adsorption capacities for Nap, Ace and Phe varied as CS-AOT (CS-DDAB): 430.0 (323.8) 611.60 (538.18) 633.39 (536.99) mg/g respectively, outperforming other reported hydrogel beads. The study highlights the simplicity, eco-friendliness, and enhanced performance of surfactant modification for developing high-efficiency adsorbents, paving the way for cost-effective solutions in water remediation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15788,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Sciences-china","volume":"159 ","pages":"Pages 512-522"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144830776","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":"Synergistic antibacterial effect and mechanism of benzalkonium chloride and polymyxin B against Pseudomonas aeruginosa","authors":"Caihong Wang,&nbsp;Jiaxin Zhang,&nbsp;Tong Li,&nbsp;Jingwei Wang,&nbsp;Dan Xu,&nbsp;Qiao Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.03.057","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.03.057","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is widely employed as a broad-spectrum biocide and has emerged as a significant environmental pollutant. Polymyxin B (PB) serves as the last-line defense for the treatment of Gram-negative pathogens. Previous studies reported that BAC-adapted <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> increased the tolerance to PB. Herein, we present the novel finding that the combination of BAC and PB exhibited synergistic antibacterial effects against <em>P. aeruginosa</em>. Time-killing assay demonstrated a significant reduction in bacterial cell viability. Scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential analysis, hydrophobicity measurements, and fluorescence probe analyses collectively revealed severe disruption of the cell envelope and membrane potential induced by the combination of BAC and PB. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the BAC-PB combination notably downregulated the expression of genes involved in lipid A modification and cell envelope production, including <em>phoPQ, pmrAB, bamABCDE, lptABCDEG, lolB, yidC</em>, and <em>murJ</em>. Additionally, the combination group exhibited augmented production of reactive oxygen species and diminished ATP synthesis. The expression of the genes associated with substance metabolism and energy generation was significantly impeded. This study provides significant implications for the interactions of biocides and antibiotics on Gram-negative pathogens, while also addressing antibiotic resistance and developing the external treatment strategy for <em>Pseudomonas</em>-infected wounds and burns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15788,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Sciences-china","volume":"159 ","pages":"Pages 555-564"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144829026","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":"Wind-induced circulation driving the spatial distribution of dominant algae population in a plateau lake, Erhai, China","authors":"Jing Cao ,&nbsp;Yue Wu ,&nbsp;Zeying Hou ,&nbsp;Kunlin Yang ,&nbsp;Zhaosheng Chu ,&nbsp;Zhiwei Gao ,&nbsp;Hao Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.072","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.072","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wind-induced circulation is the main form of lake flow for shallow lakes and plays an important role in algae population distribution. This study constructed a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model (EFDC) of the plateau lake Erhai, China using accuracy wind field observation, runoff data and monthly algae data during 2022–2023. The model successfully reproduced the circulation characteristics of Erhai under prevailing wind directions. The results showed that the lake flow velocity in Lake Erhai is higher in winter than in summer, with lower velocities near shore particularly in the northern and central parts of the lake. There is a negative correlation between algal biomass and flow velocity (FV) in different zones, with lower FV favoring the accumulation of algal biomass, particularly for <em>Microcystis, Dolichospermum</em>, and <em>Peridinium</em>. Additionally, due to buoyancy, cyanobacteria are highly affected by wind direction and tend to accumulate in downwind regions of the prevailing wind direction. This study demonstrates that wind-induced circulation is a crucial factor affecting the spatial distribution of dominant algae populations in shallow plateau lakes with weak hydrodynamic force. Further, the risk of bloom occurrence in Lake Erhai will be higher due to the background of global climate change and the lake’s wind speed decline. In conclusion, we suggest implementing targeted zoning measures to control algal blooms and establishing stricter regulations for nitrogen and phosphorus control to counterbalance the promotion of algal bloom accumulation in low-velocity zones caused by reduced wind speed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15788,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Sciences-china","volume":"159 ","pages":"Pages 741-755"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144851985","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":"Oxidative stress and iron homeostasis imbalance mediate AlCl3-induced liver damage in mice","authors":"Hongfei Hu ,&nbsp;Guangji Wei ,&nbsp;Hai Lan ,&nbsp;Yang Feng ,&nbsp;Shihua Luo ,&nbsp;Yaqin Pang ,&nbsp;Yanxin Huang ,&nbsp;Huixiong Yuan ,&nbsp;Huixin Peng ,&nbsp;Wencheng Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The liver, a critical metabolic organ, is particularly vulnerable to damage upon aluminum exposure. However, the precise molecular mechanisms through which aluminum induces hepatotoxicity remain to be fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the adverse effects of aluminum exposure on mouse liver tissue. The results indicated that AlCl₃ exposure induced significant liver dysfunction, characterized by reduced adenosine triphosphate levels, elevated plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. Histopathological analysis of liver tissue revealed marked histological damage, accompanied by substantial iron deposition. Further examinations demonstrated elevated hepatic levels of malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal, and reactive oxygen species, decreased levels of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase, increased levels of oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and a reduced GSH/GSSG ratio. The mRNA and protein expression of ferroptosis-related molecules, including downregulated glutathione peroxidase 4 and solute carrier family 7 member 11, were significantly downregulated, while acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4, ferritin heavy chain 1, and iron regulatory protein 1 levels were significantly upregulated. Treatment with Ferrostatin-1 markedly ameliorated liver dysfunction and histopathological damage, attenuating signs of ferroptosis. These findings highlight the potential of ferroptosis-targeted therapies as a viable treatment strategy for aluminum exposure-induced hepatocyte injury.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15788,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Sciences-china","volume":"160 ","pages":"Pages 581-590"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145220032","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":"Deep neural networks reveal organic pollutants’ dominance in global inflammatory bowel disease","authors":"Iman Waheed Khan ,&nbsp;Muhammad Mueed Khan ,&nbsp;Anthony Donato","doi":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jes.2025.04.058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing globally, with risk factors still poorly understood and influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. The role of atmospheric pollutants, particularly precursor organic pollutants contributing to <em>&lt;</em> 2<em>.</em>5 µm size particulate matter (PM₂<em>_.</em>₅), remains unclear. In this multi-decadal global study, we investigated their contribution to IBD prevalence using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD, 1990–2019), NASA’s MERRA-2, and AERONET datasets. A graph neural network (GNN) modeled spatio-temporal dependencies and incorporated immune dysfunction and socio-economic disparities. The dataset was split into 75 % training and 25 % testing, achieving mean squared errors of 4.3 % and 4.6 % respectively, with strong predictive validity (<em>R</em>² = 0.87). A 10 % global increase in organics was associated with a rise in odds ratio (OR) by 0.21 (95 % CI: 0.12–0.29, <em>p</em> <em>&lt;</em> 0.001), compared to a smaller OR increase of 0.04 (95 % CI: 0.01–0.09, <em>p</em> <em>&lt;</em> 0.001) for PM₂<em>_.</em>₅. Regional disparities were evident, with Sub-Saharan Africa exhibiting higher odds ratios (OR = 1.25; 95 % CI: 1.09–1.43, <em>p</em> <em>&lt;</em> 0.01) than North America (OR = 1.08; 95 % CI: 1.03–1.24, <em>p</em> <em>&lt;</em> 0.05) at an organic burden of 5 µg/m³. However, this trend reversed at higher exposure (25 µg/m³), where the OR for North America approaches 2, while Sub-Saharan Africa plateaued near 1.5. Notably, particles under 100 nm posed the greatest risk. Concluding, organic pollutants play a disproportionate and size-dependent role in IBD prevalence, with significant regional variability. This underscores the need to consider organics as a distinct environmental risk factor in IBD epidemiology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15788,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Sciences-china","volume":"160 ","pages":"Pages 548-558"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145220031","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}