ChemospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-12DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144865
Laura Solé-Domènech , Laura Vallecillos , Alexandre Fabregat , Francesc Borrull
{"title":"Thermal desorption as an environmentally sound alternative for the determination of high production volume chemicals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in particulate matter","authors":"Laura Solé-Domènech , Laura Vallecillos , Alexandre Fabregat , Francesc Borrull","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144865","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144865","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Particulate matter (PM) is a key component of air pollution, not only because of its own effects on human health but also because of certain semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) which can be carried on its surface, such as benzothiazoles, phthalate esters (PAEs), ultraviolet stabilizers and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Developing analytical methods for the determination of these compounds on PM samples is essential, especially in the light of current trends in the analytical processes such as automation and green chemistry. In this study, a method based on thermal desorption coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) was developed and validated for the determination of 17 high production volume chemicals (HPVCs) and 13 PAHs at pg m<sup>−3</sup> levels and evaluated using AGREEprep, with an overall score of 0.68.</div><div>The method was applied to PM<sub>10</sub> air samples collected from the Port of Tarragona. The most representative target compounds were PAEs, accounting for 72% of the total and with the widest concentration ranges. Out of them, diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was the most prevalent compound, with concentrations between 2647 pg m<sup>−3</sup> and 5298 pg m<sup>−3</sup>. The family of PAHs accounted for 17% of the total with a mean value of 9823 pg m<sup>−3</sup>. Benzo(<em>a</em>)pyrene (BaP), which is regulated to a maximum annual average concentration of 1000 pg m<sup>−3</sup> in PM<sub>10</sub> by the European Directive , 2024/2881, was not detected in any of the samples analysed; hence, its concentration was below the regulatory limit.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 144865"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171335","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}
ChemospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-23DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144871
Albert A. Koelmans , Stefan Krause , Petra Krystek
{"title":"Editorial for the Special Issue “Micro-and nanoplastics in soil: Insights and challenges”","authors":"Albert A. Koelmans , Stefan Krause , Petra Krystek","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144871","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144871","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"397 ","pages":"Article 144871"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147286656","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":"Microplastics in sediments: A systematic review structured through reproducible analytical pipelines","authors":"Madeline Jefroy , Amy Lusher , Bert van Bavel , Peygham Ghaffari","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144849","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144849","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastic research has expanded rapidly, yet substantial methodological variability continues to limit comparability across sediment studies. To characterize current practice and identify priority areas for harmonization, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) of 3290 records, from which 37 sediment-focused studies (18 marine, 19 freshwater) met the inclusion criteria. Methods were analyzed using a Reproducible Analytical Pipelines (RAPs) framework encompassing sampling, preparation, detection, and polymer identification. Sampling approaches varied widely: grab samplers dominated (55% of marine and 42% of freshwater studies), while corers (28% and 16%) and manual tools (5% and 16%) were less frequently used. Lower size thresholds spanned <span><math><mrow><mo><</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn><mspace></mspace><mi>mm</mi></mrow></math></span>, with <span><math><mo><</mo></math></span>0.1 mm most common in marine studies (45%) and less so in freshwater systems (30%). Density separation was nearly universal (36 of 37 studies), with sodium chloride used in over 70% of workflows despite its limited ability to recover high-density polymers; denser media were employed in fewer than 25% of studies. Oxidative digestion was the dominant method for removing organic matter (81%). Polymer confirmation relied overwhelmingly on <span><math><mi>μ</mi></math></span>FTIR (35 studies), whereas Raman spectroscopy appeared in only four studies, primarily for particles <span><math><mrow><mo><</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>1</mn><mspace></mspace><mi>mm</mi></mrow></math></span>. Overall, the SLR reveals partial methodological convergence but persistent divergence in key analytical parameters, highlighting clear priorities for future harmonization efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 144849"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146075920","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}
ChemospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-11DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144855
M.P. Mayor , N. Díaz-Alejo , N. Boluda-Botella , M.D. Saquete
{"title":"Comparison of per- and polyfluoroalkyl levels in human matrices, surface and drinking waters in Spain and other countries","authors":"M.P. Mayor , N. Díaz-Alejo , N. Boluda-Botella , M.D. Saquete","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144855","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144855","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants with widespread exposure. This review assesses PFAS levels in human and environmental matrices in Spain, focusing on exposure pathways, temporal trends, and treatment efficacy. Biomonitoring confirms persistent internal exposure, with median serum concentrations of PFOS (10460 ng/L) and PFOA (2720 ng/L) in specific regions, influenced by demographic factors, diet, and industrial proximity. Spatial patterns show higher concentrations in Northeast (Catalonia) and Northwest (Galicia) Spain, contrasting with the lowest levels in the Canary Islands. Environmental monitoring in the Ebro, Llobregat, and Júcar basins reveals highly variable concentrations; notably, the Llobregat exhibits elevated mean PFOS (234 ng/L) due to industrial discharges. While long-chain PFAS (PFOS, PFOA) have declined following regulations, highly mobile short-chain compounds (PFBA, PFPeA, PFBS) increasingly dominate rivers, tap water and protected areas like Albufera Natural Park. Regarding remediation, conventional treatment shows limited PFAS removal, whereas reverse osmosis and granular activated carbon yield significant reductions. Spanish PFAS levels remain comparable to those in the United States and Europe, generally falling below current health risk thresholds. However, the evolving profile and persistence of these contaminants underscore the need for harmonised monitoring, improved water treatment, and updated regulations, to safeguard long-term public health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 144855"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171332","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}
ChemospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144853
Cristina Ramos Trindade , Kasley Barreto , Luis Felipe Formentini , Johnata Azevedo Ferreira , Letícia Lorena da Fonseca Santiago , Ruy Rodrigues Santiago Neto , Thaís Ramos Dal Molin , Lílian Lund Amado , Leandro Machado de Carvalho
{"title":"Corrigendum to ‘Distribution of trace elements as electroactive species for environmental monitoring of estuarine waters in Pará river (AAmazonia, Brazil)’ [Chemosphere, volume 390 (2025) 144714]","authors":"Cristina Ramos Trindade , Kasley Barreto , Luis Felipe Formentini , Johnata Azevedo Ferreira , Letícia Lorena da Fonseca Santiago , Ruy Rodrigues Santiago Neto , Thaís Ramos Dal Molin , Lílian Lund Amado , Leandro Machado de Carvalho","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144853","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144853","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 144853"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146133831","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}
ChemospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144840
Abdullah Basaleh , Mohammed Benaafi , Shehzada Muhammad Sajid Jillani , Shahd Alghamdi , Bassam Tawabini
{"title":"Effective removal of lamotrigine using colloidal activated carbon","authors":"Abdullah Basaleh , Mohammed Benaafi , Shehzada Muhammad Sajid Jillani , Shahd Alghamdi , Bassam Tawabini","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144840","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144840","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While granular activated carbon (GAC) exhibits strong adsorption performance for the removal of pharmaceuticals in ex-situ-controlled environments, its efficiency in the in-situ groundwater remediation is limited. Therefore, this study investigates the efficiency of using colloidal activated carbon (CAC) for the removal of lamotrigine in the lab. The adsorption performance of the CAC for lamotrigine under different operational parameters was evaluated through a series of fixed-bed columns packed with sand and CAC, mimicking a subsurface environment. Breakthrough curves were plotted, and the effect of various factors on lamotrigine removal, including flow rate, CAC dosage, inlet concentration, and background ions, was assessed. Physiochemical characterizations revealed that the CAC is negatively charged, exhibits a microporous structure with a high BET surface area of 1160 m<sup>2</sup>/g, and is rich in oxygen functional groups. The experimental breakthrough curves were fitted using various models, with the Dose-Response model being the best fit. Lamotrigine was effectively removed by the CAC with a maximum adsorption capacity of 5.76 mg. g-1 at 1 mL/min flowrate, 20 mg/L inlet concentration, 20 cm bed length and 0.6 g CAC dosage. The maximum removal efficiency of lamotrigine was 65 % at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The removal efficiency was found to increase with increasing CAC dosage and decreasing both Lamotrigine initial concentrations and flow rate. The results demonstrate that CAC provides an efficient and cost-effective in-situ remediation of pharmaceutical-contaminated groundwater, at an estimated treatment cost of 13.4 $ per m<sup>3</sup>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 144840"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146075897","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}
ChemospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144842
Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan , Ahtisham Haider , Hafiz Muhammad Ahmad , Ayesha Mohyuddin , Hafiz Muhammad Umer Aslam , Sohail Nadeem , Mohsin Javed , Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman , Hui Hwang Goh , Kit Wayne Chew
{"title":"Retraction notice to ‘Source, occurrence, distribution, fate, and implications of microplastic pollutants in freshwater on environment: A critical review and way forward’ [Chemosphere 325 (2023) 138367]","authors":"Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan , Ahtisham Haider , Hafiz Muhammad Ahmad , Ayesha Mohyuddin , Hafiz Muhammad Umer Aslam , Sohail Nadeem , Mohsin Javed , Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman , Hui Hwang Goh , Kit Wayne Chew","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144842","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144842","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 144842"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146075899","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}
ChemospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-24DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144878
Maurício Guimarães de Oliveira, Vicente Elício Porfiro Sales Gonçalves da Silva, Steven Renato Ferreira Vasconcelos, André Bezerra dos Santos
{"title":"Redox mediators and microaeration boosting the linear alkylbenzene sulfonate removal","authors":"Maurício Guimarães de Oliveira, Vicente Elício Porfiro Sales Gonçalves da Silva, Steven Renato Ferreira Vasconcelos, André Bezerra dos Santos","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144878","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144878","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is one of the most widely used anionic surfactants and is frequently detected in wastewater, while its removal under anaerobic conditions remains limited and unstable. This study evaluated the independent and combined effects of the redox mediator anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) and controlled microaeration on LAS biodegradation in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors. Two reactors treating synthetic wastewater containing 15 mg L<sup>−1</sup> LAS were operated for 90 days: R1, a strictly anaerobic UASB, and R2, a micro-aerated UASB. Each reactor was assessed without (Period I) and with AQS addition (50 μM, Period II). Under strictly anaerobic conditions without AQS, LAS removal was low and highly unstable (32 ± 16%), with pronounced performance fluctuations. The addition of AQS alone significantly improved LAS removal to 65 ± 4% without affecting methane production, indicating enhanced LAS transformation via electron shuttling rather than changes in methanogenic activity. Microaeration combined with AQS yielded the best overall performance, increasing LAS removal to 77 ± 1%, COD removal to 92.3 ± 3.8%, total methane production to 5.6 ± 0.7 L/day, and specific methane yield to 0.50 ± 0.11 LCH<sub>4</sub>·gCOD<sub>app</sub><sup>−1</sup>. Microaeration without AQS improved process stability but did not achieve LAS removal comparable to AQS. Microbial analyses showed that AQS promoted the enrichment of hydrogenotrophic methanogens, particularly <em>Methanobacterium</em>, and syntrophic taxa such as <em>midas_g_2229</em>, while microaeration increased microbial richness. The combined condition exhibited the highest archaeal enrichment and microbial richness. Results demonstrate that AQS and microaeration act through complementary mechanisms, and that their combination effectively overcomes limitations of anaerobic LAS removal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"397 ","pages":"Article 144878"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147313297","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}
ChemospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-26DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144873
Arianna Stramenga , Tamara Tavoloni , Ester Lucidi , Francesco Griffoni , Martina Ciriaci , Marco Gobbi , Alice Ranucci , Melania Siracusa , Simone Bacchiocchi , Arianna Piersanti
{"title":"Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in wildlife of the central apennine mountains, Italy: Assessment of background contamination","authors":"Arianna Stramenga , Tamara Tavoloni , Ester Lucidi , Francesco Griffoni , Martina Ciriaci , Marco Gobbi , Alice Ranucci , Melania Siracusa , Simone Bacchiocchi , Arianna Piersanti","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144873","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144873","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Twenty perfluoroalkyl substances – PFASs, and three different classes of brominated flame retardants - BFRs (9 polybromodiphenyl ether congeners – PBDEs, 3 hexabromocyclododecanes isomers – HBCDs, 8 emerging BFR compounds - eBFRs) were analyzed in muscle and liver of wild mammalian species belonging to different habitats of central Apennine Mountains (wolf, red fox, European hedgehog, European badger and roe deer), and characterized by diverse dietary behaviour. PFASs were significantly higher in liver than in muscle. Liver contamination was highest in wolves, followed by European badgers, European hedgehogs, red foxes, and roe deer. PFASs in muscle, instead, were below the limit of quantification only in roe deer, while measurable levels were in European hedgehog, followed by European badger, red fox and, finally, wolf. PFOS was the dominant compound in all the species and in both tissues, followed by the long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (C8-C14). BFR levels were mostly negligible in both muscle and liver. PBDEs were measured with highest frequency in liver samples. The highest levels were found in red fox, followed by European badger, wolf, and European hedgehog, while in roe deer they were mainly not quantified. In the best of our knowledge this is the first study reporting on PFASs and BFRs in wild mammalians from central Italy, including synanthropic species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"397 ","pages":"Article 144873"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147319204","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}
ChemospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144837
Anirban Dhulia , Charbel Abou-Khalil , Khalid Mustafa , Dibyendu Sarkar , Michel C. Boufadel
{"title":"Electrokinetic mobilization of PFAS in soils: Linking head group and chain length to remediation efficiency","authors":"Anirban Dhulia , Charbel Abou-Khalil , Khalid Mustafa , Dibyendu Sarkar , Michel C. Boufadel","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144837","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144837","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>PFAS pose significant remediation challenges due to their chemical stability, structural diversity, and strong affinity for soil components. These properties complicate their mobilization from contaminated soils and necessitate compound-specific treatment approaches. Five PFAS compounds (PFBA, PFOA, PFDA, PFOS, and FOSA) were selected to investigate the influence of molecular structure, representing variations in chain length and head group. Electrokinetic (EK) remediation and hydraulic gradient (HG) treatments were applied to soils with organic matter (OM) contents of 5 %, 30 %, and 50 %. Results showed that PFAS removal was highly influenced by the molecular structure of the species. Both EK and HG were effective at mobilizing short-chain PFAS, which are more mobile in porewater. However, moving longer-chain or more strongly sorbing PFAS was more challenging. These compounds responded better to HG due to the stronger advective forces and may require a combination of HG and EK to achieve significant mobilization. Overall, PFOS, FOSA, and PFDA showed limited mobilization under either treatment due to their stronger sorption to soil organic matter, which restricts both electrokinetic and hydraulic transport. These findings highlight the need to align remediation strategies with PFAS physicochemical properties and soil composition to improve field-scale treatment efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 144837"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037124","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}