Chemosphere最新文献

{"title":"Efficient degradation of diuron via photo-assisted electrooxidation and microbial treatment","authors":"Rafael Barreto Vieira Valois ,&nbsp;Raira Souza de Santana Castro ,&nbsp;Thigna de Carvalho Batista ,&nbsp;Giancarlo Richard Salazar-Banda ,&nbsp;Katlin Ivon Barrios Eguiluz ,&nbsp;Jorge A. López ,&nbsp;María Lucila Hernández-Macedo","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144656","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144656","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diuron is a common herbicide for major crops, but its environmental persistence threatens ecosystems and human health. This study presents a hybrid treatment strategy that combines photoelectrochemical oxidation (PECO) and subsequent biodegradation as a sustainable alternative for diuron remediation. A novel laser-fabricated anode composed of Ti/RuO₂–Sb₂O₄–TiO₂ was developed and employed in the PECO process, offering enhanced electron transfer efficiency and stability. The process was conducted under UVC irradiation for 2 h, followed by biological treatment using <em>Pseudomonas</em> sp. 5CR and <em>Micrococcus luteus</em> M9 over 24, 48, and 72 h. Diuron degradation was evaluated through microbial growth using diuron as the sole carbon source, chemical oxygen demand (COD), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and toxicity assays. The synthesized anode demonstrated high electron transfer efficiency and stability during the PECO process. Sequential PECO-biological treatment resulted in increased microbial growth, suggesting that PECO pretreatment oxidizes diuron, making it more accessible for biodegradation. The combined treatment employing <em>Pseudomonas</em> sp. 5CR resulted in a 92.5 % reduction in COD, whereas <em>M. luteus</em> achieved a 51 % reduction after 72 h, both surpassing the efficiencies observed with either PECO or biodegradation stand-alone processes. HPLC confirmed effective diuron degradation in the sequential treatment. Phytotoxicity tests also showed reduced toxicity in lettuce seeds, especially after treatment with <em>Pseudomonas</em> sp. 5CR. These results highlight the potential of the combined PECO-biological treatment for effective in situ remediation of diuron-contaminated environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"387 ","pages":"Article 144656"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887163","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":"Corrigendum to “Development of measurement method for estimating gas-phase concentration of SVOCs in equilibrium with the source material surface at any temperature” [Chemosphere 385 (2025) 144564]","authors":"Benoit Schmitt ,&nbsp;Tamara Braish ,&nbsp;Mélanie Nicolas ,&nbsp;François Maupetit ,&nbsp;Juan S. Rios Mora ,&nbsp;Stéphane Delaby ,&nbsp;Hervé Plaisance ,&nbsp;Valérie Desauziers","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144626","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144626","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"386 ","pages":"Article 144626"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895314","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":"Unravelling the response of the soil microbiome to macrolactin A: A metagenomic study","authors":"Darya V. Poshvina ,&nbsp;Alexander S. Balkin ,&nbsp;Diana S. Dilbaryan ,&nbsp;Alexey S. Vasilchenko","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144645","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144645","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of environmentally sustainable biopreparations for crop protection requires comprehensive assessment of their microbiome impacts. This study investigates how macrolactin A (McA)—a polyketide antibiotic produced by plant-beneficial <em>Bacillus velezensis</em>—shapes soil microbial communities and antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) profiles under various agricultural scenarios. Using high-throughput metagenomics and network analysis, we compared untreated soils with those exposed to two McA concentrations: a high dose (10 mg/kg soil, representing potential point-source accumulation) and a low dose (1 mg/kg, mimicking natural rhizosphere levels). While overall ARG α- and β-diversity remained stable, we observed significant taxonomic restructuring, with Pseudomonadota increasing by 1.36–2.15 % and Actinomycetota declining by 1.14–1.74 % across treatments. Resistome analysis showed dose-dependent ARG selection: control soils favored target alteration mechanism, whereas McA promoted efflux, inactivation, and protection mechanisms. Network analysis demonstrated disruption of complex ARG-host associations, as control-dominant genera belonging to Actinomycetota (<em>Conexibacter, Baekduia,</em> and <em>Capillimicrobium</em>) maintaining 16–21 ARGs per genome decreased, while genera belonging to Pseudomonadota (<em>Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium, Paraburkholderia,</em> and <em>Piscinibacter</em>) with streamlined resistomes (1–2 ARGs) became prevalent. Functional gene profiling (COGs) and annotation of MAGs revealed dose-dependent restructuring: low-dose McA enriched chemotaxis systems and broad-spectrum efflux pumps, facilitating motile escape and energy-efficient resistance, whereas high-dose exposure selected for secondary metabolite synthesis, metal transporters, and cell wall remodeling genes, indicating defensive countermeasures.</div><div>These findings demonstrate McA's biphasic selection: low doses favor avoidance strategies (efflux/motility), while high doses enforce biosynthetic defenses and structural resilience. The results support the hypothesis that narrow-spectrum antibiotics act as ecosystem engineers through metabolic trade-offs, highlighting the need to evaluate resistome restructuring in biocontrol agent risk assessments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"387 ","pages":"Article 144645"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887091","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":"Assessment of the radiological environmental impact of using phosphogypsum as soil amendment: soil availability modification and radiological impact evaluation","authors":"J. Guillén,&nbsp;A. Salas,&nbsp;J.G. Muñoz-Muñoz","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144647","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144647","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phosphogypsum is a by-product of the phosphate industry, which presents enhanced concentrations of heavy metals and naturally occurring radionuclides, mainly ²²⁶Ra, ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb. Taking into account sustainability goal and green chemistry, it is also considered a resource with numerous commercial applications, being its use as soil conditioner and/or amendment one of them. This application can also cause a potential hazard because it may introduce these contaminants into the human foodchain. Plant uptake depends on the association of these radionuclides to soil particles. In this study, we considered a typical Mediterranean soil which was amended with phosphogypsum, and two different sequential extraction schemes were applied to the original soil, phosphogypsum and amended soil. Phosphogypsum application did modify the pattern in which radionuclides were associated to soil particles. From the results of these extractions, it was observed that in amended soil uranium association to diluted-acid and moderately reducible fraction increased; while a reduction of ²²⁶Ra exchangeable fraction and an increase of reducible fractions, also for ²¹⁰Po, was observed. Distribution of ²²⁶Ra and ²¹⁰Po, most important radionuclides in phosphogypsum, cannot be derived from the individual distribution from original soil and phosphogypsum. Finally, the dose rates to non-human biota were below international benchmarks, and therefore no deleterious effects were to be expected.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"387 ","pages":"Article 144647"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887164","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 the effects of luminescently labelled and non-labelled PET nanoparticles on environmental bacteria","authors":"Klaudia Krysiak-Smułek ,&nbsp;Wojciech Smułek ,&nbsp;Dominika Przybylska ,&nbsp;Zbigniew Hnatejko ,&nbsp;Ewa Kaczorek ,&nbsp;Tomasz Grzyb","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144648","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144648","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Manufacturers use polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to create many everyday objects, which break down into nanoparticles when released into the environment. This fact raises questions about the effects of nanometric PET on living organisms, including bacteria. However, studies on nanoPET are rare and challenging, even if only because its detection and visualisation are difficult. We studied nanoPET toxicity on selected bacteria and tested its visualisation in biological samples using three nanoPET types: pure, labelled with upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs), and labelled with Eu³⁺ complex compound. The resulting colloids were characterized using dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, and emission measurements. The results confirmed the development of a method for preparing a stable aqueous colloid of nanoPET. Toxicity tests on <em>Bacillus</em>, <em>Lelliottia</em>, and <em>Pseudomonas</em> strains were carried out using the AlamarBlue method, along with measurements of Glutathione S-Transferase enzyme activity. The impact of labelled and non-labelled nanoPET on bacterial carbon utilisation of different sources was also evaluated. Crystal violet and the <em>o</em>-nitrophenyl-β-<span>d</span>-galactoside assays were applied to assess changes in membrane permeability. The adhesion of nanoPET to bacterial cells was examined using atomic force microscopy, and biofilm alterations were visualised under an optical microscope. UCNPs enabled the detection of nanoPET aggregation in bacterial biofilms. PET nanoparticles had a neutral or stimulating effect on bacterial growth. Cell membrane permeability varied depending on the bacterial strain and the type of nanoPET used. The results offer valuable insight into the environmental impact of nanoPET and demonstrate the effectiveness of the new nanoplastic labelling and detection method.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"387 ","pages":"Article 144648"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887162","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":"Formation of iodinated disinfection by-products from high-dose disinfection with two types of iodine disinfectant in aquaculture","authors":"Danming Wen,&nbsp;Junyao Wang,&nbsp;Miaomiao Ding,&nbsp;Aikeyidanmu Zhamaerding,&nbsp;Xialin Hu,&nbsp;Daqiang Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Iodinated disinfection by-products (I-DBPs) have raised concerns due to their potential cytotoxicity and genotoxicity compared to chlorine and bromine-based by-products. In aquaculture, high-dose iodine-based disinfectants can react with natural organic matter (NOM) in water, generating significant amounts of I-DBPs that might pose environmental risks. This research explored the reaction characteristics of I-DBPs by using two commonly used iodine-based disinfectants (iodine tincture and Polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine (PVP–I)) in aquaculture. The results indicated that controlling pH at around 8.0 effectively reduced I-DBP formation. A higher concentration of PVP-I (10 μM) was required to produce triiodomethane (TIM) compared to iodine tincture (2.5 μM), likely due to the slower release of iodine from PVP-I. The concentrations of I-DBPs showed a multiplicative growth trend as the concentrations of the iodine-based disinfectants increased. Humic acid (HA) demonstrated a stronger potential for I-DBP formation than algal-derived organic matter (AOM), including extracellular organic matter (EOM) and intracellular organic matter (IOM), due to its strong electron-withdrawing aromatic structure. While EOM led to a greater variety of I-DBPs, IOM contributed more significantly to TIM formation at higher disinfectant concentrations, probably due to its large molecular size and abundance of reactive carbon atoms. The I-DBP formation patterns in the aquaculture water are similar to those of HA, possibly due to the presence of similar compositional components, such as lignin and proteins. The study provides important insights for optimizing iodine disinfectant use in aquaculture and managing I-DBP risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"387 ","pages":"Article 144653"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887166","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":"Effective treatment of energetic containing wastewater in a sequential anaerobic-aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) system - Part 1: Treatment of IMX-104 wastewater","authors":"Mark E. Fuller ,&nbsp;Paul C. Hedman ,&nbsp;Kung-Hui Chu ,&nbsp;Todd S. Webster ,&nbsp;Charles E. Schaefer ,&nbsp;Danielle N. Tran ,&nbsp;Paul B. Hatzinger","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144606","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144606","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The treatment of wastewater containing the new insensitive energetic formulation IMX-104, which consists of the legacy explosive RDX and insensitive high explosives (IHE), 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) and 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (NTO), was evaluated using a dual anaerobic-aerobic membrane bioreactor system. RDX and DNAN in the wastewater were completely degraded in the anaerobic MBR, with no observed production of common reduced daughter products (e.g., MNX, DNX or TNX for RDX and 2-ANAN, 4-ANAN, and DAAN for DNAN). NTO concentrations as high as 2 g L⁻¹ were biotransformed predominantly to 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (ATO) in the anaerobic MBR. The ATO degrading capacity of the aerobic MBR was exceeded at the high NTO concentrations, but subsequent polishing with 5 % sodium hypochlorite (∼4000 mg L⁻¹ free chlorine) resulted in complete ATO removal. Electrochemical oxidation and UV/H₂O₂ treatment was also demonstrated to be effective for removal of residual ATO. The dual MBR system was fed a broader mixture of munitions constituents during some phases of operation, including HMX, TNT, nitroguanidine (NQ), perchlorate, and nitrate, and was observed to biodegrade these compounds even after a 90-day period when they were absent from the influent (i.e., during IMX-104 treatment). The dual MBR with sodium hypochlorite polishing proved to be highly effective for treatment of IMX-104 wastewater, as well as for removal of a variety of other munitions constituents.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"386 ","pages":"Article 144606"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144861349","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 One Health approach to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs): Integrating human, animal, and environmental health perspectives","authors":"Jose L. Domingo ,&nbsp;Marilia Cristina Oliveira Souza ,&nbsp;Martí Nadal ,&nbsp;Fernando Barbosa","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144644","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144644","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) used as flame retardants that pose interlinked environmental health challenges, making them an ideal focus for One Health assessment. This review synthesizes current scientific knowledge on PBDEs contamination based on a literature analysis of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. It examines shared contamination sources, exposure pathways, toxicological mechanisms, and intervention strategies. PBDEs exemplify the One Health paradigm through their ubiquitous anthropogenic sources, causing global environmental contamination across all health domains. Common exposure pathways (dietary intake, dust inhalation, and maternal transfer), create direct interface between human and wildlife health via contaminated environmental reservoirs. Across species, PBDEs have been linked to convergent toxicological outcomes, including endocrine disruption, neurodevelopmental deficits, reproductive impairments, and immunotoxicity, underscoring shared vulnerability patterns. Recent studies highlight the interaction between PBDEs and microplastics, which may enhance bioavailability and introduce novel exposure pathways. Vulnerable populations, notably children and pregnant women, face disproportionate risks requiring targeted interventions, including source control, advanced remediation technologies, and cross-sectoral surveillance systems. Despite regulatory progress, PBDEs remain a persistent global concern due to environmental persistence, continued emissions from legacy products, and emerging vectors such as microplastic-mediated transport. Addressing these challenges demands coordinated, cross-sectoral approaches that integrate environmental monitoring, transdisciplinary research, and harmonized regulatory frameworks. The One Health perspective offers a robust and holistic model for managing PBDEs and related POPs, emphasizing the urgency of collaborative solutions that recognize the intrinsic interconnectedness of human, animal, and ecosystem health in combating global contamination challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"386 ","pages":"Article 144644"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144861348","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 of PFCAs using polyethyleneimine modified Biochar: Role of chain length and effects of water matrices","authors":"Anusha Imran ,&nbsp;Xiaobo Lei ,&nbsp;David J. Shoemaker ,&nbsp;William E. Holmes ,&nbsp;Hui Yan ,&nbsp;Mark E. Zappi ,&nbsp;Daniel D. Gang","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144650","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144650","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) are emerging organic pollutants posing a threat to human health and the environment. This study investigates the efficacy of polyethyleneimine-modified biochar (BC-PEI) as an adsorbent for removing PFCAs from a mixed solute system, focusing on competitive adsorption among PFCAs with varying chain lengths. It includes perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), hexafluoropropylene-oxide-dimer-acid (GenX), and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA). BC-PEI (1:1) (w_PEI/w_BC = 1) exhibited the highest adsorption capacities for PFOA, PFHxA, GenX, and PFBA at 1.302, 0.850, 0.711, and 0.397 mmol/g, respectively. It follows the Sips isotherm (Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm) model, which becomes Langmuir at high concentration and Freundlich at low concentration. Surface functional groups, as well as electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, influenced the adsorption mechanism. Long-chain PFCAs demonstrated higher adsorption capacities due to stronger hydrophobic interactions, while short-chain PFCAs were primarily adsorbed via electrostatic interactions. Kinetics data were best described by the pseudo-second-order (PSO) model, with surface adsorption and minor micropore contributions governing the process. The presence of humic acid reduced the adsorption capacity by competing for adsorption sites. The background ions in the aqueous matrix further diminished capacity due to double-layer compression. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed PFCAs adsorption onto BC-PEI. These findings underscore the potential of BC-PEI as a promising adsorbent for PFCA remediation in wastewater systems, highlighting its engineering applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"386 ","pages":"Article 144650"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144852876","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":"Firefighter exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon during prescribed burns and wildfires","authors":"Jordina Gili ,&nbsp;Mar Viana ,&nbsp;Barend L. van Drooge","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144615","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144615","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prescribed burns are valuable tools for landscape management, which reduce wildfire risk in fire-prone ecosystems. However, they generate smoke emissions containing hazardous pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and black carbon (BC). Here, PAHs were analyzed in atmospheric particulate matter (PM_2.5) filters in firefighter's personal real-time BC monitors during prescribed burns and wildfires between 2022 and 2024 in Catalonia (NE Spain). The innovative analytical method using gas-chromatography coupled to Q-exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry (GC-Orbitrap-MS) allows the determination of personal exposure levels of toxic particle-phase PAHs in firefighters across a broad concentration range, and reveals task-specific exposure levels and profiles, with torchers, who ignite the prescribed burns, facing the highest concentrations (mean BC: 69 μg/m³, mean sum of PAHs: 394 ng/m³, mean benzo[<em>a</em>]pyrene (BaP): 56 ng/m³) during shifts, followed by liners, who manage the fire lines, and truck drivers exhibited the lowest exposure concentrations due to their roles being farther from the hotspot (mean BC &lt; 4 μg/m³). A strong correlation between BC and individual PAHs highlights BC's potential as a proxy for PAH exposure. Although exposure times to elevated smoke particles were normally under 4 h during a shift, risk assessment estimations show that torchers' excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) safety thresholds. Findings emphasize the need for improved respiratory protection, task-specific safety protocols, and safer ignition methods to reduce health risks. This study highlights potential risks associated with prescribed burns and wildfires, providing critical data to inform firefighter safety in wildfire-prone regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"386 ","pages":"Article 144615"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144852539","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}