Chemosphere最新文献

{"title":"Effective treatment of energetic containing wastewater in a sequential anaerobic-aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) system - Part 2: Microbial community dynamics","authors":"Jinha Kim ,&nbsp;Mark E. Fuller ,&nbsp;Paul B. Hatzinger ,&nbsp;Kung-Hui Chu","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144832","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144832","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A two-stage anaerobic-aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) effectively treated synthetic and real munition constituent wastewaters consisting of various combinations of traditional (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX)) and insensitive (nitroguanidine (NQ), 2,4-dinitroanizole (DNAN), 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (NTO)) explosives, as well as the oxidants perchlorate (ClO₄⁻) and nitrate. Microbial community dynamics in the anaerobic and aerobic MBRs were analyzed. In the anaerobic MBR, <em>Pleomorphomonas</em> spp. and Saccharimonadales dominated and established within the community network. Increased ClO₄⁻ promoted <em>Pleomorphomonas</em>, Propionibacteriaceae, and Christensenellaceae; these populations also thrived during IMX-101 (NQ, NTO, DNAN) treatment. Switching the main carbon feed to the ANO MBR from fructose to invert sugar increased NQ biotransformation with a corresponding increase of unknown Propionibacteriaceae. Coincident with the feed of actual IMX-104 (RDX, NTO, DNAN) wastewater, a unique group of <em>Rhodococcus erythropolis</em> proliferated, and high levels of <em>xenA</em>, <em>xenB</em>, and nitronate monooxygenase orthologs were detected, which could be associated with degradation of insensitive high explosives and RDX. The aerobic MBR showed high percentages of Proteobacteria as the main phylum. Beijerinckiaceae most frequently dominated and formed a singular submodule, suggesting a unique role in the degradative process. Adding an NQ-oxidizing inoculum increased <em>Reyranella</em> spp., <em>Leucobacter</em> spp., and unknown Beijerinckiaceae which enhanced NQ degradation. Overall, minor microbial community shifts were driven by variations of munition wastewater compositions but the abilities of the MBRs to degrade munitions constituents was maintained even after individual or multiple constituents were absent from the feed for weeks and then re-added. This demonstrates the high resilience of the dual MBR system and may provide insights for performance optimization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 144832"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974119","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 degradation of aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A using dual Z-scheme Sr2MgSi2O7: Eu2+, Dy3+/BiVO4/NH2-UiO-66 heterojunctions with round-the-clock photocatalytic activity","authors":"Si-yuan He,&nbsp;Wei Wen,&nbsp;Peng Wu,&nbsp;Zhe Meng","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144792","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144792","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Developing a green and efficient technology for decomposing aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in grains has important theoretical value and application prospects for ensuring food safety. A dual Z-scheme ternary heterojunction photocatalyst, Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Eu²⁺,Dy³⁺/BiVO₄/NH₂-UiO-66 (SBN), was prepared via a self-assembling hydrothermal approach. The SBN heterojunction photocatalyst exhibits round-the-clock photocatalytic activity due to the intrinsic light source of Sr₂MgSi₂O₇: Eu²⁺, Dy³⁺ (SMS). Dual Z-scheme mechanism was proposed and validated through detailed analysis of quenching experiments, ESR spectra, band arrangement, and charge transfer processes. The dual Z-scheme mechanism not only promotes the effective transfer and separation of photo generated charge carriers during charge carrier transport, but also maintains significant reduction and oxidation potentials. SBN photocatalyst exhibits stable and persistent photocatalytic performance, significantly enhancing the degradation efficiency of AFB₁ and OTA under all-weather conditions. Experimental data shows that the removal rate of AFB₁ increased from 69.60 % after 60 min of illumination to 83.9 % after 4 h of turning off the light source; At the same time, the removal rate of OTA increased from 64.8 % to 78.1 %. •O₂⁻ and •OH were identified as key active species in photocatalytic reactions. Based on the analysis of AFB₁ and OTA degradation intermediates and the prediction of degradation sites using density functional theory (DFT), degradation pathways for AFB₁ and OTA were proposed. Collectively, these findings suggest a highly promising practical approach for the detoxification of mycotoxins in grain commodities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 144792"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145746020","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":"Spatial dynamics of methane emissions and organic load reduction in a pond-based palm oil mill effluent treatment system","authors":"Takashi Onodera ,&nbsp;Yoshiyuki Takahashi ,&nbsp;Kazuya Nishina ,&nbsp;Ryuichi Hirata ,&nbsp;Joseph Wenceslaus Waili ,&nbsp;Frankie Kiew ,&nbsp;Guan Xhuan Wong ,&nbsp;Lulie Melling","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144830","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144830","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment in open pond systems is a significant source of methane (CH₄) emissions, yet the spatial dynamics of greenhouse gas fluxes and organic matter degradation remain poorly quantified. This study investigated CH₄, carbon dioxide (CO₂), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions alongside chemical oxygen demand (COD) reductions across a full-scale, pond system consisting of 10 ponds connected in series (Pond 1 to 10) in Sarawak, Malaysia. Using a novel, low-cost, remotely operated floating chamber, we conducted high-resolution spatial sampling of gas fluxes and water quality. The results revealed extreme heterogeneity in COD removal and CH₄ fluxes, with a critical emission hotspot identified in Pond 4, where average CH₄ flux exceeded 900 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and COD decreased by over 80 %. Stoichiometric analysis confirmed a strong correlation between removed COD and CH₄ production. The cumulative climate impact of the system was estimated at 278 kg CO₂-equiv. m⁻³ of treated effluent, with over 85 % of emissions attributed to CH₄. These findings highlight the need for targeted emission mitigation strategies, such as biogas capture from high-emission ponds, and provide robust emission factors to inform sustainable palm oil wastewater management and climate policy frameworks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 144830"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923969","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":"Effect of low-temperature thermal dechlorination on polychlorinated naphthalenes in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash: Concentrations, congener profiles, and dioxin-like toxicity","authors":"Koji Ito ,&nbsp;Satoshi Mizutani ,&nbsp;Yoshinori Yabuki","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144834","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144834","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) are dioxin-like contaminants unintentionally generated during municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI). This study evaluated the concentrations, congener profiles, and dioxin-like toxicities of PCNs and PCDD/Fs in MSWI fly ash before and after low-temperature thermal dechlorination (LTD) at five full-scale facilities. LTD consistently induced stepwise dechlorination, reducing the average chlorination degree of PCNs by 1.1–1.5 points. Total PCN concentrations, however, exhibited facility-dependent behavior: decreases of 98–99 % were observed at some facilities, whereas others showed increases of 230–370 % relative to pre-LTD levels. This mass increase is plausibly attributed to the reformation of low-chlorinated PCNs on the fly ash carbon surfaces during the cooling phase. Despite these contrasting changes in mass concentrations, PCN-derived dioxin-like toxicity (PCN-TEQ) decreased substantially at all facilities (35–99 % reduction). This robust detoxification occurred because LTD preferentially degrades the highly chlorinated congeners (e.g., 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexaCN and 1,2,3,4,6,7-hexaCN) that dominate PCN-TEQ. The contribution of PCNs to total toxicity consequently declined from 0.18 to 0.45 % before LTD to 0.03–0.30 % afterward. For PCDD/Fs, LTD generally lowered mass concentrations, although PCDD/F-TEQ reductions varied among facilities due to differences in residual high-TEF congeners. These findings unequivocally demonstrate that LTD is a highly effective strategy for mitigating the dioxin-like toxicity associated with PCNs in MSWI fly ash. The results enhance understanding of chlorinated pollutant transformation during full-scale LTD operation and support its optimization for safer MSWI fly ash management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 144834"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974118","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":"The role of gamma-irradiated microplastics in terbuthylazine sorption and desorption processes in contaminated soils","authors":"Laura Bordignon ,&nbsp;Maura Gabriela da Silva Brochado ,&nbsp;Nicoli Gomes de Moraes ,&nbsp;Fernanda Aparecida Nazário de Carvalho ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Floriano Pimpinato ,&nbsp;Renê Chagas da Silva ,&nbsp;Kassio Ferreira Mendes","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144818","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144818","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs) presence in agricultural soils has raised concerns regarding their interactions with herbicides. This study investigated how gamma-irradiated polyethylene MPs affect the sorption and desorption processes of the herbicide terbuthylazine (TBT) in contaminated soils. Soils were amended with 10 % (w w⁻¹) MPs irradiated at six gamma doses (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10 kGy) and treated with five TBT application rates (1.4, 2.8, 4.2, 5.6, and 7.0 kg a.i. ha⁻¹), in addition to a treatment without MPs (control; unamended soil). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the MPs before and after irradiation. SEM analyses showed that gamma irradiation progressively enhanced the surface roughness, cracking, and porosity of the MPs. FTIR results confirmed the parallel dose-dependence in carbonyl groups, with the carbonyl index increasing from 0.07 to 0.20 (0.0–10 kGy), demonstrating substantial oxidation of the polymer. Batch equilibrium assays were performed, and TBT concentrations were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sorption and desorption data fitted Linear and Freundlich isotherms, with sorption Linear (K_d) and Freundlich coefficients (K_f) ranging from 0.59 to 1.32 L kg⁻¹ and 0.43–1.51 mg^(1–1/n) L^1/n Kg⁻¹, respectively. All irradiation doses increased TBT sorption compared to unamended soil, with MPs exposed to 10 kGy enhancing retention by 13.68 % relative to the control soil and increasing K_d and K_f values. Conversely, desorption remained consistently low (∼5 %) across all treatments, indicating strong retention of TBT in the soil-MPs matrix. These findings highlight the impact of gamma-irradiated MPs on TBT's environmental dynamics, potentially reducing their bioavailability and effectiveness while increasing persistence in the environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 144818"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836579","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":"Photocatalytic degradation of polyethylene microplastics by copper-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles","authors":"Shibiru Yadeta Ejeta ,&nbsp;Toyoko Imae","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144819","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144819","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rising prevalence of microplastics in aquatic environments poses significant environmental and ecological challenges. Although various methods have been tried to solve the issues of microplastics, most approaches are inefficient and energy-intensive, or involve surface-level removal rather than molecular degradation. This study explores the application of Cu-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles as efficient photocatalysts for the degradation of polyethylene microplastics under ultraviolet light irradiation. Cu-doping improves the light absorption efficiency and enhances the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂. Photocatalytic experiments using Cu-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles revealed a significant degradation of microplastics from tens of μm to a few μm, demonstrating superior performance compared to undoped TiO₂. The degradation of 96.7 % in the 48-h reaction was higher than that achieved by the pristine TiO₂ catalyst. According to reactive species-trapping experiments using scavengers, degradation reactions are mainly attributed to holes and reactive oxygen species, particularly hydroxy radical. Then the degradation mechanism staring from the generation of ^•OH in the valence band of the catalyst, was estimated. The unit species and terminal groups produced by the reaction process were consistent with those revealed by the infrared absorption spectra. These findings highlight the potential of photocatalytic reactions as valuable solutions for mitigating microplastic pollution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 144819"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145879520","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":"Unraveling the potential of metal–organic frameworks for antibiotic remediation: From molecular interactions to real-world challenges","authors":"Mohammed Yusuf ,&nbsp;Zannatun Naim ,&nbsp;Md. Mebtahul Jannat ,&nbsp;Mahfuzul Islam ,&nbsp;Nafis Rahman Sayeem ,&nbsp;Md. Monjurul Islam ,&nbsp;Md. Hafezur Rahaman","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144786","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144786","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pervasive occurrence of antibiotic residues in aquatic environments has emerged as a pressing global environmental concern. These contaminants originate predominantly from pharmaceutical manufacturing effluents, hospital discharges, and agricultural runoff. Their persistent release fosters the proliferation and horizontal transfer of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes. Reported abundances in pharmaceutical wastewater can reach up to 2.36 × 10⁷ copies/mL, significantly exceeding those observed in municipal effluents. Conventional treatments achieve variable removal efficiencies (e.g., 45–98 % for membrane bioreactors, &gt;90 % for ozonation, and 62–86 % for anaerobic digestion) but often fail to remove structurally complex and persistent antibiotics, particularly under real wastewater conditions. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), with surface areas exceeding 2000 m²/g, tunable porosity, and diverse functional groups, have emerged as advanced adsorbents. Zr-based MOFs such as PCN-777 and MOF-525 exhibit exceptional adsorption capacities, 442.48 mg/g for cephalexin and up to 860 mg/g for tetracycline, surpassing conventional adsorbents like activated carbon. This review integrates experimental findings and density functional theory modelling to elucidate dominant antibiotic-MOF interaction mechanisms, including electrostatic attraction, π–π stacking, hydrogen bonding, Lewis acid-base coordination, and hydrophobic effects, offering molecular-level insight into adsorption phenomena. Key challenges, including hydrolytic instability, metal ion leaching, performance reduction in complex matrices, regeneration inefficiencies, and the limited representativeness of single-compound studies in predicting field-scale behavior, are critically evaluated. By linking mechanistic understanding with operational challenges, this work provides a targeted roadmap for developing water-stable, regenerable MOFs capable of delivering scalable and sustainable antibiotic remediation in diverse and challenging wastewater environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 144786"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145673067","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":"Integrative biomarker assessment of lead and zinc stress in Limonium brasiliense and Atriplex vulgatissima from Patagonian salt marshes","authors":"María de la Paz Pollicelli ,&nbsp;Federico Márquez ,&nbsp;Yanina L. Idaszkin","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144789","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144789","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) pollution are major environmental concerns in salt marshes affected by anthropogenic inputs. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the impact of Pb and Zn increases, individually and in combination, on <em>Limonium brasiliense</em> and <em>Atriplex vulgatissima</em> by examining accumulation patterns and combining morphological, physiological, and biochemical biomarkers, summarized using the Integrated Biological Response index (IBRv2). Our findings showed leaf-shape plasticity in <em>L. brasiliense,</em> whereas in <em>A. vulgatissima</em> a canalized morphology across treatments, a trend reflected in most biomarkers. Both species survived and maintained biomass, indicating tolerance to metal-induced stress. In <em>L. brasiliense</em>, variations in water content, leaf size, pigment concentration, photosynthetic efficiency, and ascorbate peroxidase activity highlighted a significant role of Zn in disrupting physiological function. In <em>A. vulgatissima</em>, most biomarkers, except leaf size and the activities of superoxide dismutase and guaiacol peroxidase, remained unchanged after treatments. Under Pb + Zn treatment, <em>L. brasiliense</em> accumulated Pb in roots and Zn in shoots, with a reduction in absorption efficiency (AE), whereas <em>A. vulgatissima</em> showed root-restricted accumulation of both metals and an increased AE. The IBRv2 indicated greater stress under Pb + Zn treatment in <em>L. brasiliense</em> and under Zn treatment in <em>A. vulgatissima</em>. Thus, these results suggest that <em>L. brasiliense</em> is more suitable for Pb phytostabilization and Zn phytoextraction, while <em>A. vulgatissima</em> may contribute to phytostabilization of both metals, showing distinct strategies: plasticity and modulation versus inherent tolerance, respectively. The findings highlight species-specific differences in metal tolerance, accumulation, and stress responses, directly impacting phytoremediation and biomonitoring in metal-contaminated environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 144789"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145679609","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 systematic review on the uses of red mud as feedstock to make catalysts, coagulants and conditioners for treatment of contaminated water","authors":"Harsha S. Rangappa ,&nbsp;Samuel Ogechi Eke ,&nbsp;Mohit Kumar ,&nbsp;Phyu Phyu Cho ,&nbsp;Shashidhar Thatikonda ,&nbsp;Ch Subrahmanyam ,&nbsp;Chuxia Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144794","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144794","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For the past decades, great efforts have been made to beneficially utilize red mud, a hazardous waste material from alumina refining. These include recovery of valuable metals, use as feedstock for making construction materials, and various environmental applications. There have been numerous review articles that evaluated and analyzed the published literature on the adsorption application of red mud for treating contaminated water. However, little effort has been made to synthesize the existing knowledge on red mud application as the feedstock for making coagulants, catalysts, and conditioners despite that there has been increasing published reports on these aspects. To fill this knowledge gap, a systematic review was conducted by initially screening relevant journal articles published within the last 10 years (2015–2025) and subsequently critically analyzing and evaluating the selected articles. The results showed that there was a clear trend that the published work on catalyst application increased over time, especially in the recent 5 years while the published work on coagulation and conditioner applications fluctuated. Red mud-derived catalysts were applied in different types of advanced oxidation processes, mainly including photocatalysis, conventional Fenton oxidation, photo-Fenton oxidation, electro-Fenton oxidation and persulfate oxidation. Through this systematic review, the challenges for red mud applications in making catalysts, coagulants and conditioners were identified and recommendations for further research are made accordingly.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 144794"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691792","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":"Neurobiological effects assessment in wild rodents exposed to mercury in Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Querétaro, Mexico","authors":"S. Vargas-Ruiz ,&nbsp;C.G. Castillo ,&nbsp;E. Rubio-Hernández ,&nbsp;A. Gavilán-García ,&nbsp;F. Díaz-Barriga ,&nbsp;G. Espinosa-Reyes","doi":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144803","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144803","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mercury causes disturbances in neurological functions at both the molecular and cellular levels, impacting various regions of the central nervous system and leading to neural dysfunction, which is evident through behavioral changes. This research aimed to assess the neurotoxic effects of mercury (Hg) exposure on wild rodents (Peromyscus spp.) inhabiting areas involved in artisanal mercury mining within the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in Queretaro, Mexico. Mercury levels were quantified in environmental samples (soil) and the brain tissue of the sampled rodents using atomic absorption spectrophotometry via the cold vapor method. Histopathological assessments of the rodent brains were conducted, focusing on cell enumeration within the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. We analyzed the expression patterns of four genes linked to three distinct neurotransmitter receptors in the rodent brain tissue using RT-qPCR: the <em>Drd1</em> gene of the dopaminergic pathway, NR1 and NR2A subunits associated with the NMDA-type ionotropic glutamate receptor, and the γ-3 subunit pertinent to the GABAA receptor. Our findings reveal a significant difference in cerebral mercury concentrations between control and reference groups compared to the rodent cohort near the mining area (p &lt; 0.001). Histological assessments indicated a reduced cellular count within the hippocampal region in rodents with elevated mercury levels (p &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, an inverse correlation was observed between hippocampal cell count and total mercury concentration in the neural tissue, with r = −0.72 (p &lt; 0.05). Notably, gene expression related to the examined receptors remained statistically consistent across all rodent groups. This study highlights the neurotoxic potential of inorganic mercury (Hg²⁺); wild organisms exposed to this compound exhibit cellular abnormalities within vital central nervous system areas, notably the hippocampus.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":276,"journal":{"name":"Chemosphere","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 144803"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145797422","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}