Environmental Advances最新文献

{"title":"In situ degradation of three contrasting plastic mulch films under maize cultivation in tropical conditions","authors":"Gayathree I. Senevirathne ,&nbsp;T.D. Meththa Gimhani ,&nbsp;Michaela K. Reay ,&nbsp;Chamila Perera ,&nbsp;Mojith Ariyaratna ,&nbsp;Anurudda K. Karunarathna ,&nbsp;David R. Chadwick ,&nbsp;Davey L. Jones ,&nbsp;Chimnaz Emrah ,&nbsp;Charlotte E.M. Lloyd ,&nbsp;J.A. Surani Chathurika","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100628","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100628","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widespread use and release of plastics, including conventional and biodegradable mulch films, has become a major environmental concern due to their impact on soil quality and ecosystem functioning. Herein, we examined degradation patterns of three plastic mulch films (i) low-density polyethylene (LDPE) mulch (PEM), (ii) reflective LDPE mulch (RPEM), and (iii) biodegradable PLA-PBAT mulch (BDM), over two maize growing seasons in Sri Lanka. Mulch films were sampled monthly, with changes in mass, chemical composition, and physical integrity assessed using FTIR-ATR, TGA, GC, and GC-MS. FTIR spectra confirmed progressive compositional changes in all films with BDM showing significant peak compositional changes. Visual observations of physical breakdown showed that &gt; 30% of soil surface coverage provided by BDM was lost while LDPE films showed minimal signs of surface breakage. BDM lost 50% of its mass over first growing season while RPEM and PEM films demonstrated only 1% and 6% mass loss, respectively. In conclusion, the study provides evidence of the rapid degradation and compositional changes of BDM mulches compared to LDPE mulches, likely due to prevailing tropical climate. Future research should focus on improving physical integrity of BDMs and analysing the effects of plastic additives and leachates on soil and microbes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100628"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143705878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Climate control of litter decomposition and nutrient release in tropical and sub-tropical forest biomes of Northeast India","authors":"Ngangbam Somen Singh ,&nbsp;Francis Q Brearley ,&nbsp;Shri Kant Tripathi","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100634","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100634","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Litter decomposition is fundamental to nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems across the globe and is affected by abiotic and biotic factors. Thus, patterns of litter decomposition and nutrient release vary among different terrestrial ecosystems depending on climatic conditions. We followed the decomposition of litter from four species as well as a mixed litter in contrasting sub-tropical (STF) and tropical (TF) forests of North-east India to assess the factors influencing decomposition between them. Mass loss and concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn) and sulfur (S), as well as acid-unhydrolyzable residue (AUR) (‘lignin’) were followed over a one-year period. We found clearly different decomposition patterns in the two forest types. In the TF, decomposition followed the single exponential function indicating a complete disappearance of litter material within a year. In contrast, in the STF, the mass loss pattern followed an asymptotic function with a limit value indicating a stable fraction. The AUR decomposition rate was about twice as fast in the TF as compared to the STF. Litter decomposition and nutrient release were faster in the TF compared to the STF, and hence carbon and nutrients were accrued in the soil organic matter in the latter but not in the former due to contrasting environmental conditions. It is concluded that the mechanism for complete decomposition in TF as compared to STF is strongly influenced by the climate rather than any intrinsic factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100634"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143873850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elevated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in tap water and serum in a community near an abandoned paper mill","authors":"Rachel A. Bauer ,&nbsp;Ankita Bhattacharya ,&nbsp;Ying Guo ,&nbsp;Sharon Zhang ,&nbsp;Heather M. Stapleton ,&nbsp;John L. Adgate ,&nbsp;Sarah Choyke ,&nbsp;Christopher P. Higgins ,&nbsp;Courtney C. Carignan","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100623","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100623","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In 2018, elevated concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) (1600 ng/L) were discovered in municipal wells, and the groundwater contamination was linked to an abandoned paper mill landfill in southwestern Michigan. From 2020-2021, we conducted a detailed exposure assessment in this community to provide insights about the mixture of PFASs from a paper mill source in drinking water and their persistence in human serum following long-term exposure. Water and serum were analyzed for &gt;30 PFASs using LC-MS/MS. Approximately half of the study participants had private wells with lower PFAS concentrations (&lt;220 ng/L) compared to municipal water (1600 ng/L), therefore, they were assigned as low (private well) and high (municipal well) exposure groups. The three predominant PFASs detected in the municipal well, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (670 ng/L), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) (740 ng/L), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) (19 ng/L), were also the most abundant in serum. Participants with high drinking water exposure had serum PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS concentrations that were 15-fold, 5-fold, and 2-fold higher, respectively, compared to those in the low group. For each additional year participants reported drinking the municipal water, we observed a 6 %, 4 %, and 5 % increase in serum PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS, respectively. Overall, these results highlight the role of drinking water as a predominant source of PFAS exposure and the risk that abandoned landfills can pose to drinking water in nearby communities. This study also establishes a baseline for long-term toxicological impacts and evaluation of intervention effectiveness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100623"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143591770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Catchment-scale assessment of groundwater discharge using ecological, thermal, and hydrochemical surveillance data in the Halton Region, Ontario","authors":"Nathan Beckner-Stetson ,&nbsp;Virginie Gaye ,&nbsp;Mason Marchildon ,&nbsp;Andrea D. Dunn ,&nbsp;Behnam Doulatyari ,&nbsp;Kim Funk ,&nbsp;Steve Holysh ,&nbsp;Kim Barrett ,&nbsp;Bas Vriens","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100627","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100627","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Groundwater-surface water exchange is spatiotemporally variable and costly to assess at high-resolution across large areas. This study explores the application of readily available surface water monitoring data to identify potential groundwater discharge locations in 15 catchments within Conservation Halton's jurisdiction within the Halton Region, Ontario, Canada. We first compared two interpolated groundwater discharge models and subsequently contrasted these against stream ecology data (macrophyte and fish taxa) and surface- and groundwater quality measurements that were aggregated to derive temperature and hydrochemical (alkalinity, chloride) gradients across the hyporheic zone. Both groundwater models agreed in their prediction of discharge locations for only 52 % of monitoring sites, corroborating the need for further reconnaissance of potential discharge areas. Fish temperature preferences and ecological temperature classifications aligned reasonably with the groundwater discharge models (&lt;55 % of sites) and air-to-stream temperature differences agreed better with groundwater discharge predicted by modeling (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.04, R²&gt;0.40) than stream-to-groundwater gradients (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.1, R²&lt;0.25). Instead, hydrochemical signatures of both chloride and alkalinity in the streams were more ambiguous and displayed poor correlation with groundwater discharge maps and other monitoring parameters. Finally, we amalgamated the various investigated parameters into a classification scheme to determine the likelihood of groundwater discharge at the monitoring locations . This work exemplifies how combining commonly available monitoring information may be used to provide additional insight into groundwater discharge dynamics and stream health across larger and diverse catchment types where lack of <em>in-situ</em> monitoring or unverified numerical models complicate a clear understanding of groundwater discharge patterns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100627"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143609486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive review on co-integration of conventional systems and advanced oxidation processes for industrial and agricultural wastewater treatment applications","authors":"Lata Deso Abo ,&nbsp;Mani Jayakumar ,&nbsp;Albert Selvakumar Jeyapaul ,&nbsp;Magesh Rangaraju ,&nbsp;Hirpha Adugna Areti ,&nbsp;Ayele Assefa Adugna","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100638","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100638","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agricultural wastewater, which contains nitrates, phosphates, pesticides, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), along with industrial discharges that include heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended particulates, and phenolic compounds, poses a risk of water contamination even at minimal levels. Therefore, it is essential to manage this wastewater through integrated treatment methods before releasing it into aquatic environments. The combination of traditional systems with Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) specifically for treating industrial and agricultural wastewater is a crucial area of research aimed at improving the effectiveness of treatment methods to facilitate the reuse of treated water across various sectors. These integrated approaches offer advantages but also introduce challenges that need addressing for broader application. Additionally, this review focused on the removal of harmful contaminants from agricultural and industrial wastewater. It covered a variety of advanced treatment techniques, including combined coagulation-flocculation-decantation and the Fenton method, as well as integrated coagulation with photo-Fenton oxidation, electrocoagulation paired with photo-Fenton, and coagulation alongside UV/H₂O₂/ferrioxalate complexes. It also examined Fenton-adsorption, Fenton-nanofiltration methods, and microelectrolysis integrated with Fenton oxidation and coagulation. Moreover, the combination of UV/Fe²⁺ and photo-Fenton was discussed, along with hybrid moving bed bioreactors utilizing advanced oxidation processes such as Fenton, photo-Fenton, and UV-C/H₂O₂. The integration of air stripping with Fenton oxidation and enhanced coagulation was also considered, alongside O₃/H₂O₂/peroxymonosulfate processes, catalytic wet air oxidation, and photocatalytic oxidation involving activated carbon doping, among others. These methodologies aim to address the complex nature of pollutants found in industrial discharges. Furthermore, a comprehensive discussion was provided on the use of combined traditional systems with AOPs for wastewater treatment in both agricultural and industrial contexts, emphasizing the importance of these processes in achieving significant treatment results.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100638"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143902540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Non-occupational exposure to trace elements in Finland – Urinary and blood biomonitoring study","authors":"Simo P. Porras,&nbsp;Juha Tuovila,&nbsp;Tiina Santonen","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100642","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100642","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to trace elements of the non-occupationally exposed, non-smoking, working-age population in Finland, and to provide reference values for these trace elements in the urine and blood. Urine samples were analysed for 30 trace elements and blood samples for eight elements. The samplings took place in 2020.</div><div>In the urine samples (<em>n</em> = 147), most of the studied trace elements were quantifiable; only the indium and iridium results were below the limit of quantification. In the blood samples (<em>n</em> = 143), all the trace elements were quantifiable. The results regarding four trace elements in the urine and five trace elements in the blood were statistically different among the females to those among the males. In most cases, exposure was higher among the females than the males. An age-dependent trend was only observed in the results regarding lead in blood and copper in urine. In comparison to data from other countries, the blood lead levels were lower in Finland, but urinary arsenic and selenium levels were generally higher.</div><div>The results of this study will be used to set reference values for use in occupational health. We emphasize that it is important to use an appropriate reference population to identify occupational exposure to trace elements when setting reference values. Especially when considering a reduction in occupational exposure limit values and the corresponding health-based biological limit values for trace elements, it is essential to understand that the background population exposure varies to correctly interpret the data from occupationally exposed populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100642"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144125286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Short-term effects of air pollutants on acute asthma exacerbation among children with persistent asthma: A nationwide case-crossover study in Japan","authors":"Akihiro Shiroshita ,&nbsp;Yoshihisa Miyamoto ,&nbsp;Yuki Kataoka ,&nbsp;Qianzhi Wang ,&nbsp;Naoki Kajita ,&nbsp;Keisuke Anan ,&nbsp;Yusaku Shibata ,&nbsp;Nobuyuki Yajima","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100637","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100637","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Although numerous studies have suggested short-term effects of air pollutants on acute asthma exacerbation, no study has yet specifically focused on children with persistent asthma, a particularly vulnerable population. In addition, several important aspects remain unclear: the potential harm caused by inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and the disentangling of impacts from multiple pollutants.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This case-crossover study utilized data from the Japan Medical Data Center between 2005 and 2022. The study population included children with persistent asthma aged 4–5 years. A date of acute asthma exacerbation was selected as the focal window, with two corresponding reference windows at -7 and -14 days. The exposures were ambient particulate matter 2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide, photochemical oxidants, sulfur dioxide, total hydrocarbons, and non-methane hydrocarbons. For multi-pollutant models, we incorporated all air pollutants by using principal component analysis. Conditional logistic regression models were applied, adjusting for temperature, humidity, and air pressure. An interaction term with ICS use was included.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In total, 142,947 acute asthma exacerbation cases were identified, with 20,724 children having persistent asthma. In single-pollutant models, higher levels of air pollutants, except for photochemical oxidants, were associated with increased risks. No significant interaction effects of ICS were observed. Multi-pollutant models suggested that NO₂ had the greatest impact (odds ratio among non-ICS users: 1.23 [95 % confidence interval: 1.17–1.29]).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Most air pollutants, particularly NO₂, were associated with higher risks of acute asthma exacerbation. Physicians may not need to be overly concerned about harmful interactions of ICS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100637"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143899929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring drought risk scenarios for bioenergy systems for adaptation to climate change in the Upper Tocantins basin, Brazil","authors":"Jazmin Campos Zeballos ,&nbsp;Vinicius Bof Bufon ,&nbsp;Zita Sebesvari ,&nbsp;Jakob Rhyner","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100631","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100631","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The generation of electricity from sugarcane bagasse plays an important role in Brazil's energy mix, particularly in complementing hydropower during the dry season and in mitigating the impacts of climate change. However, sugarcane is facing increasing challenges due to the occurrence of droughts. This study assesses drought risk of sugarcane, with a particular focus on its role in bagasse-based electricity generation. The IPCC AR5 Risk Assessment Framework was employed to evaluate two global climate change models, two representative concentration pathways (RCPs), and three land use scenarios. The present study employs a dynamic approach to analyse the interconnectivity of risk components, thereby contributing to the development of a methodology to compare risk scenarios considering changes in the system. Spatial analyses of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability were conducted, revealing dynamic risk across nine scenarios. This highlights the necessity of understanding the interconnectivity for a comprehensive risk analysis and the implementation of effective measures to mitigate risk. The findings emphasise the necessity of tailored risk management strategies to effectively address drought risks, focusing on the planning of sugarcane expansion and, more specifically, on the reduction of vulnerability. The results indicate that the reduction of vulnerability is dependent on the implementation of early warning systems, which serve as a crucial mechanism for the timely dissemination of drought information. Furthermore, access to water reservoirs (e.g. dams) and the implementation of efficient irrigation systems play a pivotal role in enhancing resilience and reduce further vulnerability within the sector. The analysis facilitates the identification of the strengths and the weaknesses of the systems for the implementation of targeted mitigation measures. These measures are intended to strengthen the sector's resilience and sustainability, aligning with national objectives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100631"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143776561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Online community users’ perceptions of particulate matter in South Korea through topic modeling and semantic network analysis","authors":"Hansol Choi ,&nbsp;Yong Pyo Kim ,&nbsp;Yungwook Kim ,&nbsp;Ji Yi Lee ,&nbsp;Hyemi Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100641","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100641","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we investigate public perception of particulate matter (PM) in South Korea to address the persistent high public anxiety levels surrounding this environmental issue. For this purpose, we first compared the monthly trends of PM concentrations, news articles, and online community posts. Furthermore, we performed a cross-correlation analysis between PM concentrations and online community posts, which are considered to be the most public-aware source, to examine how the public's response changes with variations in PM concentrations. Additionally, we conducted topic modeling and identified nine topics based on 2714 online community posts from January 2013 to December 2023. The results showed that public concern about PM is related to PM concentrations but media was found to play a role in amplifying it. The most prominent topic was the public’s critical attribution of PM in Korea to China. Other topics included interest in PM forecasts, physical risks and personal responses to PM, requests for more active government response, and controversy over the South Korean government’s PM reduction policies. In addition, the public has significant health concerns, leading to individual protective actions such as mask and air purifier purchases, possibly influenced by media and marketing strategies. There is a significant gap between public perceptions of the causes of PM and the direction and content of government policies. For instance, although the public tends to attribute PM primarily to external factors such as pollution from China, government policies appear to emphasize internal sources, such as regulating vehicle emissions. The discrepancy was found to make the public feel dissatisfied with policy implementation. This study demonstrates how the public perceives and interprets PM issues. It is also significant that we provide empirical evidence of the relationship between PM concentrations and online community posts through cross-correlation analysis. In this study we advocate for the need for policymakers to communicate PM-related information effectively to facilitate public alignment with PM reduction policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100641"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144138743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical correlation of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater passive sampling in long-term care facilities and wastewater treatment plants","authors":"William Strike ,&nbsp;Alexus Rockward ,&nbsp;Blazan Mijatovic ,&nbsp;Ann Noble ,&nbsp;Cullen Olsson ,&nbsp;Soroosh Torabi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Dehghan Banadaki ,&nbsp;Reuben Adatorwovor ,&nbsp;James Keck ,&nbsp;Scott Berry","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100635","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100635","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a promising tool for improving health outcomes through early detection and cost-effective pathogen surveillance. Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) serve and employ vulnerable populations that may particularly benefit from the use of WBE, but financial and technical costs associated with standard sampling methods limit the feasibility of WBE in the LTCF setting. In this work, we used passive sampling to simplify the wastewater analysis process and compared its performance to the standard composite sampling method. Moore swabs and automatic composite samplers were used concurrently to sample wastewater from two LTCFs, and samples were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 concentration. Passive sampling relies on an unknown volume of wastewater flowing through a cotton material, which complicates back calculations of pathogen concentration. We chose to calculate analyte concentrations based on the squeezed eluent from the cotton swab, which is practical for temporal analysis. Across all samples, passive and composite sampling performed similarly for SARS-CoV-2 detection and mean concentration. However, we observed a sensitivity advantage at low SARS-CoV-2 concentrations (&lt;180 gc/mL) when using passive sampling. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentrations obtained via passive sampling correlated with the reported clinical cases, with wastewater concentration leading reported clinical cases by an average of 4 days. Passive and composite sampling were also performed at a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to examine the effects of facility type on sampling performance. To our knowledge, this is the first work performing a comparative analysis at both facility- and community-scale locations. Passive sampling yielded significantly higher SARS-CoV-2 and fecal load biomarkers than composite sampling at WWTPs, illustrating an important difference between LTCF samples and WWTP samples.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100635"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143869399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}