Christopher J Gobler, Benjamin J Kramer, Mark W Lusty, John Thraen, Sarah McTague
{"title":"The ability of hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) to degrade saxitoxin-, microcystin-, anatoxin-, and non-toxin-producing strains of the harmful cyanobacterium, Dolichospermum.","authors":"Christopher J Gobler, Benjamin J Kramer, Mark W Lusty, John Thraen, Sarah McTague","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125696","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125696","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) has been used to mitigate cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CHABs), yet little is known about how H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> affects specific CHAB-forming genera as well as cyanotoxins beyond microcystin. This project examined the dose-dependent effects of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> on six strains of Dolichospermum spp. including those that produce saxitoxin, anatoxin-a, and microcystin. Beyond toxins, this study quantified changes in photosynthetic efficiency, cell density, H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> concentration, and N<sub>2</sub>-fixation rates. All strains were sensitive to H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> with responses being dependent on dose (0-30 mg L<sup>-1</sup>) of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, cell density, and strain. At 1 × 10<sup>5</sup> cells mL<sup>-1</sup>, 4 mg H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> L<sup>-1</sup> significantly reduced cell density, photosynthetic efficiency, toxins, and N<sub>2</sub>-fixation rates of all strains (p < 0.05 for all compared to controls). At 1 × 10<sup>6</sup> cells mL<sup>-1</sup>, however, higher doses of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> were needed to reduce one or more of the variables, with some strains unaffected by as much as 15 mg L<sup>-1</sup>, a concentration known to harm zooplankton and invertebrates. While H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> degraded anatoxin-a at all cell densities and doses, at 1 × 10<sup>6</sup> cells mL<sup>-1</sup> neither microcystin nor saxitoxin were significantly degraded after four days, even by 15 mg H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> L<sup>-1</sup>, despite significant reduction in Dolichospermum cell densities. This finding suggests that during dense Dolichospermum blooms, H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> treatment may destroy cells but may concurrently liberate saxitoxin or microcystin that persists in the water column and enters food webs. Collectively, this study demonstrated that although H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> can efficiently lyse Dolichospermum cells, doses needed to mitigate dense blooms of all strain types (≥15 mg L<sup>-1</sup>) may harm non-target organisms and may not effectively degrade saxitoxin and microcystin.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"387 ","pages":"125696"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144155395","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}
Nasibeh Azizi-Khereshki, Hassan Zavvar Mousavi, Majid Farsadrooh, Mehdi Evazalipour, Mehran Feizi-Dehnayebi, Ghodsi Mohammadi Ziarani, Maged Henary, Sami Rtimi, Tejraj M Aminabhavi
{"title":"Biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles for colorimetric detection of Fe<sup>3+</sup> in environmental samples: DFT calculations and molecular docking studies.","authors":"Nasibeh Azizi-Khereshki, Hassan Zavvar Mousavi, Majid Farsadrooh, Mehdi Evazalipour, Mehran Feizi-Dehnayebi, Ghodsi Mohammadi Ziarani, Maged Henary, Sami Rtimi, Tejraj M Aminabhavi","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125880","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125880","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Olive leaf (OL) extract, rich in phenolic compounds, was employed as a green reductant and capping agent for the biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), providing an eco-friendly alternative to conventional chemical methods. The OL-Ag NPs demonstrated dual functionality as a colorimetric Fe<sup>3+</sup> sensor and broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, characterized by DLS, UV-vis spectroscopy, FT-IR, XRD, and FE-SEM. Optimization of the Fe<sup>3+</sup> sensing parameters via CCD combined with RSM identified optimal conditions of pH 5.8, 211 μL probe volume, and 3 min complexation time, resulting in rapid detection with a visible color change from pale yellow to dark green. The interference study demonstrated that OL-Ag NPs selectively detect Fe<sup>3+</sup> in aqueous samples through Fe<sup>3+</sup>-specific chelation-induced agglomeration, exhibiting no cross-reactivity with coexisting ions. DFT calculations elucidated the stable interaction mechanism between OL-Ag NPs and Fe<sup>3+</sup> ions, supported by molecular electrostatic potential maps and binding energy analyses. The colorimetric nanoprobe exhibited excellent selectivity for Fe<sup>3+</sup> over competing metal ions, with a low detection limit (LOD) of 0.81 μM and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 2.7 μM. Field-deployable test strips enabled rapid on-site detection of Fe<sup>3+</sup> ions, exhibiting concentration-dependent color shifts from pale yellow to dark green. The sensor achieved recoveries of 86-92.5 % in real water samples, consistent with ICP-OES results. Biological evaluations of OL-Ag NPs revealed strong antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones of 1.6 mm against B. subtilis (highest growth inhibition), 1.2 mm against S. aureus and E. coli, and 1.0 mm against P. aeruginosa (lowest growth inhibition), comparable to gentamicin. Molecular docking simulations supported these findings, showing binding free energies of -8.41 kcal/mol with S. aureus and -4.65 kcal/mol with E. coli proteins. Cytotoxicity assays on Hu02 cells indicated low toxicity and effective cellular uptake, with intracellular imaging confirming Fe<sup>3+</sup> detection capability. Overall, this study presents a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally benign synthesis of OL-Ag NPs with dual functionality as a highly sensitive colorimetric sensor for Fe<sup>3+</sup> and an effective antimicrobial agent, promising broad applications in environmental monitoring and biomedicine.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"387 ","pages":"125880"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144172378","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":"Moran's I of VRPAD: A human activity-sensitive spatial pattern index for vegetation restoration evaluation.","authors":"Daojun Zhang, Yu Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125948","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125948","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Vegetation is a fundamental component of ecosystems, and its coverage plays a crucial role in ecosystem assessments. While the Vegetation Coverage Degree (VCD) reflects vegetative growth, the spatial distribution patterns of vegetation are of greater interest. Traditionally, detecting vegetation coverage patterns and their changes involved measuring the spatial autocorrelation of VCD, with Moran's I being the prevalent indicator. However, VCD is influenced by regional natural resource endowments, causing natural patterns to largely determine vegetation coverage patterns. Consequently, Moran's I of VCD lacks cross-regional comparability, making it unsuitable for evaluating differences in vegetation restoration caused by human-driven ecological restoration efforts in various regions. In this study, we introduce the Vegetation Restoration Potential Achievement Degree (VRPAD), calculated by dividing the VCD by the theoretical maximum VCD determined based on local natural conditions. VRPAD effectively filters out the influence of natural resource endowments, thereby better reflecting the outcomes of human intervention. Therefore, the proposed Moran's I of VRPAD in this paper is expected to be sensitive to human activities and serve as a landscape-level indicator. More importantly, as disturbances minimizes after the implementation of vegetation restoration projects, VRPAD and its Moran's I theoretically tend towards 1 and 0, respectively, over time. The magnitude and variations of this novel indicator provide broad spatiotemporal comparability, which is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of ecological restoration and delineating the stages of vegetation restoration.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"387 ","pages":"125948"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144172389","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":"Building efficiency: How the national AI innovation pilot zones enhance green energy utilization? Evidence from China.","authors":"Bo-Qiang Lin, Yu-Xin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125945","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125945","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Improving energy efficiency is a pivotal strategy for achieving energy conservation, emission reduction, and green development goals, while also serving as a critical indicator for evaluating high-quality economic growth and sustainable development. Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely regarded as a transformative force, offering new opportunities to advance green and sustainable development objectives. This study leverages the phased implementation of China's National Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Development Pilot Zone policy at the city level in 2019, using panel data from 287 cities spanning 2009 to 2022. A multi-period difference-in-differences model is constructed to examine the impact and mechanisms of AI pilot zone development on energy efficiency. The findings reveal the following: (1) The establishment of next-generation AI innovation and development pilot zones significantly enhances energy efficiency in pilot cities. (2) Optimizing energy consumption structures and fostering green technological innovation are key channels through which the AI pilot policy improves energy efficiency. (3) The effect of AI pilot zone development on energy efficiency is more pronounced in cities with stringent environmental regulations, higher levels of economic development (e.g., eastern regions), and robust human capital and digital infrastructure. (4) Spatial Durbin model analysis indicates that the construction of AI innovation pilot zones not only boosts energy efficiency in pilot cities but also exerts a significant positive spillover effect on surrounding cities. This study provides fresh evidence on the role of AI in promoting green and sustainable development amid the digital transformation, offering policy insights to deepen AI applications in support of a clean, low-carbon transition.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"387 ","pages":"125945"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144155375","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":"China's provincial long-term carbon emissions reduction planning considering fairness, efficiency and gradualness: A multi-objective programming approach.","authors":"Rui Liu, Fengjie Liao, Quande Qin","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125856","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125856","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates the imperative challenge of achieving carbon neutrality in China by implementing effective strategies for carbon emissions. While existing studies on carbon emissions reduction often focus on efficiency or fairness in isolation, few provide a comprehensive framework that integrates efficiency, fairness, and gradualness-key principles for achieving carbon neutrality in a diverse and dynamic context like China. To address this gap, the study presents an innovative multi-objective optimization model meticulously designed for long-term provincial carbon emissions reduction planning. Prioritizing these three principles, this model serves as a powerful tool in guiding policy formulation. The paper introduces the MNSGA-III, a novel multi-objective genetic algorithm with distinctive features like initial solution generation, dedicated crossover, and mutation operations, offering a refined method to navigate this complex landscape. The study further provides cost estimates for achieving carbon neutrality under optimistic, neutral, and pessimistic scenarios, illuminating the financial implications. Additionally, it underscores the urgent need for ambitious mitigation strategies aligned with the IPCC's guidelines to limit global warming to 1.5 °C with 50 % certainty. These findings provide policymakers scientifically robust insights for effective carbon emissions reduction planning.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"387 ","pages":"125856"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144155389","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":"Combining source identification and risk assessment to uncover spatial risk patterns in an agricultural lake.","authors":"Jiaxun Guo, Yu Xie, Xuekai Dou, Weixiao Qi, Yunjie Liao, Xiaofeng Cao, Jianfeng Peng, Huijuan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125966","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125966","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pollutant source identification and risk assessment underpin environmental management, necessitating innovative methods for both pollution source identification and comprehensive evaluation to enhance management efficiency. In this study, we developed a novel integrated framework that combines Bayesian isotope mixing, positive matrix factorization (PMF), random forest, and spatial autocorrelation for multi-pollutant source identification and risk assessment. The Bayesian isotope mixing model revealed that fertilizers accounted for 61 % of the nitrate in the lake and 46 % of the nitrate in the river. Furthermore, PMF analysis indicated that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments and soil were primarily sourced from vehicular emissions (32 %), while heavy metals (40 %) were mainly from vehicular emissions and agricultural activities. Using a comprehensive pollution assessment framework for water and sediment quality, we found that water quality ranged from \"medium\" to \"excellent\", and sediment quality ranged from \"good\" to \"excellent\". Among various evaluation indices, COD<sub>Mn</sub>, As, F<sup>-</sup>, TP, Pb, and Zn were pivotal in determining comprehensive water quality. Key indices for sediment quality evaluation included Flua, BaP, BaA, Pyr, Ant, Pb, and As, primarily sourced from automobile emissions and agricultural activities. Spatial autocorrelation analysis demonstrated a spatial relationship between water quality and sediment quality, covering 43 % of the area. High-pollution areas (13 %) were concentrated around natural river inlets, while low-pollution zones (17 %) were located near ecological water replenishment river inlets. This underscores the significant influence of inflowing water quality on sediment conditions. This study highlights the development of a comprehensive pollution assessment framework to evaluate sediment and soil pollution, as well as to identify high-risk zones of compound pollution in water and sediment. Furthermore, the framework's universal applicability for agricultural lake systems enables the identification of high-risk zones through water-sediment interaction analysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"387 ","pages":"125966"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144172380","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 method for appropriate sizing of sewerage zones from sustainability and resilience perspectives using scaled decentralization.","authors":"Shweta Lokhande, Pradip P Kalbar","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125904","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125904","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The sustainability of wastewater infrastructure is an increasing consideration for wastewater practitioners. Researchers have debated whether centralized or decentralized sewerage infrastructure should be adopted. Considering the trade-offs in both approaches, a balanced integration of decentralization and centralization with an emphasis on implementing the infrastructure at an optimal scale is suggested. In the present work, the trade-offs between these configurations through various sustainability and resilience parameters are discussed first. Further, a novel methodology is developed to prevent mega-centralization in cities, by proposing appropriate sizing of the sewerage zones for a city or a region from sustainability and resilience perspectives. The study demonstrates the application of the proposed method for sewerage planning in new cities. Also, it demonstrates the usage of the method for existing cities sewerage infrastructure across four urban local bodies, namely Pune, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Pimpri Chinchwad. While Pune, Navi Mumbai and Pimpri Chinchwad have distributed capacities of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) across the city, Mumbai is observed to have highly centralized and highly decentralized STPs. By assessing the deviations of installed STP capacities from the proposed sizing, a discussion is made regarding retrofitting options for sewerage infrastructure. This work is significant for the urban planning of sewerage infrastructure, is relevant for diverse stakeholders, and can serve as a wastewater management strategy to achieve sustainability and resilience.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"387 ","pages":"125904"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144155371","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":"Political and financial risks in developing countries: Implications for energy security and the transition to renewable energy.","authors":"Aiman Javed, Junaid Ashraf, Li Yong","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125961","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125961","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates the impact of political and financial risks on energy security (ES) and renewable energy adoption (REA) in developing countries. Utilizing a dynamic panel data approach with the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator, we assess how these risks influence various indicators of energy security and renewable energy investment across 36 developing countries from 1990 to 2022. Our empirical findings reveal that reducing political and financial risks enhances energy security and facilitates the transition to renewable energy sources. Lower political risk creates a stable environment conducive to long-term investments in the energy sector, while reduced financial risk lowers the cost of capital, making large-scale energy projects more feasible. The interaction of these risks fosters investor confidence, attracts foreign direct investment, and promotes innovation and competition within the energy sector. Additionally, GDP growth and trade openness positively impact ES and REA by providing financial resources and enabling the exchange of advanced technologies. However, high human capital levels may increase energy consumption due to greater economic activity and higher living standards, posing challenges to energy security and the renewable transition. These insights offer valuable policy recommendations for enhancing energy security and promoting sustainable energy transitions in politically and financially volatile environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"387 ","pages":"125961"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144172010","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 heat inequalities through the integration of building morphologies and socioeconomic conditions.","authors":"Yi Zhou, Yuchao Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125967","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125967","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The spatial heterogeneity of the urban heat environment is shaped by building morphology, while socioeconomic disparities dictate residents' exposure to heat stress. However, limited research integrates these factors to assess heat inequalities, which is crucial for identifying vulnerable areas most susceptible to urban heat. Therefore, this study examines heat inequality in six Chinese megacities by mapping neighborhood-level building morphologies, focusing on building density and height and integrating socioeconomic data. The analysis shows that neighborhoods of high density & low-rise (HDLR) and high density & mid-rise (HDMR) experience higher normalized land surface temperatures (NLSTs) compared to others. In contrast, medium density & high-rise (MDHR) and low density & high-rise (LDHR) have the lowest NLSTs. Higher population density and lower NDVI in older neighborhoods lead to more anthropogenic heat emissions and limited cooling, resulting in higher NLST in areas with the same building morphology here. Additionally, NLST generally decreases as house prices rise, with undeveloped areas showing slightly higher NLST due to lower NDVI. Consequently, the neighborhood of HDLR, especially those with older buildings and lower house prices, are the most vulnerable to urban heat in Chinese megacities and we emphasize mitigating this inequality through increased urban greenery.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"387 ","pages":"125967"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144155373","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}
Qingxin Luo, Haowen Tan, Mao Ye, Eun Hea Jho, Peng Wang, Babar Iqbal, Xin Zhao, Hui Shi, Hanqiang Lu, Guanlin Li
{"title":"Microplastics as an emerging threat to human health: An overview of potential health impacts.","authors":"Qingxin Luo, Haowen Tan, Mao Ye, Eun Hea Jho, Peng Wang, Babar Iqbal, Xin Zhao, Hui Shi, Hanqiang Lu, Guanlin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125915","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125915","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microplastics have emerged as a pervasive environmental pollutant and can infiltrate the human body through ingestion via the digestive tract, inhalation via the respiratory system, and dermal contact, thereby posing significant implications for human health. Recent studies have confirmed the presence of microplastics in human tissues, including the placenta, blood, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and reproductive organs, raising serious concerns about their potential toxicological effects. Due to the diverse sizes, types, shapes, and surface characteristics of microplastics, the pathways through which they reach various organs and their toxic effects on these organs can vary significantly. Despite growing evidence, the exposure pathways, toxic effects of microplastics on human health, and their underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. This review provides a comprehensive overview of microplastic exposure pathways, their potential health risks, the emerging evidence linking microplastics to diseases, and existing research gaps. Additionally, the present review highlights the risks of microplastics to children's health. Children are particularly at risk due to their frequent hand-to-mouth behaviors, higher ventilation rates relative to body size, and immature biological barriers, all of which enhance their susceptibility to microplastic exposure and toxicity. By providing an integrated overview of microplastic exposure and its health risks, this review seeks to inform the pressing need for multidisciplinary research to elucidate the mechanisms of microplastic toxicity and to develop regulatory frameworks aimed at mitigating microplastic-related hazards.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"387 ","pages":"125915"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144172387","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}