Hongfa Zhang, Likun Yang, Zeda Song, Xi Wang, Jiawei Xu, Shaoyun Cai, Xiaoqiong Sun, Jinlin Liu, Fan Xu, Baolin Duan, Yaguang Wang, Hongwei Wang
{"title":"Non-equilibrium Recovery of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities Following Ecological Restoration in a Large Shallow Lake: Evidence from Five-Year Monitoring.","authors":"Hongfa Zhang, Likun Yang, Zeda Song, Xi Wang, Jiawei Xu, Shaoyun Cai, Xiaoqiong Sun, Jinlin Liu, Fan Xu, Baolin Duan, Yaguang Wang, Hongwei Wang","doi":"10.1007/s00128-026-04315-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00128-026-04315-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Baiyangdian Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the North China Plain, plays a crucial role in regional ecology and hydrology. Benthic macroinvertebrates are widely recognized as important bioindicators for assessing the ecological health of lake ecosystems. Following the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area, comprehensive ecological restoration was implemented from 2019 to 2023, yet the recovery status of benthic communities remains inadequately understood. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the temporal and spatial dynamics of benthic macroinvertebrates using Generalized Additive Models (GAMs). A total of 449 individuals of benthic macroinvertebrates were identified, belonging to 3 phyla (Mollusca, Annelida, and Arthropoda), 6 classes, 7 orders, 7 families, and 20 genera. Five dominant species were identified: Propsilocerus akamusi, Bellamya aeruginosa, Cipangopaludina cathayensis, Chironomus flaviplumus, and Bellamya purificata. The Shannon-Wiener diversity (H') and Margalef richness (D) indices showed non-significant upward trends (p > 0.05), increasing from 0.708 to 1.854 and from 0.638 to 2.875, respectively. Biomass showed a significant increasing trend, peaking at 427.02 g/m<sup>2</sup> in 2023 (357.9% increase relative to 2019), whereas density fluctuated without directional pattern. Significant phylum-level restructuring occurred: Arthropoda abundance declined, with C. flaviplumus showing a highly significant decreasing trend (edf = 1.49, p < 0.001) and P. akamusi collapsing from 98 individuals (2019) to 2 (2023); conversely, Annelida richness exhibited a significant non-linear increasing trend (edf = 1.91, p = 0.045) and Mollusca abundance showed a marginally significant quadratic trend (edf = 1.92, p = 0.060). Negative correlations between Arthropoda versus Mollusca (r = -0.60) and Annelida (r = -0.45) abundances indicate competitive replacement dynamics. Pronounced spatial heterogeneity characterized recovery trajectories: former aquaculture sites (Quantou) exhibited pioneer species collapse without immediate replacement, while macrophyte-revegetated areas (Nanliuzhuang) demonstrated successful gastropod colonization. These findings indicate that while water quality improvement has initiated community reorganization from r-selected, pollution-tolerant assemblages toward K-selected, competitive dominants, the benthic macroinvertebrate community remains in a non-equilibrium, early-stage recovery state. The observed temporal asynchrony and spatial variability underscore that ecosystem stabilization has not yet been achieved. This study provides a scientific basis for adaptive management of restored lake ecosystems and underscores the necessity of long-term monitoring to track the trajectory toward full ecosystem stabilization.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"117 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148704847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Pranit B Gajbhiye, Sumedh K Humane, Samaya S Humane, T Dileep Abdul Kalam
{"title":"Apportionment and Environmental Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements in Chodha Lake Core Sediments, Korba Region, Central India.","authors":"Pranit B Gajbhiye, Sumedh K Humane, Samaya S Humane, T Dileep Abdul Kalam","doi":"10.1007/s00128-026-04310-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00128-026-04310-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Chodha Lake sediment core of Korba district, Chhattisgarh was investigated for 10 potentially toxic elements to asses metal pollution, their sources, past apportionment and eco-environmental risks. Geochemical analysis was performed with the help of X-ray Fluorescence spectrometer. The discrete sources of the potentially toxic elements were distinguished mainly using principal component analysis and factor analysis. The core sediments show elevated concentrations of Potentially toxic elements, with notable enrichment in Fe, Cr, Mn and Co, while Cu, V, Zn and Ni also exhibit relatively high levels. Cu, V, Pb, and Cr pollution was mainly related to the adjoining coal productions, particularly burning of coal and associated fly ash. The contamination of Mn and Fe may be attributable to coal mine tailings and allied rock fragments. On the contrary, Al, Ni and Zn indicate their geogenic origin derived largely from the weathering and erosion of soils of the study region. The various levels of contamination are interpreted based on the pollution indices. Most of the elements indicated their moderate enrichment in the sediment core, whereas moderate to substantial levels of contamination was exhibited by Fe and excessive contamination by Cobalt. The moderate to substantial degree of pollution based on the Index of geo-accumulation was revealed by Fe, Zn and Mn. However, all the core sediments confirm the consistent low potential ecological risk to aquatic life.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"117 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148676629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Xiaoci Li, Yulian Gao, Jing Chen, Jean-Marc Chovelon, Yuefei Ji
{"title":"The Ecotoxicologically Relevant Photoproduct of Naproxen: Formation Yields via Distinct Photochemical Pathways and Modeling Simulation of Its Occurrence in Natural Waters.","authors":"Xiaoci Li, Yulian Gao, Jing Chen, Jean-Marc Chovelon, Yuefei Ji","doi":"10.1007/s00128-026-04309-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00128-026-04309-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>2-Acetyl-6-methoxynaphthalene (2A6MN) is an important photoproduct of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug naproxen (NPX) with high ecotoxicity. Herein, we determined the formation yields of 2A6MN from NPX transformation through various photoreaction pathways (including direct photolysis and reactions with hydroxyl radical (HO·), carbonate radical (CO<sub>3</sub><sup>·-</sup>), and the triplet state of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (<sup>3</sup>CDOM<sup>*</sup>)), and identified the critical environmental factors affecting its formation through photochemical modeling. Results show that the primary photochemical pathways for the formation of 2A6MN included reactions with <sup>3</sup>CDOM<sup>*</sup> (44.8%), CO<sub>3</sub><sup>·-</sup> (41.3%), and direct photolysis (18.1%). Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was the critical environmental factor influencing the formation of 2A6MN. However, water depth, nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>) and nitrite (NO<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup>) concentrations hardly affected the overall formation yields of 2A6MN. Results elucidate the characteristics of water bodies susceptible to the formation of ecotoxicologically relevant photoproduct, and permit a better assessment of the environmental risks and fate of NPX.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"117 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148597506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Juan Wang, Jiru Li, Ning Chen, Fengxiao Zhu, Guodong Fang, Yujun Wang, Jianqin Ma, Furong Yu
{"title":"Low-Concentration Oxidants for Mitigating Continuous Cropping Obstacles: Improving Soil Properties and Microbial Functionality.","authors":"Juan Wang, Jiru Li, Ning Chen, Fengxiao Zhu, Guodong Fang, Yujun Wang, Jianqin Ma, Furong Yu","doi":"10.1007/s00128-026-04280-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00128-026-04280-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Continuous cropping obstacles (CCO) are common and severe in ginger cultivation. The use of oxidants to improve CCO-affected soils remains insufficiently explored. This study evaluated the effects of urea hydrogen peroxide (UHP), sodium persulfate (PS), and peracetic acid (PAA) on soil microbial communities and physicochemical properties. In the short term, oxidant treatments, especially PAA, significantly enriched beneficial taxa (e.g., Firmicutes, Actinobacteriota, Bacillales, Ascomycota) while suppressing the pathogenic Cercozoa (- 38.1%), except under UHP. All oxidants significantly increased dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content and enhanced the availability of essential macro- and micronutrients. PAA exhibited the most pronounced effects across multiple soil parameters, with significant increases in available phosphorus (AP, 144.7%), available potassium (AK, 7.9%), dissolved organic carbon (DOC, 6255.5%), and micronutrients, including iron (Fe, 110.5%), manganese (Mn, 13,991.7%), and zinc (Zn, 55.7%). These results indicate that low concentrations of PAA can effectively modify soil physicochemical properties, enhance soil fertility, and regulate microbial community structure, suggesting its potential as a novel approach for improving CCO-affected agricultural soils.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"117 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148590201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Optimizing Soil Health and Productivity in Intensive Rice-Wheat Systems Using Conjoint Application of Sewage Sludge.","authors":"Surendra Singh Jatav, Satish Kumar Singh, Debabrata Nath, Vandana Kumari, Pramod Kumar Sharma","doi":"10.1007/s00128-026-04295-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00128-026-04295-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study assessed the long-term sustainability of integrating sewage sludge (SSL) with recommended (100%) or reduced (75%) doses of chemical fertilizers to enhance soil health, crop productivity, and reduce dependency on synthetic fertilizer inputs in the intensive rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS). A field experiment, established in 2010 and evaluated from 2017 to 2020 in Uttar Pradesh, India, employed nine nutrient management treatments in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments included sole application of 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF: N:P: K::120:60:60) and combinations of sewage sludge (20 or 30 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) with either 100% or 75% RDF. Soil (0-15 cm) physicochemical and biological properties were analyzed to identify key soil health indicators (SHIs) and compute a soil health index (SHI). Integrated treatments significantly outperformed sole RDF, with T<sub>3</sub> (100% RDF + 30 t ha<sup>-1</sup> SSL), T<sub>2</sub> (100% RDF + 20 t ha<sup>-1</sup> SSL), and T<sub>9</sub> (75% RDF + 30 t ha<sup>-1</sup> SSL) yielding highest productivity and SHI (0.85-1.0). Alkaline phosphatase, available K, and microbial biomass N were most sensitive SHIs. T<sub>3</sub> notably boosted soil organic carbon, water-holding capacity, and nutrients while lowering bulk density, without exceeding the heavy metal thresholds promoting resilient RWCS aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"117 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148560527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Nora Kováts, Bettina Eck-Varanka, Katalin Hubai, József Rádi, Gábor Teke
{"title":"Combined Effects of Air Pollution and Drought Stress in Tomato Landraces.","authors":"Nora Kováts, Bettina Eck-Varanka, Katalin Hubai, József Rádi, Gábor Teke","doi":"10.1007/s00128-026-04305-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00128-026-04305-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In Europe, agriculture has been seriously affected by the increased frequency of droughts. Agricultural fields are also exposed to traffic-related air pollution. Air pollution and drought elucidate simultaneous stress, which has been scarcely studied. The major objective of the study was to evaluate the combined effects of air pollution and drought stress on different tomato varieties/landraces. 3 commercial varieties as well as 2 Hungarian landraces were selected, effects of the combined stressors were evaluated based on biomass reduction and biochemical end-points such as photosynthetic pigments concentrations and peroxidase (POD) activity. Air pollution was simulated by treating test plants according to the No. 227 OECD Guideline. Differences were experienced in the sensitivity of varieties, landraces tested: the regional landrace 'Tápiószelei' proved the most tolerant to any combination of treatments. Results stress the importance of the cultivation of regional landraces to cope with environmental stress in a changing climate.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"117 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13391766/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148560475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ken G Drouillard, Ava Cashera, Melanie Gosselin, Dennis Otieno, Nargis Ismail, Julie Charlton, Crystal Antaya, Melanie LeFaive, Tammy Dobbie
{"title":"Stable Isotopes, Mercury and Organochlorines in the Eastern Foxsnake (Pantherophis vulpinus) and Eastern Gartersnake (Thamnophis siratilis sistalis) from Southwestern Ontario, Canada.","authors":"Ken G Drouillard, Ava Cashera, Melanie Gosselin, Dennis Otieno, Nargis Ismail, Julie Charlton, Crystal Antaya, Melanie LeFaive, Tammy Dobbie","doi":"10.1007/s00128-026-04302-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00128-026-04302-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Road-killed Eastern Foxsnakes (Pantherophis vulpinus) and Eastern Gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) from Southwestern Ontario, Canada, inclusive of samples from Point Pelee National Park (PPNP), were analysed for stable isotopes, mercury and organochlorines. Stable isotopes revealed differences in feeding ecology between the species, with foxsnakes presenting higher trophic status relative to gartersnakes at PPNP. Total Hg did not differ between location, species or body size. Foxsnakes from PPNP were enriched in ∑PCBs and ∑DDTs over gartersnakes but also distinct in chemical signatures from foxsnakes from other locations. 30% of foxsnakes and gartersnakes from PPNP had ∑DDTs/∑PCBs ratios > 2 suggesting foraging ranges of some individuals overlap with former DDT application areas of the park. Hazard assessment revealed high ∑DDT concentrations relative to Canadian tissue residue guidelines for the protection of wildlife in some individual foxsnakes from PPNP, but not for gartersnakes.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"117 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148560433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Characterisation and Detoxification Mechanisms of Agrowaste-Derived Biochars Containing Nanosized Particles for Contaminants of Environmental Concern.","authors":"Kishore Kumar Krishnani, Veera Mallu Boddu, Ajit Kumar Verma, Govindarajan Venkatesh, Vidya Shree Bharti, Ajay Upadhyay, Moturi Muralidhar, Neeraj Kumar, Gayatri Tripathi, Narinder Kumar Chadha, Sanjay Kumar Gupta","doi":"10.1007/s00128-026-04306-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00128-026-04306-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the present study, characterisation of (nano-)biochars(NBCs) derived from agro-wastes using BET, CHNS/O, TGA/DSC, FTIR, SEM, TEM, AAS, and ICP-MS analyses confirmed physical integrity, crystalline and homogenous nature of biochars, including their elemental composition, moisture, and ash content, nanosized particles (25-100 nm), and the presence of functional groups. Maximum adsorption capacity of NBCs derived from bagasse, maize stalk, and paddy straw was found to be 66.10 ± 1.06, 75.61 ± 1.28, 73.04 ± 1.04 mg/g for lead, and 29.05 ± 0.96, 66.07 ± 1.15, 61.76 ± 1.02 mg/g for cadmium, which indicated that maize stalk biochar is the most effective. These NBCs effectively remove chromium in the range of 24.6-53.8 mg/g at a lower pH of 2.2 due to electron-donating groups; however, they were ineffective at a higher pH value of 7 because of electrostatic repulsion with negatively charged functional groups and differences in chemical speciation, surface charge, and redox potential. Pyrolysis enhanced the properties of biosorbents by increasing their porosity, surface area, and concentration of key minerals suitable for ion exchange. None of the NBCs removed ammonia and nitrite effectively. NBCs have potential applications for heavy metals removal and mitigation of stresses for climate-resilient agriculture due to their stability, recalcitrance, and water retention capacity.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"117 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148454308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Jeong Woo Jang, Dongwoo Kang, Jaehong Park, Dohyeon Kim, Subong Jeong, Seri Choi, Sechan Kim, Doyeon Kim
{"title":"Ecological Potential of Moss Application for Soil Physicochemical Improvement in Reclaimed Coastal Lands.","authors":"Jeong Woo Jang, Dongwoo Kang, Jaehong Park, Dohyeon Kim, Subong Jeong, Seri Choi, Sechan Kim, Doyeon Kim","doi":"10.1007/s00128-026-04308-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00128-026-04308-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Reclaimed coastal soils often exhibit low organic matter, weak nutrient-holding capacity, and salinity-related constraints that limit vegetation establishment. This study examined whether living moss inoculation induces early physicochemical changes in the surface layer of reclaimed coastal soil under controlled conditions from Taean, South Korea. The work comprised baseline site characterization followed by a 4-week controlled pot experiment using three moss species (Hypnum plumaeforme, Ceratodon purpureus, and Racomitrium lanuginosum). Moss inoculum was prepared from propagated vegetative material with visibly green tissues and applied as a slurry at 10 g fresh moss per pot (1:50 w/w). The independent variable was moss treatment, and the dependent variables were qualitative establishment and post-incubation soil chemical properties. Five independent pots were used per treatment. Visible establishment occurred within approximately 2 weeks in all moss-treated pots. Across treatments, soil pH decreased, whereas available phosphate (AP), organic matter (OM), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) increased relative to the untreated control. These findings indicate that living moss inoculation can alter fertility-related properties of reclaimed coastal soil under controlled conditions. Because the experiment was short-term, pot-based, and did not quantify moss growth, the results should be interpreted as a preliminary proof-of-concept rather than direct evidence of field-scale restoration.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"117 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148443667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Zafar Iqbal Khan, Kafeel Ahmad, Asma Ashfaq, Sana Anwar, Shahzad Akhtar, Ijaz Rasool Noorka, Muhammad Irfan Ashraf, Ilker Ugulu
{"title":"Nickel and Cobalt Accumulation and Human Health Risk in Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Under Wastewater Irrigation: A Soil-Plant Transfer Assessment.","authors":"Zafar Iqbal Khan, Kafeel Ahmad, Asma Ashfaq, Sana Anwar, Shahzad Akhtar, Ijaz Rasool Noorka, Muhammad Irfan Ashraf, Ilker Ugulu","doi":"10.1007/s00128-026-04307-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00128-026-04307-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to evaluate the accumulation of nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) and their associated human health risks in two guava varieties (Gola and Surahi) grown under contrasting irrigation systems. For the analysis of Ni and Co, samples of water, soil, and fruits were collected from peri-urban areas, Chak 81 S.B (Site I) and 88 S.B (Site II) of Sargodha, Pakistan, which were irrigated with tube well water and wastewater, respectively. The mean values of Ni and Co were found in the range of 0.043 to 0.217 and 0.017 to 0.040 mg/L in water, 1.070 to 1.254 and 1.032 to 1.248 mg/kg in soil, and 0.281 to 0.582 and 0.202 to 0.252 mg/kg in fruit samples, respectively. The health risk assessment revealed that only Ni exceeded the safety threshold (maximum HRI = 1.113), indicating a potential health concern associated with the consumption of wastewater-irrigated guava, whereas all Co HRI values remained below 1 and did not indicate a significant health risk. These findings suggest that prolonged use of wastewater for irrigation should be carefully monitored and managed to minimize potential health risks associated with nickel accumulation in the food chain.</p>","PeriodicalId":501,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"117 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148443630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}