Environmental Sciences Europe最新文献

{"title":"Identification of microplastic fibres released from COVID-19 test swabs with Raman imaging","authors":"Cheng Fang,&nbsp;Yunlong Luo,&nbsp;Clarence Chuah,&nbsp;Ravi Naidu","doi":"10.1186/s12302-023-00737-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-023-00737-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over, and it has been generating lots of plastic wastes that become a big concern. To catch the virus, for example, no matter via antigen or PCR test, swab is generally used for sampling. Unfortunately, the swab tip is commonly made of plastics, and thus it can be a potential source of microplastics. This study aims to propose and optimise several Raman imaging to identify the microplastic fibres released from different COVID-19 test swabs.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The results show that Raman imaging can effectively identify and visualise the microplastic fibres released from the swabs. In the meantime, on the surface of the fibres, additives such as titanium oxide particles are also captured for some brands of swabs. To increase the result certainty, scanning electron microscope (SEM) is first employed to get the morphology of the released microplastic fibres, along with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to confirm the presence of titanium element. Then, Raman imaging is advanced to identify and visualise the microplastics and titanium oxide particles, from different characteristic peaks in the scanning spectrum matrix. To further increase the imaging certainty, these images can be merged and cross-checked using algorithms, or the raw data from the scanning spectrum matrix can be analysed and decoded via chemometrics, such as principal component analysis (PCA). Beyond the advantages, the disadvantages of the confocal Raman imaging (affected by focal height) and algorithms (non-supervised calculation) are also discussed and intentionally corrected. In brief, the imaging analysis (particularly the combined SEM with Raman) is recommended to avoid the possible result bias that might be generated from the single spectrum analysis at a selective but random position.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Overall, the results indicate that Raman imaging can be a useful tool to detect microplastics. The results also send us a strong warning that, if we worry about the potential microplastics contamination, we should be cautious to select the suitable COVID-19 testing kits.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":54293,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2023-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://enveurope.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12302-023-00737-0","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4265791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

{"title":"Comparison of environmental intolerances and symptoms between patients with multiple chemical sensitivity, subjects with self-reported electromagnetic hypersensitivity, patients with bronchial asthma, and the general population","authors":"Atsushi Mizukoshi,&nbsp;Sachiko Hojo,&nbsp;Kenichi Azuma,&nbsp;Masami Mizuki,&nbsp;Mikio Miyata,&nbsp;Hideo Ogura,&nbsp;Kou Sakabe,&nbsp;Naomi Tsurikisawa,&nbsp;Chiyako Oshikata,&nbsp;Jiro Okumura","doi":"10.1186/s12302-023-00735-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-023-00735-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Environmental hypersensitivity/intolerance is considered closely related to allergic diseases. To understand these conditions, the environmental intolerances and symptoms of patients with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), subjects with self-reported electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), patients with bronchial asthma (BA), and the general population were compared using universal questionnaires.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>A survey was conducted from 2012 to 2015. The subjects were categorized in four groups: 111 patients with physician-diagnosed MCS, 119 subjects with self-reported EHS, patients with 98 physician-diagnosed BA, and 619 controls from general population. The Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory and EHS questionnaire were used. The differences between the questionnaire scores among the four groups were tested using logistic regression analyses adjusted for age and gender as covariates.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The MCS and EHS groups had significantly high scores of intolerances to multiple environmental factors, life impact, and multiple symptoms than the BA and control groups. Although the differences between most of these scores of the MCS and EHS groups were not significant, the electromagnetic hypersensitivity reaction was significantly higher in the EHS group than in the MCS group. In addition, the scores for intolerances to chemicals and other compounds, life impact, and several symptoms of the BA group were significantly higher than those of the control group.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>This study clarified the similarities and differences of the environmental intolerances and symptoms between the four groups.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":54293,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2023-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://enveurope.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12302-023-00735-2","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"5143059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

{"title":"Much effort, little success: causes for the low ecological efficacy of restoration measures in German surface waters","authors":"Denise Jasmin Brettschneider,&nbsp;Taschina Spring,&nbsp;Moritz Blumer,&nbsp;Lukas Welge,&nbsp;Andrea Dombrowski,&nbsp;Ulrike Schulte-Oehlmann,&nbsp;Andrea Sundermann,&nbsp;Matthias Oetken,&nbsp;Jörg Oehlmann","doi":"10.1186/s12302-023-00736-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-023-00736-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>For more than 20 years, restoration measures have been conducted on watercourses in Germany to increase habitat diversity and thus promote biodiversity. However, their ecological efficacy often proved to be limited. While some studies report an increase in species diversity, others show little evidence of improvement even many years after the implementation of restoration measures. In general, ecological efficacy of hydromorphological restoration measures is highest for terrestrial and semiaquatic groups of organisms such as floodplain vegetation and ground beetles. According to the literature, macrophytes responded most strongly to in-stream restoration measures, while fish stocks showed little improvement and macroinvertebrates showed little or no effect in terms of species richness and diversity. These findings raise the question of reasons for the low ecological efficacy of hydromorphological restoration measures, especially for macroinvertebrate communities. The following literature review and a case study for the river Horloff will provide possible indications for failing success of intensive restoration measures.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>One reason for the inadequate ecological status of many restored river stretches is the inappropriate scaling of restoration measures. Often, small-scale restoration measures are planned, although the respective water bodies exhibit stressors at the catchment scale that impair the ecological efficacy of restoration measures. In particular, chemical contamination of running waters is often insufficiently addressed in the planning and implementation of restoration measures and hampers efficacy of hydromorphological restoration measures. For a holistic water resource management, the planning and implementation of measures should therefore be more closely coordinated and harmonized between federal states and neighboring countries. For this purpose, the establishment of so-called river basin communities is suitable, as they already exist today on the rivers Rhine, Danube, Meuse, Weser, Elbe, Ems, Eider, Schlei/Trave, Warnow/Peene.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The literature review indicated that for a successful recolonization of restored river stretches by macroinvertebrates and the enhancement of the ecological status, large-scale stressors, i.e., stressors acting at the catchment scale, should be eliminated initially by restoration measures focusing on the chemical contamination and the surrounding land use. Structural restoration measures acting on the reach or local scale should ideally be implemented contemporarily to the removal of large-scale stressors like chemical contamination.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":54293,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2023-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://enveurope.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12302-023-00736-1","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"5137896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

{"title":"A new approach to using Diffusive Gradient in Thin-films (DGT) labile concentration for Water Framework Directive chemical status assessment: adaptation of Environmental Quality Standard to DGT for cadmium, nickel and lead","authors":"Amouroux Isabelle,&nbsp;Jean-Louis Gonzalez,&nbsp;Stephane Guesdon,&nbsp;María Jesús Belzunce-Segarra,&nbsp;Philippe Bersuder,&nbsp;Thi Bolam,&nbsp;Miguel Caetano,&nbsp;Margarida Correia Dos Santos,&nbsp;Joana Larreta,&nbsp;Luc Lebrun,&nbsp;Barbara Marras,&nbsp;Vanessa Millán Gabet,&nbsp;Brendan McHugh,&nbsp;Iratxe Menchaca,&nbsp;Florence Menet-Nédélec,&nbsp;Natalia Montero,&nbsp;Olivier Perceval,&nbsp;Olivier Pierre-Duplessix,&nbsp;Fiona Regan,&nbsp;Jose Germán Rodríguez,&nbsp;Marta Rodrigo Sanz,&nbsp;Marco Schintu,&nbsp;Blánaid White,&nbsp;Hao Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s12302-023-00733-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-023-00733-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Integrative passive samplers, such as DGT (Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films), are identified in European Technical Guidance Documents as promising tools to improve the quality of the assessment, in the context of the WFD (EU Water Framework Directive). However, DGT results cannot yet be used directly in a regulatory framework to assess the chemical status of water bodies, as DGT labile concentrations cannot be directly compared to the metal AA-EQS_{marine water} (Annual Average Environmental Quality Standard) established by the WFD, which are defined in the dissolved concentration. Therefore, prior to using DGT results in a regulatory context, for cadmium, nickel and lead, an adaptation of existing AA-EQS_{marine water} for DGTs should be pursued, ensuring at least the same level of protection. In this sense, in the framework of the MONITOOL project, a robust database of dissolved and labile metal concentrations in transitional and coastal waters, for adapting the existing AA-EQS_{marine water} for DGT technique, was obtained. Building on these results, this study proposes a methodology and provides values and equations for using DGT results for the chemical status assessment of marine waters, by adapting the EQS_{marine water} to adapted EQS_DGT or predicting dissolved concentrations from DGT results. Based on available dataset, a first simulation of “chemical status” assessment per MONITOOL sampling site using DGT measured labile concentrations was carried out and the results were compared to an assessment based on dissolved concentration to check their compliance. These results demonstrate that the use of DGT passive samplers is appropriate for the metal concentrations level encountered in the marine environment. Further work is recommended to test the effectiveness of the methodology proposed in this study under WFD conditions on more sites and to establish common strategy guidelines for the use of DGT passive samplers in monitoring.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":54293,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2023-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://enveurope.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12302-023-00733-4","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"5102258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

{"title":"Correction: PFAS: forever chemicals—persistent, bioaccumulative and mobile. Reviewing the status and the need for their phase out and remediation of contaminated sites","authors":"Hubertus Brunn,&nbsp;Gottfried Arnold,&nbsp;Wolfgang Körner,&nbsp;Gerd Rippen,&nbsp;Klaus Günter Steinhäuser,&nbsp;Ingo Valentin","doi":"10.1186/s12302-023-00730-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-023-00730-7","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54293,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2023-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://enveurope.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12302-023-00730-7","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"5106991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

{"title":"Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and immune system-related diseases: results from the Flemish Environment and Health Study (FLEHS) 2008–2014","authors":"Nicolas van Larebeke,&nbsp;Gudrun Koppen,&nbsp;Sam De Craemer,&nbsp;Ann Colles,&nbsp;Liesbeth Bruckers,&nbsp;Elly Den Hond,&nbsp;Eva Govarts,&nbsp;Bert Morrens,&nbsp;Thomas Schettgen,&nbsp;Sylvie Remy,&nbsp;Dries Coertjens,&nbsp;Tim Nawrot,&nbsp;Vera Nelen,&nbsp;Willy Baeyens,&nbsp;Greet Schoeters","doi":"10.1186/s12302-023-00731-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-023-00731-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The successive FLEHS campaigns assess internal exposure to pollutants and associated early biological and health effects in participants of different age groups.</p><h3>Materials and methods</h3><p>Mother–newborn pairs (<i>N</i> = 220 in 2008–2009, age 18–42 years; <i>N</i> = 269 in 2013–2014, age 18–44 years), 197 adolescents 14–15 years (2010–2011), 201 adults 20–40 years (2008–2009) and 205 adults 50–65 years (2014) were recruited. For the various groups of subjects different sets of PFAS were assessed. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) were determined in cord plasma and peripheral serum as these were the PFAS compounds for which we had access to high quality measurements and which were expected to be present in the highest concentrations. Participants filled out a questionnaire based on the European Community Respiratory Health Survey questionnaire on asthma and allergy. In these cross-sectional studies associations were assessed using stepwise multiple logistic regression, with confounders (including smoking and familial occurrence of the disease) and potential covariates selected on the basis of experience in our previous studies and a literature search. Forest plots of odds ratios summarize the associations between the various PFAS on the one hand and the different immune outcomes on the other hand.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>For several self-reported immune system-related diseases inverse associations with PFAS serum concentrations were observed. These inverse associations were more pronounced in mothers and adults than in adolescents. A significant inverse association was observed in adults and mothers (for mothers based on measurements on cord plasma) between PFNA, PFOS, and PFHxS and asthma (for mothers also for PFOA), in mothers between PFHxS, PFNA and PFOS and allergic rhinitis, in mothers and adults between PFHxS and PFOS and some forms of allergy (for mothers also for PFOA), in adults between PFOA and eczema, and in adolescents between PFOS and systemic allergy.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Internal exposure to PFAS was associated with changes in immunological processes consistent with what has been reported in the literature. Whereas these changes were observed in many publications to be associated with adverse health effects, our findings suggest that they can also lead to inverse associations with certain immune system-related diseases.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":54293,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2023-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://enveurope.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12302-023-00731-6","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"5112098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

{"title":"The need for assessment of risks arising from interactions between NGT organisms from an EU perspective","authors":"Franziska Koller,&nbsp;Meike Schulz,&nbsp;Matthias Juhas,&nbsp;Andreas Bauer-Panskus,&nbsp;Christoph Then","doi":"10.1186/s12302-023-00734-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-023-00734-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>New genomic techniques (NGTs) allow new genotypes and traits to be developed in different ways and with different outcomes compared to previous genetic engineering methods or conventional breeding (including non-targeted mutagenesis). EU GMO regulation requires an assessment of their direct and indirect effects that may be immediate, delayed or cumulative. Such effects may also result from the interactions of NGT organisms simultaneously present in a shared receiving environment or emerge from a combination of their traits. This review elaborates such potential interactions based on a literature review and reasoned scenarios to identify possible pathways to harm.</p><h3>Main findings</h3><p>NGT organisms might be introduced into the environment and food chains on a large-scale, involving many traits, across a broad range of species and within short periods of time. Unavoidably, this would increase the likelihood that direct or indirect effects will occur through interactions between NGT organisms that are, for example simultaneously present within a shared environment. It has to be assumed that the cumulative effects of these NGT organisms may exceed the sum of risks identified in the distinct ‘events’. Consequently, risk assessors and risk managers not only need to consider the risks associated with individual NGT organisms (‘events’), but should also take account of risks resulting from their potential interactions and combinatorial effects. In addition, a prospective technology assessment could help the risk manager in defining criteria to minimize potential unintended interactions between NGT organisms through limiting the scale of releases.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>If genetically engineered (GE) organisms derived from NGTs are released into the environment, their potentially negative impacts need to be minimized. As with all GE organisms, it is, therefore, crucial to not only assess the risks of the individual events, but also their potential interactions which can trigger direct and indirect effects with adverse impacts. It is necessary to develop hypotheses and specific scenarios to explore interactions between NGT organisms and possible pathways to harm from the perspective of the precautionary principle. In addition, the introduction prospective technology assessment could provide an instrument for the risk manager to control the scale of releases of NGT organisms.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":54293,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2023-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://enveurope.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12302-023-00734-3","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4783124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

{"title":"Parametric modelling and analysis to optimize adsorption of Atrazine by MgO/Fe3O4-synthesized porous carbons in water environment","authors":"Lartey-Young George,&nbsp;Limin Ma,&nbsp;Weiwei Zhang,&nbsp;Guodong Yao","doi":"10.1186/s12302-023-00725-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-023-00725-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Pesticide contamination to water, continues to raise ecotoxicological and human concerns. Studying the application of green adsorbents for removing pesticides from water can significantly reduce ecotoxicological impacts and sustain reclamation of water bodies.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The current study investigated the adsorption capacity of MgO/Fe₃O₄ modified coconut shell biochar (MCSB) towards Atrazine removal in water. The prepared adsorbents were structurally constricted and obtained relative amount of mesopore spaces filled by nanoparticles which equally provided active occupancy/binding sites for Atrazine molecule deposition. Equilibrium isotherm studies under temperature regimes of 300 K, 318 K and 328 K were best described by the Freundlich isotherm (<i>R</i>² = 0.95–0.97) with highest adsorption capacity corresponding to the highest temperature range (328 K) at (<i>K</i>_F = 9.60 L mg⁻¹). The kinetics modelling was best fitted to the pseudo second-order kinetic (<i>R</i>² = 0.90–0.98) reaction pathways revealing that Atrazine uptake and removal occurred majorly over non-homogenous surfaces and high influence of surface functional groups in the process. Atrazine uptake by the adsorbent were mostly efficient within pH ranges of 2–6. Thermodynamics values of free energy Δ<i>G</i>° were negative ranging (Δ<i>G</i>° = − 27.50 to − 29.77 kJ mol⁻¹) across the varying reaction temperature indicating an exothermic reaction, while enthalpy (Δ<i>H</i>°) (34.59 kJ mol) and entropy (Δ<i>S</i>°) (90.88 JK⁻¹/mol) values were positive revealing a degree of spontaneity which facilitated Atrazine uptake. The adsorbents regeneration capacities over five cycles were observed to decrease proportionally with maximum yields up to 50–60%. Optimization of the adsorption condition by response surface modelling (RSM) and Central Composite Design (CCD) could reveal optimum conditions for Atrazine removal through interaction of different variables at pH = 12, adsorbate initial concentration at 12 mg L⁻¹, adsorbate dosage at 0.5 g and reaction temperature at 54 °C. The overall mechanisms of the adsorption could be contributed by availability of surface functional groups on the MCSB surface through increase in hydrophilicity facilitating easy Atrazine molecule attachment via hydrogen bonding and improved surface complexation.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The as-synthesized MCSB adsorbent could uptake and remove Atrazine in water. A high pH, low concentration, low adsorbent dosage and high reaction temperature could be optimized conditions to attain highest Atrazine removal by the synthesized adsorbent.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000 <figure><div><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></div></figure>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":54293,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2023-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://enveurope.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12302-023-00725-4","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"5163520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

{"title":"PFAS: forever chemicals—persistent, bioaccumulative and mobile. Reviewing the status and the need for their phase out and remediation of contaminated sites","authors":"Hubertus Brunn,&nbsp;Gottfried Arnold,&nbsp;Wolfgang Körner,&nbsp;Gerd Rippen,&nbsp;Klaus Günter Steinhäuser,&nbsp;Ingo Valentin","doi":"10.1186/s12302-023-00721-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-023-00721-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) have received increasing scientific and political attention in recent years. Several thousand commercially produced compounds are used in numerous products and technical processes. Due to their extreme persistence in the environment, humans and all other life forms are, therefore, increasingly exposed to these substances. In the following review, PFAS will be examined comprehensively.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The best studied PFAS are carboxylic and sulfonic acids with chain lengths of C4 to C14, particularly perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). These substances are harmful to aquatic fauna, insects, and amphibians at concentrations of a few µg/L or less, accumulate in organisms, and biomagnify in food webs. Humans, as the final link in numerous food chains, are subjected to PFAS uptake primarily through food and drinking water. Several PFAS have multiple toxic effects, particularly affecting liver, kidney, thyroid, and the immune system. The latter effect is the basis for the establishment of a tolerable weekly dose of only 4.4 ng/kg body weight for the sum of the four representatives PFOA, PFOS, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2020. Exposure estimates and human biomonitoring show that this value is frequently reached, and in many cases exceeded. PFAS are a major challenge for analysis, especially of products and waste: single-substance analyses capture only a fragment of the large, diverse family of PFAS. As a consequence, sum parameters have gained increasing importance. The high mobility of per and polyfluorinated carboxylic and sulfonic acids makes soil and groundwater pollution at contaminated sites a problem. In general, short-chain PFAS are more mobile than long-chain ones. Processes for soil and groundwater purification and drinking water treatment are often ineffective and expensive. Recycling of PFAS-containing products such as paper and food packaging leads to carryover of the contaminants. Incineration requires high temperatures to completely destroy PFAS. After PFOA, PFOS and a few other perfluorinated carboxylic and sulfonic acids were regulated internationally, many manufacturers and users switched to other PFAS: short-chain representatives, per- and polyfluorinated oxo carboxylic acids, telomeric alcohols and acids. Analytical studies show an increase in environmental concentrations of these chemicals. Ultra-short PFAS (chain length C1–C3) have not been well studied. Among others, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is present globally in rapidly increasing concentrations.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The substitution of individual PFAS recognized as hazardous by other possibly equally hazardous PFAS with virtually unknown chronic toxicity can, therefore, not be a solution. The only answer is a switch to fluorine-free alternatives for all applicatio","PeriodicalId":54293,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2023-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://enveurope.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12302-023-00721-8","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4901901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}

{"title":"Determination of aerobic and anaerobic biological degradability of waste tyres","authors":"Dagmar Samešová,&nbsp;Juraj Poništ,&nbsp;Helena Hybská,&nbsp;Adam Pochyba,&nbsp;Marián Schwarz,&nbsp;Jozef Salva","doi":"10.1186/s12302-023-00723-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-023-00723-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Environmental contamination of rubber from waste tyres poses a risk to the environment. Rubber particles from tyres enter the environment due to the abrasiveness of the road surface. The aim of the scientific work was to observe the biological degradability of waste tyres in aquatic environment and its ecotoxicity. Biodegradability was observed under aerobic and anaerobic conditions that simulate both aerobic and anaerobic conditions in the aquatic natural environment. Aerobic conditions in the aquatic environment take place in flowing fresh water, sea water, lakes. Leachate was prepared to simulate the behaviour of tyres in an aqueous environment. Aerobic degradability was evaluated through complete biodegradability using a 301 F manometric respirometry test. Anaerobic biodegradability was evaluated by measuring biogas production using OECD 311 Anaerobic Biodegradability of Organic Compounds in Digested Sludge. For a better simulation of the natural environment, the pH of the leachates from the tyres was adjusted to a neutral range. It should be noted that standard degradability tests were extended by 7 days due to low biodegradability. Adjusting the pH during the biodegradability test is also a modification of the original test. This modification was used to better simulate biodegradability when the pH of tyres in the natural environment is reduced by acid rain. An essential part of monitoring the behaviour of waste tyres was the assessment of ecotoxicity using standard tests. The contribution of the scientific article lies in the evaluation of the course of decomposition in aerobic and anaerobic conditions with and without pH adjustment and in the use of modified biodegradability tests. The benefit of the scientific work is in the determination of the biodegradability of waste tyres with and without pH treatment, which simulate a comparison of the degradability of tyres in an acid rain environment. Another benefit of the scientific work is the depiction of biodegradation using 3D modelling with calculations of 100% degradability at different input concentrations of waste tyres. Modelling was used for the time for the absolute decomposition of tyres without pH adjustment (outside the acid rain environment) and with pH adjustment (in the acid rain environment). By monitoring, it is possible to determine whether acid rain as an anthropogenic activity influences the degradability of waste tyres in the natural environment. Biodegradability tests confirmed the low biological degradability of waste tyres. The highest average rate of biological degradability—15% was recorded at the input concentration of waste tyres of 350 mg/L. The aerobic degradability test confirmed the improvement of tyre decomposition when adjusting the pH to the level of 6.5–7.5. On the contrary, the anaerobic degradability test confirmed the improvement of the decomposition in the alkaline region compared to the neutral pH values of the mixture. By mathematical–statisti","PeriodicalId":54293,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2023-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://enveurope.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12302-023-00723-6","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"4620394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}