Environmental Sciences Europe最新文献

{"title":"Sulfonylurea herbicides in groundwater: frequent occurrence of nicosulfuron and its sulfonamide metabolite ASDM in areas with maize cultivation","authors":"Ignaz J. Buerge,&nbsp;Roy Kasteel,&nbsp;Thomas Poiger","doi":"10.1186/s12302-026-01416-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-026-01416-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Sulfonylurea and other herbicides inhibiting the enzyme acetolactate synthase (ALS) are mobile compounds that may leach to groundwater, as indicated by computer simulations of predicted environmental concentrations (PEC_gw) for authorization in Europe. However, monitoring data for these substances are scarce. In this study, 19 active substances and 12 metabolites were analysed in 177 groundwater samples from 112 sites in Switzerland which are part of the Swiss national groundwater monitoring. Measured concentrations were compared with PEC_gw values from the authorization and with scaled PEC_gw values that take herbicide use into account. Because field-specific use data were not available, herbicide use was estimated based on annual sales volumes for Switzerland, the cultivated areas of crops with authorized uses of the substances, the proportion of these crops in groundwater catchment areas, and mean application rates.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Most herbicides and metabolites were detected only sporadically or not at all in the investigated groundwater samples. However, the maize herbicide nicosulfuron and its metabolite ASDM were frequently found, in 20% and 56% of the samples, respectively, in concentrations of up to 7.8 and 48 ng/L. Concentrations of nicosulfuron-ASDM were significantly higher in regions with arable crops as main land use than in regions where meadows, pastures, urban areas, or forest predominated. For 18 wells, the contributing recharge area had been attributed and a significant correlation was found between the proportion of land cultivated with maize and the concentration of nicosulfuron-ASDM. Furthermore, concentrations of nicosulfuron-ASDM correlated with those of other maize herbicide metabolites (metolachlor-ESA and terbuthylazine-LM6). Measured concentrations of nicosulfuron and nicosulfuron-ASDM were more than an order of magnitude lower than PEC_gw values from the authorization and also below PEC_gw values scaled for the estimated use of nicosulfuron in contributing recharge areas.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Measured concentrations in groundwater of all currently authorized ALS inhibitor herbicides, including some of their metabolites, were consistently below the European (and Swiss) parametric drinking water limit of 100 ng/L even though PEC_gw for some of these compounds would suggest otherwise. When scaled to the estimated use in contributing recharge areas, these PEC_gw describe actual concentrations much better, but still tend to be conservative.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-026-01416-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148614509","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":"Facilitating circular transformation in BRICS: the impact of Industry 4.0 and Global Value Chains on circular economy","authors":"Muhammad Uzair Ali,&nbsp;Meryam Bechchar,&nbsp;Qadir Ali","doi":"10.1186/s12302-026-01418-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-026-01418-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In tackling the dynamics of the circular economy (CCE), Industry 4.0 and Global Value Chains (GVCs) demand vigilant management approaches to leverage their advantages in circular practices. Consequently, the current study aims to investigate the impact of Industry 4.0, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing (CLC), and GVCs on CCE in BRICS countries. System Generalized Method of Moments and Partial Ordinary-Least-Squares econometric tests were used to examine these links. The key findings are: (1) improvements in AI, IoT, and CLC increase the level of CCE practices in BRICS. (2) Upgrade in GVCs position also improves the CCE principles in these economies. Current research has contributed to the current literature in two diverse ways: (1) it offers empirical outcomes on how Industry 4.0 and participation in GVCs encourage the CCE practices in BRICS. (2) It provided insights particular to BRICS economies, where fast growth meets with ecological challenges. The outcomes are associated with and extend theoretical frameworks, containing Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the Business-Technology Adoption model, and Natural Resources-Based Theory. The outcomes illustrated that the policies should be focused on channeling the investments and capital towards digital technologies and infrastructures, and strategic positioning within GVCs to nurture the economic transformations toward circular practices. Policymakers also need to prioritize enhancing digital technology integration within GVCs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-026-01418-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148614558","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":"Short-term exposure to air pollution and acute health effects in a low-pollution region, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany","authors":"Mahakalkar Amruta Umakant,&nbsp;Lorenzo Gianquintieri,&nbsp;Lorenza Gilardi,&nbsp;Thilo Erbertseder,&nbsp;Frank Baier,&nbsp;Simon Dally,&nbsp;Maximilian Leon Arnold,&nbsp;Maxana Baltruweit,&nbsp;Charles R. S. Hatfield,&nbsp;Chelsea Williams Cleary,&nbsp;Enrico Gianluca Caiani","doi":"10.1186/s12302-026-01406-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-026-01406-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The acute effects of short-term air pollution exposure on human health in regions with low pollution concentrations is not widely explored. This study assesses the risk of mortality and morbidity linked to short-term exposure to NO₂ and PM_2.5 in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, a region that broadly complies with European air quality standards and global guidelines.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>We applied a two-stage time-stratified case-crossover design followed by meta-analyses to estimate the relative risks of mortality (all-cause), hospital admission and sick leave (all-cause and cause-specific). Health outcomes between 2013 and 2022 were collected from the regional public insurance records, and exposures were derived from ensemble air quality models. Effect modification by SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) years, age, sex and urbanisation were also evaluated.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Short-term exposure to PM_2.5 and NO₂ was associated with increased risks of several acute health outcomes. Associations were observed for all-cause and cardiovascular-related hospital admissions, as well as sick leave, even at concentrations near the current daily limits set by the European Union. Effect estimates were generally more pronounced for NO₂ and concentrated at immediate lag days. Exposure–response relationships were non-linear across health outcomes, and little evidence of effect modification by demographic or urbanisation characteristics was observed.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This study provides evidence of acute health risks from short-term exposure to PM_2.5 and NO₂, even at concentrations below the suggested daily permissible levels, emphasising the need to reassess existing air quality standards.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-026-01406-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148009778","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":"Toxicity and bioaccumulation of trinitrotoluene (TNT) in fish: a review on fish health, with an emphasis on leakage from marine-dumped legacy conventional munitions","authors":"Michael Gabel,&nbsp;Jörn Peter Scharsack","doi":"10.1186/s12302-026-01408-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-026-01408-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Vast amounts of conventional munition ended up on sea floors worldwide due to military activity, primarily through intentional dumping of munitions for disposal after the World Wars. In German coastal waters, the amount of conventional marine munitions alone is estimated at 1.6 million tons. After more than 80 years, munition shells are corroding, and toxic compounds from munitions are leaking into marine environments. Since fish are fundamental components of marine ecosystems and an important source of human nutrition, a major concern in the marine munition context is how toxic munition compounds affect fish. Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is one of the most abundant toxic explosives in marine-dumped conventional munitions and is leaking into the environment. At marine munition dump sites, TNT and its metabolites are detected in water, sediment, and biota. Generally, TNT concentrations are low (in the ng/l range), but near munition objects higher concentrations have been recorded (µg–mg/l). Leakage of TNT from marine-dumped conventional munitions will likely increase in the future as munition shells continue to corrode. Physical (current, waves, heat) and chemical (acidification) parameters facilitating munition degradation are also expected to intensify due to climate change. High concentrations of TNT (&gt; 1.0 mg/l in water) can negatively affect fish at multiple biological levels. Depending on dosage, fish species and life stage, the effects of TNT exposure range from no physiological effects to DNA damage, modified enzyme activities and embryonic malformations, to damaged gills, aberrant behaviour, reduced fertility, and increased mortality. Accordingly, fish (and other marine biota) are likely to be severely affected by exposure to TNT in their environment. The present review compiles the available information on interactions of fish with TNT and its metabolites. It covers uptake routes, degradation, excretion, and effects on fish health and fertility at various concentrations. The majority of the information on the effects of TNT on fish was obtained from studies conducted in laboratory settings. The present review therefore seeks to connect laboratory findings with observations in the field and to discuss the potential consequences of current and future leakage of TNT from marine-dumped conventional munitions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-026-01408-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148009651","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":"Emissions measurement during roadside inspection of heavy-duty vehicles","authors":"Jacopo Franzetti,&nbsp;Natalia Fonseca-González,&nbsp;Anastasios Melas,&nbsp;Jens Maegaard,&nbsp;Signe Shim,&nbsp;Ricardo Suarez-Bertoa","doi":"10.1186/s12302-026-01421-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-026-01421-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Roadside inspection (RSI) plays a critical role in enforcing vehicle environmental performances compliance. Heavy-duty Diesel vehicles are significant contributors to nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, posing risks to both the environment and human health. The European Commission's revision proposal of the roadworthiness legislation package introduces new test methods during technical inspections that account for NOx and particle number (PN) emissions, respectively aiming at detecting malfunctioning selective catalytic reduction (SCR) units and Diesel particulate filters (DPF). This study focusses on evaluating the advantages and limitations of various testing methods for RSI. For the first time, plume chasing, on-board diagnostics (OBD), and idle emissions tests are combined aiming to offer insights and recommendations for effective inspections.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The study analysed emissions from over 30 heavy-duty vehicles, including Euro VI and earlier standards. Plume Chasing enabled effective identification of suspicious and high emitters. A detailed inspection of 29 vehicles found 33% malfunctioning, 26% tampered, and 20% chiptuned. Cases exhibiting severe SCR system failures were correctly identified by all methods. The OBD and idle test results were consistent in identifying vehicles without issues. The findings also highlighted challenges in accurately categorising high-emission vehicles due to factors like vehicles undergoing Diesel particulate filter regeneration or manipulation, for which the support confirmation from an authorised workshop was required. The results also show a great variability in emission manipulation types and their impacts.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The study showcases the effectiveness of a multi-method inspection approach using plume chasing, idle emissions testing, and advanced OBD checks to identify heavy-duty vehicles with environmental performance issues. Plume chasing is suited for preliminary identification, while rapid idle tests detect severe failures in SCR systems efficiently, though OBD checks are necessary for comprehensive malfunction or manipulation detection. PN emissions testing enables the rapid identification of DPF failures or tampering and helps confirm DPF regeneration, preventing false inspection failures and demonstrating the effectiveness of filter retrofits. Combining and aligning measurement methodologies could improve emissions monitoring during inspections. This approach provides reliable pass/fail classifications, aiding regulatory authorities in addressing excessive emissions, thereby helping to reduce environmental impacts and improve public health.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-026-01421-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148986659","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":"Experimental study on performance and emissions of nano-additive enhanced waste vegetable oil and polarity fat blends at various compression ratios","authors":"Noor Alam,&nbsp;Syed Yousufuddin,&nbsp;Shahir Hussain,&nbsp;Zahir Hasan,&nbsp;Elaf N. Mahrous,&nbsp;Surendra Kumar Yadav,&nbsp;Nor’azizi Othman,&nbsp;Ashu Yadav,&nbsp;Rahul Khatri","doi":"10.1186/s12302-026-01412-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-026-01412-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The combustion characteristics, performance, and exhaust emission of the waste chicken fat, waste cooking oil, and combined blends with diesel oil are analyzed for different compression ratios of 17 and 18. The tested fuels include CF15 (15% chicken fat + 85% diesel), WC15 (15% waste cooking oil + 85% diesel), and WC&amp;CF15 (7.5% chicken fat + 7.5% waste cooking oil + 85% diesel), each blended with 50 ppm <i>α-Al</i>_<i>2</i><i>O</i>_<i>3</i> nanoparticles. The function of catalyst nanoparticles is to improve the combustion temperature, which reduces exhaust emissions. The results show that the compression ratio (CR) of 17 at 100% loading, diesel, CF15, WC15, and CF&amp;WC15 have brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of 26.74%, 26.73%, 26.98%, and 25.47%, respectively, with the utilization of approximately similar brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) of 0.32 kg/kWh. However, for CR = 18 at full loading, the BTE of diesel and all blends are 29.33%, 27.79%, 26.04%, and 26.67%, respectively, with lower utilization of the BSFC. The novelty of the present experiment is to evaluate engine performance and emissions at a rated speed of 1500 rpm for two compression ratios, addressing a gap in studies combining multiple biodiesel sources with catalytic enhancement. Therefore, at full load for CR = 17, developing a similar BTE of diesel, the NO_x emission of CF&amp;WC15 reduces by 3.1% compared to diesel. Therefore, CF&amp;WC15 blend exhibited improved BTE at a compression ratio of 18, primarily from BSFC reduction, while producing slightly higher NO_x emissions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-026-01412-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148466428","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":"Distributional dynamics of emissions: the role of globalization and resource rents in G20 countries","authors":"Jing Xu,&nbsp;Chengxuan Geng,&nbsp;Samia Khalid,&nbsp;Hamid Mahmood","doi":"10.1186/s12302-026-01396-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-026-01396-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study examines the impact of globalization and natural resource rents on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in G20 economies over the period 2000–2024. Given that these countries account for a substantial share of global emissions and resource consumption, understanding these relationships is crucial for effective climate policy design. The analysis employs robust panel estimation techniques, including Fixed Effects, Driscoll–Kraay standard errors (DKSE), and Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE), alongside advanced distributional approaches such as Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) and Bootstrap Quantile Regression (BSQR) to capture heterogeneity across emission levels. The results reveal that globalization significantly reduces emissions, particularly in high-emission economies, supporting the pollution halo hypothesis by highlighting the role of technology transfer, cleaner production processes, and international environmental standards. In contrast, natural resource rents and economic growth are found to increase emissions, confirming the dominance of resource-intensive activities and scale effects. Renewable energy consumption exhibits a mitigating effect primarily in low-emission economies, whereas its impact remains limited in high-emission contexts, reflecting transitional inefficiencies in energy systems. Population effects are found to be heterogeneous and context-dependent across quantiles. Furthermore, the Juodis–Karavias–Sarafidis (JKS) non-causality test confirms causal relationships running from globalization, natural resource rents, and economic growth to emissions. The findings reveal significant distributional heterogeneity and underscore the importance of quantile-specific and country-tailored environmental policies. These results highlight the need to promote sustainable resource management, accelerate renewable energy deployment, and strategically leverage globalization to foster green technological innovation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-026-01396-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148466557","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":"Asymmetric and cross-country effects of environmental taxes on economic growth: evidence from benelux and baltic economies","authors":"Branimir Kalaš,&nbsp;Vera Mirović,&nbsp;Magdalena Radulescu,&nbsp;Nino Stameski,&nbsp;Nataša Pavlović","doi":"10.1186/s12302-026-01424-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-026-01424-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Environmental taxation has emerged as a critical instrument for balancing economic growth with climate objectives, yet its effectiveness varies considerably across regions. This study investigates the asymmetric and cross-country heterogeneous effects of dis-aggregated environmental tax components (energy, transport, pollution, and resource taxes) on economic growth in the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) and Baltic (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) economies over 2013–2022. We employ a panel PMG-NARDL model to identify long-run and short-run asymmetries between positive and negative shocks in environmental taxation. The results reveal significant asymmetric effects: positive shocks in energy, transport, and resource taxes enhance GDP growth, while pollution tax increases exert negative short-run effects. Notably, Baltic economies exhibit substantially higher sensitivity and larger elasticities compared to Benelux countries, reflecting differences in economic structure, energy intensity, and institutional maturity. These findings provide empirical support for the double-dividend hypothesis and asymmetric adjustment theory, demonstrating that environmental taxation can yield both environmental and economic benefits when appropriately designed. Policy implications emphasize the necessity of differentiated environmental tax architectures, enhanced revenue recycling mechanisms, and region-specific institutional reforms to maximize growth-compatible environmental transitions within the European Union.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-026-01424-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148466245","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":"Assessing the carbon footprint of artificial intelligence in higher education: a bibliometric and institutional analysis","authors":"Walter Leal Filho,&nbsp;Johannes M. Luetz,&nbsp;Abdulaziz I. Almulhim,&nbsp;Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis","doi":"10.1186/s12302-026-01414-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-026-01414-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across higher education has transformed research, teaching, and institutional operations. Yet its environmental implications remain poorly understood at the institutional level. While a growing literature examines the energy consumption and carbon footprint of AI systems, little is known about how these concerns are recognised or addressed within universities. This study addresses this gap by combining a bibliometric analysis of 461 peer-reviewed publications indexed in Scopus (2014–2025) with a multiple-case study analysis of selected research-intensive universities. The bibliometric analysis reveals a rapidly expanding research landscape dominated by themes such as machine learning, energy consumption, optimisation, and sustainability, alongside a comparatively limited focus on higher education as an institutional context. The case studies, based on sustainability reports, climate action plans, and environmental disclosures, focus on a set of research-intensive universities with substantial AI-related infrastructure. They show a consistent pattern: despite the centrality of high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud-based platforms, institutional reporting of energy and carbon emissions remains aggregated, rarely examining AI-specific impacts. This reveals a governance gap between the expanding scientific understanding of AI’s environmental footprint and the maturity of sustainability practices in academia. The novelty of this study lies in the integration of bibliometric analysis with institutional case study evidence to systematically examine how AI-related energy use and carbon emissions are addressed in higher education. By bridging these two analytical dimensions, the study provides new insight into the disconnect between research advances and institutional practice and highlights the need for dedicated frameworks to account for AI-related energy use and emissions. The study also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Quality Education (SDG 4), contributing to the ongoing debate on responsible and sustainable AI in higher education.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-026-01414-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148466558","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":"Heavy metal mixtures and kidney function: multi-scale evidence from a nationally representative cohort","authors":"Xuetong Tang,&nbsp;Yi Cheng,&nbsp;Yuan Liu","doi":"10.1186/s12302-026-01378-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-026-01378-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and objective</h3><p>Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global health burden, and exposure to heavy metals is increasingly recognized as a potentially modifiable risk factor.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Using data from a nationally representative U.S. survey (NHANES 2011–2016), we evaluated associations between blood concentrations of seven metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Hg, Zn, Se, Mn) and kidney outcomes—estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), and CKD status. We fitted single-metal regression models and mixed-exposure models, including directional weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). To generate mechanistic hypotheses, we performed functional enrichment and molecular docking analyses.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>In single-metal models, Pb was associated with lower eGFR, and Cu was associated with higher UACR. In mixture analyses, WQS showed a positive association with UACR and (in the positive-direction model) higher eGFR, whereas the WQS association with CKD was suggestive but not statistically significant. BKMR indicated non-linear and context-dependent (co-exposure-dependent) patterns for selected metals across outcomes, and bivariate surfaces suggested potential interaction structure. Exploratory bioinformatic analyses highlighted extracellular matrix-related processes and cell–matrix signaling pathways, and docking suggested plausible metal–protein contacts for selected targets.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>In this cross-sectional analysis, associations between metal exposures and kidney outcomes varied by outcome metric and statistical approach, with more consistent signals for Pb–eGFR and Cu–UACR. Mixture models suggested joint-exposure patterns and potential non-linearity/interaction structure, but causal inference is limited by the cross-sectional design and single-time blood measurements; reverse causation and residual confounding remain possible. The downstream bioinformatic and docking results are hypothesis-generating and intended to prioritize pathways for future mechanistic research.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-026-01378-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148752263","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}