Environmental science. Advances最新文献

{"title":"High resolution porewater profiling of methylmercury with a novel equilibrium passive sampler","authors":"Jada C. Damond, Cynthia C. Gilmour and Upal Ghosh","doi":"10.1039/D5VA00492F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5VA00492F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Accurate quantification of sediment porewater methylmercury (MeHg) profiles is critical for understanding Hg fate, transport, and informing remediation design, yet direct porewater profiling remains challenging. Equilibrium-based passive samplers (EqPS) offer an alternative, providing fine-scale, time-integrated measurements and convenience. In this study, we deployed an EqPS consisting of activated carbon suspended in agarose gel (ag+AC) in estuarine and freshwater sediment microcosms to obtain porewater MeHg profiles at 0.5 cm vertical resolution. Our objectives were to evaluate whether ag+AC samplers could reproduce porewater MeHg profile shapes and concentrations across redox gradients and contrasting geochemical conditions. Following 4 week deployments across the sediment–water interface ag+AC samplers produced distinct depth profiles that corresponded closely with directly measured porewater profiles and exhibited maxima at redox transition zones where net methylation is most likely. Using a previously derived equilibrium partition coefficient (10<small>²</small>·<small>⁹⁶</small> L kg<small>⁻¹</small>) ag+AC samplers predicted, on average, directly measured porewater MeHg concentrations to within a factor of about two. Across both sediment types, porewater MeHg alone explained ∼65% of the variability in passive sampler MeHg despite wide ranges in DOC, sulfide, iron, and salinity. These results demonstrate ag+AC EqPS can provide fine-scale porewater MeHg profiles and accurate concentration estimates across diverse sedimentary environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 4","pages":" 1070-1080"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12947745/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147328454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Information-based approach to PM2.5 estimation and air quality assessment using statistical and deep learning models","authors":"Sehrish Khan, Maqbool Ahmad, Bahadar Zeb, Shahla Nazneen, Beenish Ali, Mubarak Ahmad, Khan Alam and Allah Ditta","doi":"10.1039/D5VA00383K","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5VA00383K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >In Pakistan, Peshawar City is persistently experiencing high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM<small>_2.5</small>), frequently surpassing national as well as international air quality standards. For this purpose, the present study aims to enhance the accuracy of PM<small>_2.5</small> estimation at the city scale through a data-driven and interdisciplinary modeling framework. To achieve this, a series of predictors, such as air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide (NO<small>₂</small>) and sulphur dioxide (SO<small>₂</small>)), meteorological conditions (temperature, wind speed, humidity), and satellite-based aerosol optical depth (AOD), were used to construct a multiple linear regression (MLR) model. Similarly, the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) were modeled to estimate PM<small>_2.5</small> using historical ground-level PM<small>_2.5</small> data in the year 2021, leveraging their capabilities to model temporal trends. The results revealed that estimated PM<small>_2.5</small> levels using the CNN model were almost in the same range as the available measured concentrations, whereas MLR and LSTM models showed some variations against measured values. The insights about their comparative analysis showed that the CNN model could achieve better estimation than MLR and LSTM models. The CNN model achieved a root mean square error (RMSE) of 34.89 µg m<small>⁻³</small> and coefficient of determination (<em>R</em><small>²</small>) of 0.79, indicating higher estimation accuracy. Both the LSTM (<em>R</em><small>²</small> = 0.74 and RMSE = 51.93 µg m<small>⁻³</small>) and MLR (<em>R</em><small>²</small> = 0.46 and RMSE = 44.35 µg m<small>⁻³</small>) models underperformed. Based on the air quality index (AQI), the study region has experienced extremely unhealthy and healthy conditions, which may lead to the formation of visible haze and ultimately to the particulate component of smog. Generally, this study highlights the superior performance of deep learning approaches for urban air quality assessment. In conclusion, this study breaks new ground by applying and integrating MLR, CNN, and LSTM models in the study region. It will help in opening a promising direction for city-specific air quality modeling in any regional or local urban environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 4","pages":" 1116-1129"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/va/d5va00383k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147620999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metastatic impact of perfluorooctanoic acid on liver cancer: insights from HepG2 cells and zebrafish xenograft models","authors":"Kayla E. Hawn, Emma Kenyon, Gregory Buck and Wei Xu","doi":"10.1039/D5VA00491H","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5VA00491H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Widely used in consumer products for its water- and grease-resistant properties, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), has been increasingly implicated in liver carcinogenesis. Long-term or high-level PFAS exposures have been found to be associated with an increased incidence of several types of cancers, including liver, kidney, and breast cancers. Despite mounting evidence linking PFAS exposure to hepatotoxicity and cancer, experimental models that enable real-time visualization of PFOA-induced carcinogenicity remain limited. To address this gap, we aimed to develop a liver tumor xenograft model using zebrafish (<em>Danio rerio</em>) embryos for the investigation of the carcinogenic effects of PFOA on human liver cells. To create the xenograft model with zebrafish embryos, human hepatic HepG2 cells were labeled with living cell imaging dyes and engrafted into fish embryos at one day post-fertilization. The embryos were then exposed to PFOA at concentrations of 0.1, 1.0, and 10 ppm for 24–96 hours. The <em>in vivo</em> cell proliferation was confirmed by quantifying the expression levels of a HepG2 housekeeping gene, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (hprt1). The expression profiles of two metastasis markers, <em>cdh1</em> and <em>mmp9</em>, suggested the induction of HepG2 cell metastasis by PFOA. The PFOA-triggered metastatic changes in HepG2 cells were also confirmed by the observation of cell migration inside the zebrafish embryos. Two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) chemicals, anthracene and naphthalene (0.1–1.0 ppm), were used as both of them were reported to damage hepatic cells through activating the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway. Although both PAH compounds altered the expression patterns of <em>cdh1</em> and <em>mmp9</em> in HepG2 cells, their capabilities to enhance the HepG2 proliferation <em>in vivo</em> were less significant compared to PFOA. The results demonstrated that prolonged chemical exposure to PFOA can promote HepG2 cell survival, proliferation, and metastasis <em>in vivo</em>. This zebrafish xenograft model provides a dependable and robust platform for mechanistic toxicology studies and is a mid-to high-throughput screening tool for environmental carcinogens and anti-cancer drug selection.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 4","pages":" 1039-1049"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/va/d5va00491h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147620998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recent advances in biochar-based engineered materials for efficient removal of CO2: from lab to industrial scale applications","authors":"Anass Wahby, Nouha El Mail, Youssef Aoulad El Hadj Ali, Abdelmonaim Azzouz, Brahim Arhoun, Mounir Manssouri, Mostafa Stitou and Suresh Kumar Kailasa","doi":"10.1039/D5VA00432B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5VA00432B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Growing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions have driven significant efforts toward developing advanced materials for the capture and removal of carbon dioxide (CO<small>₂</small>) from different environments. Among these, biochar-based engineered materials have emerged as promising sorbents for physical adsorption and separation processes, owing to their tunable structure, surface functionality, and potential for scalable production. This review summarizes recent advances in the preparation and application of biochar-based engineered materials for CO<small>₂</small> capture, highlighting the influence of synthesis methods on their structural properties and adsorption performance. A comparative analysis of different biochar-derived materials is presented, focusing on adsorption capacity, selectivity, and reusability. Notably, woody biomass-derived biochar modified with vanadium oxide demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving a CO<small>₂</small> adsorption capacity of 9.8 mmol g<small>⁻¹</small> and maintaining stability over 11 adsorption–desorption cycles with minimal loss of efficiency. The review also discusses the key challenges that currently limit large-scale deployment of biochar-based adsorbents and proposes potential strategies to overcome these barriers, thereby outlining future research directions toward sustainable and efficient CO<small>₂</small> capture technologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 4","pages":" 997-1026"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/va/d5va00432b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147621006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, and their metabolites in the coastal environment: the escape to seawater and concerns","authors":"Lawrence Mzukisi Madikizela and Ronewa Netshithothole","doi":"10.1039/D5VA00428D","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5VA00428D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Recent literature shows NSAIDs and analgesics as some of the most studied pharmaceuticals in the environment. These drugs, which are readily accessible as over-the-counter medications, have been detected in various environmental samples, including wastewater and surface water. Consequently, these chemicals are transferred to marine and coastal environments, entering marine organisms that play significant roles in the food chain, thereby posing toxic effects on human health. Therefore, the present review aims to comprehensively assess the occurrence, distribution, and environmental impact of a wide range of NSAIDs and analgesic medications in the marine environment worldwide. Marine outfalls and estuaries were viewed as significant sources of pharmaceuticals found in seawater, resulting in their presence in marine organisms considered as seafood. Transformation of the investigated drugs into metabolites is evident, as some transformation products were previously detected in estuaries, seawaters, and fish. In this context, carboxy ibuprofen and hydroxy ibuprofen have been reported in seawater and estuarine waters with concentrations reaching 1227 ng L<small>⁻¹</small> and 70 ng L<small>⁻¹</small>, respectively. Meanwhile, the parent compound, ibuprofen, has been extensively studied in marine organisms, mussels, with the highest concentration reported to be 730 ng g<small>⁻¹</small>. These findings suggest a need to monitor the occurrence of pharmaceutical metabolites in environmental samples routinely. Therefore, the present review is an important resource for the scientific community as it discusses crucial issues related to seawater contamination and the quality of food products.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 4","pages":" 927-940"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/va/d5va00428d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147621010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preparation of irregularly shaped, nano-sized, fluorescent microplastic particles for tracing cellular uptake","authors":"Ryo Nagasawa, Sota Inoue, Takashi Miyano and Masakazu Umezawa","doi":"10.1039/D6VA00031B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D6VA00031B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Microplastics (MPs) are widely distributed; however, their behaviour in the environment and within biological tissues remains unclear. Concerns regarding their health risks have outpaced the elucidation of the true impacts of MPs. Previous studies have indicated that the toxicity of MPs depends on their size. However, toxicity assessments have mainly focused on uniformly sized, spherical polystyrene beads. Therefore, in this study, we developed a simple method for preparing irregularly shaped, nano-sized, fluorescent MP model particles. Fluorescence was incorporated by loading Nile red dye into plastics with various chemical compositions. Aqueous solution of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and chloroform solution of Nile red were added to solutions of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fragmented to nanoscale <em>via</em> solvent-assisted degradation in an organic solvent. Subsequently, model particles of MPs with diameters of 80–250 nm were obtained by volatilising the organic solvent. The BSA functioned as a weak surfactant to prepare irregularly shaped, nano-sized MP particles. Organic solvents with solubility parameters close to those of the plastic materials proved useful for fragmenting durable solvent-treated plastic polymers. Experiments using Nile red incorporated into PP, PE, and PET yielded model particles of PP, PE, and PET that emitted fluorescence at 580–620 nm under 550 nm excitation. The fluorescence of Nile red-loaded nano-MP particles enabled microscopic observation of their cellular uptake. The method presented herein for fabricating fluorescent nano-MP particles using albumin will contribute to further comparative studies of environmental and <em>in vivo</em> MP behaviours.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 3","pages":" 809-815"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/va/d6va00031b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147375153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increasing PFAS concentrations in human serum correlate with elevated blood lipid levels","authors":"Ashlee T. Falls, Anna K. Boatman, Jack P. Ryan, Amie M. Solosky, James N. Dodds, Jessie R. Chappel, Allison N. Fry, Kaylie I. Kirkwood-Donelson, Heather M. Stapleton and Erin S. Baker","doi":"10.1039/D5VA00483G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5VA00483G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of synthetic chemicals which have been detected in the blood of &gt;99% people worldwide. Currently, certain PFAS are linked to elevated cholesterol levels in humans, but few studies have assessed changes in specific lipid species to assess mechanistic changes. In this study, 78 serum samples were attained from 49 participants exposed to elevated PFAS through drinking water and 29 occupationally exposed firefighters. PFAS serum concentrations were initially assessed, and drinking water exposure participants illustrated higher PFAS serum levels than both the firefighters and national median values from the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES). Participants were then regrouped for lipidomic analyses using their summed serum concentration for 7 PFAS (Σ7 PFAS). Thirty-four participants in our study had Σ7 PFAS concentrations ≥20 ng mL<small>⁻¹</small>, a level that has been associated with increased risk of dyslipidemia, thyroid dysfunction and cancer according to the National Academies PFAS Exposure Guidance Report. Statistical analyses revealed that 24 lipids out of 387 detected in all participants were significantly higher in participants with Σ7 PFAS values ≥20 ng mL<small>⁻¹</small>. Triglycerides and phosphatidylethanolamines specifically represented 62.5% of these 24 lipids, suggesting alteration of cellular membrane structures and energy storage. A statistical assessment on the female-only samples from the drinking water cohort was also performed to reduce bias due to sex, age and occupational covariates and further validated these trends. This study therefore illustrates increased serum PFAS concentrations correlate with elevated lipid species and molecular pathway alterations in highly exposed individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 3","pages":" 885-899"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12921673/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147273202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pyrolysis temperature dependence of Pb2+ removal by sewage sludge biochar: characteristic evaluation and adsorption performance","authors":"Rui Zhao, Xin Li, Xiaoxin Jiang, Guangzhi Wang, Guoren Xu, Sai Qi and Guoke Zhang","doi":"10.1039/D5VA00202H","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5VA00202H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Converting sewage sludge into biochar (SSB) offers a promising path for waste reduction and pollution mitigation. This study systematically investigated the effect of pyrolysis temperature (400–700 °C) on the physicochemical properties of SSB and its Pb<small>²⁺</small> adsorption performance. As temperature increased, carbonization and aromaticity of SSB improved progressively. The biochar produced at 600 °C (SSB600) showed optimal characteristics—high hydrophobicity, large surface area, well-developed pores, and abundant functional groups—achieving a maximum Pb<small>²⁺</small> adsorption capacity of 131 ± 10.2 mg g<small>⁻¹</small>. The Langmuir model best fit the adsorption isotherm data, while kinetic analysis using the Weber–Morris model indicated a multi-stage process where intraparticle diffusion was significant but not the sole rate-limiting step. SSB600 exhibited strong adsorption performance over a wide pH range (2–6) and in the presence of common competing cations (Na<small>⁺</small> and NO<small>₃</small><small>⁻</small>), demonstrating suitability for complex water environments. Mechanism analysis revealed that Pb<small>²⁺</small> removal was driven by multiple processes: complexation (39.2%), cation exchange (38.3%), π–electron interactions (19.2%), and precipitation (3.30%). Notably, SSB600 retained over 79% of its initial capacity after eight adsorption–desorption cycles, showing excellent regenerability. It also achieved high Pb<small>²⁺</small> removal (&gt;50%) at environmentally relevant concentrations (<em>e.g.</em>, 0.5 mg L<small>⁻¹</small>), with environmental safety confirmed by standardized leaching tests. This work provides a pyrolysis temperature-guided synthesis strategy, fundamental mechanistic insight, and a practical viability assessment for sludge-based adsorbents. Future work should extend to pilot-scale column tests and resource recovery, supported by life-cycle analysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 3","pages":" 900-916"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/va/d5va00202h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147375177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis of near-infrared-fluorophore-loaded microplastics with different compositions for in vivo tracking","authors":"Sota Inoue, Ryo Nagasawa, Kohei Soga and Masakazu Umezawa","doi":"10.1039/D5VA00360A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5VA00360A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive environmental pollutants of growing concern owing to their potential impact on ecosystems and human health. Although reports of human exposure to MPs are increasing, our understanding of the <em>in vivo</em> behavior of MPs remains limited. This study aimed to enable the observation of the <em>in vivo</em> dynamics of MPs by loading them with a fluorescent dye that emits light in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) biological window, which allows deep-tissue imaging. Plastic granules— composed of polypropylene, polyethylene, or polystyrene—were dispersed in tetrahydrofuran to generate nanosized particles, which were mixed with a solution of IR-1061 dye in acetonitrile and heated at 55 °C (N<small>₂</small> atmosphere) to promote dye loading. An aqueous solution of bovine serum albumin was then added dropwise and stirred in open air to evaporate the organic solvent, resulting in obtaining water-dispersed IR-1061-loaded MPs that exhibited fluorescence in the NIR-II region. The <em>in vivo</em> behavior of IR-1061-loaded MPs was examined following oral administration to mice. No fluorescence from IR-1061-loaded MPs was observed in tissues outside the gastrointestinal tract, indicating minimal intestinal absorption. At 48 h post-administration, NIR-II fluorescence from IR-1061-loaded MPs was observed in feces but not <em>in vivo</em>, indicating that the MPs were excreted in feces. The extent of intestinal retention was influenced by MP size rather than chemical composition. The development of methods for synthesizing NIR-II-fluorophore-loaded MP models with various chemical compositions will support risk assessments by providing insights into the environmental and biological fates of MPs.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 3","pages":" 802-808"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/va/d5va00360a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147375152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Upcycling E-waste for sustainable innovation: functional materials, toxicity reduction, and circular design","authors":"Pranav Prashant Dagwar, Debajyoti Kundu and Deblina Dutta","doi":"10.1039/D5VA00362H","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5VA00362H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The exponential growth in electronic waste (E-waste) driven by digitalization, urbanization, and rapid technological turnover presents an urgent global challenge due to its complex composition of valuable and toxic materials. While conventional recycling methods often fail to recover critical resources efficiently and contribute to environmental pollution, upcycling has emerged as a transformative approach that not only recovers metals and polymers but also converts them into value-added functional materials. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the composition and embedded resource potential of E-waste, highlighting the upcycling of printed circuit boards, wires, plastics, and rare earth element-rich components into high-performance catalysts, energy storage electrodes, sensors, and environmental remediation materials. Emphasis is placed on bio-assisted and green processing technologies, including bioleaching, deep eutectic solvents, and biomimetic synthesis, which offer low-impact alternatives for material recovery. The study also integrates life cycle safety, toxicity mitigation, and circular design frameworks to align material innovation with global sustainability goals. Industrial translation challenges, including technological scalability, market readiness, regulatory gaps, and informal sector integration, are critically discussed. By reframing E-waste as a resource-rich feedstock, this review presents upcycling as a viable pathway toward the circular economy transition and sustainable materials innovation.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 4","pages":" 966-996"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/va/d5va00362h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147621009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}