Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts最新文献

{"title":"Surfaces, silica and semivolatile organics—limonene uptake and desorption indoors and outdoors†","authors":"Ryan S. Reynolds, Kristen N. Johnson, Katelyn Pacaud, Michael Ezell, Pascale S. J. Lakey, Manabu Shiraiwa and Barbara J. Finlayson-Pitts","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00275C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00275C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Adsorption of organics on surfaces is important in both outdoor and indoor environments. Surfaces can serve as sinks for gas-phase species, act as reservoirs by emitting previously partitioned organics back into the gas phase, and can facilitate heterogeneous chemistry. We report here studies of the uptake and desorption energetics of gas-phase limonene, a volatile and widely-distributed monoterpene, on solid silica nanoparticles using a unique apparatus that allows for temperature programmed desorption (TPD) measurements of surface binding energies as well as Knudsen cell gas uptake measurements. A multiphase kinetic model was applied to these data to provide additional molecular-level understanding of the processes involved. TPD experiments yielded an average desorption energy of 47.5 ± 8.2 kJ mol<small>⁻¹</small> (±1<em>s</em>, sample standard deviation), the first direct experimental measurement of this parameter over a broad temperature range (150–320 K). Initial net uptake coefficients (<em>γ</em><small>_0,net</small>) range from (1.7 ± 0.3) × 10<small>⁻³</small> (±1<em>s</em>) at 210 K to (2.3 ± 0.4) × 10<small>⁻⁴</small> (±1<em>s</em>) at 250 K, reflecting increased rates of desorption with an increase in temperature combined with increased rates of diffusion and re-adsorption within the pores between adjacent silica nanoparticles. Effective Langmuir constants, which also reflect the effects of pore diffusion and re-adsorption, were determined from the uptake data and vary from (1.8 − 0.3) × 10<small>⁻¹³</small> cm<small>³</small> per molecule over the same temperature range. These results are in excellent agreement with previous studies around room temperature and with theoretical calculations of the energetics of the limonene–silica interaction. The strong attraction between limonene and the polar silica surface shows the importance of including such interactions in models of the atmospheric fates of terpenes both indoors and outdoors.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 7","pages":" 1902-1913"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intelligent consensus prediction for addressing ecotoxicological effects of diverse pesticides on California quail†","authors":"Abhisek Samal, Shubha Das and Probir Kumar Ojha","doi":"10.1039/D4EM00742E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4EM00742E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Birds occupy a major portion of the ecology and are considered a valuable species. In this modern era, the application of pesticides has increased and caused very severe harmful consequences to various non-target species, including birds. Many researchers have reported that the number of endangered bird species has been increasing day by day owing to the harmful effects of chemical pesticides. Restoration and protection of various endangered avian species from exposure to potentially hazardous pesticides pose a challenge from the standpoint of ecosystem safety evaluation. In the current study, partial least squares (PLS)-based quantitative structure toxicity relationship (QSTR) models were generated to enable the prediction of pesticide toxicity towards California quail. “Intelligent consensus prediction” (ICP) was also performed to increase the external predictability of the constructed models. A pesticide database (Pesticide properties DataBase) consisting of 1694 pesticides was screened by employing the developed PLS-based QSTR models. From the developed models, we found that the presence of a phosphate moiety, high percentage of carbon, and electronegativity are responsible for increasing the toxicity. In contrast, the presence of a greater number of rotatable bonds, multiple bonds, aromatic proportion, and molecular polarity diminish the toxicity. The data derived from the generated chemometric models might be beneficial for the various new and untested chemical pesticides. These models may offer guidance to future researchers to fabricate novel and eco-friendly pesticides and data-gap filling.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 7","pages":" 2104-2115"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparing photodegradation model systems: measuring bimolecular rate constants between photochemically produced reactive intermediates and organic contaminants†","authors":"Luana de Brito Anton, Andrea I. Silverman and Jennifer N. Apell","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00199D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00199D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Predicting the environmental fate of anthropogenic chemicals remains a top priority for scientists and regulators; however, these efforts are hindered by the complexity of environmental systems. For example, in aquatic photodegradation, multiple photochemically produced reactive intermediates (PPRI) are present simultaneously, such as hydroxyl radicals (˙OH), singlet oxygen (<small>¹</small>O<small>₂</small>), and triplet excited states of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (<small>³</small>CDOM*). This makes it difficult to isolate contributions of individual PPRI to overall photodegradation as well as to measure bimolecular reaction rate constants with target contaminants (<em>k</em><small>_PPRI</small>), which could subsequently be used to predict degradation rates under variable environmental conditions and in engineered water treatment systems. As an alternative approach, simplified model systems can be used to isolate reactions with each PPRI. Yet, a systematic comparison of the results obtained in different model systems has not been conducted. In this study, at least two model systems were used to quantify <em>k</em><small>_PPRI</small> between each PPRI (<em>i.e.</em>, ˙OH, <small>¹</small>O<small>₂</small>, and three <small>³</small>CDOM* proxies) and each of the 28 pesticides evaluated. Results were consistent for most pesticides across the set of model systems used to evaluate a given PPRI. However, significant discrepancies were observed in some cases. For some pesticides, reactions with ˙OH appeared faster than the diffusion-controlled limit, suggesting additional reactions with unidentified PPRI were occurring. In <small>¹</small>O<small>₂</small> model systems, unexpected reactions occurred between some pesticides and the triplet excited states of the model sensitizer. Lastly, there was not a consistent trend between the calculated <em>k</em><small>_PPRI</small> and the photochemical properties of the three <small>³</small>CDOM* proxies evaluated, as suggested in previous studies. Overall, the results from this study showed that model systems are a powerful tool for investigating indirect photodegradation reactions and should be adopted in formal evaluations of the environmental fate of anthropogenic chemicals. Key considerations and recommendations to ensure accurate and reliable use of model systems are provided and areas benefiting from further investigation are identified.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 7","pages":" 2116-2127"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144264898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Machine learning prediction of DOC–water partitioning coefficients for organic pollutants from diverse DOM origins†","authors":"Ruyue Jin, Yuzhen Liang and Zhenqing Shi","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00029G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00029G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study aims to improve predictions and understanding of dissolved organic carbon–water partitioning coefficients (<em>K</em><small>_DOC</small>), a crucial parameter in environmental risk assessment. A dataset encompassing 709 datapoints across 190 unique organic pollutants and various types of dissolved organic matter (DOM) was compiled. Molecular descriptors were calculated to characterize each compound's properties and structures using Multiwfn, PaDEL and RDKit. Individual machine learning models were established for four different DOM origins: all DOM, natural aquatic DOM, natural terrestrial DOM and commercial DOM. These models exhibited excellent goodness-of-fit, internal stability, and predictive performance with <em>R</em><small>_train</small><small>²</small> &gt; 0.771, <em>R</em><small>_valid</small><small>²</small> &gt; 0.602, <em>R</em><small>_test</small><small>²</small> &gt; 0.629, and RMSE<small>_test</small> ranging from 0.413 to 0.580. Shapley additive explanation analysis identified CrippenLogP and MATS2m as the most influencing factors. CrippenLogP, reflecting hydrophobicity, positively influenced <em>K</em><small>_DOC</small>, while MATS2m, characterizing molecular branching and compactness, had a negative effect. Mor29m, where lower values indicate a higher abundance of heteroatoms such as halogens, also showed a negative impact, likely due to enhanced interactions with polar DOM groups. SlogP_VSA1, another descriptor related to hydrophobicity, demonstrated a positive correlation with log <em>K</em><small>_DOC</small> in natural aquatic DOM, while its negative correlation in all DOM may reflect the great diversity of DOM properties in that group. Partial dependence plots revealed that when CrippenLogP &gt; 6, Mor29m between 0.45 and 0.52, MATS2m &lt; −0.015, and SlogP_VSA1 &lt; 7, organic pollutants tended to partition more into DOM. These findings support the application of machine learning models for assessing pollutant interactions with DOM, contributing to improved environmental risk predictions.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 7","pages":" 1889-1901"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biodegradable plastics in soils: sources, degradation, and effects.","authors":"Piumi Amasha Withana, Xiangzhou Yuan, Darvin Im, Yujin Choi, Michael S Bank, Carol Sze Ki Lin, Sung Yeon Hwang, Yong Sik Ok","doi":"10.1039/d4em00754a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d4em00754a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biodegradable plastics (BPs) are increasingly marketed as sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics, yet their environmental impacts on soil ecosystems remain uncertain. Attention to plastic-related policies, global treaties, and initiatives assessing industrial sustainability are growing, and thus there is an urgent need for scientific data on the life cycle of BPs in soils to determine their viability as a truly sustainable alternative. BPs enter soil through agricultural applications, waste disposal, and landfills, undergoing complex degradation processes influenced by soil properties, environmental conditions, and polymer characteristics. However, the release of degradation by-products, including potential toxins and microplastics, raises concerns about soil health and plant growth. Furthermore, discrepancies in biodegradability claims and the lack of standardized assessment methods hinder the reliable evaluation of BP sustainability. To ensure the environmental viability of BPs, rigorous long-term studies and standardized testing protocols are necessary to validate their degradation, <i>in situ</i>, under environmentally relevant soil conditions. Without robust scientific evidence demonstrating the safe and effective degradation of BPs in soils, the expansion of their production and investment in these materials may be limited. This review highlights the urgent necessity for integrated approaches to support effective BP assessment, to bridge scientific research, industrial deployment, and policy frameworks, which are beneficial for mitigating potential unintended environmental consequences and achieving the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144172046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased phenanthrene toxicity to Eisenia fetida upon co-exposure to o-xylene†","authors":"Guofeng Li, Zhongran Wu, Haifeng Chi, Shanna Lin and Chao Cai","doi":"10.1039/D4EM00726C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4EM00726C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) compounds are often found in contaminated soil and have been shown to be toxic to the ecosystem, but their combined environmental risks and ecological effects remain poorly understood. Herein, <em>Eisenia fetida</em> was exposed to phenanthrene (PHE) and <em>o</em>-xylene (OX) in artificial soil to assess their toxic effects (including mortality, reproduction, antioxidant enzyme activities, and malondialdehyde levels) and bioaccumulation. The 48 h LC<small>₅₀</small> values for single contaminated PHE and OX were 71.6 and 121 mg kg<small>⁻¹</small>, respectively, while 28 day EC<small>₅₀</small> values for reproduction were 4.73 and 5.20 mg kg<small>⁻¹</small>, respectively. Co-exposure to PHE and OX intensified toxicity, reducing fecundity by over 15% compared to exposure to PHE alone. The synergistic effect was confirmed <em>via</em> a mathematical model based on probabilities. Furthermore, distinct biomarker responses were found between earthworms exposed to PHE and OX, implying different toxic mechanisms. However, similar biomarker responses were detected in earthworms exposed to PHE and combined treatments, suggesting the predominant role of PHE in the combined toxicity. In the combined treatments, OX exhibited a catalyst-like effect, enhancing the accumulation and toxicity of PHE in earthworms. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for the combined effects of pollutants when assessing the ecological risks of co-contaminated soils.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 7","pages":" 2063-2073"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144155267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metagenomics research on PAH biodegradation in the lower reaches of the Shiwuli River in Chaohu, China†","authors":"Huanling Wu, Binghua Sun and Jinhua Li","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00025D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00025D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Metagenomics is a powerful tool for investigating functional microorganisms, molecular mechanisms and genes involved in the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) <em>in situ</em> complex environments. In this study, we selected three land use types in the lower reaches of the Shiwuli River in Chaohu and applied metagenomics technology. The results revealed that <em>Rhodoplanes</em> and <em>Bradyrhizobium</em> were the abundant PAH-degrading microorganisms across the three land use types. Based on the functional annotation and PAH degradation pathway, it was found that the <em>in situ</em> microbial communities of the three land use types shared common metabolic pathways for phenanthrene degradation. In addition, a unique metabolic pathway for PAH degradation was identified in the agricultural land. Only <em>Patulibacter</em> contributed to <em>flnE</em> (KO14604) in the agricultural land, which was involved in the metabolic pathway of fluorene degradation. Results of this study suggested that the <em>in situ</em> degradation of PAHs was not completed by a single genus, and it involved the synergy effects of different PAH-degrading microorganisms. There was no significant difference between the compositions and relative abundances of PAH-degrading microorganisms in the three land use types and those presented in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Orthology (KO). However, the same microorganism contributed to different functional genes in different samples. Genes encoding protocatechuic acid 4,5-dioxygenase were widely distributed and relatively abundant. Therefore, this gene may serve as an indicator of PAH degradation potential. Among all the factors, the total organic carbon and nitrate nitrogen contents exhibited significant influences on the functional genes (KO) related to PAH degradation (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05).</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 7","pages":" 2188-2197"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144323888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insight into the interactions between microplastics and heavy metals in agricultural soil solution: adsorption performance influenced by microplastic types†","authors":"Yu-liang Liao, Chun-dan Gan, Xue Zhao, Xin-yue Du and Jin-yan Yang","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00144G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00144G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Microplastics (MPs) are widely present in soils, often co-contaminated with heavy metals (HMs), complicating the assessment of their adsorption performance. This study prepared environmental-simulating microplastics (EMPs) and compared their Cd/Cr adsorption–desorption properties with five commercial MPs in artificial soil solutions. Aging treatments altered the physicochemical characteristics of MP surfaces, increasing oxygen-containing functional groups and forming smaller particles. These changes enhanced HM adsorption, with EMPs showing higher adsorption capacities for Cd and Cr than the five single-type commercial MPs. Among the commercial MPs, degradable polylactic acid (PLA) showed the highest maximum adsorption capacities for Cd (4.52 mg g<small>⁻¹</small>) and Cr (3.78 mg g<small>⁻¹</small>) at elevated concentrations, indicating its greater potential for HM transport. Adsorption kinetics revealed that surface chemisorption and intraparticle diffusion were the key rate-limiting steps in the MP–Cd/Cr adsorption processes. Desorption of Cd was more pronounced than that of Cr, indicating higher activity of Cd on MP surfaces. Higher HM accumulation factors of aged MPs (Cd: 3.49–8.24%, Cr: 1.95–7.82%) suggest their potential to accumulate and immobilize soil HMs. The EMPs exhibited the highest accumulation factors, implying a greater impact of mixed MPs on soil total and bioavailable Cd/Cr concentrations than single-type MPs. These findings offer new insights into the interactions between pollutants in soils co-contaminated with mixed MPs and HMs.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 7","pages":" 2049-2062"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144118365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Collaborative sorption behavior of tylosin and enrofloxacin in loess soil: implications for veterinary antibiotic fate†","authors":"Zhanrong Jia, Yufeng Jiang, Yanni Sun, Kui Huang and Yingqin Wu","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00012B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00012B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Multiple veterinary antibiotics (VAs) coexist in soils, but their interaction and their effects on sorption in soils have not been extensively studied. This study focused on investigating the sorption properties of two widely used VAs, tylosin (TYL) and enrofloxacin (ENR), in loess soil. Through a comprehensive batch sorption method, we systematically evaluated single and binary sorption behaviors using varying ions (Ca<small>²⁺</small>, Mg<small>²⁺</small>, NH<small>₄</small><small>⁺</small>, and K<small>⁺</small>), ionic strengths (from 0.01 to 0.1 M) and pH (4–10). The results showed that batch experiments fitted well with pseudo-second-order kinetics (equilibrium times: 4 h for TYL and 2 h for ENR) and Freundlich isotherms (1/<em>n</em> = 0.364–0.831), revealing distinct sorption pathways. The results showed that TYL enhanced ENR sorption by up to 88% in binary systems, acting as a “surrogate organic phase” <em>via</em> hydrophobic interactions, with Freundlich coefficients (<em>K</em><small>_f</small>) increasing from 0.112 (TYL) and 0.331 (ENR) in single systems to 0.215 and 0.411, respectively. High Ca<small>²⁺</small> (0.10 M) inhibited adsorption due to site competition (sorption capacity order: NH<small>₄</small><small>⁺</small> &gt; K<small>⁺</small> &gt; control &gt; Ca<small>²⁺</small> &gt; Mg<small>²⁺</small>). While single-system sorption affinity K<small>_d</small> declined with pH from 4 to 10 (ENR from 0.888 to 0.126 mg g<small>⁻¹</small>; TYL from 79.1 to 2.13 L kg<small>⁻¹</small>), binary systems reversed TYL's pH dependency, peaking at pH 8 (<em>K</em><small>_d</small> = 649 L kg<small>⁻¹</small>) due to ENR-induced surface charge modification and Ca<small>²⁺</small>-bridging. These results underscore the critical role of co-sorption in modulating antibiotic mobility and advocate for integrating multi-pollutant interactions into risk assessments for calcareous soils, directly informing contamination management in vulnerable semi-arid ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 7","pages":" 1914-1927"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144245365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microscopic menace: exploring the link between microplastics and cancer pathogenesis†","authors":"Manu M. Joseph, Jyothi B. Nair and Anu Mary Joseph","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00232J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00232J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Microplastics represent a group of emerging environmental contaminants widely recognized for their potential impacts on human health, particularly concerning the pathogenesis of cancer. Generally defined as plastic particles between 1 μm and 5 mm, microplastics and nanoparticles are major environmental contaminants and potential health hazards. This review aims to engage with the intricate dimensions of microplastics, and their classification and persistence across different ecosystems. It underscores their bioaccumulation and pervasive presence. Although significant insights have been garnered, much remains to be elucidated regarding the full spectrum of impact microplastics have on human health. Evidence derived from both epidemiological and experimental studies underscores the urgent necessity for clinical research to elucidate the microplastic-cancer connection. It is a very important concern in biomedicine as cancer remains the leading cause of mortality irrespective of the advancement in diagnostic and therapeutic regimens. Furthermore, improvements in the detection and analysis of microplastics within biological samples are also scrutinized. The article concludes with future directions which advocate for standardized research protocols, regulatory measures and interdisciplinary collaboration to confront the microscopic threat posed by microplastics in cancer pathogenesis. However, this endeavour necessitates concerted efforts across various scientific domains, because only through such collaboration can we hope to achieve meaningful progress in understanding this critical issue.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 7","pages":" 1768-1795"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/em/d5em00232j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144264899","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}