Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts最新文献

{"title":"Rainfall-induced lateral and vertical microplastic transport of varying sizes in agricultural fields","authors":"Emilee Severe, Saunak Sinha Ray, Wang Li, David Zumr, Tomáš Dostál, Ben W. J. Surridge, Josef Krasa, Florian Wilken, Peter Fiener, Christine Stumpp, Ahsan Maqbool, José Alfonso Gómez, Christian Zafiu and John Quinton","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00304K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00304K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Agricultural soils, particularly those utilizing plastic products for crop production, are increasingly recognized as sources of microplastics (MPs) to aquatic ecosystems. In this research, we investigate the transport of polyethylene MPs of three different size ranges (53–63 μm, 125–150 μm and 425–500 μm) in an agricultural soil during a plot-based rainfall simulation. Using a combination of fluorescent particles and high-frequency photography, we tracked the number of MPs on the soil surface throughout the rainfall simulation, measured the depth MPs migrated into the soil profile and the number of MPs which were transported in surface runoff. Our results show that MPs had dynamic movement on the soil surface throughout the rainfall simulation. Approximately 20% of MPs sized 125–150 μm and 425–500 μm were exported from the plot in surface runoff with the remaining 80% of MPs thought to be retained in the soil. No significant differences were found in the number of MPs transported in surface runoff between MPs sized 125–150 μm and 425–500 μm. Microplastics were found to be enriched in eroded sediments. Microplastics of all sizes 53–63 μm, 125–150 μm and 425–500 μm were found in soil as deep as 8 cm with the majority of MPs found in the 0–2 cm soil depth. Results from this research not only indicate that MPs are quite mobile both vertically and laterally during rainfall events but also show that soils effectively retain and accumulate a sizeable proportion of MPs during heavy rainfall events.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2968-2981"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/em/d5em00304k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936422","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":"Long-term exposure to low-level nitrogen dioxide and risks of neurodegenerative diseases among middle-aged and older adults in the UK","authors":"Yujia Bao, Yongxuan Li, Ne Qiang, Yanqiu Zhou, Mike Z. He, Chen Shen, Xiaobei Deng, Jie Yin, Lefei Han and Jinjun Ran","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00342C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00342C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Divergent views remain regarding the health assessment of ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO<small>₂</small>) exposure at low-level concentrations. To fill in some gaps, this study was designed to comprehensively estimate the effects of low-level NO<small>₂</small> exposure on the brain system. This study included 183 351 participants with ambient NO<small>₂</small> ≤ 20 μg m<small>⁻³</small> at baseline from the UK Biobank and analyzed associations of NO<small>₂</small> exposure with neurodegenerative diseases and brain imaging traits through modeling. The results indicated that among populations exposed to ambient NO<small>₂</small> ≤ 20 μg m<small>⁻³</small>, an interquartile range (4.7 μg m<small>⁻³</small>) increase in NO<small>₂</small> exposure was associated with elevated incident risks of Alzheimer's disease (hazard ratio 1.18; 95% confidence interval 1.05, 1.32) and vascular dementia (1.25; 95% confidence interval 1.07, 1.46), respectively. The associations were also observed with specific grey matter and white matter phenotypes. The findings suggest that updating a lower limit for ambient NO<small>₂</small> may yield significant benefits.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2906-2916"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936323","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":"Influence of sulfur/chlorine-containing pesticides on the aging and heavy metal dynamics of PBAT and LDPE microplastics in soil","authors":"Yi Liu, Jiafei Xie, Yimiao Lin, Ruojia Li, Liang Zhu and Ying Zhou","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00360A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00360A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Microplastics (MPs) pollution in soil has emerged as a significant environmental concern, particularly regarding the interactions between MPs and chemical contaminants such as pesticides. This study focused on the aging of biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-<em>co</em>-terephthalate) (PBAT) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films in the presence of five sulfur/chlorine (S/Cl)-containing pesticides (prothioconazole, myclobutanil, isazophos, harmony, and flumetsulam), selected for their common use in agricultural practices and potential environmental persistence. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were employed to investigate the dynamics of heavy metal adsorption and release (specifically Ni, Cu, and Sn) during MPs aging, as indicated by changes in surface morphology and polymer functional groups. Results revealed that PBAT aged more rapidly than LDPE, irrespective of pesticide presence. All pesticides tested accelerated aging of MPs, with a notable enhancement in the adsorption of Ni and Cu and the release of Sn. Among the pesticides, prothioconazole and myclobutanil exhibited the most significant effects on aging of MPs and heavy metal interactions, while harmony and flumetsulam had minimal impact. These findings highlight the potential environmental risks associated with the combined exposure of MPs and pesticides, offering insights for future environmental risk assessments.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 3002-3015"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936351","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":"Insights into the atmospheric persistence of α-endosulfan","authors":"Loc T. Nguyen, Tam V.-T. Mai and Lam K. Huynh","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00296F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00296F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Endosulfan, an organochlorine insecticide, poses serious risks to human health, ecosystems, and the environment. Understanding its chemical transformation and atmospheric persistence is therefore critical for environmental protection, risk assessment, and regulatory decision-making. To resolve the atmospheric persistence of α-endosulfan (the dominant isomer of endosulfan) and reveal chemical insights into its transformation, we combine accurate quantum calculations and the master equation model to construct a detailed kinetic model for the α-endosulfan + OH reaction. Matching the previous kinetic measurements reported by P. C. Alarcon, <em>et al.</em>, <em>Environ. Sci. Technol.</em>, 2023, <strong>57</strong>(42), 15999–16005 at 348–395 K and 750 Torr, the model confidently reveals the increasing trend of its persistence with temperature, which contradicts the previous extrapolated data below 348 K. Also, the persistence is found to be further amplified by increasing pressure. Such new observations are due to a highly stable pre-complex and its transformation, which significantly speeds up the reaction. Through product branching analysis, the H-abstraction at the –CH<small>₂</small>– moiety in the α-endosulfan ring is found to be dominant in the wide <em>T</em> &amp; <em>P</em> range. The calculated atmospheric pseudo-unimolecular half-life (at 200–400 K and 76–760 Torr) ranges from 1.1 to 295.4 hours, suggesting α-endosulfan could be a persistent organic pollutant. Photolysis potential calculations indicate that neither α-endosulfan nor its primary products are readily degraded by sunlight, highlighting the importance of removal pathways <em>via</em> hydroxylation. Furthermore, the reported similar reactivity of its minor isomer, β-endosulfan, in which the OH addition at the S atom plays an important role at low temperatures (<em>e.g.</em>, <em>T</em> ≤ 298 K), provides an overall picture of the atmospheric conversion of the technical endosulfan.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 3016-3028"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936288","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":"Dissolved trivalent manganese in forest soils – interactions of natural organic ligands with manganese oxides","authors":"Constantin Lux, Kristian Ufer and Tim Mansfeldt","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00388A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00388A","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p &gt;The presence of dissolved trivalent manganese (Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;) in soils has been neglected largely due to its rapid disproportionation. However, natural organic ligands (NOLs) complex and stabilize Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt; by the formation of stable Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;–NOL complexes. Our objectives were (i) to investigate the influence of NOLs on the dissolution of synthetic Mn oxides, (ii) to perform the speciation analysis of the resulting dissolved total Mn (Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sub&gt;T&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/small&gt;) pool, and (iii) to elucidate the principles governing abiotic formation of Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;–NOL complexes. NOLs were obtained by extraction (0.001 M CaCl&lt;small&gt;&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/small&gt;, 24 h) from a terrestrial forest floor Oe horizon (moder-like raw humus). In batch operations, NOLs reacted with either birnessite (containing Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;IV&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt; and minor Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;III&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;) or manganite (containing solely Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;III&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;). The interaction between NOLs and Mn (hydr)oxides was investigated as a function of time (1–168 h, 7 steps), and pH (3–7, 5 steps). Mn speciation analysis was performed using a spectrophotometric protocol based on kinetic modeling. Results show that the dissolution of the Mn oxides increased with decreasing pH and increasing time. Mean proportions of Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;–NOL complexes relative to the Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sub&gt;T&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/small&gt; pool ranged from 0 to 87 ± 18% (birnessite), and from 0 to 69 ± 14% (manganite). A pH-dependent formation of Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;–NOL complexes was observed, highlighting pH as the critical parameter. Complex stability decreased with decreasing pH, while an influence of time was only assumed for strongly acidic conditions. Overall, Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;–NOL complexes appeared to be metastable at pH 3–5 (birnessite) and below pH 7 (manganite). In addition, the formation of Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;–NOL complexes was influenced by the individual properties of the Mn oxides as they were differing in their average oxidation state, point of zero charge, specific surface area and morphology and structure. These properties influence the formation mechanisms of Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;–NOL complexes and, consequently, the Mn speciation. For example, they affect NOL adsorption rates and capacities, as well as the transformation and degradation of NOLs. We suggest (i) ligand-promoted non-reductive dissolution, (ii) ligand-promoted reductive dissolution, (iii) H&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;-promoted dissolution, and (iv) ligand exchange as the four possible abiotic dissolution mechanisms for Mn release and Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;–NOL complex formation. Following dissolution, either Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt;–NOL complexes were released, or released Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt; and Mn&lt;small&gt;&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/small&gt; may be complexed by additional NOLs with and without oxidation. We demonstrate t","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2875-2893"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/em/d5em00388a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936375","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":"Chemical proteomics reveals human liver fatty acid binding protein as a predominant and selective target of triphenyl phosphate","authors":"Jolie Miller, Jiajun Han, Diwen Yang, Miriam L. Diamond, Runzeng Liu and Hui Peng","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00327J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00327J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) is a commonly used flame retardant and plasticizer with well-documented toxicity at environmentally relevant concentrations. We tested the hypothesis of covalent protein binding as a mechanism of TPHP toxicity by using chemical proteomics to identify adducted targets from human and rat hepatic proteomes. Results <em>via</em> in-gel fluorescent imaging showed that the TPHP-probe covalently bound many proteins with substantial interspecies variation. Using shotgun proteomics, we confirmed liver carboxylesterases as major targets in rat liver but identified liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) as a novel and predominant target in human liver cells. The binding of TPHP to L-FABP was also confirmed by using recombinant L-FABP protein. We confirmed that TPHP binding to L-FABP is structurally selective, demonstrating that aryl side chains and the phosphate ester center are both essential for binding. Thus, we conclude that L-FABP is a predominant and selective target of TPHP in human hepatic proteome and that covalent protein adduction is an understudied toxicity mechanism for TPHP, presenting concerns regarding its widespread usage.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2865-2874"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/em/d5em00327j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936310","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":"Nitrate concentration mediates iron transformation by an iron-oxidizing–reducing bacterium in the Fe(ii)–Fe(iii) co-existing system","authors":"Rong Peng, Qi Zhu, Shuang Li and Hui Liu","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00298B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00298B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The bacterium <em>Comamonas terrigena</em> strain HJ-2 has been reported as a nitrate-dependent iron-oxidizing bacterium, surprisingly with Fe(<small>III</small>) reduction ability. The control of iron redox cycling by the strain HJ-2 in the Fe(<small>II</small>)–Fe(<small>III</small>) co-existing system is mysterious and worthy of exploration. The present study demonstrates that HJ-2 utilizes nitrate as an electron acceptor to rapidly oxidize Fe(<small>II</small>), with negligible Fe(<small>III</small>) reduction, under neutral pH and anaerobic conditions in a co-existing Fe<small>²⁺</small> and ferrihydrite system. Nitrate significantly influences the iron transformation mediated by HJ-2. The final conversion ratio of Fe(<small>II</small>) increased from 27.94% to 96.67%, and the bio-oxidation rate of Fe(<small>II</small>) escalated from 0.000143 to 0.013 h<small>⁻¹</small> as nitrate concentrations rose from 0.1 to 10 mM. X-ray diffraction results indicated that in the absence of HJ-2, goethite was the sole product, regardless of the nitrate concentration. While in the presence of HJ-2, the minerals formed transitioned from crystalline goethite and lepidocrocite to amorphous or weakly crystalline minerals with increasing nitrate concentration. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that the morphology of the final mineral formed under high nitrate conditions resembled ferrihydrite, with higher carbon content on the mineral surface at elevated nitrate concentrations, suggesting enhanced production of bio-iron oxides and increased adsorption capacity for aqueous Fe(<small>II</small>). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results confirmed higher Fe(<small>II</small>) content on the amorphous minerals surface than goethite. This work provides new insights into microbial-mediated Fe–N cycling in natural environments, highlighting the significance of nitrate in driving iron redox processes and the iron mineral transformation by strain HJ-2.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2941-2954"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936299","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":"Integrating pollution indices and Monte Carlo simulation for a comprehensive risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in soils","authors":"Shafiqur Rahman, Shengbin Ni, Suman Barua, Shoji Yoshioka, Minami Imaizumi, Kuo H. Wong, Asami S. Mashio, Ismail M. M. Rahman and Hiroshi Hasegawa","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00094G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00094G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soil pose significant ecological and human health risks due to their persistence and bioaccumulative nature. This study investigates PTE contamination in soils collected from ten representative contaminated sites across Japan, including industrial zones, construction sites, and shooting ranges. While previous research has focused on specific PTEs such as arsenic (As) and lead (Pb), comprehensive multi-element risk assessments across diverse contamination scenarios remain limited. To address this, a suite of pollution indices, including the geo-accumulation index (<em>I</em><small>_geo</small>), Pollution Index (PI), Nemerow Pollution Index (PI<small>_N</small>), Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI), Pollution Load Index (PLI), multi-element contamination index (MEC), and the Mean Effects Range-Median Quotient (MERMQ), was employed to assess contamination levels and ecological risks. Additionally, human health risks were assessed using deterministic models and probabilistic Monte Carlo simulations. Results identified As and Pb as primary contaminants, with leaching tests revealing concentrations significantly exceeding environmental standards in most soils. Elevated <em>I</em><small>_geo</small> and PI values for cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni), despite concentrations remaining within regulatory thresholds, suggest localized safety concerns. High MEC values revealed extremely high pollution in industrial and shooting range soils, threatening the local ecosystem. Non-carcinogenic risk assessments indicated Pb and As as major contributors, with hazard index (HI) values &gt; 1 in several samples. Carcinogenic risks associated with Cr and As exceeded acceptable thresholds in most samples, emphasizing the need for protective health measures. The findings provide critical data to support local governments and policymakers in implementing targeted remediation strategies for managing PTE-contaminated areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2848-2864"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144870408","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":"Prepared polypropylene microplastics: formation of eco-corona in aquatic systems and their combined toxicity with cadmium in Artemia franciscana","authors":"Anna Sundar Sarmila and Natarajan Chandrasekaran","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00260E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00260E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Our study investigated the interactions between colloids present in various aquatic environments and the surface of microplastics (MPs), with a specific focus on their behavior in tap water, lake water and marine water systems. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as “eco-corona”. Polypropylene microplastics, although extensively utilized in various applications, have been less studied than polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics. The prepared polypropylene microplastics were characterized by ATR-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, and the formation of eco-corona was monitored at specific time intervals (24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h). Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to measure the corresponding fluorescence intensity. Further investigations through FTIR spectroscopy revealed a reduction or complete disappearance of the characteristic polymer peaks upon suspension in natural water systems. Eco-coronated MPs exhibit more cadmium adsorption than raw MPs. The combined exposure of eco-coronated MPs and cadmium to the brine shrimp <em>Artemia</em> leads to the bioaccumulation of microplastics. At its peak concentration (0.5 mg mL<small>⁻¹</small>), both weathered and true-to-life microplastics significantly increased reactive oxygen species production (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) in a concentration-dependent manner. Similarly, superoxide dismutase activity increased in a dose-dependent manner, with weathered microplastics showing significant elevation (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). Conversely, total protein content was reduced at higher concentrations of both weathered and true-to-life microplastics. The interaction between microplastics and biomolecules/colloids diminishes their presence in the environment, acts as a vector for pollutants, and mimics food for aquatic organisms. Additionally, it facilitates bioaccumulation in lower-to-higher aquatic organisms and contributes to the collapse of the food web.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2655-2672"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144853970","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":"Historical input and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aquatic sediments†","authors":"Aili Li, Bingni Zhang, Jin Zhang and Christoph Schüth","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00096C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00096C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants whose presence in the environmental matrices can provide insights into historical emissions and inputs from surrounding areas. In this study, we analyzed ten PAHs in eight sediment cores collected from the northern part of Taihu Lake, a region adjacent to one of the most developed areas in China, to assess the impacts of anthropogenic activities on PAH distributions over recent decades. PAH distributions were characterized using concentration fraction profiles of four light PAHs (CFL) and six heavy PAHs (CFH). The results reveal a consistent upward trend of increasing CFH and decreasing CFL within the sediment cores. This pattern is primarily attributed to the substantial rise in coal and oil consumption in the local region over recent decades, given that heavy PAHs are mainly emitted from coal combustion and vehicle exhaust rather than from wood combustion. Additionally, heavy PAHs preferentially bind to ultrafine particles which are less efficiently captured by conventional particle interception technologies, causing them to be more prone to environmental release. Expanding the analysis globally, four distinct types of CFH and CFL profiles were identified in 19 other aquatic areas, reflecting variations in regional energy consumption structures and industrialization levels. By integrating data on energy use, emission sources, PAH partitioning and sedimentary deposition patterns, this study provides a comprehensive framework for interpreting the historical and regional characteristics of PAH input to the aquatic environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2835-2847"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144853969","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}