Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts最新文献

{"title":"Extended pesticide soil monitoring in Cuban potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production: residue co-occurrence, dissipation rates, ecological risks, and implications","authors":"Brizeidi Peña, Isabel Hilber, Dayana Sosa, Arturo C. Escobar and Thomas D. Bucheli","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00119F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00119F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Pesticides are intensively used but understudied in tropical regions in America. We therefore investigated their occurrence and dissipation in soils of 18 potato (<em>Solanum tuberosum</em> L.) producing farms in Mayabeque, Cuba, between 2018 and 2022. Between two and 17 active ingredients (AIs) were used per site, and the cultivation period and sums of AIs ranged from 0.001 to 26 kg<small>_AI</small> ha<small>⁻¹</small>. Soil concentrations of 38 individual target compounds ranged from 0.1 to 658 μg kg<small>_{dry weight}</small><small>⁻¹</small>. Observed half-lives (DT<small>_50,obs</small>) of the five most prevalent AIs were up to eight times lower than the DT<small>₅₀</small> from temperate climate in the Pesticides Properties Database. The fate and behaviour of pesticides rather depended on their physico-chemical than on soil properties. Several sites posed a high risk to earthworms (cumulative risk quotient &gt;1) during periods of peak pesticide application to harvest, with azoxystrobin and cyproconazole contributing the most.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2685-2697"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12371700/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936378","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":"Compound-specific stable carbon and bromine isotope analysis tracking transformation mechanisms of organobrominated contaminants: a review of principles, methodologies and applications","authors":"Haoyu Zeng, Songsong Chen, Xiao Liu, Weiwei Zhang, Ying Liu, Yongzhi Wang and Limin Ma","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00183H","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00183H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Organobrominated contaminants, such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs), pose significant environmental risks due to their persistence, toxicity, and complex transformation pathways. Compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of carbon (<em>δ</em><small>¹³</small>C) and bromine (<em>δ</em><small>⁸¹</small>Br) has emerged as a powerful tool to elucidate degradation mechanisms, particularly debromination processes that are critical to understanding environmental fate. This review synthesizes principles, methodologies, and applications of CSIA-C/Br for tracking the transformation of organobrominated pollutants, emphasizing advances in overcoming analytical challenges. Traditional techniques such as gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-qMS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) often struggle with precision and matrix interference, especially for high-boiling-point polybrominated compounds. Innovations such as Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry enable precise separation of different isotopologues, minimizing isobaric interferences and enhancing reliability, with high potential for precise bromine isotope analysis. The review also underscores the urgent need for internationally certified bromine isotope reference materials and expanded isotopic databases to improve cross-laboratory comparability. By integrating carbon and bromine isotope data, this CSIA-C/Br offers transformative insights into reaction pathways, supporting environmental forensics and pollutant management. Future work must prioritize refining analytical precision, addressing low-magnitude bromine isotope effects, and advancing field-compatible methods to bridge laboratory findings with real-world environmental systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2636-2654"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144999260","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":"Natural sunlight-driven phototransformation of the expectorant drug ambroxol in freshwaters","authors":"Ying Zhang, Xiaoci Li, Jing Chen, Lei Zhou, Mingbao Feng, Jean-Marc Chovelon and Yuefei Ji","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00205B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00205B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Ambroxol (AMB), a widely used expectorant drug, has been ubiquitously detected in aquatic environments due to its limited metabolism in the human body. Herein, we systematically investigated the photodegradation of AMB in waters upon natural sunlight irradiation. AMB has a p<em>K</em><small>_a</small> value of 8.42, as determined by spectroscopic titration. A dibromoaniline moiety was identified as the primary chromophore responsible for its light absorption. AMB underwent relatively fast photodegradation, with a near-surface half-life (<em>t</em><small>_1/2</small>) of 2.1–3.0 h at noon on a clear midsummer day at 32°N. The quantum yield (<em>Φ</em>) of direct sunlight photolysis was actinometrically determined to be 0.015 in a neutral aqueous solution. Natural organic matter (NOM) played dual roles in the sunlight-induced photolysis of AMB, serving as a light screener and photosensitizer. Product analysis suggested that the direct photolysis of AMB proceeded mainly through photoionization and photonucleophilic substitution. Kinetic modeling predicted half-lives ranging from 2 to 4 days in well-mixed lake water columns (depth = 3 m, [DOC] = 5 mg C L<small>⁻¹</small>). These findings highlight the significant role of direct photolysis in determining AMB's environmental fate in sunlit surface waters and provide insights into the photochemical behavior of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2894-2905"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936381","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":"An eco-friendly approach to soil remediation: evaluating clay–biochar composite for used motor oil removal through kinetic, isotherm, and thermodynamic models","authors":"Bzhwen Khalid Majeed, Khasraw Abdullah Rashid and Dler M. S. Shwan","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00404G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00404G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study investigates the efficiency of the Clay–Biochar Composite (CBC) in the remediation of soil contaminated by used motor oil (UMO). The CBC was synthesized through the carbonization of acid-activated bentonite (AC) [derived from natural bentonite clay (NC)], which was combined with Loquat Seed Biochar (LSB) [derived from Raw Loquat Seed (RLS)]. Comprehensive characterization for NC, AC, RLS, LSB, and CBC to assess their physicochemical properties and potential for UMO adsorption was conducted <em>via</em> Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis techniques. Additionally, the effects of adsorption parameters such as (UMO) concentration, adsorption time, and adsorbent dosage on removal efficiency were studied. At an optimal dose of 0.3 g and 50 °C, with a contact duration of 300 minutes, the CBC removed 99.89% of oil, reaching a maximum adsorption capacity of 41.62 mg g<small>⁻¹</small>. The results indicated that the Freundlich isotherm (<em>R</em><small>²</small> = 0.995) and second-order kinetic models (<em>R</em><small>²</small> = 0.996) more effectively fitted to describe UMO adsorption, suggesting that multilayer adsorption was involved. Also, thermodynamic analysis showed that motor oil adsorption is spontaneous and endothermic. The Δ<em>G</em>° values ranged from −16.05 to −17.69 kJ mol<small>⁻¹</small>, with a positive Δ<em>H</em>° of 19.23 J mol<small>⁻¹</small> and a Δ<em>S</em>° of 54.84 J mol<small>⁻¹</small>. K indicates increased randomness at the solid–liquid interface. Real-world experiments, which involved examining actual contaminated soil samples, validated the practical applicability of the CBC for UMO remediation. The CBC established the possibility of reuse, achieving 90% oil desorption. These results showed that the CBC significantly enhanced adsorption affinity, highlighting its potential as a cost-effective and eco-friendly adsorbent for oil pollution remediation.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2982-3001"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936361","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":"Limited but localized: geochemical and biodiversity impacts of shale gas extraction on soil ecosystems","authors":"Shangbo Zhou, Yiyao Li, Xicheng Jin, Shuchan Peng, Changqian Miu, Daijun Zhang and Peili Lu","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00356C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00356C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The rapid global expansion of shale gas extraction has intensified scrutiny of its environmental impact, yet research on terrestrial ecosystems remains limited compared to aquatic systems. To address this gap, we investigated the Fuling shale gas field in China's Sichuan Basin—a region of intensive hydraulic fracturing activity—to evaluate effects on soil geochemistry and fauna. We quantified hydraulic fracturing-associated tracers (<em>i.e.</em>, electrical conductivity (EC), chloride (Cl<small>⁻</small>), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba)) across three distance gradients (10 m, 50 m, and 100 m) from extraction well pads. While EC, Cl<small>⁻</small>, Sr, and Ba concentrations were elevated at certain sampling sites near the extraction well pads, statistical analyses revealed no significant differences in the concentrations of these tracers across varying distance gradients. To assess ecological impacts, we integrated traditional morphological taxonomy with environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, enabling high-resolution characterization of soil fauna communities. Results indicated no significant alterations in community structure attributable to shale gas activities. A multiparameter index (MPI) synthesizing physicochemical and biological data further confirmed no measurable degradation of soil health. These findings suggest that current extraction practices in the Sichuan Basin have not yet caused serious soil contamination or ecological disruption within the studied spatial scope. However, as regional hydraulic fracturing intensifies, long-term monitoring of cumulative pressures and ecosystem resilience thresholds will be essential to mitigate latent risks.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2931-2940"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936344","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":"Human exposure to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Asia and contributing factors, with a focus on East Asia","authors":"Rai S. Kookana, Bo Sha, Jobriell C. Baluyot, Karl C. Bowles, Melanie Kah, Lokesh P. Padhye, Guang G. Ying, Divina Navarro, Michael C. Velarde, Christopher P. Higgins and Ian T. Cousins","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00396B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00396B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The production and use of PFAS in some countries, coupled with uncertainties about their applications across Asia, underscore the urgent need to assess human exposure—particularly beyond China, Japan, and South Korea, which account for 80–90% of existing environmental PFAS studies. Exposure levels vary significantly across the region, with industrial activities, including textile and automotive manufacturing, contributing to severe contamination, especially in freshwater sources. Studies have detected PFAS in surface and groundwater across 20 Asian countries (∼3000 samples), sometimes at concerning concentrations. Contamination extends to drinking water and food products, further increasing human exposure risks. There is now substantial evidence, particularly from China, South Korea, and Japan, indicating a widespread presence of long-chain PFAS in human serum and breast milk. Additionally, replacement compounds and their degradation products, such as 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (6:2 Cl-PFESA) and the dimer and trimer acids of hexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO-DA, and HFPO-TA), are increasingly detected in human samples in China, where they are produced. Although the situation in the rest of Asia is currently unclear due to limited data, given the widespread PFAS contamination in water and food sources in the studied areas of Asia, human exposure is highly likely. Beyond direct contamination, additional risk factors in certain Asian regions are likely to exacerbate exposure, including industrially impacted freshwater resources, self-supplied and untreated drinking waters, and high reliance on fish and seafood (including wastewater-fed fisheries) in some countries. Conversely, dietary patterns, such as vegetarianism in some regions (<em>e.g.</em> India), may influence PFAS exposure differently. Despite these concerns, PFAS regulations in Asia typically fall behind those in Western countries, resulting in significant gaps in risk assessment and regulatory oversight. There is also less pressure to systematically characterize exposure levels and associated health risks. This article examines the pathways of PFAS exposure in Asia, focussing on East Asia due to the availability of data. It examines the main factors contributing to exposure, including PFAS production and associated industries, as well as the consumption of contaminated food and water. The article also identifies future research needs aimed at enhancing the understanding and mitigation of PFAS risks in Asia.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2614-2635"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/em/d5em00396b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936296","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":"Fractionation and mechanism of Fe in the mineral-associated soil fraction from the Mongolian Plateau grasslands","authors":"Zhihao Wang, Jin-E Wei, Yuanqing Tang, Yangzheng Liu, Rong Wei and Changwei Lü","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00511F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00511F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The Mongolian Plateau grasslands constitute a vital ecological barrier in inland Asia. Within these ecosystems, the mineral-associated soil fraction (&lt;53 μm, MASF) is the dominant component, and its iron (Fe) oxides play a pivotal role in mediating carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling. Using sequential chemical extraction, we quantified seven Fe fractions (Fe<small>_ex</small>, Fe<small>_carb</small>, Fe<small>_ox1</small>, Fe<small>_ox2</small>, Fe<small>_mag</small>, Fe<small>_prs</small>, and Fe<small>_U</small>) within the MASF across the plateau. The relative abundance of these fractions followed the sequence: Fe<small>_U</small> &gt; Fe<small>_prs</small> &gt; Fe<small>_ox2</small> &gt; Fe<small>_ox1</small> &gt; Fe<small>_mag</small> &gt; Fe<small>_carb</small> &gt; Fe<small>_ex</small>. The combined Fe<small>_ox1</small> and Fe<small>_ox2</small> fractions, representing highly reactive Fe (Fe<small>_HR</small>), constituted 6.82–55.77% of total iron (FeT), identifying them as the dominant Fe<small>_HR</small> components. Both Fe fraction abundance and inorganic phosphorus extracted by sequential extraction (IP<small>_SE</small>) decreased significantly along the grassland gradient: meadow steppe &gt; typical steppe &gt; desert steppe. This parallel decline underscores the key regulatory role of Fe (hydr)oxides in governing P fractionation and bioavailability within the MASF. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed soil physicochemical properties as the primary drivers of Fe<small>_HR</small> variability, explaining 64.52% of the variance, followed by climatic factors (18.6%) and vegetation factors (11.7%). IP<small>_SE</small> drivers exhibited a similar hierarchy, suggesting a coupled geochemical cycling mechanism between Fe<small>_HR</small> and IP<small>_SE</small>. This study provides fundamental geochemical insights into Fe fractionation within the MASF, advancing analytical approaches for understanding elemental cycling and ecological processes in Mongolian Plateau grasslands.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2917-2930"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936349","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":"Overcoming the challenge of quantifying aged microplastic by qNMR spectroscopy","authors":"Julia Schmidt, Marte Haave and Wei Wang","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00393H","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00393H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) spectroscopy holds strong potential for environmental microplastic analysis, contingent on addressing the challenge of quantifying aged synthetic microplastics. This study evaluated the application of qNMR for quantifying polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), aged under UV exposure and elevated temperatures for 24 days. qNMR was combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to assess morphological, chemical, and molecular-level changes. SEM revealed surface degradation in PS and PVC, with minimal changes in PET, while FTIR showed increased carbonyl indices (CI), indicating oxidation. qNMR analysis demonstrated consistent microplastic signals between aged and pristine materials, with relative quantification errors from 1% to 18%. Calibration curves showed strong linearity (<em>R</em><small>²</small> &gt; 0.97), with limits of detection (LOD) between 0.87–2.79 μg mL<small>⁻¹</small> and limits of quantification (LOQ) between 2.89–9.29 μg mL<small>⁻¹</small>. Additionally, degradation products in PS and PVC were quantified, providing a detailed assessment of chemical changes during aging, while PET exhibited no significant degradation. These results demonstrate that qNMR enables sensitive, reliable quantification of aged microplastics. Integration of qNMR, SEM, and FTIR offers complementary insights into microplastic aging and supports the development of robust methods for environmental microplastic monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2821-2834"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/em/d5em00393h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144820101","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":"Dichloroethene reduction by Fe(ii): role of transient Fe(ii) phases","authors":"Caroline E. Chelsvig, Malvika Patial, Drew E. Latta, Paul G. Tratnyek, Anke Neumann and Michelle M. Scherer","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00274E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00274E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Chlorinated ethenes (CEs) are some of the most commonly found groundwater contaminants, and their clean-up still relies heavily on energy intensive clean-up practices such as pump and treat. As a sustainable alternative, abiotic natural attenuation by Fe(<small>II</small>) species would be preferable. While data is available on reduction of some CEs by stable Fe(<small>II</small>) phases, these reactions appear to be slower than reduction by freshly precipitated, transient Fe(<small>II</small>) phases (<em>i.e.</em>, reactive mineral intermediates, RMIs). Here, we evaluated <em>cis</em>-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE) reduction by stable and transient Fe(<small>II</small>)-containing phases, and characterized the transient phases formed. In the absence of aqueous Fe(<small>II</small>) (Fe(<small>II</small>)<small>_aq</small>), magnetite, chloride green rust, hematite, mackinawite, and clay minerals did not reduce cDCE. When Fe(<small>II</small>)<small>_aq</small> was present with these minerals, reduction usually occurred when conditions favored precipitation of ferrous hydroxide (Fe(OH)<small>₂</small>). Additionally, we observed cDCE reduction by Fe(<small>II</small>) precipitates made from FeCl<small>₂</small> and ferrous ammonium sulfate (FAS), but never with FeSO<small>₄</small> present. Under no conditions, with or without Fe(<small>II</small>)<small>_aq</small>, was cDCE reduced by goethite, chukanovite, sulfate green rust, or aluminum oxide. Mössbauer spectra of the transient phases indicate that ferrous (oxy)hydroxides such as Fe(OH)<small>₂</small> formed from FeCl<small>₂</small> and FeSO<small>₄</small> and a green rust-like precipitate formed from FAS. These spectra suggest that reduction is faster when the phases are less ordered, possibly because the Fe(<small>II</small>) precipitates are less crystalline or form smaller particles. Our work suggests that although most stable Fe(<small>II</small>) phases do not reduce cDCE sufficiently fast for significant abiotic natural attenuation, Fe(<small>II</small>) RMI phases may contribute to attenuation of cDCE plumes.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2770-2784"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144792987","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":"Fluorine-free foams exhibit incomplete aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation, create redox-specific byproducts and shift microbial communities","authors":"Michael Penrose, Mahsa Modiri, Vicente Gomez-Alvarez, Hodon Ryu, Mallikarjuna N. Nadagouda and Mohamed Ateia","doi":"10.1039/D5EM00420A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5EM00420A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The phaseout of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foams has motivated the adoption of fluorine-free foams (F3), yet their environmental fate remains poorly understood. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of F3 biodegradation under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, combining modified OECD protocols, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and microbial community profiling to elucidate surfactant degradation pathways, byproduct formation, and ecological impacts. Aerobic systems achieved greater than 80% bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal for two commercial F3 formulations within 28 days, yet targeted analyses revealed persistent, hydrophobic surfactants (<em>e.g.</em>, ethylene glycol dodecyl ether, EGDE) in sludge phases (2–5 μg L<small>⁻¹</small>) and transient byproducts like short-chain glycol ethers. Anaerobic degradation diverged sharply with minimal DOC reduction (&lt;5%), limiting surfactant transformation, including sulfate reduction-driven hydrogen sulfide generation and accumulation of alkylamine intermediates (<em>e.g.</em>, <em>N</em>-methyldodecylamine). Non-target HRMS screening identified 21 byproducts. Nine were exclusive to late-stage samples at day 60, with unknown peaks constituting 15–20% of residual DOC as uncharacterized compounds absent from formal assessments. Microbial diversity was reduced by 79% in anaerobic systems, selecting for specialist taxa (<em>e.g.</em>, <em>Azospira</em>, <em>Nitrospira</em>) with the potential for surfactant hydrolysis. In contrast, aerobic communities retained metabolic flexibility but showed concentration-dependent inhibition. These findings challenge the adequacy of standardized biodegradability tests, which overlook sludge-phase residuals, redox-specific byproducts, and non-target compounds. This work shows that assumed “readily biodegradable” F3 surfactants may also leave persistent residues, necessitating advanced frameworks with phase-specific analytics and pathway prediction tools to ensure replacements reduce and do not redistribute risks to water quality and ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" 9","pages":" 2809-2820"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144815279","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}