{"title":"Evolution of the photosensitized production of singlet oxygen by aqueous extracts of biomass-burning aerosol.","authors":"Daniel Bonomo, Ryan C Sullivan","doi":"10.1039/d6em00131a","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6em00131a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biomass-burning aerosol (BBA) is emitted by combustion through wildfires and prescribed burns. As BBA contains chromophoric brown carbon, this aerosol increases radiative forcing and drives particle-phase photochemistry such as generation of singlet oxygen (<sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>) <i>via</i> photosensitization. By generating <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>, BBA could contribute to oxidation of atmospheric aerosol constituents and facilitate photobleaching of its brown carbon. Little is known regarding the quantum yield for <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> production in the aqueous dissolved fraction of BBA, or the variability of <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> production between biomass fuel types and other factors. In this study, the quantum yield of <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> photosensitization in aqueous BBA extracts during UVA light exposure was determined using the molecular probe furfuryl alcohol. Quantum yields of <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> formation ranged from 1.2-3.4%, and BBA generated by wax myrtle was found to have a significantly higher quantum yield than five other biomass fuels, indicating a possible significant dependence on fuel type in some cases. These values lie in a similar range observed for aquatic dissolved organic matter (DOM), where <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> production plays an important role in the fate of aquatic contaminants. No dependence on fuel type was observed in measured BBA steady-state <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> concentrations or rates of light absorption. The quantum yield of <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> was negatively correlated with absorption at 254 and 300 nm, but no other optical index was found to correlate with <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> production. Additionally, dynamic changes to the UV-vis absorption spectrum indicated that optical indices used to predict size and aromaticity of aqueous DOM do not apply to BBA extracts. These results emphasize the importance of BBA photosensitization as an aerosol-phase source of <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> decoupled from gas-phase atmospheric oxidants. BBA thus plays a role similar to DOM photosensitization in the aqueous environment, despite differences in their formation, chemical composition, and photochemical properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":"2288-2306"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148534572","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":"Enhancing pharmaceutical hazard assessment with machine learning mobility models.","authors":"Nahum Ashfield, Jun Li, Alistair B A Boxall","doi":"10.1039/d6em00315j","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6em00315j","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Assessing the environmental mobility of pharmaceuticals is critical for robust chemical hazard assessment, yet experimental sorption data are often limited. Furthermore, existing predictive models for sorption often lack reliability, particularly for ionisable compounds and frequently neglect the effects of sorbent properties on mobility. Here, we present an optimised and accessible random forest machine learning model that predicts linear sorption coefficients (log <i>K</i><sub>d</sub>) for active pharmaceutical ingredients, capturing soil-dependent variance. Model outputs show good agreement with external literature data (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.60), and moderate performance on industry data within the training domain (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.29). To demonstrate utility, predicted log <i>K</i><sub>d</sub> values for 1661 human and veterinary pharmaceuticals were normalised to organic carbon content (log <i>K</i><sub>oc</sub>) across seven theoretical soil types to classify their mobility against EU regulatory criteria. In total, 228 pharmaceuticals were classified as very mobile and 671 as mobile. Comparison with empirical classifications showed good agreement (63.2% agreement with industry data, 52.4% for literature data), suggesting that our optimised model provides a valuable tool to support the hazard and risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and, potentially, other classes of organic micropollutants.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":"2231-2241"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148416910","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":"Excitation of a photosensitizer-reagent complex: 4BBA-nonanoic acid complex in an atmospheric environment.","authors":"Amit Kumar, Robert Benny Gerber","doi":"10.1039/d6em00249h","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6em00249h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Organic chromophores and photosensitizers present in the marine boundary layer and atmospheric aerosols play a crucial role in daytime photochemical processes. Despite the recognized importance of photosensitizers in atmospheric chemistry, a detailed microscopic understanding of their mechanisms of action is in the early stages of development. This study explores the possibility that the formation of complexes between a photosensitizer and reactive molecules plays a crucial role in the initial excitation process. In this work, we investigate the effect of a representative fatty acid, nonanoic acid (NA), on a model chromophore, 4-benzoylbenzoic acid (4BBA), using quantum chemical calculations. This study aims to elucidate how fatty acid and chromophore interactions influence the excited state characteristics of organic photosensitizers in atmospheric environments. The key findings of this study are as follows: (i) complexation of 4BBA with NA leads to the absorption peak within the tropospherically relevant solar spectral region (>300 nm), which is absent in isolated 4BBA. (ii) Upon hydration of the 4BBA and NA complex, the ordering of the excited states changes, resulting in a shift of the dominant absorption from the S<sub>3</sub> state to the S<sub>2</sub> state. (iii) Under acidic conditions, the S<sub>2</sub> state remains dominant, with enhanced transition probability and a redshift of up to 0.65 eV observed relative to isolated 4BBA. These findings demonstrate that complexation between the photosensitizer and the reactive molecule can significantly influence photoexcitation, while microenvironmental conditions, <i>e.g.</i>, neighboring water molecules and protons, also play a critical role.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":"2161-2168"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148416931","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}
Andrea Rösch, Vanessa Reininger, Johannes Ranke, Jhoniel Perdigón Ferreira, Juliane Hirte, Philipp Sutter, Felix E Wettstein, Mathieu Renaud, Marion Junghans, Diana Vieira, Florian Walder, Thomas D Bucheli
{"title":"Longevity of modern pesticides in Swiss agricultural soils: distribution, drivers, and potential environmental implications.","authors":"Andrea Rösch, Vanessa Reininger, Johannes Ranke, Jhoniel Perdigón Ferreira, Juliane Hirte, Philipp Sutter, Felix E Wettstein, Mathieu Renaud, Marion Junghans, Diana Vieira, Florian Walder, Thomas D Bucheli","doi":"10.1039/d5em01048a","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d5em01048a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The widespread use of pesticides in crop protection leads to their release into soil, where their occurrence is shaped by multiple factors, including land use, management practices, and pedoclimatic conditions. However, their long-term behavior and effects on beneficial soil organisms remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the drivers of pesticide residue occurrence in agricultural soils, their persistence beyond the period in which ≥90% of the applied substance is expected to dissipate from the soil according to regulatory data (DT<sub>90</sub>), and potential ecotoxicological effects on soil invertebrates. We analyzed 146 substances (127 active ingredients and 19 transformation products) in topsoil from 126 Swiss sites across different land uses (arable and vegetable fields, orchards, and vineyards) using a sensitive analytical method. In addition to pesticide application intensity, pedoclimatic factors - particularly soil organic carbon and 30-year mean precipitation - emerged as key drivers of residue occurrence. Observed field persistence exceeded regulatory maximum field half-lives in about 60% of cases, especially for residues remaining in soil well beyond the DT<sub>90</sub> period. While most pesticide concentrations declined to below 10% of the applied amount after this period, several remained above this threshold for extended periods and at concentrations potentially relevant for ecotoxicological effects on soil invertebrates. Among these, difenoconazole, epoxiconazole, and chlorpyrifos contributed most strongly to the potential ecotoxicological impact across land uses, with overall concerns higher in Switzerland than in the European LUCAS soil monitoring survey. Our findings indicate that regulatory prospective persistence estimates frequently fail to capture field longevity and associated potential ecotoxicological effects of multiple pesticides.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":"2169-2186"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148434403","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}
Christian Zerfaß, Robert Lehmann, Nico Ueberschaar, Kai Uwe Totsche, Georg Pohnert
{"title":"Multiyear LC-MS profiles of groundwater DOM reveal re-emergence of recent and legacy contaminants in a fractured-rock catchment.","authors":"Christian Zerfaß, Robert Lehmann, Nico Ueberschaar, Kai Uwe Totsche, Georg Pohnert","doi":"10.1039/d6em00228e","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6em00228e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Groundwater quality in cultural landscapes is increasingly compromised by anthropogenic organic substances, yet the long-term dynamics and persistence of both current-use and legacy compounds remain insufficiently understood. Here, we present a 6 year, high-resolution mining of an untargeted metabolomics LC-MS dataset from the Hainich Critical Zone Exploratory (central Germany), enabling detection and temporal tracking of environmental chemicals in a groundwater system within fractured sedimentary bedrock. We identify five key compounds-the insect repellent <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-diethyl-<i>m</i>-toluamide (DEET), the coniferous resin acid 7-oxodehydroabietic acid (7-ODAA), the legacy herbicide simazine, the triazine transformation product hydroxypropazine, and triphenyl phosphate (TPP), a flame retardant and lubricant-across perched (7 m) and phreatic (∼90 m) groundwater zones. DEET and 7-ODAA exhibited seasonal concentration patterns consistent with usage-related release, while simazine, hydroxypropazine, and TPP occurred episodically, with notable re-emergence during extreme events, such as the 2018 drought and a 5 year groundwater highstand. Our findings highlight that both recent and legacy organic contaminants undergo dynamic mobilisation processes, influenced by recharge patterns and climate extremes. These results underscore the importance of sustained, high-frequency monitoring to capture episodic events and trace compound-specific responses across the hydrogeological system. By identifying persistent and transient compounds as potential flow tracers, this study advances understanding of organic matter transport in the Critical Zone and offers insights into groundwater protection strategies under changing environmental conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":"2256-2271"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467961","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}
Fengfeng Ma, Yani Cai, Qing Li, Ranxi Li, Wengang Wang
{"title":"Heteroaggregation-driven regulation of levofloxacin adsorption by nano-biochar-goethite complexes in aquatic environments.","authors":"Fengfeng Ma, Yani Cai, Qing Li, Ranxi Li, Wengang Wang","doi":"10.1039/d6em00032k","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6em00032k","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The heteroaggregation of naturally occurring substances is crucial for the transportation, transformation, and fate of biochar nanoparticles (BNPs). This study systematically investigates the heteroaggregation behavior between BNPs and goethite (GT), with particular emphasis on their colloidal stability, interaction energetics, and the resulting effects on levofloxacin (LEV) adsorption. BNPs exhibited the highest colloidal stability at pH 7.5. In mixed systems, the coexistence of BNPs and GT enhanced the dispersion of GT particles while simultaneously diminishing the stability of BNPs. The maximum energy barriers (<i>Φ</i><sub>max</sub>) for homo- and hetero-aggregation followed the order GT-GT (-10.4 × 10<sup>-18</sup> J) < BNPs-GT (2.85 × 10<sup>-18</sup> J) < BNPs-BNPs (6.4 × 10<sup>-17</sup> J), indicating that GT tends to undergo homopolymerization prior to subsequent heteroaggregation with BNPs. Both Na<sup>+</sup> and Ca<sup>2+</sup> promoted BNP-GT heteroaggregation, with Ca<sup>2+</sup> exhibiting a markedly stronger effect as evidenced by the lower critical coagulation concentration (CCC). When BNP concentration remained below the critical threshold (40 mg TOC per L), BNP effectively enhanced GT dispersion. However, above this threshold, extensive heteroaggregation occurred, forming large and compact heteroaggregates. Heteropolymer formation partially shielded the surface functional groups of BNPs, thereby restricting LEV access to available adsorption sites. Nonetheless, at elevated LEV concentrations, LEV molecules were able to penetrate the heteropolymer matrix or induce structural rearrangements, enabling access to internal sites and enhancing overall adsorption capacity. Interestingly, at low BNP concentrations, the BNP-GT mixture improved LEV removal by inhibiting GT agglomeration and exposing additional adsorption sites. In contrast, at high BNP concentrations, the formation of large heteroaggregates occluded active sites and diminished LEV adsorption efficiency. Overall, this study provides mechanistic insights into BNP-mineral interactions in natural waters and elucidates their implications for the environmental transport and fate of antibiotics. These findings advance the current understanding of nanoparticle-mineral heteroaggregation processes and offer important guidance for predicting contaminant mobility in aquatic environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":"2320-2332"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148589611","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}
Jillian P Downey, Veronica Vologodskaya, Charlotte Stein, Jennifer G Murphy, Jonathan P D Abbatt
{"title":"Uptake of ammonia by indoor surfaces: dependence on surface permeability, relative humidity, and environmental aging.","authors":"Jillian P Downey, Veronica Vologodskaya, Charlotte Stein, Jennifer G Murphy, Jonathan P D Abbatt","doi":"10.1039/d6em00351f","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6em00351f","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>NH<sub>3</sub> is a common basic gas that sorbs to indoor surfaces, which not only impacts its gas-phase abundance but also the levels of other basic or acidic volatile compounds. Here, we couple a laser spectrometer to a flow chamber to measure NH<sub>3</sub> uptake by paint and glass, which represent indoor permeable and impermeable surfaces, at varying relative humidity. By aging the surfaces in an occupied office, we assess how soiling impacts the NH<sub>3</sub> uptake, and we use a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) to study how NH<sub>3</sub> impacts the gas-surface partitioning of acidic VOCs. We show that NH<sub>3</sub> uptake is surface-dependent, with paint undergoing both adsorptive and absorptive uptake, whereas glass is primarily governed by adsorptive uptake at low RH and interactions with water play a larger role at high RH. On glass, the saturated surface coverage (5.8 × 10<sup>13</sup> molecules per cm<sup>2</sup>) is less than a full monolayer coverage, consistent with uptake at a limited number of NH<sub>3</sub> binding sites. For both surfaces, NH<sub>3</sub> uptake decreases with surface soiling, dropping by 22% for paint and 42% for glass after one week of environmental exposure in an occupied office. Lastly, increased gas-to-surface partitioning of organic acids with an aged glass surface arose <i>via</i> NH<sub>3</sub> exposure in a manner consistent with those acids' effective Henry's law constants, indicating that both acid dissociation and polar interactions govern this effect.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":"2333-2341"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148596711","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}
Karina Krzciuk, Sabina Dołęgowska, Artur Michalik, Anna Miążek, Roksana Łosak
{"title":"Small scale and high impact: the leaching of hazardous elements from glitters.","authors":"Karina Krzciuk, Sabina Dołęgowska, Artur Michalik, Anna Miążek, Roksana Łosak","doi":"10.1039/d6em00395h","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6em00395h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In response to the growing microplastic crisis, several countries have restricted the use of glitter in various products; however, it remains widely used and commercially available. While existing research has predominantly addressed the physical impacts of glitter particles, this study investigates the release of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from their coloured and reflective layers. We characterized both natural and plastic glitters available on the market, evaluating their structure, coloration, PTEs content, and the leaching behaviour of these elements into various model solutions. The results showed that coloured and reflective glitter layers contained elevated concentrations of Al (up to 10 404 mg kg<sup>-1</sup>), Cu (up to 2210 mg kg<sup>-1</sup>), Cr (up to 780 mg kg<sup>-1</sup>), and Ni (up to 10.6 mg kg<sup>-1</sup>), whereas natural glitter was rich in Al (51 883 mg kg<sup>-1</sup>) and Pb (3.22 mg kg<sup>-1</sup>). The highest metal mobilisation was observed under acidic and hydrophobic conditions, exceeding 90% for Cr, Cu and Ni. Although glitter represents a relatively small fraction of plastic waste, its small particle size, irregular shape, multilayered structure, and ability to release metals indicate that it may contribute to contamination and environmental risk in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The results also showed that natural alternatives cannot automatically be considered environmentally safe substitutes for plastic glitter.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":"2242-2255"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468026","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":"Health risk assessment and oxidative potential prediction based on atmospheric PM<sub>2.5</sub> and associated metals in metro stations.","authors":"Kaining Zhao, Haifeng Su, Shuangqing Hu","doi":"10.1039/d6em00047a","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6em00047a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Research on indoor air quality in metro stations has primarily focused on monitoring air pollutants and source apportionment, while potential health effects have received less attention. To address this gap, we collected PM<sub>2.5</sub> samples from platforms and concourses in five metro stations in Shanghai to assess health risks and develop a predictive model for atmospheric oxidative potential (OP). The study showed that the concentrations of PM<sub>2.5</sub> and metal compositions were higher on the platforms than in the concourses, but there was no significant difference between urban and suburban stations. Fe, Co, Cr, and Mn were substantially enriched in the metro environment, as indicated by concentration ratios among sampling sites. Further health risk assessment of these enriched elements revealed that the hazard quotient (HQ) for Mn and the excess lifetime cancer risks (ELCRs) for Co and Cr were elevated, suggesting that these three elements should be prioritized in indoor air quality management. The atmospheric OP on the platforms was higher than that in the concourses, consistent with the distribution of PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations. Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated that Mn, Fe, and Co were strongly positively correlated with OP. A multiple linear regression model developed to predict atmospheric OP revealed that Mn concentration was an effective predictor of atmospheric OP in metro stations (adj. <i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.795). Our results provided essential references for controlling and predicting air pollutants in metro stations.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":"2219-2230"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148402887","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}
Eleni K Savvidou, Shivani Cott, Khushi Desai, Jonathan P Benskin, Hannah L Ray, Anna Young, Joseph G Allen, Heather D Whitehead, Graham F Peaslee, Ian T Cousins
{"title":"Fluorine mass balance in commercial stone sealers from the US market and evaluation of PFAS-free alternatives.","authors":"Eleni K Savvidou, Shivani Cott, Khushi Desai, Jonathan P Benskin, Hannah L Ray, Anna Young, Joseph G Allen, Heather D Whitehead, Graham F Peaslee, Ian T Cousins","doi":"10.1039/d5em00965k","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d5em00965k","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Widespread use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by the building industry places it among the major consumers of these chemicals. At the same time, ambiguous labelling and a lack of PFAS measurements in building materials hampers the possibility for consumers to select products which are PFAS-free. To address this, 35 representative sealers from the United States (US) market purchased in 2021 were analyzed using a fluorine mass balance approach, combining total and extractable organic fluorine (TF and EOF, respectively) measurements with targeted PFAS analysis of 19 polar compounds. TF analysis showed that 81% of the sealers contained fluorinated compounds at concentrations ranging from <LOD up to 27 150 µg F g<sup>-1</sup>. A comparison to EOF revealed that the fluorine in most products was extractable and organic (EOF range <LOD up to 24 073 µg F g<sup>-1</sup>), and most likely PFAS. Nevertheless, targeted PFAS analysis could only account for up to 31% of EOF, pointing to the presence of polymeric PFAS and potentially other low molecular PFAS. Among the detected PFAS, polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) were the dominant sub-class. Six products appeared to not contain intentionally added PFAS, with organosilicone chemistry identified as the main functional component. Notably, organosilicone-based compounds are also under regulatory scrutiny, and differing views on their risks highlight the broader challenge of identifying truly safer alternatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":74,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts","volume":" ","pages":"2272-2287"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13378410/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467971","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}