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This study shows that ultrasonic assisted extraction is a good practise for removing impurities from sorbents used for matrix-solid phase dispersion (MSPD). A previous washing of the sorbent with an organic solvent or mixture of solvents eliminates part of the interferences, but this treatment is not enough for the quantification of PAHs at ng/g levels. It is demonstrated that the determination of traces of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in solid samples processed by matrix-solid phase dispersion (MSPD) may be severely affected by the presence of sorbent impurities. Different extraction solvents and sonication conditions have been tested, and on the basis of the results obtained a new approach is presented for cleaning sorbents typically used in MSPD such C(18), silica or Florisil. The utility of the described approach has been illustrated by analysing by liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection different marine sediments., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To estimate the consumption level of four drugs in Beijing using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Methods: The primary sludge from one large wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) was collected in Beijing from July 2020 to February 2021. The concentrations of codeine, methadone, ketamine and morphine in the sludge were detected through solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The consumption, prevalence and number of users of four drugs were estimated by using the WBE approach. Results: Among 416 sludge samples, codeine had the highest detection rate (82.93%, n =345) with a concentration [ M ( Q 1 )] of 0.40 (0.22-0.8) ng·g Q 3 )] of 0.40 (0.22-0.8) ng·g -1 , and morphine had the lowest detection rate (28.37%, n =118) with a concentration [ M )] of 0.13 (0.09, 0.17) ng·g Q 1 , Q 3 )] of 0.13 (0.09, 0.17) ng·g -1 . There was no significant difference in the consumption of the four drugs on working days and weekends (all P values>0.05). Drug consumption was significantly higher in winter than that in summer and autumn (all P values <0.05). The consumption [ M ( Q 1 , Q 3 )] of codeine, methadone, ketamine and morphine in winter was 24.9 (15.58, 38.6), 9.39 (4.57, 26.72), 9.84 (5.18, 19.45) and 5.67 (3.57, 13.77) μg·inhabitant -1 ·day -1 , respectively. For these drugs, there was an upward trend in the average drug consumption during summer, autumn and winter (the Z values of the trend test were 3.23, 3.16, 2.19, and 3.32, respectively and all P values<0.05). The prevalence [ M ( Q 1 , Q 3 )] of codeine, methadone, ketamine and morphine were 0.0056% (0.003 4%, 0.009 2%), 0.0148% (0.009 6%, 0.026 7%),0.0333% (0.0210%, 0.0710%) and 0.0072% (0.003 8%, 0.011 7%), respectively. The estimated number of drug users [ M ( Q 1 , Q 3 )] was 918 (549, 1 511), 2 429 (1 578, 4 383), 5 451 (3 444, 11 642) and 1 173 (626, 1 925),respectively. Conclusion: Codeine, methadone, ketamine and morphine have been detected in the sludge of WWTPs in Beijing, and the consumption level of these drugs varies in different seasons.

To reconstruct the deposition rate of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in different historical periods and to examine the temporal and spatial trend of PCBs pollution, we analyzed the changes of PCBs concentration and deposition rate in peat cores and lake sediments, and evaluated the suitability of peat cores and lake sediments for studying PCBs deposition trend. Through the dating analysis of all samples, we found that peat bog could well record the historical sedimentation of PCBs. PCBs did not degrade in peat, and it was thus feasible to use peatland to examine the settlement of PCBs. In this study, the reconstruction time of ∑ 11 PCBs in peat was from the beginning of 19th century to the beginning of 21st century. The mean inventory of ∑ 11 PCBs in three peat cores of each bog changed between (37.0±5.4) and (47.2 ±27.8) μg·m -2 , with the standard deviation between 14.9% and 58.9%. The highest concentration of ∑ 11 PCBs was 6.8 ng·g -1 DW, while the maximum deposition rate of reconstructed PCBs was up to 989.7 ng·m -2 ·a -1 . The trend of deposition rate was first increasing and then decreasing. After the year 1980, the deposition rate was substantially decreasing, which was consistent with the prohibition of PCBs production in the United States in 1979. Meanwhile, the analysis of sediment samples in the lake near bog showed that concentration and maximum deposition rate of the lake sediment were comparable to those of the nearby bog. The concentrations of Di- to Hepta-PCB congeners were evenly distributed along the sediment profile. Therefore, lake sediments could not be used to analyze the historical sedimentary model of low order PCBs. This study reconstructed temporal and spatial variation of PCBs in atmospheric environment in different historical periods, which could provide basic data for the evaluation of regional environmental quality.

A pyridine-based ionic porous organic polymer bearing hydroxyl groups (OH-iPOP) was developed for the first time by quaternization and crosslinking of 4-pyridinemethanol with 4,4'-bis(chloromethyl)biphenyl. OH-iPOP exhibited strong adsorption capacity for endocrine disruptors (EDs) including bisphenol A, bisphenol F, p-tert-butylphenol and bisphenol B (82.59-183.9 mg g -1 ), much higher than that of commercial adsorbents. The adsorption mechanism of OH-iPOP to EDs involved π-π ⁎ interaction, hydrogen bond and electrostatic interaction. Using OH-iPOP as solid phase extraction adsorbent combined with high-performance liquid chromatography, a reliable method for the sensitive detection of trace EDs in natural water and tilapia fish was established. The detection limits (S/N = 3) were 0.01-0.04 ng mL -1 and 1.00-3.80 ng g -1 for natural water and tilapia fish, respectively. The method recoveries ranged from 81.5 % to 116 %. This work not only develops an efficient adsorbent for the enrichment of EDs, but also provides a new strategy for the synthesis of novel cationic POPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Based on sampling from Xiaoqing River of China and elimination experiments, this study first investigated spatial/seasonal profiles and fates of phenylmethylsiloxanes (PMSs), as modified products of dimethylsiloxanes (DMSs), in natural waterbody. Overall, the average water (6.7 ng/L) and sediment (28.5 ng/g dw) concentrations of total six cis-/trans- isomers of 2,4,6-triphenyl-2,4,6-trimethylcyclotrisiloxanes (P3) and 2,4,6,8-tetraphenyl-2,4,6,8-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxanes (P4) in river segments located in industrial areas were respectively 7.37 and 6.13 times higher than those near residential areas, indicating that industrial activities may have larger contribution to PMSs emission than living activities. Compared with paired DMSs with same Si number, PMSs had lower hydrolysis but faster photolysis, and these two pathways influenced isomeric differences in river water: (1) slower hydrolysis of trans-isomers (t 1/2 = 45.6-334 h) than cis-isomers (t 1/2 = 38.1-251 h) might cause actual cis/trans ratios (0.18 for P3 and 0.092 for P4) lower than theoretical values (0.33 for P3 and 0.14 for P4) in water, especially in acidic (pH=6.1-6.3) and alkaline (pH=8.0-8.4) segments; (2) faster indirect photolysis of trans-isomers (t 1/2 = 54.7-177 h) than cis-isomers (t 1/2 = 73.4-191 h) might lead to larger mean cis/trans ratios in summer (0.31 for P3) with stronger illumination than those in winter (0.08 for P3). The Σ(P3 + P4) concentrations in 140 mussels (Anodonta woodiana) from 14 sites of the Xiaoqing River were

This study investigated legacy persistent organic pollutants, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as well as their alternatives, in sediments from five major rivers, to assess their contamination status and usage patterns. The concentration levels of ΣPBDEs (median 9.98 ng/g dry weight (dw), mean 190 ng/g dw), ΣHBCDs (median 9.35 ng/g dw, mean 39.8 ng/g dw), Σnovel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) (median not detected, mean 821 ng/g dw), and ∑PFAS (median 1.14 ng/g dw, mean 13.9 ng/g dw) in river sediments affected by high industrial activity were statistically significantly higher than at other sites with less or no industrial activity (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.05). The dominant compounds among legacy substances for brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and PFAS are decaBDE for PBDEs, γ-HBCD for HBCDs, and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) for PFAS. The detection frequencies of 1,2-Bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) and 6:2 chlorinated perfluoroalkylether sulfonic acid (F53B), as alternative substances for PBDEs and PFOS, were 16% and 9%, respectively. Regarding substances used as alternatives for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were detected at only one site for hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (Gen-X), while 4,8-dioxo-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA) was not detected. The hazard quotient (HQ) values from the ecological risk assessment were generally low (HQ < 1), except for ΣPBDEs and PFOS at several sites. The present study emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring and risk assessment of these pollutants in river sediments, particularly in industrial areas, and highlights the importance of addressing the ecological toxicity of these substances to safeguard aquatic ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of organic pollutants widely present in various environmental media. Some PAHs have carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic effects. Urban lakes are severely polluted by PAHs due to human activities. Longyang Lake (LL) and Moshui Lake (ML), which serve as entry lakes for Wuhan's "Six Lakes Connectivity" project, were chosen as the study areas to learn about the migration of PAHs. Water flows from LL to ML through the Mingzhu River. Multi-Media Mass Balance Model (MMBM) and fugacity fractions (ff) were used to characterize the migration of PAHs under the hydrological connectivity project. Compared to ff, the MMBM can describe the migration of PAHs in a more detailed and quantitative way. The concentration of PAHs in water of LL decreased from 36.5 ng L -1 to 26.59 ng L -1 over 43 days, while those in ML increased from 46.8 ng L -1 to 198.25 ng L -1 over 141 days. Sediment takes a longer time to decrease to stabilization. The concentration of PAHs in the sediment of LL decreased from 932 ng g -1 to 0.95 ng g -1 over 13.33 years, while those in ML decreased from 4812 ng g -1 to 1.04 ng g -1 over 16.96 years. The stabilized concentrations were consistently lower than the observed concentrations and fell below the modeled stabilized concentrations obtained in the unconnected case (2170 ng L -1 in water and 40.81 ng g -1 in sediment). The MMBM showed that PAHs in the lake are mainly exported through runoff. However, modeling results indicated that upstream LL did not increase total PAHs concentrations in the ML because the output from ML was significantly higher. Sediment parameters sensitively influenced the results of the model. Although the simulation results showed reductions of PAHs pollution in two lakes under the hydrological connectivity project, long-term monitoring results are needed to optimize the model., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The approximately 850,000 recreational boats in Sweden, has shown to have a significant impact on the marine environment of the Swedish west coast. The extensive weather-protected archipelagos and fjords with minor tidal activity, offers excellent conditions to uncover traces of leisure boats exhaust from the background. In this study we focus on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from boat exhausts in surface sediments and water (using SPMD) in a busy harbour and a pristine fjord. The PAH analyses were performed using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry after suitable extraction procedures. Concentrations of total PAHs in water and sediments was 4-8 ng/L and 200-5500 ng/g respectively. In addition to PAH measurements, we used the number of documented motorboat passages together with residence time of water, to quantify the concentration enhancement of up to 40% due to recreational boating. Here we have for the first time succeeded in distinguishing the leisure boat PAH signature in coastal marine environments. This by combining our data and observed compositions from lakes where emissions from leisure boats is documented as a dominating source of pollution. Comparisons with Environmental Quality standards (EQS) showed elevated levels of up to more than five times in the most exposed sediments, while the water concentrations were below the EQS. The study concludes that boating activities significantly contribute to PAH-levels in these coastal environments, with implications for environmental management and pollution mitigation strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

This study investigates the environmental impact of the widespread use of "COVID Kit" drugs-azithromycin (AZI), ivermectin (IVE), and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)-in urban rivers of Curitiba in Brazil, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The research focuses on the occurrence and concentrations of these pharmaceuticals in water and sediment samples collected from key urban rivers. Concentrations of AZI, IVE, and HCQ in water ranged from 326 to 3340 ng/L, 130-3340 ng/L, and 304-3314 ng/L, respectively, while in sediment, they ranged from 18 to 249 ng/g, 21-480 ng/g, and 38-673 ng/g, respectively. Results indicate a significant increase in AZI, IVE, and HCQ concentrations during the pandemic. Concentrations of these drugs peaked in September 2020 and March 2021, declining after the start of Brazil's vaccination campaign. However, the levels of these pharmaceuticals remained elevated in some areas even after the decline in their usage. Environmental risk assessments were conducted to evaluate the potential ecological hazards posed by these pharmaceuticals, revealing the long-term persistence of these drugs in aquatic environments and their potential to contribute to antimicrobial resistance. The findings of this study underscore the critical need for robust regulatory measures and improved wastewater treatment processes to prevent pharmaceutical contamination in urban water systems, particularly during global health crises., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Fish and seafood are considered a major source of human dietary exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In this study, we examined levels of 35 PFAS in fish samples of brown trout and mottled sculpin, which occupy different trophic positions, collected in 2014 from East Canyon Creek in Utah, USA. We observed 20 PFAS with ∑ 20 PFAS ranging from 0.46-63.9 ng/g and from

The rapid melting of the Arctic cryosphere due to climate change will result in significant freshwater input into Arctic marine ecosystems. This might also cause the release of legacy mercury (Hg) stored in the cryosphere, increasing Hg concentration and its subsequent effects on the marine biota. However, there is scarce knowledge on the concentration of Hg in the lower trophic level organisms at the base of the Arctic pelagic food web. This is particularly important since these organisms modulate the transfer of Hg to higher trophic levels, including fish and marine mammals. We quantified the total Hg (THg) concentration in two plankton size classes (>200 and 50-200 μm) in coastal waters along the east Greenland coast and investigated the potential assimilation efficiency of both inorganic Hg (IHg) and methyl Hg (MeHg) in mesozooplankton and their faecal pellets in experimental incubations. The concentration of THg in plankton ranged from 12 to 109 ng (g dw) -1 without clear trends between geographic locations or between fjords and coastal areas. Also, the concentrations did not vary between the different plankton size fractions. MeHg concentrations were lower in the mesozooplankton faecal pellets than IHg, which may be due to the higher assimilation of MeHg than IHg in mesozooplankton tissue. Our results confirm that Arctic zooplankton assimilates MeHg more efficiently than IHg and may contribute significantly to the partitioning and cycling of different Hg types in Arctic marine ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics (MPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been found in all environment matrices and are of concern worldwide. In this study, PAHs were determined in Baiyangdian Lake, China, and the effects of MPs on the migration of PAHs at the lake interfaces were analyzed. The average abundances of detected MPs were 9595 items m -3 for water and 1023 items kg -1 for sediment. The detected MPs were polyamide 6, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate. The average Σ 16 PAHs in the water, sediment, and air were 1338 ng L -1 , 751 ng g -1 dry weight, and 395 ng m -3 , respectively. At the air-water interface, naphthalene, and phenanthrene volatilized from water to air, whereas benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene deposited from air to water. The fugacity fraction between sediment and bottom water ranged from 0.88 to 0.99, which indicated net volatilization at the water-sediment interface. The adsorption capacities of the four MPs for the PAHs ranged from 39.4 to 99.8 μg g -1 with a desorption efficiency range of 0.01%-44.3% under oscillation. According to the distribution of PAHs on the MPs, the exchange fluxes of PAHs at the water-air and sediment-water interfaces were recalculated. The results showed that the MPs could increase deposition of the PAHs from air to the water (ΔF A-W : -221 × 10 -2 to -0.01 × 10 -2  ng m -2  d -1 ) and the volatilization of PAHs from sediment to water (ΔF W-S : -79.7 × 10 5 to 180 × 10 5  ng m -2  d -1 ), which suggests that MPs increase the risk of PAHs in water and to aquatic organisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mangrove ecosystem has attracted global attention as a hotspot for mercury (Hg) methylation. Although numerous biotic and abiotic parameters have been reported to influence methylmercury (MeHg) production in sediments, the key factors determining the elevated MeHg levels in mangrove wetlands have not been well addressed. In this study, Hg levels in the sediments from different habitats (mudflats, mangrove fringe, and mangrove interior) in the Futian mangrove wetland were investigated, aiming to characterize the predominant factors affecting the MeHg production and distinguish the key microbial taxa responsible for Hg methylation. MeHg concentrations in the sediments from the mangrove interior (1.03 ± 0.34 ng g -1 dw) were significantly higher than those in mudflats (0.26 ± 0.08 ng g -1 dw) and mangrove fringe (0.45 ± 0.10 ng g -1 dw). Mangrove vegetation also promoted the accumulation of organic matters in sediments, which stimulated the growth of methylators, ultimately leading to an elevated MeHg level in the sediment. The data from 16S sequencing and random forest analysis further indicated that the increased abundances of Desulfococcus and Desulfosarcina, which belong to complete-oxidizing microbes with acetyl-CoA pathway and are favored by mangrove vegetation, were the primary contributors to MeHg production. Besides, syntrophic partners of methylators (e.g. Syntrophus) also play a considerable role in MeHg production. The present findings provide a deep understanding of Hg-methylation in mangrove wetlands, and offers valuable insights into of the interactions between mangrove plants and soil microbiome in the presence of Hg contamination., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are ubiquitous in aquatic environments and pose a range of biological effects including endocrine disruption. Yet, knowledge of their occurrence in wildlife including seabirds remains scarce. We investigated the occurrence of selected bisphenols, benzophenones, phthalate metabolites, benzotriazoles, benzothiazoles, parabens, triclosan, and triclocarban in plasma of 18 breeding female common eiders (Somateria mollissima) from an endangered population in the Baltic Sea as most of these CECs have never before been examined in eiders. We sampled blood at the start (T1) and end (T2) of incubation to investigate concentration changes during incubation. As early- and late-breeding eiders tend to differ in how they finance reproduction (local vs stored nutrient reserves), we compared early and late breeders to assess whether CEC concentrations differed by breeding phenology. Of the 58 targeted CECs, 21 were detected in at least one female, with bisphenol A (BPA) and benzophenone-3 (BzP-3) occurring most frequently (T1: 78% and 61%; T2: 61% and 67%, respectively), while mono(2-ethyl-1-hexyl) phthalate (mEHP), BPA, and monoethyl phthalate (mEP) were detected in the highest concentrations (median concentrations 27.1, 12.7, and 11.2 ng/g wet weight, respectively, at T1). No CEC concentrations differed between early and late incubation. Late breeders had significantly higher concentrations of BzP-3, monomethyl phthalate (mMP), and mEP during early incubation (4.55 vs 1.24 ng/g ww, 7.05 vs 3.52, and 11.2 vs < limit of detection (LOD), respectively) and significantly higher concentrations of mMP and mEP during late incubation (6.16 vs 

Given the limited research on pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the Wuhan section of the Yangtze River (WYR), this work investigated the distribution of 15 PPCPs in this region, assessed their ecological risks and annual fluxes. It was further to analyze the levels of indicator sucralose in the WYR to understand the sources of PPCPs. The results showed the average concentrations were 143.9 ± 76.77 ng/L, 3.98 ± 3.89 ng/g, and 8.14 ± 18.91 ng/g for 15 PPCPs in surface water, sediment, and soil, respectively. Among those PPCPs, bisphenol-A was the dominant compound found across the three environmental media. Significant amounts of ibuprofen and caffeine were detected in surface water, which may be linked to the increased demand for these compounds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, the concentrations of synthetic estrogens (bisphenol-A and 4-nonylphenol) were higher than those of natural estrogens (estrone, 17β-estradiol, and estriol). Due to runoff dilution, climatic factors (rainfall and sunlight), and prevalence of disease, PPCPs in water showed significant seasonal variation, with higher total concentrations in dry season than those in wet and normal seasons. Spatially, higher concentrations of PPCPs were found in the middle reaches of the WYR due to the population density.Our study estimated the annual flux of 15 PPCPs in the WYR to be 71.17 tons. Source analysis revealed that untreated domestic wastewater might be discharged into the WYR during the wet season. The ecological risk of PPCPs in the WYR were generally low, with only E2 and E3 categorized as posing moderate to high risks. These findings provided valuable support for the management and control of PPCPs in the WYR., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The ubiquitous occurrence and persistence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in all environmental matrices and biota poses significant health risks to humans. Fish consumption is one of the main pathways humans are exposed to PFAS, yet general patterns in factors influencing PFAS content in fish fillets remain unknown. We assembled information on PFAS content (total quantified PFAS, PFOS, PFOA, and others) in fish fillets to assess the effect of fish origin (marine, freshwater, wild, or farmed), fillet type (skin-on or skin-off), and lipid content on PFAS variation across environments at a global scale. We found that these factors influenced PFAS contents in fish fillets, with concentrations reaching up to 2149 ng•g wet mass -1 (WM). Specifically, PFOS and PFOA in skin-off fillets were consistently lower in farmed than wild fish across freshwater and marine environments. In freshwater wild fish, PFOS was lower in skin-off fillets than skin-on fillets at group and species levels, and multiple PFAS showed an inverse relationship with the lipid content of skin-off fillets, though the slopes showed varying steepness depending on the carbon chain length and functional group of the PFAS. However, the high variability of PFAS content across sites in aquatic environments and the complexity of PFAS bioaccumulation mechanisms in fish tissues may lead to variable results at a fine scale (i.e., species level); this highlights general patterns of factors influencing PFAS bioaccumulation that may inform the management of human exposure to PFAS through dietary consumption., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Widely used second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides like brodifacoum are classified as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. Widespread exposure of terrestrial and avian non-target species is well-known and recently hepatic anticoagulant rodenticide residues have been detected in wild fish. However, no sufficient data exist to interpret the effects of these findings on fish health. In order to assess the potential impact of rodenticide residues on fish, we exposed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to brodifacoum-spiked feed. In a first experiment, individually kept trout (body weight ca. 200 g) were exposed to a single dose of brodifacoum and observed for 15 days. In a second experiment, fish (body weight ca. 330 g) were kept in groups and fed every 7 or 8 days with brodifacoum-spiked feed for up to 60 days. Sampling of trout every 15 days over the 60 days period allowed monitoring of brodifacoum concentrations in serum, liver, and muscle tissue, as well as occurring effects over the course of the experiment. In both experiments, brodifacoum doses of ≥ 75 µg/kg body weight caused prolonged or non-measurable blood coagulation times. Disturbed hemostasis led to hemorrhages and anemia with significantly decreased albumin levels. In the 60 days-experiment, brodifacoum doses ≥ 100 µg/kg body weight caused additionally discoloration, apathy, and anorexia, resulting in reduced weight gain, and ultimately mortality. The delay until the onset of overt symptoms (14-17 days) highlights the importance of test duration while investigating effects of anticoagulant rodenticides in fish. The lowest hepatic brodifacoum concentration associated with effects in trout was on average 122.6 ng/g liver wet weight, which is in the range of previously reported brodifacoum residues in wild fish. These findings illustrate the risks associated with the use of anticoagulant rodenticides for freshwater fish and reinforce the need to stipulate all available and appropriate risk mitigation measures to prevent emissions at source., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are refractory anthropogenic chemicals and current treatment processes at municipal water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) cannot efficiently degrade them, hence, these chemicals cycle through the environment. Certain PFAS can be concentrated in biosolids from WRRFs and are commonly land applied for beneficial reuse. Given recent advances in measurement of PFAS, documentation of the range of concentrations in pre-stabilized sludge and stabilized biosolids is critical to evaluating treatment best practices and assessing potential human health and ecological risks. In this study, pre-stabilized sludge and post-stabilized biosolids samples were collected from 12 major WRRFs across the United States. PFAS were analyzed using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method SW846-3500C/537.1, and Draft EPA Method 1633, by one commercial laboratory and two university research laboratories, respectively. Results comparison among laboratories demonstrated statistical differences in PFAS concentrations among split samples. For example, 5:3 FTCA (fluorotelomer carboxylic acid) concentrations in post-stabilized sludge at Lab 1 were measured at 21 ng/g (dry), while they were detected at 151 ng/g (dry) in Lab 3. Further, higher PFAS concentrations were observed in post-stabilized biosolids compared to pre-stabilized sludges, regardless of the laboratory or analysis method, even when solids destruction through solids stabilization was considered. Further research is required to refine methods for analyses of PFAS in sludge and biosolids samples from WRRFs prior to being used for development of regulatory actions as well as understanding how various treatment protocols could impact concentrations of PFAS in land-applied biosolids., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Environmental Quality published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.)

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are emerging pollutants and used extensively in industrial production as alternative to the traditional flame retardants. This study investigated the contamination characteristics and health risks of OPEs in 104 mollusks from 15 cities along the coastal region of South China. Σ8OPEs ranged from 48.2 to 1937 ng/g dw, with a mean value of 295 ng/g dw. TDCIPP, TCPP, and TCEP were the dominant OPEs. Different spatial distributions were observed, with higher concentrations in Guangdong Province. A statistically positive but non-significant linear correlation was found between the trophic level of mollusk and OPEs concentration. The trophic magnification factors were >1, suggesting that OPEs have the potential to biomagnify in mollusks. OPEs in mollusks pose low non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks to consumers. This study provides an important basis for managing the safety risks associated with OPEs in mollusks., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Offshore sediment serves as an important sink for traditional organophosphate esters (TOPEs) originating from terrestrial sources. However, the contamination characteristics of novel OPEs (NOPEs) and their hydrolyzed and hydroxylated transformation products (Di- and OH-OPEs) in marine sediment are still unknown. In this study, 34 OPE-associated contaminants were measured in six offshore sediment cores (71 samples) collected from Eastern China. The total concentrations of Σ 15 TOPEs, Σ 3 NOPEs, Σ 9 Di-OPEs, and Σ 7 OH-OPEs in surface sediments were 3.16-73.4, n.d.-16.3, 4.48-21.4, and 0.14-0.42 ng g -1 , respectively. NOPE compounds, such as tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphate and its diester product, exhibited high contamination levels, primarily due to their high hydrophobicity and extensive industrial applications. Additionally, atmospheric transportation, along with wet and dry deposition and ocean currents, plays a crucial role in their distribution in offshore sediment. The location conditions and historical usage also influenced the vertical distributions of OPE-associated contaminants in sediment cores. Notably, a concentration peak of bis(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphate (B2,4DtBPP) was dating back to 1940s, indicating the early usage of antioxidant tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphite. Furthermore, a risk quotient (RQ) model was employed to assess the ecological risks posed by OPEs. Generally, the acute toxicity-based predicted no-effect concentrations for studied compounds were 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower than those based on chronic toxicity. NOPEs and B2,4DtBPP exhibited high ecological risks, with maximum RQ values of 1570-4877 based on acute toxicity and 93.4-197 based on chronic toxicity. Notably, ΣRQ values for NOPEs were significantly higher than those of TOPEs (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.001), indicating their severe ecological risks in offshore sediment. Therefore, given the continuous input and considerable persistence of NOPEs in offshore sediment, their toxic effects and mechanisms warrant thorough investigation. This study provides the first evidence for the occurrence, temporal trends, and potential risks of NOPEs in marine sediment environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Following the Hebei Spirit oil spill (HSOS) in December 2007, benthic organisms of the Taean coast on the west coast of Korea were heavily affected. A month after HSOS, the alkyl PAHs in the oyster body elevated to 13,500 ng/g dry wt, although it dropped to 5335 ng/g dry wt in December 2008, and returned to the levels before the accident (547-858 ng/g dry wt) by 2010. In 2008 spring, the damaged oysters exhibited deteriorated growth and reproduction, exhibiting signs of physiological stress. However, a year after the accident, oysters exhibited signs of recovery from the stresses. Gonad maturation, reproductive effort, and carbohydrate content recorded in 2010 were comparable to the levels in 2009 and the levels in undamaged oysters. Our study suggested that the Pacific oysters recovered from the HSOS stresses within a year, although long-term monitoring of oyster health must be carried out to ascertain the recovery., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The co-authors of this study “Sublethal Impacts of Hebei Spirit Oil Spill on the Growth and Reproductive Physiology of the Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas at Taean on the West Coast of Korea (2008-2010)” declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The widespread presence of microplastics (MPs) in drinking water systems and their risk of releasing additives have caused widespread concern. However, current research on the migration and risks of MPs and additives in the complete drinking water supply chain remains inadequate. In this study, micro-Raman spectrometer was used to track the entire transport process of MPs from the water source to the tap water, with concentrations ranging from 805 to 4960 items/L, and polyethylene and Polyethylene terephthalate were dominant. The removal efficiency of MPs at the drinking water treatment plant was 85.0 ± 5.2 %. However, chlorination increased the proportion of polystyrene by 40.1 ± 5.3 %. Chlorination increases the surface roughness and carbonyl index of polystyrene standards, and promotes the release of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) (482.0 ng/g-2208.7 ng/g). The non-carcinogenic risk index of HBCD ingestion through drinking water remains well below 1 for residents. Complete water treatment processes significantly reduce the risks posed by MPs, achieving reductions of 54.3 % in the pollution load index and 82.1 % in the potential ecological risk index. The estimated daily intake of MPs ingested by residents through tap water ranges from 33.4 to 45.6 items/kg/d. This study investigated the occurrence of MPs in the complete drinking water supply chain and the risk of chlorine disinfection for HBCD release, which could help develop more effective MPs control measures and risk management strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Sensitively analyzing phenolic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in environmental substrates and aquatic organisms provides a significant challenge. Here, we developed a novel porous hyper-crosslinked ionic polymer bearing cyano groups (CN-HIP) as adsorbent for the highly efficient solid phase extraction (SPE) of phenolic EDCs in water and fish. The CN-HIP gave an excellent adsorption capability for targeted EDCs over a wide pH range, and the adsorption capacity was superior to that of several common commercial SPE adsorbents. The coexistence of electrostatic forces, hydrogen bond, and π-π interactions was confirmed as the main adsorption mechanism. A sensitive quantitative method was established by coupling CN-HIP based SPE method with high-performance liquid chromatography for the simultaneously determining trace bisphenol A, bisphenol F, bisphenol B and 4-tert-butylphenol in fresh water and fish. The method afforded lower detection limits (S/N = 3) (at 0.03-0.10 ng mL -1 for water and 0.8-4.0 ng g -1 for fish), high accuracy (the recovery of spiked sample at 88.0%-112 %) and high precision (the relative standard deviation < 8.5 %). This work provides a feasible method for detecting phenolic EDCs, and also opens a new perspective in developing functionalized cationic adsorbent., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OPAHs) have garnered significant scientific attention due to their heightened toxicity and mobility compared to their parent PAHs. This study investigated the occurrence of 11 OPAHs and 16 PAHs within agricultural ditch sediment of Guangzhou City, China. The ΣPAH and ΣOPAH concentrations ranged from 63.8-3955 ng/g and 16.5-522 ng/g, respectively. Notably, concentrations were elevated during the rainy season, attributed to intensified atmospheric deposition and surface runoff during the rainy season. Spatially, Pearson correlation and path analysis disclosed a linkage between OPAHs and high-molecular-weight PAHs and adjacent agricultural practices, whereas low-molecular-weight PAHs were associated with human and industrial operations. This disparity was linked to the restricted mobility of high-molecular-weight PAHs, rendering them particularly susceptible to proximal sources. Diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis-multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR) implicated fossil fuel combustion and vehicle emissions as major contributor to the sedimentary OPAHs and PAHs. Further correlations between estimated source contributions and water quality, strengthened by spatial interpolation, clearly identified agricultural activities, and atmospheric deposition associated with traffic emissions and fossil fuel combustion as primary contributor to sedimentary OPAHs and PAHs. Secondary sources encompassed coal combustion, road runoff, and wastewater from both industrial and shipping activities. The risk quotients (RQs) for PAH and OPAH mixtures indicated moderate to high ecological hazards. This study demonstrated the importance of employing the integrated approach, combining PCA-MLR, diagnostic ratios, and correlation of source contributions with water quality in precisely delineating the origins of OPAHs and PAHs in agricultural ditch sediment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated 17 organophosphate esters (OPEs) in the surface sediments of Hangzhou Bay and the East China Sea. The mean concentration of ∑OPEs in Hangzhou Bay (235.3 ng/g) was slightly lower than that in the East China Sea (273.5 ng/g), with detected analytes dominated by Diethyl phosphate, Tris(2-chloropropyl) phosphate, and Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate. Based on principal component analysis and cluster analysis for the source apportionment of OPEs, the results indicated that the high levels of OPEs in the East China Sea close to Yangtze River estuary can be attributed to a significant large-scale OPEs production site located along the southern Yellow Sea and the western coast of the East China Sea. Furthermore, the risk assessment conducted on aquatic organisms indicated the non-ecological risk of OPEs. However, future research should focus on the potential composite impacts of OPEs on the water systems and human health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics (MPs) pollution has emerged as a global concern. To mitigate the potential threats by MPs, particularly to coastal regions, it is crucial to comprehend the environmental behavior of MPs and their affiliated chemicals. In the present study, we collected floating MPs using a Manta net (0.33 mm mesh size) in a one-year sampling event in 2022 from the eight major estuaries in the Pearl River Delta, China, and also from five coastal sites in August and December in the same year. Nineteen linear alkylbenzenes (∑ 19 LAB) and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (∑ 16 PAH) affiliated with MPs were measured. The mean concentrations of MPs-affiliated ∑ 19 LAB and ∑ 16 PAH were 6710 (range: 3400-12300) and 5310 (range: 817-19,600) ng g -1 , respectively, at the estuarine sites, and were 4920 (range: 2400-7600) and 2610 (range: 911-7890) ng g -1 , respectively, at the coastal sites. Significant correlations were found between logarithmic MPs-water partition coefficients (log K pw ) and logarithmic suspended particulate matter-water partition coefficients (log K d ) values for LABs and PAHs, indicating analogous partitioning dynamics for MPs and suspended particulate matter with water. The annual riverine outflows were 1170 and 414 g for ∑ 19 LAB and ∑ 16 PAH, respectively. Although the riverine outflows of LABs and PAHs carried by MPs remain negligible compared to those by suspended particulate matter, an upward trend was identified between 2018 and 2022. Notably, the riverine input of LABs and PAHs carried by suspended particulate matter to the coastal ocean decreased from 2005/2006 to 2022, due to a combination of improved technological processes and energy structures., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in aquatic organisms has been extensively explored in recent years due to associated ecological risks and potential threats to human health through food. This study aims to assess the bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in 18 freshwater fish species from the Pearl River Delta, China. The observed OCP concentrations ranged from 0.69 to 43.15 ng/g wet weight, indicating low to moderate pollution levels. A linear mixed-effects model revealed the contribution of the feeding habits and geographic distributions at 58.67 and 0.67 % of OCP accumulation, respectively. Bottom-dwelling carnivorous fish species exhibited greater OCP residue levels than those in the upper layers of the freshwater. Estuarine organisms showed higher Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) residue levels than those inland species. On the other hand, although there were no direct carcinogenic or exposure risks associated with OCPs in the study area, potential related hazards were observed. Consumers are, therefore, advised to select fish species from the middle and upper delta rather than bottom fish, shellfish, and shrimp. The current research provides valuable guidance for aquatic food consumption., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread, highly persistent, and bio-accumulative compounds that are increasingly found in the sediments of aquatic systems. Given this accumulation and concerns regarding the environmental impacts of PFAS, their influence on sedimentary bacterial communities remains inadequately studied. Here, we investigated the concentrations of 17 PFAS in sediments from six urban lakes in Nanjing, China, and assessed their effects on the diversity, composition, potential interactions, and assembly mechanisms of sedimentary bacterial communities. Sediment concentrations of PFAS ranged from 4.70 to 5.28 ng·g -1 dry weight. The high concentrations of the short-chain perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) suggested its substitution for the long-chain perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). As alternatives to long-chain PFAS, short-chain PFAS had similar effects on bacterial communities. The short-chain perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) and the long-chain perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) were the most important PFAS related to the ecological patterns of the co-occurrence network and may alter the composition of the sedimentary bacterial communities in the urban lakes. The Anaerolineaceae family represented as keystone bacteria within the PFAS-affected bacterial co-occurrence network. Deterministic processes (65.9 %), particularly homogeneous selection (63.2 %), were the dominant process driving bacterial community assembly. PFAS promoted the phylogenetic clustering and influenced the community dispersal capabilities to shape bacterial community assembly. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of PFAS distribution in sediments across six urban lakes in Nanjing and provides novel insights into the effects of PFAS on sedimentary bacterial communities. Further research is required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the impacts of PFAS on microbial communities and to evaluate their broader ecological consequences., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The occurrence and trophic transfer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in aquatic ecosystems is vital to assess ecological risks. PAHs concentrations were analyzed in seawater, sediment, plankton, and marine species (15 fish species, 8 invertebrate species, 3 marine mammals), collected from Liaodong Bay (China). Bioaccumulation and biomagnification were calculated to demonstrate the biotransfer pattern of PAHs from the environmental matrix to high-level predators through the food web. Total PAHs concentrations ranged from 81.2 to 197.6 ng/L in seawater, 51.4-304.8 ng/g (dw) in sediment, and 65.3 to 28,885 ng/g (lw) in all biota samples. Three- and four-ring PAHs constituted major components (>81% in each case) of PAH congener profiles. Lower biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) values indicated limited bioaccumulation of PAHs within marine organisms. Also, 77% of biomagnification factors (BMF TL ) values of PAHs in spotted seal and finless porpoise were >1, whereas opposite transfer patterns of PAHs were observed in food webs with trophic values of 1.5-3.5 and 3.0-4.0; that is, trophic dilution (trophic magnification factor (TMF) < 1) and trophic magnification (TMF >1), respectively. This study provides novel insights into the importance of TL span for trophodynamics of PAHs within food webs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Synthetic musks (SMs) commonly used in personal care products can accumulate in the estuarine environment, but influencing factors on their distribution at large-scale region remain largely unexplored. Herein, surface sediment samples from 18 main estuaries of China and two river outlets in the Yangtze River Estuary were collected to discern the spatial and temporal variations of SMs. Moreover, fourteen influencing factors consisting of natural and anthropogenic parameters were scrutinized and their significance were analyzed by using Spearman's rank correlation and Random Forest. The widespread distribution of SMs were observed in Chinese estuarine sediments with the levels ranging from < reporting limit to 28 ng g -1 on a basis of dry weight (mean: 3.5 ng g -1 ). Predominated polycyclic musks shared similar sources both spatially and temporally. Positive correlation was found between SMs and total organic carbon in sediments, whereas the SM distribution was strongly influenced by regional anthropogenic activities. Regional population density was the primary influencing factor, followed by gross domestic product per unit area and wet deposition of particulate matters. A good correlation between SMs and water quality category indicated SMs could serve as an indicator for water quality. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify the main influencing factors on SM distribution in estuarine sediments, aiming to better understand the distribution and fate of emerging organic chemicals in the estuarine environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, the concentrations, origins, and carcinogenic potential of n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) collected from Shalateen sediments (Sh), Red Sea, Egypt were discussed. Individual n-alkanes has fluctuated from a minimum of 17.7 μg/g dw recorded for C-9 at Sh-54 to a maximum of 2.02 × 10 4  μg/g dw recorded for C-12 at Sh-B1. Total n-alkanes have fluctuated from 252-1.41 × 10 4  μg/g with a mean of 4.84 × 10 4  μg/g dw. C-12 had the highest average value, and C-19 had the lowest. The total ΣPAH concentrations in sediments from Shalateen as determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) ranged from 43.2 to 270 ng/g dw (averaging 95.2 ng/g dw). Carbon preference index (CPI) values were <1, consistent with the prevalence of even-C alkanes vs. the odd-C homologues. High molecular weight (HMW) PAHs were the most abundant substances affecting the collected samples. The cancer risk ranged from 2.25 × 10 -5 to 4.78 × 10 -2 , indicating a moderate cancer risk associated with PAHs. The primary sources of PAHs in sediments included emissions from burning gasoline and diesel, biomass, and natural gas. The current study is considered one of the most important and unique with regard to the amounts and distributions of n-alkanes and PAHs in sediments along the coasts of Shalateen. It is the first baseline data documentation (GC MS/MS approach) of n-alkanes and PAHs in the Shalateen region., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Neonicotinoids (NEOs), despite their widespread use as insecticides, exhibit a notable knowledge deficit in regards to their presence in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and their surrounding environments. This study delves into the presence and disposition of 5 NEOs: Thiamethoxam (THM), Clothianidin (CLO), Imidacloprid (IMD), Acetamiprid (ACE), and Thiacloprid (THA) across 3 domestic WWTPs and their receiving waters. Notably, THM, CLO, and ACE were consistently detected in all water and sludge samples, with THM emerging as the most abundant compound in both influent and effluent. Among the 3 WWTPs, WWTP 2, employing a fine bubble oxidation process, achieved the highest removal efficiency, surpassing 68%, in contrast to WWTP 1 (CAST) at 37% and WWTP 3 (A/A/O) at 7%. Biodegradation played a pivotal role in NEO removal, accounting for 36.7% and 68.2% of the total removal in WWTP 1 and WWTP 2, respectively. Surprisingly, in WWTP 3, biotransformation process inadvertently increased ACE and CLO concentrations by approximately 4.1% and 4.5%, respectively. The total NEO concentration in the receiving surface waters ranged from 72.7 to 155.5 ng/L, while sediment concentrations were significantly lower, spanning between 0.10 and 1.53 ng/g. WWTPs serve as both a removal and concentration point for NEOs, thereby significantly influencing their transportation. Additionally, the concentration of most NEOs in the receiving waters progressively increased from upstream to downstream, highlighting the substantial impact of WWTP discharges on natural water environments. This research offers valuable insights into NEO pollution surrounding WWTPs in the Pearl River Delta, ultimately aiding in pollution control and environmental protection decisions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Current researches on pesticides in wetlands are limited in terms of screening and quantification of many types of pesticides. Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics, distribution patterns, and environmental risks of pesticides in multiple media is important for wetland ecological conservation. In this study, 222 pesticides were determined in multimedia samples collected simultaneously from the Songhua Wetland during four seasons. Concentrations of target pesticides in water, ice, sediment and soil ranged from 94.1 to 7445 ng/L, 62.6-953 ng/L, 0.82-50.2 ng/g dw, and 4.32-146 ng/g dw. Large spatial differences (p < 0.05) in pesticide concentrations in ice were found. However, there were no significant differences in the spatial and temporal distribution of pesticides in water, sediment, and soil (p > 0.05), suggesting that there were no correlation between the spatial and temporal use of pesticides. The dynamic exchange of pesticides between water-ice indicated that most pesticides were more enriched in water. However, there were still some pesticides (Dichlorvos and Biphenyl) that showed a stronger tendency to transfer from water to ice. Sediment-water exchange suggested that sediment is a source of secondary releases of most pesticides in wetland ecology, but is a sink for Biphenyl and Oxadiazon. The correlation between concentration ratios and fugacity fraction supported this finding. Most individual pesticides in wetland water and ice had shown low or moderate ecological risk conducted using risk quotient. The cumulative toxic effects of multiple pesticides had a high potential to pose a threat to wetland aquatic organisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In the present study, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), and heavy metals (HMs), were measured in water and sediment of the Ganga River during summer and winter seasons for two consecutive years. Additionally, this study estimated the ecological and human health risks associated with PPCPs, EDCs, and HMs. HMs detected in the range of not detected (n.d.) to 23.59 μg/L and 0.01-391.44 μg/g in water and sediment samples, respectively. All studied HMs were within the permissible limits, except for As in water, and Cr and Ni in sediment. The geo-accumulation index (I geo ) indicated that Cr (0.71-5.98) and Pb (0.90-3.90) had high I geo compared to other metals in sediment samples. Pb showed the highest ecological risk, followed by Cd, Co, Ni, Cu, Cr, As, and Zn. The maximum potential ecological risk index was observed at site G8. The hazard index (HI) value for water (0.08-0.89) and sediment (0.02-0.29) intake by adults remained within the acceptable limits, except at sites G8 (1.27) and G9 (1.34) for water intake. However, for children, the HI value was above the acceptable limit for water intake at sites G4 to G13 and for sediment at site G8. Among the studied compounds, metformin, triclosan, triclocarban, diclofenac, and methylparaben were the most abundant compounds present in the Ganga River. PPCPs and EDCs detected in the range of n.d. to 5850.04 ng/L and n.d. to 1080.41 ng/g in water and sediment samples, respectively. The environmental risk assessment identifies the maximum ecological risk in water exhibited by triclocarban followed by 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), diclofenac, and triclosan, while in sediment, the maximum ecological risk exhibited by triclocarban, followed by EE2, 17 β-estradiol (E2), triclosan, and diclofenac. However, none of the compounds showed human health risk, except for EE2, E2, and atenolol., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are commonly found in the marine environment and can have harmful impacts on marine biodiversity. Therefore, investigation of the occurrence, source and risks of PAHs is of great importance to protect ecosystem and human health. The objectives of this work were to assess the concentrations and distribution of PAHs in marine sediments and in mollusc bivalve (Callista chione) along the Mediterranean coasts of Morocco and finally evaluate the risk to human health caused by exposure to PAHs. Five sediments samples and seventy five C. chione specimens, were collected along the Moroccan Mediterranean coasts. The ∑PAHs levels in sediment varied considerably, varying from 1 to 251 ng/g with an average of 50.38 ng/g, while values for bivalves varied from 1 to 51 ng/g dw with an average concentration of 16.76 ng/g dw. The PAHs profile indicates the dominance of 2 and 3 rings PAHs both in bivalves and sediments. PAH concentrations generally rise as one moves from northeast to northwest part of the studied area, closer to the Strait of Gibraltar. The assessment of PAH isomeric ratios revealed a mixed pyrolytic/petrogenic source. Based on the sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), the risk of PAHs in the sediments was considered to be comparatively low. Similarly, Ecological risk assessment based on risk quotient (RQ) and toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) revealed potentially low ecological risks from PAHs. Exposure to PAHs via bivalve consumption does not cause adverse impacts on the health of consumers following the calculated health risk indices. As the levels of PAHs in biota are not negligible, continuous mentioning marine organisms campaigns should be performed to highlight the distribution and concentration of PAHs and assess the risk for human health from consumption of seafood., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic, highly fluorinated, and emerging chemicals that are reported to be used for both industrial and domestic applications. Several PFAS have demonstrated persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic tendencies in marine organisms. Therefore, this research aims to characterize and quantify these compounds in both recreational fisheries and surface water samples, including estimating their bioaccumulation potentials. In addition, we assessed the potential contribution of biomonitoring tools such as oxidative stressors and morphological index on fish and ecological health. Finally, human health risk assessment was performed based on available toxicological data on limited PFAS. All PFAS were detected in at least one sample except for N-EtFOSAA in lobster which was below the method detection limit. ƩPFAS body burden ranged from 0.15 to 3.40 ng/g wet weight (ww) in blackfin tuna samples and 0.37-5.15 ng/g ww in lobster samples, respectively. Wilcoxon rank paired test (α = 0.05) shows that there is statistical significance (ρ < 0.05) of ƩPFAS between species. Bioaccumulation factors (BAF) suggest an increasing trend in PFAS classes (PFCAs < PFSAs < FTSs), with higher BAFs observed in tuna compared to lobster. Long-chain PFESAs and FASAA were reported at higher concentrations in lobster compared to Blackfin tuna due to their bioavailability through sediment-sorption interactions. Although Fulton's condition factor (FCF) indicates healthy fish conditions, oxidative stress biomarkers suggest that tuna and lobster might be under stress, which can weaken their immune system against exposure to emerging contaminants such as PFAS. Hazard risk (HR) suggests a low risk to human health based on the consumption of the studied species; however, the risk of contaminant exposure may be higher than estimated. This study is aimed at improving food safety by providing better understanding of how PFAS infiltrate into human diet and incorporating data on influence of contaminant exposure and environmental stressors on marine health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), renowned for their exceptional physical and chemical properties, are ubiquitous in urban and rural environments. Despite their widespread usage, more knowledge is needed concerning their accumulation and transfer mechanisms within the aquatic food webs of urban fringe lakes, especially across rural-urban and seasonal scales. This study investigated the tissue distribution, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, associated human health risks, and potential risk mitigation strategies of 15 PFAAs within the food web of Luoma Lake, a prototypical urban fringe lake. All targeted PFAAs were detected in samples, with ∑PFAA concentrations ranging from 116.97 to 564.26 ng/g dw in muscles and 26.96-1850.95 ng/g dw in viscera. Spatial variations revealed significantly higher ∑PFAA concentrations in the muscles from the urban subregion (∑PFAA: 359.66 ± 76.48 ng/g dw) compared to the rural subregion (∑PFAA: 328.86 ± 87.51 ng/g dw). Seasonal fluctuations impacted PFAA concentrations in fish and crustacean muscles but exhibited negligible effects on bivalve muscles. Spatial variations only influenced PFAA concentrations in specific viscera (gill, liver, kidney), while seasonal changes had minimal effects on viscera. The organisms demonstrated varying bioaccumulation capacities, with crustaceans displaying the highest bioaccumulation potential, followed by crustaceans and fish. Both spatial and seasonal variations modulated the bioaccumulation patterns of PFAA in muscles, whereas bioaccumulation in viscera was only influenced by seasonal factors. Notably, PFAA biomagnification along the food web was exclusively governed by spatial distribution, remaining unaffected by seasonal changes. The human health risk assessment underscored the potential adverse health impacts of PFOS and PFOA, particularly on young children (aged 2 to <6 years). This study further proposed comprehensive recommendations for mitigating PFAA-induced health risks, encompassing source control, selective consumption, pre-cooking treatments, and strategic cooking method selection. This research provides crucial insights into the ecological behaviors and health implications of PFAA in urban fringe lakes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study investigates the presence, distribution, and potential impacts of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) on the Antarctic marine environment. The analysis results from the King Sejong Station, the Jang Bogo Station, and Cape Evans revealed the highest concentrations of both PFASs and HBCDs at King Sejong Station, indicating the significant influence of human activity. Short-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) dominated the seawater samples, with PFPeA at the highest concentration (0.076 ng/L) at King Sejong Station, whereas perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs) were prevalent in the sediments, with PFHxS reaching 0.985 ng/g. Total PFASs in benthos ranged from N.D. to 2.40 ng/g ww across all stations. This indicated the effects of long-range transport and glacial meltwater. α-HBCD was the most common diastereomer in benthos samples, detected in 58.3% of samples, suggesting its selective persistency. Although risk quotient analysis revealed low immediate risks to lower-trophic organisms, potential risks remain owing to their persistence and bioaccumulation potential. Contaminant patterns changed after regulations: perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) levels decreased, unregulated PFASs increased, HBCD stereoisomer ratios shifted towards α-HBCD dominance, and overall HBCD concentrations declined. Widespread persistence of regulated substances was observed in Antarctic environments, highlighting the need for comprehensive and long-term monitoring strategies. This study provides essential baseline data on contaminant distributions across the Southern Ocean, contributing to our understanding of emerging pollutants in Antarctic regions and informing future environmental protection efforts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

This study assessed the concentrations and temporal trends of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the muscle and liver tissues of Baltic cod (Gadus morhua) from 2017 to 2023. The Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) for biota and the Estimated Weekly Intake (EWI) for human consumers were calculated to evaluate potential health risks associated with PFC exposure. Significant variations in PFC concentrations were observed across different compounds and sampling years. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) had a mean concentration ranging from 0.03 ng g⁻ 1 wet weight (ww) to 0.17 ng g⁻ 1 ww (mean: 0.093 ng g⁻ 1 ww), while perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) ranged from 0.05 ng g⁻ 1 ww to 0.97 ng g⁻ 1 ww (mean: 0.46 ng g⁻ 1 ww). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) demonstrated mean concentrations between 1.98 ng g⁻ 1 ww and 9.03 ng g⁻ 1 ww (mean: 4.78 ng g⁻ 1 ww). PFOSA exhibited the lowest liver sequestration factor, indicating a higher elimination potential. The EQS for biota, expressed in PFOA-equivalents, ranged from 9.36 ng g⁻ 1 ww to 28.5 ng g⁻ 1 ww (mean: 18.5 ng g⁻ 1 ww), showing an overall increasing trend over the study period. The EWI for Baltic cod muscle (ΣPFAS-4) indicated an average exposure of 1.84 ng kg⁻ 1 body weight (bw) per week for adults, with a maximum of 3.46 ng kg⁻ 1 bw per week. For cod liver consumers, the maximum exposure reached 6.45 ng kg⁻ 1 bw per week, exceeding the Tolerable Weekly Intake (TWI) in some cases. The rising PFC concentrations in Baltic cod, especially in liver tissues, pose health risks to consumers. Ongoing monitoring and risk assessments are essential to reduce the impacts of PFC exposure from seafood., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Lidia Wolska reports financial support was provided by Medical University of Gdansk Department of Environmental Toxicology. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The global prevalence of mercury (Hg) contamination and its complex biogeochemical cycling has resulted in elevated Hg concentrations in biota in remote and pristine environments. However, there is uncertainty in the relative importance of Hg deposition and landscape factors that control Hg cycling and bioaccumulation. To address this, we measured total mercury (THg) concentrations in 1344 fish across 60 subalpine lakes from 12 national parks (NPs). These parks represent three distinct high-elevation regions across the western U.S.: Cascades and Olympic Peninsula, Sierra Nevada and Great Basin, and Rocky Mountains. Within these regions, three NPs (Mount Rainier, Yosemite, and Rocky Mountain) were intensively studied representatives of each region. This study aimed to (1) assess the magnitude of mercury contamination in a collection of remote, small catchment lakes; (2) quantify the variability of fish THg concentrations among and within parks; and (3) test the relative importance of Hg inputs in comparison to landscape characteristics on lake-specific fish THg concentrations. The spatial variability in fish THg concentrations was 2.6-fold higher than variation in deposition to watersheds, suggesting that factors other than Hg delivery are important determinants of Hg accumulation in these environments. Spatially, fish THg concentrations (ng/g ww ± standard error) were lower in the Rockies (46.2 ± 5.0) and Sierra (56.5 ± 5.8) compared to the Cascades (67.8 ± 6.1). Additionally, fish THg concentrations increased with increasing conifer forest cover (Intensive parks: P < 0.0001, R 2  = 0.43; All parks: P = 0.0001, R 2  = 0.23) but were not correlated with wet Hg deposition across the catchment. These findings suggest that forest composition is likely an important aspect of Hg delivery to lake food webs, and although the mechanisms are unclear, could be tied to some combination of forest influences on catchment organic carbon and increased surface area for dry Hg deposition., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: NR Daniele reports financial support was provided by San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The presence of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs), such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, additives, and polar pesticides in sediments of rivers and lakes highly impacted by anthropogenic activities makes sediments a secondary source of contamination for aquatic ecosystems. Considering this, a method for analyzing 44 TrOCs of diverse nature (including five transformation products, 13 pharmaceuticals, five personal care products, 14 pesticides, and seven additives) was developed and validated. It is based on extraction by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), followed by purification and pre-concentration by solid phase extraction (SPE) and quantification by liquid chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC-QqQMS). The method was optimized according to dispersant type, temperature, and extraction solvent. The influence of organic matter in sediments on quantitative analysis was also investigated in detail. Matrix effects were highly and significantly correlated (r=-0.9146, p < 0.0001) with retention time. Using internal standards showed the best results for effectively correcting matrix effects without affecting method sensitivity. The method was then validated according to key figures of merit: linearity (R 2 > 0.990), extraction recoveries (> 60 % for 34 compounds), trueness (bias % < 15 %), precision (relative standard deviation < 20 %) and matrix effects (between -13.3 % and 17.8 %). This method can be applied for routine analysis of TrOCs in different sediment matrices. The method was applied to ten lake sediment samples collected in Québec, Canada. Results demonstrated the presence of 17 compounds in at least one lake at concentrations between 0.07 to 1531 ng g -1 . The reported concentrations provide a first picture of the occurrence of chemical stressors in sediments of small lake highly anthropized ecosystems in Eastern Canada., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Wastewater acts as a significant sink and source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This study investigated the occurrence, removal and mass flow of 48 emerging and legacy PFAS in 8 domestic and general industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) throughout entire treatment processes. In wastewater and sludge, 24 and 26 PFAS were detected, with concentrations of 246-27,100 ng/L and 91.6-214 ng/g, respectively. Predominant substances included 2H,2H-perfluorooctanoic acid (6:2 FTCA), 2H,2H-perfluorododecanoic acid (10:2 FTCA), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Novel alternatives such as hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX) were not detected. Removal efficiency of total PFAS was 1-46 % in domestic WWTPs but negative in industrial WWTPs, with one industrial WWTP showing a 27-fold increase due to 6:2 FTCA generation. Median removal efficiency revealed that 9 out of 13 major PFAS decreased after treatment, while 4 increased. PFAS with -CH 2 - group showed weaker sludge sorption compared to those with perfluorinated carbon chains. Mass flow analysis revealed wastewater is the major fate rather than sludge for emerging PFAS. Increased mass flows of fluorotelomer carboxylic acids (FTCAs) and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) were observed at biochemical treatment and disinfection. The ecological risk assessment using a relative risk ranking model identified higher risks from PFBS, polyfluoroalkyl phosphate mono-esters, and FTCAs. Emerging PFAS pose challenges in removal and greater hazards to ecosystems, necessitating careful evaluation and restriction to address their risk., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics can act as vectors of chemical contaminants in aquatic environments, but the extent to which this phenomenon contributes to chemical exposure in marine organisms remains poorly understood. We investigated the occurrence of microplastics and emerging contaminants (ECs), including antibiotics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 14 marine fish species. Microplastics were detected in all marine fish species, mainly in the gastrointestinal tract. Fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines were the dominant antibiotics in fish muscles with maximum concentrations of 24.84 and 26.95 ng g -1 ww, while perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS, 0.039-0.95 ng g -1 ww) was the dominant component in the PFAS profile. Fish with more microplastics had significantly higher concentrations of fluoroquinolones and perfluoroalkyl acids than fish with less microplastics (p < 0.05), but the correlation was not observed in other chemicals. Structural equation modeling revealed the contribution of microplastics in fish on the level of ECs contamination. The health quotient value indicated the low health risk of single compounds via fish consumption to humans; however, the combined risk of microplastics and ECs still needs to be considered. This work highlights the link between microplastics with associated ECs ingested by aquatic organisms and the human health risk of consuming polluted seafood., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Progestins (PGs) are a group of emerging contaminants with endocrine disrupting effects. Despite their large amounts of use and excretion, investigations have been limited to several compounds in the aqueous phase, and the occurrences and distribution of numerous PGs in different matrices remain unclear. In this study, water, suspended particulate matter and sediment samples from rivers in the Yellow River Delta (YRD), China were investigated over two seasons to elucidate the occurrences, sources, and ecological risks of 55 natural and synthetic PGs. 40 PGs were detected with concentrations varied from not detected (ND) to 146 ng/L in water, ND to 251 ng/g dry weight (dw) in SPM, and ND-173 ng/g dw in sediment. The less-studied natural metabolites were the predominant PGs in all samples. 54-96 % of the PGs were concentrated in the aqueous phase, and SPM was also an important carrier, especially for hydrophobic compounds. Anthropogenic activities and environmental conditions together affected the spatiotemporal distribution of PGs. Animal sources, including aquaculture and animal husbandry, contributed most (42.3 %) to the total PGs, followed by treated sewage (32.9 %) and industrial sources (24.7 %). The risk assessment suggested that PGs posed moderate to high risks to aquatic organisms, especially the fish., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have garnered significant attention owing to their prevalence and adverse effects on humans. The direct dietary intake of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and PFAAs precursors (pre-PFAAs) biotransformation are considered major contributors to human exposure to PFASs. However, little information is available on analytical methods for the simultaneous detection of PFAAs and pre-PFAAs. In the present study, a single-step sample-treatment-based supramolecular solvents-dispersed liquid-liquid microextraction (SUPRASs-DLLME) technique was established for the analysis of 16 PFAAs and 7 pre-PFAAs in aquatic food. SUPRASs were synthesized using 1-heptanol (3 mL) and tetrahydrofuran (4 mL), which were self-assembled in water. The parameters for microextraction, such as extraction method and enrichment capacity, were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.03-0.15 ng·g -1 and 0.1-0.5 ng·g -1 , respectively. Good linearities (R 2 > 0.996) were obtained for all the target compounds, and the recoveries ranged 81.1-120 % with relative standard deviations (RSDs) lower than 20 %. This method was applied to the analysis of 16 PFAAs and 7 pre-PFAAs in aquatic food samples (crabs, prawns, and fish). This study provides a new idea for analyzing other pollutants in biological samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to examine the distribution of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 15 marine fish species from the northern Bohai Sea, investigate their sources of contamination, and evaluate the benefits-risks associated with the concurrent consumption of fish fatty acids and PFAS. The ∑PFAS concentrations in fish ranged from 9.38 to 262.92 ng·g -1 (dry weight). The highest PFAS levels were found in the viscera and gills, while the lowest levels were found in the muscles. Industrial effluents and sewage treatment plant discharges were the primary sources of PFAS contamination. The individual PFAS concentrations in fish were insignificantly correlated with their trophic levels (p > 0.05). However, the concentrations of hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) or long-chain PFAS (C > 8) significantly increased with fish size (e.g., total length, weight) and lipid content (p < 0.001). The benefit-risk analysis suggests that HPFO-DA poses a higher health risk than perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in fish (p < 0.05). Long-term consumption of contaminated fish may significantly increase human serum PFOA concentration and kidney cancer risk (p < 0.05). Daily consumption of 5 g (wet weight) muscle from Ditrema temmincki and Konosirus punctatus is recommended to meet the requirements for fatty acid supplementation without posing health risks., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The heightened contamination of urban rivers with psychiatric drugs poses significant environmental and public health risks due to their persistence and bioaccumulative nature. In this study, we assessed the concentrations of 10 psychiatric medicines in water and sediment samples from three rivers in Curitiba, Brazil, spanning the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic from September 2020 to November 2023. Our analysis revealed substantial variations in drug concentrations across rivers and sampling periods, with fluoxetine and sertraline being the most prevalent in waters (up to 1118 ng L -1 ) and sediments (up to 70 ng g -1 DW). Sediments emerged as primary repositories for psychiatric drugs. The COVID-19 pandemic notably impacted drug concentrations, with fluoxetine and alprazolam concentrations surging by up to 741 % and 524 %, respectively, compared to pre-pandemic levels. The current concentrations of drugs in rivers pose risks to aquatic life. Despite variations, overall drug concentrations increased by 20 % for fluoxetine and 15 % for alprazolam after the pandemic. These findings underscore the persistent environmental risks associated with heightened drug consumption, emphasizing the urgent need for continued monitoring and intervention strategies to mitigate ecological and public health impacts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The oil sands area of northern Alberta has river sediments that contain natural bitumen. Eggs and fish in these rivers may be exposed to bitumen-related chemicals early in life. This paper assesses a short embryo-larval fish exposure to oil sands sediment and follows the fish behaviour as they mature in clean water and examines their breeding success as adults (5 months afterwards). The three different oil sands river sediments tested were: a sediment collected outside of the bitumen deposit (tested at 3 g/L, Reference sediment from upstream Steepbank River site), and two sediments collected within the deposit (each tested at low (1 g/L) and high (3 g/L) concentrations). The sediments within the bitumen deposit were from the Ells and Steepbank (Stp) Rivers, and both contained significant total PAHs (>170 ng/g wet weight sediment) and alkylated PAHs (>4480 ng/g). Fish were exposed to these sediments for 21 days (as eggs and larval fish), and then transferred permanently to clean water to mature and breed. There was a significant decrease in the number of egg clutches produced by fish exposed early in life to Stp downstream high sediment (compared to Reference sediment). There was also a decrease in overall cumulative egg production, with fish from Stp downstream high sediment producing just over 1000 eggs in total while fish exposed to Ref sediment produced nearly 6900 eggs. The fish with reduced egg production were also less social than expected as they matured, and they had a lower % of early vitellogenic eggs in their ovaries. Overall, the exposure shows that a single, brief exposure during early life stages to natural bitumen can affect fish in adulthood. Naturally occurring bitumen-derived PAHs can reduce fish reproductive output by complex mechanisms, measurable as lower ovary maturity and changes in social behaviour., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Crown Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Studying the impacts of land use and river network structure on perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) footprint in rivers is crucial for predicting the fate of PFAAs in aquatic environments. This study investigated the distribution, ecological risks, sources and influence factors of 17 PFAAs in water and sediments of rivers from hills to plain areas. The results showed that the detection frequencies were higher for short-chain PFAAs than long-chain PFAAs in water, whereas an opposite pattern was found in sediments. The concentration of ∑PFAAs ranged from 59.2 to 414 ng/L in water and from 1.4 to 60.1 ng/g in sediments. Perfluorohexanoic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid were identified as the main pollutants in the river. The average concentrations of PFAAs were higher in the aquaculture areas (water: 309.8 ng/L; sediments: 43.27 ng/g) than in residential areas (water: 206.03 ng/L; sediments: 11.7 ng/g) and farmland areas (water: 123.12 ng/L; sediments: 9.4 ng/g). Environmental risk assessment showed that PFAAs were mainly low risk or no risk in water, but were moderate risk and even high risk in sediments, especially for perfluorooctane sulfonate. Source apportionment found that PFAA sources were mostly from industry, wastewater discharge, and surface runoff. Dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, water system circularity, network connectivity and organic matter were significantly correlated to PFAA concentration, indicating that the physicochemical properties and river network might directly influence the environmental behavior of PFAAs. The built-up area was positively correlated with PFAAs. These findings indicated that a comprehensive understanding of the influences of land use and river network structure on PFAAs in rivers is essential for managers to formulate effective PFAA control strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Urban estuarine and coastal water receive several micropollutants through industrial and agricultural influxes. The bioaccumulation of these micropollutants in fish and their entry into the coastal population's food chain raises significant food safety concerns. Hence, a comprehensive analytical method was developed for ultra-trace level quantification of 345 micropollutants in fish. The optimized sample preparation method could extract compounds suitable for both GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS analysis simultaneously. The target list of contaminants included 278 agricultural pesticides and also 102 endocrine disruptors covering polyaromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorines, and endocrine-disrupting pesticides. The GC-MS/MS with large volume injection (LVI) technique, and LC-MS/MS operating in MRM mode, achieved an LOQ of <2.00 ng/g for most of the analytes. The extraction strategy involved tri-phase partitioning between water, acidified acetonitrile, and hexane, followed by salting out. Dispersive solid phase cleanup (dSPE) with C18, Z-Sep+, CaCl 2 , and MgSO 4 was able to reduce the matrix influence, and the method achieved satisfactory recovery in the range of 70.0-120.0 % for all the target analytes. The repeatability and reproducibility relative standard deviation values of the measured analytes were <20.0 %, and the Horwitz ratio values were well below 2. The method was used to accurately measure the target micropollutants in fish from the Cochin estuary, the highly urbanized portion of the Vembanad Lake, and an important Ramsar site. At least one or more of the 41 different micropollutants were identified and quantified in about 90.7 % of the 108 samples analyzed. The importance of large-scale screening and trace-level quantification methods in environmental monitoring and risk assessment is underscored by the results. The risk assessment showed a moderate risk of exposure to the nearby coastal population through the food chain., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Niladri Sekhar Chatterjee reports financial support was provided by Science and Engineering Research Board. Niladri Sekhar Chatterjee reports financial support was provided by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)