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Neonicotinoids, widely used on farmland, are ubiquitous in food; however, their distribution among various crops and associated exposure risks at the provincial level in China remain unclear. We collected 19 types of crop samples (fruits, vegetables, and tea) from farmland in nine prefectural cities in Zhejiang Province, China. We analyzed nine commonly used neonicotinoids in the edible portions of these crops. A notable detection rate (42.1 %–82.9 %) and high residual neonicotinoid concentrations (278 ± 357 ng/g) were observed. Tea exhibited the highest residue, followed by fruits, and vegetables showed the lowest (P < 0.05). Neonicotinoid ratios in crops to soil (R_C/S) and soil to water (R_S/W) were defined to discern insecticide distribution across different environments. Increased water solubility leads to increased migration of neonicotinoids (R_S/W) from agricultural soils to water through runoff, thereby increasing the relative contribution of nitenpyram and dinotefuran in water. In comparison with other studied compounds, all crops demonstrated the strongest soil uptake of thiamethoxam, denoted by the highest R_C/S value. Elevated R_C/S values in tea, pickled cabbage, and celery suggest increased susceptibility of these crops to neonicotinoid absorption from the soil (P < 0.05). Estimated dietary intake for teenagers, adults and elders was 8.9 ± 0.5, 8.9 ± 0.6, and 8.8 ± 0.3 μg/kg/d, respectively, below the reference dose (57 μg/kg/d). Teenagers, compared to adults and elders, exhibited significantly higher neonicotinoid exposure through fruit consumption, emphasizing the need for increased attention to neonicotinoid exposure among vulnerable populations. [Display omitted] • Neonicotinoid residues were highly detected in common crops in Southeast China. • Dietary exposure of neonicotinoids was acceptable for Chinese general population. • Neonicotinoids were highest in tea, followed by fruits, and lowest in vegetables. • Solubility determines the migration of neonicotinoids from soil to water. • Different crops have different uptake ability to different neonicotinoid compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are widely used as flame retardants and plasticizers due to their excellent properties. The interference of OPEs on immune function has been proven, but the epidemiological data on OPEs exposure to related immune function diseases, such as sjögren syndrome (SjS), is limited. In cross-sectional study, 283 serum samples were collected from healthy individuals (n = 145) and patients with SjS (n = 138) in Hangzhou, China. Eight OPEs, triethyl phosphate (TEP), tributyl phosphate (TBP), tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphine (TCEP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), tri (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP), 2-ethylhexyldi-phenyl phosphate (EHDPP), tris (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), and tri (2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP), were frequently measured in serum samples. In addition, we explored the associations between the serum OPEs concentration and the risk of SjS. Results showed that TEP (mean controls 2.17 and cases 3.63 ng/mL) was the most abundant OPEs in the serum samples of the control and case groups, followed by TCIPP (mean controls 0.54 and cases 0.78 ng/mL). Serum TEP, TPHP, and EHDPP concentrations were positively correlated with SjS [odds ratio (OR): 1.97, 1.96, and 2.42, respectively; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.34–2.89, 1.34–2.87, and 1.34–2.87, respectively] in the adjusted model, and a negative correlation of TBP concentrations with SjS in the adjusted model (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.17–0.70) was observed. Compared with the lowest quartile concentrations, the ORs of SjS at the highest quartile concentrations of TEP (OR: 4.93, 95% CI: 2.24–10.82) and TPHP (OR: 4.75, 95% CI:1.89–11.94) were significantly higher. This study suggests that human exposure to OPEs may increase the risk of SjS. [Display omitted] • Distribution of OPEs in serum of Hangzhou population in China was studied. • TEP was the major OPE in all serum samples. • TEP, TPHP, and EHDPP levels were significantly associated with risk of SjS. • We firstly found that human exposure to OPEs may increase the risk of SjS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural revegetation of grasslands can stimulate belowground carbon inputs and facilitate the storage of soil organic carbon (SOC), which is conducive to the restoration of grassland ecosystems. Previous studies have investigated the dynamics of organic carbon (OC) in bulk soil, but paid little attention to OC fractions within aggregates. This study explored the response of OC changes in functionally distinct fractions, namely particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), to natural restoration through systematic measurements of two grassland vegetation species at three study sites along a soil texture gradient in the Loess Plateau. In naturally restored grasslands, the SOC and OC contents of POM (POM_C) and MAOM (MAOM_C) within bulk soil and aggregates were significantly (p < 0.05) higher relative to bare land, with more effective improvement of POM_C (1.01−6.55 times) than MAOM_C (0.88−4.26 times). Compared to cover type (6.01 %−26.04 %), soil texture explained the variance of OC fractions to a greater extent (56.39 %−88.16 %). Soil texture had a larger contribution to MAOM_C in bulk soil with standardized path coefficients for total effect of 0.78 than POM_C, which had a coefficient of 0.67 (p < 0.05). Moreover, the growth rate of the MAOM_C pool exhibited a gradual decline (p < 0.001), which subsequently approached saturation level despite a persistent increase in total SOC in both bulk soil and aggregates. During soil carbon sequestration, aggregate fractions with relatively smaller particle size reached the MAOM_C saturation more easily than fractions with larger size. The findings of this study highlight the important role of soil texture in determining the saturation level of the MAOM_C pool at the regional scale. In the development of soil carbon sequestration strategies, more attention should be paid to the divergent behaviors of different SOM fractions and their distinct responses to natural restoration at larger spatiotemporal scales. • Aggregate-level saturation is observed in mineral-associated organic carbon. • Mineral-associated OC in aggregates with smaller sizes are more easily saturated. • Soil texture and root traits differentially affect regional changes in SOC fractions. • Soil texture has the strongest total effect on SOC fractions on a regional scale. • Maximum mineral-associated OC storage capacity can be constrained by soil texture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Neonicotinoid residue was higher in tributaries than in the mainstream. • Neonicotinoid residue was negatively correlated with river width. • Neonicotinoid residue was positively correlated with water turbidity. • Transport of neonicotinoids from farmland to rivers affected by various factors. • Point source drives spatial distribution of neonicotinoids in Zhejiang rivers. Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely applied in farmland, with high detection rates in soils and surface waters, posing potential risks to biodiversity and human health. As a nonpoint emission, surface runoff is widely regarded as the major source of neonicotinoid pollution in surface waters, but few studies have determined the point source contribution to rivers that may be primarily from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Here, we collected the surface water from eight river basins in Zhejiang Province of China and quantified residual concentrations of eight widely commercialized neonicotinoids. Four of these were detected in all samples, with concentrations of dinotefuran and nitenpyram of 119 ± 166 and 87.6 ± 25.3 ng/L, respectively, representing more than 90 % of the total (282 ± 174 ng/L). Neonicotinoid residues were higher in tributaries due to nearby farmland and more dilution effects in the mainstream, and the residues were higher in lower reaches which can be explained by the water flow direction. Significant spatial differences in neonicotinoid distribution between surface water and agricultural soils result from environmental factors (e.g., water turbidity, precipitation, temperature) impacting migration and transport processes. Neonicotinoid residues in surface water showed a significant positive correlation with total WWTP emissions after adjusting for environmental factors. Conversely, no significant association was observed with cropland density (a nonpoint emission source), indicating that point emission source (contributing 20.6 %) predominantly influenced neonicotinoid residue spatial variation in river basin-scale surface water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• UV-327 was the major traditional BZT-UVs in surface water from TL and QR. • A characteristic fragment ion-based strategy was developed to screen unknown BZT-UVs. • Seven novel BZT-UVs were discovered in surface water from TL and QR. • Four novel BZT-UVs were further confirmed with their native standards. The comprehensive understanding of the occurrence of benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BZT-UVs) in environmental surface water is imperative due to their widespread application and potential aquatic toxicity. We conducted an analysis of 13 traditional BZT-UVs in surface water samples collected from Taihu Lake (TL, n = 23) and Qiantang River (QR, n = 22) in China. The results revealed that 5‑chloro-2-(3,5-di-tertbutyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-benzotriazole (UV-327) was consistently the predominant BZT-UV in water samples from TL (mean 16 ng/L; detection frequency 96 %) and QR (14 ng/L; 91 %). Furthermore, we developed a characteristic fragment ion-based strategy to screen and identify unknown BZT-UVs in collected surface water, utilizing a high-resolution mass spectrometer. A total of seven novel BZT-UVs were discovered in water samples, and their chemical structures were proposed. Four of these novel BZT-UVs were further confirmed with standards provided by industrial manufacturers. Semi-quantitative analysis revealed that among discovered novel BZT-UVs, 2-(2‑hydroxy-3‑tert‑butyl‑5-methylphenyl)-benzotriazole was consistently the predominant novel BZT-UV in TL (mean 4.1 ng/L, detection frequency 70 %) and QR (2.8 ng/L, 77 %) water. In TL water, the second predominant novel BZT-UV was 2-(3-allyl-2‑hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)-2H-benzotriazole (mean 3.9 ng/L,

Croplands are experiencing increasing neonicotinoid pollution and ecological health problems, which are especially widely applied in China. However, the large regional scale distribution of neonicotinoids and the key factors have seldom been determined. We show that the total residual concentration of neonicotinoids ranged from 13.4 to 157 ng/g with an average level of 75.8 ng/g and imidacloprid which was the dominant compound ranged from 10.4 to 81.3 ng/g during 2017–2021 in the Yangtze River Delta, China. In comparison, the neonicotinoid residues detected here were mostly higher than those in other regions. We further show that the 1-km spatial resolution cropland coverage (78.0%) and crop type (18.1%) predominantly contributed to the large spatial variation of neonicotinoids after adjusting for the factors including temperature, soil pH, soil moisture, and precipitation via automatic linear regression modeling at the provincial scale. Additional analyses revealed that tea croplands had significantly lowest concentration and fruit fields had the highest level due to the different application methods. Our findings provide new insight into key factors quantifying the high spatial resolved distribution of neonicotinoids and urgently call for reasonable application methods against rapidly growing ecology threats from neonicotinoid pollution in China. [Display omitted] • Neonicotinoids were widely detected and in high concentrations in this study. • Lowest residues are in tea croplands and highest in fruit croplands. • Land use significantly correlated with neonicotinoid residues. • Cropland coverage and crop type dominate the neonicotinoid distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been linked to various immune deficiency disorders, including autoimmune diseases like Sjögren Syndrome (SjS). However, the detrimental effects of exposure to EDCs, including bisphenols, parabens, and triclosan (TCS), on SjS have been inadequately documented. Thus, we conducted a cross-sectional study that included both healthy individuals (controls) and patients with SjS (cases). We assessed serum concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), methyl parabens (MeP), ethyl parabens (EtP), and TCS. The relationship between the five EDCs levels and the risk of SjS was also explored. Additionally, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the collective influence of these EDCs mixtures on SjS, employing a weighted quantile sum regression model. Out of the five EDCs analyzed, EtP displayed the highest mean concentration (2.80 ng/mL), followed by BPA (2.66 ng/mL) and MeP (1.99 ng/mL), with TCS registering the lowest level (0.36 ng/mL). Notably, BPS exposure was significantly positively associated with the risk of being diagnosed with SjS (with an odds ratio [OR] of 1.17, p = 0.042). No statistically significant associations with SjS were observed for BPA, MeP, EtP, and TCS (p > 0.05). And we did not observe any significant effects of the EDCs mixture on SjS. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to suggest that BPS may potentially increase the risk of SjS. Although no significant effects were observed between other EDCs and SjS risk, we cannot disregard the potential harm of EDCs due to their non-monotonic dose response., 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.)

Dissolved organic matter (DOM), which exists widely in the environment, coming from different sources, may greatly affect the adsorption of antibiotics. However, the adsorption mechanisms of antibiotics in a sandy soil and the effects of DOM from different sources on the adsorption remain poorly understood. This study systematically investigated the adsorption characteristics of norfloxacin (NOR) onto a sandy soil obtained from the banks of Xi'an in Yellow River and in the presence of three DOM including HDOM (commercially available humic acids), LDOM (derived from fallen leaves) and MDOM (derived from cattle manure). Elemental analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy, 3D-EEM, XPS, TOC, SEM, and FTIR were used to analyze the adsorption mechanism. It was found that all the DOM sources we used could reduce the adsorption of NOR on sandy soil and prolong the reaction time to reach adsorption equilibrium. The decreasing adsorption capacities of NOR by the three types of DOM (10 mg/L) followed the order as: HDOM < LDOM < MDOM, which was related to their aromaticity, polarity and hydrophobicity. These adsorption processes of NOR on sandy soil in the presence of DOM were well fitted by Double-chamber first-order kinetics, Linear model and Freundlich models. Besides, the adsorption reaction was endothermic and spontaneous. Adsorption competition of DOM molecules with NOR, or formation of DOM-NOR complexes in solution resulted in a decrease of sandy soil adsorption capacity. Correspondingly, co-adsorption and cumulative adsorption were also considered to be the key processes that determined NOR adsorption towards sandy soil after adding DOM. Moreover, the adsorption of NOR onto sandy soil exhibited strong pH-dependent characteristic and NOR might be more easily leached from sandy soil in the aquifer at an alkaline pH. High-ion strength suppressed the adsorption. These results would help to understand the fate and risk of NOR under the action of different DOM., 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 © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely and exceedingly applied in farmlands worldwide and are ubiquitous in various environments, including surface water, soil, river sediments, etc. However, few studies reported neonicotinoid residues in the marine environment. Considering the large application of neonicotinoids in China, here, we collected marine sediments in offshore and far sea areas of the East China Sea, including the Hangzhou Bay and the area along the Zhejiang Province coast, and measured the concentrations of nine commercialized neonicotinoids. The total concentration of neonicotinoids was 11.9 ± 6.22 ng/g (dry weight) (range: 4.77-29.9 ng/g), which was higher than other regions reported in previous studies. Neonicotinoid residues found in far sea areas were statistically lower than those in offshore areas. Nitenpyram and dinotefuran were the dominant compounds, contributing to >75 % of the total residue. It is thought that the flux of the Yangtze River is the main source of the neonicotinoid pollution in the East China Sea and the sediment is the sink of neonicotinoid residue from mainland China. Neonicotinoid residues were found to be negatively correlated with sediment pH, and positively correlated with microbial diversity and nitrate content. Based on structural equation modeling, we also illustrated the associations between neonicotinoid residues and different factors, suggesting that the change in sediment pH and microbial diversity were related to the degradation of neonicotinoid residues. Actinobacteriota, Chloroflexi, and Nitrospirota were found to be the key bacterial community at the phylum level on the degradation of neonicotinoids. Our findings provide new insights into the understanding of spatial distribution, source, and migration of neonicotinoids and their impacts on marine microorganisms., 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 article., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)