Advances in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Toxicology

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Toxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 3 January 2027 | Viewed by 1290

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Detoxication and Resource Recovery, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Interests: aquatic ecotoxicity; neurotoxicity of pharmaceuticals; fish behavior; hazard and risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
Interests: ecotoxicology; molecular toxicology; biological responses to emerging contaminants; zebrafish models; multi-omics; environmental stressors; oxidative stress

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid expansion of anthropogenic activities has introduced a complex array of chemical stressors into the environment. Understanding the biological consequences of these contaminants is a central challenge in modern science. This Special Issue, "Advances in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Toxicology," is dedicated to exploring the intricate interactions between environmental pollutants and biological systems.

In alignment with the scope of Biology, this Special Issue shifts the focus from purely environmental concentrations to the fundamental biological processes triggered by toxicant exposure. We aim to collect high-quality research that elucidates how emerging and legacy contaminants (such as microplastics, PFAS, pesticides, PPCPs, and industrial chemicals) disrupt biological homeostasis. We are particularly interested in studies that employ modern biological techniques—including multi-omics, high-resolution imaging, and high-throughput screening—to decipher the molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms of toxicity.

By utilizing diverse model organisms (e.g., zebrafish, medaka, Daphnia, model microorganisms and various cell lines), we hope to provide a comprehensive view of the toxicological pathways that lead to impaired health, altered behavior, and reduced fitness.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Molecular and cellular mechanisms of action of environmental toxins;
  • Oxidative stress, DNA damage, and epigenetic alterations in response to pollutants;
  • Physiological and metabolic disruptions (e.g., gut–liver axis, endocrine disruption);
  • Neurobiology and behavioral toxicology in aquatic and terrestrial models;
  • Developmental and reproductive biology under chemical stress;
  • Integration of systems biology and multi-omics in toxicological assessment.

We look forward to receiving your contributions to this exciting collection of biological insights into environmental challenges.

Dr. Xiangsheng Hong
Dr. Jie Gu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ecotoxicology
  • molecular mechanisms
  • biological responses
  • emerging contaminants
  • zebrafish (Danio rerio)
  • oxidative stress
  • multi-omics
  • neurobehavioral toxicity
  • environmental stressors
 

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3752 KB  
Article
Multi-Dimensional Assessment Approach to Assess Pesticide Manufacturing Industry Wastewater Toxicity
by Deling Fan, Jian Wang, Lili Shi, Lei Wang and Zheng Fang
Biology 2026, 15(9), 700; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15090700 - 29 Apr 2026
Viewed by 360
Abstract
Pesticide manufacturing industry wastewater is a complex mixture of potentially harmful components. If not properly treated, discharged effluents may pose serious risks to environment and organisms. In this study, influent and effluent wastewater samples from a pesticide factory were comprehensively non-screened by liquid [...] Read more.
Pesticide manufacturing industry wastewater is a complex mixture of potentially harmful components. If not properly treated, discharged effluents may pose serious risks to environment and organisms. In this study, influent and effluent wastewater samples from a pesticide factory were comprehensively non-screened by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry, coupled with zebrafish embryo toxicity testing to assess whole effluent toxicity. A total of eight chemical groups were identified, including pesticides, antibiotics, nitrogen compounds, ketones, esters, amines and derivatives, other drugs, and other organic compounds. While wastewater treatment processes reduced most of the analyzed groups of compounds, compounds (e.g., 2-aminophenol, N-Nitrosodipropylamine, and carbamazepine) increased during the treatments. The influent samples were more toxic to zebrafish than the effluent samples in terms of lethality, teratogenic effects, developmental impacts, locomotor behavior, and neurotoxicity. The results showed that locomotor behavior was the most sensitive phenotypic toxicity endpoint, with significantly higher sensitivity than traditional acute lethal or teratogenic endpoints. Through a multi-dimensional assessment approach combining chemical screening, literature-based, risk ranking, and targeted quantification, we identified three predominant pesticide residues in the wastewater samples (both influents and effluents): hexaconazole, fenobucarb and isoprocarb. All three compounds exhibited additive or synergistic toxicity in zebrafish embryos. Exposure to ≥0.08% influent or ≥2% effluent increased inflammation (interleukin-1 beta, IL-1β), oxidative stress (copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, Cu/Zn-Sod), apoptosis (tumor protein p53, p53), and significantly impaired neurodevelopment in zebrafish larvae by altering the expression of sonic hedgehog a (shha), synapsin IIa (syn2a), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (gfap). This study suggests the necessity of incorporating non-apical endpoint (locomotor behavior) into whole effluent toxicity test, as this approach is essential for reducing the environmental risks posed by pesticide factory wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Toxicology)
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20 pages, 22059 KB  
Article
Physio-Transcriptomic Mechanism of Antimony Tin Oxide Nanoparticle-Induced Midgut Toxicity in Bombyx mori
by Yang Fang, Xuan Li, Fengchao Zhang, Yang Liu, Liang Ma, Liping Chen and Qijun Xie
Biology 2026, 15(6), 508; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15060508 - 22 Mar 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 503
Abstract
The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an economically important insect that plays a crucial role in agricultural development. Antimony tin oxide, a high-tech multifunctional nanomaterial, is extensively utilized in contemporary industries due to its properties of transparency, conductivity, and stability. Nevertheless, the [...] Read more.
The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an economically important insect that plays a crucial role in agricultural development. Antimony tin oxide, a high-tech multifunctional nanomaterial, is extensively utilized in contemporary industries due to its properties of transparency, conductivity, and stability. Nevertheless, the toxicity and potential adverse effects of antimony tin oxide on living organisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the effects of antimony tin oxide at varying concentrations (0–3.2 μg/μL) on the growth, oxidative stress response, gene expression, and midgut integrity of fifth-instar silkworm larvae. Exposure to high concentrations of antimony tin oxide resulted in a significant reduction in larval weight and severely disrupted the antioxidant defense system. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis identified 239 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were confirmed by qPCR, revealing up-regulated lipid synthesis gene AGPAT5, down-regulated chitin degradation gene Chi, and suppressed glycerolipid hydrolysis gene H9J6N7_BOMMO. Histopathological and ultrastructural examinations revealed severe damage to the structure of midgut epithelial cells. Structural and functional analysis of conserved domains in key DEG-encoded proteins revealed that gene dysregulation disrupted energy metabolism and compromised the physical barrier, ultimately linking molecular abnormalities to observed tissue damage. These findings elucidate the mechanisms by which antimony tin oxide induces midgut toxicity through interference with critical metabolic pathways and functional perturbations at the molecular level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Toxicology)
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