Ecotoxicological Impacts of Pharmaceuticals: Mixtures, Transformation Products, and Real-World Exposure
A special issue of Environments (ISSN 2076-3298).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2027 | Viewed by 3009
Editors
Interests: pharmaceuticals in the environment; ecotoxicology; biomarkers (molecular to organism level); transformation products and metabolites; mixture toxicity; chronic low-dose exposure; waste water and surface water contamination; effect-based monitoring; environmental risk assessment
Interests: environmental and analytical chemistry; emerging contaminants; microplastics; PFAS; persistent organic pollutants (POPs); heavy metals; air/water/soil monitoring; marine organisms; environmental fate; human and ecological health
2. Cantacuzino National Military Medical Institute for Research and Development, 050096 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: microbiology; microbiology and laboratory in public health; antibiotics; immunology; surveillance; epidemiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Pharmaceutical active ingredients, metabolites and transformation products are now detected across surface waters, sediments, soils and biota, yet major data gaps persist in relation to exposure, ecotoxicity and mixture risks. This Special Issue of Environments will assemble mechanistic and applied ecotoxicology research that translates environmentally realistic pharmaceutical exposure into population, community and ecosystem service relevance. We welcome studies on chronic low-dose and pulsed exposures; complex mixtures and co-stressors; bioaccumulation and trophic transfer; microbiome disruption; endocrine, behavioural, reproductive and immunological endpoints; sensitive taxa and early life stages; and terrestrial pathways including biosolids, manure, landfill leachate and reclaimed water irrigation. A particular focus is placed on (i) transformational processes during waste water treatment and environmental ageing and how they modify toxicity, (ii) antimicrobial agents and links to environmental selection and the transfer of antimicrobial resistance, and (iii) closing monitoring and hazard data gaps through harmonised testing, effect-directed analysis, and the modelling of fate, exposure and cumulative risk. Contributions integrating new approach methodologies (NAMs), omics, adverse outcome pathways and quantitative AOPs with mesocosm or field evidence and uncertainty communication are strongly encouraged. The Special Issue will also consider management solutions, such as source control, greener chemistry or benign-by-design and eco-directed prescribing, which reduce emissions while supporting sustainable water reuse and circular economy goals.
Dr. Dina Tenji
Dr. Lara Dronjak
Prof. Dr. Mircea Ioan Popa
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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Environments is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 1800 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
- pharmaceuticals in the environment
- transformation products
- mixture toxicity
- chronic low-dose exposure
- sublethal endpoints
- endocrine disruption
- emerging contaminants
- new approach methodologies (NAMs)
- adverse outcome pathways (AOPs)
- green chemistry
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