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Environmental Analytical Chemistry II

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Analytical Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 5458

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Laboratory for Water Analysis, University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, 1 Hr. Smirnenki blvd., 1064 Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: water quality; water contamination; WWTP efficincy; WQI; BLM
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Guest Editor
Chair of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: chemometrics; environmental analytical chemistry; intelligent data analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Humanity has an irreversible impact on nature. Most of the time, the adverse effects of human life lead to pollution of the Earth’s vital resources, such as air, water and soil. The analysis of pollutants (organic, inorganic, and radioactive) is of paramount importance to controlling the suitability of resources in today’s increasing demands. The classical focus on the development of new and the improvement of existing analytical methods, combined with chemometric and statistical approaches for risk assessment, for the purposes of revealing pollution sources, understanding the pathways of exposure, and determining the trends and spatial distribution of analysed pollutants is the core of modern environmental analytical chemistry.

Therefore, all analytical aspects of studies related to environmental problems and their management contribute significantly to the main goal—the protection of the environment. For these reasons, we would like to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, “Environmental Analytical Chemistry II”. Your valuable unpublished research can find a worldwide audience among readers of Molecules.

Dr. Tony Venelinov
Prof. Dr. Stefan Tsakovski
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. Molecules 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

  • environmental monitoring
  • water, air and soil pollution
  • pollution risk assessment
  • ecotoxicity
  • ecotoxicology
  • chemometrics
  • method development for analysis of environmental compartments
  • method validation

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

33 pages, 18818 KiB  
Article
Direct 3D Mass Spectrometry Imaging Analysis of Environmental Microorganisms
by Justyna Szulc, Tomasz Grzyb, Joanna Nizioł, Sumi Krupa, Wiktoria Szuberla and Tomasz Ruman
Molecules 2025, 30(6), 1317; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30061317 - 14 Mar 2025
Viewed by 542
Abstract
Assessing the spatial distribution of microorganisms’ metabolites in growth medium remains a challenge. Here, we present the first use of the newly developed LARAPPI/CI-MSI 3D (laser ablation remote atmospheric pressure photoionization/chemical ionization mass spectrometry imaging) method for direct three-dimensional (3D) mass spectrometry imaging [...] Read more.
Assessing the spatial distribution of microorganisms’ metabolites in growth medium remains a challenge. Here, we present the first use of the newly developed LARAPPI/CI-MSI 3D (laser ablation remote atmospheric pressure photoionization/chemical ionization mass spectrometry imaging) method for direct three-dimensional (3D) mass spectrometry imaging of bacterial and fungal metabolites in solid culture media. Two-dimensional (2D) MSI was also performed, and it indicated the presence of metabolites belonging to, and including, amino acids and their derivatives, dipeptides, organic acids, fatty acids, sugars and sugar derivatives, benzene derivatives, and indoles. Distribution at a selected depth within the culture medium with the estimation of concentration across all dimensions of 16 metabolites was visualized using LARAPPI/CI-MSI 3D. The imaging results were correlated with the results of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC–UHRMS). A total of 351–393 chemical compounds, depending on the tested microorganism, were identified, while 242–262 were recognized in the HMDB database in MetaboAnalyst (v 6.0). The LARAPPI/CI-MSI 3D method enables the rapid screening of the biotechnological potential of environmental strains, facilitating the discovery of industrially valuable biomolecules. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Analytical Chemistry II)
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17 pages, 6614 KiB  
Article
Unveiling New Arsenic Compounds in Plants via Tailored 2D-RP-HPLC Separation with ICP and ESI MS Detection
by Aleksandra Izdebska, Sylwia Budzyńska and Katarzyna Bierla
Molecules 2024, 29(13), 3055; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29133055 - 27 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1083
Abstract
Arsenic (As) speciation analysis is scientifically relevant due to the pivotal role the As chemical form plays in toxicity, which, in turn, directly influences the effect it has on the environment. The objective of this study was to develop and optimize a method [...] Read more.
Arsenic (As) speciation analysis is scientifically relevant due to the pivotal role the As chemical form plays in toxicity, which, in turn, directly influences the effect it has on the environment. The objective of this study was to develop and optimize a method tailored for studying As compounds in plant samples. Different extraction procedures and HPLC methods were explored to assess their efficiency, determine mass balance, and improve the resolution of compounds in the chromatograms. Conventionally applied anion-exchange chromatography facilitated the separation of well-documented As compounds in the extracts corresponding to 19 to 82% of As present in extracts. To gain insight into compounds which remain undetectable by anion chromatography (18 to 81% of As in the extracts), but still possibly metabolically relevant, we explored an alternative chromatographic approach. The procedure of sample purification and preconcentration through solid-phase extraction, facilitating the detection of those minor As compounds, was developed. The system was further refined to achieve an online 2D-RP-HPLC system, which was employed to analyze the extracts more comprehensively with ICP and ESI MS. Using this newly developed method, As(III)–phytochelatins, along with other arseno-thio-compounds, were detected and identified in extracts derived from the tree roots of seedlings grown in the presence of As(III) and As(V), and a group of arseno lipids was detected in the roots of plants exposed to As(V). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Analytical Chemistry II)
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14 pages, 2460 KiB  
Article
Molecular Weight Distribution of Humic Acids Isolated from Calcic Cryosol in Central Yakutia, Russia
by Vyacheslav Polyakov, Evgeny Abakumov, Evgeny Lodygin, Roman Vasilevich and Alexey Petrov
Molecules 2024, 29(13), 3008; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29133008 - 25 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1267
Abstract
The transition of soils into fallow state has a significant impact on the accumulation and transformation of soil organic matter (SOM). However, the issue of SOM transformation as a result of soil transition to fallow state in cryolithozone conditions is insufficiently studied. The [...] Read more.
The transition of soils into fallow state has a significant impact on the accumulation and transformation of soil organic matter (SOM). However, the issue of SOM transformation as a result of soil transition to fallow state in cryolithozone conditions is insufficiently studied. The aim of this study is to investigate the molecular weight (MW) distribution of humic acids (HAs) isolated from soils of central Yakutia. Native, fallow and agricultural soils in the vicinity of Yakutsk city were studied. MW distributions of HA preparations were obtained on an AKTAbasic 10 UPS chromatographic system (Amersam Biosciences, Uppsala, Sweden) using a SuperdexTM 200 10/300 GL column (with cross-linked dextran gel, fractionation range for globular proteins 10–600 kDa). The data on the molecular-mass distribution of HAs of fallow and agricultural soils of Central Yakutia were obtained for the first time. According to the obtained data, it was found that the highest carbon content in the structure of HAs was observed in agricultural soils (52.56%), and is associated with soil cultivation and fertilizer application. Among the HAs of fallow soils, we note that those soils that are in the process of self-vegetation have a relatively high carbon content in the HAs (45.84%), but the highest content was observed in fallow soils used as hayfields (49.98%), indicating that the reinvolvement of agriculture in fallow soils leads to an increase in the carbon content of HAs. According to the data of the MW distribution of HAs, it was found that the highest content of a high MW fraction of HAs was recorded in native soil (18.8%); this is due to the early stages of humification and the low maturity of organic matter. The highest content of a low MW fraction of HAs was recorded in agricultural soil (73.3%); this is due to the formation of molecular complexes of a “secondary” nature, which are more stable in the environment than the primary transformation products of humification precursors. The molecular composition of the HAs of fallow soils in the process of self-overgrowing is characterized by values closer to the HAs of native soils, which indicates their transformation towards HAs of native soils. The obtained results indicate that the reinvolvement of fallow soils leads to the transformation of the molecular composition of HAs towards HAs of agricultural soils, and to an increase in the resistance of SOM to biodegradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Analytical Chemistry II)
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17 pages, 2297 KiB  
Article
A Comprehensive Evaluation of Dioxins and Furans Occurrence in River Sediments from a Secondary Steel Recycling Craft Village in Northern Vietnam
by Hung Xuan Nguyen, Xuyen Thi Nguyen, Hang Thi Hong Mai, Huong Thi Nguyen, Nam Duc Vu, Thao Thi Phuong Pham, Trung Quang Nguyen, Dat Tien Nguyen, Nam Thanh Duong, Anh Le Tuan Hoang, Tung Ngoc Nguyen, Nhan Van Le, Ha Viet Dao, Minh Truong Ngoc and Minh Quang Bui
Molecules 2024, 29(8), 1788; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29081788 - 15 Apr 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1854
Abstract
This first study investigated the presence of dioxins and furans in river sediments around a craft village in Vietnam, focusing on Secondary Steel Recycling. Sediment samples were collected from various locations along the riverbed near the Da Hoi Secondary Steel Recycling village in [...] Read more.
This first study investigated the presence of dioxins and furans in river sediments around a craft village in Vietnam, focusing on Secondary Steel Recycling. Sediment samples were collected from various locations along the riverbed near the Da Hoi Secondary Steel Recycling village in Bac Ninh province. The analysis was conducted using a HRGC/HRMS-DFS device, detecting a total of 17 dioxin/furan isomers in all samples, with an average total concentration of 288.86 ng/kg d.w. The concentrations of dioxin/furan congeners showed minimal variation among sediment samples, ranging from 253.9 to 344.2 ng/kg d.w. The predominant compounds in the dioxin group were OCDD, while in the furan group, they were 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF and OCDF. The chlorine content in the molecule appeared to be closely related to the concentration of dioxins and their percentage distribution. However, the levels of furan isomers did not vary significantly. The distribution of these compounds was not dependent on the flow direction, as they were mainly found in solid waste and are not water-soluble. Although the hepta and octa congeners had high concentrations, when converted to TEQ values, the tetra and penta groups (for dioxins) and the penta and hexa groups (for furans) contributed more to toxicity. Furthermore, the source of dioxins in sediments at Da Hoi does not only originate from steel recycling production activities but also from other combustion sites. The average total toxicity was 10.92 ng TEQ/kg d.w, ranging from 4.99 to 17.88 ng TEQ/kg d.w, which did not exceed the threshold specified in QCVN 43:2017/BTNMT, the National Technical Regulation on Sediment Quality. Nonetheless, these levels are still concerning. The presence of these toxic substances not only impacts aquatic organisms in the sampled water environment but also poses potential health risks to residents living nearby. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Analytical Chemistry II)
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