Pollutants

The present study assessed potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and microbial contamination in soil and groundwater around a municipal solid waste dumpsite in Zomba, Malawi. The potential ecological and health risks to communities were also examined. The results revealed that wet season groundwater had elevated total coliforms (20,900 CFU/100 mL), Escherichia coli (3300 CFU/100 mL), Staphylococcus aureus (2500 CFU/100 mL), and Vibrio cholerae (5900 CFU/100 mL), which were significantly higher than the permissible limits of the Malawi Standards. In water samples, PTEs, particularly cadmium (Cd; 0.011–0.08 mg/L) and chromium (Cr; 0.02–0.41 mg/L), were detected at concentrations of concern. In the soil samples, lead (Pb) concentrations ranged from 0.16 to 224.05 mg/kg, copper (Cu) concentrations ranged from 3.03 to 94.86 mg/kg, Cd concentrations varied between the BDL and 0.89 mg/kg, arsenic (As) ranged from BDL to 1.88 mg/kg, and the Cr varied between 0.07 and 0.91 mg/kg. Furthermore, the cancer risk (CR) assessment indicated that all sampling points had CR levels greater than 1 × 10⁻³ for adults, with 40% of the sampling points showing elevated CR levels for infants and children, highlighting the cancer risk from Cd exposure, especially among vulnerable populations. Full article

Ukraine entered the definitive period of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in January 2026 as the largest exporter of CBAM-covered goods to the EU by physical volume, while its industrial base remains under direct wartime pressure. This study provides the first structural analysis of the open microaggregated dataset of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine (SSSU) on air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, covering 1990–2025 across 1284 territorial units, 128 substances, and 605 economic activities (NACE/KVED-2010). A documented harmonization procedure is proposed that resolves the 2020/2021 dimensional break and the ambiguity between oblast (region)- and hromada (municipality)-level records, yielding consistent 36-year series with independent national total validation for 2015–2025. Four phases are identified: transformational decline (1990–1999, −56.5%), stabilization (1999–2013, +4.6%), post-2014 structural decline (2013–2021, −47.9%), and the full-scale war shock (2021–2025, −55.0%). Stationary source emissions fell by 89.3% overall, but the wartime reduction reflects destruction and occupation of capacity, not decarbonization, as reflected in the collapse of metallurgy (−73.8%) and coke production (−89.6%) and the loss of the Mariupol district from statistical coverage after 2022. Mobile sources now supply 65% of the national total. Coal mine methane dominates stationary CH₄ (301 kt in 2021; ≈9.0 Mt CO₂ eq), directly relevant to Regulation (EU) 2024/1787. The regional Herfindahl–Hirschman index fell from 1847 (2021) to 1524 (2025), indicating war-driven regional deconcentration and a westward shift in the emission center of gravity. The findings are validated against independent satellite-based and conflict attribution estimates, and implications for monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) infrastructure, CBAM default value exposure, and the phased design of Ukraine’s emissions trading system are derived. Full article

Atmospheric microplastic pollution is an emerging environmental concern, yet data on ecological risks posed by snow cover pollution remain sparse. This study presents the first assessment of ecological risks associated with snow cover pollution in Western Siberia. Pollution and risk levels were quantified using the pollution load index (PLI), the polymer hazard index (PHI), and the potential ecological risk index (PERI). Microplastics were detected in all snow samples; however, the pollution level was rated as ‘low’ across all sampling sites throughout the observation period. Although median PHI values for the snow cover indicated medium hazard, the presence of samples referred to the hazard categories ‘danger’ and ‘extreme danger’ (up to 27% in 2023) pointed to localized pollution by potentially toxic polymers. In contrast, the average PERI values remained low (1.92–19.7), as this index accounts for both polymer toxicity and microplastic abundance. However, the index showed a consistent upward trend over the three-year observation period, driven by the increase in both the proportion of hazardous polymers and the total microplastic load. Thus, although the quantitative content of microplastics in the snow cover of Western Siberia was low, the high PHI values at some sampling sites and the occurrence of polymers containing toxic monomers like polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polyurethane (PU) indicate a potential ecological risk that requires further monitoring. Full article

To investigate the effects of habitat degradation on the genomic level, young of the year (YOY) bluefish, (Pomatomus saltatrix) from the highly urbanized Hudson Raritan Estuary (HRE) and the less impacted Mullica River-Great Bay (MRGB) estuary were analyzed for condition, level of PCBs (Polychlorobiphenyls), and pesticides, and compared in a preliminary transcriptomic study. For chemical analysis, whole juvenile fish were freeze-dried, extracted in DCM (Dichloromethane), extracts were cleaned by florisil/alumina/silica column chromatography and size-exclusion HPLC, and quantified by gas chromatography. For transcriptomic analysis, Suppression Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) libraries from the pooled livers of fish from the two sites were constructed to subtract common transcripts and recover cloned expressed sequence tag (EST) transcripts that were putatively more highly expressed in one or the other environment. Transcripts were Sanger-sequenced and identified by bioinformatic analysis. Relative quantitative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) was used to investigate a subset of the selected transcripts. MRGB fish were larger and in better condition than HRE fish. HRE fish had PCB concentrations that were, in sum, about seven times higher than MRGB fish and were more highly contaminated with pesticides including Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites. Transcripts related to metabolic, transport, immune, detoxification, signaling, and environmental response and additional functions were associated with contrasting habitats and provide gene targets to investigate the hypothesis that the growth and condition of the HRE bluefish may be limited by their poor environmental quality. Full article

This paper presents the first comprehensive review of radon concentration measurements conducted in educational institutions in the Republic of Serbia. The analysis includes data from the national radon survey conducted in 2019, long-term measurements performed within the national radioactivity monitoring program during the period 2011–2024, a local investigation carried out in the city of Šabac, and other available studies conducted throughout Serbia using different measurement methods (CR-39 detectors, activated charcoal canisters, and continuous radon monitors). During the 2011–2024 period, a total of 303 measurements were performed in kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, and universities across seven Serbian cities, while 4133 CR-39 detectors were collected during the 2019 national survey. The survey achieved high coverage of primary schools (87%) and kindergartens (76%), whereas the coverage of secondary schools was only 20%. Measured radon concentrations ranged from minimum values of 5–30 Bq/m³, with average concentrations between 60 and 150 Bq/m³ in most buildings, to a maximum of 2970 Bq/m³ recorded in a primary school. A significant proportion of the indoor radon concentration measurements exceeded the WHO reference level of 100 Bq/m³ (approximately 40%), while a smaller proportion also exceeded the threshold of 300 Bq/m³. The observed spatial variability could be associated with differences in geological conditions, building type, construction materials, and ventilation characteristics. On average, the estimated contribution of indoor radon exposure during occupancy of schools and kindergartens was below 1 mSv/y for children and educational staff. The critical analysis highlights insufficient coverage of certain regions and types of educational institutions, methodological differences among individual studies, and the need for a more rational approach to radon measurement and risk management. The findings indicate the need to move from fragmented and repeated measurements toward an integrated, risk-oriented national strategy based on mass screening, active public involvement, and targeted long-term measurements. Short-term measurements could be used for the initial screening of a large number of buildings, while buildings with elevated radon concentrations would be prioritized for confirmatory long-term measurements and mitigation measures, with the potential use of simple and IoT-based devices for large-scale data collection. Such an approach could provide a practical basis for the further development and implementation of the National Radon Action Plan in Serbia, with the aim of reducing individual and collective risks associated with radon exposure. Full article

Water scarcity is driving increasing interest in potable water reuse, particularly in arid regions. However, inadequately treated reclaimed water may pose health risks from waterborne pathogens, including gastrointestinal infections. This study applied quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to estimate infection risks associated with Escherichia coli (E. coli), Cryptosporidium, rotavirus, and adenovirus using pilot-scale data from El Paso Water’s Pure Water Center advanced purification facility. Pathogen concentrations in source and treated water were fitted to probability distributions and incorporated into a probabilistic Monte Carlo QMRA framework to estimate exposure doses, daily and cumulative infection risks, and treatment performance (expressed as log reduction values (LRVs)) and were compared to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water risk thresholds. E. coli demonstrated the greatest treatment effectiveness, with a median daily treated water infection risk of 1.45 × 10⁻⁶ and a median LRV of 3.32. Cryptosporidium demonstrated limited reduction in infection risk (median LRV = 0.976), while rotavirus demonstrated minimal reduction following treatment. Although adenovirus infection risk decreased after treatment, the residual risk remained high. Viral risk estimates were strongly influenced by non-detects and limited observations. These findings highlight the importance of robust monitoring and probabilistic QMRA approaches for evaluating uncertainty and treatment performance in advanced potable reuse systems. Full article

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent, surface-active contaminants for which soil represents the largest terrestrial reservoir. This review synthesizes a rapidly expanding but fragmented body of literature in order to reframe PFAS not merely as a groundwater transport problem but as a systemic stressor of soil health, drawing together their reported effects on the chemical, physical and biological properties of soils and giving particular attention to the calcareous, alkaline, carbon-poor and seasonally dry soils of the Mediterranean. The reviewed evidence suggests that, chemically, PFASs perturb the coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles rather than the bulk soil reaction, transiently stimulating and then depressing organic carbon turnover, drawing down the dissolved organic carbon pool and disturbing nitrification, while their retention and bioavailability are governed chiefly by organic carbon, chain length and pH. Physically, the surfactant character that defines these molecules lowers the surface tension of soil water and concentrates PFASs at the air–water interface, so that in unsaturated and drought-prone soils much of the burden is retained and then released episodically, most clearly on rewetting after dry periods. Biologically, the literature consistently reports dose-dependent declines in microbial viability, diversity and enzyme activity, alongside toxicity to earthworms and other soil fauna, with sensitivity strongly modulated by soil texture and organic matter. Across all three domains, the Mediterranean emerges as both potentially vulnerable and conspicuously understudied, the available data being clustered in a few western countries and effectively absent for much of the eastern and southern basin, so that the regional assessment offered here rests largely on mechanistic inference rather than on direct observation. The review argues that these coupled mechanistic and geographic gaps define an urgent, region-specific research agenda for the protection of soil health. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) have been reported in commercial beverages, but substantial differences in study design make direct comparisons difficult. This non-systematic, focused narrative review critically synthesizes a purposively selected core set of 17 particle-count studies published from 2020 to 2026 on soft drinks, beer, wine, tea, coffee, juices, energy drinks, and related beverages, while considering recent complementary thermal-analysis evidence. Data were compared for study location, beverage type, analytical method, abundance, particle size, morphology, color, polymer composition, and packaging. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy-based methods were most common; Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and laser direct infrared imaging were used in selected studies. Reported soft-drink concentrations ranged from approximately 0.30 particles/L to 166 ± 62 particles/100 mL (1660 ± 620 particles/L), but these values cannot support a geographic ranking because minimum particle-size thresholds, confirmation criteria, blank corrections, sample volumes, and reporting units differed. Fibers and fragments were the dominant morphologies, and polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyamide were frequently identified. Findings from beverages packaged in glass and aluminum, as well as plastic, indicate that source water, ingredients, processing equipment, filtration, closures, ambient deposition, and packaging can all contribute. Current intake estimates describe potential particle ingestion rather than absorbed dose or toxicological impact. Because current data largely reflect analytical sensitivity rather than true contamination gradients, this review demonstrates that reliable cross-study exposure assessments currently remain associated with considerable uncertainty, and this uncertainty will be difficult to resolve until particle-count data are normalized to harmonized size thresholds and paired with mass-based thermal analyses. Full article

The presence of plastic marine litter (ML) and its associated negative environmental impacts have been documented in all existing parts of the marine and coastal environment, including protected areas (PAs). The aim of this study is to identify gaps in existing research related to the lack of standardization of methods and scarcity of detailed information on the characteristics of ML found. This systematic review provides current information on the methods and results of studies focused on the problem of ML and microplastic (MP) pollution on the coastlines of PAs. This study was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 statement. It is based on 28 peer-reviewed publications from four online databases and search platforms: ScienceDirect, PubMed, MDPI and Google Scholar, published between 2021 and 2025. The presence of ML was detected in all 28 studies (100%), confirming the relevance of the problem along the coastlines of PAs, even those far from industrial centers. The reported densities, however, ranged from a few fragments of litter to several thousand items. Plastic was the most common material of ML among all the peer-reviewed publications analyzed. Most of the studies showed that polyethylene (PE) fragments were the dominant type of microplastic (MP) found in coastal environments of PAs. However, despite the growing research on this topic, the problems of lack of detailed information and standardization of methods remain unresolved. This review emphasizes the importance of applying unified methods and conducting long-term monitoring experiments in future research. Full article

Port-related maritime emissions constitute a significant source of urban air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in rapidly developing coastal cities. Within this context, the present study quantifies ship-related emissions at the Port of Casablanca, Morocco’s largest and most strategically important port, and evaluates their associated environmental and socio-economic impacts. A bottom-up methodology was applied to estimate emissions from vessel operations between 2017 and 2021. The inventory integrates vessel characteristics, engine specifications, operational load factors, emission factors, and the duration of maneuvering and hotelling phases to estimate emissions of CO₂, SO₂, NO_x, CO, NMVOCs, PM, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5. The emission inventory was subsequently coupled with damage cost factors to assess the external costs associated with shipping emissions. The obtained results demonstrate that CO₂ was the dominant emitted pollutant, representing approximately 97% of total emissions, whereas NO_x and SO₂ accounted for 2% and 1%, respectively. Bulk carriers emerged as the principal emission source (44%), followed by container vessels (36%), with the highest emission levels observed during 2018–2019, coinciding with increased port operations. Furthermore, the integration of emission inventories with damage cost factors demonstrated that NO_x, although emitted in much smaller quantities than CO₂, exerts a disproportionately higher environmental and societal burden due to its impacts on public health and ecosystem quality. This study provides one of the first integrated bottom-up emission inventories and external cost assessments for a Moroccan port. The proposed framework supports evidence-based decision-making for sustainable port management and demonstrates the need for emission reduction strategies that simultaneously address climate change and air quality objectives. Full article

This study examines the long-term associations between ambient air pollutants and the burden of major respiratory and infectious diseases in this geographically sensitive region. A retrospective analysis was conducted using ICD-10-coded hospital records of patients diagnosed with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, and tuberculosis from January 2020 to June 2026. These data were integrated with in situ air quality measurements, including PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and SO₂, as well as satellite-derived Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from MODIS. Disease incidence was stratified by year, sex, and age groups (0–85+ years) to assess demographic susceptibility patterns. Respiratory diseases constituted a substantial public health burden over the study period. Asthma showed a marked female predominance (≈29,700 females vs. ≈16,000 males) and a bimodal age distribution with peaks in early childhood (0–5 years) and mid-adulthood (35–50 years). COPD was predominantly observed in males (≈8300 males vs. ≈5500 females), with a higher median age range (≈67–70 years). Bronchitis exhibited a similar bimodal pattern, disproportionately affecting both pediatric and elderly populations, while overall case numbers declined over time. Tuberculosis incidence was approximately threefold higher in males than females, with notable age-related divergence, affecting younger females (≈30–32 years) and middle-aged males (≈42–45 years). The findings suggest a spatial–temporal correspondence between elevated pollutant concentrations and respiratory disease prevalence in the Iğdır Basin. The observed sex- and age-specific disparities underscore the potential value of region-specific environmental health strategies, strengthened air quality management, and continuous epidemiological surveillance in enclosed basin environments. Full article

Methanol is highly soluble and with spreads quickly in natural water bodies, which could bring about serious environmental risks if leaked. In the present work, the transport and diffusion behavior of methanol in an open-channel flume under controlled hydraulic conditions is investigated experimentally. A closed-loop experimental system was designed to mimic the pipeline leakage scenarios and image-based reconstruction methods were applied to quantify the spatiotemporal evolution of the methanol concentration fields. Systematic analysis was performed on the effects of flow velocity, water depth, leakage rate and leakage location. The results indicate that flow velocity is the dominant factor controlling the downstream advective transport, with increasing velocity significantly reducing the downstream extent of high-concentration zones. Water depth affects vertical mixing and dilution capacity, with deeper flows maintaining more persistent plume structures. Higher leak rates result in higher local concentrations and larger near-field contaminated regions. The position of the leakage is also very important for the plume morphology: the boundary effects lead to a limited and asymmetric dispersion when the leakage is close to the boundary, while the dispersion is more symmetric when the leakage is in the middle of the domain. The study highlights the combined roles of advection, turbulent mixing and boundary confinement in governing methanol plume evolution. The results provide experimental evidence for the understanding of soluble pollutant transport mechanisms in open-channel flows under simplified hydraulic conditions. Full article

Potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination of food systems has emerged as an important environmental and public health concern in many developing countries, including Uganda, owing to rapid urbanization, industrialization, mining activities, wastewater reuse, informal waste disposal, and expanding urban agriculture. This review synthesizes evidence from peer-reviewed and selected grey literature on the occurrence of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) in cereals, vegetables, tubers, livestock products, fish, fruits, and processed foods consumed in Uganda. A structured literature synthesis and screening-level dietary risk assessment using estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), carcinogenic risk (CR), and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) were conducted to identify contamination hotspots, priority exposure pathways, and potential public health implications. The available evidence revealed substantial spatial variability, with contamination consistently concentrated in mining-influenced agricultural areas, wastewater-irrigated farms, municipal dumpsites, industrial corridors, and urban food markets. Vegetables, cereals, livestock products, fish, and street-vended foods exhibited the greatest contamination burdens, while Pb and Cd were the PTEs most frequently reported exceeding WHO/FAO, Codex Alimentarius, and Ugandan food safety limits. Screening-level risk estimates indicated that Pb, Cd, and Cr contributed most to cumulative dietary exposure, with children consistently exhibiting higher EDI, THQ, HI, and TCR values than adults because of greater food intake relative to body weight. Although cumulative HI and TCR values exceeded recommended screening thresholds in several hotspot regions, these estimates should be interpreted as conservative screening-level indicators derived from heterogeneous published datasets rather than nationally representative measures of dietary exposure. Overall, the evidence indicates that PTE contamination in Ugandan food systems is predominantly hotspot-driven and highlights the need for targeted surveillance, standardized monitoring and reporting, improved pollution control, and strengthened food safety management to reduce chronic dietary exposure and protect public health. Full article

Chromium contamination in aquatic systems represents a significant environmental concern due to its toxicity and complex geochemical behaviour. This study analyzes the spatial distribution of total chromium (Cr) in sediments from streams and surface waters of the Iron Quadrangle (IQ), one of the world’s most important mining provinces, with the aim of establishing regional reference values and identifying anomalous concentrations. A total of 487 samples were collected, corresponding to an average sampling density of one sample per 14.37 km². Statistical approaches, including the Upper Inner Fence (UIF) method, were applied to distinguish background levels, elevated concentrations, and anomalies, while contamination factor and enrichment factor indices were used to assess contamination and enrichment patterns. The results indicate a wide range of Cr concentrations, with sediments reaching up to 2581 mg·kg⁻¹ and surface waters up to 384.7 μg·L⁻¹. Although most samples reflect natural background conditions, significant anomalies were identified, particularly in areas associated with mafic–ultramafic lithologies and mining activities. Approximately 73.3% and 42.3% of sediment samples exceeded TEL and PEL thresholds, respectively, while 35.3% of surface water samples surpassed drinking water limits. The results highlight the need for continuous environmental monitoring and reinforce the importance of integrating geochemical mapping with risk assessment approaches to better understand contamination dynamics in complex mining regions. Full article

Hydrodynamic cavitation has attracted increasing attention in water and wastewater treatment because it can generate localized shear, pressure fluctuations, interfacial renewal, and reactive species in relatively simple continuous-flow devices. This review critically examines its main application domains, including microbial disinfection, cyanobacterial bloom control, organic micropollutant degradation, real wastewater treatment, sludge pretreatment for energy recovery, and hybrid process configurations. Rather than treating hydrodynamic cavitation as a single treatment mode, the discussion compares applications in relation to reactor design, matrix characteristics, treatment target, operating conditions, and assigned process function. The analysis shows that performance depends strongly on the interaction among device geometry, treated matrix, process configuration, and evaluation metrics. The same nominal process may therefore act as direct treatment, pretreatment, mass-transfer intensifier, oxidant-activation module, or support to downstream biological and polishing steps. The most consolidated evidence concerns microbial disinfection, sludge pretreatment, and several classes of organic contaminants, whereas PFAS treatment, field-scale validation, and system-level assessment remain less mature. Overall, hydrodynamic cavitation is best interpreted as a process-intensification platform rather than as a universally applicable stand-alone solution. Further progress will require more transparent assessment criteria, more comparable metrics, stronger validation in real matrices, more controllable reactors, and more rigorous energy, techno-economic, and scale-up evaluation. Full article

Environmental impacts of wastewater from textile and dyestuff industries are of growing concern due to limited freshwater availability and inadequate treatment facilities. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) offer excellent adsorption potential because of their outstanding mechanical and chemical properties, however; their application in textile effluent treatment has not been widely studied. Moreover, laboratory-based studies are often costly and limited to a few variables, making it challenging to reveal the underlying relationships among several physicochemical parameters and CNT treatments. Multivariate statistical analysis (MVSA) offers an effective approach to overcome this challenge. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have integrated laboratory analysis of nanotube-based textile effluent treatment with an MVSA approach. This study aims to evaluate the physicochemical characterization of textile effluent, treat effluent with CNT, and explore the relationship between physicochemical parameters and CNT by integrating laboratory experiments with MVSA. For this purpose, single-walled CNT (SWCNT) and multi-walled CNT (MWCNT) were applied in batch mode adsorption experiments using various dosages and adsorption times. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), along with physicochemical analyses, were conducted to characterize the effluent and adsorption processes. The FTIR spectrum indicated that the absorption peaks of C=C, C=O, and the acidic f -OH group on CNTs enhance wettability and hydrophilic character, thereby increasing adsorption capacity. Experimental results demonstrated significant reductions in electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, total organic carbon (TOC), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). CNT dosages of 1 to 5 g/100 mL and adsorption times of 2 to 5 h achieved removal efficiencies ranging from approximately 20% to 90% for SWCNT and MWCNT. MVSA indicated that MWCNT was more strongly associated with ionic and physical parameters (turbidity, TDS, EC, and pH), whereas SWCNT was more strongly related to organic load indicators, particularly COD and TOC. Overall, this study highlights the potential of CNT coupled with the MVSA technique as an effective and sustainable approach for textile wastewater treatment and offers valuable insights for researchers working in this field. Full article

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants with growing evidence of systemic health effects, but their potential influence on gastrointestinal function remains poorly understood. This study evaluated associations between serum PFAS mixtures and bowel health indicators, including self-reported constipation and bowel movement frequency, among 116 U.S. adults aged ≥20 years from the 2009–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Six PFASs were examined: PFOS, PFOA, PFHS, PFNA, PFDE, and PFUA. Constipation was assessed using the NHANES Bowel Health Questionnaire item coded from 1 = Always to 5 = Never, so that higher values represented less frequent self-reported constipation, and bowel movement frequency was recorded as movements per week. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) estimated joint and nonlinear mixture effects, and survey-weighted regression models examined individual PFAS, each adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, education, and income. Higher combined PFAS exposure was associated with higher constipation response scores across the mid-range of exposure, indicating less frequent self-reported constipation, with PFOA identified as the primary contributor through a nonlinear, inverse U-shaped exposure–response pattern. In survey-weighted models, PFOA and PFUA were associated with less frequent self-reported constipation, whereas PFNA was associated with more frequent constipation. Associations with bowel movement frequency were weak and inconsistent; only PFOS reached significance in regression, and this association would not survive correction for multiple comparisons, so these data provide little evidence of a robust association between PFAS and bowel movement frequency. Overall, higher PFAS exposure was associated with less frequent self-reported constipation, particularly for PFOA, whereas evidence for an association with bowel movement frequency was limited. Full article

Air pollution negatively impacts human health and environmental sustainability, particularly in areas with high industrial activity. This study comparatively evaluated deep learning-based models for estimating PM₁₀ and SO₂ pollutants in Dilovası and Ereğli (Turkey), industrial areas with high pollutant loads. The study utilized Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs), an RNN–GRU stacked hybrid model, an attention-based hybrid model, and the proposed GRU–LSTM dual-path hybrid model. The proposed method consists of four main stages: data conversion into a time-series format, data preprocessing and feature generation, model architecture development, and model training and performance evaluation. The dataset consisted of 365 daily PM₁₀ and SO₂ observations obtained from the Air Monitoring Center for the Dilovası and Ereğli monitoring stations. Model performance was evaluated using the coefficient of determination (R²), training time, root mean squared error (RMSE), mean squared error (MSE), and mean absolute error (MAE) metrics. The findings showed that the hybrid models provided higher accuracy compared to the single-track models. Specifically, the proposed GRU–LSTM dual-path hybrid model produced the highest R² and lowest error values for both pollutant parameters in both the Dilovası and Ereğli regions. In Dilovası, this model achieved R² = 0.97 for SO₂ and R² = 0.96 for PM₁₀; in Ereğli, it reached R² = 0.92 for SO₂ and R² = 0.98 for PM₁₀. Thus, it has been shown that the GRU–LSTM dual-path hybrid model, which models short-term and long-term temporal dependencies in parallel, is an effective and reliable method for air pollutant forecasting in industrial areas. These findings demonstrate the potential of the proposed model to support air quality monitoring, early warning systems, and environmental decision-making in industrial regions. Full article

Microplastics are ubiquitous environmental particles with complex physical and chemical properties that enable them to interact with other contaminants. Recent evidence suggests that microplastics act as carriers for various chemical pollutants, altering their transport, deposition, and deposition dose. This conceptual review synthesizes current knowledge of radon progeny behavior and microplastic properties and suggests potential mechanisms for their interaction, although direct experimental validation of radon progeny specifically is currently lacking. It discusses attachment kinetics, transport pathways in air and water, and microplastic-mediated shifts in human lung deposition patterns and ecological exposure. Theoretical dosimetry reasoning suggests that, if attachment occurs, small respirable microplastics (1–10 μm) could increase inhalation doses by prolonging the airborne residence time of progeny indoors, whereas macro- and coarse microplastics would primarily affect localized environmental hotspots. These possibilities remain to be tested experimentally. Integrated experimental and modelling approaches, including radon chamber studies, aerosol and aquatic transport experiments, respiratory tract modelling, and ecological bioassays, are proposed to quantify these processes and inform risk assessment. Knowledge gaps remain in attachment efficiency, retention, co-contaminant interactions, and long-term exposure scenarios. Addressing these gaps is critical for refining human and ecological risk assessments and guiding regulatory frameworks in radon-microplastic-impacted environments. Full article