Separation and Speciation of Emerging Pollutants in Soil and Groundwater

A special issue of Separations (ISSN 2297-8739). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Separations".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2025 | Viewed by 368

Special Issue Editor

School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
Interests: environmental soil processes and ecological responses

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Emerging pollutants, including micro-/nano-plastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PPCPs), organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and hydrometallurgical organic reagents, pose increasing threats to soil and groundwater systems. Due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity, these contaminants require advanced analytical approaches for effective separation, speciation, and environmental assessment.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest developments in analytical techniques for separating and speciating these pollutants, with a focus on innovative methods and interdisciplinary approaches. We welcome contributions that explore novel extraction techniques, such as solid-phase extraction (SPE), liquid–liquid extraction (LLE), and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), as well as advanced chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods for the identification and quantification of emerging pollutants in complex environmental matrices. Studies addressing the behavior, mobility, transformation, and ecological impacts of these pollutants in soil and groundwater are particularly encouraged.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  • Advanced separation technologies for emerging pollutants;
  • Speciation analysis of pollutants in soil and groundwater;
  • Environmental behavior and transformation of emerging contaminants;
  • Extraction methods optimized for complex matrices;
  • Case studies on pollutant distribution and risk assessment.

We invite researchers from environmental chemistry, analytical chemistry, toxicology, and related fields to contribute their research articles, communications, or reviews to this Special Issue to enhance our understanding of these critical environmental challenges.

Dr. Enzhu Hu
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • emerging pollutants
  • soil and groundwater contamination
  • separation technology
  • environmental speciation
  • nano-pesticides
  • micro-/nano-plastics
  • per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)
  • pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs)
  • hydrometallurgical organic reagents
  • organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs)

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 2347 KiB  
Article
Development and Optimization of a Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Analytical Method for Detecting Sulfolane and Benzene Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes in Water Samples
by Merrik Kobarfard, Alexander Sweett, Jennie Hansson, Beth Parker and Tadeusz Górecki
Separations 2025, 12(5), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations12050127 - 15 May 2025
Viewed by 119
Abstract
Sulfolane, an organic solvent widely used in the petrochemical industry, has raised concerns due to its potential health risks and environmental mobility. Toxicological studies suggest that it may negatively affect human and ecological health, highlighting the need for risk assessments. Alongside sulfolane, BTEX [...] Read more.
Sulfolane, an organic solvent widely used in the petrochemical industry, has raised concerns due to its potential health risks and environmental mobility. Toxicological studies suggest that it may negatively affect human and ecological health, highlighting the need for risk assessments. Alongside sulfolane, BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) are commonly present in petrochemical operations, and their migration may be influenced by sulfolane. This study developed a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for simultaneous analyses of sulfolane and BTEX in water. The sample preparation was designed for simplicity to allow for easy implementation without specialized equipment. The method was characterized, validated, and its ruggedness was tested through experimental design. The method was then applied to evaluate the stability of water samples under various storage conditions, and to analyze 97 real water samples collected from a contaminated site in Alberta, Canada. The results identified 17 samples with sulfolane concentrations exceeding the maximum limits for aquatic life preservation, and three samples with detectable toluene levels. These findings highlight the need for further research to better understand contamination profiles and assess associated risks. Full article
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