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Sustainable Strategies for the Control of Persistent Toxic and Radioactive Contaminants

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 75

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Guest Editor
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Interests: environmental chemistry; theoretical chemistry; environmental pollution control; pollutant form migration and transformation; environmental planning and impact assessment
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The sustainable strategy for the control of persistent toxic and radioactive pollutants aims to deal with the long-term threats to the ecological environment and public health caused by POPs, antibiotics, heavy metals, radionuclides, and other pollutants that are difficult to degrade, have a long half-life, and easily bioaccumulate. This strategy focuses on their whole-life-cycle management; addresses pollution source identification, environmental behavior analysis, exposure path and health risk assessment; and emphasizes the systematic response from source prevention, to process control, to end treatment. Its overall aim is to reduce pollutant emissions and improve resource efficiency through the development of green-alternative technologies, cleaner production processes, and efficient remediation methods. By including a risk assessment model, innovative governance technology, policy framework design, long-term monitoring mechanisms, and typical case studies, and focusing on multidisciplinary integration and stakeholder collaboration, this strategy aims to promote green transformation; achieve the coordinated and sustainable development of the environment, economy, and society; and assist in the construction of global ecological civilization and the realization of sustainable development goals on the premise of ensuring ecological security and human health.

Prof. Dr. Yu Li
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • persistent toxic substances
  • emerging contaminants
  • radioactive contaminants
  • life-cycle management
  • health and ecological risk assessment
  • green remediation technologies
  • pollutant fate and transport
  • adaptive environmental management
  • transboundary pollution control
  • sustainable pollution control strategies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 1324 KB  
Article
Effect of Non-Antibiotic Pollution in Farmland Soil on the Risk of Antibiotic Resistance Gene Transfer
by Jin Huang, Xiajiao Wang, Zhengyang Deng, Zhixing Ren and Yu Li
Sustainability 2026, 18(1), 447; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18010447 - 2 Jan 2026
Abstract
The widespread use of antibiotics, combined with pervasive exposure to diverse environmental media, has intensified the global challenge of antibiotic resistance. Accumulating evidence reveals that beyond direct antibiotic pressure, residual non-antibiotic chemicals—despite lacking intrinsic antibacterial activity—can significantly promote the enrichment and spread of [...] Read more.
The widespread use of antibiotics, combined with pervasive exposure to diverse environmental media, has intensified the global challenge of antibiotic resistance. Accumulating evidence reveals that beyond direct antibiotic pressure, residual non-antibiotic chemicals—despite lacking intrinsic antibacterial activity—can significantly promote the enrichment and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in farmland soils through indirect mechanisms such as inducing oxidative stress, altering microbial community structure, and enhancing both vertical and horizontal gene transfer. To address this issue, the present study investigates the influence of representative non-antibiotic contaminants commonly detected in agricultural environments—including pesticides (e.g., Omethoate, imidacloprid, and atrazine), industrial pollutants (e.g., PCB138, BDE47, benzo [a] pyrene, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin [TCDD], and benzene), plastic-associated compounds (e.g., Polyethylene trimer, phthalates, and tributyl acetylcitrate), and ingredients from personal care products (e.g., triclosan and bisphenol A)—on ARG transmission dynamics. Leveraging bioinformatics resources such as the CARD database, PDB, AlphaFold, and molecular sequence analysis tools, we identified relevant small-molecule ligands and macromolecular receptors to construct a simulation system modeling ARG transfer pathways. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were then implemented, guided by a Plackett–Burman experimental design, to systematically evaluate the impact of individual and co-occurring pollutants. The resulting data were processed using advanced analytical tools, and MD trajectories were interpreted at the molecular level across three scenarios: an unperturbed (blank) system, single-pollutant exposures, and dual-pollutant combinations. By integrating computational simulations with machine learning approaches, this work uncovers the “co-selection” effect exerted by non-antibiotic chemical residues in shaping the environmental resistome, thereby providing a mechanistic and scientific basis for comprehensive risk assessment of agricultural non-point source pollution and the development of effective soil health management and antimicrobial resistance containment strategies. Full article
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