Announcements

The 18th International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment will be held from 11 to 15 June 2023, in Venice, Italy. The conference is organized by the Environmental Chemistry Division of the Società Chimica Italiana and the University Ca’ Foscari of Venice.

Topics include:

• Analysis and modeling of environmental contaminants;
• Impacts of climate change on local to global circulation of chemicals;
• Nano-size particulate materials and microplastics in the environment;
• Atmospheric pollution;
• Environmental risk and impact assessment;
• Emerging contaminants;
• Water pollution;
• Innovations in water and wastewater treatment;
• Biotransformation of organic pollutants.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Toxics;
• Atmosphere;
• Environment;
• Membranes;
• Sustainability;
• Compounds;
• Heritage;
• Water;
• ChemEngineering.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://icce2023.com/.

1. “Epigenetics and Methylmercury-Induced Neurotoxicity, Evidence from Experimental Studies”
by Tao Ke, Alexey A. Tinkov, Anatoly V. Skalny, Abel Santamaria, Joao B. T. Rocha, Aaron B. Bowman, Wen Chen and Michael Aschner
Toxics 2023, 11(1), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11010072
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/1/72

2. “The Panoramic View of Ecuadorian Soil Nutrients (Deficit/Toxicity) from Different Climatic Regions and Their Possible Influence on the Metabolism of Important Crops”
by Raluca A. Mihai, Erly J. Melo Heras, Vanessa A. Terán Maza, Iván A. Espinoza Caiza, Eliza A. Pinto Valdiviezo and Rodica D. Catana
Toxics 2023, 11(2), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11020123
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/2/123

3. “Antimicrobial and the Resistances in the Environment: Ecological and Health Risks, Influencing Factors, and Mitigation Strategies”
by Weitao Wang, You Weng, Ting Luo, Qiang Wang, Guiling Yang and Yuanxiang Jin
Toxics 2023, 11(2), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11020185
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/2/185

4. “Outlining Potential Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect to Critical Minerals: Nutritionally Essential Trace Elements and the Rare Earth Elements”
by Jill A. Jenkins, MaryLynn Musgrove and Sarah Jane O. White
Toxics 2023, 11(2), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11020188
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/2/188

5. “Neurobehavioral Effects of Low-Dose Chronic Exposure to Insecticides: A Review”
by Laura Maria Antonangeli, Saniya Kenzhebekova and Claudio Colosio
Toxics 2023, 11(2), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11020192
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/2/192

6. “Recent Progress on Ex Situ Remediation Technology and Resource Utilization for Heavy Metal Contaminated Sediment”
by Qinqin Xu and Boran Wu
Toxics 2023, 11(3), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11030207
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/3/207

7. “Pancreas–Liver–Adipose Axis: Target of Environmental Cadmium Exposure Linked to Metabolic Diseases”
by Diana Moroni-González, Victor Enrique Sarmiento-Ortega, Alfonso Diaz, Eduardo Brambila and Samuel Treviño
Toxics 2023, 11(3), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11030223
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/3/223

8. “Caenorhabditis elegans as a Prediction Platform for Nanotechnology-Based Strategies: Insights on Analytical Challenges”
by Priscila Gubert, Greici Gubert, Ronei Cardoso de Oliveira, Isabel Cristina Oliveira Fernandes, Iverson Conrado Bezerra, Bruna de Ramos, Milena Ferreira de Lima, Daniela Teixeira Rodrigues, Adriana Farias Nunes da Cruz, Ernesto Chaves Pereira et al.
Toxics 2023, 11(3), 239; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11030239
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/3/239

9. “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Breastfeeding as a Vulnerable Function: A Systematic Review of Epidemiological Studies”
by Amalie Timmermann, Oyemwenosa N. Avenbuan, Megan E. Romano, Joseph M. Braun, Janne S. Tolstrup, Laura N. Vandenberg and Suzanne E. Fenton
Toxics 2023, 11(4), 325; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11040325
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/4/325

10. “Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) and Male Reproductive Health: Challenging the Future with a Double-Edged Sword”
by Daniel Marcu, Shannen Keyser, Leslie Petrik, Samuel Fuhrimann and Liana Maree
Toxics 2023, 11(4), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11040330
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/4/330

Toxics (ISSN: 2305-6304) will be attending the 17th Persistent Organic Pollutants Forum and Chemical Environmental Safety Conference as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Qingdao, China, from 17 to 19 May 2023.

The Persistent Organic Pollutants Forum and Chemical Environmental Safety Conference (hereinafter referred to as the POPs Forum) was initiated by the Persistent Organic Pollutants Research Center of Tsinghua University in 2006, in cooperation with the Office of the National Coordination Group for the Implementation of the Stockholm Convention of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. A series of annual meetings co-sponsored by the Chinese Society of Environmental Sciences and the Persistent Organic Pollutants Professional Committee had been successfully held for 16 sessions by 2021. The POPs Forum has become a forum for academia, management, and industry in the field of POPs in China to brainstorm and contemplate countermeasures, review the international trends of POPs compliance and China's progress, discuss POPs research hotspots and development trends, and showcase high-tech and advanced products for POPs analysis and control. It is a high-level communication platform.

The forum focuses on new pollutant treatment and invites domestic and foreign experts from various fields of government, industry, academia, and research to discuss and exchange ideas together.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Toxics (leading);
• Water;
• JoX;
• Pollutants.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference and our booth, please visit: https://popsforum2022.scievent.com/.

MDPI will be attending the 2023 Science and Technology Annual Meeting of Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, which will be held from 22 to 23 April 2023, in Nanchang, China. The theme of the annual meeting is “Develop green and low-carbon, build a beautiful China”.

The annual meeting has arranged for an opening ceremony and specially invited keynote speeches, subsession seminars, high-end forums, special sessions for young scientists, poster exchanges, environmental protection science and technology achievement exhibitions, special events, etc. A total of 1800 delegates are expected to attend. Four academicians and other well-known experts are expected to deliver keynote speeches on climate change, the prevention and control of atmospheric, water, and soil environmental pollution, and environmental management science as well as technology. The invited keynote speeches touch on fields such as achievements in transformation.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Sustainability;
• Toxics;
• Energies;
• Climate;
• Land;
• Minerals;
• Resources;
• Forests;
• Remote Sensing;
• Earth;
• Clean Technologies.
  

World Health Day, this year marked on 7 April, is an opportunity to look back at public health successes and to motivate action to tackle health challenges. On this occasion, we would like to post 10 most cited papers on human health published in Toxics (ISSN: 2305-6304) in 2021 and 2022. Hope you enjoy reading them.

1. “Heavy Metals and Pesticides Toxicity in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Human Health Implications”
by Ahmed Alengebawy, Sara Taha Abdelkhalek, Sundas Rana Qureshi and Man-Qun Wang
Toxics 2021, 9(3), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9030042
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/3/42

2. “Nanopesticides in Agriculture: Benefits and Challenge in Agricultural Productivity, Toxicological Risks to Human Health and Environment”
by Marco Chaud, Eliana B. Souto, Aleksandra Zielinska, Patricia Severino, Fernando Batain, Jose Oliveira-Junior and Thais Alves
Toxics 2021, 9(6), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9060131
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/6/131

3. “PFAS Molecules: A Major Concern for the Human Health and the Environment”
by Emiliano Panieri, Katarina Baralic, Danijela Djukic-Cosic, Aleksandra Buha Djordjevic and Luciano Saso
Toxics 2022, 10(2), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics10020044
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/2/44

4. “Levels of Phthalates, Bisphenol-A, Nonylphenol, and Microplastics in Fish in the Estuaries of Northern Taiwan and the Impact on Human Health”
by I-Cheng Lu, How-Ran Chao, Wan-Nurdiyana-Wan Mansor, Chun-Wei Peng, Yi-Chyun Hsu, Tai-Yi Yu, Wei-Hsiang Chang and Lung-Ming Fu
Toxics 2021, 9(10), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9100246
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/10/246

5. “Metals Bioaccumulation in 15 Commonly Consumed Fishes from the Lower Meghna River and Adjacent Areas of Bangladesh and Associated Human Health Hazards”
by Mohammad Belal Hossain, Fatema Tanjin, M. Safiur Rahman, Jimmy Yu, Shirin Akhter, Md Abu Noman and Jun Sun
Toxics 2022, 10(3), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics10030139
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/3/139

6. “Comparison of the Potential Ecological and Human Health Risks of Heavy Metals from Sewage Sludge and Livestock Manure for Agricultural Use”
by Baoling Duan and Qiang Feng
Toxics 2021, 9(7), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9070145
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/7/145 

7. “Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in the Environment: Occupational and Exposure Events, Effects on Human Health and Fertility”
by Luigi Montano, Concetta Pironti, Gabriella Pinto, Maria Ricciardi, Amalia Buono, Carlo Brogna, Marta Venier, Marina Piscopo, Angela Amoresano and Oriana Motta
Toxics 2022, 10(7), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics10070365
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/7/365

8. “Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Cultured Shrimp and Aquaculture Sludge”
by Salma Sultana, Mohammad Belal Hossain, Tasrina R. Choudhury, Jimmy Yu, Md. Sohel Rana, Mohammad Abu Noman, M. Mozammal Hosen, Bilal Ahamad Paray and Takaomi Arai
Toxics 2022, 10(4), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics10040175
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/4/175 

9. “Local Toxicity of Biocides after Direct and Aerosol Exposure on the Human Skin Epidermis and Airway Tissue Models”
by Nahyun Lee, Dae Yong Jang, Do Hyeon Lee, Haengdueng Jeong, Ki Taek Nam, Dal-Woong Choi and Kyung-Min Lim
Toxics 2021, 9(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9020029
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/2/29

10. “Relationships between Long-Term Ozone Exposure and Allergic Rhinitis and Bronchitic Symptoms in Chinese Children”
by Pei-En Zhou, Zhengmin (Min) Qian, Stephen Edward McMillin, Michael G. Vaughn, Zhong-Yue Xie, Yu-Jie Xu, Li-Zi Lin, Li-Wen Hu, Bo-Yi Yang, Xiao-Wen Zeng et al.
Toxics 2021, 9(9), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9090221
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/9/221 

The “Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity” Section of Toxics (ISSN: 2305-6304) is recruiting Editorial Board Members. You can check the existing Editorial Board Members by visiting the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/toxics/sections/reproductive_developmental_toxicity.

The main responsibilities of the Section Editorial Board Members are as follows:

• Providing scientific supervision for the Section;
• Inviting distinguished scientists to join the Editorial Board;
• Suggesting hot topics for Special Issues;
• Making decisions about the suitability of a paper to enter the peer review process and about its acceptance at the end of the process;
• Promoting the Section, recommending international conference cooperation, and assisting this Section in holding physical/electronic conferences;
• Providing feedback and suggesting improvements to the journal.

The “Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity” Section of Toxics focuses on the presentation of studies on the reproductive and developmental toxicity of environmental exposure to toxicants. This Section invites the submission of high-quality manuscripts reporting on investigations of all aspects of relationships, as well as their biological mechanisms, between toxicant exposure and outcomes of sexual function in addition to fertility in adult males and females, as well as the development of offspring. The exposures may include, but are not limited to, environmental or occupational exposure to pesticides, industrial chemicals, metals, air pollution, emerging environmental pollutants, etc. This Section also welcomes submissions on the exploration and application of frontier experimental methods as well as statistical models in toxicology. Reviews and commentaries are also welcome in this Section.

For more information about this Section and publishing in Toxics, please see the Section’s webpage. To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter, expressing your suitability for the role and your vision for the journal, to the Toxics Editorial Office (toxics@mdpi.com).

In order to be considered, all applications must be received by 30 June 2023.

On 7 April 2023—World Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) will observe its 75th anniversary. In 1948, countries of the world came together and founded the WHO to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable, so that everyone, everywhere, can attain the highest level of health and well-being. The WHO’s 75th anniversary is an opportunity to look back at public health successes that have improved quality of life over the last seven decades. It is also an opportunity to motivate action to tackle the health challenges of today and tomorrow. In order to encourage everyone to understand health and pay attention to health, we have also curated a list of publications on topics related to universal health coverage, healthy diet, and mental health. We also want to remind everyone that all research published in MDPI journals is available in an open access format, allowing practitioners, policy makers, and people around the world to access the latest scientific knowledge to build upon and share. Although we still have a long way to go to achieve universal health, this day also provides an opportunity to celebrate the progress made and inspire further action toward a more just and equitable world. Join us on a journey at MDPI to achieve Health for All.

• The Antioxidant Potential of the Mediterranean Diet as a Predictor of Weight Loss after a Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD) in Women with Overweight and Obesity

  Antioxidants 2023, 12(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12010018

• Effectiveness of Non-Contact Dietary Coaching in Adults with Diabetes or Prediabetes Using a Continuous Glucose Monitoring Device: A Randomized Controlled Trial

  Healthcare 2023, 11(2), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11020252

• The Association between Advanced Liver Fibrosis and Mortality Is Modified by Dietary Quality among Korean Adults: Results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with Mortality Data

  Nutrients 2023, 15(6), 1501; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061501

• Physical Exercise and Diet: Regulation of Gut Microbiota to Prevent and Treat Metabolic Disorders to Maintain Health

  Nutrients 2023, 15(6), 1539; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061539

• Modelling and Prediction of the Spread of COVID-19 in Cameroon and Assessing the Governmental Measures (March–September 2020)

  COVID 2021, 1(3), 622-644; https://doi.org/10.3390/covid1030052

• SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy), 1 October 2020–7 February 2022: Occupational Risk and the Impact of the Omicron Variant

  Viruses 2022, 14(8), 1663; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14081663

• Vaccination Coverage during Childhood and Adolescence among Undergraduate Health Science Students in Greece

  Children 2022, 9(10), 1553; https://doi.org/10.3390/children9101553

• Determinants of Equity in Coverage of Measles-Containing Vaccines in Wales, UK, during the Elimination Era

  Vaccines 2023, 11(3), 680; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030680

• Sex Differences in Substance Use, Prevalence, Pharmacological Therapy, and Mental Health in Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

  Brain Sci. 2022, 12(5), 590; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12050590

• Impact on Students of the Act–Belong–Commit Mentally Healthy Schools Framework

  Children 2023, 10(3), 548; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10030548

• Psychological Health and Drugs: Data-Driven Discovery of Causes, Treatments, Effects, and Abuses

  Toxics 2023, 11(3), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11030287

• Characterizing Touch Discrimination Impairment from Pooled Stroke Samples Using the Tactile Discrimination Test: Updated Criteria for Interpretation and Brief Test Version for Use in Clinical Practice Settings

  Brain Sci. 2023, 13(4), 533; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13040533

Today, pesticide toxicology is essentially based on the toxicity of active ingredients. Could this be wrong? Since numerous discoveries have recently been made on the toxicity of pesticide formulations in relation the declared active ingredients at different levels, from environment to animal and human cells, and in organs or in vivo, are new regulations necessary? After a presentation of these discoveries, new regulations can be proposed by participants of this webinar.

Date: 26 May 2023
Time: 2:00pm CEST

Register now for free!

Webinar Chairs and Keynote Speakers:

Prof. Dr. Gilles-Eric Seralini
Institute of Biology, University of Caen Normandy, Network on Risks, Quality and Sustainable Environment MRSH, Esplanade de la Paix, CS 14032 Caen CEDEX 5, France

Dr. Robin Mesnage
Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, London, UK
Buchinger Wilhelmi Clinic, Wilhelmi-Beck-Straße 27, 88662 Überlingen, Germany

Prof. Louise Vandelac
Department of Sociology and Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Quebec in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Dr. Marie-Hélène Bacon
Ecohealth Research Collective on Pesticides, Policies and Alternatives (CREPPA), Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Quebec in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Relevant Special Issue:
“Pesticides in Formulations: Toxicological and Regulatory Assessments, New Developments”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Gilles-Eric Seralini
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2023

This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized. Certificates of attendance will be delivered to those who attend the live webinar.

Can’t attend? Register anyway and we’ll let you know when the recording is available to watch.

MDPI will be attending the European Human Genetics Conference 2023 (ESHG 2023), held in Glasgow, UK, from 10 to 13 June 2023.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Genes;
• IJMS;
• JPM;
• Applied Biosciences;
• MPs;
• Symmetry;
• Toxics;
• Cells;
• IJNS.

If you plan on attending this conference, feel free to stop by our booth #824. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://2023.eshg.org/.

Water is simultaneously our most abundant and scarce resource. Dysfunction throughout the water cycle undermines progress on all major global issues, from health to hunger, gender equality to jobs, education to industry, and disasters to peace. The theme for the 2023 World Water Day is “Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible”. It aims to accelerate change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. Join us to salute those engaged in a challenge whose importance is second to none, as the MDPI is proud to support and publish research that works towards global water security.

Photo by Anonymous, University of Technology of Compiègne	Location: Qingyuan, Liaoning, China Photo by Bo Yu, Nankai University	Location: Can Luojiao, Guangdong, China Da Pang

To access more content about MDPI International Day Campaign Series activities, please click here.

• Groundwater Level Modeling with Machine Learning: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
  Water 2022, 14, 949; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14060949
• A Review on Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Smart Technology in Water Treatment and Monitoring
  Water 2022, 14, 1384; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14091384
• Provision of Desalinated Irrigation Water by the Desalination of Groundwater Abstracted from a Saline Aquifer
  Hydrology 2022, 9, 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology9070128
• A Review on Evapotranspiration Estimation in Agricultural Water Management: Past, Present, and Future
  Hydrology 2022, 9, 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology9070123
• Stabilisation of Ozone in Water for Microbial Disinfection
  Environments 2022, 9, 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments9040045
• Preliminary Studies of Methylene Blue Remotion from Aqueous Solutions by Ocimum basilicum
  Environments 2022, 9, 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments9020017

Special Issue: Water Quality Engineering and Wastewater Treatment III	Special Issue: Groundwater Pollution: Sources, Mechanisms, and Prevention
Special Issue: Groundwater Quality and Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment Volume II	Special Issue: Pharmaceuticals in Wastewater and Natural Water: Distribution, Transformation and Removal

MDPI World Water Day Webinar 2023: Accelerating Change

22 Mar 2023, 02:00 (CET)
Free to register for the two sessions.

Recordings will be available on Sciforum shortly afterward.