Effect-Based Evaluation of Emerging Contaminants and Their By-Products in the Aquatic Environment
A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Emerging Contaminants".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 61
Special Issue Editors
Interests: toxicity; emerging environmental contaminants; health effects; environmental pollutants; cellular effects; biomarker; bioassays; water quality
Interests: aquatic pollutants; water quality; environmental impacts; effect-based monitoring
Interests: emerging contaminants of concern occurrence; fate and removal of micropollutants; tertary waste water tretment; ozonation; transformation products; effect based methods; effect-directed analysis
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue addresses the need for comprehensive effect-based evaluation of emerging contaminants (ECs) and their transformation products in aquatic environments. Effect-based methodologies for assessing these contaminants in aquatic ecosystems have proven to be valuable tools for risk assessment, moving beyond traditional chemical monitoring to capture biological impacts.
The focus encompasses pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, pesticides, nanomaterials, microplastics, and other contaminants in freshwater, marine, groundwater, and wastewater systems. Assessment spans molecular- to ecosystem-level responses using in vitro bioassays, in vivo testing, omics technologies, integrated assessment frameworks, and AI-based analytical tools.
The objective is to bridge the gap between chemical detection and biological relevance, establishing cause–effect relationships for regulatory purposes. The timing is strategically aligned with increasing regulatory emphasis on effect-based methods, particularly in European water management, reflecting the recognition that chemical analysis alone cannot adequately protect aquatic ecosystems from complex contaminant mixtures.
This comprehensive approach advances our understanding of how emerging contaminants affect aquatic life, supporting the development of more effective monitoring strategies and regulatory frameworks that better protect environmental and human health through scientifically robust effect-based evaluation methods.
Prof. Dr. Elke Dopp
Dr. Tim aus der Beek
Dr. Jochen Tuerk
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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. Toxics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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
- bioassays
- effect-based methods
- water quality
- water contaminants
- human health
- emerging contaminants
- risk assessment
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