Emerging Contaminants in Industrial Hotspots: Characterization, Environmental Fate, Human Exposure, and Risk Assessment
Special Issue Editor
Interests: emerging contaminants; synthetic antioxidants; targeted analysis; non-targeted screening; gas/liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry; environmental behavior; human exposure; health risk
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Emerging contaminants (ECs), characterized by their biological toxicity, chemical persistence, and often limited regulatory oversight, have become a global environmental concern. These substances increasingly appear in diverse industrial hotspots, including municipal landfills, electronic waste dismantling sites, solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing and disposal facilities, and lithium battery production and recycling plants. Such sites act as concentrated sources releasing complex mixtures of contaminants, such as flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), plasticizers, nanomaterials, and novel industrial additives, into surrounding environments.
Despite growing awareness, comprehensive identification and quantitative analysis of ECs in such settings remain technically challenging due to the diversity of chemical structures, transformation products, and environmental media involved (e.g., air, water, soil, and biota). Meanwhile, the incomplete treatment processes, outdated technologies, and informal recycling practices at many of these facilities can result in the unintentional release of ECs into surrounding ecosystems, increasing the risk of human exposure through inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact. This highlights the need for advanced monitoring approaches and site-specific risk evaluations that go beyond conventional pollutant assessments.
This Special Issue seeks to deepen understanding of emerging contaminants within critical industrial hotspots, focusing on (1) aging municipal landfills and leachate management zones with legacy and emerging pollutants; (2) e-waste dismantling and recycling sites (e.g., Guiyu, China; Agbogbloshie, Ghana) characterized by complex mixtures of persistent organic pollutants and metals; (3) solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing and end-of-life disposal sites where novel polymer additives and nanomaterials are prevalent; 4) lithium battery production, usage, and recycling facilities, potential sources of heavy metals, organics, and new battery-related contaminants.
The specific objective is to characterize the types and environmental behaviors of key contaminants within these settings, assess their pathways into human and ecological systems, and quantify associated exposure risks. Special attention will be given to vulnerable populations, such as workers and nearby residents, who face disproportionately high exposure levels. Additionally, this collection seeks to foster discussion on innovative analytical techniques, such as suspect screening, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and non-targeted analysis, which can enhance the detection efficiency and expand the current contaminant scope.
We invite original research articles, reviews, case studies, and technical reports that address the occurrence, transformation, exposure, and risk of emerging contaminants in industrial hotspots. Contributions may include, but are not limited to, the following thematic areas:
- Analytical innovations in industrial hotspots;
- Environmental fate of emerging contaminants in industrial hotspots;
- Exposure science in high-risk industrial settings;
- Risk assessment of emerging contaminants in industrial hotspots;
- Emerging concerns and novel findings.
Dr. Bibai Du
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- emerging pollutants
- industrial hotspots
- municipal landfills
- electronic waste (e-waste)
- solar photovoltaic (PV) sites
- lithium battery production and recycling
- suspect and non-target screening
- biomonitoring
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