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Toxics
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Toxic Agent Analysis and Removal for Healthy Living and Safe...
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Toxic Agent Analysis and Removal for Healthy Living and Safe Environment

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Toxicity Reduction and Environmental Remediation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 6390

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Petru Negrea

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnologies and Environmental Protection, Politehnica University Timisoara, Victoriei Square no 2, 300006 Timisora, Romania
Interests: chemical engineering; pollution; rare earth; heavy metals; metal recovery; applied chemistry; chemical analyses; materials; adsorption; drinking water quality; waste water expertise
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nicoleta Sorina Nemeş

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Research Institute for Renewable Energies—ICER, Politehnica University Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
Interests: adsorbent materials; green synthesis; MOFs; selectivity; regenerability; modeling; material characterization; microbiological application
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Inorganic and organic compounds are an essential part of our daily life. However, the careless use of chemicals can be dangerous, generating toxic agents that have a negative impact on human health and the environment. In recent years, the interest and attention of the scientific community given to the development of improved analytical methods and techniques for the analysis and removal of pollutants from the environment have increased. Consequently, innovative methods for the determination of trace amounts of heavy metals, anions, and organic compounds are needed.

An important factor in human health-related and toxicology studies is the balance between environmental pollutants and antioxidant defenses in biological systems. Therefore, the toxic effect of pollutants can be assessed under stressful environmental conditions, especially due to the oxidative damage induced by different classes of chemical pollutants. Considering this, toxic heavy metal poisoning of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is a serious environmental issue with severe health implications.

Based on these considerations, this Special Issue aims to attract high-level research in the field of removing toxic agents from water, air, and soil, with the aim of protecting the environment and human health. Thus, the purpose of this Special Issue is to investigate the effects of metal ions on the environment, their toxicity to human health, and the creation of novel treatments or removal methods for these pollutants using natural resources. Additionally, this Special Issue focuses on the use of nanotechnology and nanomedicine to address metal ion toxicity

Prof. Dr. Petru Negrea
Guest Editor

Dr. Nicoleta Sorina Nemeş
Guest Editor Assistant

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

  • toxic agents
  • human health
  • environmental protection
  • heavy metals
  • polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
  • pesticides
  • xenobiotics

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 8857 KB  
Article
The Characteristics of AOM and Formation of DBPs: The Role of Molecular Weights and Hydrophobicity
by Lingfei Ma, Haipu Li and Zhaoguang Yang
Toxics 2026, 14(4), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14040349 - 21 Apr 2026
Viewed by 349
Abstract
This study investigates the impacts of algogenic organic matter (AOM) distribution characteristics, specifically molecular weight (MW) and hydrophobicity, on the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) derived from Microcystis aeruginosa. This study focuses on both extracellular organic matter (EOM) and intracellular organic matter (IOM) [...] Read more.
This study investigates the impacts of algogenic organic matter (AOM) distribution characteristics, specifically molecular weight (MW) and hydrophobicity, on the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) derived from Microcystis aeruginosa. This study focuses on both extracellular organic matter (EOM) and intracellular organic matter (IOM) and their contributions to DBP formation. AOM was divided into 12 fractions based on MW and hydrophobicity (transphilic, hydrophilic, and hydrophobic fractions). The results reveal that the hydrophobic fraction (HPO) contributes the most to IOM, while low-MW (<1 kDa) and high-MW (>100 kDa) organic matter are the main components of AOM. An analysis of fluorescent species indicates that humic acid-like and fulvic acid-like compounds derived from the hydrophilic fraction (HPI) of EOM and the hydrophobic fraction (HPO) of IOM are the dominant low-MW (<1 kDa) species. Additionally, aromatic proteins derived from HPO in both EOM and IOM are the dominant high-MW (>100 kDa) fluorescent species. This suggests that proteins or polysaccharides are the primary adsorbents on the membrane during ultrafiltration (UF), while the humic acid component is not significantly deposited. Furthermore, this study identifies that the >100 kDa HPO in IOM serves as the main precursor for trichloromethane (TCM), trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), and dichloroacetic acid (DCAA). In EOM, the precursor for the highest TCMFP (63.6 µg/mg-C) is the >100 kDa HPI, while the highest contribution to TCM (21%) is from the >100 kDa HPO. These findings provide crucial information for controlling DBPs derived from AOM through membrane filtration, particularly in eutrophic water environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxic Agent Analysis and Removal for Healthy Living and Safe Environment)
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14 pages, 254 KB  
Article
Detection of Agricultural Pesticides in Human Urine in Latvia: Links with Surrounding Land Use
by Lāsma Akūlova, Ieva Strēle, Juris Breidaks, Anna Raita, Monta Matisāne and Linda Matisāne
Toxics 2026, 14(1), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14010081 - 15 Jan 2026
Viewed by 700
Abstract
Environmental pesticide exposure has been linked to adverse health effects, and residential proximity to agricultural land is commonly used as a proxy for exposure; however, the contribution of non-agricultural biomes remains insufficiently explored. This study examined whether the proximity and area of different [...] Read more.
Environmental pesticide exposure has been linked to adverse health effects, and residential proximity to agricultural land is commonly used as a proxy for exposure; however, the contribution of non-agricultural biomes remains insufficiently explored. This study examined whether the proximity and area of different biomes are associated with the detection of selected pesticides in human urine in Latvia. Urine samples were collected from 202 participants (101 adults and 101 children) within the Human Biomonitoring for Europe (HBM4EU) study during the winter and summer seasons of 2020. A suspect screening approach using liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) was applied and 23 pesticides were detected (8 insecticides, 12 fungicides, 2 herbicides and triclosan, an antimicrobial ingredient used in cleaning agents). Geospatial data were analysed in Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) to derive biome proximity and area within a 1000 m residential buffer; associations were assessed using generalized linear mixed-effects models. Agricultural land was present within 1000 m of 93.1% of residences, yet neither its distance nor area was consistently associated with pesticide detection. Boscalid was detected in 18.4% of samples and was positively associated with wetland area across seasons (p < 0.001), while fludioxonil (14.7%) showed weak and heterogeneous spatial associations and pirimiphos-methyl (10.2%) showed no significant patterns. Overall, pesticide exposure was substance-specific and influenced by landscape characteristics beyond agricultural proximity, highlighting the need to integrate non-agricultural biomes into human biomonitoring in low-intensity pesticide-use settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxic Agent Analysis and Removal for Healthy Living and Safe Environment)
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17 pages, 2022 KB  
Article
Preparation of Perovskite-Type LaCoO3 and Its Catalytic Degradation of Formaldehyde in Wastewater
by Qingguo Ma, Qin Gao, Shancheng Li, Tianying Li, Zhiqian Fan, Binglong Mu and Yike Zhang
Toxics 2025, 13(11), 955; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13110955 - 5 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 920
Abstract
Removing toxic formaldehyde (HCHO) from environmental water is crucial for human health and the ecosystem. Perovskite-type Lanthanum cobalt oxide (LaCoO3) has achieved great success in a wide range of catalytic processes; however, this concept has been rarely applied to the degradation [...] Read more.
Removing toxic formaldehyde (HCHO) from environmental water is crucial for human health and the ecosystem. Perovskite-type Lanthanum cobalt oxide (LaCoO3) has achieved great success in a wide range of catalytic processes; however, this concept has been rarely applied to the degradation of HCHO. Here, we prepared perovskite-type catalysts with different La/Co molar ratios, and the time for HCHO oxidation degradation at room temperature was shortened by 12 times (10 min vs. 119 min) compared to other heterogeneous catalysts. LaCoO3 exhibits superior catalytic activity for HCHO degradation at room temperature when the La/Co molar ratio is 1:1 compared to lanthanum cobalt oxides with other molar ratios. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) test results show that increasing the La/Co molar ratio reduces the Co2+ content in the catalyst, while Co2+ plays the most important role in the catalyst. Quencher experiments indicated that sulfate radicals (SO4·−) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH) were the primary reactive species for the removal of HCHO. This finding suggests that the catalytic oxidation reaction involving HCHO operates as a heterogeneous Fenton-like oxidation reaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxic Agent Analysis and Removal for Healthy Living and Safe Environment)
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31 pages, 12220 KB  
Article
Iron–Carbonate (Bi, Cu, Li) Composites with Antimicrobial Activity After Silver(I) Ion Adsorption
by Alexandra Berbentea, Mihaela Ciopec, Adina Negrea, Petru Negrea, Nicoleta Sorina Nemeş, Bogdan Pascu, Paula Svera, Narcis Duţeanu, Cătălin Ianăşi, Orsina Verdes, Mariana Suba, Daniel Marius Duda-Seiman and Delia Muntean
Toxics 2025, 13(10), 825; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13100825 - 27 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1105
Abstract
In the present study three composite materials based on iron in combination with bismuth, copper or lithium carbonates FeNO3@Li2CO3 (SFL), FeNO3@CuCO3 (SFC), and FeNO3@(BiO)2CO3 (SFB) were synthesized by coprecipitation. The [...] Read more.
In the present study three composite materials based on iron in combination with bismuth, copper or lithium carbonates FeNO3@Li2CO3 (SFL), FeNO3@CuCO3 (SFC), and FeNO3@(BiO)2CO3 (SFB) were synthesized by coprecipitation. The purpose was to obtain materials that possess targeted adsorbent properties for the recovery of silver ions from aqueous solutions. After synthesis, to emphasize the adsorptive qualities of materials for the recovery of silver ions, the synthesized composite materials, as well as those doped with silver ions following the adsorption process (SFL-Ag, SFC-Ag, and SFB-Ag), were characterized and several adsorption-specific parameters were examined, including temperature, contact time, pH, adsorbent dose, and the initial concentration of silver ions in solution. Subsequently, the ideal adsorption conditions were determined to be as follows: pH > 4, contact time 60 min, temperature 298 K, and solid–liquid ratio (S–L) of 0.1 g of adsorbent to 25 mL of Ag (I) solution for all three materials. The Langmuir model properly fits the experimental equilibrium data of the adsorption process; however, the Ho–McKay model closely represents the adsorption kinetics. The maximum adsorption capacities of the materials, 19.7 mg Ag(I)/g for SFC, 19.3 mg Ag(I)/g for SFB, and 19.9 mg Ag(I)/g for SFL, are comparable. The adsorption mechanism is physical in nature, as evidenced by the activation energies of 1.6 kJ/mol for SFC, 4.15 kJ/mol for SFB, and 1.32 kJ/mol for SFL. The highest Ag(I) concentration used for doping all three materials in the study was 150 mg Ag(I)/L. The process is endothermic, spontaneous, and takes place at the interface between the adsorbent and the adsorbate, according to thermodynamic theory. Subsequently, the antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans microorganisms was evaluated by rate of inhibition assessment. The SFC-Ag material showed a percentage of 100% inhibition with respect to the positive control for each microorganism. All synthetized materials have better efficiency as antifungal agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxic Agent Analysis and Removal for Healthy Living and Safe Environment)
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11 pages, 1012 KB  
Article
Quantification of Ultra-Trace Lead in Water After Preconcentration on Nano-Titanium Oxide Using the Slurry Sampling ETAAS Method
by Lucia Nemček and Ingrid Hagarová
Toxics 2025, 13(8), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13080610 - 22 Jul 2025
Viewed by 884
Abstract
A simple and efficient dispersive micro solid-phase extraction (DMSPE) method using nano-TiO2 as a sorbent was developed for the separation and preconcentration of (ultra) trace levels of lead in water samples prior to quantification by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). Key experimental [...] Read more.
A simple and efficient dispersive micro solid-phase extraction (DMSPE) method using nano-TiO2 as a sorbent was developed for the separation and preconcentration of (ultra) trace levels of lead in water samples prior to quantification by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). Key experimental parameters affecting the DMSPE process, including pH, ionic strength, sorbent dosage, and preconcentration factor, were optimized. The optimized method demonstrated a preconcentration factor of 20, a relative standard deviation below 4.5%, and a detection limit of 0.11 µg/L. The procedure was validated using certified reference material (CRM TM-25.5) and applied to real water samples from a lake, a residential well, and industrial wastewater. Satisfactory recoveries (89–103%) confirmed the reliability of the method for the determination of low lead concentrations in complex matrices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxic Agent Analysis and Removal for Healthy Living and Safe Environment)
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18 pages, 6291 KB  
Article
A Study on the Oxidation Performance of Soil Chromium with Acid Birnessite and Cryptomelane
by Wei Zhang, Huan Yang, Shaohong You, Xia Zhong, Pingping Jiang, Xudong Lan and Rui Ma
Toxics 2025, 13(4), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13040262 - 31 Mar 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1578
Abstract
Current research focuses more on redox of toxic Cr(VI), with less attention to Cr(III) changes in flooded soil. First, the structure of acid birnessite and cryptomelane was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and other test [...] Read more.
Current research focuses more on redox of toxic Cr(VI), with less attention to Cr(III) changes in flooded soil. First, the structure of acid birnessite and cryptomelane was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and other test methods. This study investigated farmland soil in Yuxi, Yunnan Province, under flooding stress induced by the addition of two distinct concentrations of manganese oxides. Throughout the experiment, key physicochemical properties of the soil—including pH, redox potential (Eh), Cr(VI) concentration, and chromium speciation—were systematically measured and analyzed. Structural characterization demonstrated distinct morphological and surface area properties. Specifically, acid birnessite, with petal-like stacked spheres, has a specific surface area of 103.76 m2/g, while cryptomelane, strip-shaped, has an area of 95.92 m2/g. The submergence experiment yielded the following phenomena: (1) During the 60-day flooding experiment, soil amended with 0.5% or 1% acid birnessite or cryptomelane exhibited an increase in Eh compared to the control group. (2) At the end of the 60-day submergence period, the Cr(VI) concentration in the soil treated with 1% acid birnessite increased by 2.4 times compared to the control group. In addition, after 60 days, Cr(VI) concentrations in the soil exceeded 5 mg/L in soils with manganese oxide added to them. This study evaluates how manganese oxides oxidize Cr(III), aiding in assessing their environmental risks and long-term impacts on metal transformation. The findings help predict chromium behavior in farm soils and guide remediation strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxic Agent Analysis and Removal for Healthy Living and Safe Environment)
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