Persistent Pollutants and Biotoxins in Aquatic Environments: Ecotoxicological and Human Health Perspectives

Dear Colleagues,

Around the world, aquatic ecosystems are increasingly exposed to a wide range of toxic substances, mainly from land-based activities such as sewage and industrial discharges and through the runoff of contaminated soils, leading to the presence of complex and diverse contaminant mixtures. Among the most concerning toxicants are persistent pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), micro- and nanoplastics, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals and metalloids, and harmful biotoxins produced by cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates, and diatoms. These multifaceted contaminants, although often occurring at low individual concentrations, can interact and bioaccumulate, contaminating food webs and negatively affecting aquatic organisms, raising major concerns for human health. Furthermore, global stressors such as climate change, ocean acidification, altered nutrient cycles, and eutrophication further intensify these interactions and chronic toxicological exposure, making their cumulative effects increasingly difficult to predict and manage.

Marine and freshwater systems are therefore particularly vulnerable, serving both as sinks for pollutants and toxins and as pathways that enable their spread, severely impacting wildlife and promoting bioaccumulation across food webs. The resulting ecological and toxicological effects include biodiversity loss, the disruption of food webs, and significant health risks for communities that depend on aquatic resources, including humans.

Given these challenges, this Special Issue welcomes original research articles and reviews that investigate the sources, pathways, transformations, bioaccumulation, and harmful effects of persistent pollutants and biotoxins in aquatic environments, as well as their impacts on human health. Contributions from multiple disciplines, including ecotoxicology, toxicology, environmental chemistry, and public health, are particularly encouraged. By integrating innovative methods and cross-disciplinary perspectives, this Special Issue seeks to enhance our understanding of how chemical pollutants, xenobiotics, toxins, and biological contaminants interact. We aim to support sustainable strategies for protecting aquatic ecosystems, wildlife, and humans in line with the “One Health” concept.

Dr. Maria João Rocha
Dr. João S. Carrola
Dr. Ana M. Coimbra
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• persistent organic pollutants
• ecotoxicology
• human health risks
• aquatic environment
• bioaccumulation
• ecological effects
• aquatic toxicology
• per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)
• microplastics and nanoplastics
• pesticides
• heavy metals
• polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs)
• “One health” concept