Emerging Contaminants in Soil and Freshwater Systems: Ecotoxicological Insights from Individual to Community-Level Studies or Across Biological Scales

Dear Colleagues,

Soil and freshwater systems are inherently interconnected; therefore, the sources and impacts of pollution should be examined and managed as a continuum, rather than as isolated components. These systems are facing significant pollution derived from anthropogenic impacts, in many cases, which can be imperceptible due to the presence of new, unexpected, unmonitored, and unregulated compounds. These new threats are defined as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), encompassing a diverse range of chemical pollutants, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pesticides, and certain industrial chemicals, as well as residues from various sources, such as agricultural, urban, or industrial activities. They also include physical contaminants, among them microplastics and nanoplastics, which include microbeads in cosmetics, glitter, seed coatings, and nurdles (plastic pellets), tyre wear particles, and engineered nanomaterials. Therefore, there is a knowledge gap regarding their impact on these ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them.

This Special Issue is dedicated to the exploration of CECs' impact on aquatic and soil invertebrates, given their essential role in the proper functioning of ecosystems. We invite submissions encompassing original research and case studies, involving individual or different levels of biological organization dealing with (i) the effects of single and/or mixture of CECs (ii) from molecules to communities’ analysis, including individual-level endpoints—such as survival, growth, and behaviour—with biochemical (e.g., oxidative stress and cellular damage) and molecular (e.g., gene expression and protein levels) (iii) studies ranging from single species to population and communities (micro and mesocosm studies). Studies focused on the natural environment, as well as those conducted in controlled experiments, are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Ana Belén Muñiz
Dr. Sara Villa
Dr. Patricia Almendros
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• aquatic invertebrate
• soil invertebrates
• anthropogenic impact
• ecotoxicology