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Exposure, Ecological Effects and Risk Assessment of Emerging Contaminants in Water Environment

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Quality and Contamination".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 September 2025 | Viewed by 1256

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jing Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
Interests: effect-directed analysis; non-targeted screening; emerging pollutants; risk assessment; combined pollution

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Synthetic chemicals have greatly benefited human life and society development. However, the continuous release of chemicals into the aquatic environment poses great threats to ecosystems and human health. Therefore, it is crucial to advance our knowledge and methodologies regarding the exposure and risk of contaminants in water to manage their risks.

In light of this, this Special Issue will explore the latest advances in methodologies, technologies, and applications in the fields of the exposure, ecological effects, and risk assessment of emerging contaminants in the water environment. We request contributions that present innovative approaches, including the use of non-targeted screening, effect-directed analysis, bioassay batteries, transcriptomes, metabolomes, etc., to better understand and address the challenges posed by emerging contaminants in water.

The topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Advances in monitoring techniques and tools for identifying emerging contaminants, including high-coverage enrichment, in situ enrichment equipment, suspect- and non-targeted screening, and effect-directed analysis;
  2. Integration of in vitro tests, transcriptomes, and metabolomes to evaluate the ecological effects of emerging contaminants in the water environment;
  3. Revealing the exposure and effect status of emerging contaminants in different water environments at various spatial and temporal scales;
  4. Integration of chemical and bioassay data for comprehensive risk assessment;
  5. Exploration of the role of natural factors and human activities involved in altering exposure patterns and risks.

We encourage the submission of original research articles, reviews, case studies, and technical notes that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field of the exposure and risk assessment of emerging contaminants in the water environment.

Dr. Jing Guo
Guest Editor

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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

  • emerging contaminants
  • non-targeted screening
  • effect-directed analysis
  • high-throughput bioassay
  • ecological risk

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 723 KiB  
Article
Anthropogenic Release of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances into Surface Water Systems: Distribution Characteristics and Environmental Persistence Analysis
by Miaomiao Sun and Yuqian Li
Water 2025, 17(11), 1589; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111589 (registering DOI) - 24 May 2025
Abstract
In view of the issues including the incomplete identification of alternatives and difficulty in tracing pollution sources in PFAS pollution monitoring in surface water, this study took typical surface waters with intensive human activities as the object to perform PFAS screening. A nontarget [...] Read more.
In view of the issues including the incomplete identification of alternatives and difficulty in tracing pollution sources in PFAS pollution monitoring in surface water, this study took typical surface waters with intensive human activities as the object to perform PFAS screening. A nontarget analysis based on high-resolution mass spectrometry was developed, coupled with a modified solid phase extraction pretreatment method, to achieve the comprehensive screening of 12 legacy carboxylic acids and sulfonic acids, as well as 2 novel alternatives in water. Surface water samples were collected from typical functional areas of human activity to reveal the spatial differential distribution of PFAS concentrations. The long-chain PFASs showed a high detected concentration, among which PFOS, PFUnDA, and PFOA concentrations were especially high in urban complex pollution areas, while PFDA, PFOS, and PFOA were the main components in agricultural areas. The two exposure patterns showed a certain degree of differentiation, which may be related to different pollution sources. PFASs with a long carbon chain, especially chlorine-substituted sulfonic acid, are high-persistent-risk substances. This study provided the data basis for the prevention and control of PFAS pollution in surface water, and supported the treatment of emerging pollutants in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure, Ecological Effects and Risk Assessment of Emerging Contaminants in Water Environment)
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14 pages, 4983 KiB  
Article
Assessment of per Capita Contribution to Fecal Sewage in Rural Residences of Quilombola Communities
by Adivânia Cardoso da Silva, Paulo Sérgio Scalize and António Albuquerque
Water 2025, 17(9), 1350; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17091350 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 249
Abstract
The universalization of basic sanitation remains a challenge. For the development of sanitation infrastructure projects, it is essential to use water consumption data that accurately reflect reality, ensuring greater precision. This study aimed to determine the per capita contribution to fecal sewage (Cp) [...] Read more.
The universalization of basic sanitation remains a challenge. For the development of sanitation infrastructure projects, it is essential to use water consumption data that accurately reflect reality, ensuring greater precision. This study aimed to determine the per capita contribution to fecal sewage (Cp) in six quilombola residences in Goiás (Brazil). The research was conducted in two phases: (a) a literature review on Cp in similar communities (CpL) and (b) the determination of Cp in six residences from different rural communities (CpP), varying in the number of inhabitants (8, 8, 5, 2, 1, and 1 persons in households R1 to R6, respectively). Flow measurements were obtained using a volumetric flowmeter (nominal flow rate of 1.5 m3/h) installed in the water pipeline supplying the toilet(s) of each household. A dearth of Cp data was observed in the literature, particularly for rural areas. Research on this topic remains in its infancy, as evidenced by the small number of publications (nine papers) published between 2006 and 2022, of which 44.4% reported on-site measurements. In the present study, the CpP ranged from 12.10 L/cap.day to 21.79 L/cap.day, with a mean of 16.22 L/cap.day (CV = 0.239). These calculated values lie within the lower (9.9 L/cap.day) and upper (51.5 L/cap.day) ranges reported in the literature. Generally, estimated data are higher than values calculated from flowrate measurements, highlighting the importance of direct measurements—which can also help reduce construction costs. Therefore, it is recommended that flowrate measurements and Cp calculations be expanded to residences with diverse demographic and geographic characteristics, also incorporating meteorological data, to obtain more accurate results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure, Ecological Effects and Risk Assessment of Emerging Contaminants in Water Environment)
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Review

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32 pages, 9591 KiB  
Review
Automation Systems in Pb Analysis: A Review on Environmental Water and Biological Samples
by Rogelio Rodríguez-Maese, Verónica Rodríguez-Saldaña and Luz O. Leal
Water 2025, 17(4), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17040565 - 15 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 652
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is one of the most relevant contaminants due to its high toxicity, even at low concentrations. The growing need for research about real-time Pb analysis in the field has driven advancements in portable, sensitive, and automated analytical methodologies. These innovations are [...] Read more.
Lead (Pb) is one of the most relevant contaminants due to its high toxicity, even at low concentrations. The growing need for research about real-time Pb analysis in the field has driven advancements in portable, sensitive, and automated analytical methodologies. These innovations are crucial for taking proactive measures against the impacts of Pb pollution on ecosystems and public health. Flow analysis techniques have proven to be very effective in automating procedures for isolating and preconcentrating Pb in surface water and biological samples. Such automation boosts sample throughput and reduces processing time and reagent consumption, aligning with the green chemistry principles by lowering costs and minimizing waste. This review covers 31 recent automated analytical methodologies employing flow analysis techniques such as FIA, SIA, MSFIA, and LOV, emphasizing the trend toward portability and miniaturization, which facilitates in-situ analysis. Additionally, this review examines the pretreatment methods and detection systems used, highlighting the analytical parameters of each technique. The methodologies discussed demonstrate the capability to process up to 55 samples per hour accurately. Limits of quantification as low as 0.014 µg L−1 are reported, enabling environmental monitoring that effectively detects Pb concentrations below the WHO and EPA drinking water reference values of 10 µg L−1 and 15 µg L−1, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exposure, Ecological Effects and Risk Assessment of Emerging Contaminants in Water Environment)
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