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Advancing Knowledge of the Impacts of Contaminants in Aquatic Environments
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Advancing Knowledge of the Impacts of Contaminants in Aquatic Environments

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 11251

Editor

Dr. Alla Khosrovyan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn, Estonia
Interests: water contamination; sediment contamination; plastics; ecotoxicology; genotoxicity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental contamination remains a major worldwide issue in spite of extensive coordinated efforts aimed at reducing it. At the same time, new methods and technologies are constantly being developed for detecting and assessing the adverse effects of contaminants.

This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, reviews, and short communications on all aspects of aquatic contamination. It is committed to documenting the state of the art in understanding the processes of contamination, the fate of contaminants, toxicity, and interactions with other constituents of the aquatic environment. Findings from both basic and advanced research on all kinds of contaminants are accepted.

The scope of the Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Novel methods for the characterization of contaminant properties and distribution in water and sediment;
  • Understanding the interaction of contaminants with constituents of the aquatic environment; 
  • The distribution and fate of contaminants;
  • The short or long-term impacts on aquatic organisms.   

This Special Issue aims to serve as a reference for the state of the field and thus be a significant basis for advancement.

Dr. Alla Khosrovyan
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 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-anonymized 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

  • benthic
  • water column
  • lentic
  • lotic
  • aquatic pollution
  • ecotoxicology
  • assay
  • test

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 891 KB  
Article
Identification and Quantitative Analysis of Nitrate Sources in Strontium-Rich Mineral Water of Chengde City Based on the MixSIAR Model
by Yanliang Zhai, Jingyi Xie, Ruifeng Wang, Baizhong Yan, Wenyang Wang, Yuqing Ren, Jiashuai Kang and Songlong Zhang
Water 2026, 18(14), 1663; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18141663 - 8 Jul 2026
Abstract
Nitrate is one of the most prevalent inorganic pollutants in groundwater systems. Its concentration directly affects the safety assessment of groundwater quality. To scientifically identify nitrate sources in strontium-rich mineral water and facilitate the protection of mineral water resources, this study selects Chengde [...] Read more.
Nitrate is one of the most prevalent inorganic pollutants in groundwater systems. Its concentration directly affects the safety assessment of groundwater quality. To scientifically identify nitrate sources in strontium-rich mineral water and facilitate the protection of mineral water resources, this study selects Chengde City, Hebei Province, as the study area. Nitrate source apportionment was quantified using the MixSIAR model, with uncertainties assessed via cumulative probability distributions. The results show that the nitrate concentration in strontium-rich mineral water of the study area ranges from <0.003 to 70.2 mg/L, with a coefficient of variation of 1.24, indicating high data dispersion. The nitrate sources present a mixed pollution characteristic dominated by natural processes and supplemented by human activities. Nitrification dominates biogeochemical processes of strontium-rich mineral water. Soil nitrogen is the primary contributor to nitrate in mineral water, with an average contribution rate of 70.4%, followed by manure; synthetic fertilizers and rainwater together account for less than 1% of the total. Uncertainty analysis shows that contributions of rainwater, synthetic fertilizer, manure, and soil nitrogen to nitrate in strontium-rich mineral water remain stable (UI95 < 0.15), verifying reliable results. This study provides guidance for protecting mineral water quality and sustainable resource exploitation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Knowledge of the Impacts of Contaminants in Aquatic Environments)
16 pages, 922 KB  
Article
Genotoxic Effects of River Waters in Northern Armenia Evaluated with Tradescantia Test Systems
by Rimma Avalyan, Alla Khosrovyan, Bardukh Gabrielyan, Rouben Aroutiounian and Anahit Atoyants
Water 2026, 18(12), 1388; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18121388 - 6 Jun 2026
Viewed by 319
Abstract
The quality of riverine water is largely influenced by anthropogenic activity; however, worldwide monitoring practices remain largely limited to assessing water physicochemical parameters. To evaluate the potential of river contaminants to cause biological effects, two standard tests with the Tradescantia plant were used: [...] Read more.
The quality of riverine water is largely influenced by anthropogenic activity; however, worldwide monitoring practices remain largely limited to assessing water physicochemical parameters. To evaluate the potential of river contaminants to cause biological effects, two standard tests with the Tradescantia plant were used: Trad-SHM (stamen hair mutations) and Trad-MN (appearance of micronuclei in sporogenic cells). Water samples were collected from nine localities along the two rivers of the Kura basin: before and after the towns of Spitak, Vanadzor, Tumanyan, Alaverdi, and before Akhtala. The sampling locations were impacted by different anthropogenic sources—domestic and agricultural (Spitak and Vanadzor) and domestic and mining (Tumanyan, Alaverdi, and Akhtala). The biological responses were compared to water quality monitoring data based on physicochemical parameters (ions and metals). Monitoring results indicated “good” or “average” water quality, except for the exceedance of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Pb concentrations in the mining-affected areas. However, Tradescantia showed significantly increased frequency of hair cell mutations and micronucleus formation from urban/agricultural to mining-affected samples. The multivariate PCA analysis distinguished between the samples by associating ammonium and nitrate levels with the samples from urban/agricultural areas and the concentrations of Fe, Mn, Co, and Al with the biological responses in mining-affected samples. However, most likely, toxic substances in the riverine waters acted synergistically. The results indicated that compliance with chemical standards does not necessarily equate to biological safety. They emphasize the need to incorporate biological effects into monitoring programs to improve their contribution to informed decision-making regarding environmental impacts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Knowledge of the Impacts of Contaminants in Aquatic Environments)
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20 pages, 16556 KB  
Article
Renaturalization Drives Hydromorphological Recovery in Degraded Gravel-Bed Streams in Poland
by Paweł Mikuś
Water 2025, 17(22), 3315; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17223315 - 20 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1719
Abstract
The systematic regulation of Polish gravel-bed watercourses, notably intensified in the latter half of the 20th century, coupled with extensive gravel extraction, have become one of the main factors leading to severe channel incision and degradation of hydromorphological features. This paper investigates river [...] Read more.
The systematic regulation of Polish gravel-bed watercourses, notably intensified in the latter half of the 20th century, coupled with extensive gravel extraction, have become one of the main factors leading to severe channel incision and degradation of hydromorphological features. This paper investigates river renaturalization as a pivotal strategy to restore channel-riparian water connectivity in incised gravel-bed streams of Southern Poland. The river restoration projects were categorized into passive and active techniques. Passive methods, though less common, involve cost-effective methods like the restoration of erodible corridors, island-braided channel patterns, and woody debris presence, while active methods include mainly fish passes, check dam lowering, and artificial riffles. A total of 27 major activities carried out on rivers of Southern Poland were assessed, revealing a trend towards comprehensive renaturalization in collaboration with scientists, pro-environment organizations, and local authorities and communities. Despite the lack of long-term data for most projects, results demonstrated sustained improvements in hydromorphological features, including the shallowing and stabilization of deeply incised channels. Using a natural section of the Czarny Dunajec river, a brief case study was presented to explain the mechanism of spontaneous river renaturalization. It was also shown that a good restoration project should take into account the views of all river stakeholders, anticipate possible development trajectories of a freely migrating river, and assess the potential benefits for both nature and people. Increased deposition of macroplastics together with woody debris in naturally widened river sections, as well as the possible remobilization of pollutants previously trapped in bank sediments, presents an additional challenge for future projects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Knowledge of the Impacts of Contaminants in Aquatic Environments)
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18 pages, 2770 KB  
Article
Distribution Characteristics and Enrichment Mechanisms of Fluoride in Alluvial–Lacustrine Facies Clayey Sediments in the Land Subsidence Area of Cangzhou Plain, China
by Juyan Zhu, Rui Liu, Haipeng Guo, Juan Chen, Di Ning and Xisheng Zang
Water 2025, 17(19), 2887; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192887 - 3 Oct 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1200
Abstract
Compression of clayey sediments not only causes land subsidence but also results in geogenic high fluoride groundwater. The distribution characteristics and enrichment mechanisms of fluoride in alluvial−lacustrine facies clayey sediments in the land subsidence area of Cangzhou Plain, China, were investigated using sample [...] Read more.
Compression of clayey sediments not only causes land subsidence but also results in geogenic high fluoride groundwater. The distribution characteristics and enrichment mechanisms of fluoride in alluvial−lacustrine facies clayey sediments in the land subsidence area of Cangzhou Plain, China, were investigated using sample collection, mineralogical research, and hydrogeochemical and isotopic analysis. The results show that F− concentration of groundwater samples ranged from 0.31 to 5.54 mg/L in aquifers. The total fluoride content of clayey sediments ranged from 440 to 792 mg/kg and porewater F− concentration ranged from 0.77 to 4.18 mg/L. Clay minerals containing fine particles, such as muscovite, facilitate the enrichment of fluoride in clayey sediments, resulting in higher total fluoride levels than those in sandy sediments. The clay porewater F− predominantly originated from the dissolution of water-soluble F and the desorption of exchangeable F from sediments. The F− concentration in porewater was further influenced by ionic interactions such as cation exchange. The stable sedimentary environment and intense compression promoted the dissolution of F–bearing minerals and the desorption of adsorbed F in deep clayey sediments. The similar composition feature of δ2H−δ18O in deep groundwater and clay porewater samples suggests a significant mixing effect. These findings highlight the joint effects of hydrogeochemical and mineralogical processes on F behavior in clayey sediments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Knowledge of the Impacts of Contaminants in Aquatic Environments)
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28 pages, 3117 KB  
Article
Water Vulnerability in Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Gazipur Districts of Bangladesh: The Role of Textile Dye Production
by Kamille Hüttel Rasmussen, Martiwi Diah Setiawati and Kamol Gomes
Water 2025, 17(16), 2475; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17162475 - 20 Aug 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 7320
Abstract
Water and chemical use in textile dye production are exacerbating water pollution and extraction across Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Gazipur in Bangladesh, where these industries are concentrated. However, the ability to cope with water-related challenges is influenced by multiple factors. This study applies descriptive [...] Read more.
Water and chemical use in textile dye production are exacerbating water pollution and extraction across Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Gazipur in Bangladesh, where these industries are concentrated. However, the ability to cope with water-related challenges is influenced by multiple factors. This study applies descriptive spatial analysis to map textile dye clusters, river pollution, and water insecurity. As vulnerability is multidimensional and fluctuates across subdistricts, this study develops a Water Vulnerability Index (WVI) consisting of 25 indicators across demographics, socioeconomics, gender, health, WASH, and climate dimensions. The index is based on Multidimensional Vulnerability Assessment (MDVA) and constructed through multicriteria analysis (MCA). The study highlights that the Shitalakhya, Turag-Tongi Khal, Buriganga, and Balu Rivers are highly polluted, with average biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels exceeding safe limits. Central Dhaka is identified as being extremely water insecure, characterized by significant inequalities in water insecurity across subdistricts. The WVI finds that Gazipur Sadar and Kaliakair subdistricts, housing several textile dye factories, face the highest water vulnerability of the 57 subdistricts. This study furthers the case that Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Gazipur host numerous textile hubs, confront serious water challenges, such as river pollution and water insecurity, and are marked by significant spatial disparities in vulnerability. By exploring anthropogenic pollution alongside multidimensional water vulnerability, this study can inform targeted policy responses, such as stricter regulatory limits, more frequent monitoring and enforcement, and tailored support in high-vulnerability areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Knowledge of the Impacts of Contaminants in Aquatic Environments)
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