Search Results (5,929)

Oxidative stress is a central mechanism underlying the toxicity of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5); however, the source-specific chemical drivers of particle-associated oxidative potential remain incompletely understood. In this study, the oxidative potential (OP) of ambient PM_2.5 in Xi’an was investigated during winter and summer using the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay, with particular emphasis on the toxicological roles of water-soluble metals and emission sources. PM_2.5 exhibited significantly higher volume-normalized OP (DTT_v) in winter, indicating an enhanced particle-associated oxidative stress burden during the heating period. Notably, although water-soluble metals accounted for only a minor fraction of PM_2.5 mass, interpretable machine learning analysis (XGBoost–SHAP) identified potassium and manganese as dominant contributors to OP, highlighting the importance of biomass burning tracers and redox-active transition metals in particle-mediated reactive oxygen species generation. Source apportionment further revealed pronounced seasonal contrasts: dust sources contributed substantially to wintertime OP primarily due to their large mass loading, whereas traffic-related emissions dominated OP in summer owing to their high intrinsic oxidative toxicity. Overall, these findings suggest that variations in PM_2.5 oxidative potential are more closely associated with chemical composition and source-specific oxidative activity than with particle mass alone, providing additional insight into the factors influencing PM-related health risks. Full article

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is an established human carcinogen and was identified as the top chemical hazard in U.S. drinking water. Cr(VI) exposure has been associated with adverse neurological outcomes, while high-fat diet consumption is linked to cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative disease. However, limited evidence exists regarding their combined effects on brain health. This study investigated neurobehavioral changes and brain metal concentrations in young rats exposed to low concentrations of Cr(VI) in drinking water (0.05 mg/L or 0.1 mg/L) while fed a normal-fat or high-fat diet for 90 days. Cr(VI) exposure impaired grip strength in rats, while a high-fat diet attenuated this effect. Co-exposure to Cr(VI) with a high-fat diet reduced exploratory behavior and motor function, increased anxiety, and impaired spatial memory while also decreasing overall activity. Both sociability and social novelty preference were altered by the combined exposure in rats. Notably, Cr(VI) with high-fat diet co-exposure induced sex-specific behavioral changes. High-fat diet affected Cr brain accumulation, and Cr(VI) exposure and high-fat diet disrupted essential metal homeostasis in rat brains with sex differences. Jointly, the results suggest combined exposure to Cr(VI) and a high-fat diet may increase the risk of adverse neurological outcomes. Full article

The persistent residue of antibiotics in aquatic environments and the subsequent global spread of antibiotic resistance (AMR) pose major threats to ecological security and public health. Advanced oxidation processes based on peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, which generate highly reactive species such as sulfate radicals, hydroxyl radicals, singlet oxygen, and high-valent metal-oxo species, have shown remarkable potential for the advanced treatment of antibiotic-contaminated wastewater. In recent years, copper-based single-atom catalysts (Cu SACs), featuring atomically dispersed active centers, nearly 100% atomic utilization, and highly tunable coordination microenvironments, have emerged as a research frontier in PMS activation. This review systematically summarizes the current status of antibiotic pollution and associated eco-health risks, and comprehensively discusses the main synthesis strategies for Cu SACs (e.g., MOF-pyrolysis, salt-assisted templating, nanoconfinement, multi-site synergistic systems, and biomass-derived methods) as well as structural characterization techniques. It focuses on the regulation mechanisms of PMS activation pathways through precise chemical strategies including coordination number regulation, heteroatom doping (S, P, etc.), axial/second-shell coordination engineering, and atomic inter-site spacing modulation. The competitive and synergistic relationships among radical, singlet oxygen, high-valent copper-oxo, and electron transfer pathways are systematically analyzed. Furthermore, this review evaluates the intrinsic activity, selectivity, wide pH adaptability, mineralization efficiency, catalyst stability, and performance in real water matrices for antibiotic degradation by Cu SACs. Finally, it highlights the key scientific challenges and future directions, including the precise construction of single-atom-cluster synergistic systems, integration of in situ/operando characterization with multiscale simulation, scalable synthesis and engineering lifetime validation, machine-learning-assisted high-throughput rational design, and holistic control of environmental risks throughout the treatment chain. Full article

Barbecue (Moo Kratha) restaurants are prevalent in Chiang Mai City, Thailand. However, their PM_2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emissions, compounded by the region’s severe seasonal smoke haze, remain poorly characterized. This study investigated the chemical composition and carcinogenic risk of PM_2.5-bound PAHs in this present environment. Ten PM_2.5 samples were collected from ten charcoal Moo Kratha restaurants during peak evening hours in February 2026 (early dry season) using a portable air sampler operated as a fixed-location (area) sampler positioned at the customer dining table (2 L min⁻¹, 180 min) on quartz fiber filters, and the 16 US EPA priority PAHs were analyzed by GC-MS. Carcinogenic risk was assessed using benzo[a]pyrene toxicity equivalent (TEQ_BaP) concentrations and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for adult and child customers (diners) via the inhalation pathway. The mean concentrations of PM_2.5 and total PAHs were 87.64 µg m⁻³ and 132.74 ng m⁻³, respectively, with carcinogenic PAHs contributing 52.3%; the mean TEQBaP of 15.34 ng m⁻³ provides an internal index of the carcinogenic potency of the PAH mixture. The mean inhalation ILCR for a frequent diner was 2.82 × 10⁻⁵ for adults and 2.12 × 10⁻⁵ for children, rising to 6.16 × 10⁻⁵ and 4.62 × 10⁻⁵, respectively, at the most contaminated site; even an occasional (monthly) diner exceeded the 10⁻⁶ negligible threshold. These findings indicate that charcoal Moo Kratha restaurants are distinct, persistent sources of carcinogenic PAHs that place diners within the upper part of the tolerable cancer-risk range; worker exposure is expected to be higher but was not quantified here, underlining the need for ventilation and occupational-health strategies. Full article

Currently, the significance of oil refinery industry is unquestionable because of the increasing demand for petrochemical products, such as fuels, monomers, and organic chemicals. Despite this, apart from high greenhouse gas emissions, numerous oil and natural gas refining processes are distinctly associated with the generation of a considerable amount of Oil Refinery Wastes (ORWs) in different forms, which need proper disposal and valorization. Nonetheless, at present, solid ORWs are mainly sent to landfills. Such a procedure, apart from high disposal costs, results in significant environmental pollution related to the release of chemical contaminants to soil and water environment. Consequently, these pollutants might poison natural flora and digestive systems of animals, thereby contributing to the general degradation of useful land and a serious health risk. To cope with that issue, ORW recycling in cement-based materials might be considered a reliable course of action, as the hardened concrete is capable to bind contaminants that ORW comprises. This article focuses on actual literature knowledge, limitations, and chances in the scope of a comprehensive approach to sustainable management of ORWs through their utilization in cementitious composites. The special emphasis was placed on presenting the impact provided by the addition of ORWs on the numerous performances of cementitious mixes and hardened concrete. The environmental and economic aspects were also discussed, particularly in the scope of CO₂ emission reductions and cost savings. Finally, the proposal for future tests, including investigating the correlation between valorization of ORWs and toxicity of ORW-blended composites, were proposed. Full article

Objectives: Antiviral vaccines are usually created by inactivating viruses using physical or chemical methods. Inactivation of poliovirus with β-propiolactone (BPL) has advantages, including the absence of a requirement for long-term incubation with the inactivating agent, which minimizes the risk of negative effects of the potentially dangerous substance on the virus and reduces the duration of the inactivation process. Methods: BPL was applied at 0.2% (w/v) concentration under two conditions: 4 °C for 24 h and 37 °C for 3 h. Inactivation completeness was confirmed on Vero cell culture, while immunogenicity was assessed in guinea pigs via neutralizing antibody test. Conclusions: Two variants of virus inactivation made it possible to obtain inactivated samples that retained their immunogenic properties. BPL-inactivated samples retained sufficient D-antigen levels and elicited neutralizing antibodies comparable to or exceeding those from formaldehyde-inactivated controls. The inactivation method at 37 °C provided faster inactivation, while at 4 °C it provided a smooth decrease in virus titer. These results confirm that β-propiolactone is a viable alternative to formaldehyde for the production of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), providing rapid inactivation of the virus compared to inactivation with formaldehyde while maintaining immunogenicity, as confirmed by guinea pig control. Full article

This systematic review summarises advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for foodborne pathogen detection, covering applications in various technologies (AI-assisted microscopy, spectroscopy, biosensors and sensor-based systems), food supply chains, analytical performance, operational metrics and regulatory developments, addressing gaps in previous reviews limited to individual technologies or lacking regulatory analysis. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched from 1 January 2010 to 25 June 2026 using a validated string. Inclusion criteria were explicit detection of a pathogen, clearly described AI/ML algorithm, study evaluation on food or supply chains, and quantitative validation metrics. Exclusion criteria were chemical-only studies, human-diagnostic studies, or purely theoretical studies. Given heterogeneity in the evidence, qualitative quality indicators were favoured over formal quantitative risk-of-bias tools, in distinction to internal cross-validation versus independent external validation. Key data were extracted using a standardised matrix, and after screening and snowballing, the final corpus consisted of 152 studies. CNN (Convolutional Neural Network)-based microscopy provides >99% accuracy in bacterial identification, SERS (Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy) and CNN 98.68% for pathogens and 99.85% for resistant strains. ML-driven biosensors show 80–100% prediction accuracy in the presence of environmental noise. Yet, performance drops dramatically on external validation, with models falling from 95% internal to 78–82% on independent test sets. Supply chain applications cover meat, dairy, seafood and produce, but most are still at pilot scale. The main constraints are data heterogeneity, lack of public benchmarks, matrix interference, non-standard validation protocols, and regulatory dissonance. However, the integration of AI with Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain and edge computing improves sensitivity, reduces false results and enables real-time monitoring despite the challenges. AI is a powerful decision-support tool that complements existing food safety controls rather than replacing them. To translate these technologies reliably into routine practice, effective implementation requires rigorous external validation and regulatory harmonisation. Full article

Ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) contamination in groundwater beneath chemical industrial parks exhibits extreme spatial heterogeneity, yet the comparative effectiveness of spatial prediction methods under such conditions remains poorly understood. At a chemical industrial park in a region of Shanxi Province, northern China, we analyzed 133 monitoring wells sampled across four campaigns (April–October 2024) at two aquifer depths. Global Moran’s I (0.040–0.118) and variogram nugget ratios (>75%) indicated weak spatial autocorrelation. Consequently, on the raw concentration scale, all six geostatistical methods yielded near-zero or negative leave-one-out cross-validation (LOO-CV) R². Evaluated on the log₁₀ scale, machine learning (ML) models achieved positive predictive skills, with Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) performing best (R² ≈ 0.75). Three hybrid ML–kriging methods produced physically coherent plume surfaces while retaining their predictive skills; the April upper-layer result (R² ≈ 0.67)—the only campaign without retained within-well information—best represents spatial generalization, whereas the higher later-campaign values (R² > 0.97) are optimistic. Exceedance probability mapping based on XGBoost (area under the ROC curve, AUC = 0.959) revealed a persistent high-risk zone. Because the geostatistical and ML metrics span different response scales and validation schemes, their comparison is indicative rather than a direct ranking. Spatial autocorrelation diagnostics should precede method selection at point-source-dominated industrial sites. Full article

This study assesses the intrinsic hazards of an energy-integrated gas oil hydrocracking process from a sustainability-oriented process safety perspective. Hydrocracking units are essential in modern refineries for upgrading heavy gas oil fractions into higher-value fuels; however, they operate under severe conditions involving high temperatures, elevated pressures, hydrogen-rich environments, complex process structures, and large inventories of hazardous substances. In this context, improving energy efficiency through heat integration must be evaluated together with its implications for inherent safety and sustainable process design. The Inherent Safety Index (ISI) methodology was applied at the conceptual design stage to quantify the intrinsic risk level of the process and identify the main contributors to chemical and process-related hazards. The results yielded a total ISI value of 46, composed of a chemical safety index of 26 and a process safety index of 20, indicating a high intrinsic hazard level. The most significant contributors were toxic exposure (I_TOX = 6), inventory magnitude (I_I = 5), and process structure (I_ST = 5), while the large ISBL inventory of 2838.3 t, together with operating conditions reaching 456.4 °C and 166.8 bar, substantially increased the inherent risk of the system. Although energy integration contributes to improved thermal performance, the results indicate that it does not significantly reduce the intrinsic hazard level. Sensitivity analysis showed that optimization of operating temperature and pressure could reduce the ISI from 46 to approximately 43. These findings demonstrate that the intrinsic risk of energy-integrated hydrocracking systems is primarily governed by operating severity, hazardous material inventories, and toxicity, highlighting the importance of incorporating inherent safety principles during the conceptual design stage to achieve safer, more resilient, and more sustainable refinery operations. Full article

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease affecting about 10% of reproductive age women, with a significant impact on socio-economic sphere and quality of life. It is a multifactorial phenomenon, in which genetic predisposition, immunologic malfunction, hormone imbalance, and environmental insult play an important role in disease development and progression. The aim of this review is to report the current evidence from the literature related to the association between endometriosis and endocrine disruptors. This study was designed as a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the association between exposure to endocrine disruptors and the risk of endometriosis. The review was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The systematic search identified 428 records from national and international scientific databases. The included studies were published between 2001 and 2020, with most studies classified as fair-to-good quality. The overall random-effects meta-analysis demonstrated a statistically significant association between exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and endometriosis. This systematic review and meta-analysis provides evidence of a significant association between exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and endometriosis, with the strongest and most consistent association observed for polychlorinated biphenyls. Full article

The rapid growth of electronic waste (e-waste) has emerged as a significant global environmental challenge, driven by increased consumption of electronic devices and shortened product lifecycles. E-waste contains a complex mixture of metals, polymers, and hazardous substances that, under physical, chemical, and biological processes, can transform into nanoscale materials. These electronic waste-derived nanomaterials are increasingly recognized for their potential environmental mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity. This review critically examines their generation pathways during recycling and environmental weathering, their release into environmental systems, and associated risks to ecosystems and human health. It also highlights current analytical approaches, regulatory challenges, and sustainable mitigation strategies. Full article

Background: Copper is a trace element involved in key physiological and biochemical processes in humans, animals, and plants, and its homeostasis is tightly regulated. However, excessive exposure may cause adverse health and environmental effects. Copper-based plant protection products contribute to dietary exposure to copper and remain indispensable for the control of several crop diseases. Methods: This review summarizes the current state scientific and regulatory evidence on agricultural copper, identifies major knowledge gaps, and discusses strategies to support its sustainable use. A structured literature review was conducted using the PECO framework to define eligibility criteria, while key principles of the PRISMA 2020 statement were applied to improve the transparency of study identification and selection. Results: The available evidence confirms the dual role of copper as an essential micronutrient and a potentially toxic element, with adverse effects depending on exposure level, chemical form, bioavailability, and physiological status. Although copper remains an effective agricultural tool, long-term use may promote soil accumulation and environmental impacts. Current environmental risk assessment frameworks, originally developed for organic chemicals, do not fully account for the environmental behavior of inorganic metals. The review also examines copper occurrence, biological functions, agricultural uses, environmental fate, toxicity, and regulatory frameworks. Conclusions: Sustainable copper use requires balancing crop protection benefits with human health and environmental protection. Dietary exposure from authorized copper-based PPPs is generally considered negligible according to current EFSA PRIMo assessments, whereas occupational exposure and environmental accumulation remain important concerns. Future environmental risk assessment frameworks should better account for the environmental fate, natural background concentrations, bioavailability, and speciation of inorganic metals such as copper, thereby improving the scientific basis of regulatory decision-making. Full article

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), characterized by their high stability, are typical persistent organic pollutants that pose irreversible risks to human health. Conventional chemical oxidation methods exhibit limitations that hinder effective remediation in practice. In contrast, sulfate-radical-based advanced oxidation processes have emerged as promising alternatives, among which the heat-alkaline activation system for persulfate (PS) demonstrates distinct advantages. In this study, a heat-alkaline-activated PS system was established to investigate the degradation of PAHs in both simulated contaminated soils and coal chemical industrial site soils, as well as the modulatory effects of natural organic matter (NOM). Response surface methodology optimized critical experimental parameters to 12.53 mmol PS dosage, 60.31 °C reaction temperature, and a 1.55 CaO/PS molar ratio. Under these conditions, degradation efficiencies of 98.32% and 82.26% were achieved in simulated and field soils, respectively. Radical test experiments revealed a cooperative mechanism dominated by SO₄⁻• > •OH > O₂⁻• radicals, accompanied by auxiliary involvement of non-radical ¹O₂. Low concentrations of NOM plausibly facilitate degradation via a hypothesized electron transfer protective effect and boosted radical generation, whereas excessive NOM inhibits degradation through competitive consumption of reactive radicals. Density functional theory calculations identified preferred radical attack sites on the aromatic rings of PAHs and corroborated the degradation pathway involving aromatic ring oxidation, functional group addition, ring cleavage, and mineralization. QSAR-based theoretical toxicity predictions via T.E.S.T. suggested that the ultimate degradation products exhibit lower potential toxicity than parent PAHs. Experiments fill the knowledge gap regarding NOM-mediated regulation in heat-alkaline activated PS systems, and elucidate degradation mechanisms and toxicity evolution. Full article

Organophosphate esters (OPEs), extensively employed as flame retardants and plasticizers, have emerged as ubiquitous contaminants in indoor environments following the phase-out of brominated flame retardants. However, the occurrence patterns, source characteristics, and exposure implications of emerging OPE congeners across diverse urban indoor microenvironments remain inadequately elucidated. In this study, twenty-eight OPE congeners were quantified in settled dust collected from eight representative indoor microenvironments and one outdoor reference site in Beijing, China. Total OPE concentrations exhibited pronounced spatial heterogeneity, ranging from 8.46 to 42.60 mg kg⁻¹, with the highest levels observed in subway stations and laboratories. Non-halogenated OPEs dominated the contamination profile, accounting for 80.7% of the total OPEs, whereas Tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP), 2-Ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP), Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP), Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), and Triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) collectively contributed 85.1% of the overall burden. Correlation analysis and positive matrix factorization revealed that indoor OPE contamination was primarily associated with emissions from building materials, polymer-containing consumer products, furniture, and electronic equipment. Transformation-associated compounds such as Bis(2-butoxyethyl) hydroxyethyl phosphate (BBOEHEP) were detected in indoor dust, pointing to the plausible presence of OPE transformation processes in such enclosed settings. Exposure assessment demonstrated that dust ingestion accounted for over 98% of total OPE intake, resulting in substantially higher exposure levels in children than in adults. Although estimated non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks remained below established health-based thresholds, exposure was disproportionately driven by a limited number of congeners, particularly EHDPP, TCIPP, TCEP, and TEHP. These findings highlight the growing contribution of replacement OPEs to indoor chemical burdens and underscore the importance of incorporating transformation products and indoor aging processes into future exposure and risk assessments frameworks. Full article

⁹⁰Sr is a representative anthropogenic radionuclide, widely released into the environment through atmospheric nuclear tests, nuclear accidents, and routine operations of nuclear facilities, resulting in long-term residual contamination in soils worldwide. Its long half-life, high mobility, and chemical similarity to calcium make it easy to enter the food chain through the soil–plant system, thereby posing a persistent threat to ecosystems and human health. Conventional physical and chemical remediation approaches are often costly, ecologically disruptive, and inefficient for large-scale applications, highlighting an urgent need for sustainable, in situ strategies. Moreover, existing knowledge on ⁹⁰Sr behavior has largely been generated from isolated studies, lacking an integrated framework to guide remediation efforts. This review summarizes the migration mechanisms of ⁹⁰Sr in the soil–plant system and the main factors influencing its transport and accumulation. In soil, the migration of ⁹⁰Sr is jointly controlled by soil texture and mineral composition, competing cations, organic matter, soil pH, and moisture, with cation exchange acting as the main immobilization mechanism. Plant uptake and accumulation of ⁹⁰Sr show distinct inter- and intra-species differences, and the distribution generally follows the pattern of vegetative organs > reproductive organs. This process is regulated by root activity, transpiration, and competition with Ca²⁺ transport channels. Agronomic practices such as liming, deep plowing, and balanced fertilization can effectively reduce the phytoavailability of ⁹⁰Sr by promoting ion competition and modifying the rhizosphere environment. Meanwhile, phytoremediation offers a promising green approach for the remediation of contaminated soils. Overall, this review provides a theoretical basis and scientific reference for the risk management and bioremediation of ⁹⁰Sr in soil–plant systems. Full article