Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are key components of atmospheric pollution and play a critical role in ozone (O) formation. Understanding their distribution and pollution sources is essential to grasping the multifaceted impact of VOCs on O production. This study, conducted at the Yinchuan Urban Ecosystem Research Station, carried out simultaneous field observations to collect data on VOCs, meteorological factors, and O. Machine learning algorithms were employed to analyze the sources of VOCs pollution and evaluate their impact on O formation. Results show that the monthly average volume fraction of total VOCs was 29.28×10, with alkanes dominating, accounting for 51.1% of total VOCs during summer at high altitudes. Ethane (3.55×10), n-hexane (3.36×10), and propane (2.85×10) were identified as key components. Artificial source contributed 78.6% of VOCs emissions in summer, with hydrocarbon volatile emission source (31.6%) and vehicle emission source (30.1%) being the major sources, while natural emissions accounted for only 21.4%. VOCs exhibited a notable negative impact on O levels, reflected by a total effect value of -0.29. Among the VOCs components, aromatics, halocarbons, and alkanes were identified as the primary contributors to O dynamics, with respective effect values of 0.84, 0.75, and 0.71, and their contribution rates were quantified as 21.8%, 19.4%, and 18.4%, respectively. Among meteorological factors, temperature was a key determinant of O levels, with a significant positive effect (effect value of 0.58). Temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity primarily influenced O through direct effects, while photosynthetically active radiation indirectly influenced O by affecting VOCs. The findings of this study link pollution sources, meteorological factors, and air quality management. Through systematic multidimensional analysis, it offers deeper insights into the complex relationships between meteorological factors, VOCs, and O in high-altitude areas. These insights provide a scientific basis for formulating precise, region-specific, and component-targeted air pollution control measures.

Temporal trends of contaminants represent an important tool to evaluate the effectiveness of chemical restriction measures. In this work, 50 eggs of Adèlie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) collected along the Ross Sea coasts from 1997 to 2021 were analysed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Some PCB congeners showed a significantly decreasing trend, whereas HCB and p,p'-DDE indicated decreasing but not significant trends, potentially related to the unintentional production of HCB and ongoing use of DDT, even if a contribution from climate-driven remobilisation mechanisms may also play a role. PBDE-47 also indicated a decreasing but not significant trend, which might be explained by the more recent global restriction. PFAS trends agreed with what has been previously observed in the Arctic, i.e. significantly decreasing perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) according to its global ban and increasing long-chain perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs). Correlations with selected climate parameters showed an association between PBDE-47 and sampling year precipitations. To our knowledge, this work represents the longest time trend study of pollutants in penguins from the Ross Sea and the first one reporting PFAS. It highlights the importance of global regulations for the contaminant developments in polar ecosystems.

Globally, exposure to air pollutants (black carbon (BC) and fine particulate matter (PM)) is associated with respiratory diseases, however, research is limited in the Southern United States, particularly in Mississippi. This study investigated the influence of BC, PM, and temperature on daily asthma and respiratory emergency department visits and hospital admissions among individuals ≥ 65 years old in the Jackson, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), over a two-year period. Time-series analysis explored the exposure-lag-response relationship between environmental factors and asthma and respiratory outcomes. During the study period, a total of 1,466 asthma-related and 9,482 respiratory disorder-related admissions were recorded with females representing 74% of asthma-related and 59% of respiratory disorder-related admissions. An interquartile range (IQR: 1.42 μg m) increase in BC concentration was associated with an increased risk of respiratory disorder-related admissions at lag 0, with a RR of 1.013 (95% CI: 1.001-1.026) for all data, and an RR of 1.020 (95% CI: 1.003-1.038) for the female subgroup. Neither BC nor PM was identified to be associated with asthma-related admissions. Springtime exposure to an IQR increase in BC (1.42 μg m) and PM (6.91 μg m) significantly increased the risk of asthma-related admissions at lag 1, with a RR of 1.490 (95% CI: 1.207 - 1.840) and 1.471 (95% CI: 1.010 - 2.143), respectively. Lower temperatures increased the risk of respiratory disorder-related admissions, with elevated RRs observed 10 to 25 days post-exposure. This study indicates that BC exposure, particularly among females, was more strongly associated with respiratory disorder-related admissions than PM exposure. Temperature variations exhibited a significant impact on respiratory disorder-related admissions compared to asthma-related admissions. BC revealed a significant antagonistic interaction with temperature, while PM showed no interaction. Identifying environmental factors affecting human health in disparity-prone areas like Mississippi is crucial to protect public health.

Airborne particulate matter (PM) pollution comprises various air-colloidal particles including gases, organic and inorganic particles. Over the past few years, a growing number of studies have shown that PM has a disastrous effect on the human cardiovascular system, particularly in relation to cardiac arrhythmias. However, the mechanisms underlying these observed effects have not yet been clearly defined. In this review, the electronic database PubMed was used as the source of selected peer-reviewed research articles published in English. Both pre-clinical studies and clinical trials were obtained using "particulate matter", "cardiac arrhythmias", "ion channel" and "cardiomyocytes" as keywords. We present evidence pertinent to the potential mechanisms underlying PM-induced cardiac arrhythmias, drawing from results spanning in vitro to clinical studies, with a particular focus on the profile of vulnerable cardiac ion channels. At a cellular level, PM has been shown to up-regulate the expression of myocardial Ca ion channel proteins, increase Ca release from ryanodine 2 (RyR2) and decrease sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) re-uptake of Ca, leading to intracellular Ca overload. Additionally, the disruption of myocardial Ca homeostasis has been shown to aggravate the production of mitochondrial ROS, inflammatory cytokines, and apoptotic cascades, which may potentially contribute to arrhythmic substrates, especially in high-risk patients. The upregulation of genes encoding sodium (Na) and potassium (K) channels caused by PM has been implicated in the induction of QT prolongation and alterations in action potentials related to cardiac arrhythmias. Finally, we discuss potential interventions to mitigate PM-induced cardiac pathology and propose future directions for these therapeutic strategies.

Knowledge of geogenic and anthropogenic rare earth elements and yttrium (REY) in fjords in Norway and elsewhere is still limited despite the importance of fjords for biodiversity and economy and the known ecotoxicity of the REY. We provide complete sets of REY data for fjord waters and a river in southern Norway and for several stations along the coasts of Denmark and Sweden, which characterise Baltic Sea outflow water. Shallow fjord waters show high REY concentrations and shale-normalised () patterns that resemble those of the river water input. Deeper waters show lower concentrations, seawater-like REY patterns, and the Pr/Tb ratios (≥ 0.5) typical of fjord waters. Some of the samples show elevated Gd/Tb ratios and distinct positive Gd anomalies, revealing the presence of anthropogenic Gd originating from constrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We emphasise that all water samples from the Baltic Sea outflow taken over a twelve months period show large positive Gd anomalies, suggesting permanent input of anthropogenic Gd from the Baltic Sea into the Skagerrak. Combined with literature data, our results suggest that the anthropogenic Gd in the fjords of southern Norway is not derived from local sources. It rather originates from the Baltic Sea and southern North Sea and is transported northward by currents along the coasts of Sweden, Denmark and Germany. If application of Gd-based contrast agents in MRI continues to increase, this signal will get stronger in the future and be transported even further north. Overall, our data for geogenic REY and anthropogenic Gd in fjord and bay waters from southern Norway and in the Baltic Sea outflow show that local hydrography exerts an important control on the concentration and distribution of trace elements which may be (micro)nutrients and/or (micro)pollutants in fjords and needs to be considered in environmental impact studies.

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive as emerging pollutants in ambient particles and may pose a potential threat to human health through respiratory exposure. Especially, impact of climate change has led to an extended blooming period for many plants, resulting in elevated pollen levels in the air, and leading to a continuous increase in the number of individuals suffering from allergenic diseases. However, the interactions between the MPs and allergenic proteins, remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated cellular toxicity of the MPs and Platanus pollen allergenic protein (Pla a3) based on the characterization of two typical microplastics (polystyrene, PS and polyethylene, PE). Our results indicated that UV irradiation could make surface alterations of the MPs, including breakage, particle size reduction, and an increase in surface oxygen-containing functional groups. These changes significantly enhanced the adsorption of the Pla a 3 protein. The 'protein coronas' formed by the MPs and the Pla a3 caused more damage to the A549 cells than Pla a3 alone. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and elevated superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels increased significantly after the A549 cells were exposure to the protein coronas. This excessive oxidative stress led to significant inflammation and cytokine production increase, with IL-1β, IL-4, IFN-γ, and TNF-α levels rising by 1.84 ± 0.01, 2.37 ± 0.04, 1.94 ± 0.09, and 2.19 ± 0.05-fold times respectively compared to that of the Pla a 3 exposure alone. This study provided a fundamental data for further research for the allergenicity induced by the pollen proteins.

Non-tailpipe emissions have gained growing attention as an emerging source of traffic-related air pollution, especially as tailpipe emissions decline. This study conducted extensive mobile measurements in a high-density urban area over two years to investigate the spatial variability of resuspended road dust and evaluate the real-world effectiveness of street sweeping. Resuspended particulate matter (PM), specifically PM and PM, was measured alongside pollutants from tailpipe and non-tailpipe sources. The mobile sampling revealed substantial spatial variability in resuspended PM with notably higher concentrations on local streets compared to major roads. This spatial pattern contrasted with tailpipe-related black carbon and ultrafine particles, which were elevated near highways, commercial, and industrial zones. Nearby construction and renovation activities were major contributors to resuspended PM on local streets. As a result, school neighborhoods in residential areas and open spaces may experience acute exposure to road dust PM. Street sweepers equipped with regenerative air systems were generally ineffective in reducing resuspended PM under real-world conditions. This trend was consistent across different types of regenerative sweepers and operational modes, except for one sweeper equipped with an advanced filtration system showing some reduction in resuspended PM. Operational factors, including sweeper speed and water spraying, substantially influenced PM resuspension. While water spraying reduced on-road PM during sweeping, excessive use resulted in unintended increases in both resuspended and on-road PM concentrations afterward. While street sweeping helps to manage debris on road surfaces, these findings underscore the need to optimize sweeping practices and develop strategies to improve near-road air quality.

Understanding current regional background ozone concentrations can clarify their ability to meet air quality standards. In this study, the regional background ozone concentration was defined as the stable concentration of ozone caused by large-scale winds. Therefore, on the basis of an experimental equation, the national regional background ozone concentration was calculated via national hourly ozone concentration and wind speed observational data from 2015 to 2023. This study divided China into five regions according to the spatial distributions of climatic zones and regional background ozone concentrations. The regional background ozone concentration in China was low in the northeast (77.3 ± 5.7 μg/m) and southeast monsoon (79.3 ± 5.2 μg/m) regions and high in the southwest monsoon region (94.5 ± 8.0 μg/m) and northern region (95.3 ± 7.1 μg/m). The regional background concentration of the plateau region was considered high at the national level (99.6 ± 4.8 μg/m). This study highlights that the regional background ozone concentration in plains is related to soil NOx, and that that in plateaus is related to altitude (stratospheric intrusion and strong radiation). Cross-border transport from Southeast Asia contributed significantly to regional background ozone in Southwest China. Given the differences in regional background ozone concentrations, the ability to meet national air quality standards varies across regions. The plateau, northern, and southwest monsoon regions presented high regional background ozone concentrations, which indicates that these regions are under great pressure to reduce emissions.

In the realm of agricultural chemical research, elucidating the mechanisms underlying the selectivity of quinone outside inhibitors (QoIs) is crucial for guiding the development of novel pesticides. In this study, differences in the selectivity and toxicity of 12 QoIs were evaluated using three organisms (Magnaporthe oryzae, zebrafish, and rice) present in paddy fields. The interplay between the specific mechanisms of QoIs selectivity among different organisms and the variations in individual toxicity remains unclear. Therefore, the distinct levels of enrichment behavior, cell toxicity, and target enzyme toxicity of 12 QoIs across three organisms were investigated in this research. Additionally, an attempt was made to analyze the correlation between structural parameters and the degree of toxicity at the tissue, cellular, and target levels to establish the regulatory direction of QoIs activity and toxicity. The results revealed that cytotoxicity and target enzyme toxicity played significant roles in the toxicity observed in individuals, specifically in fish and fungus, respectively. The results of this study revealed a significant negative correlation between the bioconcentration factor (BCF) in biological tissues and fish toxicity (LC) (P<0.05), but no significant correlation between BCF of fungus and fungitoxicity (EC) was detected (P>0.05). Reducing the Log P (octanol-water partition coefficient) and further changing tissue enrichment could balance the toxicity and activity of QoIs in organisms. On the basis of the aforementioned findings, introducing hydrophilic groups into the structure of pyraclostrobin with lower Log P values was an effective strategy for designing new QoI structures. These modified structures demonstrated reduced toxicity to fish and promising fungitoxicity against rice blast fungus compared with pyraclostrobin. This study provides valuable insights for regulatory measures in the design and development of effective and safe new QoIs in paddy fields, further reducing adverse impacts on paddy fields and aquatic ecosystems.

In the context of climate change, there is a trend of earlier onset and longer duration of ambient ozone (O) pollution in the Sichuan Basin (SCB). On 21-March 26, 2024, an O exceedance event occurred in the Chengdu Plain and southern SCB during early springtime, when moderate pollution rarely emerged before. The environmental and meteorological observation data, reanalysis dataset, and the WRF-Chem model coupling Integrated Process Rate (IPR) method were employed to examine the synoptic patterns and the transport mechanisms conducive to O pollution episode. The statistical results showed that MDA8 O concentration exceeding 160 μg/m amounted to 40 and 63 stations on the 22nd and 23rd in the SCB, respectively. The maximum MDA8 O of 222 μg/mobserved on the 23rd in Zigong located in southern SCB. The synoptic pattern revealed that it was the successive arrival of the southern trough and plateau trough that made the southwestern basin to be controlled by a warm low-pressure system, which consequently led to pollutant accumulation. The strong vertical advection was the reason for the ground-level O surge during the first pollution stage of March 21st to 23rd. Under the influence of northwesterly winds, the O-enriched air parcel was subsequently conveyed downstream to southern SCB, with the elevated local temperature exacerbating the O formation. The contribution of horizontal advection was ∼9.03 times higher than the chemical contribution in the southern SCB. During the pollution's later stage, increased wind speed and presence of precipitation were crucial for the enhanced vertical mixing, which ultimately leaded to the O decrease. Our result advances early spring O pollution mechanism and their interactions with distinctive topographic and meteorological conditions over the SCB.

South Africa stands out as a prominent global contributor of mercury (Hg) emissions, a matter of great concern due to its toxic nature and potential serious health effects on biota if it enters the environment. Mercury enters freshwater systems through various anthropogenic activities, such as emissions from coal-fired power stations and artisanal gold mining. Studies have indicated that bivalves accumulate metals from their aquatic environment. The freshwater bivalve genus Corbicula is widely distributed across South Africa and is relatively abundant. Given the widespread presence of Corbicula clams in South Africa, they have the potential to serve as bioindicators for Hg pollution in freshwater ecosystems. A total of 34 sites were sampled across the northeastern part of South Africa, with Corbicula clams found at 15 of these sites. At each site, a minimum of five clams were collected, alongside water and sediment samples. Total Hg (THg) concentrations were determined in sediment and clam samples using a flow injection mercury system. Total Hg concentrations in sediment samples correlated with different land-use activities, where sites closer to Hg sources had higher THg concentrations. This study also found higher environmental THg concentrations in the Olifants, and Inkomati Water Management Areas as reported 12 years ago. Clam THg concentrations were found to be higher than in the corresponding sediment samples, specifically in larger clams, suggesting longer Hg exposure at some sites. A weak positive correlation was found between sediment and clam THg concentrations, suggested that bioaccumulation may be influenced more by exposure period, rather than exposure concentrations. This study highlights the potential for these clams to serve as effective bioindicators since the accumulation of THg in their tissue can provide a better overview of the bioavailable THg in the aquatic system, compared to abiotic environmental samples alone.

Ozone (O) pollution poses an increasingly serious threat to forest ecosystems. To investigate the effects of O exposure on Quercus aliena and elucidate its defense mechanisms, we exposed Q. aliena to O and monitored its responses using physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses. The results revealed that after 84 days of O exposure, the malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents in Q. aliena leaves significantly increased, while catalase (CAT) activity and soluble sugar content significantly decreased. Notably, N addition markedly alleviated O-induced oxidative stress. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that N addition under O stress modulated metabolic pathways associated with flavonoid biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism. Specifically, O and N treatment increased the levels of rhoifolin, afzelechin, apigenin, luteoloside, kaempferol, and trifolin, while reducing the levels of phloretin, butin, cyanidin, taxifolin, myricetin, 2'-hydroxydaidzein, laricitrin, quercetin, prunin, luteolin, eriodictyol, quercitrin, and dihydromyricetin. Additionally, the co-treatment elevated the concentrations of L-glutamine, arginine, and ornithine, along with the levels of enzymes closely related to their synthesis, such as glnA (Uni0006561, Uni0006562, Uni0077758, Uni0101990), GSH (Uni0086646, Uni0101788), GSS (Uni0037737), and GCLC (Uni0034253). This study elucidates the metabolic alterations in Q. aliena under combined O and N treatments, highlighting changes in flavonoid biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism pathways. Using a multi-omics approach, we provide comprehensive insights into the responses of Q. aliena to O stress and N addition, offering significant implications for the management and conservation of forest ecosystems under environmental stress.

Recently, lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) has been widely used for internal phosphorus control in eutrophication management. Generally, LMB application results in the formation of LMB layer, which can affect the surface sediment environment and may affect organisms living on the sediment surface. To explore it, we studied the effects of LMB on the macroinvertebrate Gammarus pulex. In a 3-day habitat choice trial, compared with the pebbles covered with sand, bentonite or LMB, G. pulex preferred the uncovered pebbles. In a 4-day acute toxicity trial, one death was found in the 500, 1000 and 2000 g m LMB treatments, respectively. In a 7-day feeding trial, the feeding rate of G. pulex in the Low, Middle and High-LMB treatments was lower than that in the control by 19 %, 59 % and 55 %, respectively. In a 21-day survival trial, the survival rate of G. pulex in the control was significantly higher than in Low, Middle and High-LMB treatments regardless of the presence of sediment. Our results show that G. pulex preferred a substrate environment with gap and shelter. There was no acute toxicity of LMB to G. pulex, but LMB covered the leaves, thus reducing its feeding rate on leaves. In addition, with food restrictions and unwelcome changes in the environment by LMB, intraspecific competition and cannibalism of G. pulex might be enhanced, resulting in a reduced survival rate of G. pulex under LMB application. Hence, our study indicates that extended experimental studies and in situ monitoring of macroinvertebrates after LMB applications are needed.

Microbial contamination in soils, encompassing human bacterial pathogens (HBPs), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and virulence factor genes (VFGs), poses a significant threat to human health via the food chain. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive assessments of microbial contamination and associated health risks of ARGs in agricultural soils. In this study, metagenomic sequencing was used to evaluate microbial contamination in grain-based cropping soils (rice cultivation) and non-grain cropping soils (vegetable cultivation and aquaculture). The results showed that the diversity and abundance of HBPs and VFGs were significantly higher in non-grain soils. Further resistome analysis revealed higher abundances of high-risk (from 0.014 to 0.018 - 0.023) and "last-resort" ARGs (from 0.007 to 0.034 - 0.046) in non-grain soils. Besides ARGs abundance, health risk quantification revealed that non-grain soils exhibited 1.49 to 2.14-fold greater ARG-related risks than grain-based soils. Additionally, stronger network associations were found between HBPs, ARGs, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in non-grain soils. This study indicated that the non-grain cropping pattern of soils elevated the risk of microbial contamination and ARGs health risk, which provided an important basis for accurately quantifying the risk of microbial contamination in different agricultural soils.

Benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BZT-UVs), applied in many commodities and industrial products, are frequently detected in the aquatic environment. However, the bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of BZT-UVs in the food web of drinking water reservoirs are rarely investigated. The bio-accumulative characteristics and trophic transfer of eight BZT-UVs in the aquatic organisms in Miyun Reservoir, Beijing, China, were studied by integrating contaminant measurements and biological pathway modelling. The sum concentration of BZT-UVs in the biota samples ranged from 8.45 to 57.8 ng/g dry weight (dw), with a median of 19.7 ng/g dw. UV-327 and UV-P were predominant in aquatic organisms, mutually accounting for more than 50% of the massive contents of all BZT-UVs. BZT-UVs were accumulated in the liver and kidney in most fish species, especially for UV-327, UV-328 and UV-P. UV-328 exhibited the potential of trophic magnification in the aquatic food web, while UV-327 and UV-P were trophic dilution. Gill respiration was the major biological pathway for BZT-UV uptake in fish. As predicted by biological pathway model, modulating of the fish species in reservoirs, such as replacement of bighead carp by silver carp in fish stocking, may affect the flow of trophic transfer and mitigate the pollution level of BZT-UVs in the entire food web.

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) of India launched in 2019, aims to significantly reduce air pollution in its major hotspots, placing major attention on particulate matter. However, Nitrogen dioxide (NO) a criteria pollutant, also needs attention due to its role in secondary aerosol formation and associated adverse health impacts. Considering this, the current study examines the continuously changing tropospheric vertical column density (VCD) NO trends (2005-2023) over 131 polluted cities (non-attainment cities). Based on geographic locations, these cities were categorized into different zones, and their co-located Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) based tropospheric VCD NO trends (yearly, seasonal) were studied. Tropospheric VCD NO over all the zones shows a statistically significant increasing trend (linear regression) with an annual increase of 1 - 4 × 10 molecules cmy. Seasonal-trend decomposition using LOESS (STL) trend component analyzed with linear regression and Mann-Kendall test also showed a similar statistically significant increasing trend in almost all zones across India. However, from 2017-2023, tropospheric NO across all zones of India except the Northeast (NEAST) showed a declining trend. The highest decline was over Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) of around 7 × 10 molecules cmy but found statistically significant only with the Mann-Kendall test. Moreover, there has been an average reduction of 1.9% per year in tropospheric VCD NO over non-attainments cities since 2017 which can be linked to the implementation of upgraded vehicular exhaust standards (Bharat Stage VI), electric vehicle popularisation, NCAP, and strict regulatory implementations. Interestingly, the average VCD NO in 2023 has reached similar levels to the COVID-19 lockdown year. While understanding the factors influencing the trend of tropospheric VCD NO, the feature importance of random forest methods shows that factors vary in zones and trends are influenced by month, meteorological factors, and forest fires in different zones across India.

The emergence of mcr-1-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex (MP-KpSC) poses a significant threat to public health due to its resistance to last-resort antibiotics like colistin. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, genomic characteristics, and transmission features of MP-KpSC in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Shanghai, China. A total of 13 (0.36 %) MP-KpSC isolates were identified, including 12 K. pneumoniae and 1 K. quasipneumoniae subsp. similipneumoniae (Kqps). Nine multidrug-resistant (MDR) MP-KpSC and 3 extensively drug-resistant (XDR) MP-KpSC strains were identified. Twenty-two resistance determinants were present in over 30 % of the strains, with the most prevalent being mcr-1 (100 %), floR (84.62 %), mphA (69.23 %), and tet(A) (69.23 %). MP-KpSC exhibited 11 sequence types, 4 plasmid types, 6 mcr-1-flanked regions, 4 clonal groups, and diverse serotypes. In 53.85 % of strains, transposons were identified within the mcr-1-flanked regions. One strain contained both mcr-8.2 and mcr-1 gene. Notably, the mcr-1 gene was identified for the first time in Kqps and was located on the conjugative IncP1 plasmid, with ISApl1 elements upstream of it. Worryingly, two carbapenem- and colistin-resistant XDR MP-KpSC stains, and three possible hypervirulence (hv) were found in MDR MP-KpSC strains. Moreover, multiple virulence genes and mcr-1, on the same contig with IS679 insert element. The evolutionary trajectories of these strains among WWTPs-human-animals were unveiled in Shanghai. The study reveals that WWTPs serve as critical environmental reservoirs for MP-KpSC, highlighting the potential transmission risks posed by XDR and hv strains to both humans and aquatic ecosystems. These findings advocate for the implementation of active surveillance targeting WWTPs to curb the spread of MP-KpSC.

Microplastics, particularly polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), have emerged as significant environmental pollutants, with growing concerns about their impact on various biological processes. However, the effects of chronic PMMA exposure on hepatic lipid metabolism remain insufficiently studied. This research aimed to examine the consequences of chronic exposure to PMMA particles of different sizes (100 nm and 2 μm) on hepatic lipid metabolism in mice. Female C57BL/6J mice were administered PMMA particles in drinking water over an 8-week period, and the effects on intestinal and liver morphology and function were evaluated. Histopathological analyses, gut microbiota profiling, and serum and liver assays were conducted to assess oxidative stress, lipid metabolism-related biomarkers, and liver metabolomics. The results revealed that PMMA particles accumulated in both the liver and colon, causing liver injury characterized by elevated ALT and AST levels. The exposure also induced oxidative stress by inhibiting the NRF2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Furthermore, PMMA exposure resulted in significant alterations to the gut microbiota and hepatic metabolism. These changes were linked to increased microbial diversity, which impacted cholesterol metabolism through the gut-liver axis. Additionally, the activation of the PI3K/AKT/PPARγ signaling pathway disrupted hepatic lipid metabolism, leading to increased cholesterol synthesis and hepatic lipid accumulation. This study underscores the potential of PMMA to disrupt both hepatic lipid metabolism and gut microbiota composition, suggesting a novel mechanism by which PMMA exposure could contribute to metabolic disorders and liver disease.

With increasing mining and production of the rare earth elements (REE), it is important to quantify their potential environmental impacts. The objective of this study was to quantitatively relate REE biouptake to exposure under carefully controlled laboratory conditions. Internalization fluxes of three REE cations (La, Ce, and Y) were measured at environmentally relevant concentrations (10 - 5 × 10 M) in order to determine the stability constants of their interaction with biological uptake sites in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (logK = 7.9 M; logK = 7.6 M; logK = 7.8 M). Biouptake for cation pairs and ternary metal mixtures confirmed a competitive (antagonistic) interaction among the three REE that was well predicted using constants from the single metal experiments, indicating that the REE shared a common uptake site. Competition for Ca and Mg was also quantified, and while less important than for the REE, the constants (logK = 4.7 M; logK = 3.8 M) indicated that water hardness will nearly completely reduce biouptake and effects of the REE for environmentally relevant concentrations of the hardness ions (e.g. biouptake reduced by ∼78 % for a [Ca]/[REE] of 10 and ∼97 % for [Ca]/[REE] of 10).

The Yangtze River Estuary is considered as a critical transition zone for terrestrial organophosphate esters (OPEs) transported to the open sea, yet their environmental behavior and influencing drivers remain inadequately investigated. Here, we examine the occurrence of eleven OPEs across water, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and sediment, which reveals moderate pollution levels compared to other Chinese estuaries. The OPE partitioning processes are dependent on compound-specific partition coefficients (log K), hydraulic factors, and terrestrial input. Compounds with lower log K remain mostly dissolved or particulate-bound, whereas higher log K OPEs tend to be deposited in sediment. Riverine input and output emerge as the dominant transport pathways for OPEs within the YRE, with an annual input flux of 677 tons. Modeling reveals that tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), and triethyl phosphate (TEP) face significant resuspension risks, indicating their increased transport into the open sea, while tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) presents a remarkable sedimentary risk due to its high hydrophobicity. The results suggest that the YRE functions as a source for resuspension-prone compounds and a sink for sediment-bound OPEs, demonstrating their distinct environmental fates. Additionally, aggravating pollution of OPEs has been observed in the Pearl River, Yellow River, and Yangtze River Estuaries with sustained wastewater discharge and rapid urbanization. This study provides an overview of the partitioning processes, transport mechanisms, and anthropogenic threats, thus underlining the need for effective pollution mitigation to protect estuarine ecosystems and promote sustainable water management.

In recent times, the presence of microplastics (MPs) in rivers and groundwater has been widely reported. Even though the drinking water treatment process is effective, MPs can reach drinking water and compromise its safety. In this study, we determine the six main types of polymers (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PE), polystyrene (PS) and polycarbonate (PC)) in surface and drinking water. A previously developed and validated method based in in pyrolysis-gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) was used. The study site is the Llobregat river basin (the main source of drinking water in Barcelona) and in 5 areas of the Barcelona drinking water distribution network. In the Llobregat river and its tributaries (n=17 samples), ΣMPs increased downstream to 544 μg/L at the inlet of the Sant Joan Despí drinking water treatment plant (DWTP). Most of the MPs were eliminated during the water treatment process and were detected in drinking water at an average concentration of ΣMPs of 0.49 μg/L in 9 samples out of 21 analysed. PE and PVC were the main polymers detected both in the surface water and in the drinking water supply network, followed by a punctual detection of PP. The proposed strategy is in line with Decision (EU) 2024/1441 laying down the methodology to measure MPs in water intended for human consumption.