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Fish exhibit varying responses to polystyrene microplastics (MPs) depending on particle size. Previous studies suggested that microorganisms adhering to the surface of MPs can induce toxic effects. In this study, Tilapia were exposed to MPs of control (group A), 75 nm (B), 7.5 μm (C), 750 μm (D), as well as combinations of all sizes (E) and 75 nm MPs with Chlorella vulgaris addition (F) for 7, 10 and 14 days. Histopathological changes in liver of tilapia were assessed using enzyme activities, transcriptomics and proteomics. The results showed that in groups combined MPs of different particle sizes and those supplemented with chlorella, MPs were localized on the surface of goblet cells, leading to vacuoles, constricted hepatic sinuses and nuclei displacement. Exposure to 7.5 and 750 μm MPs significantly increased the contents of fatty acid synthase (FAS), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), total cholesterol (TC), total triglyceride (TG) contents at 7 and 10 days. In particular, cytochrome p450 1a1 (EROD), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were markedly elevated following exposure to MPs. Apoptotic markers caspase-3, and inflammatory markers, including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), had a similar upward trend in comparisons of group C vs A at 7 d, group D vs A at 14 d. The peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway, spliceosome, was highly enriched during the 7-day exposure of medium sized MPs, while largest MPs in the comparison of group D vs A at 14 d activated pathways such as phagosome, apoptosis, salmonella infection. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that after 14 days, the kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathways associated with protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum and the PPAR signaling has been significantly enriched in the Chlorella-supplemented group, which was further confirmed via the proteomic analysis. Overall, the findings highlight the size-dependent effects of MPs on histopathological changes, gene and protein expression in the liver of tilapia, and C. vulgaris effectively attenuated liver damages, likely through modulation of endoplasmic reticulum protein processing and PPAR signaling pathways., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A promising water treatment technology involves inducing the polymerization of organic pollutants to form corresponding polymers, enabling rapid, efficient, and low CO 2 emission removal of these pollutants. However, there is currently limited research on utilizing polymerization treatment technology for removing tetracyclines from water. In this study, we synthesized a laccase-mimic nanozyme (Cu-ATZ) with a high Cu + ratio using 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole as a ligand inspired by natural laccase. The Cu-ATZ exhibited enhanced resistance to more severe application conditions and improved stability compared to natural laccase, thereby demonstrating a broader range of potential applications. The excellent catalytic properties of Cu-ATZ enabled the nanozyme to be used in the polymerization process to remove tetracyclines from water. In order to simulate actual antibiotic pollution of water bodies, tetracyclines were added to the water from sewage treatment plants. Following Cu-ATZ treatment of the water sample, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) content was found to have decreased by over 80 %. In conclusion, this study presented a novel approach for tetracycline elimination from water., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Urban rivers worldwide have been increasingly threatened by nitrate (NO 3 - ) pollution. The Xianyang-Xi'an segment of the Weihe River, located in the loess plateau with serious soil erosion, has been highly urbanized and with intensive agricultural activities. Tracing the sources and transformations of NO 3 - is particularly challenging for this watershed which has multiple N sources and variable environmental factors. In this study, integrating antecedent studies with multiple stable isotopes and MixSIAR models, these river basins can be categorized into three classes: (1) urban areas, sewage, and manure were the predominant sources of NO 3 - in the Weihe River's mainstream, accounting for 73.4 ± 12.8%; (2) suburban areas, sewage and manure (Fenghe River, 58.0 ± 14.0%; Bahe River, 53.9 ± 15.0%) were recognized as the main sources of NO 3 - ; (3) and the rural areas, ammonium nitrogen fertilizers were identified as the primary source of NO 3 - in the Heihe and Laohe Rivers. In addition, nitrification dominated the mainstream of the Weihe, Fenghe, and Bahe Rivers, while neither denitrification nor nitrification was evident in the Heihe and Laohe Rivers. In conclusion, this study is important for the improvement of surface water quality of rivers with different land use types and the development of targeted water environment management., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

To understand the environmental impact of anthropogenic activities, the high-resolution temporal and compositional variations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), oxygenated PAHs, and synthetic musks, related to human activities were investigated in a sediment core taken from the Pearl River Estuary, southern China. The temporal trend of the target compounds was evidence of the considerable impact of anthropogenic activities in the Pearl River Delta. Two significant increases of the target compounds levels in the sediment core were aligned with two nodes of key periods of economic development in China, namely, the foundation of People's Republic of China (1950s) and China's accession to the World Trade Organization (2000s). Subsequently, the significant decline of the target compounds in sediments from the 2010s indicated the successful regulation of pollutant discharges and pollution control measures. The increase in the contribution of higher molecular weight PAHs suggested a potential transition from agricultural activities to industrial activities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Gabapentin (GBP), an antiepileptic drug to treat epilepsy and neuropathic pain, has become an emerging pollutant in aquatic environments. Previous results suggested that GBP can cause a potential toxicity on the heart development of zebrafish but its cardiovascular effects are still not clear. In the current study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to GBP at environmental relevant concentrations (0, 0.1, 10 and 1000 μg/L) to assess its impact on cardiovascular systems during the early life stage of zebrafish. GBP exposure induced an increase in heartbeat rate and blood flow. The development of blood vessels was also affected with the vascular width significantly decreased at 10 μg/L and higher concentration of GBP. GBP exposure led to an abnormal vascular development by inhibiting the expression of relevant genes (flk1, vegfr-3, gata1, vegfα, and vegfr-2). Furthermore, GBP at 0.1 μg/L elevated the levels of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzyme. The vascular cell apoptosis was promoted through genes like p53, bad, and bcl2. However, these adverse effects were reversible with the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine, highlighting the crucial role of oxidative damage in GBP induced vascular toxicity. This research offers new perspectives on the adverse outcome pathways of antiepileptic drugs in non-target aquatic organisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated dissolved PAHs and OCPs in Quanzhou Bay estuaries, assessed their ecological risk, and examined anthropogenic impacts on contaminant distribution. Results showed that dissolved ∑ 24 PAH concentrations ranged from 117 to 709 ng/L (mean: 358 ng/L), with dominance of 2-ring PAHs (Naphthalene, 1-Methylnaphthalene, and 2-Methylnaphthalene). Dissolved DDT levels ranged from 0.06 to 0.49 ng/L (mean: 0.28 ng/L), while HCBz concentrations varied from 0.02 to 0.44 ng/L (mean: 0.20 ng/L). PAHs were higher in the north due to urbanization and transport, while OCPs showed higher levels in the south due to historical agricultural use. Rural areas, water bodies, and wetlands significantly influenced the behavior of PAHs according to Spearman correlation and lasso regression analyses. Quanzhou Bay was categorized as a low to medium risk area based on dispersion simulation and ecological risk assessment, highlighting implications for future sustainable development and policy planning. CAPSULE: The coupled relationship between human activities and the distribution of dissolved PAHs and OCPs in urbanized estuaries was explored using statistical methods and GIS technology, providing valuable insights into environmental processes and pollutant control policies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

There have been growing concerns regarding the health and environmental impacts of trace organic pollutants (TOPs). However, fresh leachate from municipal solid waste (MSW) has been overlooked as a potential reservoir of TOPs. Therefore, we investigated 90 legacy and emerging TOPs in fresh leachate from 14 provinces and municipalities in China. Additionally, the fate and final discharge impacts of TOPs in 14 leachate treatment systems were analyzed. The results revealed that the detection rate of 90 TOPs was over 50 % in all samples. Notably, polychlorinated biphenyls, banned for 40 years, were frequently detected in fresh leachate. The concentration of pseudo-persistent TOPs (10 5 -10 7 ng/L) is significantly higher than that of persistent TOPs (10 2 -10 4 ng/L). Spatial distribution patterns of TOPs in fresh leachate suggest that economy, population, climate, and policies impact TOPs discharge from MSW. For example, economically developed and densely populated areas displayed higher TOPs concentrations, whereas warmer climates facilitate TOPs leaching from MSW. We confirmed that waste classification policies were a key driver of the decline in multiple TOPs in leachate. Mass balance analysis shows that the final effluent and sludge from current dominant leachate treatment systems contain refractory TOPs, especially perfluoroalkyl acids, which must be prioritized for control. This paper was the first comprehensive investigation of multiple TOPs in fresh leachate at a large geographic scale. The factors affecting the occurrence, spatial distribution, and fate of TOPs in fresh leachate were revealed. It provides a valuable reference for the establishment of policies for the management of TOPs in MSW and the associated leachate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The screening and design of "green" biochar materials with high adsorption capacity play a pivotal role in promoting the sustainable treatment of Cd(II)-containing wastewater. In this study, six typical machine learning (ML) models, namely Linear Regression, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Decision Tree, CatBoost, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Backpropagation Neural Network, were employed to accurately predict the adsorption capacity of Cd(II) onto biochars. A large dataset with 1051 data points was generated using 21 input variables obtained from batch adsorption experiments, including preparation conditions for biochar (2 features), physical properties of biochar (4 features), chemical composition of biochar (9 features), and adsorption experiment conditions (6 features). The rigorous evaluation and comparison of the ML models revealed that the CatBoost model exhibited the highest test R 2 value (0.971) and the lowest RMSE (20.54 mg/g), significantly outperforming all other models. The feature importance analysis using Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) indicated that biochar chemical compositions had the greatest impact on model predictions of adsorption capacity (42.2 %), followed by adsorption conditions (37.57 %), biochar physical characteristics (12.38 %), and preparation conditions (7.85 %). The optimal experimental conditions optimized by partial dependence plots (PDP) are as follows: as high Cd(II) concentration as possible, C(%) of 33 %, N(%) of 0.3 %, adsorption time of 600 min, pyrolysis time of 50 min, biochar dosage of less than 2 g/L, O(%) of 42 %, biochar pH value of 11.2, and DBE of 1.15. This study unveils novel insights into the adsorption of Cd(II) and provides a comprehensive reference for the sustainable engineering of biochars in Cd(II) wastewater treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Through a systematic review of literature references from 2007 to 2022, we compiled a comprehensive national dataset comprising over 67,000 records and covering information on 129 antibiotics detected in the surface water and sediments of China's major rivers. Our analysis revealed notably high antibiotic concentrations in the Liaohe and Yellow Rivers. Among the antibiotics examined, sulfonamides, quinolones, and tetracyclines exhibited relatively high median concentrations in river water. Regional distribution analysis highlighted increased antibiotic levels in Shandong and Tianjin compared to other areas. Partial least squares path modeling revealed that animal production and pollution discharge positively influenced antibiotic levels in river water, whereas natural and socioeconomic factors had negative impacts. Based on the ecological risk assessment, we formulated a prioritized national list of antibiotics, with sulfonamides having the largest number of entries, followed by quinolones. Importantly, our analysis revealed a declining trend in antibiotic concentrations and the associated risk levels across China during the study period. This study not only enhances our understanding of antibiotic distribution in China's water systems, but also contributes to the development of a scientifically sound approach for prioritizing antibiotics. Ultimately, these findings will inform targeted antibiotic management and control strategies. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Antibiotics, posing threats to ecosystems and human health, exhibit pseudo-persistence in the environment. we compiled a national dataset of over 67,000 records on antibiotics, our study scrutinized antibiotic distribution in China's major river water and sediment. Through this analysis, we identified key factors influencing distribution patterns and crafted a national priority ranking for antibiotics. These findings deepen our understanding of antibiotic presence and contribute to the development of targeted management strategies aimed at minimizing environmental impact., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pyraclonil is a new type of pyrazole herbicide, whose photochemical fate in aqueous solution has not been reported yet. In this study, effects on the photolysis rate such as light source, pH, NO 3 - , Fe 3+ , fulvic acid (FA) and riboflavin (RF) were investigated. Pyraclonil photodegraded in pure water under both UV and simulated sunlight with half-lives of 32.29 min and 42.52 h, respectively. Under UV, the degradation rate of pyraclonil in pH 4 solution (0.0299 ± 0.0033 min -1 ) was about twice higher than that in pH 9 (0.0160 ± 0.0063 min -1 ). Under simulated sunlight, low concentration (0.1-1 mg/L) of FA, NO 3 - , Fe 3+ and RF noticeably promoted the photodegradation of pyraclonil. Then, with the combination of experimental UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and computational calculation of density functional theory (DFT), fourteen transformation products (TPs) of pyraclonil were identified with possible mechanism of C-N bond cleavage, photorearrangement, demethylation, hydroxylation and oxidation. Additionally, acute toxicity assessment was conducted through ECOSAR prediction and laboratory bioassays. The prediction results indicated that toxicity of TP157 to daphnid and green algae was 1.3 and 1.4 times higher than that of the parent, respectively. The bioassay results indicated that toxicities of TP157 and TP263 to C. vulgaris were about 1.6 and 5.9 times higher than that of the parent, respectively. The results provided a reference for elucidating the potential hazards of pyraclonil to non-target organisms and promoting its rational use., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Magnetic biochar (MBC) was obtained from pepper straw by impregnation-microwave pyrolysis method. The pyrolysis temperature and FeCl 3 impregnation concentration were investigated on the structural properties of MBC and the adsorption of methyl orange (MO) in water. Characterization results showed that pyrolysis temperature and iron species significantly increased the specific surface area of MBC, which could reach the maximum of 2038.61 m 2 /g, and also provided more active adsorption sites by promoting the generation of graphitized structures and surface polar functional groups. MBC 0.2 -900 was selected as the adsorbent for MO with the maximum adsorption capacity reached 437.18 mg·g -1 , 3.4 times higher than the virgin biochar. The adsorption process was dominated by chemisorption as well as spontaneous and exothermic. The adsorption mechanisms included pore-filling interaction, π-π EDA interaction, electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and Lewis acid-base electron interaction. In addition, MBC also exhibited excellent separability and reusability as a low-cost adsorbent. This study provided some theoretical foundation and technological support for producing high-performance biochar and developing pollutant removal technology in wastewater., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The transition metals redox rate limitations of spinel oxides during Fenton-like reactions hinder its efficient and sustainable treatment of actual wastewater. Herein, we propose to optimize the electronic structure of Co-Mn spinel oxide (CM) via sulfur doping and carbon matrix anchoring synergistically, enhancing the radicals-nonradicals Fenton-like processes for efficient water decontamination. Activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) with optimised spinel oxide (CMSAC) achieved near-complete removal of ofloxacin (10 mg/L) within 6 min, showing 8.4 times higher efficiency than CM group. Significantly higher yields of SO 4 · - and high-valent metal species in CMSAC/PMS system provided exceptional resistance to co-existing anions, enabling efficient removal of various emerging contaminants in high salinity leachate. Specifically, sulfur coordination and carbon anchoring-induced oxygen vacancy synergistically improved the electronic structure and electron transfer efficiency of CMSAC, thus forming highly reactive Co sites and significantly reducing the energy barrier for Co(IV)=O generation. The reductive sulfur species facilitated the conversion of Co(III) to Co(II), thereby maintaining the stability of the catalytic activity of CMSAC. This work developed a synergistic optimization strategy to overcome the metals redox rate limitations of spinel oxides in Fenton-like reactions, providing deep mechanistic insights for designing Fenton-like catalysts suitable for practical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Triclocarban (TCC), an emerging contaminant in water environments, its effects on freshwater biofilms remain insufficiently understood. This study investigates the effects of TCC exposure (at concentrations of 10 μg L -1 and 10 mg L -1 ) on mature freshwater biofilms. TCC was found to inhibit biofilm activity as evidenced by changes in surface morphology and the ratio of live/dead cells. Moreover, both concentrations of TCC were observed to modify the structure of the biofilm community. Metabolomics analysis revealed an overlap in the toxicity mechanisms and detoxification strategies triggered by various concentrations of TCC in biofilms. However, the higher toxicity induced by 10 mg L -1 TCC resulted from the downregulation of proline betaine, disrupting the homeostasis of cellular osmotic pressure regulation in biofilms. Notably, lipid and lipid-like molecules showed high sensitivity to different concentrations of TCC, indicating their potential as biomarkers for TCC exposure. Annotation of the differential metabolites by KEGG revealed that alterations in amino acid and carbon metabolism constituted the primary response mechanisms of biofilms to TCC. Moreover, the biofilm demonstrated enhanced nucleic acid metabolism, which bolstered resistance against TCC stress and heightened tolerance. Furthermore, elevated TCC concentrations prompted more robust detoxification processes for self-defense. Overall, short-term exposure to TCC induced acute toxicity in biofilms, yet they managed to regulate their community structure and metabolic levels to uphold oxidative homeostasis and activity. This research contributes to a deeper comprehension of TCC risk assessment and policy control in aquatic environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cadmium (Cd) poses significant risks to aquatic organisms due to its toxicity and ability to disrupt the cellular processes. Given the similar atomic radius of Cd and calcium (Ca), Cd may potentially affect the Ca homeostasis, which can lead to impaired mineralization of skeletal structures and behavioral abnormalities. The formation of the spinal skeleton involves Ca transport and mineralization. In this study, we conducted an in-depth investigation on the effects of Cd at environmental concentrations on zebrafish (Danio rerio) skeletal development and the underlying molecular mechanisms. As the concentration of Cd increased, the accumulation of Cd in zebrafish larvae also rose, while the Ca content decreased significantly by 3.0 %-57.3 %, and vertebral deformities were observed. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that sixteen genes involved in metal absorption were affected. Exposure to 2 µg/L Cd significantly upregulated the expression of these genes, whereas exposure to 10 µg/L resulted in their downregulation. Consequently, exposure of zebrafish larvae to 10 µg/L of Cd inhibited the body segmentation growth and skeletal mineralization development by 29.1 %-56.7 %. This inhibition was evidenced by the downregulation of mineral absorption genes and decreased Ca accumulation. The findings of this study suggested that the inhibition of skeletal mineralization was likely attributed to the disruption of mineral absorption, thus providing novel insights into the mechanisms by which metal pollutants inhibit the skeletal development of fish., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In China, fence net aquaculture practices have been established in some subsidence waters that have been formed in coal mining subsidence areas. Within this dynamic ecological context, diverse fish species grow continuously until being harvested at the culmination of their production cycle. The purpose of this study was to investigate diverse factors influencing the bioavailability and distribution of mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg), which have high physiological toxicity in fish, in the Guqiao coal mining subsidence area in Huainan, China. Mercury and MeHg were analyzed in 38 fish samples of eight species using direct mercury analysis (DMA-80) and gas chromatography-cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry (GC-CVAFAS). The analysis results show that the ranges of Hg and MeHg content and methylation rate in the fish were 7.84-85.18 ng/g, 0.52-3.52 ng/g, and 0.81-42.68 %, respectively. Meanwhile, conclusions are also summarized as following: (1) Monophagous herbivorous fish that were fed continuously in fence net aquaculture areas had higher MeHg levels and mercury methylation rates than carnivorous fish. Hg and MeHg contents were affected by different feeding habits of fish. (2) Bottom-dwelling fish show higher MeHg levels, and habitat selection in terms of water depth also partially affected the MeHg content of fish. (3) The effect of fence net aquaculture on methylation of fish in subsidence water is mainly from feed and mercury-containing bottom sediments. However, a time-lag is observed in the physiological response of benthic fishes to the release of Hg from sediments. Our findings provides baseline reference data for the ecological impact of fence net aquaculture in waters affected by soil subsidence induced by coal mining in China. Prevalent environmental contaminants within coal mining locales, notably Hg, may infiltrate rain-induced subsidence waters through various pathways., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Enzymatic catalysis is a promising approach for the degradation of organic pollutants and peroxidases (PODs) are one of the most common enzyme classes used to degrade organic pollutants. Proso millet peroxidase (PmPOD) is a peroxidase extracted and purified from proso millet bran which is the by-product of proso millet processing. In this study, we investigated the effects of PmPOD on the degradation of typical organic pollutants (Rhodamine B (RhB), bisphenol A, sulfadiazine) for the first time. Moreover, we screened RhB as the substrate with the best degradation effect. The degradation rate of RhB catalyzed by PmPOD (10 nM) reached 99.46% in 30 min under the optimal conditions (pH 5, 30°C, and molar ratio of RhB, H 2 O 2 and HOBT of 1:9.58:1.94 × 10 -3 ). The reaction kinetics parameters of PmPOD-mediated RhB degradation K m , V max and k cat were 62.2, 935.7 and 9.357 × 10 4 , respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography analyses confirmed that PmPOD transformed RhB into two new products. Furthermore, toxicological evaluation in Caenorhabditis elegans demonstrated that 10 μg/mL RhB significantly reduced the lifespan by 8.3%, reduced the motility and pharynx-pumping rate compared with the control group, while the 10 μg/mL RhB product had no significant effect on these indexes. These data indicated that the toxicity of RhB disappeared after catalytic degradation by PmPOD. Taken together, these data suggest that catalysis of PmPOD is an effective method for degradation and detoxification of RhB. This study provides a potential candidate method for the biological treatment of RhB, and improves the added value of proso millet bran.

Ferromanganese oxide (MFO x ) was first utilized to functionalize TiO 2 and an MFO x @TiO 2 catalyst was developed for catalytic ozonation for rapid attack of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) with adjusted reactive oxygen species (ROSs) composition and strengthened ROSs generation. Unlike Al 2 O 3 , which strongly relied on adsorption and was significantly influenced by MFO x loading, synergistic catalytical effects of MFO x and TiO 2 were observed, and optimal MFO x doping of 2 wt% and MFO x @TiO 2 dosage of 500 ppm were obtained for catalyzing ozonation. In ibuprofen (IBP) degradation, MFO x @TiO 2 -catalyzed ozonation (MFO x @TiO 2 /O 3 ) obtained 2.0-, 4.7- and 6.9-folds the k obs of TiO 2 /O 3 , MFO x /O 3 and bare ozonation (B/O 3 ). Stronger O 3 decomposition was observed by MFO x @TiO 2 over bare TiO 2 with the participation of redox pairs Fe(II)/Fe(III) and Mn(II)/Mn(III)/Mn(IV) and increased surface oxygen vacancies (SOVs) from 9.8 % to 33.7 % was detected. The results revealed that Fe(II), Mn(II) and Mn(III) with low valance accelerated Ti(III) generation from Ti(VI), obtaining an unprecedented high Ti(III) composition occupying 35.3 % of the total Ti atoms. Ti(III) catalyzed the direct reduction of SOVs-O 2 to •O 2 - , and it accelerated the formation of Ti(VI)-OH and Ti(VI)-O which catalyzed O 3 decomposition into •O 2 - . •O 2 - was found to primarily initiate IBP degradation with nucleophilic addition and dominated over 66 % IBP removal. The enhanced •O 2 - generation further strengthened •OH and 1 O 2 production. MFO x @TiO 2 /O 3 obtained 17 %, 21 % and 30 % higher TOC removal over TiO 2 /O 3 , MFO x /O 3 and B/O 3 , respectively. Acute toxicity tests confirmed the effective toxicity control of organics by MFO x @TiO 2 /O 3 process (inhibition rate: 10.9 %). Degradation test of atenolol and sulfamethoxazole confirmed the catalytic effects of MFO x @TiO 2 . MFO x @TiO 2 performed strong resistance to water matrix in application test and showed good stability and reusability. The study proposed an effective catalyst for strengthening the ozonation process on PPCPs degradation and provided an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms and characteristics of the MFO x @TiO 2 catalyst and MFO x @TiO 2 /O 3 process., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics (MPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are toxic contaminants that have been found in marine ecosystems. This review aims to explore the sources and mechanisms of PAHs and MPs mixed contamination in marine environments. Understanding the released sources of PAHs and MPs is crucial for proposing appropriate regulations on the release of these contaminants. Additionally, the mechanisms of co-occurrence and the role of MPs in distributing PAHs in marine ecosystems were investigated in detail. Moreover, the chemical affinity between PAHs and MPs was proposed, highlighting the potential mechanisms that lead to their persistence in marine ecosystems. Moreover, we delve into the various factors influencing the co-occurrence, chemical affinity, and distribution of mixed contaminants in marine ecosystems. These factors, including environmental characteristics, MPs properties, PAHs molecular weight and hydrophobicity, and microbial interactions, were critically examined. The co-contamination raises concerns about the potential synergistic effects on their degradation and toxicity. Interesting, few studies have reported the enhanced photodegradation and biodegradation of contaminants under mixed contamination compared to their individual remediation. However, currently, the remediation strategies reported for PAHs and MPs mixed contamination are scarce and limited. While there have been some initiatives to remove PAHs and MPs individually, there is a lack of research specifically targeting the removal of mixed contaminants. This deficiency highlights the need for further investigation and the development of effective remediation approaches for the efficient remediation of PAHs and MPs from marine ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have garnered significant attention in recent years. In view of the enormous ecosystem services value and severe degradation of coral reefs in the South China Sea, this study investigated the occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation of 11 OPEs in five coral regions: Daya Bay (DY), Weizhou Island (WZ), Sanya Luhuitou (LHT), Xisha (XS) Islands, and Nansha (NS) Islands. Although OPEs were detected at a high rate, their concentration in South China Sea seawater (1.56 ± 0.89 ng L -1 ) remained relatively low compared to global levels. All OPEs were identified in coral tissues, with Luhuitou (575 ± 242 ng g -1 dw) showing the highest pollution levels, attributed to intense human activities. Coral mucus, acting as a defense against environmental stresses, accumulated higher ∑ 11 OPEs (414 ± 461 ng g -1 dw) than coral tissues (412 ± 197 ng g -1 dw) (nonparametric test, p < 0.05), and their compositional characteristics varied greatly. In the case of harsh aquatic environments, corals increase mucus secretion and then accumulate organic pollutants. Tissue-mucus partitioning varied among coral species. Most OPEs were found to be bioaccumulative (BAFs >5000 L kg -1 ) in a few coral tissue samples besides Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP). Mucus' role in the bioaccumulation of OPEs in coral shouldn't be ignored., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Since the potential carcinogenic, toxic and non-degradable dyes trigger serious environmental contamination by improper treatment, developing novel adsorbents remains a major challenge. A novel high efficiency and biopolymer-based environmental-friendly adsorbent, chitosan‑sodium tripolyphosphate-melamine sponge (CTS-STPP-MS) composite, was prepared for Orange II removing with chitosan as raw material, sodium tripolyphosphate as cross-linking agent. The composite was carefully characterized by SEM, EDS, FT-IR and XPS. The influence of crosslinking conditions, dosage, pH, initial concentration, contacting time and temperature on adsorption were tested through batch adsorption experiments. CTS-STPP-MS adsorption process was exothermic, spontaneous and agreed with Sips isotherm model accompanying the maximum adsorption capacity as 948 mg∙g -1 (pH = 3). Notably, the adsorption performance was outstanding for high concentration solutions, with a removal rate of 97 % in up to 2000 mg∙L -1 OII solution (100 mg sorbent dosage, 50 mL OII solution, pH = 3, 289.15 K). In addition, the adsorption efficiency yet remained 97.85 % after 5 repeated adsorption-desorption cycles. The driving force of adsorption was attributed to electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonds which was proved by adsorption results coupled with XPS. Owing to the excellent properties of high-effective, environmental-friendly, easy to separate and regenerable, CTS-STPP-MS composite turned out to be a promising adsorbent in contamination treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A novel magnetic polyvinylpyrrolidone/chitosan-Schiff base/Fe 2 O 3 (PVP/CS-SB/Fe 2 O 3 ) adsorbent was prepared by one-pot facile co-precipitation route for adsorption of Pb(II) and Hg(II) ions from aqueous solution. Fourier transform infrared-spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) were used to characterize the synthesized PVP/CS-SB/Fe 2 O 3 . The results predicted that the successfully synthesis of magnetic CSSB-PVP@Fe 2 O 3 . The effects of important factors such as pH solution, contact time, concentration of metal ions, adsorbent dose and co-existing ions on Pb(II) and Hg(II) adsorption were investigated. The maximum adsorption capacities of Pb(II) and Hg(II) ions at optimal conditions were 120 mg/g and 102.5 mg/g, respectively. The kinetic studies predicted that the adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order (PSO) model as chemisorption using the coordination of active sites of PVP/CS-SB/Fe 2 O 3 with the metal ions and also n-π interactions. Reproducibility results predicted that the excellent regeneration ability after 6 adsorption cycles. According to the results of this work, the PVP/CS-SB/Fe 2 O 3 nanocomposite is promising for Pb(II) and Hg(II) ions adsorption and can be potential as a simple, low-cost, high-efficient adsorbent for decontamination of other heavy metal ions from aqueous solution., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The misuse of aromatic amines like 4-chloroaniline (4-CA) has led to severe environmental and health issues. However, it's difficult to be utilized by microorganisms for degradation. Nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI) is a promising material for the remediation of chloroaniline pollution, however, the synergistic effect and mechanism of nZVI with microorganisms for the degradation of 4-CA are still unclear. This study investigated the potential of 4-CA removal by the synergistic system involving nZVI and 4-CA degrading microbial flora. The results indicate that the addition of nZVI significantly enhanced the bio-degradation rate of 4-CA from 43.13 % to 62.26 %. Under conditions involving 0.1 % nZVI addition at a 24-hour interval, pH maintained at 7, and glucose as an external carbon source, the microbial biomass, antioxidant enzymes, and dehydrogenase were significantly increased, and the optimal 4-CA degradation rate achieved 68.79 %. Additionally, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of intermediates indicated that the addition of nZVI reduced compounds containing benzene rings and enhanced the dechlorination efficiency. The microbial community remained stable during the 4-CA degradation process. This study illustrates the potential of nZVI in co-microbial remediation of 4-CA compounds in the environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The coexistence of microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals in sediments has caused a potential threat to sediment biota. However, differences in the effects of MPs and heavy metals on microbes and plants in sediments under different sediment conditions remain unclear. Hence, we investigated the influence of polyethylene (PE) and polylactic acid (PLA) MPs on microbial community structure, Pb bioavailability, and wheatgrass traits under sequential incubation of sediments (i.e., flood, drainage, and planting stages). Results showed that the sediment enzyme activities presented a dose-dependent effect of MPs. Besides, 10 % PLA MPs significantly increased the F1 fractions in three stages by 11.13 %, 30.10 %, and 17.26 %, respectively, thus resulting in higher Pb mobility and biotoxicity. MPs altered sediment bacterial composition and structures, and bacterial community differences were evident in different incubation stages. Moreover, the co-exposure of PLA MPs and Pb significantly decreased the shoot length and total biomass of wheatgrass and correspondingly activated the antioxidant enzyme activity. Further correlation analysis demonstrated that community structure induced by MPs was mainly driven by sediment enzyme activity. This study contributes to elucidating the combined effects of MPs and heavy metals on sediment ecosystems under different sediment conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The activation of peracetic acid (PAA) by activated carbon (AC) is a promising approach for reducing micropollutants in groundwater. However, to harness the PAA/AC system's potential and achieve sustainable and low-impact groundwater remediation, it is crucial to quantify the individual contributions of active species. In this study, we developed a combined degradation kinetic and adsorption mass transfer model to elucidate the roles of free radicals, electron transfer processes (ETP), and adsorption on the degradation of antibiotics by PAA in groundwater. Our findings reveal that ETP predominantly facilitated the activation of PAA by modified activated carbon (AC600), contributing to ∼61% of the overall degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The carbonyl group (CO) on the surface of AC600 was identified as a probable site for the ETP. Free radicals contributed to ∼39% of the degradation, while adsorption was negligible. Thermodynamic and activation energy analyses indicate that the degradation of SMX within the PAA/AC600 system requires a relatively low energy input (27.66 kJ/mol), which is within the lower range of various heterogeneous Fenton-like reactions, thus making it easily achievable. These novel insights enhance our understanding of the AC600-mediated PAA activation mechanism and lay the groundwork for developing efficient and sustainable technologies for mitigating groundwater pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: The antibiotics in groundwater raises alarming environmental concerns. As groundwater serves as a primary source of drinking water for nearly half the global population, the development of eco-friendly technologies for antibiotic-contaminated groundwater remediation becomes imperative. The innovative PAA/AC600 system demonstrates significant efficacy in degrading micropollutants, particularly sulfonamide antibiotics. By integrating degradation kinetics and adsorption mass transfer models, this study sheds light on the intricate mechanisms involved, emphasizing the potential of carbon materials as sustainable tools in the ongoing battle for clean and safe groundwater., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Sequential utilization of ozone (O 3 ) and biological activated carbon (BAC) followed by UV/chlor(am)ine advanced oxidation process (AOP) has drawn attention in water reuse. However, the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in this process is less evaluated. This study investigated the DBP formation and the relevant toxicity during the O 3 -BAC-UV/chlor(am)ine treatment of sand-filtered municipal secondary effluent. DBP formation in UV/chlorine and UV/dichloramine (NHCl 2 ) processes were compared, where the impact of key operational parameters (e.g., UV wavelength, pH) on DBP formation were comprehensively evaluated. O 3 -BAC significantly reduced DBP formation potential (DBPFP) (58.2 %). Compared to UV/chlorine AOP, UV/NHCl 2 AOP reduced DBP formation by 29.7 % in short-time treatment, while insignificantly impacting on DBPFP (p > 0.05). UV/NHCl 2 AOP also led to lower calculated cytotoxicity (67.7 %) and genotoxicity (55.9 %) of DBPs compared to UV/chlorine AOP. Compared to 254 nm UV light, the utilization of 285 nm UV light decreased the formation of DBPs in wastewater treated with the UV/chlorine AOP and UV/NHCl 2 AOP by 31.3 % and 19.2 %, respectively. However, the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in UV/NHCl 2 AOP using 285 nm UV light increased by 83.4 % and 58.5 %, respectively, compared to 254 nm. The concentration of DBPs formed in the UV/NHCl 2 AOP at pH 8 was 54.3 % lower than that at pH 7, suggesting a better control of DBPs at alkaline condition. In the presence of bromide, UV/NHCl 2 AOP tended to generate more brominated DBPs than UV/chlorine AOP. Overall, UV/NHCl 2 AOP resulted in lower concentration and toxicity of DBPs compared to UV/chlorine AOP., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Limited knowledge on the structure of emerging organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) hampers our comprehensive understanding of their environmental occurrence and potential risks. Through suspect and nontarget screening, combining data-dependent acquisition, data-independent acquisition, and parallel reaction monitoring modes, we identified 60 OPCs (17 traditional and 43 emerging compounds) in effluents of 14 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Beijing and Qinghai, China. These OPCs comprise 26 organophosphate triesters, 17 organophosphate diesters, 6 organophosphonates, 7 organothiophosphate esters, and 4 other OPCs. Notably, 14 suspect OPCs were newly identified in WWTP effluents, and 16 nontarget OPCs were newly discovered in environmental matrices. Specifically, the cyclic phosphonate, (5-ethyl-2-methyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinan-5-yl)methyl dimethyl phosphonate P -oxide (PMMMPn), consistently appeared in all WWTP effluents, with semiquantitative concentrations ranging from 44.4 to 282 ng/L. Its analogue, di-PMMMPn, presented in 93% of wastewater samples. Compositional differences between the WWTP effluents of two cities were mainly attributed to emerging OPCs. Hazard and ecological risk assessment underscored the substantial contribution of chlorinated organophosphate esters and organothiophosphate esters to overall risks of OPCs in WWTP effluents. This study provides the most comprehensive OPC profiles in WWTP effluents to date, highlighting the need for further research on their occurrence, fate, and risks, particularly for chlorinated OPCs.

Polyethylene microplastics (MPs) of the different sizes may result in different response in fish. Studies showed microorganisms adhered to the surface of MPs have toxicological effect. Juveniles tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, n = 600, 26.5 ± 0.6 g) were dispersed into six groups: the control group (A), 75 nm MP exposed group (B), 7.5 μm group (C) and 750 (D) μm group, 75 nm + 7.5 μm+750 μm group (E) and 75 nm + Chlorella vulgaris group (F), and exposed for 10 and 14 days. The intestinal histopathological change, enzymic activities, and the integrated "omics" workflows containing transcriptomics, proteomics, microbiota and metabolomes, have been performed in tilapia. Results showed that MPs were distributed on the surface of goblet cells, Chlorella group had severe villi fusion without something like intestinal damage, as in other MPs groups. The intestinal Total Cholesterol (TC, together with group E) and Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNFα, except for group B) contents in group F were significantly increased, cytochrome p450 1a1 (EROD, group B and E) significantly increased, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and caspase 3 (except group B) also significantly increased at 14 d. At 14 days, group E saw considerably higher regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesion, insulin signaling pathway, and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetes complications. Whereas, chlorella enhanced the focal adhesion, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and MAPK signaling pathways. PPAR signaling pathway has been extremely significantly enriched via the proteomics method. Candidatus latescibacteria, C. uhrbacteria, C. abyssubacteria, C. cryosericota significantly decreased caused by MPs of different particle sizes. Carboxylic acids and derivatives, indoles and derivatives, organooxygen compounds, fatty acyls and organooxygen compounds significantly increased with long-term duration, especially PPAR signaling pathway. MPs had a size-dependent long-term effect on histopathological change, gene and protein expression, and gut microbial metabolites, while chlorella alleviates the intestinal histopathological damage via the integrated "omics" workflows., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Gas nanobubbles used for water treatment and recovery give rise to great concern for their unique advantages of less byproducts, higher efficiency, and environmental friendliness. Nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI), which has also been widely explored in the field of environmental remediation, can generate gas hydrogen by direct reaction with water. Whether nanoscale hydrogen bubbles can be produced to enhance the pollution removal of the nZVI system is one significant concern involved. Herein, we report direct observations of in situ generation of hydrogen nanobubbles (HNBs) from nZVI in water. More importantly, the formed HNBs can enhance indeed the reduction of Se(IV) beyond the chemical reduction ascribed to Fe(0), especially in the anaerobic environment. The possible mechanism is that HNBs enhance the reducibility of the system and promote electron transport in the solution. This study demonstrates a unique function of HNBs combined with nZVI for the pollutant removal and a new approach for in situ HNB generation for potential applications in the fields of in situ remediation agriculture, biotechnology, medical treatment, health, etc .

Assessing groundwater geochemical formation processes and pollution circumstances is significant for sustainable watershed management. In the present study, 58 shallow groundwater samples were taken from the Dongwen River Basin (DRB) to comprehensively assess the hydrochemical sources, groundwater quality status, and potential risks of NO 3 - to human health. Based on the Box and Whisker plot, the cation's concentration followed the order of Ca 2+  > Mg 2+  > Na +  > K + , while anions' mean levels were HCO 3 -  > SO 4 2-  > NO 3 -  > Cl - . The NO 3 - level in groundwater samples fluctuated between 4.2 and 301.3 mg/L, with 67.2% of samples beyond the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria (50 mg/L) for drinking. The Piper diagram indicated the hydrochemical type of groundwater and surface water were characterized as Ca·Mg-HCO 3 type. Combining ionic ratio analysis with principal component analysis (PCA) results, agricultural activities contributed a significant effect on groundwater NO 3 - , with soil nitrogen input and manure/sewage inputs also potential sources. However, geogenic processes (e.g., carbonates and evaporite dissolution/precipitation) controlled other ion compositions in the study area. The groundwater samples with higher NO 3 - values were mainly found in river valley regions with intense anthropogenic activities. The entropy weight water quality index (EWQI) model identified that the groundwater quality rank ranged from excellent (70.7%) and good (25.9%) to medium (3.4%). However, the hazard quotient (HQ) used in the human health risk assessment (HHRA) model showed that above 91.38% of groundwater samples have a NO 3 - non-carcinogenic health risk for infants, 84.48% for children, 82.76% for females, and 72.41% for males. The findings of this study could provide a scientific basis for the rational development and usage of groundwater resources as well as for the preservation of the inhabitants' health in DRB., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The chlorination of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by biofilm often induces the formation of high-toxic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water distribution systems. The protein components in EPS are the main precursors of DBPs, which mostly exist in the form of combined amino acids. The paper aimed to study the action of a pipe corrosion product (Cu 2+ ) on the formation of DBPs (trihalomethanes, THMs; haloacetonitriles, HANs) with aspartic acid tetrapeptide (TAsp) as a precursor. Cu 2+ mainly promoted the reaction of oxidants with TAsp (i.e., TAsp-induced decay) to produce DBPs, rather than self-decay of oxidants to generate BrO 3 ‒ and ClO 3 ‒ . Cu 2+ increased THMs yield, but decreased HANs yield due to the catalytic hydrolysis. Cu 2+ was more prone to promote the reaction of TAsp with HOCl than with HOBr, leading to a DBPs shift from brominated to chlorinated species. The chemical characterizations of Cu 2+ -TAsp complexations demonstrate that Cu 2+ combined with TAsp at the N and O sites in both amine and amide groups, and the intermediate identification suggests that Cu 2+ enhanced the stepwise chlorination process by promoting the substitution of chlorine and the breakage of CC bonds. The effect of Cu 2+ on THMs yield changed from promoting to inhibiting with the increase of pH, while that on HANs yield was inhibiting regardless of pH variation. Additionally, the impact of Cu 2+ on the formation of DBPs was also affected by Cu 2+ dose, Cl 2 /C ratio and Br - concentration. This study helps to understand the formation of EPS-derived DBPs in water pipes, and provides reference for formulating control strategies during biofilm outbreaks., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As a widely used feed additives, p-arsanilic acid (p-AsA) frequently detected in the environment poses serious threats to aquatic ecology and water security due to its potential in releasing more toxic inorganic arsenic. In this work, the efficiency of Fe(II)/sulfite, Fe(II)/PDS and Fe(II)/PMS systems in p-AsA degradation and simultaneous arsenic removal was comparatively investigated for the first time. Efficient p-AsA abatement was achieved in theses Fe-based systems, while notable discrepancy in total arsenic removal was observed under identical acidic condition. By using chemical probing method, quenching experiments, isotopically labeled water experiments, p-AsA degradation was ascribed to the combined contribution of high-valent Fe(IV) and SO 4 •- in these Fe(II)-based system. In particular, the relative contribution of Fe(IV) and SO 4 •- in the Fe(II)/sulfite system was highly dependent on the molar ratio of [Fe(II)] and [sulfite]. Negligible arsenic removal was observed in the Fe(II)/sulfite and Fe(II)/PDS systems, while ∼80% arsenic was removed in the Fe(II)/PMS system under identical acidic condition. This interesting phenomenon was due to that ferric precipitation only occurred in the Fe(II)/PMS system. As(V) was further removed via adsorption onto the iron precipitate or the formation of ferric arsenate-sulfate compounds, which was confirmed by particle diameter measurements, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Through tuning solution pH, complete removal of total arsenic could achieve in all three systems. Among these three Fe-based technologies, the hybrid oxidation-coagulation Fe(II)/PMS system demonstrated potential superiority for arsenic immobilization by not requiring pH adjustment for coagulation and facilitating the in-situ generation of ferric arsenate-sulfate compounds with comparably low solubility levels like scorodite. These findings would deepen the understanding of these three Fe-based Fenton-like technologies for decontamination in water treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The elimination of microplastics (MPs) has become an urgent issue due to their large quantities and imperfect treatment technologies. In this work, polyethylene (PE), which is ubiquitous in the environment, was selected to study its removal by ozone-based treatment. Catalysts including α-MnO 2 and α-FeOOH were synthesized for catalytic ozonation to improve efficiency. The study focused on simulating the conversion of CO 2 in the off-gas via the detection of inorganic carbon produced. The morphology and structure of the remaining PE MPs were characterized using scanning electron microscope and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflection. Our results confirmed that fragmentation and oxidation occurred in the remaining PE MPs, which enhanced the adsorption capacity of ofloxacin (OF). Besides, the 20 mM α-FeOOH could better improve the mineralization efficiency by 3.27 folds with more production of •OH (1.09*10 -12  M). Moreover, possible products identified by liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometer confirmed the decomposition of main chains of MPs into low-molecular-weight organic compounds with functional groups such as C-OH, C-O-C, and CO. The finding that photoaged PE MPs could be efficiently mineralized under the attack of O 3 /•OH provides a solid foundation for the removal of natural MPs in the environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Heavy metals play a significant role in marine ecosystems, exerting notable impacts on the environment and human health. In this study, water, sediment, and aquatic organism samples from Jiaozhou Bay were investigated to comprehensively assess the distribution, temporal-spatial variations, and ecological risks of heavy metals. The results indicate that pollution from industrial wastewater discharge contributes to regional differences in the distribution of heavy metals, possibly being a major source of Zn, Cr, Cd, and Hg (r > 0.7, p < 0.05). Biological and physicochemical processes influence the distribution of Zn, Cr, and Pb in the water and sediment. Hg exhibits a polluted state in both the water and sediment, with As and Hg being the two highest-risk heavy metals in water and sediment, respectively. Among the organisms, crustaceans show significantly higher levels of heavy metal content and accumulation compared to mollusks and fish (p < 0.05), and the bioamplification of heavy metals occurs in the sediment-Rapana venosa-Portunus trituberculatus biological pathway. Portunus trituberculatus, Charybdis japonica, Oratosquilla oratoria, and Octopus ocellatus could pose risks to human health, especially for children and vulnerable populations. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the current status of heavy metal pollution in Jiaozhou Bay and to provide a scientific basis and favorable support for the ecological environmental protection and prevention of ecological risks associated with heavy metal pollution in Jiaozhou Bay and other bays in China., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The adverse effects of heavy metal pollutants in wastewater have threatened human health in recent decades. Therefore, the development of absorbents for such pollutants is essential to overcome these problems. Electrospun nanofibers are often used for wastewater treatment owing to their high porosity and high specific surface area. Zein from plants and collagen from animals are vulnerable to moisture, which limits its broad application in practice. However fully biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which is soluble in water, can be mixed with protein individually to overcome the limitation. In this work, the two proteins described above and PVA were combined to prepare protein nanofibers by electrospinning technology, which could achieve adsorption of Cu 2+ . As the protein content increased, the adsorption properties of the obtained nanofibers for Cu 2+ showed a rising and then decreasing trend, with the highest point at 50 % of protein content, especially the collagen nanofibers, which reached 24.62 mg/g. Both protein nanofibers reached adsorption equilibrium after 15 h, but overall, collagen nanofibers showed a superior adsorption performance for Cu 2+ than that by zein nanofibers. In the process of Cu 2+ adsorption by protein nanofibers, both physical and chemical effect existed, and the physical effect played the leading role., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Exposure to environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can cause extensive health issues. However, specific EDCs remain elusive. This work aimed at performing nontargeted identification of estrogen receptor α (ERα)-active compounds using an ERα protein affinity assay combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry in the source and drinking water sampled from major rivers in China. Fifty-one potential ERα-active compounds across 13 categories were identified. For the first time, diisodecyl phenyl phosphate was found to have antiestrogenic activity, and three chemicals (galaxolidone, bensulfuron methyl, and UV234) were plausible ERα ligands. Among the 51 identified compounds, 12 were detected in the aquatic environment for the first time, and the concentration of N -phenyl-2-naphthylamine, a widely used antioxidant in rubber products, was up to 1469 and 1190 ng/L in source and drinking water, respectively. This study demonstrated the widespread presence of known and unknown ERα estrogenic and antiestrogenic pollutants in the major rivers that serve as key sources of drinking water in China and the low removal efficiency of these chemicals in drinking water treatment plants.

LED-UV 265 /chlorine is a promising alternative disinfection technology that emits mono-wavelength light for high germicidal efficiency. Halonitromethanes (HNMs) are highly cytotoxic and genotoxic disinfection byproducts that can be formed during LED-UV 265 /chlorine disinfection. Thus, this work aimed to investigate the HNMs formation from glycine (Gly) during LED-UV 265 /chlorine disinfection. The results indicated that the concentrations of chlorinated-HNMs (Cl-HNMs) increased first and then decreased as the reaction proceeded. Besides, the effects of operating parameters (UV intensity, free chlorine dosage, and pH) and coexisting ions (Cu 2+ and Br - ) on HNMs formation were investigated. It was found that the formation concentrations of Cl-HNMs increased with the increase of LED-UV 265 intensity and free chlorine dosage but decreased with increased pH. The presence of Cu 2+ promoted the formation of Cl-HNMs. The total concentration of HNMs (at 3 min) with adding 1.5 mg/L Cu 2+ was 30.90% higher than that without Cu 2+ . Notably, nine species of HNMs were detected after adding Br - , and the total concentrations of HNMs were enhanced. Moreover, Cl-HNMs were gradually transformed into brominated (chlorinated)-HNMs and brominated-HNMs as Br - concentration increased. According to the findings, the possible formation mechanism of HNMs from Gly during LED-UV 265 /chlorine disinfection was deduced. Finally, it was demonstrated that the formation laws of HNMs from Gly in real water samples were basically consistent with those in simulated water. Insights obtained in this study help to comprehend the HNMs formation from Gly and provide strategies for controlling the production of HNMs during LED-UV 265 /chlorine disinfection., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hexaphenoxycyclotriphosphazene (HPCTP), an unregistered chemical, has been used as a substitute for triphenyl phosphate in flame retardants and plasticizers. Here, we identified its metabolite, pentaphenoxycyclotriphosphazene (PPCTP) in the liver of Japanese medaka exposed to HPCTP. When sexually mature female medaka were exposed to HPCTP at 37.0, 90.4, and 465.4 ng/L for 35 days, the HPCTP concentration (642.1-2531.9 ng/g lipid weight [lw]) in the embryos considerably exceeded that (34.7-298.1 ng/g lw) in the maternal muscle, indicating remarkable maternal transfer. During 0-9 days postfertilization, the HPCTP concentration in the embryos decreased continuously, while the PPCTP concentration increased. HPCTP and PPCTP antagonized the retinoic X receptor with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC 50 ) of 34.8 and 21.2 μM, respectively, and PPCTP also antagonized the retinoic acid receptor with IC 50 of 2.79 μM. Such antagonistic activities may contribute to eye deformity (4.7% at 465.4 ng/L), body malformation (2.1% at 90.4 ng/L and 6.8% at 465.4 ng/L), and early developmental mortality (11.6-21.7% in all exposure groups) of the embryos. HPCTP was detected in a main tributary of the Yangtze River Basin. Thus, HPCTP poses a risk to wild fish populations, given the developmental toxicities associated with this chemical and its metabolite.

With the replacement of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) with perfluorinated ether carboxylic acids (PFECAs), residents living near fluorochemical industrial parks (FIPs) are exposed to various novel PFECAs. Despite expectations of low accumulation, short-chain PFECAs, such as perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA), previously displayed a considerably high body burden, although the main exposure routes and health risks remain uncertain. Here, we explored the distribution of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in diverse environmental media surrounding a FIP in Shandong Province, China. PFECAs were found at elevated concentrations in all tested matrices, including vegetables, cereals, air, and dust. Among residents, 99.3% of the ∑ 36 PFAS exposure, with a 43.9% contribution from PFECAs, was due to gastrointestinal uptake. Dermal and respiratory exposures were negligible at 0.1 and 0.6%, respectively. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of PFMOAA reached 114.0 ng/kg body weight (bw)/day, ranking first among all detected PFECAs. Cereals emerged as the dominant contributor to PFMOAA body burden, representing over 80% of the overall EDI. The median EDI of hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) was 17.9 ng/kg bw/day, markedly higher than the USEPA reference doses (3.0 ng/kg bw/day). The absence of established threshold values for other PFECAs constrains a comprehensive risk assessment.

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are a group of compounds widespread in the environment. To investigate the occurrence and accumulation characteristics of PAEs, surface water samples were collected from the Three Gorges Reservoir area, China. The total concentrations of 11 analyzed PAEs (∑ 11 PAEs) in the collected water samples ranging from 197.7 to 1,409.3 ng/L (mean ± IQR: 583.1 ± 308.4 ng/L). While DEHP was the most frequently detected PAE, DnBP and DnNP were the most predominant PAEs in the analyzed water samples with a mean contribution of 63.3% of the ∑ 11 PAEs. The concentrations of the ∑ 11 PAEs in the water samples from the upper reaches of the Yangtze River were significantly higher than those from the middle reaches. To better understand the transport and fate of the PAEs, seven detected PAEs were modeled by Quantitative Water Air Sediment Interaction (QWASI). The simulated and measured values were close for most PAEs, and differences are within one order of magnitude even for the worst one. For all simulated PAEs, water and particle inflow were main sources in the reservoir, whereas water outflow and degradation in water were important removal pathways. The contribution ratios of different sources/losses varied from PAEs, depending on their properties. The calculated risk quotients of DnNP in the Three Gorges Reservoir area whether based on monitoring or simulating results were all far exceeded the safety threshold value, implying the occurrence of this PAE compound may cause potential adverse effects for the aquatic ecology of the Three Gorges Reservoir area., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Emamectin benzoate (EMB) is an efficient insecticide which widely used as an anthelmintic drug additive in aquaculture fish. However, its extensive use has resulted in widespread pollution in the aquatic environment. Previous studies have identified the potential developmental and neurotoxic effects of EMB, however, systematic studies pertaining to the cardiovascular toxic effects of EMB on fish are scarce. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to EMB at concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mg/L for 3 days, aiming to investigate the cardiovascular toxic effects of EMB via examining morphology, cardiac function, and vascular development phenotypes. It revealed that EMB exposure led to marked deteriorated effects, including adverse effects on mortality, hatching rate, and general morphological traits, such as malformation, heart rate, body length, and eye area, in zebrafish embryos/larvae. Furthermore, EMB exposure resulted in abnormal cardiac function and vascular development, triggering neutrophil migration and aggregation toward the pericardial and dorsal vascular regions, and finalized apoptosis in the zebrafish heart region, these phenomena were further deciperred by the transcriptome analysis that the Toll-like receptor pathway, P53 pathway, and apoptotic pathway were significantly affected by EMB exposure. Moreover, the molecular docking and aspirin anti-inflammatory rescue assays indicated that TLR2 and TLR4 might be the potential targets of EMB. Taken together, our study provides preliminary evidence that EMB may induce apoptosis by affecting inflammatory signaling pathways and eventually lead to abnormal cardiovascular development in zebrafish. This study provides a simple toxicological AOP framework for safe pesticide use and management strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Antibiotics are anthropogenic contaminants with a global presence and of deep concern in aquatic environments, while less is known about the occurrence and risks of their transformation products (TPs). Herein, we developed a comprehensive suspect and nontarget screening workflow based on high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify unknown antibiotic TPs in wastewater treatment plant effluents. We identified 211 compounds (35 parent antibiotics and 176 TPs) at confidence levels of ≥3 and 107 TPs originated from macrolides. TPs were quantified by 17 TPs standards and semiquantified by the predicted response factors and accounted for 55.6-95.1% (76.7% on average) of the total concentrations of parents and TPs. 22.2%, 63.1%, and 18.8% of the identified TPs were estimated to be more persistent, mobile, and toxic than their parent antibiotics, respectively. Further ecological risk assessment based on concentrations and toxicity to aquatic organisms revealed that the cumulative risks of TPs were generally higher than those of parents. Despite the newly formed N-oxide TPs, the tertiary treatment process (mainly ozonation) could decrease the averaged 20.3% of concentrations and 36.2% of the risks of antibiotic-related compounds. This study highlights the necessity to include antibiotic TPs in environmental scrutiny and risk assessment of antibiotics in different aquatic environments.

Fluoride enrichment (> 1.5 mg/L) in groundwater has become a global threat, particularly given the hazards to human health. This study collected 58 unconfined groundwater samples from Fengpei Plain in June 2022 for hydrochemical and stable isotope analyses combined with multiple methods to explore sources, influencing factors, and potential health hazards of groundwater F - . The results showed that groundwater F - concentration ranged from 0.08 to 8.14 mg/L, with an average of 1.91 mg/L; over 41.4% of them exceeded the acceptable level of 1.5 mg/L prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The dominant hydrochemical facies changed from Ca·Mg-HCO 3 and Ca·Mg-SO 4 ·Cl type in low-F - groundwater to Na-HCO 3 and Na-SO 4 ·Cl water types in high-F - groundwater. The Self-Organizing Map (SOM) and ionic correlation analysis indicated that F - is positively correlated to pH, EC, Na + , K + , SO 4 2- , and TDS, but negatively to Ca 2+ and δ 18 O. Groundwater F - accumulation was primarily driven by F - -bearing minerals dissolution such as fluorite. Simultaneously, the carbonates precipitation, positive cation exchange processes, and salt effect were conducive to groundwater F - enrichment. However, competitive adsorption between OH - /HCO 3 - and F - , evaporation, and anthropogenic activities only had a weak effect on the F - enrichment in groundwater. The hazard quotient (HQ) assessment results show that 67.2% of groundwater samples pose a non-carcinogenic risk (HQ > 1) for infants, followed by 53.4% for children, 32.8% for females, and 25.9% for males. The Monte Carlo simulation results agreed with those of the deterministic model that minors are more susceptible than adults. These findings are vital to providing insights into the geochemical behavior, driving factors, and drinking water safety of high-F - groundwater worldwide., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The effective retention of anaerobic ammonia oxidizing (anammox) bacteria and its high sensitivity to toxic substances and oxygen posed a major challenge to the application of partial nitrification combined with anammox (PN/A) in mature landfill leachate treatment, although it is a promising and efficient nitrogen removal process. In this study, a single-stage PN/A process based on expanded granular sludge bed was proposed to treat the mature landfill leachate. During the last phase, when the NH+ 4-N concentration of mature landfill leachate in influent was 1150.0 mg/L, the nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE) was 83.64% with 1.07 kg N/(m 3 ·d) nitrogen removal rate (NRR). The activity of anammox bacteria (AnAOB) and ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) was 9.21 ± 0.22 mg N/(gVSS·h) and 14.34 ± 0.65 mg N/(gVSS·h), respectively. The bacteria produced a high amount of tightly bound extracellular polymeric substance (TB-EPS) i.e., 4071.79 mg/(g·VSS). This helped to create granular sludge and provided favorable spatial conditions for the distribution of functional bacteria that were adapted to different environments. Due to the efficient retention of functional bacteria by the granular sludge, the relative abundance of Ca.Brocadia and Ca.Kuneneia was 1.71% and 0.31%, respectively. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and microbial correlation network diagram showed that the relative abundance of Ca. Kuenenia, Nitrosomonas and Truepera had a stronger positive correlation with the increase of the proportion of mature landfill leachate added to the influent. Overall, the PN/A process based on granular sludge provides an effective method for autotrophic biological nitrogen removal from mature landfill leachate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The illicit connection of sewage pipes to stormwater pipes commonly occurs in urban stormwater systems. This brings problems that sewage might be directly discharges into natural water and even drinking water sources without treatment, posing risks to ecological safety. Sewage contains various unknown dissolved organic matter (DOM), which could react with disinfectants and lead to the formation of carcinogenic disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Thus, understanding the impacts of illicit connections on downstream water quality is of significance. This study firstly investigated the characteristics of DOM using fluorescence spectroscopy and the formation of DBPs after chlorination in an urban stormwater drainage system in the case of illicit connections. The results found that the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic nitrogen ranged from 2.6 to 14.9 mg/L and from 1.8 to 12.6 mg/L, respectively, with the highest levels occurring at the illicit connection points. Concerning DBP precursors, pipe illicit connections introduced considerable precursors of highly toxic haloacetaldehydes and haloacetonitriles into the stormwater pipes. Furthermore, illicit connections introduced more contents of tyrosine-like and tryptophan-like aromatic proteins, which may be related to foods, nutrients, personal care products, etc. in the untreated sewage. This indicated that the urban stormwater drainage system was a significant input source of DOM and DBP precursors to natural water. The results of this study are of great significance for protecting the security of water sources and promoting the sustainability of urban water environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we have utilized corn bract, a green agricultural by-product, as a carrier. It is subsequently modified with zinc sulfide to synthesize an efficient composite material termed as corn bract/polydopamine@zinc sulfide (CB/PDA@ZnS). This novel composite demonstrates significant potential for biomass removal of mercury ions (Hg(II)). The composition, structure, and morphology of CB/PDA@ZnS composites are characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The effect of pH value, adsorbent dosage, initial Hg(II) concentration, adsorption time and temperature, and coexistence ions on the adsorption behavior is investigated. The results show that CB/PDA@ZnS can efficiently remove Hg(II) from water with uptake capacities of 333.03 mg/g and removal efficiency of 99.91% under an optimal conditions (pH of 3, the adsorbent dosage of 0.015 g, contact time of 90 min, and initial concentration of 100 mg/L) at room temperature. The fitting analysis of the experimental data reveals that the adsorption process of Hg(II) follows the quasi-secondary adsorption kinetic model as well as the Langmuir isothermal adsorption model, which is a spontaneous heat absorption process. In addition, the composite adsorbent obtained exhibit excellent selectivity for Hg(II) ions and anti-coexisting ion interference performance. After five cycles of adsorption-desorption experiments, the corresponding adsorption capacity is 331.11 mg/g, accounting for 93.33% of the first adsorption capacity, indicating that the adsorbent has excellent regeneration performance. The stability of the adsorbent and the adsorption mechanism of Hg(II) ion are systematically discussed using FT-IR, XRD, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Finally, this adsorbent is tested for the removal of industrial wastewater containing Hg(II), and the adsorption and removal efficiency are 331.67 mg/g and 99.50%, respectively. This study provides a very valuable information for future Hg(II) removal from aqueous solutions., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Biochar is considered a good activator for use in advanced oxidation technology. However, dissolved solids (DS) released from biochar cause unstable activation efficiency. Biochar prepared from saccharification residue of barley straw (BC-SR) had less DS than that prepared directly from barley straw (BC-O). Moreover, BC-SR had a higher C content, degree of aromatization, and electrical conductivity than BC-O. Although the effects of BC-O and BC-SR on activation of Persulfate (PS) to remove phenol were similar, the activation effect of DS from BC-O was 73% higher than that of DS from BC-SR. Moreover, the activation effect of DS was shown to originate from its functional groups. Importantly, BC-SR had higher activation stability than BC-O owing to the stable graphitized carbon structure of BC-SR. Identification of reactive oxygen species showed that SO 4 • - , •OH, and 1 O 2 were all effective in degradation by BC-SR/PS and BC-O/PS systems, but their relative contributions differed. Furthermore, BC-SR as an activator showed high anti-interference ability in the complex groundwater matrix, indicating it has practical application value. Overall, this study provides novel insight that can facilitate the design and optimization of a green, economical, stable, and efficient biochar-activated PS for groundwater organic pollution remediation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Owing to its inertness toward refractory organic pollutants and the release of Mn 2+ , the use of permanganate was limited in soil and groundwater remediation. The present study proposed an improvement strategy based on glucose-derived carbonaceous materials, which enhanced the potential of permanganate degrading organic pollutants. The glucose-derived carbonaceous material with 1000 °C charring temperature was named C1000, which was exploited in activating KMnO 4 for the elimination of refractory organic contaminants. The addition of C1000 in the KMnO 4 system triggered the degradation of refractory p-nitrophenol and quicken phenol degradation. Unlike the detection of Mn(III) species in a solo KMnO 4 system, the presence of C1000 facilitated the formation of • OH in the KMnO 4 system, which was confirmed by the use of quenchers such as methanol, benzoic acid, tertiary butanol, and carbonate. Additionally, the glucose-derived carbonaceous material played multiple roles in improving the performance of permanganate, including the enrichment of organic pollutants, donation of electrons to permanganate, and acting as an electron shuttle to facilitate the oxidation of organic pollutants by permanganate. The study's novel findings have the potential to expand the use of permanganate in the remediation of organic pollutants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Human-induced antibiotic pollution in the world's large rivers poses significant risk to riverine ecosystems, water quality, and human health. This study identified geophysical and socioeconomic factors driving antibiotic pollution in the Yangtze River by quantifying 83 target antibiotics in water and sediment samples collected in its 6300-km-long reach, followed by source apportionment and statistical modeling. Total antibiotic concentrations ranged between 2.05-111 ng/L in water samples and 0.57-57.9 ng/g in sediment samples, contributed predominantly by veterinary antibiotics, sulfonamides and tetracyclines, respectively. Antibiotic compositions were clustered according to three landform regions (plateau, mountain-basin-foothill, and plains), resulting from varying animal production practices (cattle, sheep, pig, poultry, and aquaculture) in the sub-basins. Population density, animal production, total nitrogen concentration, and river water temperature are directly associated with antibiotic concentrations in the water samples. This study revealed that the species and production of food animals are key determinants of the geographic distribution pattern of antibiotics in the Yangtze River. Therefore, effective strategies to mitigate antibiotic pollution in the Yangtze River should include proper management of antibiotic use and waste treatment in animal production., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Due to their ubiquity and potential risks, microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are concerning environmental issues. Yet there are still significant knowledge gaps in understanding the tissue-specific accumulation and dynamic change of MPs and NPs in the aquatic organism and how these micro/nano-scale emerging contaminants interact with other environmental pollutants such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Here, in vivo imaging systems (IVIS), radioisotope tracing, and histological staining were innovatively used to reveal the fate and toxicity of fluorescently-labeled MPs/NPs and 14 C-labeled 2,4,4'-trichlorobiphenyl (PCB28) in edible jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum. These contaminants' ingestion, biological effects, and interactions were visualized at cellular, tissue, and whole-body multidimensional levels. Both MPs and NPs were shown to be preferentially accumulated in the mouthlets of oral arms, and most ingested MPs/NPs were present in the extracellular environment instead of being internalized into the mesoglea. Moreover, the presence of MPs or NPs in the seawater significantly inhibited the bioaccumulation of PCB28 in the jellyfish tissue, thus alleviating physiological alteration, gastric damage, and apoptosis caused by PCB28. This study provides a multi-dimensional visualization strategy to display the distribution and biological effects of typical pollutants in marine organisms and offers new insights for understanding the impacts of MPs/NPs and POPs on marine ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Bromide ion (Br - ) is known as a prevalent component in water environments, which exhibits significant impacts on halonitromethanes (HNMs) formation. This study was performed to explore and compare the formation, toxicity, and mechanisms of HNMs from poly(diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDDACl) in the absence and presence of Br - in the UV/monochloramine (UV/NH 2 Cl) disinfection process. The results showed that chlorinated HNMs were found in the absence of Br - , while brominated (chlorinated) HNMs and brominated HNMs were found in the presence of Br - . Furthermore, the peaks of total HNMs were promoted by 2.0 and 2.4 times, respectively when 1.0 and 2.0 mg L -1 Br - were added. Also, the peaks of total HNMs were enhanced with the increase of the NH 2 Cl dosage, which were reduced with the increase of pH. It should be noted that Br - induced higher toxicity of HNMs, and the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of HNMs with the addition of 2.0 mg L -1 Br - were 78.0 and 3.7 times those without the addition of Br - , respectively. Meanwhile, both the reaction mechanisms of HNMs produced from PDDACl were speculated in the absence and presence of Br - . Finally, different HNMs species and yields were discovered in these two real water samples compared to those in simulated waters. These findings of this work will be conducive to understanding the significance of Br - affecting HNMs formation and toxicity in the disinfection process., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)