The bioaccumulation of trace elements (TEs) in crops consumed by humans can reduce food production as a consequence of photosynthetic damage in plants and cause several diseases in humans. Liming is a soil management strategy designed to alleviate soil acidity and mitigating these problems by reducing the TE bioavailability. In this study, we evaluated the effect of liming on photosynthesis, growth

In this study, the occurrence of heavy metals including cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) was investigated in indoor dust samples collected from 33 urban and rural areas in 11 provinces, China. The concentrations of the selected heavy metals were determined by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The mean concentrations of Zn (166 mg kg−1), Pb (40.7 mg kg−1)

Agricultural drainage ditches help remove excess water from fields and provide habitat for wildlife. Drainage ditch management, which includes various forms of vegetation clearing and sediment dredging, can variably affect the ecological function of these systems. To determine whether ditch conditions following dredging/vegetation clearing management affected the survival, growth, and development of

Mercury (Hg) is a global environmental contaminant that affects ecosystems. It is known to biomagnify through food webs and to bioaccumulate especially in the tissues of top predators. Large-scale comparisons between taxa and geographic areas are needed to reveal critical trends related to Hg contamination and its deleterious effects on wildlife. Yet, the large variety of tissues (keratinized tissues

To clarify whether microplastics contribute to elevated bioaccumulation of methylmercury (MeHg) in aquatic organisms, we studied the sorption pattern of MeHg on polystyrene beads (PBs) and evaluated MeHg accumulation, via uptake of MeHg-adsorbed PB, in the oyster Crassostrea gigas. MeHg-cysteine conjugates were added to seawater at 10, 100, and 1000 µg/L as Hg. Polystyrene beads (φ = 0.02, 0.2, and

This paper presents a semiquantitative method to help ecotoxicologists evaluate the consistency of data within the available peer-reviewed literature. In this case study, we queried whether there is consistent evidence of direct toxicity in Anurans exposed to atrazine at concentrations ≤ 100 μg/L under laboratory conditions. Atrazine was selected because of the relatively large repository of Anuran

This research investigated the adverse effects of neonicotinoids on the Northwestern salamander (Ambystoma gracile; NWS) after acute and subchronic exposures during early aquatic life stages via whole organism (i.e., growth, development) and molecular (i.e., gene expression) level endpoints. In a 96-h exposure, NWS larvae were exposed to four imidacloprid concentrations (250, 750, 2250, 6750 µg/L)

Amphibian’s skin bacterial community may help them to cope with several types of environmental perturbations, including osmotic stress caused by increased salinity. This work assessed whether an amphibian skin bacterium could increase its tolerance to NaCl after a long-term exposure to this salt. A strain of Erwinia toletana, isolated from the skin of Pelophylax perezi, was exposed to two salinity

The application of road de-icing salts has the potential to salinize fresh waters and degrade habitat for aquatic organisms. In the Australian Alps, the ecological effects of even small salinity increases from de-icing may be different than in North America and Europe because of (1) differences in the evolutionary history, and (2) areas with de-icing in Australia are not located in urbanized landscapes

Insecticides are important in agriculture, to reduce human disease, and to decrease the nuisance of biting insects. Despite this, many have the potential for environmental impacts and toxicity in nontarget organisms. We reviewed data on the effects of insecticides based on toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) and Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) on amphibians. The few

Pollutants emitted into the air not only have local effect but can also affect areas further from the source. The goal of this study was to assess a method for identifying the sources of element pollution in rainwater using enrichment factors supported by Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. In this study, we collected nineteen rainwater samples at the two locations of Durham and Chimney Ridge

The present study investigates the toxicity of the herbicide tribenuron methyl (TBM) as an anthropogenic agent and ammonia as an abiotic factor on Daphnia magna at environmentally relevant concentrations. These stressors may coexist in surface waters in agricultural regions. To achieve this objective, D. magna were exposed to TBM at a nominal concentration of 0.81 μg/L in association with a low ammonia

Gestagens are active ingredients in human and veterinary drugs with progestogenic activity. Two gestagens—progesterone (P4), and the synthetic P4 analogue, melengestrol acetate (MGA)—are approved for use in beef cattle agriculture in North America. Both P4 and MGA have been measured in surface water receiving runoff from animal agricultural operations. This project aimed to assess the morphometric

The northeastern United States receives elevated mercury (Hg) deposition from United States and global emissions, making it critical to understand the fate of Hg in watersheds with a variety of aquatic habitats and land use types, such as the Finger Lakes region of New York State. Bats are valuable and important organisms to study chronic Hg exposure, because they are at risk of sublethal effects from

Nonnutritive sweeteners used in food and beverage products are widespread, persistent aquatic pollutants. Despite this, their impact on aquatic organisms, particularly vertebrates, is not well-studied. Recent findings in rodents suggest sucralose, a chlorinated disaccharide, alters thyroid hormone (TH) metabolism. Because amphibian tadpole metamorphosis is TH-dependent, we hypothesized sucralose may

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-021-00822-6

The thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), are required to regulate complex developmental processes in vertebrates and are highly sensitive to endocrine-disrupting compounds. Previous studies demonstrate that dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS), a common constituent of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food products, disrupts canonical signaling of adipocyte differentiation by binding

Black carbon (BC) aerosol impacts the air quality, public health, agricultural productivity, weather, monsoon, cryosphere, and climate system from the local to the global scale. However, its distribution over vast Central Asia is poorly known, because it is one of the poorly sampled regions of the world. BC in the soil can be resuspended into the atmosphere and transported to downwind regions with

This study was conducted to understand the biological effects of microplastics (MPs), polystyrene microspheres (PSM), and polyethylene microparticles (PEM) in the juveniles of the giant river prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The PSM (0.5–1.0 µm) and PEM (30.0–150.0 µm) were separately incorporated into the artificial diets with concentrations of 1, 5, and 10 mg per 100 g. The prawns were fed with

The purpose of this study was to explore the usefulness of Great Shearwater (Ardenna gravis) as a bioindicator for biomonitoring programs for metal pollution. Three different metals were analysed in liver, kidney, and feathers, including cadmium, lead, and zinc. Glutathione-S-transferase, malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, and catalase were assessed as oxidative stress biomarkers. Sex-related trends

Excessive loading of water bodies with surface runoff-driven nutrients and heavy metals has become a serious concern worldwide. We investigated the surface runoff quality for nutrients and heavy metals being flushed to the Ganga River, as influenced by atmospheric deposition (AD). We selected three city sites in India, Haridwar, Varanasi, and Howrah, which differ widely with respect to population density

The active moss biomonitoring technique was applied to assess the environmental pollution in the Donetsk region and to compare the biomonitoring capacity of acrocarpous (Ceratodon purpureus) and pleurocarpous (Brachythecium campestre) moss transplants. Moss bags were exposed for 6 months in the surroundings of two steelworks, a power station, and two parks. The concentrations of 19 elements were determined

Marine debris and trace metals are among the common environmental contaminants known to affect marine organisms. In this study, the quantitative and qualitative aspects of marine debris levels and bioaccumulation of trace metals (Cadmium: Cd; Copper: Cu; Lead: Pb; and Zinc: Zn) were investigated in 42 green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) stranded on the northern coast of the Sea of Oman. The greatest

The bioaccumulation of arsenic (As) in the muscle, liver, kidneys, and brain of the shark Sphyrna lewini was measured in 40 juvenile specimens from southeast Gulf of California. Additionally, the biomagnification factor was calculated through prey items from stomach contents of the analyzed specimens. The concentrations of As (mg kg−1, wet weight) were higher in the muscle (10.1 ± 0.3) and liver (9

Ninety-five wild forage plants (belonging to 22 species of 18 families) and their corresponding rhizosphere soil samples were collected from wastelands of a large-scale abandoned Hg mining region for total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) analysis. The forage plant communities on the wastelands were dominated by the Asteraceae, Crassulaceae, and Polygonaceae families. The THg and MeHg concentrations

The brominated flame retardant bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) is used widely in consumer items including polyurethane foam used in furniture. Information on its bioaccumulation in aquatic species is limited. In the current study, sediment bioaccumulation tests with the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus were performed on a spiked natural sediment equilibrated for 14.5 months.

Pigeons can be successfully used as bioindicators of a contaminated environment. We studied the relationship between the functioning of the pro/antioxidant balance in muscle tissues (skeletal muscle and cardiac tissues) of pigeons (Columba livia f. urbana) living in areas with different levels of pollution (Pomeranian Voivodeship, Northern Poland). The current study demonstrated the impact of the environment

Despite the widespread use of parabens as antimicrobial preservatives in personal care products (PCP) and foodstuffs, recent studies have shown that exposure to parabens can play a role in the endocrine disruption process. In the present study, the urinary concentrations of methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP), and butylparaben (BP) were measured among 125 men, and their relationship

Bratsk water reservoir is a part of the unified Baikal-Angara water system, the world's largest reservoir of surface drinking water. This study intends to assess the water quality of Bratsk reservoir by examining the spatial and temporal variability of trace element concentrations over periods of changing by the anthropogenic impact. The water samples were collected along the length of the reservoir

The current study was developed to evaluate agronomic efficiency and food security of isolated or simultaneous use of two residues—steel slag and fresh or composted poultry litter—in the cultivation of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica). The composition and contribution of toxic and potentially toxic metals by different treatments and contents, translocation, and accumulation of Pb, Cd, Cu,

High temporal resolution sampling of runoff (15 samples/4 h) and river water (24 samples/24 h) was performed during a major rainstorm (41 mm/4 h) in the Bordeaux Metropole, after a dry and high vehicle-density period. Runoff was sampled at the outlet of one collector draining Northern Bordeaux Highway (NBH; 80,000–93,000 vehicles/day) and river water in the downstream Jalle River. The studied metals

This study provides data on the characteristic levels, spatial patterns, sources, and risk of n-alkanes (AHs) [octane, n-C8, to tetracontane, n-C40] and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surficial sediments from the Escravos River Basin (ERB), Nigeria. The n-alkane and PAH concentrations in sediments were quantified by chromatographic methods. The concentrations of AHs and PAHs in the ERB

Unpaved roads make up at least 14 million kilometers of the worldwide road network. Although investigations of road runoff often are focused on paved roads, unpaved roads contribute large volumes of runoff to roadside aquatic habitats and introduce unique constituents to runoff, such as chemical dust suppressants. At least 200 products across five chemical categories are commercially available for

People living near abandoned mines are at increased risk of exposure to toxic metals. We surveyed 4500 inhabitants with the mean age of 68.5 years old (male: 1768, female: 2732) living near 104 abandoned metal mines from 2013 to 2017 (the 2nd phase health survey in Korea). We conducted personal interviews, blood and urine sampling, and analyzed the concentrations of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in whole

In this study, we assessed the effects of 11-day exposure of sulfadiazine (SD), sulfamethazine (SM2), norfloxacin (NOR), and enrofloxacin (ENR) on the growth, chlorophyll a (Chl. a) content, phycobiliproteins (PBPs) content, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of Chrysosporum ovalisporum, examined the removal rate of these antibiotics by C. ovalisporum, and performed acute toxicology test with

When oil is spilled into the environment its toxicity is affected by abiotic conditions. The cumulative and interactive stressors of chemical contaminants and environmental factors are especially relevant in estuaries where tidal fluctuations cause wide variability in salinity, temperature, and ultraviolet (UV) light penetration, which is an important modifying factor for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon

Infant skin is highly absorptive and sensitive to exposure from external agents (microbes, toxicants, heat, cold, etc.). Many specialized infant skincare products are currently commercially available. Although the manufacturers claim that their products are mild enough to suit the infant skin, these products need to be studied for their safety. Using animal models to examine the safety of the ever-increasing

Hexamethoxymethyl-melamine (HMMM) is used as a crosslinking agent in resins and plastics and in the manufacture of tires. In the present study, surface water samples were collected from two rivers adjacent to high traffic highways in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. Composite samples collected from the Don River and Highland Creek during rain events and a period of rapid snowmelt were preconcentrated

Although Antarctica is considered one of the most pristine areas on Earth, an accelerating human presence in this remote continent, such as scientific operations and functioning of numerous scientific stations, logistics, and tourism activities, has increased the risks of environmental impacts in recent decades. During the 63rd Russian Antarctic expedition, 42 samples from topsoil horizons were collected

Bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) are implicated in the development of metabolic disorders, such diabetes mellitus. However, the epigenetic mechanism underlying the pancreatic β-cell dysregulation for both BPA/BPS needs clarification. This exploratory study was designed to investigate whether embryonic exposure to low BPA/BPS concentrations impair early pancreatic β-cell differentiation as well

Nonylphenol, octylphenol, and nonylphenol ethoxylates are manmade compounds that are only discharged in the environment due to anthropogenic activities. The objectives of this study were to determine the current concentrations of these substances in the Canadian freshwater environment and to determine if past regulatory actions were beneficial to the environment. Freshwater samples (n = 241) were collected

Arsenic contamination in drinking water is a great concern in different regions of the world as well as in India. Several technologies have been investigated to remove arsenic from water, such as coagulation and co-precipitation, ion exchange, adsorption, and reverse osmosis. In the present research, electrocoagulation with iron electrodes has been assessed as a treatment technology for arsenic removal

Samples of groundwater were collected during a post-monsoon period (January) and a pre-monsoon period (May) in 2020 from 30 locations in the rapidly developing industrial and residential area of the Coimbatore region in southern India. These sampling periods coincided with times before and during the lockdown in industrial activity and reduced agricultural activity that occurred in the region due to

The presence of radioactive elements in groundwater results in high health risks on surrounding populations. Hence, a study was conducted in central Tamil Nadu, South India, to measure the radon levels in groundwater and determine the associated health risk. The study was conducted along the lithological contact of hard rock and sedimentary formation. The concentrations of uranium (U) varied from 0

Exposure to fluoride concentrations above a threshold of 1.5 mg/L can cause joint pains, restricted mobility, skeletal and dental fluorosis. This study aims to determine the hydrochemical evolution of the fluoride-rich groundwater and estimate the risk of fluoride exposure to the residents of semi-arid northeastern part of Rajasthan, India. The methodology involves measurement of fluoride and other

The present investigation deals with the health risk assessment due to the heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Co, Mn, Pb, Ni, and Zn) in groundwater in the industrial township of Virudhunagar district. Twenty groundwater samples were collected, and the measured concentration of the heavy metals follows the order Pb > Ni > Zn > Co > Cr > Cd > Cu > Mn. The metal pollution indices (heavy metal evaluation index

The main focus of the present research was to examine the appropriateness of groundwater resources for drinking purposes in the Bilate River Basin of Southern Main Ethiopian Rift, Ethiopia. The groundwater quality index (GWQI), fluoride pollution index (FPI), and human health risk were used to examine the human health risk factors associated with the intake of high fluoride groundwater. For this purpose

The widespread use of road salt for winter road maintenance has led to an increase in the salinity of surface water in many seasonally cold areas. Freshwater mussels have a heightened sensitivity to salt, which is a concern, because many Canadian mussel species at risk have ranges limited to southern Ontario, Canada’s most road-dense region. This study examined the effect of winter road runoff on freshwater

Evaluation of the hydrogeochemical processes governing the heavy metal distribution and the associated health risk is important in managing and protecting the health of freshwater resources. This study mainly focused on the health impacts due to the heavy metals pollution in a known Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T) contact region (Tiruchinopoly, Tamilnadu) of peninsular India, using various pollution indices

In this study, the quality of groundwater was assessed in a semi-arid region of India by using an entropy weighted water quality index (EWQI) and a pollution index of groundwater (PIG). The EWQI and PIG methods were used to evaluate data on physicochemical parameters in relation to drinking water quality standards. Groundwater samples were collected from the Dubbak region, Telangana state, India, and

The focus of the present study was to assess the quality of different drinking water sources, impacts of poor water quality on human health, and to apportion pollution source(s) of the district Bajaur, Pakistan. Drinking water samples (n = 331) were randomly collected from springs, hand pumps, open wells, and tube wells and analyzed for physicochemical parameters including toxic elements, and bacteriological

Groundwater is the main sources of water supply for drinking purposes in the Ordos Basin in the northwestern part of China. In order to sustain and protect the quality of groundwater resources, shallow groundwater samples were collected and analyzed to identify the hydrogeochemical characteristics, and to evaluate health risk to human. Cluster analysis showed that the 134 groundwater samples were divided

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in groundwater and leachate around selected waste dumpsites from two southwestern states of Nigeria were investigated. Samples were Soxhlet-extracted using hexane/methylene chloride mixture and cleaned-up with preconditioned solid-phase extraction cartridges. The ∑PAHs (PCBs) (all in µg/L) in the boreholes, leachate, and hand-dug

The concentrations of dissolved yttrium and rare earth elements (REY) in sediment pore water provide important geochemical information. However, due to the low REY concentration, complex matrix, and limited sample volume (often only a few milliliters), analysis of the REY in pore water often is highly challenging. In this study, a method was established to determine the dissolved REY in pore water

Groundwater contamination is a global problem that has a significant impact on human health and ecological services. Studies reported in this special issue focus on contaminants in groundwater of geogenic and anthropogenic origin distributed over a wide geographic range, with contributions from researchers studying groundwater contamination in India, China, Pakistan, Turkey, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.

The Army is replacing traditional munitions with insensitive munitions (IM) resistant to accidental detonation. The aquatic toxicity of 1-methyl-3-nitroguanidine (MeNQ), which is being assessed for potential use in IM formulations, remains largely untested. The present study fills a number of critical data gaps for MeNQ aquatic toxicity by evaluating effects across two vertebrate and five invertebrate