The Republic of Korea applies a residential soil fluoride standard of 800 mg/kg, while geogenically elevated fluoride occurs in some regions, creating uncertainty about how soil fluoride concentrations translate into potential health risk under multimedia exposure. Because fluoride exposure can also occur through groundwater and food crops, soil concentration alone may not fully characterize total exposure. This study compared health risk assessment guidance and quantify the parameterizations using explainable analyses to support media-integrated management guidance. Fluoride exposure scenarios, including crop intake, drinking water consumption, and soil/dust ingestion, were compared and evaluated using the U.S. EPA risk assessment guidance for superfund (RAGS) and the Korean soil-contamination risk assessment guidelines (KRAG). Simulated fluoride levels ranged from 200 to 4000 mg/kg in soil, 0.5 to 2.5 mg/L in water, and 5 to 40 mg/kg in crops. Additionally, explainable machine learning was applied to identify parameterization inconsistencies and to support guideline-relevant refinement. Children exhibited higher hazard index (HI) to fluoride under RAGS, reaching 9.116, whereas KRAG yielded lower HI estimates under the specified parameterization and, in some scenarios, produced lower HI values for children than for adults. A modified approach, RAGS-K, applies KRAG parameters within the RAGS calculation structure and yielded higher HI estimates than KRAG under the examined scenarios. The results show that intake from water and crops dominates child risk and drives the discrepancy between adult and child risk, supporting further evaluation of media-integrated risk assessment approaches.
Heavy metal accumulation in agricultural soils threatens food safety through its transfer to wheat grains. However, the extent to which contrasting fertilization strategies influence wheat productivity, soil heavy metal accumulation, metal transfer to grains, and the associated human health risks remains poorly understood, particularly in peri-urban agricultural systems. This study evaluated four nutrient management strategies conventional mineral fertilization, reduced fertilization, organic fertilization, and integrated nutrient management in a clay loam soil system located in Monshaet El Kanater, Giza Governorate, Egypt, during three consecutive winter growing seasons of 2022–2025. Soil and grain samples were analyzed for Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, and Zn concentrations. Environmental contamination was assessed using enrichment factor (EF) and pollution load index (PLI), while human health risks associated with wheat consumption were estimated using estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR) models. Integrated nutrient management produced the highest grain yield (8.12 t ha⁻1), whereas organic fertilization resulted in the highest grain protein content (13.15
Rapid industrialization, urban expansion and agricultural intensification have contributed substantially to groundwater contamination, posing severe environmental and community health challenges. This research evaluated groundwater quality, hydrogeochemical characteristics, heavy metal contamination and associated human health risks at 60 sampling sites in the rapidly urbanizing and industrially influenced Una district of Himachal Pradesh. Water Quality Index (WQI), Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI), Piper diagram, multivariate statistical analysis and health risk assessment were used to evaluate groundwater suitability and identify dominant hydrogeochemical processes and contamination sources. The findings indicated that the sampled groundwater was generally acidic to alkaline with several samples exceeding the permissible limits of EC, TDS, Mg2+, TH, K+, HCO3−, F−, NO3−, As, Cd, Mn, Zn and Pb. The WQI ranged from 58.03 to 218.13, indicating that nearly 75
Nanomaterials (NMs) are widely used in food, agriculture, electronics, and biomedicine because of unique physicochemical properties. Their ability to cross biological barriers and reach various tissues and organs raises concerns regarding their potential toxicity. Although numerous studies have investigated NMs toxicity, inconsistent findings caused by differences in NMs characteristics and experimental conditions have limited a comprehensive understanding of their overall toxicity and influencing factors. In this study, the in vivo toxicity of NMs was systematically and quantitatively evaluated through meta-analysis of serum biochemical parameters, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity indicators. The findings suggested that NMs significantly increased the levels of serum biochemical parameters related to organ function (p < 0.05). NMs also increased pro-oxidants levels (p < 0.05) and decreased antioxidants levels (p < 0.05), thereby inducing oxidative stress. Furthermore, NMs increased indicators of DNA and chromosomal damage (p < 0.05), indicating genotoxicity. Subgroup analyses indicated that the toxic effects of NMs were stronger for metal-based and smaller NMs (≤ 50 nm), and increased with longer exposure durations and higher doses, with variations also observed across exposure routes and tissues. Collectively, this meta-analysis provided quantitative evidence that NMs induced significant biochemical, oxidative, and genotoxic effects in rats and mice, with toxicological responses being influenced by NMs characteristics and exposure conditions. The findings provide valuable insights into the toxicity mechanisms and risk assessment of NMs, supporting more accurate hazard evaluation and the safe application of nanomaterials.
Nine target per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were analyzed in aqueous samples from a full-scale municipal water resource recycling center using an anaerobic–anoxic–oxic process followed by a membrane bioreactor (MBR). Samples were collected from the influent, primary sedimentation, final sedimentation, MBR, and final effluent during 12 monthly grab-sampling events from June 2018 to May 2019 and a separate seven-day daily campaign from 21 to 27 May 2019. Seven compounds were detected above their compound-specific method detection limits in at least one sample, whereas PFUnA and PFDoA were not detected. In the monthly dataset, mean concentrations of the seven quantified compounds (ΣPFAS) were 20.84 ng/L in the influent, 29.62 ng/L after the MBR, and 26.21 ng/L in the final effluent. PFOA and PFOS were the largest contributors and together accounted for 70.4
Karst agroecosystems are highly vulnerable to heavy metal contamination, yet integrated assessments linking environmental pollution to human exposure remain limited. This study investigated soils, surface water, and food crops in a karst agricultural town of Southwest China and used hair and nail biomonitoring to examine potential linkages between environmental contamination, food exposure, and human metal accumulation. Cultivated soils showed pronounced enrichment of Cd, Pb, and Zn, with Cd driving severe pollution (Pi > 10; Pn > 1), whereas surface water met Class I standards. Agricultural products frequently exceeded food safety limits for Cd and Cr, and Cd exhibited the highest bioaccumulation potential. Positive Matrix Factorization resolved four major factors, with elemental loading patterns suggesting contributions potentially associated with mining/industrial/traffic activities, lithogenic sources, and agricultural inputs. Monte Carlo health risk assessment indicated substantial potential health concerns, with children facing higher non-carcinogenic risks (HI = 4.55) and both adults and children showing unacceptable carcinogenic risks (TCR = 1.71 × 10−3 and 1.42 × 10−3, respectively), with Ni and Cd contributing substantially to the estimated risks. Biomonitoring revealed distinct age-specific accumulation patterns, with children showing higher levels of Zn, Cr, and Ni and adults of Pb, Cd, Cu, and As, further supported by multivariate analysis. Overall, the findings suggest that geological background and anthropogenic activities may collectively contribute to metal occurrence and exposure in this karst agroecosystem, and highlight Cd and Ni as priority elements for risk control in vulnerable karst regions.
River contamination in India has become a critical issue owing to gross mismanagement of resources, poor planning, and limited understanding of contaminant dynamics. In this context, we conducted a systematic yet comprehensive study of the Digaru River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River, which has been subjected to untreated municipal and industrial discharges for many decades. We analysed thirty physicochemical water quality parameters through periodic monitoring, focusing on identifying pollution sources and contaminant correlations using multivariate statistics. To assess river health, we employed a novel Modified Entropy-Weighted Water Quality Index (MEWQI) and assessed human health risks associated with it. Based on 144 samples collected over four seasons, the study highlighted strong spatiotemporal variability and limited self-replenishment, with monsoon months showing significantly elevated pollutants, including turbidity (> 500 NTU, mean: 56 ± 104), BOD5 ( 47 mg/L), COD ( 290 mg/L, mean: 111 ± 85), and NO3− ( 56 mg/L, mean: 07 ± 10). Among metals, Al (81
Phosphogypsum (PG), a by-product of phosphoric acid production, is mainly stockpiled, which occupies land and poses pollution risks, necessitating expanded resource utilization. We isolated Kosakonia oryziphila 516 with good acid-producing and phosphate-solubilizing effects from the rhizosphere of Eleusine indica growing on PG, and it can promote the growth of five plant species, with the strongest growth-promoting effect observed in Cosmos bipinnatus. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of KC 516 on the phenotypic indices, physiological indices, rhizosphere soil properties, and root gene expression of C. bipinnatus grown in PG-based substrate. Our analysis revealed that KC 516 significantly enhanced plant growth, increasing germination rate, plant height, root length, and dry weight by 12
Relocating a polluting industry can transfer contamination to a new receiving water body rather than eliminate it, yet the resulting sediment footprint is rarely resolved beyond surface contamination. This study quantified the spatial and depth-resolved sediment footprint of relocated tannery discharge in the Dhaleshwari River, Bangladesh, and distinguished anthropogenic from geogenic elemental signatures. Sixty sediment samples from 18 sites were analysed for 15 elements by neutron activation analysis. Sites were evaluated individually and within four spatial zones (discharge, opposite riverbank, upstream, and downstream) using non-parametric statistics, sediment-quality indices, and Positive Matrix Factorisation (PMF). Chromium was the dominant anomaly, with concentrations at the discharge point reaching 260 times the average crustal value (mean: 24,514 ± 16,058 µg/g), declining significantly with distance from the outfall and differing among zones. Depth profiles showed no significant vertical trend across the full sediment cores, but significant near-surface enrichment occurred in the near-field cores, consistent with episodic, source-proximal deposition. Half of all samples exceeded the chromium Effects Range Median threshold. Source apportionment attributed only 15.5
This research presents the design of three innovative photocatalytic systems and comparatively evaluates their performance by incorporating semiconductor nanoparticles into polymeric membranes for efficient water remediation under visible light. A novel assembly of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based membranes was designed via phase inversion combined with aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) self-assembly for the integration of TiO2 with g-C3N4, CeO2, and ZnO. The fabricated nanocomposite membranes exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic degradation, ultrafiltration and antifouling performance. Among the developed membranes, the PVDF–TiO2/g-C3N4 (PTG-5
This study quantified total arsenic (As), gastric-phase in vitro bioaccessible As (IVBA), and associated direct-soil-exposure risks for children and adults in mining-affected allotment gardens in Złoty Stok, Poland. Deterministic calculations and Monte Carlo simulations were applied to incidental soil ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation of resuspended particles. Total As ranged from 433 to 1148 mgkg⁻1, while IVBA ranged from 4.5 to 23.5
The Yellow River serves as a critical water source for northern China, yet basin‑wide information on heavy metal pollution, ecological and human health risks, and region‑specific regulatory thresholds remains limited. Here, nine heavy metals were analyzed in water and organisms across the Yellow River Basin (YRB) and an integrated risk assessment was conducted using newly derived basin‑specific water quality criteria (WQCs). Most metals exhibited elevated levels in the middle reaches, whereas As was enriched upstream. Industrial and transportation activities mainly contributed to Mn, Zn, Ni, Co, Pb, and Cd, whereas Cu, As, Cr, and partly Zn were linked to combined industrial and agricultural inputs. For the first time, YRB‑tailored WQCs of these metals were established by incorporating local species sensitivity and hydrochemical conditions via species sensitivity distribution and biotic ligand model approaches. Cr was identified as posing relatively high acute ecological risk, and both Cr and Cu presented significant chronic risks to aquatic organisms. As and Cr were highlighted as the major carcinogenic concerns for human health, with Cr exceeding internationally acceptable risk levels through drinking water. Bioaccumulation of these metals in aquatic organisms collected from Inner Mongolia section varied, and Cd and As posed the greatest non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, particularly in small fish and benthic species. This study establishes the first set of scientifically robust, YRB-tailored WQCs, offering a practical basis for precise water quality management. Moreover, prioritized regulation of the discharges of four metals, especially in the middle and upper reaches, is recommended to mitigate ecological and public health risks in the basin.
Arsenic loading from irrigated agriculture poses a greater composite ecological risk than industrial heavy-metal contamination in Punjab, India, a finding that directly challenges the primacy of metal-load-based soil hazard indices across South Asian agro-industrial regions. Using a formally replicated 3 × 3 factorial design (three land-use types × three agro-ecological districts; N = 36 energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) samples; n = 4 field replicates per sampling unit) combined with 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) V3–V4 amplicon sequencing at three representative sites, we demonstrate that land-use type is the primary geochemical driver across 15 of 32 quantified elements (partial eta-squared, η2p, up to 0.862), with significant land-use × district interaction effects detectable only through factorial design. The agricultural Amritsar sampling unit recorded the highest composite ecological risk (Potential Ecological Risk Index, PERI = 723.54), exceeding the primary industrial hotspot (PERI = 624.17; Pollution Load Index, PLI = 20.11), driven by extreme arsenic enrichment from chronic flood irrigation with arsenic-bearing groundwater (As = 80.8 ± 10.7 mg/kg; Enrichment Factor, EF = 45.19; geo-accumulation index, Igeo, Class 6), a risk pathway invisible to PLI-based ranking. All nine sampling units simultaneously exceeded Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guideline values for zinc, lead, arsenic, chromium, nickel, and copper (PLI range 8.46–20.11), confirming region-wide multi-element soil pollution. Descriptive 16S rRNA community profiles revealed a diversity gradient consistent with Pollution-Induced Community Tolerance (PICT) theory (Shannon entropy H′: 3.906 → 3.007), with Pseudomonadota enrichment (60.1
Metazachlor is a widely used herbicide that is transformed into various metabolites that are often found in groundwater. To assess their mobility and persistence in the soil environment, batch experiments were performed for the parent compound and two most frequently occurring metabolites OA (479M04) and ESA (479M08), using representative soils of the Czech Republic. In addition, the concentrations of all three compounds and two additional metabolites (479M09 and 479M11) were measured during metazachlor degradation experiments to determine the formation and dissipation rates of all four metabolites. Metazachlor sorbed more strongly and was less persistent than OA and ESA. The sorption of all compounds was positively influenced by the soil organic carbon content, as well as by the sand and silt content, and hydrolytic acidity (metabolites). Dissipation was positively affected by soil organic carbon and clay content and in some cases negatively by sorption. Metazachlor, and particularly OA and ESA, exhibited lower sorption and higher stability in soil than the published values indicate. Even higher stability of four metabolites was observed during the metazachlor transformation. The dissipation of 479M09 (half-live 15–111 days) and 479M11 (39–87) was faster than that of OA (18–492) and ESA (110–231) but much slower than metazachlor dissipation (7–17). The combined formation fractions of four metabolites derived from metazachlor ranged from 60 to 95
Since the implementation of China’s Clean Air Action, remarkable progress has been made in air pollution control, with continuous air quality improvement in Xi’an, a typical inland basin city in the Fenwei Plain. To clarify winter organic aerosol pollution variations and pinpoint targeted control needs under policy regulation, this study investigated PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and oxygenated derivatives (OPAHs) in winter Xi’an, focusing on pollution levels, chemical compositions, source contributions, meteorological impacts, regional transport and health risks. Historical comparison showed generally lower wintertime PAH concentrations in Xi’an during the period of China’s clean-air actions. PMF results indicated mixed source influences on PAHs and OPAHs, with biomass-burning-related mixed combustion showing the largest contribution. During haze episodes, absolute concentrations of both PAHs and OPAHs increased; the increase was statistically significant for OPAHs but not for parent PAHs, while 4–5 ring PAHs and BcdPQ dominated the PAH and OPAH profiles, respectively. Meteorological variability, particularly synoptic pressure patterns, was strongly associated with pollutant concentrations, and regional pollution was dominated by in-basin accumulation combined with short-range transport from northern Shaanxi industrial zones. Haze periods exhibited higher toxic-equivalent concentrations, with OPAHs, particularly BcdPQ, dominating the toxicity-equivalent burden. Screening-level ILCR estimates generally remained below 10⁻4 but increased during haze episodes, especially for adult and elderly groups. In conclusion, China’s clean air actions have coincided with lower wintertime PAH pollution, but stronger control of residential biomass and other solid-fuel combustion, traffic emissions, and OPAH formation remains necessary in the Fenwei Plain.
Mass-based PM2.5 regulation does not identify which particle-bound elements determine toxicological priority. This fixed-site secondary-data study evaluated scenario-based pediatric life-stage exposure using a single ambient PM2.5-bound elemental dataset and literature-derived exposure parameters. Seasonally weighted annual outdoor inputs were derived from selected 24-h filter-sampling days during December 2020–September 2021 and combined with indoor penetration, time-activity, respiratory deposition, and simulated-lung-fluid (SLF) solubility assumptions. The noncancer analysis prioritized element-specific respiratory-deposited intake, followed by an SLF-solubility-adjusted profile. Mixed-benchmark comparative priority quotients (CPQs) were used for exploratory within-study ranking. The annual concentration and respiratory-deposited intake profiles were highest for Al, Fe, B, and Zn, whereas the CPQ ranking prioritized As, Cd, and Sb under the selected SLF and toxicity-reference assumptions. The primary modeled lifetime cancer-risk estimate, based on Cr(VI)-equivalent chromium, As, and Cd, ranged from 1.11 × 10−6 at 0
Illegal cassiterite and monazite mining in the Taboca district of São Félix do Xingu, southeastern Amazonia, Brazil, reworks alluvial materials developed on the Paleoproterozoic Antônio Vicente Granite. This A-type granite is naturally rich in the REE-, Th- and U-bearing minerals monazite, xenotime and zircon, so mining further concentrates rare earth elements (REE), thorium and uranium whose concentrations are already raised by lithology. We sampled 130 surface horizons (34 native soils, 96 tailing residues) and analyzed them by chondrite-normalized REE patterns, mass-transfer coefficients against a niobium-tantalum composite, ethylenediaminetetraacetic-acid (EDTA) extraction, redundancy analysis and locally derived contamination index. Native soils carry two mineralogical signatures: light REE with thorium tracking detrital monazite, and heavy REE with yttrium tracking xenotime and zircon. Europium anomalies are strongly negative throughout. Tailings concentrate heavy-mineral phases while losing most of the soil reactivity. Organic matter drops from 2.15 to 0.54
This study aims to analyze the connection between mixed metal exposure and abnormal blood glucose (defined as fasting plasma glucose ≥6.1 mmol/L, according to the World Health Organization diagnostic criteria) among aluminum plant workers. A total of 384 male workers from a large aluminum plant in Shanxi Province were surveyed between July and August 2024. Fasting glucose and eight plasma metals were measured. Logistic regression, Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to examine single-metal and mixture effects. Following adjustment for potential confounders, the highest quartile (Q4) of plasma aluminum, selenium, and copper was associated with higher odds of abnormal blood glucose, with adjusted ORs of 2.93 (95
Accurate assessment of chromium contamination in mining-influenced watersheds requires distinguishing between the environmentally contrasting Cr(III) and Cr(VI) species, yet environmental monitoring and risk assessments still rely predominantly on total chromium concentrations. This study evaluated whether chromium speciation provides additional information beyond operational total chromium for assessing chromium occurrence and potential human health risks in an ultramafic, mining-influenced watershed. Surface-water samples were collected from 28 sampling stations across the Pülümür and Ovacık regions of the Eastern Anatolia Basin (Türkiye) between March 2025 and February 2026. Chromium speciation was determined using species-specific UV–Visible spectrophotometric methods and integrated with hydrochemical characterization, multivariate statistical analyses, mineralogical investigations (XRD, SEM–EDS, and FTIR), and deterministic and empirical-bootstrap human health risk assessments. Operational total chromium, defined as the sum of separately measured Cr(III) and Cr(VI), ranged from below the detection limit to 578.13 µg L−1. For contextual screening, this calculated value exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) drinking-water guideline for total chromium at 14 stations; however, it was not an independently measured total-Cr concentration. The highest Cr(VI) concentration occurred at a localized hotspot, whereas Cr(III) predominated throughout most of the watershed. Nevertheless, Cr(VI)-based screening thresholds were exceeded at multiple stations under the assumed untreated drinking-water ingestion scenario, indicating that operational total chromium alone did not consistently identify the spatial distribution of Cr(VI)-related potential risk. Screening-level hazard quotient (HQ) estimates were higher for children than for adults; however, direct untreated consumption of the sampled surface waters was not verified. Mining-influenced stations generally exhibited higher chromium concentrations, although the relative contributions of geogenic weathering and mining-related mobilization could not be quantitatively apportioned. Overall, chromium speciation provided additional environmentally and toxicologically relevant information beyond operational total chromium for evaluating chromium mobility and screening-level potential human health risks in this ultramafic watershed.
Microplastics (MPs), nanoplastics (NPs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can enter soils through biosolids, compost, landfill leachate, reclaimed-water irrigation, treated textiles, and industrial releases. However, whether plastic particles modify PFAS fate in terrestrial environments remains uncertain because most evidence derives from simplified laboratory conditions. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework and identified 430 records from Scopus (n = 208) and Web of Science (n = 222). After screening, environmental-domain classification, and critical reassessment, 37 original studies were included in a two-level evidence framework comprising eight core soil or soil-relevant studies and 29 complementary mechanistic studies. PFAS–MP/NP interactions depended on polymer composition, particle size and charge, PFAS chain length and functional group, solution chemistry, weathering, organic matter, mineral coatings, and biofilms. Although pristine plastics often showed substantial PFAS adsorption in aqueous systems, their affinity frequently changed after contact with soils or other environmental matrices. Transport studies did not support a universal carrier effect. Plastic particles facilitated PFAS movement under some conditions, retarded it when particle retention dominated, and had little effect when most PFAS remained dissolved. Biological responses were also context-dependent. MPs increased PFAS bioaccumulation and reproductive toxicity in earthworms, while plant and aquatic studies showed both enhanced and reduced uptake or toxicity depending on particle properties and exposure conditions. Overall, the PFAS vector effect of MPs and NPs is conditional rather than universal. Field monitoring, intact-soil experiments, environmentally conditioned particles, realistic concentrations, complete mass balances, and long-term assessments are needed to determine when plastic-mediated processes become environmentally significant.
