Background Emerging organic contaminants are increasingly present in the environment, with several pollution sources. Soil and household dust are critical pathways for human exposure, posing significant health risks, especially for vulnerable children.Objective The objective of this study was to identify and characterize the presence of emerging contaminants in soil and house dust samples in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Florida, evaluating how seasonal, socioeconomic, and geographic factors influence the distribution of these pollutants.Methods Soil and house dust samples were collected from 49 families twice a year between May 2022 and February 2024. Samples were processed by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and analyzed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Chemical identification was performed using Compound Discoverer (CD) software.Results The predominant compounds in soil were personal care products (PCP)/surfactants, industrial products, and pesticides in the dry season, while pharmaceuticals were found in higher abundance in the rainy season. The most abundant compounds in household dust were pharmaceuticals, industrial products, and PCP/surfactants in the dry season, while pesticides stood out in the rainy season. Geographically, the central Miami region presented a wider diversity of contaminants in dust and more PCP/surfactants in soil, while the northern region presented greater contamination by pharmaceuticals and industrial products in soil and more surfactants in dust. Overall, lower-income regions showed greater diversity and abundance of pollutants in dust and soil.Conclusions These results suggest that the distribution of organic pollutants in soil and house dust is influenced by seasonal, socioeconomic, and geographic factors. These differences highlight the need for adaptive environmental policies and integrated strategies to mitigate the risks associated with exposure to these pollutants in urban environments, protecting public health.Highlights Seasonal variations significantly influence the distribution of emerging contaminants in soil and household dust. Socioeconomic and geographic factors contribute to distinct contamination patterns across Miami-Dade and Broward.

Food is essential for human survival; however, food can be an important route of exposure to contaminants. This study investigated the presence and distribution of anthropogenic contaminants in food consumed by families with small children in South Florida, United States, evaluating seasonal and socio-economic variabilities in chemical composition. QuEChERS protocols, followed by non-targeted analysis (NTA) using an LC-Orbitrap HRMS system, were used for the comprehensive screening of organic contaminants. The compounds were annotated and identified with the Compound Discoverer (CD) software, and contaminant distributions were analyzed using boxplots and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results showed significant seasonal and socio-economic differences in contaminant distributions (p < 0.05). In the wet season, a predominance of polymers and surfactants, such as dodecanedioic acid and N-dodecylacrylamide, were found in food, which might be due to increased transport of industrial pollutants during increased precipitation, while plasticizers (e.g., bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) and drugs (e.g., warfarin) were more prevalent during the dry season, which could be related to less dilution effects in this period. A higher abundance of 1-nitrosopiperidine, present in cured meats, was noted in food from upper socio-economic classes, while the lower class showed higher abundance of benzocaine, a common topical anesthetic.

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic, highly fluorinated, and emerging chemicals that are reported to be used for both industrial and domestic applications. Several PFAS have demonstrated persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic tendencies in marine organisms. Therefore, this research aims to characterize and quantify these compounds in both recreational fisheries and surface water samples, including estimating their bioaccumulation potentials. In addition, we assessed the potential contribution of biomonitoring tools such as oxidative stressors and morphological index on fish and ecological health. Finally, human health risk assessment was performed based on available toxicological data on limited PFAS. All PFAS were detected in at least one sample except for N-EtFOSAA in lobster which was below the method detection limit. ƩPFAS body burden ranged from 0.15 to 3.40 ng/g wet weight (ww) in blackfin tuna samples and 0.37-5.15 ng/g ww in lobster samples, respectively. Wilcoxon rank paired test (α = 0.05) shows that there is statistical significance (ρ < 0.05) of ƩPFAS between species. Bioaccumulation factors (BAF) suggest an increasing trend in PFAS classes (PFCAs < PFSAs < FTSs), with higher BAFs observed in tuna compared to lobster. Long-chain PFESAs and FASAA were reported at higher concentrations in lobster compared to Blackfin tuna due to their bioavailability through sediment-sorption interactions. Although Fulton's condition factor (FCF) indicates healthy fish conditions, oxidative stress biomarkers suggest that tuna and lobster might be under stress, which can weaken their immune system against exposure to emerging contaminants such as PFAS. Hazard risk (HR) suggests a low risk to human health based on the consumption of the studied species; however, the risk of contaminant exposure may be higher than estimated. This study is aimed at improving food safety by providing better understanding of how PFAS infiltrate into human diet and incorporating data on influence of contaminant exposure and environmental stressors on marine health.

Environmental contamination through direct contact, ingestion and inhalation are common routes of children's exposure to chemicals, in which through indoor and outdoor activities associated with common hand-to-mouth, touching objects, and behavioral tendencies, children can be susceptible and vulnerable to organic contaminants in the environment. The objectives of this study were the screening and identification of a wide range of organic contaminants in indoor dust, soil, food, drinking water, and urine matrices (N = 439), prioritizing chemicals to assess children's environmental exposure, and selection of unique tracers of soil and dust ingestion in young children by non -targeted analysis (NTA) using Q-Exactive Orbitrap followed data processing by the Compound Discoverer (v3.3, SP2). Chemical features were first prioritized based on their predominant abundance (peak area>500,000), detection frequency (in >50% of the samples), available information on their uses and potential toxicological effects. Specific tracers of soil and dust exposure in children were selected in this study including Tripropyl citrate and 4-Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid. The criteria for selection of the tracers were based on their higher abundance, detection frequency, unique functional uses, measurable amounts in urine (suitable biomarker), and with information on gastrointestinal absorption, metabolism, and excretion, and were further confirmed by authentic standards. We are proposing for the first time suitable unique tracers for dust ingestion by children.

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemical compounds known for their persistent, bioaccumulation and toxic characteristics in all environmental compartments. As industrial and domestic applications of PFAS increase, their discharge into water bodies becomes of human and ecological concerns. Our research focuses on providing better understanding on the occurrence, vertical distribution, and dispersion of PFAS in surface and bottom water from inshore and offshore area of Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida. We screened a total of 30 PFAS from inshore (N = 38) and offshore (N = 48) water samples using a semi-automated solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by instrumental analysis using Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques (LC-MS/MS). Our findings show a general surface-enrichment and depth-depletion pattern from inshore to offshore area. Average ∑PFAS loadings inshore (surface vs bottom; 29.52 ± 15.26 ng/L vs 21.45 ± 7.85 ng/L) is significantly greater than offshore (surface vs bottom; 5.18 ± 2.68 ng/L vs 2.42 ± 2.11 ng/L). PFOS had the highest mean concentration both inshore (6.36 ± 4.23 ng/L) and offshore (0.83 ± 0.87 ng/L). The most frequently detected (D·F > 91 %) PFAS are Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) in surface water samples. PFOS/PFOA >1 suggests that point sources are the major contribution to PFAS burden in the Biscayne Bay. An innovative Inverse distance weighted interpolation (IDW) special modelling approach was implemented to predict the potential contribution of oceanic current on the dispersion of ∑PFAS loadings in surface and bottom profiles from canals (inshore) to offshore areas. This will provide insights into transport mechanisms of PFAS from source emissions, and risk assessments of potential impacts on human and aquatic life in the Bay.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of anthropogenic pollutants that are found ubiquitously in surface and drinking water supplies. Due to their persistent nature, bioaccumulative potential, and significant adverse health effects associated with low concentrations, they pose a concern for human and environmental exposure. With the advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) methods, there has been an increasing number of non-targeted analysis (NTA) approaches that allow for a more comprehensive characterization of total PFAS present in environmental samples. In this study, we have developed and compared NTA workflows based on an online solid phase extraction- liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (online SPE-LC-HRMS) method followed by data processing using Compound Discoverer and FluoroMatch for the screening of PFAS in drinking waters from populated counties in South Florida, as well as in surface waters from Biscayne Bay, Key west, and Everglades canals. Tap water showed the highest number of PFAS features, indicating a poor removal of these chemicals by water treatment or perhaps the breakdown of PFAS precursors. The high number of PFAS features identified only by CD and FluoroMatch emphasizes the complementary aspects of these data processing methods. A Semi-quantitation method for NTA (qNTA) was proposed using a global calibration curve based on existing native standards and internal standards, in which concentration estimates were determined by a regression-based model and internal standard (IS) response factors. NTA play a crucial role in the identification and prioritization of non-traditionally monitored PFAS, needed for the understanding of the toxicological and environmental impact, which are largely underestimated due to the lack of such information for many PFAS.

Glyphosate (GLY) also known as N-(phosphomethyl)-glycine and its commercially formulated contemporaries are the most widely used class of herbicides in the world. Due to the hydrophilic nature of this contaminant, it has been detected in surface water, effluents, groundwater, and agri-food items especially those that are in proximity to active agricultural zones. Although glyphosate was regarded to be less toxic to human and aquatic health, its metabolite such as aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) is reported to be highly deleterious to the aquatic ecosystem and human health when exposed to it. Hence, this necessitates the development of sensitive and selective instrumental techniques to screen, detect and quantify this contaminant including their removal strategies from the environment. In view of this, the ecotoxicological impact of GLY and its metabolites (AMPA) on human and aquatic health and the various advanced instrumental techniques utilized for offsite e.g., chromatographic in tandem with mass spectrometry techniques (GC/MS,HPLC- MS,UPLC- MS/MS) and onsite (spectroscopic techniques, electrochemical techniques, and biosensors) analysis of this contaminant are comprehensively discussed. Furthermore, various treatment approaches such as adsorption, biological treatments and advanced oxidative processes utilized for the degradation and mineralization of GLY and its metabolites in environmental samples are well described. Finally, various challenges relating to glyphosate degradation were identified and suggestions were provided on possible ways of optimizing the recognized methods reported in published literature.

Global warming is caused by excessive CO2 production, and reducing CO2 emissions is a viable way to counteract this. It has been extensively studied how light-driven processes, particularly photocatalytic systems, can trans-form solar energy into chemical energy. In the present review exercise, the mechanism of CO2 reduction is described using calculations based on density functional theory (DFT), and comparisons are also made with regard to typical light-driven devices. Additionally, the traits of potential materials-including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), metal complexes, metal oxide, Z-scheme (metal complexes/semiconductors, two semi-conductors, dye-sensitized semiconductors), improved S-scheme and organic photocatalyst etc.-are described in depth to show how these traits affect the CO2 adsorption, activation, and desorption processes. Also summarized are a number of methods for enhancing the selectivity and efficiency of catalytic reactions. Lastly, the challenges and future outlook of light-driven reactions for CO2 reduction are presented.

Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals characterized by their ubiquitous nature in all environmental compartments which makes them of increasing concern due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity (PBT). Several instrumental methodologies and separation techniques have been identified in the literature for the detection and quantification of PFAS in environmental samples. In this review, we have identified and compared common separation techniques adopted for the extraction of PFAS in food items, and analytical methodologies for identification and quantification of PFAS in food items of plant and animal origin, highlighting recent advances in tandem techniques for the high selectivity and separation of PFAS related compounds as well as knowledge gaps and research needs on current analytical methodologies.

Biofuel generated from different organic waste substrates has been described as a sustainable option to the rapidly exhausting fossil fuels. To worsen the dependence on fossil fuels, the price is skyrocketing daily attributable to high demand for it. The high demand and usage of fossil has therefore led to increased atmospheric CO2, which is a major greenhouse gas. Thus, the dire need to explore the production of biofuel, of which biohydrogen is one. In spite of the several benefits linked to the application of biohydrogen as fuel, its production is currently facing some levels of practical challenges, some of which include inadequate conversion of biomass and low rate of production. In order to enhance the production of biohydrogen, some influencing factors for production need to be optimized. In view of this, this review critically discusses fundamental factors that affect biohydrogen production, like substrate composition, pretreatment of substrates, physicochemical parameters, etc. It was found that the key constituents in fermentative biohydrogen generation are carbohydrates while proteins are not that efficient. In addition, amongst metal ions like (Ni, Fe, Cu, Mg, Zn, and Na), Mg has been found to be one of the essential cofactors that activates more than ten enzymes involved in hydrogen fermentation. Biological pretreatment method for substrate has more advantages than others in terms of low-toxicity, mild reaction and low-cost. Reduction of partial pressure to an optimum level could enhance the yield of biohydrogen production. The integration of nanoparticles into the substrate to refill the biohydrogen (H-2) production is well-thought-out as a robust approach. Finally, this paper comprehensively discusses the effects of various nanoparticles on biohydrogen fuel production while it concludes by highlighting the future prospects. (c) 2023 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large volume of urine is continuously released into the environment by both humans and animals, and impacts negatively on the environment and ultimately on humans and animals’ health. In this review, the negative impacts associated with the release of urine to the environment is highlighted. Instead of releasing urine into the environment, it has been used for several important applications. Various ways through which these waste discharge have been positively utilized such as in the synthesis of chemicals, evolution of hydrogen, power generation, source of raw materials, fertilizer application, diagnosis and treatment of diseases are comprehensively examined. Particularly, the use of urine in the synthesis of nanomaterials is emphasized. Since stabilization of urine is necessary for its application, several methods of treating and stabilizing urine are discussed. In addition, various analytical techniques used in the detection of substances present in the urine are presented. The aim of the present review is to explore different ways by which urine has been utilized so as to trigger more research findings on the other novel means of utilizing urine.

Congo red (CR) dye is an organic pollutant of environmental concern. It is applied in textile, printing, dyeing and rubber industries as colorant. The carcinogenicity, mutagenicity and various associated toxicities of CR to flora, fauna and humas have necessitated the requirements for removal of CR from industrial CR-laden (waste)water. In this review, a total number of 300 research and review-based publications are selected and reviewed for more assessment. The modelled toxicity effects of CR dye on aquatic fauna and flora are discussed, with CR found to be phytotoxic to aquatic flora and also capable of interfering with the reproductive activity of aquatic fauna. In addition, the removal strategies for CR were thoroughly explored and discussed, with adsorption technology offering best route for decontamination of CR due to some inherent advantages like regenerability of (ad)sorbents, lack of production of secondary toxic contaminant, simplicity and low-cost nature, when compared with others. This synthesis concludes by recommending research in areas of column adsorption and assessment of adsorption/removal of CR in the presence of co-organic/inorganic contaminant(s).

In classical group theory, composition of two elements yields one element only. This theory, definitely is not applicable in the study of reactants in the blood system and chlorination where composition of two elements can yield more than one. Many researchers have studied a lot about finite hyperstructures. But, in this paper, it is shown that chlorination of methane is an infinite hyperstructure. This motivates reason for more studies on algebraic properties of infinite hyperstructures rather than the finite ones. Besides, it shows that the interaction between the reactants in the blood system and chemical structure of ozone layer satisfy the axioms of some kind of hyperstructures.