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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 8013

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Dr. Yufeng Hu

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Guest Editor

School of Ocean Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, China
Interests: environmental sciences; nanozymes; sample pretreatment; chemosensor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental pollution is a worldwide problem that presents serious threats to human health and the natural environment. Comprehensive analysis of environmental pollutants is key to establishing relevant control standards. Despite important improvements in recent decades, the analysis of environmental pollutants—especially emerging contaminants—has been insufficient. Thus, the fate, transport, and transformation of various pollutants in natural systems and wastewater treatment systems need to be carefully investigated. Thus, for public and environmental health, the analysis of environmental pollutants is urgently needed. To better monitor environmental pollutants, some sensors or probes must be developed to detect conventional, priority, and emerging chemicals in water, air, soils, and foods. Papers addressing these topics are invited for this Special Issue, especially those demonstrating analyses for emerging contaminants, as well as novel analytical methods for traditional priority pollutants.

Dr. Yufeng Hu
Guest Editor

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Keywords

environmental pollutants
emerging contaminants (antibiotics, microplastics, etc.)
analytical method
sensors
sample pretreatment methods
natural environment
wastewater treatment systems

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adsorption of Phenanthrene on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in the Presence of Nonionic Surfactants

by Huimin Cao, Zhenyang Zhou, Cuiping Wang and Hongwen Sun

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3648; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043648 - 18 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1179

Abstract

The bioavailability and mobility of phenanthrene (Phe) adsorbed by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) may be substantially influenced by nonionic surfactants used both in the synthesis and dispersion of MWCNTs. The adsorption mechanisms of Phe adsorbed onto MWCNTs under the different nonionic surfactants Tween 80 (TW-80) and Triton X-100 (TX-100) in the aqueous phase were investigated in terms of changes in the MWCNTs’ compositions and structures. The results showed that TW-80 and TX-100 were easily adsorbed onto MWCNTs. Phe adsorption data onto MWCNTs were better suited to the Langmuir equation than the Freundlich equation. Both TW-80 and TX-100 reduced the adsorption capacity of Phe onto MWCNTs. When TW-80 and TX-100 were added in the adsorption system, the saturated adsorption mass of Phe decreased from 35.97 mg/g to 27.10 and 29.79 mg/g, respectively, which can be attributed to the following three reasons. Firstly, the hydrophobic interactions between MWCNTs and Phe became weakened in the presence of nonionic surfactants. Secondly, the nonionic surfactants covered the adsorption sites of MWCNTs, which caused Phe adsorption to be reduced. Finally, nonionic surfactants can also promote the desorption of Phe from MWCNTs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Environmental Pollutants)

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14 pages, 3391 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ecological Risks of Antibiotics in Urban Wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

by Fengjiao Zhang, Xufeng Mao, Xiuhua Song, Hongyan Yu, Jinlu Yan, Dongsheng Kong, Yinlong Liu, Naixin Yao, Shilin Yang, Shunbang Xie, Haichuan Ji and Huakun Zhou

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 1735; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031735 - 18 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1282

Abstract

Although the ecological risks of antibiotics have been extensively researched globally, fewer studies have been conducted in sensitive and fragile plateau wetland ecosystems. To evaluate the ecological risk of antibiotics in plateau urban wetlands, 18 water samples, 10 plant samples, and 8 sediment samples were collected in March 2022 in the Xining urban wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method was utilized to measure the concentrations of 15 antibiotics in three categories in three types of environmental media. Risk quotients were adopted to assess the ecological risk of antibiotics, and the principal component analysis–multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the source of antibiotics. The results showed that (1) the maximum concentrations of antibiotics in water samples, plants, and sediments reached 1220.86 ng/L, 78.30 ng/g, and 5.64 ng/g, respectively; (2) Tylosin (TYL), norfloxacin (NFX), ofloxacin (OFX), and ciprofloxacin (CFX) in water were at medium and high-risk levels, and OFX had the highest risk value, of 108.04; and (3) the results of source apportionment indicate that 58.94% of the antibiotics came from the Huangshui river and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) near the wetlands. The current study may provide a reference for the risks and management of antibiotics in plateau urban wetlands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Environmental Pollutants)

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18 pages, 5080 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comprehensive Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment Model: Considering Temporally and Spatially Dependent Variations

by Shu Su, Jingyi Ju, Yujie Ding, Jingfeng Yuan and Peng Cui

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14000; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114000 - 27 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2250

Abstract

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a widely-used international environmental evaluation and management method. However, the conventional LCA is in a static context without temporal and spatial variations considered, which fails to bring accurate evaluation values and hinders practical applications. Dynamic LCA research has developed vigorously in the past decade and become a hot topic. However, systematical analysis of spatiotemporal dynamic variations and comprehensive operable dynamic models are still lacking. This study follows LCA paradigm and incorporates time- and space-dependent variations to establish a spatiotemporal dynamic LCA model. The dynamic changes are classified into four types: dynamic foreground elementary flows, dynamic background system, dynamic characterization factors, and dynamic weighting factors. Their potential dynamics and possible quantification methods are analyzed. The dynamic LCA model is applied to a residential building, and significant differences can be observed between dynamic and static assessment results from both temporal and spatial perspectives. This study makes a theoretical contribution by establishing a comprehensive dynamic model with both temporal and spatial variations involved. It is expected to provide practical values for LCA practitioners and help with decision-making and environmental management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Environmental Pollutants)

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18 pages, 3667 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Shallow Groundwater of Coal–Poultry Farming Districts

by Jiayu Chen, Herong Gui, Yan Guo and Jun Li

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12000; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912000 - 22 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1407

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the heavy metal (Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Cd, Pb, and Cr) pollution characteristics, sources, and human health risks in shallow groundwater in the impact zones of urban and rural semi-intensive poultry farms in Suzhou City. Ordinary kriging interpolation showed that poultry farming contributed substantially to the pollution of shallow groundwater by Mn, Zn, and Cu. Positive matrix factorization was applied to identify the sources of heavy metals, and the health risks were assessed based on the hazard index and carcinogenic risks of the various sources. Heavy metal enrichment was closely related to anthropogenic activities. In addition, four sources were identified: poultry manure (29.33%), natural source (27.94%), industrial activities (22.29%), and poultry wastewater (20.48%). The main exposure route of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks to adults and children was oral ingestion. The non-carcinogenic risk of oral ingestion in children was higher than that in adults; the carcinogenic risk was higher in adults than in children. Poultry manure (42.0%) was considered the largest contributor to non-carcinogenic risk, followed by poultry wastewater (21%), industrial activities (20%), and natural sources (17%). Industrial activity (44%) was the primary contributor to carcinogenic risk, followed by poultry wastewater (25%), poultry manure (19%), and natural sources (12%). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Environmental Pollutants)

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14 pages, 6411 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Distribution, Potential Risks and Source Identification of Heavy Metals in the Coastal Sediments of the Northern Beibu Gulf, South China Sea

by Changping Yang, Liangming Wang, Yan Liu, Binbin Shan and Dianrong Sun

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 10205; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610205 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1363

Abstract

Thirty samples of surface sediments (0–5 cm) from the northern Beibu Gulf were analyzed to determine the spatial distribution, potential risks and sources of six heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb). The concentrations (mg/kg, dw) of Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb were 15.38 ± 6.06, 6.54 ± 3.23, 41.86 ± 17.03, 6.92 ± 2.75, 0.04 ± 0.02 and 17.13 ± 6.38, respectively. Higher levels of Cr, Cu, Cd and Zn were observed in the western part of the study area. According to the potential ecological risk indexes and sediment quality guidelines, the measured metals were assessed at low contamination levels, with Pb posing the largest ecological risks. The results of positive matrix factorization (PMF) indicated that Cr and Zn mainly originated from natural geological background sources, while Cu, As, Cd and Pb were influenced by anthropogenic sources such as atmospheric deposition and anthropogenic activities. These three sources contributed 60.4%, 28.1% and 11.5% of the heavy metals, respectively. In addition, further research should be conducted focusing on the general relationships between As and various controls in sediments of the northern Beibu Gulf. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Environmental Pollutants)

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