Environmental occurrence, human exposure, toxicological effects, and management implications of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon derivatives.

Occurrence and toxicological effects of the bisphenol F in aquatic environments.

Bisphenol F (BPF) has been widely used as a major substitute for bisphenol A (BPA) in numerous consumer and industrial products. Its environmental presence is increasingly documented, with frequent detections in surface water, sediment, and sewage sludge across various countries, often at notably high detection rates and concentrations. BPF exhibits a range of adverse effects, including developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and endocrine‑disrupting activity. It also disrupts the reproductive and endocrine systems by altering the metabolism or synthesis of endogenous hormones or through more complex epigenetic mechanisms. Given that BPF induces multiple toxicities, including effects on developing germ cells, such epigenetic alterations in the germline genome may transmit harmful consequences to subsequent generations. In this review, we summarize the reported concentrations and detection of BPF in the aquatic environments, followed by a review of the literature on its multifaceted toxicity of BPF exposure. We aim to provide a comprehensive assessment of its potential ecological and organismal health risks. Nevertheless, significant knowledge gaps remain. Future studies should prioritize environmentally relevant chronic exposure, mixture toxicity, identification of BPF‑specific biomarkers, and multigenerational ecological impacts.

Beyond single scenarios: multi-scenario analysis of PAH exposure and health risks in China

Microplastics and human health: Exposure pathways, toxicological impacts, and sustainable risk management

Microplastics (MPs) have become pervasive environmental contaminants, raising growing concerns regarding their implications for human health and environmental sustainability. This perspective paper explores the various ways humans are exposed to MPs, including through diet, air, and skin contact. Seafood, especially fish and shellfish, is a major source of dietary exposure, but MPs have also been found in water, salt, and other food products. The small size of MPs allows them to cross biological barriers and potentially cause harm. Once inside the human body, MPs can induce oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular damage, and they can also act as carriers for harmful chemicals and pathogens, further increasing their health risks. Beyond characterizing health effects, this paper reviews current approaches for risk assessment and sustainable risk management, including the estimated daily intake and polymer hazard index, which are essential tools for evaluating the toxicity of different polymer types and prioritizing mitigation efforts. Despite ongoing research, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the long-term effects of chronic exposure to MPs, underscoring the need for further studies. To address these risks, this paper discusses strategies to reduce exposure, including reducing plastic use, improving food packaging, and raising consumer awareness. It also emphasizes the importance of international collaboration and policy action to mitigate the public health threat posed by MPs. Finally, we call for further research, particularly in terms of human biomonitoring and interdisciplinary collaboration, to better understand the full range of health impacts and inform effective policies.

COMBINED EFFECTS OF PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOUNDS AND MICROPLASTICS ON FISH HEALTH: A REVIEW OF EXPOSURE, TOXICITY, AND ECOLOGICAL RISKS

Pharmaceutical compounds and microplastics are ubiquitous aquatic pollutants that frequently co-exist in aquatic environments; however, their combined effects on fish cannot be accurately predicted from studies investigating each pollutant individually. Pharmaceutical compounds can disrupt conserved molecular targets even at low concentrations, whereas microplastics are particulate materials that also act as surfaces capable of sorbing, transporting, and releasing chemical contaminants. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the co-exposure of fish to pharmaceuticals and microplastics, with a particular focus on toxicokinetics, organ toxicity, and associated ecological risks. Findings from direct co-exposure studies indicate that interactions range from synergistic and additive to antagonistic, depending on factors such as particle size, polymer composition, plastic aging, biofilm formation, water chemistry, exposure sequence, pharmaceutical properties, and tissue-specific uptake. The intestine and the gut–liver axis have emerged as particularly vulnerable targets, while the plastisphere may harbor increased abundances of antibiotic resistance genes and exert stronger selective pressure under antibiotic co-exposure. However, most available studies have employed pristine spherical polystyrene microplastics, short exposure durations, and concentrations exceeding environmentally relevant levels. Furthermore, only a limited number of studies have incorporated mixture toxicity models or investigated sub-organismal mechanisms to predict population-level effects. Current evidence suggests that, under environmentally realistic conditions, microplastics should not generally be regarded as vectors of pharmaceutical contaminants but rather as carriers, sinks, sources, and independent stressors. Future risk assessments should prioritize environmentally aged microplastics, realistic pharmaceutical mixtures, time-dependent internal exposure, species-specific sensitivity, and adverse outcome pathways to improve ecological risk predictions.

When remediation creates toxicological risk: transformation products and the soil exposome in contaminated agroecosystems.

Primary entry route of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons into earthworms in contaminated soil: oral ingestion or dermal absorption?