Environmental Exposure, Toxicity and Health Impact of Emerging Environmental Contaminants

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Emerging Contaminants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 July 2026 | Viewed by 2900

Special Issue Editors

School of Public Health, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
Interests: disinfection byproducts; water and wastewater treatment; drinking water quality; risk assessment; environmental monitoring
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Guest Editor
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
Interests: phthalates; melamine; risk assessment; environmental epidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Emerging environmental contaminants pose significant risks to public health and ecosystems globally. Pollutants such as heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, PFASs, and disinfection byproducts are now prevalent in various environmental matrices, including air, soil, and water. These contaminants’ adverse impacts are becoming increasingly recognized, including potential effects on both human health and ecological systems.

Recent advances in research have begun to elucidate the mechanisms by which these contaminants exert their toxic effects; however, significant gaps remain in our understanding of their long-term health consequences and interactions across environmental media. This Special Issue will focus on the mechanisms of toxicity, development of early-warning biomarkers, and assessments of health risks associated with emerging environmental pollutants. Research topics may include but are not limited to

  • The occurrence of emerging environmental contaminants in various environmental media;
  • Mechanisms of toxicity and health impacts from various contaminants;
  • The development of early-warning biomarkers for exposure assessments;
  • Comprehensive health risk assessments of environmental contaminants;
  • Innovative strategies for risk mitigation and remediation.

We invite you to submit your original research papers and reviews to this Special Issue.

Dr. Jiafu Li
Dr. Jingsi Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • environmental exposure
  • toxicity
  • emerging environmental contaminants
  • health impact
  • drinking water
  • water pollution
  • human heath risk

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 2381 KB  
Article
Breast Adipose Tissue’s Xenobiotics and Fatty Acid Profile—A Preliminary Study in Portuguese Women with Breast Cancer
by Sara Sousa, Paula Paíga, Bárbara Araújo, Francisca Coelho, Inês Castela, Miguel Vasques, Clara Sampaio, Marta Duarte, Ana Correia, Diana Teixeira, Diogo Pestana, Ana Faria, Cristina Delerue-Matos, Maria João Ramalhosa, Conceição Calhau and Valentina Fernandes Domingues
Toxics 2026, 14(3), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14030224 - 6 Mar 2026
Viewed by 776
Abstract
Countless environmental pollutants and xenobiotics, are widespread and linked to hazardous effects, including breast cancer. Due to their lipophilic properties, these accumulate in fat tissue, such as breast adipose tissue. However, little is still known about their combined effects and distribution within the [...] Read more.
Countless environmental pollutants and xenobiotics, are widespread and linked to hazardous effects, including breast cancer. Due to their lipophilic properties, these accumulate in fat tissue, such as breast adipose tissue. However, little is still known about their combined effects and distribution within the breast microenvironment. Alterations in fatty acid metabolism can be a biomarker for cancer progression and a potential bioindicator of pollutant exposure. In this study, the fatty acid profile and levels of organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides (OCPs and OPPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and synthetic musks (SMs) were measured in 48 breast adipose tissue samples from breast cancer and healthy patients (controls). Twelve xenobiotics were detected at high frequency rates, and the distribution profile of these pollutants differed between cohorts. In total, 163 correlations were identified between specific fatty acids and breast cancer patients’ data, with distinct correlation patterns between cohorts. Fatty acids show the potential to be biomarkers of the presence of lipophilic xenobiotics in the breast microenvironment; however, more studies are needed. This preliminary study is the first to analyze OPPs, OPEs, and PAHs in breast adipose tissue and report associations between xenobiotics and specific fatty acids. Full article
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16 pages, 3005 KB  
Article
A Purge-and-Trap Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Method for the Quantitative Determination of Six Haloacetonitriles in Drinking Water
by Yuan Wang, Yuyan Liu, Jiafu Li, Xueqin Huang, Junling Li and Xiaojun Liang
Toxics 2026, 14(3), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14030214 - 28 Feb 2026
Viewed by 803
Abstract
Haloacetonitriles (HANs), toxic disinfection by-products, are unregulated in China, with no standardized analytical methods. This study established a simultaneous quantitative method for six typical HANs in drinking water using an optimized purge-and-trap gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (P&T-GC/MS) system. Key parameters, including sorbent trap selection, [...] Read more.
Haloacetonitriles (HANs), toxic disinfection by-products, are unregulated in China, with no standardized analytical methods. This study established a simultaneous quantitative method for six typical HANs in drinking water using an optimized purge-and-trap gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (P&T-GC/MS) system. Key parameters, including sorbent trap selection, purge time, and moisture control settings, were systematically optimized. The OI No. 7 trap and a 13 min purge time were selected to maximize sensitivity while minimizing moisture interference. Under optimal conditions, all target analytes showed good linearity (R2 > 0.999). The method detection limits (LODs) ranged from 0.007 to 0.202 μg/L, and the limits of quantitation (LOQs) ranged from 0.2 to 2.0 μg/L. Average spiked recoveries in tap water were 89.5–111.0%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) below 5% (n = 7). A core optimization was omitting pH adjustment and ascorbic acid quenching to avoid non-target degradation of brominated HANs and ensure accurate in situ concentration determination. Application to 16 Kunshan tap water samples showed total HAN concentrations of 0.59–3.03 μg/L (average: 1.62 μg/L), dominated by bromochloroacetonitrile (BCAN) and dibromoacetonitrile (DBAN). Process analysis indicated significant synergistic HAN removal by sand filtration and activated carbon, while chloramination significantly increased brominated HANs via enhanced bromination. This efficient, sensitive P&T-GC/MS method is suitable for trace HAN monitoring and provides technical support for HAN control in water treatment. Full article
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13 pages, 1142 KB  
Article
Effects of Short-Term Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics on the Nervous System: Calcium Homeostasis, BDNF and Synaptic Plasticity
by Yiming Zhao, Licheng Yan, Yizhe Wei, Jianping Ma, Jiang Chen, Xuan Liu, Yanan Mi, Bingyan Wang, Leili Zhang, Lei Tian and Bencheng Lin
Toxics 2026, 14(2), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14020178 - 17 Feb 2026
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Abstract
(1) Background: The increasing environmental concentration of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) may pose a risk of human exposure and health threats. Previous studies have demonstrated that exposure to PS-NPs poses a threat to neural synaptic plasticity, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. (2) Methods: [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The increasing environmental concentration of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) may pose a risk of human exposure and health threats. Previous studies have demonstrated that exposure to PS-NPs poses a threat to neural synaptic plasticity, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. (2) Methods: Hippocampal astrocytes and neurons were co-cultured, exposed to PS-NPs at concentrations of 10, 50, and 100 μg/mL, and cytotoxicity was assessed. We investigated PS-NP-induced impairment of synaptic plasticity by regulating the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). (3) Results: Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a central molecular organizer of synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory, and its activity is intrinsically linked to intracellular calcium ion concentration. Our research indicates that PS-NPs may interfere with calcium ion signaling and CaMKIIα activity, thereby reducing CaMKIIα activity. This subsequently downregulates the expression of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), modulates BDNF expression, and impacts synaptic plasticity. (4) Conclusions: In summary, this study primarily focused on the effects of PS-NPs exposure on hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Full article
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