Multi-omics in nanoplastic research:a spotlight on aquatic life

Amidst increasing concerns about plastic pollution’s impacts on ecology and health,nanoplastics are gaining global recognition as emerging environmental hazards.This review aimed to examine the complex molecular consequences and underlying fundamental toxicity mechanisms reported from the exposure of diverse aquatic organisms to nanoplastics.Through the comprehensive examination of transcriptomics,proteomics,and metabolomics studies,we explored the intricate toxicodynamics of nanoplastics in aquatic species.The review raised essential questions about the consistency of findings across different omics approaches,the value of combining these omics tools to understand better and predict ecotoxicity,and the potential differences in molecular responses between species.By amalgamating insights from 37 omics studies(transcriptome 22,proteome six,and metabolome nine)published from 2013 to 2023,the review uncovered both shared and distinct toxic effects and mechanisms in which nanoplastics can affect aquatic life,and recommendations were provided for advancing omics-based research on nanoplastic pollution.This comprehensive review illuminates the nuanced connections between nanoplastic exposure and aquatic ecosystems,offering crucial insights into the complex mechanisms that may drive toxicity in aquatic environments.

Natural climate solutions.The way forward

Climate change is a global challenge that threatens global ecological security and sustainable development.Find-ing ways to mitigate their impacts is paramount through engineering carbon storage,low-carbon energy tran-sition,or natural climate solutions(NCS).NCS involve a set of measures(e.g.,afforestation,land restoration,biochar reuse or sustainable land use practices).Implementing NCS increases carbon sequestration and mitigates climate change at the lowest costs and greenest ways.In addition,NCS practices can improve multiple ecosystem services(ES)such as air quality,flood and erosion regulation,pest control,water purification,wild food biomass,recreation or landscape aesthetics.However,unsustainable implementation of NCS,such as over-afforestation of dense mono-forest,can lead to tradeoffs with water supply,wildfire risk,and decreased grasslands and crop-lands.Therefore,to optimise the NCS implementation,reducing the tradeoffs associated and transforming the“expand ecosystem area”to“improve ecosystem management efficiency”is vital.Although NCS can contribute significantly to mitigating climate change,systematic climate actions must be accompanied by a transformation in the global society and investment in new technologies.This will be key to addressing global challenges such as the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),such as SDG 13(Climate Action),SDG 15(Life on Land),SDG 2(Zero Hunger),SDG 3(Good Health and Wellbeing),SDG 6(Clean Water and Sanitation),and SDG 14(Life Bellow Water).

The Loading Capacity of the Elands River: A Case Study of the Waterval Boven Wastewater Treatment Works, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

Nutrient loads into water resources continues to be a major problem in Southern Africa. This has resulted in significant compromises in the ecological integrity of freshwater resources. The study aimed to assess the pollution load into the Elands River in terms of nitrates and orthophosphates. These variables were compared against the Crocodile Catchment Interim Resource Quality Objectives to determine compliances or non-compliance of the Waterval Boven wastewater treatment plant. Generally upstream nitrate levels did not exceed the ideal limit of 0.5 mg·l-1 as indicated in the 2015 to 2016 samples where values ranged between 0.32 mg·l -1 and 0.27 mg·l-1, respectively. Similarly, observed upstream orthophosphates levels were below the ideal limit of 0.03 mg·l-1. However, downstream values of both nutrients exceeded the respective set limits. The nutrient load contribution from the sewage plant was characterised by a simple point-source model. Patterns of the loads into the river were demonstrated on a load duration curve based on the river which equalled or exceed 0.18 m3/s upstream and 1.31 m3/s downstream at 90% of the time. However, the flows were regarded as significantly low to deal with uncontrolled pollution loads. Most of the observed loads fell below the ideal limit of 0.05 mg·l-1 for nitrates both upstream and downstream of the sewage plant. For orthophosphates, most of the upstream loads were below the tolerable limit of 0.1 mg·l-1 whilst the downstream loads were exceeding the tolerable limits. The higher loads downstream in the river were attributed to the sewage discharge from the Waterval Boven wastewater treatment plant and the low river flows. Hence it could be concluded that river water quality should be interpreted based on the river flow regime in a given season.

中国的酸化问题——一项基于重庆—广州森林监测点研究结果的评估

中国经济的快速增长一直伴随着污染的加剧。本文在现场观测和文献研究的基础上讨论了酸性降水及其先兆的范围和影响。目前酸性降水的主要原因是二氧化硫的排放,但氮氧化物的排放也在增加。中国污染最严重地区的硫化合物沉降比东欧和中欧经受严重污染的地区要高。中国南部很多地区的土壤和土壤水看来已经被酸化。这些地区的污染已经影响了森林和其他植物的生命力,特别是在位于和靠近城市地区的地方。地表水的酸化似乎在近期不会成为主要的区域性问题,但一些地区的河流,目前虽仅接受少量的酸沉降,却对酸化显得较敏感。

A Review of Colloid Transport in Fractured Rocks

Recent recognition of colloid and colloidassociated transport of strongly sorbing contaminants in fractured rocks highlights the importance of exploring the transport behavior of colloids under conditions prevailing in the field.The rapid transport of colloids through fractured rocks-as affected by the hydraulic properties of the flow system,the properties of fracture surface and the geochemical conditionshas not been sufficiently elucidated,and predictions of colloid transport through fractures have encountered difficulties,particularly at the field scale.This article reviews the current understanding of the mechanisms and modeling of colloid transport and retention in fractured rocks.Commonly used experimental techniques and approaches for conducting colloid transport experiments at different scales,ranging from the laboratory to the field scale,are summarized and commented upon.The importance of various interactions(e.g.,dissolution,colloid deposition,generation,mobilization and deposition of filling materials within fractures) between the flowing solution and the fracture walls(in many cases,with skin or coating on the host rock at the liquid-solid interface) has been stressed.Colloid transport through fractures of high heterogeneity has not yet been well understood and modeled at the field scale.Here,we summarize the current knowledge and understanding accumulated in the last two decades in regard to colloid and colloidassociated transport through fractures.Future research needs are also discussed.

The Russian‐Ukrainian armed conflict will push back the sustainable development goals

The Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict is a dramatic world event. Apart from the loss of life, the present conflicthas tremendous impacts on the environment, economy, and society. The conflict provoked a ripple of events withimplications at the global level, especially in energy and food. The escalation of this conflict is imposing severethreats to achieving the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) not only to the countries di-rectly involved in the conflict but also to other countries, especially the developing ones that are more vulnerableto the economic crisis. In this editorial, we assessed the impacts of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on BiophysicalSDGs, Social SDGs, Economic SDGs and Partnership for the Goals SDG that consider all the previous dimensions.The Russian-Ukrainian conflict’s impact on the SDGs is variable. Biodiversity SDGs are mainly affected at theregional level (Russia, Ukraine, surrounding and European Union countries). Society SDGs are affected at local(e.g., SDG3 good health and wellbeing;SDG4 quality education) and global (e.g., SDG2 zero hunger) levels. Fi-nally, the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict has world-level implications for the economic SDGs. Nevertheless,the ongoing conflict’s impacts are not entirely understood, and several uncertainties exist. Peace is needed toachieve the UN’s SDGs in 2030.

Formation of iodo-trihalomethanes, iodo-haloacetic acids, and haloacetaldehydes during chlorination and chloramination of iodine containing waters in laboratory controlled reactions

Iodine containing disinfection by-products（I-DBPs） and haloacetaldehydes（HALs） are emerging disinfection by-product（DBP） classes of concern. The former due to its increased potential toxicity and the latter because it was found to be the third most relevant DBP class in mass in a U.S. nationwide drinking water study. These DBP classes have been scarcely investigated, and this work was performed to further explore their formation in drinking water under chlorination and chloramination scenarios. In order to do this, iodo-trihalomethanes（I-THMs）,iodo-haloacetic acids（I-HAAs） and selected HALs（mono-HALs and di-HALs species, including iodoacetaldehyde） were investigated in DBP mixtures generated after chlorination and chloramination of different water matrices containing different levels of bromide and iodide in laboratory controlled reactions. Results confirmed the enhancement of I-DBP formation in the presence of monochloramine. While I-THMs and I-HAAs contributed almost equally to total I-DBP concentrations in chlorinated water, I-THMs contributed the most to total I-DBP levels in the case of chloraminated water. The most abundant and common I-THM species generated were bromochloroiodomethane, dichloroiodomethane, and chlorodiiodomethane. Iodoacetic acid and chloroiodoacetic acid contributed the most to the total I-HAA concentrations measured in the investigated disinfected water. As for the studied HALs, dihalogenated species were the compounds that predominantly formed under both investigated treatments.

Situational Analysis Climate Change Impacts on the Livelihood and Adaptive Solutions of the Coastal Communities:A Case of Phu Tan District,Ca Mau Province

The Mekong River Delta has 7 coastal provinces including Tien Giang,Ben Tre,Tra Vinh,Soc Trang,Bac Lieu,Ca Mau and Kien Giang.Typically,Ca Mau province which exposes to both the East and West sea with a coastline of 254 m(6 coastal districts:Dam Doi,Nam Can,Ngoc Hien,Phu Tan,Tran Van Thoi,U Minh)in the recent years,has been severely influenced by climate change.The Ca Mau province has lost nearly 10,000 ha of land and coastal forests;infrastructure and properties of local people along rivers have been eroded and seriously damaged;production activities are vulnerable to sea level rise and other hydro-meteorological hazards.The life of coastal people mainly depends on agricultural production.The main income is agricultural production,forestry,aquaculture and fishing.This paper aims to provide a situational analysis on how climate change and natural disasters affect the livelihoods of coastal communities in Ca Mau Province.A case study is conducted for Phu Tan District that addresses problems and proposes urgent measures for climate change adaptation in the near-and long-term planning.

Unraveling the interaction between soil microbiomes and their potential for restoring polluted soils

Soils are not exempt from anthropogenic pollution,which can eventually cause disturbance of the microbial communities and areas without any kind of productivity.Among soil microbiota,bacteria play an important role in pollutant degradation,enabling them to thrive in contaminated sites.Given this,several techniques have been used to increase the number of pollutantdegrading bacteria in situ or for subsequent addition.Additionally,bacteriophages exhibit a high tolerance to pollutants and enhance bacterial metabolic activity through phage-encoded auxiliary metabolic genes(AMGs),thereby augmenting their skills for nutrient assimilation,resistance to phage infection,antibiotic resistance,heavy metal resistance,and degradation of pesticides and xenobiotics,among others.Several phage-encoded AMGs have been described during the last few years,but their diversity,distribution,and function have not been extensively explored,warranting further studies.Here,we highlight soil microbiome interactions,especially bacterium and phage interactions to understand this unexplored world with a high potential for restoring polluted soils.

A trait-based approach to assess climate change sensitivity of freshwater invertebrates across Swedish ecoregions

Freshwater habitats and organisms are among the most threatened on Earth, and freshwater ecosystems have been subject to large biodiversity losses. We developed a Climate Change Sensitivity （CCS） indicator based on trait information for a selection of stream- and lake-dwelling Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera taxa. We calculated the CCS scores based on ten species traits identified as sensitive to global climate change. We then assessed climate change sensitivity between the six main ecoregions of Sweden as well as the three Swedish regions based on lilies. This was done using biological data from 1,382 stream and lake sites where we compared large-scale （ecoregional） patterns in climate change sensitivity with potential future exposure of these ecosystems to increased temperatures using ensemble-modelled future changes in air temperature. Current （1961-1990） measured temperature and ensemble-modelled future （2100） temperature showed an increase from the northernmost towards the southern ecoregions, whereas the predicted temperature change increased from south to north. The CCS indicator scores were highest in the two northernmost boreal ecoregions where we also can expect the largest global climate change-induced increase in temperature, indicating an unfortunate congruence of exposure and sensitivity to climate change. These results are of vital importance when planning and implementing management and conservation strategies in freshwater ecosystems, e.g., to mitigate increased temperatures using riparian buffer strips. We conclude that traits information on taxa specialization, e.g., in terms of feeding specialism or taxa having a preference for high altitudes as well as sensitivity to changes in temperature are important when assessing the risk from future global climate change to freshwater ecosystems [Current Zoology 60 （2）： 221-232, 2014].

Characteristics of plankton Hg bioaccumulations based on a global data set and the implications for aquatic systems with aggravating nutrient imbalance

The bioaccumulation of mercury(Hg)in aquatic ecosystem poses a potential health risk to human being and aquatic organism.Bioaccumulations by plankton represent a crucial process of Hg transfer from water to aquatic food chain.However,the current understanding of major factors affecting Hg accumulation by plankton is inadequate.In this study,a data set of 89 aquatic ecosystems worldwide,including inland water,nearshore water and open sea,was established.Key factors influencing plankton Hg bioaccumulation(i.e.,plankton species,cell sizes and biomasses)were discussed.The results indicated that total Hg(THg)and methylmercury(MeHg)concentrations in plankton in inland waters were significantly higher than those in nearshore waters and open seas.Bioaccumulation factors for the logarithm of THg and MeHg of phytoplankton were 2.4–6.0 and 2.6–6.7 L/kg,respectively,in all aquatic ecosystems.They could be further biomagnified by a factor of 2.1–15.1 and 5.3–28.2 from phytoplankton to zooplankton.Higher MeHg concentrations were observed with the increases of cell size for both phyto-and zooplankton.A contrasting trend was observed between the plankton biomasses and BAF_(MeHg),with a positive relationship for zooplankton and a negative relationship for phytoplankton.Plankton physiologic traits impose constraints on the rates of nutrients and contaminants obtaining process from water.Nowadays,many aquatic ecosystems are facing rapid shifts in nutrient compositions.We suggested that these potential influences on the growth and composition of plankton should be incorporated in future aquatic Hg modeling and ecological risk assessments.

Bacteriophages assisted bacteria to facilitate soil multifunctionality under organochlorine pesticide contamination

As the most abundant living entities in the environment,viruses have been well recognized as crucial members in sustaining biogeochemical cycling.However,the significance of viruses in soil ecosystem multifunctionality remains under-explored.In this study,we used metagenomics and meta-viromics analysis to investigate the role of soil viruses in soil ecosystem functions under heavy,light,and no organochlorine pesticides(OCPs)contamination.In the three types of soil samples collected,lightcontaminated soils supported the highest level of multifunctionality,followed by heavy-contaminated soils and clean soils.Additionally,our results revealed a positive correlation between bacterial community evenness and multifunctionality index(p<0.05).Dominant bacterial species with biodegradation and stress resistance advantages exhibited higher abundance in OCPaffected soils,potentially playing a core functional supporting role.Furthermore,our results indicated that the species richness and diversity of bacteriophages were positively correlated with multifunctionality(p<0.05)in OCP-affected soils.Bacteriophages in OCP-affected soils regulate host metabolism and enhance soil ecosystem multifunctionality by infecting functional bacterial hosts and encoding AMGs related to soil element cycling.Our findings emphasize the potential effect of phages on ecosystem multifunctionality in contaminated soil,suggesting that phages may serve as contributors to soil ecology beyond bacteria and other microorganisms.Therefore,in polluted or constrained soils,further research could potentially translate phage communities and related ecological processes into artificial methods for application in soil pollution remediation or ecological restoration.

Yangtze Three Gorges Reservoir, China: A holistic assessment of organic pollution, mutagenic effects of sediments and genotoxic impacts on fish

Besides obvious benefits,the Three Gorges Dam＇s construction resulted in new pollution scenarios with the potentials to threaten the Three Gorges Reservoir（TGR） ecosystem.In order to record organic contamination,to find links to ecotoxicological impacts and to serve as reference for ensuing monitoring,several sites in the TGR area were screened applying the triad approach with additional lines-of-evidence as a holistic assessment method.Sediments and the benthic fish species Pelteobagrus vachellii were sampled in 2011 and 2012 to determine organic pollution levels,mutagenic potentials and genotoxic impacts.Two regional hot-spots near the cities of Chongqing and Kaixian were identified and further investigated in 2013.Only polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons（PAHs） could be detected in sediments in 2011（165-1653 ng/g）,emphasizing their roles as key pollutants of the area.Their ubiquity was confirmed at Chongqing（150-433 ng/g） and Kaixian（127-590 ng/g） in2013.Concentrations were comparable to other major Chinese and German rivers.However,the immense sediment influx suggested a deposition of 216-636 kg PAH/day（0.2-0.6 mg PAH/（m2·day））,indicating an ecotoxicological risk.PAH source analysis highlighted primary impacts of combustion sources on the more industrialized upper TGR section,whereas petrogenic sources dominated the mid-low section.Furthermore,sediment extracts from several sites exhibited significant activities of frameshift promutagens in the Ames fluctuation assay.Additionally,significant genotoxic impairments in erythrocytes of P.vachellii were detected（Chongqing/Kaixian）,demonstrating the relevance of genotoxicity as animportant mode of action in the TGR＇s fish.PAHs,their derivatives and non-target compounds are considered as main causative agents.

Total mercury in wild fish in Guizhou reservoirs, China

The health hazard of mercury （Hg） compounds is internationally recognized, and the main pathways for methylmercury （MeHg） intake in humans are through consumption of food, especially fish. Given the large releases of Hg to the environment in China, combined with the fast development of hydropower, this issue deserves attention. Provided similar mobilization pathways of Hg in China as seen in reservoirs in North America and Europe one should expect increased Hg contamination in relation to future hydropower reservoir construction in this country. This study presents total Hg （THg） concentrations in wild fish from six Guizhou reservoirs, China. The THg concentrations in fish were generally low despite high background levels in the bedrock and depositions from local point sources. The over all mean ± SD concentration of THg was （0.066 ± 0.078） μg/g （n = 235）. After adjusting for among-reservoir variation in THg, there were significant differences in THg among functional groups of the fish, assumed to re？ect trophic levels. Predicted THg- concentration ratios, retrieved from a mixed linear model, between the functional groups were 9：4：4：1 for carnivorous, omnivorous, planktivorous and herbivorous fish. This result indicated that MeHg accumulation may prevail even under circumstances with short food chains as in this Chinese water system. No fish exceeded recommended maximum THg limit for human consumption set by World Health Organization and the Standardization Administration of China （0.5 μg/g fish wet weight （ww））. Only six fish （2.5%） exceeded the maximum THg limit set by US Environmental Protection Agency （0.3 μg/g fish ww）.

Perspectives on ecological risks of microplastics and phthalate acid esters in crop production systems

Microplastics(MPs)and phthalate acid esters(PAEs)co-occur as emerging contaminants of global importance.Their abundance in soil is of increasing concern as plastic-intensive practices continue.Mulching with plastic films,inclusion in fertilizers,composts,sludge application,and wastewater irrigation are all major and common sources of MPs and PAEs in soil.Here,we review studies on the concentration and effects of MPs and PAEs in soil.While there is limited research on the interactions between MPs and PAEs in agroecosystems,there is evidence to suggest they could mutually affect soil ecology and plant growth.Therefore,we propose new research into 1)establishing an efficient,accurate,and simple method to quantify different types of microplastics in soils and plants;2)exploring the behavior and understanding the mechanisms of co-transfer,transformation,and interactions with soil biota(especially in vegetable production systems);3)assessing the risk and consequences of combined and discreet impacts of MPs and PAEs on plants and soil biota,and 4)preventing or reducing the transfer of MPs and PAEs into-and within-the food chain.

Prediction of sediment yield of the Inxu River catchment (South Africa)using the MUSLE

The proposed site for the construction of a new dam(Laleni Dam)on the Tsitsa River in the Eastern Cape,South Africa falls within a high soil erosion zone,which is expected to affect the lifespan of the dam.Estimating the sediment yield of the catchment is important from a management perspective,and thus we designed this study to assess the applicability of the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation(MUSLE).The original MUSLE was applied to the Inxu River sub catchment,upstream of a proposed dam,over a summer rainfall period extending from October 2016 to April 2017.A modified version of the MUSLE,incorporating a storage module,was later applied over the same period.Model calibration of the MUSLE with and without a storage model was tested against 7 months of recorded daily suspended sediment discharge data.With a storage model,we achieved a percentage bias,coefficient of efficiency and R2 of 2%,0.83 and 0.83,respectively,while without storage the performance statistics were markedly lower.These results suggest that a calibrated MUSLE can provide estimates of sediment yield that are valuable for regional planning,and that the inclusion of a storage component further improves the MUSLE application.Given the complexity of sediment generation and transport processes,a relatively simple empirical MUSLE model is a useful tool for initial sediment yield estimation for planning purposes.

Transport and fate of mercury under different hydrologic regimes in polluted stream in mining area

Seepage from Hg mine wastes and calcines contains high concentrations of mercury （Hg）. Hg pollution is a major environmental problem in areas with abandoned mercury mines and retorting units. This study evaluates factors, especially the hydrological and sedimentary variables, governing temporal and spatial variation in levels and state of mercury in streams impacted by Hg contaminated runoff. Samples were taken during different flow regimes in the Wanshan Hg mining area in Guizhou Province, China. In its headwaters the sampled streams/rivers pass by several mine wastes and calcines with high concentration of Hg. Seepage causes serious Hg contamination to the downstream area. Concentrations of Hg in water samples showed significant seasonal variations. Periods of higher flow showed high concentrations of total Hg （THg） in water due to more particles being re-suspended and transported. The concentrations of major anions （e.g., Cl-, F-, NO3- and SO4^2-） were lower during higher flow due to dilution. Due to both sedimentation of particles and dilution from tributaries the concentration of THg decreased from 2100 ng/L to background levels （〈 50 ng/L） within 10 km distance downstream. Sedimentation is the main reason for the fast decrease of the concentration, it accounts for 69% and 60% for higher flow and lower flow regimes respectively in the upper part of the stream. Speciation calculation of the dissolved Hg fraction （DHg） （using Visual MINTEQ） showed that Hg（OH）2 associated with dissolved organic matter is the main form of Hg in dissolved phase in surface waters in Wanshan （over 95%）.

Levels and trends of poly-and perfluoroalkyl substances in the Arctic environment-An update

Poly-and perfluoroalkyl substances(PFASs)are important environmental contaminants globally and in the early 2000s they were shown to be ubiquitous contaminants in Arctic wildlife.Previous reviews by Butt et al.and Letcher et al.have covered studies on levels and trends of PFASs in the Arctic that were available to 2009.The purpose of this review is to focus on more recent work,generally published between 2009 and 2018,with emphasis on PFASs of emerging concern such as perfluoroalkyl carboxylates(PFCAs)and short-chain perfluoroalkyl sulfonates(PFSAs)and their precursors.Atmospheric measurements over the period 2006e2014 have shown that fluorotelomer alcohols(FTOHs)as well as perfluorobutanoic acid(PFBA)and perfluoroctanoic acid(PFOA)are the most prominent PFASs in the arctic atmosphere,all with increasing concentrations at Alert although PFOA concentrations declined at the Zeppelin Station(Svalbard).Results from ice cores show generally increasing deposition of PFCAs on the Devon Ice cap in the Canadian arctic while declining fluxes were found in a glacier on Svalbard.An extensive dataset exists for long-term trends of long-chain PFCAs that have been reported in Arctic biota with some datasets including archived samples from the 1970s and 1980s.Trends in PFCAs over time vary among the same species across the North American Arctic,East and West Greenland,and Svalbard.Most long term time series show a decline from higher concentrations in the early 2000s.However there have been recent(post 2010)increasing trends of PFCAs in ringed seals in the Canadian Arctic,East Greenland polar bears and in arctic foxes in Svalbard.Annual biological sampling is helping to determine these relatively short term changes.Rising levels of some PFCAs have been explained by continued emissions of long-chain PFCAs and/or their precursors and inflows to the Arctic Ocean,especially from the North Atlantic.While the effectiveness of biological sampling for temporal trends in long-chain PFCAs and PFSAs has been demonstrated,this does not apply to the C4eC8ePFCAs,perfluorobutane sulfonamide(FBSA),or perfluorobutane sulfonate(PFBS)which are generally present at low concentrations in biota.In addition to air sampling,sampling abiotic media such as glacial cores,and annual sampling of lake waters and seawater would appear to be the best approaches for investigating trends in the less bioaccumulative PFASs.