Articles

Assessing the leaching behavior of different gunshot materials in natural spring waters

Owing to the high environmental risk of lead-based gunshot, especially as the main source of acute lead poisoning in waterfowl, restrictions on its use in European wetlands are being put into place. In order t...

Authors: Julian Fäth and Axel Göttlein

Carbonized metal–organic frameworks with trapped cobalt nanoparticles as biocompatible and efficient azo-dye adsorbent

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) derived carbonaceous materials functionalized with metal/metal-oxide nanoparticles are obtained by its carbonization. The carbonization of MOFs occurs simultaneously with the me...

Authors: Martyna Trukawka, Krzysztof Cendrowski, Magdalena Peruzynska, Adrian Augustyniak, Pawel Nawrotek, Marek Drozdzik and Ewa Mijowska

Partitioning behavior, source identification, and risk assessment of perfluorinated compounds in an industry-influenced river

The widespread application of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) makes them ubiquitously distributed in the environment. Investigation of contamination profiles, distribution, possible sources and risks of PFCs i...

Authors: Jiapei Lv, Changsheng Guo, Shuxuan Liang, Yuan Zhang and Jian Xu

Relevance of body weight effects for the population development of common voles and its significance in regulatory risk assessment of pesticides in the European Union

The common vole (Microtus arvalis) is typically the wild mammal species driving regulatory pesticide risk assessment (RA) in Europe. The risk assessment endpoint for wild mammals is taken from the studies conduct...

Authors: Magnus Wang, Markus Ebeling and Jörg Hahne

Assessment of pesticides in surface water samples from Swedish agricultural areas by integrated bioanalysis and chemical analysis

Pesticide residue contamination of surface water in agricultural areas can have adverse effects on the ecosystem. We have performed an integrated chemical and bioanalytical profiling of surface water samples f...

Authors: Johan Lundqvist, Claudia von Brömssen, Anna Kjerstine Rosenmai, Åsa Ohlsson, Theo Le Godec, Ove Jonsson, Jenny Kreuger and Agneta Oskarsson

A critical evaluation of EFSA’s environmental risk assessment of genetically modified maize MON810 for honeybees and earthworms

In the European Union (EU), genetically modified (GM) crops are permitted for cultivation only after a thorough risk assessment and a decision by the European Commission (EC). The central scientific body asses...

Authors: Veronika Chvátalová

How should we deal with the interfaces between chemicals, product and waste legislation?

In the 7th Environment Action Programme, the European Commission targets two essential goals in the handling of substances and materials known by the buzzwords “non-toxic environment” and “circular economy”. T...

Authors: Henning Friege, Beate Kummer, Klaus Günter Steinhäuser, Joachim Wuttke and Barbara Zeschmar-Lahl

Let us empower the WFD to prevent risks of chemical pollution in European rivers and lakes

Authors: Werner Brack, Selim Ait-Aissa, Rolf Altenburger, Ian Cousins, Valeria Dulio, Beate Escher, Andreas Focks, Antoni Ginebreda, Daniel Hering, Klára Hilscherová, Juliane Hollender, Henner Hollert, Andreas Kortenkamp, Miren López de Alda, Leo Posthuma, Emma Schymanski…

Assessing the neutralisation, wet deposition and source contributions of the precipitation chemistry over Europe during 2000–2017

The chemical composition of precipitation was assessed in 27 European countries from 2000 to 2017, offering a general point of view on the rainwater chemistry in Europe, contributing to a larger understanding ...

Authors: Ágnes Keresztesi, Marius-Victor Birsan, Ion-Andrei Nita, Zsolt Bodor and Róbert Szép

Investigating regional source and sink patterns of Alpine CO₂ and CH₄ concentrations based on a back trajectory receptor model

The main purpose of this paper is to contribute to the improvement in the present knowledge concerning regional carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) exchange as an essential step towards reducing the uncertaint...

Authors: Esther Giemsa, Jucundus Jacobeit, Ludwig Ries and Stephan Hachinger

Hazard grouping of nanomaterials for daphnia and algae toxicity: lessons learned from scientific projects for regulatory applicability

Given the numerous manufactured nanomaterials already on the market and expected in future, the effort for the individual investigation of hazard and risk would be enormous. To overcome this challenge, groupin...

Authors: Kathrin Schwirn and Doris Völker

Climate finance and green growth: reconsidering climate-related institutions, investments, and priorities in Nepal

Nepal, a least-developed, mountainous, and land-locked country is consistently ranked as one of the most vulnerable countries to the climate change. Poor socioeconomic development, rough and highly unstable ge...

Authors: Tek Jung Mahat, Luděk Bláha, Batu Uprety and Michal Bittner

Prioritising site-specific micropollutants in surface water from LC-HRMS non-target screening data using a rarity score

Current compound prioritisation and monitoring approaches within Europe focus mainly on widely occurring priority and river basin specific pollutants but may overlook site-specific contamination from local emi...

Authors: Martin Krauss, Christine Hug, Robert Bloch, Tobias Schulze and Werner Brack

The EU Horizon 2020 project GRACE: integrated oil spill response actions and environmental effects

This article introduces the EU Horizon 2020 research project GRACE (Integrated oil spill response actions and environmental effects), which focuses on a holistic approach towards investigating and understandin...

Authors: Kirsten S. Jørgensen, Anne Kreutzer, Kari K. Lehtonen, Harri Kankaanpää, Jorma Rytkönen, Susse Wegeberg, Kim Gustavson, Janne Fritt-Rasmussen, Jaak Truu, Tarmo Kõuts, Madis-Jaak Lilover, Thomas-Benjamin Seiler, Henner Hollert, Sarah Johann, Ionan Marigómez, Manu Soto…

Correction to: Spatiotemporal variation and source apportionment of organotin compounds in sediments in the Yangtze Estuary

The authors note a correction to the article [1]. Figure 1 of the original article is incomplete. Diaoyu Island, Chiwei Yu and the Dongsha Islands are missing. This article presents the corrected version of Fi...

Authors: Chunzhao Chen, Ling Chen, Rui Xue, Qinghui Huang, Lingling Wu, Shufeng Ye and Wen Zhang

High resolution mass spectrometry-based non-target screening can support regulatory environmental monitoring and chemicals management

Non-target screening (NTS) including suspect screening with high resolution mass spectrometry has already shown its feasibility in detecting and identifying emerging contaminants, which subsequently triggered ...

Authors: Juliane Hollender, Bert van Bavel, Valeria Dulio, Eivind Farmen, Klaus Furtmann, Jan Koschorreck, Uwe Kunkel, Martin Krauss, John Munthe, Martin Schlabach, Jaroslav Slobodnik, Gerard Stroomberg, Thomas Ternes, Nikolaos S. Thomaidis, Anne Togola and Victoria Tornero

Treatment performance comparison between regular O₃–BAC and O₃–BAC with rear sand filtration: verification in a full-scale study

To improve the microbial safety of drinking water, an arrangement of O₃–BAC with rear sand filtration (O₃–BAC–sand) has been proposed. In this study, efforts were devoted to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of...

Authors: Kai Yang, Jianwei Yu, Qingyuan Guo, Chunmiao Wang, Ping Xia, Y. Jeffrey Yang and Min Yang

Kinetic and mechanistic study of sulfadimidine photodegradation under simulated sunlight irradiation

The extensive uses of sulfadimidine (SDMD) resulted in its presence in water bodies, and subsequent posed risks to eco-environment and human health. In this study, photodegradation of SDMD in water was studied...

Authors: Zhineng Hao, Changsheng Guo, Jiapei Lv, Yan Zhang, Yuan Zhang and Jian Xu

Laboratory tests with Lepidoptera to assess non-target effects of Bt maize pollen: analysis of current studies and recommendations for a standardised design

Common standards for laboratory studies of non-target organisms are recognised as prerequisite to assist the risk assessments regarding the evaluation of environmental effects of transgenic crops. Here, we pro...

Authors: Andreas Lang, Marina Lee, Matthias Dolek, Julitta Berchtold and Mathias Otto

Relationship between magnitude of body weight effects and exposure duration in mammalian toxicology studies and implications for ecotoxicological risk assessment

For regulatory approval of pesticides in the EU, an ecotoxicological risk assessment has to be conducted including an assessment of long-term effects on mammals. For this assessment, toxicity studies are consi...

Authors: Magnus Wang, Anja Guckland, Roger Murfitt, Markus Ebeling, Dennis Sprenger, Manousos Foudoulakis and Apostolos Koutsaftis

Metagenomic screening of microbiomes identifies pathogen-enriched environments

Human pathogens are widespread in the environment, and examination of pathogen-enriched environments in a rapid and high-throughput fashion is important for development of pathogen-risk precautionary measures....

Authors: Xiaofang Li

Poison in paradise: increase of toxic effects in restored sections of two rivers jeopardizes the success of hydromorphological restoration measures

To date, only 8.2% of German surface waters achieve a good ecological status according to the European Water Framework Directive. This is primarily attributed to structural deficits, intensive land use, and ch...

Authors: Denise J. Brettschneider, Andrea Misovic, Ulrike Schulte-Oehlmann, Matthias Oetken and Jörg Oehlmann

Diuron modulates the DNA methylation status of the ILT7 and TRAIL/TNFSF10 genes and decreases the killing activity of plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) is described as the Swiss knife of immune system. Thus, the understanding of aberrant epigenetic reprogramming of genes governing the pDC functionality by pollutants appears s...

Authors: Joséphine Briand, Marie-Pierre Joalland, Arulraj Nadaradjane, Gwenola Bougras-Cartron, Christophe Olivier, François M. Vallette, Sylvain Perruche and Pierre-François Cartron

Determination of Sudan red contaminants at trace level from water samples by magnetic solid-phase extraction using Fe@NiAl-layered double hydroxide coupled with HPLC

Sudan red dyes are widely used as color additions in various fields. Due to their potential carcinogenicity and large consumption, they have absorbed much more attention and become a research hot topic. There ...

Authors: Qingxiang Zhou, Yalin Wu, Yongyong Yuan, Xianqi Zhou, Hongyuan Wang, Yayan Tong, Yali Zhan, Yi Sun and Xueying Sheng

Spatial structures of heavy metals and nitrogen accumulation in moss specimens sampled between 1990 and 2015 throughout Germany

The collection of atmospheric deposition by technical samplers and validated deposition modelling using chemical transport models is spatially complemented by using mosses as bioindicator: since 1990, the Euro...

Authors: Winfried Schröder and Stefan Nickel

Developments in society and implications for emerging pollutants in the aquatic environment

Pollutant emissions in river basins may be subject to change. How can we succeed in predicting future pollutant emissions and risks? The approach presented here is based on the hypothesis that the existing sce...

Authors: Dirk Bunke, Susanne Moritz, Werner Brack, David López Herráez, Leo Posthuma and Margarita Nuss

Effects of cyanobacterial toxins on the human gastrointestinal tract and the mucosal innate immune system

Cyanobacterial blooms occur with increasing frequency in freshwater ecosystems, posing a hazard to human and environmental health. Exposure of human to cyanobacterial metabolites occurs mostly via accidental i...

Authors: Barbara Kubickova, Pavel Babica, Klára Hilscherová and Lenka Šindlerová

Liver toxicity assessments in rats following sub-chronic oral exposure to copper nanoparticles

The widespread use of nano-copper as a feed additive in the absence of toxicological studies has potential risks to humans and animals. Toxicity studies on nano-copper in animals usually exposure from the resp...

Authors: Huaqiao Tang, Min Xu, Jie Luo, Ling Zhao, Gang Ye, Fei Shi, Cheng Lv, Helin Chen, Yanyan Wang and Yinglun Li

Validation of European horizontal methods for the analysis of PAH, PCB and dioxins in sludge, treated biowaste and soil

Draft standards for the determination of organic pollutants in the solid matter of environmental matrices such as sludge, treated biowaste and soil have been basically developed in the framework of the Europea...

Authors: Ute Kalbe, Petra Lehnik-Habrink, Nicole Bandow and Andreas Sauer

Pesticide contamination and associated risk factors at public playgrounds near intensively managed apple and wine orchards

Pesticide levels are generally monitored within agricultural areas, but are commonly not assessed at public places. To assess possible contamination of non-target areas, 71 public playgrounds located next to i...

Authors: Caroline Linhart, Georg H. Niedrist, Magdalena Nagler, Rajini Nagrani, Veronika Temml, Tommaso Bardelli, Thomas Wilhalm, Andreas Riedl, Johann G. Zaller, Peter Clausing and Koen Hertoge

Magnitude and influence of atmospheric phosphorus deposition on the southern Baltic Sea coast over 23 years: implications for coastal waters

There are various ways for nutrients to enter aquatic ecosystems causing eutrophication. Phosphorus deposition through precipitation can be one pathway, besides point sources, like rivers, and diffuse runoff f...

Authors: Maximilian Berthold, Rita Wulff, Volker Reiff, Ulf Karsten, Günther Nausch and Rhena Schumann

Reduction of soil contamination by cypermethrin residues using phytoremediation with Plantago major and some surfactants

Surfactant-enhanced phytoremediation is an eco-friendly treatment for reducing soil contamination. Cypermethrin (CYP) is one of the most widely used pyrethroid insecticides against different pests, and its use...

Authors: Ahmed A. A. Aioub, Yankai Li, Xingtao Qie, Xianxia Zhang and Zhaonong Hu

Pilot-scale electro-kinetic remediation of lead polluted field sediments: model designation, numerical simulation, and feasibility evaluation

The accumulation of lead (Pb) in sediments from anthropogenic activities possesses serious threats to ecosystem and human health. Recycling of sediments for agricultural plantation is politically encouraged wh...

Authors: Xinyu Mao, Xiaohou Shao and Zhanyu Zhang

Spatiotemporal variation and source apportionment of organotin compounds in sediments in the Yangtze Estuary

The Yangtze Estuary is a vital habitat and breeding ground for many rare species (e.g., Chinese sturgeon, Chinese paddlefish). From the view of marine ecosystem health, organotin compounds (OTCs) should be of ...

Authors: Chunzhao Chen, Ling Chen, Rui Xue, Qinghui Huang, Lingling Wu, Shufeng Ye and Wen Zhang

Aging by pollutants: introducing the aging dose (AD)₅₀

The global scale of environmental pollution and the accumulation of pollutants in environmental sinks such as soil and surface water sediments call for long-term investigation of relevant target organisms. Con...

Authors: Annette Piechulek and Anna von Mikecz

Integrating environmental parameters and economic benefits to analyze the ecological agriculture (EA) application in the mountain rice paddy system of Chongqing, China

Agrochemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers used in the current conventional agriculture (CA), have contaminating effects on environments as well as food, which pose significant risks to non-target organ...

Authors: Ying Shao, Zhongli Chen, Hongyan Xiao, Zihan Zhu and Bo Li

Future pesticide risk assessment: narrowing the gap between intention and reality

Authors: Ralf B. Schäfer, Matthias Liess, Rolf Altenburger, Juliane Filser, Henner Hollert, Martina Roß-Nickoll, Andreas Schäffer and Martin Scheringer

A contribution towards improving the applicability of the Myriophyllum aquaticum sediment contact test

Whole sediment contact tests provide realistic exposure scenarios, but the inherent properties of sediments may play a significant role in organism’s response and interfere with result interpretation. Recently...

Authors: Tanja Tomić, Varja Mihajlović, Tamara Jurca, Aleksandra Tubić, Dejan Krčmar, Jelena Tričković and Ivana Teodorović

Variable withdrawal elevations as a management tool to counter the effects of climate warming in Germany’s largest drinking water reservoir

Thermal stratification in reservoirs is a significant factor affecting water quality, and can be strongly influenced by climate change and operational strategies. Reservoirs in the temperate zone react most se...

Authors: Chenxi Mi, Amir Sadeghian, Karl-Erich Lindenschmidt and Karsten Rinke

The depuration fate of the mixtures of CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) with different surface coatings on mangrove and wheat root epidermis: results from a novel method

The depuration fate of mixtures of metal-based quantum dots (QDs) in root epidermis is an important factor that determined their follow-up transportation and transformation processes in plant. However, the rel...

Authors: Ruilong Li, Shuaipeng Zhang, Yinghui Wang and Kefu Yu

Commentary on the draft revised guideline on the environmental risk assessment of medicinal products for human use

Applicants for marketing authorisation for human medicinal products in the European Union must submit an environmental risk assessment which is assessed by assessors from the national competent authorities. Th...

Authors: Rhys Whomsley, Susanne Brendler-Schwaab, Eadaoin Griffin, John Jensen, Caroline Moermond, Birger Scholz, Laila Sortvik Nilssen, Henry Stemplewski and Ines Roennefahrt

Assessment of the impact of abattoir effluent on the quality of groundwater in a residential area of Omu-Aran, Nigeria

Water pollution from abattoir effluents may create substantial environmental and public health hazards. Available literature is scanty on the quality of groundwater located near abattoirs in tropical developin...

Authors: Olugbenga Oluseun Elemile, Davids Olorungbon Raphael, David Olugbenga Omole, Elizabeth Omoladun Oloruntoba, Elijah Oluwasegun Ajayi and Nyore Adams Ohwavborua

Impact of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) on soil microbial community depending on functionalization, concentration, exposure time, and soil texture

Increasing exposure to engineered inorganic nanoparticles takes actually place in both terrestric and aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Although we already know harmful effects of AgNP on the soil bacterial commun...

Authors: Anna-Lena Grün, Werner Manz, Yvonne Lydia Kohl, Florian Meier, Susanne Straskraba, Carsten Jost, Roland Drexel and Christoph Emmerling

Prioritization of hazards of novel flame retardants using the mechanistic toxicology information from ToxCast and Adverse Outcome Pathways

Flame retardants (FRs) are used in most consumer products and textiles to comply with current flammability standards. After the restriction of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, a large number of chemically diver...

Authors: Lola Bajard, Lisa Melymuk and Ludek Blaha

20 years SETAC GLB: increasing realism of pesticide risk assessment

Pesticides contribute to this reduction of biodiversity in ecosystems. Obviously, environmental risk assessment did not prevent adverse pesticide effects on non-target organisms. This called for an identificat...

Authors: Matthias Liess, Toni Ratte, Peter Ebke and Henner Hollert

Future water quality monitoring: improving the balance between exposure and toxicity assessments of real-world pollutant mixtures

Environmental water quality monitoring aims to provide the data required for safeguarding the environment against adverse biological effects from multiple chemical contamination arising from anthropogenic diff...

Authors: Rolf Altenburger, Werner Brack, Robert M. Burgess, Wibke Busch, Beate I. Escher, Andreas Focks, L. Mark Hewitt, Bo N. Jacobsen, Miren López de Alda, Selim Ait-Aissa, Thomas Backhaus, Antoni Ginebreda, Klára Hilscherová, Juliane Hollender, Henner Hollert, Peta A. Neale…

Value of information analysis for assessing risks and benefits of nanotechnology innovation

Decisions on adoption of technological innovation are difficult for manufacturers, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who have limited resources but often drive product development. Decision an...

Authors: Alex Zabeo, Jeffrey M. Keisler, Danail Hristozov, Antonio Marcomini and Igor Linkov

Effect-based methods are key. The European Collaborative Project SOLUTIONS recommends integrating effect-based methods for diagnosis and monitoring of water quality

The present monitoring and assessment of the chemical status of water bodies fail to characterize the likelihood that complex mixtures of chemicals affect water quality. The European Collaborative Project SOLU...

Authors: Werner Brack, Selim Ait Aissa, Thomas Backhaus, Valeria Dulio, Beate I. Escher, Michael Faust, Klara Hilscherova, Juliane Hollender, Henner Hollert, Christin Müller, John Munthe, Leo Posthuma, Thomas-Benjamin Seiler, Jaroslav Slobodnik, Ivana Teodorovic, Andrew J. Tindall…

Celebrating 20 years of SETAC German Language Branch (GLB)

This editorial presents the objectives and achievements of the German Language Branch of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Europe (SETAC GLB), a regional branch of SETAC Europe, of the last...

Authors: Jochen P. Zubrod, Rolf-Alexander Düring, Klaus P. Ebke, Dominic Englert, Tobias Frische, Bettina Hitzfeld, Marion Junghans, Dominic Kaiser, Anja Kehrer, Silvio Knaebe, Nadine Ruchter and Henner Hollert

Toxicity and neurotoxicity profiling of contaminated sediments from Gulf of Bothnia (Sweden): a multi-endpoint assay with Zebrafish embryos

The toxicological characterization of sediments is an essential task to monitor the quality of aquatic environments. Many hazardous pollutants may accumulate in sediments and pose a risk to the aquatic communi...

Authors: Riccardo Massei, Henner Hollert, Martin Krauss, Wolf von Tümpling, Cindy Weidauer, Peter Haglund, Eberhard Küster, Christine Gallampois, Mats Tysklind and Werner Brack