Transport of emerging contaminants: a column experimental study in granitic, gneissic, and quaternary alluvial soils from Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil

Emerging organic contaminants in the soil-plant-receptor continuum: transport, fate, health risks, and removal mechanisms

There is a lack of comprehensive reviews tracking emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) within the soil-plant continuum using the source-pathway-receptor-impact-mitigation (SPRIM) framework. Therefore, this review examines existing literature to gain insights into the occurrence, behaviour, fate, health hazards, and strategies for mitigating EOCs within the soil-plant system. EOCs identified in the soil-plant system encompass endocrine-disrupting chemicals, surfactants, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, plasticizers, gasoline additives, flame retardants, and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Sources of EOCs in the soil-plant system include the land application of biosolids, wastewater, and solid wastes rich in EOCs. However, less-studied sources encompass plastics and atmospheric deposition. EOCs are transported from their sources to the soil-plant system and other receptors through human activities, wind-driven processes, and hydrological pathways. The behaviour, persistence, and fate of EOCs within the soil-plant system are discussed, including sorption, degradation, phase partitioning, (bio)transformation, biouptake, translocation, and bioaccumulation in plants. Factors governing the behaviour, persistence, and fate of EOCs in the soil-plant system include pH, redox potential, texture, temperature, and soil organic matter content. The review also discusses the environmental receptors of EOCs, including their exchange with other environmental compartments (aquatic and atmospheric), and interactions with soil organisms. The ecological health risks, human exposure via inhalation of particulate matter and consumption of contaminated food, and hazards associated with various EOCs in the soil-plant system are discussed. Various mitigation measures including removal technologies of EOCs in the soil are discussed. Finally, future research directions are presented.

Advancements in the dominion of fate and transport of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment-a bibliometric study

The study on the fate and transport of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products, PPCPs (FTP) in the environment, has received particular attention for over two decades. The PPCPs threaten ecology and human health even at low concentrations due to their synergistic effects and long-range transport. The research aims to provide an inclusive map of the scientific background of FTP research over the last 25 years, from 1996 to 2020, to identify the main characteristics, evolution, salient research themes, trends, and research hotspots in the field of interest. Bibliometric networks were synthesized and analyzed for 577 journal articles extracted from the Scopus database. Consequently, seven major themes of FTP research were identified as follows: (i) PPCPs category; (ii) hazardous effects; (iii) occurrence of PPCPs; (iv) PPCPs in organisms; (v) remediation; (vi) FTP-governing processes; and (vii) assessment in the environment. The themes gave an in-depth picture of the sources of PPCPs and their transport and fate processes in the environment, which originated from sewage treatment plants and transported further to sediment/soils/groundwater/oceans that act as the PPCPs' major sink. The article provided a rigorous analysis of the research landscape in the FTP study conducted during the specified years. The prominent research themes, content analysis, and research hotspots identified in the study may serve as the basis of real-time guidance to lead future research areas and a prior review for policymakers and practitioners.

Unraveling the occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern in groundwater from urban setting: A combined multidisciplinary approach and self-organizing maps

In recent decades, changes in human behavior and new technologies have introduced thousands of new compounds into the environment called "contaminants of emerging concern" (CEC). These compounds have been detected in different environmental compartments such as soil, surface water, air, and groundwater. The presence of these contaminants in groundwater may pose risks to human health when used as potable water. In some urban areas in Brazil, groundwater is normally consumed without previous treatment. This study aimed to use statistical analysis by self-organizing maps (SOM) to evaluate the trends of CEC in urban groundwater systems. A total of 23 CEC compounds including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and hormones were determined in groundwater samples using solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The CEC most frequently detected were atrazine and degradation products, fipronil, simazine, tebuconazole, hexazinone, and caffeine in concentrations up to 300 ng L^-1. All studied compounds were detected in groundwater at least in one sample. Patterns in the data through SOM have shown a strong positive correlation between atrazine, hexazinone, simazine, tebuthiuron, 2-hydroxyatrazine, and 17β-estradiol. The hormones estrone and testosterone also show a positive correlation due to their similar chemical properties. On the other hand, caffeine was detected in 90% of the samples, likely due to a population habit of taking daily a hot drink made of yerba mate associated with low rates of treated domestic sewage in the study area.